Piratwolf said:
Whoops. Original post edited. Thanks.
12 Beers of Christmas 2012!
- Thread starter biochemedic
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DubbelDach
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
i received bottles with an "I" on them... which one is this?
also got a package with BD on it - i'm assuming that's the dubbel?
also got a package with BD on it - i'm assuming that's the dubbel?
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
i was hoping to get over 70% efficiency but it just didn't happen
still a tad over style in terms of ABV at 5.2% - i'll actually make this beer again anytime of year - doesn't really scream christmas but if you let it chill for a couple of weeks, all the haze goes away and it gets even clearer. i shouldn't have backtracked on making this an imperial abbey weizen. i think it might have stood up to about 7% abv...thanks for the input guys - i'm gonna sit down here in an hour or so and concentrate on the juniper rye bock... looking forward to it.
again, really jazzed about this project and definitely want in on it next year... i might make the old fruitcake ale anyway next year, i was surprised how much i liked it.
The Saffron trippel is very much in the running for the clarity award. What yeast was used for this and was it cold crashed? If so, how long? Really beautiful beer.
In fact, up to the taste, I would guess it was a mead. Remarkable clarity and the aroma was sweet like honey.
I feel like I could learn a lot from this beer. Awesome!
In fact, up to the taste, I would guess it was a mead. Remarkable clarity and the aroma was sweet like honey.
I feel like I could learn a lot from this beer. Awesome!
Draygon
Well-Known Member
The I is my Spiced Bourbon Imperial Stout.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
Sipping on a gruit right now. Love it! Been sampling one every day. My wife was crazy about the fruitcake old ale last night, really digging the juniper rye bock too. Haven't had one that wasn't terrific.
Draygon, has the HGIPA shown up yet? I sent you a pm about it...
Draygon, has the HGIPA shown up yet? I sent you a pm about it...
sfrisby said:
I used wlp530 for the Tripel. Brewed on 6/18/12, racked to keg with bitter orange peel & 2g saffron threads 7/02/12. Spent 4 months at room temp under CO2 pressure, then cold crashed about 3-4 weeks before I finally managed to bottle & ship. Sometimes I fine my beers with Polyclar Fine, but didn't in this case.
Cheers!
OP
OP
Was this my quad? If so, yes, the sugars were caramelized before adding to the boil...there's a pound of DME and a pound of cane sugar that get boiled by themselves then added...
How was the carbonation? A prior review seemed to indicate it was weak, and I cracked one open after that and noticed that it wasn't nearly what I was expecting based on the one I had tested a few months ago! I plan on putting what I have left back in a very warm place to see if I can kick up some bottle conditioning again...would recommend that for anyone who plans on aging until next year...
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
the quad i had was perfectly carb'd and fan-freaking-tastic, thank you!
had the juniper rye bock yesterday - not really sure what to say... i'm always impressed by beers from homebrewers that surpass commercial varieties. fantastic aroma, balance, clarity and taste - absolutely loved it. the juniper showed up every once in a while which i thought was perfect. to be frank, a juniper flavored beer scared me because i kept waiting for a pine tree to show up - not the case here, it shows up enough to be noticed every other sip but never overpowers. a brilliantly built beer.
some of the best beers i've had in the last six months are showing up with this project.
going for the gruit tonight (trying to give everything 4-5 days in the fridge before trying)...
had the juniper rye bock yesterday - not really sure what to say... i'm always impressed by beers from homebrewers that surpass commercial varieties. fantastic aroma, balance, clarity and taste - absolutely loved it. the juniper showed up every once in a while which i thought was perfect. to be frank, a juniper flavored beer scared me because i kept waiting for a pine tree to show up - not the case here, it shows up enough to be noticed every other sip but never overpowers. a brilliantly built beer.
some of the best beers i've had in the last six months are showing up with this project.
going for the gruit tonight (trying to give everything 4-5 days in the fridge before trying)...
Draygon
Well-Known Member
Im having the Fruitcake Old Ale tonight, the first thing Ill say is...Id pay money for this! Well done! I get a nice "spiced" aroma to it, like that of the fruitcake. The taste is quite good of the fruit you used, and to me I get a bit of a tart finish which I like.
