# Nsw Xmas 2010 Tasting Thread



## white.grant (5/12/10)

Time to start tasting!


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## white.grant (5/12/10)

*No. 9 Redbeard's Kellerbier* 05.12.10

As the wiki says, low carb and bitter. Very accurate.

Bottle opens with a very slight fst and pours a clear, light copper into my glass, foamy head receding rapidly. Aroma carries a nice waft of noble hop and some sweet malt in the background. Mouthfeel - while relatively still, enhances the soft malty flavour (which on further sips are quite complex, graham cracker and lightly toasted bread,) while bitterness is accentuated on a prolonged finish with subtle piny flavours. Nice beer Craig!

I've never had a Kellerbier before, but I'm really enjoying this. What is the yeast? And the recipe?

cheers

grant


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## redbeard (6/12/10)

*Kellerbier* based on recipe from byo 959

Wort Volume Before Boil: 23.00 l
Expected OG: 1.058 SG
Expected FG: 1.016 SG
Expected ABV: 5.6 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 43.0 IBU
Expected Color (using Morey): 7.5 SRM

Australian Export Pilsner 3.300 kg 64.7 % 
German Munich 1.500 kg 29.4 % 
German Rye 0.200 kg 3.9 % 
Australian Dark Crystal 0.100 kg 2.0 % 

German Hallertauer Mittlefruh 5.0 % 50 g 60min
German Hallertauer Mittlefruh 5.0 % 50 g 15min

White Labs WLP838-Southern German Lager
Fermentation Temperature: 10 degC


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## barls (9/12/10)

just tried a bottle of mine the carbs there but could be a little more. the flavour is right where i want it, fatz and bjorn i think you will both like this beer.


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## BjornJ (11/12/10)

ok, time for my first case swap beer.
(Just read that bit from Barls about liking his beer, so guessing it is some kind of fruity-belgian-weird-beer-with-cherries-and-little-striped-kneesocks-on but will leave that for later)



*3. nifty - Some sort of Pilsner - 5.3% - Wyeast 2124 - bottled 17/10/2010* - Ready to drink. 


Good head, big and fluffy white, tight head. Dies down to a foam ring that stays while finishing the glass.
Clean smell, a touch of sweetness. 
Full body, sweet and well-rounded. Saaz tones, I always get a bit of sweetness from Saaz, maybe it's just me still worrying about what Barl's case swap beer will be like.
Very clear, can read the date of my watch through the glass.
Continuous stream of bubbles going through the beer, looks great to be honest.
Not a lot of hop aroma, but definetly there.
A touch of esters and a clean, dry finish.
Malty, clean pilsner flavour with a touch of sweetness without being cloey. I really like it.

A very nice beer. I would pay for this at the pub and be happy.

I drank one of my lagers today, tastes horribly of bananas. Read of it, first time I have tasted it.
By the looks of things I should get the recipe from Nifty.

Great beer mate, so happy it was the first case swap beer I tried!!

 


thanks
Bjorn


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## white.grant (11/12/10)

*No.24 Johnny Anchovy's, Lucky Dip - I got the AIPA

*Pours well, rocky foam stand, lacing the glass as it descends, copper body, slight haze. Aroma of fresh c hops but you can sense some serious bittering in there, mouthfeel is smooth, some spikiness, rich and slightly resiny.

Flavour is well defined, balanced malt and hop aroma on the first sip but then the hops take over and carry you through to a bitter finish with the aroma hops coming along for the ride carrying a good malt memory. As it warms in the glass it just gets better - I am _very_ impressed. This is a great beer, good recipe well made.

I would like to think that I could make one so well.

Loving the hop profile, really good matching of bitterness and aroma with the complex malt. Top work. Thanks Johnny,


cheers

Grant
*

*


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## BjornJ (11/12/10)

1. barls - summer and fruity more info to come. bottled 15/11 so leave a month.
2. 
3. nifty - Some sort of Pilsner - 5.3% - Wyeast 2124 - bottled 17/10/2010 - Ready to drink. 
4. Muggus - Alt Ten Eight - 6.0% Wyeast 1275 bottled 28.9.10
5. 
6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for christmas
7. gruntus - Meine Aventinus - Weizendoppelbock - 8.25% - Brewed 25/9/10 - Bottled 9/10/10 - RTD Now - Wyeast 3068
8. Palebrew - House Bitter - Special Bitter - 4.1% - 25/9/10 - 10/10/10 - Drink now - My first attempt at a Spitfire clone-way off but nice
9. Redb - Kellerbeir - malty, bitter, low carb, approx 5% - rtd now
10.
11.Thommo - Porter, Bottled 13/11/2010
12. Sydneyhappyhour - Choc Mint Stout - Sweet Stout - 5.6% - Bottled 21/11/2010
13. Monkeybusiness - attenuation nutbags irish red - 6.7% - Brewed 2/11/10 - Bottled 23/11/10 - RTD I dunno, say christmas - Wy1084 
14.
15. Fatzgodzilla - surprise fruit beer ! No, it's the Kozel Dark Lager. My HB was crap so enjoy this one on me.
16. Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010
17. Gulpa - AIPA - ?% (strongish I think) - Pacman yeast - Bottled 22/11
18. Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November />19./
20. Bjorn J, Galaxy "Not to far away" APA, midstrength 3.5% alc, ready to drink 
21. 
22. Cortez The Killer - Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA - American IPA - ~6.5% - http://hyperfox.info/allgrain01.htm#81 - Bottled 17/11/10 - RTD Mid December
23. 
24. Johnnyanchovy - Lucky dip! some AIPA, some Husky Hefeweizen, some Dark Ale, and some Spiced Pumpkin Ale. all range from 4.5-6.5%, all ready to drink now. 
25. Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%, Brewed 15/10, Bottled 14/11, RTD mid Dec 2010 
26. Lokpikn ( Dark Wheat beer )
27.






6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for christmas


Nice aroma, good head that dies down to a foam ring.
Deep, dark copper colour, more red than brown, really nice and enticing.
Touch of caramel but dry medium to light body, dry aftertaste. Not very bitter.
A touch of esters again on the smell/aroma, clean tasting with an exciting twist.
Really nice beer, thanks for letting me try it,

thanks
Bjorn


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## white.grant (12/12/10)

BjornJ said:


> 6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for christmas
> 
> 
> Nice aroma, good head that dies down to a foam ring.
> ...




Hi Bjorn,
Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

cheers

grant


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## sydneyhappyhour (12/12/10)

24 Johnnyanchovy - Dark Ale
Poured into a glass a very dark brown / ruby colour, with a good sized tightly packed tan coulered head that stuck around a while to leave a nice thick lace covering.
The aroma is mainly raisins with a hint of dark cherry and port.
On the palate starts out soft with raisin notes before kicking in full force with a creamy texture accompanied by vanilla, toasted bread,raisin, bruised apple and cherry flavours.
Ending with a slightly creamy sweet bitterness that seems to cloy to the back of the palate.

Wish I knew what I was in for with this brew, 30 degree heat probably wouldn't have been my choice of day to crack it! Great beer full of complexity and flavour, no exact alcohol percentage listed on the wiki, just a note that the lucky dip entries range up to 6.5%, if I had to guess I would have thought this beer to be alot higher though seems to have a nice warming effect on the stomach.

My only regret is I didn't taste this on a cold winter night I reckon it would be the perfect way to unwind after a long winters day at work.

Thanks Johnnyanchovy


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## sydneyhappyhour (12/12/10)

Lopkin - Dark Wheat Beer
Not sure what the bottled date was for this brew so I may be to blame for opening too early. Upon opening it looked like it was going to be a gusher, but in a glasss it died down and behaved about 20 seconds after pouring to the point of almost looking dead.
On the nose getting a lot of clove with a mild dose of freshly cut oranges.
On the palate cloves, mild dose of maple syrup, citrus lemon / lime and lightly toasted bread with the wheat kicking in around the 3/4 mark and ending clean with a touch of sweetness.

Well made beer, Lopkin can you tell me if I jumped the mark and opened too early? Thirst quenching and a great end to a hot Sydney day never the less.


