Brewday 23/06/07 Traquair House Ale with Pictures

[oblivious]

Thats some very nice work bluesboy

[Garth]

The polypin didn't collapse! It just stayed full of gas from the beer, this was over a few days, each day it would pump itself up and not collapse as I thought. That is not going to be a problem if you just empty it in one session though.

Maybe I just did someting wrong as others seem to use them with the hand pump.

hmm, well we'll see, it's next Sunday so I'm gonna move the pin into a fridge ste at about 10degreesC during the week and give it time to settle again, might have to draw some experimental pints first.

[prodigal2]

Bluesboy do you recon it would be worthwhile putting oak chips in a hop bag durring primary fermentation? I was thinking this would replicate the oak FV's they use.
Its something alot of wine producers do to pretend their beer has been in oak. A 5 min boil to sterilise cool put in the FV and pour in the wort?

[oblivious]

There is most likely brewer pitch in the barrel so the will be no additional flavor from them, but I could be wrong.

[bluesboy]

Good idea about the oak chips as you say wine makers often add them, I will ask around about that. Just tasted the THA blew my hat off with the alcohol, 1078 is way to strong for me these days.

The Safale 33 came down to 1026 in 2 days, Nottingham down to 1024 in 2 also, but I only put them in 1 gallon batches.

[bluesboy]

I can't remember if the polpypin deflated as I used the hand pump I assume it did, but the polypin filled with gas and looked like it would burst so I vented regularly which meant the beer did not last long.

I asked about the oak barrels for THA it seems they are very old so would contribute little to the flavour of the beer.

[prodigal2]

I asked about the oak barrels for THA it seems they are very old so would contribute little to the flavour of the beer.

Cheers Bluesboy, it may be a experiement to do, but I think I will not mess with what will be my Christmas ale,

Oh and thanks again for posting the recipe

[bluesboy]

The bloke I got the recipe off got 4th place in the National Association of Wine an Beer makers (NAWB) competition in their national show in 1994 and has won other competitions with it.

I hope I can replicate his success when I enter it in next year's competition.

Cheers

[Chiltern Brewer]

Hope it turns out well BB, I've tasted the originals and they are seriously good beers!

In fact this reminds me that a few years ago I had the good fortune to drink a pint or two of their Bear Ale on draught in the Traquair Arms in Innerleithen. One night I overheard a "tourist" moaning along the lines of "I don't think I can manage this, it's too strong/dark/heavy for me", what a wimp! The Bear Ale is only 5% ABV! Personally, I like a beer with a bit of roast/dark malt - so I was tempted to offer to help him out, but thought better of it!