Sandgroper Xmas 2007 Recipes And Tasting

[deebee]

GLs Bramling Cross Bitter
Bronze coloured, medium to low carbonation and a coarse-bubbled head that fades quickly. Really interesting hoppy smells, kind of marmaladey, sweet nectarine, orange peel and something else I cant name. Im gonna get me some of these hops, I reckon would go nicely with some EKG plugs in an English IPA. Big malt presence reigned in by a spritzy mouthfeel, very pleasant on the tongue. An unusual style this and well executed.

 

[roger mellie]

GLs Bramling Cross Bitter
Bronze coloured, medium to low carbonation and a coarse-bubbled head that fades quickly. Really interesting hoppy smells, kind of marmaladey, sweet nectarine, orange peel and something else I cant name. Im gonna get me some of these hops, I reckon would go nicely with some EKG plugs in an English IPA. Big malt presence reigned in by a spritzy mouthfeel, very pleasant on the tongue. An unusual style this and well executed.

DB - did you get raisins? I find every Windsor beer has this fruitcake raisin character - I cant master it - it just takes over.

RM

 

[recharge]

deebee Beer by David

Poured a hazy amber to copper colour, aroma was reminiscent of sticking my head into my fermenting chest freezer(yes i do this sometimes) kinda CO2 whiff but i couldnt pick much else. Flavour was well balanced with an almost tobacco like bitterness in the finish. Nice beer enjoyed it thanks.


Rich

 

[deebee]

DB - did you get raisins? I find every Windsor beer has this fruitcake raisin character - I cant master it - it just takes over.

RM

Without a glass in front of me, I can't remember. GL might have to give me a few more bottles. :icon_cheers: I really liked the hops aroma, though, and there was definitely something in there I couldn't place. Might have been raisins.

 

[Guest Lurker]

DB - did you get raisins? I find every Windsor beer has this fruitcake raisin character - I cant master it - it just takes over.

RM

I see where you are going wrong. You should have drunk it from the hand pump.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

I see where you are going wrong. You should have drunk it from the hand pump.

....and as I recall the handpump mysteriously ran dry as we all lined up, glasses at the ready.

 

[Goat]

Ausdb's Lost Mojo

<<touches little finger to corner of mouth>>

Not a lot of carbonation as it pours to form a thinish head which died soon after. A little cloudy with a deep honey colour. Aroma was all about hops which is dusty citrus flavour - nice. There is something else in there that doesn't quite smell right - could even be a bit horse blankety (don't know what that is). Taste is dominated with a powerful bitterness which lasted in my mouth long after I finished the drink, really nice though I got the feeling that it was overpowering the malt that wanted to be noticed. A good beer which (as everyone else says) probably could have used a little more time aging, but very drinkable now.

 

[randyrob]

GLs Bramling Cross Bitter







Opened with a slight hiss, the cap flew across the room then gushed more than a 30 year old virgin on his wedding night, the gushing continued for about 15-20 minutes (not really sure if this is to style but what would i know) i was getting pretty thirsty by this stage so after it settled down a bit i continued to pour what was left in the bottle (about 1/2 a pint)
smelling delicious at this stage but had to wait some time for the yeast to settle into about a 1cm cake on the bottom, every time a co2 bubble rose to the top it took a bit of yeast chunk with it. colour if a 90 year old man's on his death bed last piss. medium carbonation with small bubbles. nice hop bitterness and malt presence very morish i got alot of bready notes but that could have easily been cause of the yeast that got stuck in between my teeth. an enjoyable beer would have been slightly better if i didnt have to fight with it till the end.

Rob.

 

[sinkas]

Lost Mojo:
Pretty tasty pint, even if it seemed cloudy as buggery, despite bieng in a fridege for a week. At a guess, it could have done with another week in Primary to soak up some of the fruitier aspects of the flavour profile. Pretty damn good for a quick and dirty though.

Big Dog:
Very pleasant, and I could definitely get those balckberry tones, to me it tastes the same was as fresh berries smell.

Apa by clay:
Dry as buggery, did this finish below 1010?, which is inconstrast to the irnoically sweet diacetyl edged aroma, Bitterness was coarse, which I happen to like.


Chilla ALt:
Malt.com, this was heavy and sticky, yet totally enjoyable, not a style I know anything about, but heaven knows it was tasty.

 

[Guest Lurker]

GLs Bramling Cross Bitter




Opened with a slight hiss, the cap flew across the room then gushed more than a 30 year old virgin on his wedding night,
Rob.

Oooh, that looks a bit exciting.

Most of that batch have been a bit undergassed, but I had a similar one last week. I have to say after all these years I found that whole sugaring bottles and bottling thing a little confusing, and it is possible one or two bottles got two lots of sugar, but I was underpriming, so even with a double helping they should be safe.

 

[randyrob]

i must admit i don't feel short changed in the slightest as i was one of they lucky ones to have a pint from the hand pump before it blew dry :icon_drunk:

 

[Goat]

LOL !!!

 

[deebee]

gushed more than a 30 year old virgin on his wedding night

It is always hard to find new ways to say the same things about beer. This is why I LOVE a good simile. Hats off, Rob.


DB

 

[Simon W]

Didn't know a damn thing about two of these beers, so had to go to the library and borrow a book to help me.
Found Michael Jacksons 'Beer' which had 13 Altbiers and 4 Saisons. From what I read, both are to style.

Chilla's Altbier

On opening, this one was very happy to see me but not as excited as GL's BX was to see Rob.
Big fluffy cream coloured head that after a couple of mins dropped suddenly. Very carbonated, prob. getting close to overcarbed. (no description of Carb level in MJ's book, BJCP says med-high)
Hazy Red-Brown colour, faint hop but very malty aroma, a thin mouthfeel but not finishing dry.
A sweet nutty and caramel or raisins malt flavour but not overpowering.
Nice smooth bitterness that compliments the dark malts, very complex; every mouthful was different as it warmed up.
Extremely nice, but then I go all gooey over malty brews.

Kook's Silly Season... Saison

Very, very nice. Love trying a new style and finding one I love instantly.
Poured with great carbonation(tons of tiny pin-prick bubbles) and a perfect fluffy Belgian head.
Just slightly darker than golden, a spicy fruity aroma and spicy/peppery/earthy flavour.
Everything about this was in capital letters except for the ABV.
Strong hop aroma and taste, strong malt flavour, tart and dry.
Again, very very nice, the aroma's and flavours brought back memories of my trip to Belgium, which nothing imported that I've bought here has done.
Very well done Kook.
Sorry about the pic, the camera flat-out refused to focus, even in macro mode and with plenty of light. I hate cheap digitals and their autofocus. It also doesn't do the colour justice, I should've used a light background but was busy arguing with the friggin camera.

ausdb's Blonde
I really stuffed-up here and had it after the Saison, I was still dreaming about Belgium, so it's not a fair review.
Poured with no head and minimal carbonation. Hazy amber colour, a spicy and sweet candy nose when swirled in the glass to form a head. Strong bitterness that lingered.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

Simons Amber
Burnt toffee, aggresive hops up front, tight head, good carb, a bit more of those hops near the end would have been nice, clear and bright.

Dougs Kolsch
Faint hiss on opening, thin head disappeared although carb bubbles still present, hazy yellow with a whiff of melon, mild pleasant maltiness, went flat quick but still tasty.

RM Pilsner
Hint of gas on opening, thin head that disappeared, very little carbonation, crystal clear, nice yellow gold colour, no aroma good malty body nicely balanced by hops. Very pleasant, would be good straight off the tap.

Clay APA

I think the amarillo aroma hit the brain as fast as the hiss of the crown seal.Hazy orange copper colour, tight white head that stayed the distance and left its mark down the glass, restrained malt comes through with the late hops, absence of early hopping is obvious but not in a bad way. Thin body with a dry finish, that made it very drinkable, did I mention the aroma?
This was a goody.

