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5) India Black Lager, 7.1%, Bottled from Keg. A little experimental brew. This is basically a highly hopped Baltic porter. Hops upfront gives way to chocolate roast. Next batch will be a little less roast but it is still tasty.

Tried this out today.

Aroma: hoppy in the sense of grapefruit and pine. Not much malt aroma that I can detect over the hops.

Appearance: black with a tight light brown head that laced the glass. Clear and very pretty beer.

Taste: bitter and hoppy with some roasted backbone. All the makings of a black IPA but with the smoothness of a lager. Could have been hoppier and may have been at some point but lost some of the hop flavor during lagering and over time.

Mouthfeel: has an initial bitter bite on the tongue with a smooth finish. Has the consistency of chocolate milk without tasting like chocolate milk.

Overall: beautiful beer, I really enjoyed it as I do love hoppy beers. Just the right amount of roast for a well balanced yet complex beer.

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4) 100% Brett Rye (IPA), 8.5%, Bottle Conditioned. The IPA in parenthesis because this brew is about 8-9 months old so the hops probably faded a little. Same strain as #2. Slightly tart fruity/Funk saison

Warning: this review comes with slightly negative feedback. This beer was very overcarbed and gushed a lot so I wasn't able to save very much of it.

Appearance: cloudy and was a gusher, what I was able to pour had almost no head. Pale yellow in color.

Aroma: acidic and funky, not much else on the nose.

Taste: lots of funk upfront with an acidic tart finish. Not getting any of the rye in the taste. Perhaps use more flaked rye next time to bring that spice through. This one is lacking in malt complexity all that is noticeable is the funk and acid which are good but they need that malt character to carry them. This is labeled an IPA but I'm not getting any hop at all which would be out of character anyway for a brett but it would have been nice to see to maybe add some complexity.

Mouthfeel: it is very thin and lacking but Bretts don't typically win many points for mouthfeel.

Overall: I'm really not sure what happened in this one but it could be a number of things. Compared to your other beers this beer is below par but I wouldn't dump it so it is still certainly drinkable.

Please keep in mind that while this may be a negative review it is just my opinion and if you enjoy this beer then there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Cheers!

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Sorry about that. I havent opened one in a while. It was better fresh and its a little old so the hops have faded. I never had a gusher when i opened my bretts. I put little sugar to carb but guess that one got too much sugar. Hope that is the only one like that. That is homebrew for ya. Sorry again
 
Sorry about that. I havent opened one in a while. It was better fresh and its a little old so the hops have faded. I never had a gusher when i opened my bretts. I put little sugar to carb but guess that one got too much sugar. Hope that is the only one like that. That is homebrew for ya. Sorry again

I kind of expected it to be a gusher at least. Bottle conditioned bretts don't travel well. I still got about half the beer out of it so it's all good.
 
@Keith_O

Had the double dunkel the other day but no pics.

Poured a nice dark caramel with seemingly low carb and a one finger head. Smelled malty sweet, but tasted not as sweet as it smells. Very clean taste, slightly phenolic.

Overall I enjoyed it as it was a very tasty brew.
 
@Keith_O

Had the double dunkel the other day but no pics.

Poured a nice dark caramel with seemingly low carb and a one finger head. Smelled malty sweet, but tasted not as sweet as it smells. Very clean taste, slightly phenolic.

Overall I enjoyed it as it was a very tasty brew.

Glad it was ok!
I am always either rushing or have help during brewing. ( 14 month old)
Like most of my HB, there was an error involved with this one, but it still turned out drinkable.
I've come to enjoy many of my mistakes, hey! you never know, right?
 
8) Yummy Sound Sour Stout, 8%, Bottled Conditioned. One of the best beers I made so far. This sour stout stands up to Funk Metal from Jester King. People comment that it is actually better. Puckering sour gives away to tart cherry, slight roastiness. Version 2.0 is planned

Tried this one out tonight.

Aroma: lots of sour funk in the nose with a touch of roast and caramel.

Appearance: black as Sauron's soul but clear leaving me to believe he is more of a misunderstood teen than an evil entity. Lightly carbed with no head formation.

Taste: impossibly sour, just the way I like it. Sour funk is all up front leading to a roasty finish. Nice malt backbone to carry the funk around. It is very different to have all that roast in the finish. Starts out like a sour summer quaffer and ends as a winter warmer, which was welcomed during this Nebraska cold snap. This all left my palate delightfully confused.

Mouthfeel: thin, like drinking black coffee but instead of astringent roast you get an assault of puckering sour that rivals the devastation of the five armies of middle earth.

Overall: points to you for a unique brew. I enjoyed it a lot.

Side note: this beer went straight to my head so I went full nerd in this review.

Cheers!

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Having @Johnnyhitch1 's Drunken Pumpkin.

This is the best pumpkin brew I've had in a while, and I had basically given up on the 'style'.

Apparently this one has 3 years on it and it has really come together well. Thick mouthfeel, biscuit/graham crust combined with a good balance on the spices.

Really reminds me of a pumpkin pie in a glass, in a great way. Thanks for this one!
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@Keith_O

Had the cider tonight.

Really clear and nicely carved. Nice and clean, sweet finish. This was delicious. I would love the recipe if you care to share.
 
@nmfree

Old Balakirev v1

Jet black in appearance. Nice lasting creamy head with a roasty chocolate nose. I didn't get any hop aroma, but that's ok cause I'm not a hop head at all. No off flavors detected with perfect carbonation level.
I really enjoyed this beer and would like the recipe!
I'm gonna be trying the apfelwein while watching some football today.
GREAT BEER!
I'm glad you liked this one, it's one of my favorites. I'm a bit late, but here's the recipe and the brew log of that one.
 
6) Morning Hangover Rx (Breakfast Stout), 7%, Bottled from Keg. Basically a dessert beer. This beer is sweet with massive coffee, chocolate and slight vanilla really makes this beer great. Fully body deliciousness

Had the last of DC's beers tonight.

Appearance: black with a moussey light brown head that stuck around through the finish and laced my glass. Very clear stout.

Aroma: strong coffee roast aroma with lots of caramel and a hint of vanilla.

Taste: bitter and astringent at first taste lending to a toasty finish. I almost missed the coffee but if I let it linger on my palate I definitely picked it up it is just suttle maybe more coffee and less roasted barley?

Mouthfeel: silky smooth and thick with a bit of astringent bite.

Overall: a good drinkable stout. I have had better but I have also had much worse. Decent beer overall.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to try and review some of your beers. Cheers!
 
Had the last of DC's beers tonight.

Appearance: black with a moussey light brown head that stuck around through the finish and laced my glass. Very clear stout.

Aroma: strong coffee roast aroma with lots of caramel and a hint of vanilla.

Taste: bitter and astringent at first taste lending to a toasty finish. I almost missed the coffee but if I let it linger on my palate I definitely picked it up it is just suttle maybe more coffee and less roasted barley?

Mouthfeel: silky smooth and thick with a bit of astringent bite.

Overall: a good drinkable stout. I have had better but I have also had much worse. Decent beer overall.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to try and review some of your beers. Cheers!

Forgot the pics.

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Have we heard from everyone yet? Seems like we had a pretty good size list and I can't recall if everyone has started reviewing the beers they've received.
 
Finsfan's Big XII triple

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This was tasty. Aroma is flat, but there is a lot of spicy, peppery yeast character there. A touch of alcohol heat, which I prefer in most Belgian beers tbh, good. No lasting head under modest carbonation..... although, it kept giving off a steady stream of tiny bubbles, leaving a super thin creamy layer on top. Almost spritzy. Interesting.

Very clear.

Flavor is spicy, peppery, layered in modest maltiness, with alcohol on sides of tongue.

Overall, I'm pleased and well brewed. I'd like it drier. I think it should be drier. A sugary sweetness builds up in the mouth the farther you go into the glass. And carbonation is lacking. But it wouldn't stop me from getting two more.

Thanks Finsfan!
 
Finsfan's Big XII triple



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This was tasty. Aroma is flat, but there is a lot of spicy, peppery yeast character there. A touch of alcohol heat, which I prefer in most Belgian beers tbh, good. No lasting head under modest carbonation..... although, it kept giving off a steady stream of tiny bubbles, leaving a super thin creamy layer on top. Almost spritzy. Interesting.



Very clear.



Flavor is spicy, peppery, layered in modest maltiness, with alcohol on sides of tongue.



Overall, I'm pleased and well brewed. I'd like it drier. I think it should be drier. A sugary sweetness builds up in the mouth the farther you go into the glass. And carbonation is lacking. But it wouldn't stop me from getting two more.



Thanks Finsfan!


Thanks for the feedback, glad you liked it! Cheers!
 
@ Wolfhound180
Finally got through all the beers you sent and keeping with the spirit of the swap here’s the reviews on the beers you sent. Let me know when you get your homebrews ready and maybe we can set up a swap in the near future. Thanks again for these beers.

whiplash white ipa:
This was a nice light bodied beer with a solid hop profile. I found it a nice change of pace compared to the vast majority of IPA’s out there.

Sweet Baby Jesus: just a great beer. I always keep a case on hand.

Birra: this is a staple of prairie. A very good saison/farmhouse ale. If you haven’t tried it… you really should.

128 Gose the Kimmie, The Yink, and the Holy Gose: a refreshing beer that is in the middle of the gose tart/sour range. It is easy drinking and less salty than others out there. This would be a good starting point for anyone wanting to try this style, then have a westbrook which is at the more extreme side of the style.

Great Return: what an unexpected ipa. The grapefruit aroma is awesome, followed by that well balanced citrus flavored malty goodness!! I will have to pick some of this up next time I’m in the Richmond area.