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## lokpikn (12/12/10)

sydneyhappyhour said:


> Lopkin - Dark Wheat Beer
> Not sure what the bottled date was for this brew so I may be to blame for opening too early. Upon opening it looked like it was going to be a gusher, but in a glasss it died down and behaved about 20 seconds after pouring to the point of almost looking dead.
> On the nose getting a lot of clove with a mild dose of freshly cut oranges.
> On the palate cloves, mild dose of maple syrup, citrus lemon / lime and lightly toasted bread with the wheat kicking in around the 3/4 mark and ending clean with a touch of sweetness.
> ...


It is ready to drink but as i dont really bottle much beer maybe i have under carbed it a bit. Good to hear you liked is other wise.


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## sydneyhappyhour (12/12/10)

lokpikn said:


> It is ready to drink but as i dont really bottle much beer maybe i have under carbed it a bit. Good to hear you liked is other wise.


Seemed the last glass with the sediment held a head forever, was a bit hard to judge the head seemed a like it came out of a new bottle. Regardless it tasted great so thats all that matters, thanks also for the old school fosters longneck I was almost tempted to drink it on the verandah in the bottle for "street cred". B)


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## JonnyAnchovy (13/12/10)

Grantw said:


> *No.24 Johnny Anchovy's, Lucky Dip - I got the AIPA
> 
> *Pours well, rocky foam stand, lacing the glass as it descends, copper body, slight haze. Aroma of fresh c hops but you can sense some serious bittering in there, mouthfeel is smooth, some spikiness, rich and slightly resiny.
> 
> ...



Cheers Grant - very generous review, and glad you liked it.




sydneyhappyhour said:


> 24 Johnnyanchovy - Dark Ale
> Poured into a glass a very dark brown / ruby colour, with a good sized tightly packed tan coulered head that stuck around a while to leave a nice thick lace covering.
> The aroma is mainly raisins with a hint of dark cherry and port.
> On the palate starts out soft with raisin notes before kicking in full force with a creamy texture accompanied by vanilla, toasted bread,raisin, bruised apple and cherry flavours.
> ...



Cheers pal! I don't think I'll revisit this beer any time soon - the yeast was something apparently something belgian provided by a friend, not really happy with the level of fusel alcohols and acetaldehyde - I think they can sometimes add to some belgian dark styles, but they were a little out of place here. Think I many have underpitched quite a bit as well. 

Thanks fot the amazing review. 



I've got to pick up my game!


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## barls (14/12/10)

ok time to come clean even though some of you have seen the label. mine this time is a braggot thats loosely based on a belgian pale ale and its roughly about 6%.
enjoy peoples


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## redbeard (14/12/10)

barls - is it rtd or should i wait 6mths ?


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## nifty (14/12/10)

BjornJ said:


> ok, time for my first case swap beer.
> (Just read that bit from Barls about liking his beer, so guessing it is some kind of fruity-belgian-weird-beer-with-cherries-and-little-striped-kneesocks-on but will leave that for later)
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks for the comments Bjorn, I'm glad you liked it.

I was a bit nervous about putting this one in the case swap, it's the first time I've tried it out on other brewers and drinkers.

cheers

nifty


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## barls (14/12/10)

ready to drink mate.


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## nifty (14/12/10)

I kicked off the case with this - 

*4. Muggus - Alt Ten Eight - 6.0% Wyeast 1275 bottled 28.9.10 *

Mate, what a cracker of a beer. A top way to start this years xmas case.

thanks

nifty


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## nifty (16/12/10)

*1. barls - summer and fruity more info to come. bottled 15/11*

I've never had a braggot before so I wasn't sure what to expect but I knew there was honey involved.

I guess I was thinking the beer would be along the lines of a souped up bees knees or something like that but I was pleasantly surprised to taste a really nice beer without any honey sweetness at all but with a very subtle honey back taste?? (sorry, not too good at describing this).

thanks

nifty


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## barls (16/12/10)

cheers mate, actually im really impressed on how it turned out. yeah i was kinda aiming for a belgian pale ale with honey instead of sugar. its only about 6% so nothing like the other one that 9-10%


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## nifty (17/12/10)

*8. Palebrew - House Bitter - Special Bitter - 4.1% - 25/9/10 - 10/10/10 *

I had this when I got home from work this afternoon. 

Low carbonation, a nice easy drinking beer. I knocked this back pretty quick.

thanks

nifty


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## white.grant (19/12/10)

*No. 22 CtKs beer with the silly name*


Slight fast on opening pours handsomely into my nonic, a deep copper with a fluffy White head, which persists. Nice floral hop bouquet and sweet malt. Flavour wise there is a good valance of malt and hop, flavours are great and on the big end of things, and folds into a sustained bitter finish. Mighty fine beer there Cortez, great work.

As my luck would have it I know where there are more! He he.

Cheers

Grant


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## nifty (19/12/10)

*9. Redb - Kellerbeir - malty, bitter, low carb, approx 5%* 

A Very nice beer, it was malty, it was bitter and it was low carbed just how I like my beers. 

I saw your recipe in an earlier post and I might have to have a crack at this type of beer.

thanks

nifty


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## Cortez The Killer (20/12/10)

Thanks Grant

I had one the other day to test

And found it a little subdued compared to what I was aiming for

The beer is highly drinkable but lacking the wow factor I intended 

Cheers


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## JonnyAnchovy (20/12/10)

1. Barls' braggot.

Pours very attractive dark copper with medium carbonation and a nice tight off-white head which persists to the end of the glass. Mild phenolic notes on the nose, with some noble hop earthiness.

Medium low bitterness with lots of yeast derived phenolic and alcohol flavors some hints on citrus, Some background honey notes.
Smooth, full mouthfeel.

Cheers barls!


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## barls (20/12/10)

cheers john im glad you enjoyed it.


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## nifty (22/12/10)

*20. Bjorn J, Galaxy "Not to far away" APA, midstrength 3.5% alc*

Is the galaxy in the name referring to the hops? I don't think I've had a beer with galaxy hops before.

A nice beer, I can taste pineapple or passionfruit. A refreshing ale on a warm afternoon. A pity it was gone so quick.

Thanks

nifty


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## BjornJ (22/12/10)

nifty said:


> *20. Bjorn J, Galaxy "Not to far away" APA, midstrength 3.5% alc*
> 
> Is the galaxy in the name referring to the hops? I don't think I've had a beer with galaxy hops before.
> 
> ...



Hi Nifty,
glad you liked it, thanks for that!
You're right, the "Galaxy not too far away" part is hinting at the hop being Galaxy.
Brendan from the northern beaches makes a brilliant Stone & Wood draught clone, he calls it "Galaxy Far, Far Away" as it's a galaxy-only beer.
I tried to make a mid-strength version of his, but it ended up more subdued and not very exciting.
I like it thought, plan to make it again but it never got that fresh, big Galaxy flavour I was hoping for.

thanks
Bjorn


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## nifty (23/12/10)

*22. Cortez The Killer - Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA - AIPA - 6.5% *

I had this one last night and youre right about it being highly drinkable. I thought the wow factor was pretty good as well.

Thanks

nifty

ps Where does the name come from?


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## Fatgodzilla (24/12/10)

A month as a publican and I'm just about over this job. 16 hours a day, 7 days a week aint my idea of fun. Only Fat Yak is my friend !  

Will start drinking the Xmas swap from tomorrow (Xmas Day) and look forward to the enjoyment. Will also put down some brews - an old english ale for the 2011 Special swap and a red ale for later in the year, as I sit here and get a day of peace.

:beer:


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## sydneyhappyhour (28/12/10)

Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%
Poured a hazy, very dark brown appearance with a head around 1-2 cm thick that died over the space of a few minutes. Aroma is fairly mild with caramel and prunes coming to mind. Seems to start off with a caramel flavor about midway this turns to multi grain bread then near the back the rye kicks in full swing with pumpernickel and whiskey type flavors coming through.

Carried this bottle around most of the Christmas break intending to drink it but forgetting to crack it night after night. The wait was definitely worth it though very unique, with an element of mystery that seemed to have me thinking there is something else with this beer that I can't quite put my finger on.

Cheers Boris very enjoyable!


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## Fatgodzilla (29/12/10)

Had the the pleasure of The Rook dropping in for a few ales, so who better to share some HB with. 

