Brewing Diary: McMurtrie's Girvan Heavy Ale

Tuesday 24 February 2009 20:49

Make the transition from Kit- to Extract/Speciality Grain Brewing. Start by freshening that can of kit extract with your own grains and hops.

Introduction

This beer is hopefully the last kit, or hopped malt extract beer I brew. I added steeped grains and hops to the kit to help freshen the flavour of the final product. Sometimes kit beers can taste a little stale or tangy. Despite the problems I had with cooling and high brewing temperatures this beer turned out well. The alcohol content was not has high as I feared it might be and did not end up dominating the flavour profile of the beer. I would brew this style again using malt extract, grains and hops (not a kit). I would also brew in a cooler climate or artifically cool the fermenter during brewing to help preserve the ale yeast.

Ingredients

Grain Bill

Malt Extract

Hops and finings

Yeast

Target Bitterness

Method

This beer was brewed as per the method described in 'The How to Brew Digest', except as described below.

Brewing notes

In order to achieve a higer gravity, the recipe on the tin of Munton's Scottish Style Heavy Ale called for a total brewing volume of 17, rather 20 litres.

I didn't have the correct equpiment on brew day (large enough boiling pot, wort chiller) and consequently fouled up the cooling process. The brew was slighty too hot when the yeast needed to be pitched. Given time constraints I had no choice but to pitch yeast at sub-optimal temperature. In future I will always allow plenty of time for brewing and get the right equipment for the job.

The brew was put down on 1 December 2008. An excellent krausen formed within 24 hours. The beer contined to brew at a moderate rate for three to four days and then declined. Very slow bubbling observed from this point on. At this time it was mid summer with high night and daytime temperatures at the top-end of Dry Ale yeast's range. The yeast eventually 'topped-out' in the high heat and fermentation stalled. Internet research revealed that Champagne yeast might help re-start fermentation as it works well in high alcohol/high temperature conditions. Pitched Champagne yeast three weeks after start of original fermentation. Fermentation successfully re-started and continued for a another two weeks. I took the final hydrometer reading which revealed a gravity of just above 1000 (i.e.: same gravity of water!). This reading indicated the Champagne yeast had done its job and converted much of the sugars to alcohol. I was concerned I might have left the fermentation go too long before taking final hydrometer reading and produced an overly dry beer, lacking flavour (risk of using final Champagne yeast)

The beer was bottled after over five weeks in the primary fermenter and racked-off to the secondary fermenter immediately before bottling to reduce the amount of sediment that made it into the bottle. No off-smells or flavours were noted immediately prior to bottling, so likely no infection was introduced during pitching of the Champagne yeast.

Tasting notes

Courtesy of PS.

Colour
Dark amber or deep reddish-brown
Clarity
fair, some haziness
Carbonation
low (appropriate for the style)
Head retention
good, considering low carbonation. Had a thin cream-like layer of head throughout the entire glass.
Maltiness
Malty!
Hoppiness
low (again, fitting with the style)
Homebrewyness/Off flavours
None that I can taste. Of course, I'm used to/like homebrew, so I may be more forgiving/unaware
Aftertaste
quite clean, possibly a function of the champagne yeast?
Alcohol
I can feel it slowing my fingers after about 250ml. Also can feel warmth in back of mouth. This is not a session beer

My first reaction was that this reminded me of The Kettlehouse's well-received, award winning Cold Smoke. Then I remembered that Cold Smoke is more of a "light black" than a deep amber or reddish brown. I also remembered that, despite it's popularity, critical acclaim, and my love for the Kettlehouse, I typically hate Cold Smoke. I think it's low hoppiness and the extreme maltiness that make me think "cough syrup" rather than beer.

This, however, I would drink again. Actually, of the Scotch Ale's that I've consumed, this is probably one of my favourites. Take this as a compliment or a point to work on: I don't tend to like Scotch ales, but I enjoyed this one. Maybe you messed up and produced something better (for me)? On the other hand, this did immediately remind me of a Scotch Ale, so maybe it's not too far off the style?

I'm drinking this reasonably warm and slowly, and I'm looking for off flavours. I'm really not tasting anything bad in here. Actually, it's tasting quite good just a hair below room temp. For reference, my pour temp was ~10 degrees Celsius.

Final verdict - recommendations

This beer is not God's Style (i.e. strong hops), but is tasty nevertheless (PS is a fan of highly hopped, Pale Ales - GdW).

I think you need a wort chiller. A wort chiller should help you get some of the haze out of the beer. This batch isn't bad, but I think you might be happier with a little higher clarity.

Good work, I'd give it a good solid B+