Xmas Swap Review Thread

[Oneflewover]

Ha yeah there was a little confusion, there were 2 beers called Saison's Greetings, but this one was yours!

Spooky!

Glad you enjoyed it, although I suspect that you are being generous. You clearly know your stuff, I'm impressed. I used coriander seed, and 800g of wheat malt. Given that I used a Belgian yeast (mj44), I'm perhaps using artistic licence to call it a Saison.

If you could see your way clear to giving some constructive criticism / suggestions for improvement I'd really appreciate it.

Cheers

 

[stevey]

Here we go.

I received a swing top bottle labeled West Coast IPA, 8.1%.

I have been looking at it for a couple of weeks now while it has been sat in the cool. I am well impressed that I managed to resist the urge to open it until the official tasting window :lol:

8.1% wow this could be a monster and it was quite a large bottle :whistle:, bodes well for later :drunk:

The bottle looked more than a pint so it gave me the opportunity to use one of my extended glass collection (apologies for it being a Greene King one :whistle:)

Anyway on with the tasting:
The beer had cleared well following the shake up during delivery. Opening gave a satisfying hiss and it poured a treat with a nice, tight head.
Initial aroma gave a good fruity hoppy note, really drawing you in to try a taster.
There was no getting away from this being a high strength beer but this is beautifully balanced by the intense, but not overpowering, hop hit.

I am still sipping this while typing and it is getting even better :)

If I got this in a Craft Beer pub (or any other pub come to that) I would be well happy.

For me it is 10/10 and :hat: to the brewer.

The only criticism.. I need the recipe:lol:

That one was mine.
Thanks for your kind words, if I'm honest, it was a bit strong for me. It was supposed to finish up at around 6.5%, but somehow I managed to boil away too much. I decided to leave it as is, rather than dilute it down.
Next time I'll watch the boil, instead of the footy.
Here's the recipe:

Maris Otter 6.37kg
Caramalt 363g
Torrified wheat 135g

20g columbus 14.4% leaf @60mins
20g simcoe 13.8% leaf @60 mins
20g cascade 10.1% leaf @ 5Mins
20g centennial 10% pellet @5mins
10g citra 12.6% leaf @5mins
10g cascade leaf dry hop @ 5 days
10g centennial pellet dry hop @ 5days
10g chinook 11.4% leaf dry hop @ 5 days
10g citra leaf dry hop @ 5 days
10g columbus leaf dry hop@ 5 days
20g simcoe leaf dry hop @ 5 days

3g irish moss @ 15 mins

120 minute mash @65c
60 minute boil

fermented at 18c with US-05.

 

[kohoutec]

View attachment 11539

Santa brought me a 6% American IPA. A very pleasant golden colour and you can see it threw an impressive foam which lasted the whole way down. The picture doesn't do justice to a very good clarity for a beer that I suspect has had a heavy dry hop.

Aroma is of tons of fruity hop aroma. It's ever so slightly grassy (again I imagine a big dry hop) but that is very much in the background and it's a very inviting aroma. The taste backs this up completely with very similar hop flavours. I'm thinking grapefruit and a bit of tropical, so putting myself out on a limb I'm going to guess a heavy presence of Cascade. There is just enough bitterness but it isn't overwhelming at all. The mouthfeel is spot on too, good carbonation and a supportive malt finish providing body.

This is a really very good beer, not that this is a high bar but it's way better than any IPA I've ever made. I had two pints of craft brewery IPA at £4.95 each in my local two days ago and this was certainly better than one and the equal of the other (which happened to be one of my favourite UK breweries). So very high marks from me. Thanks for sharing Santa!

And many thanks to Steve for the efforts in putting this scheme together.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This was mine, recognised the username. Glad you enjoyed it, although it looked a bit lively! And quite an achievement getting through all the duck tape
No cascade, this was loosely based on Beaver Town's Lupaloid, which is Citra, Mosaic and Equinox... You're right about the hefty dry hop though.
Santa brought me a chocolate stout at a mere 8.9% which I'm very much looking forward to...I've had far too much wine to review it today though so will probably have it tomorrow [emoji16]

 

[pvt_ak]

