Gday HAGgers
I managed to find my long lost random scribblings from the swap so I thought Id post them before all recollection faded.
Still got MHB's to go but I'll be saving that one for a few months yet.
n00chs Doppelbock Very smooth. Well aged with some great port/sherry and dark fruit flavours. A creamy finish hides the 9.1% so well and the great ruby colour made it a pleasure to look at as well as drink. Thanks n00ch.
Les Am blonde wheat I reckon this one would have been an excellent beer in its day but as suggested it might be getting a little long in the tooth by now with the hop presence starting to fade and a touch of oxidation creeping in. On the upside, it looked great with a big fluffy head, a slight haze and was still holding a well balanced bitterness with a lovely wheat tartness in the finish.
Balconybrewers Witbier A nice, easy drinking beer with subdued esters and a slightly sweet finish. Mouthfeel was a little full and I had to hunt for the citrus but the colour, carbonation and long lasting head were great. I was thinking maybe my bottle was a touch under attenuated with a slight slickness that masked the tart finish I looking for. Then again I should just learn to stop and taste thing for what they are. Great beer anyway.
Ruriks Mild I didnt take notes on this one as I still have the second bottle to go yet. The first one I tried fairly young and found it a bit astringent maybe from dark grains? I put the other one away to smooth out a bit and will try it later.
Goatherders Munich Dunkel Im not sure when I cracked this one but maybe it was a little early. It was undercarbed and the head faded quickly to near flat. However it had a great colour with sweet toast and biscuit malt up front fading to a dry finish with hints of caramel. I would dearly love to get hold of a properly carbed one as I reckon it would do very well in a comp. Thanks GH
Peves Coriander Porter This one reminded me a little of a weizenbock with the spices and dark fruit flavours. The head faded pretty quickly but carbonation seemed ok. Overall a nice smooth ale I quite enjoyed with the added bonus of trying to pick the spice mix as you go. Maybe a touch of nutmeg?
Fingolfins Witbier Awesome looking beer in a tall glass with a huge long lasting fluffy head. Body was nice and thin with a tart acidic finish. Distinct lemon aftertaste instead of the classic orange and got a little overpowering towards the end but a nice drop on a hot day. Thanks Fingolfin.
BigFridges Klsch A bit darker than expected but it is easy to see why Ray Daniels (Designing Great Beers) combines this style with the Alts as there really isnt a great difference between them. Upfront it was a bit fizzy which brought out the peppery hops and toasted/biscuit malt aromas initially but settled into the classic malty dry finish with supporting mild fruit esters. Really enjoyed this one even if you do need a new colour chart.
Michael Moselys Hefeweizen Had fantastic colour, carbonation and aroma but seemed to have a long bitterness that lingered into a lemony/citrus aftertaste I had a little trouble with. Might be just personal preference or maybe I was drinking too slowly. My better half thought it was good but not quite suited to my warped taste buds.
HarryBs Mild APA Great hop flavour and aroma. Body was a little thin to support the bitterness but not far off. Very drinkable. Wouldnt mind a few in the fridge for a hot day. Well done.
Fear_n_loath Euro Lager Highly carbed with a soapy head that dissipated very quickly to nothing. Little to no hop or malt aroma with a slight but acceptable sulphur from the yeast. Slightly thin body was well balanced with the bitterness. Had a slight meaty/fruity aftertaste I couldnt quite put my finger on but ok.
Loftboy/MauriceOz APA I liked this one. A little overcarbed but I started it straight out of the fridge so cant complain. Really nice hop flavour and aroma balanced with a great malt backbone as it warmed. A touch more hop aroma wouldnt go astray but great drinking as it is. Thanks MauriceOz/Loftboy. Really enjoyable.
Cheers,
Shmick