2016 NSW Mid Year Case Swap - Tasting & Recipes thread

[Dan Pratt]

Last night:

#18 Claytons, wet hopped argon hopped IIPA

A pretty good aroma of pineapple and fruit, possibly cascade as well? A fruity resin flavour that is over powered by the abv. Not fusel just high, so pretty balanced after the extra effort to add more hops. The abv was too much for me on a Friday, after the pint I was comfortably numb. Enjoyable beer.

 

[waggastew]

#2 Contrarian Wet Hopped IPA

Pours a red brown with a fair haze, may be due to wet hops? Off-white tight foam with plenty of lacing. Definite Brett in the aroma, pineapple but an underlying barnyard note that is quite pleasant. Flavour is dry malt, firm bitterness, tropical hop notes. Brett lends a sherry phenolic note which melds with malt.

Given the Brett is an uninvited guest it sure makes for a nice beer. Rebadge it a Brett IPA and sell it to the hipsters for a bomb.

Thanks Mick

 

[waggastew]

Marksy's IPL



Yellow golden colour, tight white head that sticks around. Clear as a bell. Amazing hop aroma, like sticking your nose in a freshly opened bag. Underlying malty note is sweet and grainy. Taste is clean malt, slight toffee/bread crust note. Balanced with a firm clean bitterness. Mouthfeel is fuller than your average lager but on par with an IPA.

Overall a lovely beer, very clean ferment, good balance of malt and hops.

 

[contrarian]

Number 6, heady topper clone. Pours nice and clear straw colour. Small white head. Nice hoppy aroma. Flavour is clean, lingering bitterness and good balance between fruity and piney hops. Nice beer. Cheers

 

[shacked]

I put my case swap English IPA into the ESB comp (first comp) and got my score sheet back yesterday. It scored a 34 and a 38.

Interestingly the judge that gave me a 38 also noted slight 'vegetal flavors, potentially from DMS' and 'could be more attenuated'.

I don't pick up any DMS but please let me know if you pick any up / have any advice on how I can improve it. I agree that it could have finished a little lower (1.016 was my FG).

 

[marksy]

#1

Pours nice and dark, minimal head, didn't last long, though a great colour.

Dark malt smell to the nose.

First sip. Too good, it went straight down.

Nice flavour, very smooth.

Some roasted malts, darkness.

Carbonation was spot on.

I could drink this all night.

Great beer.

 

[gone brewing]

I put my case swap English IPA into the ESB comp (first comp) and got my score sheet back yesterday. It scored a 34 and a 38.

Interestingly the judge that gave me a 38 also noted slight 'vegetal flavors, potentially from DMS' and 'could be more attenuated'.

I don't pick up any DMS but please let me know if you pick any up / have any advice on how I can improve it. I agree that it could have finished a little lower (1.016 was my FG).

Nice beer shacked. Nice rich copper colour with thin head and low carb. It was a bit hazy even though I was careful not to get any dregs. The aroma was definitely caramel/toffee. The flavour hinted at malt/caramel/toffee flavours before giving way to the bitterness and hops and yeah I got some slight minerally/rancid flavours but it wasn't overpowering, the beer was nice drinking. If you were getting those comments for all the beers you enter in comps then consider sanitation issues but otherwise I'd put it down to the combination of ingredients, minerals and hops, that you used here. I didn't think it was underattenuated, it didn't seem too sweet and malty at all, perhaps the mineral additions can make a high FG beer seem dry.

Cheers
Dick

 

[waggastew]

#19 Yum Beer's Arrogant ******* Clone



Pours a lovely ruby red colour. Strong off-white head that builds. My nose is on strike but I am getting some citrusy hops. Flavour is sweet malt, golden syrup but with plenty of bitterness to balance. Finishes dry with some lingering candy sugar and nice pithy citrus flavours.

Overall a very well put together beer that features malt and hops but is dry keeping it very drinkable

Well done John

 

[gone brewing]

[SIZE=10.5pt]9 welly2 - English Best Bitter[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Nice job Welly, you've done well. It was deep brown, darker than I was expecting, and a little bit cloudy until it warmed up and became clear. High carbonation with a strong, long-lasting head. Aroma (once I got it to warm up) gave some nice caramel/toffee & hops. The flavour was much the same with the up front malty/caramel/toffee flavours giving way to a firm bitterness which had a spicy character. Given the dominance of the hop flavour in this beer I would say that it’s bordering on ESB territory (I’m no judge, just my impression).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]I love pommie bitters and I make a lot of them. This is a great example of the style. Thanks for sharing.[/SIZE]

 

[waggastew]

#17 Kellerbier by Les the Weizguy

Not had this style before but enjoying this immensely.