Right, I'm currently quaffing a bottle of Citra Crusade, a 5.5% grapefruit infused IPA. With a name like that all I want is a big fruity, pithy grapefruit hit, and I knew I'd get it as soon as opened the bottle and gave it a sniff. Appearance is hazy gold, with a thin white head that dissipates quickly, wafting up a mouth-watering fresh hoppy aroma, plenty of grapefruit. In the mouth there is moderate carbonation, more grapefruit with tropical fruit in the background, accompanied by a sharp but not overpowering bitterness, and a hint of sweet maltiness which comes through at the end, balancing it out perfectly. 10/10 for this beer. If I'd ordered this at a bar, not only would I be happy to drink it, I don't think I'd be drinking anything else. Honestly, if grapefruit was the goal, then this is a great success. It's better than Elvis Juice, and leagues better than Belhaven Twister Grapefruit or the M&S Grapefruit IPA. I'd like to see the recipe! :hat:

I’ve been rumbled as secret Santa on this one - I’m sure you’re being overly kind in those comments.

Glad you liked it ! Just need to work on that clarity and head retention now ! I’ll send you the recipe .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pvt_ak]

Right - Beer #2
Cluster Hop Double IPA At 8.5%

A cracking hiss on opening and a slight foam over, so a slow pour into the glass. This is a lively one.

Carbonation led to a good head, it calmed a little after a few sips and kept its head until the bottom. Great body !

Pleasant to look at, hazy and in keeping with its style.

Supping is delightful, a real tropical fruity note, not too overpowering either.

Lovely crisp mouthfeel, for an 8.5% I was worried about it being too sweet or the alcohol over powering , but it’s a lovely balanced smooth drinker.

Overall - A super sup !! Great body, I’m feeling the kick of the 8.5% as I near the bottom.
Tropical fruity flavours stay to the end and a great bitterness balance.

I’d say this is definitely brewed by someone with experience, and if I can churn out such a great tasting beer next year I’d be a happy chappy.

Well done that brewer 10/10 !!

 

[MagnusTS]

7.5% Stout.

I thought Boxing Day lunchtime would be a great time to try my 7.5% stout from secret Santa.

I’m using my wife’s fancy new gin glass that she got for Christmas.

Nice carbonation for a stout, with a light head that lasted all the way down. I could see the alcohol condensation line above the liquid.

Ive not had a stout that was this strong before and I thought the alcohol might be a bit overpowering.

But it was very nicely balanced bitterness and alcohol. It did not taste like a 7.5% brew. I feel a bit wobbly now though.

This was a really nice smooth and velvety stout. I’d of liked to have had a few more of these to sup over the Christmas period.

I’m planning to do a stout early next year, I hadn’t considered going higher than about 5% ABV, but after trying this one I am reconsidering. I’d be very interested to see the recipe.

Thanks for this brew.

 

[IainM]

I’ve been rumbled as secret Santa on this one - I’m sure you’re being overly kind in those comments.

Glad you liked it ! Just need to work on that clarity and head retention now ! I’ll send you the recipe .

Sure, in a competition you might've lost a few points for the head, clarity and slightly low carbonation for the style, but this isn't a competition and I loved it.

 

[BeerCat]

4.3% raspberry citra smoothie pale ale.
Immediate fruity smell when i opened the bottle. Berries mixed with a bowl of fruit. I served this well chilled and was slightly hazy and had a pleasant red colour. Carbonation was spot on with plenty of bubbles left in suspension. A very crisp and refreshing beer, slightly on the tart side but nicely balanced overall. The berry taste was quite pronounced in this beer which i liked. A lingering pleasant bitterness with a raspberry aftertaste. Was not long before this was gone.
Enjoyed this beer and its got me thinking about trying to add some raspberries to some of my recipes again. Thanks for the beer and good work, thumbs up!

 

[Kman]

4.3% raspberry citra smoothie pale ale.
Immediate fruity smell when i opened the bottle. Berries mixed with a bowl of fruit. I served this well chilled and was slightly hazy and had a pleasant red colour. Carbonation was spot on with plenty of bubbles left in suspension. A very crisp and refreshing beer, slightly on the tart side but nicely balanced overall. The berry taste was quite pronounced in this beer which i liked. A lingering pleasant bitterness with a raspberry aftertaste. Was not long before this was gone.
Enjoyed this beer and its got me thinking about trying to add some raspberries to some of my recipes again. Thanks for the beer and good work, thumbs up!

