Woodfordes, Sundew Review

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Take another reading today pal, if it reads the same then go for it - visual signs are pretty useless at this point.

Mines coming off today, had a quick sample and I agree with the watery comment :(
 
Cheers Rob,

About to check SG and transfer over to allow batch priming etc.

Hopefully all should be well.

Paul
 
Well, this is a lot clearer than last night, we racked off into the keg and force carbed.

So yeah, it's quite light, not a huge amount of body. By no means does the heaviness compare to that of the wherry/admirals, it's probably one I'd like to see carbonated and served chilled.

However, there's some nice flavours coming through now, a good grassy hoppiness, lowish bittering and definitely a little toffee in there. Don't judge it just yet, it might develop into a banger :)
 
just cracked my first bottle of this tonight - wasn't quite what I was expecting, bit sharp and wheat-beer-esque.

It's only been in the bottle 2 weeks, might give it another couple weeks to mature. this is the first all malt kit I've done.
 
My kits have tasted very upon bottling, it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Likewise, drinking after 2 weeks does not give you much insight to the final product. Try it after 4 but don't expect to guzzle on it until at least 6 weeks in.
 
Hi,

Well, bottled mine a week last Monday, having primed it the night before and being unable to bottle it due to a broken crown capper, and after a few days in the warm, relocated to the loft.

Tried one tonight to see if I need to add a top up of sugar....

Slight hiss, and not much head when gently poured. A better, creamier head formed when poured a bit faster, although it did not last long, so perhaps a sugar top up is needed, as has been suggested to me.

As for the taste....not what I was expecting. Pleasantly fruity, but a very distinctive, almost Belgian-style tang (a la Leffe Blonde). Would anybody else agree with this?

Paul
 
Hi All,

Had my Sundew in the keg for 2 weeks tomorrow, have had a little taster and i agree there seems to be a tang to it but not in a homebrew kind of way. It seems to be getting less and less so hopefully another couple of weeks will see it much smoother.

I also did a few bottles this time and these have come out much darker than the keg sample with much more of a carbonation bite to them, even though i didn't go mad on the priming sugar.

I do wonder with this kit being a new one whether we're all jumping the gun a little on the tasting just to see what it's like (i know i did :whistle: )
 
Aitch said:
I've had to move mine out of a leaky keg to another keg tonight, I hope it will be ok, reprimed too time will tell I guess :|

I've tipped this today, wouldn't carbonate and just wasn't right. I know it was down to the above and I'm sure those that managed to brew this without hiccup wil have a cracker of a pint, just not me this time :(
 
Pablo_C said:
Hi,

Well, bottled mine a week last Monday, having primed it the night before and being unable to bottle it due to a broken crown capper, and after a few days in the warm, relocated to the loft.

Tried one tonight to see if I need to add a top up of sugar....

Slight hiss, and not much head when gently poured. A better, creamier head formed when poured a bit faster, although it did not last long, so perhaps a sugar top up is needed, as has been suggested to me.

As for the taste....not what I was expecting. Pleasantly fruity, but a very distinctive, almost Belgian-style tang (a la Leffe Blonde). Would anybody else agree with this?

Paul

I'd agree with the Leffe comparison - I've just tried my second bottle @ 4 weeks, its mellowed a fair bit since 2 weeks ago, not much head but fizzy enough for me. Its a pleasant refreshing brew, not sure I'd drink a load of them in one night, but should be nice with food. I was expecting something more IPA like, will probably go for an actual IPA next time - anyone any recommendations?
 
shweeney said:
anyone any recommendations?
Yep....... Better brew, it's right good :grin:

I had 3 of my sundews this weekend. Poured the first away! :shock: I thought it tasted chemically as if I hadn't rinsed the bottle properly. The second was a little better but the tang was still there. I can't see me getting through these very quickly, which might be a good thing.
 
Hi Guys

I'm new here and a born again brewer!!!

I made a few beers years ago but gave up as it was so cheap to buy and i was working all the time blah blah. But about a year ago a local shop started stocking beer kits and i got chatting and before i knew it i had a Wherry kit, a King keg top tap barrel and a few other bits on the assurance "beer kits had come a long way baby!"

Well....................... I'm now 10 kits and 3 barrels down the road and everyone has blown me and my mates away. Ive made several Wherry, Lions Pride, 2 Ruby, conkerwood, and IPA which i am now drinking and is almost identical to the 6x i had in the pub on Sunday. (and going down well as i speak/write/type....)

So what i thought i would do is offer some simple advice or recipe to anybody new or thinking of having a go.

