# Vic 2017 Xmas Case Swap - Tasting Thread



## mofox1 (28/11/17)

You know the drill. Drink it, taste it and insta-AHB it.

Update with your offering and if when we can drink it!

*Swaps:*

1. Idzy
2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout - Drink now or later. Now, the treacle is interesting with the hops. Later, all will balance out.
3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
5. JB - Sticke 'em up! 6.5% drink 2018
6. Micbrew
9. AJ80 - a sour in the rye (Oud Bruin with rye). Drink from mid-February 2018. Should age well for up to 3-4 years if you're patient.
11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
12. malt mule Offensive summer stout 8%
15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
17. droid - Belgian Wit
18. Laxation - Xmas Ale, 6.7%. OK to drink now, but intended for Christmas onwards
20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5%
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%
22. Dr_Rocks - Igneous American Pale Ale (US-05) 4.5%, drink from 9th December (will bottle 18th Nov)
23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.


----------



## droid (28/11/17)

You know the drill. Drink it, taste it and insta-AHB it.

Update with your offering and if when we can drink it!

*Swaps:*

1. Idzy
2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout - Drink now or later. Now, the treacle is interesting with the hops. Later, all will balance out.
3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
5. JB - Sticke 'em up! 6.5% drink 2018
6. Micbrew
9. AJ80 - a sour in the rye (Oud Bruin with rye). Drink from mid-February 2018. Should age well for up to 3-4 years if you're patient.
11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
12. malt mule Offensive summer stout 8%
15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day
18. Laxation - Xmas Ale, 6.7%. OK to drink now, but intended for Christmas onwards
20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5%
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%
22. Dr_Rocks - Igneous American Pale Ale (US-05) 4.5%, drink from 9th December (will bottle 18th Nov)
23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.


----------



## TSMill (28/11/17)

*Swaps:*

1. Idzy
2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout - Drink now or later. Now, the treacle is interesting with the hops. Later, all will balance out.
3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
5. JB - Sticke 'em up! 6.5% drink 2018
6. Micbrew
9. AJ80 - a sour in the rye (Oud Bruin with rye). Drink from mid-February 2018. Should age well for up to 3-4 years if you're patient.
11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
12. malt mule Offensive summer stout 8%
15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
17. droid - Belgian Wit
18. Laxation - Xmas Ale, 6.7%. OK to drink now, but intended for Christmas onwards
20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5%
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5% (21A), half saison 8% (21B) - Drink today
22. Dr_Rocks - Igneous American Pale Ale (US-05) 4.5%, drink from 9th December (will bottle 18th Nov)
23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.


----------



## mofox1 (28/11/17)

mofox1 said:


> You know the drill. Drink it, taste it and insta-AHB it.
> 
> Update with your offering and if when we can drink it!



Damn - great thread idea Mick. Better have a beer 'ay.



mofox1 said:


> 15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
> 21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%
> 23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.



Okay, have a couple then...
*15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing.* Wh0oaa that's ballsy like a swap brewer. Roast and choc in abundance... there's nothing subtle here so I don't have to use smart words so I can sound more photosynthesis.
*
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%* - Maybe it was ready, and maybe it wasn't who can tell?! Well, it was, and a decent tipple it was too. I got the saison, and while not high on the funk, there was a tasty bready overtone finishing with a slightly tart finish. Plenty dry with some fruity aromas going every which way. Thanks a heap for this one!

*23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.* - DAN! Love it... Nothing too complicated here (unless it's subtle... remember I don't do that) just good, throw back drinking beer. Light(ish) body, great yeasty aroma, will pair well with a pie.


----------



## micbrew (28/11/17)

Posted Today at 6:40 PM
You know the drill. Drink it, taste it and insta-AHB it.

Update with your offering and if when we can drink it!

*Swaps:*

1. Idzy
2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout - Drink now or later. Now, the treacle is interesting with the hops. Later, all will balance out.
3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
5. JB - Sticke 'em up! 6.5% drink 2018
6. Micbrew Citra smash 5% drink before Chrissy
9. AJ80 - a sour in the rye (Oud Bruin with rye). Drink from mid-February 2018. Should age well for up to 3-4 years if you're patient.
11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
12. malt mule Offensive summer stout 8%
15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day
18. Laxation - Xmas Ale, 6.7%. OK to drink now, but intended for Christmas onwards
20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5%
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%
22. Dr_Rocks - Igneous American Pale Ale (US-05) 4.5%, drink from 9th December (will bottle 18th Nov)
23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.


----------



## Mardoo (29/11/17)

Somehow I ended up with one of Wiggman’s Hater’s Wheats from the last swap. WTF?


----------



## technobabble66 (29/11/17)

Probably a reused bottle. Check if you're missing any numbers you should have.


----------



## malt junkie (29/11/17)

*Swaps:*

1. Idzy
2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout - Drink now or later. Now, the treacle is interesting with the hops. Later, all will balance out.
3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
5. JB - Sticke 'em up! 6.5% drink 2018
6. Micbrew Citra smash 5% drink before Chrissy
9. AJ80 - a sour in the rye (Oud Bruin with rye). Drink from mid-February 2018. Should age well for up to 3-4 years if you're patient.
11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
12. malt mule Offensive summer stout 8% Probably best mid winter,
15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day
18. Laxation - Xmas Ale, 6.7%. OK to drink now, but intended for Christmas onwards
20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5% Ready now, or wait 
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%
22. Dr_Rocks - Igneous American Pale Ale (US-05) 4.5%, drink from 9th December (will bottle 18th Nov)
23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.


----------



## Mardoo (29/11/17)

They could have at least pulled the post-it off. Was that you TB?


----------



## idzy (29/11/17)

1. Idzy - NullNVoid Trial Brew (Rusty Rye Pale Ale 1.052-1.005) - Check cap is tight, drink in 4 weeks.
2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout - Drink now or later. Now, the treacle is interesting with the hops. Later, all will balance out.
3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
5. JB - Sticke 'em up! 6.5% drink 2018
6. Micbrew Citra smash 5% drink before Chrissy
9. AJ80 - a sour in the rye (Oud Bruin with rye). Drink from mid-February 2018. Should age well for up to 3-4 years if you're patient.
11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
12. malt mule Offensive summer stout 8% Probably best mid winter,
15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day
18. Laxation - Xmas Ale, 6.7%. OK to drink now, but intended for Christmas onwards
20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5% Ready now, or wait
21. TSMILL - half biere de garde 7.5%, half saison 8%
22. Dr_Rocks - Igneous American Pale Ale (US-05) 4.5%, drink from 9th December (will bottle 18th Nov)
23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.


----------



## micbrew (29/11/17)

perhaps a quick carb charge eh


----------



## technobabble66 (29/11/17)

Mardoo said:


> They could have at least pulled the post-it off. Was that you TB?


Don't think it was me, especially as I didn't receive Wiggie's Hater's Wheat. However my stickers/labels can sometimes fall off, which made me wonder whether it could've been mine and the remaining number on the bottle matched Wiggie's from the last swap (if that makes sense?). 
I put sticky tape over the top of my stickers, so hopefully mine will stay on.


----------



## droid (30/11/17)

ignore any scribblings on the side of the number 17 bottles and just go with the # 17 on the cap


----------



## Grott (30/11/17)

Not a problem if using “droid” tags,  noted there use in pics at recent get together.


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (30/11/17)

23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.

Clarity is insane!!! How long has this been in the keg? My two batches with 059 seem to retain some kind of cloudiness which doesn’t drop with temperature and time (yet).

Aroma I can only describe as the good part of a Kit and Kilo beers twang. It’s what I’ve found in my 059 beers and wonder if it’s due to the sugar, the yeasts work on the sugar or just the yeast even if it was all malt. Slight bubblegum type note in there too. 

Flavour is great, well balanced, nice amount of bitterness. Guessing only 60min hops?

Great brew Dan, enjoying it under the aircon on this hot night. Thanks for sharing [emoji106]


----------



## Danscraftbeer (1/12/17)

DJ_L3ThAL said:


> 23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.
> 
> Clarity is insane!!! How long has this been in the keg? My two batches with 059 seem to retain some kind of cloudiness which doesn’t drop with temperature and time (yet).
> 
> ...



Glad you like DJ. It was in the keg for 3 weeks but chilled for the last week. The first keg was drunk before that and it never cleared in that time even after 2+ weeks chilled I was convinced that it was never going to clear so it surprised me when it finally did.
This is the recipe What are you brewing in 2017 ? < Note the plan for it to drink over Xmas haha. Its all gone. I'm making another batch this weekend.


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (1/12/17)

Nice, didn’t notice or pick the flaked maize imparting any flavour!
Did it actually finish at 1.008 with a 69C mash temp?


----------



## mofox1 (1/12/17)

DJ_L3ThAL said:


> Nice, didn’t notice or pick the flaked maize imparting any flavour!
> Did it actually finish at 1.008 with a 69C mash temp?


Note the WAYB post mentions an overnight mash...


----------



## Danscraftbeer (1/12/17)

Yeah good point mofox. Esky mash starts at 69c slowly declining overnight. By the time of sparging the next day I think it was around 47c. Call it, backward mashing?


----------



## droid (1/12/17)

Danscraftbeer said:


> Yeah good point mofox. Esky mash starts at 69c slowly declining overnight. By the time of sparging the next day I think it was around 47c. Call it, backward mashing?


 There's wayward brewing so why not backwards brewing?


----------



## technobabble66 (1/12/17)

Hey, fwiw, I think the super long mash times shouldn't negate the high initial mash temp too much (depending on roughly how slowly it drops, of course). 
I believe the beta will still be largely denatured kinda quickly. So I think you end up with great efficiency, with a lot more alpha action and a bit more beta action. 
So I'd guess you might drop just an extra point or 2 at FG, but still maintain a big mouthfeel from all the unfermentables. At least that's the impression I get. 
I've done 1-2 looooong mashes (eg: 8hrs) and so did some more detailed reading on what (should) happen, re: enzyme lifespan/survivability, final result on fermentability, etc - just to make sure it'd still make good beer. 

Interestingly, I think if you started at, say, 69 then quickly dropped it to, say, 63 after ~5-10 mins, you'd probably end up with a super low FG, but if you let it slowly/naturally drop in temp it has this almost magical effect of locking in general characteristics of the high temp, as if you'd maintained that temp the whole time. Plus a fair bit more efficiency and a slightly drier finish 
2c


----------



## Mardoo (1/12/17)

23. Danscraftbeer - Summer of 59. Draught so its good to go.

Wow, twang! As DJ_L3ThAL said. Like this:



Actually, I reckon this would go down the old throat hole real well in watering hole in a hot, dusty far-eastern New Mexico town listening to a bit of Hank Williams Jr. It wasn't my thing yesterday, but clearly that's personal preference, and possibly timing. I had polished off a rich stout a couple hours before, and I was actually in the mood for another. I did the close-my-eyes and choose though. Should have saved it for the right time and place, like that watering hole. It's amazing how much of flavour is influenced by other aspects of perception. I thought it might be a lager fermented too hot until I had a look at the rest of the tasting thread. The big brutish bitterness, alcohol and twang had a saloon-style punchup in my mouth and bruised my very effete and sensitive palate  Now I'm wondering whether I should brew with the 059, which I have a couple vials of.

Thanks for the beer Dan. Although it wasn't my thing at yesterday's time and place, neither is the BJCP, and there seem to be plenty of fans of that lot.


----------



## laxation (1/12/17)

i'm drinking my #23 tonight as well!

we got let off work early because of the super dangerous drizzle, so thought I'd better enjoy a really nice beer - and this is!
this is what i would call - a beer. doesn't aim for too much, and does not disappoint. just a good beer.


----------



## technobabble66 (1/12/17)

*23 - Summer of 59 Aussie Bitter, Danscraftbeer*

View attachment 110121


*App*
Small loose head, fine lacing deep golden hue, almost completely transparent.

*Aroma*
Sweet honey malt, maybe a light floral fruitiness.
Slight hint of a spicy undertone.

*Flava*
Sweet pilsner honey tones with a strong bitter aftertaste, slowly followed by final hint of cane sugar sweetness.
Light mouthfeel, but still has a certain satisfying “fullness”.
Carb level seems ~good. But comes out a bit too quickly. Bitterness a bit too high for me, i’m afraid, but that’s not necessarily a negative.

*Overall*
Very tasty start to the swap beers. Really interesting effect in this - similar to what Deej said, not sure what is from the sugar or yeast, and/or what the yeast is acting upon to produce these differences. I’d suspect this’d be best as draught, and ice cold on a stinking hot day - partly as the somewhat thin dry body might hold the carbonation better.
Great malty honey tones shine through, possibly aided by the residual cane sugar flavour. Not sure i can pick anything like a maize element in this, though maybe that’s what’s bringing out the sweet honey-malt element.

——————————
FWIW:
By comparison, mine (#3)

View attachment 110122


seems a bit like beer water. Not necessarily in a bad way, but seems very light. Has a more deep-malty element, again much more subtle, rather than the strong honey-malt of dan’s - maybe that’s brought out by the maize flakes.
Mine’s definitely carbed less - ok, but maybe on the very low end of ok.
Dan’s also has a sweeter element to it, along with the honey-malt element being more prominent, plus a much more bitter lingering element.
Quite remarkable for fairly similar beers, there’re some striking differences - obviously from those small differences in the recipe. I’d probably say one comparison is i could drink mine like water, whereas Dan’s feels like you’re drinking a solid beer - more maltiness (though that lighter honey-like maltiness) & heavier mouthfeel.


----------



## technobabble66 (1/12/17)

*4 - Deej, Macleod Bitter
*
View attachment 110123

View attachment 110124


*App*
Semi-transparent, but fairly opaque. Deep golden hue.
Massive loose head

*Aroma*
Not picking up much on the aroma, but that’s just my nose after 2 previous beers similar to this. A subtle honey-malt element. Maybe a slight earthy citrus element from the hops.

*Flava*
A flava explosion compared to the aroma! Really nice “continental” herbal element mixing with the subtle malt & cane sugar flavours. Nice balance of sweet and mild bitterness. Subtle lingering bitterness.
Very high carb. After the carb drops out, it’s got a nice mouthfeel - light but decent.

*Overall*
Great beer - somewhat halfway between Dan’s and mine.
Possibly the best hops element in this one, of the 3. Spalt??
The carb level is waaaaaay over the top - maybe you should’ve saved some of the carbonation from this for the Westy12… 
Overall the best balance of all the elements, of the three 059 beers.
Perfect for drinking while watching a doco on robotic sex dolls.


----------



## technobabble66 (2/12/17)

NB: I can't access the pics I've just attached, so NFI wtf is going on with that. Hopefully some mods can sort it out [emoji6]


----------



## TSMill (2/12/17)

I had my first case swap thing,
All the beers were looking fine.
Made a selection in my head.....







I was expecting something I could smash down half a dozen of in front of the footy....the Aussie beer I remember stealing from my Dad when I was a kid, and that's not what I got.

To me it tasted more an English pale, brewed right on the limit of its temperature range, and for my personal tastes, a little too much lingering bitterness. There seemed to me a slight woody taste in the background, will be interested to see if that comes through in the other 059 beers.

It's fair to say this beer left it's mark on me......or more specifically on my Caesarstone bench, where I found a mirror image of the cap 23 this morning.

Wife's review...."not really my thing"....but beer in general is not her thing. She also added "tastes like beer", which is a positive review.

All up, an enjoyable start to the tasting journey.


----------



## laxation (2/12/17)

Having midnights house ale today (no 11). It was nice at the swap, but it is so much better on a cold day like this, instead of being near 40 degrees! Beautiful beer, two thumbs up. I'm not very good at explaining how a beer tastes but I like this one

I have two check boxes, 1. Does it taste like beer? And 2. Did I like it?
Yes to both.


----------



## TSMill (2/12/17)

TSMill said:


> Wife's review...."not really my thing"....but beer in general is not her thing. She also added "tastes like beer", which is a positive review.





laxation said:


> I have two check boxes, 1. Does it taste like beer? And 2. Did I like it?
> Yes to both.



Just to clarify we are not married.


----------



## Mardoo (2/12/17)

BTW, I thought carb and head on Danscraftbeer’s beer were perfect. Lovely, pure white meringue head that stuck around for a good while.


