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Post by Ken on Aug 4, 2023 17:01:16 GMT -6
I’ve tasted the green apple in Bud, but I don’t think it ruins the beer. Definitely,some flavors are bad, but very low level fruit flavors in a lager sound a bit like Kolsch to me. I wondered about the Red Apple because it is in the Novalager product description, but I figured if I did taste it it would probably be complementary. I also figured very few if any non-brewers drinking my beer would be able to taste it. The most authentic German lagers use sauergut, which purportedly give the beer a grape flavor. I don't think Ken objects to those. I certainly don't. If that sauergut character is too strong, I don't care for it. In some cases I pick it up at a low level and it's okay. In other beers it seems to be screaming. I never really got the "grape" part .. I don't find it grapey but I understand someone characterizing it that way.
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Post by brewbama on Aug 5, 2023 5:57:19 GMT -6
I brewed a cpl beers with NovaLager and didn’t taste any apple at all. 🤷♂️
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Post by Ken on Aug 5, 2023 9:52:22 GMT -6
I brewed a cpl beers with NovaLager and didn’t taste any apple at all. 🤷♂️ Oh no, you're tormenting me now. Okay, fine. I have one recipe drawn up to use Novalager. A "gold lager" with pilsner, Vienna and Perle hops. I have one more beer to make with the 2112 (Texas Pale Bock .. a bod to Celis' Pale Bock) and then I'll take the Novalager for a test drive.
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Post by brewbama on Aug 5, 2023 11:59:19 GMT -6
Whenever I do these test runs, I sandwich it between two known good recipes. That way if it’s a bust I have one keg I am finishing and another closely behind, on deck. This way I lessen the impact if it’s a dumper.
BTW: the beer I made with Baja yeast was a dumper. I’ll give it another go someday but it won’t be soon.
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Post by Ken on Aug 5, 2023 20:22:20 GMT -6
BTW: the beer I made with Baja yeast was a dumper. I’ll give it another go someday but it won’t be soon. Oh wow, mind blown.
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Post by Ken on Aug 11, 2023 9:29:31 GMT -6
I took some time off earlier in the week and went to Starved Rock State Park a couple hours away and stayed in a "Tiny House". After a hike I ended up at the Lodge where there is a nice bar and every time I've been there they have had a beer (that I found out is brewed by Leinenkugel) that is rebranded as "Starved Rock Ale" or "Lodge Lager", etc. Whichever beer I get is always good. This time I asked for Lodge Lager but they were out of it. So I got the Starved Rock Amber. I couldn't tell if it was a lager or an ale. Reddish amber, decently hoppy with what I would call "neutral" hops .. not fruity like Citra, Amarillo or Galaxy. Really good. And so .. I decided to make a version of it with 2112. Pilsner malt, some Special B, dark British Crystal, Willamette and US Goldings hops and 2112. Going to try to make it on Sunday. Here's a [not so great] shot I found of the beer in the lodge... Here's a shot of a similar beer I made a couple years ago. Same grain bill but different hops...
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