Vic Case Swap Xmas In July 2010 Tasting Thread

[Wonderwoman]

I finally started on the swap beers last night.

Manticle ESB
appearance - poured with good head, clear and lovely amber colour
aroma - overpowering malt, caramel and maybe it's just me but I thought I got a tiny hint of sourness
taste - malt driven, again I got a tiny hint of sourness. I'm not sure about the style guidlines for ESB (and have only had a couple of aussie commerial ESBs), but I expected more bitterness? For my personal taste, this was a bit sweet.


Warmbeer - American Porter
I didn't take and specific notes, because I simply thought it was DELICIOUS!!!
The only comment I have, is that with the prefix "american" I wasn't sure whether to expect some hop aroma/flavour (probably not from Brett ). Personally I was glad that it didn't have any, I really enjoyed it as it was. :icon_cheers:
ps - Adam was concerned with the historical accuracy of your label

 

[WarmBeer]

Warmbeer - American Porter
I didn't take and specific notes, because I simply thought it was DELICIOUS!!!
The only comment I have, is that with the prefix "american" I wasn't sure whether to expect some hop aroma/flavour (probably not from Brett ). Personally I was glad that it didn't have any, I really enjoyed it as it was. :icon_cheers:
ps - Adam was concerned with the historical accuracy of your label

Glad you liked it, it has definitely opened up with a couple of weeks in the bottle.

The "American" prefix was added due to the use of corn adjunct (polenta), and all US hopping (although I found out after the fact that Magnum is actually a German hop, I just assumed it was named for Dirty Harry, who woulda thunk it?)

And don't worry, one of these days I promise I'll add discernible hops to my beer

 

[seemax]

And don't worry, one of these days I promise I'll add discernible hops to my beer

Sure, sure... next you'll fermenting below 18C ... and faking it doesn't count

 

[Fourstar]

and all US hopping (although I found out after the fact that Magnum is actually a German hop, I just assumed it was named for Dirty Harry, who woulda thunk it?)

You can get US magnum.. i know, ive got 1lb of it in my freezer! :beerbang:

 

[WarmBeer]

... I wasn't sure whether to expect some hop aroma/flavour (probably not from Brett )...

Sure, sure... next you'll fermenting below 18C ... and faking it doesn't count

I've heard some brewers will over-compensate with hops to cover up for other deficiencies in their brewing processes...

Just sayin

 

[Wonderwoman]

I've heard some brewers will over-compensate with hops to cover up for other deficiencies in their brewing processes...

Just sayin

ha ha ha!!! it works for me!

 

[Fents]

# 5 Big Bad Supra Jimmy's American Amber...

absolutley nailed it! (imo) looks great smells grouse and the taste? spot on for me, malty, toffee and then a smack of hops. i love it when i burp hops!

9 burbs outta 10 SJ! :drinks:

 

[manticle]

Lucas: Smoked chocolate porter.


Um.... Are you sure? Maybe I got a different bottle - mine is cloudy orange (not brown or deep mahogany), pours with a good head that laces but has no hint of smoke and little, if any chocolate.

The aroma is hoppy but not overpowering. Having said all that - whatever beer this actually is, it's delicious. I'd be happy with loads more - great carb, nice caramel, hops subtle but present, slight citrus and maybe a tiny hint of choc in the finish. Any idea if I might have been subbed a different bottle and if so - what and what's the recipe?

@wonderwoman - I wish I had more to try so I could compare to the notes I've received as they've all been a bit varied. Very much hoping the sourness was your perception or just that bottle - would hate a latent infection to show up in anyone's/everyone's beer as I've done my utmost to check what I was giving to people before swapping. Cheers for the feedback anyway.

 

[WarmBeer]

11. Fents - all citra apa

Pours a cloudy, dark orange. Head is small but persistant.

Smells of tangerines and malty sweetness, you got the Citra part of it right!

At first I thought this was a little bit one-dimensional, but now it's warmed up a little, the up-front maltiness is really well balanced by the lingering bitterness.

Taste, smell, appearance, it's all there. A real good beer, thanks Fents.

B+

 

[manticle]

Wakkatoo: Schwarzbier

Pours black into a glass. Very difficult to see but ruby highlights when held to the light suggest it's clear not murky. Fluffy head which quickly dissipates. Small amount of lacing.

Aroma of apples.

Carbonation moderate - moderately low. Flavour is malt, smooth burnt sugar (if there is such a thing) and granny smith. The granny is fairly subtle and I',m questioning myself because I tasted it in someone else's beer last night. Tasting is so subjective (strike one for captain obvious) but it's a flavour I keep coming back to.

If I had never heard of acetylaldehyde and been told it's a beer fault I might just wonder what that crisp apple taste was and find it an interesting phenomenon. Therefore I'm going to do that here because it's not overpowering and apple and burnt sugar go quite well together. Everything else about the beer is nicely balanced - in favour of the malt generally, carbonation works with it, not overly roasty, definitely no harshness for such a dark beer, flavours integrated well. Slight carob/choc finish.

You analyse these beers hoping to do them justice and not just write 'good beer mate' but sometimes you can overthink and I'm not sure if I apply as much analysis to my own beers. I'm still super (even hyper) critical of my own but it's less Nancy and more Paddy.

 

[Fourstar]

Lucas: Smoked chocolate porter.

