Woodfordes, Sundew Review

[Sandimas]

I've found out that Muntons use Cascade and Mount Hood hops in Sundew

That's useful to know.:thumb:

Just bottled my latest one, it is way better than the last one (I did one can at a time, the first tweaked with a few grains and Amarillo, the second with grains and Cascade). So either the Cascade is more in tune with the original brew and/or house temps got a bit hot brewing the first one in June.

Anyway, here's the latest tweak. Mashed the grains in a kitched saucepan for an hour, then did a quick boil with the hops to add a tad more bitterness, then the rest of the hop bill and added to make up the kit. Came out at 4.7% ABV.

Grain Bill
----------------
1.500 kg Liquid Malt Extract - 1-can Sundew (76.92%)
0.350 kg Maris Otter Malt (17.95%)
0.100 kg Caragold (5.13%)

Hop Bill
----------------
10.0 g Cascade Leaf (7.8% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil) (0.8 g/L)
10.0 g Cascade Leaf (7.8% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (0.8 g/L)
15.0 g Cascade Leaf (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Aroma) (1.3 g/L)
10.0 g Cascade Leaf (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (0.8 g/L)

 

[terrym]

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!

You could try splitting your brew after it's fermented out and then try 25g of each of the hops in each half as a dry hop to compare.
And don't forget to change the kit yeast. Miserly Muntons don't provide enough yeast in this kit (like others in the range) and it might stick if you are unlucky.

 

[napolean]

It's already underway and I didn't switch the yeast, I got bit by that when I did the Wherry. Should of known better. The OG was 1.040 and now it's about 1.014ish. It's probably been about 16/17oC whilst fermenting. It's been left for 2 weeks. Not ideal, but I've been pretty busy and I usually leave kits for that long.

I just dry hopped with 40g of Cascade and about 20g of Amarillo. I may bottle on Sunday or Monday as I think it's about done. It smells okay and tastes pretty good, if a little flat. Hopefully it'll get better when primed and left for a few months.

 

[Sandimas]

Happy to report that my 2nd attempt at tweaking this was much, much better. Still very young, only 7 days bottled and a bit of chill haze as I put it in the fridge, but couldn't resist one and the Cascade really shines through. So either the Amarillo and/or summer brewing temps didn't suit the first one.

 

[mapron]

Rapid and strong fermentation. Vigorous bubbling.
After 5 days (26-06-17) SG down to 1011
After 6 days (27-06-17) SG down to 1010. Beer bottled & primed. Pleasant taste at bottling time. After another 6 days the yeast had settled on the bottom in a compact sediment and the beer was clearing. Attractive straw colour and good aroma. After 6 weeks, a very nice pale beer. Very lively.
I still have a few bottles left and it is VERY lively. like champagne when I take the cap off. I guess it hadn't fully finished when I bottled. A very good tasting beer.

 

[Sandimas]

After 6 days (27-06-17) SG down to 1010. I still have a few bottles left and it is VERY lively. like champagne when I take the cap off. I guess it hadn't fully finished when I bottled.

There's your answer (hopefully): most of don't even think of bottling until Day14, many of mine don't get bottled until Day18 or later.

Keep an eye on them, if the fountain of froth continues to get worse it could be an infection. Despite being ultra-careful with cleanliness (I've had infections before), several of my summer brews are gushers, I am thinking of giving up summer brewing (June-Aug) as it's definately seasonal - has happened in the same period several years running, but not outisde those months.

 

[napolean]

Tried mine after a month or so, not bad but not great. Im hoping it will continue to improve in the bottle. I brewed short and dry hopped with cascade and Amarillo. I doesnt have that homebrew smell or taste. It lacks body and hinwould be a good description, but thats maybe to be expected with a summer ale. Depending on how it ages Ill maybe try this one again. Its not a terrible kit, but requires some ooooomph from somewhere.

 

[RichieBeer]

Brewed mine as per instructions, but slightly short. Tried it after one month in bottle and was OK but nothing special assumed it would improve over time. continued to have a couple of bottles per week ever since. It's now 3 months old, it's slightly better but still not great and certainly not the refreshing summer ale I was hoping for. I don't think I'll do this one again unless anyone has some killer tweaks for it (and it's on offer in Wilko).

 

[RichK]

Just drinking my first couple of sneaky peeks of this. I've added a jar of H&B malt extract to a 23L ferment, then dry hopped with 50g Cascade.

I think it's very drinkable & I'd do this again if/when Wilko have it on offer.