# Nsw Xmas In July Tasting Notes



## Fatgodzilla (25/7/10)

Okay, first cab of the rank.

No. 6 GULPA's Belgian Dubbel.

Opened with a lovely pphhffzz .. lovely aroma in the bottle. Looks a touch over carbed (though all the travel may not have helped). Poured clear, golden amber .. lovely colour really. Tastes like shit . Nah. just kidding. Bloody nice, easy tasting dubbel. No alcohol fusels, no harshness of any form (so nothing like any dubbel I've brewed) A very nice, well balanced, easy drinking brew. Once again a winner Gulpa. No doubt the perfect first beer of a case swap tasting.

Thanks mate !


late edit : into the second half of the bottle, this one is drinking better and better as I get drunker and drunker. Oh, if every beer in this swap is only half as good as this , we will be salivating (drink 19 last .. drink 19 last ........ please)


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## Gulpa (25/7/10)

Fatgodzilla said:


> Okay, first cab of the rank.
> 
> No. 6 GULPA's Belgian Dubbel.
> 
> ...



Glad you enjoyed it Ian.

Cheers
Andrew.


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## Fatgodzilla (26/7/10)

Use this for tasting comments.

Go to the Articles and edit your brew details if need be.​


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## RetsamHsam (26/7/10)

*12. mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter 5.5% bottled 18th May RTD*

Had this one last night. 
Low to medium carb, nice mix of roast and coffee notes. Malty but not sweet. I enjoyed it. 
I ended up with two of these so will try another in a few months time. 

Thanks Guys.


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## mrs eyres (26/7/10)

RetsamHsam said:


> *12. mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter 5.5% bottled 18th May RTD*
> 
> Had this one last night.
> Low to medium carb, nice mix of roast and coffee notes. Malty but not sweet. I enjoyed it.
> ...



Glad you enjoyed it.


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## nifty (26/7/10)

I kicked off with - *10. Muggus - Ottpaz SMASH Pale Ale* 

Tasty drop thanks Muggus, a nice way to start off the case.

cheers

nifty


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## megs80 (26/7/10)

Hey Guys,

I know its the tasting thread, Just wanted to say cheers to Barls for putting on the day. Wish I wasnt driving and could hang around longer. Its was great to meet you all who were there, also good to put faces to names.

After fatz review of Gulpa's dubbel, I thought Id start with it. Gulpa, gotta say nice beer man! Loved the colour, so red. Also, great fermentation. The yeast character just tasted dubbel. The candi notes without the sweetness made this a real treat. This style of beer, I really havent thought of brewing so to have a bottle home brewed well, was cool. Good work. Its made me keen to get into the rest of the swap.

To get onto my beer. Just thought id add my recipe, so youd have an idea what ur tasting. 

Cheers
Alex

46ltrs

Grain
12.2kg Maris otter
.4kg crystal 140
.4 kg carahell

mash 64 degrees

Hops
60g EKG 60min
60g Fuggles 60min
60g EKG 30min
60g Fuggles 30min

yeast
Nottingham ale 19 degrees 3days
raised to 23 over three days
crashed to .5 2 days

Finings, geletin


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## Muggus (27/7/10)

nifty said:


> I kicked off with - *10. Muggus - Ottpaz SMASH Pale Ale*
> 
> Tasty drop thanks Muggus, a nice way to start off the case.
> 
> ...


Thanks Nifty.

The beer's been in bottle for what seems like an eternity, and I snaked a bottle of the stuff a couple of weeks after bottling and it seemed Ok, but I've been secretly hoping it got better!

On that note, I submit my first review.
And considering I haven't picked up my beers yet, this is all i've tried thus far...

*Beer: 13. Muggus - Ottpaz SMASH *
Date: 10th April 2010
Details: 750ml bottle gold cap underlined “10”, 5.0% WLP023 bottled 19 Mar 2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in goblet.

Bright orange body with uniform haze. Inch of white foam dies off slowly, leaving clumpy lace

Subtle aroma, hops prominent; orange peel, grassy herbs, touch of doughy yeast in the background.

Light bodied, medium carbonation, slight drying texture.

Simple enough flavour; orange peel, tobacco, and green herbs, combining with husky malt, bit of spice and dough. Lingering grassy, leafy, resin and a decent bitterness.

Kind of simple, but that’s sort of what it’s made for. Hops could be more prominent; yeast character tends to overshadow them.



Edit: And oh yeah, I might also try to steer others in the same direction as Nifty, to drink mine first. Mainly just because it's been in bottle 4 months! But also, I kinda have no idea how it's been tasting in 3 months...so i'm a bit anxious, problem with making your beer TOO early for a caseswap.


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## smileymark (28/7/10)

I tasted Barls (no 1) tonight ..I Loved it ...I am knew to this so still got to get my pallette into gear ..So I am choosing to sit on the bench as far as comments go ..BUT I would love to know what the "aniseed " taste in this magnificent (imho) beer was .
Cheers.


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## Pollux (28/7/10)

Tonight I have sampled Nifty's black ale/stout/something, which I considered to be quite a change from the commercial I have been drinking of late (been too flat out to brew). Tasty, full of flavour, quite enjoyable. I followed it up with the work of the Eyres crew. This was a beautifully smooth porter, so rich and creamy I wish I has another bottle to have after. Currently enjoying Muggus work, rather hoppy, but as a self confessed hophead I am loving it.....


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## nifty (29/7/10)

Thanks Tim.

I too had *12. mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter* and agree with Tim's comments, a very smoooth beer. Very nice thanks.

nifty


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## mrs eyres (29/7/10)

Thanks Tim and Steve glad you guys enjoyed it. Might have to put my one in the fridge


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## barls (29/7/10)

smilee said:


> I tasted Barls (no 1) tonight ..I Loved it ...I am knew to this so still got to get my pallette into gear ..So I am choosing to sit on the bench as far as comments go ..BUT I would love to know what the "aniseed " taste in this magnificent (imho) beer was .
> Cheers.


no idea theres none added in the recipe
glad you enjoyed it though


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## matho (31/7/10)

i had this 9. Josh - Doppelbock WLP838 7.5% last night
very nice and very drinkable with a lovely malty aroma and taste. A nice solid white head that lasted to whole beer and a beautiful red colour Great beer Josh thanks. :icon_cheers: 

also this one Gruntus - Marzen, WY2633, 5.2% again very nice beer with a great aroma and flavour that was well balanced, a nice amber colour with a good white head.
it went down really easily thanks Gruntus :icon_cheers: 

cheer's steve


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## Gulpa (31/7/10)

*10. Muggus - Ottpaz SMASH Pale Ale - WLP23, 62ibu 5.0%abv*

Thought I would start of the case with this one.

Pours light gold, hazy, with a big rocky head that persists. Aroma reminds me of a belgian blond more than anything else, a mix of yeast and citrus aromas blending nicely. Flavour follows the same, though the citrus flavours come out more, lemon sherbet with some yeast flavours there as well. Malt is taking a back seat. Light medium body, nice carb, well bittered but hard to believe there is 62 IBU in there. Nice beer Mike. Im not that familiar with Topaz hops but the certainly give the beer an interesting profile, not simple at all. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Andrew.


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## Gulpa (31/7/10)

*9. Josh - Doppelbock WLP838 7.5%*

Lovely ruby colour with a nice creamy head. Aroma is initially very fruity, dark fruits, raisins etc. which comes back to bready munich malt as it warms up a bit. Flavour is lovely malty goodness, creamy with the fruits there as well. Medium full body, carb suits, nicely bittered, lovely balance. Not much else to say. Great beer, Josh. Perfect for a cold winter evening. Thanks.

Cheers
Andrew.


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## white.grant (31/7/10)

*No.19 Fatgodzilla's English Ale*

Just sipping this one now, pours clear and dark brown, sparse head, nice malty aroma with some light roast notes and interesting yeast derived flavours complementing the malt. A most enjoyable beer.

cheers

grant


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## jiesu (1/8/10)

Barls' Smoked Dark Belgian Strong Ale. 

With the warning labels, champagne bottle and frankly just knowing Barls's beers I was a little intimidated by this beer Hence my decision to hoe into it first. 

Not as much carbonation as the Warning Label and bottle would suggest. The beer pours very dark with a nice and punchy Belgian scent about it. Short lasting 
but fluffy head. Slight swirl of solids (yeast and what not) floating through the beer that I found to be rather visually attractive. 
The beer Is not as smokey as I was expecting and was hidden well behind the strong yeast character. Very well balanced and superbly strong (what %
are we talking Barls ?) I would hazard a guess at around 10% A noticeable but pleasant alcoholic taste overall a pleasant drop although I am not sure If I would 
have been able to withstand another one in a session It is quite overwhelming of the palette. Delicious Thanks Barls.


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## jiesu (1/8/10)

mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter 5.5%


An almost Black beer that poured with very little head, Delicious subtle cafe esc aroma. Extremely well balanced, If I was more experienced I am sure I would have been able to distinguish each ingredient 
as the flavours seemed to be quite separated however still complimentary to each other. A great malty beer I wish I had another few. brilliant beer to end the night on. 

Thanks Eyres family.


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## barls (1/8/10)

daft templar said:


> Barls' Smoked Dark Belgian Strong Ale.
> 
> With the warning labels, champagne bottle and frankly just knowing Barls's beers I was a little intimidated by this beer Hence my decision to hoe into it first.
> 
> ...


ok if it had low carbonation it needs a bit longer then. if it had of been warmer this wouldnt have been a problem i think. also whats everyone think of the labels ?
i was dissapointed with the smoke level as i could of gone more and possibly will soon.
it made it to about 9.5 i think i was aiming for about 12 but didnt get the gravity out of the mash tun.
im glad you enjoyed it and ive been keeping a few bottles aside for the come thats coming up along with a few others.
i still havent got near any of my case but i have been away since thursday and havent spent much time at home.


