Murray's Nirvana Pale Ale

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Snow

Beer me up, Scotty!
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I had a couple of very fresh stubbies of this the other day and was reminded of how good it is. Beautiful malt aroma with floral and spicy hop notes. Balanced bitterness, refreshing... I thoroughly enjoyed every drop - a very well made beer.

So how do I make it?
I can guess at the malt profile... pale ale, munich, a light touch of crystal or caramunich?
Yeast.... maybe American Ale, or maybe a dry english style to bring out the malt?

Hops I'm having trouble with. My hopeless senses could only pick up slight citrus notes, which were kind of spicy...so I'm thinking maybe Green Bullet, with some Cascade and EKG? Or...am I totally off the mark?

Any ideas?

Cheers - Snow
 
Had a few of those the other night and how fantastic are they. That and the Sassay Blonde :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2:

Me being a bit of a Noob to this kinda thing of putting recipes together and such, I am also keen on a similar clone.

Here is their desription off the website

Murray’s Nirvana Pale Ale is a hybrid of an American Pale Ale, combined with the classic English Pale Ale. A brilliant light-golden colour, Murray’s Nirvana Pale Ale has a full-bodied finish and complex character. With an alcohol content of 4.5% alc/vol, Nirvana’s fresh citrusy/spicy aroma and flavour is strongly influenced by generous use of New Zealand-grown Cascade and Hallertau hops. This is well balanced with biscuity/toffee flavours from selected caramalts.

Winner of a Silver medal at the New Zealand International Beer Awards 2006, and a Bronze medal at this year’s Australian International Beer Awards, Murray’s Nirvana Pale Ale will be available all year round. Graeme says it’s great on its own, or an excellent accompaniment to spicy Thai, Indian or Vietnamese food.

Nirvana Pale Ale (4.5% abv)

Cheers

Sully
 
def not a "classic" APA and you can notice the UK influence on it.. It may be the yeast...
 
Ahh, thanks for chasing that up, Sully.

So it seems I'm not too far off. NZ Cascade are definitely more on the soft spicy side rather than citrusy. Hallertau is the floral/spice notes I can pick up. "selected caramalts", eh? I'm thinking caramunich and maybe caraamber? Maybe some of the biscuity malt flavour comes from Marris Otter? Might be 50/50 MO and and Aussie Pale Ale malt? It just doesn't seem to be 100% MO......

I'm leaning more towards the English yeast. London Dry Ale maybe?

Cheers - Snow
 
Ahh, thanks for chasing that up, Sully.

So it seems I'm not too far off. NZ Cascade are definitely more on the soft spicy side rather than citrusy. Hallertau is the floral/spice notes I can pick up. "selected caramalts", eh? I'm thinking caramunich and maybe caraamber? Maybe some of the biscuity malt flavour comes from Marris Otter? Might be 50/50 MO and and Aussie Pale Ale malt? It just doesn't seem to be 100% MO......

I'm leaning more towards the English yeast. London Dry Ale maybe?

Cheers - Snow

Haven't seen Shaun post up here for a while but from what I know from a while back they don't use any Aussie malts so MO + your caramalts is a good start. I think they still use only NZ hops so riwaka would be in there for your Hallertau.
 
I Still got one left in the fridge but I haven't got a clue whats in it.
In another thread it was hinted that they use all NZ hops.

I reckon they mash this one in high 60's maybe a bit if wheat and 10-20 % amber malts to help it along

NZ cascade on the nose with Nelson Sauvin flavouring hops is my guess.
Bittering I wouldn't have a clue.

If its a NZ hop, I am leaning towards Green Bullet but pacific Gem gives you a floral note too but much earthier.

It is a beer that will grow on you as it is out of character in many way.
Taste like a homebrew.LOL
 
Riwaka? Never head of it! Can us "plebs" get it?

- Snow
 
Riwaka is the new name for D Saaz. But the Hallertau is probably one of the NZ Hallertau varieties, either Pacifica (which used to be called Pacific/NZ Hallertau) and Hallertau Aroma. I'm pretty sure Ross has all of these. Have a look here for all the info you ever needed on NZ hops. :D
 
The Hallertau is Hallertau Aoma - NZ if my memory serves me correctly :)

Cheers Ross
 
I had a go at a making a beer not too disimilar to Nirvana from info I had gleaned.

Not really like the original but a damn fine beer even if I say so myself. Keg ran dry last night after 3 weeks.

Recipe is post 20 in this thread.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=14813&st=0

C&B
TDA

I thought your attempt looked nice, I get a berry kind of note from the malt side of things in nirvana, I've been able to get a similar kind of berry thing happening using dk crystal and chocolate in a 2:3 ratio based on info I've read on here somewhere.
Thoughts TDA. how would you compare your malt profile v the nirvanas malt profile and the hop profile of yours versus the nirvana?
 
