# James Squires Malt Runner



## Jaffa (6/5/10)

Got the following email earlier this week from James Squires, (as Im sure a lot of others here have got the same);

Yes folks, winter is just about on our doorstep once more and that means its time for our James Squire winter limited release to hit the market. Over recent years we have treated you to some varied and interesting wintery delights. In 2008 it was Pepperberry Winter Ale with woody & spicy -peppery warming characters of the Australian Mountain Pepperberry suspended in a dark delight. Last year we saw the return of the perennial favourite Hop Thief Ale. This was the third edition of this very popular hop focussed ale and without doubt we will return with a HT4 at some stage in the future, but not this winter. This year we have gone with a more malt accentuated brew, appropriately (we think) named the Malt Runner. This beer borrows its name from the role James Squire played in establishing beer as an alternative to rum in the early colony. The beer is a rich malty lager with 5.2% abv which has utilised crystal & chocolate malts and gifted with the addition of around 15% cherry juice late to the kettle. The result is an intruiging blend of bitter chocolate with the subtle influence of cherry both on the flavour and also via a reddish hue evident within the brew.
We hope you will enjoy this interesting journey to the malty-side of brewing. However for those that savour the more hop driven bitter offerings, fear not. The Mad Brewers are planning a late winter release for September, so we will have you covered off as well.The Malt Runner will be available nationally from mid May in liquor stores and one tap for a limited time only from James Squire Brewhouses in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart and via other selected James Squire lead bars around the country.


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## argon (6/5/10)

http://www.jamessquire.com.au/blog/index.p...-news-may-2010/
cormfirmed at the above. I normally can't stand cherry in anything :icon_vomit: hopefully this will be a good one. Props for taking a chance though :icon_cheers:


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## Andrew Coleman (6/5/10)

Actually have to say I'm looking forward to a need beer from JS, bit upset I couldnt get my hands on any of that LC IPA goin around though! Can't say i don't like any JS beers I've tried, deffinetly the best beers on tap at most pubs in Adelaide!


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## beerbrewer76543 (19/5/10)

Went to the launch of Malt Runner in Perth last night at The Generous Squire

The beer is nice, sort of tastes like a porter. The guy who gave a spiel about the beer said it was made in the fashion of a bock but lower in alcohol at around 5%. Very malt driven, nice choc flavour and a hint of cherry from the 10% cherry juice added. Hops were citra apparently

I liked it enough to buy a carton. Nice winter warmer :chug:


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## Fourstar (19/5/10)

Hmmm.. assuming its at the JS Brewhouse @ the Portland Hotel, i'll be stopping by there tonight after work! :beerbang:


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## brettprevans (19/5/10)

hmmm what do you recon Maple - we could knock this up for our 1st brew with Citra?

if its any good - maybe we should investigate......


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## Maple (19/5/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> hmmm what do you recon Maple - we could knock this up for our 1st brew with Citra?
> 
> if its any good - maybe we should investigate......


touch base with 4*, we're looking at lunchtime today.... off to a meeting.


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## Adro85 (19/5/10)

I got an email from Grand Central Cellars here in Brisbane this morning saying they had 10 cases available for pre-order, so I snapped one up  I read somewhere the RRP is $59.99 but GCC is doing the 10 it has for $54.99, but for $5 extra they'll deliver. Sounds like a good deal to me 

[Newb question]: Would the Malt Runner benefit from cellaring at all? Cos I'm really keen to try it but I don't want to knock over a quarter of the case in one sitting and waste it if it's going to be nicer in six months' time...


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## brendo (19/5/10)

just finished off two pints of it with Maple & fourstar at lunch.

The general consensus was that it was ok, but nothing super exciting. The cherry was very very subdued and I totally forgot that it was supposed to be there until the last mouthful of the first pint.

The second pint, my pallette was a lot more attuned to the beer and I enjoyed it more - but it really needs to warm up a bit to let the flavours develop - was way too cold on serving.


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## Fourstar (19/5/10)

i agree with Brendo.

I could taste the cherry from the 1st sip. its not like a kriek style cherry where you expect a 'sherberty' quality, moreso like a cherriy liquor. deep and lingering. Melds well with the grainbill but not stand out and slap you in the face.

The 150 Lashes Red Lager on the other had was lacking on all fronts. Sulfury lager nose, dusty doughy grain husky palate and quite dry and chalky. Not enough sweetness to balance it out. Abit of a disappointment.


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## devo (19/5/10)

I just popped in a had one (red lager) and wouldn't give it as scathing dressing down as expressed by others. It was OK, far from being a terrible drop though.

I also noticed Roger Protz sitting in the corner tucking into a pint and some lunch.


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## thanme (19/5/10)

L_Bomb: I didn't even think to check if anyone from here was going. I was there last night too. I really quite enjoyed it to be honest. I was expecting a heavier beer, but it worked well as a bock.

Also, my friend scored the bottle of Hahn Vintage Ale at the raffle!!


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## beerbrewer76543 (19/5/10)

Haha nice NME! We were probably standing just near each other 

I too thought the beer was definitely tastier once it had warmed up a bit. Might have to pop in for another to re-evaluate :chug:


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## sama (19/5/10)

Jaffa said:


> Got the following email earlier this week from James Squires, (as I'm sure a lot of others here have got the same);
> 
> Yes folks, winter is just about on our doorstep once more and that means it's time for our James Squire winter limited release to hit the market. Over recent years we have treated you to some varied and interesting wintery delights. In 2008 it was Pepperberry Winter Ale with woody & spicy -peppery warming characters of the Australian Mountain Pepperberry suspended in a dark delight. Last year we saw the return of the perennial favourite Hop Thief Ale. This was the third edition of this very popular hop focussed ale and without doubt we will return with a HT4 at some stage in the future, but not this winter. This year we have gone with a more malt accentuated brew, appropriately (we think) named the Malt Runner. This beer borrows its name from the role James Squire played in establishing beer as an alternative to rum in the early colony. The beer is a rich malty lager with 5.2% abv which has utilised crystal & chocolate malts and gifted with the addition of around 15% cherry juice late to the kettle. The result is an intruiging blend of bitter chocolate with the subtle influence of cherry both on the flavour and also via a reddish hue evident within the brew.
> We hope you will enjoy this interesting journey to the malty-side of brewing. However for those that savour the more hop driven bitter offerings, fear not. The Mad Brewers are planning a late winter release for September, so we will have you covered off as well.The Malt Runner will be available nationally from mid May in liquor stores and one tap for a limited time only from James Squire Brewhouses in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart and via other selected James Squire lead bars around the country.




mmmm.. cherry ripe


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## argon (19/5/10)

Just picked a cold 6 pack of these from ERa in south Brisbane. Went on stock yesterday. $20 for 6 or iirc $62 for the carton. Will knock down a couple of these tonight :icon_drunk: to see if it's worth picking up more. 
Cherry is not my fav, but nothing ventured nothing gained.


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## dgilks (19/5/10)

Picked up a 6 pack today. While worth tasting (there were some nice Munich malt flavours), the bottles taste a bit oxidised (carboardy) and there is the distinctive (lack of) character obtained from the use of Tooheys yeast. It had potential and I can only imagine it would have been much better if brewed at Camperdown rather than at SAB Adelaide.


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## AlphaOne (19/5/10)

Bought a case today and thought the first half a beer was great. It's a bit sweet for a session.


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## AlphaOne (19/5/10)

Also, I paid $45 at Vintage Cellars Paddington.


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## Adro85 (19/5/10)

Haha damnit. $15 less than I paid for a "pre-order" delivered, and that bottle-o is about a 10-minute drive from my place.

Ah well, live and learn 



B_chan said:


> Also, I paid $45 at Vintage Cellars Paddington.


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## Andrew Coleman (20/5/10)

Just bought a case, $54 well spent sirs! just cleaned up the whole thing with a friend just then, he was as much a fan as i was and considering the fact he doesnt drink anything but your average mainstream poo... I think its a great gateway beer, deffinetly something a little out of the ordinary for a change in the big aussie comanies, i feel a clone comeing on..... :beerbang: room enough for improvement for my own tastebuds, but room then usual!


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## Dazza_devil (21/5/10)

I scored a sixpack of this late yesterday and polished off 3 of them last night. Delicious drink for a cool Tasmanian evening, loved the upfront roasty chocolate flavour and I thought the cherry was done to perfection (hardly detectable but teasingly there in the finish). Went down very easy, now to find something nice and complimentary to eat with the 3 that's left. Suggestions?


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## argon (21/5/10)

Boagsy said:


> I scored a sixpack of this late yesterday and polished off 3 of them last night. Delicious drink for a cool Tasmanian evening, loved the upfront roasty chocolate flavour and I thought the cherry was done to perfection (hardly detectable but teasingly there in the finish). Went down very easy, now to find something nice and complimentary to eat with the 3 that's left. Suggestions?



Admittedly i've only had the one so far, but i was left underwhelmed. I definitely agree with your assessment of flavours, but i was somehow expecting something a little more special. I let it warm up in the pint glass after the first sip and didn't really detect much cherry, which i though twas a good thing (for me), very subdued. Thought it was a bit of a dry finish, not enough full, sweet mouthfeel for me. Got the impression that it had been thinned out quite a bit. Just don't think that JS let go on this one... very restrained for a seasonal release.

Will just have review the rest of the six pack then see if a couple in a row makes a difference.


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## Maple (21/5/10)

argon said:


> Admittedly i've only had the one so far, but i was left underwhelmed. I definitely agree with your assessment of flavours, but i was somehow expecting something a little more special. I let it warm up in the pint glass after the first sip and didn't really detect much cherry, which i though twas a good thing (for me), very subdued. Thought it was a bit of a dry finish, not enough full, sweet mouthfeel for me. Got the impression that it had been thinned out quite a bit. Just don't think that JS let go on this one... very restrained for a seasonal release.
> 
> Will just have review the rest of the six pack then see if a couple in a row makes a difference.


