# AHB Articles: 2010 Funky Beer Swap



## manticle (20/11/10)

These are the tasting notes for article: 2010 Funky Beer Swap

Neonmate already started so I've taken the liberty of copying and pasting his notes here



neonmeate said:


> I think I might be the first to have the honour of cracking the swap beers and if it's anything like last year jeez it looks like a mindblowingly delicious bunch of wild beers. I don't know why quintrex didn't drink em all himself.
> 
> this one is matho's apa?! whose is it? anyway doesn't taste remotely like any apa I've ever had unless it means Antwerp pale ale or Ardennes pale ale. a lovely malty amber beer with good body and head retention, dried peaches and figs, touch of 14 year old socks, vanilla, styrian hops?, bretty leather in aroma. great balance of malty wholesomeness and green hoppy bitterness, joined by dry dry dry finish of winey brett phenols. like a maltier version of Orval. delicious !!! and surely isn't 6% like it says on the label? edit : stupid iPhone trying to correct my spelling



I got two bottles of number 4 which is revealed as Gulpa's old ale with brett.

Damn I love Brett. Have loved Orval for some time before I even knew what the character was.

This one pours clear with a decent head that dissipates very quickly to a few bubbles. Aroma of deep citrus, wood and slight leather.

Lively carb level, firm but subtle bitterness, rich sweetness at the back of the palate, almost orange pudding like, finishes dry. Mild alcohol notes. Almost a dessert beer, you could easily introduce someone to funked beers without telling them what it is with something like this.

Really tasty. Makes me feel like I'm on the right track with mine and glad I got two bottles. Cheers


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## Gulpa (21/11/10)

manticle said:


> These are the tasting notes for article: 2010 Funky Beer Swap
> 
> Neonmate already started so I've taken the liberty of copying and pasting his notes here
> 
> ...



Thanks Manticle. Glad you enjoyed it. Good thing about having two bottles is that you can let the other get a bit of age. :beer: 

Ive got to pick my beers up this week. Really looking forward to tasting these beers.


cheers
Andrew.


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## manticle (26/11/10)

From neonmate again



neonmeate said:


> had brenosbrew's farmhouse ipa yesterday. wow, this was like an all-in brawl at the flemington markets. a riot of fruit. the pineapple and cherry from the brett, the citrus and apricot from the amarillo and galaxy. the beer looked lovely too, nice sticky head and a nice golden colour. very complex stuff, the phenols and the bitterness and the fruitiness all combine surprisingly well. wish i could buy this stuff! (wouldn't buy it every day though)!


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## neonmeate (26/11/10)

ah sorry bout that thanks man-tickle


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## manticle (26/11/10)

Barl's: Munich barley Wine.

Once again I have two bottles.

Pours clear amber/brown with a reasonable head that thins rapidly.
Aroma of deep toffee.
Warm alcohol notes, very rich toffee flavour, tingles on the tongue.

I might save the other bottle for winter - very rich and warming. Almost the sweetness of an underattenuated extract beer but has a complexity that, coupled with the alcohol warmth belies that.

The complexity verges on that of a good dubbel - when it's not just yeast esters/phenolics but layers of malt and rich alcohol - think Rochefort or Achel then make them a dubbel dubbel.

Very, very slight citrus fruitiness. I don't get much brett - will see if the second bottle is different.

if I drank a few of these in a row, I might dress up as superman and visit me old mate Puffing billy for a cuppa and a chinwag.

Just finishing glass number 1 - Like a toffee hammer swung by a beer Ninja.


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## barls (26/11/10)

cheers manicle, the bretts there trust me, its just not in your face brett.
im glad you enjoyed it.
ill post the recipe later if anyones interested.


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## manticle (28/11/10)

I think everyone would be interested in everyone else's recipe and ferment regime if they can be remembered. I know a lot of mine was spontaneous decision and experimentation. Hard to repeat exactly but principles learnt on the way.


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## kabooby (30/11/10)

I noticed my beer is showing ready in the wiki. It was under carbed when I tried it 4 weeks ago. It should be ok now.

If anyone tries it let us know how the carb levels are

Thanks
Kabooby


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## neonmeate (1/12/10)

currently enjoying barls' munich barley wine. and i mean really enjoying it.

very malty and full bodied, but with lots of fruitiness. the brett is there - leathery cherry and pineapple, but accompanied by a big fat malty body with some touches of nuttiness and toastiness. i like the way it goes the melanoidin route rather than the maillard route to body - not too much crystal, but heaps of malt guts. actually tastes a lot like my gavroche clone that i made last year, which was lots of munich and brown sugar. i'd probably place it as a biere de garde if you forced me to pigeonhole it. warming, satisfying and complex - great stuff!

what was in it?


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## barls (1/12/10)

cheers mate, im interested to see how it turns out in 6-12 months time and if i feel up to it or have any left i might actually enter it as a bier de garde
heres the recipe which i must say is almost a direct copy of bugeaters munich barley wine from the bn.


> Recipe Overview
> Target Wort Volume Before Boil: 32.00 l Actual Wort Volume Before Boil: 35.00 l
> Target Wort Volume After Boil: 20.00 l Actual Wort Volume After Boil: 20.00 l
> Target Volume Transferred: 20.00 l Actual Volume Transferred: 20.00 l
> ...


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## neonmeate (1/12/10)

isn't it amazing how bitterness is affected by malt and alcohol. this one's so malty i wouldn't have had a clue it was anywhere near 89 IBU. the oat malt is interesting - i can see how it helps with the smooth body. nice recipe i might have to make something similar.


