Japanese beer

Paul Bennett · Post by **Paul Bennett** » Wednesday Aug 10, 2005 11:24 am

I am looking for a recipie for Kirin-style beer, using bits of kits plus hops or grains, but one that does not need manufacturers' enhancers unless we know what's in them.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Sunday Aug 14, 2005 9:01 am

There is a good chunk of rice in there

Dogger

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Sunday Aug 14, 2005 9:34 am

Posted: Sunday Aug 14, 2005 9:32 am Post subject:

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"Charlie's idea of R & R is a few fish heads and some cold rice"- Martin Sheen, Apocalypse Now. (at the Playboy bunnies show/debacle)

apologies to Merlin for quoting more movie dialogue.
_________________

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Sunday Aug 14, 2005 11:34 am

It's been a good number of years since I've drunk a kirin, so I couldn't comment on a possible recipe... but I am currently running an experimental brew with rice extract (which would form a fairly important part of any Asian beer). I'm planning on writing the exercise up, once it's bottled and tasted.

I don't know how easy rice is to mash, but 500gm tubs of rice extract are availble from the health food section of some Coles (here in Melbourne at least) for $3-$4. It looks and tastes much like a sort of bland honey, and in fact, it is marketed as a honey substitute. I'm not entirely sure why you would <i>want</i> to substitute honey though... possibly because an average honey is almost 80% sugar while the rice extract is only about 40% sugar.

I'm not sure what impact this will have on the final product. So far my beer has developed a lovely gold colour and a light, refreshing aroma. Samples tasted seem quite promising. However, it is probably more due to the Coopers Canadian Blonde kit, saaz finishing hops and saflager yeast than any rice extract. I'm starting to wonder whether I should have used more rice extract to get a better idea of the impact it might have on flavour.

I think 1.5kg of rice extract along with light DME and a lager yeast would be your starting point. I have no idea about hops though.

Post by **Oliver** » Monday Aug 15, 2005 2:19 pm

Paul,

I can't give a recipe, but in forumulating one, I'd reckon you wouldn't want very much extra malt extract at all, as, from memory, Kirin is very light of body.

So maybe use a lager kit and add a few hundred grams of light malt and about 800g to 1kg of dextrose. You could add some extra hops for aroma, but I'd try it without extra hops first.

Sorry I couldn't help further.

Cheers,

Oliver

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Friday Aug 19, 2005 10:58 am

Thanks for help. Nobody has a tried-and-true recipie so, with your helpful hints, I'll make a batch using Coopers Canadian Blond + 800g dextrose and 1kg rice ectract if I can find it. No extra hops to start with. I'll use Saflager yeast farmed from my current brew.
When it's ready, I'll ask my Japanese cobber to taste it, and I'll pass the results back.

Wheatman · Post by **Wheatman** » Sunday Aug 28, 2005 8:35 pm

Hello,

Like the idea of susing out a kirin mix for home brewing. I lived up there for almost 5 years and became very attached to the Kirin range of brews. My favorite was and still is Kirin Draft. Not sure if you can buy it here but a friend of mine who is over there at the moment is bringing me back a few cans to refresh my taste buds. My intention of course will be to R&D that taste bud experience and come up with a decent recipe given the resources available to the modern day home brewer. I'll keep you all posted on the results.

Regards

Wheatman

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Monday Aug 29, 2005 5:16 am

undercover1 wrote:apologies to Merlin for quoting more movie dialogue.

Thats OK, I haven't seen Apocalypse Now, so the odds of me misquoting it are minmal

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Monday Aug 29, 2005 9:21 am

You must see Apocolypse now!!!
Even better is the 'making of' movie shot by Coppola's wife called 'Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)' bloody brilliant!
details at:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102015/combined

My 2 cents
Silk

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Monday Aug 29, 2005 12:22 pm

silkworm wrote:You must see Apocolypse now!!!
Even better is the 'making of' movie shot by Coppola's wife called 'Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)' bloody brilliant!
details at:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102015/combined

My 2 cents
Silk

Don't watch the directors cut, it goes on too damn long. There is a reason for cutting films.

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Tuesday Sep 06, 2005 9:50 am

I thought I'd bump this thread because I was thinking about using a white wine yeast in a beer recipe... I reckon you might get something like an Asahi. Lalvin EC1118 ferments quite dry... good for ciders and meads (sparkling or otherwise). I wonder if you took a typical lager-style recipe and used EC1118 whether you'd get something similar to a dry Japanese beer.

Just a thought.

Not sure what you'd get if you used a red wine yeast, but I've got some hanging around so I reckon I might give it a go

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Tuesday Sep 06, 2005 7:46 pm

I've got some hanging around so I reckon I might give it a go

That's the spirit.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Friday Sep 16, 2005 11:34 pm

Ive just put down an Asahi prototype at the request of my official taster.

Coopers Lager
Coopers Brew Enhancer 2
Rice Syrup 500g
Half a sachet of Saflager W34/70
Brewcraft Dry Enzyme

Filled to 22L, OG of 1.050

Will be some weeks before i taste test it though.

Damndest thing, just went out to check it inside my brewing fridge and its sucking air in through the airlock.

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Saturday Sep 17, 2005 12:10 pm

Nt I also put a lager down a couple of days ago and mine was doing the same thing. I wrapped mine in wet towel and ice etc. It only did it for a while but I put it down to the wort being warmer than the ambient conditions and the ice on top of the fermenter cooling the air lock.
Started bubbling after a few hours so I wasn't over concerned.
Cheers
AC

Post by **Oliver** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 12:44 pm

NTRabbit wrote:Ive just put down an Asahi prototype at the request of my official taster.
...
Half a sachet of Saflager W34/70
...
Damndest thing, just went out to check it inside my brewing fridge and its sucking air in through the airlock.

NTR,

Why the half sachet of yeast? I would have thought a whole sachet to get it off to a good start would be the go. Less chance of infection and all.

The sucking in would be because the air inside is cooling down and reducing in volume, therefore sucking in air. Once the yeast kicks in it will start bubbling.

Cheers,

Oliver

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 1:44 pm

Oliver wrote: NTR,

Why the half sachet of yeast? I would have thought a whole sachet to get it off to a good start would be the go. Less chance of infection and all.

The sucking in would be because the air inside is cooling down and reducing in volume, therefore sucking in air. Once the yeast kicks in it will start bubbling.

Cheers,

Oliver

Because im cheap, and want to use the other half for the mexican cerveza i bought. Serves me right though, the asahi clone is having great difficulty getting started, i think i put it into the cold too quickly.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Tuesday Sep 20, 2005 2:34 am

Just checked it and its finally going, will leave it overnight and turn on the fridge when i get up just to be sure.

I found some instructions for the w34/70 somewhere on the web, apparently my wort was too cold to dry pitch.

http://www.fermentis.com/FO/EN/pdf/SaflagerW-34-70.pdf

Good to know for when i use the rest I guess.

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Tuesday Sep 20, 2005 8:05 am

NT,
Was that a Coopers heritage or a standard can?
I'm just mucking around with comparing them at the moment....

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Tuesday Sep 20, 2005 2:01 pm

It was a standard can