What are you drinking ?

[jt]

Ok, so What Are You Brewing was a hotty, as topics go.

Now I'm 15 pints into a keg I only filled on Tuesday and wondering if anyone else has a favourite at the moment ?

It's my second brown with US-Oh05 and it's better than the forst, maybe Ikept the temps down a bit during the scorcher we had in januray

[jt]

Yes I've used II and liked it a lot. I also had a chew on some caraamber the other week and that tasted great, so much flavour

[MrC]

It's caramunich II.

The beer is fairly clean and has a nice chocolateyness but it's quite astringent. In fairness the problem is probably due to my process rather than the ingredients but it's only been a problem since I started steeping caramunich (the only ingredient with a husk in this case).

I've been steeping my grain in filtered water and I read recently that steeping dark grain in soft water can extract tannins so I might try adding gypsum next time.

[JoKing]

Had a few beer this weekend. Mike sent up a Stout, a IISA (Imperial India Stout Ale), a Belgian Stron Golden and his IIIPA.

Needles to say - I didn't drink them all in one night! The stout was awesome. 13% Roast maybe unluck for some but definately not for this quaffer. This is exactly to my tastes. I could have drunken that all day. Had it a 11am... nice stout for a hot day's lunch.

The IIIPA was phenominal... Beautifully juicy hops character. No detectable hot alc (which is awesome for such a big beer) and barely any malt character made this beer ALL ABOUT THE HOPS. Pineapple, mango, passionfruit with a little herbal "C" hop coming through... with the obligitory cat piss.

The IISA was fantastic. It was likeMMMMoMMft4CH on steroids. LOADS of roast... and a wonderful mineral profile to back the acrid dark malts up. All followed up with monumentally mental pine resin hot on their heels. Not a quaffer by any stretch: took the entire duration of the Bledisloe Cup final for me to chew my way through this bitter hunk of blackness. As they say: This beer was so black: it had it's own gravitational pull.

Haven't had the BSGA yet - but I anticipate getting half pissed on it any time soon.

Cheers.

[Reviled]

Sounds like a good weekend Jo ;o) Reading that has made me very thirsty!!

[Matthew]

Had a few tastings over the weekend:

3 Boys Golden - Loved it! It's time to SMaSH some Sauvin!
La Chouffe
Armageddon
HM2009 - I should have tasted this and Army side by side at the time. On reflection I thought HM was a bit 'bigger' (Maybe it was the bitterness?) Army seemed a bit subdued... Did I actually say that??
Maredsous Blonde - Tidy Belgian. Didn't think it was anything special but I can see myself returning to it a lot. Sorry Leffe, I think you've been ousted as my Belgian quaffer.
Mac's Issac's Cider - Not bad. A little sweeter than I'd prefer but refreshing. Good for after doing the lawns.
Bloody Hefe (From the fermenter) - Bloody nice! I feared the oranges would be too much but they're very subtle. No tartness or sourness either which is good. Bottling tomorrow night.

[Matthew]

Had a Founders Show Hopper II last night. Has anyone tried it? An unusual beer, couldn't quite put my finger on it...

[Stu McKinlay]

I had a sample of Showhopper at The Malthouse last week, with the Malthouse Wizard and a few other loitering types. It was a sample from Regionals (so I guess it is in stock there now). Just a wee taste but it came across as a sweetish 'NZ Pilsner'. Worth a better look, I thought.

I liked the pink label.

[Reviled]

Last night had my first sample of my Old Ale in a good month or so, been in the keg for a couple of months now and has finally dropped bright - its a gorgeous deep amber/coppery colour, and the brett funk has subdued alot - its still in your face, and I wouldnt expect less after it chewed through 16 gravity points, but its like its blended in with everything else, a bit of pineapple with some malt and sweaty socks, on the palate its dry and malty, and finishes with a bit of a funky wood character that drys out the palate even more...

7.4% - And delectably drinkable :o)

[Stu McKinlay]

The Exchange Student @ Bar Edward. Very nice. I like this beer - well done fellas. Just a small malt gap in the middle if I'm going to be critical but it is tasting better each time i have it and the tap badge looks quite splendid. Firmly bitter, with that steely herbal hop flavour and plenty of malt to carry it. now that I know there is US Willamette in there the hop character starts to make a little more sense... but it has me no closer to 'knowing' Rakau (might have to go another MPA, that seems to get better each time too). The ES seemed to look more appealing than I remember it looking at The Malthouse - maybe it was just the right light or the bigger foam.

[Tony]

I found some bottles of my Weinachts pilsner, from last year under the house. Cracked one last night and it has improved remarkably. Perhaps I should be brewing more lagers (James)?

[James P]

If I can help convert you to the lagern brotherhood then by all means.... you don't have to sell your soul, just buy a fridge / freezer and temperature controller for the fermenting stage.

I think lagering is as easy as ale's just takes longer!

[Reviled]

I allways try to have one lager going most of the time, its a good change from an Ale to have a lager on tap - but as James says its not really harder, it just takes alot longer, and patience!

Im currently drinking my Summer Pils, made out of the dregs of my malt cupboard and a 2124 cake and its by far the brightest beer ive ever made! Not to mention being delicously refreshing, specially after the lawns :o)