With Christmas now upon us a small update my latest brews and what the new year potentially will bring.
Since my last post in Oct (It's been awhile again!) I have done 2 brews ready for Christmas and silly season, both contrasting each other.One is a Black IPA, very roasty and fully bodied, the kind you sit and slip in front of an open fire while you wonder if John McClane can save the day even if you've watched Die Hard 25+ times before.
This is quite aptly named Fimbulwinter - which is norse for mighty winter & is the immediate prelude to Ragnarok (if you were wondering?!).
I originally did this beer last year as a partial extract, however this time tweaking it and did it as an all-grain.
The other is it's younger brother.....Santa Panda, a light refreshing Pale Ale that is heavily hopped with Amarillo and Ahtanum to impart a strong Tangerine Citrus quality, with added late spices which has given the beer a faint nutmeg spicy finishing note after the citrus flavour.
I have only tasted a 10 day old sample which wasn't fully conditioned and carbonated but it certainly appears that Santa Panda will be a great alternative to the 'traditional' winter/autumn beers you get. At 4% it wont knock your head off. I decided to keg this one with a few bottles for a selection Xmas box of the two.
My idea for two completely different types was to have this choice, which I haven't had really before, also for making a mixed present box of 3 of each kind.
So briefly onto next year...Now with 3 very successful brews under my belt(along with my new setup) I have the confidence I think to try my hand a some competitions at the very least.
I have already penciled into the calendar the Saison Competition as part of the Home Brew Forum that runs in June next year. With the Strong Island Portsmouth Competition a few months earlier will be a perfect opportunity to do my most favoured G.E.B Pale Ale.
I have no illusions that any prizes will be within my reach however I am at the stage in my hobby that I would like to see actually how good am I, like a golfer obtaining their handicap.
