# Stout Swap 2011 Tasting Thread



## wakkatoo (13/9/11)

Time to kick this off, seeing as it was cold last night and I found myself thinking it would be nice to have a stout :lol: 
Gonna keep my feedback simple, positive and to the point. 

Billygoat's contribution:

Cheers mate, really enjoyed this. Chose yours 'cos it had a label and would make starting this thread a bit easier.  





Poured really well, had a hint of that 'syrupy' look out of the bottle which I think is a good thing in a stout. Tan head that lasted nearly the whole way down. The taste was awesome, lots of toasty(lots), nutty(some) and even bready(a little) flavours that made you stop and think with each mouthful. Mouthfeel was very smooth, as would be expected in an oatmeal.

Just hope mine turns out as nice as this. Really nicely balanced.


Cheers!





P.S - as mentioned on Sunday, leave mine till last. Only been in the bottle 9 days...


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## Lecterfan (14/9/11)

I thought I'd add to this in a sneaky way and taste my own first. Contrary to common opinion I am not averse to dark beers, I just prefer sessionable beers thus stouts are few and far between.

My stout was bottled on 24.07.11 and is carbed to a low level, however I honestly think the flavours will combine and be much nicer in at least another month or so.

I don't like it. I think the 1968 lets me down on two levels - first it didn't attenuate as well as it should have/could have and it also emphasizes the malt in a way that I love in ESBs and English pale ales in general, but I find cloying in an oatmeal stout.

Mine was done as a double batch, and I used wy1084 on the other half...being a yeast I use often (some of you tasted my red ale through the hand pump which I think we can agree was a decent beer), it behaved more predictably, it attenuated more succesfully as well as being a "drier" yeast to begin with.

So: my stout pours with a good dark brown head that dies away to nothing in about 60 seconds, no evident lacing on the glass. It is slightly undercarbonated, even for a stout, and the roast flavours are hidden behind a wall of ghastly choc and crystal sweetness. Of course this is emphasized by my lack of attenuation and the 1968.

I honestly think my contribution is pretty average BUT my experience with my beers is that it WILL continue to attenuate slightly over the next few months in the bottle which may well result in a slightly higher carbonation, as well as allowing the flavours to blend and mellow. I doubt I'll be touching any more of this (or the wy1084 version) for another month or two at least.

I am interested to try other peoples version of this to see whether or not I find the recipe disagreeable (I suspect this is the case as I am a big fan of dry stouts, and yet my first robust porter was quite yum!) or whether mine is simply shit. 

I think it would be wise that everyone state when theirs was bottled and when they would like it to be aged until.

We have a little bit of logistical improvement to achieve to get this "swap" thing happening. For instance if you didn't put a particular sticker or label on the bottle with "LF" for Lecterfan or Billygoats label etc. then we don't know where it came from etc... Hopefully by November we'll all have this sort of thing worked out.


Edit: tipped mine out, poured in Billygoats - a far superior product, heaps better head retention although it died downquite quickly - still an absence of lacing (could be the glass I suppose), much better mouthfeel due to the proper attenuation, but as a stout it is still a bit malty/subtle for my tastes. I stand by the comments that mine is shit (may improve with time), but I can also confirm that I won't be trying this recipe again. This is why group experiments are so rewarding as a brewer!!! :beer:


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## Beastie (14/9/11)

I didn't realise we had homework.  :chug: Thank god for cut and paste.


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## herbo (15/9/11)

Short and sweet comments from me.

Disclaimer: Never drank many (or any?) proper Oatmeal Stouts before.

Drank Billygoat's version. Overall quite good. Obviously a much higher attenuated version than mine. Has an element of "toastieness", that in the mouth makes it taste a bit drier I reckon, this balances it nicely with the malty flavours.

Head retention is quite good and there's still some lacing in the glass after a few minutes. Carbonation is just right.

91 points  .