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## manticle (1/12/10)

89? Jesus. I agree with neonmate - mine was so malty you could stick it to a spoon and call it mr malty's malty malt spoon from malta made entirely from maltese malt.

I guess the ageing would mellow it all out massively too.


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## barls (1/12/10)

it does doesnt it. although i will say the southern cross had been in there a year or so. also its been in the bottle since sept and spent 6 months in primary ageing 
ill be making this again but with nz hops next time just for something different ill make it a hoppy monster.


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## barls (1/12/10)

just put a few in the fridge from the case to try. one of them is yours kabooby.
also beers if your reading this can you come and pick up your case as the wife is eyeing it off to drink.


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## BrenosBrews (1/12/10)

Finally got around to heading to the north side and getting my beers from Q.

First up is the Berliner Weisse from Brendanos. This is the light acidity version.

A - Pours a clear pale straw with a 1.5 inch of dense white head that falls away almost immediately to nothing. Indeed, very champagne like.
S - Light apple and grape hints amongst some lactic sourness & a touch of barnyard funk.
T - Sourness but not too full on also with some apple notes. Bit of a wheat grainy flavour.
M - Exactly as the style should be; Light, dry & highly carbonated
O - A very nice Berliner Weisse. I judged Brendan's Berliner Weisse at AABC & loved it then & I love this now. Well done once again.


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## beers (1/12/10)

barls said:


> also beers if your reading this can you come and pick up your case as the wife is eyeing it off to drink.



:lol: will do. Saturday.

I opened a bottle of my Brown Saison on Saturday. It's carbed up well but needs more time in the bottle.. I'd estimate at least another month or 2.


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## barls (2/12/10)

just had one of the bottles of kaboobys beer. nice very different to the one i did with the same cube.
the wife keep saying it tasted lambicy, personally i think its a damn good


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## kabooby (3/12/10)

Might be because of the 1kg of Dark brown sugar I added.

Was the carb ok?


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## barls (3/12/10)

it was a little low but enough for the low end for the style.


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## Gulpa (3/12/10)

*6) Manticle - Oud bruiny/dubbelish type thing with a bit of whisky, oak, raisins and various citrus zests and flesh fermented in secondary with roselare and orval dregs*

Thought Id be the first to give this one a go. 

Pours a hazy deep copper red. Smallish head that falls back quite quickly.

Inviting aroma of sweet Brett cherry, a touch of leather/funk there in the background. Time reveals a complex aroma with lots of dark fruits with some caramel in there as well that come up as it warms.

Flavour has the cherry right up in front. Sour cherry. Almost comes across as a kriek type of thing. Citrus peels there adding to the sourness. Again there is a complexity here that I can quite put my finger on all the notes but it obviously comes from the listed ingredients.

Medium body. Lowish carb. Slight astringency as expected from the sour.

I really like this beer. Brett is there but it doesnt dominate. Its like a kriek but with so much more going on that you would usally expect. The only disappointment is that its bottled in stubbies and I have to stop now  .

cheers
Andrew.


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## manticle (4/12/10)

Thanks for the review mate. Glad both that you enjoyed it and that you took the time to give such detailed feedback.

I've saved a bottle for my own tasting so I can compare my own perceptions with more experienced sour brewer/drinkers - this helps a lot.

Cheers.


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## BrenosBrews (4/12/10)

I saw a bottle of Orval in the fridge and I was like "I didn't put a bottle of Orval in the fridge, WTF?" Then I realise it was Manticles funky swap beer. So I opened it.

A - Started to gush out of the bottle so quickly poured it; a hazy deep copper colour with a few centimetres of off white head that falls away very quickly.
S - Cherry fruitiness with a lot of bretty barnyard funk but not overpowering. A bit of caramel malt remains. 
T - Cherry fruit flavour up front with plenty of barnyard funk, a bit of acetic acid vinegar character & very subtle citrus notes.
M - Medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation. Prickly acidity on the tongue.
O - You've done well with this Manticle. A very interesting, complex beer & highly drinkable beer. I know you said oud bruin/dubbel type thing but I'd say almost like a hybrid Kriek/Flanders Red. I'll be putting the 2nd bottle aside for a while.


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## manticle (5/12/10)

Thanks BB.

Brendanos: Berliner weiss.

Pours with a big fluffy head, like a duvel. Clear golden colour in my duvel glass.
Head disappears from fluffy to nothing in about three seconds, like an alien with acid for blood somehow became president of the International Society for the Prevention of Beer Head (ISPBH).

Aroma reminds me of my lactose laden ciders. A slightly tart, very slightly sour aroma. It's only lately that I've strated to believe that lactose is actually noticable in ciders (previously assumed tart apple character) and this makes me realise I may be on the right track.

Flavour is very slightly sour, very slightly tart, quite crisp.

There's something slightly medicinal going on in the first sip. This repeats in subsequent sips and is a little distracting from the overall balance of the beer which would otherwise be very refreshing.

I think I'd like it a lot more without that character.


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## Gulpa (5/12/10)

*2) Brenosbrews - Belgian Farmhouse IPA*

Aroma is very tropical fruit (pineapple and passionfruit) with vanilla and some bretty funk lurking in the background.

Pours with a big fluffy one inch white head that slowly subsides. Pale gold. Slight haze.

Flavour is all about the hops and funk. Tart tropical fruits, not as sweet as aroma suggest. Start to get some resiny/floral notes as it warms. Lovely balance with a nice drying finish.

