2013 Easter Lotto

[emnpaul]

G'day Tipsy,

I've got your RIS safe and sound in my fridge. Just waiting for a suitably cold non-work night to crack it open.

[Tipsy]

Sweet...she's pretty full on.
Sometimes I struggle to get through a bottle

[emnpaul]

I drank two of Dr. Smurto's finest on the weekend. His Golden Ale with rye and victoria and GA W/rye, simcoe and victoria.





The victoria is on the left, the victoria/simcoe is on the right. For some reason the phot shows the Victoria/simcoe as being darker, but they were almost exactly the same colour. The difference I think was condensation reflecting the camera flash from the victoria version which was poured first. With that largely irrelevant point out of the way, let's get down to the tasting.

Both poured with a solid white head that lasted until the bottom of the glass. The victoria had a pronounced, fruity hop nose, perhaps reminiscent of very ripe peaches which has also been described as loquacious, but I wouldn't have a clue what a loquat smells like. The simcoe/victoria had a bit of the same but was boosted by a fresh resiny aroma that nicely complemented what was now a fruity undertone. Taste was pretty much as they smelled. The victoria was a pleasant mixture of spice (maybe the rye?), malt flavour and fruity hop taste. A really smooth mouth feel followed by a long lasting fruity finish. Very nice.

I was quite blown away by the simcoe/victoria version. It was very similar in mouth feel but somehow seemed crisper in flavour, aroma and taste. The combination of victoria and simcoe is a very good one with the simcoe somehow acting like a hopiness enhancer which really brings out the spiciness of the rye and makes the whole beer somehow more lively fresher tasting. A bit like the MSG in a well made chicken chow mien, the victoria only brew was nice but when tasting the victoria beer after the vic/sim combo it just seemed a touch instinctive or perhaps missing something by comparison. Not that it was at all bad, just that the simcoe/vic version was such an excellent beer.

Both beers had a long lasting stable head, very good lacing and very refreshing without seeming thin. Salubrious drinking indeed.

[drsmurto]

Glad you liked them Paul.

One small correction.

The lids are labelled V and VS.

V = Victoria
VS = Victoria Secret.

No simcoe in either.

Your assessment of the resinous quality of the Victoria Secret matches mine, the flavours of the two hops have similarities but I find the homegrown Victoria smooth whilst the Victoria Secret is more resinous which is hardly surprising giving it has an AA% of 17.2 (ca. 10% I use for the Victoria).

Other than the hops they were identical although the Victoria version was brewed a month before the Victoria Secret.

[emnpaul]

Glad you liked them Paul.

One small correction.

The lids are labelled V and VS.

V = Victoria
VS = Victoria Secret.

No simcoe in either.

Oops.

[earle]

Just about to finally box up a smoked porter, a bock and my fancy pants amber ale. Hopefully in the post tomorrow.

[emnpaul]

Sounds awesome Earle. Really looking forward to the smoked porter. Never had a smoked beer before.

[earle]

No worries. Posted today. Now you've got me wanting a smoked porter but its an AFD.

[Geoff]

Wednesday is my AFD (in theory).

[earle]

No worries. Posted today. Now you've got me wanting a smoked porter but its an AFD.

Have these turned up yet?

[emnpaul]

Yes. Picked them up Monday. Sorry to leave you hanging.

[emnpaul]

Currently enjoying my way through Geoff's Malty Matey's Burton Bridge Bitter.

The beer pours a deep golden colour with a thick, long lasting, white head. Subtle hop aroma, which is also perhaps not so subtle since I have a bit of a sniffle at the moment.

An assertive bitterness balanced by a nice chewy malt backbone. Very enjoyable fruity hop flavour. Finely beaded carbonation that brings the beer to life followed by a dryish, slightly minerally finish that leaves you wanting more. And more.

An excellent beer. Thankyou Geoff!

[Geoff]

Thanks for your kind words, Paul. Glad you enjoyed it.

[emnpaul]

Saazgorilla's wheat beer.

Poured with a typically epic wheat beer head that seemed to want to hang around until the end of eternity. I like that in a wheat beer. Taste mildly tart with that spritzy wheat beer tang that you'd expect. Lots of fruity yeast character, banana, with a subtle hint of lemony citrus backed by a sprinkling of clove and perhaps a note of pepper.

All in all, a light fruity and refreshing wheat beer. Did I mention I like wheat beer?

[Geoff]

Without wanting to state the obvious: it's good to win the lotto. Great work everyone.

[emnpaul]

^Not a Redback Original or hickory smoked beef jerky.

Earle's Smoked Porter.

My first thougt was, "Hmm, that'll go well with some hickory smoked beef jerky". But then I thought "No. The smokiness of one will detract from the other". So I went the ploughman's plate instead and I think it was a good choice. The pickles and tasty really set it off.

My first go at a smoked beer and not being sure what to expect, having only my wife's durri but filled ash tray for comparison, I was pleasantly surprised. It was nothing like drinking beer from an ashtray. Or bong water fro... Second thought, lets not go there. More of a subtle smokiness that adds to the overall impression of porter as a lightly roasted stout and the comparisons I've heard to smoked beer being akin to a double smoked bacon or burnt sticks certainly don't apply to this beer. I'd say it's more a hint of smoke and very much like a touch too roasty Toohey's old clone. If I'd come this close when trying to clone Toohey's old I'd have been very happy with myself indeed.

A touch of roastiness in the aroma, backed by a roasty, slightly burnt, brown bread toast taste. A touch maltier than Tooheys Old (the comparison is unavoidable) and a bit more in the way of mouth feel to go on with. An assertive bitterness that goes well with the dark spec. malts. No real yeast flavour that I can detect, nor is it required. Ditto hops.

Highly sessionable and a bit more "mate friendly" than the stouts I've been brewing the last couple of years. When, not if, I eventually get my 6 font keg freezer set up I'd just about make this a permanent feature. An excellent beer and just what a brown porter should be, for mine.

Would you mind posting the recipe?

[Guru]

Love reading your reviews Paul, always entertaining.

[emnpaul]

Without wanting to state the obvious: it's good to win the lotto.

You're not kidding Geoff. Two days into an extra long weekend and I'm yet to open one of my own beers. It's awesome.





Earle's Fancy Pants Amber Ale.

Definitely amber and an ale too. Not sure what the pants are for, perhaps a filtering aid?

I could say that it's a wee touch on the too carbonated side, but that's really just comes down to personal taste, so I won't. It's lively, effervescent and remarkably crisp for an amber. Head the size of a Clydesdale that sticks around for the after party. Intense hop aroma that smacks you across the face, with a bit of caramel malt aroma along for the ride.

Given the hoppy aroma the taste is a surprisingly well balanced mixture of base malt,bitterness, hops and dark crystal/toffee, which is no doubt to what the colour can be attributed to. A very well made and enjoyable amber ale, which is to say "mmm, delicious".

[earle]

Glad you liked the beers Paul. The smoked porter is actually a partial but turned out quiet well. I'll post the recipe next time I have the pc fired up.

The fancy pants is a homage to the mountain goat beer though I suppose filtering through some old jocks would impart a unique flavour.

I'll also get the next lotto sorted once I get on the pc. Too much of a pita on the ipad.

[earle]

Recipe for the smoked porter here http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=11050#p113618 Enjoy