Started with Cortez's IPA - a lovely drop. Very nice drink. Read what you are saying about this one, but thought it a marvellous drink.

Next we struck lucky with a AIPA from Jonnyanchovy. Marvellous beer to follow Gino's. Similiar styles but different beers, but every bit as good.

Finished the run with Boris's Brown Rye Ale. We both agreed that was a great beer. Loved the different flavour following two good american pales. 

A good drink with a fellow home brewer, thanks lads.

Also polished off Bjorn's galaxy ale early Xmas Day - good effort. I took on board what you said about the beer at Lake Conjola. I think its a style worth continuing with - probably needs a bit more hop and maybe body to compensate the lower gravity to suit my taste. But a good one none the less. Finished Xmas with Lokpikn's Dark Wheat - was a bit under the weather by then but thought it a great beer to finish the day's drinking off in style. Thanks.


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## bit (29/12/10)

I don't have my brew notes with me atm, but from memory it's: 70% J.W. pale malt, 20% Weyer. Rye malt, some special B and Caramunich II, aroma hops Styrian Goldings at 20, 10 min and yeast = Pacman. 

Cheers for comments sydhappyhour and Fatz, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Boris






sydneyhappyhour said:


> Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%
> Poured a hazy, very dark brown appearance with a head around 1-2 cm thick that died over the space of a few minutes. Aroma is fairly mild with caramel and prunes coming to mind. Seems to start off with a caramel flavor about midway this turns to multi grain bread then near the back the rye kicks in full swing with pumpernickel and whiskey type flavors coming through.
> 
> Carried this bottle around most of the Christmas break intending to drink it but forgetting to crack it night after night. The wait was definitely worth it though very unique, with an element of mystery that seemed to have me thinking there is something else with this beer that I can't quite put my finger on.
> ...


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## nifty (29/12/10)

*24. Johnnyanchovy - Lucky dip! some AIPA, some Husky Hefeweizen, some Dark Ale, and some Spiced Pumpkin Ale. all range from 4.5-6.5%*

I scored well with the lucky dip. 

I was lucky enough to get the spiced pumpkin ale (I think). It was a rich dark copper colour and tasted like fruit cake. I couldnt stop sipping it, it was so nice.

Excellent beer.

Thanks

nifty


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## sydneyhappyhour (29/12/10)

20. Bjorn J, Galaxy "Not to far away" APA, midstrength 3.5% alc
I was planning on an alcohol free day but then I buckled and cracked this number I figured being mid strength I wouldn't have too feel too guilty. Poured with a nice thick white head, golden and crystal clear. The aroma pineapple / passion fruit with a similar taste profile. The body seems a bit lacking but thats to be expected with the reduced alcohol. 

Nice job Bjorn! I reckon with a bit of tweaking this could end up a great lower alcohol version of the S & W Pacific Ale.


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## sydneyhappyhour (29/12/10)

9. Redb - Kellerbeir - malty, bitter, low carb, approx 5% 
Poured a light clear copper colour with a nice white but short lived head. Low level of carbonation, aroma is floral with some hints reminiscent of fresh basil. On the palate the malt seems to kick in first then it builds with soft crisp hop bitterness.

Very nice wish I had another bottle, thanks!


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## Muggus (3/1/11)

My first cab off the rank...

*Beer: 3. nifty - Some sort of Pilsner*
Date: 29th December 10
Details: 750mL, gold cap 3- 5.3% - Wyeast 2124 - bottled 17/10/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in a pint mug.

Good opening and pour. Decent clarity gold body with a small but persistent foam.

Aroma isnt hugely prominent. Doughy malts, hint of herbal hop. Quite clean.

Medium bodied, nice creaminess about the texture with a smooth carbonation.

Bready malts on the body, bit of cracker biscuit in there too, perhaps just a hint of DMS. Green floral/herbal hops come through a bit more, providing a longer finish and good bitterness. Finish, once again, quite clean.

Really easy going and well made lager. The sort of thing you could bring around to mates bbq and could finish in an arvo. Nice stuff Nifty.


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## Muggus (5/1/11)

*Beer: 7. Gruntus Meine Aventinus - Weizendoppelbock *
Date: 4th January 11
Details: 750mL, gold cap 7 8.25%, brewed 25/09/10, bottled 9/10/10, Wyeast 3068
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in a pint mug.

Deep reddish brown body. Dense beige head dies down to a millimetre of head.

Aroma is quite rich; caramel sauce, toasted nuts, milk chocolate, with hints of stewed fruits and pudding spices.

Thick, syrupy texture, somewhat accentuated by low creamy carbonation. Warming embrace of alcohol towards the finish is a welcome signal.

Sweet caramel malts upfront with roasted notes of nuts and liquorice. Interesting and complex ester profile; I get a bit of black cherry/plum, sultana and prune lingering with clove spice and mildly soothing booze.

Big and tasty, certainly one of my favourite styles. Lots of rich malts backed up by a decent contribution from the yeast character. Cheers Gruntus.


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## JonnyAnchovy (5/1/11)

just tried a bland boring beer that tasted like a hef gone wrong. Looked at the bottle cap, and guess what - it was mine! some potential stability issues, so heads up to those with my hef....


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## barls (5/1/11)

JonnyAnchovy said:


> just tried a bland boring beer that tasted like a hef gone wrong. Looked at the bottle cap, and guess what - it was mine! some potential stability issues, so heads up to those with my hef....


big up for owning up jonny. must start soon i think


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## gruntus (5/1/11)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 7. Gruntus Meine Aventinus - Weizendoppelbock *
> Date: 4th January 11
> Details: 750mL, gold cap "7" 8.25%, brewed 25/09/10, bottled 9/10/10, Wyeast 3068
> Sampling Notes:
> ...



Glad you enjoyed it Muggus. This was 1st attempt at this style and I plan to do another one soon....I want to get more of a weizen hit in the next one.


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## Muggus (6/1/11)

*Beer: 8. Pale Brew House (Special) Bitter *
Date: 5th January 11
Details: 750mL, red cap, 4.1% - brewed 25/9/10 bottled 10/10/10
Sampling Notes:
Served slightly chilled in a pint mug.

Pours a right white inch of persistent white head atop a clear orange gold body.

Nose seems like a very typical British fare for a pale bitter; golden syrup, buttered toast (possible a touch of diacetyl?) with a cooked citrus hop twang.

Medium bodied, low cask-like carbonation, chewy once again, very typical of the style.

Sweet pale malts on the body, a touch of that corny/buttery diacetyl note and light caramels. Subtle citrus hops on a finish with decent bitterness.

Seems pretty much spot on. Might be a touch of diacetyl in there from ferment, but its at a level that is similar to authentic pale bitters. Nice drop regardless. Cheers Pale Brew!


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## nifty (6/1/11)

Muggus said:


> My first cab off the rank...
> 
> *Beer: 3. nifty - Some sort of Pilsner*
> Date: 29th December 10
> ...




Thanks for the comments Muggus. I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to the dark art of brewing lagers, so I'm glad it was ok.

cheers

nifty


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## nifty (6/1/11)

*25. Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%, Brewed 15/10, Bottled 14/11,*

I've just finished this beer, a very tasty brew. 

For some reason I kept thinking of turkish delight when I was drinking this, it was very nice. Im glad Ive got another one in the case to check with.

thanks

nifty


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## sydneyhappyhour (6/1/11)

nifty said:


> *25. Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%, Brewed 15/10, Bottled 14/11,*
> 
> I've just finished this beer, a very tasty brew.
> 
> ...


Just finished your pilsner nifty, the original post got lost somewhere in transit so I will repeat. I love the soft noble hops have never had much luck replicating that myself, good job! Great beer after a long summer work day.

[edit: retarded spelling]


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## Gulpa (6/1/11)

Drunk quite a few of these now, some I have notes for, some I just enjoyed in the moment.

*1. barls - summer and fruity more info to come. bottled 15/11 so leave a month.*

Light honey aroma. Very light pleasant phenolics. Herbal. Sweat.
Clear copper. Pours with a nice compact head that falls down.
Spicy phenols up front in the flavour. A real dryness from the honey. Spice is almost ginger like
Body is light but this is a bit deceptive due to the dry honey finish.
Very nice summer drinking. Thanks Barls.