Medium light body. Medium to medium high carb. 

Delicious beer. Great balance. Funk is nicely balanced with the other parts of the IPA. 

Thanks for sharing Brenos.

Cheers
Andrew.


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## kabooby (7/12/10)

*6) Manticle - Oud bruiny/dubbelish type thing with a bit of whisky, oak, raisins and various citrus zests and flesh fermented in secondary with roselare and orval dregs*

Had this on the weekend.

Beer was highly carbed but head dissipated quickly. Wow lots going on with this one. Nice aroma of leather and Christmas pudding with a slight acetic character. Definitely picking up the citrus in this. For me its grapefruit.

Nice beer. Maybe could have benefited with some clearing as I had a fair amount of sundries end up in the glass.

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby


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## manticle (7/12/10)

Was a bit of grapefruit in the citrus addition.

Sorry about the sundries but cheers for the feedback.

I think the bits may have come from the fact that I made an addition of port soaked raisins and citrus zest quite late in the piece as I felt the first citrus/whisky/oak addition was too subdued.

Now I've got a couple going and intend to keep the cycle up (this was my first ever sour/funk attempt) so hopefully time is more on my side next time around.


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## kabooby (7/12/10)

*4) Gulpa - Old Ale with Brett - Bottled 21/09/10* 

Had this on the weekend

Nice aroma of malt and that leathery barnyard brett character. 

This beer was well balanced. The brett is definitely there but is not over the top making this a very drinkable beer.

What was the base beer? How long has the brett been in there? Still picking up some esters which blend nicely with the brett, possibly from the primary strain.

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby


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## kabooby (7/12/10)

manticle said:


> Was a bit of grapefruit in the citrus addition.
> 
> Sorry about the sundries but cheers for the feedback.
> 
> ...



Don't apologize, The beer was great and it certainly didn't stop me from drinking it all. 

Kabooby


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## kabooby (7/12/10)

*1) Quintrex - Unmarked Bottle with black bottle cap - berlinner weiss - ready around december *

Very nice beer Q. I had to show some self discipline to not skull this one straight from the bottle.

Good amount of body for the style but still light enough to be very easy drinking. Picked up an acetic character on the aroma and the first sip that blended in with further tastings. I have done a berliner before with a good pitch of lacto but found it a bit tangy. I found your sourness to be spot on and not as tangy as my previous attempt.

Recipe and any notes on how you made it would be appreciated. Please!!!

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby 

If the rest of the swap beers are as good as the first 3 I am in for a treat B)


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## manticle (7/12/10)

Brenos brews - would have to look it up but judging from the list on the label it seems like a funked APA or AIPA.


Pours fairly clear with a good head that thins but remains. Aroma is fruit, a lot of pineapple (hops related I think) and a hint of brett. There's some sweet sticky toffee that mixes with the pineapple.

Flavour - this beer proves that bitter and funk are not always enemies (so does Orval). Actually tastes like a well balanced fruity, malty APA with just a hint of brett funk.

Different tasting but very similar balance to Orval too - sweet, bitter and edge of funk without going nuts.

I keep smelling and amidst the pineapple I get socks and cheese but only tiny , tiny amounts and never enough to be unpleasant. Only lovers of Brett could take that as a good thing. Also a touch of woodiness in the aroma. What others describe as leather might be what I perceive as wood in brett beers but I'm certainly inside a stable when I smell it.

Really nice subtle brett addition, strong hoppy ale otherwise. You could trick a dyed in the wool apa drinker with this.


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## Gulpa (8/12/10)

kabooby said:


> *4) Gulpa - Old Ale with Brett - Bottled 21/09/10*
> 
> Had this on the weekend
> 
> ...



Thanks Kabooby. Glad you liked it.

There were two base beers:

Beer 1 - Going for a Fullers 1845 type of thing
OG 1074
FG Cant remember but quite high
IBU 33 (Northdown at 60, 15, 0, Styrian at 0)
80% MO
8% Aromatic
4% Amber
4% Med Crystal
4% Special B
Mashed at 69C
Wyeast 1762

Bottled originally for nsw easter case swap but it was it was clear after some time that it was too sweet and wasnt going to dry out

Beer 2 - Revised recipe for early drinking old ale
OG 1070
FG Cant remember
IBU 33 (All fuggle at 60min)
71% MO
10% Munich
10% Wheat
2% Med. Crystal
0.5% Chocolate
5% Flaked Maize (Aldi cornflakes)
Mashed at 67
US05 yeast

Bottled.

Beer 1 went onto Brett after about 5 months in the bottle. On brett for about 5 months. Beer 2 was still too sweet so remaining bottles went on top of beer 1 at about 2.5 months. It was kept quite cool which Im attributing to restraining the full on brett character. Dry hopped with EKG 2 weeks before bottling.

Brett was slurry out of my last brett beer. A mix of Wyeast old ale blend and a straight brett strain - cant tell you which one.

cheers
Andrew.


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## Quintrex (8/12/10)

kabooby said:


> *1) Quintrex - Unmarked Bottle with black bottle cap - berlinner weiss - ready around december *
> Good amount of body for the style but still light enough to be very easy drinking. Picked up an acetic character on the aroma and the first sip that blended in with further tastings. I have done a berliner before with a good pitch of lacto but found it a bit tangy. I found your sourness to be spot on and not as tangy as my previous attempt.
> 
> Recipe and any notes on how you made it would be appreciated. Please!!!
> ...



Hey Kabooby, thanks for the feedback.

Here are the details as I remember them, don't have the recipe on this computer.

50% wheat/ 50% pils 

1.040 OG
~53 deg rest for 15 --> 65 with a decoction - decoction was hopped with 20g homegrown mt hood

I'm pretty happy with the sourness level but think I may have fluked it for my first one. It was a bit of an experiment, where I pitched a lactic dominant starter once the wort had cooled to 35-40 deg C and let that sit overnight (cooling to ambient) then pitched wyeast berliner blend and let it ferment initially at 18 then getting up to 23 by the end of primary.

I'm wondering about the acetic character though, did it come from the warm lactic ferment? or from aging for a couple of months in plastic.

Cheers,
Q


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## kabooby (9/12/10)

Quintrex said:


> Hey Kabooby, thanks for the feedback.
> 
> Here are the details as I remember them, don't have the recipe on this computer.
> 
> ...



Thanks

You don't get acetic from Lacto. It can come from Brett and from the presence of o2. It was not over the top and I don't think a couple of months in plastic would do it. I think there is brett in the berliner blend so it's probably from there.

Do you pick it up as well?

I don't see it as a fault. I think it is balanced perfectly with the lactic sourness.

I definitely need to give a berliner another go

Kabooby


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## kabooby (9/12/10)

Thanks Gulpa,

I think it will develop even further over the next few months. I would keep some aside if I was you.

With the brett strain it is hard to tell, if I had to guess I would say claussenii.

Kabooby


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## Quintrex (9/12/10)

*neonmeate - brett&pedio rye altbier not ready yet, leave till feb 2011 or so
*
haha what can I say, curiousity got the better of me NM.




Leather, Hay, with a real flanders red kind of jammed cherry taste. Delicious!!!!

I'll sit on the other bottle for a bit longer but this beer is yum.

Nice work.


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## neonmeate (10/12/10)

wow that surprises me as I just opened a bottle to have a peek and this particular bottle had got "sick" again ie sour beer jelly - looks like they haven't all done that. anyway pellicles seem to be falling in so most bottles should be ok i hope. they'll certainly sour you out anyway




Quintrex said:


> *neonmeate - brett&pedio rye altbier not ready yet, leave till feb 2011 or so
> *
> haha what can I say, curiousity got the better of me NM.
> 
> ...


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## manticle (10/12/10)

Kabooby: Old ale with Brett and 1469

Pours clear amber, head forms and falls away immediately. Aroma of funk and leather and very slight caramel orange. Mild tart sour at the beginning, slight sweetness in the finish, almost a vinous oaky character. Definite alcohol notes. Mainly sweet but a hint of lingering bitterness that works well with the hint of tart (no I don't mean Janine).

There's moments in the aroma and very first taste (probably connected) that aren't for me but there is an incredible complexity that keeps spelling itself out on the palate once the first sip is taken. This is my favourite bit. As I get furtheer into the glass, little hints of toffee come through in the aroma (I do like toffee).

Very strong and rich - a longneck is a big amount to finish in one setting but a lovely array of complex layers and flavours so I'll try my best. The tart, sour and bitter on the finish all work to balance the richness.

Cheers.


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## beers (10/12/10)

neonmeate said:


> wow that surprises me as I just opened a bottle to have a peek and this particular bottle had got "sick" again ie sour beer jelly - looks like they haven't all done that. anyway pellicles seem to be falling in so most bottles should be ok i hope. they'll certainly sour you out anyway



Looking forward to this one  I somehow managed to score 5 bottles of it!

Picked up my case last weekend & have only cracked one bottle so far - a double up bottle of Brenosbrews Farmhouse IPA. I was very, very, extremely dusty at the time of tasting, & the bottle I opened was a little short & undercarbed (contrary to others reviews). Aroma was awesome as far as I can remember, & the beer was thoroughly enjoyed... looking forward to seriously tasting the second bottle


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## kabooby (13/12/10)

manticle said:


> Kabooby: Old ale with Brett and 1469
> 
> Pours clear amber, head forms and falls away immediately. Aroma of funk and leather and very slight caramel orange. Mild tart sour at the beginning, slight sweetness in the finish, almost a vinous oaky character. Definite alcohol notes. Mainly sweet but a hint of lingering bitterness that works well with the hint of tart (no I don't mean Janine).
> 
> ...



Thanks Manticle

I will have to throw one of mine into the fridge and give it a go.

Cheers
Kabooby


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## manticle (18/12/10)

Quintrex: Berliner Weiss

Well it's December so I thought I'd open her up. No pellicle visible in the bottle.

Gushes out of the bottle, pours cloudy straw with a thick head that vanishes in seconds.

Aroma seems kind of apple tree and milk. Farmyard and a little rustic.

First taste is quite sour - very aceto sour which surprised me. It's very much salt and vinegar chips and I find it a little overpowering and hard to pull out other subtleties that are promised in the aroma.

However if you drink too much single malt whisky in one gulp, you miss out on the intricacies and get a mouthful of ethanol so I've applied the same principle here.

I get little bits of woodiness and some of the apple tree I mentioned. I think the vinegar sourness is a bit too heavy for me - a bit less would see this beer as very refreshing. The level of funk I think would benefit from less aceto too. I'm guessing the aceto has increased with time in the bottle.

Cheers.


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## beers (18/12/10)

brendanos - Berliner Weisse. I got a bottle of C - sharp/strong acidity. 