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (2/12/17)

11. Midnight Brew House Ale

Pours cloudy, with an orange hue about the light colour. Tight off white head that dissipated to a thin ring lacing the glass. It actually looks like an IPA if you haven’t sniffed or drunk it yet. Aroma is slightly phenolic, wouldn’t have said Belgian if I didn’t read it was Ardennes, would’ve thought a Saison yeast fermented cool but that shows my inexperienced palate at work.
Flavour is where it’s at with this one, another very well balanced beer and it’s very clear why this is your house ale Cam, great beer. This is the beer that has shown me why proper carbonation rates matter, as the lower carb of this just ties it all together I think.
So I typed the above and I’m already half way through the long neck, whoops. Thanks heaps for sharing, I agree with Mike that it is even better on this quasi-winter evening listening to the rain pondering what is for dinner.

Glad I grabbed a second one of these when there were a few leftovers 

View attachment 110140


----------



## AJ80 (2/12/17)

2. Mardoo treacle Stout 

Picked this one given it is sub 10 degrees outside and I've got the fire lit (new record there - not done that in December before). 

Pours a rich velvety black with a thin tan head that is just lingering. Smells like any good Stout should - burned toast with a hint of coffee. Mouthfeel is great with a perfect low level of carbonation. Plenty of body and the treacle just comes through and melds really well with the roasty toasty stouty goodness. I'm really enjoying this one. This is a ripping beer and what a way to open the swap! Any chance for a recipe Mardoo? Thanks for sharing!


----------



## technobabble66 (2/12/17)

*11 - Midnight Brewing, House Ale*









*App*
Tiny head, fairly tight, steadily fades. A quick swish brings up a nice tight head that sits for a few minutes. The magic of a quick swirl!
Deep golden amber, semi-transparent.

*Aroma*
Definite Belgian funk, slightly saison-esque. Maybe a slight piney-fruity element, but might be my imagination. Was expecting more hoppiness, but not really getting any.

*Flava*
Moderate sharp bitterness through the whole palate - start, middle and a lingering finish. Moderate mouthfeel - so a light dry element blends well with a slightly more full element, so achieves a good balance.
Slightly low carb level - is awesome, helps bring out the flavour of the beer. Go the Low!!
General malt sweetness, without being particularly distinct - not in a bad way, you could smash this by the truckload, but still feel like you’re drinking a flavoursome beer. Belgian flavours not so prominent compared to the aroma, fairly subtle, other than the sharpness of the bitterness & a slight funk.
Slight subtle fruitiness mixed in there.

*Overall*
Fantastic beer, and, like Deej, i can also see why this is your house ale. Great balance of elements - dry but a slight malt sweetness, solid bitterness that lingers, but stays mild to moderate. Excellent flavour, though nothing in particular stands out as a dominant force. I’d definitely love to see the recipe for this one. FWIW, the Belgian elements seem remarkably similar to my Surprise! Belgian infection - i might check whether Ardennes is similar to 530 or 566. I’d be super happy turning this out as a house ale!


----------



## TSMill (3/12/17)

Tonight, demonstrating the importance of penmanship, I decided I was going to drink the pussie dry!




......but first I received lots of head:





For anyone who thinks this post lacks wit, there's actually heaps.....because the lid tells me that in reality i am drinking droids Belgian.

After the initial pour this settled back down to a thick white mousse that I'm tempted to eat with a spoon like my kids babychinos, but settle for occasionally dipping my finger in. Nice amount of clove and perfect bitterness, 
wish I could crack another for the evening session in the cricket. 

Wife not a fan, but was tasting on the back of a glass of sparkling (also not a fan of my jokes).


----------



## JB (3/12/17)

3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.






*Appearance*
Deep amber is colour, slightly cloudy. Low carb, light head.

*Aroma*
Low aroma, hints of Aussie bitter, hints of a warm afternoon in Rezza, some gentle malt aroma.

*Flavour*
Light mouth feel, nice light maltiness, low bitterness, super smashable, could pound this till the cows come home. Do they have cows in Rezza?

*Overall*
My first of the 059s, light and smashable. This one would be awesome on a hot afternoon anywhere, not only Rezza. Thanks Techno


----------



## technobabble66 (3/12/17)

*6 - Citra SMASH, Micbrew*




*App*
Deep golden amber. Small tightish white head.
Semi-transparent.
Lacing? What's that?

*Aroma*
Classic Citra - fruity & wet-sock citrus.

*Flava*
Carb almost as low as a Westy12 clone in Macleod . Nice balance of malts & citrusy hops & mild bitterness.
The malt forms a nice backbone to lift up the Citra, while staying in the background like Cummins in a Marsh century
Nice moderate mouthfeel.

*Overall*
Straight-up i’d say this is an awesome smashable APA-style SMASH, just needs a little more carbonation.
Citra is ******* awesome, and i’ll cross swords with any that say otherwise. Slightly bested by Simcoe, but it’s a great hop by itself. I appreciate “wet-sock citrus” probably doesn’t sound great. But it is. Maybe like a slightly overripe orange … but good.

Would probably taste great with chicken wings…. If you had chicken wings…. Just sayin’.

Otherwise great watching Robin Hood chatting with Max Von Sydow. Or rather, Max von Sydow chatting with Robin Hood. Either way Citra ******* rocks!


----------



## technobabble66 (3/12/17)

JB said:


> 3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%, drink now, but maybe leave an extra week.
> ... Do they have cows in Rezza?
> ...


Yes, but not as you know it...

Thanks for the review, Jas! Always great to see the first dipping of the toe.
Yeah, i'm not sure what to say about this other than you could drink buckets of it, at least that's my impression. I'm keen to see how this rolls when it's a 35°C day. It tastes like beer water to me, but in a good way.


----------



## technobabble66 (4/12/17)

Just out of interest, are the beers by @TSMill (#21, Saison & Biere de Garde) ready to drink now?


----------



## JB (4/12/17)

11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.






*Appearance*
Deep amber is colour, nice persistent carbonation, but low head as per preference.

*Aroma*
I love a good Belgian yeast aroma, although tamed you can pick the fruity esters coming through promising delicious yeast driven beer.

*Flavour*
Medium body, full mouthfeel, low bitterness, grapefruity spiciness from the chinook flowers, delicious yeast flavour, max awesomeness. Love a good Belgian & that's what we have right here folks.

*Overall*
Nice balance, nice flavour, nice low carb that persists all the way down, nice enjoyable beer. Ripper thanks Cam!


----------



## TSMill (4/12/17)

technobabble66 said:


> Just out of interest, are the beers by @TSMill (#21, Saison & Biere de Garde) ready to drink now?



Sorry mate, think I updated the list simultaneously with someone else....yes they are good to go, bottled in September I think.


----------



## JB (4/12/17)

Hey, had a quick scroll of this page of this thread, how good are all the pics going up with the tasting notes. Splendid.


----------



## TSMill (6/12/17)

Midnight Brews House Ale:







Belgian Ardennes is one of my favorite yeasts, and got a great early hit of flavour with this one, but it did not seem to linger on my palette.

I think the low-ish carbonation worked to keep things in balance because the beer was a little on the thin side. To my tastes, I'd prefer an increase in both body and carbonation.

I'm not sure the Chinook is contributing anything, I'm guessing this was bittering additions only and for this they serve the purpose, but when I hear it name dropped, I'm kinda pining for it (boom boom).

These are really minor quibbles which are likely just personal taste, and still all up a great tasting beer that surpasses most of what I part with hard earned for. Cheers!


----------



## malt junkie (6/12/17)

I've had a few of the swaps 23, and 3, similar both great drinking while watching us crush the poms in the cricket, also tried Midnights house Ale a few days later. 
Not going to go into too much detail as having quit smoking just before swap(now vaping, last smoke more than 2 weeks ago) I find my taste is really sensitive and esters hitting the pallet harder than what I'm used to. Not giving up on all those tasty brews (lets not throw the baby out with the water here!) but I can see it'll take some time for me to adjust to tasting ALL of those flavours well.

Mike


----------



## Mardoo (6/12/17)

AJ80 said:


> 2. Mardoo treacle Stout
> Any chance for a recipe Mardoo? Thanks for sharing!



Hey @AJ80 I'm very happy you liked the beer. It's pretty interesting. It's not my original recipe, it's more or less Screwy's Choc Treacle Stout from the recipe database. First time I've brewed it, and I'll definitely make some minor alterations and keep brewing it. I made minor adjustments based on what I had on hand on the day I brewed. I've attached a pdf of the recipe from Beersmith.

EDIT: Oops, no baking soda used and the base was Baird’s Pale Ale.


----------



## Midnight Brew (7/12/17)

I need to get a wriggle on and put some of these int he fridge, 2 weeks out from the swap and I still haven't tried any! 

Thank you all for the reviews on the house ale. After the 2 samples of pressure v non-pressure amber ales on tap at the swap, I want to give it a run with an American yeast through pressure ferment. Keeping the grain and hop bills the same and just changing the yeast, I do have one spare 11L cube which I'll run through this week. Have 3 bags of 2017 chinook flowers to get through before 2018 harvest dominates my freezer again. 

I just wish I could drink more.


----------



## Midnight Brew (7/12/17)

2. Mardoo - Treacle Stout

Appearance:
Pours thick, jet black, thick with a slightly tanned head.

Aroma:
Rich, sweet, syrupy notes, hint of chocolate. 

Flavour:
Beautiful chocolate notes with hints of roast complimenting just the right amount. Very easy to drink, a little rough around the end of the palate as I expect will mellow with time. Carbonation is good, wouldn't want anymore or any less. In fact as this ages, I might pull a spare bottle through the beer engine. The richness is not thin but easy to consume, is this the treacle at play? I just looked at your recipe and seen that our old friend terrified wheat had a small role. Im actually a little surprised with the bitterness level, would never have picked that. 

Overall:
This is why I never buy commercial stouts, they never live up to the home brewed versions from likes of Victorian home brewers. Cant wait to see how the remaining bottles fair with age. Enjoyed while watching GoT . (Going to need a nap after this one).


----------



## technobabble66 (7/12/17)

Aaaah, student life post exams: lunch time stouts. 
[emoji1]


----------



## Mardoo (7/12/17)

Midnight Brew said:


> This is why I never buy commercial stouts



You should have a go at Brew Dog’s Jet Black Heart. Best 4%-ish stout I’ve had.


----------



## Midnight Brew (7/12/17)

technobabble66 said:


> Aaaah, student life post exams: lunch time stouts.
> [emoji1]



And about 3 minutes after that post I was emailed my results, HD for both health subjects, Distinction for both history subjects.Mardoo's stout disappeared.


----------



## mofox1 (7/12/17)

Midnight Brew said:


> And about 3 minutes after that post I was emailed my results, HD for both health subjects, Distinction for both history subjects.Mardoo's stout disappeared.


Great result. Better have a(nother) beer, ey?

Edit: Between you and me, that 15 was pretty top notch. I'm going to pour that man a beer when I get the chance.


----------



## Mardoo (7/12/17)

While the students have been out studying, I've been busy. Some catching up to do! I've drunk these over the course of a week or so. They've been way more entertaining than my own beer at the moment.

4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.
Drinking this right now. Very beery. Having been a former fan of Melbourne Bitter, I'd have to say that this doesn't compare. It's way too yum! Simple, easy drinking, bready, a bit of fruity flavour from the yeast. Very drinkable. And by the way this is Very. *******. Well. Balanced. Good job DJ. I'd line up a few of these during a barbie.

11. Midnight Brew - House Ale (Chinook flowers and Belgian Ardennes) - ready.
God damn this was a good beer. It was a hot day, a freaking long one on the anvil of the daycare, and this beer came out precisely when the last parent to pick up walked out of sight down the hall. I think I drank the whole bottle in 5 minutes. The glass didn't leave my hand. This is the kind of beer I need to spend more time brewing, the one you want to have and have and have again. I was very sad to find the end of the bottle at the bottom of my glass. Great spice from the yeast, good head and lacing, light and refreshing body, enough malt to give the yeast room to play, but add to the yeast's good work too. Fantastic. I'll have to plan my visits for when you have this on tap 

15. Mofox1 - Blended Stout thing... ~7 or 8%. Drink now or later.
Really smooth, and a whole lot going on in this one. It was this swirling dance of malt and roast and yeast and happy. The thing that I'm finding about blends is that the smooth out the edges. However the best blends leave some of the edges for you to find. There was plenty going on in this one. It had the kind of roast you only get from the intensity of a RIS, but a bit lighter and more easy going. A bit. And then the RIS whacked me in the chops again. And now I'll ask the question I kept telling myself not to ask - "Just. Experience. The. Beer. Stop. Thinking about it. So much." - Was this a blend of the two stouts from your partigyle brew day? I really enjoyed this, and it was also quite full on. I'd love to taste it in a few months.

++Which brings up something TB66 and I talked about briefly in the 3 minutes I saw him at the swap. Let's do a sub-swap of beers that are meant to age a bit. Say, 8 people, 24 bottles each, everyone takes home 3 bottles and drinks them over a year, writing about them along the way.++

20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5% Ready now, or wait
Smooth Operator, this one. It had a quality I call milky, or perhaps creamy. Just silky down the palate. The kind of beer I love to gulp. I don't know, for me beer is a beverage, one to drink and enjoy the feeling of drinking. Cool and slippery, with satisfying flavours. Unfortunately this is short path to a quick day. I actually only got to drink about 3 solid gulps before my wife stole the rest, so for the non-beer drinker, you're on the right path. She won't drink pretty much any beer. I know this was a surprise sour, but I could barely detect the sour. I would have liked a bit more acid edge to bring out the raspberry more. It got me thinking about how much acid you can get from the raspberries.

21. TSMILL - biere de garde 7.5%
Wow. This was really intense when cold, voraciously carbed and hot alcohol. Once I let it sit for a bit, it really opened up a lot though. The thing with biere de garde for me is the complexity within simplicity. I'd say this had a reasonably deft hand behind it. Light touches of malt and hops playing against the carb and yeast. There's a flavour I associate with good biere de garde that I can only describe as "grapey", sort of a candy white grape flavour. This had it. The beer continued to open up for the 90 minutes or so that I took to drink it, and that grapey-ness just kept developing and deepening. Really, really nice. One which, in retrospect, I wish I could have let develop in the bottle for a year or so.

Now I wish I had another 23 from Danscraftbeer, because tonight I'm finally in the mood for it! Great job guys. I love the swaps!

EDIT: Hey Mr. Mill, any chance of a recipe for your biére de garde?


----------



## technobabble66 (7/12/17)

Midnight Brew said:


> And about 3 minutes after that post I was emailed my results, HD for both health subjects, Distinction for both history subjects.Mardoo's stout disappeared.



So which beer to celebrate??


----------



## Midnight Brew (8/12/17)

technobabble66 said:


> So which beer to celebrate??



Mardoo's stout had it's way and I had a much needed afternoon nap to succumb to all the excitement.

Today: 3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%.

Appearance:
Straw to gold, more on the gold side. Hazy, tight white head that laces the glass all the way down. (It would lace more if I wasn't drinking it so quick)

Aroma:
If that is not Australian beer I don't know what is. I can just smell pub memories of times past.

Flavour:
Boom! Has that commercial tang! And by twang I mean by in all intensive purposes, in a positive way. The malt is subtle but bodied enough, carbonation is perfect, bitterness refreshing but bitey enough to be forgiving in the Melbourne heat. It must be that damn yeast timing it all together. Pretty stoked I have a second bottle of this!

Overall:
Full credit to this one Stu, I want the recipe and I want it now. Oddly, I could guzzle this down on days starting with T and S. I know about 21 blokes (including myself) who would collectively polish of a 50L keg of this in an afternoon. I reckon my old man would ask me to permanently have this on tap. In fact, with all the second bottles I was generously donated for hosting, we're gonna need to do a 059-off. Lovely beer mate, **** the BJCP!


----------



## TSMill (8/12/17)

Battle of the bitters, round 1 (Rezza):





It's light on the fizz so you can slam it down fast! Was Aussie as, except tasted better as it warmed up, not worse.

Some fish and chips to cleanse the palette, then over to Macleod for round 2.


----------



## malt junkie (8/12/17)

17. Belgian Wit.
Well blow me down, what a beer, I initially had this a little too cold, but came to me as she warmed up, probably perfectly carb per style and this means careful pouring or licking the bench, and with this beer you would go to those lengths to not waste a drop. I need this on tap or at least a 6er it's not too warm today on a hot day this would just disappear, hell it already has. Nice balance of hops and esters with slight clove on the end. I need more.


----------



## TSMill (8/12/17)

Round 2, Macleod Bitter:






Great carbonation and holds a firm head....I sat and watched this bubble away for a minute or so like a lava lamp (power's out....gotta improvise).

All the 059 beers have had a je ne sais quoi....this had it the least which for me was a good thing. It's different but for me too many other great yeasts to focus on.