I went the other day to try it out at the portland, what I was expecting, and what I tasted didn't align. It is a nice beer, a good gateway beer forsure. some really good flavours in there, and well crafted. now seriously, this could be an outstanding beer - but - it really came across as if it was de-tuned. sorta like a ferrari running a magna engine type analogy. Whether for excise/tax reasons or general market appeal, this is the direction it seems to have gone. I did have a second pint, and would have gone again, but time didn't permit. 

I'd say, try it for yourselves and see what you think. always good to hear how people's pref's compare to others...


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## Dazza_devil (21/5/10)

The beer is good for what it is and not for what it's not. Sure it could of been something else but I appreciated it for what it is. Personally I thought it was a good example for a limited release because it's something I would only try once but not drink regularly. Really looking forward to the next Mad Brewers release as well.
I'm still lost to come up with something to accompany the ale food-wise.


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## beerbrewer76543 (21/5/10)

I cracked open a bottle of this last night and it seemed rather lack luster compared to a couple of nights ago when I had it off the tap... Anyone else reckon the bottle quality isn't so good?


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## Dazza_devil (21/5/10)

All the James Squire's beers that I have had the pleasure of drinking from the tap left me underwhelmed with the bottled versions. I wish I could of been left with that opinion on the Malt Chaser but the kegs are over 350kms away.


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## AlphaOne (21/5/10)

argon said:


> Admittedly i've only had the one so far, but i was left underwhelmed. I definitely agree with your assessment of flavours, but i was somehow expecting something a little more special. I let it warm up in the pint glass after the first sip and didn't really detect much cherry, which i though twas a good thing (for me), very subdued. Thought it was a bit of a dry finish, not enough full, sweet mouthfeel for me. Got the impression that it had been thinned out quite a bit. Just don't think that JS let go on this one... very restrained for a seasonal release.
> 
> Will just have review the rest of the six pack then see if a couple in a row makes a difference.



I found the Cherry character pretty intense! Didn't notice it was brewed with cherry at first and was baffled how they got so much cherry character in it. After reading the label, things made more sense.
Besides, when has JS ever really let go? Don't forget it's a subsidiary of a Japanese mega-brewer.


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## Mercs Own (21/5/10)

I had a pint of this last night at JS in Russel street - unfortunately I was drinking it in the company of Dave Edney (brewer at JS) and Tony Jones - cheif brewer Malt Shovel. Well I shouldnt say unfortunately as they are both top blokes and terrific brewers and they bought me a beer or two - thanks guys! I cant say I was jumping up and down about the beer, there was a nice complex malt character but the over riding aroma and flavour for me was espresso. It could have been the bitterness coming from the cocoa in the beer or from some of it's roasted malts. Once I let the beer warm up the chocolate character came through a little more however I couldnt get away from the espresso type aroma and flavour in the beer. I wondered wether I was getting some cherry pip aroma but they used cherry concentrate and no pips in the beer. As for the cherry flavour there was absolutely none and no sweetness in the beer either. Which makes me wonder why bother with using the cherry?

We all have our own tatse thresholds so I was and wasnt surprised to read B_chan thought the cherry flavour was so intense.

They are serving the beer too cold. If no one told me there was cherry in it I probably wouldnt have known rather I would have thought it was made with espresso coffee shots and cocoa.

Nothing wrong with it but I wouldnt go out of my way to have another.

The Speculator on the other hand is a beer worth travelling miles for....and I did!


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## Fourstar (21/5/10)

Mercs Own said:


> They are serving the beer too cold. If no one told me there was cherry in it I probably wouldnt have known rather I would have thought it was made with espresso coffee shots and cocoa.



Maple, Brendo and myself all came to the same conclusion when we went for a pint. Personally i could easily detect the cherry component although if i didnt know it was cherry i probaably would say it was cherry (probaably because my palate is confused by Lambic Cherry flavours).

Rather than looking for a sweet sherberty cherry flavour you get from a kriek lambic its more-so like a deep stewed cherry falvour thats quite lingering in the finish. As for the malt profile, we all thaught it was somewhat thin bodied and lacking some decent complexity to compliment the cherry component. The more it warmed, the better it got. It did have some toasty notes to it but the feeling overall was it was trying to make up for not being a high alcohol bock by using judicious amounts of specialty malts instead.

Did you try the 150 lashes? I felt it was abit lackluster too. <_<


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## Mercs Own (21/5/10)

Didnt get to the 150 lashes - after the Malt Runner I had a Speculator and then a Porter followed by a Speculator and a uhm..... :chug:


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## daemon (22/5/10)

dgilks said:


> Picked up a 6 pack today. While worth tasting (there were some nice Munich malt flavours), the bottles taste a bit oxidised (carboardy) and there is the distinctive (lack of) character obtained from the use of Tooheys yeast. It had potential and I can only imagine it would have been much better if brewed at Camperdown rather than at SAB Adelaide.


