Bulldog, Hammer of Thor

[Tean Buns]

Hammer of Thor is gonna be good me thinks!
Sampled a couple this weekend and they were well on the way to being a really nice pint.
Already pretty clear after just over 3 weeks, little bit of fizz on opening, nice bit of froth and tasted quite good already. A bit "homebrewy" but I'm sure that will go leaving a cracking pint.
Updates to follow.....

:

I have the impression that it could be me writing up what I think of the pint ... excellent, home-brewing really is a marvellous hobby. Do try and keep a few bottles back for a couple of months so that the beer can stabilise ... it will just get better with every week that goes past.

Were you not also getting on a real-ale kit for your pressure barrel or am I getting you mixed up with someone else ?

:drink:

 

[mogger]

Were you not also getting on a real-ale kit for your pressure barrel or am I getting you mixed up with someone else ?

Yeah, I've got the 'Wherry' to go next, still sitting in the box though. I will probably get that on the go tonight or tomorrow, I didn't have much time over the weekend. But I think I may have to concentrate on getting more lager style beers on the go, especially with summer approaching.

I still like a good ale though.

:

 

[sqrson]

Can you ferment this brew at 20C as I do with ales? I've never brewed a lager before and read that lager yeasts need much lower temps. Really tempted by this kit, but dont wanna ruin it as I dont have a fermentation fridge..

 

[Tean Buns]

Can you ferment this brew at 20C as I do with ales? I've never brewed a lager before and read that lager yeasts need much lower temps. Really tempted by this kit, but dont wanna ruin it as I dont have a fermentation fridge..

It's an ale yeast in the box, so standard fermentation temperatures

 

[Tean Buns]

My neighbours liked this one so much that I had to buy a second kit, it's in primary now. This time tho' I'll be comparing it with my AG Fuggles Gold which is pretty similar in style ... I can't wait:hat:

 

[Tean Buns]

Yeah, I've got the 'Wherry' to go next,

How's the Wherry going ? And are you looking to serve your lager style beers chilled ? Seeing that the summer is coming. I've only done the lighter beers because it is what the neighbours like.

 

[mogger]

Yeah, Wherry went OK, been in barrel now for about 10 days. Stuck it in the garage with all my bottles. So I've got 30 or so bottles of 'Hammer of Thor', 30 odd bottles of 'St. Peters Ruby Red' and the 'Wherry' but it's really hard to not open a few.
The 'Thor' has been in there the longest and is slowly loosing the home brew taste and is quite flat.
Might try a St Peters tonight see how that's getting on.

My mates will definitely not drink anything that hasn't been in the fridge for a least a few hours previous. So I will be keeping the fridge well stocked once it's ready.

:

 

[Tean Buns]

My Hammer took about a month before it came into condition, judging from my other beers, it's at least three weeks before the beer starts getting properly fizzy ... but I can't help myself either, you have got to have a taster just to see how it's coming along.

Your Wherry should be very drinkable by now.

:drink:

 

[Tean Buns]

Hammer of Thor II bottled today. I will be interested to see how it has turned out because the temperatures have been much warmer downstairs ... fermentation done at 16°C as opposed to an ambient temperature of 5°C in the middle of the winter. The fermentation has taken three weeks to get to the end ... a very long time, I was starting to get worried, now comes the hard bit, waiting. :pray:

 

[mogger]

I think something may have gone wrong with my 'Thor' because it's been nearly 3 months in the bottles and still don't taste that good and hardly any fizz. You get the little fizz when you open a bottle but it's very flat when in the glass and still got a homebrewy tinge to it.
A couple of them will get you a bit merry though.
Good thing is the 'St. Peter's Ruby Red' turned out great so I still have something decent to drink.

 

[Acathla]

This is one of my favourite kits. I've done it around 3-4 times so far and it's been very reliable. Always comes down to a decent FG, and I use 2 coopers carbonation drops per 500ml PET bottle for a fizzy pint.
Given at least 2 weeks in primary, minimum 2 weeks in secondary (though it gets better given 4-6 or longer), and then a good while in the fridge it turns out as a lovely pint, decent head, clears well, and lovely flavour. Strength can be a bit much sometimes as it is a decent drinkable beer but a touch strong for having quite a few!

This could be a general review of the Bulldog Brews in general, had great results with this kit, the Cortez Gold cerveza, Evil Dog IPA and the Raja Reward IPA. The kits are much better quality than a lot of the other kits available, the bag works well, the amount of yeast is more than generous and given a good two weeks time in primary they generally end up easily at the final gravity in the instructions.

Enjoy!

 

[MikeStan]

Hi Acathla, jus wondering how you thought the Rajah's Revenge stacked up against Evil Dog? I'm still finishing my Evil Dog and while i've had a lot of compliments i'm not enjoying it that much. Not dry enough (got a 'twang' to it if you see what i mean), a little on the strong side (weird complaint i realise) and nowhere near hoppy enough for me (probably my own fault for not squeezing out the hop bags i suppose, won't make that mistake again).

if the Revenge is a good brew i might try that one at some point, I'm hoping it'll be a little lighter but still full of hops?

cheers!

mike.

 

[Acathla]

The evil dog takes a looooong time to calm down I've found! Keeps that strong medicinal alcohol taste for a good few months!

My Raja came out a little below target FG (only bulldog kit that has), but is a much smoother drink, nice and hoppy as an IPA should be!

 

[MikeStan]

ha ha, I started the 'dog at the end of April and it still has some way to go if you ask me...

think you've convinced me on the Raja, sounds like it might be my cup of tea (so to speak), something hoppy as hell but less alcohol bite.

thanks!

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

I have had this kit in bottles for the past 10 weeks, Brewed @20-22 in primary for 14 days then bottled. Made as per instructions.

This is not a lager or even close to a lager.
There is just way too much going on in this beer for my likes.
Perhaps it might be nicer without the tea bag.
Anyway It will be drunk.
just my thoughts.

 

[tippseyTony]

Does the hammer of Thor have proper lager yeast ?

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

I'm not an expert but I don't think so.
Mine brewed more like an ale than a lager, it was hot though. I don't tend to make lagers May - Sept so I have no idea what they look like at 20c and above.

So it don't taste like a lager, it don't brew like a lager, it don't look like a lager...its probably not a lager.

On the bright side we are well into lager brewing temps now :) my brew room is sitting at 17c.

Have to get the brew belts out for the wine

 

[Ashley]

I am interested in this for Christmas too. I am considering buy a keg for my brew but I like my beer cold. Does anyone kn ow if I can put the brew into a keg, then bottle it from there so I can put it in the fridge, or is that a silly question?

If it's for Xmas. .. do you have a garage or shed? It'll be plenty cold out there...

 

[AlcoholicCurryBeast]

I brewed HoT and sadly it didn't come out too good in my opinion because it tasted very much like apple. However, it did clear beautifully and carb up well, but what head there was after pouring disappeared within a minute. I know this is something I've done and not the kit, as Bulldogs Evil Dog IPA is the best kit I have ever made.

 

[JamesG]

Pleased with my Hammer of Thor. The kit didn't come with any yeast, so the good people at the Home Brew Shop sent me a belgian lager yeast. Its turned out really well, I only got the gravity down to 1014 from 1056 which is annoying but it is strong enough for me anyhow. Not sure if its the belgian style, a chill haze or my poor performance but it isn't too clear. But, the taste is good so its getting drunk - like me.