After really enjoying the springtime offering from the brewers at SA, I immediately decided that I wanted to craft something similar. Despite being lager-ish, it has a definite sweetness and hop presence...crossing my fingers for a successful brew day!
Noble Spring - brewed 6/5/2012
- 3 lbs Briess 2-row - 2 lbs Weyermann Pale Ale - 1 lb 4 oz Weyermann Dark Munich - 4 oz Gambrinus Honey Malt - 1 oz Tettnang pellets (1/2 @ FWH, 1/2 @15) - wyeast 2112 (cali lager) slurry
estimated vitals @72% efficiency: OG 1.061 - IBU 20 - ABV 5.5%
had a TREMENDOUS efficiency of 81%!!! actual OG: 1.069 - IBU 18-ish - ABV 6.3% (whoa!)
bottled this batch on 6/19 - got (9) 12oz bottles, and a full case (12) of 500mL swing tops. also, an interesting thing happened on the bottling line. when I added the priming sugar, the beer bubbled up about an inch. maybe it is because my part-time brew assistant wife has helped me the past couple times I bottled and I didn't notice, or ummm, something else.
will carb/condition for a while here, but plan on throwing 2 bottles in the fridge on 7/15. one for me to sample, and if it is ready, the other will be taken to a home brew meeting for critique
July 14 tried one out, and it is still too young. VERY sweet from residual honey malt I presume, but there was a tad of floral/fruitiness that was fighting to come through. However, it was fully carbonated, so I'm gonna put a few more in the fridge, but not even going to consider trying another bottle until mid August
how pretty does that pour look? now it isn't that this beer doesn't taste good, but it is nowhere near what I was hoping for. based on its flavor profile, it is more of a Belgian-y beer IMO. Big and sweet with a touch of alcohol...oh, it is WAY over-carbonated too. gotta be careful opening these bottles. I would love to re-brew this, keep the ABV level down in the low 5% where I had wanted, and potentially use a lager yeast.