Re: Festival Razorback IPA Review
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Burgo
New Member
Hi people, My first post and my first brew.
I chose this beer due to the good reviews and my fondness for IPA. I thought I'd screwed up at first. After mixing the ingredients I was at 30°C so left wort to cool covered, in an ice bath for a few hours. At 24°C I pitched the yeast. Nothing for six days!!! I assumed lack of oxygen in wort and yeast had failed? On 6th day I was about to add some (rehydrated) yeast and glug glug. It started and it's been bubbling busily since then (7 days) so will check again in 5 days. Next decision is to hop in primary of transfer and hop then? I'll keep reading but all advice welcome. I'll keep you posted :hat:
I chose this beer due to the good reviews and my fondness for IPA. I thought I'd screwed up at first. After mixing the ingredients I was at 30°C so left wort to cool covered, in an ice bath for a few hours. At 24°C I pitched the yeast. Nothing for six days!!! I assumed lack of oxygen in wort and yeast had failed? On 6th day I was about to add some (rehydrated) yeast and glug glug. It started and it's been bubbling busily since then (7 days) so will check again in 5 days. Next decision is to hop in primary of transfer and hop then? I'll keep reading but all advice welcome. I'll keep you posted :hat:
Firstly you will not be disappointed with this as your first brew, my first attempt at this has been in the bottle for 7 days so far and after a quick quality control taste test it is a great beer. I personally added about 7/8s of the yeast pellets on the day it says to add them. They are there in taste but i think next time im going to add them after 10 days in the FV as i like a hoppy beer, its all about personal preference. Since its your first brew id go with the instructions and then see how u like it. Theres 2 important things ive learnt its patience and trial and error haha.
Burgo
New Member
Bubbling has stopped, FG 1.010 (OG 1053) so 5+% I think. Added hops to FV today and in 5 days will bottle. Tasted the sample and while it tastes a bit homebrew-ish, it shows promise. I have a second FV on it's way to me so will be starting on my St Peters Cream Stout soon 
which I may add some extra Dark DME and some dry hops, we will see :whistle: developing a taste for the more extreme "craft beer" styles
which I may add some extra Dark DME and some dry hops, we will see :whistle: developing a taste for the more extreme "craft beer" styles
Burgo
New Member
Well, yesterday I finally bottled this after a catalogue of errors (Started 18th Oct - it was my first attempt though). Managed 28 bottles ranging from 35cl to 75cl. looks quite cloudy (another error maybe-forgot hop filter at first when syphoning to bottle bucket) but tastes like a good IPA but with a very slightly strange taste also,, we will see if this disappears. And the bottling stage is a pig! may keg my next (just started a St Peter's Cream Stout-with more errors!!!:sad:). So, bottles are in a warm place for 5 days then out to the cool and hopefully by Christmas i'll be quaffing a well rounded American style IPA (and a slightly young St Peter's Cream Stout):hat:
An empty FV is staring at me now,,,,
An empty FV is staring at me now,,,,
Have Just got this brew going on Saturday started bubbling away nicely. Planning on leaving it to ferment out add the hops for 5 days then transfer to the secondary for a few days to clear before transferring again to bottle.
Burgo
New Member
So, after 2 weeks in a warm place (21*C) my Razorback is fairly clear and I've moved it into the cold (cool 14*C ish). I chilled 2 bottles over night and just opened one! Well, it's far too early to tell but seems hopeful! good hop aroma floral, citrusy, though certainly a little grassy. Carbonation was fine for me, light. Colour was a excellent amber and certainly clear enough for me. I'm a fan of IPA & this is no hop bomb but it's a good slightly strong session IPA. There was a hint of something not quite right and as it's very young I'm hoping this will fade. We will see. As this is my first brew I'm quite happy and if it improves, so will my happiness. :thumb:
ps: couldn't upload a photo, maybe restricted for newbies?
ps: couldn't upload a photo, maybe restricted for newbies?
I've got this kit kegged and in the shed at the mo. I left it a week in the fv before adding hops and then kegged a week later. Left in warm for two weeks and been in the shed for one.
It's still cloudy which I'm not too concerned at (yet), but it seems really bitter. Some nice aroma and flavour but loads of bitterness. Not sure if too much yet at only had a sample.
Do you guys think that's down to the hops being in for a week?
It's still cloudy which I'm not too concerned at (yet), but it seems really bitter. Some nice aroma and flavour but loads of bitterness. Not sure if too much yet at only had a sample.
