Wychwood Brewery

[Pumpy]

I have posted some pics in the gallery of my visit to the Wychwood brewery in Oxfordshire England at Witney .

Wychwood is famous for making the Hobgoblin Brown ale the second highest selling brown ale to Newcastle Brown in the UK .

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...si&img=4989

Wychwood had recently been taken over by Brakspear brewery and the brewery at Witney was a small congested old building everything was squashed in and it was difficult to get good pics .

http://www.wychwood.co.uk/

Hobgoblin brown ale is made in

ABV: 5.2% in bottle, 4.5% in cask.
Hops: Fuggles and Styrians
Malt: Pale, Crystal and Chocolate
Bottle: 500ml
Cask: All year
Style: Ruby beer
See: Dark Ruby
Smell: Toffee, slight citrus, chocolate
Taste: Toffee, dry, biscuit
Bitter: 3
Sweet: 3


The town of Witney had about about 15 different pubs in it real old fashioned English country town .

Not the best brewery to visit but they are not all Bling to be successsful

Brakspear had a different way of fermenting they fermented in a wooden fermenter in the roof and after a day or two dropped it into a lower fermenter to continue fermenting I can only assue this was a way of oxygenating the wort Brakspear beers were well attenuated and dry . and brewing pale beers to compete with the lager market in the UK


pumpy

 

[Murcluf]

Pure Envy....!!!!! Oh well will just have to keep dreaming.

 

[RdeVjun]

OMG Pumpy, I just got a woodie! Interesting videos.

Started using Wy 1882PC (a Brakspear strain apparently) recently in a few Landlord-esque things, a stout and a few ESBs and have some Hobgoblin on the runway. 1882 goes nuts then flocs like lead, and I'm hoping it has other pretenders for breakfast in the flavour department, just bottled the first yesterday, nice nutty stonefruit so far, will see how it goes carbed up. :icon_cheers:

 

[Bribie G]

1882 is definitely the old Brakspear yeast. That system they use is called "double dropping" - I know that Butters has experimented with it. It gets the beer off the trub and shyte, like precipitated cold break etc, and re-oxygenates it so it does a second 'surge' in the lower vessel. Haven't had a Brakspear since 1973 when the brewery was still at Henley on Thames.
Envy envy envy

 

[Pumpy]

OMG Pumpy, I just got a woodie! Interesting videos.

Started using Wy 1882PC (a Brakspear strain apparently) recently in a few Landlord-esque things, a stout and a few ESBs and have some Hobgoblin on the runway. 1882 goes nuts then flocs like lead, and I'm hoping it has other pretenders for breakfast in the flavour department, just bottled the first yesterday, nice nutty stonefruit so far, will see how it goes carbed up. :icon_cheers:

It is a cool site RdeVjun

 

[Pumpy]

1882 is definitely the old Brakspear yeast. That system they use is called "double dropping" - I know that Butters has experimented with it. It gets the beer off the trub and shyte, like precipitated cold break etc, and re-oxygenates it so it does a second 'surge' in the lower vessel. Haven't had a Brakspear since 1973 when the brewery was still at Henley on Thames.
Envy envy envy

Yes Thats it BribieG Double dropping the Brakespear process is different to the Wychwood process although now the same company .
Brakespear say it is the only way to make beer they really are clean beers .

You would not believe how they had the fermenters crammed in that building Brakespear said they had to knock the wall down to get them in

Pumpy

 

[TidalPete]

Pumpy,

Glad you had a wonderful trip & all this info is very enlightening. :super:
Am about to start planning my Hobgoblin 3 (Fine tuning) & very happy to absorb your information.
Got any idea if Bribie is correct re the 1882 yeast?
Will try the "Double Dropping" (Just an early rack to secondary it seems but without the tube I guess?????) at the end of day two next fermentation. :icon_cheers:

TP

 

[Pumpy]

Pumpy,

Glad you had a wonderful trip & all this info is very enlightening. :super:
Am about to start planning my Hobgoblin 3 (Fine tuning) & very happy to absorb your information.
Got any idea if Bribie is correct re the 1882 yeast?
Will try the "Double Dropping" (Just an early rack to secondary it seems but without the tube I guess?????) at the end of day two next fermentation. :icon_cheers:

