[majorvices]

Thanks for the kind reviews, Jim. I found a stash of Dark Hammer in my garage and popped a few of them in the fridge and enjoyed one apparently the same night you had yours. I found it had aged really nicely and was pretty happy with it and hoped you would be too. My schwarzbier isn't exactly to style, it used a blend of Best Munich I and II and Best pils and Midnight Wheat and just a wee lil' bit of CaraMunich 40L (about 2%) and it is just a little bit roasty for the style, but I like to put a twist on all the styles I make so that they aren't just BJCP replications of whatever the style guides say. That particular beer is the "brewery staff favorite". The assistant brewers and tasting room staff scarf up all the remaining underfills and miscaps and eagerly await that particular bottling day.

I still have two sample the other 2 beers from jimmykx250 but plan to do it tonight. Enjoyed the beer swap and look forward to doing it again soon.

[ynotbrusum]

Keith - do you plan to distribute into other states any time soon?  I'm way up here in IL, but my daughter is in Athens GA and will be driving to NOLA soon...thought maybe she could look for your products on her trip and save me a couple.

[klickitat jim]

Thanks for the kind reviews, Jim. I found a stash of Dark Hammer in my garage and popped a few of them in the fridge and enjoyed one apparently the same night you had yours. I found it had aged really nicely and was pretty happy with it and hoped you would be too. My schwarzbier isn't exactly to style, it used a blend of Best Munich I and II and Best pils and Midnight Wheat and just a wee lil' bit of CaraMunich 40L (about 2%) and it is just a little bit roasty for the style, but I like to put a twist on all the styles I make so that they aren't just BJCP replications of whatever the style guides say. That particular beer is the "brewery staff favorite". The assistant brewers and tasting room staff scarf up all the remaining underfills and miscaps and eagerly await that particular bottling day.

I still have two sample the other 2 beers from jimmykx250 but plan to do it tonight. Enjoyed the beer swap and look forward to doing it again soon.

Good deal Keith, besides its not your job to brew what they describe. They should be describing what you brew.

[morticaixavier]

I'm in for the next round. wasn't going to happen this time around with the move and all but I've got plans... oh yes, I've got plans.

Working on my Vermont Farmhouse recipe and I've gotta polish my wit recipe as it's my wife's fav.

[klickitat jim]

That would be awesome Jonathan. Would be great to have you in on it

[69franx]

I plan on trying to be I. For the next swap as well. This thread has been an awesome read start to finish/now

[jeffy]

Wow.  21 pages!
I'll try to be in on it next time also.  At the time of this swap I didn't feel I had any noteworthy beers to share.

[Frankenbrew]

AHA Beer Swap 2015 Beer Evaluation

Brewer:  David Taylor (dmtaylor)

Style: Specialty Beer? Smoked Apple Ale

Serving type/Glass:  12 oz. longneck into a snifter.

Appearance: Pours crystal clear deep, rich golden color with a nice head of fine bubbles that settles down to a nice wisp of feathery foam and a ring of tight bubbles around the glass. Very nice presentation!

Aroma:  Apples, of course, also earthy hops and grainy light malt. Very faint barnyard—nice. Not much smoke.

Taste: Very nice balance of flavors, although the apple seems a bit subdued compared with the aroma. Hops provide an almost perfect balance to the malt. Apples are subdued when the mouth is full, but they return to say goodbye in the after taste, leaving me wanting to take another sip. Still, not much smoke.

Mouth-feel: Carbonated very well, light medium body make it feel more like an ale than a cider, which it is. After taste is slightly slick, in a good way, leaving my mouth ready for a bite of food or just more of the beer.

Overall impression: This is a well crafted beer. I think it would be perfect with a nice apple stuffed pork chop dinner. My experience with Dave’s beer tells me that he is a very skilled brewer. My only recommendation for this beer would be more smoked malt—if smoke is what you are looking for. Otherwise it is a really nice beer.

[dmtaylor]

I'm glad you liked the smoked apple ale.  It was a lot more smoky when first bottled in February, and at that time I really did not like the smoke in there at all.  It's kind of a preference thing -- some people want more smoke and some less.  Right now it has faded to the point that I enjoy it much more.  In future I think I'm going to skip the smoke altogether.  I agree there's not a lot of apple flavor, except when it shows up in the aftertaste.  I have made this recipe many times over the years and it's always been like this, like... where's the apple?  Oh, THERE it is, in the aftertaste!  Plus it's a slightly tart beer from the cider as well.  I could have messed around with adding apple concentrate and all that jazz, but, I'm a purist.  No Redd's Apple Ale for me, thank you very much.  If you want it done right, you've got to brew it yourself.   

Cheers!  Oh... recipe is here for anyone interested:  http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71478&p=662452&hilit=harvest+apple#p662452

[ynotbrusum]

Dave - I have always wanted to try an apple ale - your recipe looks great (though I may skip the smoked barley initially).  Do you prefer a certain type of Apple variety?

[dmtaylor]

I use local orchard cider, so I'm not exactly sure what apples even go in.  Some kind of culinary blend.  If I had my choice, a blend of Honeycrisp and any Mac variety (e.g., McIntosh itself, or Cortland, Jonamac, etc.) would make a great cider or apple ale.  The best cider is fresh cider from any apples, not from concentrate!, not pasteurized, no preservatives, use it fresh.  Frozen probably also works fine.  Anything to avoid the preservatives.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

+1 on fresh. I found local whole foods store that carries 1-gal jugs of fresh, unfiltered, non pasteurized and no preservatives apple juice. nice and cloudy and all the sediment on the bottom. IIRC, its around 1.062 OG and I made a great cider with it.

[ynotbrusum]

My final review on Cascadesrunner's beers.  All were quite good to more than wonderful....

https://flic.kr/p/tsXiK6

Brewer: Drew Sauser - Cascadesrunner

Category: 14C - Imperial IPA

Bottle inspection: good fill, slight sediment at bottom, cap says "1469", so the yeast used is pretty obvious.

Aroma:   Caramelly aroma at the initial whiff - sweet, but gives way tocitusy, piney, resinous notes of the hops; slightly toasty and ready from the malt; neutral fermentation aroma; not hot or solventy despite expected ABV; no diacetyl; aromas linger well in the bouquet as the beer warms.  9/12

Appearance:  clear copper color, surprisingly brilliant on the first pour with no sediment disturbed - expected some dry hopped haziness, but none; one inch tight white beaded head lingers a minute or so, then gives way to a 3/8ths inch tight fully lingering bead and pretty white lacing as the first sips are taken; tight sediment in the bottle holds until the second pour, but even then is only modestly disturbed from its slumber.  3/3

Flavor:  smooth bitterness reminds me of a first wort hop addition; very bready maltiness in the first sip; hop presence, but not overboard with variety - seems to be a good mix of citrusy, piney, slightly floral balance of hops; maintains hop forwardness with good malt balance; no diacetyl; fully attenuated; slightest of oxidation - perhaps tasters fault for longish storage.  16/20

Mouthfeel:  medium body as expected; good carbonation; not overly warming,but definitely bigger than a mere IPA; slightest astringency in the mid to aftertaste - but possibly just my palate's reaction to the late hop addition; creamy impression later; late hop additions create tingling on my gums and lips as paired with the carbonation - good impression there.  4/5

Overall Impression:  A very beautiful beer when held to the light; I enjoyed the caramel and bready malt balance paired with the hops selected; oxidation could be cured with careful racking, perhaps under CO2 blanket - or by drinking sooner - which I imagine happens with this beer.  This would be well enjoyed with a plank-grilled  marinated salmon fillet paired with an asian ginger-dressed salad and heaping helping of steamed broccoli. 

Well done Drew.  You brew dang good beer and I am both feeling privileged and lucky to have drawn you in this swap.

[braufessor]

Hickory's beer #3 - final beer.

Been tardy on this one.  Between being crazy busy and the fact that it is a "winter warmer" that I did not want to drink on an 80 degree day..... I procrastinated.  Well - it has now been raining for 12 hours, and will be raining for 12 more.... time for a winter warmer.

I did not really "judge" it BJCP style..  Rather, just drinking it for what it is.

Black.  hard to see through, even in the light.  Faint ruby highlights perhaps.  Rich malty aroma.... stonefruit, raisin type maltiness... some chocolate, some sweetness..... munich malt???  complex, rich.  Some alcohol warming, but no hotness.  This seems to drink a lot like an 18E Belgian Dark Strong Ale to be honest - however no phenols, no spiciness.
Low to no head.... but carbonation seems to be there when drinking it - medium carbonation.  No hop aroma. Appropriate bitterness to  counter the malt though.  Smooth, full bodied. Really drinkable for what I would assume is a pretty high alcohol beer.  i could see this one getting away from you on a cold night.

Again - a super nice beer.  Like I said - I perceive this as a Belgian Dark Strong, although I am not sure if that is what you were going for as a winter warmer.   I could see this being a 37-41 type beer depending on how it was entered.  Really well done. Thanks again...... all of your beers were really good, and I am amazed that they were all within your first 10 batches. 

[mharding73]

Here is my final review for Pete B.  Rye Saison.

A - Golden straw.  Strong carbonation.  Good head retention.

F - pepper/spicy/Lemon. Saison yeast and clean.

M - Silky/Dry

O - Damn good saison.  I would drink more than one of these!

All of Pete's offerings were better than good.  The great one was the meade.  Thanks Pete!  Oh.  I can't forget the Spencer Trappist Ale.  Thanks for the bottle.  Probably the only one I will ever have for a long time.