*3. nifty - Some sort of Pilsner - 5.3% - Wyeast 2124 - bottled 17/10/2010 - Ready to drink.*

Light pils malt aroma, slightly sweet. Spicy noble hops. Clean with no obvious esters or diactyl.
Lovely clear straw colour. Small head falls away.
Nice clean malt flavours. Well balanced bitterness. Pepper. Off dry finish.
Medium body. Medium carb that suits style well.
Very nice Pils. Ticks all the boxes for me. Thanks Nifty.


*4. Muggus - Alt Ten Eight - 6.0% Wyeast 1275 bottled 28.9.10*

This was the first one the I had from the case swap a while ago now.
Malty grainy aroma. Low aroma of noble hops. No esters. Slight phenolic aroma but doesnt detract - shows as ginger as it warms
Light copper. Pours with a low head that falls back quickly. Slight haze.
Smooth sweet malt. Some ferment character is coming through as fruity esters and a slight phenyl edge. Perhaps not as clean as it should be. Well balanced with dry finish.
Medium body. Medium carb. Smooth.
Very nice beer. Not sure the phenols are to style (unless you added some ginger) but didnt really detract from the experience. Thanks Mike.


*6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for christmas*

No notes on this one. I had the start of a head cold when I drank this which probably didnt show it in its best light.


*7. gruntus - Meine Aventinus - Weizendoppelbock - 8.25% - Brewed 25/9/10 - Bottled 9/10/10 - RTD Now - Wyeast 3068*

No notes. Great beer.


*8. Palebrew - House Bitter - Special Bitter - 4.1% - 25/9/10 - 10/10/10 - Drink now - My first attempt at a Spitfire clone-way off but nice*

Bready malt aroma. Light caramel compliments base malt. Slight fruit. Not sure if its from the yeast or hops.
Gold. Small head that fell quickly.Slight haze.
Flavour has a nice medium malt character and follows aroma with bread and caramel. Bitterness well balanced. Some fruity esters as it warms. Just enough ferment character to give some interest.
Medium body. Low carb. Smooth drinking.
Nice easy drinking bitter after a day in the garden. Good malt character and fits well with style.

*16. Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010*

No notes. Nice light bodied summer style very much along the lines of a JSGA. Thanks Jase.


*18. Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November />19./*

No notes. Nice light style pils. I enjoyed this. Thanks Smiley.


*20. Bjorn J, Galaxy "Not to far away" APA, midstrength 3.5% alc, ready to drink*

No notes. Very nice light style. Impressed with the colour. I didnt find the body too light as others have. Thanks Bjorn.


*22. Cortez The Killer - Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA - American IPA - ~6.5% - http://hyperfox.info/allgrain01.htm#81 - Bottled 17/11/10 - RTD Mid December*

Subdued aroma of US citrus hops. Some caramel
Light copper. Slight haze. Little head that dies to a thin film.
Low hop flavour but does reflect the citrus US hops. Medium bitterness is at the lower end of range. Low malt flavours. Some malt sweetness.
Medium body. Medium low carb. Smooth with a quite dry finish.
Nice enough but could do with some more hop flavour and aroma for my tastes. Thanks Gino.

.
*24. Johnnyanchovy - Dark Ale*

Caramel malt. Hints of sherry raisin that you often see with a bit of age. Coffee. Some resiny hops there as well
Ruby highlights. Dark. Bright. Poured with a nice light tan head that persists.
Smooth creamy malt flavours with dark malts showing. Again some sherry like notes. Really nice. Bitterness is in background. Well balanced to malt with some alcohol showing in the finish.
Creamy mouthfeel. Medium full body. Low medium carb.
Great beer. Really enjoyed this one. Thanks Johnny.


*26. Lokpikn ( Dark Wheat beer )*

Aroma is spicy phenols. Clove and ginger. Some earthy notes as well.
Lovely clear dark copper. Persistent off-white head. Looks a treat in the glass.
Light malt flavour. Phenols add some spice. The finish is initially quite mineraly, almost metallic. Appropriate bitterness. Nice biscuity malt comes up as it warms
Medium light body. good carb.
Nice beer Lokpikn. Thanks.


Cheers
Andrew.


----------



## nifty (9/1/11)

*6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for Christmas*

Top drop, a very nice beer.

I haven’t had much experience with this style, but geez it was nice. Do you mind sharing your recipe? I'd like to give this a go.

Thanks

nifty


----------



## white.grant (9/1/11)

nifty said:


> *6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for Christmas*
> 
> Top drop, a very nice beer.
> 
> ...




Glad you liked it Nifty. 

My main puter with beer smith and the recipes is offline at the moment (bloody ram errors), but will post when back from the shop.

Cheers

Grant


----------



## syd_03 (10/1/11)

Gulpa said:


> *16. Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010*
> 
> No notes. Nice light bodied summer style very much along the lines of a JSGA. Thanks Jase.
> 
> ...


Cheers Andrew, glad you enjoyed. It was brewed very much along the lines or Dr Smurto's JSGA.

Jason.


----------



## white.grant (10/1/11)

nifty said:


> *6. grantw - Dunkelweizen Bottled 16/11 - should be nice for Christmas*
> 
> Top drop, a very nice beer.
> 
> ...



Puter is fixed! Hooray!

Recipe is


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Dunkelweizendouble batch
Brewer: Grant
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Dunkelweizen
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 46.00 L 
Boil Size: 58.43 L
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 13.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type  % or IBU 
6.00 kg Wheat Malt, Dark (9.0 SRM) Grain 58.25 % 
1.90 kg Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 18.45 % 
1.50 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 14.56 % 
0.50 kg Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4.85 % 
0.40 kg Caraaroma (130.0 SRM) Grain 3.88 % 
64.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (90 min) Hops 18.7 IBU 
2 Pkgs Weihenstephan Weizen (Wyeast Labs #3068) Yeast-Wheat 

Managing the fermentation is the crux with this beer, I pitched a cup of 3068 yeast slurry from a hefe and then controlled the ferm temp at 18 degrees for 3 days and then let it grow up to 20 and stay there until it finished. Don't let it get away or it gets too fruity.

cheers

grant


----------



## barls (10/1/11)

just a quick one there grant what mash temp???


----------



## bit (10/1/11)

Jason,

Golden ale was top drop.

Cheers,
Boris






syd_03 said:


> Cheers Andrew, glad you enjoyed. It was brewed very much along the lines or Dr Smurto's JSGA.
> 
> Jason.


----------



## white.grant (10/1/11)

barls said:


> just a quick one there grant what mash temp???



My apologies, I clipped the last few lines

I mash this at the hotter end Barls, 68-70 works for me. 

cheers

grant


----------



## barls (10/1/11)

not a problem grant it happens.
im glad that people are enjoying my lighter braggot, this time around might even get fatz to enjoy it.
ill put the recipe up if people want.


----------



## nifty (11/1/11)

Grantw said:


> Puter is fixed! Hooray!
> 
> Recipe is
> 
> ...




Thanks Grant, I'll give this a go.

cheers

nifty


----------



## nifty (11/1/11)

barls said:


> not a problem grant it happens.
> im glad that people are enjoying my lighter braggot, this time around might even get fatz to enjoy it.
> ill put the recipe up if people want.




I wouldn't mind seeing your recipe Barls, it could be on the cards to do as well.

I'm lucky to have another bottle of this from the swap.

cheers

nifty


----------



## barls (11/1/11)

lucky you ive got about 6 or so left.


> Batch 1 of barls summer braggot
> 
> Dates
> Date Brewed: 20 Aug 2010 Date Racked: 20 Aug 2010
> ...


----------



## Muggus (12/1/11)

*Beer: 9. Redbeard - Kellerbier *
Date: 6th January 11
Details: 750mL, green cap 9 5%
Sampling Notes:
Pours an orange gold body with remarkably good clarity for the style. Foam dies down to a thin head.

Not a particularly pungent aroma; fragrant hops, bit of spice and bready yeast and crusty/biscuit malt. Opens up nicely with warmth.

Light bodied, relatively low carbonation, has a nice silkiness to the texture.

