Vic X-mas In July 2009 Tasting Thread

[Hutch]

12. mcook - American IPA

Bloody nice beer this one. Certainly bigger abv of the 2 AIPA's in the swap - there's some real alcohol warmth there (I'm guessing at least 7+%abv), hopping is quite subdued for the style (probably more towards APA territory). I'm a self confessed hop-head, though this is still immensely enjoyable, with a nice mix of hops that work well together. Could easily cope with a bigger hop profile, even a little dry-hopping to suit the style.

Very clean fermentation (nice job there), good clarity and carb, and lovely golden amber colour. I let this one warm up over a few hours, and it is still drinking well. Great malt/hop balance. Bitterness is there but not excessive, and there's a lovely smooth caramel/Munich malt sweetness that goes down too easily.

Stylistically, I guess this would be at the low end in the hops department (IBU's and late additions). Would be a superb APA if you dropped the alcohol a few percent.

Cheers for a top beer mcook.
Hutch.

 

[donmateo]

1. Peels - Black Beer
pours black black, with an impressive long lasting dark tan head
aroma of roast and coffee
thought this was nicely balanced, and highly drinkable
love the way it just mellows out so quickly, and leaves lingering
some roast and coffee on the tongue
enjoyed this beer

15. Fourstar - American IPA
pours a nice bright copper with a creamy head
deep hop aroma
have to say, not really being a hop head, i normally don't appreciate a lot
the higher hopped beers, esp american style, but for me there was something
curiously moreish, and delicious about this beer
found the hop profile and lingering aftertaste extremely pleasant and satisfying
thanks Fourstar - this may be a turning point for me for this style of beer

 

[Fourstar]

15. Fourstar - American IPA
This may be a turning point for me for this style of beer

Sounds like you are having a Lupulin Threshold Shift..... nice! :icon_drool2:

Ive been reading Zymurgys latest edition focused on IPA... Vinnie C from russian river isnt interested in sweeter balanced IPAs for some reason. Finds them more like a barley wine. T on the other hand love em. im thinking of doing a Blind Pig AIPA clone soon. see how Vinnies recipes hold up!

 

[Neill]

25 - Benny's Lemon Ale

I'm drinking this right now and it's quite pleasant. Perfect carbonation, tiny bubble size that tickles the palate. small head that dissapated to light foam quickly. Perhaps because i'm drinking it 'late' i can't taste a massive whack of lemon, maybe just a tiny bit in the background but it's not pronounced and i was expecting a lot more actually. Great bitterness balance and an easy drinker. Will let it warm up a bit as i finish the longneck and see if it changes at all.

Good beer benny!

 

[Neill]

yep, as i thought - it's warming up a bit and i can taste a hint of the lemon in the background. not real strong though, must have mellowed a bit over the weeks since the swap.

jesus, what ABV is this? i'm 3/4 through the longneck and i'm feeling it!

 

[Fourstar]

25. Benny - lemon ale

Bright gold in appearance, holds a thick lacy head. Sweet toffee, golden syrup like.. reminds me of goldilocks! no hop aroma, rather sweet on the very low fermentation profile. Its very clean. i am getting some yesty breadyness, it may be some munich malt maybe? A slight doughiness.

Full palate with moderate bitterness. very doughy on the palate, sweet and finishes with a sugary, slightly lomony profile, tastes more like the smell of lemons more so than the sourness of lemons. finishes quite dry, slightly bitter with the continuing theme of doughyness.

Was this made AG? im unsure why im getting this 'dough' flavour... reminds me of the smell/taste of yeasty bread dough. Maybe its the lemon throwing me off. the more i think amout it the more i think of traditional lemonade mixed into beer... a pre-mix 'shandy' if you will.

Nice beer for the ladies or a hot summers day. Interesting work Benny, im sure its a decent lawnmower beer.

Cheers! :icon_cheers:

 

[Leigh]

20. WarmBeer - Franken-Mild

Bottle was a little spongy, but not overly so, Not overly fizzy on pouring, but still retained a pub foam to the bottom of the glass creating some nice lacing. Colour is consistent with a mild.

On tasting, this is a very well balanced beer with hints of malt and choc with a mild roast. Just a touch of sweetness on the back of the pallette.

Another great brew!

 

[Hutch]

3. Beerdingo - Dunkelweizen

Top weizen Dingo. Carbonation good, and exceptional creamy head retention - lasted the length of the glass. Rich cara notes, some banana, clove-dominated phenolics. Quite dry in the finish - interesting contrast to Chris Taylor's SWEEEEET beer!

Not much more to add. Top three for me.

Thanks Beerdino.
HUtch.

 

[seemax]

Down to my last few now...

benny's lemon
Not quite a shandy, much better than Bitburgers lemon infused beer offering. I quite liked it, but I do love tart citrus flavours. Nice clean ferment, low bitterness and good overall lemon background flavours. Nice one.

Just polished off the smoked choc porter, quite good, a little subtle for me, but nice dose of choc malt.

Almost done on warhogs vienna lager , which I'm enjoying... but i'm too far gone to provide any further details...

 

[Neill]

12. mcook - American IPA

Nice one mate! best head retention of any of the beers yet, perfect carbonation too. holding a 1cm head all the way down, looks great and nice and clear too. The flavour is well balanced, i was expecting more heavy hopping but it's a bit more malty if anything. the bitterness is spot on, it's big and full on the palate with almost a caramel type flavour in there. I can't describe beer well but this is very enjoyable. Top work!

 

[Fourstar]

20. WarmBeer - Franken-Mild

Deep brown in appearance, poureed with a dense head which dissipated to thin tan coloured foam. slightly estery with some roast shining through. No hop profile on the nose, relativly clean.

Low carbonation with a thin mouthfeel. Quite minerally. (any water additions?) Slight crystal sweetness pushed out by some chocolate notes and rugged roastiness. Impression is more like a low IBU stout if anything. slighlty lacking in body and seems to have a little too much roast. needs a little more complexity with the malt flavours. The finish is really roasty/minerally with a smight hoppy bitterness... very mild.

Tastes quite good WarmBeer, ive just had a hunt and found your recipe. i'd say if this was all grain or had something to give it abit of a back-bone it would be a top end mild, quite quaffable nonetheless. With the high ABV and thinning the body, it may be detracting somewhat from being a malty, sweet, roasty mild to more of a brown porter/ dry stout territory. Either way it tastes great.

Hats off to another decent beer! :icon_cheers:

 

[Leigh]

8. wonderwoman - Goldilocks

Unfortunately mine was flat as a tack, but nonetheless, I still drank a glass full it was so good. A little on the sweet side, but I think the carbonation acidity might balance it just enough to make it a top notch beer. I've chucked some sugar into what was left in the bottle and put back in my fermentation cupboard to give it another go next week.

3. Beerdingo - Dunkelweizen

Another great beer. A little syrupy and sweet to start with, but once the palatte adjusted this beer went down a treat!

 

[WarmBeer]

8. wonderwoman - Goldilocks

Unfortunately mine was flat as a tack, but nonetheless, I still drank a glass full it was so good. A little on the sweet side, but I think the carbonation acidity might balance it just enough to make it a top notch beer. I've chucked some sugar into what was left in the bottle and put back in my fermentation cupboard to give it another go next week.

3. Beerdingo - Dunkelweizen

Another great beer. A little syrupy and sweet to start with, but once the palatte adjusted this beer went down a treat!

Dude, 2:45 in the arvo, and you're two longnecks down!

I am soooooo jealous right now

 

[Wonderwoman]

8. wonderwoman - Goldilocks

Unfortunately mine was flat as a tack, but nonetheless, I still drank a glass full it was so good. A little on the sweet side, but I think the carbonation acidity might balance it just enough to make it a top notch beer. I've chucked some sugar into what was left in the bottle and put back in my fermentation cupboard to give it another go next week.

thanks leigh - if you want to try one that's properly carbonated I'm in murrumbeena and happy to give you another bottle.

 

[seemax]

thanks leigh - if you want to try one that's properly carbonated I'm in murrumbeena and happy to give you another bottle.

We almost have enough people to form a south-eastern suburbs brew club with me in east bentleigh and warmbeer in mckinnon !!

Warmbeer, I'm postponing the brew tonight due to lack of sleep, maybe next week. Perhaps Wonderwoman would like to join us also ?

 

[Wonderwoman]

We almost have enough people to form a south-eastern suburbs brew club with me in east bentleigh and warmbeer in mckinnon !!

Warmbeer, I'm postponing the brew tonight due to lack of sleep, maybe next week. Perhaps Wonderwoman would like to join us also ?

sounds good! I've done one BIAB and plan to do a second this weekend, but I'd like to see how other people do it, cos writen instructions never convey as much as watching someone else in action. I'll PM you my details. warmbeer should already have me number from the beer swap.

 

[scott_penno]

OK. So I'm a little confused here. I have a beer that has some red tape on it with the number 27 written on it but it's not a Vienna Lager. And it has mark_m written on a label on the side which indicates that it's an APA with a list of ingredients. So I'm not really sure which of the 26 beers this is.

Anyway. It is definitely an APA which pours a nice golden color with a moderate white head which dissipated but didn't vanish completely. Subtle hop aroma - a hint of amarillo there. Good body. Quite gentle in terms of bitterness too. Hope flavor is also subtle. Think I should have drunk this a few weeks ago...

 

[Fourstar]

OK. So I'm a little confused here. I have a beer that has some red tape on it with the number 27 written on it but it's not a Vienna Lager. And it has mark_m written on a label on the side which indicates that it's an APA with a list of ingredients. So I'm not really sure which of the 26 beers this is.

Nope its wardhogs vienna lager.. see pic below for comparison.. he reused bottles from the last swap

 

[Leigh]

thanks leigh - if you want to try one that's properly carbonated I'm in murrumbeena and happy to give you another bottle.

Sort of in the middle of nowhere out near Beaconsfield...still south east, just a little further out. The bottle seems to be firming up now with the 2/3 I didn't drink, so I'll give it another taste test in a few days.

Cheers for the offer :beer:

Dude, 2:45 in the arvo, and you're two longnecks down!

I am soooooo jealous right now

Nah, late thoughts on last nights brews LOL...but I like your thinking!

 

[scott_penno]

Nope its wardhogs vienna lager.. see pic below for comparison.. he reused bottles from the last swap

Thanks Fourstar - that's the beer. OK. Well I got more hops than malt out of it. Maybe it's the cold season that's affecting smell and taste. No solvent-type aromas or flavors either though. An easy-drinking beer.


10. Q - "Mildly Challenged" dark mild

Toasty, malty. I found quite a few similarities with the Irish Red Ale I brewed but also plenty of difference. Nice drop.

sap.