Lemondrop hops and Rahr Pilsner Malt
This small batch beer was one that Steve and I wanted to try. We have not used Lemondrop hops in a homebrew yet. I was not sure how Lemondrop hops would play with grains so I wanted to use a very light grain. This is the first small batch beer I have used Rahr Pilsner malt in. Also from the ABVs we have been getting with 2 LBS 12 oz of Rahr 2-Row I wanted to cut that back so we could get more of the hops.
Recipe is for 1.25 gallons into the fermenter
2 LBS Rahr Pilsner Malt
.39 oz Lemondrop 30 mins
.29 oz Lemondrop 5 mins
.32 oz Lemondrop Dry hop
US-05 Yeast
Pre-Boil Gravity was 1.026 BeerSmith wanted 1.032
Post Boil Gravity was 1.047 same as BeerSmith
ABV was 5.81%
Smell: You did get some lemon out of this one as you should. I did pick up on a little malt.
Taste: It was good but we dont think its balanced that well. We talked a lot about this.
Overall: In the video review we did talk a lot about how maybe adding some more malt might help with beer out. The AA of our Lemondrop was only 5.9% so maybe adding another hop with higher AA would help this one out. As this is a SMaSH beer we cant do that right now but it will be something we play around with down the road.
Update 1
The malt in this smash beer is starting to take over. I did not get the lemondrop as much in this second tasting like I did in the first one. I have to keep in mind that Im not making the smash beers balanced. The goal was to try and get as much of the hop as we could then see how different malts worked with the hops. This is still good but I think by next month the pilsner malt will take over everything.
Update 2
Color: Golden yellow
Smell: Lite cracker citrus
Taste: Cracker citrus. Taste like its an older beer. Its like a cracker grain with some citrus in back. Carb level is high.
Overall: You can tell its going down hill. We are using pilsner malt and I think for someone drinking this for the first time they would think its a Pilsner with some citrus in it. Maybe an older pilsner.