Coopers Funktown Wheat

[hazelbrew]

Right so this might be stretching the definition of a kit brew... but I still feel like a jumped up kit brewer playing at extract or partial mash.

I got another of the lucky dip of liquid yeast from a uk supplier. Along with that came some of The Yeast Bay Funktown Pale Ale. This yeast is a mix of a Vermont Ale ( Conan?) and a wild yeast ( I think the one that used to be classified as Brett...). So I hatched a recipe for a fruit bomb IPA using a coopers wheat kit, DME and a shed load of hops. I used a mixture of US pellets, NZ whole leaf and freebie hops from the geterbrewed giveaway - Bobek, Rakau and Mandarine Bavaria.

What am I aiming for? something like an East Coast IPA - cloudy, good mouthfeel, juicy hops, mixed grains of wheat/barley .

the yeast:
http://www.theyeastbay.com/wild-yeast-a ... n-pale-ale

I did a part boil with the extract and hops. Adding a small amount at 15 minutes to get some additional IBU - the coopers wheat provides not much in the way of IBU. Then the rest at flameout, and then at a reduced temp. they were left to stand for 20 minutes.

The recipe
1.7kg - Coopers Wheat kit
2kg extra pale dry malt extract.

Hops
@15 mins:
20g bobek
30g Rakau

@0 mins
20g bobek
30g rakau
20g Mandarine Bavaria

@75C and left for 20 minutes
10g bobek.
20g Mandarine Bavaria
15g Savjinksi Goldings

brewed to 20l
Calculated OG 1060
FG: should be 1013
for average attenuation for the Funktown Pale Ale yeast.
The liquid yeast was a bit out of date so I stepped it up with an 800ml starter, then stepped up again to a 2000ml starter using 150g DME.

May 8 - pitched whole starter
May 9 - krausen trying to lift lid off the FV!
May 11 - took a sample - SG1024. Smelt of peach. quite bitter. shows promise

May 15 - SG 1016 - tropical. bitter. krausen dropped.
May 17 - SG 1014
May 19 - SG 1014

might be time to dry hop with the rest of the Rakau and mandarine Bavaria

I am more excited about this beer than any other i have made yet.

[jaroporter]

I find that conan a fantastic distinctive yeast, and i loved the way the 'brett' eventually dries it out and gives it a spritzy finish. Kinda how i imagine the original ipas would have tasted. Looks a very good brew!

[hazelbrew]

I find that conan a fantastic distinctive yeast, and i loved the way the 'brett' eventually dries it out and gives it a spritzy finish. Kinda how i imagine the original ipas would have tasted. Looks a very good brew!

Thanks. it is sat at 1014 which is bang on for the predicted attenuation. Not sure whether to dry hop or just go for it as is. Bonus of a dry hop gives it another 5-7 days to attenuate further if it is going to. I've not done a brett beer before so am a little wary of creating bottle bombs.

I have finished every sample I've taken so far... and wished I'd taken more out!

I think I might be heading part way down the "if in doubt just add more hops" route... there's 165g of hops in there already... maybe needs another 40 to get to a nice round 10g per litre?

[jaroporter]

Yeah i've found that conan stops a little higher generally and takes time to drop out (maybe it's still going after the last sugars). When i used the funktown blend it did in time drop clear having gone a bit drier which i put down to the other strain. I'd expect yours will probably do the same as i had similar figures to you. The only sensible course of action is to throw a shedload more hops in there.. :p

[hazelbrew]

This was still at 1014 SG tonight. So I have dry hopped.

60g mandarins Bavaria
40g rakau

[hazelbrew]

I bottled this a few weeks ago after ten day dry hop. It was supposed to be shorter dry hop bit life got in the way.

Conditioning with 6g per litre priming. I made a syrup and batch primed.

Had the 3rd one last night. I will need to get pictures up.... but this is simply gorgeous.

Marmalade and other fruit smell. Long lasting head to the bottom of glass. Best beer I have made so far.

[WalesAles]

Well done hazel!
How long was the part boil?

WA

[hazelbrew]

Well done hazel!
How long was the part boil?

WA

Only 15 minutes once actually boiling. Plus the standard at the end. I only had extract and hops in the boil, and no need for extra bitterness . Just flavour, aroma additions