James Squires Malt Runner

[Dazza_devil]

I scored a sixpack of this late yesterday and polished off 3 of them last night. Delicious drink for a cool Tasmanian evening, loved the upfront roasty chocolate flavour and I thought the cherry was done to perfection (hardly detectable but teasingly there in the finish). Went down very easy, now to find something nice and complimentary to eat with the 3 that's left. Suggestions?

 

[argon]

I scored a sixpack of this late yesterday and polished off 3 of them last night. Delicious drink for a cool Tasmanian evening, loved the upfront roasty chocolate flavour and I thought the cherry was done to perfection (hardly detectable but teasingly there in the finish). Went down very easy, now to find something nice and complimentary to eat with the 3 that's left. Suggestions?

Admittedly i've only had the one so far, but i was left underwhelmed. I definitely agree with your assessment of flavours, but i was somehow expecting something a little more special. I let it warm up in the pint glass after the first sip and didn't really detect much cherry, which i though twas a good thing (for me), very subdued. Thought it was a bit of a dry finish, not enough full, sweet mouthfeel for me. Got the impression that it had been thinned out quite a bit. Just don't think that JS let go on this one... very restrained for a seasonal release.

Will just have review the rest of the six pack then see if a couple in a row makes a difference.

 

[Maple]

Admittedly i've only had the one so far, but i was left underwhelmed. I definitely agree with your assessment of flavours, but i was somehow expecting something a little more special. I let it warm up in the pint glass after the first sip and didn't really detect much cherry, which i though twas a good thing (for me), very subdued. Thought it was a bit of a dry finish, not enough full, sweet mouthfeel for me. Got the impression that it had been thinned out quite a bit. Just don't think that JS let go on this one... very restrained for a seasonal release.

Will just have review the rest of the six pack then see if a couple in a row makes a difference.

I went the other day to try it out at the portland, what I was expecting, and what I tasted didn't align. It is a nice beer, a good gateway beer forsure. some really good flavours in there, and well crafted. now seriously, this could be an outstanding beer - but - it really came across as if it was de-tuned. sorta like a ferrari running a magna engine type analogy. Whether for excise/tax reasons or general market appeal, this is the direction it seems to have gone. I did have a second pint, and would have gone again, but time didn't permit.

I'd say, try it for yourselves and see what you think. always good to hear how people's pref's compare to others...

 

[Dazza_devil]

The beer is good for what it is and not for what it's not. Sure it could of been something else but I appreciated it for what it is. Personally I thought it was a good example for a limited release because it's something I would only try once but not drink regularly. Really looking forward to the next Mad Brewers release as well.
I'm still lost to come up with something to accompany the ale food-wise.

 

[beerbrewer76543]

I cracked open a bottle of this last night and it seemed rather lack luster compared to a couple of nights ago when I had it off the tap... Anyone else reckon the bottle quality isn't so good?

 

[Dazza_devil]

All the James Squire's beers that I have had the pleasure of drinking from the tap left me underwhelmed with the bottled versions. I wish I could of been left with that opinion on the Malt Chaser but the kegs are over 350kms away.

 

[AlphaOne]

Admittedly i've only had the one so far, but i was left underwhelmed. I definitely agree with your assessment of flavours, but i was somehow expecting something a little more special. I let it warm up in the pint glass after the first sip and didn't really detect much cherry, which i though twas a good thing (for me), very subdued. Thought it was a bit of a dry finish, not enough full, sweet mouthfeel for me. Got the impression that it had been thinned out quite a bit. Just don't think that JS let go on this one... very restrained for a seasonal release.

Will just have review the rest of the six pack then see if a couple in a row makes a difference.

I found the Cherry character pretty intense! Didn't notice it was brewed with cherry at first and was baffled how they got so much cherry character in it. After reading the label, things made more sense.
Besides, when has JS ever really let go? Don't forget it's a subsidiary of a Japanese mega-brewer.

