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Post by tommymorris on Jan 22, 2023 16:33:02 GMT -6
Well, my Helles is clear and after a few pints…. I dunno. Not *bad* but I’m hoping it matures into something better. We need to get together and share a pint or two. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Is this the first or second one? I am drinking one now. I like it. It tastes like a typical Helles you’d find in a American craft brewery to me. Don’t drink it all
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Post by brewbama on Jan 22, 2023 19:32:34 GMT -6
This is the second one. I am doing quality control as I watch the Dallas game. 🍺
Let me know when y’all are available so we can have you out to do a taste test and ….who knows, ….maybe eat a little BBQ.
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Post by tommymorris on Feb 13, 2023 21:34:28 GMT -6
The collab Country Helles is in the books we got together tonight at a homebrew club meeting to trade beers.
Both were good. I thought there were subtle but noticeable differences in the malt flavors. But, they were also quite similar.
Mine was Canada Malting Pilsner, Best Munich, and Swaen Vienna. Dwain’s was all Sugar Creek. Dwain’s was also darker. The Canada Pilsner is 1.4L. I’m guessing Sugar Creek Pils is darker.
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Post by brewbama on Feb 14, 2023 7:33:37 GMT -6
I thought Tommy’s had more hop presence. I preferred it over my version.
I had a great time at Tommy’s homebrew club meeting. Good bunch of folks. Way too much, and too strong, beer from the other members though. I was just taking little sips just to taste them but I had to drive home so didn’t dare drink a lot of it. Those guys were making ice cream floats from the bourbon barrel imperial stout. 😳
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Post by Ken on Feb 14, 2023 8:16:26 GMT -6
This sounds fun. BB, your story sounds like one of my first meetups with brewers. I remember bringing a Red Lager that was maybe 5%. Everyone else brought something meant to cause pain... 8% Belgians, Big Stouts, IIPAs, etc. Ugh. I remember thinking "where is all the BEER?". I need to go back and look at this Helles recipe. I have one on tap right now and I'm not that pleased with it. It's a style I'd like to nail because when it's right... it's a beautiful thing.
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joed
New Member
We are the people our parents warned us about!
Posts: 36
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Post by joed on Feb 22, 2023 12:39:28 GMT -6
Have used the Edelweiss hops from Hop Heaven in the past, really liked them. Now I make my own blend every year when I stock up on the new crop year hops from YVH, I will take some of the prior year hops and make a "lager blend". First year I did this, I made a blend based on what I figured Edelweiss was based on the hops sold on the eBay site, so it was Mt. Hood, Liberty, Saaz, Mitt, Tettnang and I want to say Loral. Last year I made a simple blend of Mitt, Saphir and Liberty. Did you bitter with something "known" so you knew the exact AA% and then add your blend later in the boil because the combined AA% of the late hops wouldn't matter? I do, usually Magnum or Perle. I do calculate what the AA% of my house blend is, thought really when pouring, say 1 ounce, out of the bag, there is really not a guarantee I am getting a equal blend of all the pellets, but it's close enough. I wonder if Ted blends his with whole hops before they are pelletized?
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Post by brewbama on Feb 23, 2023 9:37:09 GMT -6
I think I’ll brew this Country-style Helles again later this Summer. However, I plan on reformulating the recipe to lower the ABV to a ~3%-ish Leichtbier. I have some Edelweiss hops left so I am going to try to increase the BU:GU a touch as well. Tommy’s had a hop snap to it I liked.
But first I have to knock out a quick turn Stout next week to be ready for St Pat’s, a Session strength APA I’ve been jonesin for and a rebrew of our first collaboration beer — Hurricane Creek (Blonde Ale) this time featuring Cashmere hops. Ted sent me the Cashmere as a freebee when I ordered the Edelweiss.
I am also playing with oats and wheat to increase body in these lighter-style beers. I’m not there yet as far as body but I’m workin on it. I even have a 70/- that I’m not completely happy with that I am going to try to ‘back body’ using some Maltodextrin in the keg.
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Post by tommymorris on Feb 23, 2023 12:24:56 GMT -6
I think I’ll brew this Country-style Helles again later this Summer. However, I plan on reformulating the recipe to lower the ABV to a ~3%-ish Leichtbier. I have some Edelweiss hops left so I am going to try to increase the BU:GU a touch as well. Tommy’s had a hop snap to it I liked. But first I have to knock out a quick turn Stout next week to be ready for St Pat’s, a Session strength APA I’ve been jonesin for and a rebrew of our first collaboration beer — Hurricane Creek (Blonde Ale) this time featuring Cashmere hops. Ted sent me the Cashmere as a freebee when I ordered the Edelweiss. I am also playing with oats and wheat to increase body in these lighter-style beers. I’m not there yet as far as body but I’m workin on it. I even have a 70/- that I’m not completely happy with that I am going to try to ‘back body’ using some Maltodextrin in the keg. I planning a Hurricane Creek rebrew also. That is my next planned beer. I will use the same grain bill but sub in Magnum, Cascade, and Citra for the hops. Same IBU and hop schedule. I do really like the Country Helles. The malt flavors are good. Mine used 34/70. I like the lower sulfur. It’s a very smooth taste/mouthfeel.
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Post by tommymorris on Feb 26, 2023 14:42:14 GMT -6
I think I’ll brew this Country-style Helles again later this Summer. However, I plan on reformulating the recipe to lower the ABV to a ~3%-ish Leichtbier. I have some Edelweiss hops left so I am going to try to increase the BU:GU a touch as well. Tommy’s had a hop snap to it I liked. But first I have to knock out a quick turn Stout next week to be ready for St Pat’s, a Session strength APA I’ve been jonesin for and a rebrew of our first collaboration beer — Hurricane Creek (Blonde Ale) this time featuring Cashmere hops. Ted sent me the Cashmere as a freebee when I ordered the Edelweiss. I am also playing with oats and wheat to increase body in these lighter-style beers. I’m not there yet as far as body but I’m workin on it. I even have a 70/- that I’m not completely happy with that I am going to try to ‘back body’ using some Maltodextrin in the keg. I planning a Hurricane Creek rebrew also. That is my next planned beer. I will use the same grain bill but sub in Magnum, Cascade, and Citra for the hops. Same IBU and hop schedule. I do really like the Country Helles. The malt flavors are good. Mine used 34/70. I like the lower sulfur. It’s a very smooth taste/mouthfeel. I am wrapping up my Hurricane Creek redux now. In addition to changing the hops to Magnum, Cascade, and Citra, the yeast will be Lalbrew New England.
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Post by tommymorris on Feb 28, 2023 13:59:27 GMT -6
I planning a Hurricane Creek rebrew also. That is my next planned beer. I will use the same grain bill but sub in Magnum, Cascade, and Citra for the hops. Same IBU and hop schedule. I do really like the Country Helles. The malt flavors are good. Mine used 34/70. I like the lower sulfur. It’s a very smooth taste/mouthfeel. I am wrapping up my Hurricane Creek redux now. In addition to changing the hops to Magnum, Cascade, and Citra, the yeast will be Lalbrew New England. Lalbrew New England took 39 hours to blip on the Tilt. Lallemand says it is a slow starter, but dang that’s slow! I did underpitch. The Lallemand pitch rate calculator called for 15g of dry yeast for 3 gallons of 1.045 beer. I used 11g. That’s all I had.
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Post by brewbama on Feb 28, 2023 16:17:00 GMT -6
I hate slow starting yeast.
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Post by tommymorris on Feb 28, 2023 21:23:51 GMT -6
I hate slow starting yeast. Lallemand is very clear about the slow lag phase on this one, so I am trying to be patient. It’s not easy. It’s rocking along now.
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Post by Ken on Mar 1, 2023 9:09:14 GMT -6
What's the characteristic of this yeast? I remember White Labs having something called Patriot Ale that I seem to remember being a strain that Sam Adams used and I tried it one time and didn't care for it so I never went back. I'm pretty picky about ale yeast strains. And that 39 hours would have me pretty twitchy.
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Post by tommymorris on Mar 1, 2023 22:02:51 GMT -6
What's the characteristic of this yeast? I remember White Labs having something called Patriot Ale that I seem to remember being a strain that Sam Adams used and I tried it one time and didn't care for it so I never went back. I'm pretty picky about ale yeast strains. And that 39 hours would have me pretty twitchy. It is supposed to have a lot of fruity flavors and be good for Hazy IPAs. People say it is a dry version of Conan. But, it is also supposed to be an English yeast. I am planning to try it in an Amber Ale and an English bitter. I tried in this Blonde to see if it would enhance the hops (as it is supposed to do). Update on fermentation: 39 hours to drop its first point on the Tilt. Now about 40 hours later, it is basically done. The bubble rate has dropped dramatically.
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