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## Gulpa (1/8/10)

*12. mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter 5.5%*

Pours black with a nice tan foam that falls down to a small head. Aroma is coffee/chocolate with some dark fruits there too. Flavour is sweet dark malts, fruits appear again, hops are there at the finish. Medium body, lowish carb. Bitterness balances the sweet malts. Smooth. Nice beer, thanks guys.

cheers
Andrew.


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## Fatgodzilla (2/8/10)

3 great brews drunk over the weekend.

Muggus' Topaz Smash was interesting - at first a little underwhelmed but as I got more into the bottle, I became accustomed to the flavour which was interesting. By bottle's end, I was a fan. First time I can remember drinking a topaz beer. Hopefully not the last.

Gruntus's brew - lovely. Heaven in a glass. Can't remember much but can remember thinking "How good is this" 

Mrs Eyres Black Butte. I echo all other comments and since I scored two bottles of this baby, look forward to saving for a few months and seeing how it ages. Nice one guys.


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## unrealeous (2/8/10)

It would appear this thread is being used the tasting note feedback for both the NSW July case swap as well as the Xmas in july lotto - which is fine - I spent a bit of time looking for a separate thread last friday and couldn't find one... this thread looked to be the closest there was.


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## Josh (2/8/10)

unrealeous said:


> It would appear this thread is being used the tasting note feedback for both the NSW July case swap as well as the Xmas in july lotto - which is fine - I spent a bit of time looking for a separate thread last friday and couldn't find one... this thread looked to be the closest there was.



I just skimmed over all the posts and it doesn't appear that way to me, just Xmas in July.

I have my case sitting downstairs, but to be honest, I'm not really interested in drinking anything for a week or two. By then, most should be ready to drink and I can get cracking... 

Of course, this could change after I return to work tomorrow :icon_cheers:


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## jiesu (2/8/10)

14. Davelovesbeer - no idea.

Pulled this one out of the shed today.

Popped the cap and very faint Fizz came through I thought initially it was one of the ones only just bottled but inspection of the list does not reflect that. 

Beer is a deep redish amber and quite clear with minimal head and little aroma. Taste is somewhat tame however it is well balanced more so on the bitter side. This is a difficult malt/hop bill 
to take a stab at. Please fill us in Dave. No discernible hop/malt flavours very clean, some what similar to a carlton draught or Tooheys Lager without that nasty artificial tang they tend to have.


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## Fatgodzilla (3/8/10)

> 2. nifty - some sort of ...Black Ale / Porter / Not Quite Stout. Bottled 03/06/2010 WY1469. 5.4% - Ready to Drink.



A touch undercarbed I reckon, so may be best put away for another month.

That said, very nice flavours - more porterish than stoutish in that it's lacking that real burnt malt whack I find in other stouts. Very very easy drinking, along the lines of Sheaf Stout but without the burnt). I reckon if I had a keg of this I'd be a happy camper. Good one Nifty. Very enjoyable drop.


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## nifty (3/8/10)

Fatgodzilla said:


> A touch undercarbed I reckon, so may be best put away for another month.
> 
> That said, very nice flavours - more porterish than stoutish in that it's lacking that real burnt malt whack I find in other stouts. Very very easy drinking, along the lines of Sheaf Stout but without the burnt). I reckon if I had a keg of this I'd be a happy camper. Good one Nifty. Very enjoyable drop.




Thanks Ian. 

Yeah, I wasn't sure how to classify this one, I ran out of black malt. 

I thought after 2 months in the bottle it would have been carbed up, but I do tend to undercarb some of my beers.

cheers


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## Fatgodzilla (4/8/10)

nifty said:


> Thanks Ian.
> 
> Yeah, I wasn't sure how to classify this one, I ran out of black malt.
> 
> ...




On recollection, it probably was carbed perfectly for a beer engine ... so it was perfectly carbed! :lol:


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## nifty (4/8/10)

Fatgodzilla said:


> On recollection, it probably was carbed perfectly for a beer engine ... so it was perfectly carbed! :lol:



cool, does that mean I can have your beer engine??


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## barls (4/8/10)

got second dibs on it if nifty pulls out


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## Fatgodzilla (4/8/10)

barls said:


> got second dibs on it if nifty pulls out




No, but it means if you brew another keg of said black bliss, either Grant or Cortez or myself will bring along a beer engine when next we swap and consume said product ! :beer:


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## Muggus (5/8/10)

*Beer: 12. Mrs Eyres Black Buste Porter*
Date: 3rd August 2010
Details: 750mL gold cap 12 and label, 18th May, 5.5%abv
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Deep ruby body, tan foam eventually dissipates.

Aroma is a bit muted but nice; liquorice, burnt toast, bitter chocolate, spicy rye bread.

Medium-low carbonation, slightly chewy palate with medium weight.

Nice roasted malt character on the body; toasted nuts, cocoa, cola, burnt toffee, bit of charcoal and black pepper. Smooth finish, balanced with a moderate bitterness.

Tasty beer this one! Dark yet smooth, terribly easy to drink. Stoked that I ended up with 2 bottles of it! Cheers Kellie and Graham!


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## Muggus (5/8/10)

*Beer: 24. Grantw Smokey the Porter *
Date: 3rd August 2010
Details: 750ml bottle, gold cap 4
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Moderately deep ruby-hued body presents in my glass. Tight, creamy off-white foam persists atop, leaving a sparse web of lace on its journey to the bottom

Subtle aroma; decidedly earthy with hints of meaty roast and molasses.

Relatively lean body, oil texture with a medium carbonation and lingering drying finish.

Flavour is understated yet intriguing; tobacco leaf, peat, brown sugar, dark grain bread, dried fruit undertones. Dry finish with a lingering note of crusty bread.

Very different take on the porter. Smokiness is subtle but adds a welcome dimension of complexity. Reminds me a bit of Murrays Dark Knight. Might put the other bottle of this I received away for a bit. Nice work, cheers Grant!


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## nifty (5/8/10)

*11. Gruntus - Marzen, WY2633, 5.2%, bottled 10th April.*

I'm not familiar with the marzen but I really enjoyed this. Nice colour and great tasting beer. Many thanks.

cheers


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## Muggus (6/8/10)

*Beer: 15. Syd_03 - Pink Panther Peated Porter *
Date: 5th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottle, red cap 15 and label - 6.3% - bottled 4/07/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Opens with a convincing psst. 
Pours damn-well near perfect! Near black opaque body with a dense creamy tan head that wont budge.

Aroma of medium intensity. Earthy roasted malt, doughy yeast, rusty metallic note, charcoal and some sort of ripe fruity ester I cant quite put my finger on (pear?).

Full body, quite rich upfront with enough roast astringency to keep it intact, and then some. Relatively low carbonation with a bit of creaminess to boot is inviting.

Intense body of flavour! Packed full of plenty of dirty, earthy, mulchy peated malt, deep roast coffee bean and bitter cocoa. Quite sweet with notes of date and prune that will no doubt develop over time, then BAM a big hit of hop and acrid espresso-like bitterness.

Top notch Jason! Sure, its full on with peated and roasted malts, and packs a bit of punch, but bugger me its tasty! Also managed snag another bottle of this bad boy; definitely age worthy! Cheers!


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## white.grant (6/8/10)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 24. Grantw Smokey the Porter *
> Date: 3rd August 2010
> Details: 750ml bottle, gold cap "4"
> Sampling Notes:
> ...



One of the best things about participating in a swap (apart from the beers) is getting reviewed by Muggus.  

I am actually pretty pleased with how this turned out, drank one last weekend and thought the smoke was right where I wanted it to be.

cheers

grant


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## Muggus (6/8/10)

Grantw said:


> One of the best things about participating in a swap (apart from the beers) is getting reviewed by Muggus.


Awww shucks! :icon_cheers: 


I'm really stoked with not only the number of porters and dark beers in this swap, but also the number of them that contain smoked malt of some description.
I feel a bit ashamed sharing the smoked brown ale I brewed with the HUB guys instead of the you folks down south. Maybe Christmas...


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## Stuster (7/8/10)

18. Gregor - NZ Rye Pale Ale

I ignored the advice to open this later in the month (OK, I didn't look and only found out after later, when it was the only beer in the fridge). Opens with a reasonable psst. Carbonation is on the low side but pretty good. Beautiful rich gold colour and pretty clear, good head. A really nice beer for this cold night. Balanced slightly to sweet, caramel malts, hops there and pleasant but the malts are the star. Tasty beer, Gregor. :beerbang:


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## Gulpa (7/8/10)

*11. Gruntus - Marzen, WY2633, 5.2%*

Ive had two bottles of this beer now but didnt really take any notes. From memory, nice and clear gold. Lovely malty notes from the Munich, but not too full on, great balance. I could session on this one very easily. Great beer Grant. Thanks for sharing

Cheers
Andrew.


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## syd_03 (7/8/10)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 15. Syd_03 - Pink Panther Peated Porter *
> Date: 5th August 2010
> Details: 750ml bottle, red cap 15 and label - 6.3% - bottled 4/07/2010
> Sampling Notes:
> ...


Well I don't know what to say in reply except for thanks and I am glad you enjoyed it. Is the rusty metallic note objectionable, where do you think that is coming from, hoping not and infection?

You should have tried the sample bottle I had after only a week, talked about peaty smoke dominated. It is such strong malt, 100 grams in 5.3kg (1.9%). I had a bottle last week and it is mellowing out nicely. I still think 6- 8 weeks in the bottle will round the beer out nicely. Having never made a porter before I think Ill need to make it without the peat to see how the base beer is balanced.

Cheers Jason.


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## Muggus (7/8/10)

syd_03 said:


> Well I don't know what to say in reply except for thanks and I am glad you enjoyed it. Is the rusty metallic note objectionable, where do you think that is coming from, hoping not and infection?


The rusty note I noticed wasn't particularly prominant, might be some sort of flavour from the peated malt. It does give off a very earthy flavour...to the point where it's almost like a mouthful of soil...could be the culprit.