 

[Mercs Own]

I had a pint of this last night at JS in Russel street - unfortunately I was drinking it in the company of Dave Edney (brewer at JS) and Tony Jones - cheif brewer Malt Shovel. Well I shouldnt say unfortunately as they are both top blokes and terrific brewers and they bought me a beer or two - thanks guys! I cant say I was jumping up and down about the beer, there was a nice complex malt character but the over riding aroma and flavour for me was espresso. It could have been the bitterness coming from the cocoa in the beer or from some of it's roasted malts. Once I let the beer warm up the chocolate character came through a little more however I couldnt get away from the espresso type aroma and flavour in the beer. I wondered wether I was getting some cherry pip aroma but they used cherry concentrate and no pips in the beer. As for the cherry flavour there was absolutely none and no sweetness in the beer either. Which makes me wonder why bother with using the cherry?

We all have our own tatse thresholds so I was and wasnt surprised to read B_chan thought the cherry flavour was so intense.

They are serving the beer too cold. If no one told me there was cherry in it I probably wouldnt have known rather I would have thought it was made with espresso coffee shots and cocoa.

Nothing wrong with it but I wouldnt go out of my way to have another.

The Speculator on the other hand is a beer worth travelling miles for....and I did!

 

[Fourstar]

They are serving the beer too cold. If no one told me there was cherry in it I probably wouldnt have known rather I would have thought it was made with espresso coffee shots and cocoa.

Maple, Brendo and myself all came to the same conclusion when we went for a pint. Personally i could easily detect the cherry component although if i didnt know it was cherry i probaably would say it was cherry (probaably because my palate is confused by Lambic Cherry flavours).

Rather than looking for a sweet sherberty cherry flavour you get from a kriek lambic its more-so like a deep stewed cherry falvour thats quite lingering in the finish. As for the malt profile, we all thaught it was somewhat thin bodied and lacking some decent complexity to compliment the cherry component. The more it warmed, the better it got. It did have some toasty notes to it but the feeling overall was it was trying to make up for not being a high alcohol bock by using judicious amounts of specialty malts instead.

Did you try the 150 lashes? I felt it was abit lackluster too. <_<

 

[Mercs Own]

Didnt get to the 150 lashes - after the Malt Runner I had a Speculator and then a Porter followed by a Speculator and a uhm..... :chug:

 

[daemon]

Picked up a 6 pack today. While worth tasting (there were some nice Munich malt flavours), the bottles taste a bit oxidised (carboardy) and there is the distinctive (lack of) character obtained from the use of Tooheys yeast. It had potential and I can only imagine it would have been much better if brewed at Camperdown rather than at SAB Adelaide.

Bought a six pack and tried a few tonight, unfortunately the distinctive Toohey's yeast flavour was more distinctive than the cherry. The beer is also very thin, almost to the point where it's as watery as megaswill lager. The bit of choc flavour that's there is very nice however, to me it's a beer that could have been great but fell short of the line. I would have thought they'd go a little bit more adventurous for this seasonal, maybe I'll have to try an "enhanced clone" to show them how to do it right

Thankfully I'm now enjoying the New Norcia Abbey Ale which shows that Malt Shovel can go all the way and create a great craft beer when they try.

 

[jakub76]

Firstly I think it's a big, brave move using cherry essence - good on them for going all 'off-centre'...thanks Dogfish Head.

Initially a coffee aroma. Medium body. Roasted coffee flavour melds smoothly into a roasty, subdued sour-cherry after-taste.

It took me 3 days to track down this beer and perhaps it was that undue anticipation that left me underwhelmed, the 'star wars effect'? Remember how disappointing the prequel trilogy was? Anyway, big ups for keeping it interesting and I'm sure sales will be strong thanks to the awesome brand marketing.

 

[Bubba Q]

can anyone advise where this is available in melbourne?

1st choice have told me that they havent reiceved their allocation yet and dan murpheys have told me that they dont even know when it is coming into stock

 

[bum]

I got it at Uncle Dan's today in Frankston.

I'm not a big consumer of cherry in any form so the subtleties might be lost on me but I have to say it is definitely not forward enough to be so prominently noted on the label. Perhaps it was a typo and they meant sherry? Alc is very warm for a beer of this abv.

