For my King Keg Top Tap

[micmacmoc]

I have had my worst beers trying to use barrels, leaks, contamination, badly fitting components etc. I have used bottles mainly as I like my beer to have a sparkle so to use the KingKeg I've been trying for an ale that is light, hoppy and does'nt need much fizz to get me interested. I think something like a wherry so have come up with this all-grain recipe:


'Gissey Giggler Penwarne Brewery Mevagissey Cornwall.
24lt 1045 (4.3%) IBU: 40 (towards the IPA end!)
Colour Approx: 23 EBC
Yeast: SO4 or windsor or Nottingham?
Liquor: 34Lt
Mash:12 Lt

MO Pale Malt: 4400
Crystal: 0390
Hops:
Fuggle 4.0 90 37g
Goldings 4.0 90 37g
Goldings 4.0 15 20g
Styrians 3.5 15 20g
+irish moss

The best hoppy flavoured light ale I have tasted this year was by Harveys of Sussex, it was called something like Susse Blue Label Pale Ale and was a beauty at only about 3%, I could smell the hops from across the room, the flavour was amazing. There seems to be a much greater skill to producing a tasty, aromatic light ale than a strong headbashing monster! I had put the bottle of 'blue' away thinking I would'nt like it, then it was the last so opened it not expecting much, what a revelation!
Any comments or advice on the above recipe would be most welcome and if anyone does have a recipe for sussex blue pale ale I would be forever in your debt.
Happy Brewing all
micmacmoc in mevagissey

 

[markp]

Sounds like a nice recipe.

I was reading an article yesterday on Mr. Malty about late hopping during the boil for increased hop flavour and aroma.
If you really want to accentuate the hops you can adjust the recipe so that the majority of them are used late in the boil.
It is easier to do with some software (BeerSmith et al) so you can keep the IBU where you want it.

The article explained that only a few hops are used for the boil duration and that the majority are added towards the end of the boil - i.e. 20 mins or less.

The downside is that you have to use considerably more late hops to get the required bitterness.

The article is here if you fancy a read.....ATB
http://www.mrmalty.com/late_hopping.htm

 

[jamesb]

I've been doing the above lately and love the results.

 

[bones]

I'm gonna give this a go.. :
I'm brewing on saturday...
James can you give me an idea of the addition of the hops and times..

Cheers Bones

 

[micmacmoc]

Thanks, excellent article. There always something new to learn! I am going to adjust the recipe to see what happens using Graham Whelers beer engine thingy (lets face it hours of time wasted playing with recipes is all part of the allure of brewing when you can't get near your equipment!). I am also going to add some torrified wheat to give it a bit of head, though I can't remember wherry ever having any head.
As I will most likely barrel his is Nottingham yeast a good idea? I'm saving my S-o4 for bottled stuff as it sticks so well to the bottle. I also have windsor and munich (for my wheat beers).

One thing I had considered would be using the yeast (SO4) thats currently wiorking away on my 'Nampara Gold' which is aGW's exmoor gold modified, I'm assuming that if i keep the waste (trub?) thats left at the bottom of the fermenter and just add this to the next brew it would be ok?

Sorry to keep asking so many questions....I have a lot to learn and I'm loving it. Less work more brewing, I wish!
Thanks again everyone!
stew

 

[jamesb]

I'm gonna give this a go.. :
I'm brewing on saturday...
James can you give me an idea of the addition of the hops and times..
Cheers Bones

Are you copying micmacmoc's recipe or a different one?

Not too easy to change his recipe as it will seriously change the beer - the styrians might be lost for instance. But the general idea that I use is to get 50% of the EBU at 15 mins. It's easy to do with software - including our own recipe calculator (just ignore the aroma hops bit for this).