How many of you have brewed NB's Dead Ringer extract kit? I brewed it and I liked it pretty well. My brother-in-law gave me some homebrews and I sampled one today. It was a beer we did together during the UM vs. MSU game (awesome ending if you're a Spartan fan) and I honestly couldn't remember what kit he was doing. I sampled the beer today and LOVED his, but I thought it was more like a pale ale than an IPA. I thought mine was more "intense or robust" in flavor than his. He did dry hop his with homegrown cascade hops he planted. Not sure if that was the difference or not. I think he'll actually like my "intense" version more while I prefer his "mellower/pale ale" style beer. We both used 05 and I'm assuming we both fermented around 65. Besides the dry hopping difference, any other idea why his beer would have come out "mellower" than mine? I like both, I just preferred his - thought it was awesome, actually.
Dead Ringer differences
- Thread starter eadavis80
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If you brewed a different kit, its natural it would have a different flavor. Grain bill, variety of hops, hop schedule, original gravity, malt/bitterness ratio - all would impact the final result of your brews.
FWIW, APAs and IPAs probably make up about 50% of the beers I brew!
FWIW, APAs and IPAs probably make up about 50% of the beers I brew!
We both brewed the Dead Ringer extract kit. I just didn't remember that was the kit he brewed until after he told me when I told him how much I liked his beer. I didn't think it was the Dead Ringer because it tasted quite a bit different than mine.
flars
Well-Known Member
Dead Ringer is one of my favorites. Just dry hopped five gallons three days ago. Flavor differences can come from the water used, the fermentation temperature, how the extract was added, AA% of the hops, volume differences in the fermentor, and the amount of heat applied to the kettle for the boil.
Water, different mineral composition or distilled with nearly no minerals.
He may have added the LME late. Lighter color because of the shorter time heated, Maillard Reaction.
Fermenting below 65°F could have added a nearly imperceptible peach flavor.
Hops, AA% less than the Dead Ringer kit.
Fermentor volume, his fermentor could have had a volume greater than yours.
He may also have applied just enough heat to maintain a rolling boil versus a vigorous boil, which also affects the intensity of the Maillard Reaction.
Water, different mineral composition or distilled with nearly no minerals.
He may have added the LME late. Lighter color because of the shorter time heated, Maillard Reaction.
Fermenting below 65°F could have added a nearly imperceptible peach flavor.
Hops, AA% less than the Dead Ringer kit.
Fermentor volume, his fermentor could have had a volume greater than yours.
He may also have applied just enough heat to maintain a rolling boil versus a vigorous boil, which also affects the intensity of the Maillard Reaction.
A four year old post resurrection, bad form? I brewed NB’s Extract kit as my 3rd attempt at hb, recently. Since a friend stated he wasn’t impressed with his brew of it a few years back, I decided to double dry hop with the addition of 2 more oz of Centenial 72 hrs before bottling. I am very happy with my results. IMO, came in between founders centennial ipa and bells two hearted.