 

[dgilks]

Bought a six pack and tried a few tonight, unfortunately the distinctive Toohey's yeast flavour was more distinctive than the cherry. The beer is also very thin, almost to the point where it's as watery as megaswill lager. The bit of choc flavour that's there is very nice however, to me it's a beer that could have been great but fell short of the line. I would have thought they'd go a little bit more adventurous for this seasonal, maybe I'll have to try an "enhanced clone" to show them how to do it right

Thankfully I'm now enjoying the New Norcia Abbey Ale which shows that Malt Shovel can go all the way and create a great craft beer when they try.

There is a very big difference between those beers produced at Camperdown and those produced at SAB. Camperdown (IPA, Porter, Sundowner [for now], New Norcia Abbey Ale and all seasonals and Mad Brewers releases except Malt Runner) produces good beers. Golden Ale, Amber Ale and Pilsner were all good beers while they were being produced at Camperdown. Unfortunately, SAB (Golden, Amber, Pilsner, Malt Runner and soon to be Sundowner) has changed the recipes and dumbed them down a bit. The Golden has moved to a combination of Super Pride and Amrillo with noticeably less hop character, Amber seems less intense, Pilsner moved from a Czech Pilsner yeast to the Tooheys yeast (as it is the only lager yest SAB uses) and Malt Runner was made there with the Tooheys yeast. I suppose what I am getting at is that Malt Shovel can make some good beers, they just have to be made at Malt Shovel, under the eyes of the Malt Shovel brewers and using the Malt Shovel ingredients and formulations.

 

[goatherder]

There is a very big difference between those beers produced at Camperdown and those produced at SAB. Camperdown (IPA, Porter, Sundowner [for now], New Norcia Abbey Ale and all seasonals and Mad Brewers releases except Malt Runner) produces good beers. Golden Ale, Amber Ale and Pilsner were all good beers while they were being produced at Camperdown. Unfortunately, SAB (Golden, Amber, Pilsner, Malt Runner and soon to be Sundowner) has changed the recipes and dumbed them down a bit. The Golden has moved to a combination of Super Pride and Amrillo with noticeably less hop character, Amber seems less intense, Pilsner moved from a Czech Pilsner yeast to the Tooheys yeast (as it is the only lager yest SAB uses) and Malt Runner was made there with the Tooheys yeast. I suppose what I am getting at is that Malt Shovel can make some good beers, they just have to be made at Malt Shovel, under the eyes of the Malt Shovel brewers and using the Malt Shovel ingredients and formulations.

Spot on - look for the "15" code on the bottle near the best before date, this indicates it's brewed at Camperdown. A three digit code indicates it's produced at one of the LN megafactories, more than likely SAB. A year or two back the Pilsner was brewed at Camperdown for a while, it was glorious. It won best pilsner at the world beer cup in 2008 even. Now it's back at SAB and awful again.

 

[whitegoose]

I must admit reading this thread I was amazed at how negative some people were, and decided it must be an example of how people get an idea in their head about a brewery and their opinion of beer is swayed by their preconceptions... After trying their Hop Thief I was pumped for this beer...

I was astoundingly disappointed. Aroma - I get... not much. Flavour - I get not much. Mouthfeel... it feels... tired. Not terrible, just really underwhealming in every aspect.

 

[bum]

Aroma - I get... not much.

I disagree with this. The aroma seemed a lot bigger than the beer itself. I could smell it a few away just after dinner, with the heater blasting nearby, etc. The only problem with that was that this magnified the other disappointments you describe that I agree with completely - it had me expecting an interesting beer.

 

[probablynathan]

I have been pestering the local bottleshops trying to get a case but they are all telling me the Tasmanian alocation has been delayed and decreased. After reading this tread I'm wondering if it's worth the efort. I'll keep trying though as I have missed out on past seasonals.

Any one in tas got there hands on any?

 

[brendanos]

My sales pitch: Pours a brilliant brown with blood red highlights and a fine tan head. Vibrant nose of cherry cola & roasty & caramel malts are reminiscent of a fine Dusseldorf Altbier. Bitter chocolate and sarsparilla round out the palate while the finish is decidely dry and moreish.