Mclaren Vale Ipa - Wow

[gravey]

like your lagers...

also back on topic.

The Vale IPA, when fresh, is a surprisingly nice drop. Especially when the rest of their range are very much "gateway" beers, ones designed to reach a wider market - especially "new" craft beer drinkers, in a similar vein to James Squire's range.

true, dont see the appeal of Vale Ale or the Dark Ale, its nothing special. The EXP Stout/Porter thing they did was pretty awesome though and the EXP Wheat Beer wasnt too shabby either, if only they'd have the balls to go full time with those beers rather than just doing small experimental batches.

 

[hsb]

like your lagers...

?

Haven't had this IPA, will check it out simply because it's Australian-made, despite being English and feeling the purple pain of loss to the awful Wallabies.

 

[sinkas]

You found it to be an EXCELLENT black IPA?
Really? At 4.5%ABV and ONLY 30 IBU's you call it IPA?

According to head brewer, Geoff Wright
VALE/DRK is an American Dark Lager, brewed using Pale, Munich, Crystal malts and Carafa roasted malt. It has a great malty backbone that is perfectly matched to the bitterness and flavours derived from the hops. The hops leave a perfect clean palate that will leave you wanting another glass.


VALE/DRK is 4.5% ABV, 30 IBU and uses Falconer's Flight hop from the US.

"VALE/DRK complements the other Vale beers that we produce for the beer fan looking for something different," Jeff Wright said

it drank like a Black IPA
I suspect this was possibly a special batch, as the bottled verison I have tasted was nothing like it,
I relasie you are probably new to craft beer and brewing and fidn commentry like you made really insightful, but despite appearances, I do know what I am talking about.

 

[gravey]

it drank like a Black IPA
I suspect this was possibly a special batch, as the bottled verison I have tasted was nothing like it,
I relasie you are probably new to craft beer and brewing and fidn commentry like you made really insightful, but despite appearances, I do know what I am talking about.

It was quite possibly the EXP (Experimental) Stout they did, which had a fair degree of hoppiness to it. Certainly wasn't to-style. Great beer.

 

[chunckious]

It was quite possibly the EXP (Experimental) Stout they did, which had a fair degree of hoppiness to it. Certainly wasn't to-style. Great beer.

Now that was a nice beer. Thnax Gravey, forgot about that one.

 

[gravey]

hoping they release it in the main lineup eventually. If you see a Vale Ale tap with EXP written on it, jump on it, so far the 2 I have tried (Stout and Wheat) have been crackers and far more interesting than the main lineup.

 

[Drew]

So...Truman or anyone else pull off a clone that they thought was good?

I'll be doing this brew in a few weeks. The Vale IPA is delicious.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

When the recipedb is back online, look for my "Lord Nelson Citra Cascading out of this Galaxy Pale Ale" - it's got Cascade in it, but really dominated by Citra more than anything.

Read the thread topic (when it's up) - it has a few variations on the theme - some by me, some by other brewers, and lots of helpful feedback from me and other brewers. I think Truman was one of the brewers giving good feedback.

I know the bloke who bought my kegs used Chinook instead of Cascade and reported some fine results for it as well. I reckon if you want to keep the fruitiness but cut the 'passiona' overload, Chinook is great. I'm finding it (and some of the other piney, resinousy descriptor hops) are an excellent foil to the fruity hops in making a well balanced beer with loads of flavour.

I've got 50kg of pilsener malt, an uncut 50L keg and no gas bottle. So I won't be able to remake it for a while (in fact I don't know what I'll make with all that pils malt), but when I do, I'll probably try out Mosaic as well in place of Nelson and make sure that Chinook has a say in there as well.

Goomba

 

[Dave70]

Picked one up last night at BWS (I must admit they're improving) and wow, fruity hoppy goodness! This beer was just what I like.

Anyone pick the 3 hops they use?

The what?! You could make this beer from 100% dex and wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

As for the aroma being bolted onto the "standard yellow and fizzy Aussie fare" I think you might need to go buy a 4 pack to refresh your memory Bum.

