Vic Case Swap Xmas In July 2010 Tasting Thread

[haysie]

#7
Tastes like a should be American Pale Ale, Poured nice n reasonably clear, good carbonation, enough hops on the nose to know what your drinking. Bitterness is bold, finish and mouthfeel is thin, lacking finishing hops or the lingering bitterness takes away from them. Good malt presence and makes for a good summer after work quencher. I would suggest drop the IBU`S a little, up the late hopping and increase the mouthfeel and alcohol. Thx Dingo!

 

[brendo]

24. Siborg amber ale

Already been a few reviews on this one so I won't cover too much old ground.

What I will say is this - nice work Siborg, this is a good beer mate. Good clarity, colour and mouthfeel. Aroma and flavor a good to. Carbonation was maybe a little high which meant that it poured with a big head which dissipated pretty quickly.

Seems like a solid recipe mate - one you can definitely repeat and refine over time.

Well done and thanks for entering it.

 

[manticle]

23: wolfy: spiced ale 1822 something something(??)

I have had some blood orange and rasins soaking in port for a week to add to one of my sours. Added it today so I poured the excess port off and sampled a bit today. Cloudy and very much like christmas cake so this beer seems appropriate. Also it's my last one of the swap.

I've kept mine inside since the swap.

Pours very clear golden with a tight head that quickly dissipates to very little. Aroma of cake and citrus.

Nice level of carb for me although definitely on the low side. Mouthfeel medium - would be helped by a touch more carb. I like it at this level but it's on the lower edge of what I like. Any flatter would not be good.

From the other reviews I was expecting much more of a ginger hit. While there is ginger in there it doesn't taste overdone to me. There's almost a sense of subtle brett, similar to Orval. I get citrus and malt with orval. Seems like a tiny hint or warm alc in there (not hot/fusel) which suits the beer. Definitely a winter brew.

I think this is a unique and great beer - one that could be tweaked even further. Balance is pretty good but I think a touch more maltiness would be good and therefore a slightly increased bitterness to maintain that balance. As it is, the bitterness is in balance with the malt and lingers but that might get lost if malt were increased without adjusting the hops. Hopoe that makes sense

Something a little different but a very well made different - I'm a fan of both well made and different. Good effort - I'm a fan.

 

[haysie]

Hi All,

As I think some of my bottles (so far 3 have been ok and 2 not ) have issues, so sorry if you get one of them. I thought a way to feel safer would be to fill from keg. So my question, how many have filled from keg ?

I might try to borrow the Melb Brew CPBF and try it out.

Again sorry if you get a bad bottle.

cheers
Matt

Drinking yours now Matt, You bottled straight from the keg dribble method or CPBF?
Mine is a bit lifeless, head disappears like a brides knickers on her wedding night , tangerine hop flavours, a grainy toffee aroma, bitterness is lingering well after the last mouthfull. Am enjoying it apart from the carbonation and a litttle hop astringency. Thanks for the beer!

 

[[email protected]]

Chapter 21

After all the excitement I decided to stay home and enjoy a quiet night watching the cricket. Australia was getting their ass whipped by Pakistan. It didn't seem right and I thought somehow I had stepped into a timewarp back to the mid eighties. I was brought back to reality by the sound of my Boony Doll.
Wheres me beer? he said.
Okay, I thought, good point. So I grabbed a bottle of beer, two glasses and poured us both some. Nice and clear with a classic european lager-like aroma. Tasted really good too, clean with a good amount of hops on the palate, a hint of malt and the right amount of lingering bitterness.
"Hey, what's going on here? This isn't VB!" said Boony as he eyed to glass of beer suspiciously.
"This is way better. Give it a try," I told him.
So he took a gulp. "Mmmmmmm, this is real good stuff. I could go about 50 or so of these."
Then sparks flew from his ears and flames melted his moustache. I mourned his passing as I finished my beer and his.

 

[haysie]

Chapter 21

After all the excitement I decided to stay home and enjoy a quiet night watching the cricket. Australia was getting their ass whipped by Pakistan. It didn't seem right and I thought somehow I had stepped into a timewarp back to the mid eighties. I was brought back to reality by the sound of my Boony Doll.
Wheres me beer? he said.
Okay, I thought, good point. So I grabbed a bottle of beer, two glasses and poured us both some. Nice and clear with a classic european lager-like aroma. Tasted really good too, clean with a good amount of hops on the palate, a hint of malt and the right amount of lingering bitterness.
"Hey, what's going on here? This isn't VB!" said Boony as he eyed to glass of beer suspiciously.
"This is way better. Give it a try," I told him.
So he took a gulp. "Mmmmmmm, this is real good stuff. I could go about 50 or so of these."
Then sparks flew from his ears and flames melted his moustache. I mourned his passing as I finished my beer and his.

:lol:
Glad you like it mcook. As for Boony..........maybe he needs to be on a plane.

 

[haysie]

#27

With only 6 beers down in this swap, if i get a few more of the quality thus far including this one I reckon i`m doing well,
this beer started a little hot on the nose so was expecting some noticable alcohol, not so, quite the opposite. Poured a creamy head, struggling to find any hop flavour, the bitterness is not bad, it is an oatmeal stout? i am lazy at looking up recipes. the mouthfeel is full, not oily not heavy not sweet but good for the beer i am drinking and thinking, on a cold winters night on the trout I could drink it all night and not have any regrets tomorrow. Warming up, the aroma is fuggles? Good beer Ferg! Thx

edit, has the energy gone from this thread? I hate talking to myself. 26 brewers and 3/4qrt`s are silent. Maybe its not about the swap BUT the swapDAY, either way i`ll put my 2 bobs in !

 

[Cocko]

Had a brew day with me ole mate beersatan so with the taps due to blow any moment I chilled a few swap beers for the days tastings....

Brewing 100L's of ESB can get to pretty thirsty work!


Number 5. Supra Jim - The Curly Devil (american amber)

Cocko:

Pours well with a nice fluffy head. Nice and clear. Beautiful aroma..... Over all, very much my style of beer and wish I had more. Beer of the day!

Can you send more?


Beersatan:

Centennial is my hop of choice at the moment and this smacked of it.
As it warmed up the amarillo came to life and then it was over.
Beer of the week!
-----------------------------------

Number 17 - Shimple - Northern Lights Hog Ale

Cocko: Again, a beer very much my preferred style... And again, a beautiful aroma and flavour balance. Very nice mate.... Very nice. As it warmed and with beersatan confused how to get 'pig' aroma.... I must say I got a little hog on the nose..

Beersatan: Mmm smells like hops and PIG!!!!
As it warmed it still smelled like pig!
Lucky I like pig.




------------------------------------

Number 21 - Haysie - Bohemian Pilsner

Cocko: Time for a cleanser.... Little aroma, expected, clear as a bell, a really interesting flavour we couldnt pick so had to look up the recipe. We could taste it in my CA we had ealier so figured it was hopped with Hallertauer but find the only similarity was the Galaxy malt... So interesting. I must say, I rushed to the bottle for re-fill and left beersatan to his just one glass.

Great beer.

Beersatan: A lot of flavour for a pils which I guess was the dark crystal. Easy to drink and could have had a lot more if it wasnt drank already!


------------------------------------

Number 25 Don Mateo - Dunkelweizen

Cocko: Well what can I say, a fantastic example of a Dunkel. Banana in perfect amounts...... Loved it!

Beersatan: A great dunkel!
I could have drunk more of this one.
------------------------------

Number 14 - seemax - Cascadian Steam Beer

Cocko: I am assuming the name is coming from the use of the amounts of cascade through it... Great beer, all I can say!

Beersatan: Gone home and he took his jerky..... <_<


Great day, great pizza - cheers beersatan!, great beers and hopefully a great 4 cubes of wort.....



- :kooi:

 

[Cocko]

Night cap/s:

26 Wakkatoo - Black Betty Schwarzbier

Not familiar with this style at all.. so my impressions on the beer - Great beer , confusing drinking a black beer that didn't seem heavy in mouth feel and flavours were not to roasty or chocolatey - extremely well balanced over all! even swmbo had a sip [Who thinks anything black taste like cola cordial] was a little confused by the fact she liked it!

Great beer and makes me happy [Again] to be a part of this swap.... who knows if swaps will ever be the same!




15 Hutch - Belgian Tripel

Well, I have saved this or more so avoided this one as I once upon a time, many moons back, loved belgians but after a few bad examples [commercial] I was absolutely over the alcohol/overpowering/flavour/aroma/everything about them......

Hutch, I know it seems all reviews are positive and well done rah rah rah.. but sincerely, I think you for allowing me to enjoy a Belgian again! To the point I reckon I will brew one.

Excessive cheers!

:chug:

 

[brendo]

14. Seemax Cascadian Steam Beer

A little hazy on pouring - might be a bit of yeast as I did osweve a few floaties on it's way into the jug, but suspect it is a little more than this.

Aroma - loads of cascade goodness with hints of caramel - nice.

Flavour - aroma carries through, cascade and caramel, however I wa expecting maybe a little more hop. Quite a big mouthfeel - which makes me think that maybe it is a little underattenuated perhaps as it finishes a little sweet.

All in all a tasty beer - improvements for me would be to look at mash temp or oxygenation to assist attenuation a bit to help dry it out a little. Conversely, I would look at upping the bitterring addition a bit to balance it out and help clean up the finish.

Good work mate and thanks for sharing.

