Tasting The Commercials

[geoff_tewierik]

Last week I decided to do something different and being inspired by a few of Ross' posts in another thread, over the course of the week I polished off about 24 different beers from different companies across the world.

Some were brilliant, others were very meh. Gave me a good chance to chase up different bottleshops in my local area as well

Off the top of my head they were a variety of breweries including locals like Little Creatures, Gage Road, Kiwi Monteith's, Europeans Belgium Chimay, Duvel, Leffe, [size=-1]Weihenstephan, [/size]La Trappe - plus others.

Of the locals the Little Creatures Pale Ale and the Gage Roads Pilsner and India Pale Ale were great stuff. The Euro La Trappe Blonde and the Duvel were two I really enjoyed, the Weihenstephan Pilsner and Original were also notables. The Chimay white was preferrable over the red and the blue.

So has anyone else gone on a commercial beer binge, i.e. have a crack at drinking a whole different bunch of beers (in a short period of time, i.e. a week - not a day ) to decide which ones/styles they want to brew?

I now have a few beers that I need to track down HB recipes for, for future "cheaper" enjoyment, so if anyone has links or recipes for my couple of good'uns, please let me know.

Cheers,

GT

 

[Fatgodzilla]

So has anyone else gone on a commercial beer binge, i.e. have a crack at drinking a whole different bunch of beers (in a short period of time, i.e. a week - not a day ) to decide which ones/styles they want to brew?

In Brisbane last week for work - got no time to drink anywhere decent and sadly couldn't even take an hour to gatecrash Ross' wonder bar.

Went for dinner thougn to a BYO and found several beers I've never seen let alone drink before.

Budvar Budejovicky Czech Premium Lager - drinkable but wouldn't try again.

Knappstein Reserve Lager - was a 5%-6% beer so drunk as my cleansing ale. Lovely. Would love to know what's in it and see if anyone has a clone worked out yet

My favourite - Pepperjack Hand Crafted Ale. By Saltrams Winery !! what's going on. This beer was great !! Suited my palate wonderfully. Gotta try it again !

I can't remember the 4th one - is there a Goat's Head brand ? It was a good drop, just after the Pepperjack, not in the same league.

So, anyone share my opinion on the Pepperjack HCA ? Anyone got a clone recipe yet ?


Edit : tasted another Schofferhofer Kristallweizen on way home. It's because of this that I will not brew wheat beers - it's that good that I need something special to go looking for. My wheat beers have been pathetic compared to this beauty.

 

[Snow]

There is a discussion on the Pepperjack here - not sure of a recipe, though.

The Knappstein is indeed a very fine beer. The hops they use is Nelson Sauvin and if you do a search, you'll find a few posts on recipes for this brew.

Cheers - Snow

 

[mikem108]

"Knappstein Reserve Lager - was a 5%-6% beer so drunk as my cleansing ale. Lovely. Would love to know what's in it and see if anyone has a clone worked out yet"

Nelson Sauvin is the main hop in this, perhaps try making a lager bittering with a noble hop and some late hopping with Nelson Sauvin

Gain bill , Boho Pilsner Malt, a smidge of Carapils low mash temp and I fermented mine with a couple of packs of 34/70 but would use a liquid yeast next time

 

[geoff_tewierik]

I had the Knappstein - not a fan. I think it's one of those sit and have a couple in a row situations and maybe it'll grow on me, that or it's just never going to float my boat.

The Pepperjack on the other hand was OK, the gimmick hint of shiraz was enough to make me possibly buy it again.

 

[Stuster]

Geoff, I am the opposite on the Knappstein and the Pepperjack. I like the Knappstein, really like Nelson Sauvin hops. Nice beer. The Pepperjack I thought was a bit thin, with the tannins from the wine not complementing the beer well. But that's different tastes for you.

 

[oldbugman]

I find I can only have 2 maybe 3 bottles of the knappstein before it becomes a bit OT.

But I do enjoy it, and I'm not having too much trouble downing my keg of Nelson Ale 45grams of pellets and 45grams of flowers in the making.

 

[Muggus]

I've gone out quite a few occasions and selected bottles of beer i'm yet to try to enjoy over the course of an evening...if i'm lucky.

Recently I had a few mates over and we feasted on Murrays 2IPA and Grand Cru, Piraat 10.5%, Red Oak Rauch and Unibroue La Fin Du Monde. As well as some Schofferhofer Hefeweizen, Little Creatures Pale Ale and Pilsner, Happy Goblin Pale Ale, James Squire Golden Ale, Hoegaarden Wit, and Duvel, which I seem to have lying around.
Turned out to be quite a night!

 

[sathid]

Yep. Unfortunately I usually walk out of the IBS with 6 or 7 beers and $40 less in my pocket. lol

 

[ausdb]

I had the Knappstein - not a fan. I think it's one of those sit and have a couple in a row situations and maybe it'll grow on me, that or it's just never going to float my boat.

The Pepperjack on the other hand was OK, the gimmick hint of shiraz was enough to make me possibly buy it again.

I know this will sound wanky but GL and I had drinks at the Must wine bar in Mt lawley last week wit some other friends, their beer list is small (hoegaarden, peroni, corona!, rodgers, trumer pils and the knappstein and maybe a few others). As my better half likes to partake the champagne sessions they have, we used to go there a lot and trumer pils was usually my drink of choice out of what was available.

This time I thought the knappstein was the winner hands down and I think it was the way it was served in a wine glass had a lot to do with it, it really brings out the aroma of the NS and whilst I tried hard could not pick any cats piss in the aroma. I think I will get some today and see if I still like it at home and if the glass really does make a difference

 

[PostModern]

I brought a few home from NZ:



Drank many more while I was there. Nothing amazing in the way of new styles except perhaps the Limberg Hopsmacker, middle in the pic above. They made it a New Zealand style Pale Ale, flavoured with bucketloads of D-Saaz. The rest are all pretty much established styles.

 

[sinkas]

some other friends,

Corellion by chance?

 

[Murcluf]

I like to to get 4 to 6 beers every 3 to 4 months try new styles (new to me anyway) both imports and local. Plus tasting nights at the BBC. One's that have stood out for me so far have been DAB Original, Redemption Blonde, Old Speckled Hen, Fullers ESB, Hoegaargen Witbeir, Lowenbrau Original, Little Creatures Pilsner, Gage Road Lager, Guinness Draught. It makes a good learning experience.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

I know this will sound wanky but GL and I had drinks at the Must wine bar in Mt lawley last week wit some other friends, their beer list is small (hoegaarden, peroni, corona!, rodgers, trumer pils and the knappstein and maybe a few others). As my better half likes to partake the champagne sessions they have, we used to go there a lot and trumer pils was usually my drink of choice out of what was available.

This time I thought the knappstein was the winner hands down and I think it was the way it was served in a wine glass had a lot to do with it, it really brings out the aroma of the NS and whilst I tried hard could not pick any cats piss in the aroma. I think I will get some today and see if I still like it at home and if the glass really does make a difference

OT
....you must have been gagging to get across the road to the Queens, and yes it did sound wanky!