1) brendanos - Pearl Harbour - 4.1% - Bottle Conditioned - Best After 20/12/10
WW 26/12 (well the label said wait until after 25/12!) - Appearance as you would expect for a wheat beer. Slight hiss on opening the Coke bottle lid however beer doesn't seem undercarbed as I anticipated. Aroma is what I'd describe as minty. Didn't find it offensively bitter but certainly front of mouth and flavour is also similar to aroma - minty/lemons. Not a style I'm familiar with but guessing this example falls in the outer extremities of the guidelines
I still found it quite refreshing on yet another Perth scorcher. Cheers.
jyo-4/1 Lemon and lime aroma. Lime and grapefruit flavours to the bitter end. I'm guessing this is from the Sorachi Ace(?) really interesting hop. Some honey malt sweetness. Great persistent head, great carbonation. This went down a treat on a near 40 degree day. Cheers, mate.
MC - Aroma was quite subdued given the hopburst used. Doughy aroma with lemon/orange oil; the kind of fruit aroma that you get from confectionary or fancy soap rather than from actual fruit. Bitterness was certainly challenging, but it was forty degrees on Christmas so it was actually quite welcome. Thanks for the introduction to a hop which I haven't tried before.
whitegoose 04/01 - Wow! I had no idea what to expect from this beer, other than offensive bitterness. The aroma completely baffled me, but once I sipped, the big flavours I got were lemon zest/pith, then grapefruit, then pine. As the beer warmed the aroma changed to become dominated by sweet citrus. This beer really was offensively bitter, but I forgave it and we became friends.
2) Malty Cultural - Rye Curious - 4.4% - Bottle Conditioned - Ready Now.
jyo- 31/12- Poured a pale, slightly murky yellow. Immediate aroma was of subtle lantana bush (this is the first thing that came to mind) and fruity hops; really pleasant. I think I'm a rye convert. This beer has an extra dimension that I can't put my finger on. Great mouth feel, and hop balance is excellent.
Fantastic beer, cheers.
Doogiechap- 24/1- JYO has read my notes before I had written them.... Poured murky with low carbonation with a nice balanced level of NS aroma (I don't like this hop when used excessively). This was my first foray into Rye and the mouthfeel was amazing, hard to put a finger in what way. Almost oily but not slick and unpleasant. Bitterness was subdued but kept things balanced. Really enjoyed the complexity that the rye brought into this drop. Thanks for sharing MC !!
brendanos - drank this in December without notes but thought I'd comment out of respect! Lovely rich mouthfeel in a clean fruity beer with nice hop character, a bit of nuttiness and good balance. Shared with friends and it was well received by all.
stewac01 23/2 - pours murky yellow with a creamy head. Vibrant candy hop aromas upfront; pineapple, frosty fruit and orange sherbert. Spicy and slightly earthy rye balances the hops, giving a definite peppery spiciness and the expected full and oily mouthfeel. Finish is dry, with an almost tannic bitterness. Really surprised and impressed with the balance, overall it was surprisingly drinkable and very enjoyable. I feel like I learned something tonight, thanks!!
3) NME - Another Galaxy - 5.3% - Force Carbed - Ready to Drink.
stewac01 12/12 - aromas of tropical fruit esters over a light malt character. clean and easy malt flavours with some honey sweetness, and more fruit-salad character. bitterness was higher than i expected, but with the relatively low carbonation made this real easy drinking. thanks!
Appearance- clear pale, gold. Aroma- subdued hop aroma. Taste- well balanced, leaning more to a hop orientated beer. Some slight metallic hop character. Finishes clean and crisp.
A nice, refreshing beer. Great work.
jyo- 14/12- Appearance- clear pale, gold.
Aroma- subdued hop aroma.
Taste- well balanced, leaning more to a hop orientated beer. Some slight metallic hop character. Finishes clean and crisp.
A nice beer. Cheers.
whitegoose 25/12: I loved this beer! Oranges and passionfruit everywhere - I thought there was plenty of aroma, but the fruit was all in th floavour for me. Fairly bitter, nice and crisp.