Pours a deep golden colour with a thin head of fine bubbles. Aroma is bread crust malt with a background spicy hop note. Super clean ferment, no fruitiness or diacetyl. Smells 'dry' like all good lagers should.

Flavour mimics aroma, breads malt, spicy hops with a firm, clean and dry finish. Carbonation is to style medium low even though I kept this warm till a few days ago. Dryness if the beer helps to keep it balanced.

Overall a very good beer, inspiring me to maybe aim a bit darker for one of my lagers in the next few brews. Have been put off a bit by cloying Vienna styles and over the top Fest beers but I could drink a tonne of this.

Top job Les

 

[Reman]

#18


Appearance - orange/brown, hazy with a thick off white head that dissipates

Aroma - subtle fruit and citrus

Flavour - deep and dank bitterness that lingers. A slight metallic taste that doesn't detract. There is an underlying sweetness but very little malt flavour

Mouthfeel - medium body with a medium-low carbonation that works with the bitterness.

Overall - great beer, drinkability could go up a notch if it was slightly drier. This one is all about the hops!

 

[waggastew]

#12 Shacked English IPA



Pours a golden copper colour, slight haze. Fine off white head. Strong herbal hop aroma with a hint of malt. Flavour begins with rich malt which is quickly countered with firm bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium full with medium low carbonation. Bitterness helps to limit fullness but could do with a touch more attenuation for my tastes.

Overall a really nice beer, rich malt with hops to balance.

 

[Dan Pratt]

#17 Kellerbier by Les the Weizguy
Not had this style before but enjoying this immensely.
Pours a deep golden colour with a thin head of fine bubbles. Aroma is bread crust malt with a background spicy hop note. Super clean ferment, no fruitiness or diacetyl. Smells 'dry' like all good lagers should.
Flavour mimics aroma, breads malt, spicy hops with a firm, clean and dry finish. Carbonation is to style medium low even though I kept this warm till a few days ago. Dryness if the beer helps to keep it balanced.
Overall a very good beer, inspiring me to maybe aim a bit darker for one of my lagers in the next few brews. Have been put off a bit by cloying Vienna styles and over the top Fest beers but I could drink a tonne of this.
Top job Les

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1467537141.949983.jpg

Perfect description, I had this on the weekend and really enjoyed it. nice beer Les.

 

[shacked]

Perfect description, I had this on the weekend and really enjoyed it. nice beer Les.

I also had this on the weekend; it was a cracker of a beer. Really enjoyed the balance and the crispness of the finish. Top beer, definitely on the to-brew list!!

 

[Reman]

#6 heady topper


Appearance - copper colour, very hazy. White head, that dissipates to a thin ring.

Aroma - hoppy, citrus and passion fruit. A little bit restrained.

Flavour - solid bitterness that lingers. medium hop flavour, little maltiness. Slight metallic taste.

Mouthfeel - reasonably dry with a medium-low carbonation.

Overall - reminds me of James Squire IPA, bit low on the hop flavour and aroma. Missing something in the middle.

Edit: as it warmed up it came alive, with a maltiness coming through and the hop flavour rounding out. I'd recommend pouring it out and leaving for a little to warm up.

 

[Reman]

#11 IPL



Appearance - light copper colour, short lasting head, reasonably clear

Aroma - malty aroma with a light stone fruit aroma

Flavour - toffee and honey flavour very prominent, with a balancing hop bitterness. As it warms a nice noble hop flavour comes through. Very nice work on a clean ferment.

Mouthfeel - light bodied with good carbonation.

Overall - not sure I'd call it an IPL, maybe an Imperial Pilsner. Really easy drinking and I could easily smash another bottle or two.