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## Muggus (7/8/10)

Oh yeah...and I had a bit of a session last night...don't try this at home kids!

*Beer: 2. Nifty Some sort of Black ale or stout or something *
Date: 6th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottle w/ nice label, gold cap 2, 5.4%, bottled 03/04/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

One thing you can always depend on in a NSW case swap is not only a good beer from Nifty, but itll always be some sort of this or that; the tradition continues! Also good to see the dogs making their way onto the label, nice touch.

Now the beer? Yeah, certainly looks the part; pretty much pitch black in my pint, a solid light brown finger of brown head promises the goods.

Doesnt give away much on the nose, Id go almost as far as to call it a secretive aroma, whatever that means. What I do get however, is some bread dough, burnt crust and perhaps some British hop leafiness, but its all very hush hush.

Straight-up the texture is quite enjoyable, smooth, almost velvet-like. Low carbonation and initial sweetness seems to aid in buffing out any rough edges up until a bit of woody, somewhat smoky phenolic astringency makes a presence towards the finish.

The flavour itself is not nearly as secretive as the aroma suggests, quite the opposite really; simple and straight to the point. Brown sugar, medium roast coffee, dark chocolate, charred wood and a discernable marmalade-y hop twang. Bitterness seems to be enough to keep the malt sweetness in order, that aforementioned phenolic note persists on the aftertaste, just enough to make another sip seem like a good idea, and which is probably why I finished this beer quite quickly. 

Kinda got a bit poetic there with this review, bit unusual for first thing in the evening. Anyhow, as always, an enjoyable beer Nifty. Yet again, another highly sessionable black ale from this case. A porter perhaps? Who knowscheers!


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## Muggus (7/8/10)

*Beer: 11. Gruntus - Marzen*
Date: 6th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottle, gold cap 11, 5.2%, bottled 10th April
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

What a great looking beer! Clean, clear copper body with an inch of tight white foam that seems intent on hanging around and sharing my company.

Lots of caramel malts on the nose with undertones of husky cereals, biscuit and floral hop. A bit of burnt corn (diacetyl?) is noticeable in the background too.

Body is fuller, creamier, sweeter and more robust than what youd come to expect from your average German lager. Carbonation is on the money with quite a clean finish.

Flavour is no-nonsense, and straight to the point, screaming SESSION BEER in a boisterous Bavarian accent. Sweet malts that remind me of toasted breakfast cereals and cracker biscuits. An edge of buttered corn makes a brief appearance on a relatively dry finish with medium bitterness.

Glad to see some different styles of beers in these swaps. Im pretty sure this is the first homebrewed Marzen Ive come across, and it certainly was well made and tasty. Not 100%, but there may have been a note of diacetyl in there Ill leave that to more discerning palates to figure out. Cheers Gruntus!


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## Muggus (7/8/10)

*Beer: Josh - Doppelbock*
Date: 6th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottle, gold cap 9, WLP383, 7.5%, 6/5/10
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

I cant help but think back to a previous swap and the 10%+ doppelbock in there (Damos?); big, potent, dark, with lots of rich malts and dark fruit undertones. Then Im presented with this, at a totally different end of the spectrum yet just as much of a doppelbock. Goes to show how diverse such an esoteric style can be.

Regardless of my inner musings, Im presented with a very attractive pint of beer; thick looking burnt copper body, clarity is quite good, topped off with a creamy beige head that stays with me for the whole journey.

Doesnt give away too much on the nose, but I should be use to that by now. Subtle sweet tawny port-like undertones of sultana and toffee and a bit of booze. Quite clean otherwise.

The weight of this beer on the palate reveals its true colours, and possibly malice intent; thick, viscous, oily, all seemingly spurred on by a low pillowy carbonation. Alcohol is the back there somewhere, in the shadows, ready to pounce out at the end of the glass.

The colour seems to allude to the overall flavour of the beer itself. By no means is this a dunkeler bock, so not a trace of chocolate, prune or roasted nuts. Instead Im immersed in a rich, sticky liqueur of dates, brown sugar, cookie dough, Anzac biscuit and savoury spice undertones. Finish with the faintest hint of yeast character and bitterness.

Certainly a more pale example of this notoriously potent German-style, but Ill try not to hold that against you. 
Nice stuff Josh, another top notch swap brew!


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## Muggus (7/8/10)

*Beer: 6. Gulpa Belgian Dubbel*
Date: 6th August 2010
Details: 750mL, gold cap 6, Wyeast 3787
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Proper loud pop on uncapping. Carelessly I pour a pint load of rocky foam. Patiently I wait for the head to subside, and I cant help but think of a Mr Whippy ice cream as it settles; looks very odd indeed. Eventually a clear amber body emerges from underneath, and its looking very nice.

Nose on this brew is quite spicy, I decide. Clove definitely, maybe nutmeg and pepper too, some notes of brown sugar, bread underneath with some floral, citrus hop. The more I look, the more I seeor smell, as the situation warrants.

WOW! Wasnt expecting such a thick richness to the body, but hey, its very welcome. Smooth carbonation, bit of drying alcohol towards the finish.

Lots going on flavourwise; molasses, dark fruits, hop citrus, pepper and earthy spices. Woody phenolic note towards the finish, a defined hop bitterness. Some lingering alcohol noticeable and welcomingly warming.

Not a bad drop at all! Considering I can barely get out of my chair, leaves me wondering, how bloody strong is this thing!? Very tasty, cheers Andrew!


And I think bed is now a good option...


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## Gulpa (7/8/10)

Muggus said:


> *Beer: 6. Gulpa Belgian Dubbel*



Thanks for the notes, Mike. I tried a bottle from the swap half of the batch the other day and the carb is a bit on the high side. Sorry about that guys. Im now a bit worried as its in thin glass but I guess if it was going to blow it would have by now. Alc is 7.7%. I agree its a bit sweet/rich for the style, I would have liked it a bit drier/leaner (and a few other things different as well <_< ).

cheers
Andrew.


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## Stuster (8/8/10)

12. mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter

Pretty black, big head which dies back quickly to nothing. Balanced to sweet with some pleasant crystal malt sweetness (which ones?). Roasted malts are there but very smooth and roastiness is pretty mild. Bittering fairly low. Body fairly light. A nicely made beer which for my tastes could have done with a touch more bitterness/roast to balance. I definitely finished it all though.


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## Greg Lawrence (8/8/10)

Stuster said:


> 18. Gregor - NZ Rye Pale Ale
> 
> I ignored the advice to open this later in the month (OK, I didn't look and only found out after later, when it was the only beer in the fridge). Opens with a reasonable psst. Carbonation is on the low side but pretty good. Beautiful rich gold colour and pretty clear, good head. A really nice beer for this cold night. Balanced slightly to sweet, caramel malts, hops there and pleasant but the malts are the star. Tasty beer, Gregor. :beerbang:



Glad you liked it Stuster. This was a first attempt at this recipe and I was a bit worried that I may have over done it on the caramel malts. I sampled a couple of bottles a few weeks back and it was very sweet. Hopefully a few more weeks in the bottle will bring the carbonation up a bit.


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## nifty (8/8/10)

Muggus said:


> Oh yeah...and I had a bit of a session last night...don't try this at home kids!
> 
> *Beer: 2. Nifty Some sort of Black ale or stout or something *
> Date: 6th August 2010
> ...



Thanks for the review Mike, it was, um, very thorough. Are you sure we're talking about the same beer??

Anyway, some of the best things about the NSW xmas swaps are the reviews given by the brewers that are in the swap, be they in depth or one liners . It is always good to read the comments and then try and match them up to the beer.

cheers

nifty


----------



## white.grant (9/8/10)

*No. 13 Stuster's Oatmeal Stout

*subtle fsst on opening, pours black with ruby highlights, off white foam stand persisting. Lovely malty aromas rising from the glass, dark chocolate and roast coffee enticing me in. Flavours don't let me down, soft texture carrying the malty roasty goodness, lovely soft roast some subtle yeast flavours follow before culminating in a crisp roasty finish. Delicious beer, Stuster. Thanks.

cheers

grant


----------



## Greg Lawrence (9/8/10)

Ive only had a few so far.
Being fairly new to brewing, Im not really familiar with what the different styles are suppose to taste like, so I'll just have to give my basic opinion without too much detail. I figure thats better than not commenting at all.

Gruntus' Marzen
This one was a great one to start my tastings.
Luckily for me, I ended up with 2 of these beauties, but on the down side I only had one in the fridge.

nifty - some sort of ...Black Ale / Porter / Not Quite Stout
A little undercarbed, but a great beer all the same. The wife liked it too. I had to fight her off for the second serving from the bottle. It was far superior to my one and only stout attempt.

Josh - Dopplebock
Not familiar with the style (apart from the Monteiths dopplebock I had on tap at the Union @ Newtown the other night) but very enjoyable. I was expecting something a bit darker for some reason. Would have gladly downed another bottle if I had one.
One style to add to my "to brew' list.

Got a couple more in the fridge for tonight

Gregor


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## white.grant (9/8/10)

*No. 11 Gruntus' Marzen

*Opens with fsst and pours darkish amber with a white fluffy head dissipating slowly. Aroma's give up noble hops and a sweet malt, but the bottle's a bit cold and so the first sip I find that the carb is medium, bitterness is apparent and then a long dry finish. But as the glass warms we get into the rich malt and really start to enjoy the lovely balance of the noble hops and melonoidins with some cheeky fermentation character rounding everything off nicely. Great balance, really enjoyed this one. 

cheers

grant


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## Gulpa (9/8/10)

*14. Davelovesbeer - Copper Ale.*

Had this on Saturday. I needed something cold and refreshing after spending most of the day walking in the sun. This beer was perfect for that, slipped down so quickly that I didnt take notes. So from memory, lovely clear copper. Lowish carb. Light malt flavour with nothing really sticking out in the way of hops or other malts. A clean, well balanced session beer and I wished I had another to follow up with. Just what I was looking for. Nice work DLB. Thanks


*19.Fatgodzilla - Dark English Bitter - standard malts, Challenger hops & Ringwood Ale yeast.*

Drinking this one now after doing some late night paving.

