Vic Case Swap Xmas In July 2010 Tasting Thread

[manticle]

Taste away

 

[Siborg]

Alrighty... Let's get this underway:

#4 manticles ESB. first impression was put off by the smell. While I wouldn't call it terrible, I'd go far from calling it pleasing.

Smell aside, I took a sip at outside temp, which I'd say is around 9-10deg. Very nice overall. Carb level is good for this type of beer and roasty flavours are present but not over the top. There's a level of sweetness in there that I like, and it's not cloying.

Ok, sorry in advance for my reviews. I don't generally critique beer, so I'm going on if I enjoy or not. Manticle, I really like this one. Good stuff.

 

[wakkatoo]

Beer #12, Moonshines OLMS
My overall impression was that this is a really nice beer. Very drinkable. Head retention is low but the carbonation of the beer seems enough for me anyway. Just doesn't have that long lasting head.
Mouthfeel for me is great, love that 'slickness' and the malty finish.
Like Siborg, it comes down to me either liking it or not.....

I like. :icon_cheers:

edit - given what Moonshine was drinking on Saturday, I opened this away from a naked flame. Happily, this precaution is not required!

 

[Wardhog]

1. Warmbeer - American Porter.

Nice subtle American hops over a low level of roastiness makes for a very easy drinking porter. Wouldn't change a thing about this recipe, good job Warmbeer.
:icon_cheers:

 

[Cocko]

#2. Zebba - Fuggled Amber Ale [Yes, I got one ]

Let me start by saying I am no good with all the feedback terminology so will say what I think...

I found this beer to be very subtle in flavour and aroma, which for the first beer of the night I like, a nice easy quaffer... A tiny bit bitter for what I would expect from an amber.

Overall, good drinking - well done Zebba!

:icon_cheers:

 

[Fourstar]

4. Manticle -ESB (Young's special London ale clone)

Served @ 10 deg.

Nice tight ivory to tan foam, beautiful clarity and deep copper ro red in appearance. Moderate fruit esters followed by sweet malt, light caramel and some nuttiness. A light perfume of hops, floral like finishes the aroma. Rich toffee malt on the palate follwed by some nuttiness and biscuit like characters. This beer is balanced hop-forward. Some astringency in the finish and a lingering bitterness. Moderate hop flavour. Moderate body with light carbonation.

Overall a decent beer. The only downside is the astringency which detract from the overall malt qualities which let this beer down. the crystal sweetness and toffee would be much more pronounced and the beer more in balance if the astringency was gone. could be attributed to hot sparge or water adjutments throwing the mash pH out.

Either way, a good start to the swap! :icon_chickcheers:

 

[seemax]

#2. Zebba - Fuggled Amber Ale [Yes, I got one ]

Let me start by saying I am no good with all the feedback terminology so will say what I think...

I found this beer to be very subtle in flavour and aroma, which for the first beer of the night I like, a nice easy quaffer... A tiny bit bitter for what I would expect from an amber.

Overall, good drinking - well done Zebba!

:icon_cheers:

You have a solid chance for PM mate if you don't make it as a beer reviewer... Vote #1 for Monday night anarchy!

Anyhoo... just polished off #2 also and found it subtle in all ways but very easy to drink. Nice fluffy head, backgroundy amber flavour, perhaps a touch under bittered for me. Also detected a little fruitiness from the yeast?

Good job

 

[Cocko]

Vote #1 for Monday night anarchy!

HAHAHA!! Just putting the spikes on the car now, a few ice pipes and I will get amongst it!

 

[scott_penno]

#7 beerDingo - APA/Slipstream Cream Ale Clone

Pours a golden amber color, probably at the darker end of what was expected and was a bit hazy. Nice tight persistent head. Aroma has hints of caramel laced with hops. Upon tasting, well balanced combination of malt and hops with carbonation that was spot on. A well made beer. If the rest of the case swap beers are as good as this - I'll be wrapped...

sap.

 

[Fourstar]

27. Fergthebrewer - Oatmeal stout

A light toastiness and lingering roast. Some salty golden syrup and burnt molasses like aromas present. Deep rich stone fruit stands up as it warms with some light ashy overtones. A light thin tan head with an opaque yet deep rich tar-black in appearance.

A creamy palate with balanced roast and malt sweetness, a sensation I have not had in a beer for a while. Almost like a limestone Coast SA Shiraz, quite minerally upfront. From the aromas I was expecting a much more full-on roast sensation. The beer is somewhat subdued and served at 10 deg it should not be muted. A light sweet alcohol is present and mild bitterness. There is lingering complex roast in the finish, nutty and mild anise. This is a very well balanced beer but seems almost too mild on the roast and hopping rates upon first impressions. A quite rich dark fruit cake like finish aids increasing the perception of higher alcohols or darker crystals. The more you have, the intensity of this beer increases. A very well crafted beer and up there with the best.

Only suggestions I would make are to up the roast complexity. Maybe a touch (or more) of chocolate/carafa to balance out the minerally (almost salty) acrid grain qualities to increase the sessionability and palatability of this beer. (if the mineral character is salts derived, Id look at reducing sodium additions or carbonates as it tastes almost mineral water like.

If its the same beer that did well at the stout extravaganza. Im not surprised. Great work bud!

 

[zebba]

Seemax - the yeast was US05 and fermented low. Infact, almost too low, as I didn't have anything to warm it up! My biggest concern about this one was that it was under attentuated. I think the fruitiness is probably coming from the munich malt.

Well so far this swap is looking good! Where's the infections people?? Hanging out to pick my boxes up so I can get tasting...

