Seasonal Forum Competition - November 17

[Ajhutch]

I'd think using essence would be fine, it's still a berry based beer.

We still need a judge if anyone is interested...

I'd be happy to judge, I'm not going to enter and I was going to judge November in the old schedule anyway so it probably makes sense :thumb::drink:

 

[DoctorMick]

I'd be happy to judge, I'm not going to enter and I was going to judge November in the old schedule anyway so it probably makes sense :thumb::drink:

Excellent, thanks. :thumb:

 

[The Idiot]

Now the dilemma kicks in!

Last night I took a measurement off my Ekuanot Experimental batch. This was made using a French Ale yeast (WLP072) which had been fermented hot, blended with Saccharomyces Bruxellensis Trois (WLP664). Previous brews with WLP664 were a bit too soft for my taste, so I hoped the WLP072 would add a touch of background spice.

Well, it worked. My taster showed it had the soft fruit typical of WLP664 but with a saisonesque spice background onte. It is, in a word, tasty.

So, I can either go Gooseberry IPA, probably using something like California V (WLP051), Gooseberry Saison (I have a blend of the two DuPont strains (WLP565 and WLP566), Gooseberry Experimental (using the yeast cake from the Ekuanot Experimental) or add the Ekuanot yeast cake to the DuPont strains.

I think any of the above will work with gooseberries...

 

[DoctorMick]

Now the dilemma kicks in!

Last night I took a measurement off my Ekuanot Experimental batch. This was made using a French Ale yeast (WLP072) which had been fermented hot, blended with Saccharomyces Bruxellensis Trois (WLP664). Previous brews with WLP664 were a bit too soft for my taste, so I hoped the WLP072 would add a touch of background spice.

Well, it worked. My taster showed it had the soft fruit typical of WLP664 but with a saisonesque spice background onte. It is, in a word, tasty.

So, I can either go Gooseberry IPA, probably using something like California V (WLP051), Gooseberry Saison (I have a blend of the two DuPont strains (WLP565 and WLP566), Gooseberry Experimental (using the yeast cake from the Ekuanot Experimental) or add the Ekuanot yeast cake to the DuPont strains.

I think any of the above will work with gooseberries...

You could do more than one.

 

[dan125]

So I've tried dosing a few different beers with natural strawberry essence, and I can't say that any of them were better for it - to my tastes at least.
Think I'm gonna go with cranberries in one form or another and hope for the best.
:

 

[The Idiot]

So I've tried dosing a few different beers with natural strawberry essence, and I can't say that any of them were better for it - to my tastes at least.
Think I'm gonna go with cranberries in one form or another and hope for the best.
:

It's definitely a harder task to blend a sweeter fruit with a beer, given that the natural background of a beer (even a sweeter one) is typically bitter. Maybe making an extract (steep some strawberries in vodka for a good few weeks) might help, or try adding something to reduce the sweetness of the strawberry (black pepper, maybe).

The problem might be that the essence is over-sweetened.

 

[Alside101]

just dry hopped my cascade and galaxy oat pale ale thinking of nocking a dj off and adding some peaches and bottling for this.

 

[dan125]

It's definitely a harder task to blend a sweeter fruit with a beer, given that the natural background of a beer (even a sweeter one) is typically bitter. Maybe making an extract (steep some strawberries in vodka for a good few weeks) might help, or try adding something to reduce the sweetness of the strawberry (black pepper, maybe).

The problem might be that the essence is over-sweetened.

There's no sugar listed in the essence ingredients, just 'natural flavour' and propylene glycol.
I was hoping that unsweetened cranberries would be quite a tart flavour, and not as sweet as strawberries.
Hadn't thought about adding something else like black pepper, as well as the berries - now you've got me thinking.

 

[The Idiot]

I'm probably being blind, but what's the final entry date for this?

 

[Ajhutch]

Officially the end of November. However once I fix the judging date I will confirm if a little later will be ok.


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[The Idiot]

Thanks for that!

 

[The Idiot]

It has been a long old time since Captain ****-up came acalling, so I'd probably taken my eye off the ball a bit. The other day I was kegging some beer in the now rather cool brewery when I noticed a few fruit flies. Well, when I say a few, further investigation revealed not tens of things, but hundreds! Something was amiss.

A quick check revealed that one of the fridge freezers had died. This was used to store hops (all vacuum packed so they should be okay), yeast (they'll all need starters to make certain they're still viable, but there was a vial of Amalgamation which I opted to just sling into my lambic fermentator, so that'll be a fun one in six months time) and the gooseberries for the competition brew.

The gooseberries were basically shagged, liquified and mouldy, so that's ended the fresh gooseberry IPA plan. I've purchased some gooseberry essence and when it arrives I'll give it a taste test. If it's not good, then I guess I'm looking at a change of plan. I wanted to brew this at the weekend, so it might be a case of using whatever I can find in the berry line!

 

[DoctorMick]

Anyone got an entry sorted yet? My schedule went to pot when I forgot to order lactose so I may not make it in time.

 

[Ajhutch]

Is this the same as the freestyle comp that I’m judging, or are there two comps in November?

 

[DoctorMick]

Is this the same as the freestyle comp that I’m judging, or are there two comps in November?

2 comps, 1 is the standard comp and the other is a seasonal (3 monthly) comp...this one is berry themed beer.

 

[Ajhutch]

Cool, thanks.


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[AlanManley]

I have a feeling my Choc Strawberry Stout may have picked up a nasty. [emoji17]

Not sure if I was just being paranoid so will leave another week or so and check. 🤞

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[dan125]

I won't be in for this one after all either sorry - last month's been a bit of mare, and although I got the beer made I didn't get any cranberry essence sorted in time before bottling, but I'll send a bottle in for the non-seasonal comp.