# 100% Northdown Golden Ale



## colinw (14/11/05)

Having just purchased 1kg Northdown pellets, I thought I'd brew something a little different and make a 100% Northdown Golden Ale as a summer quaffer.

Has anyone out there made an all Northdown ale? How did it turn out?

I'd also appreciate some recipe tips for the UK Golden Ale style.

cheers,
Colin


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## warrenlw63 (14/11/05)

Not 100% hop varietal like you're looking for Colin, however it's a British Summer Ale and it's got some Northdown. Seems a nice hop from what I've used. :beerbang: 

Made this one yesterday. Normal starter tasted off (Wyeast 1968). So I had to use the emergency Safale. <_< 

Hope this helps.

Warren -

Summer dayz

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

08-C English Pale Ale, Extra Special/Strong Bitter

Min OG: 1.048 Max OG: 1.072
Min IBU: 30 Max IBU: 60
Min Clr: 15 Max Clr: 47 Color in EBC

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 40.00 Wort Size (L): 40.00
Total Grain (kg): 8.50
Anticipated OG: 1.050 Plato: 12.27
Anticipated EBC: 9.8
Anticipated IBU: 39.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 47.06 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.042 SG 10.50 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %
Additional Utilization Used For First Wort Hops: -10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential EBC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
47.1 4.00 kg. Baird's Maris Otter Pale Ale UK 1.037 7
5.9 0.50 kg. Weyermann Vienna Germany 1.038 8
41.2 3.50 kg. JWM Export Pilsner Australia 1.037 3
5.9 0.50 kg. JWM Wheat Malt Australia 1.040 4

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
25.00 g. Northdown Pellet 7.20 14.8 60 min.
25.00 g. Challenger Pellet 6.60 13.6 60 min.
10.00 g. Challenger Pellet 6.60 1.1 10 min.
15.00 g. Styrian Goldings Pellet 4.50 1.1 10 min.
15.00 g. Styrian Goldings Pellet 4.50 5.0 First WH
25.00 g. Challenger Pellet 6.60 0.0 0 min.
10.00 g. Styrian Goldings Pellet 4.50 3.7 60 min.
10.00 g. Styrian Goldings Pellet 4.50 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
-----

(2 pkts.) DCL Yeast S-04 SafAle English Ale


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## colinw (14/11/05)

Thanks Warren. That looks tasty.


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## warrenlw63 (14/11/05)

:lol: Yep. Had to bust the glass on mine yesterday. <_< 

Warren -


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## colinw (14/11/05)

Ok, how's this sound?

Northdown Golden Ale - 42 litres (probably about 40 to fermenter)
For my usual mash efficiency.

45%- 4.1kg Fawcett's Halcyon
43%- 4kg JW Export Pilsner
5% - 460g Weyermann Wheat
1% - 90g Fawcett's Crystal 55L
6% - 550g Flaked Maize

Infusion Mash, 90 minutes at 67 degrees C.

In kettle: 250g invert syrup (1.8 points, 3.5% of fermentables)

Hops schedule:
- 70g Northdown 7% @ 60 minutes (31.3 IBUs)
- 30g Northdown 7% @ 15 minutes (6.7 IBUs)
- 20g Northdown at strikeout

Colour = 4 SRM, OG = 1.050, Bitterness = 38 IBUs

2 sachets Nottingham Ale Yeast.

cheers,
Colin


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## warrenlw63 (14/11/05)

No argument here. Wouldn't change a thing. :super: :beerbang: 

Warren -


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## colinw (14/11/05)

Thanks Warren. :beer: 

Ok, that's my 2nd Summer quaffer sorted (first is a bog standard English Pale Ale).


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## mikem108 (14/11/05)

Had to bust out the emergency Safale as well some time back....geez that S04 sure makes a malty beer!


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## colinw (14/11/05)

We've been playing with multi-strain dry yeast ferments here, to combine a more flavoursome strain with a neutral high attenuator, resulting in a beer which is well attenuated but has a good ester profile.

Nottingham + Windsor together has worked particularly well.

I also had great results in a 9% abv Belgian Golden ale with US-56 + T-58. Got the lovely peppery phenolics of the T-58 but the beer was a whole lot drier than T-58 alone would have produced.

I suspect Nottingham + Safale S-04 might be another good combination. Get the extreme dryness of Nottingham plus the subtle strawberry esters & buttery character of Safale.

cheers,
Colin


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## Steve (14/11/05)

Warren - my 1968 starter was off too :blink: 
ColinW - thats interesting about mixing the nottingham and windsor together. Ive used them both with good results, but never thought about combining them. Food for thought.
Cheers
Steve


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## warrenlw63 (14/11/05)

Colin.

