2008 Nsw Xmas Case Swap - Tasting Notes

[hewy]

16. Muggus - Wedding Weekend Weizenbock 6.6%, 21/10/08, drinkable now, but could do with some age :

Had this a few days ago. Was highly carbonated poured a big creamy head which lasted the whole glass. Upon pouring smelled a bit roasty but upon tasting no roastiness to be found. Went down quite nicely with some nice fruity flavours.
Quite enjoyed this one, nice work Muggus.

1. Josh - Belgian Wit, Wyeast 3944 5.0% - bottled 19/11 good to go

Had this one with dinner tonight. Went down nicely. Lots of citrus, nice pale golden colour with a creamy head. A nice easy drinking beer.

Great work!
:chug:

5. nifty - English Pale Ale 5.2% Wlp023, bottled 2/11/08 - Ready to drink.

Drinking now. Quite bitter after the wit. Head seemed to disappear soon after pouring. Quite an easy drinking pale. Took a few sips to get used to the bitterness but now I am enjoying it! Nice beer!

 

[Muggus]

Wow Muggus, I'm chuffed by that, thanks for the kind words. I almost want to make that my sig.

I really did enjoy it mate. I've been really getting into my British style ales as of late, and this is well up there with the nicest i've come across.

On that note, and I dunno if its just me, but the quality of the beers this swap have been top notch. Great variety and highly enjoyable.
I'll save the rest of my praise for the rest of the reviews!

16. Muggus - Wedding Weekend Weizenbock 6.6%, 21/10/08, drinkable now, but could do with some age :

Had this a few days ago. Was highly carbonated poured a big creamy head which lasted the whole glass. Upon pouring smelled a bit roasty but upon tasting no roastiness to be found. Went down quite nicely with some nice fruity flavours.
Quite enjoyed this one, nice work Muggus

Cheers Hewy. Was a bit paranoid about the carbonation, mainly due to the style being lively by nature, and these caseswaps are notorious for having beers gush/explode if they are highly carbed. In the end I only went 3/4 priming sugar just in case, and was a bit paranoid about it being undercarbed!
But you've put my mind at ease and I can sleep at night once again.

 

[Gulpa]

3. Stuster - Flip-flop Saison

Clear gold with a nice fluffy head. Falls in a bit but Im not sure if it is the glass. Belgian aroma . Taste is quite unexpected after the aroma. Lightish body. Citrusy, almost sharp but with malt coming through nicely. Nicely bittered, tingles the tongue a bit. A very nice summer afternoon beer. Thanks Stu.

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[Muggus]

Brew: 28. Les - Dampfbier
Date: 16/12/08
Beer info: Brown 750ml twistop bottle ~5% ABV W3068 gold cap "28"

Sampling notes:
Served chilled in a schooner.
Big pop, gushing wasn't as intense I expected. Poured a 50/50 glass of white foam and lively milky golden body, which dies down to a managable quantity with a bit of time, but i'm happy to wait.
Phenolic sort of nose, very weizen-like. Banana bread, clove-like spice, has a real earthiness about it, and a hint of unripe fruit sharpness.
Smooth, somewhat milky texture probably helped with suspended yeast, carbonation quite high but soft, drying acidity isn't all too high.
Cereal malt background, particularly doughy with some nice clove and cinnamon sort of spice that complements well. Bit of overripe banana and stonefruit, dried fruit, slight leafy quality (hops?) that livens the palate a bit. Finish with a drying bready yeast note, touch of bitterness.
Almost seems like liquid banana bread to me! Much like a hefeweizen, but not quite, possibly its tasty cousin or half-brother. A wierd beast Les, and its right up my alley. Cheers!

 

[PostModern]

26. MCT - IPA

Poured with a fair amount of foam. Aroma of fruit and malt. Much nicer once CO2 gassed off. Lovely dark copper/ruby extraordinarily clear and bright. Initial taste a little high on the citrusy bitterness for my liking, but more subdued and balanced as the gas ran off and temperture warmed a little. Malt flavours of roast and toast, some caramel. Nice easy drinking body, better when the carbonation reduced.

Cheers MCT. Enjoyed this a lot. Would like to try this with lower carbonation from a cask or keg.

