VIC 2013 July Case Swap - tasting thread

[JB]

1. Manticle - Brown Porter - Ready to drink. Do not drink freezing cold.
2. Charst – Saison - Ready to Drink
3. Fikuss – Dunkelweißen - Ready to drink
4. Meathead DSGA Ready
5. Whiteferret - Oatmeal Treacle Stout Bottled 3/7/13 let it sit if you want tastes alright now.
6. breakbeer - Black Nelson IPA
 - good to go, bottled 4 or 5 weeks ago
7. Vitalstatistix
 - Black Massss Extra Stout - give it a few weeks to carb up (bottled the night before)

9. Wolfman
- Malty Skunk Fart - Ready to drink
10. Shane R - Black Saison
 - Ready to drink
11. Yob - English something bastardised (WY1318) (should be carbed but could do with another 2 weeks conditioning)
12. Midnight Brew
 - American Brown Ale (Wy Greenbelt) - Drinking fine. Bottled 12.7.13
13. DarkFaerytales - Belgian Dark Ale - wyeast 1762- marked with a red wax seal. should be good to drink but will vastly improve with age
14. Damn
 - Belgian Strong: wyeast 1388 Bottled 11 weeks ago good to go but same as above "will improve with age".
15. Edak - Pirates American IPA

17. GrumpyPaul - Cherry Ripe Porter bottled 19/5 well and truly ready to drink now.
18. Shane S - Sparkling Pale Ale with Galaxy - Ready to drink
19. Grainer - Hoegarrten wannabe Drink Now.. bottled about 3 months ago
20. micbrew - Stone & Wood Pacific Ale - Ready to drink
21. JB - Polite Czech Pils - bottled 4/6/2013 - tried something different & turned out different than expected. One of my last partials, next step ... biab for better results!
22. technobabble66 - Two Fat Ducks Ale, DSGA (Simcoe+Motueka). Bottled on 13/7/13. Maybe ok now. Ideally give it another 3-6wks

 

[DarkFaerytale]

i thought perhaps i had skipped a bottle but no there is a big sticker on it, no4 is a little dark and stout-y to be a golden ale. Meathead, did you bottle the wrong beer?

(not that i have any issue with dark beer om nom nom nom)

 

[meathead]

i thought perhaps i had skipped a bottle but no there is a big sticker on it, no4 is a little dark and stout-y to be a golden ale. Meathead, did you bottle the wrong beer?

(not that i have any issue with dark beer om nom nom nom)

Very possible and highly likely

 

[Edak]

1. Manticle - Brown Porter - Ready to drink. Do not drink freezing cold.
2. Charst – Saison - Ready to Drink
3. Fikuss – Dunkelweißen - Ready to drink
4. Meathead DSGA Ready
5. Whiteferret - Oatmeal Treacle Stout Bottled 3/7/13 let it sit if you want tastes alright now.
6. breakbeer - Black Nelson IPA
 - good to go, bottled 4 or 5 weeks ago
7. Vitalstatistix
 - Black Massss Extra Stout - give it a few weeks to carb up (bottled the night before)

9. Wolfman
- Malty Skunk Fart - Ready to drink
10. Shane R - Black Saison
 - Ready to drink
11. Yob - English something bastardised (WY1318) (should be carbed but could do with another 2 weeks conditioning)
12. Midnight Brew
 - American Brown Ale (Wy Greenbelt) - Drinking fine. Bottled 12.7.13
13. DarkFaerytales - Belgian Dark Ale - wyeast 1762- marked with a red wax seal. should be good to drink but will vastly improve with age
14. Damn
 - Belgian Strong: wyeast 1388 Bottled 11 weeks ago good to go but same as above "will improve with age".
15. Edak - Pirates American IPA - Ready right now, as some of you already discovered on swap day.

17. GrumpyPaul - Cherry Ripe Porter bottled 19/5 well and truly ready to drink now.
18. Shane S - Sparkling Pale Ale with Galaxy - Ready to drink
19. Grainer - Hoegarrten wannabe Drink Now.. bottled about 3 months ago
20. micbrew - Stone & Wood Pacific Ale - Ready to drink
21. JB - Polite Czech Pils - bottled 4/6/2013 - tried something different & turned out different than expected. One of my last partials, next step ... biab for better results!
22. technobabble66 - Two Fat Ducks Ale, DSGA (Simcoe+Motueka). Bottled on 13/7/13. Maybe ok now. Ideally give it another 3-6wks

Looking forward to tasting all of these on my return. Mine is good to go, bottled over 5 weeks ago I think.

 

[Charst]

6: Break Beer - Black IPA

Nice Big Hoppy Aroma, black with brown at the highlights in the glass, good clarity.
light tan head thats holding well and lacing the glass,
Hoppy up front on the tongue, bitterness comes through pretty quick and dry roasty finish.
Thinner in the body than i would like but im more of the Hoppy porter type of BIPA. Just preference rather than critique.
This as you said is more the kooinda end. Good beer I enjoyed it.

 

[Wolfman]

15. Edak - Pirates American IPA - Ready right now, as some of you already discovered on swap day.

There was swap beer drank on swap day?

 

[Edak]

I had three spare tallies, gave two to Glenn shared one amongst those who were near me at the time of opening. I also shared around an ESB of mine.

There was swap beer drank on swap day?

 

[manticle]

Bummer I missed that ESB - heard good things about it.

