I love JSGA... Love it. Sit me down at a pub with it on tap, and I know its time for a session. Off tap - beautiful, the Amarillo is so distinct and the malt so sweet... never disappointed.
In bottle... its never quite cut it. I pour it into a schooner, hoping to replicate that taste as much as possible, but it hasnt hit it yet. Yesterday, I bought a couple of bottles - I had one last night when at a friends place, they didnt have a good vessel to drink it in (friend is a bird... so crystal wine glasses, but no attempt at a beer glass!) so I excused the taste, and the flat nature of the beer.
Tonight, I opened the second at home - poured it into schooner glass (must nick me a couple more next time Im at the local...) and again - a decided lack of fizz, and the Amarillo - normally so pronounced - is hardly there. It ends up tasting like a barely hopped, lightly malted beer... hard to describe a similar beer - something like a LC Bright Ale, or a Bohemian Pilsner....certainly not a golden ale...
Anyone else experience this? I can only recommend that if you have ever tried JSGA in bottle and were not impressed - get yourself to a local and try it on tap!
Golden Ale - inconsistent?
Agree.
Went one better a while back and had it on handpull at the Wheatie here in Adelaide. Little to no carb and warmer than 'normal' beer.
Maltier and hoppier than ever!
But then i am a fan of real ales served at real ale temps and carb level.
MOFO - have only bought a few bottles for that reason, not as hoppy as i want it to be so i stick to the clone posted by Pale_Ale a while back.
Just got a new pack of amarillo so time to thump out another one of those.
Cheers
DrSmurto
Went one better a while back and had it on handpull at the Wheatie here in Adelaide. Little to no carb and warmer than 'normal' beer.
Maltier and hoppier than ever!
But then i am a fan of real ales served at real ale temps and carb level.
MOFO - have only bought a few bottles for that reason, not as hoppy as i want it to be so i stick to the clone posted by Pale_Ale a while back.
Just got a new pack of amarillo so time to thump out another one of those.
Cheers
DrSmurto
I'll see to it that I look for that recipe and give it a try. I have been meaning to create an Amarillo Ale for a while now. Reckon in a month it'll be warm enough to do it again.
I struggle to find Amarillo hops anywhere though...might have to order online. Do you get them as pellets, or plugs? I would think pellet would be the go, but plugs would be good for secondary...
I struggle to find Amarillo hops anywhere though...might have to order online. Do you get them as pellets, or plugs? I would think pellet would be the go, but plugs would be good for secondary...
If you fill in the location details in your profile people can suggest a good local HBS to you.
I tend to buy my hops from Craftbrewer.
So far i have used only pellets but bought some cascade and EKG plugs to try them out. Pellets are slightly cheaper.
Temp-wise, i use a heat pad at the moment but found that even sitting in the shed wrapped in a sleeping bag and no heat pad i could keep the temp at 16 and the US05 (US56) still chugs along at that temp. Temp in my shed has been averaging 6-8 the past few weeks.
I tend to buy my hops from Craftbrewer.
So far i have used only pellets but bought some cascade and EKG plugs to try them out. Pellets are slightly cheaper.
Temp-wise, i use a heat pad at the moment but found that even sitting in the shed wrapped in a sleeping bag and no heat pad i could keep the temp at 16 and the US05 (US56) still chugs along at that temp. Temp in my shed has been averaging 6-8 the past few weeks.
Cheers - yeah, I have a number of HBS around me (Sydney) but it seems they don't stock Amarillo that regularly... I can get all of the noble hops, Cascade, POR etc - just Amarillo seems a bit harder to get... I will probably just order online and get a fair bit of it.
It is 15* at the moment in the garage, but this goes down to around 10* at night. I dont have a heat pad or anything - but focusing on lagers at the moment, which is fine at those temps. As soon as it warms up I am fine as it never gets above 20* (4 storeys underground) but doesnt go below about 18* either...perfect for ales.
It is 15* at the moment in the garage, but this goes down to around 10* at night. I dont have a heat pad or anything - but focusing on lagers at the moment, which is fine at those temps. As soon as it warms up I am fine as it never gets above 20* (4 storeys underground) but doesnt go below about 18* either...perfect for ales.
Just had a golden ale on tap tonight @ the Beauchamp Hotel (Oxford St). Whilst I went there for dinner primarily, and didnt mean to have a beer, I just had to get one to remove that niggling doubt in my mind that JS had changed the whole recipe henceforth. I can confirm, all is OK 
I like both, but I find that the bottled version is easily overtaken by one of my homebrew, whereas I havent been able to make something quite as high of a standard as the kegged version. I certainly think they go pretty light on the carbonation in the bottle - which isnt a complaint, just an observation (I imagine they are keeping it in the style of a proper ale)compared to that of the kegged version which has a frothier head and a bit more bubble to it.
Anyway, curiosity has killed this cat and I am going to make a clone of my own this weekend.
I like both, but I find that the bottled version is easily overtaken by one of my homebrew, whereas I havent been able to make something quite as high of a standard as the kegged version. I certainly think they go pretty light on the carbonation in the bottle - which isnt a complaint, just an observation (I imagine they are keeping it in the style of a proper ale)compared to that of the kegged version which has a frothier head and a bit more bubble to it.
Anyway, curiosity has killed this cat and I am going to make a clone of my own this weekend.
Bought a 6 pack of JSGA and LCPA last night t take around to my Boags Draught swilling mates place. he quite liked the JSGA, and yes, it was not that in your face and the one i brew. But the LCPA knocked him around a bit, he had 1 and then left the rest for me. Twas tough by i worked my way thru 'em!
Still, i think that JSGA is better for a session than LCPA, less carbed, lower IBU, lower hopping but still a lovely beer all the same. If only i could grow amarillo in Oz.....
Still, i think that JSGA is better for a session than LCPA, less carbed, lower IBU, lower hopping but still a lovely beer all the same. If only i could grow amarillo in Oz.....
Yeah, I like the GA as a session beer, and find myself drinking it at 6am after a big session happily. The LCPA I find I have about 2-3 and then for some reason I find it has a bitterness to it which detracts from it... certainly the first few mouthfuls of LCPA is the best - whereas JSGA I find I cant stop! 
Without a doubt - both of them are at the top of the beer chain in Australia (and, for my tastes near the top worldwide) - and certainly it is daylight between those and anything made by Boags... I cant say anything Boags, Hahn, or Cascade gets me excited - Boag's draught I had recently and found it damn near undrinkable.... I struggled through the bottle.
Without a doubt - both of them are at the top of the beer chain in Australia (and, for my tastes near the top worldwide) - and certainly it is daylight between those and anything made by Boags... I cant say anything Boags, Hahn, or Cascade gets me excited - Boag's draught I had recently and found it damn near undrinkable.... I struggled through the bottle.
Had another 5 schooners of Golden Ale tonight @ the pub... I can report - it is STILL ok! I will file daily reports, for you, the conscientious drinking public 
Yeah, I actually had a LCPA tonight, 3 JSGA in to see how it went. Found it a little bitter and not getting the maltiness... although I am sure the 3 JSGA ruined my pallete.
Yeah, I actually had a LCPA tonight, 3 JSGA in to see how it went. Found it a little bitter and not getting the maltiness... although I am sure the 3 JSGA ruined my pallete.
I had a bottle of it for the first time last night.... i wanted to see what all the fuss was about...
ITS GOOD....
i can see how you could easily down a six pack and still be asking for more... Its not as bitter as LCPA, which is good for me when it comes to drinking bulk...
Is there a recipe on the forum? I have a general idea on how it would go, but i'd rather go the tried and tested method...
Cheers guys
ITS GOOD....
i can see how you could easily down a six pack and still be asking for more... Its not as bitter as LCPA, which is good for me when it comes to drinking bulk...
Is there a recipe on the forum? I have a general idea on how it would go, but i'd rather go the tried and tested method...
Cheers guys
I freely admit that I was Very Very Drunk....
"They speak of my drinking, but never consider my thirst."
As mentioned by Drsmurto up the post - here is Pale_Ale's recipe:
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... ne&start=0
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... ne&start=0
I have found the bottled version of the JSGA changes over time. Every time i buy a case it seems to differ from the last. Even had some on tap a while back at the Ettamogah pub and thought it was terrible, then went back recently and was good again. Had six schooners at Penrith golf club last night and they tasted great, as it should do.
And i vouch for Pale Ales recipe, it is a corker!
And i vouch for Pale Ales recipe, it is a corker!
I had a pint of GA fron the Civic hotel on saturday night. It smelt like wet heshion, and tasted very bad... i tried to tell them that the beer had gone bad/oxidised, but they said that that is how its supposed to taste, and so wouldnt give me my money back... I was very annoyed...
I freely admit that I was Very Very Drunk....
"They speak of my drinking, but never consider my thirst."
I've found the Amber ale is more inconsistent in the bottle than the Golden. Unfortunately both are somewhat rare on tap up here in Brisbane so I don't get to enjoy as many freshly poured pints as I'd like.
Although, when I do get the chance the GA has always been better than the AA. I have noticed the differences between different batches though.
Any ideas what's causing that?
Although, when I do get the chance the GA has always been better than the AA. I have noticed the differences between different batches though.
Any ideas what's causing that?
