Epic Mayhem

[IainMcLean]

Found one of the Epic Mayehm 2009 limited batch bottles ( http://epicbeer.com/epic-mayhem ) in a bottle shop while in Tasmania a few weeks back. Just got in from a European / Munich beer trip and cracked opened the Mayhem...

... Holy Shit! This stuff rocks! I thought that Augustiner Dunkel was my beer of the month but the Epic boys have blown it out of the water - their Mayhem has the maltyness but obviously not as much as a dunkel but not far off but the cascade / Riwkawa hops kick ass....

So.
I've never heard of Riwkawa hops but this beer tastes very similar to my APA which uses Amarillo by the bucket - I figure that's close to cascade as the two are somewhat interchangeable but what does Riwkawa bring to the party? Aroma or is it as I'm guessing, the intense flavour profile....

 

[eamonnfoley]

Augustiner Dunkel - one of the best german beers I've had the pleasure of trying. Wonderful. Did you have it at the brewery near the Haubtbanhof? Love that place.

Epic Mayhem is a belter - any exotic fruit flavours your getting come from the Riwkawa, and maybe a little from the yeast. From memory it is a bastardised beer de garde.

 

[mika]

Wow.... I had some Epic Mayhem and thought it to be quite bland. A nice beer, very malt forward, but no hop kick.

 

[eamonnfoley]

"Wow.... I had some Epic Mayhem and thought it to be quite bland. A nice beer, very malt forward, but no hop kick. "

3 options:

1) You had a bad bottle
2) Your palate was shot from previous beers
3) You have no palate



Yes the hops aren't IPA strength, but they are very nice. Its a nice balanced complex, hoppy beer.

 

[Goofinder]

Another fan of the Epic Mayhem here :icon_cheers:

Riwaka is also known as D Saaz, you should be able to get them at the sponsors if you want to use them. Not sure about the Biere De Garde comment, it's pretty much a strong APA, not quite up there in the bitterness to be an IPA.

 

[eamonnfoley]

woops i misread beer de jour on the label as beer de garde! was wondering why it didnt really taste like a beer de garde

 

[manticle]

Had this last night. Lovely.

Developing a recipe to make something like it - come up with this (my first ever foray into NZ hops that are usually among my least favourite)

Type: All grain
Size: 22 liters
Color: 13 HCU (~9 SRM)
Bitterness: 35 IBU
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 6.2% v/v (4.9% w/w)
Grain: 4.8kg Simpsons maris Otter
1kg wey Munich
200g Simpsons medium or heritage crystal
Mash: 70% efficiency
Boil: minutes SG 1.039 34 liters
Hops: 15g Cascade (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
15g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Cascade (aroma)
10g Riwaka (aroma)

Wy 1272

Ca SO4 and CaCl2 in equal amounts to mash and boil


Have to wait till riwaka becomes available from GG or craftbrewer though.

 

[IainMcLean]

I have a great APA that uses Amarillo with 1272 and after tasting Mayhem last year I switched out a bit of Amarillo for Riwaka to see how they work (used whole flowers) Have to say I'm not as big a fan of Riwaka as I am Amarillo...

But my base malt was JWM Export Pilsner - can recall what else off hand - maybe that had something to do with it. The Riwaka just didn't seem to sit as nice in the recipe as the Amarillo does.

 

[white.grant]

Had this last night. Lovely.

Developing a recipe to make something like it - come up with this (my first ever foray into NZ hops that are usually among my least favourite)

Type: All grain
Size: 22 liters
Color: 13 HCU (~9 SRM)
Bitterness: 35 IBU
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 6.2% v/v (4.9% w/w)
Grain: 4.8kg Simpsons maris Otter
1kg wey Munich
200g Simpsons medium or heritage crystal
Mash: 70% efficiency
Boil: minutes SG 1.039 34 liters
Hops: 15g Cascade (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
15g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Cascade (aroma)
10g Riwaka (aroma)

Wy 1272

Ca SO4 and CaCl2 in equal amounts to mash and boil


Have to wait till riwaka becomes available from GG or craftbrewer though.

Tasty looking recipe Manticle. I've had this a few times, and really love it, though I am surprised that it's only 35 Ibu. It tastes like its more than that.

Cheers

Grant.

 

[manticle]

I was also surprised but that's the thing about well balanced beers. Also I'm guessing 35 is actual rather than theoretical (as is the case with most HB).

As soon as riwaka appears again, I'll put this one down - have all the other ingredients ready to go and was planning an APA as one of my next brews.

 

[davo4772]

Had this last night. Lovely.

