Best Bitter - with Piccies

[Matt]

Parp are those Bobek from Paul? I've got a batch fermenting using Bobek in a similar way (mine was 50g FWH and 40g at flameout) and it smells absolutely fantastic.

[Parp]

They are Indeed!

I'm brewing again today with them.

This time, alongside some 2008 NZ Cascade from Ross at Craftbrewer AU.

I'm toying with chucking in a slack flameout handful of Australian Summer Saaz, 2008 pellets, also from Ross.

Mmmmm Beer...

[DarloDave]

After recently discovering Craftbrewer hops, they really are great arent they?

[Parp]

After recently discovering Craftbrewer hops, they really are great arent they?

Aye,

Latest crops, excellent condition, cheap, quick postage from Aus.

Big match t'neet Dave!

[anomalous_result]

To clarify FWH is not the same as mash hopping.

Here's a thread and an article on FWH.

[Parp]

To clarify FWH is not the same as mash hopping.

Here's a thread and an article on FWH.

Indeed they are not.

The recipe was formulated to use mash hops, and not FWH to save space in the boiler.

Today I also mash hopped as I used 45g of 80degC steep hops in a post-boil volume of 15L.
From which i managed to get 12L in the fermenter.

The recipe's were formulated on BeerAlchemy, and I trust this because Steve, the author/programmer, seems to know his sh1t.

[Parp]

I kegged 9 litres and bottled 1 litre of this today.

It had fermented down to 1006

Giving an attenuation figure of about 85% I reckon.
A bit further than the 1009-1010 I'd expected.

Tasted good though and had kept a lot more hop taste and aroma than previous efforts.
The result of using tap water, or mash-hopping I don't know.

I might brew it again but FWH-20-80deg steep to the same IBU count.

[Parp]

I decided to release a bit of pressure on the keg today by drawing off a small taster.

(I'd vented by pinching the pressure valve rubber band yesterday)

There's a Toffeeish immaturity about it - diacetyl perhaps?
The yeast was Nottingham, the Toffyishness isn't that bad, it just isn't perfect as it seems to be masking the hops a tad - which become apparent after the crunchie flavour fades on the palette.

How long will this take to fade in the keg at 15deg ?
And also, how long to fade in the bottles I did?

I was hoping to have the keg ready for about 2 weeks time.

[Parp]

UPDATE

I wasn't able to post last night, but 15 mins after the initial sample, I took another.

The "crunchie" style flavour was gone.
I rechecked this morning and also just now.

It's in fine drinking form.

7 days in the fermenter - 5 days in the keg.