Bought a six pack and tried a few tonight, unfortunately the distinctive Toohey's yeast flavour was more distinctive than the cherry. The beer is also very thin, almost to the point where it's as watery as megaswill lager. The bit of choc flavour that's there is very nice however, to me it's a beer that could have been great but fell short of the line. I would have thought they'd go a little bit more adventurous for this seasonal, maybe I'll have to try an "enhanced clone" to show them how to do it right 

Thankfully I'm now enjoying the New Norcia Abbey Ale which shows that Malt Shovel can go all the way and create a great craft beer when they try.


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## jakub76 (22/5/10)

Firstly I think it's a big, brave move using cherry essence - good on them for going all 'off-centre'...thanks Dogfish Head.

Initially a coffee aroma. Medium body. Roasted coffee flavour melds smoothly into a roasty, subdued sour-cherry after-taste.

It took me 3 days to track down this beer and perhaps it was that undue anticipation that left me underwhelmed, the 'star wars effect'? Remember how disappointing the prequel trilogy was? Anyway, big ups for keeping it interesting and I'm sure sales will be strong thanks to the awesome brand marketing.


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## Bubba Q (22/5/10)

can anyone advise where this is available in melbourne?

1st choice have told me that they havent reiceved their allocation yet and dan murpheys have told me that they dont even know when it is coming into stock


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## bum (22/5/10)

I got it at Uncle Dan's today in Frankston.

I'm not a big consumer of cherry in any form so the subtleties might be lost on me but I have to say it is definitely not forward enough to be so prominently noted on the label. Perhaps it was a typo and they meant sherry? Alc is very warm for a beer of this abv.


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## dgilks (22/5/10)

Daemon said:


> Bought a six pack and tried a few tonight, unfortunately the distinctive Toohey's yeast flavour was more distinctive than the cherry. The beer is also very thin, almost to the point where it's as watery as megaswill lager. The bit of choc flavour that's there is very nice however, to me it's a beer that could have been great but fell short of the line. I would have thought they'd go a little bit more adventurous for this seasonal, maybe I'll have to try an "enhanced clone" to show them how to do it right
> 
> Thankfully I'm now enjoying the New Norcia Abbey Ale which shows that Malt Shovel can go all the way and create a great craft beer when they try.



There is a very big difference between those beers produced at Camperdown and those produced at SAB. Camperdown (IPA, Porter, Sundowner [for now], New Norcia Abbey Ale and all seasonals and Mad Brewers releases except Malt Runner) produces good beers. Golden Ale, Amber Ale and Pilsner were all good beers while they were being produced at Camperdown. Unfortunately, SAB (Golden, Amber, Pilsner, Malt Runner and soon to be Sundowner) has changed the recipes and dumbed them down a bit. The Golden has moved to a combination of Super Pride and Amrillo with noticeably less hop character, Amber seems less intense, Pilsner moved from a Czech Pilsner yeast to the Tooheys yeast (as it is the only lager yest SAB uses) and Malt Runner was made there with the Tooheys yeast. I suppose what I am getting at is that Malt Shovel can make some good beers, they just have to be made at Malt Shovel, under the eyes of the Malt Shovel brewers and using the Malt Shovel ingredients and formulations.


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## goatherder (22/5/10)

dgilks said:


> There is a very big difference between those beers produced at Camperdown and those produced at SAB. Camperdown (IPA, Porter, Sundowner [for now], New Norcia Abbey Ale and all seasonals and Mad Brewers releases except Malt Runner) produces good beers. Golden Ale, Amber Ale and Pilsner were all good beers while they were being produced at Camperdown. Unfortunately, SAB (Golden, Amber, Pilsner, Malt Runner and soon to be Sundowner) has changed the recipes and dumbed them down a bit. The Golden has moved to a combination of Super Pride and Amrillo with noticeably less hop character, Amber seems less intense, Pilsner moved from a Czech Pilsner yeast to the Tooheys yeast (as it is the only lager yest SAB uses) and Malt Runner was made there with the Tooheys yeast. I suppose what I am getting at is that Malt Shovel can make some good beers, they just have to be made at Malt Shovel, under the eyes of the Malt Shovel brewers and using the Malt Shovel ingredients and formulations.



Spot on - look for the "15" code on the bottle near the best before date, this indicates it's brewed at Camperdown. A three digit code indicates it's produced at one of the LN megafactories, more than likely SAB. A year or two back the Pilsner was brewed at Camperdown for a while, it was glorious. It won best pilsner at the world beer cup in 2008 even. Now it's back at SAB and awful again.


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## whitegoose (22/5/10)

I must admit reading this thread I was amazed at how negative some people were, and decided it must be an example of how people get an idea in their head about a brewery and their opinion of beer is swayed by their preconceptions... After trying their Hop Thief I was pumped for this beer...

I was astoundingly disappointed. Aroma - I get... not much. Flavour - I get not much. Mouthfeel... it feels... tired. Not terrible, just really underwhealming in every aspect.


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## bum (22/5/10)

whitegoose said:


> Aroma - I get... not much.


 
I disagree with this. The aroma seemed a lot bigger than the beer itself. I could smell it a few away just after dinner, with the heater blasting nearby, etc. The only problem with that was that this magnified the other disappointments you describe that I agree with completely - it had me expecting an interesting beer.


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## probablynathan (22/5/10)

I have been pestering the local bottleshops trying to get a case but they are all telling me the Tasmanian alocation has been delayed and decreased. After reading this tread I'm wondering if it's worth the efort. I'll keep trying though as I have missed out on past seasonals. 

Any one in tas got there hands on any?


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## brendanos (22/5/10)

My sales pitch: Pours a brilliant brown with blood red highlights and a fine tan head. Vibrant nose of cherry cola & roasty & caramel malts are reminiscent of a fine Dusseldorf Altbier. Bitter chocolate and sarsparilla round out the palate while the finish is decidely dry and moreish.


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## whitegoose (22/5/10)

brendanos said:


> Pours a brilliant brown with blood red highlights and a fine tan head


For me the visual aspects were the best bit by far.... reading the rest of your sales pitch makes we want to grab another 6 pack in the off chance I got mine from a dud carton/pallet... it was like it had all the life taken out of it


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## Northside Novice (23/5/10)

nothing special out of the bottle that i had last night  was expecting so much more. not a patch on other limited releases from malt shovel. i am still in love with their rum rebelion porter from a few years ago yum yum !!
Have read it is fantastic on tap, so may have to find and try befor it runs out


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## thylacine (23/5/10)

dgilks said:


> Picked up a 6 pack today. While worth tasting (there were some nice Munich malt flavours), the bottles taste a bit oxidised (carboardy) and there is the distinctive (lack of) character obtained from the use of Tooheys yeast. It had potential and I can only imagine it would have been much better if brewed at Camperdown rather than at SAB Adelaide.




Malt Runner currently on tap at "Edgars" - Ainslie shopping centre. (as well as the Amber, Pilsner & Golden)


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## Adro85 (23/5/10)

As a beer appreciation n00b I quite liked it as it was something fairly different to anything I'd ever had before. However, I do agree with some of the comments here that the mouth feel was a little bit less impressive than I was expecting and I didn't really get a lot of cherry. I made sure to not let the bottles get too cold so I could taste and smell all the flavours and aromas but the cherry wasn't quite there. Oh well  I still have 22 to go and I'm not dreading that by any stretch of the imagination!


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## AussieJosh (24/5/10)

I picked up one today from the Tea Tree Gully drive through in Adelaide, Not a bad beer but i could only have one at a time


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## Screwtop (25/5/10)

B_chan said:


> I found the Cherry character pretty intense! Didn't notice it was brewed with cherry at first and was baffled how they got so much cherry character in it. After reading the label, things made more sense.
> Besides, when has JS ever really let go? Don't forget it's a subsidiary of a Japanese mega-brewer.




Tasted this after a palate cleanser tonight. Not beer day, but a mate called in so I poured him one and had a taste. Quite liked this dark lager, the use of sucrose (cherry syrup) is a great way to add some complexity and dryness to the finish. 

Plan to drink the other 5 on Friday, looking forward to it!

Very nice!

Screwy


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## mr_tyreman (26/5/10)

Picked up 2 slabs of this today at Dan's...

WOW!!!

Great Beer!


Edit: Spellink


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## j1gsaw (26/5/10)

bought a few tonight actually, and hmmmm, its a bit hit n miss. Cant say i adore it, but certainly nice enough to have a few, would probably buy a carton.


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## petesbrew (6/6/10)

Bought a 6pack of this at 1st Choice. It was in one of those cooled display units near the register, and seemed cool enough to have one when I got home.
Gotta say, I really enjoyed it. I'd be tempted to buy a slab.


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## Dazza_devil (6/6/10)

petesbrew said:


> Bought a 6pack of this at 1st Choice. It was in one of those cooled display units near the register, and seemed cool enough to have one when I got home.
> Gotta say, I really enjoyed it. I'd be tempted to buy a slab.




If you weren' so far away I'd offer to go you halvees.
Not a bad drop if you don't try'n pick the shit out of it and judge it on what it isn't instead of enjoying it for what it is.


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## DUANNE (6/6/10)

had a couple of these the other night, and gotta say not bad.i admittedly had a low expectation after this thread but really enjoyed the cherry ripe in the finish.my only complaint is i thought it was a bit thin in body but still good.


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## petesbrew (7/6/10)

Boagsy said:


> If you weren' so far away I'd offer to go you halvees.
> Not a bad drop if you don't try'n pick the shit out of it and judge it on what it isn't instead of enjoying it for what it is.


Yeah Tassie's a bit far.
So does this actually have cherries in it? My impression after tasting it was, that it's just the flavours picked up, and described like a wine blurb... eg. "hint of cut grass and persimmon,"...etc.
Happily, I didn't get much cherry from it. I'm no fan of kreiks.


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## jayse (7/6/10)

I found the cherry to be like the starburst chews or even a little cough syrup, clean enough beer but was a struggle to get through a six pack.


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## whitegoose (7/6/10)

Sounds like there's a fair bit of variation in flavour in these beers...


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## Dazza_devil (7/6/10)

whitegoose said:


> Sounds like there's a fair bit of variation in flavour in these beers...




You could be right there whitegoose.
I don't like cherry that much and would find it to be offensive in a beer normally but I only detected a hint after consuming 2 or 3 of the samples that I had. Perhaps serving temp has got a little to do with it but you would think not that much.


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## jayse (7/6/10)

I was also interested to hear the differences some are finding such as some saying the cherry is low to nil, I have found out a very juicy tid bid thanx to a acidental slip of the tongue why the stuff in S.A at least may have a tad different profile.
Not sure if its meant to be a company secret or not but i'll let you all put the pieces together yourselves.


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## Noxious (7/6/10)

Hi all,
Bought a 6 pack of this a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was a nice change from my usual pale coloured beers.
Drank them all in no time so it couldn't be too syrup-laden as I don't go for cough syrup flavours. 
After reading the bottle/forum and finding out about the cherry I drank the last one and it was only after the idea was planted in my mind about the cherry that I could really notice it.
But I don't claim to be a pro-taster at all, just drink many beers.
Cheers all


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (7/6/10)

I tried a couple with the missus, who is an occasional drinker, and not a beer connoiseur (though she won't drink any old rubbish either). She has reasonably conservative tastes.

She liked it and could taste the cherry, but again it could be planted ideas. She liked it, though she hates cherry beers, like bellevue kreik, as well as other cherry non-alcoholic drinks like dr pepper (yes I know no cherry, but those that hate it complain it tastes like cough syrup), cherry coke and the like. Whereas I love all of the above. 

I found it to be a nice dark, slightly thin beer - but good enough flavour and you don't feel like you drunk a loaf of bread afterward, which is occasionally an issue (and sometimes a plus point) of some dark beers.

I plan on making a dark beer with actual cherry syrup (but not in the vain of a bellevue kriek).


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## Muggus (7/6/10)

Managed to find myself a 6 pack of this stuff on the weekend.

Drank most of them; had the first one at room temperature hoping this was some sort of "winter warmer", but at 5.2% it's gonna struggle to do any kind of warming, and after the first I felt its probably better served somewhat chilled.

From all the reviews i've heard (mostly good), I've gotta say i'm pretty disappointed with this beer.
It's dark, yeah cool, but not brown, more like a deep ruby, which kind of fits in with the whole "cherry" part, that i'll get to later...the pale foam gives me the impression that I shouldn't be expecting something particularly rich and roasted, which the label seems to allude to.
Aroma, also, doesn't give much away. 
As many have mentioned, the body is quite lean, and this is probably what disappoints me the most. I was expecting a nice chewy, slightly sweet malt body, but its quite drying and shortlived on the palate.
The flavour, however, I didn't mind; some subtle cocoa-y malts and browned toast. Certainly not the rich chocolate I was expecting though.
And as for this cherry!? Where? Ok, sure, there's a hint of something that may be perceived as cherry on the finish, but I reckon you'd be better off not mentioning it and leaving it as some sort of complex yeast ester...or something...I dunno, but I had to look hard to find any cherries.

Anyway, that's my rant. To be perfectly honest, I didn't mind it, could probably have a session of it; reminds me a bit of the JS Porter or Tooheys old, sessionable dry dark ale, maybe not as dark as them though. My problem is they talked it up to be a different beer than what I tasted.


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## bconnery (7/6/10)

I've tried it twice in the bottle and once on tap now and I've found the variance to be amazing. 
The first time, in the bottle, I found it thin, no hint of cherry and an almost hint of infection like tang. Totally undrinkable. 

I'd heard mixed reviews so I tried again on tap, especially as someone else paid for it, and didn't mind it. It wasnt a beer I'd rush to buy but it had some malt, a reasonable body and a hint of cherry flavouring, definitely flavouring came to mind rather than cherry. 

Got a bottle in the recent Micro Beer club pack it it was much closer to the on tap version this time, but still lacking in body. 

Overall I'd say, on tap being the best, that it still isn't a beer I'll rave about, but I've had a lot worse. 
Mainly I'm not sure the dark lager and cherry juice combo was the best choice to me...

Certainly better than the Mad Brewer's Rasberry Wheat anyway :icon_vomit:


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## tehdilgerer (7/6/10)

probablynathan said:


> I have been pestering the local bottleshops trying to get a case but they are all telling me the Tasmanian alocation has been delayed and decreased. After reading this tread I'm wondering if it's worth the efort. I'll keep trying though as I have missed out on past seasonals.
> 
> Any one in tas got there hands on any?



depends on where in tassie mate, alot of the bottleshops in Hobart have it. Just bought a 6 pack from the 9/11 on Sandy Bay Rd, also know that Coolwine in the city stock it. And if you havent been to Coolwine yet... Well. I wont spoil the suprise!!


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## bum (7/6/10)

bconnery said:


> Certainly better than the Mad Brewer's Rasberry Wheat anyway :icon_vomit:


 
And that apple saison. 

Why are some people getting so defensive about this beer? It hasn't really been panned. Most criticism seems to be based on genuine experience and perception rather than some sort of "tall-poppy" bullshit some are suggesting. Is JS a brewery many have a soft spot for as it produced their "gateway" beer?


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## Dazza_devil (7/6/10)

bum said:


> And that apple saison.
> 
> Why are some people getting so defensive about this beer? It hasn't really been panned. Most criticism seems to be based on genuine experience and perception rather than some sort of "tall-poppy" bullshit some are suggesting. Is JS a brewery many have a soft spot for as it produced their "gateway" beer?




Maybe right there bum, it is a gateway beer. 
I'll defend it though on the basis that I simply enjoyed it. Each to their own and we all have different tastes which are perhaps molded upon what we have had the opportunity or inclination to consume. There really does seem to be a bit of a quality control issue with the beer though.


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## piraterum (7/6/10)

Kind of like a thin Toohey's old with a slight cherry flavour. I found this brew a bit disappointing. 

I reckon piss of the cherry and make a nice, rich, malty dark ale!


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## bconnery (7/6/10)

bum said:


> And that apple saison.
> 
> Why are some people getting so defensive about this beer? It hasn't really been panned. Most criticism seems to be based on genuine experience and perception rather than some sort of "tall-poppy" bullshit some are suggesting. Is JS a brewery many have a soft spot for as it produced their "gateway" beer?



I didn't mind the apple saison so much, although again I didn't think it was a great beer. 

I think that perhaps JS do cop a fair bit over their treatment of some beers, but then again I think it's justified in some ways. 
I don't know the answer though...

Personally I have mixed feelings about the beers, and couldn't care much about the brewery per se. 
Any brewery that produces the Australian Strong Ale, the original Hop Thief, which started my love for Nelson Sauvin, amongst others, is alright by me. 

But then again, there was that Rasberry Wheat...


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## Snowdog (8/6/10)

I quite enjoyed the Pepperberry, hated the Rasberry Wheat, but am rather indifferent to Malt Runner.
I think if I had to pick a bottle between that and Fat Yak, I'd take the Fat Yak...


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## dgilks (8/6/10)

I just cracked another bottle after eating some spicy, greasy Indian pakoras. All of a sudden, the cherry coke flavour is coming out everywhere in this beer. I like it much better now. The moral here is to drink Malt Runner with lots of greasy, spicy, salty food.


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## brettprevans (8/6/10)

interesting that this beer's write up in the epicure (link), says they use cherry syrup rather than cherry juice as JS states they use. it would explain why its not as 'fresh' or as good as we hoped.


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## Dazza_devil (8/6/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> interesting that this beer's write up in the epicure (link), says they use cherry syrup rather than cherry juice as JS states they use. it would explain why its not as 'fresh' or as good as we hoped.




Interesting reading there CM2. Cocoa powder was responsible for the chocolate up front then? Sure it could of been better but it could of been worse.
That Moo Brew Vintage Imperial Stout looks the goods, hard to improve on that one form the sounds of it.


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## Screwtop (8/6/10)

Pretty sure the reason for using Cherry Whatever is to add sucrose to dry out the beer, so why is everyone looking for Cherry flavour/aroma. Don't think it was meant to be a fruit beer.

Cheers,

Screwy


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## brettprevans (8/6/10)

Screwtop said:


> Pretty sure the reason for using Cherry Whatever is to add sucrose to dry out the beer, so why is everyone looking for Cherry flavour/aroma. Don't think it was meant to be a fruit beer.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Screwy


could be. i assumed they were aiming for a flavour hint, rather than it be a substantial amount to warrent it being labeled a fruit beer. 