Just a few points on my version:
1. To identify mine look for the bottled date on the lid, it's labelled "OS 17/7/11"
2. I mashed it at 68 degrees. I think that's too high and somewhat explains the under attenuation
3. I like Billygoat's better than mine :icon_cheers:


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## vic45 (17/9/11)

Disclaimer: I am not a trained judge.

Beastie. Good carbonation, head dissipated fairly quickly, no lacing.
Some chocolate, lots of liquorice-toffee, roasty.
Lower attenuation.
enjoyed.

vic13. Low carbonation, little head,some lacing.
Lots of chocolate and earthyness. Roasty.
Higher attenuation.
enjoyed.

I don't normally drink stouts either, this is the first one I have brewed and I am suprised how well they are going with food.
Checked wakkatoo's tonight (been warm in a kitchen cupboard and the pet is hard, its carbed).

These beers are all going to be different, this was a really good idea.

Mine is the one with O.S. on the cap


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## mesa99 (18/9/11)

I haven't drank any yet but am looking forward to it.

Mines got the "8 St" written on it. Or is in two stubbies hehe.


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## herbo (29/9/11)

Wakkatoo Stout:

Pours with a nice creamy head, that lasts a couple of minutes and some lacing. Wondering what oats you used?? I blame the "Aussie Farmers Direct" Quick Oats for the lack of head on mine.

Nice and malty, seems to be nicely attenuated, perhaps lacks a bit of toastiness.

Excellent lacing down the glass. Good carbonation for the style I reckon.

90 points <_<


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## wakkatoo (29/9/11)

Oats were pilfered from my wife's own pantry stash. Lowens rolled oats they were.


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## herbo (1/10/11)

Right, I'm pissed that the mighty Magpies got ripped off today, anyway I tasted Glenn "the Champ" It's about as good as Travis Cloke was after half time.  

It's in a small bottle so I can't taste any more cos it's all gone!  85 points


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## Janelle Kerr (2/10/11)

Had a beautiful stout that I sent to the ANAWBS in Adelaide. It smashed on the way, was a beautiful beer and t was my last one. Not happy, as It would have done really well..


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## wakkatoo (2/10/11)

And here I was having some stout to celebrate collingwoods loss!


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## wakkatoo (4/10/11)

A quick summary of the ones I've had over the past week - been up to eildon a couple of times for fishing and its been pretty cold at night so the stouts went down ok!

Lecterfan's going back a bit, but it was very drinkable, yeah, you sent me text saying it was rubbish, but we drank the bottle (old man and I) and reached for another...

Glen, 'the champ's' baby bottles - very nice mate. Old man had decided Toohey's extra dry's were the way to go when the pies got rolled ( ) but I celebrated with your bottles. Was this the same as the Vicbrew enrty?

Last bottle I'd had simply had OS and a date (can't remember what that was). It was a good beer, lighter on the 'toastiness some of the others have had. 

Yet to have a bad beer guys. Cheers!


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## mesa99 (7/10/11)

Double cheek to follow *:*



wakkatoo said:


> Was this the same as the Vicbrew enrty?



Sure was. Lucky you got them before Vicbrew results came out 



herbo said:


> It's in a small bottle so I can't taste any more cos it's all gone!  85 points



Drink the other bottle too, then 

----

 Mesa


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## Lecterfan (8/10/11)

Don't be kind Wakka. 

I had a bottle of mine last night and it was great - poured all over some rough cut spud and homegrown pumpkin scattered with farm killed two tooth. Slow cooked for 4 hours. Now THAT is the way to use my contribution haha.


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## wakkatoo (8/10/11)

Had one last night that simply had a big 'S' on the cap. Very tasty- lots of biscuity toasty flavours. Was a but over carbed (came crawling out the top), but once this issue was sorted, I did enjoy it.


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## mesa99 (8/10/11)

wakkatoo said:


> Had one last night that simply had a big 'S' on the cap. Very tasty- lots of biscuity toasty flavours. Was a but over carbed (came crawling out the top), but once this issue was sorted, I did enjoy it.



