Hub - Xmas In July 2010 Tasting Notes

[m_peve]

15. Keith, Anthony, Jess - Jaffa the Bock. a bock brewed with (Wyeast) witbier. Bottled 24.07.10, carbonation low. Drink now.

Oops!!! A lack of concentration and I overpoured the glass, needing to take a quick mouthful to save the carpet.
Hmmmm! There goes the ability to smell the beer without being affected my my tastebuds.....
Who cares!!!! I really got the Jaffa flavour in the giant mouthful of head and beer (due to my rather unorthodox tasting style :blink: )

After regaining my composure (carpet saved - SWMBO not upset. PHEW!! ) I started again.

I perceived a slight Orange peel aroma (like Cointreau from across the room)
It was very effervescent going into the glass (the cause of my original discomfort) with a medium off-white head that laced the glass nicely.
Very Dark Brown in colour with a medium Body.
No diacetyl that I could detect.
A sweet Chocolate taste where the maltiness dominates the bitterness. Having said that, the bitterness is still sufficient to remove the possibility of cloying sweetness
I think of this as a wonderful desert beer and not one for a session. I like my Jaffas in moderation.

Thanks heaps Keith, Jess and Anthony

 

[gone brewing]

Beer: 13. Muggus Raunchy Scotsman brown ale

I gotta say that I've had rauchbiers before and haven't liked them (haven't even drunk them - tipped 'em out) so I approached this with some trepidition... but I really liked this. It was like a brown ale with a smokey twist. Very interesting flavour.

I think your own review was pretty much spot on. The aroma is caramel toffee with that woody element and some yeasty esters. The flavour is like an brown ale with caramel, toffee, malty flavours with a smokiness that just adds to the flavour without being overwhelming. You have a good idea of how to add nice smoky flavours without beating us 'round the head with it. I agree that you get this creaminess upfront that dries out quite nicely. Bitterness is just right.

The only drawback was the carbonation was too high. When I opened the bottle I got a huge "pshht" and then I could only pour half a glass as the head was going off like a volcano. Then the foam starting coming out of the bottle.

That aside, it was a tasty beer that I really enjoyed. When I finished it I was after another.

This is the reason why the swap is so interesting. This is a beer I would never have made but really enjoyed.

Thanks for that Muggus.

Cheers
Dick

 

[Brewman_]

17. Steve - APA - Pale amber in colour, slight haze, loosish white head which stuck around & laced well. The aroma was muted for an APA, very clean with some malt peeking through as it warmed. Plenty of hop flavour, very well balanced with some bready malt into the finish. The bitterness is spot on for style. The finish is dry & crisp, drinkability is outstanding. I haven't tried the Cali Lager yeast before but it seems to work very well with this beer. Very nice drinking thanks Steve, perfect after the day I've had.

17 Steve-APA

Nice thick white head that slowly dissipates, low hop aroma. colour and carbonation seem spot on for style.
Initial honey like flavor that quickly gives way to a lingering bitterness, mouth feel to style on the dryish side.
The only thing I'd like to see is some more American hop aroma and taste.
All in all a well made beer thanks Steve

Guys, thanks for the great feed back. The hop aroma probably is low, so I reckon your spot on there. I held off on the last dry hop addition, was going to be some Cascade, since while it was fermenting it just seemed so strong, both taste and aroma. So I'll definitely add that next time.
I need to get into some tasting.
Steve

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 13. Muggus Raunchy Scotsman brown ale

I gotta say that I've had rauchbiers before and haven't liked them (haven't even drunk them - tipped 'em out) so I approached this with some trepidition... but I really liked this. It was like a brown ale with a smokey twist. Very interesting flavour.

I think your own review was pretty much spot on. The aroma is caramel toffee with that woody element and some yeasty esters. The flavour is like an brown ale with caramel, toffee, malty flavours with a smokiness that just adds to the flavour without being overwhelming. You have a good idea of how to add nice smoky flavours without beating us 'round the head with it. I agree that you get this creaminess upfront that dries out quite nicely. Bitterness is just right.

The only drawback was the carbonation was too high. When I opened the bottle I got a huge "pshht" and then I could only pour half a glass as the head was going off like a volcano. Then the foam starting coming out of the bottle.

That aside, it was a tasty beer that I really enjoyed. When I finished it I was after another.

This is the reason why the swap is so interesting. This is a beer I would never have made but really enjoyed.

Thanks for that Muggus.

Cheers
Dick

Thanks for the feedback Dick.
Sorry about the carbonation; I generally try to undercarbonate beers a bit for these caseswaps to avoid things like that...backfired this time around...


