[69franx]

Yes it is brewing classic  styles and thanks in advance for my first Pliny!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

Yes it is brewing classic  styles and thanks in advance for my first Pliny!

  same here-never a pliny been had!

we scored Frank

[69franx]

And Mike, it's really not the widest variety, but it's what was on hand and (almost) ready. The BCS marzen was a huge hit with friends last year and the other version is experimental so who knows. Enjoy

Edit: keep in mind the 2 marzen need some bottle conditioning at room temp before you try them. Just bottled them last Monday. Might be close, but give then a week or so

[jeffy]

My wife and I got back from a week of touring Maine and I now have time to sample some of Jerry Hodge's (Ynotbrusum) samples.  I have been enjoying the commercial beers he sent - Half Acre Gone Away IPA is a pale colored grapefruit-hop-accented beer with a nice Pilsner malt-like background.
For the homebrews, first up is the Ordinary Bitter:
This twelve ounce bottle was filled all the way to the cap.  Golden-orange color with a slight haze and a small, but even white foam stand.  Aroma has a low earthy, kinda spicy hop, I'm thinking EKG, but I am just guessing.  It has a medium level biscuit-like malt aroma.  Hops and malt are well balanced.
Flavor is also well balanced malt to hops and slightly fruity (pears, maybe?) with the malt coming through more bread crusty than biscuity.  Almost none of the sweet caramel flavors you find in a lot of homebrews of this style.
Carbonation is good, a bit high for a bitter but not distracting.  The body is not at all thin and watery - it shows very good mouthfeel for a "small" beer.
I would be happy to have a keg of this beer.  It is well balanced, enjoyable and sessionable.
Thanks!

[erockrph]

I enjoyed the stout I received from HoosierBrew while I watched the Patriots beat the Colts, who were hampered with some bad Luck (see what I did there )

The beer was deep mahogany-black with some ruby highlights, and topped with a solid 2 fingers of coffe-hued, creamy head that stuck around for a good long while. The nose was dominated by roast and coffee notes, with a hint of biscuity malt in the background.

The palate held more of the same - espresso and unsweetened chocolate notes. There was a lingering roasted-grain bitterness that was firm, but smooth. There were no acrid or harsh flavors to be found. The mouthfeel was creamy, but not heavy. The finish saw the roasted character fade and revealed some grainy/cereal notes.

I've been drinking a lot of cold brewed coffee lately, and this stout reminds me of when you get a cup that is spot-on. There's plenty of roast and bitterness to keep you interested, but it's still refreshing and leaves you ready for the next sip.

Thanks for sharing your beers, Jon! They were excellent.

[HoosierBrew]

I enjoyed the stout I received from HoosierBrew while I watched the Patriots beat the Colts, who were hampered with some bad Luck (see what I did there )

The beer was deep mahogany-black with some ruby highlights, and topped with a solid 2 fingers of coffe-hued, creamy head that stuck around for a good long while. The nose was dominated by roast and coffee notes, with a hint of biscuity malt in the background.

The palate held more of the same - espresso and unsweetened chocolate notes. There was a lingering roasted-grain bitterness that was firm, but smooth. There were no acrid or harsh flavors to be found. The mouthfeel was creamy, but not heavy. The finish saw the roasted character fade and revealed some grainy/cereal notes.

I've been drinking a lot of cold brewed coffee lately, and this stout reminds me of when you get a cup that is spot-on. There's plenty of roast and bitterness to keep you interested, but it's still refreshing and leaves you ready for the next sip.

Thanks for sharing your beers, Jon! They were excellent.

Thanks Eric, glad you liked it ! Still scratching my head from that mind-numbingly bad fake punt. Horrendous. Nothing like being your own worst enemy. 

[mchrispen]

Heavydeadlifts,

Will PM with the shipping information later...

Bottles of Real Ale RIS, Jester King Noble King and Das Wunderkind.

Homebrews: Belgian Golden Strong Braggot, Imperial Rye Saison and my last Quad.

Frankly, nearly pulled the quad out this morning - it got hammered at Dixie Cup. It will probably be a lot better in 6 months - but it's there in all it's raisony/figgy phenolic glory. I got to serve the braggot to Michael Fairbrother who enjoyed it - but wanted more honey character to push through the spicy phenols. The saison didn't medal, but scored very well.

[Joe Sr.]

Here's my notes from sampling some of Toby's selections over the last week.

Mosaic IPA

This beer was very tasty.  I enjoyed it last week while making dinner for the kids.

It poured slightly hazy, with a big head which dissipated quickly to a smallish head which left some nice lacing on the glass.  Big citrus aroma, and a lingering hop bitterness.  I thought it was well balanced.  I got malt first, followed by an assertive hoppiness.  There was more malt flavor as it warmed.  High carbonation and a light body.  I could drink a couple of these.  My wife was not as big of a fan.  Too bitter, and I don’t think she liked the mosaic hops.

Bayou Teche 31 Memorial Milk Stout

This beer poured a nice opaque black with a brown head.  The head dropped quickly.  Sipping this beer made me realize two things, initially.  1) My glasses (thanks to a recent detergent change) are not beer clean and that’s why the head keeps falling; and 2) my beer fridge is too cold (I think the internal temp control does nothing).  At first, everything was about roast malts with this stout.  The nose and flavor were all roast.  As it warmed, more of the lactose sweetness was apparent.  This stout had a light body and a tanginess in the flavor which reminded me of Nottingham yeast.  I drank this with some pulled pork and smoked chuck roast sandwiches.  It complemented the BBQ very well.  My wife also enjoyed this beer.  More so as it warmed up.

