Beerswap 2007 Vermicous' Swill
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Glibbidy
Well-Known Member
Matt,
Don't underestimate your beers! That Imp stout of yours was really good! Nice label too!
Don't underestimate your beers! That Imp stout of yours was really good! Nice label too!
I agree - it was real nice, a great way to start the day!
OP
OP
Vermicous
Well-Known Member
I am mostly kidding, I know I am the biggest critic of my beers. The APA I made disappointed me a bit, mostly because I have done the same recipe better before. I used pellet hops instead of whole in this batch and the flavour and aroma aren't the same.
All in all, it is a good beer, I wouldn't be sending it out if it was horrible. But I have become more critical of the smell especially since stopping smoking.
If anyone has any recommendations for improving the recipe however, my experience in formulating is still very novice at best.
All in all, it is a good beer, I wouldn't be sending it out if it was horrible. But I have become more critical of the smell especially since stopping smoking.
If anyone has any recommendations for improving the recipe however, my experience in formulating is still very novice at best.
uwmgdman
Well-Known Member
Here we go, Vermicous' Swill.......
Beer
Cascade Pale Ale
Appearance
The bottle let a nice hiss, the beer filled my glass with a nice ½ white head, diminished quickly but a thin skim lingered around with just a little lacing. The beer a brilliant golden color, I really wish I could offer this clarity in my brews.
Aroma
There is a very low cereal type malt aroma with a moderate citrusy hop aroma, definitely Cascade shining through.
Palate/Flavor
The beer has an initial slight sweetness, followed by a moderate hop bitterness and moderate hop flavor. The bitterness and hop flavor are both incredibly smooth, blended very well with the beer. The carbonation is moderate, a little bubbly, and then rather smooth.
Overall/Notes
I know you said you were a tad disappointed with this version, but I would beg to differ. A very pretty beer to look at. The hop flavor and aroma are there, but not in your face, a well balanced brew in that respect. The hop bitterness is quite smooth and really fits into the beer. The drinkability is rather high too, I could down a 6er playing some cards, would also go great with Mexican food or pizza.
I cant really offer any suggestions. Thanks for the recipe, I think Ill brew this summer so I can enjoy a few more. Im looking forward to the Porter.
Beer
Cascade Pale Ale
Appearance
The bottle let a nice hiss, the beer filled my glass with a nice ½ white head, diminished quickly but a thin skim lingered around with just a little lacing. The beer a brilliant golden color, I really wish I could offer this clarity in my brews.
Aroma
There is a very low cereal type malt aroma with a moderate citrusy hop aroma, definitely Cascade shining through.
Palate/Flavor
The beer has an initial slight sweetness, followed by a moderate hop bitterness and moderate hop flavor. The bitterness and hop flavor are both incredibly smooth, blended very well with the beer. The carbonation is moderate, a little bubbly, and then rather smooth.
Overall/Notes
I know you said you were a tad disappointed with this version, but I would beg to differ. A very pretty beer to look at. The hop flavor and aroma are there, but not in your face, a well balanced brew in that respect. The hop bitterness is quite smooth and really fits into the beer. The drinkability is rather high too, I could down a 6er playing some cards, would also go great with Mexican food or pizza.
I cant really offer any suggestions. Thanks for the recipe, I think Ill brew this summer so I can enjoy a few more. Im looking forward to the Porter.
Rhoobarb
Well-Known Member
My girlfriend and I sampled these two selections from Vermicous over the weekend. Here's my review:
Cascade Pale Ale
Pour/Appearance:
Nice pffft sound. Poured a nice head which soon dissipated to a thin profile. Perfectly carbonated. Golden color with a slight haze. That haze probably would have settled out had I let the beer sit a few more days.
Aroma:
Nice, mild, floral hop aroma.
Taste:
The first taste is the hops, then the malt comes through. The flavor of the Cascade hops is there, but they dont dominate the malt. Mouthfeel is close to being right down the middle. It strays closer to thin than heavy or anchored by the malt, yet not too thin, if that makes any sense! The flavor and mouthfeel actually remind me of a hoppier version of Great Lakes Brewings Dortmunder Gold Lager.
