2009 Nsw Xmas In July Tasting Notes

[Fatgodzilla]

Thommo's Number 9 - Belgian Ale

Following along the long lunch theme, I should have had this prior to Grant's Strong Belgian .. but didn't. Like Grant's, this beer is making a convert out of this old fat fella .. never been a great fan of belgian beers but this and Grant's makes me starting to re think the matter. Damn fine drop sir, no fault I can find, doubt the average VB drinker would appreciate it .. but frankly, who cares. Good one Thommo

 

[Bizier]

2 Quickies:

Josh - Octoberfest
To quote a Mr Pete Cundall: "bloomin' marvelous" crisp enough to drink, but malty enough to keep you thinking about it... Great work as usual mate. Good one.

Gruntus - Not so Sparkling Ale
Light bodied, fruity and pleasant. This was an interesting beer, not too much like anything I have ever drank before. Congrats on a very drinkable and thought provoking drop. Thoroughly enjoyed last night. Thanks.

 

[barls]

19. barls - kels special honey ginger beer

Pours a slightly hazy gold. With a white head with quickly dissipates. Aroma is distinctly gingery. Very spicy.

Flavour gingery. With an almost chilli like finish. Lovely honey/sweet presence. Finishes medium dry. Lean body.

A most tasty ginger beer. Probably the best I've had. Top work!

Cheers

cheers mate the recipe is floating around in here somewhere. my next step is to get it back to an all grain recipe.

 

[tdack]

6. nifty - some sort of stout, bottled 5/7/2009, 5.3%, Wyeast 1469

Yummo! Had to fight with SWMBO to get my glass back, she is partial to a good stout, and this is a good one!

Thanks

 

[Gulpa]

17. jonw - Pooch Drool. American Brown ~4%

Pours lively, a nice amber brown. Quite clear. Aroma is dominated by the yeast with a touch of hops and nutty biscuity malt. Flavour matches the aroma with a bit more of the hops and caramel malt coming through than there were in the aroma. Medium carb. Medium bitterness. Finish towards sweet. Nice enough, closer to US Amber or even a Bitter. Id be looking towards a more neutral yeast for this style as it kind of dominate everything else too much. Thanks Jonw.

cheers
Andrew.

 

[monkeybusiness]

I've had a few of the case swap, but been a bit busy so I'll note the ones I can remember.

1. Josh - Oktoberfest
Had a crack at that beer today. Way too easy to drink. Let a couple of my family have a taste and all considered it a fine drop. Deliciously malty without being too sweet.

5. Gulpa - US Amber Ale.
Had this one a couple of weeks ago so can't say too much sorry but can remember that I did enjoy it.

10. Grantw - Belgian Golden Strong 8.10%
Grant, mine was a gusher but managed to salvage most of the bottle. Otherwise an intersting beer. Lots to taste with just the right amount of body.

12. Stuster - Southern English Brown
Didn't pick any infection as was a concern earlier in the thread. Again can't remember too much about this one other than it was enjoyed and the missus thought it was a good one.

14. Monkeybusiness - APA
Had one of mine a week or two ago and unfortunately it seems to have lost some of the love it had early on so if you haven't drunk it yet I say get into it.

17. jonw - Pooch Drool. American Brown
Bit overcarbed but a nice beer otherwise.

21. Gibbo Trans Pacific IPA (ready to drink now, but best wait till the yeast settles after transport)
This one was a while ago also but joy of hoppy burps remains a very pleasant memory. Top beer Gibbo.

Thanks to all so far.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

2. RetsamHsam - Doppelbock 7.5%

How good was that ! Pulled it out of fridge with no idea of brewer or style, thought "Irish ale ?" Thought "Altbier ?" - thought whatever it was, a case please. A sweet malt beer that really tickled my fancy. Good one Damo !


Gibbo's Trans Pac IPA

How good is this one ! Hit all the right buttons - just perfect for me ! I'll have a case of this too baby ! Others have praised you heaps here and thoroughly deserved !


Two great beers tonight !

 

[Bizier]

14. Monkeybusiness - APA

Again a rushed review, but very positive.

I agree that some of the finer notes of the hops may be gone, but this is a very pleasant beer. It has a nice firm bitterness, pleasant easter/hop/bisctuity malt nose that follows though to a biscuity and US hoppy flavour, but also is crisp and dry enough to drink a bunch of. There is a definite MO vibe to the malt, which I love. I would love this on tap, and I apologise for not drinking it earlier. I have been busy and tried to polish off the hoppy beers first.. I should have done this a month or so ago.

