Esb Fresh Wort Mix Up?

[Thunderlips]

A little while back I kegged an ESB American pale ale (wyeast 1056) and just today an Amber ale (wyeast 1318).
I swear they both taste the same, it's as if an American pale ale wort has been wrongly marked as Amber ale. Has anyone else tried both of these?

 

[blackbock]

A little while back I kegged an ESB American pale ale (wyeast 1056) and just today an Amber ale (wyeast 1318).
I swear they both taste the same, it's as if an American pale ale wort has been wrongly marked as Amber ale. Has anyone else tried both of these?

Sorry, haven't tasted the amber, but surely they at least look different??? :huh:

 

[poppa joe]

THUNDERLIPS....Only done one ESB fw kit IRISH RED ..I think it needed a little "tickle up" somewhere..
What is your opinion on these brews...? thinking of trying another....
BLACKBOCK...Looks like i could throw a stone on your roof from where i am....
Cheers
PJ.

 

[PostModern]

I tried them side by side at a fellow brewer's place a couple years ago. The Amber was very similar to the APA, but he had brewed them both on the same yeast. In my opinion, the amber had just a little bit more crystal than the APA. Amber had a higher FG, similar IBUs if I recall. But, as I said, that was years ago. Their recipes have probably changed since.

 

[normell]

My last 13 brews have all been ESB fresh wort ones, 2 Amber, 3 Irish Red, 1 India Pale & 1 American Pale ales, 2 Lagers, a Bock, Octoberfest, Pilsner & a Stout.
Most have been "tweaked", & all have been a vast improvment over K&K brews that I used to make.

Normell

 

[poppa joe]

Normelll
What did u add???????? My first ..Irish Red... Done as per label...Wasnt happy with it ..
But will be getting another...Any suggestions...?????????
PJ

 

[normell]

The Stout I brewed upto 22Lt, to make a "Old or Black" ale style.
A few others added 1Kg of light, or amber malt, & a few experimented with some Hallertau, Sazz & Amamillo Hops. (If I told you the formula's, Id have to kill you) :beerbang:

 

[poppa joe]

I think a LITTLE MALT N HOPS..was needed........Normell
(If I told you the formula's, Id have to kill you) smile.gif beerbang.gif
"Now i lay me down to rest"
PJ

 

[KoNG]

from the ESB fresh worts i have done, they all seem to lack a little in the hops department...
this could result in the Amber and APA tasting similar when pitched with the same yeast.

 

[Maxt]

I can't remember where, but on a forum somewhere, I recall someone else saying that they thought the ESB fresh wort they bought had been mislabelled. They contacted ESB who said it was impossible, but they were pretty certain.

 

[BeerMat]

When I first tried the Fresh Wort APA my first thoughts were "this isn't an APA, it's just an amber ale - not hoppy enough and no real cascade flavour". So although I haven't tried the amber ale, I'm not surprised they are very similar.

I agree with other posts that the Fresh Wort kits are low on hops flavour and aroma but I think this is a good thing. You can always add hops but taking hops out would be a bit tricky. Think of them as a blank canvas you can turn into your own masterpiece...

 

[shotduck]

I tried both of these a few years back, and could easily tell the difference. The APA was definately hopped (though not nearly enough) with cascade, and the Amber with what I believed to be cluster. Of course, the fresh worts were fairly new back then and, as with all products - epsecially beer products - the formulae will eventually change in the name of profit (or even merely keeping afloat in a tough industry).

The Shot Duck

 

[shotduck]

Furthermore, I remember purchasing two fresh wort stouts from Mel back in 2003 and gave one to the old man. His turned out to be a bock labelled as a stout (which, I might add, he didn't seem too perturbed about ). So it has happened before.



The Shot Duck

 

[Hutch]

I can't remember where, but on a forum somewhere, I recall someone else saying that they thought the ESB fresh wort they bought had been mislabelled. They contacted ESB who said it was impossible, but they were pretty certain.

Hi Maxt,

I think that might have been me - I did the Czech Pils, which seemed far too dark straight out of the cube, and even topped up to 21 litres. It has actually turned out a fine pilsner indeed, though well and truely underhopped for the style. I think OG was 1.035, making for a rather light, but refreshing beer.
The darkness might have been due to break material, or age in the cube???

Agree with above comments about hops - they cetainly seem rather low on hop aroma/flavour, and would benefit from a hop-tea and/or dry-hopping for some styles (APA,IPA, etc.).

Hutch.