Sydney Easter Case Swap - Drinking Reports

[Bizier]

3. Josh - Oktoberfest

Drinking the second glass of this as I type... smiling.

Pours an extremely bright deep amber with a slight reddish hue. There is a soapy white head that subsides quickly to a single fine beaded layer of foam, but it very easily roused back to a giant three or so finger stand.

Aroma is sulphury lager yeast and mild pilsner malt, nothing I can detect in the hop dept.

Mouthfeel is filling, high carb against a thickish liquid, but rolls away quickly and very pleasantly

Taste is very clean and crisp lager characters as the aroma indicates. There is a soft creamy pilsner malt, which is very nice and not at all 'grainy'. The hop presence is definitely firm, and I would like to see how this tastes after a few extra months of lagering (hint hint).

The beer is very well balanced, and very well crafted. I could happily drink this any and every month of the year and pretend it is October. Carb is a little high for my personal taste, but gives a reason to swirl the glass and smell the goodness. Great work Josh.

 

[caleb]

3 - Oktoberfest

I was interested in this as I've never actually tried this style of beer before. (Probably due to the lack of beers labelled as such in the bottle shop).

I really enjoyed it, to be honest.

It was a beautiful orange amber color, nicely carbonated, with a good head.

The overwhelming impression I got from this beer was "mandarins". There was a lot of other stuff going on - I remember sweet biscuity malts and a very well balanced product overall. However, the overwhelming flavor and aroma was mandarin, not just "citrus" but actually mandarin orange. Flavor, aroma, everything. Not overwhelming or out of balance, but a definite feature that stuck in my mind. (and was the ONLY note I wrote for this beer - one word - hence the lack of detail compared to my other reviews).

I assume this was from the hops used, and you didn't actually add mandarin peels to the boil, but maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe it was all the yeast, via the same high sorcery of yeast magic that almost turned Fatgodzilla's US05 into an exotic Belgian yeast.

Can you tell me, PLEASE, what hops you used to get this delicous flavor? (Or what other trick did it.)

Summary:
Mandarin orange biscuit deliciousness.
Probably number three or four in rank out of the whole swap.

 

[caleb]

Final Review from me,

Number 1 - Hefeweizen

Yes, I know most of you got something else as number 1, I got a hefeweizen... someone was 1 beer short.

Honestly, I hate to finish on a bad note, but this beer suffered some of the same problem that wrote off 7, 8 and 9 for me.

HOWEVER, it was not quite as bad. I was able to finish the whole bottle, but it was kinda borderline. There was a nice weizen type beer sitting underneath, with the usual mix of spicy, citrusy, phenolic, yeasty goodness, but something medicinal was creeping in and threatening to turn the whole thing into ER ward 5B.

Sorry to bear bad news... but that's about all I can say here. Keep an eye on sanitation in the future.

 

[caleb]

Just a note to those whose beers I may have bagged... PLEASE don't take it personally. I still like you all as people, AHB members, and brewers. AND I would still do the whole case swap thing again with all of you.

However, I figure that it does no good to any of us as adult brewers to say "ooohh I loved this so much" while secretly tipping it down the sink. I see one of the main reasons behind the swap is to get a dozen or so honest reviews of our product and how it is perceived, so that we may grow and improve as beer brewers.

So, thank you all for participating, and feel free to rip apart my own product and expose any and all flaws to the public. (and yes, I would have increased the bitterness if I did it again.)

(of course, I'll feel warmer and happier if you do post "oohh I loved this so much" )

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Hi FGZ,

I would have never picked the yeast as us-05. I didnt read Caleb's notes before writing mine so its interesting we both thought belgian style. It will be interesting to see what others see in this beer. Im voting for a mix-up at the yeast factory :unsure: .

Cheers,
Andrew.

Re my Bright Ale (#4). Did a stocktake reconciling Beersmith to actual on hand. Interestingly, I have a US 05 extra on hand, but am missing a Coopers reconstituted yeast. Given everyone's comments, I am now of the opinion the yeast used was the Coopers, fermented warmish over summer (probably over 21C), hence throwing up a number of the funky fruity tastes mentioned. I tried my last bottle of the batch last night and I can see where a few of you are coming from - it had a "belgian" type background. I'm happy now it was the Coopers yeast.


Sorry for being indecisive, but as said before, I didn't brew this one with the case swap in mind - it was meant to be a general consumption brew, so the notes were inconclusive. I also often change my mind between a formulated recipe on Beersmith and the actual brew. Gotta tighten my brewing processes !

Still have the majority of beers in storage - going away to South Australia for a fortnight next week and will take these brews along.

 

[Bizier]

7. Muggus - Brutus Belgian Ale

Poured a red brown with a large bubbled off white head that subsides quickly to a thin sheet.

The aroma is a cinnamon and maybe clove spiciness (I couldn't decide if the latter was psychosomatic), there is a large whiff of yeast phenolics I am not fond of.

The mouthfeel was dry which accentuated a woody taste, and accentuated the rough yeast flavours. There is a nice fruityness to the alcohol taste, but I had to look hard to find it, there is also some hot alcohols in there. I also found a kind of subtle smoke flavour in there. Very present bitterness.

I think that the beer was interesting, but yeast needs to be kept in check. If this were a little sweeter with more mouthfeel and more subtle yeast contributions, it would be a fantastic beer in my opinion. My palate has a lot of trouble getting past strong yeast tastes to find malt characters, so I was left desiring those 'brown' malt tastes and dextrines. Not infected.

Cheers Muggus

 

[caleb]

Well, I still had some of no.7 left in the fridge, and other reviews have prompted me to take it out and give it a second shot...

I have to say that the "off" flavors are far more subtle than I first thought... 8 and 9 were much stronger. In fact, even number 1 had more of it than this, and I did finish that.

Overall, I agree with Bizier's assessment above. I'd say that perhaps some yeasty overtones and fusel alcohols have enhanced the off flavors - the medicinal/bandaid flavor was only really present as an occasional hint or aftertaste rather than being overwhelming.

The beer did have a nice spicy, clovey alcoholic warmth going for it. Perhaps any undesirable flavors were all down to warm fermentation, although I still suspect something else has crept into the wort at some stage.

 

[Muggus]

The beer did have a nice spicy, clovey alcoholic warmth going for it. Perhaps any undesirable flavors were all down to warm fermentation, although I still suspect something else has crept into the wort at some stage.

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head there with the warm fermentation comment there Caleb.
The beer did endure a few hot days where the beer probably crept up to the mid-20's in temp.
Haven't actually tried any recently, but at last taste it certainly did have alot of peppery and spicy phenols, which is no doubt a side product of big variations of fermentation temps.
More body would have helped, but my mashed worked out to be a bit cooler than I would have liked. Might have actually worked a bit better as a Belgian Strong with a bit more to it rather than just a regular Belgian ale...but I thought I might give it a go.

Thanks for the helpful feedback lads!

 

[tdack]

Just a note to those whose beers I may have bagged... PLEASE don't take it personally. I still like you all as people, AHB members, and brewers. AND I would still do the whole case swap thing again with all of you.

Thanks for the informative and thoughtful critiques. I'd rather be told that my beer was no good because of ......... than just be told "It was Poo!".

Constructive criticism is more beneficial than anything.

I had two reasons for going in the case swap:

1. Taste other peoples beers
2. See what other people thought of mine (and trust me, I was waiting for the first review with nervous anticipation)

And with both of those I hope to improve what I make, not just for future swaps but for my taste buds as well.

So, again, thanks to all who have posted well thought out reviews of the beers that they have tasted, I've found it to be a great learning experience - it also gives me an idea of what to be looking for when I get around to tasting them all.

Cheers,
Troy.

 

[Gulpa]

11. grantw - Heart Attack Porter (Wyeast 1028) 5.2%

Opened this up while sparging tonight. Thought I would get time to get boil going with plenty of beer left to do tasting notes. Unfortunately there is not much left. Slips down too easy.

Pours dark with ruby highlights. Nice tan head. Aroma of dark roasty malts with some nice fruit hiding in there as well. Perhaps some coffee. Medium carb. Flavours are similar with nothing standing out, really well integrated. Bitterness suits the medium body. The MO starts to peek out as it warms a bit. Seamless is probably the perfect descriptor. Great beer, Grant. Agree with others, one of the highlights this swap. Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Andrew.

 

[white.grant]

Shucks gulpa. Drinking before the first hop addition is high praise indeed. I am really happy that you enjoyed the porter though.

I really enjoy the swaps and the feedback. Things may not always work out so great, but a beer shared is a friend made and as Troy posted earlier it can be a nervous wait, but well worth it.

Pretty sure the xmas in July case will be a cracka...


cheers

grant

 

[Gulpa]

Shucks gulpa. Drinking before the first hop addition is high praise indeed. I am really happy that you enjoyed the porter though.

I really enjoy the swaps and the feedback. Things may not always work out so great, but a beer shared is a friend made and as Troy posted earlier it can be a nervous wait, but well worth it.

Pretty sure the xmas in July case will be a cracka...


cheers

grant

Agree. Swaps are awesome. It gives you a chance to experiment without actually brewing a particular beer. My brewing has improved lots since I started swapping. Even the not so good ones have a lesson in them.

Cheers
Andrew

PS. I just made p140 in the camra book. Darker than expected but I think it will be a good one. Ill bring it along to the july swap for a taste.

 

[Gulpa]

Re my Bright Ale (#4). Did a stocktake reconciling Beersmith to actual on hand. Interestingly, I have a US 05 extra on hand, but am missing a Coopers reconstituted yeast. Given everyone's comments, I am now of the opinion the yeast used was the Coopers, fermented warmish over summer (probably over 21C), hence throwing up a number of the funky fruity tastes mentioned. I tried my last bottle of the batch last night and I can see where a few of you are coming from - it had a "belgian" type background. I'm happy now it was the Coopers yeast.