Looking at the wrong swap mate! :lol:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...;showarticle=87

either that or you are looking at an old bottle label and not the number on the cap!?!

number 22 would be - 22. Wardhog - ESB :icon_cheers:

 

[manticle]

Bottle had a label on it that said lucas: smoked chocolate porter so I read that rather than the cap number.

If it was wardy's ESB then top drop . Really enjoyed it (confused though I was- pull the old swap bloody label off next time)

 

[bum]

Thanks for the error anyway, Wardhog and manticle. I looked back through the old swap recipes and found where I went wrong with my recipe formulation for my pretty disastrous smoked chocolate porter. Would still do mine a little different to Lucas' but it has shown me the error of my ways.

 

[[email protected]]

Chapter 11

I regained conciousness and found myself buried in a shallow grave. Digging my way out I immediately felt anxious about the fate of my beers back home. The last thing I remember was examining an unmarked bottle of beer with a white lid. I got up and notice I was still holding it. What luck! And intuitively it felt like beer o'clock. I retrieved the spare beer glass that I always stored in my jocks (just in case) and poured myself a glass of the murky liquid. It smelt of tropical fruits mixed with beer--quite enticing. At this point I tried to think of my health and what affect this beer would have on it, but alas it was too late, I had already taken a sip. It tasted fruity, bittersweet and slightly cloying at first, but the more I drank the more I liked, and before I knew it I had guzzled down the entire bottle. Then I heard rustling from the undergrowth and I was beset by a tribe of pygmies, who tied me up and carried my away upside down on a long stake. Slightly inebriated I decide not to struggle and go with the flow.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Thanks Fents, glad you enjoyed it.

11. Fents All Citra Pale ale

Really looked forward to this one as i've been to try Citra. All i can say is wow, this beer was a great showcase for the hop. Poured a little cloudy in the glass, not really an issue though. Lovely thick creamy head that lasted the entire glass.

3. Fourstar SNCA

Nice hop aroma out of the bottle. Poured a smalllish head that subsided, however it did lace the glass. Good aroma of hops and caramel in the glass (reminded me of a few US commericals)
Hop flvour is present but its a good balance with the malt. Strong bitterness that lingered on the palate. Really nice beer, could easily drink more.

Well done guys!

Cheers SJ

 

[Wardhog]

Looking at the wrong swap mate! :lol:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...;showarticle=87

either that or you are looking at an old bottle label and not the number on the cap!?!

number 22 would be - 22. Wardhog - ESB :icon_cheers:

That's funny. I bought two boxes of PET bottles special for the swap, to avoid reusing bottles. Oh well, doesn't matter, glad you ejoyed the beer.

 

[Fourstar]

That's funny. I bought two boxes of PET bottles special for the swap, to avoid reusing bottles. Oh well, doesn't matter, glad you ejoyed the beer.

sorry, what i meant was number 22 this round was your beer. This time 12 months ago it was lucas so it probabaly wasnt your beer after all. if mants didnt have a number on the lid of the bottle well the only way to find out who's it was is to countback from what he has drank and do the math on it.

 

[WarmBeer]

sorry, what i meant was number 22 this round was your beer. This time 12 months ago it was lucas so it probabaly wasnt your beer after all. if mants didnt have a number on the lid of the bottle well the only way to find out who's it was is to countback from what he has drank and do the math on it.

Or, to quote Sherlock Holmes:

We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth

 

[brendo]

Brendo: Black Riggwelter:

Pours deep dark brown which shows up beatiful dark copper with a light shone through it. Off white head, dissipates, some lacing.

Aroma of coffee and treacle. Lovely aroma. No hop aroma.

Carbonation just where it should be. Flavour is magnificent - reminds me a bit of Screwy's choc treacle stout I had recently. You can almost chew this. Nice balance of sweet sugar and burnt bitter sugar. Keep thinking I can smell espresso but then it disappears. There seems to be a teeny hint of warm alc note in there which surprised me at 5.7% but it's subtle and definitely not out of place. Quite a ballsy beer - wasn't sure if it was meant to be a clone of black sheep ale but seems like a much bigger, darker beer. Definitely seems bigger than it is - if I'd read 8% I would not have been surprised.

Really nice mate. Good for a cold winter's night like this one. No idea how to style it is for a northeast brown - don't much care.

To add - as I drink a little more I get a weird kind of saltiness but it seems to work with the burnt treacle/molasses I'm describing. It's quite a rich beer and I'm not sure you could have a session on it - in some ways it's like a really rich sauce (as in delicious but don't douse your beef too strongly). Hope that makes sense.

To add further - just read the recipe and I'm quite surprised at some of the treacle type flavours I'm getting. Also did a quick search and found out about the beer it's based on. Anyway really interesting beer, slightly confounding, definitely delicious. Cheers.

thanks for the feedback mate - glad you enjoyed it. I have been pleasantly surprised with this one, just needs a little more age. I would attribute the alcohol to the fact that it got a bit warm early in the fermentation cycle.

This one will be running through one of my beer engines for sure once I have that all sorted out.

 

[Wonderwoman]

@wonderwoman - I wish I had more to try so I could compare to the notes I've received as they've all been a bit varied. Very much hoping the sourness was your perception or just that bottle - would hate a latent infection to show up in anyone's/everyone's beer as I've done my utmost to check what I was giving to people before swapping. Cheers for the feedback anyway.

probably just my percpetion... I've been learning recently that my taste thresholds are not as sensitive as others', and I don't seem to be too good at identifying tastes, so maybe it was the astringency that others detected that I perceived as sourness???