Actually reminded me of my late, great Uncle Max's brew....the guy who taught me homebrew doesn't have to be shit, so for that (and not because Nathan couriered my beers on the day), it's a points decision to Macleod.


----------



## malt junkie (8/12/17)

4. Also had the Macleod bitter, bloody smashable! Head well ($# ^#@*& ^% *&*^ %$$*~&%)*@@%^<>&## ) < not safe for publication, lets just say the head was better than most. Flavour was one the money, really should have saved this for the third test in Perth dare say I would have knocked this over before the first bowling change. Maybe slightly over on the carb but thats splitting hairs.

12. Offensive summer stout, what can I say I helped design and brew this, I was asked:why offensive? This is a beer that is deliberately outside the guide lines of where a stout should be. The nose says malt and sweet hops, The flavours aren't all over the place but also not what you'll find on a tap anywhere. I have a few spare bottles of this I'll bring to Eagle point to see where it's gone, as it may still be a little young right now but still a satisfying brew. The recipe is still on the fridge so may just knock out another batch and keg it for winter. All up happy with where it's at right now.


----------



## technobabble66 (8/12/17)

TSMill said:


> ... it's a points decision to Macleod.


----------



## technobabble66 (8/12/17)

Only kidding


----------



## technobabble66 (8/12/17)

*21A - Saison, TSMILL*

*Appearance*
Massive head, but could be my slightly warm glass
Nice deep golden hue. 
Fine lacing

*Aroma*
Mild “Belgianesque” saisony aroma. Not super spicy, just nice and mellow, with a slight sweet honey & nectar element. Seems more like a Belgian Ale rather than a Saison, tbh.

*Flava*
Sweet fruity malt tones balanced really well by the high carb bite and the solid bitterness. I’m guessing this is higher alc%, like a Leffe Blonde maybe - has vaguely similar impact of the malts, etc, with the slightly sweet fruity full flavour.
Bitterness definitely at the high end for me, but still balances the sweetness & alc% well. Maybe a slight warmth from the alcohol.

*Overall*
Lovely nectarous, fruity & malt flavour combines well with the alcohol warmth.
Really seems more like a Belgian Blond Ale, rather than a saison - reminds me very much of a Leffe Blond... Which i’m a big fan of, so that’s definitely a good thing. The high carbonation & carbonic bite combine with the strong bitterness to nicely balance the sweet maltiness & fruitiness from the yeast used. (Which yeast did you use, by the way??). 
Similarly, the high alcohol nicely balances having to watch Under The Tuscan Sun. 
Excellent beer, Troy. Would love to see the recipe, if possible.


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (9/12/17)

Thanks gents, I agree on the carb level of mine. I must graduate from the table sugar spoon method of bottle carbonation and just bulk prime. I have resisted because I ferment in a SS Chronical and push out with CO2 to minimise O2 intake, but then to put it into a plastic bottling bucket and result in some O2 uptake seems a backwards step.... however am I correct in thinking that the small amount of O2 when bottling is beneficial because the yeast needs it to bottle carb perhaps? Seems like good enough logic to start bulk priming?


----------



## Mardoo (9/12/17)

Why don’t you force sugar solution into your fermenter through the outlet using a PET bottle and carb cap? If you needed to ensure mixing you could bubble CO2 through the outlet afterwards.


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (9/12/17)

I have briefly thought of doing that, it’s an awesome idea now that I think a bit more. The SS cone is good at keeping a film of yeast on it so disturbance of that could increase cloudiness, but I suppose I always let my bottles sit in fridge for a week or two before serving anyway so all shod settle out.
Some experimentation with fittings etc is needed. Reckon I could purge the sugar solution in through the top, switch that back to a sanitary air filter and then bubble the CO2 up through the bottom to get the mixing action. Some carbonation uptake will be inevitable but nothing some tweaking batch to batch shouldn’t resolve [emoji106]


----------



## Danscraftbeer (9/12/17)

After a week chilling I grabbed No.17 because the bottle is as hard as a rock! Poured into a chilled pint glass to get 2/3rd white fluffy head. By the time it took me to then replace flat battery in the camera the head settled some. Mmm smells fruity, tastes Belgianish. Um it actually has a slight flavour not to preferable (like a fume flavour) mostly detectable on the first sip after you swallow. I dont know the descriptive name for it I have had it occasionally in my own beers, or a Cider once that I brewed with M27. The flavour eventually went away completely so maybe this should have been left a bit longer maybe at ambient temps. or maybe I was unlucky and got an affected bottle.
So more prepared with the camera this is how it poured and a few minutes after the head deflates etc. When the head settles to a low head it does retain well to the bottom of the glass and went down well with a burger off the barbie. 
Ahh just looked it up Its Droids Belgian Wit. I did get slight hints of Banana, Bubblegum too.


----------



## droid (9/12/17)

Danscraftbeer said:


> After a week chilling I grabbed No.17 because the bottle is as hard as a rock! Poured into a chilled pint glass to get 2/3rd white fluffy head. By the time it took me to then replace flat battery in the camera the head settled some. Mmm smells fruity, tastes Belgianish. Um it actually has a slight flavour not to preferable (like a fume flavour) mostly detectable on the first sip after you swallow. I dont know the descriptive name for it I have had it occasionally in my own beers, or a Cider once that I brewed with M27. The flavour eventually went away completely so maybe this should have been left a bit longer maybe at ambient temps. or maybe I was unlucky and got an affected bottle.
> So more prepared with the camera this is how it poured and a few minutes after the head deflates etc. When the head settles to a low head it does retain well to the bottom of the glass and went down well with a burger off the barbie.
> Ahh just looked it up Its Droids Belgian Wit. I did get slight hints of Banana, Bubblegum too.
> 
> ...



Brioche! yum that looks good..

The Belgian was my first pressure ferment. It then went into kegs and I thought on transferring to PET it would lose some carbonation but apparently not..


----------



## Midnight Brew (9/12/17)

4. DJ_L3thAL - Macleod Bitter (WLP059) 4.8%, drink now.

Appearance
Straw to gold, tad hazy, thick foaming head, waited a few mintues and it settled into a solid 7mm white cloud on top.

Aroma
Legitimately smells like a can of beer that has been in the fridge for years! This thing is Australian beer dialled to 11 on aroma. My old man said it smells like what a king brown of Carlton draught did when he was 6 years old. Not sure what he was doing with it when he was 6. Compared to techno's, the aroma is certainly dialled up of that ester.

Flavour:
Sweet refreshing malt upfront, then refreshing bitter edge then back to sweet, just like a few tinnies on the beach at sunset. Lovely from start to finish and very similar to Techno's but still a stand alone.

You have both done really well with these IMHO. Both hit the nail on the head in different ways. Small critique on the carb of this one, but once settled was closer to a pub tap beer. I can't call it between the two. Was this a one malt + sugar brew? Very good mate, I do love it and will certainly have to do a rub of 059 beers in the next few weeks.


----------



## TSMill (9/12/17)

The metamorphic transformation from wort to beer....as predicted was complete by the 9th.






Nothing sedimentary in the pour, lots of stone fruit. Could not find any faults...in fact it's really good schist! Well done.

Wife's review....."very hoppy".


----------



## Mardoo (9/12/17)

Which one?


----------



## TSMill (9/12/17)

Took it for granite that it would be obvious. Dr. Rocks Igneous pale ale.


----------



## Dr_Rocks (9/12/17)

I am loving these geology puns.....clearly someone has their dad joke licence.


----------



## mofox1 (9/12/17)

TSMill said:


> Took it for granite that it would be obvious. Dr. Rocks Igneous pale ale.


Oh my god stop it, I'm dying here...


----------



## TSMill (9/12/17)

Think the offensive summer stout might be next....after something a little......boulder.

And I think that's rock bottom.


----------



## technobabble66 (9/12/17)

Nah, get it all out of your system, Troy. 



... You need to start the Stout with a clean slate...


----------



## Danscraftbeer (9/12/17)




----------



## Danscraftbeer (9/12/17)

Keep it coming


----------



## Danscraftbeer (9/12/17)

Never get too overconfident and get back to Earth with some ground basics.


----------



## technobabble66 (10/12/17)

Well, it seems crystal clear that someone needs to have the minerals to break the trend and post a new review:

*17 - droid, Wit*

*Appearance*
Large tight fluffy white head.
Hazy golden straw.