Were you pitching them together or say pitching the less-attenuative strain first, letting it get a start and then pitching the higher-attenuating strain a day or so later?

Sounds an interesting way to get a different beer. :beerbang: I've done a couple of Belgians this way like yourself. Resultant beers turned out well. 

Warren -


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## colinw (14/11/05)

I've tried both ways. Together for normal gravity English type ales. For the strong Belgian I pitched the T-58 first, then followed with US-56 after 24 hours.

I first started playing with the multi-strain ferments after finding that some yeast like Safale and Windsor give a lovely ester profile but don't attenuate the beer enough for my tastes. At the same time, Nottingham produces a beer which is plenty dry enough but a bit bland as far as yeast derived characters go. Combine the two and you get the best of both worlds.


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## colinw (14/11/05)

I also had one "accidental" multi-strain where I was using Safale K-97, which decided to sit around having a party in a big yeast cake on top of the wort without doing much work. 5 days and only 10 points of attenuation later, I got pissed off and threw in a sachet of US-56 to break things up.

That beer won its class in our club's annual comp.


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## Sean (14/11/05)

colinw said:


> Having just purchased 1kg Northdown pellets, I thought I'd brew something a little different and make a 100% Northdown Golden Ale as a summer quaffer.
> 
> Has anyone out there made an all Northdown ale? How did it turn out?
> 
> ...


Most UK Golden Ales are very simple: 100% Pale Malt, a high quality hop variety or two, OG around 1.045 to 1.052. Ferment with the brewery's normal yeast.

My "house beer" is a Northdown single variety golden ale as follows:

Lyonesse Gold:
90% Pale Ale Malt (Powells or imported English)
10% Wheat Malt
aim for 1.045
Hops (for 25 litres):
60g Northdown 90mins
40g Northdown 15mins
20g Northdown hopback

Have brewed it with Eldridge Pope yeast (from a bottle of Hardy Country), Smiles yeast (ie Courage Bristol, fresh from Exe Valley Brewery), Palmers Yeast (also fresh from Exe Valley Brewery) and Coopers yeast (from Sparkling Ale), all to good effect. Smiles was probably the best, for whatever that's worth. I've also used Schneider yeast, which was interesting. Will probably use Thames Valley next time.


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## KoNG (14/12/06)

Old thread but relevant...
have any of you 100% northdown brewers, got any feedback on the results.?
I'm planning to brew a pale ale with 60 and (maybe) 20 minute northdown additions and styrian plugs at flame out.
Question is i'm tossing up between styrian and northdown for the 20 min addition. What should i expect from a northdown flavour addition.??

Cheers
KoNG


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## T.D. (14/12/06)

I have never used Northdown late but it is meant to be similar to Challenger and I have used Challenger in late additions. The flavour and aroma of Challenger reminds me of EKG but with some extra "bite".


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## JasonY (14/12/06)

Can't really help on feedabck yet but last w/end I brewed a pale ale with challenger @60min and then 30g Northdown @15, 5, 1 min all to about 35IBU I think. Was tasting good going into the fermenter. If I had more Northdown I would have used them as it was a 40L batch so not sure how hoppy it will wind up.

Looking forward to tasting it.


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## ausdb (14/12/06)

JasonY said:


> Can't really help on feedabck yet but last w/end I brewed a pale ale with challenger @60min and then 30g Northdown @15, 5, 1 min all to about 35IBU I think. Was tasting good going into the fermenter. If I had more Northdown I would have used them as it was a 40L batch so not sure how hoppy it will wind up.
> 
> Looking forward to tasting it.



If it ferments in time then "Santas Ordinary Bitter" will be making appearance in the Sandgropers christmas case, a few Northdown plugs made it into the hop back and also at around the mid boil mark. The rest was mainly EKG's


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## Chris (15/12/06)

Kong,

Go all northdown, really reminds me of a cross between goldings and hallertau.
Its bewdifull no matter where you use it in the boil.
I just checked my brew log and I have used it in a few brews both together and with fuggles, all excellent, but if I used it again I think id go all northdown, just so clean, hoppy and evenly balanced between all flavour parameters except citrusy.

Sorry, really like this hop.

Cheers


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## Tony (16/12/06)

I made a bitter once with challenger at FWH, 20 min and flame out additions from memmory and with some challenger thrown in there.

Its fantastic stuff with a fresh clean flavor and aroma.

should be good i recon

cheers


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## KoNG (25/1/07)

i finally got around to brewing my 100% northdown last weekend.
looking at the grist it should fall into the category of a good english 'summer' ale. 
(note: it's still sitting in the cube line waiting for the fermenting fridge)

Cant wait to let the yeast into it.