Good work MB.
Dan

 

[Muggus]

So i've been overseas the last 7 weeks and this is my first homebrew back, I figure go for something different, something relevant. Having spent some time in Scotland and having a couple of haggis (not for breakfast, regretfully) and authentic Scottish "shilling" ales, this seems like the perfect choice!

Beer: 8. Cortez The Killer - Haggis For Breakfast - Scottish 80/-
Date: 7th October 2009
Details: 750ml crownseal bottle. Gold cap "8" 4.8% - 13th August

Notes:
Served moderately chilled in pint glass

After a good loud opening, i'm presented with a very handsome looking pint indeed. A persistant inch of offwhite foam sits patiently at the top of clean, slightly effervescent amber body.

Aroma seems almost spot on for the style. Not overly prominant, yet rich and complex in subtle way; husky grain bread, caramelised malt, faint bitter citrus, floral hop notes and dried fruits.

Smooth body has a nice bit of creamy chewiness about it, medium-lean weight, carbonation is quite low, which is just the way I like it!

Malt flavours dominate the flavour without being overly sweet or cloying. Nutty biscuit, toffee, plum and sultana dried fruits, slight rumminess in there too. Floral hop note brings a good bitterness on a lingering finish with a persistant grain bread and minerally drying quality about it.

Very well made ale, true to style, ie, an approachable, quaffable, subtly complex, malty real ale. Thoroughly enjoyed it Cortez, tapadh leibh!

 

[monkeybusiness]

Went camping in the rain last weekend and took a few with me. No notes cause I'm not that great at dresciptors and everything was f'ing wet but, had Syd_03's ESB and Muggus' Oat Brown and both were great beers. Great end to a day to warm a wet gent in front of a camp fire.


Also had this last night.

6. Nifty's stout
I'm a stout man Nifty and this one was perfect. beautiful flavour not too much carb, roast was spot on. I could drink this all night. Top stuff.

I've been holding back from joining the xmas swap (too much to do) but all this good beer is hard to resist.

 

[syd_03]

Went camping in the rain last weekend and took a few with me. No notes cause I'm not that great at dresciptors and everything was f'ing wet but, had Syd_03's ESB and Muggus' Oat Brown and both were great beers. Great end to a day to warm a wet gent in front of a camp fire.


Also had this last night.

6. Nifty's stout
I'm a stout man Nifty and this one was perfect. beautiful flavour not too much carb, roast was spot on. I could drink this all night. Top stuff.

I've been holding back from joining the xmas swap (too much to do) but all this good beer is hard to resist.

Thanks mate, glad it helped to lift the spirits. Don't resist, just give in :chug:

Cheers Jason.

 

[MaestroMatt]

Went camping in the rain last weekend and took a few with me. No notes cause I'm not that great at dresciptors and everything was f'ing wet but, had Syd_03's ESB and Muggus' Oat Brown and both were great beers. Great end to a day to warm a wet gent in front of a camp fire.


Also had this last night.

6. Nifty's stout
I'm a stout man Nifty and this one was perfect. beautiful flavour not too much carb, roast was spot on. I could drink this all night. Top stuff.

I've been holding back from joining the xmas swap (too much to do) but all this good beer is hard to resist.

DO EEET Monkey! You know you want to!

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 1. Josh - Oktoberfest
Date: 7th October 2009
Details: 750ml twistop bottle. white cap "1" Wyeast 2308 - bottled 21/7, 6.2%abv

Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass

Like the label! Lots of detail and suggest to be consumered "when the brewer will be in Munich at the Oktoberfest"...lucky bum!

Anywho, nice clean lively sort of orange body sits in my glass. Thick inch of white foam hangs around for the most part.

Grainy malts on the nose. Honey and vanilla sweetness with a hint of spicy floral hop.

Really enjoy the texture of this one, thick and creamy, which seems to be the only thing alluding to higher alcohol in this beer. Carbonation is quite racey.

Well balanced body, lots of honey and golden syrup maltiness. Mild notes of spicy and florally citrus hop on a robust finish, a good hit of bitterness lingers.

Damn tasty lager, terribly drinkable for 6.2%. Enjoyed it with a Thai duck with chilli and basil, very nice. Good work Josh, enjoy Oktoberfest...Prost!

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Very well made ale, true to style, ie, an approachable, quaffable, subtly complex, malty real ale. Thoroughly enjoyed it Cortez, tapadh leibh!

