Style Of The Week 9/5/07 -sour Ales

[Stuster]

There was a podcast on the BN with Mike Melm who has been making lambics for something like 30 years. He uses old hops that have been aged in the fridge for the same reason.

Interesting. Very interesting. Is that on the Jamil show on lambics? Or on one of the Sunday shows?

I've certainly got some older hops in the freezer that I could use. They still smell fresh though. Doh.

 

[kabooby]

Found it.

Here it is

Kabooby

 

[Stuster]

Thanks, kabooby. Now all I need is four hours to listen to it. :lol:

 

[warrenlw63]

Thanks, kabooby. Now all I need is four hours to listen to it. :lol:

Yah Stu the 90b file size more or less alerted me to the same thing. :lol: Think I'll be listening in segments too. I've got the Brew Strong cast on about wood ageing ATM. We'll see how we go with this for openers.

Warren -

 

[glennheinzel]

Over on the Babblebelt forum they have reported that the Roselare blend, Trappist blend (Orval) and B.clausenii will be the next Wyeast seasonal release. It might be time for me to give this style a try.

http://www.babblebelt.com/newboard/thread....tpg=1&add=1

 

[Stuster]

And I already have too many yeasts lying around. :angry:

Wyeast's seasonal releases as a marketing tool are certainly working on me.

 

[mikem108]

What stock have you got Stu?

 

[beers]

That way you get the reduced alpha without the stinky cheesy hop character. I don't think it would come through in the final beer anyway but I am just not real keen on putting them into my beer.

:lol:
I've been playing 'hide the bag of cheesy hops' around our place for the last couple of months. Been copping a fair amount of grief from the girl... & rightly so too - 100g of broken up 2 yr old Saaz plugs can easily stink out a room.. & it's not a pretty smell. Thank christ they'll be going in the boil soon

Warren, the brew strong is a good start. But Shea goes into a lot more detail in the session show.

 

[warrenlw63]

:lol:
I've been playing 'hide the bag of cheesy hops' around our place for the last couple of months. Been copping a fair amount of grief from the girl... & rightly so too - 100g of broken up 2 yr old Saaz plugs can easily stink out a room.. & it's not a pretty smell. Thank christ they'll be going in the boil soon

Warren, the brew strong is a good start. But Shea goes into a lot more detail in the session show.

Gawd beers they can really stink badly. I don't blame her. Mine were kept in a pot down in the garage with some termimesh over the top and I could always pick the stink when I'd walk in. To be honest even after nearly 9 years they still don't smell overly flash.

Thanks for the tip on the BN. I might have a listen with the headphones on tonight instead of sleeping. :beerbang:

Warren -

 

[kabooby]

It just doesn't make sense to me to be putting that sort of thing in my beer, especially when the aim is to have a low IBU to allow the pedio and lacto to do there thing, not to get your hops all cheesy and stinky

Kabooby

 

[Jye]

I am happy to use old hops with a low alpha that have been stored in a fridge or freezer. That way you get the reduced alpha without the stinky cheesy hop character. I don't think it would come through in the final beer anyway but I am just not real keen on putting them into my beer.

There was a podcast on the BN with Mike Melm who has been making lambics for something like 30 years. He uses old hops that have been aged in the fridge for the same reason.

Kabooby

+1

Thats where I got my info from and tend to agree... and Im sure hop sellers wouldnt mind us buying up their old stock

 

[goatherder]

Thanks beers!

I've actually got the Jamil Lambic podcast on ATM. I'll hunt this one down next.

Warren -

And Brew Strong did a whole show on Oak, worth a listen:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/membersar...aging8-9-08.mp3

 

[warrenlw63]

And Brew Strong did a whole show on Oak, worth a listen:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/membersar...aging8-9-08.mp3

Yeah thanks Goat I listened to that one today. Interesting re; the differences between chips and cubes! It sounds like cubes are probably the go for long term ageing due to the complexity/layer thing with the charring. I'm wondering if oak staves would have a similar effect to cubes?

Warren -

 

[goatherder]

Yeah thanks Goat I listened to that one today. Interesting re; the differences between chips and cubes! It sounds like cubes are probably the go for long term ageing due to the complexity/layer thing with the charring. I'm wondering if oak staves would have a similar effect to cubes?

Warren -

I thought that too. I was going to try cutting up a stave into cubes using a fine saw, should be similar.

 

[warrenlw63]

Just a minor concern goat. I dare say it's unfounded. If you cut a stave won't that sort of leave an exposed or uncharred surfaces along the cuts? I dare say I'm worrying too much here... feel free to dismiss me at will.

Warren -

 

[Ross]

Ive been thinking about this and wasnt the 07 or 06 crop of Hall something like 2% AA? That would have been great to use. May have to poke around craftbrewer and see if there are any old crops hanging around in the back of the coldroom.

Jye,

We have a limited stock of 12 year old hops in stock for this very use - just not got around to putting them on the site. Can't remember the name off hand but a tettnang derivative from memory & a very low alpha back then. they still smell beautiful as well.

cheers Ross

 

[goatherder]

Just a minor concern goat. I dare say it's unfounded. If you cut a stave won't that sort of leave an exposed or uncharred surfaces along the cuts? I dare say I'm worrying too much here... feel free to dismiss me at will.

Warren -

It was a while ago when I listened to the podcast, but I thought the idea of the cubes was exactly that. You have varying levels of toast on the different surfaces of the cut cube to give more complexity. I need to have another listen.

 

[beers]

I think they make the cubes by cutting up staves as you suggest.

I've broken a few staves in half & they, well the ones I have anyway, dont seem to be "raw" in the centre. Mine are about 6x30mm.

 

[warrenlw63]

It was a while ago when I listened to the podcast, but I thought the idea of the cubes was exactly that. You have varying levels of toast on the different surfaces of the cut cube to give more complexity. I need to have another listen.

I think they make the cubes by cutting up staves as you suggest.

I've broken a few staves in half & they, well the ones I have anyway, dont seem to be "raw" in the centre. Mine are about 6x30mm.

Yeah I thought they were probably only unfounded worries by me... My guess is the charring process more or less "cooks" the cube all the way through to varying degrees.

Might get my skates on and track down some staves this week. B)

Warren -

 

[kabooby]

Oak chips have been toasted as they are. Oak cubes are cut from staves so they have varying degrees of toast on the cube.

If that makes sense :unsure:

kabooby