Pours with a nice puffy head, which dissapears almost instantly. Light straw colour. I've poured the first glass clean with no sediment & it has great clarity. I'll swirl some sediment back in after first tastings.
I get a slight hint of apples in the aroma. At first it was reminding me of cider but now that I am 1/2 way through the first glass, not so much.
Wow.. the acidity on this one (as it says on the label) is huge. In amongst the sour I get a slight chalky, huskiness in the mid palette, but thats about it. Not sure if I can pick up any Brett. Adding some sediment rounds the flavour out a little. 
Acidty is probably a little OTT, but I like it a lot - It actually reminds me of Cantillon Geuze (an all time fave of mine)

Thanks brendanos. A great beer.


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## manticle (19/12/10)

beers said:


> brendanos - Berliner Weisse. I got a bottle of C - sharp/strong acidity.



Forgot to mention mine was 'A'.


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## Gulpa (19/12/10)

*9) Kabooby - Old ale with Brett 10.5% ABV*

This was in the fridge, so I thought I should have it after mowing the lawn today.  

No detailed notes. Tropical brett was dominant (pinapple) with a nice malty complexity there in the aroma as it warmed up a bit. Hard to believe that there was 10% lurking in there but I felt very warm and happy after finishing it.

Thanks Kaboobly, lovely beer.

cheers
Andrew..


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## neonmeate (20/12/10)

having my first manticle no6. 

the others' descriptions are exactly what im getting. nice clear mahogany colour but head fizzles (oils from the citrus?) - but hey this is wild beer.

tastes quite similar to my beer in this swap i think, except for the orangeyness, which adds a nice sherbety/cointreau sort of complexity. actually perhaps this is a bit roastier. tastes like a nice panforte, nuts and peel and chocolate and dried fruit. washed down with a nice italian citrusy liqueur.

definitely the funkiest out of the swap beers i've had so far - some really nice grungy dirty earthy phenols and complexity in the finish with plenty of sourness, and very very dry. i've got two more of these, looking forward to trying some more of this stuff in a year or so to see what happens. thanks manticle!


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## manticle (20/12/10)

Cheers for the review. People making a good effort to describe their perception and experience makes swaps well worth while for me.

Glad it was up to standard too.


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## Quintrex (20/12/10)

manticle said:


> Quintrex: Berliner Weiss
> 
> Well it's December so I thought I'd open her up. No pellicle visible in the bottle.
> 
> ...




Hmmm Sorry folks, I really hate overt acetic character in beers so I'm sorry that for some reason it seems to be growing 

:angry: 

how bizarre


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## kabooby (21/12/10)

Mine was good. Not sure which on I got

Kabooby


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## kabooby (21/12/10)

Gulpa said:


> *9) Kabooby - Old ale with Brett 10.5% ABV*
> 
> This was in the fridge, so I thought I should have it after mowing the lawn today.
> 
> ...



Thanks Gulpa. Glad you enjoyed it. Probably a better beer for winter but it doesn't stop me from drinking it either.

Kabooby


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## BrenosBrews (23/12/10)

Gulpa's Old Ale with Brett.

A - Pours a hazy amber with a 2cm off white head that slowly falls to a thin whisp. 
S - A bit of a tropical fruit note up front followed by some woody, minty & herbal character. Some caramel/toffee maltiness is in there as well. Only a touch of funk. I'm guessing Brett C?
T - Taste is more about the woody and herbal character with a touch of tropical fruit. Like the smell there is also a remaining caramel/toffee character in the taste.
M - Medium bodied, low to medium carbonation. Some bitterness is there but in a balancing way.
D - Obviously not something to session but certainly a drinkable beer that I'd drink again. Beeen meaning to brew an Old Ale for a while, this has inspired me. After I brew all the others I have planned!


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## brendanos (24/12/10)

Q's Berliner - well balanced and tasty complex organic acid profile. The acetic is a bit strong but I find it pleasant. Some funky butyric notes in aroma, but as with acetic acid I think if you brew/drink enough of them it grows on you. Some savoury notes. Really refreshing with nice fruity flavours. A little tiring on the palate. Good carbonation.

I cracked one of my bottles of Neonmates weirdo Rye Kriek before the best after too (a few weeks ago) & loved it. No jelly for me. Will post proper notes with 2nd bottle!


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## beers (26/12/10)

Manticle - Oud bruiny/dubbelish type thing with a bit of whisky, oak, raisins and various citrus zests and flesh fermented in secondary with roselare and orval dregs

Pours hazy reddish brown with a small head that dissapears quickly. 
Picking up acetic acid in the aroma. Getting a little fruitcake like spice coming through as its warming up.
In tasting I'm not getting anywhere near the amount of acetic character that I expected from the aroma. This has got a lot going on in terms of flavour. Like others have mentioned there's fruit cake, dried fruit, cherry, chocolate & bretty funk. Finishes nice & dry with hints of whisky/oak at the end. 
This is a really complex, balanced, beer. I just love how it finishes - the dryness & hints of oak drawing me back for more. The glass is empty before I would've liked.

Thanks Manticle.


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## manticle (27/12/10)

Very pleased people are enjoying this one.

Cheers beers.


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## neonmeate (29/12/10)

having one of beers's beers. I was lucky enough to get two of the mysterious ostrich bottles and I think this will really come together in 6 months - atm lots of the right flavours and plenty of them but they're still a bit diffuse. nice purple Brett c smells and a bit of really off the wall homeless shelter stench, hard for the malt and hops to fight their way through but I reckon with a bit of time that will settle beautifully. strong fruity flavour with caramelly 
malt and a bitter, dry, sweaty and leathery finish. looks nice too though I might call it a red saison... nice head ret.
classy beer, beers, looking fwd to the second bottle.


