Burners and Hops
Posted by Jared Birbeck on Monday, August 10, 2009
The burners have arrived. Great littles things and it will be great once they have been incorporated into the brewery. There will be a test run on the weekend for the last competition brew that is getting prepared. The it will be onward to the search for the Australian brew.
Topaz hops and Pride of Ringwood hops are on the way and a couple of different yeast varieties. The first test will be using Bier de Garde yeast from Wyeast. Bier De Garde was a special release last year and it performed quite well in a beer made to style. It has a high temperature tolerance (up to 35 degrees) and produced a wonderfully clean crisp beer. Belgian Saison is the other possibility for the coming summer with a similar tolerance, however the starter for this one somehow managed to become infected and has been tipped. It's not time for summer brewing yet in any event.
Topaz are relatively new to the homebrew market. Released in 1985 there isn't a lot of information out there. I am hoping to do up a single hop brew with it and see how it goes. I'll post a review once it's done.
Pride of Ringwood suffers from a bad reputation because of its inclusion in the Australian mass marketed beers. However, as a hop it is wonderful fresh. It worked really well in a simple ale with a late addition of hallertau. A repeat of this beer is in order.
The other hop on its way is Rakau. Rakau is a newer New Zealand variety that is appreantly a very nice hop. Not as pungent as some American (or other New Zealand) hops, but more subtle with a hint of apricot.
Topaz hops and Pride of Ringwood hops are on the way and a couple of different yeast varieties. The first test will be using Bier de Garde yeast from Wyeast. Bier De Garde was a special release last year and it performed quite well in a beer made to style. It has a high temperature tolerance (up to 35 degrees) and produced a wonderfully clean crisp beer. Belgian Saison is the other possibility for the coming summer with a similar tolerance, however the starter for this one somehow managed to become infected and has been tipped. It's not time for summer brewing yet in any event.
Topaz are relatively new to the homebrew market. Released in 1985 there isn't a lot of information out there. I am hoping to do up a single hop brew with it and see how it goes. I'll post a review once it's done.
Pride of Ringwood suffers from a bad reputation because of its inclusion in the Australian mass marketed beers. However, as a hop it is wonderful fresh. It worked really well in a simple ale with a late addition of hallertau. A repeat of this beer is in order.
The other hop on its way is Rakau. Rakau is a newer New Zealand variety that is appreantly a very nice hop. Not as pungent as some American (or other New Zealand) hops, but more subtle with a hint of apricot.