That’s mine that, my best beer to date, thanks for the kind words


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Martybhoy]

I've had a few commercial NEIPAs so was excited to try this 7% NEIPA which was sent to me.

Typical NEIPA haze, decent head upon pouring, which thinned as I drank it. Carbonation was also good. Small bubbles, smooth, and a little creamy.

Aroma - there was a lot going on here: pineapple foremost, with mango and citrus fruit too. Tropical and very fresh.

Taste - very juicy but not sweet. FG spot on. The flavours I got were orange, grapefruit, stone fruit, and a little banana. Very mixed and well balanced. I wouldn't be surprised if fruit were included in the brew at some stage. Hops - I wouldn't know where to start, except to say I think this brew must have used several hop varieties, as it was, again, well balanced and not dominated by single flavours. There was no indication from the flavours that this beer was 7%. Clever, and dangerous!

Overall this was a great beer, well executed, and the brewer should be proud to call this their own.

I'd be interested in the recipe to see the grain and hop bills. And the yeast too.

Cheers to the brewer! 👍

 

[dan125]

I enjoyed my bottle of Diabolo Belgian Golden ale today ::
It had an inviting fruity, raisiny sweet aroma, with a milder fruity flavour - all from the yeast I suspect.
There was a good maltiness amd the carbonation was medium-high which balanced the fuller body and sweetish finish nicely
It seemed to have a moderate bitterness (compared to the IPAa I've been mainly drinking today) and it was very smooth for its strength, without any alcohol heat :hat:
Apologies for the less thE approriate glass - I coudlne;t wait for the dishwasher any longer!

 

[kohoutec]

Santa very kindly sent me an 8.9% Chocolate stout 'Light Oil'
The bottle opened with the reassuring little burst you always hope for.
Pours really dark, no light getting through this one! Nice tan head.
Aroma is all you want in a stout, dark malts with a hint of chocolate.
Taste; bitterness from those dark malts shines through but not overpowering by any means. A nice chocolatey sweetness definitely there in the background. Hides the strength brilliantly, this stuff could be dangerous [emoji3]
Great thick mouthfeel, don't know if oats were involved but would love to see the recipe either way.
I must admit I was a little apprehensive about this one, 8.9% is a bit outside my comfort zone, especially with a 500ml bottle... But, I genuinely really enjoyed this, a lovely beer and one I would be more than happy to pay for.
I've only brewed one Chocolate stout and it wasn't a patch on this, but I'm planning on a rebrew this week before going back to work, if I can get close to this I'll be happy
Hats off to the brewer, difficult to get something at this strength to taste so good!View attachment rsz_img_20171226_192906_2.jpg

 

[chub1]

First Gold.
As arranged through Steve with the sender,this was sampled by my son and not myself.Having attended hospital on the 23rd with much prodding,poking,blood and urine tests and rummaging around unspeakable areas i was allowed home along with strong painkillers and a urologist appointment on 9th jan. No alcohol until at least that date:twisted:.
OK, a nice hiss upon opening, lovely ,lovely aroma and a nice clear beer with a decent head that lasted well down the glass.. Slightly bitter aftertaste but the lot went down the hatch:lol:,so well done the brewer.:thumb:

 

[jceg316]

Santa very kindly sent me an 8.9% Chocolate stout 'Light Oil'
The bottle opened with the reassuring little burst you always hope for.
Pours really dark, no light getting through this one! Nice tan head.
Aroma is all you want in a stout, dark malts with a hint of chocolate.
Taste; bitterness from those dark malts shines through but not overpowering by any means. A nice chocolatey sweetness definitely there in the background. Hides the strength brilliantly, this stuff could be dangerous [emoji3]
Great thick mouthfeel, don't know if oats were involved but would love to see the recipe either way.
I must admit I was a little apprehensive about this one, 8.9% is a bit outside my comfort zone, especially with a 500ml bottle... But, I genuinely really enjoyed this, a lovely beer and one I would be more than happy to pay for.
I've only brewed one Chocolate stout and it wasn't a patch on this, but I'm planning on a rebrew this week before going back to work, if I can get close to this I'll be happy
Hats off to the brewer, difficult to get something at this strength to taste so good!View attachment 11572

Really pleased you liked it! And thanks for the kind words. The recipe is here: http://brew.grainfather.com/recipes/16664 this batch had slightly low efficiency so actually came out weaker than my target. I kept it in secondary for ~3 months and has been in the bottle for 3-4 weeks.

 

[kohoutec]

Really pleased you liked it! And thanks for the kind words. The recipe is here: http://brew.grainfather.com/recipes/16664 this batch had slightly low efficiency so actually came out weaker than my target. I kept it in secondary for ~3 months and has been in the bottle for 3-4 weeks.

Loved it mate and definitely feeling the effects now thanks for the recipe link

 

[sdt7618]

I enjoyed my bottle of Diabolo Belgian Golden ale today ::
It had an inviting fruity, raisiny sweet aroma, with a milder fruity flavour - all from the yeast I suspect.
There was a good maltiness amd the carbonation was medium-high which balanced the fuller body and sweetish finish nicely
It seemed to have a moderate bitterness (compared to the IPAa I've been mainly drinking today) and it was very smooth for its strength, without any alcohol heat :hat:
Apologies for the less thE approriate glass - I coudlne;t wait for the dishwasher any longer!

I am going to own up to this one. Nearly got rid of it because after 6 months didn't like it.

Love it now and will be looking out for other brewferm kits this Jan sale to age.

 

[Dexter101]

First of my beers drumk tonight, a lovely American Amber Ale at 5.7%.

Aroma
Fresh american hops aromas, plenty of tropical scents. Get a lot of mango.

Flavour
Fresh hop flavours give way to caramel sweetness and ending with strong bitterness

Mouthfeel
Spot on carbonation level, good fine head which hung around well.

All in all a very refreshing, well balanced beer. Distinct american hop flavours were gratefully recieved after my second christmas dinner in 2 days.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Santa kindly sent me a lovely box containing two 330ml bottles, Stouty McStoutface and Fruity McFruitface.

Stouty McStoutface 9%ish ABV

A beer that 'does what it says on the tin'. Deep black with a creamy head which lasted. Tastes of treacle, vanilla and a hint of liquorice on the aftertaste. Lovely beer and deceptively drinkable for a 9% abv.

Fruity McFruitface 7%ish ABV

Was curious to find out what style this beer was. Straw coloured, hints of grapefruit and lemon and a sour note. I'm no expert, but I suspect that this a Belgian style lambic or similar. Would be interested to find out exactly what it was.

Of the two I definitely preferred the stout, but thank you Santa.

I'll own up to those two. unfortunately dai guys i
brussels in bangor has ceased trading :-( , so no chance to pop into bangor for a belgian beer/chocolate fest :-(

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...russels-Bangor_Gwynedd_North_Wales_Wales.html

anyways, I renamed the beers to avoid detection.

east vs west is 9% (stouty mc stoutface)
el cid is 6.7% (fruity mc fruit face)

you had a belgian ris and a modern take on snakebite :-o

half ale half cider. that is what you picked up on :thumb: the cider aspect gives it a halfway house between ale and lambic.

candi sugar lightens the drink whilst keeping the abv up.

lambics/gueuze have more sourness.

I wondered with the secret santa what the recipients favorite style would be. so I sent a light and dark beer to cover both bases :whistle:

 

[dad_of_jon]

Spooky!

Glad you enjoyed it, although I suspect that you are being generous. You clearly know your stuff, I'm impressed. I used coriander seed, and 800g of wheat malt. Given that I used a Belgian yeast (mj44), I'm perhaps using artistic licence to call it a Saison.

If you could see your way clear to giving some constructive criticism / suggestions for improvement I'd really appreciate it.

Cheers

yup m29 would have been a true saison :whistle:

 

[dad_of_jon]

First Gold.
As arranged through Steve with the sender,this was sampled by my son and not myself.Having attended hospital on the 23rd with much prodding,poking,blood and urine tests and rummaging around unspeakable areas i was allowed home along with strong painkillers and a urologist appointment on 9th jan. No alcohol until at least that date:twisted:.
OK, a nice hiss upon opening, lovely ,lovely aroma and a nice clear beer with a decent head that lasted well down the glass.. Slightly bitter aftertaste but the lot went down the hatch:lol:,so well done the brewer.:thumb:

chub, hope you get well soon. :thumb: