| Author |
Message |
    
Graham Cox
Junior Member
Username: T2driver
Post Number: 40
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 04:50 am: | 
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I'm planning to brew a single-malt experimental batch for two purposes: To evaluate a type of malt I've never used (Fawcett Optic) and to try a 100% first wort hopped (FWH) brew. 6.5# Optic, 1.5 oz. Styrian Goldings, all FWH, is my plan. Has anyone ever tried such a thing and if so, could you tell me if I'm wasting my time and ingredients? (Keep in mind, this is an experiment and while I fully intend to make a drinkable beer, it is not my intent to brew to a particular style, although it is basically a light-colored English bitter.) |
danno
Advanced Member
Username: Danno
Post Number: 585
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 05:34 am: |
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Yes, I've done it. You will get hop flavor but not quite as bright as a typical late addition would give it. Much more rounded. |
Graham Cox
Junior Member
Username: T2driver
Post Number: 41
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 05:49 am: |
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Excellent, exactly the profile I was looking for to evaluate the malt. Thanks. |
Ken Anderson
Advanced Member
Username: Ken75
Post Number: 613
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 05:50 am: |
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I'm drinking a beer at this moment that is close to %100 base malt and FWH, except that I threw a pinch of Tet over my shoulder at flameout. 
No question I will do it again, but with Vienna.
Btw, Protz and Wheeler give many recipes that have nothing but bittering hops.
I know, I know. It's hard to keep it simple! |
davidw
Advanced Member
Username: Davidw
Post Number: 808
Registered: 03-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 02:30 pm: |
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Graham, I think you'll love the Optic malt. It has replaced MO for all my English styles I brew. |
Aaron Meyer
Junior Member
Username: Meyeaard
Post Number: 69
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 02:45 pm: |
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Has anyone experienced a problem with head retention when using a lot or any hops when FWHing? |
Busted Still Brewery
Advanced Member
Username: Brewlabs
Post Number: 623
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 02:48 pm: |
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my last brew had 2 oz of Mt Hood FWH and i've had NO problems with head retention |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 1877
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 02:53 pm: |
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Daniel Hurtubise, who occasionally posts here, brewed an all-FWH California common a little more than a year ago. It was a very good beer with smooth bittering and hop flavor, but it was missing some of the "punch" you would expect from late addition hops. |
Vance Barnes
Senior Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 1376
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 03:08 pm: |
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Brewed a Wee Heavy with some TF Optic 2 weekends ago. Still fermenting so I can't comment on the malt yet. |
Hophead
Senior Member
Username: Hophead
Post Number: 1114
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 03:25 pm: |
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Aaron, FWHing shouldn't effect your head retention, atleast not in a bad way. I generally find that more (boil) hops relate to better head retention. |
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 2656
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 04:01 pm: |
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My next brew is going to be a Budvar clone. I have a CAP fermenting with WY2000 Budvar yeast right now, so I should have a nice yeast cake by next weekend. Protz and Wheeler's recipe for a Budvar clone is simply 9 lbs. of pilsner malt, double decoction, and 1.3 oz. of Saaz bittering - no flavor additions. I am guessing I would hit closer to the mark with 2.0 oz. of Saaz FWH instead - no other additions. Any comments? |
Hophead
Senior Member
Username: Hophead
Post Number: 1115
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 04:43 pm: |
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I think your bittering will be good, but you will get more saaz flavor this way, which is a good thing IMHO...  |
Ken Anderson
Advanced Member
Username: Ken75
Post Number: 614
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 05:04 pm: |
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Chumley, I even made it a point to mash at 150. The idea was to make a nice, clean, non-heavy feeling 100% 6-row beer. It went from 1.063 to 1.011, for 6.8% alcohol. Incidently, I feel for "pure" beers like these, you don't want an alcohol content any higher than that. It starts to become obvious in the finish. My two cents. |
Jake Isaacs
Intermediate Member
Username: Jake
Post Number: 296
Registered: 04-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 08:45 pm: |
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My couple of attempts at 100% base malt beers have tended to finish a little on the dry side (though otherwise very good). I used Nottingham for both, so that probably had a lot to do with it, but definitely think about mashing on the high side (if you're not already).
One of these attempts helped form my "house" pale ale. It was just a 10 lb bag of Munton's pale, 1 oz additions of whole Challenger at 60, 20, 0 min, pitch Nottingham. Very pure and simple. |
Graham Cox
Junior Member
Username: T2driver
Post Number: 42
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 10:37 pm: |
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I'm glad to read your comments, Jake, because I was planning on exactly that and for exactly those reasons - mashing at 154-155°F and using Safale 04 or WLP002 because they are less attenuative. Great minds think alike! |
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