Overall:
This is a nice, quaffable, easy drinking pale ale. It would be perfect for a picnic or a backyard BBQ. It would also be a good gateway beer for a BMC drinker to get past their bias of craft or home brewed beers. I could drink it all day and not tire of it. Very well done.
Denny Conns Robust Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Pour/Appearance:
Nice pffft sound. Poured a nice head which soon dissipated to a thin off-white/tan profile. Perfectly carbonated. Deep brown color, almost black. You can just see some amber/brown color at the edges of the glass when held up to the light.
Aroma:
Slight oak/bourbon aroma with little roasty aroma. No hop or vanilla aroma noticeable.
Taste:
The first taste is a bit of the bitterness from the hops. This soon leads to a roasty character with bourbon in the finish. Mouthfeel is nice and full perfect for the style. I didnt notice the vanilla, but maybe it is there just to compliment the bourbon. Doesnt matter to me. Ive had vanilla stouts that were so overwhelming in the vanilla flavor that I couldnt take another. This beer does not fall into that category.
Overall:
Whoa! Sip this one, pal!
This is a very, very nice Porter! Of all the beers we sampled, this one really stood out. I think it is one of the best Porters I have had in a long time. And since you were kind enough to enclose the recipes with your beers, I plan to brew this later this summer. My only complaint is that we didnt have more! Yummy! Excellently done.
Cascade Pale Ale
Pour/Appearance:
Nice pffft sound. Poured a nice head which soon dissipated to a thin profile. Perfectly carbonated. Golden color with a slight haze. That haze probably would have settled out had I let the beer sit a few more days.
Aroma:
Nice, mild, floral hop aroma.
Taste:
The first taste is the hops, then the malt comes through. The flavor of the Cascade hops is there, but they dont dominate the malt. Mouthfeel is close to being right down the middle. It strays closer to thin than heavy or anchored by the malt, yet not too thin, if that makes any sense! The flavor and mouthfeel actually remind me of a hoppier version of Great Lakes Brewings Dortmunder Gold Lager.
Overall:
This is a nice, quaffable, easy drinking pale ale. It would be perfect for a picnic or a backyard BBQ. It would also be a good gateway beer for a BMC drinker to get past their bias of craft or home brewed beers. I could drink it all day and not tire of it. Very well done.
Denny Conns Robust Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Pour/Appearance:
Nice pffft sound. Poured a nice head which soon dissipated to a thin off-white/tan profile. Perfectly carbonated. Deep brown color, almost black. You can just see some amber/brown color at the edges of the glass when held up to the light.
Aroma:
Slight oak/bourbon aroma with little roasty aroma. No hop or vanilla aroma noticeable.
Taste:
The first taste is a bit of the bitterness from the hops. This soon leads to a roasty character with bourbon in the finish. Mouthfeel is nice and full perfect for the style. I didnt notice the vanilla, but maybe it is there just to compliment the bourbon. Doesnt matter to me. Ive had vanilla stouts that were so overwhelming in the vanilla flavor that I couldnt take another. This beer does not fall into that category.
Overall:
Whoa! Sip this one, pal!
This is a very, very nice Porter! Of all the beers we sampled, this one really stood out. I think it is one of the best Porters I have had in a long time. And since you were kind enough to enclose the recipes with your beers, I plan to brew this later this summer. My only complaint is that we didnt have more! Yummy! Excellently done.
uwmgdman
Well-Known Member
Beer
Robust Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Appearance
The beer poured with a thin tan head that quickly diminished. A nice black color, when held to the light the beer appeared clear with a very deep ruby color, a nice looking porter.
Aroma
When poured cold, there was a low, but still distinguishable vanilla aroma as well as a low roasted malt aroma. After letting sit for 15 mins the aroma seemed to change some, still low roasted tones, but now it seemed like the bourbon was more prevalent than the vanilla. Kind of interesting how that changed.