Got into a very tasty beer last night...
Beer: 4. Shmick Imperial Amber
Date: 5th August 2010
Details: 750ml bottle w/ nice label, gold cap 4, 7.8%, og1.071, Wyeast 1028 bottled 5/7/10
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Copper-amber body, reasonably clear from first pour, persistent off-white inch of foam leaves tight lace.

Hops drive the nose; bitter orange, passionfruit, resiny grass (Amarillo?), caramelly malts in the background with a bit of dried apricot.

Plenty of guts to the palate. Thick slick texture spurred on by medium carbonation.

A lot to like about the flavour; sweet toffee and biscuit, some subtle roasted nutty malt acts as a solid backbone for a decent belting of hop flavour, which is not overdone, just tasty. Grapefruit, pineapple, and leafy spices linger with a firm bitterness and deceitfully smooth finish.

Top drop Mick! Packed full of flavour with tremendous balance and highly enjoyable mouthfeel. Cheers!

 

[goatherder]

23 - Gus's Sparkling Ale. Looks the goods. Pours straw in colour, good sized tight white head with a touch of haze. Some nice yeast esters on the nose with a touch of caramel in the background. The caramel flavour is very evident in the taste, a little much so. From the tongue coating slickness of the beer I suspect it's a good dose of diacetyl. Diacetyl is usually a fermenation fault - underpitching, poor yeast health or racking/bottling too early are common causes. I got a touch of booziness, was the ABV very high? The finish is dry and the bitterness is assertive and the carbonation is spritzy, all spot on for style. A good stab at a Sparkling Ale, the only drawback being the diacetyl. Cheers.

13 - Muggus's Raunchy Scotsman. As previous posters have said, lively carbonation had this one jumping out of the glass with a careless pour. Colour was mid brown, clarity was excellent, head looked great. Aroma was of peat & rauch - whiskey & bacon, together at last! Unfortunately I suspect I've got a dodgy bottle. In the back of the aroma was some chlorophenolics. This was amplified in the taste, very strong bandaids into the finish. It's a shame, it was an interesting beer. Cheers.

15 - Jaffa from the Potters Crew - Reviewing from memory here. It was malty sweet up front, lots of melanoidins but dry into the finish. The wit yeast was an excellent counterpoint, with hints of orange popping out as the beer warmed. The balance was perfect, it finished dry and was so drinkable. Great example of a hybrid style, it worked for me. Cheers.

 

[Trent]

If anybody got my beer at the case swap day, can you please try it and make sure I havent sent out any bottle bombs? I wont get a chance to pick up my case at Mark's for another week, so I have no way of testing it myself.
Also, probably the best way to contact me from now on, including case swap reviews, will be to email me at [email protected]. I have been reading a few of the latest threads over the last few weeks (months), and I dont think I will be back. Obviously, thats just my opinion.
Anyone that wants my feedback on their case swap beer, or anything else, just email me! I'll be sure to reply.
Later, and thanks for the good times that were.
Trent

 

[Weizguy]

If anybody got my beer at the case swap day, can you please try it and make sure I havent sent out any bottle bombs? I wont get a chance to pick up my case at Mark's for another week, so I have no way of testing it myself.
Also, probably the best way to contact me from now on, including case swap reviews, will be to email me at [email protected]. I have been reading a few of the latest threads over the last few weeks (months), and I dont think I will be back. Obviously, thats just my opinion.
Anyone that wants my feedback on their case swap beer, or anything else, just email me! I'll be sure to reply.
Later, and thanks for the good times that were.
Trent

Trent,
Are you asking if Mark took your beer to the swap day, or if he kept it all?

He did take it along to the swap, but some missed out as they left before Mark arrived.

I will attempt your beer tonight, if I remember. There, it's in the fridge now.

 

[goatherder]

18 - Dick's Brown Porter - Poured dark brown with 2 fingers of creamy head, excellent clarity and ruby higlights when held up to the sun. Earthy hops, spicy esters are first on the nose, with some roasted malt in the background. Hops up front in the mouth, with some sweetness, falling away to biscuity malts with some choc malt dryness rounding it out. Medium body, fills the mouth but still leaves room for the next glass. Carbonation is moderate which gives a nice bite to the beer, working with the crisp bitterness to make it moreish. Overall, this beer is an absolute ripper. Yeast, malt & hops, all working together to create balance, yet each one standing out in it's own right. This beer has it all. I could drink it all night, magnificent drop thanks Dick.

