Sandpeoples Ahb Xmas Case 2005

[deebee]

Testify brother!

 

[ausdb]

So by my maths AusDB owes us 200mls of beer each

Ahemm there Vlad please refer to the rules as set forth by GL the 2005 Sandpeoples casemeister.

For those that came in late here is how it works.

3) A longneck is a big beer bottle, containing anywhere between 500 and 800 ml of beer. It can be glass or plastic, it can be screw or crown or champagne top. We just dont care here in the west! If you need bottles, I have crates of the bloody things behind my shed.

I think I should get extra marks for being creative, at least someone didn't end up with only 1/4 of a bottle of Merican Mild as the quality control process since bnrewing required multiple tastings which had left the keg decidedly on the empty side, I poured a german 500ml stubby after filling the case for a friend and the keg ran dry :excl:

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

I stand corrected.

.......bringing any pretzels?

 

[ausdb]

.......bringing any pretzels?

[post="99718"][/post]​

Now thats an idea considering that I don't really have any beer to bring

 

[Guest Lurker]

AusDB Merican Mild
Tasty mid strength beer. Pours with reasonable carbonation and head that both die away quite quickly. Very bright, dark brown colour with nice ruby tinge. Aroma is toasty (or roasty - who knows) with a bit of toffee. Flavour is clean dark malt, bit of coffee flavour, hint of toffee, dry clean taste with reasonable body for the strength. Finish is very crisp, with a fair amount of crisp charcoal bitterness. This beer has smoothed out since I last tasted it, and is tasty for the strength, but for me would benefit from backing off the carafa to reduce the charcoal aftertaste.

 

[Guest Lurker]

AusDB India Red Ale
Higher carbonation than the mild, bigger better retained head. Very dark brown colour with a hint of red. Roasty and raisiny aroma. A big beer. The alcohol is well disguised, just a bit of warmth in the aftertaste. Dark malt flavours, with some subdued raisiny Christmas pudding. Quite bitter finish which is mostly hops but also I think a bit of roast barley type charcoal. A flavoursome well crafted beer, for my personal taste a little to raisiny in the middle and a little too bitter at the end, but thats a personal thing, I just dont like cara aroma/dark crystal type flavours.

 

[Guest Lurker]

JasonYs forgotten amber.

Nice label. Beer is indeed amber coloured. Pours with good carbonation but poor head retention. Aroma is mostly malt but also some hops. Clean, smooth dryish malt flavour, well balanced, no caramel flavours, hops are there but give way to the malt, finishes clean and dry. Has a crisp slightly charcoal aftertaste which I taste black malt in? but not too dry and fits with the beer. Nice well balanced very drinkable beer.

 

[Guest Lurker]

JasonYs Half Lark Wit Beer
Again I dont drink wheat beers, but I thought this was pretty good. Spritzy carbonation, light colour, refreshing sour edge without being overbearing, very refreshing.

 

[Kai]

How did you work all that out without drinking it?

 

[barfridge]

deebee's bongwater black:
Pours nice and clear, with a lovely creamy light tan head, which lasts to the end of the glass, leaving a lovely lacing. Looks black until held up to the light. where it reveals a rich mahogany hue. Aroma is light on the hops, with smoke and medium-sweetish malt balancing nicely. Initial flavour is the sweet malt, but it's not overpowering at all. Then the smoke kicks in, with beautiful bacon and a roasty/toasty flavour, along with a mellow hop bitterness.

The keyword of this beer is balance. Everything works so well together to give a very pleasing result.

Priscilla's thoughts:
Ugh! If you ever give me a smoke flavoured beer again, I'll cut your bollocks off and feed them to the cats <Priscilla then runs to the fridge for something to kill the flavour>.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Deebee stocking filler
Lowish but adequate carbonation. Thin but retained head. Aroma is mostly honey. Clean, lightish malt flavour. Honey is the dominant flavour for me, surprising amount of flavour and aroma from 250 g. Hop presence quite muted but there is some hop bitterness at the end. Clean, dryish, very drinkable.

 

[Simon W]

Sounds like a lot of fun.
Might contribute this year.

