James Morton - Brew

[Ian_68]

For those out there that have bought James Morton's Brew book; i'm interested to know what your favourite brew is from his recipes. I nailed the Extra Extra Special Bitter (well nearly, a few bottles developed a little diacetyl after bottling). And the Of Kolsch was satisfactory, although next time i'll bottle or use a corny keg (i used a king keg last time). This weekend i'm going for the Totally Tropical Pale.
I'm just wondering which one to try after this. Thoughts?
Cheers

Ian

 

[Martybhoy]

I love the book. I've made about a dozen of the recipes from it. The Totally Tropical is amazing. One of my best. The American Session Wheat Beer and the Oatmeal Extra Pale Ale were also great.

I'm currently conditioning the Irish Export Stout and the Undead Pale Ale, fermenting the US Store Cupboard Brown, and brewing the Munich Helles and Saison next.

Some brews turned out just ok, but I think that's me more than the recipes fault.

 

[Ian_68]

'Just ok', yeah, that's what i was trying to say about my Of Kolsch :-) The Undead Pale Ale sounds interesting. Looking forward to my TTP :-)

 

[Stephenj]

I did the totally tropical. Lovely beer, best I've made to be honest. Every time I've made an American pale I always wish I had of brewed tropical again.

 

[Martybhoy]

The Kolsch was my first brew from the book. It was ok. But I have improved a fair bit (I hope) since that brew.

I have since tried an actual real Kolsch and to be honest it wasn't much better.

I forgot to mention the Mosquito Amber Ale. It was another cracker.

It's a good book and improved my all grain brewing. I'd only done AG kits before.

 

[Braufather]

Great beers. Currently have the undead pale ale carbing in one keg and disproportionately hopped in another. This is my first attempt at undead but my second on Dispro hopped. The first one was brilliant, really good hop aroma.

The extra ipa was also superb, but the totally tropical didn’t work for but I am gonna have another go soon.

Next up will be oatmeal ipa, and maybe a larger and the mosquito red ale.

Will do the extra ipa again soon and have another go at totally tropical.

I think I could brew every week of the year just from this book!

 

[Ian_68]

On a slighly different tack (it's my thread so i'm going rogue hahaha). I'm using the US-05 yeast for my TTP. I've read a lot about it producing lots of diacetyl. Any experiences with this? What's the best way to avoid it, ferment temps, time on the yeast etc?

 

[Honk]

Nice book to read but I've not been too adventurous yet. His quafable bitter turned out well and I'm drinking that now, also done a half batch of clansman ale but not sampled it yet. Totally tropical ale is on my list to do and will be part of my next order.

 

[Braufather]

On a slighly different tack (it's my thread so i'm going rogue hahaha). I'm using the US-05 yeast for my TTP. I've read a lot about it producing lots of diacetyl. Any experiences with this? What's the best way to avoid it, ferment temps, time on the yeast etc?

That’s the dry version of recommended so all good. I’d fervent at 18c

 

[Slid]

I use US 05 as my default yeast. It does not mind fermenting at ambient temps of 20-22C (or even 24C) as "my" house often is.

 

[stan.distortion]

A quick question on 05 if that's ok, do you get a kind of slimy stuff bubbling up on top of the krausen after fermentation peaks? So far I've had it every time with 05 and will be leaving extra space in the FV in the future as it's come through the airlock a couple of times. Just wondering if it's normal or something peculiar to the water I'm using (very soft/peaty).

 

[Slid]

A quick question on 05 if that's ok, do you get a kind of slimy stuff bubbling up on top of the krausen after fermentation peaks? So far I've had it every time with 05 and will be leaving extra space in the FV in the future as it's come through the airlock a couple of times. Just wondering if it's normal or something peculiar to the water I'm using (very soft/peaty).

Well my water is very soft (it is run off from Winter Hill in Lancashire) and peaty and I have never had this issue with US 05. Only thing I have ever noticed is that it tends to flocculate into little balls.

 

[stan.distortion]

Well my water is very soft (it is run off from Winter Hill in Lancashire) and peaty and I have never had this issue with US 05. Only thing I have ever noticed is that it tends to flocculate into little balls.

Thanks. I seem to be getting the balling too, might try a different brand sometime just in case but finding it really good otherwise, nice clean taste, drops clear in no time etc. I'd wondered about it because another yeast doesn't seem to be acting as it should either, gervin gv12, supposed to be Nottingham but I'm getting the same attenuation with it as with 05 and it refuses to clear (doing 2 gallon brews and splitting them into 2 demijohns with different yeasts).

Don't mean to hijack the thread with it though, new to this and thought I'd ask while US-05 was being discussed. Cheers :)

 

[Ian_68]

I use US 05 as my default yeast. It does not mind fermenting at ambient temps of 20-22C (or even 24C) as "my" house often is.

And any issues with Diacetyl? I want this TTP to go smoothly :-) How long do you leave it on the yeast?

 

[Jon75]

The Extra Extra Special Bitter is on my to do list.

Has anyone done the Citra Burst Triple IPA or Paradigm Shift Stout?

 

[Martybhoy]

Just trying the Undead Pale Ale after 3 weeks in the keg. Cracking malty base, really like it. The hops (Citra) are a little muted but come through a lot more as it warms up.

All in all another great recipe from James.

 

[Ian_68]

I was thinking of the Undead PA next but i have my TTPale in the fermenter. Obviously the Citra hops in this are the key so now thinking of the something different, malty but not citrus'y'. Any suggestions? Anyone tried the California Common recipe?
Cheers
Ian

 

[Martybhoy]

I'm not really getting much citrus in my Undead Pale Ale. It's not overly hoppy, and I'd struggle to tell the hops were Citra in a blind test. It's really well balanced.

Tbh the totally tropical is incredible. The Citra really shine through in it. You'll love it.

 

[Gingerbrews]

Have just bottled the California Common, and on first taste it's fantastic. Can't wait for it to carb up and condition. The flavours and aroma were incredible.
However my Smashed it Pale Ale (made as per the instructions) is thin and not v flavours. Leaving it to see if it improves

 

[pvt_ak]

The tropical was my favourite and boy did it get better with age !
This was my first book and as a novice really helped me !