Tell Us Your Best 2008 Brew

[The King of Spain]

Interested to hear your stories, what is your stand-out brew for the year? I reckon Browndogs brown ale is the best I brewed this year (with a slight mod, used Notts). Second up would be a lager with S189 with fresh 2008 POR.

Over to you...

 

[peas_and_corn]

Probably the choc porter I made earlier this year.

 

[warra48]

Without a doubt, for me, it's this one. I'm down to my last 3 stubbies, but have had another one in the fermenter now for 8 days, and that won't be the last time I brew this.

Brew Type: All Grain Date: 13/08/2008
Style: American Pale Ale Brewer: Robert
Batch Size: 23.00 L Assistant Brewer: Elsie
Boil Volume: 29.50 L Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 % Equipment: My Equipment
Actual Efficiency: 94.17 %

A beautiful, complex, malty, balanced ale, terrific Cascade hop character.

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
4250.00 gm Pale Ale (5.9 EBC) Grain 83.33 %
500.00 gm Munich (15.0 EBC) Grain 9.80 %
200.00 gm Wheat (4.0 EBC) Grain 3.92 %
50.00 gm Amber (100.0 EBC) Grain 0.98 %
50.00 gm Chocolate Malt (689.5 EBC) Grain 0.98 %
50.00 gm Crystal (220.0 EBC) Grain 0.98 %
12.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 9.1 IBU
15.00 gm Northern Brewer [6.60 %] (60 min) Hops 10.8 IBU
20.00 gm Northern Brewer [6.60 %] (15 min) Hops 7.1 IBU
25.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 7.4 IBU
20.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs American Ale (Fermentis #US-05) Yeast-Ale

Measured Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Color: 19.2 EBC (7.9-21.7 EBC) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 34.4 IBU (20.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 15.7 AAU
Actual Alcohol by Volume: 5.74 %

 

[Pollux]

For me, it's the stubbie of my first all extract (no kits, all LDME and some spec grains) that I opened tonight...


11 days in the bottle (I honestly thought it was longer, thanks shiftwork for making an concept of time vanish) and already it's the best I've made...

This pleases me.

 

[wakkatoo]

My best was easily my first go at partials. Did a JSAA clone and it rocked! Kegged most of it but the 1/2 dozen bottles I did get made me realise that next time I need to let it condition for an extra 4 weeks at least, it got a whole lot better.

Will be the 1st beer I brew in the new year. Brewery is in shut down mode at the moment

 

[Cracka]

Interested to hear your stories, what is your stand-out brew for the year? I reckon Browndogs brown ale is the best I brewed this year (with a slight mod, used Notts). Second up would be a lager with S189 with fresh 2008 POR.

Over to you...

At the start of the year I did my first all grain :wub:

Was prob the best brew I did all year. :icon_cheers:

 

[reviled]

My 1st AG in 2008 will allways standout because it fired up an obsession...

Other than that my Galaxy Pale Ale has been awesome considering its my first beer that I got really good feedback...

 

[newguy]

Without a doubt it was my Eisbock. As a matter of fact, I think it's the best beer I've ever made. I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't try making one sooner. Given how the Eisbock turned out, an Eis-Wee Heavy is on the books for the coming year. :icon_drool2:

 

[drsmurto]

No, its not my golden ale ......... but my version of Warrens 4 shades of stout. The most complex stout i have tasted. Will be making a few more over summer to sit till the colder months. It ages like a fine wine too. 1st place at ANAWBS. I used green bullet and 1187 instead of cascade and nottingham.

If you havent tried one get on the shades bandwagon now! Will give the 3 shades a go asap.

 

[warrenlw63]

No, its not my golden ale ......... but my version of Warrens 4 shades of stout. The most complex stout i have tasted. Will be making a few more over summer to sit till the colder months. It ages like a fine wine too. 1st place at ANAWBS. I used green bullet and 1187 instead of cascade and nottingham.

If you havent tried one get on the shades bandwagon now! Will give the 3 shades a go asap.

Thanks for that Dr. Speak of the devil I'm about to keg a 3 Shades of Oatmeal Stout that has oatmeal in place of the flaked barley and is hopped entirely with Northdown. :beerbang:

I really must reciprocate and try your Golden Ale. Think I'm missing out on something here.

Warren -

 

[drsmurto]

Hmmm, i have a kg of flaked oats in the freezer along with 2 unopened packs of northdown...... :beerbang:

 

[Bizier]

Funnily enough, I am the most happy with the recipe I made from no source other than instinct, and after about 2 months of brewing. Undrinkable to begin with, but now it has dried out a bit, it is quite bready and complex. The recipe is pretty damn fruity so will never be repeated again. I learned something though.

"Smoke and Rye"

500g Maris Otter
100g Carafa T1
250g Smoked Barley Malt
500g Caramel Rye
60g Black Patent Malt
all mashed at 65 deg C for 1 hour and batch sparged

3kg LDME
17g Hallertau Hersbruker - 60 mins
16g East Kent Goldings - 60 mins
15g Hallertau Hersbruker - 30 mins
15g Hallertau Hersbruker - 15 mins

Nottingham Yeast

 

[Brewer_010]

I brewed this simple but very tasty bitter in time for late winter and was impressed with the Green Bullet hop...yum!

