AG11 - Buffro's Fenugreek Blonde Ale

[beffrey]

3kg Lager malt
750g wheat malt
700g Caragold
200g table sugar
400g jaggery palm sugar
dash of black pepper

35g Northern Brewer (90mins)
50g Willamette (5 mins)
25g crushed fenugreek seeds (5mins)

Sugars added after 48 hours in primary

Hard london water... 5g gypsum, 5g epsom salts, 50 ml of CRS.

25l, 5.1% (assuming 80% efficiency)
1.053 - 1.014 target, US-05 yeast.
IBUs 41.6

On the boil as I write this :drink:

 

[beffrey]

I decided to add 10 cardamom pods to the fermenter. A delicate yet pronounced flavour so no idea how this will work out. I can always add more after fermentation. Inspired by Ethiopian cuisine which uses a lot of both fenugreek and cardamom.

May also lob in a a vanilla pod in a couple of weeks.

Beer smells awful at the moment. :whistle:

 

[beffrey]

Down to 1.016, hopefully will come down further but not a disaster if not.

Pleasant taste, cardamom is coming through with a cooling, menthol aftertaste whilst I'm hoping the fengureek fades slightly at the front of the palette.

I'm enjoying the lingering bitterness. Should stand up well to kegging, and is a nice contrast to the muted, dry Weissbier and Wit I have on the go.