Vic Xmas In July 2008 Tasting Thread

[superhero]

Hey,

I forgot to add last time that Mark_M's APA has a great medium/high bitterness. Again a great beer. I looked up the mysterious motueka hop. As
was correctly pointed out it used to be saaz_b cos a Belgian brewery used the hop at one point. At 7.5 AAU it's a high alpha saaz. Might
consider using some soon.

9. Barramundi's 1 grain 1 hop - Very drinkable. Well done. Would be even better on a hot summers day. Dark gold in colour, carbonation medium/low. Aroma of
malt and hops (surprise, surprise!!). Taste is malty and slightly fruity and there's a bready/biscuity taste and great medium bitterness. Maybe it should be called
1 grain, 1 hop, 1 yeast to complete the picture! Is there a bit of Maris Otter in there Barra? The hop isn't Pride of Ringwood?

That's all for now.

Cheers

Superhero

 

[Brewmeister70]

8. Chris Taylor - Weizenbock Att

Nice candy banana aroma. Maybe a few too many of these ones. View attachment 19795
Nice body and warmth. A little overcooked on the esters and a bit intense.

Looks like Chris made a brew with too many opportunistic stick figures looking up the skirt of adjacent stick figures?

 

[Barramundi]

Hey,

I forgot to add last time that Mark_M's APA has a great medium/high bitterness. Again a great beer. I looked up the mysterious motueka hop. As
was correctly pointed out it used to be saaz_b cos a Belgian brewery used the hop at one point. At 7.5 AAU it's a high alpha saaz. Might
consider using some soon.

9. Barramundi's 1 grain 1 hop - Very drinkable. Well done. Would be even better on a hot summers day. Dark gold in colour, carbonation medium/low. Aroma of
malt and hops (surprise, surprise!!). Taste is malty and slightly fruity and there's a bready/biscuity taste and great medium bitterness. Maybe it should be called
1 grain, 1 hop, 1 yeast to complete the picture! Is there a bit of Maris Otter in there Barra? The hop isn't Pride of Ringwood?

That's all for now.

Cheers

Superhero

traditional ale malt , northern brewer and london III yeast , will post recipe in thread tomorrow i promise (been saying that for how long)

thanks for the review super hero , glad you liked it ,

 

[chris.taylor.98]

7. Hairofthedog - Saaz Pilsner

Straw colour, with very slight haze, nice white persistent head.

Very floral aroma, with some alcohol coming through which becomes more prominent as it warms up. Slight honey aroma.

Flavour provides some malt, also a good amount of hop flavour but not overly assertive, with some bitterness to round it all out. Some slight fruity esters.

Very quaffable.

To be honest Pilsner is not really my favorite style, but I do like this one. More in line with Bohemian Pilsner, with a very soft rounded finish.

Would be interested to know the FG on this one Hairofthedog, as I suspect it finished higher then the ones I am used to drinking (did not really have a dry finish, in fact would almost consider it a bit of a sweet finish).

Only other very minor issues was that the alcohol was a little on the hot side. Again would be interested to know what the temp was that you fermented at.

One other suggestion for future improvements is to ditch the Saf lager and explore some of the liquid yeast strains. I think you have taken the Saf lager as far is it will go with this effort, but in my experience is that saf lager never comes out 100% clean compared to the liquid strains, and with a Pilsner you really have nowhere to hide.

Thanks for the great beer Hairofthedog.

 

[Hutch]

21. Superhero - Milk Stout

First impressions - Wow! Stouts are not normally my cup o' tea, but I'm enjoying every mouthful of this one! Maybe it's cos I like beers on the sweet side..

Without checking your recipe, there's a lot of alcohol in there, I'd guess around 7%, and not a trace of fusils. Great job keeping it so clean. The malty/lactose sweetness is just perfect, and complements the high abv nicely. The roast-grain bitterness is hidden away in there - almost reminds me of a dopplebock it's so warm and malty. Carbonation is low, another plus, and it still manages to maintain a decent head the length of the glass.

I don't know how this beer fits in with BJCP guidelines, nor do I care - I'm enjoying every mouthful, and that's all that matters!
Now I'm going to go copy your recipe...
:icon_cheers:
Hutch.

 

[ang]

It was 19. Alvin Ng's Mystery Beer - Carbonation was good (medium-high) and colour was light amber. Aroma was fruity and rubbery. Taste was fruity and rubbery.
I'm sorry but I couldn't finish it. It would be a much more drinkable beer without the rubber taste. It's not a garden hose causing the rubber taste??

Wasn't put off by this!

Hey Superhero,

It was a Cascade/Glacier Pale Ale. I don't know where the rubbery taste came from, didn't used a garden hose or anything.

Maybe it was caused by washing the fermenter in extrame hot water. Would really like to know where my mistake is! So I can improve on my next brew.

Anyway,

6. Irish Dry Stout - Really enjoyed. This actaully remindered me drinking in London Pub.

 

[superhero]

Hey Superhero,

It was a Cascade/Glacier Pale Ale. I don't know where the rubbery taste came from, didn't used a garden hose or anything.

Maybe it was caused by washing the fermenter in extrame hot water. Would really like to know where my mistake is! So I can improve on my next brew.

Anyway,

6. Irish Dry Stout - Really enjoyed. This actaully remindered me drinking in London Pub.

Hi Alvin,

Well done for having a go first of all.

I refreshed my knowledge on possible causes of rubber/sulphur aromas and they are:

1. Some lager yeasts produce sulphur aromas
2. Yeast autolysis. This happens during a very long fermentation (say about a month) when
the yeast has eaten all the sugars and begin to cannibalise itself. This is very rare in practice.

Did the Cascade Pale Ale can kit instructions say to ferment at around 20 degrees? If so
the yeast supplied with the kit is an ale yeast. Ale yeasts tend not to produce sulphury
aromas.

What temperature did you ferment at? And for how long?
How did you sanitise the fermenter? With the hot water only?

We'll get to the bottom of this!

Looking forward to your reply.


Cheers

Superhero

 

[superhero]

21. Superhero - Milk Stout

First impressions - Wow! Stouts are not normally my cup o' tea, but I'm enjoying every mouthful of this one! Maybe it's cos I like beers on the sweet side..

Without checking your recipe, there's a lot of alcohol in there, I'd guess around 7%, and not a trace of fusils. Great job keeping it so clean. The malty/lactose sweetness is just perfect, and complements the high abv nicely. The roast-grain bitterness is hidden away in there - almost reminds me of a dopplebock it's so warm and malty. Carbonation is low, another plus, and it still manages to maintain a decent head the length of the glass.

I don't know how this beer fits in with BJCP guidelines, nor do I care - I'm enjoying every mouthful, and that's all that matters!
Now I'm going to go copy your recipe...
:icon_cheers:
Hutch.

Hi Hutch,

Thanks for your kind words. I'm glad you liked it. I had one of these against my 2005 version of the same beer. The 2005 version is even better!
Sadly there is only 1 bottle left :-(

Feel free to copy my recipe. It's on the case swap recipe thread.

It weighs in at 8.2%! I actually made a proper starter this time which helped with the clean ferment as well as my friend bleach for
killing the nasties!

Best be off now. I'm tired.

Cheers

Superhero

 

[brettprevans]

2. Yeast autolysis. This happens during a very long fermentation (say about a month) when
the yeast has eaten all the sugars and begin to cannibalise itself. This is very rare in practice.
Superhero

This can happen but unlikely. I quite often leave my big ales fermenting for a month. Just had 1 of my Scotish heavys' last night. magnificent. it was in there for 5 weeks. althought I did have a good 1.2L starter.
Lagers I would expect to be fermenting for 4 weeks. cause they take so bloody long. (well mine ferment for 4 weeks)

 

[Quintrex]

Hey Superhero,

It was a Cascade/Glacier Pale Ale. I don't know where the rubbery taste came from, didn't used a garden hose or anything.

Maybe it was caused by washing the fermenter in extrame hot water. Would really like to know where my mistake is! So I can improve on my next brew.

Anyway,

6. Irish Dry Stout - Really enjoyed. This actaully remindered me drinking in London Pub.

Hi Alvin
I'm pretty sure the beer has an infection, one of my friends had the same bug take up residence in his fermenters/etc and every single beer had the same nose/taste which your beer has got, it took some massive sanitisation efforts to get it out of all of his fermenters etc.

Make sure you pull everything apart and work through it with 2 different sanitizers.

Q

 

[Hutch]

Make sure you pull everything apart and work through it with 2 different sanitizers.

Good advice Q.
I'd suggest a long soak with hot napisan, and get into the tap thread with a brush to remove all the visible crud.
Follow this with a dose of caustic soda (available at the Supermarket), followed by some strong Acid sanitiser (Grain & Grape sell a product called Defender, a phosphoric-acid sanitiser that works a treat).

Nothing should survive that onslaught - If it doesn't get rid of the problem, chuck it all out and start again!

 

[voota]

Agree with hutch's words about superhero stout... That beer has been the pick of the swap for me so far by a long way (not to take credit from the other beers... but this stuff was sensational!)
I'll post my tasting notes on a few of the beers soon(ish).
and sorry to the people who don't like coffee, and subsequently wont like my contribution to the swap.

 

[andreic]

5. Hutch - London (not the) Best Bitter

Very low carbonation so no head at all to speak of (to be expected from previous comments). Golden-brown, mostly clear with a slight haze. Aroma was quite malty, nutty, with some fruit showing through as it warmed. Tasted very malty, nutty and very fruity from the yeast. Nice level of bitterness to match the flavours going on. There was a bit of sharpness in the bitter finish but this seemed to subside or disappear from prominence as it warmed up. Its medium bodied.

Good one Hutch! I've no idea how close this is "to style" but its a tasty beer. Even though you aimed for low carbonation I'd probably give it a touch more, but that didn't prevent my enjoyment of the beer. Between this beer and the last beer I made with Windsor I've decided its a yeast I like...

cheers, Andrei

 

[Fents]

i really should throw some swaps in the fridge!

 

[Barramundi]

i havent got any to the fridge yet i usually like to let them rest a week or so before they go into the fridge ...

 

[Hutch]

i really should throw some swaps in the fridge!

You still recovering from swap day Fents?

Another tasting tonight...

7. Hairofthedog - Saaz Pilsner

For want of a BJCP style, I'm assuming this is a Bohemian Pils...
Light gold, medium carbonation, Medium chill-haze (or maybe yeast haze). Reasonable, but not too agressive saaz aroma, perhaps on the low side for my liking, but highly drinkable none the less. Seems like a good session beer, with nice aroma, but not excessive hop levels. Medium body, with a nice clean pils maltiness, though perhaps a little one-dimensional (needs some melanoidins to give it a slight "caramel" maltiness typical of Boh pils).

As it warms, the stewed pear & apple flavours stand out a little, and there's some slight higher-alcohols present (very slight cardboardy aroma that I recognise from the tail-end of vodka ... um, urr, "essential oil" distillation).

As was commented above, I think this is as good a beer as you can make with saf yeasts, a real credit to you Troy. Only suggestions I'd make are to add a touch of Melanoidin (say 1%), and maybe a few % Munich or Vienna for good measure, and get your hands on a good liquid pilsner strain, pitch BIG, and ferment low.

I really enjoyed this beer, and the above notes are as critical as I can be about it.
Top stuff hairofthedog :icon_cheers:

Hutch.

 

[superhero]

Hello All,

The tasting continues ...

14. 65Bellett's Best Brown Ale - dark brown in colour, medium/high carbonation and a very, very long lasting creamy white head. Great head 65Bellet!!!
Aroma initially predominantly white bread with medium/low chocolate. White bread aroma is overtaken by chocolate as the beer warms. Taste is slightly
malty with medium chocolate and roasty notes. Improves as it warms up. A very drinkable sessional brown ale.

Not sure what's next but I'll be sure to post the tasting notes.

Beer on!

Cheers

Superhero

 

[andreic]

9. Barramundi - One grain One Hop Ale

Very light pale yellow colour. Almost totally clear with a very slight haze. Nice white compact head with medium carbonation. Some malty/grainy aroma with slight hint of perfume. Tastes pretty clean, with a light malt flavour and something else - a subtle character from the yeast perhaps? Its has a moderately bitter finish. Pretty light bodied.

I thought it was almost lager like. It was very easy to drink and I think would make a great session beer! Well done Barramundi.

cheers, Andrei

 

[brettprevans]

5. Hutch - London (not the) Best Bitter

drank at room temp (so ~12C). Very low carbonation but you still get a head out of it if you know how to pour it. the carb level was fine i thought for this sort of beer. Gingerale brown and clean as a whilstle. malt, nut and some hops bitterness coming through - maybe a little buscuit?. not a huge amount of bitterness until the aftertaste/finish, the it kicks in. really easy to drink. I could have eaasily knocked back 3 longnecks of this.

 

[AUHEAMIC]

Just chuggin down Hairs pils. Bloody top drop bud. I normally find Saaz a bit too soapy for my taste. This ones got none of that. Even brought a smile to the wifes dial.