National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Kit Brewing => Topic started by: Garry on December 19, 2013, 11:00:35 PM

Title: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 19, 2013, 11:00:35 PM
Steeped in 3 litres @65C for 4 hours (finished @ 50C);

300g Caracrystal 120 EBC
500g MCI Ale Malt

Steeped in 3 litres @ 80C for 4 hours (finished @whatever degrees C!);

70g Cascade
25g Challenger

2 no 1.7kg cans Toohey's special lager (they were going cheap on HBW)
500g light spray malt

US05 yeast

Brewed to 25 litres

Dry hop for 1 week with:
30g columbus
30g cascade

Dry hop for another  week with:
40g citra
50g kohatu

OG = 1.058
FG = 1.016
ABV ~ 6.0%

This is my best beer to date. Great body, fantastic hop aroma and great head retention. Lovely bitterness from using 2 cans and you still get the freshness from the steeped grains/mini mash.
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 20, 2013, 09:47:25 AM
Wow, that's a lot of hops! I'm glad it worked out :)
Any particular reason for doing a steep + DME instead of a partial mash?
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 20, 2013, 10:04:24 AM
Quote from: LordEoin on December 20, 2013, 09:47:25 AM
Any particular reason for doing a steep + DME instead of a partial mash?

I was too lazy to dig out the stock pot so was limited to a 5L pot! I had the DME to use up anyway.

I plan on doing a partial mash sometime soon. Maybe use 2 to 3 kg of base malt instead of DME.

I think I gave you a bottle of this in Midleton?
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 20, 2013, 01:40:29 PM
oh yeah.. so you did  ;D
It's ready to drink now so?
It's looking lovely and clear
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 20, 2013, 03:17:22 PM
Ready and waiting :P
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 20, 2013, 03:26:47 PM
You were the one that told me to hold off on it  :P
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 20, 2013, 03:30:56 PM
I didn't think you'd listen to me!
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: johnrm on December 20, 2013, 05:29:35 PM
I found one of these too!
Its in the fridge now.
Thanks Garry!
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 20, 2013, 08:07:18 PM
Damn... good thinking John!  ^-^
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 20, 2013, 09:59:19 PM
I tip my hat to you sir.
Before drinking it I was concerned about over hopping from all the well.. hops... or over bittering for 2 kits.
But they're balanced lovely.

You can smell the flavour before it ever reaches the mouth, and then you get the lovely bittering to compliment it.
It's pretty clear, and the head poured thick and lasted at a decent level the whole way down, lacing the glass as it went.

It's a testament to what shitloads of late hopping can do to a kit!  :)

Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 21, 2013, 12:29:48 PM
Glad you liked it eoin. You mentioned to me before I brewed this, that a toucan would be very bitter. That's why I brewed it to 25L. I think it works well.

The hop aroma is fantastic if I say so my self!  When the glass is half drank, I spend more time sniffing the beer than drinking it :D This will probably fade with time? I better drink up fast :D
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 21, 2013, 01:12:29 PM
Yup, 3 months should be perfect and it will start to fade from there.
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 21, 2013, 03:37:50 PM
OK, it's 7 weeks since brewday. I've got time on my side so :)
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: johnrm on December 21, 2013, 09:58:13 PM
Cracking beer Garry. Loved it.
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 21, 2013, 10:21:24 PM
Cheers John. I've given you a few beers over the year (for your group buy distribution services), and most of them would have been shíte  :-[ So I'm glad you enjoyed this one  :)

Actually, the columbus hops in this one came from you, so thanks  :)
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: johnrm on December 21, 2013, 10:55:41 PM
Trish said to say thatshe liked it too. This could pass for AG. (I'm saying that!)
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 22, 2013, 02:43:23 PM
She's keeper John :P

I still haven't managed to make a beer that my own wife will drink. Anyone got a recipe for west cost cooler?
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: LordEoin on December 22, 2013, 07:23:43 PM
Try slow gin (or vodka) http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4719.0.html
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: mr hoppy on December 24, 2013, 11:00:02 PM
Non nom.

Lovely beer.

As for west coast cooler - it's a white wine spritzer with berry flavorings, so a white wine kit, berry flavouring and lemonade should do the trick.
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: Garry on December 24, 2013, 11:32:51 PM
Thanks Mr. H. That Belgian you gave me ain't bad either :D
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: mr hoppy on December 25, 2013, 12:13:14 AM
Cheers Garry!
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: johnrm on December 25, 2013, 06:19:49 PM
I have a Mr H Belgian here too. Time to chill it... ;-)
Title: Re: Tooheys Lager Toucan - American Ale Hack Recipe
Post by: mr hoppy on December 25, 2013, 10:57:44 PM
Different Belgian. This one's nearly all gone now as well though. >:(