MC 31/12 - Hops front and centre all the way through this one, with plenty of passionfruit and pineapple. Bitterness was probably a bit high for my tastes, but not OTT. Aggressively hopped, but still enjoyable. Thanks NME.
brendanos 7/2 - High fruity esters dominate aroma, some tropical hop character too. Fruitiness much more yeast derived than any typical Galaxy character. High carbonation. Yeasty flavour with esters, a salty, playdough like breadiness. Tart with a sharp mouthfeel, rough bitterness & a sweet/sour impression. Overall unbalanced with some offputting yeast character indicative of poor yeast management/hot ferment (possibly too long on yeast cake or just not looked after?)
4) sinkas - The Rose Garden of Mystery -IPA- 6.8% - Bottle Conditioned - Best late Jan 2011 (Edit probably ok by end dec)
sinkas: Higly carbed, and very pleaseing onthe nose, unusual on the palate, one sip dry the next thick and sweet, overall seemd underbittered, but yete suprisingly drinkable, ring of white material in neck a little alarming, possibly jus tthe 1968 sticking upthere, or is it a nasty?
whitegoose 20/12: Yes very carbonated, big persistent off-white head. Deep hazy golden amber colour. Nose was obviously big and hoppy, with a bit of meady sweetness. Tasted absolutely spectacular. I really, really, really enjoyed it. The big bitterness was there but it was completely neutralised by the sweet malts. Full bodied (thick and sweet). Overall impression was "awesome". I could have drank 6 more.
stewac01 15/12: also really enjoyed this - great depth of flavour, layered malt character with caramel, toast and vanilla, big floral hops throughout and assertive bitterness to finish. thanks!
jyo- 28/12- Highly carbonated, had to let settle for awhile.
Beautiful aroma. Fantastic colour.
I loved this beer. Hoppy, great malt to support this and it has an earthy smokiness to itreally moreish. It was hard to believe this was 60IBU's the balance was perfect. Could've easily gone another bottle.
Cheers, John.
WW 6/1/11 - Some Co2 carbonic bite and malty, toffee undertones. Some alcohol warming/harshness is evident on the palette with an aroma of toffee and pears and perhaps a little acetaldehyde coming through. I didn't find this as big as 60IBU and thought of it more as a big american pale ale instead rather than an IPA.
MC 04/02 - I'll admit that my ideal beer is 4%-5% and evenly balanced, so this one was hard work for me. Massive, dense head and a huge, hoppy punch in the nose. Carbonation was extremely vigorous. Big, malty backbone supporting a hop assault. There was also something in there which reminded me of ginger. A very interesting beer, even for a non-hophead.
brendanos 13/2 - murky orange with red highlights. Aroma of rose water, pot pouri, heavy caramel (worthers originals?), ufo lollipops, sherbert, solventy alcohol notes. High carbonation lifts malty fullness, nice rich hop bitterness which is quite smooth & pleasant. Balance is malty with hot/solventy alcohol & carbonation balancing it out moreso than bitterness. A little too fizzy & malt heavy for my taste.
5) CDJ - Black Bull Marzen - 5.4% - Bottle Conditioned - Ready to Drink.
MC: Clear amber with a good thick head which settled down to about 1cm and then went the distance. Toasted "husky" aroma and a grainy, sweet malt flavour with just enough bitterness for balance. A good beer now and a touch less crystal or more attenuation would make it even better (for my tastes). Very enjoyable, thanks CDJ.
jyo 24.1 Sweet, grainy aroma and subtle hops. Fantastic colour. Perfect balance, some slight warming alcohol notes. I could drink this all day. Awesome beer, cheers.
Brendanos 12/2 Opaque orange with lovely gold highlights. Attractive. Low white head with good retention. Lovely melanoidin rich malt aroma with a german impression (toasty, bread crust) with a good dose of fruity noble hop aroma. Instantly recognisable as a Marzen good work! Smooth creamy malt palate with modest malt flavours similar to aroma honey, bread crust. Hop flavour moderate but bitterness light, smooth & just enough to balance malt sweetness. Well balanced malt/hop/alc with a medium carbonation & a touch of hot alcohol in flavour and finish. Overall a really nice beer & a good fresh hoppy & balanced example of style. After a marathon session of tasting & note writing this is the beer I wanted to drink afterwards - thanks CDJ for a lovingly crafted, quality beer!
6) Goat - Hello my name is Beer - APA 100% Amarillo with 3g/L dry hopped in the keg - 6.5% ish - Force Carbed - as ready to drink as its ever going to be
brendanos 7/12 - Wow! This reminds me of a bygone Squire Golden... on steroids. Lovely golden beer with an ever persistant fluffy white head & a slight chill haze that fades to reveal a beautifully clear attractive ale. Clean malt flavour with loads of hop flavour, aroma & bitterness - well balanced and highly drinkable. A little salty. When I close my eyes & inhale deeply I conjure pine needles, caramel fudge & passionfruit. Awesome. Also reminds me of BrewDog's Hardcore IPA! Thanks again Linc -I think your beer will be another case highlight for me.
jyo 9/12- Appearance- cloudy deep golden/rusty Head- white lovely, tight, fluffy head. Great retention. Good lacing.
Aroma- decidedly American- tropical fruit, mangoes
Taste- well balanced. Finishes with residual malt sweetness. Some sweet caramel flavours. Some alcohol notes. My head is buzzing now
Very enjoyable beer. Great job, mate.
Asher 15/12 Greeted by beautiful chromatic light mosaic possibly from the hopy oily slick on the top of my glass. Little head. (Mine being slightly under carbed I think). Honey malts on the nose and pineapple fruit punch flavours. Substantial hop bittering quickly follows although doesn't linger long as its swallowed up by some residual caramels. A very drinkable and inviting beer. Nice work Linc.
Kook 17/12 - Deep bronzed golden colour, little short on the head, but doesn't detract from the beer. Huge tropical fruit bouquet, with some caramel to back it up. Flavour is surprisingly sweet, but not cloying. Lovely sherbet notes, with a huge hop flavour and assertive bitterness. Very moreish, nice one! Awesome label is just a bonus.
WW 22/12 - Nice work Linc. Love the pineapple from the Amarillo it's such a great hop. Sweetness from the Amarillo is complimented by some bitterness which is quite front of mouth and just enough malt backbone to support it. Good lacing on the glass as I type this and the head persists through the beer. Clarity is clear to brilliant (well the first glass anyway!) and set off by bronze tones. Would love another one.
MC 23/12 - All of the above. A luscious flavour assault. Thanks Linc.
7) O'Henry - Farmhouse Ale - 4.5% - Bottle Conditioned - Drink Immediately.
Jyo-Appearance- Poured a murky, lovely pale-golden. Thin head that tried to dissapear the whole glass.
Carbonation- I expected a little more, though I am only just getting to know this style.
Aroma- bubblegum, banana, fresh cut grass. Very appealing.
Taste- Starts off with some bubblegum, finishes dry and effervescent on the tongue like I know it should. The dryness made my mouth water and begged another sip. I really enjoyed this beer. Good work, great beer.
One down- BTW I can't count and left with only 22 beers so there will be two that I can't comment on.Cheers, John.
stewac01 13/12 - really enjoyed this, nice belgian yeast aromatics - banana, bubblegum and pears with some honey and vanilla sweetness. Starts slightly sweet before soft and gently carbonation cuts through to a clean, dry and refreshing finish. hint of plastic flavour and saltiness in the middle but it adds to the rustic charm. thanks ben
whitegoose 15/12 - sweet pears and white peaches in the aroma, very familiar - I'm sure I've had a steam beer that smelled very similar. Poured murky with a nice solid head that lasted for the whole glass. Very carbonated. I got a bit of Sarsaparilla in the background, very refreshing, and a lingering bitterness. Yum.
WW - I tried this a week or so ago and have lost my notes, however I do recall this beer being as described and to style. Not to mention an enjoyable drop whilst I was brewing a large batch of IPA in 35 degree heat.
MC 18/12 - Big fluffy head releases sweet doughy aromas. Poached pears and spice aplenty with just a touch of varnish (enough for character, not a fault). Had it with pad thai and loved it.
brendanos 18/12 - Moderate pleasant fruity esters, a little enteric in aroma, really dry finish with a lingering bitterness & yeasty saltiness. Refreshing & rustic, I'm charmed by it's baked bean notes & love how dry & fruity it is. Thanks!
8) clay - Dirty Red - 5.2% - Bottle Conditioned - Bottle Hard probably ready???
MC 21/01 - Firstly, another truly professional label from Clay, although I question the wisdom of a sunbathing ranga. Poured slightly hazy, deep mahogany. Plenty of carbonation and a beautiful, creamy head. Definitely a malt-forward beer - toasty and husky with a slight brown sugar flavour. There's a fruitiness in there too, but the hops are in the background with this beer so maybe it's from the yeast? Very nice.
Jyo 19.1- Beautiful colour. Smoky, earthy. Great head and lacing. Mellow bittering hops lean this beer towards the toasty malt characters. Lovely beer.
brendanos 15/3 - Lovely deep orange/amber with gold & red highlights. Low offwhite head with good retention. Aroma smokey, meaty, roasty, nutty, burnt sugar. Medium dry with pleasant smooth malt fullness & toasty flavours. Pleasant mouthfeel, with a dry, soft moderately bitter finish, afterbitter a little sharp & lingering. Some medicinal & smokey flavours linger.
9) ausdb - Not Special Bitter - Bottle Conditioned on 4/12/10 - Leave at least 2 Weeks.
WW 21/12 - Nice work Dazza. Some nice I assume UK hops happening here give a front of mouth bitterness though supported by some caramel notes from the malt. For a bottle conditioned beer I must admit I poured the entire bottle and hardly noticed any sediment so not sure how you achieved that. I did detect some diacetyl but only subtle and didn't detract from a solid beer. Probably a little on the high side of bitterness for me for this style but certainly an enjoyable beer.
jyo 6/1- Gushed out of the bottle. Poured with masses of chunky particles. Unfortunately, this bottle is infected. Vegemite aromas and flavours. What a shame, I was really looking forward to this.
whitegoose 25/01 - Yep, this one was definitely infected as well. Big chuncky chunks, taste almost burned my mouth - sorry, I wish I had the bottle that WW got!!
brendanos - 7/2 - Wow. Sorry in advance Daz. Bandaids. Public swimming pool (chlorine? chlorophenols? salty yeast character?). Flavour was malty with some biscuit and caramel notes, jammy English hop notes & some esters but unfortunately the phenolic aroma was too offensive for me to persist. Possibly infected, possibly also poor yeast management. Autolytic notes.
MC 09/02 - Bugger. Bandaids and hospital corridors. Your offerings from previous swaps have always been good, so I was looking forward to this one. On the plus side, it served as an education into some off flavours which I hadn't encountered before.
10) Vlad - 80/- Bottled 20/11/10
MC - Poured without a head and had a slightly oily look with slow rising bubbles. Some toffee up front followed by roastiness (or is that the smokiness which is typical for the style?). Finished with a slightly earthy flavour. I probably should have saved this for a cooler day!
jyo 5/1- Deep red, fantastic colour. Thin head. Floral hop aroma. Rich, earthy aromas and flavours, smokey, great malt character. Smooth mouthfeel. Thoroughly enjoyed this, what a standout beer.
Cheers.
brendaos 13/2 toffee, burnt caramel, lightly smokey, stewed fruit (plums?), butter. Malt oriented with low bitterness & just a hint of roast/smokiness. Smooth, light body, slick, malty. Medium carbonation. Seems very much to style but for some reason reminds me a lot of extract beer (tho mouthfeel & balance are definitely much more classy). Probably very well brewed & would/should maybe respect the beer a lot more if only I had drunk more traditional Scottish beer. Drinkable nonetheless & I find myself going back for another sip, and another, and.... etc. For some reason the vinegar flies love this one to pieces.
stewac01 22/2 - lovely mahogany colour. Subdued aromas of nutty malts, dark caramel, butterscotch and a hint of smokiness. Flavour was much fuller, earthy and toasty with lots of toffee and some shortbread. Smooth and slick mouthfeel with low carbonation and light bitterness. Enjoyable and really well balanced, thanks!
11) jyo - Fallen Down Yankee red - 6.1% - Bottle Conditioned - DRINK NOW 3 MONTHS OLD!!!
brendanos 14/12 - moderate sharp/pointy bitterness, burnt caramel, woody, earthy, loads of stemmy cascade aroma & flavour. Moderate acetaldehyde (sweet green apple) in aroma & flavour. A little bit smokey & cordial-ly. Xmas cherry, apricot & violet notes. Use of smoother bittering hops or some work on your water profile to soften the hops would improve drinkabilty.
