VIC 2016 Xmas Case Swap Tasting Thread

[TheWiggman]

22. Mardoo -
Two Fuzzy Nuts - Roasted Chestnut Amber
View attachment 94314
Took a big risk pouring this before mash out, but I like to live dangerously. Very low carb that didn't draw much head, but livens with some agitation. The aromatics are pretty special; in my mind I'm thinking chestnuts and I think I can smell them, but I'm getting an interesting g blend of English malt and some subtle hop sweetness accentuated by the alcohol. Very interesting. Flavour-wise the alcohol is hidden up front but it's a full drink for sure. Classic amber backbone which is well controlled so the dark malts don't take over with such a big beer. Appropriately bitter with hops I can't pick. Maybe EKG and some US? Nothing standing out, but all coming together for an enjoyable beer experience that is definitely it's own thing. Cheers for the hangover DJ, good contribution.

 

[TheWiggman]

Wondered how all you idiots double post. Just found out (cheers forum for the warning that the first post did not go through)
Edit #3: and now the picture's gone. Argh!

 

[AJ80]

7. Nullnvoid - Rye Pale Ale Surprise - Drink after 16th December @ 2:38pm

Cracking beer nullnvoid - just fantastic. A full bodied pale ale (that'd be the rye I suppose) that is perfectly balanced between malt and hops. Really enjoying the fruity aroma on this. Very clean ferment too. Seriously enjoyable stuff. Thanks for sharing!

And some others from the past week or so:

21. Midnight brew - September stout

Smooth roasty goodness. Such a nice stout midnight brew - was thoroughly enjoyed on a cool evening. Thanks for sharing yet another top notch brew mate.

18. Awesome fury - goat Amber

Minimal goat detected on the nose and palate. Plenty of 'amberness' though. Smelled like toast and had a really nice malt sweetness to it. Brilliant clarity too. Was very enjoyable.

 

[Midnight Brew]

2. Idzy - Black Summer

Black on black on black with a firm 15mm tan head that doesnt dissipate. Aroma is roast combined with a tiny bit of ester character on the end.

SMOOTH.

Solid malt character without being burnt/astringent or unpleasant. Light mouthfeel and very smooth and easy to drink. Finishes up with nice fruity tones that play well. I get this super easy drinking chocolate character.

Stab in the black dark but a black wheat beer on an UK yeast.

You've gotta share this recipe Idzy! Loved it.

 

[Midnight Brew]

I think I'm roughly half way through the swaps and what a swap this one shaped up to be. It really disappoints me when I'm out and cant find a beer close to the quality of what you fellow brewers are producing.

Truly loving the quality everyone. Brew on!

 

[Midnight Brew]

The trend continues!

19. WarmBeer - Uncle Warmy's Breakfast Stout (Keep warm for at least 2 weeks. Maybe end of Dec would be better)

Jet black, tanned head that fades over a few minutes (as expected with oats). Dark warm toasty notes and clean esters in the aroma. Flavour is outstanding! Chocolate notes paired with the smoothness of the oats has this sitting as one of my favourite dark beers of all time. It warms you up as you drink it. Very clean and really well brewed mate, the malt really shines through and takes center stage while still maintaining plenty of balance. The mouthfeel is perfect even with the carbonation. I'd love a keg of this on tap in Winter.

Sessionable AF. Great label too. I would happily drink this for breaky and recreate it.

Id love a recipe mate.



*Enjoyed after extending the the hop trellises up and onto the roof.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Another one.

6. Reardo - Robust Choc Porter

Deep brown/black with a nice tight tan head. Rich aroma of chocolate and extra roasty notes. Strong roasty flavour with backing from the rest of the grain bill. Boy I'd love this while watching the footy on someones deck in the middle of June. The bitterness backs up the roast quiet well. I got more roast then chocolate but I kinda expected that from a robust porter. Its one of those things with choc malt, I find it provides more actual roast then chocolate. Although it didnt pour overcarbed i'd say its a tad high but I still quiet like it. And I like em carbed real low if that means anything. Being a chocolate porter Id up the crystal a bit to give it a bit more sweetness and lower the roasted malts. However as a robust porter which it is still labeled as, loved it. It's not too dry and still has some decent malt character at play.

Also, I love the label. I'd love to hear the story of the label. The blue pit of fire and why its called the Two Thirds Chicks Brewery.

 

[MartinOC]

11. Thearn's Citra Pale Ale.

I'm generally not a fan of "New-World" hops, but this one has changed my mind (unless it's the way it was made). 'Not played with Citra myself (even when CB had them in stock & they vanished quick-smart), but I'm inclined-to now.

