Steam Beer Saturday (AG#2)

[MickDundee]

Just tasted it. It still tastes a bit young but it's nice, not a million miles away from Anchor Steam but not quite there! Head retention could be better and it's missing a little body and the "metallic" type taste that Anchor Steam has but it's malty with a bitter aftertaste so it has 2 of the 4 qualities I was aiming for! As a 2nd all grain attempt and the first time I created my own recipe is call it a resounding success!

 

[MickDundee]

On the left is a bottle of Anchor Steam Beer that I bought today. On the right is the Steam Beer I bottled 4 weeks ago. Tonight I'm having a bottle of each to compare!

 

[MickDundee]

You can see photos of the real and home brew beers here http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=63216

As you can see there, colour wise I'm pretty much spot on.

Mouth feel, the Anchor Stram has a bit more body, mine feels a bit crisper (but it did drop slightly below the FG for style according to Brewers Friend). I actually think I prefer it a bit crisper but might use MO instead of lager malt next time to see if it makes any difference. The Anchor appears a little more carbonated but not significantly so.

Flavour wise, I actually think I prefer the home brew, but it could do with a little extra bitterness.

My wife says she prefers mine and I think I might too! It's very nice!Next time with MO and a little boost in IBU (this one is 43 according to BF) I think it will be outstanding!

 

[MickDundee]

I've just ordered my grain for Common People MkII, which will be brewed at some point in the next 6 weeks (brew days for this and my Belgian Pale will either be next week at some point then 28 Oct or 28 Oct and mid-Nov).

I've made the following tweaks to try to perfect it:
I've reduced the 140L crystal to 7% and added Carapils (1%), MaraMunich II (1%) and rye (1% - I've read that this might give me the "metallic" type taste I like in the Anchor beer).
Taking out the flameout additions (I felt they gave it a bit of "eurgh" for about the first 6 weeks) and upped the IBUs by a couple of points - having 60, 20 and 10 minute additions instead of 69/25/flameout before.