Thanks Muggus

Glad you enjoyed it

Cheers

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 4. Fatgodzilla - Kolsch
Date: 12th October 2009
Details: 750ml twistop bottle. gold cap "4" bottled late June

Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Loud psst on opening. Very lively clean blond body. White foam seems to have a mind of its own, growing and growing, winding up looking like some sort of mushroom atop my glass. Paints the glass nice and thickly(real word?) on the way down.

Mild aroma; grainy pale malts, vanilla, hay, a distinct sweet spiciness that I can't put my finger on...clove? coriander seed? Hmmm, how I do ponder...

As the appearance suggests, the carbonation is pretty high on this one but not too much so. Lean bodied, texture not as dry as I would originally would have assumed.

Malt sweetness upfront, hint of cereals and cracker biscuit flavour. Gets spicy towards the finish, bit of leafiness and citrus rind hop action in there, moderate lingering bitterness and minerally drying quality.

I've gotta say, kolsch is one of those styles i've never really been overly fussed about. Having said that, this is a really nice, well-made, highly drinkable drop and leads me to believe that maybe I simply haven't found a good commercial kolsch in my travels. Cheers Ian, this ones a great quaffer!

 

[gibbocore]

2. RetsamHsam - Doppelbock 7.5%

How good was that ! Pulled it out of fridge with no idea of brewer or style, thought "Irish ale ?" Thought "Altbier ?" - thought whatever it was, a case please. A sweet malt beer that really tickled my fancy. Good one Damo !


Gibbo's Trans Pac IPA

How good is this one ! Hit all the right buttons - just perfect for me ! I'll have a case of this too baby ! Others have praised you heaps here and thoroughly deserved !


Two great beers tonight !

Cheers mate, I really appreiate the props. Gonna start brewing this one for the next comp
I think

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 15. Syd_03- ESB
Date: 12th October 2009
Details: 750ml crownseal bottle. white cap "15/ESB" bottled 24/07/09

Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Noisy opening, liquid slowly gushes out of the neck. Thick offwhite foam sits atop a hazy, chunk-laden deep amber body.

Citrusy hop nose, earthy spice with a bit of leafiness about it. Some toffee malt in the background.

Reasonably high carbonation, medium-to-full body, slightly sticky yet drying texture.

Lovely resinous hop character on the body. In-the-face hop flavours of grapefruit rind and cedar wood. Malt sweetness filters through on the finish, with more hop spice and stonefruit flavours. Finishes with a high bitterness, and dry, slightly metallic finish, possibly a suggestion of alcohol.

Seems a bit like an American amber ale to me. Plenty of hop kick to it, quite tasty. Cheers Syd!

 

[syd_03]

Beer: 15. Syd_03- ESB
Date: 12th October 2009
Details: 750ml crownseal bottle. white cap "15/ESB" bottled 24/07/09

Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Noisy opening, liquid slowly gushes out of the neck. Thick offwhite foam sits atop a hazy, chunk-laden deep amber body.

Citrusy hop nose, earthy spice with a bit of leafiness about it. Some toffee malt in the background.

Reasonably high carbonation, medium-to-full body, slightly sticky yet drying texture.

Lovely resinous hop character on the body. In-the-face hop flavours of grapefruit rind and cedar wood. Malt sweetness filters through on the finish, with more hop spice and stonefruit flavours. Finishes with a high bitterness, and dry, slightly metallic finish, possibly a suggestion of alcohol.

Seems a bit like an American amber ale to me. Plenty of hop kick to it, quite tasty. Cheers Syd!

Cheers Muggus, glad you enjoyed it.

Sorry regarding the chunk laden appearance? Perhaps due the extra effervesance, I am not sure, possibly contributed to haze too. Mine were all quite clear, but you have got a bottle close to the end of the fermenter, didn't have a spare to rack into.

Cheers Jason

 

[Muggus]

Cheers Muggus, glad you enjoyed it.

Sorry regarding the chunk laden appearance? Perhaps due the extra effervesance, I am not sure, possibly contributed to haze too. Mine were all quite clear, but you have got a bottle close to the end of the fermenter, didn't have a spare to rack into.

Cheers Jason

I don't mind the chunks. Generally hard to avoid when you're getting to the bottom of the primary fermenter, especially dry hop trub. I'm very much guilty of having the odd hop chunk in some of my brews.

 

[RetsamHsam]

I must say I didn't get a beer in this swap that I didn't enjoy. For me though the stand out would have to be gulpas amber ale. I wouldnt mind replicating this beer if you don't mind sharing the recipe...