10-10-10 BGS Swap Sign-up and Details

Ok, giving Spanish Castle's Vienna Lager a try:

Aroma:
Moderate malt aroma with a touch of toastiness in the background. Very slight caramel aroma. No real hop aroma. Very clean lager aromas. No diacetyl. No DMS. Very faint fruity esters when cold, however they disappeared when the beer warmed a little.

Appearance:
Brown copper in color. Has a haze when cold, even when I wipe down the glass. Clears some when warmed. Beautiful off white head that dissipates fairly quickly.

Flavor:
Nice round maltiness, giving way to a nice balance of bitterness. Toastiness from specialty malts brings complexity to the beer. Overall, a very balanced beer. I wouldn't describe it as overly malty or hoppy. Appropriately clean for a lager.

Mouthfeel:
Medium light bodied. Medium high carbonation. Finishes clean with a nice velvety texture.

Overall Impression:
Very tasty beer! This one is extremely sessionable. I didn't notice any real telltale signs of infection like Brian did, except for the haze part. I love the balance and the nice crisp lager finish to the beer. Thanks for sending it along!

Glad you liked it Ed! I'm wondering if Brian just got a bottle that wasn't sanitized well. My bottles are a mixed bag and some sat in a closet for ~9 years. They always get a long PBW soak, then Starsan but that prob doesn't catch everything if the bottle is old/dirty. I'll have to be more careful.

I've noticed that most of my beers; after sitting in a keg under refrigeration for a while, then bottled and refrigerated again, are crystal clear. But if I then let it warm and then chill it again there is sometimes some haze.

SpanishCastleAle said:

Glad you liked it Ed! I'm wondering if Brian just got a bottle that wasn't sanitized well. My bottles are a mixed bag and some sat in a closet for ~9 years. They always get a long PBW soak, then Starsan but that prob doesn't catch everything if the bottle is old/dirty. I'll have to be more careful.

I've noticed that most of my beers; after sitting in a keg under refrigeration for a while, then bottled and refrigerated again, are crystal clear. But if I then let it warm and then chill it again there is sometimes some haze.

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That could very well be it. After struggling with that same flavor in many of my beers and going through a bunch of equipment that I think was transferring the infection, I think I have finally gotten rid of it. But in doing so I developed a super-sensitivity to it that others may not have.

I've only done a couple lagers, but have noticed that they seem very fragile. Like you, I bottled a Marzen from the keg to take it to see family last Thanksgiving. Not only did the flavor degrade, it developed a haze it had never previously had. I left some of the bottles in the kegerator and they tasted as good as always.

SpanishCastleAle's Hartford Lager

Aroma - Citrusy hops (amarillo maybe?). Very "juicy", inviting aroma. Slight green apple esters. Very light malt aroma.

Appearance - Poured a crystal clear, beautiful radiant copper. Billowy white head popped up and receeded to a thin cap.

Flavor - Citrusy hoppiness greets the palate and is followed by a smooth malt and prickly bitterness one-two punch. Finish is lager-crisp and dry, but lingers with the hint of malty-sweet aftertaste. The hops manage to give the impression some grapefruit or orange juice has been added to the beer. A slight tartness is alluded to but never quite shows up. The result is that the very sides of the tongue get that "thirsty" feeling that can only seem to be quenched by gulping down large amounts of the beverage in question. In other words, the beer is highly quaffable and thirst-quenching. Caramel malt flavor begins to come through as the beer warms.

Mouthfeel - Just right. Medium body and medium carbonation work wonderfully here and suit this beer perfectly. The lager crispness and the carbonation act to dry the beer out and make it very satisfying.