Palate/Flavor
The taste is moderately roasty and there is also a moderate hop flavor. I really enjoyed how the hop flavor complemented the roasted malts. There wasn’t much of an alcohol warmth after the swallow, which surprised me with the ABV, nice work. The aftertaste was appropriately dominated by hop flavor and roasted malts. I couldn’t pick up the bourbon or vanilla in the flavor. Carbonation was moderate, body/mouthfeel was a bit thinner than I had expected, and drinkability was a bit higher than I had expected.
Overall/Notes
Overall a solid beer. I especially liked the hop flavor on top of the roasted grains. The body and mouthfeel were a bit lacking IMHO. I almost feel odd saying that with an FG of 1.023 and with the grain bill. I would be interested to try a beer of the same recipe with an English yeast that had a bit less attenuation. But I’m certainly not complaining, thank you for a very enjoyable beer.
Robust Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Appearance
The beer poured with a thin tan head that quickly diminished. A nice black color, when held to the light the beer appeared clear with a very deep ruby color, a nice looking porter.
Aroma
When poured cold, there was a low, but still distinguishable vanilla aroma as well as a low roasted malt aroma. After letting sit for 15 mins the aroma seemed to change some, still low roasted tones, but now it seemed like the bourbon was more prevalent than the vanilla. Kind of interesting how that changed.
Palate/Flavor
The taste is moderately roasty and there is also a moderate hop flavor. I really enjoyed how the hop flavor complemented the roasted malts. There wasn’t much of an alcohol warmth after the swallow, which surprised me with the ABV, nice work. The aftertaste was appropriately dominated by hop flavor and roasted malts. I couldn’t pick up the bourbon or vanilla in the flavor. Carbonation was moderate, body/mouthfeel was a bit thinner than I had expected, and drinkability was a bit higher than I had expected.
Overall/Notes
Overall a solid beer. I especially liked the hop flavor on top of the roasted grains. The body and mouthfeel were a bit lacking IMHO. I almost feel odd saying that with an FG of 1.023 and with the grain bill. I would be interested to try a beer of the same recipe with an English yeast that had a bit less attenuation. But I’m certainly not complaining, thank you for a very enjoyable beer.
Brewtopia
"Greenwood Aged Beer"
Tonight i'm drinking the:
Cascade Pale Ale
Pour:
Very light pfft upon opening. Poured down the center of a footed glass and ended up with very little head that dissipated quickly. (10 sec.)
Visual:
Beautiful color, light copper and crystal clear.
Aroma:
I get the citrus from the cascades and subtle orange and carmel notes.
Palate:
Body is a little thin with very little carbonation. Might want to up your mash temp to around 152°-154° or add some cara-pils to increase the body. Biscuity flavors give way to a pleasant hop finish.
Proximity to Traditional Styles:
A nice light Pale Ale.
Overall:
Very drinkable. With more carbonation, I could drink a few of these. This is a great session beer.
Cascade Pale Ale
Pour:
Very light pfft upon opening. Poured down the center of a footed glass and ended up with very little head that dissipated quickly. (10 sec.)
Visual:
Beautiful color, light copper and crystal clear.
Aroma:
I get the citrus from the cascades and subtle orange and carmel notes.
Palate:
Body is a little thin with very little carbonation. Might want to up your mash temp to around 152°-154° or add some cara-pils to increase the body. Biscuity flavors give way to a pleasant hop finish.
Proximity to Traditional Styles:
A nice light Pale Ale.
Overall:
Very drinkable. With more carbonation, I could drink a few of these. This is a great session beer.
Brewtopia
"Greenwood Aged Beer"
...and now
Denny Con's Robust Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Pour:
Very pronounced Pffffft! upon opening. Poured down the center of a footed glass and ended up with a full 1.5 in head that lasted about 3-4 minutes.
Visual:
This beer is deep black with an offwhite head but when held to the light you see a beautiful dark ruby color. This beer is also very clear. (You can see my refection in the glass)
Aroma:
Chocolate in the nose with just a hint of the bourbon and vanilla. No detectable hop aroma.
Palate:
Dark bittersweet chocolate flavors up front then a little kick of bourbon. Finishes with the vanilla. very little in the way of hops as it should be. medium body and perfect carbonation. Can't taste the 9.2% ABV. This one'll sneak up on you if you're not careful.
