Wa Christmas Case Swap 2012 Tasting Notes

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I grabbed a copy of this not long before dane shut down the articles, might as well use this until it comes back.


I Nev - Dark Lager -- Golliwog READY NOW
  • jyo- Low roasty, clean yeast aroma. Nice carbonation, thin head. This is a smooth, crisp finishing moreish lager, mate. Low roast malt on the palette. So impressed with this beer, could do a session on this easily. Nice work, Nev.
  • doogiechap- Loved the roast popping through on a refreshing almost peppery lip smacking beer. Not a style I have previously considered brewing however this has convinced me otherwise. Cheers Nev !!
  • keifer33 - 17/12 - Gosh Golly Golliwogs, great beer Nev. Nice and fresh roastiness. Great head and retention. Went down a treat tonight!
  • Fish - Very nice roasted flavours and good head retention. Nice beer
  • NME - This beer is pretty outstanding!! Very dry and lagery, but very full of flavour. I get a very slightly roasted malt flavour, but it's mainly chocolate. Light body with moderate carbonation. This is the sort of beer I'd give to my friends who claim not to like "dark beers" to change their mind. I had a thin off white head that stuck around for the whole glass and the colour is a pretty clear "cola" colour. I could easily drink a lot of this beer, and I would if I had more
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    Thanks Nev.
  • malt_shovel - I thoroughly enoyed this lager. It had plenty of malt character (slight roast, but balanced sweetness) but didn't overwhelm to make it a highly drinkable (though very un-PC) lager. Enjoyed this high quality beer, thanks very much.
  • Drew9242 - I enjoyed this last at my wife's Christmas dinner. Once nev you it didn't disappoint. Lovely slight aroma. A touch of roast with good mouth feel. Great dark lager.
  • BBB - Great beer Nev. Clear, well carbed with a lasting head. Really nice and enjoyed by all at my house - recipe please.......
  • Mitch76 - Very happy with this lager, perfect amount of carbonation, nicely balanced, plenty of dark malt character, quite sessionable (if I had more!!!). Cheers, Nev.

II Krausenhaus - American Amber - VERY READY NOW
  • sinkas: body and clarity and carbonation great, very dry for style with a phenolic/fecal/burnt rubber finish
  • NME: Slightly hazy amber colour with a thin white head that vanishes pretty quick. Nice big hop aroma. Definitely has a big Citra flavour, nice malt sweetness and a decent carbonation level despite the head. Unfortunately I do get the old cardboard flavour, but I seem to be pretty sensitive to it. I think despite your bottling dramas, this is a really nice beer.
  • Drew9242: Good clarity, head disappeared quickly but could because of bottling. Good aroma and hop flavours. Just thought it was lacking something to take it to the next level. Good beer I would be happy with.
  • Fish - I enjoyed this beer. The low carbonation worries didn't come to fruit with a nice head some lacing. Nice malt and hop flavors and aromas. Some slight diacetyl but it worked well with the beer for me.
  • Doogiechap: Loved the big floral aroma hit at the start. Poured clear with a small quickly diminishing head. Malt profile was a little dry for an American Amber but the oxidisation wasn't too excessive for me and was a nice beer to finish my weekend off with :) Thanks guys !!
  • Nev---- I sucked a Gary Busey and gotta say it was better than most of the films he made, poured well but head dropped quickly to leave a cover of thin foam on top. Tasty with just a hint of O2. I was expecting some thing for the sink so pleasantly surprised.
  • cdbrown: Unfortunately no head (damn kegged beers), I didn't really get any aromas and the flavour was dominated by bandaid unfortunately. Had nice colour.Jyo, 10.12.2012
    Aroma- Low malt, slight citrus. Appearance- looks the goods for an American amber, great colour. Carbonation- perfect, great head retention. I think this could have been a great beer except for the burnt rubber taste. The malt, which should be on show here as well as hops are not quite coming through enough. Enjoyed it though.
    Cheers.
  • Zig: Ahh the famous buseybottle. I think its great. Smooth prominent malt character, enough hops to keep you interested. Easy drinking. This is often the kind of ale I have in mind when I set to brew one. Thanks.
  • WW; I think this was my first beer of the case and from what I recall it was enjoyable
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  • Mitch76 - I'm with Zig on this one, this is my ideal example of this style, smooth malt forward example with enough bitterness & late hop character to keep it balanced & interesting, but not over the top so you could enjoy a few of these in a sitting, and to think of all the dramas you had getting this into bottle. Good work!
  • Busyer - A well balanced US amber. I get a very small amount of diacetyl and perhaps a low level kind of funny taste that might be from wild yeast, but it is not stoppig me.

III- jyo- Special Best Bitter with Trademark Haze. Ready to Drink.
  • BBB - Couldn't see the haze through the haze. Bloody nice beer though. Would make this.
  • keifer33 - 14/12 - Poors with a nice head but disappears quickly. Nice and hazey. Strong aroma with a bit of grassiness. Styrians are definetly there. Nice malt backbone but I personally could do with a bit more bitter to balance. Great beer jyo.
  • Zig - I think we have enough inconsiderate remarks about the haze in jyo's beers
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    I like the type of lingering bitterness in this beer, it gets you going for another sip. Well balanced. I get the feeling it could be better with more time/healthier yeast. Still a good beer, thanks.
  • cdbrown - nice creamy white head which lasted the whole time, carbonation levels must be right (but couldn't tell through the haze
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    ), really nicely balanced malt, bitterness and late hops. Thoroughly enjoyed and wished I had more.
  • NME - Not the prettiest thing to look at. And the beer's a bit hazy too
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    Very nice beer! Medium body with a decent size white head that hangs around. Good whack of bitterness with a malty backbone that really seems to change as it gets warm. I do like the hop though. I can't say I've ever had it as the dominate hop in anything. To me it tastes kind of like those orange box drinks you used to get at school. Lovely beer anyway. Quality as always John!
  • malt_shovel - I'm a Styrian's tragic, so this beer was calling me early on. I really enjoyed it. Less floral than my attempts at at a best bitter, lovely malt backbone and hop bitterness that took me back to the UK and enjoying pints of real ale in the rare english summer sun. Totally digged this beer and will hit you up for the recipe. Cheers mate.
  • Bizier - I really enjoyed this yesterday, it was a pleasant distraction from my GF's family. I loved the dryness, and it has a bit in common with the Harviestoun B&T which I love, the only thing that I found to detract from the experience was the grassiness, which might be hop age or dry hop rate, but it was top notch John. Cheers.
  • Aces high - Definitely a fan of this one.I haven't used much styrians, but i think I will be buying some soon.
  • Drew9242 - Lovely haze jyo adds to the flavour
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    .Seriously though I enjoyed this beer. Nice slight malt profile with a lovely styrian hoppiness.

IV cdbrown - Northern German Altbier - been in the keg for 3 months, bottled the night before so get it cold - Ready Now. Low carb prob from CPBF
  • malt_shovel 10/12 - Brilliant clarity, head retention and malt profile. Enjoyed this a lot when brewing last night. Thanks for a quality brew.
  • Drew9242: Clear, mine lacked carbonation and head. But I really enjoyed this beer, would like to try to brew it me self.
  • keifer33: 11/12 - lower carb but nice and fine, small persistent head. initial fruity esters with a nice bitterness to compliment the malt profile. nice color and clarity also. good work Craig.
  • sinkas: Nice clarity,malty aromas with hint esters, spice and smoke, , nice malty yet crisp palate, damn tasty.
  • jyo. Ohh, the colour and clarity, so good, mate. Great Carb, head retention is rad. Nice malt aromas, low yeast esters. Overall tasty, malty, some slight yeast fruitiness finishes surprisingly dry. Slight metallic bite. A great beer.
  • Zig - I think I may have gotten a bad bottle of this, looking at the other reviews. My one seemed a bit metalllic, sort of unclean underattenuated impression.
  • Aces High - I really liked this beer, my bottle had poor head retension, but the clarity was spot on and I really liked the malt profile.
  • Fish - No problem with low carbonation but a nice creamy off white head. Nice malt backbone and clean bitterness. Very nice on a hot day like today
  • BBB - Agree with above. Colour, clarity and balance are superb. Even though it is a "German" Alt, my Dutch father in law loved it ........ can he stay at your house please!
  • NME - Another beer of amazing beer clarity! Pours a really clear, bright brown colour. I don't like using the word brown because I don't think it does the visuals any justice. It pours with a nice white head that dissipates to a thin lacing pretty quickly. It looks great! I get a pretty big malt aroma on the nose, maybe a little chocolate. Medium body with a moderate to low carbonation, medium bitterness, I think it's what you call an earthy hop flavour and a nice malty sweetness to follow. I'm pretty sure I've only ever tried one Altbier in my time, and this really reminds of it. Lovely! I would seriously love to have a crack at making this in the cooler months. Thanks Craig.
  • Mitch76 - I'm going from memory with this one, as others have indicated regarding colour only diference is clarity, I'm sure mine was a little hazy, apart from that I thought this was a great beer, nice clean malt aroma's & flavour, with a substantial bitterness that definitely ensures the beer does not leave a sweet or cloying impression, loved it! Might have to hit you up for recipe for when I eventually attempt this style.

