Brew #58: Rambler’s Delight Bitter

A.k.a Hochkurz Bitter. First time using Magnum hops for bittering, usually I would have used Target here.

name	Rambler’s Delight
“style”	Bitter
brewlength	24 litres
IBU	40
EBC	25
OG	1049
IBU to OG ratio	0.81
brewing date	21-Nov-13
yeast	Nottingham
fermentables	grain	kg	%
grain 1	Pale Ale	3.740	73.5%
grain 2	Munich	0.760	14.9%
grain 3	Crystal150	0.320	6.3%
grain 4	Wheat	0.220	4.3%
grain 5	Chocolate	0.050	1.0%
	total	5.090	100%
hops	gram	minutes	ibu
Magnum 14%	18	60	24
Challenger 6.92%	20	25	9
Challenger 6.92%	15	15	5
Fuggle 5.17%	15	5	2
Fuggle 5.17%	15	0	0
total	83		40
Hochkurz
mash schedule	minutes	deg c
step 1 – mash in	5	55
step 2 – maltose rest	40	63
step 3 – dextrinisation rest	50	70
step 4 – mash out	15	77

Tasting impressions #55: Worthington’s IPA Clone

The test bottle promised a lot a few days ago. Bottled 5th November ie 13 days ago, finished at 1011 FG, 5.7 per cent abv. Recipe here.

Sadly there was a casualty, after almost 2 1/2 years of faithful service one of my mini-casks gave up the battle – the rotter started leaking from the bottom pressed rim edge thus losing its precious contents. Needless to say I was heartbroken and utterly devastated.

Aroma is fruity but instead of the tropical kind, it is berries from the northern hemisphere. Also similar to the test bottle(s) there is butterscotch (pointed to me by the wife who was unaware of the Maris Otter malt). Mouthfeel is dusty and fairly full, a bit oily. Taste is more of the butterscotch, then bitter grassy herbal hoppiness. Aftertaste is solid bitterness. A solid simple full-bodied beer with no fancy ponciness ie no grape-fruit. An old-fashioned beer, I’d like to think.

 

A very simple beer and not many ingredients, perhaps less is sometimes more and perhaps it makes sense to sometimes brew a clone recipe. In fact, I wouldn’t have any other accompaniment to take me by the hand reading Andrew Martin’s latest Jim Stringer Railway Detective -novel Night Train to Jamalpur. Not even the previous pale ale with colonial hop varieties.

Tasting impressions #56: Pale Ale 1045

This beer conditioned very quickly. Aroma is delicately fruity with mango which I assume is due to late addition of Nelson Sauvin hops. Mouthfeel is full and malty. Taste is refreshingly hoppy and then the tropical fruitiness finishes it off. I was slightly put off by the white wine character in the first samples (NS again) but the beer rallied quickly – white wine replaced by tropical fruit perhaps helped by the NZ Pacific Jade hops for bittering.

The beer finished down at 1012 FG, 4.4 per cent abv and was bottled seven days before this tasting – the condition being in its prime so quickly. 1045 OG…1012 FG…mashed at 70 degrees…the plan is to push the boat out and mash a similar beer at 73-74 – for obvious reasons.

 

Malty with a good back bone firmness of mango bitterness. No grape-fruit so it isn’t craft beer as such – but I’ll happily drink it…