12) Doogiechap - Kolsch - 5.2% - Bottle Conditioned - Wait till 2011
MC 15/01 - Awesomely awesome. The very act of lifting the bottle from the fridge caused the yeast to swirl upwards, so I was pleasantly surprised when it poured a brilliantly clear gold (the last third of the bottle was a different story!). Weizen-like head and carbonation. I have never tried a true Kolsch, but I have heard of the vinous characteristic which they are supposed to have. Well, this beer had it in spades! Winey aroma and flavour in an otherwise very clean and perfectly balanced beer. Delicious and very refreshing, I hope you have posted the recipe.
jyo- 25.1 Highly carbonated, tried to rush out of the bottle. Poured a lovely pale gold. Slight horsey aroma. Dry finish, winey tartness. Refreshing beer, Cheers.
brendanos 7/2 - Granny smith apple aroma, pineapple, banana bread. Bready & toasty flavour, very dry & tart with high carbonation & a coarse mouthfeel. Became overwhelming & too tart/appley after a while. Sorry Doug, thanks for sharing! A cleaner ferment and softer finish (lower carb, more malt fullness to balance might make it a bunch smoother)
stewac01 - sorry to say that my bottle was infected. It gushed out at me, with a yeasty and foamy pour. Tart and dry with flavours of pineapple and lemon pith. Very prickly and foamy mouthfeel. Reminded me of the t'IJ range!
13) kook - Winning Label #1 - Weizen/Weissebier - 4.5% ish - Bottle Conditioned - Bottled 4/12, Leave it a fortnight, drink fresh
WW 21/12 - A nice, light summer beer. Leaning toward clove/tart as opposed to banana made this a great thirst quencher after a day laying timber flooring. A good example of the style here Ant and wished I'd had a few more. Cheers.
whitegoose 25/12 - Hazy, wheaty goodness. Cloves dominated the aroma, but I got a big burst of banana when I opened the bottle. Easy drinking, maybe could have been a little more carbonated?
MC - Banana and rising dough aroma, but all clove in the flavour. Quite a tart finish and very refreshing on a hot day.
jyo 1/1/11- Very easy to drink, finished dry. Subdued banana. Pear flavours. Tart, a very enjoyable Hefe.
Cheers!
14) GL - Big Shit Porter - 5.8% - Bottle Conditioned - Ready To Drink.
kook 18/12 - Low carbonation, real ale low. Complements the beer well though. Pours deep black, short tan head. Big roast coffee aroma, with some fresh toast notes too. Flavour is a great balance of sweet honey and light toast. Perfect bitterness level. Very drinkable!
jyo 28/12- Flat. Only a tiny hiss when opening the bottle.
Nonetheless it was a rich, smoky, enjoyable beer. Chocolate, coffee, leather aromas. Chocolate flavours dominate with some nice background hops.
Great beer.
brendanos 27/1 - Smooth milk chocolate, fruity (red apple) aroma, honey. Medium body, rich caramel & chocolate flavours, malty, lightly roasty, smooth. Some cherry fruitiness - possibly higher alcohols (but not warming). Yum
15) Asher - Hibiscus Blonde - 6.5% - Force Carbed - Refrigerate now, Ready to drink!
brendanos 9/12 - shared on a yacht at sunset with friends, converted some rose drinkers - one commented that "i need not have told [her] it was beer". Lovely floral, earthy aroma, moderate soft lightly toasty malt sweetness that is offset by the acidity of the flowers. Well balanced, pleasant, refreshing, malty. My plastic cup was empty before I knew it.
jyo-9/12 Wow. Pink head.
Lovely aroma- raspberries.
Finished bone dry. Hard to describe this one. A bit like white wine. Dry tannin-like quality. The missus loved it. Thoroughly quaffable. I have never had anything like this before. It was amazing and I wished I had shared it with more people. Great beer, mate.
MC - Deep copper with pink - yes pink - highlights. Tart fruit quality to the aroma and flavour with a refreshing acidity. I would never have guessed that the OG was that high. Strangely wine-like and very interesting. Thanks Asher.
WW - Another fine Asher production. As you described to me on swap day it's a "crossover beer". My dear wife (who isn't a beer drinker, bless her) commented to that effect when I shared it with her and a few rellies "ooh, it doesn't taste like beer". I think that's a compliment.
