Woodfordes Wherry Review

[Cornish Knocker]

I bottled my Wherry 5 weeks ago and for the last 3 weeks I've had a sneaky 33cl bottle each week, obviously to check on progress. I am rubbish at telling what flavours I can taste, but what I can say, it is now very clear, has no homebrew tang and is definitely improving as the weeks go by.

The first quality control sample was pleasant, but a little thin, the second sample a week later was not as thin, and the current sample is a very tasty drink and no longer has the thin taste. It also has good head retention.

Although it is still quite early to be drinking I am really pleased with it. Haven't let SWMBO taste it yet as I now she'll love it, so will palm her off on some other stuff for a while, at least for a few more weeks.

Only bought the Wherry after reading the reviews on here, so will definitely have the Wherry as my usual brew in the future, with a few guest ales to compliment it. :thumb:

 

[FC101]

sam, try dry hopping with Citra. If you like that kind of thing, you will love the tweak of Wherry!! My fav kit, ive done 5 or 6 now and nothing compares!

This is exactly what I'm going to try for my third brew. I love Oakham Ales' Citra so picked that for my first go at dry hopping. Pleased to hear it turned out well for you. I see from your sig you used 50g - was that fresh or pellets? At what point did you add it? I might split it in two and try one half dry hopped and one half hop tea and dry hopped. Realise this is pretty subjective but how hoppy was your 50g dry - I love a big hop flavour. Wherry, for me, is great session beer but Im hoping that i can turn it into something with a bit more hit, the sort of beer that you have a couple of bottles of but it perhaps too much to drink all night.

 

[davecullen86]

sam, try dry hopping with Citra. If you like that kind of thing, you will love the tweak of Wherry!! My fav kit, ive done 5 or 6 now and nothing compares!

This is exactly what I'm going to try for my third brew. I love Oakham Ales' Citra so picked that for my first go at dry hopping. Pleased to hear it turned out well for you. I see from your sig you used 50g - was that fresh or pellets? At what point did you add it? I might split it in two and try one half dry hopped and one half hop tea and dry hopped. Realise this is pretty subjective but how hoppy was your 50g dry - I love a big hop flavour. Wherry, for me, is great session beer but Im hoping that i can turn it into something with a bit more hit, the sort of beer that you have a couple of bottles of but it perhaps too much to drink all night.

Hi FC...

I used 50g of pellets in a muslin bag for 5 days I believe. From the start of the brew to bottling it was about 8 days. As soon as the foam died down after the first 3 days, I put the hops in for 5 days.

It was pretty hoppy with 50g, but not too floral which I have experienced with some hops. I would say that citra isn't a floral hop to my taste, it has a unique taste which I love and clearly you do too!! Good choice ;-)

Good luck

 

[FC101]

Thanks for your help Dave. On doing a bit more reading Ive gone off the idea of making hop tea so Im still going to split my brew in two - half standard kit recipe and half with a citra dry hop. I've got some vacuum packed fresh hop so will try 50g of those, not sure how weights of fresh hop relates to pellets so will experiment.....

 

[davecullen86]

Sounds good! Im not sure eather to be perfectly hones, cant see it being all that much difference when it comes to taste tho! getting my next batch on on Monday!

 

[mickthetrick]

ive just poured a wherry thats being in the cornie, out in the shed for 8 months. i didnt forget about it but had other beer i wanted to use up. anyway brewed it to 4 gallon.
my, its has turned out really nice indeed. im well chuffed with it. :thumb:

 

[serum]

Just moved my bottles to the garage after two weeks in a warm room to carbonate and couldn't resist trying one. Tastes damn fine already! I can imagine it being a blinder once it has developed a bit more body.

 

[photek1000]

First time I've brewed the Wherry, it's had a couple of weeks warm conditioning and only a few days cold, but I can't help but take a pint sized sample from then PB, still cloudy but absolutely gorgeous. Can't wait to enjoy the rest.

 

[serum]

First time I've brewed the Wherry, it's had a couple of weeks warm conditioning and only a few days cold, but I can't help but take a pint sized sample from then PB, still cloudy but absolutely gorgeous. Can't wait to enjoy the rest.

It gets good quick! Mine's been bottled for 3 weeks now and it's cracking. I really want to save it to let it improve more but it's probably not going to happen!

 

[stuart180]

Tried my first ever bottle of Wherry last night (my first ever homebrew too).... VERY nice indeed, really impressed with how nice it turned out.

 

[Andynewbrew]

just bought one of these today cant wait to try it so many good reviews

 

[beechwood]

trying another couple of pints after 7 weeks maturing, very nice indeed. has to be one of the best kits on the market.
much better than milestone, wilko, muntons etc.

 

[boost]

Not really looked at this thread, but now I've seen it I feel I should comment. The wherry kit is what I started off with, but that was about 14 years ago! It was a really good kit and I made a fair few. I left the hobby for a long time and recently came back. I must say wherry still doesn't disappoint. It's a fantastically tasty ale with no hint of homebrew aftertaste. It really is a no brainer as a regular kit to run alongside experiments. Highly recommended.

:

 

[sqrson]

Anyone tried to dry hop it with Amarillo? Citra seems to be the 1st choice, but I got approx 50g of Amarillo pellets and am tempted to try. Do you guys think it will fit the Wherry?

 

[chinacat]

first wherry done started 6 feb botlled 16 feb 1 week secondary fermentation then out in shed for clearing
opened one the other day seems to be drinkable pint good stable session beer
however for the cost for a two can kit a would go for st peters ruby or milestones dark galleon if purchasing at same price
in not saying the wherry is bad but the other two can kits at samr price seem better
having said that wilko have wherry at £19 pounds so might get anothercompared to £22 for milestone however dark galleon a very nice pint

 

[BenM41]

Hi all, thought i might as well jump in here rather than start a new thread!

done a few barrels of ale/stout in the last couple of years, but havent been so confused as i have with this Wherry kit...

got the initial brew on the go when it was a bit cooler weather (about 5-6 weeks ago?) and after checking a few days later, there was little sign of life - there was a layer of scum around the rim and the lid of the fermenter, but not the big frothy head ive been used to when brewing. left it for another 2 weeks. under the assumption that nothing had happened (due to the cold), my dad advised that i put more yeast in, and stirred the malt at the bottom and put it in a warmer place to have another go. the sg read 1010 - which after reading some of the earlier posts, ive seen is about right? (despite it appearing like little has been happening in the tub?!). problem is that i had put a third batch of yeast in, with a heater, before i saw this forum... the s.g is still at about 1010 btw. (didnt get a start reading, sorry)

so, how do i tell if my wherry is knackered? im not sure whether its gone 'sour' or not? can it have completed fermenting, even without the mass of bubbles/scum?

im hoping i havent destroyed this batch, cos the reviews make it sound an awesome pint!!!

please help!

ta
Ben

 

[stuart180]

Hi all, thought i might as well jump in here rather than start a new thread!

done a few barrels of ale/stout in the last couple of years, but havent been so confused as i have with this Wherry kit...

got the initial brew on the go when it was a bit cooler weather (about 5-6 weeks ago?) and after checking a few days later, there was little sign of life - there was a layer of scum around the rim and the lid of the fermenter, but not the big frothy head ive been used to when brewing. left it for another 2 weeks. under the assumption that nothing had happened (due to the cold), my dad advised that i put more yeast in, and stirred the malt at the bottom and put it in a warmer place to have another go. the sg read 1010 - which after reading some of the earlier posts, ive seen is about right? (despite it appearing like little has been happening in the tub?!). problem is that i had put a third batch of yeast in, with a heater, before i saw this forum... the s.g is still at about 1010 btw. (didnt get a start reading, sorry)

so, how do i tell if my wherry is knackered? im not sure whether its gone 'sour' or not? can it have completed fermenting, even without the mass of bubbles/scum?

im hoping i havent destroyed this batch, cos the reviews make it sound an awesome pint!!!

please help!

ta
Ben

If it's been in a FV for 6 weeks and you have a consistent SG of 1.010 then I'd bottle or barrel it up mate and leave it somewhere cool for a week or two.

Sounds like it may have been too cold to start with (hence the lack of action) but I'm guessing over the weeks it's managed to get there.

Most of what I seem to read suggest a constant temp of 19c to 20c will give you a good result (Mine was as 20c and took about ten days to settle down and then it was bottled and barreled where it's been for a further 3 weeks).

 

[brewer_bob]

I did a Wherry kit a few years back for Christmas. Very easy kit and I didn't encounter any problems - and the lot was gone by New Year!

By coincidence, Mr Jobby (who started the thread), when I was brewing with a friend the other day we got talking about motor bikes, and FS1Es (or Fizzies) - I believe that's what your pic is of?! I'm too young to have owned on myself, but I remember by brothers with theirs, and removing the baffles from the exhaust for maximum impact!

Just thought it worthy of a mention. Back to the beer.

 

[brynwills]

Get down to wilkos just bought pack fot 14 quid as they have a 25% off on all homebrew accroutrements

 

[polypusher]

Aye, picking mine up shortly. As it's my first wherry I think I'll brew it straight.
I tried an earl grey hopped ale the other day and loved it, thinking of trying it with the wherry.....
I'd split the cans, one straight, one hopped but FV full ATM.
Still, 14 quid in the sale. That's a reet bargain.