Brendo

 

[shimple]

Lets start by saying, i have no idea about tasting, or about what to look for when tasting, so with my first ever try at it, here goes nothing!!!

#9 Kleiny Rogue DeadGuy Ale

Great poor. Head was dense and remained until pot was empty. Slightly overcarbed for my personal ale preference, but not overpowering.

Aroma - Wow is all i can say, want to eat the glass.

Mouthfeel - Thick and tended to cling to the tounge. HMMM!!

As the beer warmed, I sensed a hint of dark chocolate and or toffee which complements the biterness perfectly.

Kleiny, loved it mate, Top job!!

 

[manticle]

People say they have no idea about tasting but all you need is a tongue and to take a bit of time. Seems like you've done that.

 

[shimple]

People say they have no idea about tasting but all you need is a tongue and to take a bit of time. Seems like you've done that.

Yep spot on( on taking time)...Changed my mind several times as it tasted different from start to finish, but some parts were the same all the way through.

 

[haysie]

#24

This beer looks better than it tastes, nice n clear, pours well with a big tight lacey head. Then lets itself down with a thin mouthfeel that carries only a hint of bitterness and smidgin of hop flavour. Checking out the recipe, 04 is probably the culprit but thats only opinion. More a mega than a craft this yeast throws. A clean drop nonetheless.
Thx for the beer Si.

 

[Wardhog]

10. Brendo - Black Sheeps Riggwelter clone

Not like anything I've had before, but I gotta say I enjoyed this beer immensely. Have you posted the recipe? I'm interested in what provides those flavours.

 

[Hutch]

3. Fourstar - The Festivity Ale

Short and sweet - fantastic beer. To be brutally honest, far more balanced than your last case-swap AIPA (think it was the overpowering Simcoe that didn't gell for me).
This, on the other hand is truely magnificent. Ignoring the haze and poor head retention (all those hop oils I suppose!), the body, biterness and aroma are superbly well balanced. Slightly crystal sweet in the finish, complemented by a hefty level of bittering, and some strong alcohol to wash it down - no adverse fermentation flaws to note however. The hops are a real celebration of US character, and work well for me. If anything, I do think it could use a touch more aroma (hop-back or french-press maybe), though the flavour is definitely spot-on.

Another top effort, 4*.
Hutch.

 

[brendo]

Hey Wardy - glad you liked it. Recipe is posted and it is relatively straight forward.

 

[Siborg]

3. Fourstar - The Festivity Ale

Short and sweet - fantastic beer. To be brutally honest, far more balanced than your last case-swap AIPA (think it was the overpowering Simcoe that didn't gell for me).
This, on the other hand is truely magnificent. Ignoring the haze and poor head retention (all those hop oils I suppose!), the body, biterness and aroma are superbly well balanced. Slightly crystal sweet in the finish, complemented by a hefty level of bittering, and some strong alcohol to wash it down - no adverse fermentation flaws to note however. The hops are a real celebration of US character, and work well for me. If anything, I do think it could use a touch more aroma (hop-back or french-press maybe), though the flavour is definitely spot-on.

Another top effort, 4*.
Hutch.

I had this one last night and I have to say I agree 100%. Bloody magnificent beer 4* ! My only thoughts were maybe a touch under carbed, but the more I drank, the more I realised it suited that beer perfectly. Man, I'd kill for a case of that!

 

[Siborg]

#24

This beer looks better than it tastes, nice n clear, pours well with a big tight lacey head. Then lets itself down with a thin mouthfeel that carries only a hint of bitterness and smidgin of hop flavour. Checking out the recipe, 04 is probably the culprit but thats only opinion. More a mega than a craft this yeast throws. A clean drop nonetheless.
Thx for the beer Si.

Yeah, I'm gonna have another crack at this one. So far I have got that it was a little over carbed, low in bitterness and hop flavour.

I stuffed up the mash temps, which would probably account for the thin mouthfeel. I'm gonna swap the dark annd medium crystal around to use more dark than medium next time, maybe some more hops, or even US varieties.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Don't switch too much around on this beer Siborg, I thought it was a pretty good drop. Just needs the odd tweak. Maybe try brewing it again at your intended mash temp and see if you can get the carb level right and re-assess what you need to alter.

Back to the reviews:

14. Seemax - Cascadian Steam Beer

This poured a little hazy in the glass, nice orange colourk, good head. Got a nice whack of cascade on the nose and this followed up with good cascade flavour on the first taste. Mouthfeel was full so maybe look at mash temps and see if you can attenuate it a little lower and get it a touch dryer on the finish. Otherwise a tasty beer, thanks.

27. Ferge the Brewer - Oatmeal Stout

Very nice beer, poured a nice thick brown head that lingered. Very smooth creamy mouthfeel with nice hints of chocolate and some coffee hints. Really enjoyed this, thanks. SWMBO also quite enjoyed this one.

Cheer SJ