Extract #3: Herk SMaSH!

[AdrianTrace]

My bulk hop eBay purchase earlier this year had a bag of Herkules in it, the beer named itself, so off we go :-D

No pictures today as I was brewing whilst feeding, bathing and putting to bed two children :thumb: which is why I chose the straightforward SMaSH brew.

Malt:
2 x 1.5kg HBC Light LME. Cans warmed and the contents poured straight into the FV. Then, rather than rinsing the cans, I chucked them into the warming boiler to get the last out and to give a little malt to aid the hop boil.

Hops: Herkules 17.3% alpha acid leaf hops:
60mins - 15g
10mins - 25g plus 1/2 whirlfloc
0mins (flameout) - 25g
I'll dry hop this with another 25-50g once the fermentation slows.

Produced 17 litres at OG 1.053. I'm using Nottingham, rehydrated per instructions on the pack.

Time for a beer or three :

 

[clibit]

I'll be interested to hear what Herkules is like in a single hop brew.

 

[AdrianTrace]

I'm not sure how it will turn out, but it's reassuring that there are other Herkules single hop brews out there with reasonable reviews.

They're probably not using 2012 hops though...

 

[clibit]

" Fragrant, grassy hop in the nose with citrus notes. The hoppage in the flavour had a slightly peppery, spicy quality and struck a decent balance with the sweet malt. Crisp, dry bitter finish. Not a hop I’m familiar with, but on this evidence worth seeking out. "

"Aroma is very spicy and floral with citrus."

 

[AdrianTrace]

That's the one :)

 

[AdrianTrace]

Down to 1.015 ish (still some foam on top), but tastes too bitter due to still learning my software (see http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58348 for details).

I'm not sure whether to continue with the plan for a big dry hop, or to cut back and save the hops for another brew... ahhh blow it, we've come this far now Maybe it will mellow :nah:

Clibit: if you want a bottle of this in exchange for the random beer, you're welcome :thumb:, but you may want one of the others/future brews instead

 

[clibit]

A bottle of anything.

I cocked up my hops once and made a super bitter beer. It mellowed after a few months

 

[Doglaner]

Love the multitasking!

I've done the same with over hopping, or rather not cooling quickly enough. It's been well over a month now and is mellowing a bit. Only a bit, mind. There is another flavour there, too, which is like mouldy grass, which I am a bit concerned about. I've had that before, with a Yorkshire Terrier kit twice, and each time while using hop pellets. Not had it with leaf hops.

I do :

Liquor on to heat.
Prep tea and...
Feed kids (4 & 2)
Start running the bath.
Mash in (BIAB, small boil, 10l FV)
Bathe and bed kids.
Check temp periodically, before story time, before nighttime songs, etc.
Remove malt and start boil.
Clear up and wash up from tea and chat to wife.
Add hop additions.
Tidy up toys, prep for next day.
Chill kettle.
Sterilise FV, Turkey Baster (for sample) and Sieve.
Pour into FV
Add water to bring to fermenting temp and desired gravity.
Pitch yeast.
Clear up.
Have an hour on sofa watching telly and chilling out.

Kids love the mashing in. "Can we make beer porridge, daddy?"

Dog.

 

[AdrianTrace]

Racked this off to a secondary FV so that I could use the yeast cake for the next brew, adding 25g Herkules dry hop in the process :thumb:

 

[AdrianTrace]

30 bottles filled and ready for the warm... like this one:

Nice & clear already. The leftover taster was good: "fruity malty honey :thumb:" was the verdict of The Boss. The bitterness on this one seemed pretty good: maybe 2012 hops counterbalanced the overhopping perfectly (or possibly its not that easy to mess up a beer) :grin:

 

[clibit]

Looks great. How is the hop holding up by itself?

 

[AdrianTrace]

It's not an 'in your face' hop flavour, but it is a good, traditional hop flavour that was moderately strong, and not overpowering.

That's from a quarter pint of batch primed leftovers about half an hour after removing the dry hops. But we're hopeful about this one [emoji1]

 

[AdrianTrace]

This has turned out fairly nice. I'm pleased to say that when I concentrated on the flavour, the first thing that came to mind was "Spicy", with a touch of floweriness following on and a resinous undertone. I then had to look up what it was supposed to be: per Hopslist "spicy and floral, tangy and hoppy, with notes of melon, black pepper, with hints of pine." : Whaddayano? I can taste :whistle:

It's one I would make again as a single hop brew, but with additional caramalts as the SMaSH is a bit thin for the hop.