 

[Dan Pratt]

#8 Kolsch

Aroma was at first hard to figure out as I was expecting a malty breadiness or a slight floral hop presence, I finally realised it was green apple which screamed acedylhydrate. In other styles that would not be welcome but kolsch is acceptable. Apple is usually from fermentation temps being to high for that strain? That aroma lead into a cider flavour which would suggest it needed more lagering time before package. (It went into my fridge on Friday arvo)

Appearance was slight haze, which appeared to be chill haze as it cleared up as I got through the pint. Carbonation was excellent with a nice white foam that was persistent. It did lack crispness and dryness for the style, to achieve that the mash temp can be longer at lower temps 62/63 and target a mash pH of 5.2 which leads to a lower final beer pH.

Not sure what your water was like, it did taste like water from the tap, a style like this being similar to lager will show up all aspects very easily. Using rain water or RO with a neutral ppm for each mineral will clean this up. Would be good to see the recipe and details if you can share those?

 

[Dan Pratt]

# 21 English Brown Ale

This beer was good. Aroma was towards the malt with a light caramel note, a good clean fermentation. Appearance was clear and a great brown to ruby colour with a slight tan/off white head. Carbonation was perfect. Flavour was balanced with the malt flavour a subtle light chocolate character and bitterness that matched the ABV and malt selections. I had this beer over a 45min phone call and it went down a treat. Great quality. Well done.

 

[barls]

I've been terribly slack. I've enjoyed all the ones I've had so far including wellys, les and renmans. i haven't just had time to put any feed back up.

 

[Weizguy]

Thanks for the positive feedback re number 17. I have a few reviews to catch up on, so here goes:

#17 Kellerbier - I feel the hop flavour and aroma have faded since bottling, but that may be a perception on the day.
Aroma - mild floral hops and some sulfur. Otherwise clean and low malt.
Appearance - Good clarity and good foam, which fades to a thin head. Mid-amber colour
Taste - Clean lager malt character with some perfumey hops. Good German characters imparted by the German lager yeast. Clean and balanced bitterness. Crisp finish.
Other comments - persistent lacing remains in the glass. 2nd glass contains some yeast sediment and tastes grassy and more bitter. Happy enough, but was much nicer with the fresher hop character when younger. Wish I had brewed a larger batch, rather than this small batch to cover the case swap only.

#8 - Kölsch
Appearance - good clarity, but not quite bright. Pale gold, and nice initial stand of foam, which faded in my glass to a persistent thin head.
Aroma - some malt and lemony hops
Taste - no winey character, and more like a clean mildly malty ale than a lager-like Kölsch. Low hop character and bitterness/malt balance. Somewhat spritzy and slightly carbonic/acidic. (I may have detected some green apple, but it didn't leave a lingering impression on the overall flavour).
Comments - a nice drinkable beer that missed a few of the characters I look for in a true Kolschy, but still a very drinkable balanced session ale. Lacked true crispness, as Pratty advised.

# 11 - IPL

Appearance - Clear mid-gold with a dense, white stand of moussey head
Aroma - strong herbal/ fruity hops dominates. As the hops fade, and the beer warms, I detect crackers, pine and low butter aroma.
Taste - clean and easy to drink. Mild malt and honey flavours, and a distinctly bitey bitter finish. Lingering bitterness in the finish and a silky mouthfeel.
Comments - Maybe the term Imperial Pilsner is appropriate. I like lagers to be more malt accented, and this one leaned toward the hop in a big way, as intended. Does not mean that I could not appreciate it as being cleaner than an IPA, but I feel the hopping drowns most of the clean malt accents that I enjoy in a lager.

#16 - Schwarzbier

(from memory, as I can't find my notes)
Appearance - Black as a stout and holding a medium slight tan head. Quite appealing.
Aroma - Low level of burnt grain and low-very low hop aroma.
Taste - More of the roast character than I expected, but after tasting my Schwarzbier again, I feel this one is close to the mark. Low malt character and low hop flavour. Drinkable and slightly bitterness in the balance. Some lingering roast.
Comments - not sure if it's the 833 yeast that skews this beer for me, but I found it slightly too roasty and not malty enough. It's been a while since I had Köstritzer, not that this was a clone. Something here did not encourage sessionability.
The MAIN thing I think here is that I need to taste more Schwarzbier before judging. Was also a little reminiscent of Tooheys Old, but roasty like a stout in the first few sips.

I hope that doesn't offend anyone, as all beers were clean and off-flavour free, unless noted otherwise.