A coupe of weeks ago I brew a batch of innkeeper looking for a light
but tasty summer beer. All the reviews seemed to give it high marks,
but to me it seems to be missing something. Maybe I am trying to make
it more than it’s meant to be, but have anyone added anything to this
like lemon or lime peel or anything else to flavor it up a little?
I brewed the Innkeeper a few month’s ago and kind of thought the same thing at first. It is definitely not the big flavor beer that seems to be more the standard, but it definitely grew on me with time.
I was not real impressed with it at first either, but it got better over the course of a few weeks and it ended up going pretty fast. Brewed a second batch that should be ready in a week or so - I did not change anything. It is pretty light, and figured it was a good summer beer as is.
I wouldn’t expect a beer to hit peak aging in 2 weeks. Then again, my idea of flavoring up a beer isn’t adding lemon or lime peel, either.
Drink it at around 50 degrees, and drink 2 or more of them, and then you’ll see what this beer is all about.
Like most beers while you can drink it at a couple weeks it really hits its peak later. Not to say age it forever but it’s way better a month or more in. I guess some lemon peel would be a good addition if that is what you like. Personally I would leave it but that might work for you.
I added some Cascade hops at the end instead of the Styrian once. THat gave it a different flavor obviously that I enjoyed a little more. Messing with the hops might get you that citrusy acidic type bite youre looking for
I am just taking a stab at a few things here.
Being you are thinking about adding anything still makes me think it is still in fermentor.
If this is the case two things come to mind. #1 non carbonated wort is vastly different from a packaged beer. #2 Dry hop with Styrian Goldings. This hop has a characteristic citrus to it that makes this beer what it is and would be the obvious choice over peel of citrus. I always have a keg of Innkeeper on tap and most times it is cookie cutter no changes recipe and sometimes I will add extra SG hop to the flameout/dryhop to zip up the citrus aspect a little.
Here’s another thought process. It is good as an extract kit, but all grain it uses Golden Promise which is one of the keys of this beer. The other two are yeast and hop. If not already using W1469 it gives the beer a clean mineral “snap” and the SG hop spoken to already is the other key. This beer is simple and pure but has much more going on than you describe. Although I dig many styles and require a simcoe/Amarillo/dank something on tap also, many times its nice to be able to just sit down with a simple but fab session.
[quote=“ITsPossible”]…#1 non carbonated wort is vastly different from a packaged beer…
…many times its nice to be able to just sit down with a simple but fab session.[/quote]
+100 to both these statements.
I’ve had samples out of the fermenter and thought to myself “unusual” or “lacking in flavor”. but once i get them kegged, carbed, and cold, they taste fantastic. I’ve learned to never judge a beer from a warm fermenter sample
I definitely picked that up when I made it and was wondering if it was supposed to be there or if I messed something up. Good to know!
[quote=“ITsPossible”]I am just taking a stab at a few things here.
Being you are thinking about adding anything still makes me think it is still in fermentor.
If this is the case two things come to mind. #1 non carbonated wort is vastly different from a packaged beer. #2 Dry hop with Styrian Goldings. This hop has a characteristic citrus to it that makes this beer what it is and would be the obvious choice over peel of citrus. I always have a keg of Innkeeper on tap and most times it is cookie cutter no changes recipe and sometimes I will add extra SG hop to the flameout/dryhop to zip up the citrus aspect a little.
Here’s another thought process. It is good as an extract kit, but all grain it uses Golden Promise which is one of the keys of this beer. The other two are yeast and hop. If not already using W1469 it gives the beer a clean mineral “snap” and the SG hop spoken to already is the other key. This beer is simple and pure but has much more going on than you describe. Although I dig many styles and require a simcoe/Amarillo/dank something on tap also, many times its nice to be able to just sit down with a simple but fab session.[/quote]
It is about 2 weeks in the bottle. I do like your idea on the hops and may
be doing something along that line on the next batch.
The biggest thing I noticed about The Innkeeper is that when you taste it cold it does not have much flavor at all. Let it warm up halfway and then the hops flavor will come out. It is like two different beers out of the same bottle.
True of many “good” beers out there. Certain beers I brew don’t even get refrigerated (I am in the lucky situation of having a basement that is a nominal 60°F year-round).
Americans are conditioned to think that beer has to be served nearly frozen (probably because with the mainstream BMC beers, it hardly matters).
Even quite a few of the “good beer” bars I’ve been to have a great selection (and often an outstanding selection) of top notch brews, but they serve them all at 35°F, in a frozen glass or mug. It’s like they’re totally missing the point of serving decent beer. :shock:
[quote=“The Professor”]
Even quite a few of the “good beer” bars I’ve been to have a great selection (and often an outstanding selection) of top notch brews, but they serve them all at 35°F, in a frozen glass or mug. It’s like they’re totally missing the point of serving decent beer. :shock: [/quote]
That drives me nuts. It’s happened to me a few places where I didn’t expect it, given the nice choices they had. Next time, I’ll send it back.
[quote=“The Professor”]
Americans are conditioned to think that beer has to be served nearly frozen (probably because with the mainstream BMC beers, it hardly matters).[/quote]
Ever let any BMC warm up? They want you to drink it ice cold because if you didn’t you would taste how foul it actually is!
When I get a 35*F beer and a frozen mug, I shake my head and ask the bartender to set my next beer out and give me a warm glass. Do I look pretentious? Yes, but if I’m going pay $8 for a pint of beer, I want to taste it.
I don’t think you look pretentious for asking for beer in a non-frozen glass at all.
Agree. I do the same thing re: the frozen glass. Course, if I’m telling a waitress to leave the chilled glass behind in favor of a normal one, they usually look at me like I have ten heads. Cent la vie. Worth the look for a better tasting brew.