16) Spoonta - The Monks Nuts - ???% - Bottle Conditioned - Bottle Hard probaby ready???
whitegoose 06/01 - Poured nice and golden. Thin persistant head, find effervescent bubbles. If I were t sum up this beer in 1 word... HONEY. For me the aroma and flavour were dominated by honey - I have to assume there was honey in this beer! I really enjoyed it!
Jyo- 21.12- Honey on the nose when opening the bottle and in the glass. Lovely pale-golden colour. High carbonation yet died down quickly to leave a great head which held the whole glass. Spicy hop character, slight lemon flavours.
Finishes with some honey/malt sweetness and then dries out right at the end of the mouthful. Nice beer, Michael, cheers.
brendanos 15/3 - Golden, brilliant clarity. Moderately high carbonation with good head retention. Floral honey aroma (!), alcohol (solvent), faint phenols (medicinal), a doughey malt fullness. Flavour is bread, honey, fresh cookies - love the combination of the honey flavour and light toasty malt sweetness. Evenly balanced with a lightly malty finish. Flavour was much more appealing than the aroma and turned this beer around for me!
17) Jimbo-B2Y - Liberty Lager - 5.2% - Bottle Conditioned 21/9 - Leave upright in fridge & decanter
brendanos 14/12 - Clear gold w/ persistent fluffy white head - looks great. Grainy malt aroma which is just a little bit corny (DMS). Saaz-like herbal, grassy, fruity & musk notes. High carbonation - very lively in glass & mouth with some carbonic bite. Dry, light body & moderately bitter. Seems a little roughened up by the CO2 or by water. Smells like a good BoPils, I wish it was as soft/delicate in flavour. Perhaps softer water would help?
WW 16/12 - I must admit I wasn't thrilled with this on swap day from the keg however it's obvious that the keg didn't travel too well. This was clean, crisp (probably a little over carbed), dry and refreshing. I would have preferred a little more bitterness but nonetheless a good example of the style, IMHO. Well done James.
MC 31/12 - Cloudy gold with a fluffy head. Gentle, fruity aroma but cleaner and more lager-like in the flavour. Stinging carbonation detracted from the taste a little, but I still enjoyed this one.
Doogiechap 23/1 - Poured bright with a big pillowy head. Strong carbonic bite which mellowed over the duration I had this which made for a much nicer drop towards the end (or perhaps it was offset by a growing malt profile as it warmed) . Light and refreshing. Many thanks James
stewac01 19/2 - hazy golden with a large foamy head. Light aromas of bready malt and grassy hops. Classic noble hop flavour is upfront, fresh and enticing. I found some esters (tropical fruit and apples) in aroma and flavour slightly offputting, as was the lively carbonation, which gave an aggressive, prickly mouthfeel and really dried out the finish. Nonetheless enjoyable, thanks James.
18) Cubbie - Demolition Kolsch - 4.9% - Bottle Conditioned - Bottled 20/11/10
jyo- 2/1 Beautiful hop aroma, grassy, floral, honey Great mouth feel, starts off with some mild nuttiness and dries out at the end, then slight hoppy bitterness to keep me interested. First Kolsch I have tried, I will add this to list of things to do.
Great beer, very enjoyable. Cheers.
MC 12/01- Hazy gold with good carbonation. Head disappeared instantly, but until I read some other reviews I'm happy to blame that on my glass. Slightly floral aroma with delicately sweet malt. Flavour was wonderful - clean, slightly toasty maltiness and perfectly balanced. Thanks Cubbie.
brendanos 12/2 hazy, rich orange colour. Candied orange, mango, honeyish malt, doughy aroma.
Very smooth, creamy, luxurious full soft mouthfeel. A bit over the top for a sessionable beer style like Kolsch, but as a beer it is very pleasant. Low-ish carbonation, low to moderate esters, a fanta orange flavour & a smooth, malty finish with a very faintly bitter/phenolic finish. A very pleasant beer but quite filling & lacking the refreshing, moreish qualities of a classic Kolsch.
stewac01 19/2 - poured hazy golden peach with a tight, foamy head. Bready aromas with some honey and grassy herbaceousness - very inviting. Clean and balanced malt character with flavours of baking bread, honey and a hint of grassy hops. Mouthfeel was soft and creamy, characters enhanced by relatively low carbonation. Went down very quickly on a hot Saturday afternoon, thanks for a great beer!
