Sandgropers Xmas Case '06

[Corellion]

Hi all,

Just wanted to confirm my existence ... Have been a little non-existent on the brewing front lately because my life kinda got taken over by a million things at once (seven day working weeks suck, as does trying to brew in a crappy little apartment) ...

BUT:

I'm here, I still love beer, I still don't know how to brew (but have never lost the thirst to learn) ... and most importantly I will be at the case swap. Despite my best intentions I'll be rocking up with commercial product for which I apologise now (though I promise it won't be VB), but I am still very keen to meet everyone and at least hear some grand old stories about those that found the time and money to accomplish what I could not.

Cheers & seeya Saturday...

 

[mika]

Well the beer's been in the bottle for two weeks....and it's a hell of a lot nicer than when it came out of the fermentor :huh: . So...I'll be contributing a proper beer to the case :super:

Oh...and just to upset DeeBee....I've got a Boony Doll

Cya next Saturday !

 

[Simon W]

I'm still waiting for mine to settle out!!
Damn this is taking ages, anyone else used wyeast 1332 Northwest before?

If not ready to bottle on Fri morning, It's gunna be either the back-up(extract experimental) which may taste dodgy, or commercial.

Fingers crossed.
Simo

 

[ausdb]

I'm still waiting for mine to settle out!!
Damn this is taking ages, anyone else used wyeast 1332 Northwest before?

If not ready to bottle on Fri morning, It's gunna be either the back-up(extract experimental) which may taste dodgy, or commercial.

Fingers crossed.
Simo

I have just finished the last of a trial batch of a JS Golden Ale style clone brewed with it (1 smackpack to 5l of wort). It fermented well and came up clear as a bell and the slurry was pitched last night to a special bittery sort of thing that gave the hop back a workout.

Dont worry about the late bottling seems there are a few of us in the same boat, just remember to put a big BEST AFTER date on your bottle!!!!!!!

 

[Hillbilly]

Good idea, looks like most of us are running late to bottle. If everyone could write the bottling date on the lables we would all know what one to crack first. :chug:

 

[JasonY]

1) all bottles must be labelled

I may find some time to make some half assed labels but reserve the right to use beautifully hand written white adheasive stickers Can't make any promises on the quality of the beer however!

 

[Whistlingjack]

Mine is ready. Date of bottling on the label.

Sampled it tonight and I can say that its OK to drink anytime.

I just have to try and keep my hands off the rest of the brew until saturday.

 

[BigAl]

Another lager of sorts from the als brewery, lots of Saaz B hops, moderate bitterness. Early tastings had some banana flavours (Think i might have messed about with the fermenting fridge thermostat), though recent drinking from the keg shows no offflavs, hoping the bottles have also cleaned up. Its been sitting at 1C for the last 3 weeks so has had some time to lager.

Looking forward to the swap. :beerbang:

Cheers

 

[Ash in Perth]

Can some one please pm me the address for the swap. cheers

 

[Guest Lurker]

Sorry Ash, must have missed you, pm sent.

Usually case swap day doesnt kick on that long as people are driving, but if you have managed to organise a lift for you and your case, then bring some drinkin' beer as well as your swappin' beer.

For those who have bottled the AusDB fresh wort pack I'd be interested in trying and comparing the different samples if there is a bottle spare.

 

[Goat]

I had a taste of mine last night....... :blink:

Weihenstephaner anyone ?

 

[Guest Lurker]

I had a taste of mine last night....... :blink:

Weihenstephaner anyone ?

As you well know Mr Goat, you are your own worst critic, and the year that you initiated the commercial beer approach we decided your original beer was fine. So don't get hung up on it people, put the beer in, and get 21 opinions on how you can improve it. Of those one opinion will be correct, you just have to work out which one.

 

[barfridge]

I had a taste of mine last night....... :blink:

Weihenstephaner anyone ?

Goat, the christmas case swap isn't a beer competition, it's a bunch of mates sharing thier love of brewing. And the occasional munted batch is all a part of that. I'd rather have a not perfect beer from a mate than some stuff you can buy from the shop anyday.

 

[deebee]

My quips about putting EEL in the case a few pages back were in jest and I would like to echo the lurker and the fridge on this subject. Please put your beers in no matter your thoughts on them. In 2004 I put in a beer I really didn't like (Blunt Instrument Ale) and was waiting for a pasting or some polite silences. In fact a few people said it was one of their favourites and one or two others told me why they, like me, didn't like it. In the end I was better for having put it in the case. True, it was a Belgian and that helped with its enigmatic profile, but it just goes to show there is no accounting for taste.

The honest truth is, I have drunk enough bad batches myself (too cheap to chuck em out) and have developed a valuable skill in tasting behind the off flavours. I would rather drink one of my own bad beers than most bottle shop beer most of the time.

So, falling short of absolute disaster, please put your own beers in. If however you have purchased a crate of Timothy Taylor's Landlord for the Christmas case, ignore everything I have just said: those 500ml bottles will be fine. :lol:

 

[ausdb]

In 2004 I put in a beer I really didn't like (Blunt Instrument Ale) and was waiting for a pasting or some polite silences. In fact a few people said it was one of their favourites and one or two others told me why they, like me, didn't like it. In the end I was better for having put it in the case. True, it was a Belgian and that helped with its enigmatic profile, but it just goes to show there is no accounting for taste.

As a Belgian I did like it, sorry I didn't pipe up earlier

So, falling short of absolute disaster, please put your own beers in. If however you have purchased a crate of Timothy Taylor's Landlord for the Christmas case, ignore everything I have just said: those 500ml bottles will be fine. :lol:

PS Beware of what you wish for h34r:

 

[Asher]

Barfridge had a great beer at WestCoast brewers on Monday..... Imperial Mineral Water

 

[chillamacgilla73]

The honest truth is, I have drunk enough bad batches myself (too cheap to chuck em out) and have developed a valuable skill in tasting behind the off flavours. I would rather drink one of my own bad beers than most bottle shop beer most of the time.

Likewise...I'm still working through my last bottles of Timothy Taylors Tripel, Steve Urquells Cats Pi*sener and Homegrown Hop ABA(American Botched Ale).....but when compared to the megaswill/tradies carrots (Crownies) that mates bring around, mine at least challenges the palate to identify the many different flavours.

I'm looking forward to trying some of the different beer styles I don't usually brew, regardless of whether they are 100% true to style or a bit iffy. My entry is my 2nd ever AG so I would be happy for people to let me know where it can be tuned up. I printed the labels last night and realised I didn't mark a best after date.....it has been in the bottle for over a month but will improve for up to 6 odd months.

 

[facter]

well, my backup brew seems to be going okay - theres no way the IPA is going to be ready in time (alas - I also do think it may have sprung an enfection from the problems i had with the yeast) but I think that this Hefe will be ready .. had a few problems getting it down past 1020 so racked it to secondary yesterday (I dont usually secondary weizens) to let it go out a bit more over the next few days.

Used temp control, but am trying the Hefe IV for the first time - a lot, lot more banana than the 3068 and im not sure if I'll use it again .. so if you like banana, thats okay ... me, im a cloves guy and therefore its not hugely to my taste, but its definately drinkable. Err. I hope!


Oh, moral of the story is that I'll be bottling on Friday (taking time to bottle on my birthday, thats dedication!) so it'll be all ready to drop off, even if its not quite ready to drink yet!



Seeyas on Saturday, but please be gentle - I'll be extremely hungover from my birthday celebrations on Friday eve heh heh heh

 

[barfridge]

I was rearranging the brew cupboard tonight, and I found an unlabeled bottle hiding at the back.

Chucked it in the freezer, and lo and behold, it was a bottle of my christmas case beer from last year, the poetically named 'eternal winter golden ale'. It was so named because the weather didn't warm up until late November/early December.

If I had of known what it was, I would have bought it along to the swap. It would be the only beer I have that is ready to drink

But instead you'll have to settle for a picture, please note the huge ice cream head. I really overcarbonated this one.