 

[Edak]

Bummer I missed that ESB - heard good things about it.

Thanks Manticle,

perhaps I might brew it for the next swap, if not then I will be sure to save you a bottle when I do brew it again.

 

[manticle]

2. Charst: Saison.

Pours slightly hazy golden. Forms a very tight, white head which holds.
Aroma is slightly phenolic - spicy, peppery and a touch medicinal.

Mouthfeel is quite creamy, finishes mildly tart, almost sour but the creaminess balances it out.
Flavours of fresh bread linger with a hint of spicy pepper. Slight citrus (orange oil). Medicinal character is absent.

Carbonation is moderate, slightly on the low side.

I am very pleasantly surprised by this Ash - not because of who brewed it but because of your earlier apprehension/trepidation that it was a bad beer. The medicinal hint I caught in the initial aroma also had me worried but the beer is nicely balanced with some body but refreshing tart characteristics and nice phenolic spice. An enjoyable saison even if it is the depths of winter. if it was a comp/to style thing I might suggest it finish drier but it isn't and I really like the creaminess and slightly less than spritzy carbonation.

What was your issue with it? There's a hint of something I recognise from one of my own previous brews and I'm wondering if it's the same or my imagination. If I'm right, it's purely an ingredients issue.

 

[breakbeer]

Thanks for the feedback Charst, pretty much what I thought of it but wont go into detail until others have tasted

 

[manticle]

3. Fikuss: Dunkelweizen

pours clear, chocolate brown, very little head which dissipates quickly.
Aroma of pumpernickel, very light alcohol notes, yeast, brown bread.
Medium body, low carbonation.

Flavours of fresh bread crust, some earthiness, a tiny hint of the yeast character I found in the aroma but not loads.
Reminds me a bit of Frankinzaner dunkel. Nice flavours.

Cheers guys.

 

[Charst]

2. Charst: Saison.

Thanks very much for the feedback,

Amazing how a bit of time in the bottle can change a beer. When i bottled it the beer was way over with a rye Pumpernickel bread flavour that just dominated everything, and spoonful of cane sugar sweetness @1007.

I think next time i brew it i'll drop the home made Candi sugar edition and maybe just add the sugar to the boil, the mash was certainly dry: 10@55 40@62 20@68 10@72 + mash out. but with the FG being 3 points higher than my previous saisons I assumed the candy hadn't fermented out. The rye may be the reason its thicker though too (never used rye before). One change at a time though.

I think it was a culmination of issues and knowing it was my swap beer made me ******* off.

Dupont Stalled at 1020, 3711 couldn't pull it down to what i expected so i was nervy about bottling, tasted **** at bottling.

not sure what you mean by ingredient issue but the recipe was:

76% Wey Bo Pils
17% Wey Rye
7% home made candi sugar.

IBU 26
Ger Hallertau @60, @15 and @5
Willamette @ 15
EKG @ 5.
no chill

Hallertau was not very fresh.


Will brew it again though, i have one bottle left that i'll consider chucking in comp, or drink it myself...


Cheers

 

[manticle]

How'd you make the candi?

I don't think you need sugar in a saison - just mash low and use the right yeast but the flavour I'm thinking of is sugar related. In my pale belgians it was overuse of raw sugar.

 

[Charst]

That was my first time, :wub: .

500g White sugar, Lemon juice, boiled it on a butane burner in the shed on a hot day and it turn orange real quick.

I second time i used DAP and lemon juice, butane burner outside on a winters day with a candi thermometer and it never got above 110-115.
from memory Fructose caramelises early but 120 is the point where caramelisation of the glucose occurs ( see http://www.themadfermentationist.com) for more factual info.

According to the above (he's been corresponding with the D2 candi sugar maker) you want the lower temp sugar to caramelise but the higher not too, or you will get an in fermentable sugar.

Not fermented the second beer as yet

 

[Vitalstatistix]

1. Manticle - Brown Porter - Ready to drink. Do not drink freezing cold.

Very nice indeed.
Dry yet full enough for sure.
Nice Choc biscuit taste.

A little soapy but this just keeps the delicious chocolate biscuit flavours lingering in my mouth where they belong. Good balance. There is a very slight herbal spicy note there I can’t put my taste finger on. Defiantly ticks all the boxes mate. Nice one.

 

[manticle]

Probably the sage and thyme soap I used to clean the bottles.

Cheers. Glad you enjoyed.

 

[Wolfman]

1. Manticle - Brown Porter
Nice Choc biscuit taste.

I got loads of this.

Great beer.

Just wish I could be as descriptive as you lot.

 

[Edak]

Hey Wolfman If you want to get more creative with your descriptions then I would recommend that you taste with a style guideline and marking sheet next to you. I must admit that I don't have any experience judging others beers here but having an idea of what flavours to look for must help. I try to identify all flavours in every beer I drink and I get my wife to do the same, experience does help.

I also read through some of the lotto tasting thread and the gentleman tasting the beers fills out a judging sheet which simplifies the process and makes it step-by-step. This is where I think I will begin. At some point I will also have to get one of those chemical packs that helps identify off flavours.

It takes a lot of skill to be able to pick the subtle flavours, but with experience you and I shall be able to give constructive feedback to others and translate this into better beers of our own.

That being said I still have not tasted any of the swaps because I am still OS. Keep tasting team!

 

[Wolfman]

Cheers mate will do.