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## beers (29/12/10)

neonmeate said:


> having one of beers's beers. I was lucky enough to get two of the mysterious ostrich bottles and I think this will really come together in 6 months - atm lots of the right flavours and plenty of them but they're still a bit diffuse. nice purple Brett c smells and a bit of really off the wall homeless shelter stench, hard for the malt and hops to fight their way through but I reckon with a bit of time that will settle beautifully. strong fruity flavour with caramelly
> malt and a bitter, dry, sweaty and leathery finish. looks nice too though I might call it a red saison... nice head ret.
> classy beer, beers, looking fwd to the second bottle.



Cheers neonmeate.
Yeah I agree. Its a strange one. It had been in secondary for around 6 months & coming around nicely but bottling has seemed to knock it around a bit. I had one a month back & it had picked up some weird disjointed flavours that were not there at bottling. I think it seemed to pick up some plasticy, even diacetyl like notes (is thats possible). Perhaps its from priming with amber candy sugar? not sure.
I was freaking out at first but I opened another bottle on the weekend (1 month after previous tasting) & it is coming together a lot better. I have a few more 375ml & 750ml bottles & will continue to sample a bottle a month & let you guys know when it's ready. Apologies for submitting one thats not ready to go guys, but I think in a few months time it should be worth the wait.


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## Gulpa (29/12/10)

neonmeate said:


> ... and a bit of really off the wall homeless shelter stench...



Best descriptor ever!! :lol:


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## neonmeate (29/12/10)

Gulpa said:


> Best descriptor ever!! :lol:



i mean that in the nicest possible way


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## neonmeate (29/12/10)

beers said:


> I think in a few months time it should be worth the wait.


Totally


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## beers (29/12/10)

neonmeate said:


> i mean that in the nicest possible way



& taken that way too  

I've been sampling a bottle of neonmeate's brett & pedio rye altbier for half an hour or so - I got 5 bottles of this for some reason so have opened one early.

Wow... this is one great beer.

Poured hazy with nice puffy head, & is still lacing down the glass over half an hour later. Big slug of yeast left behind in the bottle - has me thinking I might try culturing up some from one of the next bottles.

Aroma took me back at first.. warhead/sour candy with a slightly offensive twist - almost like a hint of feces.. now that its warmed up that has thankfully dissapeared. 

Awesomely sour but balanced with a nice mouthfeel, not too thin at all. I get marmalade, citrus rind, & a nice dry, chalky, sour finish.

Yum.. this is great. One of the best sours I've ever had.

Cheers neonmeate


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## manticle (2/1/11)

A couple of people seem to have sampled this one early - since I have two bottles, I've joined the list.

Neonmate: Old lady who swallowed some rye etc.

Pours hazy with non-lasting head. I think that's par for the course with most of these beers.

Aroma of brett, slight woodiness, mustiness, hint of acidic fruit (citrus to me) and a very light hint of nappy related stuff - I guess the pedicoccus.

Flavour has similar characteristics. Mildly sour (refreshingly so - great level of sour for my palate) some woody/leatheriness and a little hint of orange zest. Overall refreshing like a pink grapefruit. Nice dry finish, leaves me wanting more.

I do get the tiniest hint of the nappy thing coming through in the first few sips (probably just related to having my nose in the glass) so I'm guessing your warning about leaving till at least feb is because of this. I'll leave my next bottle for a few more months. 

Delicious balance though. I'm even getting little hints of chocolate in subsequent sips and the sourness level is perfect. Very thirst quenching.

Enjoyable beer - I look forward to the next bottle in a few months.


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## kabooby (3/1/11)

Not sure what happened but I didn't receive a bottle of Neonmate's beer and everyone seems to be enjoying it 

Kabooby


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## Quintrex (3/1/11)

kabooby said:


> Not sure what happened but I didn't receive a bottle of Neonmate's beer and everyone seems to be enjoying it
> 
> Kabooby



All the NSW beers got sent back in three boxes but beers mentioned he got five bottles of neonmeate's beer, I'd suggest that somehow he accidentally got your two stubbies.


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## barls (3/1/11)

buggered if i know how that happened. as we sorted them all out in to the different bottles and i put ether one longie or two stubbies in each crate then split up the extras.
i also had the missus check to see i had the right amount in each before splitting.


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## beers (4/1/11)

kabooby said:


> Not sure what happened but I didn't receive a bottle of Neonmate's beer and everyone seems to be enjoying it
> 
> Kabooby



I got extras. PM me your address & I will send you some.


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## neonmeate (4/1/11)

or i will send you some more

honestly im quite relieved this beer turned out all right

manticle you were very astute to pick the chocolate in there, that's the chocolate rye that went into the original altbier.

the nappy stuff i believe is from enterobacter or some of the wilder elements among the bacteria soup that went into it and i don't think it will go away. (pedio came out of sour beer dregs from last years swap, rather than a pure culture, so anything could be in it). basically this beer is now a rye-lambic. i just think it needs age for the flavours to mellow a bit...


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## beers (5/1/11)

2) Brenosbrews - Belgian Farmhouse IPA

Fruity, funky, grapefruity goodness. Finishes dry with a lingering grapefruit tinged bitterness. Nice tight lasting head. Delicious. Thanks Brenosbrews.