Pours brown with ruby highlights. Small head that dies down to a film. Aroma is malty chocolate, a touch of smokiness, a light fruit as well from the yeast . Smokiness dominates the flavour initially. Not sure if its yeast derived or youve chucked in a handful of rauch malt. Once I get used to the smokiness, some nice fruits come up, light malt flavours, chocolate again, finishing with a suitable bitterness. Lowish carb. Medium light body. Nice and interesting beer, Ian. Thanks for sharing.


Cheers
Andrew.


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## white.grant (10/8/10)

Hello swappers,

I was sorting through the case last night and have a bottle without any markings. It has a black cap but that is it's only distinguishing feature. Anyone hazard a guess at which beer it is? Pretty sure it's a number lower than 14.

cheers

grant


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## Pollux (10/8/10)

Grant, that would be mine, Coopers bottle, black cap.....I bottled the morning of the swap and had no time to label.....


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## white.grant (10/8/10)

Pollux said:


> Grant, that would be mine, Coopers bottle, black cap.....I bottled the morning of the swap and had no time to label.....



thanks Pollux. 

cheers

grant


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## Stuster (12/8/10)

6. Gulpa - Belgian Dubbel - wy3787 

Definitely pretty high carb on this one. Some phenolics on the nose along with a bit of caramel (more as it warms). Plenty of sweet caramel malts in the flavour, and a little fruitiness. Balanced to sweet. A well-made beer and very much to style, Andrew, but the high carb suggests you let it get cool towards the end of fermentation.  :beer:


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## Gulpa (12/8/10)

Stuster said:


> 6. Gulpa - Belgian Dubbel - wy3787
> 
> Definitely pretty high carb on this one. Some phenolics on the nose along with a bit of caramel (more as it warms). Plenty of sweet caramel malts in the flavour, and a little fruitiness. Balanced to sweet. A well-made beer and very much to style, Andrew, but the high carb suggests you let it get cool towards the end of fermentation.  :beer:



:lol: You could be right. I suspect I just overcarbed it but I will conduct an ongoing investigation into your theory. The other fermenter carbed fine.


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## Muggus (12/8/10)

*Beer: 22. Bjorn J - Bjorn's Brown Bear *
Date: 12th August 2010
Details: 750mL with cool label, gold cap, 4.7%, bottled 11.05.2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Pours an amber body with decent clarity. Reasonably sparse off-white inch of head hangs around for the most part.

Relatively subdued aroma. Hops come through quite a bit with earthy spice and leafy notes. Malt certainly takes a backseat, some malty caramel detectable as it warms.

High carbonation hits me straight off. Bit of carbonic bite, but nice sweet chewy malt body takes care of that. Palate of medium weight, quite dry throughout.

Hop driven body, in subtle sort of way with woody/earthy spices, dried leafy herbs and tobacco. Hints of raisins and dried apple amongst a toffee and burnt nut/roast malt flavour, without a great deal of sweetness. Very drying, slightly astringent finish, which seems to accentuate the bitterness.

Not a bad drop, flavours are quite nice but let down a bit by that astringency that seems to shorten the palate. Wouldve been nice to have some extra sweetness or body to smooth it out. What yeast did you use for this?
Certainly not a bad drop by any measure though; a bit like Newcastle Brown actually. Cheers Bjorn.


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## Gulpa (13/8/10)

*17. matho APA*

Pours quit hazy straw. Suitable aroma of citrus hops with some caramel malts. Flavour is along the same lines. Hop flavour is at the light end of style, they let the malt flavours come through nicely. Medium carb. Light medium body. Nice lingering bitterness.Good balance. Clean. I could down a quite a few of these on a hot day. Very nice APA, thanks Matho.

cheers
Andrew.


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## BjornJ (13/8/10)

Thanks Muggus, that was a very positive review  


I put the recipe in the recipe DB in case anyone wants to have a look at it while trying the beer:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=45816&hl=bear ://http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/for...16&hl=bear 


The yeast was WLP001, American Ale Yeast.

I have made two versions of that beer, one with Amarillo and one with Styrian Goldings. The case swap one is with SG.
I want to make that beer again on Sunday actually, but going back to Amarillo.

thanks
Bjorn


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## matho (13/8/10)

Gulpa said:


> *17. matho APA*
> 
> Pours quit hazy straw. Suitable aroma of citrus hops with some caramel malts. Flavour is along the same lines. Hop flavour is at the light end of style, they let the malt flavours come through nicely. Medium carb. Light medium body. Nice lingering bitterness.Good balance. Clean. I could down a quite a few of these on a hot day. Very nice APA, thanks Matho.
> 
> ...



im glad you liked it andrew i was a bit dissapointed with how both batches turned out the first one is undercarbed and the one you got, i think is hazy all i can put it down to is that i had to use water that was bought from the shop thanks to sydney water. i didnt notice the calcium level of the water until it was too late, it was 0.2 ppm also i had to mash for 2.5 hrs. it usually turns out fairly clear with just a slight haze but this one is just not clearing. The recipe is the only one i have in the database.

cheer's steve


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## Stuster (14/8/10)

11. Gruntus - Marzen, WY2633, 5.2%

Dominated by the warm and toasty malt flavours. Balanced slightly to sweet but that's delicious on a cool evening. Some smooth hop flavour and aroma but mostly about the malts. Clean with perhaps a soft touch of alcohol peeking through. A well made beer that really seems true to style. Delicious and I'm sorry it's all gone now. :icon_drunk:


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## Gulpa (14/8/10)

*27. Smilee-English bitter. *

Pours amber red with quite a large head that falls back to about 1cm. Earthy fruit hop aroma, a touch of yeast - quite different but enticing. Flavour is more of the fruit that comes up in the aroma - it comes up quite orange like in flavour. Some light malt flavours in the finish. Medium bodied. Medium carb. Enough bitterness to balance. Very nice well made beer. Thanks Smilee - looking forward to tasting more of your beers in future swaps.

Cheers
Andrew.


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## Gulpa (14/8/10)

*22. Bjorn J - Bjorn's Brown Bear *

Pours a lovely clear reddish brown. Decent dense head that falls back. Light hop aroma, floral lemon, spice, a bit if yeast character. Flavour is driven by the lemony hop flavours, light sweet malt in the background. Clean. Light medium body, medium high carb, medium bitterness with a drying finish. Nice clean beer, Bjorn. It could probably do with a bit more malt character for my tastes - perhaps a bit more munich or a bit of something like amber.

cheers
Andrew.


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## matho (14/8/10)

Djr apa is very nice I'm a bit to drunk to go into details but it tastes very nice thanks mate 

Cheers steve


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## smileymark (15/8/10)

Thanks Andrew...My first swap so was keen for feedback.. Glad you enjoyed 

Mark



Gulpa said:


> *27. Smilee-English bitter. *
> 
> Pours amber red with quite a large head that falls back to about 1cm. Earthy fruit hop aroma, a touch of yeast - quite different but enticing. Flavour is more of the fruit that comes up in the aroma - it comes up quite orange like in flavour. Some light malt flavours in the finish. Medium bodied. Medium carb. Enough bitterness to balance. Very nice well made beer. Thanks Smilee - looking forward to tasting more of your beers in future swaps.
> 
> ...


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## DJR (15/8/10)

matho said:


> Djr apa is very nice I'm a bit to drunk to go into details but it tastes very nice thanks mate
> 
> Cheers steve



Heh - opened a bottle of that myself last night to test carbonation - it is fine but could do with another week, then again for those in warmer spots it's probably OK 

Weyermann Vienna :icon_drool2:


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## Gulpa (15/8/10)

*24. grantw - smokey the porter*

Feeling lazy tonight, so I looked back and saw the note by Muggus and pretty much agree  . The beer has terrific balance, the smokiness is where I like it (just adding background complexity). As usual, very nice beer, Grant. Wish I had another. Thanks for sharing.

cheers
Andrew.


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## Muggus (16/8/10)

*Beer: 19. Fatgodzilla Dark English Bitter *
Date: 13th August 2010
Details: 750ml gold cap 19, Ringwood ale yeast
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Pours a bronze body with decent clarity. A finger worth of light tan foam persists.

Good amount of aroma; proper British crystal malts with sweet biscuit, toffee and roasted nuts, accompanied by a complimentary dose of floral, marmalade-y hops.

Medium-lean body, nice sticky malt texture, carbonation a bit high and prickly for the style I spose.

More of that tasty sweet English malt on the body; golden syrup, candied cashews, bread crust, hint of red fruits and orange marmalade. Bitterness hits its mark well, with a lingering leafy hop note.

Really well made bitter! Memories of sitting back in a warm pub on a dark, drizzly, gloomy in the English countryside, whilst musing over a pint of the local ale fresh off the cask come flooding back with every sip. Top notch Ian, cheers!


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## Muggus (19/8/10)

*Beer: Matho - APA*
Date: 18th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottled, gold cap with label, bottled 12/6/10, 6%
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Very clear gold body with small white head hanging around.

Aroma is quite low intensity. Hops take front seat, bit of grapefruit, grass, wood spice with a hint of caramel malt.
Medium weight body, carbonation a tad low, slick mouthfeel.

Caramel and toasted cereal malts on the body. Bit of sweetness combines with woody, pine-like, citrusy hops and a moderate bitterness.

Bit of a subdued APA. Gets more enjoyable as it warms. Cheers Matho.


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## Muggus (19/8/10)

*Beer: Davelovesbeer Copper Ale*
Date: 18th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottled, gold cap 14
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Silent opening has me worried. Luckily I manage to pour out a centimetre of white foam that sits atop a clean copper body.

Subtle aroma. Bit of citrus hop, pepper and leafiness, some sweet bready malts and yeast phenolics peak through.