Was drinking this and singing the hobbit's drinking song "you can drink your fancy ales..." and so on

Filled my evenings anyway

Green Dragon Ale
Brew Type: Extract
Date: 7/06/2008
Style: English Special or Best Bitter
Brewer: Inhale
Batch Size: 21.00 L
Boil Volume: 24.44 L Boil Time: 70 min

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.30 kg Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) Dry Extract 79.0 %
0.15 kg CSR Golden Syrup (0.0 EBC) Extract 5.2 %
0.20 kg Caraamber (59.1 EBC) Grain 6.9 %
0.15 kg (Joe White) Crystal (141.8 EBC) Grain 5.2 %
0.11 kg Caraaroma (300.0 EBC) Grain 3.8 %
10.00 gm Green Bullet [13.50%] (60 min) Hops 19.2 IBU
25.00 gm Green Bullet [13.50%] (15 min) Hops 12.8 IBU
20.00 gm Green Bullet [13.50%] (10 min) Hops 7.7 IBU
15.00 gm Green Bullet [13.50%] (0 min) Hops -
0.50 tsp Koppa Floc (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Salt (Boil 60.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Nottingham Yeast (Lallemand #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Estimated Original Gravity: 1.043 SG (1.039-1.045 SG)
Measured Original Gravity: 1.044 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.010 SG (1.009-1.014 SG)
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Color: 23.5 EBC (11.8-27.6 EBC) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 39.7 IBU (20.0-45.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 3.0 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 4.2 % (3.7-4.8 %)
Actual Alcohol by Volume: 4.4 %

 

[kevo]

Best brews...

Alt beer - half with K-97, half with Noittingham - great beer.
My first AG BIAB, ordinary bitter. So good and easy as.

Worst of the year...

1st go at an extract wheat beer. Terrible.

Kev

 

[petesbrew]

I'd say my top 3 brews this year were
1. My first AG, the Fingers Crossed Robust Porter.
2. My 2nd AG, the Belgian Pale Ale (although I'm keen to see how it fares against AG No.3, the Saison)
3. KnK Dry stout... I think it's the Cushlomachree stout recipe in Charlie Papazian's book....

 

[devo]

Probably my dubbel, polish lager and my cascade version of DrSmurtos golden ale.

 

[Jye]

Probably my Blonde ale using just Galaxy hops because I did not expect it to turn out so awesome :chug: On the other hand my worst beer was an Ahtanum Blonde :blink:

Galaxy Blonde
Blonde Ale


Type: All Grain
Date: 9/08/2008
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Brewer: Jye
Boil Size: 30.08 L Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: SK Brew Hous
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.0
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.50 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston) (3.0 SRM) Grain 100.0 %

30.00 gm Galaxy [15.00%] (20 min) Hops 30.4 IBU
30.00 gm Galaxy [15.00%] (5 min) Hops 10.0 IBU
30.00 gm Galaxy [15.00%] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -

10.00 gm Calcium Sulfate (Gypsum) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc

1 Pkgs Safale American US-56 Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.000 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.9 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.5 %
Bitterness: 40.4 IBU Calories: 452 cal/l
Est Color: 4.4 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 11.25 L of water at 71.1 C 65.0 C 90 min

 

[Dunno]

Would have to say the beer I am drinking now, my first AG Docs yard glass session light, has a depth of flavour I didnt expect from a lighter beer. Close second was a belgian ale K&K I done using liquid yeast for the first time.

Dunno

 

[Rudy]

I made a completely over the top, cram the mash tun American IIPA. Aged it for ages, got Best of Show at Tanunda.

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 25.00 Wort Size (L): 25.00
Total Grain (kg): 10.20
Anticipated OG: 1.081 Plato: 19.65
Anticipated SRM: 13.4
Anticipated IBU: 82.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
73.5 7.50 kg. Pale Ale Malt (2-row) Australia 1.037 2
19.6 2.00 kg. Munich Malt Germany 1.037 8
6.9 0.70 kg. Crystal 55L Great Britian 1.034 55

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
42.00 g. Centennial Pellet 9.50 45.3 60 min.
30.00 g. Cascade Pellet 6.70 22.8 60 min.
30.00 g. Cascade Pellet 6.70 6.1 15 min.
30.00 g. Cascade Pellet 6.70 4.6 10 min.
30.00 g. Cascade Pellet 6.70 3.8 5 min.
30.00 g. Cascade Pellet 6.70 0.0 0 min.

Yeast
-----

WYeast 1056 Amercan Ale/Chico

 

[Nick JD]

Marlborough Light

1.5kg Liquid Light Malt
1.0kg LDME
0.5kg Dextrose
0.3kg Carapils
20g Nelson Sauvin 45 min
20g Nelson Sauvin 15 min
10g Nelson Sauvin 3 min (in fermenter)
Safale @ 23 degrees