Recent content by mthelm85

I just drank this beer for the first time a few days ago and I too was very impressed. A few opinions about your recipe: First, the hop flavor and bitterness is really well balanced with the esters/phenols/spices yet the hop nose is really forward and overwhelming. This would suggest that...

In light-colored beers the off-flavors produced by oxidation are often described as paper, cardboard or lipstick. In darker beers the maltiness tends to fade and you will get a sherry-like flavor, which some people actually find quite pleasant (including myself in a dubbel!). Oxidation can also...

The off-flavors resulting from oxidation are generally thought of as a longer-term issue but if you are storing your beer at warm temperatures, the effects of oxidation can become noticeable rather quickly. That's why I bottle my beer as soon as it hits FG and then as soon as it's carbed up...

Since I originally posted this over a year ago I've made some changes and haven't had the problem anymore. Everyone pointed to sanitation but my sanitation practices are the same now as they were then so I know that wasn't the problem. I don't really know the cause of the problem I was having or...

Just depends on the style....if I'm going for an authentic English style I'll carb lower but other than that I actually carb relatively high. When the yeast are still fresh and you put them in warmer temps they eat the sugar up very quickly.

It was at FG on 11/16, I just didn't know it. I mashed @ 158 because I wanted plenty of body and residual sweetness to balance out all those IBU's. I checked gravity again on 11/18 and it hadn't moved so I went ahead and bottled. 2 days in my mini warm room and it's fully carbed and delicious...

Too much Special B? No such thing for me, I love that rasiny, figgy, dark fruity flavor in a dark beer.

Okay, ignore everything else I've posted so far. The beer is now bottled and fully carbed and tastes fantastic. Tastes much closer to Deschutes Jubelale than it does to a CDA....beer is a mysterious thing.....I've had beers that tasted great right out of the carboy and still tasted great after...

I just wanted to add something to this thread.....I tried my first Cascadian Dark Ale today, Deschutes Brewery's Hop In The Dark.....I was shocked....it tastes VERY similar to what I brewed.....I'm thinking maybe I just don't like this style?! I really love malty and hoppy is nice now and then...

Galena hops are a widely used bittering hop. From what I understand they were Brewer's Gold that were openly pollinated so it's a hybrid hop but it's a really high alpha acid (the ones I have now are 13.4%, that's why I only needed .4 oz) hop that produces nice, clean bitterness. Sterlings...

Haha, I wasn't expecting any replies, thanks for caring! I erased my original message because I concluded that it just needs more time. It's actually not spiced, here's what I did: 75% 2-Row 11% Crystal 120 11% Honey Malt 3% Brown Malt .4 oz Galena 60 mins. 1 oz Sterling 15 mins. 1.5 oz...

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Almost forgot this one......