AHB Articles: 2010 Funky Beer Swap

[manticle]

Thanks for the review mate. Glad both that you enjoyed it and that you took the time to give such detailed feedback.

I've saved a bottle for my own tasting so I can compare my own perceptions with more experienced sour brewer/drinkers - this helps a lot.

Cheers.

 

[BrenosBrews]

I saw a bottle of Orval in the fridge and I was like "I didn't put a bottle of Orval in the fridge, WTF?" Then I realise it was Manticles funky swap beer. So I opened it.

A - Started to gush out of the bottle so quickly poured it; a hazy deep copper colour with a few centimetres of off white head that falls away very quickly.
S - Cherry fruitiness with a lot of bretty barnyard funk but not overpowering. A bit of caramel malt remains.
T - Cherry fruit flavour up front with plenty of barnyard funk, a bit of acetic acid vinegar character & very subtle citrus notes.
M - Medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation. Prickly acidity on the tongue.
O - You've done well with this Manticle. A very interesting, complex beer & highly drinkable beer. I know you said oud bruin/dubbel type thing but I'd say almost like a hybrid Kriek/Flanders Red. I'll be putting the 2nd bottle aside for a while.

 

[manticle]

Thanks BB.

Brendanos: Berliner weiss.

Pours with a big fluffy head, like a duvel. Clear golden colour in my duvel glass.
Head disappears from fluffy to nothing in about three seconds, like an alien with acid for blood somehow became president of the International Society for the Prevention of Beer Head (ISPBH).

Aroma reminds me of my lactose laden ciders. A slightly tart, very slightly sour aroma. It's only lately that I've strated to believe that lactose is actually noticable in ciders (previously assumed tart apple character) and this makes me realise I may be on the right track.

Flavour is very slightly sour, very slightly tart, quite crisp.

There's something slightly medicinal going on in the first sip. This repeats in subsequent sips and is a little distracting from the overall balance of the beer which would otherwise be very refreshing.

I think I'd like it a lot more without that character.

 

[Gulpa]

2) Brenosbrews - Belgian Farmhouse IPA

Aroma is very tropical fruit (pineapple and passionfruit) with vanilla and some bretty funk lurking in the background.

Pours with a big fluffy one inch white head that slowly subsides. Pale gold. Slight haze.

Flavour is all about the hops and funk. Tart tropical fruits, not as sweet as aroma suggest. Start to get some resiny/floral notes as it warms. Lovely balance with a nice drying finish.

Medium light body. Medium to medium high carb.

Delicious beer. Great balance. Funk is nicely balanced with the other parts of the IPA.

Thanks for sharing Brenos.

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[kabooby]

6) Manticle - Oud bruiny/dubbelish type thing with a bit of whisky, oak, raisins and various citrus zests and flesh fermented in secondary with roselare and orval dregs

Had this on the weekend.

Beer was highly carbed but head dissipated quickly. Wow lots going on with this one. Nice aroma of leather and Christmas pudding with a slight acetic character. Definitely picking up the citrus in this. For me its grapefruit.

Nice beer. Maybe could have benefited with some clearing as I had a fair amount of sundries end up in the glass.

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby

 

[manticle]

Was a bit of grapefruit in the citrus addition.

Sorry about the sundries but cheers for the feedback.

I think the bits may have come from the fact that I made an addition of port soaked raisins and citrus zest quite late in the piece as I felt the first citrus/whisky/oak addition was too subdued.

Now I've got a couple going and intend to keep the cycle up (this was my first ever sour/funk attempt) so hopefully time is more on my side next time around.

 

[kabooby]

4) Gulpa - Old Ale with Brett - Bottled 21/09/10

Had this on the weekend

Nice aroma of malt and that leathery barnyard brett character.

This beer was well balanced. The brett is definitely there but is not over the top making this a very drinkable beer.

What was the base beer? How long has the brett been in there? Still picking up some esters which blend nicely with the brett, possibly from the primary strain.

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby

 

[kabooby]

Was a bit of grapefruit in the citrus addition.

Sorry about the sundries but cheers for the feedback.

I think the bits may have come from the fact that I made an addition of port soaked raisins and citrus zest quite late in the piece as I felt the first citrus/whisky/oak addition was too subdued.

Now I've got a couple going and intend to keep the cycle up (this was my first ever sour/funk attempt) so hopefully time is more on my side next time around.

Don't apologize, The beer was great and it certainly didn't stop me from drinking it all.

Kabooby

 

[kabooby]

1) Quintrex - Unmarked Bottle with black bottle cap - berlinner weiss - ready around december

Very nice beer Q. I had to show some self discipline to not skull this one straight from the bottle.

Good amount of body for the style but still light enough to be very easy drinking. Picked up an acetic character on the aroma and the first sip that blended in with further tastings. I have done a berliner before with a good pitch of lacto but found it a bit tangy. I found your sourness to be spot on and not as tangy as my previous attempt.

Recipe and any notes on how you made it would be appreciated. Please!!!

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby

If the rest of the swap beers are as good as the first 3 I am in for a treat B)

 

[manticle]

Brenos brews - would have to look it up but judging from the list on the label it seems like a funked APA or AIPA.


Pours fairly clear with a good head that thins but remains. Aroma is fruit, a lot of pineapple (hops related I think) and a hint of brett. There's some sweet sticky toffee that mixes with the pineapple.

Flavour - this beer proves that bitter and funk are not always enemies (so does Orval). Actually tastes like a well balanced fruity, malty APA with just a hint of brett funk.

Different tasting but very similar balance to Orval too - sweet, bitter and edge of funk without going nuts.

I keep smelling and amidst the pineapple I get socks and cheese but only tiny , tiny amounts and never enough to be unpleasant. Only lovers of Brett could take that as a good thing. Also a touch of woodiness in the aroma. What others describe as leather might be what I perceive as wood in brett beers but I'm certainly inside a stable when I smell it.

Really nice subtle brett addition, strong hoppy ale otherwise. You could trick a dyed in the wool apa drinker with this.

 

[Gulpa]

4) Gulpa - Old Ale with Brett - Bottled 21/09/10

Had this on the weekend

Nice aroma of malt and that leathery barnyard brett character.

This beer was well balanced. The brett is definitely there but is not over the top making this a very drinkable beer.

What was the base beer? How long has the brett been in there? Still picking up some esters which blend nicely with the brett, possibly from the primary strain.

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby

Thanks Kabooby. Glad you liked it.

There were two base beers:

Beer 1 - Going for a Fullers 1845 type of thing
OG 1074
FG Cant remember but quite high
IBU 33 (Northdown at 60, 15, 0, Styrian at 0)
80% MO
8% Aromatic
4% Amber
4% Med Crystal
4% Special B
Mashed at 69C
Wyeast 1762

Bottled originally for nsw easter case swap but it was it was clear after some time that it was too sweet and wasnt going to dry out

Beer 2 - Revised recipe for early drinking old ale
OG 1070
FG Cant remember
IBU 33 (All fuggle at 60min)
71% MO
10% Munich
10% Wheat
2% Med. Crystal
0.5% Chocolate
5% Flaked Maize (Aldi cornflakes)
Mashed at 67
US05 yeast

Bottled.

Beer 1 went onto Brett after about 5 months in the bottle. On brett for about 5 months. Beer 2 was still too sweet so remaining bottles went on top of beer 1 at about 2.5 months. It was kept quite cool which Im attributing to restraining the full on brett character. Dry hopped with EKG 2 weeks before bottling.

Brett was slurry out of my last brett beer. A mix of Wyeast old ale blend and a straight brett strain - cant tell you which one.

cheers
Andrew.

 

[Quintrex]

1) Quintrex - Unmarked Bottle with black bottle cap - berlinner weiss - ready around december
Good amount of body for the style but still light enough to be very easy drinking. Picked up an acetic character on the aroma and the first sip that blended in with further tastings. I have done a berliner before with a good pitch of lacto but found it a bit tangy. I found your sourness to be spot on and not as tangy as my previous attempt.

Recipe and any notes on how you made it would be appreciated. Please!!!

Thanks for the beer

Kabooby

If the rest of the swap beers are as good as the first 3 I am in for a treat B)

Hey Kabooby, thanks for the feedback.

Here are the details as I remember them, don't have the recipe on this computer.

50% wheat/ 50% pils

1.040 OG
~53 deg rest for 15 --> 65 with a decoction - decoction was hopped with 20g homegrown mt hood

I'm pretty happy with the sourness level but think I may have fluked it for my first one. It was a bit of an experiment, where I pitched a lactic dominant starter once the wort had cooled to 35-40 deg C and let that sit overnight (cooling to ambient) then pitched wyeast berliner blend and let it ferment initially at 18 then getting up to 23 by the end of primary.

I'm wondering about the acetic character though, did it come from the warm lactic ferment? or from aging for a couple of months in plastic.

Cheers,
Q

 

[kabooby]

Hey Kabooby, thanks for the feedback.

Here are the details as I remember them, don't have the recipe on this computer.

50% wheat/ 50% pils

1.040 OG
~53 deg rest for 15 --> 65 with a decoction - decoction was hopped with 20g homegrown mt hood

I'm pretty happy with the sourness level but think I may have fluked it for my first one. It was a bit of an experiment, where I pitched a lactic dominant starter once the wort had cooled to 35-40 deg C and let that sit overnight (cooling to ambient) then pitched wyeast berliner blend and let it ferment initially at 18 then getting up to 23 by the end of primary.

I'm wondering about the acetic character though, did it come from the warm lactic ferment? or from aging for a couple of months in plastic.

Cheers,
Q

Thanks

You don't get acetic from Lacto. It can come from Brett and from the presence of o2. It was not over the top and I don't think a couple of months in plastic would do it. I think there is brett in the berliner blend so it's probably from there.

Do you pick it up as well?

I don't see it as a fault. I think it is balanced perfectly with the lactic sourness.

I definitely need to give a berliner another go

Kabooby

 

[kabooby]

Thanks Gulpa,

I think it will develop even further over the next few months. I would keep some aside if I was you.

With the brett strain it is hard to tell, if I had to guess I would say claussenii.

Kabooby

 

[Quintrex]

neonmeate - brett&pedio rye altbier not ready yet, leave till feb 2011 or so

haha what can I say, curiousity got the better of me NM.




Leather, Hay, with a real flanders red kind of jammed cherry taste. Delicious!!!!

I'll sit on the other bottle for a bit longer but this beer is yum.

Nice work.

 

[neonmeate]

wow that surprises me as I just opened a bottle to have a peek and this particular bottle had got "sick" again ie sour beer jelly - looks like they haven't all done that. anyway pellicles seem to be falling in so most bottles should be ok i hope. they'll certainly sour you out anyway

neonmeate - brett&pedio rye altbier not ready yet, leave till feb 2011 or so

haha what can I say, curiousity got the better of me NM.




Leather, Hay, with a real flanders red kind of jammed cherry taste. Delicious!!!!

I'll sit on the other bottle for a bit longer but this beer is yum.

Nice work.

 

[manticle]

Kabooby: Old ale with Brett and 1469

Pours clear amber, head forms and falls away immediately. Aroma of funk and leather and very slight caramel orange. Mild tart sour at the beginning, slight sweetness in the finish, almost a vinous oaky character. Definite alcohol notes. Mainly sweet but a hint of lingering bitterness that works well with the hint of tart (no I don't mean Janine).

There's moments in the aroma and very first taste (probably connected) that aren't for me but there is an incredible complexity that keeps spelling itself out on the palate once the first sip is taken. This is my favourite bit. As I get furtheer into the glass, little hints of toffee come through in the aroma (I do like toffee).

Very strong and rich - a longneck is a big amount to finish in one setting but a lovely array of complex layers and flavours so I'll try my best. The tart, sour and bitter on the finish all work to balance the richness.

Cheers.

 

[beers]

wow that surprises me as I just opened a bottle to have a peek and this particular bottle had got "sick" again ie sour beer jelly - looks like they haven't all done that. anyway pellicles seem to be falling in so most bottles should be ok i hope. they'll certainly sour you out anyway

Looking forward to this one I somehow managed to score 5 bottles of it!

Picked up my case last weekend & have only cracked one bottle so far - a double up bottle of Brenosbrews Farmhouse IPA. I was very, very, extremely dusty at the time of tasting, & the bottle I opened was a little short & undercarbed (contrary to others reviews). Aroma was awesome as far as I can remember, & the beer was thoroughly enjoyed... looking forward to seriously tasting the second bottle

 

[kabooby]

Kabooby: Old ale with Brett and 1469

Pours clear amber, head forms and falls away immediately. Aroma of funk and leather and very slight caramel orange. Mild tart sour at the beginning, slight sweetness in the finish, almost a vinous oaky character. Definite alcohol notes. Mainly sweet but a hint of lingering bitterness that works well with the hint of tart (no I don't mean Janine).

There's moments in the aroma and very first taste (probably connected) that aren't for me but there is an incredible complexity that keeps spelling itself out on the palate once the first sip is taken. This is my favourite bit. As I get furtheer into the glass, little hints of toffee come through in the aroma (I do like toffee).

Very strong and rich - a longneck is a big amount to finish in one setting but a lovely array of complex layers and flavours so I'll try my best. The tart, sour and bitter on the finish all work to balance the richness.

Cheers.

Thanks Manticle

I will have to throw one of mine into the fridge and give it a go.

Cheers
Kabooby

 

[manticle]

Quintrex: Berliner Weiss

Well it's December so I thought I'd open her up. No pellicle visible in the bottle.

Gushes out of the bottle, pours cloudy straw with a thick head that vanishes in seconds.

Aroma seems kind of apple tree and milk. Farmyard and a little rustic.

First taste is quite sour - very aceto sour which surprised me. It's very much salt and vinegar chips and I find it a little overpowering and hard to pull out other subtleties that are promised in the aroma.

However if you drink too much single malt whisky in one gulp, you miss out on the intricacies and get a mouthful of ethanol so I've applied the same principle here.

I get little bits of woodiness and some of the apple tree I mentioned. I think the vinegar sourness is a bit too heavy for me - a bit less would see this beer as very refreshing. The level of funk I think would benefit from less aceto too. I'm guessing the aceto has increased with time in the bottle.

Cheers.