Small beers competition

[LordEoin]

Anyone entering a small beer into the summer comp?

[Dr Horrible]

I have an ordinary bitter (3.6percent) just about ready that I was thinking about entering but it's come out pretty disappointing, kind of watery and bland. If it improves at all over the next month I might bring it along to the next meet up but at the moment it's a bit of a write off. Very disappointed, the wort was fecking gorgeous.

[johnrm]

I have a bitter @3.7%
I tasted it flat and its seems pretty good.
I've been force carbing this over the past few days to keep the ABV low.

Need to list up who has what and where we are going to decide what goes forward pretty soon.
This does not have to be a big session, or in a pub.
What say ye?

(Also, Could a Mod maybe merge this and the thread I started 'Summer Session Beers')

1. johnrm - Bitter

[LordEoin]

I'll merge it in a bit, once i get a spare few minutes

I brought my attempt with me to the last meet but nobody else did, so not sure where that leaves us..

1 johnrm
2 lordeoin

[Dr Horrible]

Was your entry the one with the 366 hops, LordEoin?  That's a lovely beer, what sort of strength is it?

[LordEoin]

god no, that was about 7.2%
the dark beer i brought was about 3.8%

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I have an ordinary bitter (3.6percent) just about ready that I was thinking about entering but it's come out pretty disappointing, kind of watery and bland. If it improves at all over the next month I might bring it along to the next meet up but at the moment it's a bit of a write off. Very disappointed, the wort was fecking gorgeous.

What yeast? Sometimes the interesting character of english bitter can take some time to materialise.

I dispensed some of mine from some easy kegs (cask primed, and with air vents) at a party and it was divine.

They are actually quite hard to make well.

[Dr Horrible]

WLP002 - didn't make a starter though, just chucked in a single vial and it took forever to get going - about 36 hours.  Had it at 17deg and didn't kick off until I upped the temp to 20. 
So it could have been that, or possibly the grain I used - it was crushed grain that had been in the cupboard for about six months so could have lost some freshness there.  In fairness, it's enjoyable enough to drink, just not something you'd put into a competition.

[Taf]

god no, that was about 7.2%
the dark beer i brought was about 3.8%

Ha ha, yeah I was going to say that there was no way that was sub 4%!

[LordEoin]

They really need to be light, cool and fizzy.

refreshing, cold and fizzy... yeah. but light/dark should have nothing to do with it.
but fair enough, if summer dark session beers aren't suitable for the summer session competition then whatever...
johnrm, it's all yours

[Rossa]

It's easier to make a nice dark low abv beer than a light one. The light one will lack body *and* flavour.

BUT. As nice as low abv dark beers are, they're not really summer session beers. They really need to be light, cool and fizzy.

Have you not seen most Irish summers!

[mr hoppy]

I'd like to, but I've not got the ingredients yet. 

[johnrm]

What are you stuck for?

[mr hoppy]

Lacto and oat hulls

[Komodo021]

I have spare lactose