Spring/Summer greetings!
So, what’s been going on at the fermentation station?
Before you read on, we have a special deal on at the moment – get a 12-pack of mixed beer and a T Shirt for only £39! Find the listing on our online store. Men and Women’s T Shirts are available.
Highlights
- Cider forays in Dorset. We holidayed down South and sampled some regional ciders. An affectionately named ‘Dorsecco’ by Cranborne Chase Cider was a real treat. This keeved cider was full of bubbles and had just the right level of sweetness. I once accidentally keeved a pear cider, which was released during our first year of trading in 2020. It was simply the best (pear) cider I have ever made, period.
- Our beers are spreading further afield. We have stock in Thirsty and Grape Britannia - both in Cambridge. I’m rather chuffed to be stocked in Cambridge since this City has been the backbone of my scientific career thus far. We are also now stocked on Tap Door, which is a fantastic online pic n’ mix platform for home deliveries. I love their dedicated cold-storage, ensuring customers receive the beer in the same condition it leaves the brewery.
- Our family has grown by +1. Meet Hamilton, ‘Hammy’, our Brewdog. He can be a proper little shit, but even his demonic behaviour is adorable. We are absolutely in Love. Brewing activities have slowed down while we adjust to a new way of living. Picture enclosed of Rachel & Hammy sparked out on the couch after an episode of day-drinking.
Headaches
- My thermocouple broke, which means I can no longer roll out of bed at silly o’clock in the morning and immediately strike the grains with pre-heated water at just the right temperature. Now instead, I have to roll out of bed to get the water heating and monitor the temperature the old-fashioned way with a thermometer, which adds a couple extra hours onto the brew day.
Horizons
- As always, I live for experimenting and trying new brews. Look out for a beer-cider crossover. I’m thinking an apple & rhubarb pale ale with a sharp and tangy finish would be interesting. Or perhaps a crispy spiced apple lager? Apples are obviously out of season at the moment, so I will have to go back to old habits juicing supermarket apples at extortionate cost, but they will bring fabulous sharp flavours to the brews.
Latest Experimental Series
"Nut Nut"
Batch code: NN
ABV: 7.1%
A roasted hazelnut and peanut porter. Whilst making this silky & decadent brew, we also included some lactose and cacao for a milk chocolate theme. We roasted a tray's worth of hazelnuts and peanuts and included them in the mash . . . . (Allergen warning - actually contains nuts!).
This brew was conceived by Rachel who wanted something similar to a peanut milk chocolate stout we tried on our travels in California. Truth be told, this brew was meant to be a stout, but the colour came out a little shy! tomayto - tomarto!
"Spring into Saison"
Batch code: Rosé
ABV: 4.7%
I wanted to make a brew that has some of the qualities I love in a good glass of white or rosé. The base of the beer is our cold-fermented saison, which I have been tweaking the past couple years. It makes for a wonderful clean canvas to layer in addition flavours. Enigma hop was layered in at several points during the brewing process. This hop has an amazing Pinot Grigio profile. The batch was initially coloured a pink hue from hibiscus, which brings a subtle tartness, but after conditioning, it seems some of the pigments have attached to yeast cells and dropped down as sediment! An interesting lesson for next time.
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Thanks for reading. If you have any thoughts on the above, I would love to hear from you. Write to us at biochemistbrewery@gmail.com.
Best,
Luke & Rachel
