Beerworks President's Sierra American Pale Ale review

[mikecfc]

I have put this brew on today, follows the instructions and pitched the yeast at 22 Deg now is sat a stable 21 degs..
I have only recently got into drinking IPA and AIPA and never brewed one usually brew larger and cider. I am looking forward to this if it tastes like some of the shop bought craft American pale ales!

 

[Graz]

I made a few Beerworks kits and every one of the has been pretty top notch. Haven't done the above but will do at some point.

With regard to the dry hopping I've always found I had a better hop aroma and taste when I've left the hops in for less time rather than more. The compounds imparted from the hops are fairly volatile so if left too long before kegging / bottling may get driven out of the beer. I tend to give it two days at brewing temperature, then cold crash for 24 hours, then package it.

Finally bought one of these and it's in the fermenting fridge right now. Subject to a gravity check I'll be adding the hops later on this week and will then keg next week.

It went off like a rocket, tried to climb out of the FV and made a mess of my fridge. Quite a high SG as well probably not helped by me dumping the priming sugar in it as I don't need it because I will force carb it in a corny.

 

[mikecfc]

Finally bought one of these and it's in the fermenting fridge right now. Subject to a gravity check I'll be adding the hops later on this week and will then keg next week.

It went off like a rocket, tried to climb out of the FV and made a mess of my fridge. Quite a high SG as well probably not helped by me dumping the priming sugar in it as I don't need it because I will force carb it in a corny.

I put mine on yesterday added the yeast at about 9pm, mine too is rocket like!

 

[GhostShip]

I really hope you guys get the same result I did. Absolutely cracking pint!

 

[mikecfc]

I really hope you guys get the same result I did. Absolutely cracking pint!

Thanks I hope so too!

 

[TastyMcbrewski]

I’ve just started on mine today after 2+2+2.

It’s not what I was expecting, darker in colour and quite malty. If I had to compare it to a beer it would be Sam Adams in both colour and taste, so not unpleasant, but different to what I had in mind.

 

[GhostShip]

I’ve just started on mine today after 2+2+2.

It’s not what I was expecting, darker in colour and quite malty. If I had to compare it to a beer it would be Sam Adams in both colour and taste, so not unpleasant, but different to what I had in mind.

That sounds a bit strange. The photo I posted of the beer in the glass at the start of this thread I would say is fairly accurate in terms of colour - light and golden. I left it longer than you before I drunk it (more like 2+2+2+4), but from memory it was a golden colour when I bottled it. I also wouldn’t describe it as malty.

 

[mikecfc]

I put mine on yesterday added the yeast at about 9pm, mine too is rocket like!

Today mine is still going for it! It's a an agreesive brew this.

 

[mikecfc]

Mine has now started to slow down after a few days of bubble mania!

 

[Manuelcj89]

My first homebrew kit! Because of this review. I started last Sunday (3rd May) and am going to dry hop tonight. Sticking to instructions as it's the first one.
I had a little taste of the hopped malt and it was vile! very sweet, very bitter. Strange! Not that I've ever tasted hopped Malt before.
Very sickly sweet smell for the first couple of days while bubbling. But that stopped by Wednesday. Was surprised at how furious it was bubbling then it stopped within about 48 hours. barely a bubble since. Still a bit of a smell if I get right up close to the bucket but definitely mellowed.

Oh, I added Harris Pure Brew too. Don't really know why.

I don't know if I have whole hops or pellets yet, will open later. But definitely had 1kg of Glucose.

Gravity was 1.056 so hopefully will get down to 1.010.

I'm hoping to bottle after 14 days. Then let it carb for 2 weeks.

It's been at about 20°c but 21°c today. Getting cooler from tomorrow so hopefully will be okay.

Is this a similar experience to others? I'm very excited!
Thanks for this review.

 

[mikecfc]

My first homebrew kit! Because of this review. I started last Sunday (3rd May) and am going to dry hop tonight. Sticking to instructions as it's the first one.
I had a little taste of the hopped malt and it was vile! very sweet, very bitter. Strange! Not that I've ever tasted hopped Malt before.
Very sickly sweet smell for the first couple of days while bubbling. But that stopped by Wednesday. Was surprised at how furious it was bubbling then it stopped within about 48 hours. barely a bubble since. Still a bit of a smell if I get right up close to the bucket but definitely mellowed.

Oh, I added Harris Pure Brew too. Don't really know why.

I don't know if I have whole hops or pellets yet, will open later. But definitely had 1kg of Glucose.

Gravity was 1.056 so hopefully will get down to 1.010.

I'm hoping to bottle after 14 days. Then let it carb for 2 weeks.

It's been at about 20°c but 21°c today. Getting cooler from tomorrow so hopefully will be okay.

Is this a similar experience to others? I'm very excited!
Thanks for this review.

Hi, yours sounds very similar to mine, gravity was also 1056 and temp is between 20 and 22 degrees. It started off like a rocket and now after 4 days it has calmed right down bubble every 2 mins ish .

I hope all goes well with your hopping!

 

[Manuelcj89]

Okay,
Hop pellets (I sterilised the pack, the jug, the scissors, the spoon etc). Didn't need to crush as they become slurry. We're very hot so I put the Jug in a bowl of iced water but was still fairly warm adding to the fermenter. I only let them cool about 5 mins. Instructions say nothing about cooling. Tried to scoop the gunk without the water in to the fermenter. I hope the temperature thing is okay?????

Gravity already down to 1.011 (shock!!!)

I had a taste, it was nice but I understand what people mean by 'green beer' now. It's not 'watery' it just feels as if the tastes are not all the way through yet (if that makes any sense?) It genuinely was very promising.

On adding the hops, they went from citrus to more grassy as I added the boiling water to them. But hopefully there'll be plenty of aroma in the finished product. The plopped into the beer!

Wait now until next weekend to bottle.

If anybody can see something strange I've done, please let me know.

 

[Graz]

Put the hops in mine yesterday. It's been just over 2 weeks in the fermenter and the gravity was at 1.008, perhaps even lower, bit of froth in the jar. Tasted okay, should be a good backbone for the Citra.

With most other kits with a dry hop I just lob the pellets in for a few days at the end but for this I steeped them in boiled water for a few minutes as per the instructions. Just lobbed the whole lot in though, not really any separation between hops and water just a hop gloop.

Will leave for 3-4 days and then cold crash for a day or two before kegging.

 

[mikecfc]

Put the hops in mine yesterday. It's been just over 2 weeks in the fermenter and the gravity was at 1.008, perhaps even lower, bit of froth in the jar. Tasted okay, should be a good backbone for the Citra.

With most other kits with a dry hop I just lob the pellets in for a few days at the end but for this I steeped them in boiled water for a few minutes as per the instructions. Just lobbed the whole lot in though, not really any separation between hops and water just a hop gloop.

Will leave for 3-4 days and then cold crash for a day or two before kegging.

I added the hops today had a hop gloop too just added to the brew. Smells really good at the moment mailing me thirsty! I took a gravity reading before it was 1.020 so seems to have been fermenting well.
Initially after adding the hops it was bubbling aggressively for an hour now it's seems to have stopped completely. I will just leave it and hope it continues to ferment.

 

[mikecfc]

I added the hops today had a hop gloop too just added to the brew. Smells really good at the moment mailing me thirsty! I took a gravity reading before it was 1.020 so seems to have been fermenting well.
Initially after adding the hops it was bubbling aggressively for an hour now it's seems to have stopped completely. I will just leave it and hope it continues to ferment.

So this morning there is still no activity showing through the airlock, have any of you has the same issue?

 

[Manuelcj89]

So this morning there is still no activity showing through the airlock, have any of you has the same issue?

Yes. Mine hasn't bubbled in days! My gravity reading after 6 days was 1.011 so that makes sense. I'm leaving it in for 13/14 days until I bottle. It seems very aggressive at the start, then very quiet (obviously fermenting, but just no bubbles). I also don't know why the instructions request adding hops on day 5, maybe because that's when fermentation is usually almost done??? I guess it was with mine.

 

[mikecfc]

Yes should have let mine ferment a few more days before adding hops got a bit carried away! Will increase temp a little to see if I can get it going maybe.

 

[Manuelcj89]

I'm sure it's still fermenting. I genuinely haven't seen a bubble out of mine since day 4. Maybe one or two after adding hops. I'm sure it's doing its thing!

 

[mikecfc]

So according to the instructions I should be bottling it today so I have taken a hydrometer reading which is 1.006 and looks if fermentation has finished! Also I could not resist a cheeky taste from the jar, I was very surprised how this tastes amazing hop taste coming through and most importantly NO TWANG! Very happy so far think I will bottle tomorrow. Any of you guys had a taste recently?

 

[Manuelcj89]

I bottled mine this afternoon. 1.010 gravity (been fermenting 13 days). Gravity hasn't really moved in about a week. Tasted it, was a very bitter aftertaste. Did you get that? But tasted pretty good. I hope the bitter aftertaste mellows. Bottling took a while with everything. I may get another kit on tomorrow!!!!