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

[Hookstrat]

Really sorry to hear about the fire Ed. It's times like these....


SpanishCastle's Hartford Lager:

Aroma: Noble hops (Tettnang?). Smells really nice actually. Not much else going on. Kind of interesting that the Vienna lager smelled all caramel/toasty malt and this one has none of that. Maybe a little fruity esters as it warms up. No off aromas.

Appearance: Another beautiful pour, coppertone with no haze. Full, off-white head that just kind of sits and stays. Consistent bubbles rising to the top.

Flavor: Good balance of malt and hops, with a lingering hop flavor (not really bitter). Not sure how to describe it, but it has a similar flavor component that some of my lagers had that I don't love. Kind of a sourness, almost hinting at skunkiness in the aftertaste that may just come from noble hops (?).

Mouthfeel: A little on the lighter side, but again that adds to the drinkability. And again quite smooth, but not as much as the Vienna.

Overall: Nice thirst quencher with enough body and bitter to back it up. This is a solid beer, but not as good as your Vienna Lager IMHO!

 

[Hookstrat]

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.

I will pick up the pace. I'm a bit of plotter/hoarder when it comes to beer so I have a long queue. And to brag just a bit, I paid an impromptu visit to San Diego last weekend to visit my friend and enjoy the SoCal beer scene.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

The Hartford did have some Tett plus Crystal and Cascade. It's a similar malt bill as the Vienna but more Pils/less Munich (Vienna had some dark munich, Hartford didn't). The Hartford had some Caramunich II but the Vienna had no caramel malts at all. Both had a tiny bit of Carafa Special II for color. Vienna was Hella Bock lager yeast and the Hartford was Danish lager yeast. The slight skunkiness may be sulphur or the 'meaty' aroma the Danish lager yeast can have. When I first opened the Danish Lager smackpack I was hit with a huge roast pork aroma (I almost didn't use it). This flavor you speak of is something I'm trying to improve on (I don't have a good word to describe it either) but I just don't know what causes it. I recently got a O2 bottle/stone so we'll see if that helps.

I have reviews hand written of Ed's RyePA and Hookstrat's 10/10/10 but I keep forgetting to post them (they were both good though). I hope to drink/review another tonight and hopefully post all 3.

 

[KingBrianI]

Good news everyone! The 10-10-10 tasting is going down tonight! It will only be me and NCBeernut, the "casual drinker" is out of town. I think the subtleties of these beers would have been lost on him anyway. So stay tuned for in-depth reviews, pictures, commentary, etc.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Sitting down to Brian's RIS right now. I just looked back at your post and saw that you suggested it sit. Oops. Perhaps this will be an unfair review, but it's already poured and I've had a long day, so I'm sure anything will be good right now

Black! I love it. Almost no head at all. A slight tan ring formed for a moment but disappeared pretty quickly. Yum, that smells nice! Makes me think of winter. A little bit of something spicy (clove?) and a deep malt aroma. Slightest bit of alcohol comes through. But oh man is that inviting!
The first thing I notice is that malt sweetness, but it's not overpowering at all. I'm not getting any roast taste, which is too bad. But you're right, this is really complex. In a good way. It's so hard to pinpoint any flavors but I enjoy the hell out of it. I would like more roast though. There might be a slight bit of oxidation, but that could also be some of the darker malts coming through.
Mouthfeel is a little on the thin side, but carbonation is perfect. I would like to chew this one a little more.
Over all this is pretty damn tasty! You're right in that aging a bit more would be good for it, but damn, this is good right now, too. I really enjoy the complexity a lot. It keeps me coming back to it trying to figure it out. But I'm just going to give up figuring it out and enjoy it. Well done.

EDIT: I just went to the recipe's link. And it's almost exactly what I wrote! Definitely picking up the dark fruits and sugars from the caramelization.

 

[KingBrianI]

jackson, I'm glad you liked the RIS! I think it could have been much better with some age but if you enjoyed it as it that's great!

So here is all the stuff from tonight's 10-10-10 tasting. Whew, those beers are strong! Please don't mind the sloppy writing! We had a great time reviewing the beers even though I think I got a bit druck!

Ready to go!

The lineup!

Hookstrat's 10-10-10

SpanishCastleAle's 10-10-10

jacksonbrown's 10-10-10

My 10-10-10

The spread!

 

[KingBrianI]

Now for the reviews. We didn't pull any punches and were completely honest with out comments. The biggest flaw in these beers was a lack of carbonation in 2 of them. If the carbonation was increased, all these beers would have been great. We really enjoyed tasting them all! If you have trouble reading any of our scribbles, let me know and I'll try to translate for you!

 

[NCBeernut]

God help anyone who tries to read my score sheets. I just have two comments on them:

- I think the seal on Jackson Brown's Grolsch bottle wasn't holding up - that would account for the oxidation and the lack of carbonation. I would really have liked to see how that beer would have been in a regular capped bottle.

- Spanish Castle - thanks. That was pretty spot on for the style, clean and delicious. The best of the bunch.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Very thorough reviews guys. Thanks for the effort! I really wish I had gotten the carb better. That keg sat in my keezer for a while and I'd put gas on it, then pull the gas off for another use and not put it back on. When it came time for me to bottle I knew it wasn't as carbed as I would have liked but I really wanted that keg out of the keezer. But after waiting almost a whole friggin year I should have been more patient and called off the bottling until another day. Just another example of impatience being one of a brewer's worst enemies. Glad you enjoyed it otherwise.

Soooooo...how you guys feeling this morning?

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Grandmaster?

 

[NCBeernut]

Grandmaster?

That's right. No arguing with the Grandmaster....


No that was a joke.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

That's right. No arguing with the Grandmaster....


No that was a joke.

I suspected but didn't want to offend just in case.

 

[KingBrianI]

Soooooo...how you guys feeling this morning?

Woke up a bit thirsty in the middle of the night but other than that fine. I was actually really surprised by how quickly those beers started taking effect though. They're potent!

 

[KingBrianI]

I have reviews hand written of Ed's RyePA and Hookstrat's 10/10/10 but I keep forgetting to post them (they were both good though). I hope to drink/review another tonight and hopefully post all 3.

Yo sca! Where those reviews you keep threatening to post?!

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Dammit I was hoping I'd get to skate one more day. I really hope I don't forget again tonight.

I pulled JB's CRP out of the fridge, I hope it somehow carbs up but I'm gonna give it a while. I haven't chilled Ed's 10/10/10 because I thought it was the one that wasn't carbed yet but I'll pop 'em in the fridge tonight. And then there's the sour BDSA with cherries, I'm a leetle skeered of that one.

 

[NCBeernut]

And then there's the sour BDSA with cherries, I'm a leetle skeered of that one.

KingBrianI told me about that one...feel free to ship that over to me and I will take care of it for you.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

jacksonbrown's Strong Scotch Ale:

Aroma: Malt/caramel with intense toffee and an almost soy sauce-ish aroma. As it warms the soy sauce increases. I recently had my first Spaten Optimator and it also had the soy sauce aroma as it warmed (best word I can think of to describe it). No hop aroma.

Appearance: Deep copper with lots of red, hazy. Poured with moderate head that quickly dissipated completely.

Flavor: Caramel, malt, and toffee. Some malty sweetness but not as sweet as most SSAs. No bitterness or hop flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and medium carbonation. Seems low on body and high on carb for a SSA but in an absolute sense not thin or overcarbed.

Overall: A decent beer just a little different than a standard issue SSA. I also sent out a SSA and while mine is different from yours, I missed the mark in some of the same ways. It's an extreme style that tests our intuitions. I still enjoyed it though.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Edcculus' RIPA:

Aroma: Sweet light citrus aroma. Very light malt and caramel. I really like the sweet/citrus just want moar.

Appearance: Hazy deep copper. Poured a smallish head that dopped to a thin ring.

Flavor: Slightly sweet malt at first followed by citrus hop flavor. Medium-lowish bitterness that somehow lingers along with the citrus flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and medium carbonation. Smooth with some silkiness.

Overall: I really enjoyed it just want more aroma (it's so nice!). I like the silkiness of the rye.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Hookstrat's 10/10/10:

Aroma: Deep, sweet malt with a slight catty aroma. Low yeasty esters and phenolics.

Appearance: Light amber, poured with good head that persisted well. Hazy.

Flavor: Malty sweetness with light caramel. Not overly sweet or cloying nor too hot. Some light bitterness lingers. Some alcohol warmth but hides the alcohol well.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and good carbonation. Slightly creamy, smooth.

Overall: I liked it other than the catty aroma. I may be overly sensitive to that, I've got it in some wines and I seem to just zero in on it. Mouthfeel, flavor, and carb were all very good.

 

[jacksonbrown]

For those of you that got my packages, the CRP is carb'd but still needs time to improve. Or it is just is what it is. Like I said this was experimental. I poped one open a couple nights ago and I got the impression of oxidation. I did mark in my notes that there was some syphoning issues, so that could be it. Here's what I wrote the other night:
"Slight tan head, some bubbles clinging to the glass. This is just straight up black. A bit of a cardboard aroma comes through notes of chocolate and dark malts. The first thing I taste is that cardboard - oxydation. behind it is nothing discernatble. Some bitterness lingers on the back. Body is terribly thin."
So not too promising, for which I apologize. I feel like I failed on this swap because none of these beers are indicative of what I normally brew they were just what I had available in bottles. And it was my first attempt at a huge beer (101010), which was a good learning experience. Sorry guys.

 

[KingBrianI]

jackson, the wee heavy was really good, just too dry for the style. And I really think the 10/10/10 would have been very good if it was in different bottles. The carb was just a little too low which really threw off the impression it gave.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Thanks. I'm not sure it was the swing tops though since they were brand new gaskets. I'm just a bit disappointed in myself. We'll have to do this again so I can be redeemed

 

[Edcculus]

Still haven't gotten around to the 10-10-10's yet. I wanted to do them all together, but my (new) wife is working tonight and I'm on puppy duty. We went and picked up a Westie puppy a few days ago. Our dog didn't make it out of the house, and it was just too lonely around here with no dog around.

Anyways, I did get some time to sample Brian's RIS. I goofed and didn't realize he said to let it age a little while. Oh well, here goes!

Aroma: strong roastiness up front followed quickly by noticeable esters. Some bananna noticable when first poured. Very faint cherry/plum aroma. Alcohol is noticable, but not hot. Very pronounced maltiness and slight caramel in the nose also. No hop aroma.

Appearance: Opaque black. Big tan head that dissipates very quickly, kind of like pouring a soda.

Flavor: Very rich and deep beer. Very malty with a slight touch of caramel. Bitterness is low, as well as any bite or bitterness from the darker malts. There is however a very pronounced roasted malt character. Possibly some diacetyl. (note - I can't taste or smell diacetyl, I know this because I've done the Seibel Off Flavor kit during my BJCP class. I'm able to pick up a slickness on the back of my tongue, which I'm getting in this beer. It could be because its so thick though, and its been a while since I've drank suck a thick beer). Bananna esters are prominent when the beer is first poured, but are quick to dissipate. Alcohol is present, but is not hot.

Mouthfeel: Very low carbonation. Somewhat thin bodied, yet it has an extremely coating effect on the tongue making it very velvety and smooth. Almost syrupy or underattenuated.

Overall Impression: I think I popped it too soon. This is a VERY tasty beer, but I feel it has a lot more potential. The carbonation is almost non existent which probably contributed to its syrupy coating effect. I feel if I had aged it, the esters would have gone away and those nice deep rich stone fruit aromas and flavors would have developed. Overall a very tasty beer. Sorry I didn't follow your directions!

 

[KingBrianI]

Dang, that's 2 of 3 of you guys not following directions! Just playing. But Hookstrat, I promise if you let it age a bit (or a lot!) longer it will improve! I'm actually surprised you guys were able to enjoy it somewhat as is. I definitely see a lot of potential in it, but it's too overwhelming right now for me to really get into it.

Edit: Oh, and congrats Ed on the marriage and new puppy!

 

[Hookstrat]

I will definitely cellar that beer Brian. I'm looking forward to drinking it in a few months when there's snow on the ground.

I'll post a few reviews soon.

 

[Hookstrat]

SpanishCastle's 101010

Aroma: sour grape, alcohol noise. right on the edge, not unlike the one i made

Appearance: Crystal clear golden pour, best in show. Had a lasting ring of carb, could use more but I wouldn't say out of style.

Flavor: At first strong and hot, but a good bittersweet finish. Clean boozy finish.

Overall: This beer is a little too much for me. It's clean, but it's really overpowering. I know if I brew this recipe again I will reduce my grain bill, maybe you will too? I think the anniversary beers in general should lose about a lb.

 

[Hookstrat]

Edcculus' RIPA:

Aroma: complex plume of fruity hop aroma lofts from the beer. backed up by a spicy sweet malt backing

Appearance: Nice amber color. I do not value appearance very much for this category, but this beer looks above average,. Slight haze, but copper red color with nice head..

Mouthfeel: Hop water(in a good way), with a creamy amber finish. Slightly watery.

Overall: Tastes great when it tasted fresh. Wish I had more.

Note: One of the two bottles tasted very oxidized and was not included in the evaluation.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Hookstrat,
Yes I would def reduce the OG (reduced grain and sugar). I'd prob shoot for something in the 9%-9.5% range. 12% or whatever it is is just too much for me. Maybe I'll like it better with sushi in those little sake cups.:cross:

Would you mind posting/PMing your Wee Heavy recipe (along with OG/FG)? I'm brewing one this weekend and really liked yours.

 

[KingBrianI]

SpanishCastle's 101010
Overall: This beer is a little too much for me. It's clean, but it's really overpowering. I know if I brew this recipe again I will reduce my grain bill, maybe you will too? I think the anniversary beers in general should lose about a lb.

Wait until you try mine. SpanishCastles tasted smooth and balanced in comparison!

 

[KingBrianI]

Wait until you try mine. SpanishCastles tasted smooth and balanced in comparison!

Speaking of which, is anyone ever going to try mine? Just be sure you won't have to drive anywhere afterwards!