Do you guys think that's down to the hops being in for a week?
I've made this kit just the once but heres what I did and it worked out a treat after 4-5 weeks in the bottle.
Exactly as per instructions apart from re-hydrating the yeast before hand in 100ml of cool water stirred the yeast up so it was all infused with water and left for 10 mins. Left to ferment, added 7/8ths of the bag of hops - after 5 days? i think, i forget as my brew book is downstrairs - left in the fermenter for 16 days, racked to 2nd FV for clearing, left on tiled floor under the stairs for a further 5 days to help everything drop out. So 3 weeks in total before bottling.
Dissolved priming sugar in boiled + cooled water (300ml approx) then mixed into 2nd FV and slowly stirred. Bottled into Coopers PET 500ml bottles, approx 38 made i think. Left upstairs out the way for 3 weeks, then moved to the shed outside. This was made in late sept to beginning October.
I kept quality testing as I just cant keep my hands of it once its bottled but i did manage to eek the bottles out to last weekend. 2 weeks ago the taste of the beer was supreme! Easily the best and clearest ive made so far, albeit only made 8 kits. The final 3 bottles were drank on sunday 23/11 and its changed again, I had a soft creamy tight-bubbled head with lacing allllllll the way down the glass, with a fantastic hop taste, slight bitter fore-cast to it, followed by a hit of magnificent hops and a well rounded malty and refreshing beer on the palate. I cannot rate this kit enough, the best kit I have made and once my AAA is out of the FV im making it again but with bottled water rather than tap water. Hopefully my info will help people to get a good finished product as good as the one i managed.
If i would recommend anything it would be to leave it for at least 3-4 weeks in the bottle and you will not be disappointed
:drunk:
Exactly as per instructions apart from re-hydrating the yeast before hand in 100ml of cool water stirred the yeast up so it was all infused with water and left for 10 mins. Left to ferment, added 7/8ths of the bag of hops - after 5 days? i think, i forget as my brew book is downstrairs
- left in the fermenter for 16 days, racked to 2nd FV for clearing, left on tiled floor under the stairs for a further 5 days to help everything drop out. So 3 weeks in total before bottling.Dissolved priming sugar in boiled + cooled water (300ml approx) then mixed into 2nd FV and slowly stirred. Bottled into Coopers PET 500ml bottles, approx 38 made i think. Left upstairs out the way for 3 weeks, then moved to the shed outside. This was made in late sept to beginning October.
I kept quality testing as I just cant keep my hands of it once its bottled but i did manage to eek the bottles out to last weekend. 2 weeks ago the taste of the beer was supreme! Easily the best and clearest ive made so far, albeit only made 8 kits. The final 3 bottles were drank on sunday 23/11 and its changed again, I had a soft creamy tight-bubbled head with lacing allllllll the way down the glass, with a fantastic hop taste, slight bitter fore-cast to it, followed by a hit of magnificent hops and a well rounded malty and refreshing beer on the palate. I cannot rate this kit enough, the best kit I have made and once my AAA is out of the FV im making it again but with bottled water rather than tap water. Hopefully my info will help people to get a good finished product as good as the one i managed.
If i would recommend anything it would be to leave it for at least 3-4 weeks in the bottle and you will not be disappointed
:drunk:Now at day 7 for the Razorback IPA, OG 1.050
I purchased my kit with a yeast 'upgrade' to Nottingham ale yeast, which I re-hydrated as per yeast instructions before pitching.
Yeast temperatures recommended for this yeast are between 14 and 21c, which is different to the Kit instructions which recommend between 20 and 25c.
All went well, with a nice fermentation going until around day 5 when all activity in the airlock stopped, and seemed stuck at 1.020. I began to look at the temps in the cupboard and found them to be a bit low (around 16/17c). So I took it out into a warmer room for the day but still no apparent activity. The foam was very thin on the surface and receding.
In a bit of a panic, I banged in the leftover yeast I had and gave it a gentle stir. I also upped the temperatures to 22c. I heard that pitching the extra yeast wouldn't really help, but with my limited experience it was all I could come up with and thought maybe I didn't add enough in the first place.
Thankfully hydrometer readings show it's on the move again, and the foam on the surface is looking more healthy now (although much less than during the first few days). There is no airlock activity but I suspect/hope this is just because not much CO2 is being generated as most of the fermentation is done. So, day 7 and SG is 1.017.