 

[goatherder]

8 - Bennie's Munich Dunkel - Very dark brown, verging on opaque, nice sized tan head which laced all the way down. Very clean on the nose, a hint of spicy hop in front of the malt. Rich malty sweetness & toasty melanoidins in the mouth, the full body balancing well with some dryness into the finish. The bitterness is low, spot on for style, just providing enough support to the sweet maltiness to keep the beer in balance. I'm with Schooey, you are being way too hard on yourself. Exceptional beer thanks Bennie, flavoursome, balanced & quaffable. Cheers.

 

[Weizguy]

25 Trent - Topaz SMASH.

Bitey is my first impression. PC crashed when I posted my first lot of feedback for ths beer.

Grapefruit and malt in the aroma. then in the taste. Good balance, that I would like to achieve.

The beer is not fizzy, but pours with a fine, lasting bead. Aroma of grapefruit, like an Arrogant ale.

The bitterness chases the malt and fruit, then clean up and dries the beer.

A lingering bitey finish that I can only take one of. A big beer with historical claim to fame. I'm a bit jealous.

A balanced beer that cries out for Yankee caramel malts in the low colour range. That is my only criticism: that we can't buy the US malts to make this beer a true legend.

I hope these tastings are a bit of a guided tasting for our future beer judges.

Les out

 

[Keith the Beer Guy]

7. Scott's Schwarz

Loved the aroma. Roast, a hint of butterscotch sweetness, an intimation of black malt to come.
Initially I found the flavour to be a little restrained with a hint of oxidation and a bit of a bite from the dark malt. The magic came as this beer warmed.
A lightly roasted coffee flavour pleasantly supported by a sweetness that I am having trouble naming [its not toffee nor caramel nor butterscotch] came through; I also get a little vanilla.
The carbonation level does well to move the flavour around your mouth.
Very well lagered. Creamy lush mouth-feel that's a pleasure to swirl around. The smoothness is marvellous.

Thanks muchly,

Keith

 

[Benniee]

23. Gus - Sparkling Ale

I apologise Gus - I had been reviewing the case swap beers with a bit or a breakdown of aroma/appearance/flavor/mouthfeel but when I drank yours I was cooking dinner and didn't have anything to take notes with, so I'll work off my overall impressions of the beer (which is what everyone else seems to do)

The colour is a pale gold and clarity is very good once the beer warms slightly (initially I had a very slight chill haze). Carbonation is strong, which gave me a slightly sharp carbonic bite to the flavor early on. Hop bitterness is firm, but not over the top. I couldn't really pick out any hop aroma or flavor. I do get a bit of the slickness that Goathearder had mentioned, but interestingly enough if this is a bit of diacetyl I don't seem to pick any up in the aroma.

Very nice beer Gus, Thanks - it's just what I needed to end a Monday at work

Benniee

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 8. Benniee - Munich Dunkel
Date: 9th August 2010
Details: 750mL, gold cap 8, - OG 1.052 - 4.8% ABV - Wyeast 2308 Munich Lager - Bottled 27th June
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Quite a nice looking beer in the glass. Persistent ginger worth of creamy near-white head sits atop a ruby-bronze sort of body.

Nose is reasonably subdued. Toffee malts, some nuttiness and subtle roast. Hints of plum fruit and possibly herbaceous hop in the background.

The mouthfeel is most agreeable. Has quite a big malt body upfront, nice viscosity for a beer of this strength, with a soft carbonation. Dries out a touch on the finish, perhaps a touch soapy or chalky, but certainly not off-putting.

Sweet malts do their job on the body; chocolate, walnut, melanoidin-like burnt toffee and wood fire bread. Notes of dark fruit (plum) and a slight autolytic yeast note on the finish. Medium bitterness works well, a bit of hop flavour makes its way in there too.

Very much to my liking, and somehow seems all the more fitting on a cold winters evening. Has a good depth of flavour and a palate texture, and weight, that really keeps me coming back for more. Cheers Ben!

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 23. Gus - Sparkling Ale
Date: 9th August 2010
Details: 750mL, gold cap 23 Bottled 19/6/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Pours a beautifully clean yellow-gold body with a creamy inch of white foam that sticks around

Not a great deal of aroma. Cracker biscuit maltiness, Granny smith apple/cidery sort of note and some white pepper phenolics.

Lean palate with an active carbonation. Seems to get thicker towards the end of the bottle.

Light malt flavour on the body paves way for fruit esters of apple and pear, bit of dough and pepper in there too. Has a slight lactic twang on the finish to accompany a medium bitterness; yeast derived?

Refreshing drop. Have you used re-cultured Coopers yeast? Has a distinctive yeast influence. Cheers Gus.

