Bar Swap: '1st Time For Everything'

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I'm going bananas!
I have tried to add my tasting notes 3 nights running for the cascadian dark ale with no love..WTF!
 
Vic45 Cascadian Dark

Lovely tight Tan head with lacing all the way to the bottom of the glass.
Piney/caramel aroma.
Punchy balance of malt and hops which works great. The flavour profile is quite 2 dimensional but makes for a beer with a difference!
Great 'chewy' mouthfeel and medium to high carb which suits this dark derivative. I'd call it a black IPA. Ibu's are certainly up their IMHO.
I adore dark beer, and this is a lovely twist on this style.
I magine a polarising beer depending on whether or not your into dark hoppy beers.
I'm more than happy with it, and figure it would be a great way to finish an evening on the turps or a sipper with a good robust feed.
I could only handle 3 in a row before needing some respite.

Hope this post makes it!
 
Eyeing off the 'BIG WIFFEY' this morning before work. Thought it inappropriate to down it before i teach a class of 12 year olds.
Anybody had a go at it yet.
Lecter, Im not sure i can wait much longer.
 
After a brewday with a fellow BAR member on Tuesday we tasted my 2011 winter ale and it was definitely better now than it was then. But, it was a stupid choice of beers for the swap, so you might as well just hook into it. I've had a few bottles of it and it is certainly drinkable, it's just that the treacle character is still a bit too strong for my preference.

edit: It's 'The Big Whiffer Brewery', the beer is the winter ale. At %7.7 it is best consumed AFTER teaching the kiddies, no doubt.
 
After a brewday with a fellow BAR member on Tuesday we tasted my 2011 winter ale and it was definitely better now than it was then. But, it was a stupid choice of beers for the swap, so you might as well just hook into it. I've had a few bottles of it and it is certainly drinkable, it's just that the treacle character is still a bit too strong for my preference.

edit: It's 'The Big Whiffer Brewery', the beer is the winter ale. At %7.7 it is best consumed AFTER teaching the kiddies, no doubt.

Yup Whiffer...got it.

I love Treacle!

My lil girl is being released from hospital tomorrow after a few harrowing weeks. I may choose this to celebrate gettign her back home.

Hopefully it doesnt put me in hospital ..he he.
 
Yup Whiffer...got it.

I love Treacle!

My lil girl is being released from hospital tomorrow after a few harrowing weeks. I may choose this to celebrate gettign her back home.

Hopefully it doesnt put me in hospital ..he he.

Sorry to hear about your little girl :mellow: and I hope you don't see another hospital for a while.

As for the beer, well I's sure it could never put you in hospital, keep you out definitely but not in :lol: mmm I better have a beer too just t be safe.
 
Whoaa Big Whiffer Winter Ale at room temp....
Winter Ale 3/4s underway as i type.
First 1/4 challenged the taste buds, thought i was sucking on a rusty nail!
Plenty of spice and alcohol on the nose. Treacle and spice to taste and slippery on the palate (Due to the near 8% ABV i suspect). Pours a thick head that thins out quickly but clings on nicely
By half time my belly started to warm up and i was picking up a lovely 'black forest' cherry and chocolate thing going on between sips.
At 3/4 time, i feel like I have had a few.
I have decided that this beer is the perfect camping beer. Would go nicely with a roaring camp fire, icy still night, big ugly woollen beany and a roudy red bearded philanthropist...or was that philistine...
7/8s of the way and i'm almost ready to go out and look for a fight...WTF!
 
Whoaa Big Whiffer Winter Ale at room temp....
Winter Ale 3/4s underway as i type.
First 1/4 challenged the taste buds, thought i was sucking on a rusty nail!
Plenty of spice and alcohol on the nose. Treacle and spice to taste and slippery on the palate (Due to the near 8% ABV i suspect). Pours a thick head that thins out quickly but clings on nicely
By half time my belly started to warm up and i was picking up a lovely 'black forest' cherry and chocolate thing going on between sips.
At 3/4 time, i feel like I have had a few.
I have decided that this beer is the perfect camping beer. Would go nicely with a roaring camp fire, icy still night, big ugly woollen beany and a roudy red bearded philanthropist...or was that philistine...
7/8s of the way and i'm almost ready to go out and look for a fight...WTF!

Rusty nail? haha...that must be all the galvanised iron I added to secondary...

Beany wearing, rowdy, red-bearded PHIL - 'osopher' is what you are after there. As for 7/8ths obstinacy...absolutely! WINTER IS COMING! This is the beer to harden your heart against those-beyond-the-wall.... or to join them post-Fist of The First Men battle, whichever you prefer...
 
Rusty nail? haha...that must be all the galvanised iron I added to secondary...