TP

Pete the Brakspear yeast is not the same as the Hobgoblin

The Hobgoblin is not made using the double dropping method

 

[RdeVjun]

TP, I went looking for your Hobgoblin recipe, couldn't find it- any pointers? That sounds like the method to me, just like emptying a NC cube- no transfer tube, open the tap and let her rip by gravity into the secondary below, but leave the sediment, might not hurt to lean the fermenter in primary so that it builds up opposite the tap. I doubt it will be necessary if you do use 1882 though (see below).
When you think about it, double dropping is not too dissimilar to the Yorkshire Square operation with its pump and oxygenation/ circulation of wort in primary for a few days after pitching, that's if my understanding of both these operations is right (happy to be corrected).

Sorry Pumpy, this is getting pretty OT:
I'm wondering about this 1882, I have bottled my first batches on it lately and it is some of the clearest beer I've ever bottled, as I said earlier, it goes beserk at pitching and then just flocculates like a stone and leaves a really solid, compact cake at the bottom of the fermenter, almost like soft curds. I haven't used a secondary in yonks so it isn't that, haven't changed the recipe (well, only fiddled around the edges), nor the method or swapped ingredients, so it does point to the yeast being true to the spiel and indeed highly flocculent. Thank goodness ESBs are good to have quite green- looking forward to tasting the end product! I didn't notice excessive diacetyl in any of them, now I'm wondering if I'm one of the lucky few who can thank their genes for an inability to sense it, I've had my suspicions...
BTW, Ross still has some listed as available, so it is not too late, other sponsors may still have it too. I've got some slants though, so no need to panic.

 

[TidalPete]

RdeVjun,

Will be planning my third Hobgoblin attempt on the info obtained from HERE.
Went very close with my last attempt with almost all the ingredients correct but made the mistake of adding (Homemade) Brown Malt when there was no need. Still a very nice Northern Brown though IMHO.

TP

 

[revdrjbob]

Very jealous Pumpy,
Been a big fan of the Wychwood beers for years, and tried a few Hobgoblin clones to little effect. Funny piece of trivia: the guy who taught me the ropes at the Lord Nelson when I brewed there did part of his brewing apprenticeship with Wychwood, he supposedly helped with the Dogs Bollocks recipe.

Awesome,
TIM

 

[shmick]

. and brewing pale beers to compete with the lager market in the UK


pumpy

Interesting that. The relo's went to Wychwood for a visit last year and got pics of them filling a Foster's tanker (truck). :lol:

Maybe BUL or just the same distributors?

They were very surprised how tight and crammed in it all was there.

 

[cdbrown]

Will you be offering up your recipe? I enjoyed quite a few Hobgoblins while living in London (along with Goliath and Fursty Ferret - anyone got recipes for them??)

RdeVjun,

Will be planning my third Hobgoblin attempt on the info obtained from HERE.
Went very close with my last attempt with almost all the ingredients correct but made the mistake of adding (Homemade) Brown Malt when there was no need. Still a very nice Northern Brown though IMHO.

TP

 

[TidalPete]

Will you be offering up your recipe?

Only if\when I get it right.

TP

 

[Pumpy]

Interesting that. The relo's went to Wychwood for a visit last year and got pics of them filling a Foster's tanker (truck). :lol:

Maybe BUL or just the same distributors?

They were very surprised how tight and crammed in it all was there.

Your right schmick you could not swing a cat where ther fermenters were literally

 

[Pumpy]

TP, I went looking for your Hobgoblin recipe, couldn't find it- any pointers? That sounds like the method to me, just like emptying a NC cube- no transfer tube, open the tap and let her rip by gravity into the secondary below, but leave the sediment, might not hurt to lean the fermenter in primary so that it builds up opposite the tap. I doubt it will be necessary if you do use 1882 though (see below).
When you think about it, double dropping is not too dissimilar to the Yorkshire Square operation with its pump and oxygenation/ circulation of wort in primary for a few days after pitching, that's if my understanding of both these operations is right (happy to be corrected).