Wee Heavy

I drank this one on Saturday night whilst watching the Cubs battle the hated Mets.  And also cooking dinner for the kids.

This beer pours a beautiful clear dark amber with a nice beige long-lasting head.  The nose is all malt with some alcohol notes.  When I took my first sip, I was wowed.  Delicious.  I got a lot of caramel and dark fruit flavors, followed by alcohol warmth which lingered.  This beer has full flavor and a comparatively light body.  There is so much going on here in the flavors that I strive for (and miss) with some of my beers.  It reminded me a bit of North Coast Old Stock Ale.  Do you do a long boil?  Pull some wort and reduce it?  I need to know.

I begrudgingly saved the last pour for my wife.  She was equally impressed. 

[klickitat jim]

So now we need a full detailed Wee Toby lesson

[toby]

Mosaic IPA

This beer was very tasty.  I enjoyed it last week while making dinner for the kids.

It poured slightly hazy, with a big head which dissipated quickly to a smallish head which left some nice lacing on the glass.  Big citrus aroma, and a lingering hop bitterness.  I thought it was well balanced.  I got malt first, followed by an assertive hoppiness.  There was more malt flavor as it warmed.  High carbonation and a light body.  I could drink a couple of these.  My wife was not as big of a fan.  Too bitter, and I don’t think she liked the mosaic hops.

Shared the last bomber of this with Matt and a few others Friday night.  I need to make more.

Wee Heavy

I drank this one on Saturday night whilst watching the Cubs battle the hated Mets.  And also cooking dinner for the kids.

This beer pours a beautiful clear dark amber with a nice beige long-lasting head.  The nose is all malt with some alcohol notes.  When I took my first sip, I was wowed.  Delicious.  I got a lot of caramel and dark fruit flavors, followed by alcohol warmth which lingered.  This beer has full flavor and a comparatively light body.  There is so much going on here in the flavors that I strive for (and miss) with some of my beers.  It reminded me a bit of North Coast Old Stock Ale.  Do you do a long boil?  Pull some wort and reduce it?  I need to know.

I begrudgingly saved the last pour for my wife.  She was equally impressed.

Funny enough, we were drinking a bomber of that one Saturday too.

I do a 120 minute boil.  It's basically a barleywine style mash.  ~149F for 120 minutes to get a highly fermentable wort to make sure it attenuates and doesn't finish too sweet.  Pitch a healthy starter (about 2.5L for 10 gallons) at high krauesen.

Rough recipe numbers are:
87.1% 2-row
8.6% C10
2.5% Carafoam
1.8% Roasted Barley
~28 IBUs EKG FWH

OG: 1.105
FG: 1.018

I can message you the recipe, or if you use BeerSmith, send me your email and I'll send you the BeerSmith file.

[mchrispen]

THAT barleywine... I blame it for the blackout Sunday night... and the meads... mostly the barleywine.

[toby]

That's what I call a quality Way Heavy then.  If it can cause a blackout 24 hours later, it must be good. 

[klickitat jim]

Mosaic IPA

This beer was very tasty.  I enjoyed it last week while making dinner for the kids.

It poured slightly hazy, with a big head which dissipated quickly to a smallish head which left some nice lacing on the glass.  Big citrus aroma, and a lingering hop bitterness.  I thought it was well balanced.  I got malt first, followed by an assertive hoppiness.  There was more malt flavor as it warmed.  High carbonation and a light body.  I could drink a couple of these.  My wife was not as big of a fan.  Too bitter, and I don’t think she liked the mosaic hops.

Shared the last bomber of this with Matt and a few others Friday night.  I need to make more.

Wee Heavy

I drank this one on Saturday night whilst watching the Cubs battle the hated Mets.  And also cooking dinner for the kids.

This beer pours a beautiful clear dark amber with a nice beige long-lasting head.  The nose is all malt with some alcohol notes.  When I took my first sip, I was wowed.  Delicious.  I got a lot of caramel and dark fruit flavors, followed by alcohol warmth which lingered.  This beer has full flavor and a comparatively light body.  There is so much going on here in the flavors that I strive for (and miss) with some of my beers.  It reminded me a bit of North Coast Old Stock Ale.  Do you do a long boil?  Pull some wort and reduce it?  I need to know.

I begrudgingly saved the last pour for my wife.  She was equally impressed.

Funny enough, we were drinking a bomber of that one Saturday too.

I do a 120 minute boil.  It's basically a barleywine style mash.  ~149F for 120 minutes to get a highly fermentable wort to make sure it attenuates and doesn't finish too sweet.  Pitch a healthy starter (about 2.5L for 10 gallons) at high krauesen.

Rough recipe numbers are:
87.1% 2-row
8.6% C10
2.5% Carafoam
1.8% Roasted Barley
~28 IBUs EKG FWH

OG: 1.105
FG: 1.018

I can message you the recipe, or if you use BeerSmith, send me your email and I'll send you the BeerSmith file.

Proprietary yeast?

[toby]

Proprietary yeast?

I refer to it as '1728' or '028' depending on which is handy.  Also, another secret is to use a malt well known for it's flavor profile.  It rhymes with geese. 

[mchrispen]

If it can cause a blackout 24 hours later, it must be good.

I did pass out Sunday night as well... but see? I don't remember half of the awards ceremony.