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## KoNG (19/2/07)

Cracked the first bottle of this brew over the weekend. I am very impressed with this hop! It will definately stay as my staple for english beer bittering and i'll also happily use it late again. 
will post the recipe when i get a chance.


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## KoNG (20/2/07)

Had a second and third bottle of this tonight...
i really like northdown..! :super: 
it has a great 'english' flavour that i'been struggling to get from EKG of late (if that makes sense.!?!?)
anyways, heres the recipe.
Bagus sekali.

*FaB Pale 37*
Brew Type: All Grain Date: 21/01/2007 
Style: Blonde Ale Brewer: Dowdy 
Batch Size: 27.00 L Assistant Brewer: 
Boil Volume: 31.60 L Boil Time: 60 min 
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0 % Equipment: KoNG's Brury 
Actual Efficiency: 69.9 % 
Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU 
4500.00 gm Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) (5.9 EBC) Grain 91.8 % 
300.00 gm Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White) (3.5 EBC) Grain 6.1 % 
100.00 gm Carared (Weyermann) (47.3 EBC) Grain 2.0 % 
30.00 gm Northdown [6.50%] (60 min) Hops 21.6 IBU 
15.00 gm Northdown [6.50%] (10 min) Hops 2.2 IBU 
14.00 gm Styrian Goldings Plug [4.60%] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops - 
0.50 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc 
2.00 gm Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc 
3.00 gm Bicarbonate Soda (Mash 0.0 min) Misc 
8.00 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc 
1 Pkgs Safale American Ale (DCL Yeast #US - 56) Yeast-Ale 

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.040 SG (1.038-1.054 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.040 SG 
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.012 SG (1.008-1.013 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.008 SG 
Estimated Color: 9.0 EBC (5.9-11.8 EBC) Color [Color] 
Bitterness: 23.7 IBU (15.0-28.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 1.0 AAU 
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 3.7 % (3.8-5.5 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 4.2 %


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## Ross (21/2/07)

kong,

Dry hopping with B Saaz, would make it a bit difficult to fully assess the Northdown wouldn't it?
Sounds like a nice brew though....

Cheers Ross


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## T.D. (21/2/07)

I had a couple of these beers with KoNG yesterday and I was VERY impressed! The B Saaz dry hop definitely adds a nice fruity aroma, but didn't think it dominated the flavour profile of the beer. I think it was possible to see through the B Saaz to the other flavours. There was a definite English flavour that was different to the B Saaz, which I attribute to the first gold. Having said that though, the beer was nicely integrated and balanced.

Pretty keen to get some of this first gold...


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## warrenlw63 (21/2/07)

Northdown.... :beerbang:  

You guys have just backed up my brewing "to-do" list by another beer. All I need is around 8 free brewdays and I'm set. <_< 

Warren -


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## KoNG (21/2/07)

T.D. ummmm its NORTHDOWN.... :lol:
First Gold brew is in the ferm still 

Ross, that was a 'leftovers' addition at the last minute (as so often happens, couldnt help myself after not having added a flame out)  .. As T.D. said the beer is still very 'english'...and northdowny

But hey, this is homebrewing and the beer is yummy, Bsaaz or not...

Warren, sorry to hear about you being backed up... goodluck


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## warrenlw63 (21/2/07)

KoNG said:


> Warren, sorry to hear about you being backed up... goodluck



Time for some KoNG water treatment perhaps? B) 

Warren -


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## T.D. (21/2/07)

Still half asleep... :lol: You know what I mean!!  

I still wouldn't mind trying that first gold though... Might bundle it with some Northdown in the one order...


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## KoNG (21/2/07)

OK
I've spent half my day at work thinking about the addition of B saaz and it just didnt add up.! (but beersmith doesnt lie...)
Anyways, after doing some inventory checks and recipe revising i have worked out that it wasnt B saaz added at all, but most definately a slov Styrian plug (i can remember breaking it up and it hasn't gone in any other beer lately).
Both beers either side of this brew were 'bright' ale attempts which i used Bsaaz flowers, so i think i have just added some info in the wrong beer or just had the wrong hop in my mind at time of recipe update. 

i will amend my recipe above (thanx for the querry Ross).

Cheers
KoNG


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## THE DRUNK ARAB (10/9/07)

Managed to brew a 100% all Northdown beer yesterday.
I haven't used this hop before.
Looking forward to the results.

95% Bairds MO
5% Bairds Dark Crystal
35g Northdown (5.8%AA) 60 min
20g Northdown (5.8%AA) 20 min
14g Northdown (5.8%AA) 5 min
Whitelabs Irish Ale yeast (004)

SG 1048
IBU 30
EBC 20

C&B
TDA


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## BoilerBoy (10/9/07)

Looks good,I really like this hop.

