[ynotbrusum]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dljfetc6jh0h1tz/IMG_0573.JPG?dl=0

Here's my first review - a Saison from Cascadesrunner:

Brewer: Drew Sauser (Cascadesrunner)

Category: 16 /Subcategory: C  - Saison

Bottle Inspection:  Appropriate Fill (Bomber - 22 oz.  Thanks!)

Aroma:  Fruity and slightly bready initially, mild earthiness in hop aroma; fruit is pear-like and slightly orange to tangerine rind with mild pepper as it warms.  No diacetyl.  9/12

Appearance:  Persistent off-white and rocky head; pale orange color; slightly hazy but fairly clear on initial pour; second pour was a bit more hazy so it must have settle out some in the week or so that passed from when received and refrigerated.  Not a problem there, however. 3/3

Flavor:  Soft malt character; fully attenuated to achieve profile expected in flavors present from the yeast; fruity and peppery; malt dominates the balance over any hop detected, which was simply earthy; very mildly sour like some wheat malts produce or perhaps simply the yeast selected in that respect.  No diacetyl. Clean refreshing finish; good grain selection as pils malt breadiness is evident with likely munich or Vienna balancing some as well. 16/20

Mouthfeel:  Effervescent carbonation early, but no carbonic bite; medium body, no alcohol warmth - the absence of which is appreciated in all respects.  Dry finish as expected.  Slight acidity from mild sourness is prickly mid-palate, but not distracting.  3/5

Overall Impression:  A very good example of the style.  Not a DuPont-like saison, rather milder and restrained funk - but all good on that count. A truly enjoyable beer that would go well with salmon grilled on the plank with a fresh garden salad with mild red onion, vinaigrette dressing and garlic croutons.  Fermentation was handled well - you could go warmer if you want to increase the esters and phenolics a bit, but the fermentation profile utilized here restrained the extreme flavors that can arise in this style, which worked well, if youintended to do that.  All in all, a well done, solid beer.  It would sell!  Cheers.  8/10

Total Score 39/50

[mharding73]

Brewer: Pete b

Notes from Pete on the Beer. 

Bretted Peach Saison: Last summer I racked some of a large batch of Rhubarb Rye Saison ( 1.050 og, 1.012 fg) onto some peaches from my tree and pitched brett l. it has been in my root cellar since racking off the peaches in September until bottling in March.



Unfortunately this beer lost it’s carbonation on the trip over. 
 
Aroma: Sour and some peach. 

Appearance: Very Clear as you can see.  Nice yellow color.


Flavor: Sour/ Peach. Finished very dry.  I’m sure Rhubarb was in there but been so long since I’ve had it I can’t remember the smell or flavor.

Overall:  This beer was very good, even better if carbed up. 

[pete b]

Bummer about the Carb. I only had it left in grolsch bottles and was afraid that would happen. At least it didn't leak. The original fig was a bit high for a saison but the brett brought it down to close to 1.000. I plan on making 10 gallons every year but with a different saison recipe, just because I have gotten better at saisons. I'll probably use about 25# of peaches when I add the brett. Also each year I'll add fresh peaches to a portion of the one year old stuff and let it work for a couple weeks.

[jimmykx250]

Brewer: Frank (Frankenbrew)
Kolsch
Fill seemed good
Nice aroma slightly sweet smelling
I must say this beer is crystal clear and nicely carbonated.
Another beer style im not familiar with but here are my thoughts.
This is a light clean bright refreshing beer. Slightly sweet in a good way and carbonated perfectly. This to me is the perfect beer to be sitting on the porch drinking on a hot summer day. Very nice beer frank!
I would like to brew this beer and wonder how critical the wyeast 2565 is to producing this crisp clean flavor.
Thanks again Frank for the sassion from grassroots that was a very unique beer!! Overall this has been a great experience for me to be able to sample another home brewers brew and gauge where I am at. I have some work to do but that's ok the learning curve is fun:)

[toby]

There are going to be some slight differences in our experience, since I pulled a sample off the kegerator, but...

Brewer: Toby
Beer: 80/- (Scottish Export) 14c 2015 BJCP Guidelines
This is my first try at actually using scores so grain of salt and I welcome feedback on the feedback.
Aroma: Rich, caramel malt aroma. No hops aroma. Didn't get any other biscuit aromas. 9/12

I got a few more things out of it.  Moderate caramel with moderate low toffee and toasted bread.  Low dark fruit (plum and raisin).  No hop aroma or diacetyl.  Very slight chocolate, cherry, and pear as it warmed.

Appearance: Dark brown, with some amber/reddish hue on sides and bottom. Very thin head 2/3

I had it noted as deep copper with one finger off-white head with moderate retention.  High clarity.  Lots of fine bubbles with light creamy lacing.

Flavor: Malty with medium sweetness carmel flavor dominates my palette, nicely tame but balancing bitterness. 17/20

My notes had moderate caramel and toffee.  Medium-low toasted bread.  Very light earthy hop flavor, but balancing bitterness which keeps it from being cloying.  Medium-low plum and a hint of cherry.  Finishes balanced with a very slight bitter chocolate that lingers only a second.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, low carbonation, dare I say "luxurious" but not slick. 4/5

I had medium bodied with moderate-low carbonation.  Very light dryness in the finish.  No diacetyl slickness.  Tiny hint of alcohol warmth.