V - Zig - Czech Pils - There is also Strong Pils and Lutsenbier in these, as labeled. Drink all of them ASAP really. Keep cold.
  • malt_shovel 10/12 (Strong Pils) - Could read a newspaper through this. Nice carbonation and head that laced all the way. Very well balance for high ABV. Would happily drink this all day/night. Cheers
  • mikey (czech pils) - Clean and refreshing, went down well for a hot day. High carb, headmaster glass kept about 2cm of head the whole time! Very tasty
  • cdbrown (czech pils) - very clean and crisp and clear. Showed nice carbonation throughout, but very little head retention. Very easy to drink. Good work
  • keifer33 - 12/12 - (Lutsenbier) - icon_drool2.gif Seriously clear, nice persistant head. Aroma and flavour where great and cant fault it at all. Fantasticly easy to drink and was the best beer I could ask for after a long day.
  • Drew9242 (strong pils) - Clarity and head were great. Nice aroma. Lovely malty backbone with a smooth bitterness. Could drink this a lot (if only I could brew it).
  • Fish - Loved the colour. i didn't get much of a head but i could taste the hallertau middlefruh hops easily ( i do hope its hallertau). Very enjoyable beer
  • BBB - (Strong Pils) Give me the recipe...... great beer (bum make this)
  • Bizier - (CZ) Despite the low head and some definite oxy aromas and flavours, this is a great CZ pils, deep gold, malty and hoppy in great balance, I am sure that this tasted great before bottling and some warm storage. Good job Zig.
  • Nev---I taught you well :) This is one even your mates will like.
  • NME - (Czech Pils) Amazing clarity in this beer! It pours a very clear, light golden/amber colour with a big pillowy head that unfortunately doesn't hang around very long, but the carbonation level is very good. There's a pretty big bitterness, and I'm picking up something kind of roasted?? I can't quite put my finger on it. This beer is all class. Very distinguished and well refined. Nice one Zig. Thanks!
  • jyo- Pours a deep-gold colour. Good melanoidins coming through. I found this to be really malty for a pils almost thought I had the wrong bottle at first. Good, firm bitterness to balance. Nice beer, mate.
  • WW 28/12 - Pils - Unfortunately my bottle was quite flat and perhaps for that reason I didn't get the same experience as others have described. Great clarity but on the taste side of things I got a fair bit of what seemed to be residual sweetness/diacetyl. I was looking forward to your beer too, Zig
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  • Mitch76 - (czech pils) I can compare 2, as I tried 1 a day after it was bottled, and the 1 I received in the case swap, colour & clarity were the same in both as were the aroma's with some lovely malty notes in there only difference was the older example had some oxidisation, you would not think they were the same beer when tasting, fresh bottle was fantastic, ticking all the boxes, the older bottle had oxidised as mentioned & lost carbonation. Definitely needed to drink this one immediately. I still want to try the strong pils!

VI - keifer33 - English Bitter (might be overcarbed so let it sit for a bit in the glass/jug) -
  • sinkas: yes certianly overcarbed,so it never really got down to the level where its gassiness didnt efffecn the palate, I think nottighams is probably a bit too grunty for this beer, enede up too dry with bottle conditioning, but flavours and aromas were great
  • cdbrown: I'm glad I only poured a little into the glass as 1cm of beer created about 15cm of foam! It eventually collapsed to leave a thick creamy head, beer had nice clarity. Initial taste and smell I got a hint of burnt rubber which unfortunately I couldn't stop focusing on. It was only slight but enough for me to notice (and may be a reason for the overcarb?) but then again it could just be the earthiness of the english hops and my crap palate coupled with a restrained malt flavour.
  • jyo- Pleasant malt/yeast aroma. Nice clarity, great head retention. Seemed to finish drier than the FG suggests, perhaps the high carbonation tricking my pallete. I got the slight rubber flavour and aroma. Really enjoyed though, Keiffer. I've been looking for a low alc malty quaffer to brew.
  • Bizier - Unfortunately my bottle was quite phenolic, to the point of me not being able to drink it. I got around the carb issue though. I cracked it a few hours prior, dented it in to purge headspace and re-sealed with a 'vacuum', and it poured fine. Sorry Keith, I know you make good beer.
  • Fish - Sorry kieth my bottle was fine and poured a great head but i got the same flavors as bizier. It sucks cause i was looking forward to this mate
  • BBB - As above, sorry Keith.
  • malt_shovel - My bottle had "Windsor" on it, and it didn't at all seem too high FG for the style.The carbonation was off, but you know about that already.The flavour and aroma were restained for my palate, so it was pretty easy drinking. I enjoyed the full bottle.Cheers



VII - Drew's Brew's - Vienna Lager -
  • BBB: Head - very good. Clarity - cloudy. Mouthfeel - lucky I have to type coz I can't speak - tongue stuck to roof of mouth wink.gif Mouthfeel is heavy but nice. Hops - nice spicey aftertaste - do I detect a hint of chocolate?? Overall - Nice beer.
  • cdbrown: excellent lager. long lasting tight creamy white heat, great carbonation, very clean and crisp. I could drink this all summer long. Recipe please!
  • Zig: I guess bottle conditioned - it seems to have the same characteristics than the ones I get when I bottle condition lagers. Hazy. Some of the hops still come through in the aroma. It doesn't strike me as being very lager-y, this could be passed off as some kind of medium hopped pale ale. Easy drinking though and well balanced. Probably would be great if it had a few months in a keg.
  • Drew9242- I get that bottle condition twang on this one as well. Could taste the base of a good beer, and would love to taste it on tap.

VIII- Fish13 - munich lager. - Drink NOW
  • Nev--- Nice bread notes upon pouring, lively carbonation and head lasted well , nice easy drinking lager, cheers.
  • keifer33 - Nice beer fish. Maybe a tad over carbed but the head held up through most of the glass. Very easy drinking and lasted not long after a hard days work!
  • malt_shovel - I had a strong medicinal flavour component here. Hard to get past but there was hints of honey and the base of a good beer here. Check your yeast health and sanitation (or maybe it was my bottle, there seemed to be a mini krausen ring on it).
  • Drew9242 - unfortunately mine was overcarbed maybe due to fermenting in the bottle. Also got the medicine taste which spoilt the beer for me could have been a good beer but it didn't handle well for me.
  • jyo- Bottle ¾ full had started an additional fermentation, so was expecting it to be undrinkable. Mildly infected unfortunately. Definitely some funk beginning in the bottle, some slight off flavours. It had some good malt aromas and flavours underneath this. I reckon this would have been a cracker of a lager if in good condition, mate.

IX - Ledgenko - Either a crack at an Trappist Ale or a extra strong IPA
  • sinkas: i think this is the beer (unlabeled), not sure what it was meant to be , but unfortunatley not drinkable
  • malt_shovel - Yep same experience here. I tried to give it some time to warm up and turn around, but this beer was destined for the garden. Sorry.
X - WW (Crotchrot Brewing Company); Belgian DSA, bottle conditioned, READY NOW
  • Fish - Highly carbonated, needed to wait before drinking. Lots of cough syrup flavouring coming through and some warm alcohol too.
  • malt_shovel - I really enjoyed this beer. It had everything I was expecting from a Belgian Dark. Warm alcohols balanced and supported by raisins, plums and a touch of figs. Nice carbonation to bring it all to the nose, and I was thoroughly enjoying this beer. Well done.
  • - Bizier - I can't provide a full review because it was drank while doing other things yesterday. I found the beer very good for style. I found the esters very pleasant. I would like it a touch drier, but it was pretty good in this regard. I got a bit of autolysis, though it was bearable. Overall a good job and a hard style.
  • jyo- Great Belgian characters happening here. Dried fruit, figs, warming alcohol. I reckon this is a great Dark Strong, unfortunately my stomach is playing up at the moment and I couldn't finish it. Should've saved this one for another day.
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    Cheers.

XI willigan - US/kiwi pale ale. - READY NOW
  • Bizier - I am enjoying this, it has a bit of the harsh phenolic-type flavour which can accompany heavy handed NZ hop useage, but it appeals to the hop head in me.
  • WW 22/12 - Enjoyed this. Lots of funky citrus hop character coming through.
  • malt_shovel - I fucked up and drank this far too early. Wished I had another bottle of this, because I think it had the base for a cracker of a pale ale. If there are any left, I would be glad to swap some more beer. Let me know.
  • jyo Amazing aroma and hop flavour! Pushing the alcohol for me in a an APA, but man, you have crammed some amazing hop character into this beer with decent supporting malt. I would love the recipe for this. I shared it with a mate who loves Hoptimum and he preferred your beer, mate. Top notch effort.

XII - Bada Bing Brewery - Kolsch or Hefe or Pils, CPBF ALL READY NOW
  • mikey: (kolsch) pale straw, clean, refreshing. Bit flat but very enjoyable
  • NME: (Hefe) - For someone who isn't a big drinker of wheats, I'd liked this a lot! Very light, mildy carbed and refreshing while having a really really nice fruity flavour and a nice light bitterness. Slight breadiness in the background and the clarity is pretty decent too. Thanks a lot
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  • malt_shovel: (Hefe) - Huge bananas for me on the nose. Initial taste was 'sharp / sour' had me thinking of something sinister, but then it was lost on further sampling. Head was low but to its credit hung around. Flavour was grainy and not overly bitter. Nice brew.
  • Zig (Kolsch) - Hazy. A dead ringer for Sapporo in flavour and aroma somehow. Good quaffing beer.
  • Bizier - (Kolsch) Hard style because it is a tiny target to aim for, and you are close, you might need to ask someone in Cologne to get the rest. I would happily drink litres of this.
  • cdbrown - (Hefe) nice blend of phenols and banana in the flavour and aroma, quite a deep clear golden colour (crystalweizen). Very easy to drink and good example of style.
  • keifer33 - (hefe) - Nice amount of phenols but bordering on too much for me when thinking about a hefe. Very easy to drink but cant comment on head/carb as I accidentally didnt clean my glass properly.
  • Kolsch- Jyo- Light pils grain/biscuity aroma. Don't really need to describe this. Awesome. Could drink all day. The missus tried and was truly delighted. Lovely beer, mate. Is there a tiny bit of munich here?
  • Mitch76 - (Hefe) - Pours a nice, clear, golden colour so more of a Crystalweizen, with a small head that quickly disappears, nice bready/phenolic aromas. With medium carbonation & nice amount of tartness this was an enjoyable wheat beer consumed on a hot day, good job.

XIII Spoonta - English Pale Ale
  • cdbrown - overcarbed when initially poured from the bottle, long lasting head, slightly cloudy, slight bitterness upfront, perhaps finished a little dry, needs a little more malt backbone, slight hint of rubber.
  • NME - Hazy light orange colour. Decent sized, tight white head. Very highly carbed. Moderate to low bitterness with somewhat of a fruity hop flavour (slightly over ripened oranges). Has a very dry finish. I get something slightly off on the nose, but I can't put my finger on it. It's very minor though. I'm not an expert on the style, but I would have expected a little more malt character. Maybe I'm drinking it too cold. For the most part, it's pretty easy drinking and quite enjoyable. Thanks Michael.
  • BBB - Great head and carbonation. Colour was good. Agree with NME, a very dry finish. Nice beer. Cheers
  • keifer33 - Very carbonated and a long pillow like head. Maybe a tad dry on the finish but this could be from the carbonation or the malt profile lacking. Nice fruity esters and a good easy drinking beer. Thanks Michael.
  • malt_shovel - Overcarbed for an English, but past that, I thought it was a great session ale. A touch more malt backbone (not sure on the base malt, but if not UK, maybe go for a Maris Otter, Golden Promise) and this would do a lot of english brewers proud. Well done.
  • jyo- Overcarbed, but once settled formed an awesome dense, rocky head. Good bitterness (is this Challenger and Willamette??), probably needs more English yeast character. Slight off flavour. Enjoyed, Cheers, mate.
XIV- Removed.

XV - malt_shovel - Mulberry Wheat (ready to drink)
  • NME: I love the colour of this beer! A really nice deep red colour. Definite mulberries on the nose and all over the flavour. I see what you mean about a lack of tart, but I think it works really really well. Very very refreshing beer and just what I needed tonight
  • BBB - Great colour. Loved it. The ladies here put down their champers and fought for the dregs. I really liked this beer.
  • Drew9242 - Wow the colour is great. Still can smell fruit. It did take me a few sips to get into it. But I highly enjoyed it and my mind was going nuts on what berries I could try.
  • jyo- Wow, amazing colour. This is a great beer. The fruit is there for the whole ride, but subtle enough to not dominate. Cheers mate.
  • Zig - This one was a surprise. Excellent balance, dry finish. Not sure what yeast was used, but it seemed to be a clean one rather than a wheat yeast - that factor I appreciated. The mulberries shine through brilliantly. Great beer.
  • Aces High - not sure what to make of this one, it had a really nice flavour and dry finish. The fruit was balanced really well. The wife scoffed it down and went in for the dregs, she would of happily drunk a few more.
  • WW - Nice beer Matt. The tartness of the berries balanced the sweetness of the wheat beer well. Could have gone a few more, cheers.
  • Bizier - As if you would put fruit in a beer! Sara Lee gone right? Dig it man. I totally appreciate the cleanliness of the beer behind the fruit.
  • Mitch76 - This beer shows off the mulberries perfectly, not tart at all which was surprise considering 5 kg of mulberries were used, an enjoyable beer, well done.

XVI - Mikey - Oktoberfest - (ready to drink)

  • BBB - Great head, sweet on the nose. Colour is deep. A bit too sweet for me, but is a nice overall beer. Cheers
  • Zig - Hazy - tastes a bit green to be honest, maybe it needed more time. Shame as it could have been good, interesting toffee malt impression.
  • WW 22/12 - Mine was quite still unfortunately and I got quite a bit of residual sweetness coming through. Shame because the core of a good beer was lurking there.
  • jyo- Malty, sweetness, nice crystal/caramel notes. Enjoyed.
  • Drew9242 - This reminded me of my Oktoberfest beer I brewed last year (2011). So I enjoyed it bold malt with subtle hops. Thanks mate.

XVII - Doogiechap - Oirish Red Best to leave till Feb
  • jyo- Hazy, thought it was one of my beers! Lively carbonation, held a good off-white head the whole way. Nice yeasty aroma with subdued hops. Lovely maltiness. The only criticism is that this seemed a fair bit higher than 20 IBU. Really enjoyed, Doug. Cheers.

XVIII - stormahead - Munich lager (two pale ales also thrown in) - ready to drink
  • jyo- Munich Helles?? Sweet malt and light noble hop characters on the nose. As this warms up, the malty aroma is bloody awesome! Smells like I just mashed in.
    Low carbonation, thin head. Very enjoyable beer, mate. I could drink a gallon of this on a hot day.
  • Zig - Green label? I think there is something not right about my bottle of this. Either poor yeast health or mild infection, it has a sweet underattenuated smell. I don't think I'll drink the rest of it, sorry.
XIX - Drew9242 - Shedbound Belgian DSA - bottled in July, use your discretion.
  • Fish - very nice for a belgian lots of coffee flavours and malt. Remind me of the quiet american but much much drinkable. Went well with the chicken parma and chips for dinner
  • NME - This one pours a pretty clear ruby/brown colour with a nice fluffy yet tight white head which was more than happy to stick around for the whole glass. I get raisins and dark fruit on the nose with maybe a very subtle breadiness. The flavour has a bit of wow factor. I get raisins and plums with a darkish/roasted malt backbone with hints of chocolate followed by a moderate bitterness and a bit of alcohol warmth. When this was colder, straight after I first poured it, I thought the alcohol was pretty well hidden, but it's starting to show now which is good because I thought I was going to drink it too fast
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    My missus described this as fruit and nut chocolate. I like this a lot! Very Christmasy in a way http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif Cheers.
  • WW 25/12 - Nice effort this one. I personally thought of it more as a golden strong as it had those types of more 'subtle' flavours coming through and perhaps more sweetness as opposed to yeast driven complexity. Went well on a nice hot xmas night http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif
  • BBB - agree with above. Very nice and went down well. I also got raisins on the nose and a fantastic head. Nice beer, would make this one as well. Cheers
  • Aces high - Got home from work and the wife had poured me a beer.When i realised that it was a DSA I was thinking it was really not the beer I was looking for, but I was very happy to be wrong and really enjoyed it.NME sums this up perfectly and I dont think I can describe it better.Nice work Drew
XX- sinkas - bgsa drink around Australia day

XXI - NME - American Brown - Ready now.
  • Zig: First impression was marzipan. Second was golden syrup - but not in a cloying sweet way. In the drinking then a slightly toasted malt character, a bit on the sweet side but in a delightful manner. I don't find the beer to be particularly 'American' but I find it no less a beer as a result. Easy drinking and with malt complexity that gets one going for another sip. Great beer.
  • Bizier - I think it is great for style, though I personally prefer a little drier and more late/dry hops. Was let down with a bit of diacetyl unfortunately.
  • cdbrown - nice caramel aroma, medium bitterness with a nice malt flavour, no late hop flavour or aroma which I expected from an american brown, but it was a nice balanced beer. Did leave a slickness on the tongue.
  • jyo- Nice beer, good malt backbone, nice hopping to balance. I had this at the end of a BIG night so no half decent notes, but really enjoyed! Cheers, mate.
  • fish - very thick and slight oilyness. nice flavour and bitterness. though the thickness was overwhelming for me
  • Drew9242 - Great beer. Alcohol wasn't to prominent with nice balance of malty sweetness and American hops.Drew Brew--Quite possibly the best looking lable. The attention to detail is awesome. Sorry Drew but I do find a lot of alcohol there and a small diacetyl. Never had an American Brown that I can put this against but it is a very nice balanced beer. I like the dark sweetness from the malt and the balance from the hop. I will serch one of these out next time I am at the bottle "O". Please send the recipe if you have the time.

XXII -Dave - Belgian Strong. -
  • malt_shovel - Low carbonation, some residual sweetness (from yeast giving up in the high alcohol?), lovely Belgium yeast character, warm alcohols and dark fruits desperate to get come to the front if not for the lack of carbonation. I think a decent head and some carbonation would turn this into a stunning belgian dark strong. Very deceptive on the alcohol, so a great skirt lifter as well!. Well done.
  • BBB - This beer ruined my xmas. Absolutely guttered. Saved it especially and no carb at all (6 months in the bottle) - I nearly cried. Agree with above though, it was really nice and yes for a Belguim strong I would like the recipe please ......
  • Drew Brew--I get the style having a place but it's just not me. Not quite filling the bottles doesn't help with your carbonation. I get a lot of flavour from what I belive is Dark Candy Sugar, deap rasins and glazed fruits. A little more bitterness could have balanced it better for me. I have never gotten a higher alcohol beer right so you have done very well.
XXIII - Aces High - Cascadian dark ale - Ready now

  • sinkas: nice black IPA body but strong nose and finish of diacetyl
  • Drew9242: American dark ales aren't really my thing, I enjoyed it but wouldn't go back for more. This is more my taste than anything.
  • keifer33 11/12 - nice dark color with a thick persistent head. aroma of dark malts and enjoyable hoppiness. slight diacetyl (not ever powering but in lower amounts my taste buds have trouble detecting). overall a very nice dark IPA but might be nicer with a bit more piney hop flavor/aroma. would be keen for recipe if your don't mind PM ing me it .
  • Nev---- I had this with a customer , we both enjoyed it, could go a few more .
  • Zig - Shared this with a few guys, everyone thought it was great. Excellent balance, clean, and a lot of complexity for a normal percentage beer. Thoroughly enjoyed.
  • WW 16/12 - Very nice. Had some lovely coffee notes on the nose with some toasty caramel flavours coming through. Enjoyed this alot.
  • NME - The first word that comes to mind with this beer is BIG! I can't actually see through it, but it's a very dark brown colour and it pours with a decent sized white head that hangs around. Massive hop aroma, which is obviously cascade. It's a bit low in carbonation, and has a big body. There's a decent amount of bitterness without being excessive, a slightly roasted malt backbone and a very tropical fruit flavour. It's a very big and well rounded beer. Big hop flavours and a decent bitterness without being over the top. I'm not sure what officially makes a beer a Black IPA, but I reckon this must come close. Onya Stu! Cheers.
  • BBB - Nice beer. All sorts of stuff going on but nicely balanced. Great long lasting head, really liked it. Cheers
  • jyo- Didn't take notes at the time but remember (just, whoops!) it being a great beer. Good roasted/coffee flavours came through and of course cascade. Cheers.
  • Bizier - I unfortunately had to abandon this beer after drinking about half. I am not a fan of black IPAs, but I really appreciate that this was a well made version. Plenty of roast and plenty of rugged C-hop and a clean ferment. Good job.
  • Drew Brew--Very nice apperance. Deap brown with a thick foamy head that is very persistant. Nice hop arroma presuming you were aiming at Black IPA. Is Cascade the only hop? Nice malt that holds the hops together well, slight astringency I'm thinking from a high IBU. I get the fealing I should be eating Sticky Spare Ribs while drinking this. Another thanks Bartender.
XXIV - Mitch_76 - Munich Dunkel -
  • Zig - Clean, bright - very similar to the dunkel from Duckstein. I could drink a lot of this, great beer.
  • Fish - Nice roasty flavours coming through. Nice clean bitterness and very smooth. Very little head and lacing but lovely beer
  • keifer33 15/12 - No head and med-low carbonation. nice clean flavours with nice roastyness. very enjoyable beer and only 4.2%.
  • Drew9242 - Low carbonation for me as well. But other wise i was clean crisp lager, with good roast. Defiantly enjoyed this one, would have been even better with a bit more carbonation.
  • Bizier - Well made & clean. Only criticisms: I'd like more lager yeast character, munich malt flavour and CO2, but as my first beer of the swap, I am very happy with this beverage in my hand.
  • cdbrown - initial smell reminded me of fresh crushed carafa grains and the flavour backed it up, very nice malt flavour with a slight bitterness to balance it out.
  • BBB - Clint, I really liked this beer. Clear with good carbonation. I'm not a huge roasty beer fan but this is so beautifully subtle - really nice, great beer.
  • Drew Brew--This is very good. Love the color, on first glance you would say black but closer you see the rich ruby color. Would love to know the grain bill if you get the time Mitch. As above it would definatly be lifted with a touch more carbonation but I wouldn't complain if I was handed another. Well done.
  • jyo- Sorry had this as the last beer for New Years at 3 am so no real tasting notes….I remember comparing to a Weihenstephaner dunkel at the time and yours held up nicely. A mate and I really enjoyed it, cheers.
XXV - Bizier - Soured Quinoa/Oat/Rye Saison - Ready if you are thirsty, but should get funkier if you can wait.
  • Nev--- Someone dropped a mouse and a horse blanket in your beer and I liked it ! Brett is good.
  • jyo-My mate tipped some of his down the sink. My missus hated it. (Sour, tart). I loved it and should not have tried to share. Puckered my mouth and cleansed my teeth. Had a musk lollie undertone that was rad. Wish we were all trusted to bottle in glass for case swaps as I reckon this would have aged beautifully.
  • Drew Brew--I decided to try my beers in reverse order and so this is my first. Also my first sour beer. I was like WTF till I remembered about the sour adition to the case swap. I don't know were to start but the outstanding flavour for me is Lemon Crush Cordial. Not sure I could wait for it to get Funkier. It is probably the style not the brewer's skill or ability, I will finish this glass but I wouldn't line up for more.
  • WW 30/12 - Well first off let me say I like my Saisons but I'm not a fan of sour beers - or so I thought. I really enjoyed this; emptied the bottle and wanted more. Didn't get much of the Saison character that I could detect behind the sourness and obviously no style notes to refer to but I rated this beer and like a virgin after the first encounter, I've been tipped over the edge http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif Instead of walking straight past the sour beers at the IBS I'll take a closer look and ask the lads for some options. Cheers.
  • Bizier - Am I a wanker for reviewing my own beer? Perhaps I will drink with the other hand so it feels like someone else's beer. It is still green, so I suggest further aging. I get banana peel, I agree with strong lemon, mouse cage, some chicken coop-ish barnyard. Giving me a buzz, I think it is between 6-7%. If I was like Cher and could turn back time, I would have done it differently.
  • Aces High - Ok, so I opened this up straight out of the fridge without checking what it was.When i opened it there was some crapy under the cap, and when i tasted it I assumed it was infected and poured it (turned out it was meant to be)I haven't really tried this style before and wish i had taken the time to taste it properly.Got any spare ones Bizer?
 
Got any spare ones Bizer?
Nope, the one I drank was the last of them. Interesting that you had gunk on the lid, was bottled from keg.

I am all out of swap beers. I missed out on some and drank others without note, apologies for no reviews if applicable.

Good job team.
 
I Nev - Dark Lager -- Golliwog READY NOW
  • jyo-
    Low roasty, clean yeast aroma. Nice carbonation, thin head. This is a
    smooth, crisp finishing moreish lager, mate. Low roast malt on the
    palette. So impressed with this beer, could do a session on this easily.
    Nice work, Nev.
  • doogiechap- Loved the roast popping through on a
    refreshing almost peppery lip smacking beer. Not a style I have
    previously considered brewing however this has convinced me otherwise.
    Cheers Nev !!
  • keifer33 - 17/12 - Gosh Golly Golliwogs, great
    beer Nev. Nice and fresh roastiness. Great head and retention. Went down
    a treat tonight!
  • Fish - Very nice roasted flavours and good head retention. Nice beer
  • NME
    - This beer is pretty outstanding!! Very dry and lagery, but very full
    of flavour. I get a very slightly roasted malt flavour, but it's mainly
    chocolate. Light body with moderate carbonation. This is the sort of
    beer I'd give to my friends who claim not to like "dark beers" to change
    their mind. I had a thin off white head that stuck around for the whole
    glass and the colour is a pretty clear "cola" colour. I could easily
    drink a lot of this beer, and I would if I had more
    tongue.gif
    Thanks Nev.
  • malt_shovel
    - I thoroughly enoyed this lager. It had plenty of malt character
    (slight roast, but balanced sweetness) but didn't overwhelm to make it a
    highly drinkable (though very un-PC) lager. Enjoyed this high quality
    beer, thanks very much.
  • Drew9242 - I enjoyed this last at my
    wife's Christmas dinner. Once nev you it didn't disappoint. Lovely
    slight aroma. A touch of roast with good mouth feel. Great dark lager.
  • BBB - Great beer Nev. Clear, well carbed with a lasting head. Really nice and enjoyed by all at my house - recipe please.......
  • Mitch76
    - Very happy with this lager, perfect amount of carbonation, nicely
    balanced, plenty of dark malt character, quite sessionable (if I had
    more!!!). Cheers, Nev.

II Krausenhaus - American Amber - VERY READY NOW

  • sinkas: body and clarity and carbonation great, very dry for style with a phenolic/fecal/burnt rubber finish
  • NME:
    Slightly hazy amber colour with a thin white head that vanishes pretty
    quick. Nice big hop aroma. Definitely has a big Citra flavour, nice malt
    sweetness and a decent carbonation level despite the head.
    Unfortunately I do get the old cardboard flavour, but I seem to be
    pretty sensitive to it. I think despite your bottling dramas, this is a
    really nice beer.
  • Drew9242: Good clarity, head disappeared
    quickly but could because of bottling. Good aroma and hop flavours. Just
    thought it was lacking something to take it to the next level. Good
    beer I would be happy with.
  • Fish - I enjoyed this beer. The low
    carbonation worries didn't come to fruit with a nice head some lacing.
    Nice malt and hop flavors and aromas. Some slight diacetyl but it worked
    well with the beer for me.
  • Doogiechap: Loved the big floral
    aroma hit at the start. Poured clear with a small quickly diminishing
    head. Malt profile was a little dry for an American Amber but the
    oxidisation wasn't too excessive for me and was a nice beer to finish my
    weekend off with :) Thanks guys !!
  • Nev---- I sucked a Gary
    Busey and gotta say it was better than most of the films he made, poured
    well but head dropped quickly to leave a cover of thin foam on top.
    Tasty with just a hint of O2. I was expecting some thing for the sink so
    pleasantly surprised.
  • cdbrown: Unfortunately no head (damn
    kegged beers), I didn't really get any aromas and the flavour was
    dominated by bandaid unfortunately. Had nice colour.Jyo, 10.12.2012
    Aroma-
    Low malt, slight citrus. Appearance- looks the goods for an American
    amber, great colour. Carbonation- perfect, great head retention. I think
    this could have been a great beer except for the burnt rubber taste.
    The malt, which should be on show here as well as hops are not quite
    coming through enough. Enjoyed it though.
    Cheers.
  • Zig: Ahh
    the famous buseybottle. I think its great. Smooth prominent malt
    character, enough hops to keep you interested. Easy drinking. This is
    often the kind of ale I have in mind when I set to brew one. Thanks.
  • WW; I think this was my first beer of the case and from what I recall it was enjoyable
    smile.gif
  • Mitch76
    - I'm with Zig on this one, this is my ideal example of this style,
    smooth malt forward example with enough bitterness & late hop
    character to keep it balanced & interesting, but not over the top so
    you could enjoy a few of these in a sitting, and to think of all the
    dramas you had getting this into bottle. Good work!
  • Busyer - A
    well balanced US amber. I get a very small amount of diacetyl and
    perhaps a low level kind of funny taste that might be from wild yeast,
    but it is not stoppig me.

III- jyo- Special Best Bitter with Trademark Haze. Ready to Drink.

  • BBB - Couldn't see the haze through the haze. Bloody nice beer though. Would make this.
  • keifer33
    - 14/12 - Poors with a nice head but disappears quickly. Nice and
    hazey. Strong aroma with a bit of grassiness. Styrians are definetly
    there. Nice malt backbone but I personally could do with a bit more
    bitter to balance. Great beer jyo.
  • Zig - I think we have enough inconsiderate remarks about the haze in jyo's beers
    tongue.gif

    I like the type of lingering bitterness in this beer, it gets you going
    for another sip. Well balanced. I get the feeling it could be better
    with more time/healthier yeast. Still a good beer, thanks.
  • cdbrown
    - nice creamy white head which lasted the whole time, carbonation
    levels must be right (but couldn't tell through the haze
    tongue.gif
    ), really nicely balanced malt, bitterness and late hops. Thoroughly enjoyed and wished I had more.
  • NME - Not the prettiest thing to look at. And the beer's a bit hazy too
    wink.gif

    Very nice beer! Medium body with a decent size white head that hangs
    around. Good whack of bitterness with a malty backbone that really seems
    to change as it gets warm. I do like the hop though. I can't say I've
    ever had it as the dominate hop in anything. To me it tastes kind of
    like those orange box drinks you used to get at school. Lovely beer
    anyway. Quality as always John!
  • malt_shovel - I'm a Styrian's
    tragic, so this beer was calling me early on. I really enjoyed it. Less
    floral than my attempts at at a best bitter, lovely malt backbone and
    hop bitterness that took me back to the UK and enjoying pints of real
    ale in the rare english summer sun. Totally digged this beer and will
    hit you up for the recipe. Cheers mate.
  • Bizier - I really
    enjoyed this yesterday, it was a pleasant distraction from my GF's
    family. I loved the dryness, and it has a bit in common with the
    Harviestoun B&T which I love, the only thing that I found to detract
    from the experience was the grassiness, which might be hop age or dry
    hop rate, but it was top notch John. Cheers.
  • Aces high - Definitely a fan of this one.I haven't used much styrians, but i think I will be buying some soon.
  • Drew9242 - Lovely haze jyo adds to the flavour
    smile.gif
    .Seriously though I enjoyed this beer. Nice slight malt profile with a lovely styrian hoppiness.

IV
cdbrown - Northern German Altbier - been in the keg for 3 months,
bottled the night before so get it cold - Ready Now. Low carb prob from
CPBF


  • malt_shovel 10/12 - Brilliant
    clarity, head retention and malt profile. Enjoyed this a lot when
    brewing last night. Thanks for a quality brew.
  • Drew9242: Clear, mine lacked carbonation and head. But I really enjoyed this beer, would like to try to brew it me self.
  • keifer33:
    11/12 - lower carb but nice and fine, small persistent head. initial
    fruity esters with a nice bitterness to compliment the malt profile.
    nice color and clarity also. good work Craig.
  • sinkas: Nice clarity,malty aromas with hint esters, spice and smoke, , nice malty yet crisp palate, damn tasty.
  • jyo.
    Ohh, the colour and clarity, so good, mate. Great Carb, head retention
    is rad. Nice malt aromas, low yeast esters. Overall tasty, malty, some
    slight yeast fruitiness finishes surprisingly dry. Slight metallic bite.
    A great beer.
  • Zig - I think I may have gotten a bad bottle of
    this, looking at the other reviews. My one seemed a bit metalllic, sort
    of unclean underattenuated impression.
  • Aces High - I really
    liked this beer, my bottle had poor head retension, but the clarity was
    spot on and I really liked the malt profile.
  • Fish - No problem
    with low carbonation but a nice creamy off white head. Nice malt
    backbone and clean bitterness. Very nice on a hot day like today
  • BBB
    - Agree with above. Colour, clarity and balance are superb. Even though
    it is a "German" Alt, my Dutch father in law loved it ........ can he
    stay at your house please!
  • NME - Another beer of amazing beer
    clarity! Pours a really clear, bright brown colour. I don't like using
    the word brown because I don't think it does the visuals any justice. It
    pours with a nice white head that dissipates to a thin lacing pretty
    quickly. It looks great! I get a pretty big malt aroma on the nose,
    maybe a little chocolate. Medium body with a moderate to low
    carbonation, medium bitterness, I think it's what you call an earthy hop
    flavour and a nice malty sweetness to follow. I'm pretty sure I've only
    ever tried one Altbier in my time, and this really reminds of it.
    Lovely! I would seriously love to have a crack at making this in the
    cooler months. Thanks Craig.
  • Mitch76 - I'm going from memory
    with this one, as others have indicated regarding colour only diference
    is clarity, I'm sure mine was a little hazy, apart from that I thought
    this was a great beer, nice clean malt aroma's & flavour, with a
    substantial bitterness that definitely ensures the beer does not leave a
    sweet or cloying impression, loved it! Might have to hit you up for
    recipe for when I eventually attempt this style.

V - Zig - Czech Pils - There is also Strong Pils and Lutsenbier in these, as labeled. Drink all of them ASAP really. Keep cold.

  • malt_shovel
    10/12 (Strong Pils) - Could read a newspaper through this. Nice
    carbonation and head that laced all the way. Very well balance for high
    ABV. Would happily drink this all day/night. Cheers
  • mikey (czech
    pils) - Clean and refreshing, went down well for a hot day. High carb,
    headmaster glass kept about 2cm of head the whole time! Very tasty
  • cdbrown
    (czech pils) - very clean and crisp and clear. Showed nice carbonation
    throughout, but very little head retention. Very easy to drink. Good
    work
  • keifer33 - 12/12 - (Lutsenbier) - icon_drool2.gif Seriously
    clear, nice persistant head. Aroma and flavour where great and cant
    fault it at all. Fantasticly easy to drink and was the best beer I could
    ask for after a long day.
  • Drew9242 (strong pils) - Clarity and
    head were great. Nice aroma. Lovely malty backbone with a smooth
    bitterness. Could drink this a lot (if only I could brew it).
  • Fish
    - Loved the colour. i didn't get much of a head but i could taste the
    hallertau middlefruh hops easily ( i do hope its hallertau). Very
    enjoyable beer
  • BBB - (Strong Pils) Give me the recipe...... great beer (bum make this)
  • Bizier
    - (CZ) Despite the low head and some definite oxy aromas and flavours,
    this is a great CZ pils, deep gold, malty and hoppy in great balance, I
    am sure that this tasted great before bottling and some warm storage.
    Good job Zig.
  • Nev---I taught you well :) This is one even your mates will like.
  • NME
    - (Czech Pils) Amazing clarity in this beer! It pours a very clear,
    light golden/amber colour with a big pillowy head that unfortunately
    doesn't hang around very long, but the carbonation level is very good.
    There's a pretty big bitterness, and I'm picking up something kind of
    roasted?? I can't quite put my finger on it. This beer is all class.
    Very distinguished and well refined. Nice one Zig. Thanks!
  • jyo-
    Pours a deep-gold colour. Good melanoidins coming through. I found this
    to be really malty for a pils almost thought I had the wrong bottle at
    first. Good, firm bitterness to balance. Nice beer, mate.
  • WW
    28/12 - Pils - Unfortunately my bottle was quite flat and perhaps for
    that reason I didn't get the same experience as others have described.
    Great clarity but on the taste side of things I got a fair bit of what
    seemed to be residual sweetness/diacetyl. I was looking forward to your
    beer too, Zig
    sad.gif
  • Mitch76
    - (czech pils) I can compare 2, as I tried 1 a day after it was
    bottled, and the 1 I received in the case swap, colour & clarity
    were the same in both as were the aroma's with some lovely malty notes
    in there only difference was the older example had some oxidisation, you
    would not think they were the same beer when tasting, fresh bottle was
    fantastic, ticking all the boxes, the older bottle had oxidised as
    mentioned & lost carbonation. Definitely needed to drink this one
    immediately. I still want to try the strong pils!

VI - keifer33 - English Bitter (might be overcarbed so let it sit for a bit in the glass/jug) -

  • sinkas:
    yes certianly overcarbed,so it never really got down to the level where
    its gassiness didnt efffecn the palate, I think nottighams is probably a
    bit too grunty for this beer, enede up too dry with bottle
    conditioning, but flavours and aromas were great
  • cdbrown: I'm
    glad I only poured a little into the glass as 1cm of beer created about
    15cm of foam! It eventually collapsed to leave a thick creamy head, beer
    had nice clarity. Initial taste and smell I got a hint of burnt rubber
    which unfortunately I couldn't stop focusing on. It was only slight but
    enough for me to notice (and may be a reason for the overcarb?) but then
    again it could just be the earthiness of the english hops and my crap
    palate coupled with a restrained malt flavour.
  • jyo- Pleasant
    malt/yeast aroma. Nice clarity, great head retention. Seemed to finish
    drier than the FG suggests, perhaps the high carbonation tricking my
    pallete. I got the slight rubber flavour and aroma. Really enjoyed
    though, Keiffer. I've been looking for a low alc malty quaffer to brew.
  • Bizier
    - Unfortunately my bottle was quite phenolic, to the point of me not
    being able to drink it. I got around the carb issue though. I cracked it
    a few hours prior, dented it in to purge headspace and re-sealed with a
    'vacuum', and it poured fine. Sorry Keith, I know you make good beer.
  • Fish
    - Sorry kieth my bottle was fine and poured a great head but i got the
    same flavors as bizier. It sucks cause i was looking forward to this
    mate
  • BBB - As above, sorry Keith.
  • malt_shovel - My
    bottle had "Windsor" on it, and it didn't at all seem too high FG for
    the style.The carbonation was off, but you know about that already.The
    flavour and aroma were restained for my palate, so it was pretty easy
    drinking. I enjoyed the full bottle.Cheers



VII - Drew's Brew's - Vienna Lager -

  • BBB:
    Head - very good. Clarity - cloudy. Mouthfeel - lucky I have to type
    coz I can't speak - tongue stuck to roof of mouth wink.gif Mouthfeel is
    heavy but nice. Hops - nice spicey aftertaste - do I detect a hint of
    chocolate?? Overall - Nice beer.
  • cdbrown: excellent lager. long
    lasting tight creamy white heat, great carbonation, very clean and
    crisp. I could drink this all summer long. Recipe please!
  • Zig: I
    guess bottle conditioned - it seems to have the same characteristics
    than the ones I get when I bottle condition lagers. Hazy. Some of the
    hops still come through in the aroma. It doesn't strike me as being very
    lager-y, this could be passed off as some kind of medium hopped pale
    ale. Easy drinking though and well balanced. Probably would be great if
    it had a few months in a keg.
  • Drew9242- I get that bottle
    condition twang on this one as well. Could taste the base of a good
    beer, and would love to taste it on tap.

VIII- Fish13 - munich lager. - Drink NOW

  • Nev--- Nice bread notes upon pouring, lively carbonation and head lasted well , nice easy drinking lager, cheers.
  • keifer33
    - Nice beer fish. Maybe a tad over carbed but the head held up through
    most of the glass. Very easy drinking and lasted not long after a hard
    days work!
  • malt_shovel - I had a strong medicinal flavour
    component here. Hard to get past but there was hints of honey and the
    base of a good beer here. Check your yeast health and sanitation (or
    maybe it was my bottle, there seemed to be a mini krausen ring on it).
  • Drew9242
    - unfortunately mine was overcarbed maybe due to fermenting in the
    bottle. Also got the medicine taste which spoilt the beer for me could
    have been a good beer but it didn't handle well for me.
  • jyo-
    Bottle ¾ full had started an additional fermentation, so was expecting
    it to be undrinkable. Mildly infected unfortunately. Definitely some
    funk beginning in the bottle, some slight off flavours. It had some good
    malt aromas and flavours underneath this. I reckon this would have been
    a cracker of a lager if in good condition, mate.

IX - Ledgenko - Either a crack at an Trappist Ale or a extra strong IPA

  • sinkas: i think this is the beer (unlabeled), not sure what it was meant to be , but unfortunatley not drinkable
  • malt_shovel
    - Yep same experience here. I tried to give it some time to warm up and
    turn around, but this beer was destined for the garden. Sorry.
  • Doogiechap - Unlabelled, similar experience :-( Bandaids and funk, another sink jobbie. Sad to have missed out on it's intended journey.
X - WW (Crotchrot Brewing Company); Belgian DSA, bottle conditioned, READY NOW

  • Fish
    - Highly carbonated, needed to wait before drinking. Lots of cough
    syrup flavouring coming through and some warm alcohol too.
  • malt_shovel
    - I really enjoyed this beer. It had everything I was expecting from a
    Belgian Dark. Warm alcohols balanced and supported by raisins, plums and
    a touch of figs. Nice carbonation to bring it all to the nose, and I
    was thoroughly enjoying this beer. Well done.
  • - Bizier - I can't
    provide a full review because it was drank while doing other things
    yesterday. I found the beer very good for style. I found the esters very
    pleasant. I would like it a touch drier, but it was pretty good in this
    regard. I got a bit of autolysis, though it was bearable. Overall a
    good job and a hard style.
  • jyo- Great Belgian characters
    happening here. Dried fruit, figs, warming alcohol. I reckon this is a
    great Dark Strong, unfortunately my stomach is playing up at the moment
    and I couldn't finish it. Should've saved this one for another day.
    sad.gif
    Cheers.


XI willigan - US/kiwi pale ale. - READY NOW
  • Bizier
    - I am enjoying this, it has a bit of the harsh phenolic-type flavour
    which can accompany heavy handed NZ hop useage, but it appeals to the
    hop head in me.
  • WW 22/12 - Enjoyed this. Lots of funky citrus hop character coming through.
  • malt_shovel
    - I fucked up and drank this far too early. Wished I had another bottle
    of this, because I think it had the base for a cracker of a pale ale.
    If there are any left, I would be glad to swap some more beer. Let me
    know.
  • jyo Amazing aroma and hop flavour! Pushing the alcohol for
    me in a an APA, but man, you have crammed some amazing hop character
    into this beer with decent supporting malt. I would love the recipe for
    this. I shared it with a mate who loves Hoptimum and he preferred your
    beer, mate. Top notch effort.


XII - Bada Bing Brewery - Kolsch or Hefe or Pils, CPBF ALL READY NOW
  • mikey: (kolsch) pale straw, clean, refreshing. Bit flat but very enjoyable
  • NME:
    (Hefe) - For someone who isn't a big drinker of wheats, I'd liked this a
    lot! Very light, mildy carbed and refreshing while having a really
    really nice fruity flavour and a nice light bitterness. Slight
    breadiness in the background and the clarity is pretty decent too.
    Thanks a lot
    smile.gif
  • malt_shovel:
    (Hefe) - Huge bananas for me on the nose. Initial taste was 'sharp /
    sour' had me thinking of something sinister, but then it was lost on
    further sampling. Head was low but to its credit hung around. Flavour
    was grainy and not overly bitter. Nice brew.
  • Zig (Kolsch) - Hazy. A dead ringer for Sapporo in flavour and aroma somehow. Good quaffing beer.
  • Bizier
    - (Kolsch) Hard style because it is a tiny target to aim for, and you
    are close, you might need to ask someone in Cologne to get the rest. I
    would happily drink litres of this.
  • cdbrown - (Hefe) nice blend
    of phenols and banana in the flavour and aroma, quite a deep clear
    golden colour (crystalweizen). Very easy to drink and good example of
    style.
  • keifer33 - (hefe) - Nice amount of phenols but bordering
    on too much for me when thinking about a hefe. Very easy to drink but
    cant comment on head/carb as I accidentally didnt clean my glass
    properly.
  • Kolsch- Jyo- Light pils grain/biscuity aroma. Don't
    really need to describe this. Awesome. Could drink all day. The missus
    tried and was truly delighted. Lovely beer, mate. Is there a tiny bit of
    munich here?
  • Mitch76 - (Hefe) - Pours a nice, clear, golden
    colour so more of a Crystalweizen, with a small head that quickly
    disappears, nice bready/phenolic aromas. With medium carbonation &
    nice amount of tartness this was an enjoyable wheat beer consumed on a
    hot day, good job.

XIII Spoonta - English Pale Ale

  • cdbrown
    - overcarbed when initially poured from the bottle, long lasting head,
    slightly cloudy, slight bitterness upfront, perhaps finished a little
    dry, needs a little more malt backbone, slight hint of rubber.
  • NME
    - Hazy light orange colour. Decent sized, tight white head. Very highly
    carbed. Moderate to low bitterness with somewhat of a fruity hop
    flavour (slightly over ripened oranges). Has a very dry finish. I get
    something slightly off on the nose, but I can't put my finger on it.
    It's very minor though. I'm not an expert on the style, but I would have
    expected a little more malt character. Maybe I'm drinking it too cold.
    For the most part, it's pretty easy drinking and quite enjoyable. Thanks
    Michael.
  • BBB - Great head and carbonation. Colour was good. Agree with NME, a very dry finish. Nice beer. Cheers
  • keifer33
    - Very carbonated and a long pillow like head. Maybe a tad dry on the
    finish but this could be from the carbonation or the malt profile
    lacking. Nice fruity esters and a good easy drinking beer. Thanks
    Michael.
  • malt_shovel - Overcarbed for an English, but past that,
    I thought it was a great session ale. A touch more malt backbone (not
    sure on the base malt, but if not UK, maybe go for a Maris Otter, Golden
    Promise) and this would do a lot of english brewers proud. Well done.
  • jyo-
    Overcarbed, but once settled formed an awesome dense, rocky head. Good
    bitterness (is this Challenger and Willamette??), probably needs more
    English yeast character. Slight off flavour. Enjoyed, Cheers, mate.
XIV- Removed.

XV - malt_shovel - Mulberry Wheat (ready to drink)
  • NME:
    I love the colour of this beer! A really nice deep red colour. Definite
    mulberries on the nose and all over the flavour. I see what you mean
    about a lack of tart, but I think it works really really well. Very very
    refreshing beer and just what I needed tonight
  • BBB - Great colour. Loved it. The ladies here put down their champers and fought for the dregs. I really liked this beer.
  • Drew9242
    - Wow the colour is great. Still can smell fruit. It did take me a few
    sips to get into it. But I highly enjoyed it and my mind was going nuts
    on what berries I could try.
  • jyo- Wow, amazing
    colour. This is a great beer. The fruit is there for the whole ride, but
    subtle enough to not dominate. Cheers mate.
  • Zig
    - This one was a surprise. Excellent balance, dry finish. Not sure what
    yeast was used, but it seemed to be a clean one rather than a wheat
    yeast - that factor I appreciated. The mulberries shine through
    brilliantly. Great beer.
  • Aces High - not sure
    what to make of this one, it had a really nice flavour and dry finish.
    The fruit was balanced really well. The wife scoffed it down and went in
    for the dregs, she would of happily drunk a few more.
  • WW
    - Nice beer Matt. The tartness of the berries balanced the sweetness of
    the wheat beer well. Could have gone a few more, cheers.
  • Bizier
    - As if you would put fruit in a beer! Sara Lee gone right? Dig it man.
    I totally appreciate the cleanliness of the beer behind the fruit.
  • Mitch76
    - This beer shows off the mulberries perfectly, not tart at all which
    was surprise considering 5 kg of mulberries were used, an enjoyable
    beer, well done.
  • Doogiechap - It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a wheat beer. This was the time :) The balance of the fruit with the slight sour of the wheat balanced things out perfectly. Great colour, head was a bit lacking but carb levels were great. A perfect beer for a hot summer evening. Well done !!


XVI - Mikey - Oktoberfest - (ready to drink)
  • BBB - Great head, sweet on the nose. Colour is deep. A bit too sweet for me, but is a nice overall beer. Cheers
  • Zig
    - Hazy - tastes a bit green to be honest, maybe it needed more time.
    Shame as it could have been good, interesting toffee malt impression.
  • WW
    22/12 - Mine was quite still unfortunately and I got quite a bit of
    residual sweetness coming through. Shame because the core of a good beer
    was lurking there.
  • jyo- Malty, sweetness, nice crystal/caramel notes. Enjoyed.
  • Drew9242
    - This reminded me of my Oktoberfest beer I brewed last year (2011). So
    I enjoyed it bold malt with subtle hops. Thanks mate.

XVII - Doogiechap - Oirish Red Best to leave till Feb

  • jyo-
    Hazy, thought it was one of my beers! Lively carbonation, held a good
    off-white head the whole way. Nice yeasty aroma with subdued hops.
    Lovely maltiness. The only criticism is that this seemed a fair bit
    higher than 20 IBU. Really enjoyed, Doug. Cheers.

XVIII - stormahead - Munich lager (two pale ales also thrown in) - ready to drink

  • jyo-
    Munich Helles?? Sweet malt and light noble hop characters on the nose.
    As this warms up, the malty aroma is bloody awesome! Smells like I just
    mashed in.
    Low carbonation, thin head. Very enjoyable beer, mate. I could drink a gallon of this on a hot day.
  • Zig
    - Green label? I think there is something not right about my bottle of
    this. Either poor yeast health or mild infection, it has a sweet
    underattenuated smell. I don't think I'll drink the rest of it, sorry.
XIX - Drew9242 - Shedbound Belgian DSA - bottled in July, use your discretion.

  • Fish
    - very nice for a belgian lots of coffee flavours and malt. Remind me
    of the quiet american but much much drinkable. Went well with the
    chicken parma and chips for dinner
  • NME - This
    one pours a pretty clear ruby/brown colour with a nice fluffy yet tight
    white head which was more than happy to stick around for the whole
    glass. I get raisins and dark fruit on the nose with maybe a very subtle
    breadiness. The flavour has a bit of wow factor. I get raisins and
    plums with a darkish/roasted malt backbone with hints of chocolate
    followed by a moderate bitterness and a bit of alcohol warmth. When this
    was colder, straight after I first poured it, I thought the alcohol was
    pretty well hidden, but it's starting to show now which is good because
    I thought I was going to drink it too fast
    wink.gif
    My missus described this as fruit and nut chocolate. I like this a lot! Very Christmasy in a way http://www.aussiehom...fault/smile.gif Cheers.
  • WW
    25/12 - Nice effort this one. I personally thought of it more as a
    golden strong as it had those types of more 'subtle' flavours coming
    through and perhaps more sweetness as opposed to yeast driven
    complexity. Went well on a nice hot xmas night http://www.aussiehom...fault/smile.gif
  • BBB
    - agree with above. Very nice and went down well. I also got raisins on
    the nose and a fantastic head. Nice beer, would make this one as well.
    Cheers
  • Aces high - Got home from work and the
    wife had poured me a beer.When i realised that it was a DSA I was
    thinking it was really not the beer I was looking for, but I was very
    happy to be wrong and really enjoyed it.NME sums this up perfectly and I
    dont think I can describe it better.Nice work Drew
XX- sinkas - bgsa drink around Australia day

XXI - NME - American Brown - Ready now.

  • Zig:
    First impression was marzipan. Second was golden syrup - but not in a
    cloying sweet way. In the drinking then a slightly toasted malt
    character, a bit on the sweet side but in a delightful manner. I don't
    find the beer to be particularly 'American' but I find it no less a beer
    as a result. Easy drinking and with malt complexity that gets one going
    for another sip. Great beer.
  • Bizier - I think
    it is great for style, though I personally prefer a little drier and
    more late/dry hops. Was let down with a bit of diacetyl unfortunately.
  • cdbrown
    - nice caramel aroma, medium bitterness with a nice malt flavour, no
    late hop flavour or aroma which I expected from an american brown, but
    it was a nice balanced beer. Did leave a slickness on the tongue.
  • jyo-
    Nice beer, good malt backbone, nice hopping to balance. I had this at
    the end of a BIG night so no half decent notes, but really enjoyed!
    Cheers, mate.
  • fish - very thick and slight oilyness. nice flavour and bitterness. though the thickness was overwhelming for me
  • Drew9242
    - Great beer. Alcohol wasn't to prominent with nice balance of malty
    sweetness and American hops.Drew Brew--Quite possibly the best looking
    lable. The attention to detail is awesome. Sorry Drew but I do find a
    lot of alcohol there and a small diacetyl. Never had an American Brown
    that I can put this against but it is a very nice balanced beer. I like
    the dark sweetness from the malt and the balance from the hop. I will
    serch one of these out next time I am at the bottle "O". Please send the
    recipe if you have the time.

