Woodfordes Wherry Review

[ThePour]

Thanks @terrym , I appreciate the encouragement.

I went to the brew shop, bought a replacement seal for the valve and, I think, it is sealed now - though who knows. I did add a little more sugar - so fingers crossed. As per @An Ankoù 's suggestion, I'll hide it away in a corner for a week or so before I take it out to the shed.

Whilst at the brewshop I ordered in some grains for my first partial mash (is that correct?) brew. Of course, I'll start adding chocolate and stuff because I can't leave anything alone... I'm going to try this recipe: https://homebrewanswers.com/milk-stout-recipe/

 

[terrym]

@ThePour
I had a quick look at part of your Stout video.
The recipe is for an extract brew which uses grains in a steep as far as I could see. There is no grain mashing involved.
And I suggest that when you add the DME to the hot grain steep liquor do it off the heat and keep stirring until the DME (which will clump up into solid lumps as it hits the liquid) has fully dissolved. If you do it whilst heating there is a danger that DME can stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
Hope it works out for you.
More on extract brewing here.....
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/a-simple-guide-to-extract-brewing.75501/

 

[ThePour]

@ThePour
I had a quick look at part of your Stout video.
The recipe is for an extract brew which uses grains in a steep as far as I could see. There is no grain mashing involved.
And I suggest that when you add the DME to the hot grain steep liquor do it off the heat and keep stirring until the DME (which will clump up into solid lumps as it hits the liquid) has fully dissolved. If you do it whilst heating there is a danger that DME can stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
Hope it works out for you.
More on extract brewing here.....
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/a-simple-guide-to-extract-brewing.75501/

Thanks again @terrym - I was getting my terminology wrong!

I notice that he doesn't sparge too, which I was planning to do. I'll read up more on adding the DME.

 

[DavieC]

I've just bottled 11 ltrs of wherry(one of the 2 cans ,1 pack of yeast) OG1040 ,FG1007.
In FV for 17 days, was a stop -start fermentation where I had to keep swirling the FV, after 10 days airlock activity stopped again, sg was 1012, instructions say stable under 1014 ready to bottle, but as I wouldn't have time for another week I gave fv a swirl again and it started chugging again, steadily this time, finally bubbling every 5/6 mins.Cold crashed overnight, Batch primed Using 4g sugar/litre. Sample tasted fantastic.
Carbing now @20c for 2 weeks,

 

[DavieC]

Quick update on my wherry, ..tried one after a couple of weeks carbing, tasted ok, still young ,quite malty with a fairly bitter after taste. Left it another 3weeks and had another, I didnt like it...tasted harsh, bitter and a hint of twang, really disappointed.However, left it another week and tried one last night, was different again, it was really nice, malty with a Reasonably bitter after taste, no twang. Not sure what the next one will deliver.Id eaten a tai green curry before the nasty one and I'm wondering if that had an effect on my taste buds. ?

 

[Richie_asg1]

I've just had one of mine that is a little over a week into cold conditioning. Good clear pint with good head retention and good carbonation. I was aiming at 2 vols CO2 when batch priming & bottling.

Taste is quite heavy, quite malty, bit young still, good bitter. Not my best but will see where it goes.

.....need a few more to make up my mind.

 

[tribalfather]

Quick update on my wherry, ..tried one after a couple of weeks carbing, tasted ok, still young ,quite malty with a fairly bitter after taste. Left it another 3weeks and had another, I didnt like it...tasted harsh, bitter and a hint of twang, really disappointed.However, left it another week and tried one last night, was different again, it was really nice, malty with a Reasonably bitter after taste, no twang. Not sure what the next one will deliver.Id eaten a tai green curry before the nasty one and I'm wondering if that had an effect on my taste buds. ?

afraid to say that my wherry is quite transparent and tasteless after 4 weeks in barrel, unable to see it in the barrel after 4 weeks. Just a brown tide mark............ am I doing something very wrong?

 

[DavieC]

Hi @tribalfather , when you say barrel do you mean the wherry fermented out and then you transferred it to the pressure barrel for serving ?.
You should definitely be able to see it, rich mid amber colour.

 

[tribalfather]

into 25 litre king keg, didnt last the 4 week mark, two weeks to clear and hey presto back to being empty

 

[tribalfather]

Hi @tribalfather , when you say barrel do you mean the wherry fermented out and then you transferred it to the pressure barrel for serving ?.
You should definitely be able to see it, rich mid amber colour.