Very clean body, complex in its subtlety; toasted bread crust, wheat cereal, water cracker biscuit, distinct mineral note, hint of spice and herbaceous hop. Good bitterness to finish, refreshingly so.

Top notch lager! Amazingly crisp and clean with enough flavour and structure to keep it interesting. Great stuff Craig, cheers!


----------



## nifty (12/1/11)

*11.Thommo - Porter, Bottled 13/11/2010*

I had this one last night, very nice thanks Thommo.

cheers

nifty


----------



## syd_03 (12/1/11)

bit said:


> Jason,
> 
> Golden ale was top drop.
> 
> ...




Glad you thought so Boris :beer: 

Cheers Jason.


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (13/1/11)

Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010
Very nice drop, golden clean with a nice restrained hop bitterness that holds right to the back.

Maybe a little too good in fact I got home poured a glass as an after work refresher, had two sips put in down on the verandah and knocked it over smashing the glass. Must have gotten a bit over excited it was lucky I still had the other half a bottle in the fridge for take two!


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (13/1/11)

Thommo - Porter, Bottled 13/11/2010
Nice head, low carbonation very dark brown / black in colour, with a unique aroma. Complex smoky flavours on the palate with a lightly creamy mouthfeel.

Cheers Thommo great beer indeed!


----------



## nifty (13/1/11)

sydneyhappyhour said:


> Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010
> Very nice drop, golden clean with a nice restrained hop bitterness that holds right to the back.



*16. Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010*

I had this one tonight and agree with the comments above. A very nice beer.

Thanks Jase

nifty


----------



## smileymark (15/1/11)

*18. Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November />19./*

No notes. Nice light style pils. I enjoyed this. Thanks Smiley.Thanks 

Thanks Gulpa..Glad you enjoyed.


----------



## gruntus (15/1/11)

Finally finshed the July case swap....Blame it on the Belgians 

No1. Barls Summer Braggot
A crystal clear dark golden/copper colour. Low carb which suits this style. White head which sits thinly on top from pour to end.
Malt driven with spicy phenols and sweet dry finish...must be the 3kg of honey.
This is a very refreshing and I'm glad I scored 2 of these.

Thanks for the great beer Barls :beerbang: - Now I know what to do with my Mudgee honey.


----------



## BjornJ (15/1/11)

*26. Lokpikn ( Dark Wheat beer ) 
*



Nice darm amber, brown colour. A bit of head, dies down quickly to a nice foam ring that stays with the beer all the way down.
The aroma is clean, a touch of spicy freshness, some yeasty tones.

Medium to dry body, well balanced malt and low bittering. Looks a bit heavier than it is. 
A nice, fresh ale, easy-drinking.

Great stuff, Steve.
Thanks for letting us try it.

Bjorn


----------



## redbeard (15/1/11)

Im half way thru and all have been good beers. Sorry no detailed notes.

cheers


----------



## gruntus (15/1/11)

No 3. Nifty's Some Sort of Pilsner

Medium to low card, maybe a touch under carbed but pours crystal clear and light golden. Fluffy white head that dies away quicly.
Aroma is of Noble hops, probably some Saaz in there.
Good balance between malt and bitterness makes this an excellent session beer.

Thanks for the great Pils.


----------



## barls (15/1/11)

Gruntus said:


> Finally finshed the July case swap....Blame it on the Belgians
> 
> No1. Barls Summer Braggot
> A crystal clear dark golden/copper colour. Low carb which suits this style. White head which sits thinly on top from pour to end.
> ...


glad you enjoyed it. dont remember it as low carb in the last bottle i opened. might have to check again.
im very happy with the way it turned out as a basic belgian pale ale with a shit load of honey. it goes to show that even if i do a braggot it doesnt have to be high alcohol version as per my dark braggot. might have to revise the light braggot recipe now to reflect this.
if you want any hints on how to use that honey and when to add it. give me a yell
just finished my special case swap beer an munich barley wine with Motueka and Riwaka as the hops.
should be good.


----------



## syd_03 (16/1/11)

nifty said:


> *16. Syd_03-Golden ale-4.9%-US-05-Bottled 26/11/2010*
> 
> I had this one tonight and agree with the comments above. A very nice beer.
> 
> ...




Glad you enjoyed Steve. I'll have to get a bunch of the swaps into the fridge.

Cheers 
Jason.


----------



## gruntus (16/1/11)

No 4. Muggus's Alt Ten Eight

Dark gold/copper colour with a off white head which settles quickly. Medium card and and a touch of haze.
Aroma is of sweet malt with a background of noble hops.
Taste is malt driven and has well balanced bitterness. Finishes dry and maybe a touch astringent (phenols?)...maybe this is style?

I really enjoyed this Muggus....care to share the recipe.


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (16/1/11)

Gruntus said:


> No 4. Muggus's Alt Ten Eight
> 
> Dark gold/copper colour with a off white head which settles quickly. Medium card and and a touch of haze.
> Aroma is of sweet malt with a background of noble hops.
> ...


Drinking my bottle of this now and agree with what has been said. Well done Muggus!


----------



## Muggus (16/1/11)

Gruntus said:


> No 4. Muggus's Alt Ten Eight
> 
> Dark gold/copper colour with a off white head which settles quickly. Medium card and and a touch of haze.
> Aroma is of sweet malt with a background of noble hops.
> ...


Thanks for the good feedback Gruntus.

The beer itself didn't come out to style; almost like a British bitter of some description. The yeast (1275 Thames Valley) definately contributed some phenolics and it's bittered to around 50IBU, which isn't particularly to style

I posted the recipe on the database.


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (16/1/11)

Muggus said:


> Thanks for the good feedback Gruntus.
> 
> The beer itself didn't come out to style; almost like a British bitter of some description. The yeast (1275 Thames Valley) definately contributed some phenolics and it's bittered to around 50IBU, which isn't particularly to style
> 
> I posted the recipe on the database.


I think you may be right there, 2 brews ago I did a English pale ale with the 1275 and can see some similarities on the phenolic front.


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (16/1/11)

Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November />19./
Hazy gold in colour small head that died down to thin lace covering. Aroma is made up of nice soft noble hops. On the palate noble hops dominate with a matly back bone very easy drinking. My only regret is I didn't open this whilst it was still stinking hot earlier.


----------



## Cortez The Killer (17/1/11)

Had 8. Palebrew - House Bitter - Special Bitter - 4.1%

This beer was most awesome

Any chance of a peak at the recipe?

Cheers


----------



## WhiteWolf (17/1/11)

Cortez The Killer said:


> Had 8. Palebrew - House Bitter - Special Bitter - 4.1%
> 
> This beer was most awesome
> 
> ...


Thanks  , and thanks to others that have given feedback on the beer. I intend to give feedback on the beers I have tried as soon as I find my notes :angry: . I must warn though, my palate isn't as educated as some of you going by your comments. For the recipe, I'll have to go back to the log and let you know when I get home.

Oh, I had my name changed from Palebrew to Whitewolf by admins recently, so one and the same person.

Brad.


----------



## smileymark (19/1/11)

Thanks glad you enjoyed



sydneyhappyhour said:


> Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November />19./
> Hazy gold in colour small head that died down to thin lace covering. Aroma is made up of nice soft noble hops. On the palate noble hops dominate with a matly back bone very easy drinking. My only regret is I didn't open this whilst it was still stinking hot earlier.


----------



## nifty (23/1/11)

sydneyhappyhour said:


> Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November />19./
> Hazy gold in colour small head that died down to thin lace covering. Aroma is made up of nice soft noble hops. On the palate noble hops dominate with a matly back bone very easy drinking. My only regret is I didn't open this whilst it was still stinking hot earlier.



*18. Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November *

I just knocked this one over and I really enjoyed it. 

It went down pretty easy on a hot afternoon.

thanks

nifty


----------



## JonnyAnchovy (23/1/11)

who had the barleywine(?) with BS written on the top? Was that even part of this swap? found one in the backof the fridge, and it was mighty fine.....


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (24/1/11)

17. Gulpa - AIPA - ?% (strongish I think) - Pacman yeast - Bottled 22/11
Poured a cloudy dark brown with a nice sized tan coloured head than hung around quite a while. On the nose rosemary, apricot and other stone fruits are plentiful.
On the palate the ramp up is smooth and short before hitting with some fruit, pine and herb type flavours before dying out leaving a mild pine bitterness.

