I finally kegged this beer after almost 6 months. Brewed it 12/27/14 and it’s been in primary ever since. Smelled great when I racked it to the keg, very mild citrus aroma, tasted like a lemon ale to be honest. Like weak lemony iced tea in a way. I forgot to take a gravity reading. Typically 1272 gets to 1.012 in my IPAs and pale ales within 3 weeks so I’m guessing somewhere just south of there. 6.4 abv or so. It was crystal clear when I racked it. DH with 1 oz lemon drop just to keep it single hopped for now and see. If it’s boring I’ll DH again with a C hop or something but I think it’s going to be a nice hot weather pool side beer.
So I finished my Apple Hefe and was thinking of another summer beer and making a Lemon Hefe. Was thinking I could use frozen lemonade in place of the apple concentrate, maybe some lemon zest from a few lemons (probably squeeze in the juice too) and use Lemon Drop solely. Only issue is because of miscalculation of the last batch I have half the grain bill left and will probably only make another 3.5% ABV beer, wondering if I should pick up a few pounds of malt.
2lb 12oz Pale Wheat Malt
2lb German Pilsner Malt
1oz Lemon Drop @60 (?)
Lemon Zest @5
5 12oz (3lb 12oz) Frozen Lemonade Concentrate @ flameout
1 oz Lemon Drop DH (if needed)
Wyeast 3068
Suggestions are welcome.
I’m kinda digging this beer. Kind of a citrus pale ale. Prominent citrus flavor and aroma. a little passion fruit maybe…some other underlying fruit flavors. If you used an english yeast or something that promoted more fruitiness this hop might get really interesting.
How do you think this hop would work in a Saison with the french saison 3711 strain? 3711 is supposed to be a bit “peppery.”
I don’t drink a lot of saisons and haven’t brewed one but it could be an interesting hop to try in one.
This beer is maturing and mellowing, in the keg almost 4 weeks now, with DH still inside, after 6 months in primary. It’s crystal clear, has a nice golden amber color, aroma of light lemon and more pronounced tangerine, the tangerine carries over more in the flavor now with the lemon hanging behind it…light and drinkable but not short on malt flavor and backbone either.
So I brewed my Lemon Drop Hefe last Sunday. The hops smelled great so I can’t wait to taste it. I was going to add another complimentary hop but forgot to input it in BeerSmith so forgot. Below was my final recipe.
4lb 12oz White Wheat Malt
3lb German Pilsner
1lb Carawheat
.5oz Lemon Drop @ 60
.5oz Lemon Drop @ 5
Lemons Zest @ 5
.5oz Coriander @ 5
Wyeast 3068
1oz Lemon Drop @ Dry Hop
Oh and I made a little video too.
Stone’s Delicious IPA also uses these (with El Dorado) if someone wants to try. Not sure if its the El Dorado or the Lemon Drops (or Stone’s beer itself), but I’m not a fan.
Wednesday at the OBF I had Epic Brewing’s Hop Syndrome that had crystal, calypso, and lemon drop as dry hops. I couldn’t specifically pick out lemon, but it was a very nice blend. It also had centennial.
Ditto…not delicious.
Brewed a batch of IPA with this today. Pretty much the same recipe as my last but split the lemon drop hops 50/50 with cascade for FWH, 10 min and flame out/whirlpool for 20 mins, bittered with magnum. smelled great! pumped it onto a cake of 1272 from my last centennial IPA.