Alewerks Coffehouse Stout: this is a-good beer. Very well balanced with just enough sweetness to bring it all together. I had this cold which was good, but I let it warm to room temp. and that’s when the magic happened!! The taste changed to another level.. Like a double shot of espresso.

again great selection and thanks for the chance to try some very good beer.
 
Long overdue post here, I've gotten to enjoy beer a lot less than I had hoped!

@coyote68

Cherries in the Snow
The aroma is subtle cherry. What a great cherry flavor! As I work my way through the glass the cherry flavor morphs from sweet and fruity to more of tannin-like stems and skins flavor. I think this gives a lot of character to the drink. I like when the beer is an experience from start to finish and the cherries play host to this. Didn’t detect any off flavors, the carbonation is perfect.

I like the choice of a Belgian style as the base. it makes itself known without stealing the show from the cherries. A perfect stage.

The flavor is a fruity and somewhat sweet. I’m not detecting any hops coming through.

Easily one of the best home brews I’ve ever had (and it’s not even something I’d typically pick!) Bravo!

In case you’re wondering how it’s aging color-wise, it’s a reddish gold color, SRM ~15. A lot of cellared beers are like a 10% ABV so you can pick up a bit of booziness - I don’t pick up any booziness in it either, what’s the ABV?

Smoked porter

The beer pours very dark - when holding it up to a lightbulb I’m unable to see through. The aroma is a fairly typical porter. I get some smokiness from the aroma, but not a whole lot. I’m trying to decide if my brain is playing tricks on me, but I almost pick up a hint of fruitiness in the aroma as well. The beer pours with a picturesque head that sticks around. The carbonation is a little high, but not enough to be a distraction.

The smoke taste is right on point. It’s easy to overdo smoke, this is just enough to let you know it’s there. This would have been a fantastic beer to pair with barbecue or a burger. Would be very sessionable.
 
@eatmorefrogs
that version of cherries in the snow is 8% and is one of the best versions that i have done.

the yeast in the porter lends a nice fruitiness. i got that strain in england from black sheep brewery. it's an odd strain to brew with as temp. control is real finicky. when it hits 70 F it gives a real nice apple aroma.

thanks for the great reviews!! lots of good info to use.
 
Just getting around to whatever this is in the Corona bottle. Yellow red in color not much carbonation starts with a nice sour taste then changes to a fruity/Barry finish. It's nice?. What is it?
 
That's blackberry apple cider. Fresh wild blackberries picked along the river every year give the slight sourness which complements the apple sweetness nicely
 
Good to see reviews are still rolling in. Might consider doing another swap as we move into the summer. Got a few grain and hop bulk buys to finish running first though.
 
I've still got a couple of the meads left, but having @Johnnyhitch1 's Rock of Love. Brett bottle dreg beer.
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Nice malt character to back up a good level of tartness. Getting some good cherry/stone fruit flavors too. I'd be happy with this as a commercial beer, good stuff. Going to let it warm up a bit and sit with it for a while. Thanks again. Saving the bottle dregs for my house culture.
 
@coyote68

You're talented, the range of styles of beers you've sent and the quality of each is wonderful. I commend you for not only doing a lot of styles, but doing them well. It takes some courage to dabble in sours and gose.

La Folie Sour
Pours a slightly reddish copper and is slightly hazy with no head. As far as sours go it's on the halfway between mild and medium, but in a good way that would make it sessionable but with a healthy amount of sour. I'm detecting a slightly bitter finish that could stand to be dropped altogether, but it's minor. It's not a bad bitter, just a distraction from the sour. The mouth feel is wonderful. This would pair really well with some fun cheeses and charcuterie.

Gose
Pours a cloudy straw yellow. It was a bottle volcano! Heavy carbonation. My first thought is that I'd love to have this with barbeque, I think it'd pair well with brisket or pulled pork. It's dry and cidery with and appropriate amount of sour for the style.
 
I'm glad you replied to this thread @eatmorefrogs because I've been meaning to ask you, should I be storing your HB wine on the side? Right now it's upright in a pantry to keep it out of the way of light.
 
@coyote68

You're talented, the range of styles of beers you've sent and the quality of each is wonderful. I commend you for not only doing a lot of styles, but doing them well. It takes some courage to dabble in sours and gose.

@ eatmorefrogs.
Thanks for the reviews. yes that gose is highly carbonated it is a little more than i wanted. and i noticed the bitterness in the la folie so i cut it way back on my latest batch. nice to know they came out well. i like to push things so now i'm on to some forgotten english beers.
thanks again
 
I'm glad you replied to this thread @eatmorefrogs because I've been meaning to ask you, should I be storing your HB wine on the side? Right now it's upright in a pantry to keep it out of the way of light.

Sideways to keep the cork wet so that it stays expanded. It's not a big deal to leave it upright for months at a time, they do that in wine stores all the time.
 
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