homebrewandbeer.com

Well, I've done just that...the wort tasted good, the ferment took off well. Looking forward to the sample...

I was concerned that the temp was a little high, but it seems it is fine...I can also smell the hops as the ferment progresses...

Hey Wassa,
Believe me, I intend to! When I make it again, I will definitely add the honey and hops. I'm still confident that this one will be a cracker. It's been in bottles a week now, and will remain there till June/July. I'll let you know how it goes! Cheers,

MattyV

Yuuuummmmm!
I am salivating!!!

Once I try a hoegaarden clone I will try this recipe..

Thanks guys. Geez I love this forum!!!

Ok, now I know I said I wouldn't touch this till June/July... But - I just couldn't help myself! I had to try just one!! . And now I'm frustrated that I did, because it is, without a doubt, by far and away the best beer I have produced. My god - It was like drinking liquid gold. Outstanding head, great retention, super smooth and malty with just the right combination of roasted chocolate/coffee. I was in heaven. I know it will only get better, but it will be so hard not to tell myself "go on, it's only one more" I don't think I'd stop.
I never thought that I'd be able to produce a beer this good. IMHO it is better than any commercial equivalent I've ever tasted. I know that sounds extremely arrogant, but I think I'm in love!!
Cheers fellow brewers, today is a very good day!

MattyV

Glad to hear that you liked it Matty.

Just think how good it'll be in 3 months time. Now all you have to do is put it down again again using honey and hops.

Just tidying up some of the threads & getting rid of these comments from Kim Wong...cheers

Our friend kimmwong/kim_wong is no more

That's what happens to spammers. They get deleted!

Just drop me a line if anyone comes across more like this.

Oliver

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would add my expereinces with this kit.

As a result of reading this thread, I based my first Partial mash from ideas here. I ended up with this:

CMP Kit
2kg Pale malt grain
300g Choc
200g crystal
500g honey
20g Saaz at 60 mins (mainly because they were in the fridge and needed to be used)
20g cascade at flameout
150g cocoa powder
200g Lindt 85% cocoa chocolate
made up to 19L


cracked the first one tonite after about 3 weeks in the bottle.... WOW!!

What a beer.... very chocolatey and smooth, balanced perfectly with the bitterness from the kit and saaz. The honey adds some nice interest as well, and the cascade finishes the package. Im amazed by how awesome this beer is for being so young. Cant wait to see what its like in 3 months time! (just hope I can keep my hands off them for that long!)

Thanks to all for the inspiration in this thread for the above.

Mearesy

Any thoughts on how this would go with a Coopers Sparkling Ale yeast starter? I had been looking at this one for a little while and got curious. Went to my local HBS and bought one. The HBS man was very helpfull etc and explained to me that they get a suphur smell at the temps in Brisbane and swapped the yeast for a no-sulphur smelling yeast. The yeast he supplied looks like the Brewiser yeast at K-Mart. I followed blindly and got home and thought crap I have temp control. I'm steering away from kit yeasts anyway but is this yeast nasty? Hence the idea of CPA starter that I had pleasure making. What do you guys think. No disrespect to the HBS guy if your here.

I used the SAF english ale yeast (the blue pack). It worked well for this beer. I think any clean fermenting yeast would be ok (ie you dont want the yeast to be contributing many flavours). Dont see any reason not to use your starter.

Well after buying the CMP and by passing it for about 7 brews, I am gonna have a go. As I rarely get to a HBS, I have been stalling to get crystal/choc grains, etc, but bugger it... will have a crack anyway.

Looked at Safeway for liquorice extract, with no joy.
I bought a "1 metre of licorice" (no jokes), but the Mrs laughed & reckons not to boil it up. Might do it anyway as an alternative to licorice. Hell, it still tastes like licrorice & that's the flavour I am after!
The added ingedients in it may screw up my brew but I report on that later.
Also gonna throw in 500g's of Light Dry malt & 500g of yellow box honey.

Wil put it down til at least October & post my opinion.


... I am mad for using "lolly" licorice???

I'm not sure but I think REAL licorice is full of salt, as for the no jokes was that length or girth

JubJub wrote:I'm not sure but I think REAL licorice is full of salt,

Good point, I'll leave it out.

JubJub wrote:as for the no jokes was that length or girth

Yeah, 1m long mate, but the mrs told me to boil up a "reduction" to make it 6"

I have a horrible feeling I just ruined my CMP.
Added 500g yellow box honey, 75g cocoa powder & 500g light dry malt. Smelt like a hot chocolate before I threw in Cascade kit.

Sg was 1046 before yeast pitching.
I think it is gonna be far too sweet.


Any feedback welcome.

CMP was my very first brew, and I was worried it hadn't worked because the cascade yeast is a gentle kind of beast that ferments in an unhurried kind of way. Not at all like any of the other kit yeasts, Safale, Saflager, T58, and whatever else I've used.

I know it's been said elsewhere, but I'll say it again: don't rush to open it once bottled - the Cascade beers seem to like a goodly bit of maturation before they peak.

FWIW, I've just bottled a Cascade Golden Harvest Lager. My mate's comment when we tasted the hydrometer jar contents was "God, that's dry". Not surprising when the final gravity was 1.006, which is by far the lowest FG I've ever had.

cheers,
Tom

Should turn out fine Oscar, I wouldnt panic. Mine is tasting really great now, and is quite a bitter beer, so I wouldnt worry about it being too sweet. Let us know how things go.

Update:
Just took an SG reading (1.018) and had a taste - I am quite impressed with the flavour thus far.
Quite a distinctive chocolate flavour, with some bitterness left on the palate. Even mrs oscar was impressed. Must hide these from her.
Will bottle tonite & taste one in 2 moths time, with a view to rest them for 6 months.

Good to hear mate

As with most, I have been disappointed with Cascade..

However, with time, and I am talking 4-6 months, they improve out of sight.

The Choc Mahogany does not have to wait that long as it does not have the Cascade "Sulphur" smell as with the previous 6 Cascades I have done.

I had a "Couple" the other night and they were fantastic...and only 7 weeks old.