I can definitely see the Pacman qualities in this one it shares a lot of flavours and aromas with other brews I have had made with this yeast.

After riding home on a sweltering train with no aircon this beer was much enjoyed and appreciated.  

Many Thanks!


----------



## WhiteWolf (25/1/11)

Cortez The Killer said:


> ....Any chance of a peak at the recipe?.
> Cheers


Sorry this is late - had to find the book and then had to find this thread again, not so easy for me obviously  . 

Hope this is enough detail ... 

Maris Otter 3.4Kg (93%)
Bairds Crystal 270g (7%)
5g Gypsum (results in about 50ppm Calcium for my water)

Single infusion mash @ 66C / 60mins (no mashout just raised temp after pulling the bag out to strain :icon_cheers: )

I did get 92% efficiency into the brew kettle with this one. :blink: 

35 IBU calculated - after allowing for the 5-10 min whirlpool this is about 2-3 points higher.
Northdown (9.8%AA) 24g @ 60min
EKG(4.8%AA) 15g @ 30min
EKG(4.8%AA) 15g @ 0min
Irish moss 1/2tb @ 15min
(I did a hot whirlpool for 5 mins before chilling with plate chiller)

Yeast - WY1318 smackpack

Fermentation schedule:
8days @ 20C
6 days @ 18C

OG. 1.042
FG 1.010
ABV 4.1% 

Cheers Brad.

P.S. I've book marked this now so that I can find it again.


----------



## Gulpa (25/1/11)

sydneyhappyhour said:


> 17. Gulpa - AIPA - ?% (strongish I think) - Pacman yeast - Bottled 22/11
> Poured a cloudy dark brown with a nice sized tan coloured head than hung around quite a while. On the nose rosemary, apricot and other stone fruits are plentiful.
> On the palate the ramp up is smooth and short before hitting with some fruit, pine and herb type flavours before dying out leaving a mild pine bitterness.
> 
> ...



Thanks Shh, glad you enjoyed it. Agree the pacman is quite distinctive, Im enjoying the beers I made with it.

cheers
Andrew.


----------



## nifty (27/1/11)

*26. Lokpikn ( Dark Wheat beer )*

Just finished this one after a long hot day, very nice thanks. Again, it was gone all too soon.

Thanks

nifty


----------



## WhiteWolf (2/2/11)

OK, finally found my notes, and have decided to keep them in Excel now so that I don't lose them again. :lol: I haven't made it all the way through, but here are my notes so far - sorry for the uneducated palate  

15 - Fatzgodzilla (Kozel Dark Lager)
Head : Fair head, slight lacing of glass, dissipated slowly
Aroma : Fairly clean, little malt or other aroma, very slight hint of raisans and roast
Flavour : Very clean, slight roast flavour, Dry finish.
Overall : Not a truly complex beer but easy to drink for a dark.

20 - Bjorn J (Galaxy "Not to far away")
Head : Fair head, large bubbles, disspates slowish and slight lacing on glass
Aroma : Very slight passionfruit smell, also yeasty smell (Coopers esk) - could have been my pour
Flavour : Clean, low malts. Has a yeasty taste al la Coopers
Overall : Sort of tastes like coopers, but I didn't roll beforehand. Good drop - I got distracted on the pour though.

22 - Cortez The Killer (Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA)
Head : Very small bubles and laced the glass
Aroma : Very pleasing Citrusy smell
Flavour : Lovely Spicy and Malty flavour. Bitterness and malt perfectly balanced
Overall : I would definitely drink this again - not too much since it knocked me around a little. Drank this with a couple of visiting American friends who likes AIPAs and while they both liked it, one liked #17 better and one liked this one - I liked both)

17 - Gulpa (AIPA)
Head : Very small bubles and laced the glass - lacying not as stable as 22 but close
Aroma : Same as 22 but less
Flavour : On the bitter side for me, but one of the American friends wanted another couple of bottles
Overall : I little bitter for my palette at the moment, but still enjoyed it. Having this and #22 on the same day was fairly special and the Alc% may have impacted my senses.

26 - Lokpikn (Dark Wheat beer)
Head : Very small compact bubbles that laced the glass
Aroma : Fruity esters
Flavour : Very clean and a little dry on the palate
Overall : The dry finish made me want more.

24 - Johnnyanchovy (Not sure - AIPA?)
Head : Fair head that disipated quickly
Aroma : Fair citrusy smells with a bit of cut grass smell
Flavour : On the bitter balance. Tased almost like rock melon. 
Overall : If you like rock melon, you'll love it, I don't but it is a nice enough beer

16 - Syd_03 (Golden ale)
Head : Lovely small/miniscule bubbles that laced the glalss and needed rubbing to remove!
Aroma : Un-believable! It had passionfruit, orange zest and a touch of malt
Flavour : Totally awesome. Malt backboned was matched with slight fruit.
Overall : Every sip made me want more. By the time I had finished the bottle I was wanting another.

18 - Smiley (Chezh pilsner)
Head : Tight head that disipated quickly
Aroma : Got a little malt and slightly spicy
Flavour : More malt on the tongue with bitterness that came on after drinking rather than up front
Overall : Very refresshing beer, not overpowering and easy to drink - had this one on a hot day - lovely

11 - Thommo (Porter)
Head : Low level of head to go with the lower carbonation - bang on style. Head did stay around though
Aroma : Couldn't place it, maybe a dark smoked fruit?
Flavour : Very complex smoked flavour.
Overall : Took a little to get used to the smoked flavour (new to me) but absolutely loved it - would be great with a BBQ.


Can't wait to continue with the other beers if this is the standard and can't wait for next time

Regards,
Brad.


----------



## smileymark (3/2/11)

glad you enjoyed it



nifty said:


> *18. Smiley -Chezh pilsner bottled 18th November *
> 
> I just knocked this one over and I really enjoyed it.
> 
> ...


----------



## smileymark (3/2/11)

TThanks ..good comments and glad you enjoyed..



WhiteWolf said:


> OK, finally found my notes, and have decided to keep them in Excel now so that I don't lose them again. :lol: I haven't made it all the way through, but here are my notes so far - sorry for the uneducated palate
> 
> 15 - Fatzgodzilla (Kozel Dark Lager)
> Head : Fair head, slight lacing of glass, dissipated slowly
> ...


----------



## Muggus (3/2/11)

*Beer: 1. Barls Summer Braggot *
Date: 24th January 11
Details: 750mL with nice label, gold cap 1
Sampling Notes:
Bit of gushing on opening. Pours a good couple of inches of loose white foam sitting atop a murky honey-gold body.

Subtle aroma; floral honey notes in there, some peppery phenolic and slight funky barnyard note.

Carbonation quite high, palate starts quite thick and rich yet dries out with phenolic astringency.

Malt sweetness combines with honeyed notes of dried apricot and golden syrup. Finishes with a hint of floral honey vanilla and orange blossom, and a woody clove-like phenolic note that strikes as just a bit wild(Brett?).

Interesting brew Barls, as always! Certainly get the honey element, with the malt certainly taking a backseat. Id be interesting to know what yeast you used, theres some sort of slightly Belgian yeast phenolic action in there. Cheers!


----------



## Muggus (3/2/11)

*Beer: 13. Monkeybusiness - attenuation nutbags irish red *
Date: 3rd February 11
Details: 750mL, gold cap 13 - 6.7% - Brewed 2/11/10 - Bottled 23/11/10 - Wy1084
Sampling Notes:
Pours a reddened cola coloured body, clarity is decent, with an off-white foam that dissipates in a hurry.

Nutty aroma, good dose of toffee malt, hint of bitter chocolate malt and earthy hop.

Medium body, somewhat leaner than strength would imply. Moderate carbonation, slight stickiness to the texture, moreso when served cool.

Much of nose same on the body; brown sugar, roasted walnuts, woody stalk hop character, perhaps a dash of diacetyl butterscotch, but more complimentary that anything else. Finishes dry, balanced bitterness, a touch of booze on warming.

For me, Irish red really is somewhat of an esoteric style, where achieving that red colour seems to be a large part of the goal, and the rest is a beer is sweet and malty and could well fall into several other catagories. Either way, and despite my ramblings, this beer fits the goal of being suitable red and having a good malt character. Just wish it wasnt 40C out! Cheers MB


----------



## barls (3/2/11)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 1. Barls Summer Braggot *
> Date: 24th January 11
> Details: 750mL with nice label, gold cap 1
> Sampling Notes:
> ...


 the yeast is white labs 515 antwerp ale. there might have been a little bit of brett that got in to it as the other half definitely has it. sorry it gushed, havent had that happen on any of the others.


----------



## BjornJ (5/2/11)

*25. Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%, Brewed 15/10, Bottled 14/11, RTD mid Dec 2010* 



Great beer.
BBQ on the balcony, waited to after sunset hoping it would drop below 40 C.
It did. Barely.

Had the case swap beer from Boris, I'd been looking forward to trying a Rye beer.
It was dark, ruby-red when help up to the light, not brown. Nice and clear when holding it up to the light, as you do.
Noticed my 1.5 y/o daughter held her Fanta can up to the light at the same time, she is picking this beer tasting up nicely  

Good foam, nice and clean. Tastes a bit like a golden ale but darker and with more roasty tones?
Very nice, easy-drinking.

thanks Boris, really enjoyed a dark beer with a good dose of flavour while still being easy-drinking in the heat.


Thanks
Bjorn


----------



## barls (5/2/11)

barls said:


> the yeast is white labs 515 antwerp ale. there might have been a little bit of brett that got in to it as the other half definitely has it. sorry it gushed, havent had that happen on any of the others.


actually after tasting a bottle of this half of the batch with keith, i think what you are picking up is the yeast adding a little clove to the flavour not brett.


----------



## bit (5/2/11)

Hi Bjorn,

Glad you enjoyed it. 
cheers, 
boris







BjornJ said:


> *25. Boris, Brown Rye Ale, 5.1%, Brewed 15/10, Bottled 14/11, RTD mid Dec 2010*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Muggus (6/2/11)

*Beer: 12. Sydneyhappyhour - Choc Mint Stout - Sweet Stout *
Date: 6th February 11
Details: 640mL red cap 12 - 5.6% - Bottled 21/11/2010
Sampling Notes:
Opens with a convincing pop. Pours out big tan foam atop a thick dark brown body.

Quite rich aroma; treacle-like upfront, cocoa and earthy, tobacco leaf like hop.

Reasonably thick chewy sort of texture, medium carbonation with a full body.

Burnt sugar sweetness on the body carries through, roasted nut and chocolate malts, bit of cola with dried leafy hop and hint of green herbaceousness. Finishes with moderate-to-low bitterness, lingering cocoa roastiness.

Certainly what I was expecting; dont come across many sweet stouts, and I had to remind myself that this was a stout on occasions because it certainly doesnt have those acrid roasted malt characters. Didnt really get any mint, but I think that wouldve actually spoiled what is a tasty dark ale. Cheers SHH!


----------



## sydneyhappyhour (6/2/11)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 12. Sydneyhappyhour - Choc Mint Stout - Sweet Stout *
> Date: 6th February 11
> Details: 640mL red cap 12 - 5.6% - Bottled 21/11/2010
> Sampling Notes:
> ...


I have noticed the bottles of that brew that were in standard longnecks seem to have a much foamier head and less of a minty taste than the ones in the swing tops which had a finer head with a more aggressive minty taste and aroma. Not sure what would cause such a difference, may my bulk prime wasn't 100% consistent but a noticeable difference seems to be there. I wanted to brew this since I saw it in "Radical Brewing", glad to hear feedback on it not 100% sure i like the mint in there myself! 

Thanks for the feedback Muggus! Much appreciated.


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## Muggus (7/2/11)

*Beer: 11. Thommo - Porter*
Date: 6th February 11
Details: 750mL bottle, gold cap 11 bottled 13/11/10
Sampling Notes:
Pours out an attractive near black body with persistent inch of tan head.

Big waft of green apple upfront, but it quickly dissipates to reveal restrained notes of charcoal-like roasted malt and perhaps a hint of earthy British hop.

Nice smooth silky texture, medium carbonation with a full body and excellent length of flavour on the palate.

More open on the body revealing notes of cocoa, walnut, charred bread and the odd port-like ester. Lingering roasted/charcoal note to the finish, not all too drying or bitter; well balanced.

Highly approachable and well-flavoured porter that ticks all the boxes for me. Cheers Thommo!


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## Muggus (8/2/11)

*Beer: 17. Gulpa - AIPA *
Date: 8th February 11
Details: 750mL bottle, gold cap 17 - Pacman yeast - Bottled 22/11
Sampling Notes:
Good loud opening. Pours a very persistent off-white head atop an ominously murky copper body.

Punchy aroma packed full of resiny hops; grapefruit, pine sap, ripe melon and stonefruit. Biscuity malt presence in the background.

Thick chewy malt texture that hangs in the mouth for seemingly an eternity, with a racy carbonation that hits the bitterness and booze home.

Rich caramel malts provide a good dose of sweetness with a touch of nut and biscuit complexity. Almost enough to deal with the onslaught of woody, resiny, leafy, citrusy American hops that follow with notes of apricot and cedar. Finishes with an aggressive lingering bitterness. Alcohol is restrained.

Yeehaa, this is a serious IPA! Lots of hops, as expected, but the malt character holds its own which is certainly a welcome change. Great stuff Andrew, cheers!


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## Gulpa (8/2/11)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 17. Gulpa - AIPA *
> Date: 8th February 11
> Details: 750mL bottle, gold cap 17 - Pacman yeast - Bottled 22/11
> Sampling Notes:
> ...



Cheers Mike, glad you enjoyed it.

Andrew.


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## Muggus (14/2/11)

*Beer: 24. Johnnyanchovy - Lucky dip! *
Date: 8th February 11
Details: 750mL bottle, gold cap 24
Sampling Notes:
Presents an orange copper body with uniform haze. White head dissipates relatively quickly.

Interesting nose; cooked citrus, clove, nutmeg, dried apricot, some leafiness about it, add in some rich dark brown sugar like caramelised malt. At first I was thinking AIPA, but then I realise this could be a spiced pumpkin beerI may be wrong

Carbonation quite low, thick oily body, full and quite rich yet well rounded.

Sweet cake-like malt backbone plays host to earthy spice notes of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, and slightly odd cooked vegetal and dried apricot and pear undertones. Mild finish, not too much dryness from the spices, with the balance leaning towards the sweeter side.

Good to see a pumpkin beer in a case swapI wasnt confident on swapping one a couple of years backTrue what they say about the style, in as far as the flavour of the pumpkin really gets lost quite easily, but it certainly does add texture and richness to the palate, which is very welcome against those spices. Really enjoyed it, cheers Johnny!


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## Muggus (15/2/11)

*Beer: 25. Boris Brown Rye Ale *
Date: 14th February 11
Details: 750mL bottle w/ label, gold cap 25 Brewed 15/10 bottled 14/11
Sampling Notes:
Gusher, but saved the vast majority. Deep bronze body, holds a small off-white head.

Medium intensity nose. Woody, leafy hops detectable with charred toasty malts and a hint of peppery spice.

Slightly prickly carbonation, medium body, slick texture, somewhat drying on finish.

Flavour is just a lovely smooth ride; pumpernickel bread, brown sugar, hop resin, caraway seed, cola, bitter orange and pepper. Dry finish with decent bitterness.

Top notch brown with plenty of complex malt and hop flavour to keep it interesting. Seemingly the perfect hit of rye in there, cheers Boris!


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## Muggus (15/2/11)

Fatz, mate, really appreciate the beer, shame you couldn't get one out but it happens. Excellent choice either way...and if you really want to hear my ramblings about it here's one I prepared earlier.


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## bit (15/2/11)

Hi Muggus,

Cheers for detailed comments. Glad you enjoyed it. :icon_cheers: 

Boris






Muggus said:


> *Beer: 25. Boris Brown Rye Ale *
> Date: 14th February 11
> Details: 750mL bottle w/ label, gold cap "25" Brewed 15/10 bottled 14/11
> Sampling Notes:
> ...


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## Muggus (16/2/11)

*Beer: 26. Lokpikn Dark Wheat Beer *
Date: 15th February 11
Details: 750mL bottle gold cap 26
Sampling Notes:
Hazy orange amber body. White foam dissipates quickly.

To be brutally honest; I get a huge whiff of sweaty, leathery Brettanomyces straightup on the nose. Seemingly, it overshadows the nice toasted and toffee malts, and subtle spicy phenolics.

Relatively low carbonation, medium bodied, some acidity counter balances malt sweetness.

Sweet bready, cakey malts on the body fuse with the ever-present Brett character, adding its trademark sour cherry and barnyard flavours to the mix. Undertones of plummy esters and clove phenolics hide in the background towards a medium dry finish with lingering cheesy funk.

Im assuming that the Brett taint Im tasting in this beer was not intentionally put there, which may have something to do with poor sanitisation, or possibly the yeast starter or brew itself getting infected after fermentation. Having said that, being a Funk Freak, I actually found the flavour quite appealing; the sweetness of the malts help up quite nicely against the funk, and it wasnt too overpowering, although it will get worse with time. Anyway, cheers for the brew Lokpikn, and I hope this bottle was a stand-alone problem.


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## BjornJ (19/2/11)

22. Cortez The Killer - Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA - American IPA - ~6.5% - http://hyperfox.info/allgrain01.htm#81 - Bottled 17/11/10 - RTD Mid December 

WOW!
What a beer!
Fresh, piney aroma. Golden colour, very clear. Good head.
It's got it all. A bit on the heavy side for me with 6.5%, I;d be hammered by two longnecks of this  
Clean, well balanced with a warmth and aroma that seems to stay even after swallowing. 

Very happy with it.

thanks
Bjorn


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## BjornJ (19/2/11)

been reading through the Ninja Squirrel IPA recipe while drinking another glass.



http://hyperfox.info/allgrain01.htm#81<br 
_81) Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA

Brewing Date: XXXday October XX, 2010

Batch Size (L): 27.00 Wort Size (L): 27.00
Total Grain (Kg): 7.00
Anticipated OG: 1.060 Plato: 14.82
Anticipated SRM: 12.3
Anticipated IBU: 60.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 75 Minutes
Mash Temp: 67.5
Actual OG: 1.0xx
Actual FG: 1.0xx

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Extract SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
60.0 4.20 kg. JW Traditional Ale Australia 1.037 3
28.6 2.00 kg. Weyermann - Vienna Germany 1.018 3
7.1 0.50 kg. Weyermann - Rye Malt Germany 1.003 3
2.9 0.20 kg. Weyermann - Caraaroma Germany 1.002 178
1.4 0.10 kg. JW Crystal Australia 1.001 140

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
40.00 g. Centennial Pellet 7.72 35.7 60 min.
20.00 g. Chinook Pellet 8.46 19.6 60 min.
30.00 g. Centennial Pellet 7.72 5.4 10 min.
10.00 g. Centennial Pellet 7.72 0.0 Dry Hop

Yeast
-----
US-05

Notes: 
_


Thoughts:
1: OG 1.060 and still so clean and fresh. How did you do that, massive starter and massive aearation? 
2: 60 IBUs, I would not have thought I would have liked a beer that bitter other than Brendan's Jane's Brown, but this is really nice.
3: Don't tell the wife when a case swap beer is 6.5% as she knows my beers are usually 3-4%. Harder to enjoy a nice beer with green Eye of Death from the couch  
4: Please understand point 3 was a joke.
5: Centennial hops. Never tried but I like. A lot.
6: How the Hll do you make a HG beer that laces nicely down my beer glasses? My beers have a nice big fluffy head then dies away while this one is making curtains all the way.


My only beer that was OG 1.060 was the TB Lager that ended up tasting of bananas.. I buy the explanation that the cause was my bad aeration and under-pitching, but here is a beer that has the same big OG and none of the problems I encountered.


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## Cortez The Killer (21/2/11)

Thanks BjronJ

I usually run my yeast over a few batches

So I'll make something 1.035-1.045 for the first batch and then usually take some of the yeast cake for another 1 or 2 batches etc

Aeration wise I simply tip the cube into the fementer - this results in a fair bit of foam/agitation

I'm not sure the bitterness was quite at 60 - I did age the hops in promash - so I think it may be close

I've not really have many beers that don't lace the glass - hops help with foam retention and the rye this one is probably aiding it too

From my notes it looks like the highest I've brewed was an American Barely Wine at 1.080 and from memory this held a head too

Glad you liked it 

Cheers


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## BjornJ (25/2/11)

7. gruntus - Meine Aventinus - Weizendoppelbock - 8.25% - Brewed 25/9/10 - Bottled 9/10/10 - RTD Now - Wyeast 3068 



This is going to be awkward..

Just reread my slightly drunken review of the Flying Ninja Squirrel IPA and I clearly remember how big and nice it was.

Today I've only had two longnecks and the first one was an IPA that had "IPA sydx03" or something on the bottle top, very nice.

Then I opened bottle number 7, liked the colour and had half a glass.
Mmmm. Liked it. Big and full-tasting but in a clean, not too heavy way if that makes any sense.
Really liked it. Could taste it was not a 4% beer but was thinking more along the lines of christmas cake, dark fruit cake than high alc, almost sherry like tones, not all that big?
Then read on the case swap beer listing.

8.25%!!!!
What the h.l. is this? A 8+ % beer I actually like?
I blame Stu.
Never should have entered that BJCP course.
I used to like normal, healthy beers from 3-4.5 % with no massive hopping.
Now I'm drinking IPAs, thoroughly enjoying a double bock?
What is going on here..
Stu, no more funny beers for me, all right :lol: 

How is this going to end up?
Soon I'll be brewing belgians and talking of candi sugar and golf with soft wrists..

On to the beer,
low hop aroma, dark rich colour.
Dark fruits, sherry, almost wineous flavour elements.
Very clear, more red than brown when holding it up to the glass.
Good head that quickly died down to a ring.
Lingering, warming heat, probably from the high alc and full body.

Very nice.
Bjorn



Bjorn


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## syd_03 (25/2/11)

BjornJ said:


> 7. gruntus - Meine Aventinus - Weizendoppelbock - 8.25% - Brewed 25/9/10 - Bottled 9/10/10 - RTD Now - Wyeast 3068
> 
> 
> 
> ...


G'day Bjorn,

That would be my sideswap (IPA syd_03) and was American styled IPA. I am glad you enjoyed it, what would you say if I said that that one actually turned out somewhere around 8- 8.5% as well. 

Did you take any notes on that one? Would be keen to hear your comments similar to your thoughts on Cortez's and how mine compared.

OG from memory was around 1.07ish and IBUs around 60. Just pitched 1 pack US05, not sure if the OG was above the recommended max for a single pack or not. Hops were Simcoe, Amarillo and Chinook; malts were JW trad ale, Munich and pale crystal.

The highest I have brewed by the way was my RIS and I think that was about 1.104 and it definitely had a head :lol: 

Cheers Jason


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## BjornJ (26/2/11)

Hi Jason,
glad to find out where the IPA came from. I really liked it, pine-like resinous hop aroma and a nice amber colour.
Not as clear as the doppelbock but very nice looking and also with great head. Had to wait a minute before I could continue pouring into the glass.

Only had your IPA and the Doppelbock yesterday but by the sound of it I had a day's ration of alcohol.
No wonder I slept like a log from putting our daughter to bed at 9 last night until this morning :lol: 


I really enjoyed both of these IPAs, so much I now have a new favourite style.
Can't remember right now how they compared, more that I really enjoyed them both and that I was amazed how nice and clean you guys can make so big beers.
I would not have though a single pack of US-05 could do that in a big beer.


Anyway, off to Edgecliff_brewer for today's ISB meet up, hoping to see some of you there.



thanks
Bjorn


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## BjornJ (12/3/11)

11.Thommo - Porter, Bottled 13/11/2010


Very nice, I like it.
An enjoyable, dark beer with red highlights.

A full-bodied beer without being too roasty or full-on.
Wouldn't mind drinking this one again.

Clean tasting and smelling.

thanks
Bjorn


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