Old Wooden Head Pale Ale.

OLD WOODEN HEAD PALE ALE.

Wow. It's really over the top. The SECOND beer by Burnt Hickory Brewing...based slightly on a over hopped California Pale Ale... It's more like a Super Bitter English Ale. I can't say this is exactly what i was going for, But i'm not really upset with it.

The first thing I got when I opened a bottle last week...was GRAPEFRUIT. I've had a citrus taste before in beers... but this was new. Net research claims that the grapefruit smell and taste is normal for ales hopped with tons of Chinook and Simcoe hops. True. I used 4 Hops very LIBERALLY in this brew.
PER A FIVE GALLON Recipe
1. Cascade. off the top.. 2 0z
2. Centennial . off the top as well... 1 0z
3. Chinook . thru the boil 1 oz
4. Cascade . at end. 2 0z
5. Simcoe . Dry hop. 1 0z

looking back now... wow... for a light malt FULL mash homebrew.. i may have overdone it. The Malt balance i wanted is not really there.

Today I popped another bottle and tapped the keg. I was more happy with it. The grapefruit is there... but more buried.. and the beer has a real Pilsner Urquell stingy bitterness. It's hoppy... but not a sweet hop... a strong grass/flower blast.

I think in the future... i'll rework OLD WOODEN HEAD to be more MALT driven.... and use only Cascade Hops.

Appearance is Cloudy. It maybe leftover from the boil... more irish moss needed i'd say. The warmer it gets... the clearer it gets as well

Head retension is good. The bottled version is dead one... another HUZZAH for Cooper's Carbonation Drops. The Keg version is highly carbonated... controllable but i think i shot it a bit HOT.

Happy? Hell yes... it's my beer and it's good. Bottom line.

OLD WOODEN HEAD PALE ALE batch #1
named for John Bell Hood. General and Confederate Hero at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Nicknamed "OLD WOODEN HEAD" by his troops by his stubborn actions on the battlefield.

5 Gallons made. 3 kegged 2 bottled.

OCTOBER 2008