50g Cascade in my last batch, 6 days before barrelling it. Just finishing the 40 pints now, has been delicious and a hit with all who have tasted it. Well balanced, not too hoppy - I'd have been happier with more but can't complain.
Woodfordes, Sundew Review
- Thread starter Aitch
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Sadly my Sundew didn't hit the spot at all. 
I boosted the kit with 100g Crystal Malt, brewed short to 20 litres to get round the 'thin' problems but it eventually stuck at 1.018 in spite of extra yeast plus the usual attempts to get it going. I also split it into two, one half dry hopped with Cascade the other EKG.
After 17 days in total in the FV and seven weeks in bottle, I opened the first one (EKG). Very noticeable homebrew twang.
More here
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=654251&postcount=7
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=660018&postcount=20
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=672796&postcount=21
Certainly won't do it again.
I boosted the kit with 100g Crystal Malt, brewed short to 20 litres to get round the 'thin' problems but it eventually stuck at 1.018 in spite of extra yeast plus the usual attempts to get it going. I also split it into two, one half dry hopped with Cascade the other EKG.
After 17 days in total in the FV and seven weeks in bottle, I opened the first one (EKG). Very noticeable homebrew twang.
More here
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=654251&postcount=7
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=660018&postcount=20
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=672796&postcount=21
Certainly won't do it again.
GhostShip
Junior Member
Sadly my Sundew didn't hit the spot at all.
I boosted the kit with 100g Crystal Malt, brewed short to 20 litres to get round the 'thin' problems but it eventually stuck at 1.018 in spite of extra yeast plus the usual attempts to get it going. I also split it into two, one half dry hopped with Cascade the other EKG.
After 17 days in total in the FV and seven weeks in bottle, I opened the first one (EKG). Very noticeable homebrew twang.
More here
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=654251&postcount=7
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=660018&postcount=20
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=672796&postcount=21
Certainly won't do it again.
I'm sorry to hear that - particularly as I was thinking of Sundew for my next kit. Having second thoughts now! I've only done two kits to date and both have suffered with the twang. I wish someone could pin down exactly what causes it as it's driving me mad!
My go-to kit is now Coopers Australian Pale Ale, see here
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=648820&postcount=44
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=648820&postcount=46
I have one on the go at present which I will be dry hopping with 40g Styrian Goldings to see how it turns out. The micromash is not essential and if you didn't do that but still wanted to boost the IBUs like I do, just boil about 250g of the DME with the First Gold instead.
dps51
Landlord.
you be lucky for some sunshine so just drink your brew and dream on :lol:
Just started drinking an Aus pale ale I used youngs beer enhancer and dry hopped with 30g of cascade for 7 days very drinkable but will dry hop with 50g next time highly recommend this one [emoji106]
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photek1000
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Been drinking my SunDew over the last few weeks, really nice and picked up lovely flavours from the Falconers Flight dry hop.
Doesn't taste thin like some have me mentioned, but suffering a little from be a little over pressure and frisky when pouring from the PB.
Doesn't taste thin like some have me mentioned, but suffering a little from be a little over pressure and frisky when pouring from the PB.
I'm wondering why some of us have a noticable twang with this brew? I've got it, it's not the usual homebrew twang but something else. It's not infected either. But it's not nice, I'm not enjoying this despite 7 weeks in the keg, think I'm going to chuck it. I hopped mine with Amarillo, maybe that clashed with the hops in the original brew?
I made a half batch so I'll try the other half, perhaps with some Cascade. At the moment, this is the worst kit I've made in terms of flavour.
I made a half batch so I'll try the other half, perhaps with some Cascade. At the moment, this is the worst kit I've made in terms of flavour.
That just about sums it up. :thumb:
And sadly time makes no difference either
devexwarrior
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After a year off brewing I'm getting a kit on tomorrow - either a Wherry which I know and love, or I might try the sundew for something a bit lighter. I'll do it straight though I usually brew a couple of litres short. Hopefully I'll have a successful return after my lay off
Started the Sundew kit yesterday. Read over all the comments and decided to brew it a little short. Was thinking of hopping it, but it sounds like there has been mixed results. It sounds like a summer brew so may be the wrong time of year to enjoy.
Go ahead and dry hop. In my opinion this kit needs all the help it can get.
Plenty of citrusy American hops to choose from if you like that sort of thing, or something like EKG or First Gold or Fuggles or Styrian Goldings if you don't.
I've just put my second one on with Cascade. The first was so bad I chucked it, only the 2nd beer I've had to do that with in 6 years of brewing.
Think I'll try 50g of cascade then. There are a few reviews that suggest good results. Cheers. Really mixed reviews for this kit from what I've read. It seems to age well, but be poor if tried within 6 weeks of bottling. I had high hopes after the other woodfordes kits and I was hoping this would be a bit like Everards Sunchaser (simply because of the name à½Ã¸â¬).
Darrell - Did you tweak the first kit?
Darrell - Did you tweak the first kit?
Sunchaser appears to use Saaz and Tettnang hops
https://www.everards.co.uk/our-beers/sunchaser/
So if that's what you want to emulate, you could try one of those as a dry hop or a hop tea.
Yes I did but nothing drastic - a few grains mashed to bump up the ABV and some Amarillo hops.
The thing is, I did it in that June heatwave so I'm hoping it's the high house temps that may have affected it. I mashed a bit of Wheat Malt in with the MO so also wondering if that could have affected it. And I'm not entriely happy with that batch of Amarillo pellets.
So we'll see how this new version comes out: similar process, some MO and Caragold to bump up the ABV and some Cascade, a short boil to add a tad more bitterness then a steep and dry hop.
Graz
Landlord.
I'm drinking mine at the moment, not much left of it, really quite enjoying it.
I added a steep of some light crystal malt to mine, brewed to 20L and added a Cascade hop tea for the last 4 days in the fermenter. Brewed with a CML ale yeast. Only thing odd about it were that the first 5-6 pints were a bit hazy and I wondered if it was from the grain steep rather than just sediment but it pours clear now. Maybe the CML yeast doesn't flocculate as well as others? Still tasted okay though.
I added a steep of some light crystal malt to mine, brewed to 20L and added a Cascade hop tea for the last 4 days in the fermenter. Brewed with a CML ale yeast. Only thing odd about it were that the first 5-6 pints were a bit hazy and I wondered if it was from the grain steep rather than just sediment but it pours clear now. Maybe the CML yeast doesn't flocculate as well as others? Still tasted okay though.
I've found out that Muntons use Cascade and Mount Hood hops in Sundew, so would dry hopping with either of those be advisable or is there some magical, mystical flavour combination chart I can refer to so that I don't get a clash of flavours. I like rules!