Overall - I'm very happy to have tried this beer. I felt bad that I might have gotten an off-bottle of the vienna lager and was hoping this beer would not be affected by the same flavor (or I look like an overcritical jerkwad). Upon pouring this beer and having the citrus fragrance waft up to me, I knew this beer was good. I really like how you have taken an american ale recipe and fermented it with a lager yeast. The fragrant hops and rich malt are really allowed to shine through by the crisp clean yeast. I couldn't put this beer down and unfortunately it went much quicker than I would have liked it to. I could definitely see myself making quick work of a keg of this, especially if the weather stays like it is here today (mid-70s, slight breeze, sunny, fresh just-rained air). This beer was the perfect accompaniment to the weather and the perfect start to the weekend. Thanks for sending along such a great beer!

Man, that beer looks beautiful!

Glad you liked it Brian! Since you said you're really sensitive to that off-flavor I was curious if it would be a common theme, glad it wasn't in this beer. The hops are a combination of Tettnanger, Crystal, Cascade; pure Tett for bittering, Tett also used for flavor, Crystal for flavor/aroma, Cascade for the latest flavor/aroma additions. I actually dry hopped it with Cascade but didn't leave it in long enough and with the cold temps (and subsequent lagering) it didn't yield quite the impact I was going for. It's not a Brooklyn Lager and it's not a Boston Lager but is dancing somewhere around those neighborhoods, hence 'Hartford' Lager.

Looking at my notes, this was the first brew I switched to Whirlfloc and I used a full tablet in 5 gal (I now use 1/2 tablet). Egg-drop soup after cold-break. Maybe that contributed to the clarity. I almost never use any other finings.

Sitting down with KingBrian's Herbed Saison right now:

Aroma - Nice spicy character from the yeast. Hints of herbs, but not overwhelming. It instantly lets you know there is something different about this beer - in a good way. Very slight hop aroma. What I'm perceiving blends nicely with the herbs and the sweetness of the malt into one harmonious aroma.

Appearance - Dark gold with a large fluffy white foam. Slightly cloudy, clearing as it warms.

Flavor - Light malt character. Medium high fruitiness. Well attenuated and quite dry finish. The herbs don't overpower the balance of this beer, and really add a nice complexity. Hop flavors blend nicely to balance the beer.

Mouthfeel - highly effervescent (appropriate for the style). The carbonation really picks up this beer to make it "pop".

Overall impression - Wow, what a great beer! A very tasty, dry refreshing Saison. The herbs really add a eluding and mysterious quality to the beer. Great job. The first sip instantly transported me to the first days of Spring. Fresh green fields waking up after the snow has finally melted away. A very nice reflection on the season as we are quickly moving into Fall.

Thanks for the review Ed! I'm glad you liked it!

Hookstrat's Imperial Pils

Aroma - Sweet malt dominates. Slightly grainy aroma comes through along with a white grape-like fragrance. Possible very faint noble hop-type aroma.

Appearance - Poured a mostly clear deep gold. I expected it to be a bit lighter but since it's "imperial" the extra malt probably darkened it a bit. A striking white head appeared and quickly dissipated to a thin cap.

Flavor - Sweet pilsner malt makes itself immediately apparent. It's a very clean but strong malt flavor. It definitely overpowers the bitterness to make the flavor very malt-forward. Very slight white grape flavor comes through. The noble hops make a very brief appearance in the finish. There's a bit of ethanol flavor in the finish, but it contributes no warmth.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and creamy. Unexpectedly smooth actually, but it's very nice in this beer. A moderate carbonation prevents the beer from being too creamy and helps the beer finish crisp.

Overall - A very good beer! I didn't expect the huge pilsner malt flavor. If anyone wants to know what pilsner malt tastes like, have one of these! It's like the pilsner malt flavor was distilled down into this sweet malty nectar. There is a smooth but firm bitterness that helps counter the sweet malt, but it's not so strong as to take over. This is definitely a malt-forward beer. The slightly vinous character along with the delicate ethanol that comes through suggest a bit of strength to the beer. I would have liked to have a strong saaz presence and a bit more carbonation, but that's getting picky. This is an outstanding beer as is, and is a showcase for the pilsner malt. It is very well-made and clean and I couldn't ask for a better beer. Thanks for sending it along!

