friday brew session

[delboy]

Having a friday night brew/tasting session with a bunch of guys from work tonight, even though its bloody freezing out im going to have a BBQ as well, toughen them up

Im undecided on what to brew tonight im either going to try and reclone SNPA with an updated not so harsh hopping schedule. Or its the forum favourite stryian stunner, what do you reckon i should do??

[Vossy1]

Sounds like a great night you've got planned DB
I like the SS but I like SNPA even more, so that's my vote.
Have a good one

I expect pictures of burgers being munched to a background covering of snow

[delboy]

I think it is going to be the SNPA.

I was planning on using the grain amounts from garths recipe

Pale 5.2kg
Carapils 300g
Crystal (120EBC) 200g

Only think is i don't have any 120 EBC i only have 60 EBC

Could i add 400g of crystal 60 EBC and drop the carapils to 100g or is that likely to change the whole profile??

[delboy]

not so much worried about the colour (since it should come out the same) more the impact on the flavour ie is 400 g of crystal 60 EBC a good substitute for 200g of 120 EBC?

[mooj]

You're just looking for more of that toffee taste again.

Personally I'd keep the quantities the same, but doubling has it's arguments too. I don't think you can match the flavour just by doubling the amount as it will affect mouthfeel (only slightly with this amount admittedly) and of course darker crystal will have a more roasted flavour.

Enjoy the brew. I'm almost jealous, except that it's cold and wet and the pub is warm and dry (and has 11 real ales on tap...)

[delboy]

Well the burgers, ribs and sausages are ate and the lads are on the last train home. A lot of the homebrew was consumed and everyone seemed happy, the London pride/toffee beer was the fav.

Back to the brew

Went with the garths recipe with the substituted crystal.

90 min
12g magnum 14.4 %
12g perle 5.5 %

10 min
30g cascade 6.8 %

0 min
100g cascade 6.8 %

Im hoping i finally get close to SNPA

[Wez]

Sounds like a top night Del, any converts?

[Vossy1]

Where's the pictures of burgers by snow glare

[delboy]

Sounds like a top night Del, any converts?

One of the guys has brewed with me before a couple of times and thinks we should do it as a business, another would like me to brew beer for the social events at his club and the other two were french but they seemed to like it as well . One of them has expressed an interest in mini mashing.

So all in all not bad, a 50 % conversion rate with the wine drinkers

[delboy]

Where's the pictures of burgers by snow glare

Sorry vossy no photos and no snow i was too busy getting everybody drinks, and brewing, you have to get your priorities right after all

[mysterio]

Sounds like a good recipe DB, I personally think the larger amount of lower colour crystal is a good call. I'll be interested to know how it turns out, I've got a good half kilo of Cascades in the freezer.

[Garth]

Sounds like you had a god night db,

full report on the taste when it's done

[delboy]

Had a peak in at this, as soon as you lift the lid you get an amazing smell of SNPA, seems the 100g of hops at flameout has done the job, it'll be interesting to see though how much of that aroma is still there after fermentation.

It'll be sure and let people know if i think this is a winner

[delboy]

Did a comparison of this with the real thing tonight. I'd say (not surprisingly with 100g of late hops) that mine has more aroma than the real thing, on the flavour front again mine is a bit more in your face but remarkably still very similar. The hop aftertaste on my version lasts for maybe a good minute or more compared to 15-20 seconds with the orginal.Mine was also slightly lighter in colour and also lacking a bit in the malt dept.

If i was brewing this again i'd keep the copper hops the same and reduce the steeping hops down from 100g to maybe something like 75g.
I'd also drop some of the 400g of crystal 60 EBC and replace it with 120 E.B.C perhaps about 200g, so that would be 100g of carapils, 200g of 60 E.B.C and 200g of 120 E.B.C.

The search for a SNPA clone goes on

[Garth]

but all in all, would you say this is your best attempt at this db?

I only ask as I might brew this one again on Sunday using your amended recipe, although I'll have to track some Cascade down.

I'm sure between us we can crack this, just keep brewing the bugger till it's spot on, I've never wanted to clone a brew so bad as this one for some odd reason.

Can you confirm this is the amended recipe db?

Pale 5.2kg
Carapils 100g
Crystal 120EBC 200g
Crystal 60 EBC 200g

Magnum 14.4% 12g 90mins
Perle 5.5% 12g 90mins
Cascade 6.8% 30g 10mins
Cascade 6.8% 75g 0mins

Yeast probably US-05?