This is exactly what i do:

1, Fill fermenter with sterilising solution with long handled spoon inside
2, Stand cans in a pot of hot water on the stove,
3, Fill kettle and switch on.
4, when water in the pot is hot, turn can over. then turn off heat.
5, By now the fermenter should be clean, so empty out and rinse well
6, rinse top of cans and can opener with boiling water from the kettle.
7, Open both cans and pour into fermenter.
8, Pour water from kettle into cans to soften any malt left.
9, refill kettle and boil again then rinse out cans again and add to fermenter and stir until dissolved.
10, Fill up to 5 gallon mark plus half an inch (assuming its a 5 gal kit) sprinkle on the yeast and put lid on.

11, Place in required position and insert airlock and fill,
12, Place heater belt about 2 inches from the bottom around fermenter.
13, If you dont have a belt GET ONE, This maintains the correct temp which is crucial for the fermentation process.
14, Ignore what the box says,
15, Leave to ferment for 14 days, do not disturb/ look in or anything that could allow air to get to the brew. This will allow complete fermentation reducing any yeast flavours.

16, After 14 days
17, Carefully place fermenter on a worktop ready for transferring. I also place a wedge of wood at the back underneath to get as much out as possible.
18, sterilise pressure barrel (and long spoon and syhpon tube) and rinse (bottling is a waste of time, get a barrel if you want proper draught beer)
19, pour 100gms of sugar into the barrel.
20, Place barrel on floor or chair that is lower than the fermenter.
21, Carefully syphon the beer into the barrel keeping the tube below the level in both, This stops the brew being oxidised or air entering the brew that could introduce off flavours.
22, When done, stir to dissolve the sugar and screw on the lid ensuring the seal is in place.
23, I tap tight with a rubber mallet and small stone chisel to ensure a good seal.
24, Place back where fermenter was and fit heater belt onto barrel and switch on.
25, leave on for 2 days then remove.

26, Conditioning stage.
27, the longer you leave it the better it gets 4 weeks minimum.
28, For instance the IPA i am drinking now was sweet last week @ 2 weeks old
29, Now 3 weeks old its improved and lost some of the sweetness hence the resemblance to 6x.
30, i do all of the above exactly the same every time and every beer has been amazing.
31, I have 3 barrels in rotation that gives me a regular supply of well conditioned beer. If you dont have at least 3 barrels then the temptation is to drink the beer too soon and never really appreciate what the conditioning process does

If you follow this recipe you will have some of the best beers that match any pub beer

I really cant believe how good this beer is. I have just barrelled a Sundew and have a Ruby fermenting followed by another Wherry.

I love it

Russ
 
first keg gone ,next one in.
if this brew was cold it would the summer time drink. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
I am partially tempted to buy one of these but the headcracker has more draw to me

whats your thoughts?

:cheers:
 
plumpton said:
I am partially tempted to buy one of these but the headcracker has more draw to me

whats your thoughts?

:cheers:

Sundew is an easier drink than Headcracker and better (IMO) for those hot sunny days that look to be round the corner!
 
I think I've decided I don't like mine :eek: :cry:
They have a definate flowery tang that hits you in the back of the throat. They go cloudy when poured no mater how gently you do it, the head is rubbish.
I've left them alone for long enough & I can't see them improving with more age.
I've tried sticking 2 in the fridge to see if that would improve things but no.
I couldn't recommend this & certainly wouldn't do another, maybe it was just mine? :hmm:
 
muddy90 said:
I think I've decided I don't like mine :eek: :cry:
They have a definate flowery tang that hits you in the back of the throat. They go cloudy when poured no mater how gently you do it, the head is rubbish.
I've left them alone for long enough & I can't see them improving with more age.
I've tried sticking 2 in the fridge to see if that would improve things but no.
I couldn't recommend this & certainly wouldn't do another, maybe it was just mine? :hmm:

I'm inclined to agree, mine has a definite wheat beeriness about it but not in a good way. Everyone who's tried one has commented that it was alright but not quite what they were expecting and that something just didn't taste right. Not off but just not quite right, :hmm:
 
el gringo said:
muddy90 said:
I think I've decided I don't like mine :eek: :cry:
They have a definate flowery tang that hits you in the back of the throat. They go cloudy when poured no mater how gently you do it, the head is rubbish.
I've left them alone for long enough & I can't see them improving with more age.
I've tried sticking 2 in the fridge to see if that would improve things but no.
I couldn't recommend this & certainly wouldn't do another, maybe it was just mine? :hmm:

I'm inclined to agree, mine has a definite wheat beeriness about it but not in a good way. Everyone who's tried one has commented that it was alright but not quite what they were expecting and that something just didn't taste right. Not off but just not quite right, :hmm:

Same here :( extremely disappointed with this, not a patch on the Great Eastern ale
 

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