AG#1 TT Landlord Clone

[Dr Mike]

Thanks. Will probably take an SG reading tomorrow to see how it's doing.

 

[Dr Mike]

SG is 1014 after 3 days ! Not far to go now.

 

[PD]

which will give you a nice easy drinking beer...... :clap: :clap:

 

[Dr Mike]

Fermentation looks done at 1012-1013 ish. Now chilling down to 10C to drop yeast before racking to secondary, although last SG sample was remarkably clear.

 

[Dr Mike]

Racked to pressure barrel yesterday where it will sit for 3 weeks at 13 C before priming & bottling.

Starting to smell nice now with the hop aroma coming through.

 

[The Goatreich]

Racked to pressure barrel yesterday where it will sit for 3 weeks at 13 C before priming & bottling.

Starting to smell nice now with the hop aroma coming through.

Interesting, is it a normal practise to sit the beer in the secondary for this long before bottling? How long would you leave it in the bottle to condition given that it's had a fair time in the barrel?

 

[Dr Mike]

Just following advice in GW books really. He suggests that you should mature in barrel for OG/2 days before bottling.

Is this not broardly in line with commercial brewing practice ? In the interview with Fuller's head brewer on the Brewing Network, he says that ESB goes in a maturation tank for around 4 weeks before bottling (all be it they fliter and flash-pasteurise rather than bottle condition).

 

[The Goatreich]

Just read that chapter again, and it does sound like very good practise.

 

[Dr Mike]

Bottled this evening

Tasted great out of secondary all be it flat. Added 80g of sugar (boiled) batch primed in bucket. Not totally clear yet. Let's see what it looks like after afew weeks in bottle.

 

[RokDok]

Well done,

There is no going back.

RD

 

[Baz Chaz]

..... Let's see what it looks like after afew weeks in bottle.

I'd give one a go next weekend, then you can see how it improves week by week

 

[Dr Mike]

Cracked open the first of these last night.

It's now properly carbonated and is farily clear (think there is some light starch/protein haze but pretty sure all the yeast has dropped).

Problem is the taste seems to have deteriorated since bottling. It doesn't tast off, just tastes quite homebrewish (almost but not quite got the "twang") and has little or no discernable hop flavour (other than bitterness). Is this likely to improve with age ? It's had 3 weeks in barrel and 3 weeks in bottle since fermentation.

 

[PD]

Mine has just about carb'd up in the bottle, going to give it another week before I try it.
These cooler temps are slowing things down a little.

 

[rich27500]

It will get better. Do QC every week and you'll notice it change!

 

[Dr Mike]

OK thanks. So seems as though extended secondary / barrel time doesn't really cut down on the amount of time it needs in bottle.

 

[Dr Mike]

Update

5 weeks after bottling and the flavour is definately improving. Now much more beerish and more hop flavour starting to come through. The flavour always seems better by the 2nd half of the glass. I wonder if that is subjective or whether it benefits from a bit of 'air' when drinking ?

 

[mak]

nice going mike! welcome to ds :)

i have to do this recipe soon, afaik all ale benefits from airation just before drinking. Ideally, it should not be carbonated at all, but airated through a sparkler when serving.... at least that's how it is up north

:

 

[jobby]

had mine in the keg now for over 6 weeks and its a superb pint, i would say its still not at its best so ill leave it for another few weeks or until all my london pride has gone.
will be making it again for sure its got a lovely hoppy note but not too much which swmbo likes

 

[Dr Mike]

Just finished the final bottle of this. Definately a beer which got better with age. Most of it was drunk at Christmas but by January (2 and a half months after bottling) the flavour really cleared up (as did the haze) and it tasted fantastic (ever so slightly 'Belgian' in a nice way). Always had great head retention, despite being just pale malt and a dash of chocolate.

 

[Baz Chaz]

Nice one buddy, one to keep on your list for a future brew to return to :

annoying innit, the last ones often taste the best :lol: