# Killer Sprocket Bandit



## beermeupscotty (20/1/14)

This is pretty new but I'm wondering if anyone else has had any...





(not my pic)

I bought some this arvo from a bottle shop in Northcote (VIC) not knowing anything about the beer, except that Killer Sprocket's Amber Ale is delicious (on tap, at least), and that Sean Ryan (one of the makers) was a friendly fella when I contact him about the Amber Ale. The Bandit label read "10% peated malt" - which I knew nothing about (I've since read about it).

I'd have to say the Bandit tasted like smokey bacon (or what I presume smokey bacon tastes like). Unfortunately I don't like this flavour at all so I decided not to finish the bottle.

Anyone else had a taste of this? Thoughts?

Edit: Oops, should have put this in the "What's in the glass (commercial)" thread - can't delete now - sorry.


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## TimT (20/1/14)

Haven't had it. If it tastes like smokey bacon.... maybe good for cooking? Or good with a salty meaty savoury dish.


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## TimT (20/1/14)

I love the Amber Ale, which I'm told was only a limited release (damn it!)


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## SimoB (20/1/14)

I had it at the Ballarat beer festival. It was strong Smokey flavor for sure. I didn't hate it but I would struggle to finish a whole bottle too.

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk


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## beermeupscotty (20/1/14)

TimT said:


> I love the Amber Ale, which I'm told was only a limited release (damn it!)


Yeah the Amber Ale was like dessert in a glass for me. Every sip was just mmmmmmmmmm so sweet and smooth with the caramelly toffee flavours. It's the main reason I went for the Bandit. I hadn't heard anything about it's release (being limited) but there was plenty in stock at Harvest Wine and Liquor on High Street, Northcote.


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## seanryan (24/1/14)

beermeupscotty said:


> Yeah the Amber Ale was like dessert in a glass for me. Every sip was just mmmmmmmmmm so sweet and smooth with the caramelly toffee flavours. It's the main reason I went for the Bandit. I hadn't heard anything about it's release (being limited) but there was plenty in stock at Harvest Wine and Liquor on High Street, Northcote.





TimT said:


> I love the Amber Ale, which I'm told was only a limited release (damn it!)


The Amber Ale is our year round release and the Bandit was a limited release. We still have not decided if we are putting Bandit on as a full time beer, people either love it or hate it, so we will wait and see how the demand goes. I think I will brew it again into 330ml bottles instead of the 500ml and see what the reaction is. [SIZE=11pt]But you can still get Amber Ale from all our usual stockists.[/SIZE]


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## TimT (24/1/14)

Grouse


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## beermeupscotty (24/1/14)

Good to get your input, Sean  Sorry I couldn't give a more positive response about the Bandit but it has a big and unique flavour which, like you say, means there's no fence-sitting in people's appreciation of it. Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea (or glass or beer).

Good to hear we won't be seeing the Amber Ale disappear (I hope it stays on tap at the Royal Standard). I might mention though, the 6-pack I bought at Harvest seems flat (but still tasty). Any idea if they're selling recent batches or oldies?


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## seanryan (24/1/14)

beermeupscotty said:


> Good to get your input, Sean  Sorry I couldn't give a more positive response about the Bandit but it has a big and unique flavour which, like you say, means there's no fence-sitting in people's appreciation of it. Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea (or glass or beer).
> 
> Good to hear we won't be seeing the Amber Ale disappear (I hope it stays on tap at the Royal Standard). I might mention though, the 6-pack I bought at Harvest seems flat (but still tasty). Any idea if they're selling recent batches or oldies?


Any response is valid as long as there is a reason behind it. I love peated malt scotches like Laphroaig and I am one of the people that loves Yeastie Boys Rex Revenge, I started Killer Sprocket because I wanted to make the beers I liked to drink not copy the rest of the pack. When I was testing out the recipes I had such an equal divide of those that loved it and those that could not drink a full glass, in the end just made what I thought was an interesting beer. In the end if it all goes south and no one buys my beer I am the fool that has to drink it all, so that is always my deciding factor.

We had an issue with a few of the bottles from the last batch of Amber, it did not affect all of them but some bottles came out a little flat and some a little over carbed. We think it was to do with the pasteurisation process at the brewery we used. We are now brewing out of the Cavalier brewery and have our own tanks getting installed in there so these issues should be a thing of the past. All the beer coming out of Cavalier will be in the standard amber coloured bottles.


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## beermeupscotty (24/1/14)

seanryan said:


> Any response is valid as long as there is a reason behind it. I love peated malt scotches like Laphroaig and I am one of the people that loves Yeastie Boys Rex Revenge, I started Killer Sprocket because I wanted to make the beers I liked to drink not copy the rest of the pack. When I was testing out the recipes I had such an equal divide of those that loved it and those that could not drink a full glass, in the end just made what I thought was an interesting beer. In the end if it all goes south and no one buys my beer I am the fool that has to drink it all, so that is always my deciding factor.
> 
> We had an issue with a few of the bottles from the last batch of Amber, it did not affect all of them but some bottles came out a little flat and some a little over carbed. We think it was to do with the pasteurisation process at the brewery we used. We are now brewing out of the Cavalier brewery and have our own tanks getting installed in there so these issues should be a thing of the past. All the beer coming out of Cavalier will be in the standard amber coloured bottles.


Is that Rex Revenge (Attitude?) the 100% peat malt one? I read about that and quivered, lol. Got to respect that you're making your own beers - the Bandit is definitely an interesting beer - looking forward to seeing what comes next.

Ok, that's interesting to know about the Amber Ale - hope things go smoothly at Cavalier brewery. I'll go ahead and finish off the rest of my pack.


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## Dips Me Lid (31/1/14)

Love the Amber Ale, I could drink a lot of that beer, great malt character. I tried the Bandit a couple of weeks ago, it was an interesting beer, I enjoyed it. I love peaty scotch like Ardbeg ect but I'm yet to taste a peated beer that really meshes together 100%, I think the higher alcohol of scotch supports the phenolic drive of the peat, whereas beer just doesn't seem to have enough grunt to work really well with it. My two cents anyway, I'm definitely looking forward to more releases from Killer Sprocket.


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## Bribie G (31/1/14)

I don't like bacon beers, but being a Nazi I'm really glad that nobody has mentioned Scotch Ales. Despite the claims of some suppliers who haven't obviously done their homework, as well as the BJCP who do good work but generally wouldn't be able to identify many UK styles (edit: as *actually *brewed and drunk in the UK) if they mugged them in a dark alley in Detroit, they have nothing to do with peated malt, that was produced for the whisky trade.

If you want to try a really good Scotch Ale Malt, try Simpsons Maris Otter grown in the Border country where I grew up, or Golden Promise from the Lowlands which is also widely produced for whisky where it may or may not be peated. Don't get me wrong, anyone is free to put whatever they want into their brews, including cock ale, but Scotch Ales aint Scotch Ales.

However I'm glad that nobody has mentioned Scotch Ales so I won't either.

And all the best to K.S. in their endeavours.


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## Snow (17/2/14)

seanryan said:


> The Amber Ale is our year round release and the Bandit was a limited release. We still have not decided if we are putting Bandit on as a full time beer, people either love it or hate it, so we will wait and see how the demand goes. I think I will brew it again into 330ml bottles instead of the 500ml and see what the reaction is. [SIZE=11pt]But you can still get Amber Ale from all our usual stockists.[/SIZE]


Sean, I tried the Bandit last week and loved it. Well done on a great beer. Could have been a bit smokier for me though 

I also loved X-Rex and Rex Attitude, and Laphroig and Ardbeg, so there you go!

Cheers - Snow.


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## BreadMurderer (17/2/14)

I tried this at Dejavu on Wednesday and I must say it isn't horrible but I couldn't have more than one. 

But then again maybe you have too to get used to it. Goes to show that only 10% peat malt can have a massive impact. Smell reminds me of whisky.


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