owner: Michael Erwin | started: 02/01/2008 | last updated: 05/23/2008
status: Finished
2/8/2008 - The gods of Firefox wiped out my notes on this one. In any case, this is my first homebrew ever, I used Papazian's Joy of Homebrewing, a recipe for Elbro Nerkte, a dark English ale. I substituted Styrian Goldings for the Fuggles. Totally fermented in five days. Bottled 49 12oz yesterday. It's really hard to wait!!!
Other notes from memory:
OG was something like 1.036-38. For some reason, lower than the book said it would be.
FG was 1.012. Apparent attenuation: 68%
Recipe:
2 cans Muntons Dark
.5# 20L Caramel
.25# black patent
1 oz Styrian Goldings 3.3% (boil)
.5 oz Cascade 5.0 (boil)
.5 oz Cascade 5.0 (aroma)
1 Tbsp Irish moss (5 minutes)
Safale US-05
Single-stage fermentation, w/ blow-off tube.
Pitched on 1/31/08 - incredibly flavorful brew; my mouth is watering just thinking about the glass I poured out of the hydro tube. extremely dark, closer to a porter color (but clearly not a porter) than a Newcastle color.
2/7/2008 - Bottled. Place in downstairs shower (dark and out of the way).
2/14/2008 - Tasted. Drinkable, but disappointing carbonation. More than likely, the downstairs shower was too cool. Moved to upstairs closet.
2/17/2008 - I'm currently moving one bottle down from the upstairs closet each day, fridging it, drinking it, and replacing with another bottle. Each day the beer is getting better, and getting more carbonation. This evening I got about a 1/4-inch head, so things are "perking up."
2/18/2008 - Carb still rising ever so slightly. After having one a night for several nights, beginning to analyze flavor. Needs more bittering. Also, very sweet beer.
2/20/2008 - Now, after nearly a week in the warmer environment, I'm getting more than a half-inch head, which I believe is allowing more of a hop aroma to come through in the first sip.
2/26/2008 - I've passed out around a dozen bottles, waiting for reviews.
5/23/2008 - Just downed the last one. Now, with just five months experience, I can say, not bad for a first brew. Easy to make, difficult to wait in the beginning, but worth it all in the end. Goes great with pizza. I think I could do this one better knowing what I know now.
1 comment:
I thought I had downed the last one, until a friend returned a bottle to me the other day! So cool!
I think I'll just keep it capped now, since surely it's oxidized beyond belief, and it's really a keepsake, considering it was my first beer ever.
Picture to come later.
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