I discovered Orkney Brewery's Dark Islands in Scotland on cask and followed it around Edinburgh! Here's Orkney's own description:
"It offers ripe, fruity and roast coffee aromas with flavours of dark chocolate, dates and nuts, from the combination of roasted malts and robust hops.
ABV 4.6 %
IBU 19
HOPS First Gold: East Kent Goldings
MALT Pale: Crystal: Chocolate: Malted Wheat"
I want to brew a clone and I'd like to hear from others who have loved this beer (the NON-bourbon barrel aged version) because I'm unclear on my process and fermentation plans.
I've done a lot of good research on grain bill. I'm going on the Brewery's own description, as well as discussions in UK forums and my own noodling in Beersmith:
82% Crisp Floor Malted Maris Otter (my standard base malt)
5% Viking wheat malt
4% British chocolate malt
2% Bairds Crystal 135/165
2% Bairds Crystal 55/65
5% Invert #3
BUT - I'm not sure about fermentation. It's definitely got some dark fruitiness and isn't really true to the Scottish Export/80 shilling style guidelines or "norms", which are supposed to be: lighter in color than Dark Islands, neutral yeast expression - not fruity, and little to no hop flavor. They call the beer a dark Scottish Ale but it seems to me to drink more like a brown or even robust Porter.
I'm a Ray Daniel's fan and i have followed his directions for a Scottish before (low ferm temps, wlp028/wy1728, limit esters, long caramelization boil, 60 min addition only). Mine was similar to a southern English brown and took some bottle time to fully express. But this beer seems a lot more English in style to me, or more like a hybrid style.
Gonna use 1469 and not Ringwood that Orkney purportedly uses. Others think they use Notty, and one dude who was at the brewery said they def top crop. I know and adore 1187, it's my fave, but i just can't deal with a 6 or 8 week fermentation to ramp up to a slow finish to diacetyl rest to making sure no refermentation bottle bombs...not right now anyway. I need this quicker and 1187 needs special attention (maybe when I get a stainless mini fermenter that I can leave partway open).
If anyone knows & loves Dark Islands, I'd love to hear your thoughts on your perception of its flavor notes as far as fermentation plans.
"It offers ripe, fruity and roast coffee aromas with flavours of dark chocolate, dates and nuts, from the combination of roasted malts and robust hops.
ABV 4.6 %
IBU 19
HOPS First Gold: East Kent Goldings
MALT Pale: Crystal: Chocolate: Malted Wheat"
I want to brew a clone and I'd like to hear from others who have loved this beer (the NON-bourbon barrel aged version) because I'm unclear on my process and fermentation plans.
I've done a lot of good research on grain bill. I'm going on the Brewery's own description, as well as discussions in UK forums and my own noodling in Beersmith:
82% Crisp Floor Malted Maris Otter (my standard base malt)
5% Viking wheat malt
4% British chocolate malt
2% Bairds Crystal 135/165
2% Bairds Crystal 55/65
5% Invert #3
BUT - I'm not sure about fermentation. It's definitely got some dark fruitiness and isn't really true to the Scottish Export/80 shilling style guidelines or "norms", which are supposed to be: lighter in color than Dark Islands, neutral yeast expression - not fruity, and little to no hop flavor. They call the beer a dark Scottish Ale but it seems to me to drink more like a brown or even robust Porter.
I'm a Ray Daniel's fan and i have followed his directions for a Scottish before (low ferm temps, wlp028/wy1728, limit esters, long caramelization boil, 60 min addition only). Mine was similar to a southern English brown and took some bottle time to fully express. But this beer seems a lot more English in style to me, or more like a hybrid style.
Gonna use 1469 and not Ringwood that Orkney purportedly uses. Others think they use Notty, and one dude who was at the brewery said they def top crop. I know and adore 1187, it's my fave, but i just can't deal with a 6 or 8 week fermentation to ramp up to a slow finish to diacetyl rest to making sure no refermentation bottle bombs...not right now anyway. I need this quicker and 1187 needs special attention (maybe when I get a stainless mini fermenter that I can leave partway open).
If anyone knows & loves Dark Islands, I'd love to hear your thoughts on your perception of its flavor notes as far as fermentation plans.
