Beerswap 2007; Pirate Ales' beer

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Pirate Ale

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Ok, I sent out 2 plus a bonus. Since i'm a nooby brewer, I want critiques on all three that I had kegged.

I sent a pale ale, a cream ale, and an IPA. It is also my very first experience with a beer gun, so I hope the stayed carbed.

The recipes are as follows:

PA =American Pale Ale


Type: Partial Mash
Date: 12/25/2006
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Jon
Boil Size: 5.72 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My Equipment

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.50 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 39.8 %
3.30 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 37.5 %
0.75 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 8.5 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 8.5 %
0.50 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5.7 %
1.00 oz Magnum [13.60%] (30 min) Hops 33.9 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [6.60%] (60 min) Hops 10.7 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [6.40%] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 oz Glacier [5.60%] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Pacman (Wyeast Labs #Special) [Starter 700 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.4 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.9 %
Bitterness: 44.7 IBU Calories: 291 cal/pint
Est Color: 9.4 SRM Color: Color

CA = Cream Ale


Type: Partial Mash
Date: 11/18/2006
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: JON
Boil Size: 5.72 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My Equipment


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 75.0 %
0.75 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 9.4 %
0.25 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3.1 %
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.00%] (60 min) Hops 20.9 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50%] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 12.5 %
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.007 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.5 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 %
Bitterness: 20.9 IBU Calories: 223 cal/pint
Est Color: 9.4 SRM Color: Color

IPA =
Pirates Eye IPA
American IPA


Type: Partial Mash
Date: 1/11/2007
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Brewer: Jon Tart
Boil Size: 6.00 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My Equipment


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 43.0 %
3.30 lb Coopers Pale Malt Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 35.5 %
0.50 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5.4 %
0.25 lb Carafoam (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.7 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 2.7 %
1.00 oz Cascade [6.40%] (35 min) Hops 15.3 IBU
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [9.60%] (15 min) Hops 13.7 IBU
1.00 oz Chinook [12.00%] (10 min) Hops 12.5 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00%] (5 min) Hops 5.7 IBU
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 10.8 %
1 Pkgs Pacman (Wyeast Labs #Special) [Starter 700 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.061 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.4 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.3 %
Bitterness: 47.3 IBU Calories: 273 cal/pint
Est Color: 9.3 SRM Color: Color


LOL I like all of them but they may have a thin finish for the experts. I am still working to perfect the partial mash thing. Imade up the recipes goofing with Beer smith, so feel free to correct anything illogical in what I have done.
Cheers!
 
Yeah, I got mine a couple days ago. I put them in the fridge to settle down for a couple days; they looked a bit shaken up. I think I'll try one tonight after work!
 
Trying the IPA right now.

Appearance: Moderate amber color, a bit opaque, with a thin head forming and dissolving fairly quickly.

Aroma: Nice citrus and floral hop aroma, nothing too extreme or heavy, very light and crisp.

Taste: A little bit of sweetness in the first instant, some fruitiness, almost an apple-y flavor, moving into nice hoppiness and some bitterness, although less than I would expect from an IPA. Of course, my bitterness tolerance is ridiculously high nowadays. Still, the finish is quite long, which is a good sign. :)

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, maybe a tiny bit low, but not bad at all. I think you did just fine with the beer gun. Mouthfeel might be a little heavy, but the finish is pretty palate cleansing and there isn't any lingering stickiness or anything like that.

Overall: A pretty good example of the style. I've been trying a lot of different IPAs in the last couple months, and this is better than half of them, easily. A fine beer, and very drinkable!

EDIT: Yeah, I had a hard time not just completely guzzling it! Very good beer. :mug:
 
Torchiest said:
Trying the IPA right now.

Appearance: Moderate amber color, a bit opaque, with a thin head forming and dissolving fairly quickly.

Aroma: Nice citrus and floral hop aroma, nothing too extreme or heavy, very light and crisp.