Haven't used it for 12 months or so, to busy trying new things, but must use it again in the near future.

Used it on its own and also with challenger, both were great

Cheers
BB.


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## KoNG (10/9/07)

Looks good TDA,
That recipe will definately highlight all the northdown.! Its still my favoured hop for english bittering lately and its on the list to do another 100% (as i ended up adding some styrian in the keg last time)

Are you using Plugs....?? and breaking them up for the boil...?
i thought my pellets were around 8-9% AA


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## Ross (10/9/07)

KoNG said:


> Are you using Plugs....?? and breaking them up for the boil...?
> i thought my pellets were around 8-9% AA



Kong,

All current European AA's are well down due to last years drought...

cheers Ross


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## THE DRUNK ARAB (10/9/07)

KoNG said:


> Looks good TDA,
> That recipe will definately highlight all the northdown.! Its still my favoured hop for english bittering lately and its on the list to do another 100% (as i ended up adding some styrian in the keg last time)
> 
> Are you using Plugs....?? and breaking them up for the boil...?
> i thought my pellets were around 8-9% AA



KoNG, yep used plugs all the way. Just chucked them into the boil as they are, they don't take long to break up.

I will dry hop this with a single Northdown plug as well.

I am a fan of Challenger and Target as far as English hops go but it is always great to be able to try something new.

C&B
TDA


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## warrenlw63 (10/9/07)

THE DRUNK ARAB said:


> KoNG, yep used plugs all the way.



:super: :super: 

Warren -


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## KoNG (10/9/07)

I think Warren mentioned the plugs are quite nice. i'm yet to try.
the reason i asked is because you have amounts for 14g, 20g and 35g.. not all divisible by a plugs weight if you know what i mean. So i just thought you must have been using lower AA pellets. (although ross kind of clears that up..)

Will be interested to see what you think, as my staple all rounder for english beers was Target previously, but i like ND even more. Also made a great mild with challenger too..... See how you go.


edit: sorry hadn't seen Warren's headbangers before posting.... was OBVIOUSLY him...!


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## THE DRUNK ARAB (10/9/07)

Yes I know what you mean KoNG, I did split one plug to get to 35g and 20 g but the remaining weight was as whole plugs.

Warren keyed me up on them ages ago and I had ordered some but they had been sitting in the freezer for 3 months.

I'll report back when all is done.

I just wish I could get Challenger plugs :beerbang: 

C&B
TDA


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## warrenlw63 (10/9/07)

THE DRUNK ARAB said:


> Warren keyed me up on them ages ago



Cat's outta the bag now... That means Less Northdown for me.  

Warren -


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## Phrak (10/9/07)

Been meaing to post back to this thready for a couple of weeks now.
TDA, I tell ya what - great minds must think alike! B)
Here's the 100% Northdown I brewed a few weeks back. It's been in the fermenter for 10 days now (which reminds me - it will be going in to the cold-conditioning fridge tomorrow morning).

Looking forward to the results 

Recipe: Northdown Summer Ale
Brewer: Tim
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Special/Best/Premium Bitter
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 21.00 L 
Boil Size: 30.90 L
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 9.5 EBC
Estimated IBU: 32.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
4500.00 gm Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 93.75 % 
300.00 gm Wheat, Torrified (3.3 EBC) Grain 6.25 % 
15.00 gm Northdown 05 [6.50 %] (40 min) Hops 10.1 IBU 
15.00 gm Northdown 05 [6.50 %] (30 min) Hops 8.8 IBU 
15.00 gm Northdown 05 [6.50 %] (20 min) Hops 6.9 IBU 
15.00 gm Northdown 05 [6.50 %] (10 min) Hops 4.2 IBU 
15.00 gm Northdown 05 [6.50 %] (5 min) Hops 2.3 IBU 
15.00 gm Northdown 05 [6.50 %] (15 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
0.50 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc 
1 Pkgs Windsor Yeast (Lallemand #-) Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: Temperature Mash, 1 Step, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 4800.00 gm
----------------------------
Temperature Mash, 1 Step, Light Body
Step Time Name Step Temp 
60 min Saccharification 65.0 C_____This ended up being an overnight mash for ~8hours h34r:
10 min Mash Out 76 C 


Notes:
------
Recipe based on 22L, concentrated to 17L
Preboil=11B (1.045)@28L
Postboil=16.4B (1.068) @ 17L in cube.
Let sit at flameout for 15mins before adding aroma hops for 15mins.


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