Loving it (even SWMBO likes it!!!). It sorta-kinda reminds me of some real ale's I used to drink in the UK before I came to OZ (if the carbonation wasn't so high).

Is the fruitiness from the Citra alone? What yeast did you use?

 

[WarmerBeer]

Sessionable AF. Great label too. I would happily drink this for breaky and recreate it.

Id love a recipe mate.

Well I :wub: you, too, MB.

View attachment 114 - Breakfast Stout.bsmx

I've attached the BeerSmith file. Let me know if it doesn't work for you, or for others.

 

[technobabble66]

It no worky for me.
Please cut and paste, tin man.
Muchos grassy arse.
[emoji6]

(Hopefully lining up to brew a stout in a little while, so starting a review of recipes)

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I've emailed it to you Stu!

 

[Midnight Brew]

5. VP Brewing - Tripel - Bottled 12.10.16. Ready to drink Xmas time. (Leave longer if you can) Keep refrigerated.

Mountain peak head that wants to explode but settles atop of the glass. Clear golden hue. Aroma reminds me somewhat of a saison yeast I used a few years back. More fruit then phenolic. Flavourwise it's refreshing without any malt dominance. It actually tastes sweet then fades ever so quickly to dry which had me a bit confused. I looked up the style guides for a reference and it seems to be a pretty important component. Sneaks up on you too just like the style guidelines say. Head laces the glass all the way till the end.

This beer was not at all how I expected it to be but never less I enjoyed it. .

Hope you don't have this one on tap at home as it went straight to my head, the sneaky *******. Cheers mate.

EDIT: as is warmed up it had quiet a wonderful citrus bouquet and was even more of a sneaky ******* to drink. Much smoother too once some of the initial carbonation drives off and brings more malt into play.

 

[TheWiggman]

No longer on call for work - longneck time!

17. GrumpyPaul - Russian Roulette ESB
Yep it's infected. Appearance oozes ESB, but nose says brett. Like Martin said, it's not overly off-putting but has me wondering if I should finish the rest of it or move on to something that is as intended. You'll have to prove the skillz next swap if you or I don't drop out.
Crap I can't stop burping, super carbed.

 

[TheWiggman]

4. AJ80 - North German Altbier (aka Son of DJ)

Love that colour. I've never tried an altbeir before (have I tried anything?) so this is new territory. Reminds me a lot in 'character' of a mild - almost nutty, full body but with little lasting bite if that makes any sense. I'm not getting much Euro anything bar a whisp of smokiness courtesy of the darker malts. Strikes me as like a lager, focus being on making it clean and more about the things that aren't there than what is. Not too shabby.
Ed: looked up the style guidelines and seems you've hit the nail on the head

 

[AJ80]

Thanks mate - this was based heavily on a recipe from DJ_L3ThAL. It's my new favourite style. Will find it hard not to keep some form of alt on constant rotation.

Speaking of which...

8. DJ_L3ThAL - Düsseldorf altbier
Had this the other night. Rich, malty and oh so clean. Really enjoyable beer mate and thanks for sharing.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Thanks AJ and also Wiggy for your previous feedback! Wiggy you were spot on about the heavy hand in darker Munich, it was ~30% Munich II.

I'm in the same boat as you AJ, I fear for the day an Alt keg blows, but also can't stop thinking about and planning the tweaks for the next one.

I have manticle to blame for biting me with the Alt bug after reading some of his posts about the style. Sadly I'm yet to try a commercial example from Germany. Prost!

 

[technobabble66]

Recipes from AJ & DJ for the Alts? Please!

 

[TheWiggman]

StrongRAD is ready to drink. Treat yourself.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Here is my swap Alt. It pushes the flavour and bitterness, whilst I still like it I think restraint is key with the Altbier style and would prefer a slightly more backed off version which I brewed by accident the last time (had less hops but had same grist but got channeling during the mash and an unexpected lower efficiency).

Also for whatever reason I tried ~30% Munich II in this version where as it was only ~10% in the version before which was a fair bit more session-able.

Anyways, welcome to the Altbier bandwagon, enjoy your stay.

View attachment Alt.Beer.Spalt - Dusseldorf.bsmx

 

[technobabble66]

Got a version for those of us without beersmith? (& uncle warmie's stout). Please!

I guess it obviously makes sense to back things off a little to have a more session able beer, but it's hard to get off the Moar Train [emoji6]
I'm learning it's a very, very fine line between still getting a solid impact of flavour from hops & (especially) malts but not pushing it into heavy territory. I like my heavier beers, but sometimes I'm simply after something a bit more sessionable.