Sorry Pumpy, this is getting pretty OT:
I'm wondering about this 1882, I have bottled my first batches on it lately and it is some of the clearest beer I've ever bottled, as I said earlier, it goes beserk at pitching and then just flocculates like a stone and leaves a really solid, compact cake at the bottom of the fermenter, almost like soft curds. I haven't used a secondary in yonks so it isn't that, haven't changed the recipe (well, only fiddled around the edges), nor the method or swapped ingredients, so it does point to the yeast being true to the spiel and indeed highly flocculent. Thank goodness ESBs are good to have quite green- looking forward to tasting the end product! I didn't notice excessive diacetyl in any of them, now I'm wondering if I'm one of the lucky few who can thank their genes for an inability to sense it, I've had my suspicions...
BTW, Ross still has some listed as available, so it is not too late, other sponsors may still have it too. I've got some slants though, so no need to panic.

RdeVjun I got the impression from the guy at Wychwood that they did not use the 1882 yeast on the Hobgoblin or the Double dropping ,that was a Brakspear technique , Brakspear mad some awesome pale beers .

In my opinion ,if you was making the Hobgoblin Brown ale, if you was to use the WY 1084 Irish Ale yeast, you would not be dissapointed with the results ,I have just made an Irish Red and and maybe added a little too much Roasted Barley ( just a touch too much) but it is an awesome beer personally I think its better than the Hobgoblin .

Pumpy

 

[RdeVjun]

Yeah, sorry Pumpy, I saw that in your previous post and I have been thinking all day that I should not have posted with so much ambiguity! Apologies for not making my thoughts very clear, probably hadn't had quite enough coffee!
Thanks for the insights though, it has been really interesting and helpful, also sorry to digress into OT 1882/ Brakspear dribble.
Say, BribieG was raving about Wy's 1084 Irish Ale recently too, from the sample supplied, I can see why! :icon_cheers:

 

[Murcluf]

Will you be offering up your recipe? I enjoyed quite a few Hobgoblins while living in London (along with Goliath and Fursty Ferret - anyone got recipes for them??)

Google "Orfy's Hobgoblin Clone" supposedly a pretty good crack at it

 

[Batz]

Google "Orfy's Hobgoblin Clone" supposedly a pretty good crack at it

That looks worth a try.

Batz

 

[Pumpy]

Here is Orfys for Hobgoblin clone recipe

Quote Orfy

"It's mashing now.

I've altered my Goblin Clone. The Original was pretty spot on and a few people have copied it with success. Why change it?
I've done some reading and research and I want to get as close as the original as possible. If I find my new version is not as tastey then taste will win over authenticity.
Please let me have any comments that you think may improve it.

Hob Goblin

Brew Type: All Grain Brewer: Orfy
Batch Size: 23.00 L Boil Volume: 30.29 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %

Ingredients for Mash
4.80 kg Marris Otter Pale (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM)
0.25 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
0.20 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.15 kg Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM)
Mash In: Add 14.09 L of water at 78.2 C
90 min - Hold mash at 69.0 C for 90 min
Add first wort hops to boiler at start of sparge
15.00 gm Styrian Goldings [5.00%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop)
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.50%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop)
--Boil for 60 min
15.00 gm Styrian Goldings [5.00%] (30 min)
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.50%] (30 min)
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (50 min)
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.50%] (60 min)
15.00 gm Styrian Goldings [4.50%] (60 min )

-- Cool wort to fermentation temperature
-- Add water (as needed) to achieve volume of 23.00 L
-- Siphon wort to primary fermenter and aerate wort.
-- Add Ingredients to Fermenter
Amount Item Type 1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale
20/12/2006 Measure Original Gravity: ________ (Estimate: 1.052 SG)
20/12/2006 Measure Batch Volume: ________ (Estimate: 23.00 L)
7 days Ferment in primary for 7 days at 20.0 C
27/12/2006 Transfer to Secondary Fermenter
14 days Ferment in secondary for 14 days at 20.0 C
10/01/2007 Measure Final Gravity: ________ (Estimate: 1.013 SG)
Keg beer at 15.6 C with 117.8 gm of dried malt extract.
3.0 Weeks Age for 3.0 Weeks at 15.0 C
31/01/2007 Sample and enjoy!
31/01/2007 Sample and enjoy!
Last edited by Orfy on Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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