100 replies to this topic

[neddles]

I think my perception of hop aroma has been seriously thrown off by dry hopping and if it isn't dry hopped it rarely has enough aroma for me to consider it "hoppy" anymore.l.

You are suffering from LSD (Lupulin Shift Disorder). Sit back, relax, and take the following steps back to sanity. Try not boiling hops except for the purposes of bittering. Add all other hops to the whirlpool at 165F and/or dry. Do you have any Allman brothers? If so play it and wait for the suffering/jitters to pass. Do not dispair. Soon you will be tasting hops at the levels needed for sustanance. In the meantime know that we are here for you and you can count us for support at any time.

[positiveContact]

You are suffering from LSD (Lupulin Shift Disorder). Sit back, relax, and take the following steps back to sanity. Try not boiling hops except for the purposes of bittering. Add all other hops to the whirlpool at 165F and/or dry. Do you have any Allman brothers? If so play it and wait for the suffering/jitters to pass. Do not dispair. Soon you will be tasting hops at the levels needed for sustanance. In the meantime know that we are here for you and you can count us for support at any time.

 

I put a pretty good amount of hops in for a hop stand.  6 oz for 30+ mins at 165F and then however long to chill the beer down into the 60s.

[positiveContact]

day 2 in the keg.  s-04 is still ahead overall.

[positiveContact]

I didn't test yesterday.  Tonight I'll see how they are again - hopefully the carb is evening out a little.

 

So another impression so far is that I like the amount of victory I used.  I'm fairly certain it's adding some toasty kind of flavors which actually makes this seem like a fall kind of beer which is good timing

[positiveContact]

The difference is getting smaller but I still give S-04 the edge.

[neddles]

I didn't test yesterday. Tonight I'll see how they are again - hopefully the carb is evening out a little. So another impression so far is that I like the amount of victory I used. I'm fairly certain it's adding some toasty kind of flavors which actually makes this seem like a fall kind of beer which is good timing

Yeah I really like the flavor of victory. I get a very pleasant toasty-cracker flavor that I think may enhance perceived dryness at times.

[positiveContact]

Yeah I really like the flavor of victory. I get a very pleasant toasty-cracker flavor that I think may enhance perceived dryness at times.

 

I agree with the dryness perception I think.  The beers don't taste sweet at all but still have a good amount of body.

[positiveContact]

so 2 weeks since I mashed in now.  at this point I might have a slight preference for the US-05 batch.  with this small amount of age it's getting cleaner and cleaner tasting.  the s-04 version is staying about the same in terms of taste.  both are still cloudy.  the s-04 version has incredible body.  super silky smooth.  the us-05 version is still very good in this dept but not quite as good as the s-04 batch.

[positiveContact]

so about 4 weeks since brew day now.  both are still a little cloudy.  I haven't pulled a pint in the last week or so so I'm guessing I'm just pulling up yeast that has settled to the bottom of the keg.  they'll probably both clear up soon.

 

appearance/color:  the same

aroma: US-05 is slightly floral, S-04 is slightly fruity (esters)

flavor: the US-05 has less pronounced yeast character with a somewhat sharp slightly unpleasant aspect to it right now, it could just be yeast in suspension, the S-04 is pretty smooth and fruity (matches the aroma)

body:  the S-04 seems slightly more full bodied and rich, the US-05 is slightly crisper/drier

 

overall:  I think I prefer the S-04 right now.  I think when both beers are clear this might change.  More updates to come...

Edited by Evil_Morty, 26 October 2014 - 11:17 AM.

[positiveContact]

my wife and brother both readily prefer the S-04 version.  I guess I probably do as well but I'm not as clear cut on it as they are.

[HVB]

my wife and brother both readily prefer the S-04 version.  I guess I probably do as well but I'm not as clear cut on it as they are.

I will post my preference this weekend.

[positiveContact]

and?

[positiveContact]

so I have some more samples - 2 guys I work with prefer the S-04.  Another guy I know who expected to like the US-05 better liked the S-04 version better.  So I guess S-04 is the winner here.  I never would have expected such a unanimous decision for this recipe.

now I'm waiting for Drez to say he likes the US-05 version better and completely destroy the S-04 hot streak

[HVB]

and?

 

so I have some more samples - 2 guys I work with prefer the S-04.  Another guy I know who expected to like the US-05 better liked the S-04 version better.  So I guess S-04 is the winner here.  I never would have expected such a unanimous decision for this recipe.

now I'm waiting for Drez to say he likes the US-05 version better and completely destroy the S-04 hot streak

 

I am waiting for this cold to break before I try them. I do not want to waste the beer when I can not taste.  I will say this, I have been doing a lot of reading on different yeast for hoppy beers and I am coming back around to S-04.  I think though, the water treatment will need to be adjusted slightly from what I would use on S-05.

[positiveContact]

I am waiting for this cold to break before I try them. I do not want to waste the beer when I can not taste.  I will say this, I have been doing a lot of reading on different yeast for hoppy beers and I am coming back around to S-04.  I think though, the water treatment will need to be adjusted slightly from what I would use on S-05.

 

what would the water treatment diff be?  more or less sulfate or chloride?

[HVB]

what would the water treatment diff be?  more or less sulfate or chloride?

For me I am thinking about cutting the SO4 back and upping the chloride a bit. 

[positiveContact]

For me I am thinking about cutting the SO4 back and upping the chloride a bit. 

 

kind of makes sense.

 

for this beer my sulfate and chloride numbers were 344 and 26 ppm so in line with what I typically do for a pale ale.

[HVB]

kind of makes sense.

 

for this beer my sulfate and chloride numbers were 344 and 26 ppm so in line with what I typically do for a pale ale.

Where I am going is much different than that, I am trying to get a closer ratio of SO4: CL.  Ca - 116  SO4 - 160 CL 90.  I am trying to achieve a mouthfeel that I have had in many beers from the NE areas, Hill Farmstead I am looking at you.  This will be a departure for me as my typical water is closer to Ca- 145 SO4 - 280 Cl- 64.  I am not sure if I will get what I want but I am going to try.  Most likely soon with that beer I PM'd you about.

[positiveContact]

Where I am going is much different than that, I am trying to get a closer ratio of SO4: CL.  Ca - 116  SO4 - 160 CL 90.  I am trying to achieve a mouthfeel that I have had in many beers from the NE areas, Hill Farmstead I am looking at you.  This will be a departure for me as my typical water is closer to Ca- 145 SO4 - 280 Cl- 64.  I am not sure if I will get what I want but I am going to try.  Most likely soon with that beer I PM'd you about.

 

let me know how it works out for sure.  another tool in my brewing toolset would be how to treat the water to go with the yeast as well as the hops and malt.

[HVB]

let me know how it works out for sure.  another tool in my brewing toolset would be how to treat the water to go with the yeast as well as the hops and malt.

Will do.  Maybe you will even get to taste them.