19) whitegoose - American Amber Ale - 5.6% - Bottle Conditioned - It's ready, so drink whenever you're ready.
MC - Toasty, almost chocolatey malt with some stone fruit in both aroma and flavour. There was a slight cola taste just before it finished with a jaffa flavour. Would this be more of an American Brown perhaps? Never mind the style, it was balanced, flavoursome and very enjoyable.
jyo 29/12- Very low carbonation, thin head. Lovely colour.
Aroma was very different, mild hop. Didn't pick up any tropical fruit I was expecting.
Slight sarsaparilla flavour. As it warmed, some nice caramel aromas and flavours. This beer confused me, but I really liked it.
Cheers.
brendanos 12/2 Light brown/deep red with low tan head & good rentention. Aroma - lightly roasty, dark caramel, toffee, woody. Chloride-y, malt accentuating impression. Thin body & pointy sweet malt flavour (chloride?), lightly smokey, some resinous, citrusy hop flavour, lowish dull bitterness some of which lingers with an acidic edge & phenolic note. More sulphate might help bring hops forward in aroma & flavour, & help reduce the emphasis on sweet caramel malt notes.
20) Ant - The Blushing Kaiser - 4.5% - Bottle Conditioned - just bottled wait until after chrissy.
jyo- 5/1 Found it hard to get and keep a head. Poured a striking orange/pink, with blushed head. Very rose' wine-like. This is the driest beer I have had, mouth puckering! Subtle raspberry cordial aroma and flavour and as it warmed, this became more prominent. What an interesting beer. Great work.
MC 22/01 - Brilliantly clear watermelon pink. No head, but that's normal for Berliners, yes? Big raspberry and lactic flavour and aroma. Finished refreshing, tart and dry. It's beer Jim, but not as we know it. Loved it.
whitegoose 25/01 - Spectacular! Bizarre rose pink colour, low carbonation as expected, tart, slightly sour, dry, delicious. I seriously can't put it down. One of my favourites from the case!
brendanos 29/1 - Cherries predominantly in aroma with some light raspberry, powdery sherbert candies, musk, lightly bready - very appealing. Soft fruit notes in flavour, lightly briney with good length & a light-moderate acidity that is rich & complex, prob due to a combination of fruit & bacterial acidity. Initially some savoury notes though it dissipated & the beer seems to get better with every sip. Amazing guava colour, medium carbonation. Brilliant beer!
21) Rob - Waggin Tail Pale - 5% - Bottle Conditioned - Ready to drink, Best before a couple of weeks ago.
brendanos 9/12 - shared on a yacht - forgot that I was drinking case swap beer and should be preparing feedback. I remember an assertive bitterness, tropical hop flavours & one that accentuates caramel maltiness like Simcoe or Amarillo. Another damn good APA from the guru.
kook 12/12 - First beer from the case - what a standard this has set. A truely
perfect malt / body balance - perceived sweet caramel & honey, yet still with a dry medium mouthfeel. Beautiful golden colour, persistent medium white head with consistent lacing, looks as commercial as it gets. Aroma of fresh melon and grapefruit. Hop flavour is as good as it gets - juicy citrus fruit. Firm, clean yet tingly bitterness, almost "explosiony" - like the sensation when you pop fish roe in your mouth. I cannot fault this beer. More please.
jyo 12/12- Appearance- deep golden, almost amber in colour. Great head retention, great lacing.
The aroma was tropical fruit yet quite subdued.
I found this to be a really malt driven beer. I actually found it to be overly sweet, not what I am used to in an APA.
Cheers, John.
Asher 11/12 Sweet Malts reminiscent in both aromatics and flavours of those layered caramel & vanilla fudge lollies. Body lightened with a good dose of co2. What sets this beer above others isn't recipe or ingredients Its Craft.
