Below are two slideshows: one of New Holland Brewing and one of Little Sable Point Lighthouse.

Last Fall I was examining my brewing palate and realized I’d not done an Irish Red. Why not? I like Irish Reds. I’ve purchased Irish Reds. Why haven’t I made an Irish Red? At the same time, I was wanting to branch out a bit on my recipe sourcing. Don’t get me wrong. The kits from G&G have been fantastic, every one. But I thought I’d see what else was out there. Having just purchased BeerSmith software, I checked out their archives and located a couple of possibilities. After more searching, I determined that “Big Head Irish Red” by Tim Gorman had what I was looking for. So, I ordered up the ingredients and had it. I was so pleased with it that I brought some out to HI for our special trip.

The Numbers
OG: 1.051
FG: 1.016
ABV: 4.56
SRM: 12.9
IBU: 25
Yield: 28×12oz, 12×22oz

Tasting Notes
App- Copper colored, crystal clear, light creamy head that dissapates fairly quick.
Aroma- Malty, very light hop aroma
Taste- I’ve been interested in this one because the hops came out more interesting than I’d predicted. While generally balanced, the crystal adds a sweetness to the malt and the roasted barley provides just a hint of bit. What’s wild is that, at times, the hops almost seem minty.
Mouthfeel- Not heavy or light. Solid, middle of the road ale.
Drinkability: Very drinkable. Not striking enough to tire the tastebuds, but interesting enough to feel like “one more”.

Overall I was very pleased with this recipe from the BeerSmith archives.

The Numbers
OG: 1.048
FG: 1.014
ABV: 4.43
IBU: 45.7
SRM: 13
Yield: 51×12

Tasting Notes
I should say upfront that this ale befuddles me somewhat. Left to my own devices, I’d say that this was a good or decent brew. I think I did a good job on the technical side, and there really aren’t any flaws. On the other hand, I was entirely underwhelmed by the Amarillo hops. That all being said, I believe that this is my most popular brew to date. At every event where I’ve brought this thing, people don’t just compliment it or express interest, they really like it. I thought at first that it was just people who weren’t used to craft brews, but then I got more raves from someone who samples many “more sophisticated” malt beverages. After each of these experiences, I’ve gone back home and tried another one to see if I can taste what they’re tasting. And each time I’m left confused, sipping on my good-not-great creation that seems to excite others way more than it does me. For all of you who claim I should start my own brewery, this may be one indication of why that’s not a good idea. (Of course, I’m not opposed to making T-16 again, but, still…)

So, with all that said, here’s what I think:

Appearance: Very clear, golden color with cream head.
Aroma: All hops. Citrus, fresh grapefruit, hint of a sharpness, very faint alcohol.
Taste: Sharp, almost pithy bitterness that’s less harsh than actual citrus pith. Hard to sense any of the malt.
Mouthfeel: Fairly high carbonation. Finishes fairly clean with a lingering bitterness.
Overall: This ale is all about the hop. Unfortunately, I think the hop character is a bit flat. The aroma and flavor are good, but they need some more depth. I wonder if the Amarillo is one of those hops that is best in a blend. It does have good things to offer. Also, if this were a recording, I’d say there was something just a bit off in the high end. I don’t have a descriptor for it. It is solid ale, but I still don’t understand all the love it gets. Maybe I just don’t like Texas

A few batches on now from last year’s Inklings Ale debacle, I thought I’d tackle the recipe again and bring some to the Glen for the Thomas Parker Society. The CAMRA recipe calls for some Diastatic Malt Extract and a certain amount of mashing. Not having any Diastatic Malt Extract, in fact discovering that such an animal is not only hard to come by here in the US but increasingly so back in Merry Old, I decide to change things up a bit by adding some base malt and doing a partial mash procedure I read in BYO magazine. I also decided to try a different yeast than last try. Instead of the standby Wyeast 1028 London Ale, I tried out 1275 Thames Valley (which is supposedly a Burton ale yeast). My big excitement here was that I have purchased an erlenmeyer flask in which to make yeast starters.

Brew day went fantastically, with me hitting my marks on the nose. In fact, it may be the most exact brew day I’ve had.

The Numbers
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.013
ABV: 4.82
IBU: 30.2
SRM: 14
Yield: 16×12, 8×16, 8.41×22 (43.16×12)
Tasting Notes
Off the top, it looks great: coppery cyrstal clear, decent white foam. I continue to be amazed at the difference between the 12oz bottles and larger vessels; considering it’s bottle conditioned, I suppose I shouldn’t be, but I am. Some of the 12ers have a highly fruity quality that I’m not sure I like, whereas the larger bottles seem to be more balanced, allowing the EKG hops to shine. [update]The disparity between bottle sizes continues, with the 12ers presenting–to my taste–a sulphur trace. Took the brew to some professional tasters. One couldn’t sense what I was talking about; the other said he could taste the off-flavor but that he was hyper-sensitive to the particular flavor I was describing. So, no answers yet on this oddity.

At Thomas Parker, the ale was rather well liked. “Kick %&#!” was one response, along with many “Well dones” and people wrestling with their better angels over whether they could have another glass and still be fair to those who hadn’t yet tried some.