Botanic Ale Recommendations

[Beercules281]

Picked up a can of Bookmaker Pale Ale on clearance for $18 the other day so looking at throwing it together for a Botanic Ale. 

 

Picked myself up some juniper berries and Nectaron hops but looking for any comments or recommendations from other people who have attempted this brew. Been browsing the forums and seeing everyones variations of the recipe has me intrigued. 

What would you do different if you brewed it again?

 

Really looking forward to putting this one down. Absolutely loved the commercial version. Shame it was a limited edition. 

[kmar92]

If you want some impact from the juniper berries use double the amount in the recipe.

[Beercules281]

My LHB has 100g packets of juniper berries so I have more than enough for extra 

[Shamus O'Sean]

13 minutes ago, kmar92 said:

If you want some impact from the juniper berries use double the amount in the recipe.

Agreed.  Use more.  It was hard to pick up the Juniper Berry flavour in the "standard" recipe.  However, I pushed my batch of Botanic Ale to 27 litres, but did not increase the amount of Juniper Berries.

[Beercules281]

Definitely think I may increase the berries. I have 100g to play with. Shame I don't have any commercial cans left over to compare. They were too good not to drink. 

[Shamus O'Sean]

5 hours ago, Beercules281 said:

Picked up a can of Bookmaker Pale Ale on clearance for $18 the other day so looking at throwing it together for a Botanic Ale. 

 

Picked myself up some juniper berries and Nectaron hops but looking for any comments or recommendations from other people who have attempted this brew. Been browsing the forums and seeing everyones variations of the recipe has me intrigued. 

What would you do different if you brewed it again?

 

Really looking forward to putting this one down. Absolutely loved the commercial version. Shame it was a limited edition. 

Thanks for the reminder.  People were talking a few weeks ago about Botanic Ale basically being a Coopers Sparkling Ale (CSA) base with the Juniper Berries and Nectaron hops added.  At the time, I mentioned I was doing a CSA in a few weeks time.  And I realised I could split the batch and do half as a Botanic Ale.  Well, that brew day is tomorrow and I forgot about splitting the batch.  Unfortunately, I only have 20g of Nectaron hops and no Juniper Berries.  Dang!  Well, I have some Simcoe hops, and they are reasonably close to Nectaron.  So I will supplement the Nectaron with some Simcoe.  As for the Juniper, I reckon Coriander might give me similar flavours.  Therefore, I will add a steep of 20g of Coriander.  Should be interesting.

As for your batch, I suggest 50g of Juniper Berries.

Wish us luck.

[Brauhaus Fritz II]

10 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Thanks for the reminder.  People were talking a few weeks ago about Botanic Ale basically being a Coopers Sparkling Ale (CSA) base with the Juniper Berries and Nectaron hops added.  At the time, I mentioned I was doing a CSA in a few weeks time.  And I realised I could split the batch and do half as a Botanic Ale.  Well, that brew day is tomorrow and I forgot about splitting the batch.  Unfortunately, I only have 20g of Nectaron hops and no Juniper Berries.  Dang!  Well, I have some Simcoe hops, and they are reasonably close to Nectaron.  So I will supplement the Nectaron with some Simcoe.  As for the Juniper, I reckon Coriander might give me similar flavours.  Therefore, I will add a steep of 20g of Coriander.  Should be interesting.

As for your batch, I suggest 50g of Juniper Berries.

Wish us luck.

I ordered the juniper berries through my work. They were so fresh, sorry to say, but a different level than supplied with the ROTM kit. I didn’t double up and I believe that I can taste them. But then again, they were bursting with aroma

[Erikv]

I brewed one a few weeks ago, up the juniper amount but it seems that the quality and freshness of the juniper will dictate how much of the aroma and taste come through. I suggest once you steep the liquid have a taste and smell and see how strong it is vs the amount of liquid in the FV. Also give the hops a smell too as that will give you an idea of where it may go.

After some bottle conditioning the Nectaron intensity will subside.

It has been one of my favourite brews and certainly will make more.

Botanical’s that go into Gin may be considered, eg coriander, orange peel etc - but some experimentation and consideration in quantity is needed here as too much may be overpowering.

