Vic Xmas 2009 Case Swap - Tasting Thread

[Supra-Jim]

Fingers are crossed CM2, I've got your offering lined up for tonights fish n chips feed!!

Cheers SJ

 

[brettprevans]

im fkn spewing about i cause i checked the beer to make sure i didnt contribute a bad batch. guess i should have checked the 2nd keg also.

Since CM2brewery is closed for renovations (well the brewer is anyway), Im going to go postal on the setup, kegs, fermentors, reminaing bottles and make sure anything living thing that shouldnt be there dies!

Fingers crosseed SJ.

Anyone who gets a dodgy bottle, let me know and I'll hook you up with a bottle of something else.

 

[Maple]

im fkn spewing about i cause i checked the beer to make sure i didnt contribute a bad batch. guess i should have checked the 2nd keg also.

Since CM2brewery is closed for renovations (well the brewer is anyway), Im going to go postal on the setup, kegs, fermentors, reminaing bottles and make sure anything living thing that shouldnt be there dies!

Fingers crosseed SJ.

Anyone who gets a dodgy bottle, let me know and I'll hook you up with a bottle of something else.

I got three dodgy ones... and a keg too, can I get replacements please...

 

[Leigh]

I should pull my finger out and actually put some of these in the fridge for consumption...but with a keg of my Aussie Lager and another of Rook's Alt in the fridge, it is hard to go for something different...

 

[Brewmeister70]

Interesting about the perceived gravity - my initial recipe calculates around 6.1% (og 1063,). I think my actual gravity was slightly less (maybe 1057) due to getting a higher volume but it also finished a few points lower than expected so I would hazard between 5 and 6% abv.

It didn't come across that strong though it was the second beer of the night... You're recipe when I went back to suss it out after trying it said 1.047, I think, which would be consistent with the lighter body/less alc.

The hops are the big surprise to me: I didn't pick them up and they aren't a subtle (or earthy) hop.

Either way, you made a damn fine beer. Well-done.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Anyone who gets a dodgy bottle, let me know and I'll hook you up with a bottle of something else.

Where it's dodgy or not, I'm gonna say it was infected and come looking for that 60L of Pliny you mentioned in the IPA thread :icon_drool2:

Cheers SJ

 

[manticle]

It didn't come across that strong though it was the second beer of the night... You're recipe when I went back to suss it out after trying it said 1.047, I think, which would be consistent with the lighter body/less alc.

Sure you weren't skim reading one of my other proposed beers (originally intended a SMASH pilsner that probably would have been around that OG). The robust porter in the recipe thread says 1063 (this page: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...36966&st=60)?

Anyway the main thing is that it's been enjoyed.

 

[Brewmeister70]

Don't know what I was reading now but feel better that you actually DID use earthy hops and not Amarillo or I would call it quits on reviewing anything else. Thanks for the link.

 

[manticle]

One of my other proposed swaps was an all amarillo american brown which is posted earlier in the recipe thread. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[brettprevans]

Where it's dodgy or not, I'm gonna say it was infected and come looking for that 60L of Pliny you mentioned in the IPA thread :icon_drool2:

Cheers SJ

there seems to be a bit of interest in the pliney.....um um um, its infected also, so you dont really want to taste it

I got three dodgy ones... and a keg too, can I get replacements please...

yup. you can have replacements bottles consisting of summer ale + W3711 & wild yeast, Vienna + 34/70 & wild yeast. and some light beer. sound good?

 

[Supra-Jim]

I'll take my chances!!

Cheers SJ

 

[manticle]

#8 Chris Taylor: Pale Yarra

Lovely golden, almost amber colour.

Pours with fluffy white head. Head stays. Not cloudy.

Fruity aroma

First sip is loads of hop flavour. The beer has a sweetness which seems balanced by a slight dryness. Carbonation seems to add sherbert mouthfeel. Nice medium body and a hint of what tastes like warm alcohol. I mean a very subtle hint and it's something I enjoy in flavoursome beers - it makes me feel like I'm having a drink.

Subtle underlying bitterness works with the sherbert fizz, fruit and malt sweetness.

Subsequent sips seem to reveal a maltiness that balances nicely with the fruitiness of the hops. I can't distinguish which hop/s are used but it's really nicely balanced and I think that's a good thing. That said it may just be my inexperience. First sip suggested a touch of Chinook but subsequent sips tell me no. Other fruity hints I get are grapefruit so maybe cascade? I'm probably way off the mark - since it's aussie you've probably used galaxy or something else I hardly know. I won't embarrass myself by guessing further although I'd laugh if it were PoR since so many people give it such a hard time and this would stop them dead in their tracks.

I'm still learning what does what and how to describe what Im tasting but this beer is bursting with flavour. I'll be keen to see your recipe for this (and your 'caned by comp' tripel too if that's ok). Super tasty and refreshing and wouldn't be out of place in any micro's repertoire. Essentially a professional effort.

Just realised you provided a link to the recipe in the wiki which I read after taking the notes above.

So you did use a version of PoR? Top work

 

[manticle]

#15 Don Mateo hefeweizen

Very fluffy head quickly dissipates to very thin foam.

Pale golden colour, cloudy.

Aroma of wheat malt. No hop aroma. Not overly banana or clove in aroma but hints of banana present.

High carbonation which Im not usually a fan of but I know suits the style.

Taste is mainly banana but not overly strong. Slight malty sweetness on the finish which lingers. Mouthfeel is spritzy.

As far as the style goes it seems pretty spot on. Definitely a hefe and on the banana side without going overboard. Carbonation makes me burp a couple of times. Myself I like a clovey dryness which I find refreshing but there is absolutely no fault to this beer that I can detect. A good hefe for sure.

I get a touch of breadiness in the aftertaste so the malt is nicely balanced with the fruit.

Was your mash schedule single infusion or did it involve step mashing or decoction mashing?

 

[Fourstar]

#15 Don Mateo hefeweizen

Interesting, he did one for the mid year swap too! i'll pop his in the fridge now and judge it. see what it was like compared to the mid year swap notes as listed below. should be interesting.

24. Don Mateo - "Way out Weizen" - Hefeweizen

Dark gold to orange in appearance, served mine 'mit hefe'. deep haze from some of the trub/bottle yeast. Big head which dissipated to a thin lacy creaminess. Heaps of Clove phenols with some slight fruity banana esters coming through. Slightly doughy presence as well. Low carbonation and a full mouth feel, quite thick/heavy (probably due to the low carbonation.) Mines almost flat. It poured great!

Sweet sweet pilsner malt presence with a lingering doughiness on the palate, rather bready. Backed up with full on clove flavours. I'm getting some diacetyl on the palate but there was none on the nose. (Maybe it's a bad day for me) it could be vanilla characteristics if I'm mistaken. Hop bitterness is light. Finishes quite smooth with some lingering wheat characteristics and fruitiness.

Quite quaffable. Only downside was the low carbonation. Biggest improvement I'd go for is a lower mash temp and higher carbonation as this was quite full on the palate. Other than that, a decent beer Don! very phenolic!

Cheers!

 

[Maple]

#15 hefeweizen scored against CAT 15a
Aroma: Slight clove and a touch of banana in the initial smell, however this is not the only phenolics picked up. There may be a hint of something else in the background just giving a subtle masking to a clean clove/banana aroma. Hops, none detected, some slight sweetness coming from the malt, but low and to style. 8/12

Appearance: Very hazy to cloudy - OK for this style. beautiful golden colour. white fluffy head that subsides to low and thin as the glass is drained. 2/3

Flavour: Sweet breadiness from the malt, no hops detected as standing up front. Balance is definitely towards the malt, perhaps just a touch to far. The Banana and Clove are very prominent, and whatever was detected in the aroma has not transpired to the taste. Clean and very full flavour. 17/20

mouthfeel: Carbonation is a low medium to medium - ok, but would like a bit more in this. Super creaminess in the feel of this which is great, but does not have the dry finish I would expect in this style. 3.5/5

Overall impression: A touch more bittering to balance out the residual sweetness imparted by the malt would help to make this a great example. The phenolics detected in the aroma, that subdued the banana and clove were not a clean smell initially, but these disappeared quickly. If you can dry the finish of this out it would certainly add a few points, and bring the impression of this beer up to the next level. Assume its just a point of attention to attenuation on this. A really top beer that exemplifies this style very well, thoroughly enjoyed this. Thanks.

Tally 38/50

 

[notung]

I recapped the lucky number 13 bottles. The let off a marginal 'hiss' nothing extravagant. I'd say notung you just had a single bottle overprimed/infected. Unless you bulk primed i dont see these being super carbonated anytime soon.

Dont be too concerned at this point, all 4 i had were not about to pop their top.

I'll be tasting one tonight for true carbonation. :icon_cheers:

Thanks 4*. Like you said, maybe a false alarm due to an infected/overprimed bottle. Perhaps there was a bulk priming error. I boil a glucose syrup with 250ml water, then add to the bottling vessel first. Brew is racked on top of priming syrup and is not stirred.

Thanks for the feedback - looking forward to more from others down the track. Honesty is good!

Haven't ducked into any swap beers yet, but will this weekend.

 

[Maple]

#5 Viet Lager scored against CAT 2c

Aroma: Hops and Grain-malty sweetness hiddin in there too, the hops a v. nice floral/noble bouquet, no discernible sulphur or phenolics detected. v. clean no corn (on the understanding that this is not a true CAP, overlooked but not required anyway) 11/12

Appearance: Almost clear, slight haze to it. Deep straw to light golden in colour, small reducing head, white. 2/3

Flavour: Full bouquet of the hops perfectly transitioned to the taste, hop bitterness very accentuated without being over the top. Balance towards the hops but not overtly. Malt coming through as a light grainy sweetness, but propped up with a little something on the side. Dry Crisp finish. No Diacetyl or off flavours detected showing a very clean controlled fermentation regime on this 18/20

MouthFeel: Carbonation Medium with a bit of carbonic bite to it, perhaps from the water profile. More body than anticipated based on initial look smell. Very nice. 4/5

Overall: Excellent thirst quencher, nice and dry, with a great hop profile that carries right through. on the proviso that this is an Classic american Pils style with rice for corn sub -> nailed it. 8/10

Tally 43/50

 

[manticle]

#17(a) Zebba: India Pale Ale:

Pours with a very fluffy head that stays thick, dense and creamy throughout.

Cloudy almost murky, light brown almost orange.

Aroma is fruity, fruity hops. Quite intense.

Flavour is similar - fruity hops balanced out by a good but not over the top bitter finish which lingers.

I don't get much malt - just sweet and bitter fruit.

I haven't tried many commercial examples of india pale - the only one is probably JS. This is far more flavoursome and hoppy. The JS bitterness comes through more because there's less competing with it but there's enough bitterness here to give a nice clean sensation on the palate despite the large amounts of fruit.

The murkiness is odd - maybe some chill haze but such cosmetic things bother me not one whit. Tasty beer.

 

[notung]

Allright I'll have a go at this...

8. Chris Taylor - Pale Yarra

Appearance: Bright amber with some cloudiness. Poured with a creamy head which remained and laced the glass.
Aroma: Spicy/fruity hop-driven aroma with hints of banana.
Mouthfeel: Really pleasant balance. Carbonation seems perfect and imparts a longer lasting 'feeling' at the top of the palate (if that makes sense). Reminds me of a Scottish heavy that I once brewed.
Flavour: As manticle mentioned, the first thing I taste is the bitterness of the hops which dissipates slowly to reveal a faint sweetness that I enjoy having to look for. I get a subtle grapefruit flavour, especially 'on the burp'.

Overall: I am really enjoying this beer. I like the grapefruit bitterness left across the tongue and at the top-front of the palate as I take a sip. It has a creaminess while still being rather dry. My partner tried it and agreed it was a really smooth, well balanced drop. Thank you very much!

 

[manticle]

#17(b)- Supra Jim: American pale ale

Similar to the above beer - pours with a white creamy head that stays dense. Similar colour and haze too. A little more on the golden side rather than orange/brown.

Aroma is not as intense but still hops on the nose.

Flavour is quite intense though. All hops and having both made beer with it and reading the label I know there's chinook in there. Less familiar with cascade (used it for bittering in one or two partials a while back) but I can taste grapefruit so I'll attribute it to that. The piney, resinous aspect of the chinook combines nicely with the grapefruit. Despite being fruity this particular hop combination is not coming across as particularly sweet.

The bitterness is not massive but it's present and lingers in that way that quenches thirst yet makes you want a second sip. Quite highly carbonated which plays on the same part of my tongue as the hops. A tiny detection of that saltiness I found in CM2 and fourstars' beers. It's something to do with hop bitterness but may also be water additions designed to help pronounce that aspect of the beer. Still scratching my head to describe properly what it is and ascribe correctly what causes it.

Overall nicely balanced. Hoppy rather than malty which is what I would expect here.

I've not been exposed to a massive amount of hoppy beers and can find some commercial examples wanting (too much aroma but not enough flavour). The examples from this swap have changed that perception. I'm still predominatly a lover of maltiness but there's some great flavours going on in some of these hoppier styles.

 

[WarmBeer]

5 - Fourstar - Reunification Express

Beautiful looking beer, perfectly white head, about 1/2 a cm, which stayed the whole glass.

I'm not a fan of bland, asian lagers, but this one smells like a good one. Nice, subtle hop smell, with a hint of maltiness.

First taste is clean with an up-front sweetness, that is quickly balanced by the bitterness coming through. There is a hint of "tart-ness" coming through, too. Not sure if this is from the rice, or from the water additions.

Again, will re-iterate, I am not a fan of asian lagers, but I would actively seek this beer out to match with food, or a warm, cloudless afternoon with mates.

Damn, Fourstar, you know your stuff

 

[Fourstar]

5 - Fourstar - Reunification Express
I'm not a fan of bland, asian lagers, but this one smells like a good one. Nice, subtle hop smell, with a hint of maltiness.
Again, will re-iterate, I am not a fan of asian lagers, but I would actively seek this beer out to match with food, or a warm, cloudless afternoon with mates.

Damn, Fourstar, you know your stuff

Interesting to note, your inital statement was 'bland asian lagers' which turned to 'asian lagers'. Nooiiiice

I must admit, its not exaclty what you get with a 'bia hoi'. Its slightly over hopped and ABV is too high but if you consider it to be a premium Viet Lager e.g. Bia Saigon, i think you will find it to be up there in its class. Maybe slightly too sweet. But compeditive.

Glad you liked it, or atleast more than my last swap beer.

Ive got some leftover broken rice floating around and i might do another soon, this time as a low ABV ale to quaff on the hot summer days ahead..

 

[Fourstar]

Notes from lastnight:

15. Don Mateo - Hefeweizen

Light banana & clove pheols present. A mellow wheat aroma, quite subtle, sweet grain & non obtrusive malt aromas. Well balanced with yeast profile.
Score: 7/12

Deep haze, gold in appearance, poor head retention, Even when forced on. Fine lacy foam.
Score: 2/3

Balanced Esters and phelos on the palate, clovey banana flavours and some mild cakey vanilla falvours present. Prominant wheaty doughy palate with a sweet malt supporting characteristic. balanced well with a light lingering bitterness. Finishes bready and phenolic with a dry palate.
Score: 16/20

Moderate-high carbonation, drying and a moderate to lgith mouthfeel.
Score: 4/5

A rather well balanced weizen. Head retention is poor and focus could be made on improving this as well as slightly bumping the carbonation. You could avoid protein rests and possibly use carapils for dextrins to aid in head retention. A higher mash temp may help with this too. A well crafted beer.
Score: 7/10

Overall Score: 36/50

 

[seemax]

And I thought I was the only one drinking swap beer, sitting on the couch, taking mental notes, checking AHB....repeat.... :icon_drunk:

Just finished WW's summer ale... very tasty indeed , super fruity hops!!

 

[WarmBeer]

Interesting to note, your inital statement was 'bland asian lagers' which turned to 'asian lagers'. Nooiiiice

That's cause there was nothing "bland" about your beer. It was great!

Bland beer sometimes has its place, i.e. when it's 35 degrees with an 85% humidity, and you're eating fresh seafood in a seaside Thai town.

Glad you liked it, or atleast more than my last swap beer.

Yeah, I think I was the only one in the swap to rant about it. Could still appreciate it as a well made beer, though. Must have been something in it didn't agree with me, or it exceeded my personal Lupulin threshold :lol:

BTW, the TTLL is now in the fermenter with a litre starter of 1968. OG was 1054. Will report on it in a couple of weeks.

 

[Kleiny]

3. Seemax Kiwi pale ale

Aroma: Lactic style acidic smell with an almost cidery like aroma. The cider aroma is acetaldehyde. Green apple like with not much else making its way through, maybe a slight hop background 4/12

Appearance: Low head but lasts a while, hazy light brown color. 1/3

Flavour: major flaw right off is the acetaldehyde which works to mask all other flavour, green apple type flaour, Tart or acidic like. There is however some malt background and i can get some hop flavour. 5/20

Mouthfeel: Light with some astringency and almost puckering with the tartness 3/5

Overall: obvious large flaws due to the acetaldehyde, may be contributed from secondary fermentation or oxidation at some point during racking for bottling or secondary vessel. it can turn to acetobacter and this seems to be the way it is heading. Area for improvement, watch everything to do with fermentation, clean clean clean and if you dont currently have control of temp it might be an area to look at. However in saying that it does seem like there is some nice maltyness and great hop flavor which with out the flaw may be a good beer. keep brewing. 2/10

15/50
Problematic with major off flavours and aromas which dominate.

Kleiny

 

[Fourstar]

Yeah, I think I was the only one in the swap to rant about it. Could still appreciate it as a well made beer, though. Must have been something in it didn't agree with me, or it exceeded my personal Lupulin threshold :lol:
BTW, the TTLL is now in the fermenter with a litre starter of 1968. OG was 1054. Will report on it in a couple of weeks.

Yeah i pitched the TTL this monring and crapped myself thinking i had picthed a infected starter of 1272! Only to realise that fruit tingle flavour i was gtting from the yeast was actually from the fresh wort i tasted when taking my gravity reading!

Phew! Yeah OG reading i had was 1.056 from the refrac which is corrected to 1.055, hydro said 1.054. i'll take the 1.055 as i use the refrac for all of my readings anyway. I find i get some confusion with the hyrdo at times. atleast if i do both i know its 'controlled'.

looks like my pot to pot thinning out worked! :beerbang:

 

[manticle]

You guys are slow. I racked mine off for secondary ferment yesterday. Looking forward to it.

 

[manticle]

#19 Fents: Cream Ale

Hard to describe much I guess and Fents already knows the issues. However the sourness that's in here is actually at a reasonable level. This could be turned into an interesting sour beer. I think it's a bit light on at the moment for that - you'd want to add some fruit or beef it up somehow but it's actually balanced and refreshing enough not to just tip straight out.

Interested to try an uninfected version though.

Only other point is next time fill the bottle up ya cheapskate.

 

[zebba]

3. Seemax - Kiwi Pale Ale

Sorry mate, mines gone also. I got some blisteringly hot alcohol flavours.

5. Fourstar - Reunification Express, Viet Rice Lager

When I started home brewing, I had dreams of one day making a beer like this. Of course, since then, my tastes have changed dramatically - I've gone from drinking nothing but lagers to looking at a menu of lagers in a restaurant and ordering a coke. This though, as others have said, is a prime example. Lovely drop, and I could easily see myself sitting in the back patio with a few mates downing a keg of this over an afternoon.

Only thing to add other then what others have already said is that I got a bit of honey flavour. I'm enjoying it, I'm just not sure what it is that has contributed to that - and I'd like to know, cause I think it adds nicely to the beer. Is it the rice? Malt?

4 (and half) stars... boom boom.