Overall Impression: A nicely done version that compares favorably to Belhaven which I have fairly regularly. The balance of sweetness and caramel with the bittering hops is done exceptionally well in this beer, making it more drinkable than I usually find this style. My only suggestion is I would welcome a little English hop floral aroma/flavor to add complexity. Nice job Toby, I really enjoyed this beer. 8/10
40/50

Glad you enjoyed.  I've had this recipe around a long time (1995 or 1996).  It was loosely based on Belhaven as well as some recipes from Noonan's book.  Scots ales of all types are fairly straightforward beers.  I'll keep the hop comment in mind for next time.  It's all EKG, but mostly FWH for bitterness.  I have a pretty small late hop addition (5 minutes), but I may bump that up or split batch experiment with some dry hopping.

From a scoring/description standpoint, you were within 4 points of my score, but I'm biased.  If you decide to ever pursue certification, the biggest thing that they look for is more description.  You want to assign levels to the things you sense (high, medium, low, etc.).  The more adjectives the better.

[pete b]

Thanks for the feedback Toby. I really need to have an ah ha moment with biscuit/bread flavors and aromas. I never pick them up which makes me think I don't get what they are. In other words I don't perceive them in a way I identify with bread/biscuits/ cracker. I am trying to pay attention so one day I just get it. Two things I perceived faintly but maybe wasn't confident enough to write: the fruit and dry finish. It does sound like my sample had less carbonation and much less head. Good advice about modifying with high/ low etc.

[Frankenbrew]

Brewer: Frank (Frankenbrew)
Kolsch
Fill seemed good
Nice aroma slightly sweet smelling
I must say this beer is crystal clear and nicely carbonated.
Another beer style im not familiar with but here are my thoughts.
This is a light clean bright refreshing beer. Slightly sweet in a good way and carbonated perfectly. This to me is the perfect beer to be sitting on the porch drinking on a hot summer day. Very nice beer frank!
I would like to brew this beer and wonder how critical the wyeast 2565 is to producing this crisp clean flavor.
Thanks again Frank for the sassion from grassroots that was a very unique beer!! Overall this has been a great experience for me to be able to sample another home brewers brew and gauge where I am at. I have some work to do but that's ok the learning curve is fun:)

Thanks, Jimmy!

I'm glad that you liked the beers, and that you feel like you got a lot from the experience. You're absolutely right; it's all about the learning. I've been brewing for 21 years now, and I'm still learning.

I do think that kolsch yeast is essential to brewing the style, and by the way you are absolutely right about sitting on the porch with this one; It's exactly how I feel about it. Anyway the ironic thing about the kolsh is that although the recipe I sent with the beer says Wy2565, I actually used the White Labs WLP029 on that one. Either one is good, though the 2565 is a little bit fruitier than the 029. Also the 029 isn't as fussy about fermentation temperature, and finally the 029 flocs a little better giving you a clearer beer. Needless to say, I have switched to the WLP029. But my advice is to try them both and see which one you prefer. They both make a great kolsh, and no other yeast can do it, IMHO.

Thanks for the kind reviews.

Frank

[HoosierBrew]

+1.  Definitely no substitute for kolsch yeast in a kolsch, Frank. Pretty unique stuff.

[Frankenbrew]

AHA Beer Swap 2015 Beer Evaluation
Brewer: Dave Taylor (dmtaylor)
Style: Dusseldorf Altbier 7C
Serving type/Glass: 12 oz. longneck into a stange
Appearance: Nice looking beer! It pours coppery brown with a one finger head that persists with large round bubbles. Crystal clear with ruby red highlights and a constant upward cascade of  bubbles. Very appealing; makes me want to take a chug, but I resist. This is, after all, a tasting!
Aroma: Very clean; lager like. No, extremely clean. After warming I detect a subtle nutty aroma. No fruitiness or diacytel. I wonder if this has been lagered for a long time; it is so clean smelling.
Taste: Perfectly balanced upon first sip. The elements are in complete harmony rather than fighting it out for my attention. Malt, yeast and hops seem to be acquiescing to each other, each saying, “you first. No, you first. Okay, you go ahead.” Ultimately it is the hops that win, though it is through pure strength rather than flamboyance because though they are strong, they are clean and humble. But, just when I think that the bitterness stands out, here comes the malt which is unobtrusive yet holds its own with its bitter counterpart. No yeast character to speak of, but that’s the point of a good alt, very clean; flawless
Mouth-feel: Effervescent; the excellent carbonation gives this beer a full feeling though it is relatively sessionable. Full feel gives way slowly to a soft, lingering aftertaste that is very pleasant, neither too sweet nor too dry.
Overall impression: This beer is a winner! I don’t feel comfortable assigning numbers to beers, but I’d be tempted to rate this one easily into the forties. The only drawback, if it is a drawback is that I would expect a beer with this much flavor and mouthfeel to have a more prominent aroma. With that said, it could be me; it is, after all, allergy season. This is a great all-season, all-around beer. I can imagine having a cold glass of this alt with a lunch of weiner schnitzel in late fall/early winter. A well-made beer. Nice job, Dave!

[HoosierBrew]

Man, that makes me want a big glass. Nice descriptions, Frank !

[klickitat jim]

Great job, both brewer and reviewer.

[majorvices]

I am not a fan of reviewing beers so I am probably the worst of the forum at doing so. I look for flaws and if I find them I bring them to attention (and I'm pretty good at finding flaws) but as far as descriptors I just don't go for it so much.

I got the pleasure of reciveing  jimmykx250 beers. I've enjoyed 2 of them so far. Happy to say I found no flaws or offlavors!

The first was his Pliny Clone. This beer was till very fresh (brewed 3/7/15) as, as I have had the pleasure to drink Pliny with Vinny before, I can tell you this actually reminded me of Pliny very much. Nice clarity, strong and bright hop presence. Citrussy and slightly fruity but dry. hid the ABV very well. Would have liked a little more aroma but a very ncie beer.

The second was his black IPA. I admit I am not a fan of the style but I did enjoy his, There was a perfume quality in the nose that I kept finding myself coming back for. A slight roast character, nice malty balance.

I'll be back to review his other 2 beers after the weekend.

[klickitat jim]

Keith, your beers showed up today. Thanks! I'll let them chill a bit and get to work on them later this week.

[3bbrewing]

Greetings everyone..  I had the good fortune to get beers from "Hooper". 

1.  Simcoe Trois Pale -   This beer poured a clear medium yellow with a nice white head that turned to a skim and lasted throughout the drink.  The upfront aromas were a nice pine and passion fruit like aroma backed by some bready malt.  The body was light medium with nice carbonation.  There was a nice malt flavor upfront followed by a solid slightly lingering bitterness and a tiny hint of funk.  Glenn said he brewed this with WLP644 Brett Trois and it came through nicely.  This beer was rock solid and delicious. 


2.  India Red Ale - This beer poured a nice red color; much like the elusive perfect Irish red.   It had a nice off white head that turned to a skim lasting throughout the drink.   This was one of the most prettiest beers I've seen in a long time.  Soft Beer Porn! ;-)  The aroma was a very pleasant general citrus with grapefruit and pine.  There was a very soft malt aroma also.  This had a nice medium mouthfeel and good carbonation.  I really liked the hop flavors of grapefruit and pine coupled with the solid malt flavor.  It seemed sweet yet wasn't really sweet at all...just the malt giving that impression which really supported the hop nicely.

3.  Soma Saison – this beer poured a nice yellow with a lasting rocky white head.  It had a very nice "sweet" malt aroma, some light citrus, and a little funk/sour going on.  The mouthfeel was medium light and had good carbonation.  This beer  had a wonderful malt flavor, nice hops and a little sour/funk that made it a stand-out.  This was by far my wife's favorite and if pressed to pick one, it would be mine too. 

All three beers I received from Hooper were really good.  Yea - I would pay for them.  I live in the "most breweries in USA" city of San Diego.  I know it's much harder and different to brew on a large scale, but the 3 that Glenn sent would stand up just fine against 80% of the breweries in SD.  That's 90+ of them (excluding the duplicate locations of some breweries...).

Thank you Hooper!

[mchrispen]

The final of Jim's generous 4 beers. Jim, after judging barrel aged beers, of which most were Scottish ales, I think you and Toby need to swap a few!

Brewer : Jim Leininger (Klickitat Jim)
Beer : Scottish 90 Shilling
Style : Scottish 80 (9C, 2008 Guidelines)

Bottle Inspection : 12 oz brown bottle, gold crown. Perfect fill. Some sediment.

Aroma : Light caramel sweetness, mild floral hops, low fruity ester. No DMS or Diacetyl. NO SMOKE?!?!
10/12 pts

Appearance : Bright, Coppery red, White/OffWhite head, pours to 2 fingers. Falls to lace and a lingering ring. 3/3 pts.

Flavor : Medium sweet malt - mild and very round and mellow. Great balance with hops - which are present but in harmony. Not overly sweet. No kettle "scortch", mild kettle carmelization    17/20 pts

Mouthfeel : Medium body, low carbonation with a soft creamy finish. Mild grainy caramel aftertaste that lingers. No astringency.   4/5 pts

Overall Impression :  An excellent beer. Better than a few I have had in Scotland. Lovely restrained caramel that soften the apparent hops flavor. If anything is missing - it is a more apparent kettle carmelization character, but not really missed in the drinking here. 8 /10 pts

42/50 pts

Notes: I can see this scoring consistently high in competitions. Very lovely beer, maybe on the more subtle side of Scot 90/. Jim, this may well be the best beer of the set. You are an incredibly skilled brewer and deserved the 42 at NHC Round 1! I can only guess that its subtleties were an Achilles Heel against others with a touch more sharp caramel/burned tone, or smoke.

No photo today - beat after a humid brew day (96% humidity, but only 86F). I might as well move back to southern Mississippi! We need the rain to fully bust the 10 year drought... but it's like breathing underwater down here!