We’re back, with a bigger beard, a dog, and tasting notes on First Gold IPA.
Nota bene: this beer was indeed kegged, as specified in the original post – but the time came when I needed a keg pronto, so the last bit got cpf’d, hence the bottle.
the beer engine
the beer engine 
Where did you happen to procure your first golds from? I still have some precious warminster kicking around, and an english IPA sounds like it would be nice for these colder days. Speaking of colder days-I’m excited to see some more posts on lager snobbery in the near (bottom fermenting friendly) future.
I got a pound from Hops Direct. And never fear, lager snobbery is never far away.
Cool. I think I might try a split batch between first gold and sovereign.
Full disclosure to the faithful readers out there: I didn’t treat my pitch of 1026 very nice (i.e. underpitched, shook the carboy instead of my usual 60 second blast of pure O2, no yeast nutrient, etc.). I’ve been dealing with a “new” house over the past two months and I just wanted some beer on tap, fast, while I take on various projects at home, and at work, too (ugh). I brewed an ESB with 1026 (OG=1.040, S.M.A.S.H. with Maris Otter and First Gold, nearly “Burtonized” brewing liquor with gypsum, Epsom salt and calcium chloride). Even by beating on the yeast a bit, I was at my desired TG=1.009 within 5 days, post-pitch, at a primary fermentation temperature of 67*F (mashed in the high 140’s for fermentability). I kegged the beer on day 12, chilled to 40*F and force carb’d to ca. 2.0 volumes of CO2. The beer never dropped bright, but I also forwent my usual kettle finings during the boil because I was in a rush during brew day. In other words, I suspect hasty wort production, and NOT the yeast, is responsible for my hazy brew. The first few pints were butter bombs, but, with a little age in the keg, the diacetyl has subsided. In fact, the saltiness is starting to come through, and it’s playing very nicely with the maltiness; think salted carmel. The First Gold hops are also relaying a bracing bitterness on the back end of the beer. FWIW, I’m actually starting to enjoy my mistake.
Take home message, which is something everyone here already knows: the difference between good beer (or in my case, palatable beer) and great beer is fermentation. Pitch rate, oxygenation and temperature regulation are required, not optional, for making good beer.
Hey Dan! Thanks for the follow-up, and thanks for unwittingly letting me turn our convo into talking points! I’m glad your SMASH’s story is having a happy ending – it seems like the most significant difference between your 1.040ish batch and my 1.040ish batch was pitch rate, but even with that, they both got a good deal better with another week or so of aging post-packaging. Knowing is half the battle, etc etc.
Would also love to know how the Polaris-Powered German IPA turned out. Mine is carbing as I type and I’m very interested to note any pros/cons you may have on that batch.
It’s next up – plan to do a side-by-side with the GTA IPA (both with Wy1217) at the next opportunity. As a teaser – I rather liked Polaris.
It was my first time around the block with both Polaris and 1217. Enjoyed trying to break the thick, oily chunk of hops just to weigh them out. Standing by…
Inspirational as always.
cpf’d??
Counter-Pressure Filled.