*Aroma*
Strong typical Wit aroma - white pepper dominant, with a bit of honey malt poking through

*Flava*
As per aroma, plus a lot of bubbles.
Refreshing, with a moderate mouthfeel.
Great balance nice full malty flavour but also very light refreshing beer. Wit elements quite noticeable, but not overdone.
Carbonation steadily settles down, and the malt stands out a little more.
Bitterness very mild, and just right for the style/balance. Just a slight lingering bitterness

*Overall*
Admittedly Wit is possibly my least favourite style of beer. However, this was a great beer to enjoy. Showcases all the best elements of the style, nice subtle malt element blended with the stronger yeast and, i assume, wheat elements of the style; but all within balance to achieve a nice, relatively light refreshing, beer. Somehow oddly suitable for watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.


----------



## technobabble66 (10/12/17)

And then:

*21A, TSMill, Bier de Garde.*

*Appearance*
Nice whitish head, moderately fine, gradually collapses to a thin layer.
Deep reddish amber.
Slightly hazy

*Aroma*
Lovely malty, spicy aroma, maybe a little fruitiness from the melded malt elements.

*Flava*
Deep maltiness melds with some alcohol warmth, produces something like a caramel element. Not quite the typical caramel flavour, more a deep maltiness with a slight honey element blending into it.
Bitterness is mild and smooth. 
Nice clean finish. Moderate mouthfeel. Dry finish after an initial (slight) malt sweetness. 
Fruitiness in the aroma originally doesn’t seem to be present in the flavour, instead i’m assuming a clean fermentation plus the bitterness & alcohol helps to provide the clean finish.
High carbonation, carbonic bite helps the bitterness balance the malt elements

*Overall*
Fantastic beer, Troy. Love how the malts and the spiciness stand out, and the initial malt sweetness melds into the clean dry finish. I’d love to replicate that spiciness - one of my favourite elements in beer. Great general balance of elements. I’d be curious to see how this would go with a lower alc%. Would love to see the recipe for this as well!


----------



## Mardoo (10/12/17)

17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day

Being a blistering 19.8C here in Ferntree Gully (hey, the sun’s out, amiright?) I thought Droid’s Belgian sounded like a good idea. And it is!

The carb is high, as it should be for Belgians. I’ve tried low-carbing them and they come off as flabby and not very pleasant. This one is crisp, despite a very solid malt body. There’s enough at play here that there’s more a balance of power, than a single balance point. From aroma, to carb, to malt, to phenols, it’s a parade of who’s in charge at the moment. There’s a lingering malt sweetness that keeps going and going. 

There’s a bit of phenolic burn in the throat finishing up the experience parade. I think myself and a lot of people have been identifying phenols as alcohol, or just not noticing them at all. At the very least, I’ve only recently become aware of this, and it’s something I’m trying to understand control mechanisms for. IMHAO they play a huge role in heavily late-hopped beers, BIPA’s in particular, Belgian beers and wits. I have much reading to do!

I’m happy I had a blistering hot day (omigod! It’s 20.6 now!) to drink this. Mmmmmm, BEER!


----------



## malt junkie (10/12/17)

21B. 
I generally don't like saisons, maybe the one's I've tried have been brew too warm or something. This example was closer to what I'd want if I brewed one. Though slightly over on carb, there was a persistent lovely white head, dead clear on first pour beautiful light golden colour with bubbles whizzing to the top of the glass. The nose was quite fruity and inviting, and malt flavours balancing nicely. Still not a fan of the style but I'll definitely be emptying this bottle. 
cheers well brewed!


----------



## technobabble66 (10/12/17)

Midnight Brew said:


> Mardoo's stout had it's way and I had a much needed afternoon nap to succumb to all the excitement.
> 
> Today: 3. Technobabble66 - Rezza Bitter (WLP-059) 4.6%.
> ...
> ...


Thanks again for the kind words, Cam.
Here's the recipe, as per the post in WAYB2017:

*Rezza Nekta*
Aussie Bitter, brewed yesterday, to be fermented with WLP-059 (**finished with ~75% attenuation)

Vol=21.5L
OG=1.042
FG=1.010
IBU=30
EBC=16
alc%=4.9

44.3% Perle malt
40% Pilsner malt
1% Choc malt
11.4% White sugar
1% Dark Brown sugar
EDIT: 2.3% Acidulated

15g Pride of Ringwood + 5g EKG @FWH
5g Pride of Ringwood + 10g EKG @20mins (into cube)

68/72/78 for 90/25/10
17L mash, 17L sparge

Salts to hit ~60ppm Ca, 6ppm Mg, ~1:1 sulfate: chloride.
-----------------------------------

Hit all the numbers, so that's a good start.
Very keen to see what 059 does to this, and how the sugars come out.
The thinking with the sugars was to use raw sugar for the bulk, then add a little Dark Brown to possibly mimic less refined sugar that might've been the norm a century ago (?), but also to simply see what a touch of dark brown sugar does to the flavour profile. I know 35g is bugger all, but from reading i've done, apparently the dark sugars can be quite strong in their flavour input & less is best. As it turned out, i had no raw sugar at hand, so had to use the white sugar, so hopefully the dark brown will offset the difference (if any!) between raw & white sugar.
----------------------------------
****************************
Was renamed Rezza Bitter for the swap


----------



## malt junkie (10/12/17)

2. Mardoo's stout. 
Low on carb high in flava. The boss described it as coffee and chocolate. For me nailed it and prolly a little too yummy as I went for a nanna nap not to long after. What a beaut beer I have a second of this and I'll be saving it for a night in front of the fire.


----------



## Mardoo (13/12/17)

6. Micbrew Citra smash 5% drink before Chrissy
So that's what Citra tastes like! Honestly, I need to do some more SMASH beers, and since this one was so SMASHable (do you see what 12,000 homebrewers just did there?) I just may do some. It's been ages.

This was totally enjoyable. Nice, simple, straightforward BEER. I came, I drank, I conquered. Loved it, would drink multiple pints. Subdued maltiness, nice sweetness on the old night crawler, great hop aroma and flavour. Mick came, he beered, he conquered. Thanks mate. A solid, quality drinkin' beer.


----------



## laxation (13/12/17)

Shit that said drink before christmas?
I thought it was drink after! In the fridge it goes...


----------



## malt junkie (13/12/17)

Mardoo said:


> 6. Micbrew Citra smash 5% drink before Chrissy
> So that's what Citra tastes like! Honestly, I need to do some more SMASH beers, and since this one was so SMASHable (do you see what 12,000 homebrewers just did there?) I just may do some. It's been ages.
> 
> This was totally enjoyable. Nice, simple, straightforward BEER. I came, I drank, I conquered. Loved it, would drink multiple pints. Subdued maltiness, nice sweetness on the old night crawler, great hop aroma and flavour. Mick came, he beered, he conquered. Thanks mate. A solid, quality drinkin' beer.


oh damn, like; while the boss is away... Why the hell not!!

I blame you Mardoo Double blind and all ( two more beers I'll be blind... blind drunk)


----------



## Mardoo (13/12/17)

laxation said:


> Shit that said drink before christmas?
> I thought it was drink after! In the fridge it goes...


List says before, my bottle said after. The carb on mine seemed a bit low, so after may be correct.


----------



## Midnight Brew (13/12/17)

Carb was low on mine (but I like it that way), will review after xmas. Still amazed that it was just BB Ale and Citra. I downed about 5 schooners of these before getting onto the RIS later in the arvo.


----------



## malt junkie (13/12/17)

Midnight Brew said:


> Carb was low on mine (but I like it that way), will review after xmas. Still amazed that it was just BB Ale and Citra. I downed about 5 schooners of these before getting onto the RIS later in the arvo.


Come on ... the RIS was a forgone conclusion to an awesome weekend. It would help if there was video to help recall the events... or perhaps not. There was some enthusiastic singing of 80's songs if I recall, not sure if Culture Club made the cut.
What the hell there's alway next swap! I'm sure if @Cocko had his say a culture club type theme would be be the go for the weekend! Sure Ive got some leather chaps somewhere! (you know I'd be awesome brewing in that shit).


----------



## Mardoo (13/12/17)

Erm...erm.


----------



## Midnight Brew (16/12/17)

17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day

Appearance:
Straw, moussey head, kinda snow like. Head for days.

Aroma: Mmmmmmmm summer. Wheaty, bread like and fresh spicy esters.