Kooks Saison
A big promising hiss at opening that delivered a highly carbed yellow straw beer with the Mother Of All Heads. Streaming bubbles held it there and pushed it up out of the glass where it stood by itself, Saison De Viagra.
Slight chill haze, sweet malt toffee aroma. Surprisingly bitter, probably from the Columbus hops, lingers on the palate with an earthy peppery tone, dry finish. I think that without the Columbus this would have been sensational. I am keeping this yeast for my first Saison.

 

[randyrob]

Beer By David

Nice malty beer, very clean & well balanced.



Chilla Haze Altbier

another malt monster, a good beer from the haze factory.



Simon Amber Ale

assertive bitterness, mild hop aroma / flavour, the malt profile reminded me of some belgium's i've sampled from others!



Tony's Extradanory Bitter

yummy, not really a style i've nailed myself so i really appreciate others offerings. i got a well balanced beer leaning towards estery which i adore, tony is this from the yeast? it works for me. nothing stands out and bites you in the face just a delicious tasting session ale i'm sure i'd be happy sitting on.



Vlad's Trans Ale.

Madness. presentation in the glass was exceptional, a subtle spicy aroma with a hint of malt on the nose. flavourwise this beer tickled each and every one of my tastebuds i felt like King Stephen victory was at hand!


yes i'll be the first to admit i suck at this, i'm enjoying these beers and start writing a few notes to myself, medium body, bitterness lingers etc then i trick myself by going nah i don't need to write it down i'll take a pic and remember from the pic, it doesnt work!!! so my lack of creative notes u get a pic of your beer which you already know what it looks
like fantastic

Rob.

 

[Tony M]

Tony's Extradanory Bitter
yummy, not really a style i've nailed myself so i really appreciate others offerings. i got a well balanced beer leaning towards estery which i adore, tony is this from the yeast? it works for me. nothing stands out and bites you in the face just a delicious tasting session ale i'm sure i'd be happy sitting on.
Rob.

Looked up my notes and gess wot I didn't write the yeast down. It may have been US56 or one of its precursors. The "hard to define" balance that everyone mentions I think comes from mash hopping, a practice I employ whenever I make this particular brew. It seems to soften the hops profile.

 

[kook]

Doogies Kolsch

Pours slightly hazy dark gold with a long lasting medium white head. High carbonation. Honey & diacetyl aroma, with some slight malty/bready notes. Flavour starts buttery, with a bready flavour mid palate. Finishes dry and slightly acidic. Body a little thin and watery. Suspect a pediococcus infection due to diacetyl and acidity. I can tell there is a nice malty kolsch under there, but unfortunately it's hidden by other flavours.



GL's Bramling X Bitter

Great hoppy nose, gooseberries and earthy, mouldy wood. Not as overcarbed as some others, but still too much for my liking. Clear copper in colour with a susdy cream head. Big hop flavour of berries and currants with a biscuity malt background. Medium body, but too fizzy in feel. Nice subtle fruity esters. Really good bitter, shows off an awesome hop well. Only downside was the carbonation. I prefer my british beers quite low in CO2.



Vlad's Pale Ale

Pours deep bronze, edging on amber. Topped with a fine, creamy tan head. Great earthy, herbal hop aroma. Some marmalade and spice (coriander? clove?) there too. Very nice smooth mouthfeel, almost reminded me of a pint of real ale! Subtle spice notes in the flavour, along with some pineapple esters. Very moreish, I finished the bottle off and felt like another!

 

[Kai]

GL's Bramling X Bitter

Great hoppy nose, gooseberries and earthy, mouldy wood. Not as overcarbed as some others, but still too much for my liking. Clear copper in colour with a susdy cream head. Big hop flavour of berries and currants with a biscuity malt background. Medium body, but too fizzy in feel. Nice subtle fruity esters. Really good bitter, shows off an awesome hop well. Only downside was the carbonation. I prefer my british beers quite low in CO2.

You forgot the pee.

 

[kook]

You forgot the pee.

Oh. It made me pee.