 

[Muggus]

Brew: 19. Gulpa - IPA
Date: 16/12/08
Beer info: Brown 750ml crownseal bottle 5%ish, WY1968, Bottled 17/11 gold cap "19"

Sampling notes:
Served lightly chilled in a glass.
Solid pop, pours a sizeable offwhite foam head atop quite a clean mid-amber body. Solid clumps of lace cling on all the way down.
Good nose, hit with woody/cedary American-style hops from the get go, lemon sherbert and grapefruit rind. Some detectable malt aromatics in the mix, grainy and caramely seems a fitting enough.
Medium-bodied, soft yet lively carbonation, slight chewy malt character, goes down a real treat. Bitterness hits home almost straightaway.
A solid toffee-like malt body, with a hint of roasted nuttiness, lays groundwork for the hop flavours to play on the tongue; unripe nectarine, grapefruit, pine-like woodiness, touch of pineapple, all in good balance. Finish has a firm bitter kick, lingering hop spice.
This is delectable! Excellent flavour and balance; malt body is pronounced and withstands alot of the hop character, which seems sadly a rare thing in most APA/AIPAs i've come across. Thanks alot Gulpa, enjoyed it thoroughly!

 

[white.grant]

No. 3 Stuster's Flip Flop Saison

17.12.08

Positive gas on opening and poured gently into chalice and jug (for seconds) producing off white head which slowly dissipates, orange with haze.

Aroma is all magical phenolics, with notes of malt, bitter ripe peel
Flavour follows my nose, sipping I find tart citrus rind, it's bitter rather than sour, a and I'm unsure whether it's hop or yeast, I just can't tell, and dominating, some malt notes rising before the mother of all mouthfeels, prickly heat on the tongue-- a finish of desert dryness followed by some pleasant alcohol warmth.

this is quite an experience Stu.

cheers

grant

 

[Gulpa]

3. Kabooby - Strong Belgian Ale 7.2% WLP550

I always look forward to Kabooby's beer.

Pours clear dark gold/light amber with a nice fluffy head. Belgian aroma. Low medium carb. Nutty malt is prominent in the flavour with quite a fruity aftertaste. Bitterness is just right. Great beer once again, Kabooby. Thanks.

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[monkeybusiness]

5. Nifty English Pale Ale:

Not too much to say beyond previous reviews but this was a great beer. Nice bitterness with a bit of sweet caramel malt in the back. Really enjoyed it and was disappointed not to have more.

Have you posted the recipe?

 

[Gulpa]

Brew: 19. Gulpa - IPA

Glad you liked it Muggus.

Decided to crack one myself yesterday to see how its going. Strange about the US hop aroma but I get it too. Hops are primarily target/challenger with a very small amount of saaz in the dry hop mix. I think the carb is a bit overdone.

Cheers,
Andrew.

 

[white.grant]

15. Thommo's Brown Ale

18.12.08

Served slightly warm, opened with a pfft and poured dark brown, opaque but clear into a nonic. Off white head slowly subsiding. Low carb.
Aroma is malty and biscuity, dark fruits and sweet chocolate
Creamy mouthfeel, delicious and velvety, flavours of biscuit, dark raisins and a malty sweetness. Sweet chocolate flavour infusing with the malt and fruit but it is not cloying. Finished the bottle and immediately wanted another one.

Cheers Thommo, love this style and really enjoyed the beer. Would love to have it from a cask. I want the recipe.

grant

 

[nifty]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the feedback on number 5, it's been one of my faves for a while now. I've posted the recipe in the database beer

cheers

nifty

 

[white.grant]

8. Jonw's Nelson Sauvin Summer Ale

19.12.08

Pours a golden colour with a slight haze and thick foam.
Aromas of green hops and some slight fruit. Hints of pale malt.
Nice balance of flavours with slight biase to hop fruityness, soft mouthfeel from low carbonation and a nice long bitter finish. Lip smacking quaffability. Nice beer.

Thanks Jon.


cheers

grant

 

[Muggus]

Brew: 13. Kabooby - Strong Belgian Ale
Date: 19/12/08
Beer info: Brown 750ml twisttop bottle 7.2% WLP550

Sampling notes:
Served chilled in Leffe chalice.
Loud pop. Pours a small stable cap of dense white foam atop a deep golden-copper body with hazy.
Complex but subdued aroma (might be my nose though ). Peppery phenolic notes, plenty of clove spice, ripe pear, vanilla, dried fruit, with an underlying dessert wine-like richness and caramelly maltines.
Luciously rich body, velvety texture lead on by a soft creamy carbonation. Dries out with a faint hint of alcohol.
Character reveals itself moreso on the body. Big juicy dried fruits particularly apricot and apple, brown sugar, grainy malt, pepper and spice, honey, maderia cake-like richness, note of sherry possibly. A slight vegetably/grassy flavour lingers on the finish, bitterness is quite low, alcohol not too apparent.
Another fantastic strong beer from you Kabooby! Always a cut above. Somewhere between a dubbel and a trippel seems to be how i'd describe this one.

 

[barls]

can anyone help me on this one
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=28221

 

[Muggus]

Brew: 9. Grantw - Belgian Blonde Ale
Date: 20/12/08
Beer info: Brown 750ml twisttop bottle 7.9%, Bottled 10/10/08 Wyeast 1214

Sampling notes:
Served chilled in Leffe chalice.
Nice pop upon opening. Golden body with haze. Small bright white dense foam on top leaving sparce lace on the way down.
Phenolic sort of nose, plenty of clove straightup, good measure of pepper in the mix, apricot nectar-like fruitiness. Honeyish maltiness to it, slightcaramel richness, faint grassy/earthy hop character and a hint of alcohol.
Carbonation is low, rich sticky body about it. Bitterness is restrained, alcohol very well hidden.
Plenty of clove and phenolics from the nose, ripe apricot and stonefruit, some dried fruits, a perfumey quality that alot of Belgians seem to have and I fail to describe properly . Honey and sweet maltiness intergrates its way into the body. Finish lingers with a touch of spice, faint hint of alcohol, not all too dry or bitter.
Quite a decptively strong golden ale. Never used the yeast before but something about this beer seems familiar. Nice stuff Grant, cheers!

 

[white.grant]

19. Gulpa's IPA

20.12.08

Pours a clear dark honey/copper colour with a tight off white foamstand that persists and looks simply awesome
Floral hop perfume dominates the aroma with some yeast fruityness, crisp pear and hints of pale malt roast
Tastes of balanced malt, bready and caramelly with floral hop then the yeasty/hoppy fruity flavours enhanced by some carb bite to finish nicely dry with lingering bitterness.

Nice one Gulpa, really enjoyed this.

26. MCT IPA

20.12.08

Pours a dark copper with some slight haze maintaining a firm off white head that persists.
Aroma's are all earthy hops with a little darker malt sweetness peeking around the edges,
Flavours are are a study of earthy hop bitterness, nicely aged and rounded to my palate, supported by a rich body and medium mouthfeel, finishing out dry with lasting bitterness.

Great beer, thanks MCT.

I really enjoyed sampling these two IPA's back to back, both great beers, but quite different.

cheers

Grant

 

[white.grant]

Never used the yeast before but something about this beer seems familiar.

Thanks for the feedback Muggus,

1214 is the Chimay yeast so that might be what seems familiar?


cheers

grant

 

[Cortez The Killer]

27. Matt n AJ - Northern English Brown Ale

Low carb. Malt driven. On the sweeter side. Nutty flavour, with slight roasty note and a hint of fruitiness. Medium body. Dry finish. Low carb makes it seem a little sweet. Easy to drink none the less.

24. Hewy - Hefe

Flat. Great hefe nose, banana and cloves. Flavour was great too. But lack of carbonation made the beer near undrinkable. Bottle top didn't seem to have been put on correctly

28. Les - Dampfbier

Didn't know much about this style - so assesed it against a Weizen. Bottle gushed initially. Poured into jug to knock out some carbonation. The beer was very cloudy. Perhaps a brown colour - lots of yeast in suspension perhaps due to gushing. Lots of banana and clove on the nose. Flavour was great - very hefeweizen like but more intense with the maltiness. I like lots of banana and this beer had it. Malt and bread flavour to it. I enjoyed this beer immensly. It did taste a heck of a lot better than it looked.

5. Nifty - English Pale Ale

Assesed this as an ESB. While the beer was still cool I wasn't very impressed. So I let the beer sit and warm up. And it was excellent! Some great flavours came out. Caramel, maltiness and that smell that all english beers seem to have, must be the english hops. Really enjoyed this one as the temp increased. Good malt back bone and great hop bitterness. Carbonation was spot on for drinkablility. Could spend a evening on this beer. But must remember to let the english beers warm up first!

Cheers

 

[Gulpa]

1. Josh - Belgian Wit, Wyeast 3944 5.0%

Ive been putting off drinking this one as Im not a big wit fan. :huh:

Pours pale gold with a slight yeasty haze (second pour is cloudier as the yeast mixes in). Belgian aroma with citrus/lemon standing out. Taste is a flavour explosion of citrus and musk sticks. Medium carb. Bitterness just giving it a bit of body. Very refreshing. I enjoyed this a lot. Nicest wit Ive ever had. Thanks Josh.

Cheers
Andrew.