Carbonation is there, despite the opening. Medium weight to the palate.

Flavour is also a bit subdued at first. More of those citrusy hops and bread, but it seems to become increasingly phenolic and starts developing some off sort of esters as it warms; bit like rotten apple/butyric acid.

Wasnt sure what to make of this beer. Seemed alright, bit like an APA at first, but the taste became a bit off-putting, and I thought I may have got an infected bottle. Hope its just a bad bottle. Cheers Dave


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## matho (19/8/10)

just drinking no 27 smilee's bitter

beautiful colour dark amber, solid off white head that drops off a bit, earthy with raisin notes 
very nice and tastes even better when it warms up a bit. very nice smilee thanks

cheer' matho


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## smileymark (21/8/10)

matho said:


> just drinking no 27 smilee's bitter
> 
> beautiful colour dark amber, solid off white head that drops off a bit, earthy with raisin notes
> very nice and tastes even better when it warms up a bit. very nice smilee thanks
> ...



Thank you! Allways nice to get feed back and glad you enjoyed it..

Cheers.


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## BjornJ (21/8/10)

Nr 19: Fatz' Dark English Bitter.

The first case swap beer I am trying, looking forward to trying all the different beers over the coming weeks!

The beer is quite dark, more ruby-red than brown-black, looks great. Good clarity when putting a flash-light to the side of the glass, I can read the date of my watch through the glass. 
A good head that leaves a ring of foam all the way down while emptying the glass.

No off-smells or anything "funny", smells nice and roasty, kind of like a porter?
The taste is nice and clean, would not have guessed this was homebrew which is more than can be said for a lot of my beers :lol: (so I speak from experience..)
I would have thought it was a brown porter had I had to guess, with the roasty aroma and flavour notes, guessing some roasted wheat/chocolate malts?

Nice and balanced all the way through, not too bitter, no harsh roasted tones.
Tastes like it is quite dry, is there sugar in it to get low FG while the roasted grains keeps "body" up?



I really like it, would easily have bought a six-pack of that one.
Not hopped over the top, no faults my not-a-beer-judge palet can pick up, I like it!

thanks

Bjorn


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## BjornJ (21/8/10)

Gulpa said:


> *22. Bjorn J - Bjorn's Brown Bear *
> 
> Pours a lovely clear reddish brown. Decent dense head that falls back. Light hop aroma, floral lemon, spice, a bit if yeast character. Flavour is driven by the lemony hop flavours, light sweet malt in the background. Clean. Light medium body, medium high carb, medium bitterness with a drying finish. Nice clean beer, Bjorn. It could probably do with a bit more malt character for my tastes - perhaps a bit more munich or a bit of something like amber.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the feedback, Andrew.
I made this beer again last Sunday, but this time I went back to Amarillo rather than Styrian Golding for some more "late hoppiness". 
I also ditched the sugar and went all malt, doubling the Munich. Hoping it will keep the roasty notes but get a bit more body. Sounds like we feel the same way about this one.

Thanks
Bjorn


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## BjornJ (21/8/10)

Gregor's NZ Rye Pale Ale.


My first ever beer made with rye, was really looking forward to trying it after reading about rye beers.
The bottle has a great label giving info on OG/FG, ingredients with malts, hops, yeast, etc.
Very interesting to have all that good info while tasting it, trying to taste the hops, etc.


Pours a nice amber colour, good foam that dies down to a disc of foam that stays for a while.
4 different hops makes for a complex, nice aroma and taste. 
Tastes full-bodied, malty and clean.
The label gives the FG as 1.010 but it tastes a bit sweeter or more full-bodied, can it be the rye maybe?

Ok clarity, probably would benefit from a week in the fridge to clear up.

A very nice beer, wouldn;t mind having it again,

thanks


Bjorn


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## Gulpa (21/8/10)

BjornJ said:


> Thanks for the feedback, Andrew.
> I made this beer again last Sunday, but this time I went back to Amarillo rather than Styrian Golding for some more "late hoppiness".
> I also ditched the sugar and went all malt, doubling the Munich. Hoping it will keep the roasty notes but get a bit more body. Sounds like we feel the same way about this one.
> 
> ...



You will have to bring a bottle along for brown ale night.

cheers
Andrew.


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## BjornJ (21/8/10)

Brown ale night, when is that?

I now have
-DGA *this beer with Amarillo and sugar
-BBB -this beer with Styrian Golding and sugar
-BBBII -this beer with Amarillo but all malt , no sugar.

I really liked Fatz Dark English Bitter from the last case swap, thinking maybe I should try to make my beer more like that one.

Bjorn


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## Gulpa (21/8/10)

BjornJ said:


> Brown ale night, when is that?



BJCP week 5, 11 Oct. :icon_cheers: 

cheers
Andrew.


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## Muggus (22/8/10)

*Beer: Stuster Oatmeal Stout*
Date: 21th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottled, gold cap 13 Pacman yeast, 6.4%, bottled 4/7/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Inch of fluffy tan head sits atop a deep brown/near-black body with ruby edges.

Moderately low aroma intensity. Good dose of chocolate malt and roasted meatiness, with notes of toasted cereal and leafy, tobacco-like hops.

Slick, oily texture on the body with moderate carbonation and a solid proportion of roast astringency that dries out the palate and lingers for a good while.

Body packed full of roasted malts; golden toasted cereals, espresso, bitter chocolate, charcoal. Hops deliver an earthy leafy note that lingers and provides a reasonably high bitterness.

Really nice stout. Great texture and flavour with excellent balance. Cheers Stu!


----------



## DJR (22/8/10)

9. Josh's Dopplebock.

Nothing much to say except great beer, and had no idea it was 7.5%  Great bubblegum/malty flavours and nicely rounded out.


----------



## Muggus (25/8/10)

*Beer: 7. Retsamhsam - APA *
Date: 23rd August 2010
Details: 750ml bottled, gold cap 7 (Motueka and US Cascade all the way through) Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Pours a reasonably clean gold-copper body, good bit of white head holds on.

Fragrant sort of aroma with decent intensity. Reminds me a slight bit of a cold climate Gewrztraminer at first with some limey citrus and delicate rose-water/Turkish delight notes, bit of grassiness in there too, though an unmistakable note of toasty malt kicks me out of wine-wanker mode into beer-wanker mode. 

Body is reasonably lean, surprisingly abrupt malt texture on the palate, with a medium sort of carbonation.

Flavour certainly hits the mark for an APA; good hit of citrus, good hit of grass, good hit of cedar, with some light caramel malt sweetness. Lingering bitterness dries the palate out quite a bit.

Really like the combination of hops in this beer. Ive tried NZ Cascade and Motueka before and really didnt like the combinationbut Ive just figured out Im not a fan of NZ Cascade, which would explain a few things. Quite a dry sort of APA, which makes it really easy to drink and the tastes brings me back. Cheers Damo.


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## Muggus (25/8/10)

*Beer: 8. DJR - APA *
Date: 23rd August 2010
Details: 750ml bottled, gold cap 8, bottled 18.7.10
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Quite clear golden body from first pour, foam dissipates to a small persistent white head.

Moderately intense aroma; hops take front seat with bitter citrus, passionfruit, pepper and grass. Subdued malt in the background.

Medium-full palate with medium carbonation and a slight sticky oilness about it.

Bit of biscuity malt manifests itself upfront and holds on for the length of the palate. Notes of bitter orange, mown grass, pine needle and ripe tropical fruits in there. Drying finish with lingering leafy bitterness and hint of bread.

Seems like a good combination of hop to me; nice flavours. Could probably do with a bit more malt character, but enjoyable regardless. Cheers DJR


----------



## Stuster (27/8/10)

Also drank DJR's APA. Really nice colour, a lovely rich bronze. Low carb. Fairly herbal aroma more than citrus to me, the hop flavour still has that slightly herbal flavour though with some citrus as well. Dry, with a dry finish. For my tastes, it could do with a bit more hop. I just had a look up which hops you used and I'm very surprised to see those two. No idea how that flavour came across as herbal then but that's what it seemed like to me. Interesting APA and all of it was drunk happily.


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## white.grant (27/8/10)

*No. 4 Pollux's IPA*
27.8.10

Big fsst on opening, pours clear, copper with a rocky foam head dissipating but leaving enough of itself behind to lightly lace the glass. Aroma is not over assertively hoppy with sweet caramelly malt balancing nicely, very clean no yeast derived flavours that I can see. On the tongue, initially carb is very bright, you get a big mouthfull of hop flavour, then some complex malt, nutty bready, then rapidly the finish comes with a definite bitterness asserting itself; the finish is long and dry.

After a while warming in the glass, the carb settles down and the malt really starts to shine, there is a good balance twixt the malt and the hops, - bitterness aplenty but coupled to the malt bonanza its a really nice beer. Potent too... 

Thanks Pollux. 

cheers

grant


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## BjornJ (28/8/10)

8. DJR - APA - loads of Weyermann Vienna, hops are Sauvin and Amarillo - bottled around 18/7 so will be good to drink around 7th Augus



Pours a great amber colour in a tall glass. Good tight head that leaves about an inch of foam all the way down the glass, nice lacing layers even.
Fresh and big hop profile, very much like a Golden Ale with the big Amarillo hit but even more hoppy tones and probably also more bitter.

I really liked it, would happily drink that one again anytime.


Thanks
Bjorn


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## Gulpa (29/8/10)

Grantw said:


> *No. 4 Pollux's IPA*
> 27.8.10
> 
> Big fsst on opening, pours clear, copper with a rocky foam head dissipating but leaving enough of itself behind to lightly lace the glass. Aroma is not over assertively hoppy with sweet caramelly malt balancing nicely, very clean no yeast derived flavours that I can see. On the tongue, initially carb is very bright, you get a big mouthfull of hop flavour, then some complex malt, nutty bready, then rapidly the finish comes with a definite bitterness asserting itself; the finish is long and dry.
> ...