I've been buying these in the stubby from the Sando in newtown, easily the hardest beer to pour into a glass. I'm not sure if they are an old batch that had dried out and over carbed or what but its all head, no matter how slow you pour, even if you do manage to pour an inch of head overall, it will continue to rise and mushroom out of the glass.

That said, its a freaken nice beer.
 
From memory they use the Bairds Ale malt as a base (I recall Graeme mentioning that they used Perle, but that was a few years back), Carahell & Bairds medium crystals, Weyermann Vienna (?) with NZ Cascade & Pacific Hallertau hops... Super Alpha for bittering. & fermented with British ale yeast.
The Brewing Network did an interview with Shaun a few months back & he was pretty open about their ingredients & recipes. You should check it out if you want to brew a clone. http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Sun...raft-brewing-Co
 
Thanks beers, just listened to that then. Very interesting program. Certainly sounds like NZ Cascade and Pacific Hallertau are the key hops that Murrays uses.
 
Good luck with the recipe, I genuinely think Murrays stands head and shoulders above most competitors .... however IMO this is there least exciting beer :ph34r:
 
G'day fellas,

Thanks for the interest in the Nirvana. Some interesting looking recipes there. It has changed a little over time from the first versions that Graeme's descriptor quoted above was based on, but you are all still in the ballpark.

The hops are Super Alpha, Pacific Hallertau and Kiwi Cascades. Use fresh hops and loads of them late for a beer of this gravity.

Malts are a blend of Pommy and German with some Aussie caramalt.

Yeast is now a 'house blend' but think English and don't pitch/ferment too cold.

Mash temp is roughly in the middle, not too cold, but not 70 degrees either ;)

Hope that helps clear a few things up. Can't give away the exact recipe but I think that is pleanty of info for anyone looking to brew something similar. If you come up with a winner send me a bottle! :)

Thanks again,

Shawn

Murray's Craft Brewing Co.
 
137726.jpg

Good work Gough
 
G'day fellas,

Thanks for the interest in the Nirvana. Some interesting looking recipes there. It has changed a little over time from the first versions that Graeme's descriptor quoted above was based on, but you are all still in the ballpark.

The hops are Super Alpha, Pacific Hallertau and Kiwi Cascades. Use fresh hops and loads of them late for a beer of this gravity.

Malts are a blend of Pommy and German with some Aussie caramalt.

Yeast is now a 'house blend' but think English and don't pitch/ferment too cold.

Mash temp is roughly in the middle, not too cold, but not 70 degrees either ;)

Hope that helps clear a few things up. Can't give away the exact recipe but I think that is pleanty of info for anyone looking to brew something similar. If you come up with a winner send me a bottle! :)

Thanks again,

Shawn

Murray's Craft Brewing Co.


Nice one Shawn, always great to see a brewer helping out the home brew scene. Love the beer by the way, keep up the good work :chug:
 
I thought your attempt looked nice, I get a berry kind of note from the malt side of things in nirvana, I've been able to get a similar kind of berry thing happening using dk crystal and chocolate in a 2:3 ratio based on info I've read on here somewhere.
Thoughts TDA. how would you compare your malt profile v the nirvanas malt profile and the hop profile of yours versus the nirvana?

Gotta say the malt profile in mine is more obvious than in Nirvana and I reckon a lot of that is to do with the West Yorkie yeast.
Hop profile is a long way from the Nirvana, plenty of peachy, tangerine flavours and fruity aromas. The hops were flowers from Beerbelly and I gotta say you can't beat the natural form of the hop for an edge on your beers. :p

Anyway, good to see Shawn posting with info and I reckon another crack at this is possible in a few months.

C&B
TDA
 
G'day fellas,

Thanks for the interest in the Nirvana. Some interesting looking recipes there. It has changed a little over time from the first versions that Graeme's descriptor quoted above was based on, but you are all still in the ballpark.

The hops are Super Alpha, Pacific Hallertau and Kiwi Cascades. Use fresh hops and loads of them late for a beer of this gravity.

Malts are a blend of Pommy and German with some Aussie caramalt.

Yeast is now a 'house blend' but think English and don't pitch/ferment too cold.

Mash temp is roughly in the middle, not too cold, but not 70 degrees either ;)

Hope that helps clear a few things up. Can't give away the exact recipe but I think that is pleanty of info for anyone looking to brew something similar. If you come up with a winner send me a bottle! :)

Thanks again,

Shawn

Murray's Craft Brewing Co.

Thanks Shawn, I appreciate your sharing of the finer points of your recipe. As I said, I really enjoyed the beer. I agree with Jimi, in that it is your least "exciting" beer, which obviously speaks volumes for the rest of your stable. I'm looking forward to having a crack at it and will definitely send you a bottle if I think I'm close :)

Cheers - Snow.
 
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