Flavour:
Solid wheat profile, body is matched with carb, yeast is quiet tame and very easy to drink. Not sure if its the bitterness or carbonation that is doing the refreshing work with this but damn its going down so easy. Wheat beers are not something I drink a lot of nor brew, so its a nice little reminder of how good they really are.

What yeast (and ferment temp) did you use on this one? I can't seem to pick it, seems subtle but well balanced. Great beer mate, thanks for sharing. Even Evie was seeing what the fuss was all about.


----------



## AJ80 (16/12/17)

Midnight Brew said:


> 17. droid - Belgian Wit @ 4.46% : ready, drink as your first beer for the day on a hot day
> 
> Appearance:
> Straw, moussey head, kinda snow like. Head for days.
> ...




I had this last night and thoroughly enjoyed it too. Ripping beer and also keen to see the recipe.


----------



## AJ80 (16/12/17)

Malt Junkie - raspberry sour

Really enjoying this one. Has a lactic tartness reminiscent of a kettle sour and I love the fact that you've snagged a very tasty infection. The raspberry adds a brightness to the beer and it is perfect after a long day of kid wrangling.


----------



## droid (17/12/17)

Thanks guys, I'm not a big wheat fan/guy but needed beer fast so went with this beer - it was my first pressure ferment...

Title: half-wit

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Witbier
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 85 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 100 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.039
Efficiency: 82% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.010
ABV (standard): 4.67%
IBU (tinseth): 17.3
SRM (morey): 2.77

FERMENTABLES:
1 kg - German - Acidulated Malt (6.7%)
7 kg - German - Pale Wheat (46.7%)
7 kg - German - Pilsner (46.7%)

HOPS:
35 g - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.6, Use: First Wort, IBU: 17.3

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Sparge, Temp: 64 C, Time: 120 min, Amount: 48 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 3 L/kg

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
30 g - Coriander, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
80 g - Orange Zest, Type: Flavor, Use: Boil

YEAST:
White Labs - Belgian Wit Ale Yeast WLP400
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 76%
Flocculation: Low-Med
Optimum Temp: 19.44 - 23.33 C
Fermentation Temp: 20 C

NOTES:
always get better eff with an overnight cold soak. Did add some Cinamon in with the Coriander, probably 10-12g's. Added Zest and SPice after shutting boil off and did a WP leaving it sit for an hour or so.


----------



## laxation (17/12/17)

that cat is definitely plotting to kill you


----------



## mofox1 (17/12/17)

laxation said:


> that cat is definitely plotting to kill you


Duh. It's a cat.


----------



## MartinOC (17/12/17)

Gents, I have a request to make & it's not for me.....

Andy Graham is one of the forefathers of homebrewing in Australia & one of the people who set-up the AABA. I first knew him about 23+ years ago, learned a SHITLOAD & recently bumped-into him again. 'Last time I heard, he was pro-brewing in China. That was a LOOONG time ago.

He was homebrewing back in the '70's when the ingredients & equipment situations were dire. He's still brewing & making his own gear (an engineer) all this time later. You should see his home-made cylindro-conical & home-made hydraulic press he built for compressing his own home-grown hops! It's a real work of art. But I digress....

He asked if I could get hold of some WLP059, but it's a seasonal thing/from the WLP vault & CB couldn't order any.

I'm guessing that one or two of you have got frozen vials of the stuff & I'd like to gift him some for Christmas. He's geared-up for propagating/saving yeast, so it'll be well looked-after & saved.

Can anyone help me out?


----------



## Mardoo (17/12/17)

I have a vial you can have. It’ll be at date though. I haven’t gotten around to propagating it. I could also propagate and give you some.


----------



## laxation (17/12/17)

i got one too - it's some i pulled from my decanted starter


----------



## Midnight Brew (21/12/17)

20. Malt Junkie- Raspberry *sour* 5.5% Ready now, or wait

Appearance
Pretty and pink, nice tiny head, clear and that damn colour!

Aroma:
Oh wow, does not really smell like my kinda thing up front but then after a few sniffs I get the tartness of berries. Comes through really well, more than I had expected.

Flavour
Fantastic. Not what I was expecting at all. Sweet and spritzy up front, followed by an evolving berry taste that matches the aroma, then this nice little tart finish. Really enjoying this Mike! 

I’ve really enjoyed this one, in the past when buying berry sours/beers at bars, they all leave me with regret and a screwed up face. But this is really nice and tame for me. Glad I snagged a few extras of these for a hot day.

Love to see the recipe and how you got the berry flavour all the way through from nose to finish. (Didn’t boil the raspberries did you?)


----------



## malt junkie (21/12/17)

MB, complete accident, brewed a standard wheat with one of the white labs hef strains (I'd have to check). Fermentation had finished was tasting nice fromvthe ferm. But decided it was a lil boring. I went and got c 1.5kg of raspberrys frozen, let them thaw over night on the bench, and chucked em in around lunch time(they were still quite cold). I ran ferment around 21c but should prolly be different with pressure.


----------



## laxation (4/1/18)

Really enjoyed droids wit and mjs sour. Great work guys!
Will be making a wit for sure after this one.

Still don't trust myself to make a fruit/sour tho


----------



## laxation (4/1/18)

Now onto dr.rocks igneous pale ale. This is a ripper... Could drink this one all day! Is this the same one we drank a few bottles of at the swap? 
Love to make this one too if you don't mind sharing the recipe


----------



## JB (5/1/18)

laxation said:


> Still don't trust myself to make a fruit/sour tho



Do it! Do it! Do it!


----------



## TSMill (8/1/18)

OK,
quadruple review time:

*Mofox1 - Blended Stout Thing *






This one raised a lot of questions for me. What was blended, and what was the thing? Where was the breakaway ring on the bottle cap? Is it Mofox-1, or Mofo-x1? (I have the whole online name thing...) Questions aside, this was a great drop, with a beautiful slick mouthfeel, almost like a little rye was in there (maybe that was the thing?). If not, I'd love to know the mash schedule, as that mouthfeel was what is lacking in my own stouts/porters. Top stuff!

*Micbrew- Citra Smash*





Wife's review: Yuck, all I can taste is hops.
My review: Yum, all I can taste is hops. 

Another one that was light on the fizz, starting to think that perhaps I'm the only one who likes my hoppy beers with some CO2 bite as this is the general trend of the swap. But great flavours nonetheless.

*Idzy PA*





This one was a bit of a mystery flight to pale ale - destination unknown. Carefully decanted this one into a jug so as not to awaken the yeast beast in the bottle feet...I'm guessing this one was bottled in a hurry for the day. Nice changeup to a more old skool ale, with plenty of nice crystal malty goodness.

*Laxation - Xmas Ale*
What can I say....this Xmas ale really went off like a cracker!











For those playing at home, a blowout in the base of the bottle appears to have caused the bottle to rocket upwards and into the top of my storage cupboard, with sufficient force to push the neck in to the extent shown. Sadly, the bottle was one brew away from retirement. Out of respect, I dipped my finger into the warm ooze pooled on the garage floor, but it didn't taste a whole lot like Christmas.


----------



## laxation (8/1/18)

*reading through*

"What can I say....this Xmas ale really went off like a cracker!"

Oh cool, nice to hear.

*sees picture*



jesus! sorry bout that =/ 
I've had a few and found them to be a little too carbonated, but didn't think it was anything like that!
hopefully it's just a one-off - but maybe everyone should drink them soon to be safe?


----------



## JB (8/1/18)

*As you didn't drink this Xmas beer by Xmas, it will self destruct in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...


----------



## laxation (8/1/18)

haha well look I did say to drink at christmas...


----------



## droid (8/1/18)




----------



## MartinOC (8/1/18)

I didn't get the full suite of swap beers ('dunno how I ended-up with that, including a sour that I'm sure I gracefully declined & removed from my crate & will be deliriously happy to pass-on to someone who likes to drink vinegar...). 'Could've sworn I got the lot for feedback. Did some unscrupulous bastard stiff me on the quiet??

2 x #18 just went straight into the fridge in light of the above post!!!

'Got a couple of the WLP059 (Melbourne) beers & gotta say I wasn't impressed. Nothing to do with the brewers, who I know can knock-out some absolute corkers. The beers were obviously well-made. Just that the yeast profile left me thinking of VB.

'Had Droid's Wit on Saturday whilst it was stinking hot & man, for the moment, it was ******* magnificent! I'd like a bit more in the spice-department if I was to split-hairs, but thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless & at just the right time. Thanks mate! Recipe please?

