Wish me luck with this Badboy!

[Monkeybrew]

As I was up at 7am on a Sunday morning, I decided to knock up my winter warmer brew!

It is the Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale recipe -

1 x tin of Real Ale
1 x tin of Australian Pale Ale
1kg of Brewing Sugar
40g of Nelson Sauvin (2011 crop - Alpha 12.6%) hop flowers added as a dry hop in a muslin bag from Day 1
2 x 7g kit yeast sachets
Brewlength - 21L
OG - 1.062 @21C
Fridge set to 19C (18C-20C ambient)

It seems a bit weird adding the hops on day 1, but that's what the recipe calls for! They suggest 30g of pellets, so I've gone for 40g of hop flowers, as I upped the hop quantities by a 1/3 in the SMOTY brew and liked the results.

The hops smelt great, I couldn't stop sniffing the pack

I expect lots of action, so have sealed it in a 33L FV with a blow-off tube to help prevent spew-over!!

Wish me luck!

[oldtom]

Your a braver man than I am, at the minute anyway. Sounds interesting though. Let us know how it goes. I`m all for keeping warm in winter and it sounds a better option than the heating bills we`ll be getting!

Paul.

[mrmojorisin]

Good luck with that one, I've just bottled a headcracker that started at1.062 and it's certainly a cheeky little number

[Monkeybrew]

Good luck with that one, I've just bottled a headcracker that started at1.062 and it's certainly a cheeky little number

I am now enjoying my bottled headcracker that was brewed in July, the difference is that gave up at 1.022 and this ESVA should end up at 1.010 -1.008, going by what I have read on the Coopers forums

I checked on it this morning, 24 hours in and it had 2-3 inches of Krausen, was bubbling well from the blow-off tube and smelt really hoppy when I peeked under the lid.

[mrmojorisin]

Keep us posted on how this turns out, I'm not a massive fan of super-strength beers but the odd one wouldn't hurt

[Monkeybrew]

I sneaked a peek in the FV earlier and the Krausen has died down alot now on day 4, so I drew off 100ml and checked the gravity.

It is currently between 1012-1014 (6.5%), and is still pushing CO2 out of the blow-off tube.

I had to drink the sample, as putting it back may harm my brew

Smelling and tasting great so far, the Nelson Sauvin hops come through nicely.

[Monkeybrew]

I've just racked this brew off into a clean FV and checked the SG again, and it's now down to 1.010 on day 7.

A quick calculation = 6.97% ABV so far

It has gained a surprising amount of flavour from the 40g dry hop after 7 days, it may sound weird, but you get a nice tropical fruity aroma and hop flavour that really softens any alcoholic bite

These Nelson Sauvin hops will be great in an APA summer brew.

[mrmojorisin]

Good to kno, will have to see if my LHBS has any in stock.

Definitely looking like a potent brew, should definitely keep you 'festive' over the next month r two!

[Monkeybrew]

Day 11 and the SG is now down to 1.008!

[bungle666]

Day 11 and the SG is now down to 1.008!

7.2%! nice work!

B..

[Stomach]

Day 11 and the SG is now down to 1.008!

Good luck!!

[Monkeybrew]

Day 11 and the SG is now down to 1.008!

7.2%! nice work!

B..

4.4kg of fermentables has that effect

[Monkeybrew]

Day 11 and the SG is now down to 1.008!

Good luck!!

You will have to include yourself in that statement

[Stomach]

Day 11 and the SG is now down to 1.008!

Good luck!!

You will have to include yourself in that statement

Haha!

[Monkeybrew]

I tried a 500ml bottle of 10 day old ESVA on Saturday night, and it was as green as I expected from a high gravity brew, but still showed that is was very light in body to drink.

The Nelson Sauvin hop flavour hits you first in a nice way, but it is then muted by the high alcohol of the brew! I am sure that this will smooth out over the next few weeks, but it does taste as though someone has spiked your ale with a shot of vodka

It will be 6-7 weeks old by Christmas/New Year, so happy hoppy days.





It is alot lighter in colour than the picture shows