Boagsy - yeah i meant to comment on the cocoa powder as well. unles the reporter didnt know what coch malt was and assumed it was cocoa powder... never know with these 'reporters'

if the article is right then a 'clone' version improved could be great

edit: not wanting to get off topic, but an article about seasonal releases that doesnt go into things like RedHill's imperial stouts and all the other breweries is a bit poor, but not unexpected


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## Dazza_devil (8/6/10)

I reckon it's been taken from the James Squire's Brewers' Blog http://www.jamessquire.com.au/blog/index.p...-by-tony-jones/ 


The section on the beer itself,

'So, to add a twist to our 2010 Winter Release James Squire Malt Runner, we have developed a blend of no less than five malts, including three of the darker offerings (Chocolate Malt, Crystal Malt, Roasted Wheat) in a beer that is unashamedly focussed on the complexity that malt can deliver to the finished beer. The slight moderate bitterness (around 21 Bitterness Units) contributed by the US Citra hops plays only a secondary role. In conjunction with the slight acidity gained by adding cherry juice to the whirlpool at the equivalent of 10% of the final brew volume, it does help to balance the maltiness of the brew without yielding excessive bitterness.'
Written by Tony Jones


And in the responses,

'James Squirehttp://www.jamessquire.com.au/&quot;[color=&quot;#455b12 says: June 2, 2010 at 7:48 amHi Steve,
thanks for taking the time to give us some positive feedback.
This was a fairly complex brew to produce given the addition of cocoa powder to the kettle, and Cherry juice late into whirpool'


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## bum (8/6/10)

Screwtop said:


> Pretty sure the reason for using Cherry Whatever is to add sucrose to dry out the beer, so why is everyone looking for Cherry flavour/aroma.


 
Can't speak for anyone else but I was looking for it because I saw the cherry aspect being mentioned second in the tasting notes _on the bottle_ so thought they were hoping it'd be there - which it wasn't in my sixer.

[EDIT: I should say that I didn't notice it - maybe it was there.]


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## Dazza_devil (8/6/10)

There appears to be two different reports from the brewery regarding the cherry juice, the last one that I previoulsy posted gives a figure of 10% and the quote in post 1 gives around 15%. This could explain why people are giving different observations.

'Fresh Cherry Bouquet' on the side of the bottle - I didn't get this
'hint of cherry' on the front of the bottle - this is what I did get

perhaps mine was the 10% cherry juice, I'm confused


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## Fingerlickin_B (12/6/10)

Purchased a sixer of this last week & only just hit the second last bottle tonight after running out of everything else. 

Without the cherry extract, it could indeed be a very fine winter beer...with the cherry it's like I'm drinking the jam from a black forrest cake! :icon_vomit: 

PZ.


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## Pennywise (12/6/10)

Not a fan, glad I only bought 2 bottles. Don't know what's wrong with it but it's not something I like. Reminds me of a Kriek gone terribly terribly wrong


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## Screwtop (12/6/10)

bum said:


> Can't speak for anyone else but I was looking for it because I saw the cherry aspect being mentioned second in the tasting notes _on the bottle_ so thought they were hoping it'd be there - which it wasn't in my sixer.
> 
> [EDIT: I should say that I didn't notice it - maybe it was there.]




Not in any of the ones I have bought either Bum, didn't really expect it or look for it was more after the dryness eluded to in the blog. Typical of JS to use roasted wheat, they would have it lying around (JS Porter) it gives a little hint of cocoa. Interesting that it stands out so much to some palates and not to others, the 10% 15% thing is interesting too. Must have a look at the bottle code on the ones I have left and see where they were brewed. Anyway I love this beer, would like to clone it with a little personal twist.

Cheers,

Screwy


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## dgilks (12/6/10)

Screwtop said:


> Not in any of the ones I have bought either Bum, didn't really expect it or look for it was more after the dryness eluded to in the blog. Typical of JS to use roasted wheat, they would have it lying around (JS Porter) it gives a little hint of cocoa. Interesting that it stands out so much to some palates and not to others, the 10% 15% thing is interesting too. Must have a look at the bottle code on the ones I have left and see where they were brewed. Anyway I love this beer, would like to clone it with a little personal twist.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Screwy



There shouldn't be any difference between the bottles. I have been told by the Senior Brewer for LN that there was only a single batch brewed so all bottles (and kegs) have an identical product.


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## bconnery (12/6/10)

dgilks said:


> There shouldn't be any difference between the bottles. I have been told by the Senior Brewer for LN that there was only a single batch brewed so all bottles (and kegs) have an identical product.



Well in that case they have been handled very very poorly at times by the delivery and supply chain because there was a marked difference between the first bottle I tried, that someone would have purchased from Dan's or the like, and the bottle I got from Micro Beer Club. 
The former was actually undrinkable. I had a tasting glass worth and didn't finish it.


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## Screwtop (12/6/10)

dgilks said:


> There shouldn't be any difference between the bottles. I have been told by the Senior Brewer for LN that there was only a single batch brewed so all bottles (and kegs) have an identical product.




Ok dgilks, thought they made batches at a couple of locations. Was going to check the bottle code to see which Brewery's product it was.

Screwy


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## Dazza_devil (12/6/10)

I kept my empties, 142 on mine.


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## manticle (17/6/10)

Had one the other day. Glad my local seems interested in trying new stock.

Got a touch of artificial cherry in the first mouthful but after that it disappeared and I got a lovely, malty beer.

Will try again.


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