My Education Into Beer Appreciation

[macr]

These are some I'd recommend as introductions to a wider range of beer. I'll keep it to beers I know you can get back home.

Abbey Dubbel - Chimay Red (Belgium)
Abbey Tripel - Tripel Karmeliet (Belgium)
Abt / Quadrupel - Rochefort 10 (Belgium)
Premium Lager - Crown Lager (NSW, Aus)

Gives you somewhere to start anyway

Well I bought the first three on the list today and 2x Premium Lager - Budejovicky Budvar instead of cats swill, I mean Crown Lager . So they may get sampled on the weekend as well. I saw a Zywiec there as well, but I don't know if it was a Porter. It looked like to light to be a porter going by the periodic table SRM 20~25.

 

[KoNG]

Abbey Dubbel - Chimay Red (Belgium)
Abbey Tripel - Tripel Karmeliet (Belgium)


Gives you somewhere to start anyway

Well I bought the first three on the list today and 2x Premium Lager - Budejovicky Budvar instead of cats swill, I mean Crown Lager . So they may get sampled on the weekend as well. I saw a Zywiec there as well, but I don't know if it was a Porter. It looked like to light to be a porter going by the periodic table SRM 20~25.

[post="61915"][/post]​

YUM...!! Chimay Rouge and Karmeliet are way up on the top of my fav's list
enjoy them.!! I've also go the karmeliet Glass.... gorgeous

 

[Borret]

Macr,

Your off to a flying start on the sampling, I am impressed. But have you spared anytime for a self crafted brew lately?

Cheers

Borret :blink:

 

[macr]

Borret, I have two beers fermenting, the standard Coopers' Pale ale with Brew enhancer 2 and the Thomas Cooper Australian Bitter, With Coopers' Liquid Light Malt and Challenger hops. Mark, thinks that this is a better version of Pale Ale, so I am trying both to see.

koNG, I have had the Karmeleit before, but can't remember what it was like and if it was one of the beers, that I enjoyed. I will soon find out though.

 

[Snow]

Well after this topic, I got all excited and went out and bought a couple I hadn't tried before- Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Ruddles County Ale (thanks for the tip, Ross). Now I have to admit I have never bought the Sam Adams before because it is American, it's a lager, and it has "America's Greatest Lager" written on the bottle - all warning flags, IMO. Well I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I was expecting a Pilsener style, but it was more of a Vienna lager, full bodied, with wonderful malty flavours and a really nice sweet/hoppy aroma. One of the rare lagers that improves as it warms up. I'll definitely get this one again. Does anyone know what yeast they use in this one?

The Ruddles County was a surprise, too. I was expecting your typical British bitter, with loads of EKG and crystal malt sweetness. It was actually quite dry (in a nice way) and the dominant hop aroma and flavour was quite strange and I couldn't really pick what variety it was. It was very enjoyable, but took me half a pint to get over the strange flavours in it. I think I'll need a few more to give a more thorough evaluation

Cheers - Snow.

 

[barfridge]

With the Belgians, temperature is really important. Dont drink it straight out of the fridge at 3-4 degrees, put them out on a bench for an hour or so, until they warm up to 10-12 degrees. That way you get the full range of flavours.

And glassware makes a difference as well. If you dont have the proper glass, try a goblet, chalice, brandy snifter or even a nice big red wine glass.

Sorry if I'm getting too beer nerdish, but these little things make the experience so much better.

 

[RobW]

Well after this topic, I got all excited and went out and bought a couple I hadn't tried before- Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Ruddles County Ale (thanks for the tip, Ross). Now I have to admit I have never bought the Sam Adams before because it is American, it's a lager, and it has "America's Greatest Lager" written on the bottle - all warning flags, IMO. Well I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I was expecting a Pilsener style, but it was more of a Vienna lager, full bodied, with wonderful malty flavours and a really nice sweet/hoppy aroma. One of the rare lagers that improves as it warms up. I'll definitely get this one again. Does anyone know what yeast they use in this one?

[post="61934"][/post]​

Snow, this is off the Wyeast site:

2124 Bohemian Lager Yeast. AKA 34/70
Probable origin: Weihenstephan, Germany
Beer Styles: Pilsners, Hellas, Dunkel
Commercial examples may include: Ayinger, Sam Adams, Stroh, Sudwerk
Unique properties: A Carlsberg type yeast and most widely used lager strain in the world. Produces a distinct malty profile with some ester character with a crisp finish. Well balanced profile produces a wide range of lager beers. Will ferment in the mid 40's to mid 50's for various beer styles. Benefits from diacetyl rest at 58 F (14 C) for 24 hours after fermentation is complete. Also used for pseudo ale production with fermentations at 75 F, (24 C) which eliminates sulfur production. Flocculation - medium; apparent attenuation 69-73%. (48-58 F, 9-14 C)

 

[macr]

A little bit more info, tohelp emulate

 

[macr]

I forgot to add a picture of my new acquisitions.

 

[Borret]

Hold on while I mop up my drool

 

[Ross]

The Ruddles County was a surprise, too. I was expecting your typical British bitter, with loads of EKG and crystal malt sweetness. It was actually quite dry (in a nice way) and the dominant hop aroma and flavour was quite strange and I couldn't really pick what variety it was. It was very enjoyable, but took me half a pint to get over the strange flavours in it. I think I'll need a few more to give a more thorough evaluation

Cheers - Snow.

[post="61934"][/post]​

Snow - according to the brewery:

Ruddles County has a light, inviting aroma of soft fruits and hops, and is a deep brown colour with warm, reddish tones. It is famed for its dry, bitter flavour, which comes from using the rare Bramling Cross hops. Many liken the flavour to burnt toffee and caramel which, when combined with the dry bitterness, gives a very pleasing taste. It really is the ultimate bitter-lovers' bitter.

 

[KoNG]

I forgot to add a picture of my new acquisitions.
View attachment 2827

[post="61948"][/post]​

NICE.. what a photo, looks like youve already got into half of each those Budvars!!
wish my local bottlo stocked karmeliet, they have the others in your shot but not the trippel... time to hit them up. B)

 

[Snow]

Thanks, Rob! Believe it or not, I actually have that yeast in my stock! I've only used it for bocks and oktoberfests so far. I'll have to give it a go again.

Ross, that's interesting info on the hops Ruddles use. It is certainly distinctive. I really liked it and was impressed that it tasted so good, even though it's bottled in clear (non-homebrewer friendly) glass.

- Snow

 

[Ross]

Ross, that's interesting info on the hops Ruddles use. It is certainly distinctive. I really liked it and was impressed that it tasted so good, even though it's bottled in clear (non-homebrewer friendly) glass.

- Snow

[post="61999"][/post]​

They make good yeast starter bottles with a bung & airlock...

 

[nonicman]

Ross, what are you experiences with Ruddles on tap. At the local Pig & Whistle they serve it from a sparkler, so it gets that thick creamy head which IMHO can thin a beer out a little and the head can suppress the aromas. Is it served as Real Ale or from a normal tap? I keep being drawn in for a pint, but each time feel a great beer is being suppressed by the sparkler (IMHO). It's like a cruel tease or is this as good as it gets?

edit: typo

edit: hope my old English teachers don't brew beer, typos

 

[Ross]

Ross, what are you experiences with Ruddles on tap. At the local Pig & Whistle they serve it from a sparkler, so it gets that thick creamy head which IMHO can thin a beer out a little and the head can suppress the aromas. Is it served as Real Ale or from a normal tap? I keep being drawn in for a pint, but each feel a great beer is being suppressed by the sparkler (IMHO). It's like a cruel tease or is this as go as it gets?

edit: typo

[post="62014"][/post]​

In Uk it's generally sold on handpump, so very little carbonation & definately no creamy head - the bottled version is very similar to the draft. I must give the draft version here a go, but I must admit I'm no fan of the sparkler system...

 

[Trent]

I have sen the Sam Adams boston lager for sale in quite a few bottlo's, but never the boston ale, which is what I prefer. Has anyone ever seen the Boston ale, or hasnt that made it out here with the lager? Seems a little odd if it hasnt. And that Ruddles County sounds like it could be something to try. Macr, did you notice if they had that at Corkers?
All the best
Trent

 

[macr]

I have sen the Sam Adams boston lager for sale in quite a few bottlo's, but never the boston ale, which is what I prefer. Has anyone ever seen the Boston ale, or hasnt that made it out here with the lager? Seems a little odd if it hasnt. And that Ruddles County sounds like it could be something to try. Macr, did you notice if they had that at Corkers?
All the best
Trent

No I did not notice that, but wouldn't take much to ring around and find out for you. If i remember, I will ring around, unless that is of course if the other Newcastle locals, don't pipe in first :beerbang:

 

[Jovial_Monk]

The Ruddles County used to be a fave drink of mine, now they make it with some ISO hop and it is blech! What a shame!

Jovial Monk

 

[Ross]

The Ruddles County used to be a fave drink of mine, now they make it with some ISO hop and it is blech! What a shame!

Jovial Monk

[post="62036"][/post]​

J M,

Are you refering to the imported bottles??