All going well, I'll be adding the hops either on Friday (day 9) or Sunday (day 11) depending if gets down close to the suggested gravity 1.005.
I purchased my kit with a yeast 'upgrade' to Nottingham ale yeast, which I re-hydrated as per yeast instructions before pitching.
Yeast temperatures recommended for this yeast are between 14 and 21c, which is different to the Kit instructions which recommend between 20 and 25c.
All went well, with a nice fermentation going until around day 5 when all activity in the airlock stopped, and seemed stuck at 1.020. I began to look at the temps in the cupboard and found them to be a bit low (around 16/17c). So I took it out into a warmer room for the day but still no apparent activity. The foam was very thin on the surface and receding.
In a bit of a panic, I banged in the leftover yeast I had and gave it a gentle stir. I also upped the temperatures to 22c. I heard that pitching the extra yeast wouldn't really help, but with my limited experience it was all I could come up with and thought maybe I didn't add enough in the first place.
Thankfully hydrometer readings show it's on the move again, and the foam on the surface is looking more healthy now (although much less than during the first few days). There is no airlock activity but I suspect/hope this is just because not much CO2 is being generated as most of the fermentation is done. So, day 7 and SG is 1.017.
All going well, I'll be adding the hops either on Friday (day 9) or Sunday (day 11) depending if gets down close to the suggested gravity 1.005.
If memory serves me right my FG didnt reach 1.005 either i think i managed 1.009 so i was happy with that. Hopefully adding different yeast wont give it any strange flavours but i guess proof will be in the pint haha
Burgo
New Member
Bottled this on the 08/11/14 and 1st quality check on the 21/11/14 was good but with a very slightly odd flavour to it. 2nd QC check on 28/11/14 was improved and better balanced. Still nice and hoppy. Carbonation is good and the head was great leaving lacing down to the bottom of the glass :thumb: Next check will be near Christmas :drunk:
b_smith_90
Active Member
Started this kit off with 1kg of hopped light spray malt instead of the brewing sugar seven days ago and it's still bubbling away! Any advice when to hop? Krausen is still really high, same as it was 12 hours after pitching.
I suppose your own preference determines when to add hops. I remember adding mine after day 7-8 i think. But when i do this kit again id leave the hops till 3-4 days before bottling. Bearing in mind i like an IPA with hops flavour and good aroma.
b_smith_90
Active Member
Thanks for the advice Coups, the krausen is still sitting high on day 10 so i'll leave it until Saturday (will be day 15) and hopefully dry hop and bottle on Monday.
I bottled a Bulldog Raja's Reward IPA a few days ago and I dry hopped with the included Fuggles/Goldings tea bag 7 days before bottling and then added another teabag of Cascade 3 days before bottling - should be good.
I think i'll just stick to the included hops for this one as I've already added the hopped spray malt.
Edit: I've changed my mind - I'll be adding 50g of EKG to it, I think...!
Just took first gravity reading since the start so day 10 reads 1.009%, OG was 1.055 so it's looking like a strong one!
I bottled a Bulldog Raja's Reward IPA a few days ago and I dry hopped with the included Fuggles/Goldings tea bag 7 days before bottling and then added another teabag of Cascade 3 days before bottling - should be good.
I think i'll just stick to the included hops for this one as I've already added the hopped spray malt.
Edit: I've changed my mind - I'll be adding 50g of EKG to it, I think...!
Just took first gravity reading since the start so day 10 reads 1.009%, OG was 1.055 so it's looking like a strong one!
Started this kit last sunday, it's my first ever. Done everything by instruction except I'm brewing short to 20 litres instead of 23 and got a 1.058 OG. Pitched the yeast at 24C and have the fv in a room that's around 17-18C at night and 19-20 during daytime. Just to be sure I put a blanket around the fv at night (or, as my wife calls it, I'm 'tucking in my beer'). Activity started on day 2 and it's been very active since. I'm very curious what the result will be like!
One question: when brewing short, should I also use a 20/23 part of the priming sugar (86 gr), or use the full 100gr?
One question: when brewing short, should I also use a 20/23 part of the priming sugar (86 gr), or use the full 100gr?
b_smith_90
Active Member
Fermentation has finally finished (day 12) - measuring at 1.005 on my hydrometer so I've thrown in the included hops - the packet smelled amazing! Might add 50g of EKG pellets after 3 days and bottle in 5 days.
