CS7 - Spasticus Autisticus

[Stu McKinlay]

Second attempt at this kind of beer.  The first was Kavorka, more of a Belgian Red IPA with Chardonnay.  It was pretty schizo until about 6 months old and then it really hit its straps.  This one is more like a strong Belgian Blond with chardonnay must (think Leffe++, with chardonnay).

 

Pilsner, Munich II, Caramalt, Sugar... Sauvin and Motueka hops. 1.078, 48ibu.

Fermented with Chimay yeast for 5 days at 22c.

Then added 3L chardonnay must to 30L of beer. Fermented another week at 22c.

Kegged, carbonated and cold conditioned for 6 weeks.

 

I broke my hydrometer on brew day but estimate this via Promash to be about 7.8% before the must went in... It'll well over 8% now.

 

Carbonated this up at the start of cold conditioning but I tried it on Thursday this week and it was a really low in carbonation (no temp change so keg must have a slight leak)... so I've added a 3g/L sugar syrup at bottling.  I'd leave it a few weeks, at room temp, before chilling and drinking.  I hope there is enough yeast to get a good bottle ferment, otherwise it is going to be DAMN SWEET!

 

Good luck.

 

[Stu McKinlay]

Same yeast as Resurrection, I believe, so nicely picked.

[Martin Bridges]

And finally......yup, last bottle of the case swap for me.

 

My old gran always said "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything" so I won't say anything about the name.

 

Pours a beautiful deep old gold, crystal clear with a fluffy white head. Hints of phenols on the nose, maybe a touch of banana.

 

It certainly ain't too sweet - deep palate, rich mouthfeel, then it just keeps going and going and going, dries out to an almost powdery level. Booziness is notable without being overpowering. I'd say this would make an outstanding food beer. 

 

I didn't know what to expect from this, and it's still confused me. In a good way. Cheers mate.

[Stu McKinlay]

Cheers Martin...

 

Regarding the name... you should google the name. It's an Ian Drury song that he wrote as a protest against the stuck-up toffs running the International Year of Disabled Persons. Drury himself was disabled but unfortunately the joke was lost on England, the song was banned, and this brilliant man's career pretty much ended.  He never released another hit. There's some good interviews on youtube about it.

 

I hope the same doesn't occur to me and my next case swap invite ;-)

[Bambule]

I had this during the week, shared with my wife.  I didn't take notes but my fondest memory was the lovely yeast character coming from the beer. I'd love to brew with it.  I went looking for the chardonnay flavour but to me it seemed quite well buried, maybe some vinous notes in the back there.  We both drank it with considerable ease and didn't notice the strength until after our glasses were empty.  I went straight from this to a nota bene and it took some serious adjusting to enjoy it next to this one to be honest.  Great beer Stu.  Can't say I ever listened to too much Ian Drury except for Reasons for  being cheerful part 3.  Which I argue also makes a good name for  beer, if not a little long winded.

[Stu McKinlay]

Cheers!

 

I have a sole Drury vinyl (the excellent "4,000 Weeks' Holiday") that my wife picked up off her dad... but I did some serious youtube trawling after hearing Spasticus Autisticus for the first time earlier htis year. It was the brilliant parody of Sparticus, near the end of the song, that really got me hooked.

 

I've not really *got* Nota Bene yet.... but each time someone mentions it I do find myself wanting another, so it has me intrigued if nothing else.

[Bambule]

I had it the first time at the beer and cheese night at Regional matched with Galactic Gold.  I found it sensational, very unique for a NZ beer with its horsey sour funk, vaguely Orval-esque, but not quite as polished.   This time it seemed different, in fact it smelled intensely like a washed rind cheese, and wasn't nearly as astonishing.  Need to try it again.

[Stu H]

Enjoyed this on Friday. I was really into this, but my Coopers swilling mates found it too weird.

 

Great head, enjoyed the lacing on the glass. In the nose: Banana split, hubba-bubba, cloves. It was quite sweet, and there was a good shot of alcohol in there too. Seemed like quite a fat beer to me. I agree with Martin, it's definately a food beer. I think dessert would be most appropriate.

 

I can't really offer anything more than what's already said, apart from thanks, and yum!

[Tilt]

This is in the top 3 case swap beers for me Stu.

Shared this one with my father in law - a dedicated lager fan who prefers tuatara and pils urquell - Both of us were left wanting more. 

Aromas were of sweet lolliness, phenols and an alcoholic fruity warmth.  The flavours were complex and perplexing but I got caramel, more acidic fruit and the part I most like - a cleansing sourness which is a flavour I miss in my beers but enjoy in wine.

The alcohol beautifully integrated with the sweet/sour flavours and I wouldn't have picked an 8% beer at all.

Thank you for this - I hope its a line Yeastie Boys may be following in the future because its certainly a beer we'll follow to have another crack at.

Cheers.

[Richard Jack]

So, I'm wondering if I'm currently drinking the last spastic out in the wild?

Raffe and I brewed the Digital IPA recipe tonight, and due to a lack of planning, didn't have the real thing on hand to sacrifice. However, I did have my bottle of spasticus still - figured it was only going to get better so it's been kept with the kegs at 10C. What better moment than now?

Enlisting Raffe for help with descriptors, and because it's rude not to share.

Appearance- slightly hazy amber. thin head that goes pretty fast in my glass, manages to persist in Raffes. No real lacing to speak of. good level of carb.

Aroma: RJ- sweet, big Belgian nose. allspice, hoppy still, sauvin. not quite bubblegum, but chewing gum, juicy fruit. raisins and sultanas. Slightly musty? Huge aroma, very busy.

palate: winey. dry. a bit of rough tannin on the tongue? I'd stop short of saying astringent though. enough bitterness to balance the sweet nose. not a huge malt character. almost like a fortified fruit cake, like mum's ones where she'd just pour a bottle of brandy over the top. again, complicated. yummy.

overall - it's a kick ass beer and I just don't know what to make of it. Do a commercial batch of this come vintage please? and make sure some finds its way up here.

Cheers mate, glad I saved it for brewing one of your recipes (by that way that's one hell of a flameout addition in the digi).

PS after writing this we have been riffling through the cupboard trying to match the spice smell. I'm sure it's allspice but

Raffe is unconvinced. Can't find the bloody allspice.

[Stu McKinlay]

Cheers... finding that tasting note was a shock!

I'd love to do this commercially but I'm not convinced I really know what I'm doing with it yet!! More trials are necessary but, in the meantime, I have another type of 'must' on my mind...

[Richard Jack]

It tasted like you knew what you were doing, at least!

Another type of "must" on your mind? You tease, you.