Thanks for the writeup Brian. I've never swapped beer before so it's really cool to see pictures and notes from someone else drinking my beer! I would probably up the hops a bit if I brew it again just to balance it out a bit. Overall though I'm pleased with the beer and I'm really glad you weren't too disappointed in the mixup.

Hearing all of the tasty reviews I had to get into the game.

So, here are my tasting notes for SpanishCastle's Vienna Lager:

Aroma: I picked up mostly caramel malt (not much toastiness), but I do have a cold right now. Little to no detectable hop aroma. Light fruity esters from yeast, but no off flavors.

Appearance: Beautiful pour, red copper color with a slight haze. Thick, nearly bone-white head that fell quickly but still persisted through to the end.

Flavor: Full malt flavor with a nice lingering toastiness. Well-balanced with a crisp refreshing hop flavor/bitterness.

I don't drink a lot of lagers anymore, but to me this beer is like taking all of the tasty malt character of a Sam Adams Boston Lager but then replacing the nasty hop character with deliciousness.

Mouthfeel: Full but seemingly light bodied from the smoothness achieved from lagering. A little watery, but that may add to the drinkability.

Overall: Partly because I don't have many lagers in my arsenal, I really enjoyed drinking this beer while watching football today. There were no signs of the Brett infection that Brian described. Makes me want to brew a Vienna Lager!

Whew, long Monday. I need a beer and I'm eyeing Hookstrat's 4-grain Scottish Ale. I'd like to let it age but it's probably excellent right now. If someone doesn't talk me down in the next 30 minutes or so, it's getting reviewed.

Go for it Brian! It's already been aging over 3 months.

Say no more! Here I go!:rockin:

Hookstrat's 4-Grain Wee Heavy

Aroma - Sweet, thick malt. Burnt sugars. Dark fruits and jam. Strawberry preserves. Ethanol and whiskey. Dank oak reminiscent of the slightly sour, pungent smell of a distillery's aging cellar/room.

Appearance - Poured a dark murky amber with garnet highlights and a thin off-white head that quickly shrunk to a ring around the edge of the glass. Haziness seemed to lessen as beer warmed to room temp.

Flavor - Wow! I'm going to need another sip.... Excellent, complex intriguing mix of flavors. The first impression is of a oneness to the whole thing. There are tons of subtleties, but they all come together to tell one story. Luscious sweet malt comes together with dark fruits on the front of the palate. It is quickly followed by a vinous character tinged with bits of tart cherry tartness. Burnt, caramelized sugars then merge with a subtle but powerful whiskey smokiness that leads to a long off-dry finish. The whiskey comes through very round, with smooth smokiness that is almost buttery. The finish is very similar to a good whiskey, without any hint of the burn.

Mouthfeel - Thick, unctuous, almost syrupy without the sweetness. Very silky. Low carbonation suits the beer perfectly.

Overall - Superb beer! Incredibly intense and complex, but without ever being intimidating or overwhelming. Every flavor comes together so well that it is somewhat difficult separating them out in a description. The beer is pretty sweet, and there's very little bitterness to counter it, but it never comes off as cloying. Instead, The sweetness acts to enhance the flavors and thicken the mouthfeel to create a very luxurious experience. The aging in a whiskey barrel was done just right. Incredible flavors came out of the barrel without becoming overpowering or dominating the flavor. Instead, the flavors from the barrel incorporated into the whole so well that I could almost believe a master blender from a highly admired distillery spent a lot of time mixing batches of this beer to achieve the perfect balance. Now that the beer is fairly warm, I find myself enjoying the smooth smoky whiskey character that mingles with the complex caramelized malt in the long complex finish. This is an excellent beer that I can't do justice to in a review. For the two other people who received this beer in the swap, you're in for a treat! This was just the thing to get my mind off of work on what was a looong Monday. Thanks!

I'll prob review that 4-Grain Wee Heavy first. Tonight hopefully. Sounds tasty and I need to taste this style since I'll be making my second attempt in a few weeks (using a cake of Scottish Ale yeast just brewed Sunday).

FWIW, the Wee Heavy I sent doesn't really fit the guidelines even though the numbers are within the ranges. It's my first attempt having never even tasted a Wee Heavy. I took it to my homebrew club meeting Sunday and was told it was good but not really sweet/thick enough (and not strong enough). The yeast was too highly attenuative. So think of it as a strong 90/- or whatever.

Brian, you do a great job photographing these brews! You've set the bar pretty high for these reviews.

jacksonbrown, a bottle of your red cap wee heavy is up next for me. I was waiting for the bottle to drop clear but I don't think it's going to. It's chilling now!

PS. I'm glad I like wee heavies, all three people sent me one!

jacksonbrown's Wee Heavy

Aroma - Crazy strong toffee hits me right away. Good quality toffee at that. A bit of a milk chocolate aroma comes through too, combining with the toffee to make me really crave a toffee bar.

Appearance - Poured a muddy brown featuring dark orange highlights when held to a light. One finger tan head slowly fell to a thin cap.

Flavor - The flavor starts immediately malty then goes quite dry with a bit of acidity. The toffee comes through very nicely in the finish. A hint of wood seems to show up in the finish too to lend a sort of tannic aftertaste. I'm getting a bit of light cocoa mid-palate as well, but the dryness quickly wipes it from the taste buds.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. I was really hoping for a bit more tongue-coating richness in the mouthfeel. Something a bit more rich and chewy. Carbonation could also stand to be a bit reduced. It works against any sweetness and chewiness.

Overall - I really enjoyed this beer. That aroma is incredible! What did you do, mash toffee bars with the grain? The toffee character carried over into the really nice flavor of the beer, but the dryness definitely crippled what really could have been an awesome beer. If you make this beer again, and manage to prevent it from drying out this much, you would have a top-notch Wee Heavy. As it is, it is still a very good beer, but the dryness left me wondering what could have been. That sweet toffee aroma begged for a similarly sweet and decadent flavor and a chewy, sticky mouthfeel. As the beer warms and becomes less carbonated, the sweetness is beginning to come out a bit more, and I'm able to imagine this beer's potential. I'm very curious to see this recipe. I really enjoyed this beer, despite my whining about it being too dry. Definitely hang on to this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

Jacksonbrown - got all of your beers today in tact.

Not sure what everyone's tasting plans for the 10-10-10 are. I won't be able to review anyone's on the day of since I'm getting married then. We'll be toasting with my version of the 10-10-10, so if you are inclined, join us in the toast around 8:30 ish. I probably won't get around to reviewing the beers until the following weekend, so don't think I abandoned ship!

Brian, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm surprised to find you saying it's over carbonated because I always felt it was bit flat. The recipe is Jamil's Wee Heavy: 91.25% Marris Otter, 5.55% 40L, 2.6% Special B, 0.6% roast barley; 34g 8.3% AA Northern Brewer @ 60; Scottish Ale yeast. I mashed at 156 and did some kettle carmalization. OG 1.087, FG 1.024.

Edcculus - I'm certainly not planning to sample all three on Sunday. That'll just be too much. But I will go one by one in three consecutive days.

jacksonbrown said:

Brian, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm surprised to find you saying it's over carbonated because I always felt it was bit flat. The recipe is Jamil's Wee Heavy: 91.25% Marris Otter, 5.55% 40L, 2.6% Special B, 0.6% roast barley; 34g 8.3% AA Northern Brewer @ 60; Scottish Ale yeast. I mashed at 156 and did some kettle carmalization. OG 1.087, FG 1.024.

Edcculus - I'm certainly not planning to sample all three on Sunday. That'll just be too much. But I will go one by one in three consecutive days.

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Hmm, I wonder if this bottle fermented a bit more in the bottle? It definitely didn't taste like a 1.024 FG but it couldn't have gone much lower in the bottle without blowing up! It didn't pour with a big head but there was definitely more tingly carbonation on the palate than I would have preferred for this beer. Still, it was very good. I'll definitely have to consider putting that on the to brew list this winter.

I've received all my beers (both packages Ed).

Tried Hookstrat's 4-Grain Wee Heavy last night and I just couldn't come up with a better or sufficiently different review than Brian's. Really good beer that I thoroughly enjoyed. Now I know what a Scotch Ale is supposed to be like. Thanks for sending it!

I'll be out of town until Sunday night but hope to drink a DMC then.

Ed, can you please confirm for me again that you got my package and that all was well with it. The folks at the UPS store are saying they got another call from shipping saying the second package broke as well. But if you say it's all good then I'll let them know.

Jackson - yours came with swing top, and red top bottles correct? If so, I did get that package. They were all wrapped individually in plastic bubble wrap self sealable packages.

the only thing I can think is one bottle broke, so UPS removed it and repackaged the box?

You should have gotten two swing tops, two red caps, and two silver (edit: gold) caps. What did you actually end up with?

BTW Ed, what's in the two regular bottles? You guys that sent me the corked/caged bottles, they almost look too cool to open. Almost.

I'll be poppin' my 'opening a corked/caged bottle' cherry.

The corked/caged bottles are the 10-10-10 beer. The other regular bottles are a Rye IPA. Brewed with 2 row, rye, crystal 60, honey malt and some Munich. Around 70 IBUs. Warrior for bittering. Simcoe and Amarillo for flavor. Dry hopped with Simcoe and Amarillo. About 7.5%ABV.

Ed, got your RIPA box, still no 101010. I love rye beers, and especially Simcoe Amarillo dry hopping. I have a rye pale ale on tap (prob just a pint or two left) with the same. yummy!

Drinking Hookstrat's Imperial Pils

Aroma - Sour. A slight malt presence, but the sour is kind of overpowering for me. It's not boom in your face, but it is pretty obvious. As I work on the glass the sourness is gone and I'm left with malty sweet and plumb. My initial impression is that this will be unbalanced.

Appearance - A bit hazy, but that could be from the shipping. I really like the caramel wheat coloring. Thin dissipating head.

Flavor - Malty rich, wow that's nice. I'm not sure what the sour was in the aroma but it's not in the flavor at all. Sweet on the back of the tongue and just a hint of grassy hop flavors in the front. A slight hint of caramel flavoring.

Mouthfeel - A bit heavy for me. I would like more carbonation or a bit less body considering it's intense malt profile. Somewhat slick but not in a bad way.

Overall - I enjoy this. It's not something I could drink too many of at once, it's a bit too sweet for my taste, but I'd be happy to find one in my hand. The aroma is my least favorite part, it's not terribly inviting with its sweetness and I would personally prefer just a touch more hop bitterness and flavor.

jacksonbrown said:

You should have gotten two swing tops, two red caps, and two silver (edit: gold) caps. What did you actually end up with?

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Hmm, If I remember right, I only got 1 swing top. I'm back in my hometown for my wedding, which is 4 hours away from where I live, so unfortunately, I can't check. I do think it was 1 swing top and 2 of everything else.

Sigh. Ok, well, if it's alright by you and alright by the swappers I'd rather refrain from sending out another box. Especially for one bottle. We should arrange another swap in the future (I can throw in some tunes ta boot ta boot) when I have a larger bottled variety. Of all the bottles I'm surprised the strongest one is the one that broke.

yea no problem at all. makes no sense to send another package for 1 bottle

Happy 10-10-10! I'm trying to get NCBeernut to come over and taste everyone's beer with me today back to back. We'll do judging sheets and pictures whenever it all goes down, but I'm going to have to wait for him since there's no way I'll be able to drink 4 of these beers and do justice to the reviews. I'm also going to try to get another of my buddies who is more of a casual drinker to come to the tasting too, to get a bit of a different perspective.

Well, NCBeernut couldn't make it over today so I decided to have one of my 10-10-10s and save in-depth tasting of all 4 for another day. I apologize for not getting to the others today but I'd really like to do it right having them back to back with multiple reviewers so I made the decision to delay. I'll give some quick tasting notes on mine below.

Poured a honeyed gold. Crystal clear with clouds of bubbles rising through the glass and a thick, creamy white head on top. Aroma is blessed with moderate spicy esters and a little isoamyl acetate (banana aroma). A bit of candy-like sweet pilsner malt aroma is there too. Sweet malt and spicy esters on the palate. Alcohol warmth in the finish. A little bit of caramel coming through as well. Moderate body for the mouthfeel with a strong effervescence that thickens the body in the finish. Alcohol aroma begins to come through as the beer warms. This beer is STRONG! No flaws as far as I can tell, though it is a bit less complex than I'd like. I think with another couple years of aging it could be really epic (<---that word is so overused!).

I'll post a pic later when I can get on my desktop.

Happy 101010! I'm still missing Ed's 101010 but I did pop open Hoookstrat's just now, and let me just start off by saying that I'm very tempted to open the other one of his but I want to stay awake for Dexter.

Hookstrat's 10-10-10

Aroma - Malt. Very pleasant and clean. Inviting. A touch of alcohol and plumb, slight hint of honey-like sweetness. I would like more yeast character here.
7/12

Appearance - A hazy dark caramel bronze with a huge rocky off white head. The head retained throughout the beer which I love to see.
2/3

Flavor - Fantastic balance for such a big beer. Big malt presence with just a hint of bittering. Faint signs of alcohol heat. A bit of fruit and plumb notes, but again I would like more yeast character. This is very malt centric.
16/20

Mouthfeel - Excellent carbonation. Just the right amount of body to let you take this in. A bit creamy and sticky.
4/5

Overall - Great effort. I really enjoy this beer. As I said, I'm tempted to crack open the other one. The alcohol heat sets in a bit more as it warms up, which is to be expected. But so does the malt character and flavor. I would really like a little more yeast profile in the nose and flavor aspects. Malt profile, however, is an A+!
8/10

Total: 37/50

Sounds good! I can't wait to try it!

Here's a pic of mine.

Wow! It's so quiet in this thread! Here is a review to liven things up a bit! It looks like my 10-10-10 review throwdown will occur Oct. 24. Sorry for the delay, but I really like to do these x/x/x reviews right.

SpanishCastleAle's Strong Scotch Ale

Aroma - While pouring and photographing this beer I got whiffs of really nice toffee and plum. Now that I'm holding the glass to my nose, the toffee is still there, mingling with plummy dark fruits and faint ethanol. Slight smoke as the beer warms.

Appearance - Poured a crystal clear, beautiful rich caramel brown. Ruby highlights show through. It poured with a smallish bubbly tan head that dissipated quickly to a thin spotty lace. I really liked how this beer looked.

Flavor - Begins malty, but quickly goes too dry, as you warned. Finishes with a lingering minerally bitterness that isn't quite to style. The malty flavors that aren't overwhelmed by the bitterness and dryness are quite nice. Light caramel and toffee continue into the flavor from the aroma. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long on the palate before the aforementioned foes wipe it away. All that remains is a minerally, slightly roasty and astringent aftertaste. There is a hint of smoke coming through as the beer warms. A savory "soy sauce without the saltiness" flavor also started to emerge upon warming.

Mouthfeel - Light to moderate body, too thin for style. Too much carbonation that dries the palate and contributes an unwelcome carbonic bite.

Overall - It's like deja vu. Again, I'm having a wee heavy with a lot of potential, but that is hampered by being too dry. A wee heavy really needs to be deeply malty and sweet and almost sticky, whereas this is dry and quite crisp. It's difficult tasting those malty flavors in this beer, because they are gone in a flash. Mash higher, use more crystal malts or kettle caramelize more, ferment cooler, pitch less, oxygenate less, do whatever it takes to get this beer sweeter. I'd also drop the bittering down a bit or adjust the water profile. There are sulfates or carbonates or something in there that seem to enhance the bitterness and provide a minerally flavor I wasn't crazy about. I swirled this beer around a lot and once it was degassed a bit, the malt and sweetness began to come through a bit more. Definitely carbonate this beer less next time. The carbonic bite of the carbonation was working against the sweet malty flavors. Having said all that though, I actually enjoyed this beer. It is too dry for a wee heavy, but it is a good beer nonetheless. Once degassed, the maltiness shone a bit brighter and the bitterness and minerally flavors decreased. Did you use any smoked malt in this beer? I seemed to start detecting a tiny hint of smoke once the beer warmed up in both the aroma and the aftertaste. Anyway, thanks for sending this beer along. I'm sure your next attempt at a wee heavy will be much closer to the mark!

I'm with you Brian. Here's Ed's RIPA:

Aroma - Sweetness. My initial reaction is that this beer is going to coat my entire mouth. Some resiny hops come through the thickness though. Hint of amaretto. Some wood and dark fruit scents come through as it warms.

Appearance - Much darker than I expected (saving the photos for the 101010's) and very cloudy. Almost a light brown but with some lighter tones on the outside. Very small head that dissipated very quickly. No lace.

Flavor - It's really hard to pinpoint a dominant flavor in this one. The rye compliments the hops nicely and gives it a sharp, bitter, resinous bite but I'm having a hard time grasping any malt character. I'm getting a bit of that amaretto flavor I mentioned earlier. The honey malt comes through a bit but I think it really masks the other malts completely.

Mouthfeel - Surprisingly light bodied for an ipa and a bit thin for me. It's weird because the one thing I generally dislike about ipa's is the thick chewy body (I love ipa's, just not that aspect of them), but this isn't working for me.

Overall - This beer seems like it hasn't found itself yet. There isn't one defining characteristic to hang the hat on. I have a feeling it's the combination of rye and honey malt that isn't working in this. They're very contrasting flavors and seem to be fighting for control. A slight sweetness in the flavor comes through as it sits but that's very quickly contrasted by the sharp hop bitterness that gets an emphasis from the rye. I love (LOVE) rye in beers and make quite a few myself, but I'm just not digging this one. What was the overall characteristic you were going for with this brew? You mention in your post that the hop flavor and aroma are "out of this world" but I'm having a very hard time finding them at all (could just be the one I got).
My suggestions would be to eliminate the honey malt altogether and let the crystal be the contributing sweetener. And to Mash a bit higher. I always feel bad when I don't really dig a fellow homebrewer's beer, but I hope my comments were at least helpful somewhat.

Glad my Strong Scotch not really being a Strong Scotch didn't totally ruin it for you Brian. I'm brewing attempt #2 in a week or two and will use your feedback to steer me closer. I used 4th or 5th generation Nottingham on it and it's just not the right yeast (I actually mashed at 156* F). Next attempt will use part of a cake of Scottish Ale yeast. Do you think, with some slight tweeks, that beer could pass as a 90/-?

I tried Hookstrat's 10/10/10 on 10/10/10 but I had just driven 4 hours, then flew two flights, then another drive and I think my senses were a mess so I hope to drink/review another tonight. I'm not sure of the correct term but I got what I think is called a strong 'catty' aroma but it was prob just my senses being a mess. I was cooking last night and didn't trust my senses then either.

EDIT: Oh yea, no smoke.