Taste: A little bit of sweetness in the first instant, some fruitiness, almost an apple-y flavor, moving into nice hoppiness and some bitterness, although less than I would expect from an IPA. Of course, my bitterness tolerance is ridiculously high nowadays. Still, the finish is quite long, which is a good sign. :)

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, maybe a tiny bit low, but not bad at all. I think you did just fine with the beer gun. Mouthfeel might be a little heavy, but the finish is pretty palate cleansing and there isn't any lingering stickiness or anything like that.

Overall: A pretty good example of the style. I've been trying a lot of different IPAs in the last couple months, and this is better than half of them, easily. A fine beer, and very drinkable!

EDIT: Yeah, I had a hard time not just completely guzzling it! Very good beer. :mug:

:D wahoo! I hope everyone is as nice about my brew. And I am so glad it had some carbination. Out of the keg, it has a great head that hangs for most of the glass.
 
Yeah, all the bottles had some foam inside them, but they seem to still be carbonated. Trying the Cream Ale now.

Appearance: Pretty middle of the road amber again, perhaps a bit lighter than the IPA, but not by much. A slight haze or cloudiness.

Aroma: Very mild, no major hop character, a bit of maltiness and honey. Reminds me of my first batch, actually.

Taste: Sweet and smooth are the first two words that spring to mind. You can definitely taste the sweetness of the honey malt, which is nice, and the belgian candi sugar is probably contributing to that some as well. There does seem to be a bit of graininess in the finish, and a very slight astringent quality. No real hoppiness, but some easy-going lingering bitterness afterwards.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is right on, and it's relatively light in the mouth. I'd say it fits the style.

Overall: Another pretty good beer, very easy drinking. Doesn't seem like it could be 5.7% alcohol, as there is no burn or bite at all. Good job!
 
:D no bite...just how SWMBO likes her beverage....plus it sneaks up on her.

Thanks for the kind words....that was only my 3rd ever batch.
 
Beer
Cream Ale

Appearance
A nice light golden color, a little hazy, but that is part my fault for rushing a taste, I saw a few yeast chunks coming up as I poured. There is a thin white head, diminished to a spotty skim.

Aroma
Medium-low sweetness, a low little of what I think is honey. No detectable hop aroma.

Taste
Initially moderate-low sweetness, a low hop bitterness, and something at the swallow. I can't put my finger on what it is. All around a good flavor.

Mouthfeel
Moderate carbonation, medium-light body, and good drinkability.

Overall
I found this beer to be very refreshing and easy to drink, would make a great beer to serve fairly cold on a hot afternoon. The sweetness of the beer is balanced by enough hop bitterness to keep it from being overly sweet. I wish I could put my finger on what I taste at the swallow, I think it might be the finish of honey, I haven't had many beers with honey, so that still a learning taste for me.

Thanks for the brew! I'm looking forward to the next two!
 
Thanks, this was supposed to be a session brew, and the honey malt was an addition I made to try to get a sweeter brew for SWMBO. Glad you like it, and can't wait to hear abut the others from you and the other guys.
 
Beer
IPA

Appearance
A nice golden-orange, a little hazy. Thin white head diminished quickly to a spotty skim. A nice color.

Aroma
Moderate floral and citrus hop aroma. A little malty sweentess. A little bit of pine in the nose as well. A very inviting aroma. Not in your face, but still distinguishable.

Taste
Initially moderate hop bitterness and medium hop flavor that lasts into the swallow. There is a hint of malt throughout the background, providing a nice balance. Light hop bitterness lingers through the swallow. A low piney character, but nothing crazy, I think that is Chinook as a finishing hop.

Mouthfeel
Carbonation is medium-low, could be a bit higher. Mouthfeel otherwise is good, mediumbody and rather drinkable.

Overall
I think you've put together another good recipe. I think as far as IPAs go this one is fairly balanced, which would allow me to drink a few.

