2009 Nsw Xmas In July Tasting Notes

[redbeard]

just cracked another of my bo pils - it had very low carb. The one we had on the day of the swap was good. I bottled from 2 kegs, so im thinking the 2nd keg wasnt quite gassed enough. apologies.

 

[syd_03]

Well got around to the starter on Friday night and got it in the fermenter tonight. Must say my cube smells more like hops than the Hydrometer sample did though. SG was 1054.

Well she is ripping along nicely at the moment.

Ballsed up and misread the wiki, i chilled and drunk #15 - ESB.

First think i notice is that the carbonation is perfect, and on the nose it has a fruity aroma, is this a NZ variation on a english hop? Or is it bramlimg cross?

toffee and almost a bit of smoke but thats probably a yeast characteristic i imagine, throw some rum in there too, prbs from the higher alc, as it warms i get a bit more malt and nice grassyness from the flavour hops. More malt would be nice but i'd imagine this would develop if i learnt to read and tried it a few weeks later.

Nice beer mate. Oh and bitterness was spot on for me, 40+IBU?

Yeah it is a bit young, I think the carb level is ok too, just need a few more weeks to condition and mature flavour wise.

Aroma and flavour hops both EKG. Bittering and/or flavour hops in the Coopers English Bitter can I used as the base are reputably Styrian Goldings.

IBU approx 44.1

Glad you enjoyed it Gibbo, glad it turned out ok, was my first partial.

Cheers Jason

 

[white.grant]

I'm a bit disappointed at this stage, 3 bottles, 3 strikes.

I am less than delighted and am going to call it as such

No. 12 Stuster's Southern Brown Ale

Got an infected bottle -- fair warning - like it makes it ok? -- big pop on opening out of control foamy head, vegetal aroma with canned corn, mouthfeel is spiky, icky and finish is very, very dry.

Gibbo's Transpacific IPA. (number not on cap)

Loud pop, with big foamy head, overwhelming passionfruit aroma, plus harsh bitterness or fierce carbonation can't determine which - but it's sweet on the front palate and way dry on finish. Something very wrong with the balance, and I cannot finish the pint.

next try

No. 23 Redbeard's Bo Pils

Bottle filled to within 1 cm of the cap, no fssst on opening :huh: and flat as a tack, big disappointment. It's a pilsener alright, just not as I know it.

"Epic fail" so far guys. My swap beer will have its flaws, but I can gurantee that it's carbed, clean, and ready to drink.


If only I was getting the same in return.

cheers

grant

edit: Maybe harsh but have resorted to wine as there is no drinkable beer in fridge.

 

[Muggus]

"Epic fail" so far guys.

I'm hoping I don't see more of this phrase in this thread! :unsure:

I was actually considering holding off any tastings for the next week or so until I get back from an overseas trip in October.
Are there any beers that should probably be cracked open before that date?

 

[gibbocore]

Hey all, make sure my IPA is real cold before trying to open, i may have over carbed, wich is odd cause i actually had some LDME still in the bottom of the bulk prime tub, but i opened one at a mates place over the weekend and it was fairly fizzy. Make your mind up, decant if needed.

sorry to hear that grant. All the ones i had tasted i enjoyed as did friends. Problem is i believe some had blobs of LDME from the bulk prime tank and hence have over carbed, so when you pour it out it will lift the yeast cake and haze up the beer, adding extra bitterness and a flavour to the beer that is not meant for the flavour profile. I suspect Barls got a good one. Perhaps others may need to crack and recap if foam starts appearing upon opening.

Sorry.

 

[Gulpa]

Maybe harsh but have resorted to wine as there is no drinkable beer in fridge.

Hi Grant,

Mine should be ready to go if you need a beer in the fridge. I'll update wiki. Tried one mine the other night - clean and carbed (at least the bottle I had was

Also a bit dissappointed there are not many beers in the swap that are ready to go. Maybe we should change the swap rules that entries should be ready to drink within a week or two of the swap.

cheers
Andrew.

 

[Josh]

I'm a bit disappointed at this stage, 3 bottles, 3 strikes.

I am less than delighted and am going to call it as such

"Epic fail" so far guys. My swap beer will have its flaws, but I can gurantee that it's carbed, clean, and ready to drink.


If only I was getting the same in return.

cheers

grant

edit: Maybe harsh but have resorted to wine as there is no drinkable beer in fridge.

Having read this I popped one of my Oktoberfest in the fridge for QA purposes. Not overly carbed and could do with another few weeks in the cellar. But the flavours are there. You could enjoy it as early as 2 weeks time if you're getting antsy. Personally I'd wait until mid-September

 

[white.grant]

It's OK guys, I've taken off the tanty pants now.


cheers

grant

 

[gibbocore]

chill and drink #14 APA. I found it to be delicious.

Love to know the recipe for this one as it carried the malt very well, almost honey like with a good bitterness. Amarillo?

 

[Gulpa]

21. Gibbo Trans Pacific IPA

Pours amber with a big fluffy head that laces the glass. Slight haze. Nice aroma of fruity US hops. Citrus and passionfruit, slightly herby. Carb is medium high. Very lively on the front part of my tounge. Almost spicy. Hops dominate the flavour with a bit of sweet malt at the end with some hop resin (weird that Im getting almost the opposite to what Grant got). Medium body. Well balanced. Nice beer. Thanks Gibbo.

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[Gulpa]

just cracked another of my bo pils - it had very low carb. The one we had on the day of the swap was good. I bottled from 2 kegs, so im thinking the 2nd keg wasnt quite gassed enough. apologies.

I really liked the one at the swap day, well carbed with a lovely floral aroma. The swap bottle seemed quite different from that.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

12. Stuster - Southern English Brown

Opens with a large pop. Not a gusher thankfully. And no off flavours when sniffing the bottle. Pours with a large billowing tan head. Very dark, almost black in colour. Deep reddish hue when held to the light, clear. Aroma is roasty, with some malt and caramel coming through. Some dark fruit esters coming through perhaps plum, sweet smelling.

Caramel flavours coming through in flavour, some roast. Sweet, but not in a cloying way. Some dark fruits coming through. Clean crisp finish. Starts with a medium body which drys slightly toward the end. Carbonation medium to medium low. Body medium. Bitterness is probably a bit high for style, but this could be coming from the dark malts. Little to no hop flavours.

Tastes like a much bigger beer. Very nice on a cool night. Would love to pull this one through a beer engine. Really enjoyed this one. Top beer.

Cheers

 

[gibbocore]

21. Gibbo Trans Pacific IPA

Pours amber with a big fluffy head that laces the glass. Slight haze. Nice aroma of fruity US hops. Citrus and passionfruit, slightly herby. Carb is medium high. Very lively on the front part of my tounge. Almost spicy. Hops dominate the flavour with a bit of sweet malt at the end with some hop resin (weird that Im getting almost the opposite to what Grant got). Medium body. Well balanced. Nice beer. Thanks Gibbo.

Cheers
Andrew.

Thanks mate, that's good to hear

 

[Stuster]

Thanks for the review, Cortez, and glad it was a good beer for you.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

10. Grantw - Belgian Golden Strong

Pours with a large white head into a Duvel Glass. High carbonation. Gold in colour with a slight haze in beer. Fruity nose, perhaps a touch of apple/pear, good belgian phenolics coming through. Slight alcohol and spice.

Flavourwise I'm getting fruits, pears and oranges. Nice body for style, light with a dry finish. Alcohol warmth comes through after a few sips but is not pronounced - very devilish. Some spiciness. Good bitterness both from hops and phenolics.

Very approachable big beer. Complex with delicious warmth and spiciness. I think I feel a siesta coming on. Top beer Grant.

Cheers

 

[Cortez The Killer]

14. Monkeybusiness - APA

Poured into a Duvel glass very hard to get a head to form. Carbonation seems fairly low. Pours an opaque orange, with almost a reddish hue when held to the light. Hazy, not clear. Nose has plenty of US hop aroma, pine, citrus and a touch of grapefruit. Very appealing. Some malt in the background coming through.

