Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread  (Read 50034 times)

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #195 on: May 01, 2016, 05:15:16 pm »
Sweet.  I'm looking forward to your stout.

Just got home from a fundraiser at one of the local haunts.  Had an oyster stout by Aquanaut brewing and Velvet Merlin from Firestone Walker.  Both were good, but Velvet Merlin was something of which I would have several.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #196 on: May 01, 2016, 05:18:57 pm »
Velvet Merlin was something of which I would have several.


Yeah, that is just an excellent beer. Along with the vast majority of the other FW beers for that matter.
Jon H.

Offline redzim

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 309
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #197 on: May 01, 2016, 06:37:20 pm »
Couldn't wait for May 1st, so had to crack Rob_F's Helles Bock on the last day of April, Saturday afternoon.  His label says 1.068-1.019 (= 6.8% ABV) and bottled on 12/22/15. (That aging is great planning ahead; I only managed to get my Maibock in the keg in later March this year.)

It's a nice light amber color, not super clear but clear enough for me (Rob: was this bottled conditioned? if so, there was basically no sludge in the bottom - or was it bottled from keg?). Good chunky head that lasted pretty good. Malty aroma with a little tangy pop, maybe from the yeast? or the water chemistry? Basically no hop aroma but that's the style. Taste is firm malt right up front, sweet w/o being cloying, again few if any hops but I wasn't looking for them. This beer finished with a dry malt taste (as opposed to a dry hop bitterness) that leaves you wanting that next sip. The finish has a hint of hops but not enough for me to really place them; there's also a hint of sulfury tang in the foretaste but it blends nicely with the chewy malt. I'm not a BJCP taster but IMHO this is a great Maibock and I wish I had another couple for May.  Excellent job, Rob, and thank you. Got two more of yours to try still.

(I took a pic but can't get it off my phone right now.)

red

Offline Phil_M

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1760
  • Southern Maryland
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #198 on: May 02, 2016, 02:41:33 pm »
An afternoon stout review for PhilM...

Appearance - dark brown (mahogany) with reddish hues, good clarity with minimal head consisting of large
                     bubbles that drop quickly back into the beer

Aroma - Bittersweet chocolate with light coffee notes dominate over a moderate grainy roastiness with light
            esters, no hops, no DMS, no diacetyl.

Flavor - Toasty malt offset by a dry roast and light chocolate note in the finish. No apparent hop flavor with a
           medium-low hop bitterness. Roasted notes help keep the beer finishing dry and a light caramel note
           lingers.

Mouthfeel - Med-light body with very minimal carbonation. Light alcohol warming, no astringency.

Overall - Another sessionable offering from PhilM. A bit more CO2 would enhance the aroma and help make
             the flavor pop a bit more. I enjoyed the use of the mixed roasted malts which were not overdone as
           can be in some stouts. Wish I had paired this with some good dark chocolate or even a fat slice of
            chocolate cake.

BTW, had the Duclaw Barleywine the other day and it was delicious!  Well balanced bourbon/oak with the base
beer.  Wish I had access to more of their stuff. I would be doing some vertical tastings for sure.  Thanks again!

Thanks! That was a NB extract kit, in case anyone else was wondering. This beer was actually used IN a cake that my wife baked for our St. Patrick's Day party.
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Offline 69franx

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3210
  • Bloatarian Brewing League
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #199 on: May 02, 2016, 03:05:37 pm »
@peteb, here's your tracking info via UPS: 1Z20164A0369430285
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline brewinhard

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3272
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #200 on: May 02, 2016, 05:23:52 pm »
An afternoon stout review for PhilM...

Appearance - dark brown (mahogany) with reddish hues, good clarity with minimal head consisting of large
                     bubbles that drop quickly back into the beer

Aroma - Bittersweet chocolate with light coffee notes dominate over a moderate grainy roastiness with light
            esters, no hops, no DMS, no diacetyl.

Flavor - Toasty malt offset by a dry roast and light chocolate note in the finish. No apparent hop flavor with a
           medium-low hop bitterness. Roasted notes help keep the beer finishing dry and a light caramel note
           lingers.

Mouthfeel - Med-light body with very minimal carbonation. Light alcohol warming, no astringency.

Overall - Another sessionable offering from PhilM. A bit more CO2 would enhance the aroma and help make
             the flavor pop a bit more. I enjoyed the use of the mixed roasted malts which were not overdone as
           can be in some stouts. Wish I had paired this with some good dark chocolate or even a fat slice of
            chocolate cake.

BTW, had the Duclaw Barleywine the other day and it was delicious!  Well balanced bourbon/oak with the base
beer.  Wish I had access to more of their stuff. I would be doing some vertical tastings for sure.  Thanks again!

Thanks! That was a NB extract kit, in case anyone else was wondering. This beer was actually used IN a cake that my wife baked for our St. Patrick's Day party.

Man, I bet that was delicious!  I could totally envision myself swapping cake bites with sips of your stout. Next time send me some cake too!

