Who let that stem get in there? We're all gonna be poisoned! |
Looked like a blood spatter scene Dexter would enjoy. |
Lookin chunky, like Marshall's favorite hoppy beers :). |
I bottled and primed the batch to 2.7 vol of co2 in heavy belgian glass bottles, as of the tasting below they have been in the bottles for 7 months. It took quite a while for these bottles to condition in spite of adding some fresh US-05 at packaging, the carbonation was soft until about 2 months in the bottle where it hit my desired level. I'm really liking the delicate balance between the fruit and fairly tart base beer of this year's variant (base beer was 3.3pH prior to fruiting), I am thinking the long bottle conditioning helped bring things together. Normally I go with a higher fruit:beer ratio closer to 1.5-2lbs/gallon, but this year I wanted something a little lighter and balanced. I do like the extremely fruit forward examples of these types of beers, but after having a bunch of Forest & Main's recent fruited Saisons I have taken a page from their book. targeting for a more balanced beer where the base beer and fruit are identifiable to the drinker. Something that I think has made this beer exceedingly drinkable.
The 2015 Farmer in the Rye with Pluots:
Appearance: It's actually a little more pink than I had remembered when I bottled it, a very pretty looking beer with medium/high carbonation and a thin wispy white head that leaves lacing. Its hazy, likely from the fruit, but there are no chunks of fruit floating around, just a hazy pink effervescent beer.
Aroma: The fruit aroma isn't overwhelmingly huge but it's certain the star of the show. I don't know if it's more plum or apricot, but there is seemingly an interplay of aromas from the both. It's earthy, coriander and spice, plum skins, fruity ethyl acetate when I spin the glass with my hand on top then jam my face in.
Flavor: The beer is soft on the palate with a silky smooth texture. It's not peppery but has a nice rye spice that lingers about, there is a slight carbonation tickle on the tongue which is then finished with some acidity and fruity sweetness I'd also contribute to the Rye. The beer is super dry, but you might not even realize it with how silky smooth the body and carbonation is.
Final Thoughts: This beer is very drinkable, it's so smooth, complex and tart with fruit overtones dancing about. Its one of those beer that you look down and the glass is nearly gone and you barely realize because you've taken large sip after large sip. Pluots worked really well in this beer, but the base beer itself plays very well with the fruit. Some say Pluots are tart, but when compared to the base beer it actually does a great job to balances the tartness of the beer. If I see any hybrid fruits like Pluots, Plumcots, or Apriplums I will definitely use them again.
Final Thoughts: This beer is very drinkable, it's so smooth, complex and tart with fruit overtones dancing about. Its one of those beer that you look down and the glass is nearly gone and you barely realize because you've taken large sip after large sip. Pluots worked really well in this beer, but the base beer itself plays very well with the fruit. Some say Pluots are tart, but when compared to the base beer it actually does a great job to balances the tartness of the beer. If I see any hybrid fruits like Pluots, Plumcots, or Apriplums I will definitely use them again.
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.80 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.70 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.80 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.70 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Measured OG: 1.052 SG
Measured FG: 1.000 SG
Estimated Color: 5 SRM (Probably not after the fruit)
Estimated IBU: 30 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes
Grain:
76.0% - 8 lbs 8oz - Weyermann Pilsner
19.6% - 2 lbs 3 ounces - Rye Malt
4.5% - 8 ounces Munich 10L
Hops:
Boil: 75 min - 0.38 oz Magnum [14.20 %] - 17.3 IBUs
Hops:
Boil: 75 min - 0.38 oz Magnum [14.20 %] - 17.3 IBUs
Boil: 30 min - 0.60 Saaz [3.60 %]
Boil: 30 min - 0.60 Strisselspalt [3.00 %]
Boil: 15 min - 1 Whirlfloc Tablet + 1 tsp Wyeast Yeast Nutrient
Boil: 5 min - 1.55 oz Saaz [3.60 %]
Boil: 5 min - 0.75 oz Hallertau Blanc [10.50 %]
15 Minute Whirlpool 185f - 1.50 oz Hallertau Blanc [10.50 %]
15 Minute Whirlpool 185f - 0.75 oz Saaz [3.60 %]
Yeast:
Brett and Bacteria resident to this barrel.
Mash:
Sacch rest - 60 min @ 148 F
Sparge:
Fly Sparge 5.50 gallons of 172f
Misc: The base of this beer came from batch # 3 of an Ocean Between the Staves, each subsequent changes as I add dregs of commercial beers and different strains of Brettanomyces. 6lbs of halved, frozen, Pluots in secondary for 8 weeks, pits and stems included. Water Profile: Ca-52, Mg-17, Na-35, SO4-107, Cl-100, HCO3-350