Sherwoods Ale Premium Woodland Ale.

[Adam]

bad day and an empty fermentor make for a brewing.

I made up a Sherwoods Ale Premium Woodland Ale. Its my first two tin kit (3.6kg) and my first brew with hop pellets. Banged it together in just under an hour.

Almost got caught out by dirty water --- someone must have fiddled with the supply today (hopefully from the water company). Also pitched a little too warm but have back up yeast if needed.

This was fun to play with and came out 1.046 so hopefully a little over 4.5%.

The wort tastes good with fantastic after bitterness.

Has anyone else done this kit?

smiles
adam

[Bongo]

Hi Adam
Yeah i did one of these a few weeks back and bottled it,i'm going to try one soon and see how it is,it was smelling great with a good bitterness like you said before bottling so i'm looking forward to it,don't know for how much longer you can get these kits as the original supplier has gone under.

[Adam]

hey Bongo,
excellent you are a few weeks ahead of me and tell me what to expect.

The fermentation smells gorgeous and i have half white foam and half dark hoppy foam.

Planning to keg after about a week ... what did yours get down to?

Supplier has gone under... is that the International Diamalt (probably) or the John Bull brand. Just made a cider with the John Bull kit : {

smiles
adam

[BlackBag]

Diamalt goes, no more Vina. Therefore no more Vina Traditional, John Bull, Sherwood, Brewmart, Essential, Brewmaker, Springhead, or Bargain Brew. And probably many others I've missed.

[Bongo]

Yup Diamalt i'm afraid has gone.

Well Adam my OG was 1050 and got down to 1020 i couldn't get it past that so i bottled in the end,the fermentation did smell great i boiled the hops for 30 mins to get bitterness and i used nottingham yeast.

i tasted one yesterday and although green it tasted good so i reckon in about 6 weeks it should taste great,let me know how it goes and what yours gets down to.

mark

[Adam]

From 1.046 i am down to 1.018 after 48 hours (ish). The head has faded out but i think its still working away quietly. Will check again in another 48 hours.

Think we will end up with a similar drop of around 30 points. Mine is to be kegged so not too worried.

I looked at Muntons range last night. Are they a monopoly now in the UK? Less choice isn't great for the passionate consumer.

I want to put an order in next week and may go for some of the kits that have stopped production. Looking at Leyland home brew for online purchase and there stocks seems varied.

smiles
adam

[Bongo]

Hey Adam hows the sherwood going fella.

[bodmin]

hello people.
i did one of these kits about a year ago and it was by far the best kit i have ever done. Starting gravity was 1050 and it finished about 1016.
It actually tasted and looked like a proper pub ale. I would definitely do another if i could find one.
Enjoy.

[Adam]

kegged the Sherwoods yesterday and to be honest i could have sat and drank a few pints of it. Put it in the warm and next weekend it will come out to the kitchen.

Think it will be around 3.7% it didn't really drop after that first 48 hours even with a little rouse.

Smells good, tastes good and i primed it with demerara, transferred over a teaspoon of yeast sediment so hopefully it will carbonate okay.

Got to check my finances but after doing a long hard summer job i deserve a homebrew delivery. I want yeasts, hops (to try out) and a coupkle of kits and possibly some spraymalt.

smiles
adam

[Bongo]

Ah good yes it is tempting,it sounds about the same as mine went

hope you get the kits and brew on fella, i will crack a bottle open in a few weeks to see how the sherwood has fared

[Adam]

well its had a month in the barrel, well some of it has. We are dipping under halfway now i think and the flavours that started gorgeous on their own are blending and this is the best beer that i have made.

even saddder now that the kit is no longer being produced.

its about a year since i joined the site so supping one of these delicious pints to celebrate and commiserate, in about 9 months of brewing this forum has provided a lot of help to me and been a nice place to spend a little time.

thanks all

smiles
adam

[Bongo]

Good to hear adam,i'm glad the Sherwood turned out good and you enjoy this place,I know it's no longer in production but don't worry mate there will be other beers,and better ones too.

[faeyd]

Try a Woodeforde's Admmiral's Reserve

Mine is 8 weeks old now and is simply a fantastic pint.