Treehouse makes fantastic beers, and not just their NEIPAs (which I feel are among the VERY best). THeir German Pils is super-authentic, and their milk stout is stellar!I typically only drink treehouse beers these days, I think they use a pretty basic grain bill and their yeast is what really gives their beers a lot of flavor. I don’t know what that their hopping rates are though.
I don't think they do use chocolate in it, but even if they do, is that a problem?I had the milk stout this week, I can’t imagine they are not using some form of chocolate in there. Tastes too much like Hershey’s syrup to not have something added
Too much? No.
Do you NEED that much?
No.
And I agree with dropping Carapils. It's overrated and won't add much. Use a real caramalt like CaraHell instead.
ANd something to give it a little malt backbone, like a pound or two of Vienna or something.
The problem with most of the NEIPAs out there these days (most of which are mediocre at best) is that the malt is almost an afterthought other than keeping it pale and adding adjuncts.
A grain bill that actually has some flavor will do wonders toward making a good NEIPA. Pils, Wheat, and Oats is about as bland and boring as it gets.
Just like 90% of the NEIPAs being produced today (homebrewed AND commercial).
There is more to a good NEIPA than just liquid hop juice.
Unless, of course, you happen to like liquid hop juice. That's be beauty of brewing...you can brew what you like and are not hamstrung into drinking someone else's view of the ultimate beer. "Balance" is a term I don't care for when it's used as in a judgmental way. The "proper balance" is in the eye of the drinker. 20 years ago, any NEIPA would have been scoffed at by judges as being woefully out of balance. Today, it's one of the most popular styles out there.
What makes a "good" NEIPA is a matter of personal preference.
Oh, and personally I don't like any caramel malt in my IPAs. Most add a roasty element that conflicts with nice hoppy notes of a NEIPA (again, IMO).
True, beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder. I'm not talking about balance though - that is too subjective and not always desired. I'm talking about simple flavor. If all you want is "hops juice", you could just ferment some corn sugar, hop the heck out of it, and call it a day. Or just use a 100% pils or pale grain bill.
Even "hops-juice"- oriented brews should have some degree of beer-ness underneath all that hops. And that was my point about there being so many mediocre-at-best NEIPAs out there. Brewers think they can neglect the base beer and just hop the crap out of it and no one will notice. If you were making a heavily-seasoned dry-rubbed steak, you wouldn't say "I'm just going to use the cheapest, questionable cut of meat I can find because nobody will notice with all that seasoning". So why neglect the base beer under an NEIPA?
Of course, that IS the beauty of homebrewing - you can tell me I'm full of it and go ahead and use the beer equivalent of a rice cake as your grist, and if it comes out perfect to your taste, then it is a success for you. Just don't be surprised if not all the people you share it with agree.
I agree on the caramalts, with a caveat: Most people only use crystal 40 or above in APA and IPAs (usually 60). The SRM of CaraHell is only about 10. It does not exhibit a roasty element - it is more like a honey flavor.
That said, I don't use caramalts in my NEIPA either - I just threw that in because the OP was going to use Carapils, which isn't even a real caramalt, and is grossly overrated for the other qualities it is purported to offer.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I think Trillium is one of those breweries that is generally mediocre at best.Valid points. I've experimented a lot with NEIPAs and I've had many examples of the heavy hitters since I have a good friend who travels out east at least 4 times a year to get beer. I always end up with a nice selection of Treehouse, Trillium, Hill Farmstead, Foam, & Bissell Brothers when he returns.
And here is my actual Julius "clone" next to the real deal.
Any guesses which is which?
View attachment 614730
I don't bother chasing the whole "but XYZ brewery uses this yeast or that yeast" because people act like you can't get a VERY close approximation of a given beer without using their exact yeast strain, which is bunk.I think my issue with NEIPAs is 1. The ridicules cost of the hops you need to buy, if you are doing a Citra, Mosaic or Galaxy beer, and 2. The yeast plays a big part. When I have treehouse or trillium, all I can taste is the overpowering yeast, which at times I really like. But, when they use that yeast, I can’t tell a Citra beer from a galaxy beer, etc. all their beers taste relatively the same to me, over yeasty and less about the hops they are using. Granted, I have no idea what yeast treehouse or trillium use, I’ve tried to emulate something close and it’s just not worth it anymore, I’ll just make something I like that tastes good and I can actually get the hops flavor.
Yeast is important but it's only one piece of the puzzle. I've used all the usual suspects and if used properly they can all make great beer. Been recently using the kviek hornindal and really like it.I don't bother chasing the whole "but XYZ brewery uses this yeast or that yeast" because people act like you can't get a VERY close approximation of a given beer without using their exact yeast strain, which is bunk.
I generally use WLP 007 or Imperial's Juice.
I agree with pretty much everything above. I don't care one way or the other as I'm not a trillium or treehouse fanboy whatsoever, but it's a little unfair to say that trillium doesn't have any base beers that they produce. I'm pretty sure the whole street series (stillings, melcher, congress, etc...I'm too lazy to go their website and actually look) is produced pretty regularly, along with fort point, and a few others. I used to think trillium wasn't that good and had some pretty bad batches, but everything I've had from them lately has been delicious...for my tastes.
Conversely I feel like treehouse has dropped off a little bit. A few years ago they were "THE" brewery but ever since they expanded I feel like ive had some sub par batches of Julius..which they should have completely nailed down at this point.
Nope.Cavpilot have you ever tried GY054 yeast in your NEIPA?
I've used the omega version. It's just Conan, which you're probably aware of. It'll give off nice peach esters if used properly.Cavpilot have you ever tried GY054 yeast in your NEIPA?
I agree yeast is important, but I think to say you can't get a VERY close approximation/clone (close enough that you would be hard-pressed to tell a difference) of Zombie Dust or Julius or Heady without using their exact strains is a stretch if not a complete fantasy.Yeast is important but it's only one piece of the puzzle. I've used all the usual suspects and if used properly they can all make great beer. Been recently using the kviek hornindal and really like it.
I agree yeast is important, but I think to say you can't get a VERY close approximation/clone (close enough that you would be hard-pressed to tell a difference) of Zombie Dust or Julius or Heady without using their exact strains is a stretch if not a complete fantasy.
But, more importantly, I am no longer interested in cloning someone else's beer. Been there, done that. I am now interested in making my own inspired by my favorites, but all my own.
Nope.
Hmm, I haven't had the bitterness issue, but there has always been a slight layer on the bottom of their cans, dating back to Monson. But I never get floaters like with Alchemist ie Heady Topper, Crusher and especially Focal Banger.In have been noticing the same thing with TH. Been going since May of last year and never consistent. Their beer also has a lot of hop and yeast at the bottom of the cans and it’s rather bitter which ruins the smoothness if the beer.
It's always a slurry layer, but it's been in every can I've gotten since day 1, over a few years ago. It's definitely not hop debris. I actually shake the can a little and put in every last drop lol. To each their own!Depending on the beer, mostly with the IIPA, you will see it if you put the entire can. I try not to anymore. It’s not a huge deal but suggests to me that they are either rushing to get the beer in cans or not dropping everything out before packaging. It also may just be that they use a lot of hops and it’s just what happens with their system?
Enter your email address to join: