[klickitat jim]

Fuller ESB and London Pride, Westmalle Tripel, Belhaven Scottish, and a six pack of plain old Weihenstephan Pilsner. It's going to be a good weekend!!!

[klickitat jim]

They had Orkney Dark Island and I totally spaced that it's the #1 example. Crud

[denny]

Fuller ESB and London Pride, Westmalle Tripel, Belhaven Scottish, and a six pack of plain old Weihenstephan Pilsner. It's going to be a good weekend!!!

Great haul!

[rjharper]

They had Orkney Dark Island and I totally spaced that it's the #1 example. Crud

I'm Scottish so I'm biased, but Dark Island is an excellent brew (I had it on cask back in Glasgow one time!). It's better young though so check the dates. Their Red MacGregor is a really nice hoppy red, and the Dragonhead stout is nice too. 

[erockrph]

What's the date on the Fullers beers? Honestly, the ESB still tastes fantastic past its prime, but it's a night and day difference if you can get a fresh sample. That is a killer haul, by the way. Your taste buds are getting spoiled this weekend!

I just got a mix-a-six myself tonight. Here in RI you can only get beer in liquor stores. I was just over the line in CT at a supermarket and was surprised when I saw a decent mix-a-six section. I got three brews from Connecticut breweries I've never even heard of, plus Sam IPL, Batch 19, and Blue Point Octoberfest. I've been meaning to try the Batch 19, but never found it available as a single until tonight.

[klickitat jim]

The Fullers is out in the shop fridge, I'll check dates when I try those. Enjoying the Belhaven tonight. The bottle is nice but the clear glass didnt help the beer inside it. Fortunately the lightstruck is pretty faint. I get zero smoke or peatiness, by the way.

Final impression. Its really tasty.  But its interesting to me how similar it is to new castle brown, and im not confusing the lightstruck issue. I had not tried an actual from Scotland Scottish 60/70/80 before this one. Now that I have, if I was at a pub and ordered a Scottish and they brought me a new castle brown instead, I would not know. Perhaps side by side I could tell them apart but I would not bet money on it.

The new bjcp guidelines are probably going to drop the shillings name and go with light heavy and export. IMO now that Scotland voted against independence last month, they should just consolidate NEB and 60/70/80 and call it northern British ale. There is not enough difference to justify 4 catagories for what is really just one beer.

[klickitat jim]

Westmalle Tripel: Best by 6/15. Way less phenolic that the US and homebrewed versions ive had. No solventy issues at all. Belly warmer but no heat on the mouth. A prime example of what fluffy is in mouthfeel.

Boy, in my opinion commercial example calibration is a must. You simply can not be an authority on a style without having examined one of the top examples.

[HoosierBrew]

Westmalle Tripel: Best by 6/15. Way less phenolic that the US and homebrewed versions ive had. No solventy issues at all. Belly warmer but no heat on the mouth. A prime example of what fluffy is in mouthfeel.

Boy, in my opinion commercial example calibration is a must. You simply can not be an authority on a style without having examined one of the top examples.

+1. Westmalle is such a great beer, the standard for tripel. There a few good American ones , but most are overly phenolic by comparison, some are hot, too. Descriptions are great but you gotta try it to know what tripel really is. I do love Chimay Cinq Cents and Karmeliet too, but Westmalle is pretty much perfect IMO.

[klickitat jim]

What's the date on the Fullers beers? Honestly, the ESB still tastes fantastic past its prime, but it's a night and day difference if you can get a fresh sample. That is a killer haul, by the way. Your taste buds are getting spoiled this weekend!

I just got a mix-a-six myself tonight. Here in RI you can only get beer in liquor stores. I was just over the line in CT at a supermarket and was surprised when I saw a decent mix-a-six section. I got three brews from Connecticut breweries I've never even heard of, plus Sam IPL, Batch 19, and Blue Point Octoberfest. I've been meaning to try the Batch 19, but never found it available as a single until tonight.

ESB had no born on date but best by Jan 15 so it might be getting long in the tooth. Beautiful beer though. Not much gead retention. Much more caramel and less bitter than I anticipated. That might be due to age but I'll bet even fresh its not as hoppy as one might expect. This one makes Red Hook ESB seem like an IPA.

[klickitat jim]

Westmalle Tripel: Best by 6/15. Way less phenolic that the US and homebrewed versions ive had. No solventy issues at all. Belly warmer but no heat on the mouth. A prime example of what fluffy is in mouthfeel.

Boy, in my opinion commercial example calibration is a must. You simply can not be an authority on a style without having examined one of the top examples.

+1. Westmalle is such a great beer, the standard for tripel. There a few good American ones , but most are overly phenolic by comparison, some are hot, too. Descriptions are great but you gotta try it to know what tripel really is. I do love Chimay Cinq Cents and Karmeliet too, but Westmalle is pretty much perfect IMO.

True stuff. My next tripel will be mashed much lower and fermented cooler.

[denny]

+1. Westmalle is such a great beer, the standard for tripel. There a few good American ones , but most are overly phenolic by comparison, some are hot, too. Descriptions are great but you gotta try it to know what tripel really is. I do love Chimay Cinq Cents and Karmeliet too, but Westmalle is pretty much perfect IMO.

I totally agree.  It's kinda spoiled me for drinking other tripels.  I lucked into creating a recipe that's kinda close and I brew it regularly.

[denny]

Westmalle Tripel: Best by 6/15. Way less phenolic that the US and homebrewed versions ive had. No solventy issues at all. Belly warmer but no heat on the mouth. A prime example of what fluffy is in mouthfeel.

Boy, in my opinion commercial example calibration is a must. You simply can not be an authority on a style without having examined one of the top examples.

+1. Westmalle is such a great beer, the standard for tripel. There a few good American ones , but most are overly phenolic by comparison, some are hot, too. Descriptions are great but you gotta try it to know what tripel really is. I do love Chimay Cinq Cents and Karmeliet too, but Westmalle is pretty much perfect IMO.

True stuff. My next tripel will be mashed much lower and fermented cooler.

Mine is mashed at 148 for 90 min, and fermented at 63 for a week or so before raising it to finish.

[brewinhard]

Westmalle Tripel: Best by 6/15. Way less phenolic that the US and homebrewed versions ive had. No solventy issues at all. Belly warmer but no heat on the mouth. A prime example of what fluffy is in mouthfeel.

Boy, in my opinion commercial example calibration is a must. You simply can not be an authority on a style without having examined one of the top examples.

+1. Westmalle is such a great beer, the standard for tripel. There a few good American ones , but most are overly phenolic by comparison, some are hot, too. Descriptions are great but you gotta try it to know what tripel really is. I do love Chimay Cinq Cents and Karmeliet too, but Westmalle is pretty much perfect IMO.

Love the Chimay Cinq Cents!