Beany wearing, rowdy, red-bearded PHIL - 'osopher' is what you are after there. As for 7/8ths obstinacy...absolutely! WINTER IS COMING! This is the beer to harden your heart against those-beyond-the-wall.... or to join them post-Fist of The First Men battle, whichever you prefer...


In all honesty, i loved it.
I used to enjoy Bundy Rum in my hay-day but i am a family man these days. This had some correlation with Rundy Bum somehow. Didn't quite turn me into the bundy bear, but certainly appealed to the possum in me....
 
Vic45 cascadian dark ale

This is an absolute cracker but I would have thought closer to an American inspired stout
I get the slight taste and smell of American hop but followed by more stout styled malt flavour
Great flavour from dark malts the dry acidity of choc malts

I am really enjoying his beer

Well done
 
Vic45 cascadian dark ale

I would have thought closer to an American inspired stout

Well done


Thanks Kleiny, After I started to drink this had to change my swap beer to American stout. Way too much roast and choc for black IPA, but not a bad stout.
I still have some kegged and it is great on these cold nights.
 
So - as most of you know, I've had a pretty average run with my penchant for experimentation and attempts to overcome my brewing plateau leading me into water additions.

Although I am thrilled to report that I have three beers almost in a row that I am really happy with and ready for the next meet.

Anyway, I overdid it like mad, including the winter ale in the swap.

Today I have finally received a pretty detailed (more than Vic45 got ages ago) water report from CHW (although most of you guys are all using rainwater, but just thought I'd let you know).

Anyway, to quote Fix from Wheeler's article (good lord, a secondary citation, don't tell the academics): "High sulphate levels and dark beers are not a particularly good marriage. The effects are a drying and astringent afterfinish".



So yes, the winter ale - good in theory, average in reality and unlikely to improve with age - suffers from this. This would explain the astringency given that I had pH and mash and sparge temps undercontrol as well as setting my recipes at only %68 (they were at %78 for the first 12 months of my AG career in an attempt to get every last fermentable out).

Live and learn! :beerbang:
 
Just thought I would ask what people had brewed for the 21st July so I knew what I've got to look forward to.
I have brewed a 5.6% ESB with Heritage crystal and a 5.2% Landlordish type of pale ale.
Lecterfan and I had a taste test on Tuesday to make sure they were drinkable.
So what will you all be bringing?
 
You and Richy had a "taste" hey, hmmm.

My IPA is cold conditioning atm and still have a few longies of the meantime IPA clone I did for the last swap if anyone is up to the challenge.
Could bring a keg of well lagered Dortmunder :ph34r: Better not.

Planning on bringing a game pie and some Brit smallgoods if I can find a good butcher shop.
 
Just thought I would ask what people had brewed for the 21st July so I knew what I've got to look forward to.
I have brewed a 5.6% ESB with Heritage crystal and a 5.2% Landlordish type of pale ale.
Lecterfan and I had a taste test on Tuesday to make sure they were drinkable.
So what will you all be bringing?
I'll be bringing along a landlord clone and whatever I can pick up from the British butchers in dandenong. Picked up a couple of bits today to trial, will call in on the way over on the Saturday so if anybody wants anything picking up google 'robs UK produce' and have a look at their range and drop me a mail

Anyone for haggis?

IMG_1341628941_V.jpg
 
I'll be bringing an English Pale Ale to put through an engine.
And a couple of leftover bottles of my Robust Porter which I'm pretty happy with.

After using Maris Otter in a few brews, I've got to say that I'm not a real fan.
I have 3/4 of a bag, if anyone would like to swap for another base malt , or beer, or both, haha.

Also, if anyone wants a wood burning shed heater, let me know.
It's made out of an old 90lb gas bottle, again, a couple of beers will seal the deal:)

As for food, maybe a beef and stout stew? I'm still thinking.
 
I'll be bringing along a landlord clone and whatever I can pick up from the British butchers in dandenong. Picked up a couple of bits today to trial, will call in on the way over on the Saturday so if anybody wants anything picking up google 'robs UK produce' and have a look at their range and drop me a mail

Anyone for haggis?
Went to the pommy butcher in Dandenong on Thursday and picked up some Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausages for the 21st. Also grabbed some Black Pudding, Cornish pasties and some pork pies for Mrs Billygoat.
 
You and Richy had a "taste" hey, hmmm.

In the name of better brewing.


Seeing as though there are going to be heaps of pales, I will bring my northern brown/rigg welter attempt. I had one the other night - a bit thin in the mouth, but the flavours were quite nice...as per the original and the CYBI interview it really is at its best around12c-14c and served with a splash (in place of a pump), both factors which help increase the mouthfeel.

I'll be bringing some ******* pasties...Cornish via Brown Hill.

I reckon I might need to bring a back-up digestive system and a second arsehole also.
 

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