The piney hop flavor is not my favorite. The good thing for me was it was subtle. I attribute that to chinook hops as a finishing hop, I only like chinook for bittering. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, it is purely my personal preference.

My only suggestion would be a bit higher carbonation, otherwise thanks for a tasty brew. Too bad I've only got one left, but I'm looking forward to it.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I think the beergun is to blame for the low carbination. It is great out of the keg. And yse the Chinook gives it the piney thing. I plan to rearrange the hop schedule if I brew it again.
 
Pirate Ale said:
Thanks for the feedback. I think the beergun is to blame for the low carbination. It is great out of the keg. And yse the Chinook gives it the piney thing. I plan to rearrange the hop schedule if I brew it again.

Like I said nothing at all wrong with the pine flavor, some people love it. That's just one I don't care for.

But thanks again for the beer. I'll have the APA tomorrow or Sunday probably.
 
I'm drinking the IPA...
and it is quite good!

Pour: Nice carbonation upon opening the bottle and I was able to get a nice head but it dissipated quickly. I'd call the carbonation on the high side.

Appearance: A tad dark for style maybe but I don't mind. Quite a bit of haze and again, I don't mind.

Aroma: Very citrusy hop aroma. Not room for much else in there.

Taste: This beer is loaded with hop character in bitterness, flavor, and aroma. It is however nicely balanced with the malt.

Proximity to Traditional Styles: I would call it an IPA but I'm no expert. I've never been a hop head so I haven't had too many IPAs to compare.

Overall: Nicely done beer that has no off flavors. The combination of hops and malt that this beer has is very tasty to me. I may not be a hop head but I'd go for another one of these if you twisted my arm. :D
Great job!
 
The third and final beer: The Pale Ale

Appearance: Relatively dark, looks more like an amber ale, but that's how homebrews go sometimes. Didn't get a lot of head even with a semi-aggresive pour at the end. A thin white ring is lingering though.

Aroma: Really fruity aroma, almost like a belgian ale. Noticing an estery character to it for sure. A creaminess, almost, in the aroma, a roundedness.

Taste: Aha, the hops are in front, but a lot of caramel sweetness as well, then that fruitiness as well, and a good amount of hoppy bitterness in the finish, although the caramel lingers as well.

Mouthfeel: A bit thick, carbonation seems a bit light. Surprisingly heavy considering that you used pacman and the FG was only 1.012

Overall: Honestly, this one seems a bit off target. For a pale ale, the flavor and body both seem a bit heavy, and it's sweeter and maltier than I would expect for the style. It's not a bad beer, but it doesn't match my expectattions. Of course, the last beer I had was a DFH 90min, and I'm already a bit drunk, so I could be spouting nonsense. :drunk: Looking at the recipe, this is pretty close to your IPA. I think I might lose the honey malt for this one; I'm not sure if it's a good fit for the style.

Thank you very much for sharing your beers with me. It was a pleasure to drink and critique them! :D :mug:
 
RichBrewer said:
Tonight I'm trying the Cream Ale

Pour: Nice carbonation upon opening the bottle and I was able to get a nice head that stayed throughout. Nicely carbonated.

Appearance: I would call it dark for a cream ale but a very attractive and cristal clear beer. Not a trace of haze in this one.:mug:

Aroma: Light citrusy hop aroma with I nice maltyness in the background.

Taste: Nice maltiness balanced by hop bitterness that does not stay on the pallet. A hint of hop flavor but the malt dominates. Nice medium body and no off flavors.

Proximity to Traditional Styles:
This is not a cream ale but it is a very good, well made beer. I would call it a Special Bitter or an ESB.

Overall: Very well made beer. clean and very tasty. If I were making this beer the only thing I would change is the category. I'd call it an ESB.

That beer hit the spot tonight. :rockin:
Thank you!
 
Before our friends arrived for the evening I had to try your APA....here it goes...


Beer
APA

Appearance
A very nice copper color with good clarity. A nice thick white head with lots of lasting power and nice lacing. I think the appearance of this beer is the best of the three you sent.