It looked lovely for a first two weeks while it cleared, then week by week it turned transparent from top to almost the bottom

 

[Jimbo77]

My First homebrew kit.
One of the best beers i’ve ever tasted which is a amazing for a first attempt,
only wish id started years ago.
OG 1046
FG 1014
2 weeks ferment.
3 weeks priming. 90g sugar.
Tried after a week, I was disappointed with head so moved it somewhere warmer,
I found using a fosters glass instead of my Camra Durham glass helped the head too.
2 weeks Conditioning in the garage, gave a few bottles to friends who say its gorgeous too.

Why have i waited until now to homebrew.
I’ve got a woodforde Nog fermenting now..

 

[AnimatedGIF]

My First homebrew kit.
One of the best beers i’ve ever tasted which is a amazing for a first attempt,
only wish id started years ago.
OG 1046
FG 1014
2 weeks ferment.
3 weeks priming. 90g sugar.
Tried after a week, I was disappointed with head so moved it somewhere warmer,
I found using a fosters glass instead of my Camra Durham glass helped the head too.
2 weeks Conditioning in the garage, gave a few bottles to friends who say its gorgeous too.

Why have i waited until now to homebrew.
I’ve got a woodforde Nog fermenting now..

Excellent news! I'm pleased the Wherry went well! My Wherry is conditioning right now. It's had 2 weeks in a warm place, and just over 2 weeks under the stairs which is about 14 degrees. I think at least a further 2 weeks there and it should be good to drink.
I brewed the Nog kit and was disappointed, but I think I did something wrong, or just didn't leave it long enough. I know for sure that I used too many carbonation drops (2 of the wilko drops per 500ml bottle) as they would always froth when I opened the bottles. My dad found a bottle I had given him in the back of his beer cupboard last week. I brewed it exactly 2 years ago. He said it was rather nice!

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

Just barrelled my 3rd Wherry since my return to brewing. Lovely malty ale with subtle bitterness, not unlike the real thing. Temptingly drinkable with yeast still in suspension - the yeast seems almost tasteless, unlike the one in the Wilko artisan kits. I don't want large volumes of gas in my ales, just enough to dispense without the full-on fire extinguisher effect. I prime with 100g white sugar, but vent a lot of the pressure so the condition remains in the beer without it being over-carbonated. Similar to using a soft peg in a cask of real ale.

Paul.

 

[mitch]

Read some good reviews about this today so I think it will be one I will try out as a newbie before I progress to something from blackrock

 

[Lesinge]

Read some good reviews about this today so I think it will be one I will try out as a newbie before I progress to something from blackrock

I tried Blackrock many years ago before I started all grain and found them quite strange tasting, Which one would you consider doing? You won't go wrong with the Wherry.

 

[tribalfather]

Hi @tribalfather , when you say barrel do you mean the wherry fermented out and then you transferred it to the pressure barrel for serving ?.
You should definitely be able to see it, rich mid amber colour.

left it for a couple weeks and then down the neck

 

[mitch]

I tried Blackrock many years ago before I started all grain and found them quite strange tasting, Which one would you consider doing? You won't go wrong with the Wherry.

Ah from blackrock id identified the tribute to Punk IPA, itra Snash & Mosiac, Woodefords Bure Gold

The Woodefords Bure Gold i think will be the first. And I will be getting my pal the trib to Timothy Taylors or Shipyard as he likes those..plus i will get to 'sample'... always thinking me..

Although i will go for the half grain versions and i need to get a cooking pot!

Im rather excited at the thought of it all. Never done it before. I have pals saving bottles as we speak

 

[Lesinge]

Ah from blackrock id identified the tribute to Punk IPA, itra Snash & Mosiac, Woodefords Bure Gold

The Woodefords Bure Gold i think will be the first. And I will be getting my pal the trib to Timothy Taylors or Shipyard as he likes those..plus i will get to 'sample'... always thinking me..

Although i will go for the half grain versions and i need to get a cooking pot!

Im rather excited at the thought of it all. Never done it before. I have pals saving bottles as we speak

It is an addictive hobby! My wife gave me a brewi9ng kit and this weekend I will be doing my 231st Brew!

 

[Radchenister]

Happy with that!

 

[Radchenister]

Strangely, my King Keg is at the dead centre line already, how did that happen?