 

[unterberg]

Beer: 23. Gus - Sparkling Ale
Date: 9th August 2010
Details: 750mL, gold cap "23 Bottled 19/6/2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Pours a beautifully clean yellow-gold body with a creamy inch of white foam that sticks around

Not a great deal of aroma. Cracker biscuit maltiness, Granny smith apple/cidery sort of note and some white pepper phenolics.

Lean palate with an active carbonation. Seems to get thicker towards the end of the bottle.

Light malt flavour on the body paves way for fruit esters of apple and pear, bit of dough and pepper in there too. Has a slight lactic twang on the finish to accompany a medium bitterness; yeast derived?

Refreshing drop. Have you used re-cultured Coopers yeast? Has a distinctive yeast influence. Cheers Gus.

I just had the same beer.
Beer: 23. Gus - Sparkling Ale
Had mine in a pilsner glass, served chilled to around 6C.

Great colour and very clear. High carbonation that fits well to the style. A bit low on hops aroma and a clean, dry malt profile. Its balanced but I would have liked more hops in that.
Thought I had a bit of a metallic taste in there somewhere that I couldnt quite pin-point.
Nice head that lasts and a warm sort of alcoholic taste to it which might be from the yeast used.
Would be a good session beer.

Overall a nice drop

 

[Brewman_]

15. Keith, Anthony & Jess.

Served chilled at around 5 Deg.C.
First glass poured very dark with a big solid off white head that dropped to about 7mm and lasted the entire glass. An obvious medium - high carbonation with plenty fizz.

Beatifully clear when held to the light.

Aroma, I am getting some light fruitiness, but not the orange for me. First taste very smooth, a little too cold, but as it warmed and the fizz dropped a little the malt flavours just got better and a little roastiness coming through.

Very nice, thanks for a great beer.

Steve

 

[Brewman_]

23. Gus Sparkling Ale.

Pours with a golden -amber colour with slight (Chill) haze and small white head. Haze dissipates with temperature rise. Aroma is quite fruity not over the top but distinct. Mouthfeel is medium to full and has a lingering bitterness and some caramel malt. I am not sure I can recognise Diacetyl, but maybe thats what I am picking up in the full mouth feel? This beer immediately reminds me of Coopers SA, this one is a bit more Malt dominated.

Good effort Gus.

Steve

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 21. Jordan Belgian Pale Ale
Date: 10th August 2010
Details: 750mL, gold cap 21, Wyeast 3655 Belgian Schelde, 5.8%, bottled 30th June 2010
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Copper-gold body with a bit of haze. Small off-white head persists.

The aroma of this beer really interests me; yeast-driven and quite unique with notes of sweet dough, blackcurrant, vanilla, apple, cinnamon, pepper and clove. Some biscuity malts and leafy hop sneak into the mix as well.

Nice creaminess on the palate, medium carbonation with a texture that starts sweet but dries out a fair bit towards the finish.

More complex yeast derived goodness on the body; vinous blackberry and blueberry among other dark fruits, vanilla, clove, peppery spice combine with sweet biscuity, caramelly malts. Finishes with a moderate-to-low bitterness, lingering woody dryness.

Found this beer most enjoyable. Havent used this yeast personally, but have come across a couple of homebrews that have used it, and have been astounded each time. This beer was no exception, not to mention very well balanced and drinkable. Great stuff Jordan, cheers!

 

[Muggus]

Beer: 18. Dick Brown Porter
Date: 10th August 2010
Details: 750mL, gold cap 18 Wyeast 1882PG Thames Valley Bottled 27 June 4.8%
Sampling Notes:
Served chilled in pint glass.

Deep ruby-brown body with beige head that slowly dissipates.

Subtle yet intriguing aroma; roasted malt, liquorice, and chocolate with notes of plum and ripe dark fruits.


Oily texture, medium-low carbonation with medium weight to the palate.

More liquorice on the body with woody roastiness and bitter chocolate in there, backed up by toffee sweetness, plummy esters and a floral hop note. Smooth finish and medium bitterness.

Very easy going and approachable porter. Flavour is nice but not overdone. Good work, cheers Dick.

 

[goatherder]

2. Loftboy - 'Call me Amber' (American Amber Ale. OG 1.050, US-05). It's amber all right. Excellent clarity, smallish head with plenty of staying power. Sweet toffee & caramel malts on the nose, balanced with some American hops. Plenty of piney hops in the mouth, malt sweetness, more toffee, a touch of bready yeast. Mouthfeel is soft & fullish, yet somehow there is crisp and dry into the finish. The bitterness is balanced and an excellent counterpoint to the malty sweetness. Carbonation is perfect, helping with the mouthfeel & balance. A ripper of a beer, I enjoyed every drop. Cheers.