And here I was thinking this was a good beer because I enjoyed it, thought it tasted good and smells great. And would be very happy to brew something like this myself.

Aside from those saying "it isn't an IPA" and little else, the only specific complaint that has been made about this beer is that it isn't malty enough.

Tried this tonight and was impressed.

I love this beer, particularly the stone fruit characteristics.

Bought a 4 pack of this stuff last night and gave the rest to my old man after trying to finish 1 bottle.

The Vale IPA, when fresh, is a surprisingly nice drop. Especially when the rest of their range are very much "gateway" beers, ones designed to reach a wider market - especially "new" craft beer drinkers, in a similar vein to James Squire's range.

Yep, subjective bickering is what makes the internet awesome. But I think the I's have it.
And what in the blue **** is a "gateway'' beer? Will it lead me to drinking rum and shoplifting?

For my 2c, I found Vale to be better than some beers and worse than others.

 

[stakka82]

I've got 50kg of pilsener malt, an uncut 50L keg and no gas bottle.

If you were McGyver, you could build a microbrewery with that...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

If you were McGyver, you could build a microbrewery with that...

I don't have a mullet for starters.

Though fat, overweight middle age women do find me attractive....

 

[fletcher]

i made a recipe 'similar' to this and am tasting it now after 2 weeks but i think my citra hops are too over-powering. that and the taste is almost there but needs a slight grain and hop adjustment and i'll get much closer. definitely more hops needed for me as i feel the ibu is too low (or at least subdued) due to bottling. recipe is here if anyone cares - http://sexyfuntimebrewing.weebly.com/foveaux-street-ipa.html

i'll see how it is in a few weeks but also look to change to pale malt instead of pilsner, add more munich (i'd run out), and add a LOT more hops (but less citra respectively).

 

[Bizier]

And what in the blue **** is a "gateway'' beer? Will it lead me to drinking rum and shoplifting?

I am glad I found this comment Dave. You just made my night.

 

[scon]

Odd - I picked up a four pack of this on the weekend and was not impressed at all. Had a sweet, caramelly malt taste to it and not much hop flavour at all. Maybe I got a bad fourpack.

 

[vortex]

Odd - I picked up a four pack of this on the weekend and was not impressed at all. Had a sweet, caramelly malt taste to it and not much hop flavour at all. Maybe I got a bad fourpack.

Old stock.

 

[waggastew]

Went to a beer night a few months back and Vale IPA was one of the beers. Turned out to be a year old, all malt, flabby etc. This beer needs to b fresh.

 

[fletcher]

Went to a beer night a few months back and Vale IPA was one of the beers. Turned out to be a year old, all malt, flabby etc. This beer needs to b fresh.

very true.

 

[Dave70]

I am glad I found this comment Dave. You just made my night.

That's what she said..

HIYOOOOOOO!..

 

[Droopy Brew]

I had tried the IPA in Melbourne a few months ago on tap and thought it was a damn fine drop.
Was down on the Gold Coast earlier this week and one of the restaurants had the PA which was not too bad- standard Pale Ale fare.
Then I saw they had a Vale Lager on tap and despite not being much of a Lager drinker I gave it a go. WOW that is one good beer. Not sure on the Hops they are using as I am relatively new to the brewing game but it had a distinct Grapefruit flavour and was absolutely crystal clear. It has got me interested in giving a Lager a go now.

 

[GalBrew]

I had tried the IPA in Melbourne a few months ago on tap and thought it was a damn fine drop.
Was down on the Gold Coast earlier this week and one of the restaurants had the PA which was not too bad- standard Pale Ale fare.
Then I saw they had a Vale Lager on tap and despite not being much of a Lager drinker I gave it a go. WOW that is one good beer. Not sure on the Hops they are using as I am relatively new to the brewing game but it had a distinct Grapefruit flavour and was absolutely crystal clear. It has got me interested in giving a Lager a go now.

I got a 4 pack of the lager upon its release from my local uncle Dan's only to find it was skunked. I have never had a skunked beer in my life, other than in a beer faults session but there you go. Might have to try again.