Wish me luck with this Badboy!

[Stomach]

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

Looks superb mate, and plenty of time for it to mellow for Chrimbo! You will be asleep in your turkey dinner after a few of those!!

[Monkeybrew]

I drew a full pint of this from my keg last night at 3.5 weeks old, and it has mellowed slightly from my first taste.

The bitter high alcohol taste has softened a bit, allowing the hop flavour to shine a bit more

I did make the mistake of having the pint before dinner, and certainly new about it afterwards

This pic is a nearer to the actual colour-

[Stomach]

Sluuuuuuuuuuurp!! Hic! Whatsfordinnerluv? Hic!

[Monkeybrew]

As I am sitting here savouring my last bottle of Coopers Extra Strong Vintage ale that is 9 months old, I thought that I would update this post!

All I can say is splash out and brew this at some point in your brewing careers

My mistake was to keg most of this brew and only bottle about 6 litres of it, because as much fun as was getting smashed from the keg at Christmas, this brew just gets better with age.

I suppose the clue was in the name (vintage) really

Anyway this final bottle has melded together into a sublime drink, that still retains all of the Nelson Sauvin flavour and aroma but now has an alcoholic warmth instead of heat, then a sweetness that is then balanced with just enough bitterness

I have instantly decided that I must brew another ASAP, but this time as suggested by Coopers I will add a small amount of Crystal Malt and try some different hops. Their commercial 2012 ESVA is made up of 5 different hops, 2 varieties for bittering and 3 for flavour and aroma!

Let the planning commence

[Stomach]

As I am sitting here savouring my last bottle of Coopers Extra Strong Vintage ale that is 9 months old, I thought that I would update this post!

All I can say is splash out and brew this at some point in your brewing careers

My mistake was to keg most of this brew and only bottle about 6 litres of it, because as much fun as was getting smashed from the keg at Christmas, this brew just gets better with age.

I suppose the clue was in the name (vintage) really

Anyway this final bottle has melded together into a sublime drink, that still retains all of the Nelson Sauvin flavour and aroma but now has an alcoholic warmth instead of heat, then a sweetness that is then balanced with just enough bitterness

I have instantly decided that I must brew another ASAP, but this time as suggested by Coopers I will add a small amount of Crystal Malt and try some different hops. Their commercial 2012 ESVA is made up of 5 different hops, 2 varieties for bittering and 3 for flavour and aroma!

Let the planning commence

That sounds excellent mate! Get another one on the go immediately!! haha! I look forward to hearing about your next version of this!

Itas amazing how thinhs change over time. My 4 way hop split experiment was initially looking very promising with all hops doing and tasting as expected, then losing most hopness, and now after 3 - 4 months they are mellowing nicely!!

Cheers

[sbond10]

Williematte hops maybe ?

[Monkeybrew]

Williematte hops maybe ?

Haven't tried them, what are they like?

I've got a sealed 100g pack of Galaxy that I have been itching to try, so may use them as the main flavour hop

[sbond10]

Williematte hops maybe ?

Haven't tried them, what are they like?

I've got a sealed 100g pack of Galaxy that I have been itching to try, so may use them as the main flavour hop

Haven't got a clue never used hops before but I'm also itching to try um as it apparently imparts black current flavours so just thought I d throw it up there. Maybe that and saz just what I've learnt I reckon they'd be to very good flavouring hops Togther

[sbond10]

Just reading about galaxy citrus and passion fruit so deffo if your wanting a fruit aroma I'd say maybe willie and saz and galaxy as your your aroma hops ?