Permalink Reply by MrC on October 12, 2010 at 7:38pm
C-Sharp (C#) is a computer programming language that helps fund my brewing habit. I like C# but I wouldn't name my beer after it.
My Riwaka was old, approx 2 years? It smelt OK (no cheese) but I wasn't to concerned as it was well stored and the Styrian & Motueka were fresh as. Talk to JoKing if you want Riwaka (or anything else brewing or beer related for that matter).
Permalink Reply by jt on October 12, 2010 at 7:53pm
Thanks for the inspiration
There's been a fair bit of it in my brewing lately.
From the late hopped brown that Jo suggested, the B-Sharp from Mr Cherry, the lager interpretations from Chris and I'm still tempted to go Sauvin smash (from Matthews brew last year ?)
Permalink Reply by jt on October 12, 2010 at 7:26pm
Im enjoying it
Yea, you should too, it's a good beer.
Ok, it wasn't crystal clear, neither was mine and I'm blaming the aged styrians too !
I think I got mine in 2008, could have been left over from the previous year even.
Anyway, I've used the last of mine up in a Porter so it'll be fresh stuff next time ...
picked up a great bunch of Euro, US and Aus beers from Dave at Innspire (importer of all those fantastic beers that have been showing up at Hashigo Zake in the last year).
Just working my way through Mikkeller's "Single Hop" series... I got all ten. I love the idea but the beers really don't show off the hops like I'd like then too. They're way too sweet, with a bit too much alcohol showing, to really show off the hops. Nice beers to drink but they all taste a bit too much the same. The ones
with the big hops seem to work a bit better for me (Nugget and Tomahawk were better than Cascade and EKG).
Got a few of the yeast series to try before heading home too...
Had a Mikkel and Menno collaboration Weizenbock last night which was delicious.
These had a BB date of December 2011. I've tried them all now and Amarillo was the only one of the classic "aroma" hopped versions that floated my boat. It had a much drier finish, which helped.
Had a few different beers last night; blind tasted. The two that really stood out where the 3 Boys Wheat and the Croucher Pale Ale. The 3 Boys Wheat was deliciously spicy and super fresh. Maybe it is the change of season that made it so enjoyable. And, the Croucher was something else. I would never have picked it. Crisp, clean and bitter, well-balanced. The first I have tasted out of the new 500ml bottles.
We also tasted the Flying Dog barley wine which was surprisingly hoppy given its age, the Gonzo (always good) and the Raison D-Etre which did not seem to be showing the big flavours I recall from the vintage tasting. This beer can obviously age as the last one I had was about 4 years old.
Had some Ballast Point Big Eye IPA over the weekend, really liked it. I found it a bit malty to be called an IPA but I loved the hop/malt aroma and the hop/malt body and flavour. So as I,m not judgeing in the world beer cup I'd give it a big thmbs up.
Yeah, Big Eye is amazing. Regional need to get it back I reckon. I think it fits the IPA category perfectly, big malt and hops is what IPA's are all about!