MC 16/12 - I was surprised by the sweet malt aroma given how little crystal malt you used. Hops were fruity in the aroma but more leafy in the flavour. Bitterness and balance were right where I like them in an APA. Reminded me of Flying Dog (and not just for the canine label).
whitegoose 18/12: Easy drinking APA. Tropical hops dominated for me, amarillo(?) and I thought there was something a bit citrusy/tart at the end.
stewac01 - 14/12: tasting notes from my phone. must have enjoyed it as i wrote a fair tim winton tasting novel. tropical hops really stood out - mango/banana/passionfruit. top balance from rich, slightly sweet caramel malts. moderate carb dries everything out to a clean, moderately bitter finish. cheers!
22) stewac01 - Rye Ol' ******* Pale Ale - 5.6% - Bottle Conditioned, Drink now
brendanos 5/12 - drank at work w/o notes so will so my best to remember! Aroma was fresh, moderately hoppy (tropical) w/ some grainy notes & light caramel. Less hop in flavour with a soft bitterness (a tad light but increased drinkability), well balanced w/ pleasant round maltiness & a palate fullness/smooth graininess from the rye. Medium carb. Excellent head retention. Quite cloudy. Cheers Cam, everyone on my shift went back for a second glass!
jyo- 18/12 - Had to pour from a height to get a head. Poured a murky dark copper/ orange. Thin head til the end. Sweet light caramel aromas. American hop aroma pawpaw, dried apricots, very inviting.
I loved this beer. Great balance. First beer I have tried with rye, gonna get me some I think. Drank this with a head cold, so I'm sure I've missed out on even more goodness
Fantastic beer, cheers mate.
whitegoose 02/01 - Slightly murky dark amber in the glass, thin head that lasted for the whole glass. I could definitely tell this was dry hopped - super fresh hop aroma, like smelling hops straight out of the packet! Yum! Mouthfeel was really nice, slightly thicker I thought - rye or a higher FG? There was a definite bite, not sure if it was bitterness or heavy late hopping, which I really enjoyed. Overall, another cracker!
MC 30/01 - Hazy, dark amber with a thin but very tight head. Could smell the American hops even as I poured. I really enjoyed the toasty, grainy malt character in this beer. Hops were fruity and a little grassy and there was possibly just a touch of astringency towards the end. Very full and flavoursome - I sipped my way through this one very slowly and enjoyed it every step of the way.
23) Lanerigg - Dirty Laundry Golden Ale - 4.5% - Bottle Conditioned
stewac01 29/12 - looks fantastic, bright gold with a foamy white head. light aromas with some spicy phenols and a nice underlying hop character - peaches and apricot. malt character is light and a little cordial and there is a bit of yeast muddiness in there too. flavours are similar, although prickly carbonation does reduce drinkability a little. Great quencher, thanks!
MC 23/01 - Gold to amber and I suspect it's quite bright, although I struggled to see through the huge veil of carbonation! Big fluffy head and wafts of tropical and stone fruit in the aroma. Light caramel/honey malt with fruity hops. Bitterness was assertive towards the end, but not at all harsh. Very good and would be even better with the carbonation dialed down a notch.
brendanos 12/2 excessive carbonation, a murky orange gold. Huge head with large bubbles & fair retention. Fruity & spicy aroma with notes of clove, cinnamon, herbal tea, pineapple & alcohol. Dry bready malt flavour, moderate fruity esters, some juicy fruit hop flavour, harsh mouthfeel & a chalky, minerally palate which is quite biting. Quite a juicy & refreshing beer that is unfortunately quite sharp & unpleasant & astringent in the mouth. Seems quite alcoholic for 4.8% - yeast might need a bit more love.
24) WitWonder - Crotchrot Brewing Company - ESB 4.5% - Bottled on swap day - give it a few weeks until Xmas time
jyo 15/1- Fantastic beer. Light caramel notes, so very well balanced. More please.
whitegoose 14/01 - Agreed, I really enjoyed this beer, one of my favourites. Unfortunately I didn't write anything down so I can't give you much more feedback than that!
MC - Light caramel and toasty malt flavour which reminded me of the endless hand pumped ales which I enjoyed in the UK. Easy to drink and very enjoyable.
brendanos 12/2 murky brown with minimal white head. Toasty, nutty & toffee malt aromas, some earthy & fruit strap like hop notes. Ripe fruit. Light body, low malt flavour, lightly nutty, caramel-y & a little pithy. A nice beer that has a brilliant malt aroma but just lacks some finesse in flavour & mouthfeel & seems a little chloride heavy with respect to malt impression.