Aroma
The aroma is moderate to moderate-high caramel sweetness, rather fruity, and bit alcoholic, with a little honey. The hop aroma is nice, moderate-low citrusy hop aroma.

Taste
The taste is initially rather sweet, but is quickly overcome by a moderate hop bitterness and moderate-high hop flavor. Toward the swallow and into the aftertaste I pickup a common flavor in your three beers, I think the honey malt.

Mouthfeel
The mouthfeel is rather smooth and silky and surprisingly full bodied. Carbonation is moderate.

Overall
A nice beer to look at and a lot going on in the nose, I like both of those. (By the way, what temperature did you ferment this beer at? It’s rather fruity, but not in a bad way.) The flavor is pretty good. I think the honey malt combined with the hop flavor gives the beer an odd finish. I see all three beers you sent had honey malt. I’d like to try all three without the honey malt. I never have had many beers with honey malt before, but I suspect the flavor it imparts is not one of my favorites. It seems to fit better with the other two beers than this beer.

I also agree that the body is a bit much for the beer, although you got 81.5% attenuation, so I’m a bit surprised that is the case.

Jon, I want to thank you again for the beers. They are all solid brews and I’m glad I got to enjoy them. My biggest suggestion would be to lose the honey malt in the APA and brew again, but that is if I was brewing, just throwing some ideas out there. Thanks again!
 
It's the Pale Ale tonight...:rockin:

Pour: Nicely carbonated. I was able to get a 1/2" creamy head that dissipated fairly quickly.

Appearance: The beer has a very slight haze and is a nice copper color.

Aroma: Citrusy hop aroma up front with a nice maltiness peaking through. The combination is quite nice to my nose.

Taste: Assertive bitterness followed by a wonderful malt presence. Very nice balance.

Proximity to Traditional Styles: I'm no expert but I would definitely call this a pale ale. Just a skosh more hops and it would be an IPA.

Overall: This is a very good beer with a perfect malt/hop balance. This is the best of the three beers to me and I thought the other two were quite good. If I were brewing this for me (and I might just brew it) I would decrease the hops a bit. This is only my personal preference and I'm sure most beer lovers would enjoy it just the way it is.
Thanks for sharing 3 very good beers Pirate Ale. I enjoyed them very much.:mug:
 
First,let me say that I am elated with all of your comments. As a rookie it feels good to know that I am on the right track. I really appreciate all the feedback.

Now that you have had a chance to taste them, let me tell you my thoughts.

I am not a fan of my cream ale. Although it is a good bear and came out wonerfully colored and clear, the taste wasn't quite what I was after. I will probably do it over as a lighter, less biscuity, session beer if I do it at all. Most of my samplers like it, but I am so so on it.

The pale ale was my first attempt at trying to do my favorite style, and I loved it. it came out good, but not great. I will brew it again, without the honey malt, and will tone down the cascade a little. I will also do late extract addition to lighten the color a little, but overall it was my crowds favorite. It was also my first dry hop using Glacier hops,which I loved. (thats why they are in my 777 recipe:D ) My buddies nicknamed it Deisel fuel for the color and the kick it gave at super bowl.

The IPA was third in the list and the last I brewed prior to the swap. It came out with less IBU than intended due to my mistake on water volume. I miscalculated and wound up with 5.5 g instead of 5g when the brew was ready for primary. Needless to say, I was bummed a little, but realized that I would still have a great Pale Ale even if it didn't fit the IPA specs. Of the three,this one has now become my favorite. It has aged more in the keg, and OMG it keeps getting better. I bottled a few for long term storage and am gingerly sipping on the keg to make it last. This one I won't change and will brew again this summer, with the same volume of water and try to repeat it.

Overall I have loved sharing beer with you guys, and look forward to the next swap. This forum and all the people on it make the homebrew experience even better. Thanks Again! :rockin:
 
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