Enjoying this one now. Grant said it all mostly, Im getting a bit of earthyness as well in the aroma from the hop. Great effort. Thanks Pollux.

Cheers 
Andrew.


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## Pollux (29/8/10)

Glad to hear you both enjoyed it, might chill a bottle myself tomorrow...


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## BjornJ (31/8/10)

Bottle marked "12. 27/6".
Definetly not beer number 12 which is Mrs Eyres Black Buste Porter.
No other label or anything on the bottle.

Not sure what has happened to the numbering here :lol: 

The beer is VERY clear. Reddish colour, lots of foam that dies down to a ring that seems to stay forever even though carbonation does not seem all that high.
"Clear" as in I can watch TV through it. A little akward given that I have a long thin glass, but you get the drift, I am sure. ThirstyBoy would have used a technical term like "bright beer" for sure.

Is it an Irish Red, or an English Bitter? Hard to tell (for me).
Quite bitter initially but little or no hop flavour/aroma?
Has a slight smell of something I can't taste, smells slightly of ...something my kit beers used to have a lot of.
Maybe just a touch of something I am not sure of. Overall a good beer, wouldn't mind knowing how far away I was from the facts. Was it a light lager, no. Was it a porter, no. Anything in between? Quite possibly.

I'm rambling here..
It's a nice beer, thanks to whomever made it  

Bjorn


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## smileymark (1/9/10)

That will be mine. Label must of come of. Full marks! It was an English bitter and I am glad you enjoyed it.

Cheers. 
Mark




My numbering! it was the date it was bottled and a batch identification code.

Cheers.



!


BjornJ said:


> Bottle marked "12. 27/6".
> Definetly not beer number 12 which is Mrs Eyres Black Buste Porter.
> No other label or anything on the bottle.
> 
> ...


----------



## BjornJ (1/9/10)

thanks Mark, it was a very nice and enjoyable beer.

I see you are in Manly, are you coming to the northern beaches brew meetup on Saturday?

thanks
Bjorn


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## smileymark (1/9/10)

Will do my best!

I have got a friend in hospital So it depends on the visiting hours.

Cheers..

mark



BjornJ said:


> thanks Mark, it was a very nice and enjoyable beer.
> 
> I see you are in Manly, are you coming to the northern beaches brew meetup on Saturday?
> 
> ...


----------



## smileymark (1/9/10)

The smell was from being left on its lees a little to long..
Cheers.


----------



## barls (1/9/10)

just updated the wiki, 
mines good to go. very tasty not enough smoke though


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## Muggus (1/9/10)

*Beer: 5. Thommo Bitter*
Date: 31st August 2010
Details: 650ml bottle, bottled 23/7/2010, 5%
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Loud psst on opening. Just get it into the glass before it rushes out of the top of the bottle. Pours quite a clear copper gold body with creamy off-white foam that slowly dies down.

Nice aroma with grainy, cereal malts, hint of toastiness and bread. Bit of yeast derived spice and light ripe fruit esters too.

Medium/lean body, low carbonation, good lingering persistence spurred on by hop bitterness.

Sweet biscuity malts upfront on the body. Notes of pepper spice and leafy hop in there with a decent bitterness and lingering fruity esters.

Pretty good bitter. Drinks very well with nice flavour. Cheers Thommo!


----------



## Muggus (2/9/10)

*Beer: 1. Barls Smoked Belgian Dark*
Date: 1st September 2010
Details: Label 750ml Chimay punt bottle. Bottled 5/6/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Big points for the bottle and label. Class act really.
Loud uncorking, pours a hazy amber-copper body with uniform hazy and big fluffy orange-white head that takes its time going down. Foam slowly creeps out of the bottle outside my watchful eye kinda looks like a melting candle!

Pungent aroma. Decidedly spicy, earthy, somewhat phenolic with a smoky/metallic note to it. Hints of plum/prune and peppery alcohol in background.

Thick, rich palate, high carbonation with good persistence, alluding to a good whack of alcohol in there somewhere.

Less phenolic/earthy on the body, rather opening out with rich caramelised malts, date, plum and dried apricot fruitiness and woody spices and pepper that lingering with a warming caress of booze.

Certainly a unique brew. I was expecting it to be more smoky, bit of a shame, but certainly quite complex and tasty.
Excellent beer to mark the 400th homebrew sampling to date. Cheers Barls!


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## barls (2/9/10)

thanks mugus. im a bit disappointed with the smoke level as well but am impressed with the rest of it though. will definitely have to brew this one again with more smoke. hmm what am i doing tuesday next week??? im off to check the smoke malt stock levels.


----------



## Muggus (2/9/10)

barls said:


> thanks mugus. im a bit disappointed with the smoke level as well but am impressed with the rest of it though. will definitely have to brew this one again with more smoke. hmm what am i doing tuesday next week??? im off to check the smoke malt stock levels.


Should try some peated malt.
I put a fair whack of peated and rauch into a smoked ale recently...best of boths worlds really...bacony and whiskyish.


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## barls (2/9/10)

i dont think the problem was with the amount of malt but how quickly it went from the smoker to the mash tun.
ive got plenty more to use so im going to just rebrew it as the recipe stands, then i can decide if it needs peated or not.


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## white.grant (4/9/10)

*No. 5 Thommo's Bitter*

Opens well, pouring a deep amber with some haze into pint glass. White head gently dissipating. Deep breath and I'm finding subtle caramel and bready malt and some yeast derived esters, restrained. Medium mouthfeel on a low carb transporting a nice malty flavour, some caramel and breadiness moving onto a lasting bitter finish. Yeast esters generate a slight fruitiness which is very agreeable.

Nice Bitter Thommo, quite enjoyed it

*No. 1 Barls' Smoked Strong Ale

*Opens with a force that nearly tears my hand off as it pops with a gunshot crack, visible CO2 whisping from the bottle, it all stays in the bottle though and pours dark toffee, brightly carbed into the chalice with a nut coloured foam stand that is persisting. Initially there's belgian yeast flavours on the aroma, but as the massive carb reduces and the beer warms up a touch, I encounter some dark fruit, raisins and prune and a nice malty complexity. No alcohol apparent and I don't get any smoked flavours either but the darker biscuit notes and ripe fruit coming through are very enjoyable. There's a slight souring on the finish which I liked. Mouthfeel is bright initially though the second half of the bottle is more rounded and I think transports the complexities of this beer nicely.

Quite an experience Barls, thanks for swapping it.

cheers

Grant


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## BjornJ (4/9/10)

I had the bottle of Black Buste Porter tonight after the NBBC meeting, the Eyers bottle number 12. 


Very nice!
Good foam, great taste, would love to have another one.
Good thing I have, as they gave me their rebrewed version as well  

Awesome handiwork, Graham and Kelly,

thanks
Bjorn


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## BjornJ (5/9/10)

*14. Davelovesbeer - Copper Ale. Ready to drink.*


Great clarity, pours a great looking amber reddish colour.
Clean, fresh aroma.
Good head that leaves lacing all the way down the glass, something I am not able to get.

* Any recipe tips for this great head qualities?*

Tastes very nice, full bodied with something extra? Not sure what it is but it has a nice, soft flavour and a hint of something "extra".








Very nice ,

thanks
Bjorn


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## canon1ball (5/9/10)

BjornJ said:


> *14. Davelovesbeer - Copper Ale. Ready to drink.*
> 
> 
> Great clarity, pours a great looking amber reddish colour.
> ...



Looks like one of your Pilsner Urquell glasses you won last night.  
Pete


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## white.grant (5/9/10)

*No.16 Monkey Business' Rauchbier*

Opens with a fst and pours well, dark amber, slight haze with a loose head dissipating slowly. Nice smoke aroma, slight hints of bacon and sweet malt. Mouthfeel is bright on a medium carb, biscuity malt and smoke dominating, bitterness is muted but supports the malt on a lasting smoky and dry finish. On the second glass there's a bit of yeast character which ties the smoke flavour in nicely.

Good work Adrian. Certainly the smokiest of the smoked beers in the swap and a most enjoyable father's day evening tipple.

cheers

grant


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## Muggus (6/9/10)

*Beer: 16. Monkey Business - Rauchbier *
Date: 5th September 2010
Details: 750mL bottle, gold cap 16 5.3%, 23IBU, bottled 23rd July
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Presents a bronze body with an off-white head.

Nice pungent smoky aroma; lots of smoked bacon, campfire wood, char-grilled meat with background notes of plum and toffee malt in support.

Near full bodied with a sticky maltiness about it and medium carbonation.

Nutty, toffee crystal-like malt sweetness on the body is platform for subtle dark fruits and roast malts, followed by a big smack in the face of what I like to call liquid smokehouse, that lingers for a good measure and keeps the smile on my dial.

A seriously smoke packed rauchbier; and seriously tasty! Love it, cheers MB!


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## Muggus (8/9/10)

*Beer: Daft Templar If its brown drink it down *
Date: 7th September 2010
Details: 750mL bottle, gold cap 25 with wax seal.
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Clear bronze body, small tight orange-cream head.

Nice bit of citrus hop on the nose, cedar and grassy leaves too, with spicy, grainy, biscuity, toffee malts taking backseat.

Medium body, low carbonation, slight drying texture alludes to a bit of roasted grain in there.

Toffee malts upfront, bit of nuttiness and dried fruit. Citrus and woody hop flavours play on, with some spice and a moderate bitter finish.

Perhaps a bit pale to be considered a brown ale, but certainly a nice (American) amber ale. Cheers Daft Templar!


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## Muggus (8/9/10)

*Beer: Unrealeous Golden Ale*
Date: 7th September 2010
Details: 750mL bottle w/ label, gold cap 26 bottled 20th July, 4.7%.
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Clean golden body with inch of fluffy white head.

Floral hop nose; some citrus, some grass, some passionfruit (Amarillo?). Slight spicy yeastiness in the background.

Full bodied, good carbonation, nice slightly chewy texture to it.

