chromosphere

I’ve been on holiday this and last week – and only right that I get some brewing done. This one (brewed on the 2nd Sept) is a bit made up (but based on some logic) – I have an old pack of Bramling Cross I needed to use, and I discovered I had no crystal (only caramalt), and so I came up with the following:

3.9kg Maris Otter
180g Amber malt
200g Caramalt
150g Torrefied Wheat

Mashed at 65C for about 75min

Hops:

75min:
25g Fuggles (2007) 4.5%
25g Bramling Cross (2006) 5.5%

15min:

25g Bramling Cross

My aim here is to get a little sweetness from the caramalt, the roast flavours from the amber along with the combination of Fuggles and Bramling Cross (seen this a few times in commercial brews, but not much – Earthy Fuggles and fruity Bramling X?). The amber/Bramling X combination is quite popular too – seen several recipe with these. It has a fairly low SG – 1039 – but this should mean it’ll be ready sooner!

Also, fermenting this one (with S-04) at 21-22C – higher than I normally do, but I’m following a little after the White Horse Brewery (Stanford-in-the-Vale) who apparently ferment at 23-25C using the same yeast – surprising, but I think this is where they get their “house taste” from – and it’s not half bad either. (The White Horse Bitter and “Black Beauty” (roasty, dark mild) are lovely). And as a result, only 2 days later, the fermentation is already slowing a little – the 4-5inch yeast head is already reducing.

This afternoon, whilst elderberry picking in the pissing rain (wine – I need to post on this!) I found about 5-6 wild female hop plants in the hedgerow just down the road. (and no – I’m not telling where!)

If I get the OK from the cricket club (they are in their hedge and it’s easier from their car park), and it ever stops raining, I want those hops (loads!). Wild hop ale – the question is: How many do you use if you don’t know the AA percentage? How about a traditional IPA style brew? If it’s too bitter, just let it mature for longer…

Hmmm… Gotta love brewing with free stuff – if it tastes crap, then who cares?