Lots of hops to act as a preserver, I have also thought about doing something like Oliver & Goeff's millenium ale project. But honestly, I don't think the beers would last that long
Thats it, you people have stood in my way long enough, I'm going to clown college
That looks like a great idea!! Hmm - maybe something to think about for myself too!
I've already done a beer I intend to keep for 2 years (to drink on my son's 5th birthday) so this might be the next step...
When looking at using hops for preservative - does it matter at which point of the boil they are added (besides their use in bittering/flavouring/aroma)? Does their preservative effect peak depending on when they are added?
When talking about 'lots' of hops - what sort of quantity are we talking?
Does alcohol by volume have an effect on the longevity of brews at all? Just wondering since the styles gregb suggested are fairly high alc.
Is there anything special/different you need to do in the brewing process (apart from lots of hops) that will help a beer keep for a long time?
This idea of yours, cleanbrewer, has got me really interested!!
Its a fairly basic beer but the 1999s that i am drinking now are bloody nice.
Here is an extract recipe for 23L i just whipped up (i converted an AG recipe i have in my to do list).
23L, OG 1.074, IBU 52
0.50 kg Wheat Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) Dry Extract 8.93 %
4.50 kg Pale Liquid Extract (15.8 EBC) Extract 80.36 %
0.10 kg Chocolate Malt (Joe White) (660.0 EBC) Grain 1.79 %
35.00 gm Target [11.00 %] (60 min) Hops 34.0 IBU
55.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (20 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
45.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (20 min) Hops 18.0 IBU
0.50 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 EBC) Sugar 8.93 %
1 Pkgs Coopers Ale (Coopers) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Ale
This is for a full boil. If you cant boil 30L (which will be about 23L after a 60 min boil) then do a half boil and add only half of the extracts/sugar.
Its my take on vintage ale - read an interview with Dr Tim Cooper about how they make it and he mentioned 3 hops, POR, cascade and hersbrucker (from dodgy memory so could be 3 entirely different hops!)
The AG version - 25L, OG 1.075, IBU 50 (70% efficiency)
6.75 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) (5.9 EBC) Grain 84.38 %
0.45 kg Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC) Grain 5.63 %
0.15 kg Chocolate Malt (Joe White) (660.0 EBC) Grain 1.88 %
30.00 gm Target [11.00 %] (60 min) Hops 29.7 IBU
55.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (20 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
50.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (20 min) Hops 20.4 IBU
0.65 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 EBC) Sugar 8.13 %
1 Pkgs Coopers Ale (Coopers) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Ale
So why have i changed the hops i hear you ask? Cos i can and because i really cant taste either cascade or hersbrucker in any of the vintages (and i have tasted them all). I think its an old ale in the english style so thats what i am aiming for.
I have written the coopers yeast but i doubt i will use it, will prob go something like 1275 or 1469 for some more character.
Clean Brewer wrote:I had a thought about sealing the tops aswell with wax, so im going to go for it, can only try..
Something to report on the forum for the next 50 years...
Filtering also helps with shelf life if thats an option for you, still not sure what it would be like after 50 years though, if it tastes crap you could always use it for shampoo if you have any hair left by then
James i ordered it on the 5th and was told about 10 working days until it will be ready so should be anytime soon. Cant wait to give AG brewing a shot.
Ive just kegged a partial based on TL SNPA best brew ive done so far no way im going back to K&K brews. The AG version will be first one i try so will have to compare the two.
drsmurto wrote:Its my take on vintage ale - read an interview with Dr Tim Cooper about how they make it and he mentioned 3 hops, POR, cascade and hersbrucker (from dodgy memory so could be 3 entirely different hops!)
The AG version - 25L, OG 1.075, IBU 50 (70% efficiency)
6.75 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) (5.9 EBC) Grain 84.38 %
0.45 kg Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC) Grain 5.63 %
0.15 kg Chocolate Malt (Joe White) (660.0 EBC) Grain 1.88 %
30.00 gm Target [11.00 %] (60 min) Hops 29.7 IBU
55.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (20 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
50.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (20 min) Hops 20.4 IBU
0.65 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 EBC) Sugar 8.13 %
1 Pkgs Coopers Ale (Coopers) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Ale
So why have i changed the hops i hear you ask? Cos i can and because i really cant taste either cascade or hersbrucker in any of the vintages (and i have tasted them all). I think its an old ale in the english style so thats what i am aiming for.
I have written the coopers yeast but i doubt i will use it, will prob go something like 1275 or 1469 for some more character.
Cheers
DrSmurto
An excellent recipe Doc - not too dissimilar to my ESB recipe. I'd swap the Joe White malt with some Marris Otter - admittedly it may not be a vintage ale any more but it should make a damn fine bitter.
homebrewer79 wrote:...Lots of hops to act as a preserver...
I doubt the hops alone are going to do the job and yes, the beers are unlikely to turn out full of flavour and bitterness that you originally intended. The "hops as a preservative" line was trotted out when the poms shipped beer to the Raj in casks - we have moved on a tad since then!
As Keg suggests, a strong ale / lager / barleywine is the go.
I agree with TL. I myself made a beer a few months back that I plan to have a single bottle of every b-day until my 50th, at which I will have the last bottle. I only added 20 IBUs to a 12% kreik and I expect it to keep very well! I will wax the tops (when I figure out where to get the wax) and try to keep the bottles in a cool dry place at all times. I expect the last bottle to be just as good if not better than the third. I say go for it, but try to get something with at least 9% alcohol and do not overdo the hops if you do not want to.
I would also like to take a moment to thank drsmurto who sent me two bottles of that 1999 Coopers Vintage Ale to enjoy, along with two of his finest bottles of both Cyser and Ginger Beer! I in turn sent him two bottles of the famous kreik and two bottles of a Burtonised Pale Ale with a small care package of various hop pellets (like he needs more right?).
