4/9/2017 Batch: Dry, smooth, slightly spicy finish. Bready malt & yeast character. Honey & biscuit aroma.
Torrified wheat adds good depth to the body with the high and dry attenuation. This is a staple and seems to work well between 8-10% grist
With WLP007, CO2 Vent from bottom of conical after primary to rouse yeast to yield around an 80% attenuation (highly flocculent strain)
RECIPE EDIT 5/28/17 & 6/12/17
Sugar lowered (lower alcohol content, some residual sweetness)
Maris Otter reduced from 30 to 26 (lower OG)
Caramel malt increased from 2 to 2.5 lb (more toasted malt flavor)
Yeast change from WLP007 (Dry English) to WLP013 (London Ale)
WLP013 is less flocculent and allows malt and hops to come through more pronounced. Oak esters at higher fermentation temps. Keep temps low.
Increase earthy hops
OH State Fair 2017 (24.5/50)
AROMA: (6.5/12) Medium-sweet malty, little detectable hops, fruity finish, caramel to toasty malt; Initial moderate biscuity bread, malt nose gives way to noticeable, moderate alcohols, low earthy hops, no esters
APPEARANCE: (3/3) Pale amber, clear, light head; Medium amber, moderate-low white head with mix of tight and loose bubbles, has moderate low retention, good clarity overall
FLAVOR: (8/20) Medium malty with little tastiness, very low-moderate bitterness, alcohol/warmth relatively high, alcoholic aftertaste; Similar to aroma, initial moderate biscuity bready malts gives way to a low earth hops and a medium-sweet finish with medium-low bitterness. Some of sweetness could be attributed to alcohol rather than under-attenuation
MOUTHFEEL: (2.5/5) High on the warmer side. Light to medium body; medium-body, medium-light carbonation, moderate warmth, no astringency or creaminess
OVERALL IMPRESSION: (4.5/10) Good malt profile on the beer, but the alcohol reduces the bitterness and makes the beer sweet. The alcohol content needs to be reduced; Not a bad beer, nice looking, good body and carbonation but alcohols are interfering with the interplay of flavor. Keep an eye on fermentation temps and prevent them from going too high. Needs a firmer hop presence and bittering levels.