I've also got a mystery-bottle of dark something with an unreadable label. With any luck, it's Mofox's stouty-thing (he does GREAT stouty-things), but I'm not sure.


----------



## droid (8/1/18)

@MartinOC thanks, still have a keg and a half of the wit here to get through

the recipe is on the previous page bud, cheers


----------



## Danscraftbeer (8/1/18)

JB said:


> *As you didn't drink this Xmas beer by Xmas, it will self destruct in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...


Woahh. I put a face shield on when plucking that out of the box and it is extremely hard. Very carefully placed in the fridge with a prayer to Ninkasi. "Please don't let this bottle explode"


----------



## laxation (8/1/18)

Just put mine in the fridge and drinking a few of them I had in glass bottles lol. Tastes nice once the foam dies down!

Id used Belgian strong ale yeast, the website said it stalled at 1.035 so I left it fermenting for longer than normal, even though it finished well past that. turned the temp up and everything. The website did say racking or slight aeration could get it going again, but I only shook it a bit and it did nothing more. So I dunno what's happened here


----------



## TSMill (8/1/18)

My theory is that extreme temps can kick these things off. Only 2 cubes I have ever had swell were in 35C plus weather. A bottle of my bier de garde which was bottled in September looked foamy on top, and went straight into the fridge and settleddown.


----------



## Mardoo (8/1/18)

It was very fizzy, but I really enjoyed it. More later.


----------



## technobabble66 (9/1/18)

You guys DO realize one of the big benefits of PET bottles is you can just loosen the cap a little, let off a bit of CO2, then re tighten. 
No more overcarbed bomb. [emoji6]



(That is, after someone else's bottle has exploded, so the rest of us know what to be wary of. Thanks, Troy)


----------



## Mardoo (9/1/18)

Pssshhh…


----------



## Dr_Rocks (11/1/18)

laxation said:


> Now onto dr.rocks igneous pale ale. This is a ripper... Could drink this one all day! Is this the same one we drank a few bottles of at the swap?
> Love to make this one too if you don't mind sharing the recipe


Lax...It's very similar I just added centennial and dropped a bit of the caramber so it's much lighter in colour. I'm currently globetrotting but will post the recipe when I'm back in Aus. 

If you can't wait my original recipe is in the Jan-Feb edition of BYO magazine on page 60 but ill post the xmas swap one when I'm in front of my computer in Feb.

Already looking forward to Droid's mid-year!


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (12/1/18)

Got to Lax’s PET just in time, thought it was in the fridge but it was in the cupboard [emoji44]
Decarbed it a bit as well as droids Wit as both were as hard as glass. In fridge now looking forward to trying them tomorrow [emoji3]


----------



## mofox1 (14/1/18)

TSMill said:


> *Mofox1 - Blended Stout Thing*
> 
> This one raised a lot of questions for me. What was blended, and what was the thing? Where was the breakaway ring on the bottle cap? Is it Mofox-1, or Mofo-x1? (I have the whole online name thing...) Questions aside, this was a great drop, with a beautiful slick mouthfeel, almost like a little rye was in there (maybe that was the thing?). If not, I'd love to know the mash schedule, as that mouthfeel was what is lacking in my own stouts/porters. Top stuff!



Blend was 50/50 (I think) Vic July Case Swap Stout & a Stout done as a partigyle from my RIS mash.

No breakaway ring, I re-use my bottle caps (for a while anyway... periodically toss 'em all). But don't worry, I lick them all clean before re-using*.

It's more of a MofoXXX thing.

Y'know what - yes, there was rye in there. The RIS mash had 20% rye. Why? Some sort of masochistic thing I think. It's not "the trick" I use for my stouts... I just don't like dry stouts so much (they lack the mouthfeel I like), so I tend to mash high or use a little xtal (more for lower grav stouts), and I'll use 10-20% amber/munich and a combo of brown/choc/roast/black for a range of choc & coffee flavours. So they'll finish higher/sweeter but I'll usually also bitter them to ~70 - 100 IBU as well. The partigyle stout was ~90 IBU, although quite a lot of that bitterness is from late additions.

This was the RIS grain bill (excuse the Pils & the two types of brown, was using up malts):
10.834 kg Gladfields American Ale Malt (39.21%)
5.410 kg Rye Malt (19.58%)
4.329 kg Amber Malt (15.67%)
2.801 kg Brown Malt, Bairds (10.14%)
1.200 kg Chocolate, Gladfields Light (4.34%)
1.200 kg Wheat Malt, Roasted Dark (Briess Midnight Wheat) (4.34%)
0.600 kg Pilsner (2.17%)
0.519 kg Chocolate, Gladfields Dark (1.88%)
0.441 kg Brown Malt, Simpsons (1.6%)
0.300 kg Roasted Barley (1.09%)

The above made up a cube each of 1.128 RIS & 1.073 Stout (plus starter leftovers etc)... I probably could have flooded the mash tun again and got a enough for another small stout but that was enough for one day ;-). 

* Jk. Rinsed after use, stored dry & perc soaked then acid sanitised before use.


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (19/1/18)

Dr Rocks Pale Ale - Stunning mate! Loving the hops, perfect balance between fruit/aroma/flavour and bitterness.

Mj raspberry sour - Enjoyed this today, perfect weather for a sour and has edged me closer to wanting to take the sour plunge 

Droids wit - think I got a dud bottle as mine was as hard as laxations PET, gushed and had a horse blanket aroma. I did try the wit at the case swap and it was delicious with a hint of coconut there. It happens [emoji853]

PS. Should we be shifting this thread to a new home? [emoji6]


----------



## MastersBrewery (20/1/18)

Mmmm maybe


----------



## Danscraftbeer (26/1/18)

21A
This is something out of the box. Pale in color well carbonated. Aroma is some kind of exotic nectar corrupted by ferment with some warm alcohol characers. Taste has the same impact. Flavors that remind me, but cant remember details lack of connoisseur notes etc. Eww it must be more than 7%?
I take this fine beer as a good xmas/new years present.
Thank you TSMILL


----------



## AJ80 (28/1/18)

Evening gents - the oud Bruhn with rye is carbed up and ready to go!


----------



## Dr_Rocks (23/2/18)

laxation said:


> Now onto dr.rocks igneous pale ale. This is a ripper... Could drink this one all day! Is this the same one we drank a few bottles of at the swap?
> Love to make this one too if you don't mind sharing the recipe



Here ya go lax, cascade and mosaic all the way. 

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Igneous Pale Ale [AHB Vic XMAS Caseswap 2017 Version]
Brewer: Ben
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 43.30 l
Post Boil Volume: 35.23 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 30.00 l 
Bottling Volume: 28.30 l
Estimated OG: 1.041 SG
Estimated Color: 8.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 40.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.9 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU 
8.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 1 - 
4.00 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 2 - 
4.70 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) (3.0 SRM Grain 3 83.9 % 
0.30 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.4 % 
0.30 kg Caraamber (Weyermann) (36.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.4 % 
0.30 kg Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) (70.0 SRM) Grain 6 5.4 % 
25.00 g Cascade [6.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 14.5 IBUs 
25.00 g Mosaic [11.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 25.5 IBUs 
1.00 Items Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 9 - 
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 m Yeast 10 - 
75.00 g Mosaic [11.60 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days Hop 11 0.0 IBUs 
70.00 g Cascade [6.60 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs 
0.40 oz Polyclar (Secondary 1.0 days) Fining 13 - 


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 5.60 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time 
Saccharification Add 46.72 l of water at 67.1 C 64.4 C 90 min 
Mash Out Heat to 75.6 C over 7 min 75.6 C 10 min 

Sparge: If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
Notes:
------
45L water (strike water), mash, boils down to approx 35L (do not top up with additional water) which leaves approx 30L in the fermenter at 1.057 starting gravity.

This batch looks a bit more dark orange/amber-ish compared to other versions. If the beer appears too dark after bottling then maybe use lighter crystal.

8 days primary fermentation, 3 day4 days cold crash, 3 days polyclar:

Schedule
1 Pitch yeast
2 Light ferm begins
3 Active fermentation begins
4
5 1.025 gravity, add dry hop
6 End of active fermentation
7
8
9 Cold crash begins
10
11Polyclar
12
13


Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## DJ_L3ThAL (24/2/18)

That recipe is great thanks mate! Lovely Pale Ale!!

Some further discussions here

AJ - can't wait to try that Oud Bruin but just can't decide when!


----------