Kangaroo Island Gin uses a native juniper, which I might consider for my next batch.

my notes here:

 

[Beercules281]

21 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Thanks for the reminder.  People were talking a few weeks ago about Botanic Ale basically being a Coopers Sparkling Ale (CSA) base with the Juniper Berries and Nectaron hops added.  At the time, I mentioned I was doing a CSA in a few weeks time.  And I realised I could split the batch and do half as a Botanic Ale.  Well, that brew day is tomorrow and I forgot about splitting the batch.  Unfortunately, I only have 20g of Nectaron hops and no Juniper Berries.  Dang!  Well, I have some Simcoe hops, and they are reasonably close to Nectaron.  So I will supplement the Nectaron with some Simcoe.  As for the Juniper, I reckon Coriander might give me similar flavours.  Therefore, I will add a steep of 20g of Coriander.  Should be interesting.

As for your batch, I suggest 50g of Juniper Berries.

Wish us luck.

Sparkles is my all time favourite beer. Really looking forward to seeing how this one turns out. 

 

Threw in 50g of Juniper. Exciting times ahead. 

[Beercules281]

A question for the Homebrew Veterans.

To cold crash or not to cold crash?

Is it beneficial when kegging?

Does it make much of a difference to the beer?

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, Beercules281 said:

A question for the Homebrew Veterans.

To cold crash or not to cold crash?

Is it beneficial when kegging?

Does it make much of a difference to the beer?

If you are brewing a Lager it is pretty much needed to get a nice clear beer, however if you are brewing a hoppy, hazy Pale Ale or an IPA it is not necessary.

Either way it does clean up your beer so it is personal choice. 

[Beercules281]

Thanks for the info. The research Ive done so far has shown its a kinda personal preference thing. I have the ability and equipment to cold crash so thought I'd ask the question. 

[Shamus O'Sean]

3 hours ago, Beercules281 said:

A question for the Homebrew Veterans.

To cold crash or not to cold crash?

Is it beneficial when kegging?

Does it make much of a difference to the beer?

I cold crash every brew these days.  Even hazies, wheats and stouts, which some might argue do not need it because they do not need to be clear.

I think it helps drop out yeast and hops you do not want in your packaged beer. 

"Is it beneficial when kegging?"  My kegs pour a nice clear beer on the second glass

Beers I want to be very clear, I also add finings to during the cold crash.  These make wonderfully clear beers.

Clearly (no pun intended), I am an advocate for cold crashing.

[Triple B Brewing]

1 hour ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I cold crash every brew these days.  Even hazies, wheats and stouts, which some might argue do not need it because they do not need to be clear.

I think it helps drop out yeast and hops you do not want in your packaged beer. 

"Is it beneficial when kegging?"  My kegs pour a nice clear beer on the second glass

Beers I want to be very clear, I also add finings to during the cold crash.  These make wonderfully clear beers.

Clearly (no pun intended), I am an advocate for cold crashing.

+1 here SOS - all brews, regardless of type.

I enjoy a clean, clear beer and when I finally open that finished keg up, there is minimal to no sediment in the bottom

I cold crash at 3 degrees for a minimum of 2 days before packaging into kegs. 

[iBooz2]

5 hours ago, Beercules281 said:

A question for the Homebrew Veterans.

To cold crash or not to cold crash?

Is it beneficial when kegging?

Does it make much of a difference to the beer?

+1 to @Shamus O'Sean's reply, I cold crash every brew and keg every brew.  I do not add any finings at all, just cold crash for longer.

The main reason I cold crash is to drop as much yeast out of suspension as possible before kegging.  Different yeast effects peoples bowels differently and most people would know when they switch from a commercial beer that has had nearly all the yeast spun out of it and its also been pasteurized, to drinking a lot of home brewed beer their bowel movements become more urgent.  Some people will get the "trots" or the "squirts" if they drink a lot of home brewed beer which has a high quantity of suspended yeast in the beer.  It will depend on your individual constitution.  It may make you fart more but whatever you do, do not fart and follow through.  

My bowel bacteria which host me (there are more of them than the rest of the cells in my entire body so hence "they host me") are damn fussy and let me know in no short order if I consume a lot of beer yeast.  So the object for me is to not upset my gut or bowels whilst I drink a nice, clear as possible, home brewed beer.  A long cold crash is not an option to skip for me.

Edited Sunday at 11:55 AM by iBooz2