 

[BigAl]

Having just got back (15 minutes ago in fact) from 4 weeks overseas, i have the full complement of the christmas case waiting for me.....

90% certain i can make VTPA brewday this sat too, provided no critical parts of the house have fallen down in my absence. <_<

 

[barfridge]

Aah, good timing... I just tried you christmas case contribution.

BigAl's Swillis Maximus
Light, fizzy, easy to drink. Could have used a little more hopping. But it delivers on the promise, you couldn't ask for anything more thirst quenching on a hot day.
And how you guys get your beers so light is beyond me.

 

[deebee]

I lost patience and drank Simons Upsized Demon Ale tonight. This concoction slips into your glass deceptively, much like any beer would: its dark amber, a little murky and sporting a comfy little cushion of a head. But dont be deceived this thing is a monster ready to rip your heart out. The head is impressive for such a high alcohol beer, but understandably wears out after a couple of sips. There is a barely audible fart upon opening, pulling that little plastic cork but you wouldnt want this beer bubbly; its carbonated like a barley wine, I think.

First impressions spring from the dominant sweet malty aroma, grainy and alcoholic. It goes deep, like you smell it from your diaphragm. Dont know how to say it but it smells like the Big Dog Brewery. This, by the way, is a good thing.

The sip is gluggy and sweet: a heavy-bodied experience like inhaling warmed cream. Its sweet and vinous, then bready and nourishing, then searingly bitter. Hey it DOES make your teeth hurt! It leaves me feeling warmed and dreamy. I personally love beers like this and this one reminds me it is too long since I made a huge ale.

I wish I had waited for this beer to settle somewhat. It probably wants half a point more carbonation which might come in time. The sweetness could settle a little and the bitterness pull back as well. Those who do wait another 3-6 months are in for a special treat.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Thanks very much for making the effort to review Dave. It came down from 1.090 to 1.017 which is 81% apparent attenuation, but it does have a sweetness which to me is exacerbated by the intense fruitiness. I dont think it will ever clear due to the amount of hops in it. Anyway, appreciate the feedback and will bring you another bottle on Saturday so you can try it in a few months.

 

[Goat]

GL - You're just trying to make all the rest of us feel guilty !

I promise I will do at least 1 review of the Case beers...

 

[deebee]

If you read between the lines of my review you will see that I drank the whole bottle.

Sheeesh... more alcohol than some six packs.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

(guilt trip post)

The beers in the Xmas case were of such a high standard that it would be hard to pick out the best of the bunch, not that there is a need to do so. Even harder is to review each beer as eloquently and precise as others have done.
Unfortunately I took quite a few of the case beers to a NYE party, while it was a great way to see in the new brewing year, I cant make individual comments for obvious reasons.
The highlights were Sinkas Les Chants de Maldoror, of which I still have a bottle, a lesson to those who think that you can only make fine beers from AG. AusDB's IRA was a ripper, more mellow than when I tasted it earlier in the year, but its a beer that I would like to come home to on a dark and stormy night (thats as poetic as it gets).
The Demon Ale is waiting patiently on the sideboard for a fitting occasion, funny how the dogs eyes follow you around the room.

2006 should be awesome, and what a stroke of luck that the WCB Dec comp is for "Imperials". Two birds with one stone?

 

[Asher]

Deebees Stocking Filler Pale Ale.... A review

After reading about the preparation of this beer on the label I nearly fell of the porch when I tasted it. IMO - An absolutely superb example of an ale. In the glass a nice copper colour with a hue of haze when held to the light. Head, although small (but consistent with the amount of carbonation which was at the lower end of the style) laced well and remained intact throughout consumption. Malt seemed to dominate the aroma, balancing well with hopping upon tasting. No detectable extract twang. Body was good too. The grain additions offsetting any residual gravity attained from the extract perfectly.
Overall... One of the best Can + partial mash based beers I've ever had the privilege of drinking. A beer obviously blessed by the Christmas spirit in which it was brewed.
If anyone out there is looking for a "Can++ recipe", Ask Deebee for a copy of this one...this is an absolute cracker...

Asher for now