Flavour is a bit more subdued that the aroma suggests. Cereal pale malts, citrus and grass hops, with a hint of bready yeast on the finish. Relatively low bitterness.

Very reminiscent of James Squire Golden Ale, Id say a bit cleaner and more flavoursome. Good job, cheers Unrealeous!


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## Josh (8/9/10)

*10. Muggus - Ottpaz SMASH Pale Ale - WLP23, 62ibu 5.0%abv bottled 19th March - definately ready to drink*

Following the advice of Muggus, so this is my first beer of the case. Albeit 2 months late. Lovely beer, Got a real zesty flavour to it, almost like my Witbiers. Is that from Topaz hops? I've got a low alcohol ale brewing at the moment with 90g of Topaz. Malt and yeast character are just enough to keep this one balanced. Thanks Muggus, am enjoying every drop of it.


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## Muggus (8/9/10)

Josh said:


> *10. Muggus - Ottpaz SMASH Pale Ale - WLP23, 62ibu 5.0%abv bottled 19th March - definately ready to drink*
> 
> Following the advice of Muggus, so this is my first beer of the case. Albeit 2 months late. Lovely beer, Got a real zesty flavour to it, almost like my Witbiers. Is that from Topaz hops? I've got a low alcohol ale brewing at the moment with 90g of Topaz. Malt and yeast character are just enough to keep this one balanced. Thanks Muggus, am enjoying every drop of it.


Cheers Josh.
There seems to be a whole array of flavours you can get from these hops...from almost like orange juice, to mint, to passionfruit, to very resiny almost "weed-like". Either way, at 16+%AA, it's good bang for the buck.


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## Josh (8/9/10)

*14. Davelovesbeer - Copper Ale. Ready to drink.*

Great looking colour, and good clarity too. I can see the Ben Cousins doco through my glass. No head. Light body, but a nice caramel and toasty flavour, with a bit of a green apple aftertaste which takes away from my overall enjoyment.

Finished it quick enough to put another in the fridge, Pollux, you're next cab off the rank if I can get it cold enough, quick enough.


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## Muggus (8/9/10)

*Beer: 4. Pollux - Nelson Sauvin loaded IPA *
Date: 8th September 2010
Details: 750mL bottle black cap
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Had to use a bit of detective skill (or lack there of), to figure out what this beer was. Luckily as soon as I opened the bottle I was engulfed with the all-to-familiar resiny smell of Nelson Sauvin hops. Dead give away. Lots of grapefruit and gooseberry, with some caramelised malt in the background; and an amber body to match.

Palate weight implies a good amount of alcohol and residual body, all kept in line by a good smack of bitterness and plenty of flavour. 

Hops dominate the flavour; resinous, sticky, herbaceous with lashings of citrus and exotic fruits. Toffee and biscuit malt flavours fill in the holes with a lingering drying finish with a dash of boozy warmth to let your know whos boss.

Top stuff Pollux. Plenty of guts, and rightfully so, plenty of glory. Cheers!


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## Josh (9/9/10)

*4. Pollux - Nelson Sauvin loaded IPA, bottled on the swap day, leave it for a good 5 weeks to carb and settle out.*
_From reading through the thread, this is the one with the black cap right??_

Can see throught this copper coloured ale with the perfect head. It stops right at the dotted red line of my Sam Adams perfect pint glass. Not a lot of hop aroma, but enough. Plenty of resiny hop flavour in my first sip. Just a tiny bit sweet for my tastes, but a very well made beer. Very clean and definitely lets the hops come through. 

Thanks Pollux. Am onlto my second glass already. Second pour is pretty chunky, but if that's hop gunk, so be it. It's an IPA after all eh?


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## Josh (9/9/10)

*6. Gulpa - Belgian Dubbel - wy3787 - ready to drink*

There was a loud psssst when I opened the bottle and I rushed to the sink. But nothing jumped out of the bottle. Poured with a tall thick head and had to let the two glasses sit a while before I could pour the rest.

Nice blend of smooth sweetness, smokey phenols and warmth on the tongue. 

Great beer Andrew. Thanks.


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## nifty (9/9/10)

I had *20. Megs80- Fugglies on Kent IPA, 6%* earlier tonight. 

Top drop, I really enjoyed this one, thanks.

cheers

nifty


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## Stuster (9/9/10)

Just finished Josh's doppelbock. So malty and rich and yet so drinkable with a clean and dry finish. Great beer, Josh. Alcohol well hidden.


Until later. :icon_drunk: :icon_cheers:


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## Josh (10/9/10)

Stuster said:


> Just finished Josh's doppelbock. So malty and rich and yet so drinkable with a clean and dry finish. Great beer, Josh. Alcohol well hidden.
> 
> 
> Until later. :icon_drunk: :icon_cheers:



Cheers Stu. I'm planning on brewing either another Doppelbock or Eisbock for ANHC. Yeast is already built up, just waiting for brew day either tomorrow or early next week.

I'm glad this beer is well received. I was really happy with it.


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## Josh (10/9/10)

*19.Fatgodzilla - Dark English Bitter - standard malts, Challenger hops & Ringwood Ale yeast. Carbed and ready to drink.*

Smooth and creamy, a little smokey, finishes abruptly begging for another sip. This would be a great beer to have a dozen of while watching the footy shows. Alas I have Sam Newman on the telly, but only one bottle.

Thanks FGZ, I am enjoying this one.


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## Stuster (11/9/10)

Black cap. Lovely red colour. Nice thick head. Dark sugar and marmalade smells. Nice and bitter, but not in a harsh way. Again some sort of dark citrus comes in the flavour too. A bit of caramel as it warms up a bit. Just a touch of grassiness. Medium body and a fairly dry finish due to the pleasant but firm and lingering bitterness.

Having had a look now I see it's Pollux's NS IPA. I really didn't pick the NS at all. I haven't used it in a darker beer I guess and it seemed really different with the darker caramel tastes in there. Tasty stuff. :icon_cheers:


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## nifty (11/9/10)

*15. Syd_03 - Pink Panther Peated Porter - 6.3%* 

Polished this one off earlier this afternoon and I really enjoyed it. A very tasty drop. Thanks Jase.

cheers

nifty


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## Stuster (12/9/10)

Fatz's bitter

Just the normal malts, huh? Seems like you might have slipped in a touch of smoked malts in there as well though. Nice in fact with the smoke really prominent along with the darker malts. Fairly light body and a dry finish. Nice beer, FGZ. What was the grain bill?


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## Pollux (12/9/10)

Seems I need to learn to label my beer, although I am becoming known for my constant use of black caps (I bought 500) of them a while back, but then started to kegging not long after, still got many case swaps worth left over....


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## megs80 (12/9/10)

nifty said:


> I had *20. Megs80- Fugglies on Kent IPA, 6%* earlier tonight.
> 
> Top drop, I really enjoyed this one, thanks.
> 
> ...



Cheers Nifty,

I didnt have any left over from that batch, so its good to hear cabonation went well and tasted alright.

Alex


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## Greg Lawrence (12/9/10)

*15. Syd_03 - Pink Panther Peated Porter - 6.3%* 

Enjoyed this one watching the ABs beat the Wallabies last night.
I loved it! It had a very unique taste, unlike anything I have experienced before.
Perfect carbonation, but cant comment on head etc as I was too busy watching the game.
What exactly does peated mean?
Would like to try to brew this one myself. Is there a recipe thread for this swap?
Top work Jason


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## nifty (12/9/10)

Ah yes, it's good to be able to finally have a few of these beers...

I had the pleasure of getting stuck in to *13. Stuster - Oatmeal Stout, Pacman yeast, 6.4%, bottled 8th July* tonight. 

A very nice stout, and so smooth drinking, lovely beer, thanks.

cheers

nifty


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## syd_03 (12/9/10)

nifty said:


> *15. Syd_03 - Pink Panther Peated Porter - 6.3%*
> 
> Polished this one off earlier this afternoon and I really enjoyed it. A very tasty drop. Thanks Jase.
> 
> ...


You are very welcome Steve, glad you enjoyed it. I'll have to get some of the beers in the fridge this week.



Gregor said:


> *15. Syd_03 - Pink Panther Peated Porter - 6.3%*
> 
> Enjoyed this one watching the ABs beat the Wallabies last night.
> I loved it! It had a very unique taste, unlike anything I have experienced before.
> ...


Glad you found it favourable Greg. Lucky for you Giteau shanked his kicks.

Peated refers to the small amount of peated malt I used in the grist. I have only used it once before but from what I have read it is a very potent malt and needs to be used with care. It is traditionally used in the production of Scotch whiskey and not traditional for beers. The peat is used to fuel the fire for the kilning of the grain similar to German rauchmalz, which is dried over Beechwood fires. 

I used 1.9% in this brew, I havent had one since it was only a few weeks old and I thought at this time the peat might be over the top, but from peoples comments it seems to have mellowed out. I haven't a bottle left to try though, looks like I will have to rebrew this recipe.

I will try to put it in the DB or I could just post it on here.

Cheers
Jason


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## Stuster (12/9/10)

nifty said:


> *13. Stuster - Oatmeal Stout, Pacman yeast, 6.4%, bottled 8th July* tonight.
> 
> A very nice stout, and so smooth drinking, lovely beer, thanks.



Thanks, nifty. Glad you liked it. 

And Jase, maybe post the recipe for your peated porter here as well as in the DB. IMO would be good to see it here along with the tasting notes.


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## Josh (12/9/10)

Stuster said:


> ... maybe post the recipe ... here as well as in the DB. IMO would be good to see it here along with the tasting notes.



As you wish sir. Recipe is in the database here.

Split batch. 2 x 30L brews. Total recipe listed here for 60L.

12kg Weyerman Munich I
7kg Weyerman Vienna
5kg JW Vienna
2kg Weyerman Melanoidin
1kg Weyerman CaraRed

68*C mash
4g CaSO4
8g CaCl2

80g Tettnanger 4.1% 60 mins
60g Tettnanger 4.1% cube

3L WLP838 Southern German Lager

Pitched 2 x cubes, then the 3rd 24 hours later to give another shot of aeration while hopefully the yeast was still in growth phase.