Sorry for being indecisive, but as said before, I didn't brew this one with the case swap in mind - it was meant to be a general consumption brew, so the notes were inconclusive. I also often change my mind between a formulated recipe on Beersmith and the actual brew. Gotta tighten my brewing processes !

Still have the majority of beers in storage - going away to South Australia for a fortnight next week and will take these brews along.

Interesting yeast. Ive never considered the Coopers yeast. I might have to have a play with it some time.

cheers
Andrew.

 

[Bizier]

This is the first time I have really sat down and tasted other people's homebrew as well, and it has been great.

Part of me wants to brew another IPA, but bigger. At the same time, some of these beers, especially Josh's and Grant's, have inspired me to shoot for something with a bit more finesse and balance. Cheers.

I think that everyone has done a good job brewing for this swap over summer, battling with the heat. I am looking forward to the July one, especially with ambient temps considered for those without dedicated fermenting fridges.

 

[Bizier]

9. Schooey - Belgian Pale.

Pours a dark brownish amber with a quickly thinning white head, lacing the glass with spectacular regularity.

The aroma is complex, dusty dry fruits, sulphur and perhaps apricot, but also a portentous hint of medicine and smoke.

Mouthfeel is great with lower carb, as per my perference, and a nice balance of dextrinousness (!).

Unfortunately the medicine and burnt smokey flavour dominate my palate, and that is the end of the show for me, sorry Schooey. I am unsure if this is fermentation temp or infection related.

I look forward to your next offering Schooey. Sorry I did not wait another two weeks, I am an impatient *******.

 

[Gulpa]

3. Josh - Oktoberfest 6% - Wyeast 2308

Pours gold. Nice white head that falls down when drinking. Aroma is appealing biscuity malt with a very slight hint of fruit/yeast/grainyness. Med/high carb. Flavour is malty, munichy with the high carb giving a nice bite, drying out finish a bit and nicely cutting the malt richness. Bitterness is in balance with everything. Another seamless beer. Great beer, Josh. I could drink a few of these. Thanks for sharing.

Only two left now.

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[Josh]

Thanks for the feedback guys. As I said at the park, I had a couple of pints straight from the fermenter and was pretty happy with the results. I've added the recipe to the database HERE but here's a quick rundown from my notes.

45% BB Galaxy
35% Munich
20% Vienna
66C mash for 90 mins
0.75g/L Spalt 20 mins
Spalt 60 mins up to 27IBU
90 min boil
Wyeast 2308 Munich Lager 2L starter, fermented at 10C
OG 1.055 FG 1.010

I brewed another Oktoberfest re-using this yeast but with 45% JW Pilsener, 45% Munich, 10% Vienna as I didn't have much Vienna left.

 

[schooey]

9. Schooey - Belgian Pale.

Pours a dark brownish amber with a quickly thinning white head, lacing the glass with spectacular regularity.

The aroma is complex, dusty dry fruits, sulphur and perhaps apricot, but also a portentous hint of medicine and smoke.

Mouthfeel is great with lower carb, as per my perference, and a nice balance of dextrinousness (!).

Unfortunately the medicine and burnt smokey flavour dominate my palate, and that is the end of the show for me, sorry Schooey. I am unsure if this is fermentation temp or infection related.

I look forward to your next offering Schooey. Sorry I did not wait another two weeks, I am an impatient *******.

I'm buggered if I know where the smokey dominance is coming from. There is no peated or smoked malt in the grain bill. I fermented it at a reasonably coolish 20C for the Ardennes yeast. I guess with the medicinal flavours people are tasting it has to be coming from infection, which is a bit upsetting. Although, in my experience, infections usually lead to gushers, but the carbonation has still been quite low.... so I'm lost

My apologies to anyone who has tried it and has had a bad experience, I can only hope I give you something more worthy next time. I have one in the fridge that I mighttry tomorrow and see if I can pick up the same flavours being described.

 

[Gulpa]

6. Thommo - Pale Ale

Pours amber/red. Slight head. Aroma of US citrus hops with a touch of caramel in the background. Medium low carb which suits the beer. Medium low body. Flavour is citrus hops, yeast is there with a bit of chocolate/roast malt at the end. Bitterness is in balance with the beer. Nice beer, thanks Thommo.

One more to go, I leave schooey's for a couple of weeks and let you know what I think.

Regards
Andrew

 

[Gulpa]

I'm buggered if I know where the smokey dominance is coming from. There is no peated or smoked malt in the grain bill. I fermented it at a reasonably coolish 20C for the Ardennes yeast. I guess with the medicinal flavours people are tasting it has to be coming from infection, which is a bit upsetting. Although, in my experience, infections usually lead to gushers, but the carbonation has still been quite low.... so I'm lost

My apologies to anyone who has tried it and has had a bad experience, I can only hope I give you something more worthy next time. I have one in the fridge that I mighttry tomorrow and see if I can pick up the same flavours being described.

Schooey,

Dont worry about it too much. Shit happens. A few swaps ago I had issues with bottle sanitation. Some were infected some not. Disappointing at the time but there were no death threats . It just made me want to do better next time.

cheers
Andrew.

re: gushers - sometimes, sometimes not.