Hazy-ish brew using Motueka and Riwaka Amplier Hop Oil for the first time in place of the whirlpool and dry hop pellet additions. The brew uses a similar grain bill to Summer Light ii, a prevoius hazy style, swapping American Ale for Light Lager and a few other minor adjustments. Two packets of Lalbrew Verdant yeast.
I used 50g of Hallertau Mittelfruh pellets on the hot side for bitterness and flavour, and 1.5ml each of Riwaka and Motueka Amplifier Oil at whirlpool, total of 3ml.
The Amplifier Oil brochure suggests 10ml oil is approx. equivalent to 500g of t90 pellets (hop aroma and flavour – without bitterness) – the 3ml used at WP stage should therefore be equivalent to 150g pellets.
This brew was also the first use of the new Kegland Red Reaper counterflow chiller.
The brew went well, good mash and all flowed well. The counterflow chiller worked great enabling a slightly quicker brew time all up and more control of the final output temperature. The only issue I had was keeping the wort hose in the right place, I need to clip it as it slipped out of the wort during recirculation at whirlpool.
Fermentation set off with a hiss and a roar at 19C, with slightly higher volume it overflowed the fermenter and blew off bit of yeast from the top of the Krausen. I kept temp at 19C instead of letting it rise to help keep the fermentation under control.
Cleaned up the mess in the fermentation fridge and added a beer line and jug of sanitiser to catch the overflow.
Velocity decreased at around day 3 or 4, but still a decent amount of yeast activity (foam and overflow) at around 1.024 (6.5%). Temperature increased to 21C.
‘dry hop’ addition added on day 5 of 1.5ml Motueka and 1.5ml Riwaka Amplifier Oil, total 3ml equivalent to 150g pellets.
Day 6 gravity at 1.016 and still some Krausen, temp increased to 22C.
Day 9 Raised temp to 22.5 for final cleanup
Day 10 Pressure approx. 10psi, FG 1.014, ABV 7.4%. Took a few bottles off the fermenter (still at 22.5C) added carb and chilled for Thursday tasting. First impressions are promising, likely some time needed for strong alcohol flavour to mellow, quite interesting hop character, not the usual.
Day 12 started gradually cooling down to 3C by day 15.
Final gravity 1.009, ABV 8%
Kegged – with no hop matter I transferred right down to the top of the jar /bottom of fermenter.
After tasting it was dominated by (albeit pleasant) malt flavour and not as strong hop aroma. I added additional amplifier oils, 1ml Riwaka, 1ml Motueka, 1.5ml Nelson Sauvin.
Total Amplifier Additions:
| USE | VARIETY | AMOUNT |
|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool (75C) | Riwaka | 1.5ml |
| Whirlpool (75C) | Motueka | 1.5ml |
| Dry Hop (Day 5) | Riwaka | 1.5ml |
| Dry Hop (Day 5) | Motueka | 1.5ml |
| Keg at transfer | Riwaka | 1.0ml |
| Keg at transfer | Motueka | 1.0ml |
| Keg at transfer | Nelson Sauvin | 1.5ml |
| TOTAL | 9.5ml |