Oil for the neck

[BrewJas]

Recently brewed the malt miller kit for neck oil clone (oil for the neck) and just had my first bottle tonight.

I’m really disappointed with the lack of flavour, it’s a recently nice pale ale but really lacking the flavour and aroma of neck oil.

During the boil I followed the recipe to the letter and put the hops directly in the wort during the boil (no bag or spider). I dry hopped in a nylon bag with weights but it still floated to the surface so wondering if my dry hopping has impacted things.

Has anyone else brewed this malt miller kit? Did it turn out as expected?

Any feedback on where I might have lost flavour / gone wrong would also be much appreciated - I’ve done about 10 AG brews but just venturing into the world of dry hopping!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I haven’t done the MM kit but I have made one using the CML recipe and their neck oil blend of hops and was really pleased with how that came out.

https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/beer-recipes?pgid=krxkwatx-d29adf79-289e-4e25-b45a-c2447c377629

 

[MrSmegbrains]

I haven’t done the MM kit but I have made one using the CML recipe and their neck oil blend of hops and was really pleased with how that came out.

https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/beer-recipes?pgid=krxkwatx-d29adf79-289e-4e25-b45a-c2447c377629

Hopefully the OP won’t mind me asking this… Just wondering how you found the CML recipe in comparison to the real thing? Brother in law is a big fan of neck oil and I’d like to get as close as I can really

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Hopefully the OP won’t mind me asking this… Just wondering how you found the CML recipe in comparison to the real thing? Brother in law is a big fan of neck oil and I’d like to get as close as I can really

I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I used the CML hop blend along with ingredients I had already. I think it came out pretty close although I didn’t do a side by side comparison. If your brother in law likes Neck Oil I think you’ll easily be able to create something he’d be happy with. This is the recipe I created and used:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Oil for the neck

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 22 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.22 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.036
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.042
Final Gravity: 1.009
ABV (standard): 4.38%
IBU (tinseth): 44.63
SRM (morey): 4.53
Mash pH: 5.58

FERMENTABLES:
3.5 kg - Extra Pale Ale Malt (82.4%)
250 g - Caramalt 15L (5.9%)
250 g - Torrified Wheat (5.9%)
250 g - Munich Malt (5.9%)

HOPS:
5 g - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 9.83
25 g - Neck oil blend, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.9, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 25.6
15 g - Neck oil blend, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.9, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 9.2
100 g - Neck oil blend, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.9, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.5 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
2 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
6 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.5 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
2 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
3 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
0.5 each - Protofloc, Time: 10 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Five
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 17.22 - 27.78 C
Fermentation Temp: 18 C

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Hoppy
Ca2: 136.7
Mg2: 10
Na: 52
Cl: 86
SO4: 181.1
HCO3: 96.7

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Strike, Start Temp: 68 C, Target Temp: 67 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 18.6 L
2) Sparge, Start Temp: 76 C, Target Temp: 76 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 12.87 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.8 L/kg
Starting Grain Temp: 18 °C

WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 2.8 L/kg
(includes 6.7 L addition), 18.6L
Mash volume with grains, 21.4L
Grain absorption losses, -4.3L
Remaining sparge water volume (equipment estimates 12.9 L), 12.9L
Pre boil volume (equipment estimates 27.2 L), 27.2L
Boil off losses, -4L
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma), -0.2L
Post boil Volume, 23L
Kettle losses, -1L
Going into fermentor, 22L

Total Water Needed: 31.5L

NOTES:
Ferment 18 degrees for 5 days then up to 21 degrees for 7 days.
Cold crash 1 degree for 3 days

Generated by Brewer's Friend - Brewer's Friend | Homebrew Beer Recipes, Calculators & Forum
Date: 2024-01-02 13:51 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2023-10-20 09:28 UTC

 

[borischarlton]

@BrewJas Really interested to hear your results. The recipe is for the original Neck Oil recipe that was given to me by Logan, whilst I doubt it is exactly the same recipe used today it will be close. We have had really good results brewing it and the reviews are excellent.
I would like to help you get the most out of your ingredients, my advise would be, if you have not done it already is to get your water tested. These hop forward pales really benefit from the right water profile and it can be the difference between a reasonable beer and a superb one. Plus, when you dry hop, it is far better to have the hops loose within your fermenter if at all possible. Having them in a bag can really limit their impact. This may well mean a change of process though as you will need to be able to cold crash.

 

[Mash Monster]

@BrewJas Really interested to hear your results. The recipe is for the original Neck Oil recipe that was given to me by Logan, whilst I doubt it is exactly the same recipe used today it will be close. We have had really good results brewing it and the reviews are excellent.
I would like to help you get the most out of your ingredients, my advise would be, if you have not done it already is to get your water tested. These hop forward pales really benefit from the right water profile and it can be the difference between a reasonable beer and a superb one. Plus, when you dry hop, it is far better to have the hops loose within your fermenter if at all possible. Having them in a bag can really limit their impact. This may well mean a change of process though as you will need to be able to cold crash.

A very valid point but what water profile would you suggest ?
This is an area that I really struggle with

 

[gSmith]

A really good guide to water profiles here
https://www.murphyandson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Little-book-of-Liquor_135x155mm_WEB-1.pdf

 

[borischarlton]

A very valid point but what water profile would you suggest ?
This is an area that I really struggle with

One way or another the way forward is to find out what the make up of your water is and then treat from there. Various ways are available, just what suits you and how much time and effort you would like to put into it. Murphy's ( link below ) offer a service where you send in some of your water that they test. You then get a sheet back letting you know what salts need adding for various different water profiles.
It is worth noting that water chemistry, even from the same source, do change either over time or at weather events such as drought or flood. However, I can assure you that getting the report done and following what is suggested will make a big improvement in your home brew.

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/advanced-water-report-from-murphy-sons/?v=79cba1185463

 

[Splinter]

Recently brewed the malt miller kit for neck oil clone (oil for the neck) and just had my first bottle tonight.

I’m really disappointed with the lack of flavour, it’s a recently nice pale ale but really lacking the flavour and aroma of neck oil.

During the boil I followed the recipe to the letter and put the hops directly in the wort during the boil (no bag or spider). I dry hopped in a nylon bag with weights but it still floated to the surface so wondering if my dry hopping has impacted things.

Has anyone else brewed this malt miller kit? Did it turn out as expected?

Any feedback on where I might have lost flavour / gone wrong would also be much appreciated - I’ve done about 10 AG brews but just venturing into the world of dry hopping!

I have brewed several batches of the Malt Miller vs

Recently brewed the malt miller kit for neck oil clone (oil for the neck) and just had my first bottle tonight.

I’m really disappointed with the lack of flavour, it’s a recently nice pale ale but really lacking the flavour and aroma of neck oil.

During the boil I followed the recipe to the letter and put the hops directly in the wort during the boil (no bag or spider). I dry hopped in a nylon bag with weights but it still floated to the surface so wondering if my dry hopping has impacted things.

Has anyone else brewed this malt miller kit? Did it turn out as expected?

Any feedback on where I might have lost flavour / gone wrong would also be much appreciated - I’ve done about 10 AG brews but just venturing into the world of dry hopping!

I have done several brews of Malt Miller Neck Oil now and I am very pleased with the result. I had a similar problem where I was finding all my brews were tasting the same and almost at the point of giving up, because I had invested so much money in my setup I was determined to sort the problem out so I bought a Murphy’s water testing kit through Malt Miller. It has made so much difference to my brews, I sent a sample of water away and the results came back with clear information on what to add to my water for different styles of beer and was well worth the cost.
I hope this helps and good luck.