I think the big 'S' was Herbo??


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## herbo (9/10/11)

mesa99 said:


> I think the big 'S' was Herbo??



Nope, mine had 'OS' and the bottled date on it.


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## pommie_granite (9/10/11)

herbo said:


> Nope, mine had 'OS' and the bottled date on it.




the big S was mine - i've had the odd one foam up too, weird as i carbed for just over one volume and added the sugar to the fermenter....

Fairly happy with it but have never had a commercial oatmeal stout to compare it to..


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## mesa99 (9/10/11)

pommie_granite said:


> the big S was mine - i've had the odd one foam up too, weird as i carbed for just over one volume and added the sugar to the fermenter....
> 
> Fairly happy with it but have never had a commercial oatmeal stout to compare it to..



Mate, I had a yeast going everywhere with yours, it was all up the side of the bottle, floating in the head and a great big pool of it in the bottom of my glass. Did you give me one that you filled with half the trub?
Not too bad in taste though .

I should of written when I drank them coz I can hardly remember what they all tasted like. They have all been very drinkable and quite different. Don't remember tasting any bad ones . Drank most at room temp. Wakkatoo, I quite enjoyed yours mate, had that roasty punch I enjoy. 

Still got LF and Herbo's to drink.


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## Lecterfan (9/10/11)

mesa99 said:


> Still got LF and Herbo's to drink.




Two-tooth stew for mine, delicious. Don't bother drinking it, I have two other stouts here that aren't horrid sweet, overly crystal under-attenuated rubbish like that one is.


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## mesa99 (11/10/11)

Found and am drinking Vic13s now.. Tastes pretty good after a long days work. Was unsure about the mouthfeel and aftertaste at first but I've come around to it. I like it. The head disappeared quite quickly thought. Nice. :beerbang:


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## mesa99 (11/10/11)

mesa99 said:


> Found and am drinking Vic13s now.. Tastes pretty good after a long days work. Was unsure about the mouthfeel and aftertaste at first but I've come around to it. I like it. The head disappeared quite quickly thought. Nice. :beerbang:



Head was much better on my second pour.


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## Lecterfan (13/10/11)

good job Wakka - for my personal tastes yours has been the best so far - roasty, silky with the sweetness taking a back seat. Still not my preference for a stout recipe wise though...

I have heaps to go, taking it pretty slow and easy...


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## pommie_granite (14/10/11)

mesa99 said:


> Mate, I had a yeast going everywhere with yours, it was all up the side of the bottle, floating in the head and a great big pool of it in the bottom of my glass. Did you give me one that you filled with half the trub?
> Not too bad in taste though  .
> 
> I should of written when I drank them coz I can hardly remember what they all tasted like. They have all been very drinkable and quite different. Don't remember tasting any bad ones  . Drank most at room temp. Wakkatoo, I quite enjoyed yours mate, had that roasty punch I enjoy.
> ...




If it was a longneck it would have been from earlier on in the bottling process so bit surprised that that was the case and i havent noticed it with any others - did it get a shake up or knock before opening? The only thing i've found with them is just the one foam up as mentioned before - in the interests of a fair go i can swap another one of your champion beers for another one of mine if you want... h34r:


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## mesa99 (18/10/11)

pommie_granite said:


> did it get a shake up or knock before opening?



No shaky shake, not sure what happened. It's all good though .


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## Lecterfan (29/2/12)

I tried the much revered "sheaf stout" tonight. Not bad, better than invalid, not as nice as southwark or coopers best extra (for my palate)... went home, cracked open my horrid first AG stout - this very oatmeal stout ('this' referring to the thread itself), now just over 6 months old in the bottle...bloody beautiful! A similar depth of flavour to the sheaf but with much more body, presumably from the oats.

For me this is some anecdotal evidence towards the whole 'keeping dark beers tucked away for a while' thing...

Anyway, just thought I'd comment on it...


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