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## brendanos (17/1/11)

BrenosBrews Farmhouse IPA - 16/1/11

Amazingly enticing aroma of ripe tropical fruits - pineapple, apriciots, orange. I couldn't get my nose out of it to take a sip for a good 10 mins. Very bretty (fruity) & hoppy. Flavour is rich, bright, zesty & well balanced. Impression of fruit punch. Quite dry with a soft bitterness that I thought at first underwhelming (but which has grown on me immensely) lingers nicely into a dry mildly acidic finish. Highly enjoyable. Thanks!!


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## neonmeate (25/1/11)

Cracked open my second and unfortunately final bottle of barls, in order to make use of the dregs in my barley wine - the Brett c doesn't seem to have taken off q, and some guys over at babblebelt actuallysaid that Brett c is not a strong finishing Brett like Brux and lambicus so that figures seeing as it's 11.5%. hoping the wyeast old ale blend does the trick. 

And may I just say again what a tasty beer this is.


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## barls (25/1/11)

glad to hear mate, ive probably got a pack of brett c here somewhere if you get really stuck, might even have some old ale blend as well.
i had a bottle the other night as well and it hasnt really changed that much, also finally got my sheets back from bitter and twisted of which i entered this and on one of the sheets for it, the bloke suggests that it might have an infection :wacko: :wacko: :blink: :blink:


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## Quintrex (29/1/11)

neonmeate said:


> Cracked open my second and unfortunately final bottle of barls, in order to make use of the dregs in my barley wine - the Brett c doesn't seem to have taken off q, and some guys over at babblebelt actuallysaid that Brett c is not a strong finishing Brett like Brux and lambicus so that figures seeing as it's 11.5%. hoping the wyeast old ale blend does the trick.
> 
> And may I just say again what a tasty beer this is.



The brett C is pretty slow to fire, it does eventually ramp up as I found in my saison a while ago but you are right, it's nowhere near as voracious as brux or lambicus.


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## Gulpa (29/1/11)

Its time I started drinking some of these again. 

Tried Quintrex's beer last night. Sorry, agree with others. Too acetic for my tastes. 

*12) neonmeate - brett&pedio rye altbier*

I cant wait until February after all the reviews. 

Pours a light copper with tight head that persists.

Aroma is bretty leather, light barnyard poo, some dark fruit sourness in the aroma as well.

Flavour is dominated by the sourness. Some bretty funk here as well. Light malt. Light bodied. Medium high carb. Good balance of sourness. 

Very nice beer. Ive not had a lot of beers of this types but I really enjoyed this. Thanks neonmate.

cheers
Andrew.


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## neonmeate (14/2/11)

kabooby's olde ale.

well interesting the brett c is slow to fire cause it certainly seems to have done plenty in this one over 18 months - 10.5% too. hope my barley wine gets this level of brettiness.

nice head ret - specially considering sourness and abv...
honestly once this is in my mouth I have a VERY hard time telling it apart from a young pinot noir.... it honestly tastes like wine. except for an undertone of solid english malt. the phenols here taste like the tannins or the stalkiness in a pinot. there's heaps of fruity flavour, and it's sour in a juicy way. it all comes together like one big enigmatic flavour, not lots of bits. very purple tasting if you know what i mean.

thanks kabooby, great job


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## kabooby (15/2/11)

I have had all of my mine now and would like to thank everyone for their beers. I have come out of this case swap with a new found love of Berliner weiss. Both of them were excellent and I am going to make one for next summer.

Thanks
Kabooby


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## manticle (19/2/11)

beers: Brown saison.

Pours beautifully clear, fluffy head which mainly disappears but a tiny bit remains.

Aroma of raisins and a hint of breadiness. Slight treacle/caramel notes and little hint of alcohol.

Little bit of chocolate biscuit, maybe a tiny hint of oxidation paper (not overpowering) . Light funk, good dry finish. Not getting much of the caramel in the flavour nor any of the alcohol but it does feel warming.

Overall a nice, balanced and very refreshing saison. Personally I'd like a touch more spice from the yeast (is it 3711?) and maybe a shade more funkiness and some more of the aromatics to make their way into the beer.

Small criticisms only - it's everything a saison should be - thirst quenching, refreshing, dry etc and the chocolate, bread and dried fruits are great. I just want more because I'm a greedy prick.


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## BrenosBrews (28/3/11)

Brown Saison from Beers;

A - Pours a clear light copper colour, even a slow pour produces a big 3 finger slightly off white head which slowly falls away. Leaves a finger of foam on top.

S - Caramel and some dark fruit aromas, also a very slight aniseed note. Some funky and slight acidic hints.

T - More of the dark fruit character up front with the caramel taking a back seat. Brett taste is there but only a little.

M - Light bodied but plenty of character. Dry & some slight acidic tartness, just how I like Saison.

O - I get concerned whenever I see "brown" or "dark" saison as I always worry they are going to be too sweet. The brett maybe helps dry this out. Well done on a different yet tasty & funky Saison.


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## BrenosBrews (29/3/11)

Quintrex Berliner Weiss.

A - Pours a slightly hazy pale straw with a 2cm white head that falls fairly fast.

S - Funky acidic apple cider like notes with some slight enteric character.

T - Thankfully no enteric character in the taste. Slightly grainy with a pretty big acidic touch and some slight apple hints.

M - Light, dry and highly carbonated - bang on for the style.

O - Apart from the slight enteric character in the smell this was a great Berliner Weiss.


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## beers (29/3/11)

Cheers for the comments manticle & BB.
Bang on manticle - it was indeed 3711. Probably should have fermented a tad warmer, however I find 3711 can get a little fuselly for my tastes at higher temps.


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## BrenosBrews (6/4/11)

Kaboobys Old Ale with Brett.

A - Pours a fairly clear reddish copper colour with a couple of centimetres that fall away rather quickly.

S - Lots of dried dark fruit and vinous spicy notes. A fair amount of caramel/toffee malt character. Slight bretty funk becomes apparent as it warms.

T - Also quite spicy in the taste with the dried fruit flavour coming together with the caramel/toffee malt to give quite a sweet taste.

M - Suprisingly lighter body than what I expected and a higher than expected carbonation, touch of lactic tartness. Definate chest warming alcohol.

O - I've never used Brett C but I see what people say about it not really coming through like Brett L or B tends to. Still a decent strong old ale. Just use a smaller bottle next time :lol:


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## manticle (20/4/11)

Barls: I tried your second bottle last night. The extra few months has done wonders as the brett has started to shine.

Where before it was super rich and very sweet (almost extract like) now it has a more refreshing dryness and much greater complexity. Still some nice caramel overtones but the dimensions are really coming through and brett is far more present.


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## barls (20/4/11)

good to hear, got the esb comp coming up so might have to find a bottle or two and enter it.


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## Gulpa (1/5/11)

Gulpa said:


> Its time I started drinking some of these again.
> 
> Tried Quintrex's beer last night. Sorry, agree with others. Too acetic for my tastes.
> 
> ...



Put my other bottle of this in the fridge yesterday.

Aroma is still bretty poo but the dark fruit (sour cherry) has come up a lot more.

Sour has increased, a bit but bretty funk still there. Light malt has all but disappeared. Some nice sour citrus fruit flavours in there, finishes with lemon pith.

Still a very nice beer, approaching my limit for sourness now. Thanks neonmate.

cheers
Andrew.


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## beers (9/5/11)

Gulpa's Old Ale

Poured slightly hazy with a nice dense fluffy head. Head retention has been good for the last hour or so that I've been sitting on this one. Nice darkish bronze colour. Haze has disapeared on warming.

In the aroma I get a lot of dried fruit & spice with a nice hit of brett. Not horse blanket brett, but cherry / citrus rind like. 

I'm tasting figs, bread, caramel, citrus rind, hints of tabacoo, & high alcohol - Not so much after it has warmed up. Now that is warmed up it's really nicely integrated. 

Nice & dry finish. A lovely sipper on a coldish night. 

I've really enjoyed this one.

Thanks Gulpa.


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## Gulpa (13/5/11)

beers said:


> Gulpa's Old Ale
> 
> Poured slightly hazy with a nice dense fluffy head. Head retention has been good for the last hour or so that I've been sitting on this one. Nice darkish bronze colour. Haze has disapeared on warming.
> 
> ...



Cheers beers,

glad you enjoyed it. I may have to dig one out to try. 

Andrew.


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## beers (9/7/11)

Drinking kabooby's old ale. 
Spectacular beer. 
Clear as a bell, tight head with good retention. 
Fruity Brett aroma. Lots of berry & cherry. 
Solid acidity. I totally agree with neonmeate in that it is very similar to a Pinot Nior.
Glad I've sat on this one for so long. Cracker of a beer. Thanks kabooby.


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## kabooby (15/7/11)

kabooby said:


> *6) Manticle - Oud bruiny/dubbelish type thing with a bit of whisky, oak, raisins and various citrus zests and flesh fermented in secondary with roselare and orval dregs*
> 
> Had this on the weekend.
> 
> ...



Its amazing what time does to a beer. 8 months in the fridge has let this beer clear in the bottle and all of the flavours have come together nicely. Creamy velvety head that gives a silky mouthfeel. 

Thanks again Manticle and I am glad I found this up the back of the fridge.

Kabooby


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## kabooby (15/7/11)

beers said:


> Drinking kabooby's old ale.
> Spectacular beer.
> Clear as a bell, tight head with good retention.
> Fruity Brett aroma. Lots of berry & cherry.
> ...



Thanks for the great review beers. Glad you enjoyed it. Still have a few bottles of this tucked away so will have to give it a try. Did you have it in the fridge all this time?

Kabooby


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## manticle (16/7/11)

kabooby said:


> Its amazing what time does to a beer. 8 months in the fridge has let this beer clear in the bottle and all of the flavours have come together nicely. Creamy velvety head that gives a silky mouthfeel.
> 
> Thanks again Manticle and I am glad I found this up the back of the fridge.
> 
> Kabooby



Cheers Kabooby.

Wish I'd had the patience to reserve one or two now.


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## beers (7/8/11)

kabooby said:


> Thanks for the great review beers. Glad you enjoyed it. Still have a few bottles of this tucked away so will have to give it a try. Did you have it in the fridge all this time?
> 
> Kabooby



Yes, it was in the fridge... along with a second bottle of manticle's offering that I've just stumbled upon :icon_cheers: woot!


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## Gulpa (13/8/11)

Gulpa said:


> *6) Manticle - Oud bruiny/dubbelish type thing with a bit of whisky, oak, raisins and various citrus zests and flesh fermented in secondary with roselare and orval dregs*
> 
> Thought Id be the first to give this one a go.
> 
> ...



Opened up the second bottle of this tonight. Surprisingly similar to the above. Brett seems a bit more forward than last time. Still very sour cherry/kriek like with a hint of sweetness remaining. Still a lovely beer. Thanks Andrew.

Cheers
Andrew.


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