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

[Reviled]

i stopped using it when i started adjusting mash ph cos it seemed to brighten up alot quicker??

[jt]

How where the other beers brewed since you started adjusting the ph then ?

[Reviled]

Same way really... Allthough I mash hopped this beer but I doubt that would effect it? Maybe it did?

[Stu McKinlay]

A very good brewer (and a Liverpool supporter to boot) once told us all, on this forum, that '21 days' cold conditioning works wonders on all beers. He's right if you ask me. Keg and forget. Your beers will taste much the better for it.

[Reviled]

Youre right I should - Guess id better go and buy some more kegs eh? :o)

[Stu McKinlay]

Sierra Nevada... Stout and Porter... lovely. For a BIG brewery, these guys beers sure do hit the spot. Size is not a problem.

Had sone more Pliny and Blind Pig last night. Yeh, I can confirm that I'm definitely not so enamoured with these beers now that I've had my AleSmith fix.

Also had a couple of Brakspear beers... the Oxford Gold (aka "Organic Beer") was a very pleasant 'floral and spice' hoppy pale ale. However, the Triple (a beer I've loved in the past) was a god awful fucking nightmare of acetone and isoamyl acetate.... warming alcohol and pear drop it was not... harsh banana and nail polish remover. I've really loved this beer in the past and was really really shocked. Anyone had a similar experience?

[Daniel Parker]

In response to Stu's post.. I haven't seen the issue with the Brakspear Triple.. Certainly no nail polish remover.. Probably not an issue soon, as the importer is no longer bringing it into NZ.

Tonight for me its 'Rogue Chocolate Stout'.. Took a sniff and thought.. Wow.. thats the most intense chocolate I have ever got out of a stout.. Then I read that it actually contains chocolate.. Even so.. it was *really* nice.. I would go back to this any day.

Then onto 'Don de Dieu'.. This reminded me of Chimay Cinq Cents.. A nice Belgian Tripel.. would need to do a side by side to confirm this. No complaints..

Daniel

[Stu McKinlay]

Mine came from Liquorland Miramar (aka, around here, as "System Bologa").

Not from Beerstore (I know you know but others won't).

[Daniel Parker]

You are right.. I did check that it wasn't from us.. Either way, the last one I had a couple of months back was all good.. And I have just figured out it isn't discontinued in NZ.. is the Duchy Originals that is no longer being imported.

Daniel

[Geoff Griggs]

Stu, I'm interested that you also found this. When I lived in the UK Brakspear's (of Henley-on-Thames) was one of my all-time favourite Engllish breweries, but when I visited Wychwood (which now brews Brakspear's) last April, I found all the beers had a distinctly nail polish - acetone-y character. I had a bad cold at the time and wondered how much of it was down to that, but I was still largely unimpressed. Sad. Very sad!

[Stu McKinlay]

I wasn't aware that Wychwood were brewing them. I've always thought their (Wychwood) beers were awful, so no real surprises. Though this one was particularly bad.

[kier]

It was a sad day when Brakspear's closed down in Henly (I lived down to road in Maidenhead and it was our local brewery at the time). I haven't got on with the "new" Brakspear since......although I'm prepared to accept that there may be an element of irrationality in my view.....

If there are any Brakspear fans who ever go back to the UK - check out The Rebellion Brewery in Marlow. It was set up as a direct response to the closure of Brakspear and they make cracking beer by the bottle, keg and cask. They also do a fantastic deal where they will supply a cask along with tap, spile, mallet and 24 pint glasses for parties. My brother had a firkin of best at his wedding - lovely .