XXII -Dave - Belgian Strong. -

  • malt_shovel
    - Low carbonation, some residual sweetness (from yeast giving up in the
    high alcohol?), lovely Belgium yeast character, warm alcohols and dark
    fruits desperate to get come to the front if not for the lack of
    carbonation. I think a decent head and some carbonation would turn this
    into a stunning belgian dark strong. Very deceptive on the alcohol, so a
    great skirt lifter as well!. Well done.
  • BBB -
    This beer ruined my xmas. Absolutely guttered. Saved it especially and
    no carb at all (6 months in the bottle) - I nearly cried. Agree with
    above though, it was really nice and yes for a Belguim strong I would
    like the recipe please ......
  • Drew Brew--I get
    the style having a place but it's just not me. Not quite filling the
    bottles doesn't help with your carbonation. I get a lot of flavour from
    what I belive is Dark Candy Sugar, deap rasins and glazed fruits. A
    little more bitterness could have balanced it better for me. I have
    never gotten a higher alcohol beer right so you have done very well.
XXIII - Aces High - Cascadian dark ale - Ready now


  • sinkas: nice black IPA body but strong nose and finish of diacetyl
  • Drew9242:
    American dark ales aren't really my thing, I enjoyed it but wouldn't go
    back for more. This is more my taste than anything.
  • keifer33
    11/12 - nice dark color with a thick persistent head. aroma of dark
    malts and enjoyable hoppiness. slight diacetyl (not ever powering but in
    lower amounts my taste buds have trouble detecting). overall a very
    nice dark IPA but might be nicer with a bit more piney hop flavor/aroma.
    would be keen for recipe if your don't mind PM ing me it .
  • Nev---- I had this with a customer , we both enjoyed it, could go a few more .
  • Zig
    - Shared this with a few guys, everyone thought it was great. Excellent
    balance, clean, and a lot of complexity for a normal percentage beer.
    Thoroughly enjoyed.
  • WW 16/12 - Very nice. Had
    some lovely coffee notes on the nose with some toasty caramel flavours
    coming through. Enjoyed this alot.
  • NME - The
    first word that comes to mind with this beer is BIG! I can't actually
    see through it, but it's a very dark brown colour and it pours with a
    decent sized white head that hangs around. Massive hop aroma, which is
    obviously cascade. It's a bit low in carbonation, and has a big body.
    There's a decent amount of bitterness without being excessive, a
    slightly roasted malt backbone and a very tropical fruit flavour. It's a
    very big and well rounded beer. Big hop flavours and a decent
    bitterness without being over the top. I'm not sure what officially
    makes a beer a Black IPA, but I reckon this must come close. Onya Stu!
    Cheers.
  • BBB - Nice beer. All sorts of stuff going on but nicely balanced. Great long lasting head, really liked it. Cheers
  • jyo-
    Didn't take notes at the time but remember (just, whoops!) it being a
    great beer. Good roasted/coffee flavours came through and of course
    cascade. Cheers.
  • Bizier - I unfortunately had
    to abandon this beer after drinking about half. I am not a fan of black
    IPAs, but I really appreciate that this was a well made version. Plenty
    of roast and plenty of rugged C-hop and a clean ferment. Good job.
  • Drew
    Brew--Very nice apperance. Deap brown with a thick foamy head that is
    very persistant. Nice hop arroma presuming you were aiming at Black IPA.
    Is Cascade the only hop? Nice malt that holds the hops together well,
    slight astringency I'm thinking from a high IBU. I get the fealing I
    should be eating Sticky Spare Ribs while drinking this. Another thanks
    Bartender.
XXIV - Mitch_76 - Munich Dunkel -

  • Zig - Clean, bright - very similar to the dunkel from Duckstein. I could drink a lot of this, great beer.
  • Fish - Nice roasty flavours coming through. Nice clean bitterness and very smooth. Very little head and lacing but lovely beer
  • keifer33 15/12 - No head and med-low carbonation. nice clean flavours with nice roastyness. very enjoyable beer and only 4.2%.
  • Drew9242
    - Low carbonation for me as well. But other wise i was clean crisp
    lager, with good roast. Defiantly enjoyed this one, would have been even
    better with a bit more carbonation.
  • Bizier -
    Well made & clean. Only criticisms: I'd like more lager yeast
    character, munich malt flavour and CO2, but as my first beer of the
    swap, I am very happy with this beverage in my hand.
  • cdbrown
    - initial smell reminded me of fresh crushed carafa grains and the
    flavour backed it up, very nice malt flavour with a slight bitterness to
    balance it out.
  • BBB - Clint, I really liked
    this beer. Clear with good carbonation. I'm not a huge roasty beer fan
    but this is so beautifully subtle - really nice, great beer.
  • Drew
    Brew--This is very good. Love the color, on first glance you would say
    black but closer you see the rich ruby color. Would love to know the
    grain bill if you get the time Mitch. As above it would definatly be
    lifted with a touch more carbonation but I wouldn't complain if I was
    handed another. Well done.
  • jyo- Sorry had this
    as the last beer for New Years at 3 am so no real tasting notes….I
    remember comparing to a Weihenstephaner dunkel at the time and yours
    held up nicely. A mate and I really enjoyed it, cheers.
XXV - Bizier - Soured Quinoa/Oat/Rye Saison - Ready if you are thirsty, but should get funkier if you can wait.

  • Nev--- Someone dropped a mouse and a horse blanket in your beer and I liked it ! Brett is good.
  • jyo-My
    mate tipped some of his down the sink. My missus hated it. (Sour,
    tart). I loved it and should not have tried to share. Puckered my mouth
    and cleansed my teeth. Had a musk lollie undertone that was rad. Wish we
    were all trusted to bottle in glass for case swaps as I reckon this
    would have aged beautifully.
  • Drew Brew--I decided to try my
    beers in reverse order and so this is my first. Also my first sour beer.
    I was like WTF till I remembered about the sour adition to the case
    swap. I don't know were to start but the outstanding flavour for me is
    Lemon Crush Cordial. Not sure I could wait for it to get Funkier. It is
    probably the style not the brewer's skill or ability, I will finish this
    glass but I wouldn't line up for more.
  • WW 30/12 - Well first
    off let me say I like my Saisons but I'm not a fan of sour beers - or so
    I thought. I really enjoyed this; emptied the bottle and wanted more.
    Didn't get much of the Saison character that I could detect behind the
    sourness and obviously no style notes to refer to but I rated this beer
    and like a virgin after the first encounter, I've been tipped over the
    edge http://www.aussiehom...fault/smile.gif Instead of walking straight past the sour beers at the IBS I'll take a closer look and ask the lads for some options. Cheers.
  • Bizier
    - Am I a wanker for reviewing my own beer? Perhaps I will drink with
    the other hand so it feels like someone else's beer. It is still green,
    so I suggest further aging. I get banana peel, I agree with strong
    lemon, mouse cage, some chicken coop-ish barnyard. Giving me a buzz, I
    think it is between 6-7%. If I was like Cher and could turn back time, I
    would have done it differently.
  • Aces High - Ok, so I opened
    this up straight out of the fridge without checking what it was.When i
    opened it there was some crapy under the cap, and when i tasted it I
    assumed it was infected and poured it (turned out it was meant to be)I
    haven't really tried this style before and wish i had taken the time to
    taste it properly.Got any spare ones Bizer?
  • Doogiechap - Reminds me of my soured Saison that I brewed a few years ago :)
    . Acebactor/ vinegarish puckering start with a lingering horseish
    finish. Like Aces, I cracked it before identifying the style and sad that
    I didn't give it another year to develop. Thanks Bizier for a coragous
    submission, I love it, my house guests had mixed opinions :) .
 
I'm not gonna bother adding in the entire list until the wikis are back up and running, but tried Sinkas' beer on the weekend.
Sinkas' Extra Hoppy Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Consumed 3rd March, 2013.

My Lordy, what a cracker of a beer. The 9.5% alc was hidden well in this. No fusels, no sharp alcohol. Firm hoppiness from the 80 IBU, but the key to this beer was the excellent balance. Creamy head, good mouthfeel sweet grainy flavours.

Possibly the best big beer I have had, mate.

Cheers.
 
X - WW (Crotchrot Brewing Company); Belgian DSA, bottle conditioned, READY NOW

  • Fish
    - Highly carbonated, needed to wait before drinking. Lots of cough
    syrup flavouring coming through and some warm alcohol too.
  • malt_shovel
    - I really enjoyed this beer. It had everything I was expecting from a
    Belgian Dark. Warm alcohols balanced and supported by raisins, plums and
    a touch of figs. Nice carbonation to bring it all to the nose, and I
    was thoroughly enjoying this beer. Well done.
  • - Bizier - I can't
    provide a full review because it was drank while doing other things
    yesterday. I found the beer very good for style. I found the esters very
    pleasant. I would like it a touch drier, but it was pretty good in this
    regard. I got a bit of autolysis, though it was bearable. Overall a
    good job and a hard style.
  • jyo- Great Belgian characters
    happening here. Dried fruit, figs, warming alcohol. I reckon this is a
    great Dark Strong, unfortunately my stomach is playing up at the moment
    and I couldn't finish it. Should've saved this one for another day.
    sad.gif
    Cheers.
  • Zig - Found a bottle of this in the back of the fridge, after 6 months - even cold the bottle was alarmingly hard - still poured OK though. I have a vague recollection of maybe trying another bottle of this earlier on this year and it being rather too rough booze wise, though I could be mistaken as to which one it was. This bottle now is quite smooth, the alcohol is not at all prominent. The first impression aroma wise is dark caramelly malt, though the secondary impression reminds me of Bourbon, though not due to any alcohol nature. I was a bit dubious when I first poured the bottle but the clean character of the beer itself is growing on me. I'm not sure it matches the intended style in the end but it makes for an interesting beer with good qualities overall.
 

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