So again, very nicely done! Id like to get this recipe and make this myself.
So again, very nicely done! Id like to get this recipe and make this myself.
AerationStation
Well-Known Member
I'm a sucker for the Harpoon Winter Warmer. Nice spiced flavor without being too nuts
Christmas Gruit
Aroma: Spices, faint alcohol, herbal.
Appearance: Nice amber color, good clarity. Thin head, faded quickly...similar to a champagne pour.
Flavor: I'm getting hints of cinnamon, juniper, and herbs.
Body: Medium, great carbonation.
Overall: This is a very tasty beer. Good finish. I am having this with hors d'oeuvres. The herbalness is complementing the food very well. Need to keep restraint on drinking this too fast, it goes down too easy for such a high ABV. Another phenomenal beer.
I have seen a couple of people say that these are some of the best beers they have had in the last 6 months and I agree. Every beer I've had so far I have said to myself "wow, this is good".
Aroma: Spices, faint alcohol, herbal.
Appearance: Nice amber color, good clarity. Thin head, faded quickly...similar to a champagne pour.
Flavor: I'm getting hints of cinnamon, juniper, and herbs.
Body: Medium, great carbonation.
Overall: This is a very tasty beer. Good finish. I am having this with hors d'oeuvres. The herbalness is complementing the food very well. Need to keep restraint on drinking this too fast, it goes down too easy for such a high ABV. Another phenomenal beer.
I have seen a couple of people say that these are some of the best beers they have had in the last 6 months and I agree. Every beer I've had so far I have said to myself "wow, this is good".
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
just as an update i'll double check, but it looks like i received everything - good work people...
last one i had was the gruit;
aroma: piney, but not hoppy piney - like pine piney, smells warm.
appearance: slightly hazy dark amber... i poured it aggressively and the head built up to about 1/2" and then faded within a few minutes.
flavor: uh, there's a LOT going on in this beer - one thing that surprised me is i couldn't really taste the alcohol - smelled hotter than it tasted and had tons of woody herbal and piney flavors. really nice and i sipped it as slowly as i could (kind of slammed it actually)
body: thick, mouthfilling with a nice lightness - the carb was excellent and really opened the beer up physically as it warmed.
overall: fantastic and i really enjoyed it - it's not a beer i would normally drink, but now i'm thinking about making one! thanks for this, never had anything quite like it and enjoyed every sip!
last one i had was the gruit;
aroma: piney, but not hoppy piney - like pine piney, smells warm.
appearance: slightly hazy dark amber... i poured it aggressively and the head built up to about 1/2" and then faded within a few minutes.
flavor: uh, there's a LOT going on in this beer - one thing that surprised me is i couldn't really taste the alcohol - smelled hotter than it tasted and had tons of woody herbal and piney flavors. really nice and i sipped it as slowly as i could (kind of slammed it actually)
body: thick, mouthfilling with a nice lightness - the carb was excellent and really opened the beer up physically as it warmed.
overall: fantastic and i really enjoyed it - it's not a beer i would normally drink, but now i'm thinking about making one! thanks for this, never had anything quite like it and enjoyed every sip!
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
last few days i had a couple different ones;
strong saffron saison;
aroma: smells like blossoming farmland - sweet and spicy with some earthiness
appearance: slightly hazy straw with orange tints - i didn't really let this sit in the fridge very long (just a few days) but i imagine it would clear up quite a bit.
flavor: excellent yeast flavor that doesn't at all carry any warmth from the 10+% abv - although i couldn't pull the saffron out of this, it does have a sweet herbal quality that is excellent. although it's a high abv beer, i could drink this anytime of day.
body: i thought this thing going to have a really full body to it, but in reality is it's perfectly dry and the sweetness it does have is more in flavor than in mouthfeel - excellent beer!
overall: loved it... i'm a huge fan of saisons so this is right up my alley - i'm looking forward to the other two but i'm committed to trying them all before i move onto a repeat session!