 

[Wardhog]

#2 - Zebba's Fuggled Amber Ale

A fantastic looking beer, clear as a bell with nice pillowy head. A lovely caramel aspect of maltiness, however, there's also a sharp taste to it that I'm struggling to describe adequately that lets it down a little bit. It seems to leave a hint of apple about it as it subsides from your palate.

Sort that out and you've got a cracking beer here. I hope one of the BJCP guys can shed a bit of light on what that is and how to fix it, because I'm struggling to put a name to it.

 

[Wardhog]

#3 - Fourstar - Festivity Ale

This is a palate smasher, and likely a head smasher as well. Massive hop bitterness wins out over a stonking great heap of malt, with a lot of alcohol having something to say also.

The late additions have lent a bit of a grassy effect to the beer, but haven't left a clear hop flavour. Maybe everything's getting confused by all the Chinook.

All in all, a good beer executed well. It's a little bit powerful for my tastes, but if you like Fisherman's Friends better than Tic Tacs, you should be happy drinking this.

 

[Cocko]

#24. Siborg - Amber Ale

Very clear, nice fluffy head and good lacing....

Nice aroma and balanced flavour. Again, a tiny bit bitter for the style as far as I know... but found the the same with zebba's so maybe just me.

Overall, a very nice beer mate... could drink many.


:icon_cheers:

 

[Fourstar]

The late additions have lent a bit of a grassy effect to the beer, but haven't left a clear hop flavour. Maybe everything's getting confused by all the Chinook.

I think its the dry hops doing that as it was very distinctive before dry hopping it. The last dregs of the keg tasted a little rough around the edges (3 weeks ago) but i can only hope it would soften up a little as she ages.

how was the aroma? a little lost like the flavour?

 

[wakkatoo]

Manticle - ripper of a beer. Loved it and wanted more. Not much more to add than that!

#2 - Zebba's Fuggled Amber Ale

A fantastic looking beer, clear as a bell with nice pillowy head. A lovely caramel aspect of maltiness, however, there's also a sharp taste to it that I'm struggling to describe adequately that lets it down a little bit. It seems to leave a hint of apple about it as it subsides from your palate.

edit - tend to agree on this. I felt the mouthfeel was a little thinner than I anticipated. Man, I hate giving anything other than absolutely positive feedback but you gotta call 'em as you see 'em...

 

[scott_penno]

Fourstar, my bottle had your label on top with the word WHEAT on it. Is this a different beer to the one Wardhog may have had? Didn't quite come across as a wheat beer but doesn't quite match Wardhog's description either...

sap.

 

[Fourstar]

Fourstar, my bottle had your label on top with the word WHEAT on it. Is this a different beer to the one Wardhog may have had? Didn't quite come across as a wheat beer but doesn't quite match Wardhog's description either...
sap.

Yeah mate that was my home grown POR ale. A bottle of it tasted with Dave from Greensy on the night seemed mildy sour (even with our fatigued palates)but we where thinking it was one bottle. Now it also seems like it might be the whole batch. i cleaned the keg lastnight and as soon as i cracked the lid, a definite lactic aroma. Did you notice any sourness?

Either way ive added That recipe to the list as well if it tickles your fancy, its 20% wheat. the recipe started as an american wheat style and i ended up scaling it back for munich as i had to get rid of some extra i couldnt sore in the grain bin. The hopping/ibu should be just about right.

Cheers.

WarmBeer, your next on my hit list. About to sit down with it now. :icon_cheers:

 

[scott_penno]

No sourness at all. The hopping was a little muted compared to what I would have expected from the recipe (original beer) and description by others. It was also a little undercarbed. Quite a drinkable beer nonetheless...

sap.

Yeah mate that was my home grown POR ale. A bottle of it tasted with Dave from Greensy on the night seemed mildy sour (even with our fatigued palates)but we where thinking it was one bottle. Now it also seems like it might be the whole batch. i cleaned the keg lastnight and as soon as i cracked the lid, a definite lactic aroma. Did you notice any sourness?

 

[Fourstar]

No sourness at all. The hopping was a little muted compared to what I would have expected from the recipe (original beer) and description by others. It was also a little undercarbed. Quite a drinkable beer nonetheless...
sap.

Phew. Sorry for the misleading info. glad it was still 'enjoyable'.


1. WarmBeer - American Porter

Light mild nuttiniess and cocoa on the nose and a lingering soft malty sweetness. A delicate citrus hop aroma also present, quite clean otherwise. Deep brown in appearance with some haze. Very low carbonation produced no foam. a pocket sparkler was used to knock a nice rich creamy tan hean onto it. :icon_cheers:

Palate resonates the aromas. Dusty cocoa, gentle coffee with a nutty/biscuity malt palate. A low hop flavour and a gentle but balanced bitterness. Moderate body and as noted earlier, mild to no carbonation. bitterness is quite balanced and toasty notes linger in the finish.

As an American i was expecting alot more from this. Something BIGGER, more like SN Porter or a Robust porter. It didnt live up to that expectation but thats ok, It was a great porter nonetheless and ticked all the boxes on the lighter (flavour and hops) end of the scale. As for the carbonation, as a bigger porter it would need it, being lighter i think you got lucky with this one. Was it a one off bottle with a bad seal (reused cap)? Futher responses will tell the story i guess.

Overall, pretty much a US brown porter if you ask me and would happily sink a couple of pints on a cool evening like tonight.

Great work WarmBeer, a well crafted ale! :icon_chickcheers: