Flying Monkey

$ · Post by $ » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:16 am

finally had a bottle. tasty! more hop would be good

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:19 pm

I know what you mean but of course it's not meant to be a full-on Pale. It has broad appeal and also looks great. I had Hoptical a few times at C'est What, and found it even better the second time.

Might grab some bottles from Queen / Coxwell.

Between Hoptical, the Kellerbier, the ST, Prima, Propeller ESB, Ephemére, and now Garrison IPA, I have a fridge real estate crisis.

(Good thing all those belgian ales can lie low in the cellar during the warm season!)

To be really greedy, we really didn't get many fresh Hefes this summer since the Denisons bottling never happened.

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 8:29 am

I just brewed batch #4 yesterday. I'm up to 35lbs of hops (my first batch had 13lbs). Hopped with six additions--3 in the kettle, 2 in the whirlpool, and 2 in the fermenter. Provided we don't blow the aroma when filtering, it should be quite hoppy! P.S. I threw some hops in the strainer and had a nightmare at clean-up--I do need a hopback!

Yours in brewing,
Peter

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 9:18 am

peterchiodo wrote:I just brewed batch #4 yesterday. I'm up to 35lbs of hops (my first batch had 13lbs). Hopped with six additions--3 in the kettle, 2 in the whirlpool, and 2 in the fermenter. Provided we don't blow the aroma when filtering, it should be quite hoppy! P.S. I threw some hops in the strainer and had a nightmare at clean-up--I do need a hopback!

Yours in brewing,
Peter

I like the first one... but this is getting interesting!

Plan on doing any unfiltered kegs/casks?

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:12 am

My God Peter! You're really making me wish I lived closer to barrie. I would love to taste how this beer develops.

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:27 am

Hey Derek - I'm sooo backed up. I absolutely plan on doing casks! I meant to have some for the TFOB.--I didn't -- I have some unfiltered kegs of hoptical still in my cooler that I haven't messed with yet. I just finished my hopapotamonkey that I plan to try at the Muskoka festival this weekend if my whole leaf hops come in from Hop Union. I’m still working on our existing beers, the pilot system, the website, our launch party, the hopapotamonkey, the hopback, and a new beer for the festive season! I’m not sure if you saw my response but I liked the article you sent on early hopping.

Yours in brewing,

Peter

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:47 am

I see the Hoptical Illusion will be on-tap at the Golden Tap Awards on saturday. Any chance it's unfiltered?

I think that was the article that spawned the resurgence of first wort hopping over the last decade. It's pretty technical though, and I think a lot of people misinterpreted it. A lot of it was over my head, but then a lot of it was just comparing the two samples (tasting, gas chromatography, etc), and it doesn't seem like anyone knows what all those compounds do. I imagine hop varieties with totally different compositions could have differing results as well.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:03 pm

Still can't get any more of this shipped into my store. Seems there is no illusion about the demand or the quality!

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:30 am

SteelbackGuy wrote:Still can't get any more of this shipped into my store. Seems there is no illusion about the demand or the quality!

Hey Steelback - you're LCBO is in London, correct? I think my sis' Patty was there last week - if so, was she able to drop off samples for you? Also, can you tell Patty is my OLDER sister? She does keep my ass in line. FYI - we just sent another bunch to the warehouse last Thursday (it wasn't a lot).

Yours in brewing, Peter

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:07 am

peterchiodo wrote:
SteelbackGuy wrote:Still can't get any more of this shipped into my store. Seems there is no illusion about the demand or the quality!
Hey Steelback - you're LCBO is in London, correct? I think my sis' Patty was there last week - if so, was she able to drop off samples for you? Also, can you tell Patty is my OLDER sister? She does keeps my ass in line. FYI - we just sent another bunch to the warehouse last Thursday (it wasn't a lot).

Yours in brewing, Peter

Peter,

Yes, the store is in London. I met Patty last week actually. She was a real pleasure. We spoke for some time.
She wanted to drop off some samples but my manager was off that day and taking samples without his approval is a huge no-no. But not to worry, we have ordered 3 cases now, and I phoned to warehouse to confirm that we were getting the beer, and we are

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:09 pm

Derek wrote:I see the Hoptical Illusion will be on-tap at the Golden Tap Awards on saturday. Any chance it's unfiltered?

Hey Derek,

I liked your idea. I just kegged a 30 litre keg of my latest batch of Hoptical directly from the fermenter (unfiltered). It is carbonating as we speak but should be ready for Saturday. Andrea (my wife) and I are debating whether or not we should release it at Beer Bistro. Unfiltered beer is pure, yes, but raw. Comments/opinions would be helpful

Other Stuff
My whole leaf Amarillio arrived from Washington State today so I plan on dabbling with the "Hoppapotamonkey" for the Muskoka Festival this weekend.

Yours in brewing,
Peter

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:11 pm

I love unfiltered beer.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:55 pm

peterchiodo wrote: I liked your idea. I just kegged a 30 litre keg of my latest batch of Hoptical directly from the fermenter (unfiltered). It is carbonating as we speak but should be ready for Saturday. Andrea (my wife) and I are debating whether or not we should release it at Beer Bistro. Unfiltered beer is pure, yes, but raw. Comments/opinions would be helpful

Yeah, only 8 days since it was brewed would be really raw! I think you'd probably have to taste it and see if you'd want to serve it.

I'm sure your commercial system, with optimal fermentation conditions, promotes healthier yeast, but I wonder if they'd still need some time to clean up some of the fermentation byproducts? If you're using a really clean yeast, maybe it's not an issue?

If it's good, I'm not sure 30L would be enough.

Would they have a handpump free for another cask?

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:47 pm

Tasted it this morning. It is still a little flat. The flavour is far more intune to where I want it to be (FYI --I taste my FVs every day--it is the vacation part of the job!). I like it better than the last batch. Oh, how I do love Amarillo....It is very young at only 8 days old today but does tastes very smooth considering its age (no diacetyl or roughness). I know brewers like to age their beer to round it out and drop the yeast but this is way too tempting.....hmmmm!

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:30 pm

Peter, re: Hoppapotamonkey

- your sense of names is of course outlandish, so keep up the great work!

Enjoying a nice six of the recent Hoptical (even the Beach LCBO staff guys were saying 'it's a good beer isn't it!!') & want to keep following current batches.

Come to think even the lady cashier was very curious & impressed with the catchy Flying Monkeys artwork, so great strategy to follow on the "fun and funky" design of USA micros.