Developing a recipe to make something like it - come up with this (my first ever foray into NZ hops that are usually among my least favourite)

Type: All grain
Size: 22 liters
Color: 13 HCU (~9 SRM)
Bitterness: 35 IBU
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 6.2% v/v (4.9% w/w)
Grain: 4.8kg Simpson's maris Otter
1kg wey Munich
200g Simpsons medium or heritage crystal
Mash: 70% efficiency
Boil: minutes SG 1.039 34 liters
Hops: 15g Cascade (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
15g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Cascade (aroma)
10g Riwaka (aroma)

Wy 1272

Ca SO4 and CaCl2 in equal amounts to mash and boil


Have to wait till riwaka becomes available from GG or craftbrewer though.

I think I know where you got that Mayhem from

Tis a top beer. Luke Nicholas is not usually a fan of NZ hops. It may be the only beer of his which has them.
Previosly he has posted here when discussing a recipe for the pale ale and he is not shy about sharing his recipes
Just Mention Epic Mayhem enough times and he may turn up.

 

[brettprevans]

Had this last night. Lovely.

Developing a recipe to make something like it - come up with this (my first ever foray into NZ hops that are usually among my least favourite)

Type: All grain
Size: 22 liters
Color: 13 HCU (~9 SRM)
Bitterness: 35 IBU
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 6.2% v/v (4.9% w/w)
Grain: 4.8kg Simpsons maris Otter
1kg wey Munich
200g Simpsons medium or heritage crystal
Mash: 70% efficiency
Boil: minutes SG 1.039 34 liters
Hops: 15g Cascade (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
15g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 60 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 20 min.)
10g Cascade (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Riwaka (5.5% AA, 10 min.)
10g Cascade (aroma)
10g Riwaka (aroma)

Wy 1272

Ca SO4 and CaCl2 in equal amounts to mash and boil


Have to wait till riwaka becomes available from GG or craftbrewer though.

do u know if its cascade or another nz hop. I had a twisted hop IPA and it was a smooth hop ipa. Still ipa bit not rought. All nz hops. Awsone stuff.

Also a,lot of nz lhbs will ship u nz hops. Ive git details of a good one if u want it. Ive been neabing to bring some more over. Pm me mants. Btendo will be in and ptob dave and 4*.

 

[manticle]

epic website says us cascade and riwaka.

Will PM re riwaka.

 

[brettprevans]

epic website says us cascade and riwaka.

Will PM re riwaka.

Done buddy. Will arrange once we organise it all

 

[manticle]

Going to get around to brewing this this Sunday. Riwaka is rare as hen's balls at the moment but got some courtesy of Pennywise.

 

[Vanoontour]

Going to get around to brewing this this Sunday. Riwaka is rare as hen's balls at the moment but got some courtesy of Pennywise.

How'd you get on??

 

[manticle]

A couple of points below expected efficiency (too much water volume, tried to boil it off before adding hop additions but still came in a bit too high). No big thing.

In the cube, starter wort on the boil at the moment so should be pitching some time this evening.

Otherwise OK. Will see how it tastes in a few weeks. I'll dry hop 1g/L in cold conditioning for a few days, 50:50 cascade:riwaka.

 

[manticle]

A couple of points below expected efficiency (too much water volume, tried to boil it off before adding hop additions but still came in a bit too high). .

Actually just checked my hydrometer and it's reading a few points low so with the extra volume, I must have got slightly higher than expected efficiency.

Last few brews I've been coming in under expected and over volume as I'm using my immersion element to boil rather than my burner (burner needs a part). I had presumed that my drop in efficiency correlated entirely with this but the hydrometer is also to blame. Glad I always leave beer for a minimum extra week at ferment temps because this means hitting expected FG has probably been a few points away from when I've assumed it is.

Also means my recent Belgian Golden strong didn't actually get to 1002 which was unexpectedly low.

Doesn't matter how much you think you know your process, it's always good to return to the basics from time to time.

 

[manticle]

Been in the bottle a week now so still some carbing to go but I'm very happy. Be nice to find an epic to compare it with but I haven't seen it in bottle shops that stock epic so maybe it's had its run?

Will get some other brewers to taste but a recipe that would be worth repeating if riwaka were more readily available. Earlier tastings gave me a slight plastic fruit kind of character which I put down to a blend of 1272 (always very fruity early on but integrates with carbonation) and riwaka but that has settled right out now and likely a result of green beer with those ingredients.

Dry hopped with roughly 1g per litre, 50:50 cascade:riwaka

Should be great in another week. Lady is a fan too.

 

[IainMcLean]

The guys at g&g had some in stock last week....