strong saffron saison;
aroma: smells like blossoming farmland - sweet and spicy with some earthiness
appearance: slightly hazy straw with orange tints - i didn't really let this sit in the fridge very long (just a few days) but i imagine it would clear up quite a bit.
flavor: excellent yeast flavor that doesn't at all carry any warmth from the 10+% abv - although i couldn't pull the saffron out of this, it does have a sweet herbal quality that is excellent. although it's a high abv beer, i could drink this anytime of day.
body: i thought this thing going to have a really full body to it, but in reality is it's perfectly dry and the sweetness it does have is more in flavor than in mouthfeel - excellent beer!
overall: loved it... i'm a huge fan of saisons so this is right up my alley - i'm looking forward to the other two but i'm committed to trying them all before i move onto a repeat session!
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
spiced imperial stout;
aroma: heavy spice and you can smell huge quantities of star anise and warm alcohol... i sipped this bad boy watching a movie late at night with the kids and the aroma said "take your time"
appearance: poured very aggressively and in the dim light of the kitchen but it appeared inky black and didn't get much of a head on it at all - what head there was immediately gone. carbonation was very light, but didn't distract from the beer.
flavor: intense spice and heavy anise... my fiance has tried all of the beers and i've learned that when she says "horrible" i know i'm going to like it... if she ever drinks beer (she doesn't) she goes with a blue moon and an orange slice and can't finish that, lol... what i liked about the spice in this is that the base beer held up to it. you can taste the stout portion for sure... be ready for a spice bomb once you open this up. if you've had this years anchor christmas beer, this reminds me of an imperial version of that.
body: thick, thick, thick, and thick. completely mouth coating without being cloyingly sweet. the body fits the flavor perfectly.
overall: sounds strange, but i was surprised i liked this one as much as i did - not because of the beer, but the last two beers i usually drink are 1) spiced and 2) stouts... again, my beer prejudice has been shattered.
the only one left is the cherry dubel and i'll likely get to that tonight with dinner (ciopinno)...
happy new years everyone!!
aroma: heavy spice and you can smell huge quantities of star anise and warm alcohol... i sipped this bad boy watching a movie late at night with the kids and the aroma said "take your time"
appearance: poured very aggressively and in the dim light of the kitchen but it appeared inky black and didn't get much of a head on it at all - what head there was immediately gone. carbonation was very light, but didn't distract from the beer.
flavor: intense spice and heavy anise... my fiance has tried all of the beers and i've learned that when she says "horrible" i know i'm going to like it... if she ever drinks beer (she doesn't) she goes with a blue moon and an orange slice and can't finish that, lol... what i liked about the spice in this is that the base beer held up to it. you can taste the stout portion for sure... be ready for a spice bomb once you open this up. if you've had this years anchor christmas beer, this reminds me of an imperial version of that.
body: thick, thick, thick, and thick. completely mouth coating without being cloyingly sweet. the body fits the flavor perfectly.
overall: sounds strange, but i was surprised i liked this one as much as i did - not because of the beer, but the last two beers i usually drink are 1) spiced and 2) stouts... again, my beer prejudice has been shattered.
the only one left is the cherry dubel and i'll likely get to that tonight with dinner (ciopinno)...
happy new years everyone!!
jtakacs
Well-Known Member
any more reviews?
Sorry for the slow posting of reviews. I've got so much beer to drink from the holidays. I'll try to post the rest of my reviews in the next week!
It's been eye-opening reading your reviews, jtakacs. I'd love to hear from others, too.
It's been eye-opening reading your reviews, jtakacs. I'd love to hear from others, too.
Now that HBT has developed the itrader section to help ID good traders, I wanted to suggest we go through our list and give back other positive feedback. All the participants (or lack of participants) can be found on page 1 of this thread.
Did anyone else save one of each for this Christmas? I forgot all about them until my pipeline started getting low and I started digging deeper and deeper. These are going into the fridge right now! Merry Christmas!
SavoryChef
Well-Known Member
I have most of them. I think mine has a lacto infection ( fruitcake ). I will start tasting them tomorrow
Draygon
Well-Known Member
Tasted a Fruitcake Old ale tonight and you are correct, it got infected...but on the flip side of that, it is a very good sour