Flavour not as hoppy as the nose would suggest. Medium body, perhaps a touch under attenuated or under bittered, some sweetness coming through. Leaning slightly toward the bitter side. Low carbonation may be letting this beer down a touch. Getting more pine than citrus. Nice maltiness almost caramel quality to the beer which may indicate the beer falls in the American Amber category.

Overall I think this is a very tasty beer falling short of a APA and is more like an AAA. While the hops come through when tasting there are some nice caramel/malty overtones present. Very nice beer none the less.

Cheers

 

[Cortez The Killer]

21. Gibbo Trans Pacific IPA

Pours a copper colour with a large white head. Hazy appearance, probably due to the high hopping. Aroma is more like a packet of "C" hops than a beer - passion fruit, some other citrus. Medium-high carbonation. Flavour is fruity, almost like a fruit punch with a respectable bitterness to follow. A most tasty awesome beer. Intense to say the least. Probably the fruitiest IPA I've ever had. Medium body, with a good strong malt backbone to combat the hops. Some caramel / malt goodness but this takes a back seat when compared to the hoppy goodness. Medium dry and fairly bitter finish. Clean. Hoppiness lingers and lingers. I'm burping pure AA and fruits. Overall surprisingly smooth. Not a session beer, but a most awesome beer none the less.

Please send a full keg of this post-haste.

Arise Gibbo, King of Hops, Master of IIPA's!

Cheers

 

[gibbocore]

Wow, than kyou. Let me know if you want the recipe.

 

[Gulpa]

20. Gruntus - Not so Sparkling Ale.

Gold with a nice head that falls away to a thin head that lasts. Almost clear. Aroma is sweet malt with notes from the yeast. Taste is what I would expect from a Sparkling Ale. Medium malt body with a touch of fruityness coming from the yeast, with hops taking a back seat. Very clean. Medium carb. Good supporting bitterness in balance with everything else. Very nice beer. Could see myself knocking back quite a few of these. Thanks Grant.


Cheers
Andrew.

 

[Bizier]

Had a little session with Mr Vitalstatistix last night...

FGZ 906 (side swap)
Mild?
A deep dark brown with beautiful marmelade orange highlights and a tan head that dissipates relatively quickly.
Low aroma, slight notes of muddy (Tuross?) water. A warm grainy note is present and a fruity note of UK yeast, no discernable hops on the nose.
Higher than expected roast notes on the tongue, the beer is almost like a small porter. I get a bit of dark fruit taste, which is reinforced by an impression of acidity that I get. I think the beer could have been a lot less carbonated, I find the roast and carb and suspected acidity to add a sharpness that got in the way of my enjoyment, but definitely a clean and tasty beer overall Ian.


FGZ 909 (side swap)
Your Bramlager ?
I can see where others going with the lager call. Very spritzy pour, a straw with a white frothy head that subsided pretty quickly. The word acetylaldehyde was mentioned pretty quickly by tasting company and I agree, and also think a little sulphur.
Again, high carbonation hinders my tasting enjoyment (if you are the swap nazi, I must be the high dissolved CO2 nazi). There is a firm but pleasant bitterness, and a fruity note from the hops. I am assuming that you have only used MO, because of the colour and a big nutty base malt flavour and lack of special grain flavours. Very refreshing, a little too much so for a winter's night, but I would absolutely murder one in the heat.


21. Gibbo's IPA
Aaaaahhhh....
BIG hops on the nose, floral and fruity with a backing element of European spiciness and lemon/grapefruit rind.
Taste is a big lemon zest, a great balance between considerable sweetness (aided by fruity hops) and a strong and ballsy lingering bittereness. There is passionfruit and a definte ersatz peach essence, followed by a taste of real fresh mangoes on my burp. There is also a vegetal herb flavour here which is not something I usually enjoy, but it is really working here.
Appearance is a very hazy gold portentous of hops to come, with a lacey lacey head chasing the quickly disappearing beer.
My kind of beer mate, ripper!