OG 1.075
FG 1.019

Trap for young players: when you plan on making a high gravity beer, know that your mash tun has the required capacity. Wound up mashing parts of both sessions in handy pails cos my mash tun didn't have the space for all the grain.


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## Josh (12/9/10)

*8. DJR - APA - loads of Weyermann Vienna, hops are Sauvin and Amarillo - bottled around 18/7 so will be good to drink around 7th August*

Slight haze, low but persistent head, medium carb.

Enjoying the fullness of body and slightly bready malt note without having an over the top sweetness.

Hop flavour is perfectly balanced. Passionfruit, grapefruit and lime.

Well balanced finish also.

DJR, what yeast did you use? Just a slight ester profile which I'm enjoying.

Really nice beer, thanks a lot.


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## Fatgodzilla (13/9/10)

Stuster said:


> Fatz's bitter
> 
> Just the normal malts, huh? Seems like you might have slipped in a touch of smoked malts in there as well though. Nice in fact with the smoke really prominent along with the darker malts. Fairly light body and a dry finish. Nice beer, FGZ. What was the grain bill?




Got me really thinking now. This beer probably has a kg of old weyermanns rauch in it as I can't seem to find that last bit I thought I had. This beer was not intended as a swap beer - I made a red rye which flopped. When a second intended swap beer tasted infected in the fermener, I found this batch in the cellar and decided it was good enough for the swap. Hence the reason why it was fully carbed when we swapped!

So I reckon this would just be JW ale malt, some caramunich 2 and a touch of carafa, and likely the rauch. The Challenger was a couple of years in the freezer, so added about 50g for the full boil. I threw this lot together to get rid of old grains and to fill empty bottles. I made up the expression of dark english bitter as that's what the samplers I had tasted of.

Accept this as my usual style of erratic brewing. When I brew for myself, its anything goes as usually I am the only one who will drink it. Goes well with the roller coasting erratic year I have had. Looking forward to 2011 like a drunk to his next beer.


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## Josh (13/9/10)

*7. Retsamhsam - APA (Motueka and US Cascade all the way through) 02/09 - Ready to drink*

I'm enjoying this one now. Nice zesty hop character. Light-Medium body. Very clean, very drinkable. 

Thanks Rets, very nice beer mate.


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## Josh (14/9/10)

*5. Thommo - Bitter, bottled 23/7/2010, apologies, 5%, recultured coopers yeast as my 005 starter was infected - UPDATE - tried on 22/8/2010, carbed, if you like bitters young drink them now, if not leave it another month.*

Funnily enough, I had a few sips of this before jumping on ahb and I thought this tastes a lot like Coopers Sparkling. Very enjoyable Thommo. Finished the first glass and taking the second downstairs while I organise the rods and tackle for tomorrows fishing trip.


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## BjornJ (17/9/10)

Beer 24: grantw smoked porter.

Beautiful beer.
Golden long lasting head, brown-red colour with good clarity.
Roasted, slightly smoky aroma with no hop aroma.
Balanced and easy-drinking, the smoky tones add a nice background without overpowering the taste.

Another really great beer I wouldn't mind having the recipe for to try to recreate at some point.


thanks for a very enjoyable beer!

Bjorn


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## DJR (18/9/10)

Josh said:


> *8. DJR - APA - loads of Weyermann Vienna, hops are Sauvin and Amarillo - bottled around 18/7 so will be good to drink around 7th August*
> 
> 
> DJR, what yeast did you use? Just a slight ester profile which I'm enjoying.



US05 pitched from dry directly on top of the wort - was fermented pretty cool though about 14-15C i think and was left in the primary for about 4-5 weeks.


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## white.grant (19/9/10)

BjornJ said:


> Beer 24: grantw smoked porter.
> 
> Beautiful beer.
> Golden long lasting head, brown-red colour with good clarity.
> ...



Glad you enjoyed it Bjorn

Here's the recipe - 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: smokey the porter
Brewer: Grant
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Brown Porter
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 26.00 L 
Boil Size: 33.03 L
Estimated OG: 1.045 SG
Estimated Color: 22.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 16.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
2.81 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 54.14 % 
0.90 kg Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 17.34 % 
0.45 kg Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 8.67 % 
0.45 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 8.67 % 
0.29 kg Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5.59 % 
0.29 kg Wheat Malt (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.59 % 
35.00 gm Fuggles [3.90 %] (60 min) Hops 15.7 IBU 
14.00 gm Fuggles [3.90 %] (10 min) Hops 1.3 IBU  
1.37 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc 
1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #1028) [Starter 12Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 5.19 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp 
60 min Mash In Add 13.54 L of water at 74.4 C 67.8 C 


cheers

grant


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## Josh (22/9/10)

*2. nifty - some sort of ...Black Ale / Porter / Not Quite Stout. Bottled 03/06/2010 WY1469. 5.4% - Ready to Drink. *

Drinking this one now. Creamy tan head on opaque black beer. Burnt toast roasty flavours with a medium light body. 

A sessionable black beer if I've ever drunk one. Just what the doctor ordered after a long day at work.


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## Josh (1/10/10)

*12. mrs eyres - Black Buste Porter 5.5% bottled 18th May RTD*

I'm enjoying this beer tonight. Black, chocolatey sweet, smooth and velvety. Great beer.


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## BjornJ (1/10/10)

I'm just drinking my last bottle of my case swap beer, I had about 5 bottles left over after the swap.

What the h*ll happened here?
It has a clear off flavour of high alcohol or something? Tastes like it is mixed with petrol or something else that is burning in the back of the throat.. nice..

It wasn't like that when I tried the other bottles, from 2 weeks from bottling to about 2 months after bottling.
It wasn;t all that special with no real aroma or flavour hops, just a brown/amber ale kind of thing.

Has others trying my case swap experienced this, that there is a kind of fuesel oil, higher alcohol burning kind of bad taste to it?

thanks
Bjorn


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## BjornJ (2/10/10)

Beer 17, matho APA.

Another great beer!
So happy pouring this one out of the jug, the colour is great with a nice clarity after a week in the fridge and good head. After 10 mins and half way down the glass there is still a bit of foam in the glass and good lacing down the glass. 
It tastes fresh and clean, just the way it should. 
It is quite bitter, compared to the porter I just had at 30 IBUs?


A very enjoyable beer, very happy to have had a bunch of different beers to try rather than just drink 30 bottles of my own beer.

thanks
Bjorn


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## Muggus (11/10/10)

Found 2 last bottles of my case...i'm thinking sideswap beers perhaps!?

*Beer: ISB Belgian IPA *
Date: 20th September 10
Details: 500ml bottle w/ label, bottled 23/07/10
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Really loud opening. Bottled has a ring of brown sludge around the neck (yeast?), but didnt seem to detract anything from the beer itself. Hazy orange gold body is poured, with tall thick white head.

Nice nose; floral hops, light citrus and dried herbs with background notes of spice and ripe pale fruit esters.

Full bodied, maybe not as full as Id come to expect from a Belgian or IPA though. Drying texture with medium carbonation.

Sweet malts upfront cereally and biscuity with a good hit of fruit hop and esters apricot, peach, citrus, pepper, grassy herbs. Medium bitterness of a quite a smooth finish.

Enjoyable drop. Bridges the gap between a Belgian blond and APA; perhaps not as intense as I was hoping for, but tasty nonetheless. Cheers lads!


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## Muggus (11/10/10)

*Beer: not sure but I think 27. Smilee-English bitter. bottled 22/6 *
Date: 20th September 10
Details: 650mL bottle, gold cap 12.22/6?
Sampling Notes:
Served in a pint glass.

Foam starts to rush up the bottleneck on opening. Eventually pour out a deep amber body with big fluffy white head.

Decidedly spicy hop driven aroma. Has a proper earthiness to it, which leads me to think something along the lines of EKG, and toffee and nutty malts have me leaning in the direction of an English bitter of sorts.

Lively carbonation dries and thins the palate out quite a bit, body is otherwise quite full.

Nice amount of sweetness delivered by crystal malt toffee and biscuit flavours. Hops provide some floral, dried herbs to the mix and linger with a decent bitterness and a bit of phenolic spice.

Ill just assume this is Smilees beer and say cheers!


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## unrealeous (23/12/10)

*No.19 Fatgodzilla's English Ale*

Just sipping this one now, pours clear and dark brown, nice malty aroma with some light roast notes. Two thumbs up as even SHMBO is enjoying it.


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## Fatgodzilla (24/12/10)

unrealeous said:


> *No.19 Fatgodzilla's English Ale*
> 
> Just sipping this one now, pours clear and dark brown, nice malty aroma with some light roast notes. Two thumbs up as even SHMBO is enjoying it.




clearly the last of its batch. Ringwood yeast obviously works well for this one. Thanks Tim and hope all is well with the family.


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## RetsamHsam (24/12/10)

unrealeous said:


> *No.19 Fatgodzilla's English Ale*
> Two thumbs up as even SHMBO is enjoying it.


LOL @ SHIMBO..


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## DJR (24/12/10)

Fatgodzilla said:


> clearly the last of its batch. Ringwood yeast obviously works well for this one. Thanks Tim and hope all is well with the family.



Not quite - i still have one (along with about half the case swap beers still).

I think i had a bottle bomb the other day - not sure who's it was. Might have been brett/aceto or something.


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## barls (24/12/10)

could of been stu.i had his go off the other night


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## matho (24/12/10)

I still have a few I'll put stu's in the fridge now and I'll find out tonight 
By the way fatz I still have yours probably crack it on nye

Cheers matho

Edit: I just looked at stu's bottle and the cap looks like it's buldging, I also had another that was a gusher so that might have been it


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## matho (24/12/10)

Well stu's is overcarbed but not too much of a gusher and tastes excellent thanks stu for an beautifull tasting beer 

Cheers matho


----------

