Bulldog Brews Bad Cat Imperial Red

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After a challenging day at work, I thought I'd crack open a (small) bottle. It's carbonated well, and - though a little sweet - has great body and flavour. I can only see it getting better over the next few weeks - this ranks as high as my Young's American IPA kit.

That's fantastic to hear. How would you describe/compare the flavour?
 
I've just done a batch of this that has been carbonation somewhere far too cold in bottles for the last week or so. It's a lovely pint. Still a bit flat die to Less than ideal conditions. Hoppy but not on the same scale as the ipa, which is hoppy indeed. A very nice pint at the minute. Can only get better.

Intrigued to read people thinking it smells funny when brewing. I've never taken a lid off for the first couple of weeks, why would you do this? Or are you smelling through the airlock? Just curious.

Anyway. Looks like a winner to me!
 
Almost finished, carbonating in bottles, very cloudy & sediment settling in the bottom (which I don't mind, as you expect this bottled conditioned beer) wish I tried to clear or filter out before bottling, hoping it will clear when ready to cold clear it.
 
Well I can happily report that this did indeed turn out to be a fine brew! I've been steadily "sampling" but have a dozen or so bottles for Xmas.

The taste/flavour? Slightly unusual. It has a distinctive flavourv- quite malty, with a slight sweetness. But also quite a dry aftertaste. Full flavour. Shouts quality. Probably the second best I've brewed (next to the Young's American IPA).
 
That's good to know :) I bought this kit on the strength of a tasting at the recent Hambleton Bard Open Day at Morley Home Brew and thought it was quite different. It was apparently only a week or two old, so it promises to be a very good one. It's the next one on my list to start, probably just after the new year.
 
Well I can happily report that this did indeed turn out to be a fine brew! I've been steadily "sampling" but have a dozen or so bottles for Xmas.

The taste/flavour? Slightly unusual. It has a distinctive flavourv- quite malty, with a slight sweetness. But also quite a dry aftertaste. Full flavour. Shouts quality. Probably the second best I've brewed (next to the Young's American IPA).

Brilliant stuff. Finally, I've got my replacement kit on. This one smells entirely different. Brewed to 23.5l this time as well. Fingers crossed.
 
I kicked on of these off yesterday. I had a cunning plan after the Evil Dog IPA too so long to get going I reserved some of the sediment from the Evil Dog after siphoning it into a secondary fermenter. I added the sediment plus the yeast sachet and it was bubbling away after a few hours. Probably the yeasts are the same so the results should be good and slightly quicker.
 
I kicked on of these off yesterday. I had a cunning plan after the Evil Dog IPA too so long to get going I reserved some of the sediment from the Evil Dog after siphoning it into a secondary fermenter. I added the sediment plus the yeast sachet and it was bubbling away after a few hours. Probably the yeasts are the same so the results should be good and slightly quicker.

I've done two bad cats, two evil dogs, and all commenced furiously within 12 hours.

This cat smells delicious one week in :cheers:
 
Furious is a good way to describe it! It blasted out the top of the airlock & pooled yeast sludge all over the lid the first night. Cleaned it up and replaced the airlock with another (sanitised) one. Did the same again on day two, and day three. It finally calmed down enough after a week, and the airlock stayed clear (though busy) after that.

Added the hops to this yesterday, after a fortnight's fermentation, and down to 1.007. Decide to dispense with the bags so made a hop tea with the pellets (which instantly turn to mush) and put that in. It smelt good before the hops and extremely good afterwards :) That seems to have kicked off fermentation again, as it was bubbling rapidly again after a few minutes. I'm aiming to bottle it on Wednesday.
 
Make one of these and you never have to deal with the mess again. (this is not mine, i would put a small amount of water in the bottom of the bottle just enough to cover the end of the tube)



BlowOffTube.jpg
 
In short, I would brew this again, good brew in the end, cloud does clear if you place it somewhere at room temperature after chilling down for a few days... Good final AVB (8%) defiantly couldn't drink more than 3 bottles without awakening with a headache though, which my wife seemed to make the link pretty quick.
 
Not sure about this yet.

It was certainly clear and amber coloured (not red) and had a good head. The flavour was quite bitter with an alcoholic punch. The overall flavour reminds me of Old Speckled Hen but with a high ABV, its OK but i've had better.

Maybe it just needs longer to mature being rather strong and all.
 
Hey Gang, have this on at the moment now 9 days in and unsure when to add the hop tea bags, this is only my second brew so bit unsure hydro reading yesterday was about 1.014 / 1.012 so its getting there any advice
 
Hey Gang, have this on at the moment now 9 days in and unsure when to add the hop tea bags, this is only my second brew so bit unsure hydro reading yesterday was about 1.014 / 1.012 so its getting there any advice

I'd say if you would like it as hoppy as possible, when you decide your hydrometer readings has been the same for 48h, toss the hops in, and let em be for 24-48h, than bottle/keg.

Or for less extreme hoppyness, toss one of the bags in at next reading in 2 days, since then most likely the fermentation will be quite done within days. Then at final reading, toss the last one in and wait at least a day before bottling. :cheers:
 
Hi guys,
Just started this kit this aftertoon. Brewed Evil Dog last time and added an extra kit to bump up the %. Done them same again this time but there doesn't seem to much activity in the way of bubbles in the air lock. When I put the yeast in initially the temperature was a slight high... 28C or so. Could this have had an affect on the yeast itself?
Looks and smells great though!
Cheers
 
I dont even bother with the airlock, just cover the airlock bung with sterilised tin foil well taped down, small bit high for pitch but it would be cooling down should be ok, give it minimum 2 weeks should be done then.
 
I dont even bother with the airlock, just cover the airlock bung with sterilised tin foil well taped down, small bit high for pitch but it would be cooling down should be ok, give it minimum 2 weeks should be done then.

Yeah, it's started fermenting the next day. Kegged it now and in secondary fermentation. Looking forward to next week!
 
Got this started on Sunday was a slow starter but I had to fit a blow off tube yesterday lol. Smells great can't wait to taste this one
 

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