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

[Mike Neilson]

Yes indeed it needs hops real one not liquid ones that they stick in them!! Still an awesome drop!!

[Soren]

Stone's smoked porter last night, fantastic. At first, poured it 30 mins out of the fridge, no smoke to be detected, but loads of chocolate, liqorice and roastiness. delicious, like Rasputins younger brother. As it warmed up a bit the smoke came out to play and the beer got even better!
Earlier in the week I had an Oyster Stout, very good but not as great as usual. Think it had done a bit of refermenting in the bottle.
Harrington's Pig and Whistle. At 4 % I wasn't expecting too much flavour but I was wrong. A ton of chocolate up front with a good malty backbone, intriguing and moreish. Would be a great session beer and probably the best I have tasted from Harrington's.

[Stu McKinlay]

Wig and Pen Kembery Kolsch... clean, subtle, delicate, a hint of grape, a whiff of spice - most of you would probably hate it (where's the hops?) but I loved it for what it was. Just lacked a little malt right in the middle, sleepy hollow. Thanks Steph.

Townshend Old House ESB - Plums up! What a beautiful ester. Not quite as spot on, or as dangerously drinkable, as the Cathcarts NTA but a very nice beer, with a whole heap of traditional character, from what is fast becoming my favourite nanobrewery.

[Reviled]

Acme California IPA - Wow, what a shit beer, way to fizzy, minimal hop aroma, thin watery mouthfeel, harsh bitterness, hmmm, I had half the glass trying to let it redeem itself but sadly, it got tipped down the sink, which is something i very very VERY rarely do, especially when ive paid $5 for it!!

[Stu McKinlay]

Acme??? Jezzzuz mate, that should have given you a warning.

[Reviled]

Rogue Hazelnut brown - I needed something special tonight and was hoping this wouldnt disappoint....... It didnt ;oD

At first I was weary of this beer as i dont normally like the sweeter beers as much, and I dont know why, but I expected this to be sweeter from what ive read about it, but its not, its absolutely awesome! Like chewing on a chocolate covered roasted hazelnut, theres the perfect amount of roast to stop it being sweet or cloying, a nice full mouthfeel and I keep getting a burst of nutelle chocolate with every sip! Yum!!

Buy this beer, try it now, its good! lol

[denimglen]

That was a good beer but I had a hard time finishing the massive bottle by myself, was mega-cloying by the end. Would have loved it if it was in a 330.

[Reviled]

I totally agree Glen, was loving it for the first half a pint and then started to struggle..

After reading Martins post im gutted i missed out today :o( Oh well, there will be a next time im sure

[Matthew]

Just polished off a 3 Boys IPA before a curry before the footy. It get's better and better everytime I have it! I think I'm falling in love with 3 Boys... ;-)

[Martin Bridges]

At Hallertau this afternoon for a SOBA meeting. Steve was on good form as always.

We got to sample the new batch of Maximus that should be going on in the next week or so. That amazing "leap out of the glass and smack you around the face with hops" aroma is going on again, but it seems a little paler and a little less aggressive in the bitterness department. Mighty fine.

Also had a sample of the Stuntman - man I adore this beer. The initial hoppiness has faded a bit with time but it's really rich and fruity and luscious. Shame I was driving (and feeling pretty under the weather) otherwise I'd have chanced my arm with a pint.

And finally a wee taste of the new vintage of Porter Noir (in its sexy new bottle). No brett added to this one, Steve said, just the bugs that were in the barrel. Lots of pineapple on the nose, then a complex palate with just a hint of roast floating around in the background.

Great stuff. I came away with a takeaway of Statesman and Deception, plus a couple of bottles of Armageddon. Something to drink while watching the All Whites tonight.

[Michael]

Although I normally lean towards a good ol' English Bitter, lately I have had hankerings for Pale Ales.

So, for myself I pronounced this evening, "Pale Aleo Noche."

Started with a Epic Pale Ale...

Moved to a Renaissance APA

Finishing the evening with Epic Armegeddon.

My beer better condition soon, or I will go broke on special evenings. :)

[Reviled]

Three Boys IPA - in a brown bottle :o)

Way to fizzy for my liking, im not sure if its supposed to be this fizzy or if its a tad overcarbed, i ended up leaving the glass to warm up and go a bit flat before I drunk it...

Nice gooseberry notes on the nose with other tropical fruits and honeyish malts on the palate, a pretty tasty example of an NZIPA, allthough id prefer it to be a bit more bitter personally...