Offline pete b

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4133
  • Barre, Ma
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #201 on: May 02, 2016, 06:50:03 pm »
@peteb, here's your tracking info via UPS: 1Z20164A0369430285
Thanks Frank! Looking forward to it.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline 69franx

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3210
  • Bloatarian Brewing League
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #202 on: May 02, 2016, 07:14:11 pm »
UPS Ground, expected delivery is Wednesday supposedly
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline pete b

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4133
  • Barre, Ma
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #203 on: May 03, 2016, 05:38:14 am »
UPS Ground, expected delivery is Wednesday supposedly
That couldn't be better timing. Its being delivered to my work address and I am taking Thursday through Monday off to do work around the homestead. No worries if it's late though, I live a few miles from work.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #204 on: May 03, 2016, 03:15:26 pm »
Cepmt1,

UPS says the package is in Birmingham.  Hopefully it gets to you soon.

It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline erockrph

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7788
  • Chepachet, RI
    • The Hop WHisperer
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #205 on: May 03, 2016, 07:05:37 pm »
Tonight I am enjoying another one of Pete's beers - one simply labeled "German lager". It is packaged in a green Grolsch flip-top.

The beer pours up a clear golden/straw color with a creamy white head. There is just a touch of chill haze. The aroma has a crackery malt note paired with spicy/grassy hops. There is the faintest hint of skunk in the background. I'm sure the light in my fridge, coupled with the green bottle, had something to do with this. It's not enough to be off-putting; in fact it almost makes it seem more like an authentic import.

On the palate the malt comes through as saltine crackers and the inside of fresh french bread. Hops come through primarily as an herbal/spicy noble hop character, but there are fleeting moments where I can pick up a faint citrus note as well. The bitterness is smooth, but at a moderate level right on par with a German Pils. I get just a touch of diacetyl right above my threshold, but it isn't off-putting. The finish is clean with the hop flavor carrying through to the end.

Pete, for your first lager this is really well done. The diacetyl note I got would be perfectly within the limits for a Bohemian Pils. I'm pretty sensitive to D, and it was just barely noticeable to my palate. Also, if this were for a competition, I might scale back the hop flavor just a tad. The hops may be where that haze is coming from, too. But that's all just for constructive criticism - I'd be very happy drinking several liters of this on a summer day as-is.

By the way, what were your hops on this one?
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline pete b

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4133
  • Barre, Ma
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #206 on: May 03, 2016, 08:19:58 pm »
Tonight I am enjoying another one of Pete's beers - one simply labeled "German lager". It is packaged in a green Grolsch flip-top.

The beer pours up a clear golden/straw color with a creamy white head. There is just a touch of chill haze. The aroma has a crackery malt note paired with spicy/grassy hops. There is the faintest hint of skunk in the background. I'm sure the light in my fridge, coupled with the green bottle, had something to do with this. It's not enough to be off-putting; in fact it almost makes it seem more like an authentic import.

On the palate the malt comes through as saltine crackers and the inside of fresh french bread. Hops come through primarily as an herbal/spicy noble hop character, but there are fleeting moments where I can pick up a faint citrus note as well. The bitterness is smooth, but at a moderate level right on par with a German Pils. I get just a touch of diacetyl right above my threshold, but it isn't off-putting. The finish is clean with the hop flavor carrying through to the end.

Pete, for your first lager this is really well done. The diacetyl note I got would be perfectly within the limits for a Bohemian Pils. I'm pretty sensitive to D, and it was just barely noticeable to my palate. Also, if this were for a competition, I might scale back the hop flavor just a tad. The hops may be where that haze is coming from, too. But that's all just for constructive criticism - I'd be very happy drinking several liters of this on a summer day as-is.

By the way, what were your hops on this one?
Thanks for the excellent review Eric, it seems very accurate. I am totally happy with it for my first lager.
AND: diacetyl= I waited too long before a d-rest. I pick it up to but don't mind it.
Skunk: been drinking it out of a keg so yea, definitely take your word there but also kind of have a tolerance for it.makes it an authentic import. I should have put a puzzle on the cap.
And yes, too much hops.
My takeway is that I am just a few tweaks away from a really good lager and it was fun trying.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline Hickory

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
  • Tapatalk User
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #207 on: May 03, 2016, 08:44:40 pm »


Received my package from Eric today. Looking forward to getting into one of these tomorrow night. Thanks for the generous package Eric!

Offline 69franx

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3210
  • Bloatarian Brewing League
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #208 on: May 03, 2016, 09:24:23 pm »
PeteB, looks like your goodies arrived in MA this afternoon and will be out for delivery tomorrow as expected
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline pete b

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4133
  • Barre, Ma
Re: 2016 Spring Swap - Official Thread
« Reply #209 on: May 04, 2016, 05:34:40 am »
PeteB, looks like your goodies arrived in MA this afternoon and will be out for delivery tomorrow as expected
I. Love. Getting. Boxes of beer.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.