Proximity to Traditional Styles:
Very good robust porter
Overall:
Very enjoyable beer. If I had a fireplace, I'd sit in front of it and sip this all night long. And then curse you when it runs out. Nice job.
Denny Con's Robust Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Pour:
Very pronounced Pffffft! upon opening. Poured down the center of a footed glass and ended up with a full 1.5 in head that lasted about 3-4 minutes.
Visual:
This beer is deep black with an offwhite head but when held to the light you see a beautiful dark ruby color. This beer is also very clear. (You can see my refection in the glass)
Aroma:
Chocolate in the nose with just a hint of the bourbon and vanilla. No detectable hop aroma.
Palate:
Dark bittersweet chocolate flavors up front then a little kick of bourbon. Finishes with the vanilla. very little in the way of hops as it should be. medium body and perfect carbonation. Can't taste the 9.2% ABV. This one'll sneak up on you if you're not careful.
Proximity to Traditional Styles:
Very good robust porter
Overall:
Very enjoyable beer. If I had a fireplace, I'd sit in front of it and sip this all night long. And then curse you when it runs out.
Nice job.
Pirate Ale
Well-Known Member
Ok, here is my official diclaimer. I am not a porter fan, but this one may change my opinion!
Carbonation
Very nice, great pffft on opening and a nice large smooth off white head that grew to 2 inches. The head didn't dissolve for a full 10minutes. Excellent Carbonation.
Appearance / Aroma
Beautiful color that is dark ruby red/ chocolate brown. No sign of chill haze. It is very clear.
Aroma
Nice mild malt chocolate smell with subtle hints of vanilla and bourbon. It is wonderfully enticing.
Palate / Flavor
WOW, wonderful flavor without being overpowering in all characteristics. I love bourbon, chocolate and vanilla, and this baby give hints of all three, with a smooth mouthfeel and graceful finish. I wish I had more.
Edit: I let it sit for about 10 minutes while I was on a call, and came back to a warmer beer.....OMG!!
The oak really opens up, and the vanilla mellows the whole thing out. Just goes to show that I keep my beer fridge too cold. Excellent beer!
Carbonation
Very nice, great pffft on opening and a nice large smooth off white head that grew to 2 inches. The head didn't dissolve for a full 10minutes. Excellent Carbonation.
Appearance / Aroma
Beautiful color that is dark ruby red/ chocolate brown. No sign of chill haze. It is very clear.
Aroma
Nice mild malt chocolate smell with subtle hints of vanilla and bourbon. It is wonderfully enticing.
Palate / Flavor
WOW, wonderful flavor without being overpowering in all characteristics. I love bourbon, chocolate and vanilla, and this baby give hints of all three, with a smooth mouthfeel and graceful finish. I wish I had more.
Edit: I let it sit for about 10 minutes while I was on a call, and came back to a warmer beer.....OMG!!
The oak really opens up, and the vanilla mellows the whole thing out. Just goes to show that I keep my beer fridge too cold. Excellent beer!
Pirate Ale
Well-Known Member
Carb:
Good Pfft. Nice 3/4" head and decent head retention
Aroma:
Oh wow- I love Cascade hops and this reeks(in a good way) of cascade. Great citrusy and floral tones.
Apperance:
Really good color, great clarity, with no haze.
Taste:
I am envious of this beer. This has great mouthfeel, a wonderful balance of hops and malt. Great tasting session beer. Just enough hops to bite the back of the tongue.
Overall:
If this is what AG brewing gives you, I am switching this week. SWMBO even liked this, and she is a big critic of pale ale.
Good Pfft. Nice 3/4" head and decent head retention
Aroma:
Oh wow- I love Cascade hops and this reeks(in a good way) of cascade. Great citrusy and floral tones.
Apperance:
Really good color, great clarity, with no haze.
Taste:
I am envious of this beer. This has great mouthfeel, a wonderful balance of hops and malt. Great tasting session beer. Just enough hops to bite the back of the tongue.
Overall:
If this is what AG brewing gives you, I am switching this week. SWMBO even liked this, and she is a big critic of pale ale.
