Hopped it.

[CanMan]

So after many years of straight out can and sugar or malt brews I did my first brew where I've added dry hops. There is a couple of beers currently that I don't mind drinking apart from the every day guzzle fest type beers and they are fat yak and quiet deeds pale ale. So I'm aiming for those types of flavours in my beer.
So down to business. I bought some galaxy and cascade hops and set to it. Recipe as follows.

Coopers Australian Pale Ale tin.
700 g LDME.
200g of normal old table sugar.
Can yeast supplied with tin.
25g Galaxy all told.

Boiled some water for the malt and to get my wort temperature mixed it all in and made up to 23 litres.
The specific gravity was almost spot on 1050 OG. I regulated the temperature around the 24c mark.
Stopped bubbling after about 4 days.
This is where I added some hops. I added 15 grams of Galaxy in one of those tea bag type things. I steeped it for a few minutes and I have to say I couldn't stop smelling the stuff. .
I added that and closed my lid up. It started bubbling a little again but not for long. All that day all I could think about was that smell so I went and bought some more Galaxy and also got some cascade for my next run. I couldn't resist so I added another 10g in a bag I bought from the brew shop.
Today after 6 days from pitching yeast I tested the specific gravity and its sitting almost bang on 1010. I had a little sip of the test sample and yeow. I can taste the hops. It also seems a little more bitter than normal but unsure if that's just imagination or not.
So a couple of questions.
1. Does dextrose improve flavour and if so in what way.
2. is it better to start off with a cleaner beer like Canadian Blonde and tailor taste with hops.
3. If I use a better yeast eg. US05 what can I expect to be different.
4. and can somone call a doctor I think I'm addicted to the smell of Galaxy.

 

[manticle]

1. Dex adds nothing to flavour as it ferments right out. Large amounts of sucrose may add off flavours which dex may avoid so that is a way of improving final result. I'd argue it's as much how you use it as which sugar type you use so don't just add scads of sugar to make high octane booze and expect it to taste good.
2. Starting with a pale bland base and adding hops, spec grains and extracts is a very good way to build your own tasty beer.
3. If you change an ingredient, you can always expect it to be different. Yeast has a major impact on beer flavour. Strain is important but also amount (cell count), yeast health (does the hbs keep in fridge, is it fresh?) and temperature (no more than 18-20 for 05, definitely below 24).
4. No. Suffer with it. I dislike Galaxy.
Cascade on the other hand....

 

[CanMan]

Trying a brew this time with cascade. Just wondering about adding the hops. I hear a lot of people say don't open the fermenter for risk of infection. If this is the case then how do most go about dry hopping at the end of fermentation?

 

[luggy]

just open it, be quick but

 

[manticle]

Don't open unnecessarily (eg: to gaze wistfully into the brewing abyss, to watch bubbles form and wonder how and why) but to add dry hops, candy sugar, whatever - just do it, do it quickly and try not to splash loads when you add them in.

 

[Goose]

hey dr mants, sorry to digress, curious what your the issue with galaxy hops... I have heard they are all the rage and about to give a bash in a red IPA... ? Only criticism I can find is it can give off grassy notes, I was planning a late addition and not using for bittering

 

[Vini2ton]

Try not to sneeze into the fermenter or hack a big broggy into it and you should be alright. I've got bung-holes in my fermenters lids that were for those Burker heaters. They come in handy for dry hopping or a sneaky peek. I can hear cling-wrap coming off the roll.

 

[panzerd18]

Next step - Drop the table sugar or dextrose and just use LDME.

 

[wereprawn]

If you wan't a Fat Yakky type beer you will need Nelson Sauvin hops. Using Cascade will help make a mighty fine beer, just won't be much like a Fat.

Edit spelling.

 

[CanMan]

Ok sounds good. No gazing no boogers. .

Yes this brew I used straight LDME and us05 yeast using a Canadian Blonde can. Going for 25g of cascade in 23 litres at the end for a few days before bottling. Ditching the table sugar completely. And using a better yeast.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

The supplied yeast I have had some excellent results even using in my current All grain brewing. Don't underestimate it.
Its great for fruity characteristics that suit hops like Gallaxy and Cascade and a dry finish to boot up the ABV.
My three choices of dry yeasts, (and recycled) US-05, Nottingham, Coopers. Not in that order, different horses for different courses.

and yeah, the first time i was blown away by hop character it was pellet Gallaxy. Then my home grown Cascade to a whole new level.

No white sugars at all for me. The plainest Coopers can thats good is the Draught IMO. The blonde I didnt like at all. Watery.
The pale ale is a good base balance, and the Dark ale too.

Enjoy the brewing its awesome! :beerbang:

 

[panzerd18]

Ok sounds good. No gazing no boogers. .

Yes this brew I used straight LDME and us05 yeast using a Canadian Blonde can. Going for 25g of cascade in 23 litres at the end for a few days before bottling. Ditching the table sugar completely. And using a better yeast.

You can also do a hop tea to get some good flavor as well.

 

[manticle]

hey dr mants, sorry to digress, curious what your the issue with galaxy hops... I have heard they are all the rage and about to give a bash in a red IPA... ? Only criticism I can find is it can give off grassy notes, I was planning a late addition and not using for bittering

Personal taste only. Not the hops' fault - I just don't enjoy the flavour.

 

[CanMan]

You sold me Manticle. My latest brew with all dlme and cascade hops is by far the best tasting beer I've made. I'm loving the cascade compared to the Galaxy. After nearly 20 years of straight up cans with sugar I'm amazed what a difference just a few tweaks with hops, yeast and zero table sugar can make. I'm closing in on an AG build I think.

 

[Brooa]

I'm just about to dry hop with a galaxy/cascade blend into a Wal's Pale Ale. But I'm puting the pellets straight into the bottom of my secondary prior to racking (I'm chasing the aromas more than the bitterness), then into cold storage for a week or two, then into the keg. I'll let you all know the result.

 

[Brooa]

I'm just about to dry hop with a galaxy/cascade blend into a Wal's Pale Ale. But I'm puting the pellets straight into the bottom of my secondary prior to racking (I'm chasing the aromas more than the bitterness), then into cold storage for a week or two, then into the keg. I'll let you all know the result.

So here's the update. I'm very very happy. FYI, I cold crashed the fermenter for 24hrs then added 60g of dry Cascade pellets & 20g of dry Gallaxy to the secondry and let sit at about 1 degree for 5 days (I couldn't wait any longer) before kegging. Great head retention, clarity & flavour, & the hop aroma as you drink it is superb. Here's a pic.