Been reading up on homebrewing recently and looking forward to trying out a few of my own recipe ideas. Latest batch of the HopNog turned out ok. I messed up the carbonation. I plan on modifying one of my kegs for cask conditioning, going to shorted up the pick up tube just a bit in order not to pick up the spent yeast. Also plan on using Irish Moss and Isinglass with the next brew, see if those help clear up the beer a bit. Regardless, the HopNog was still a sucess at the Georgia Tech v. UNC football tailgate. Me and two buddies plowed through almost half the keg in the 2 and half hours of the tailgate. Had the rain not showed up and put a stop to our post game tailgate I am pretty sure the keg would have been floated. My cooler set up worked quite nice, beer stayed nice and cold (I'll post some pictures after the next home game). We did get a few comments on the keg set up. One lady stopped and asked my wife "What is that thing?". "A Keg", Kelly replied, "A Keg? You mean of Beer?" the lady responded. "Yep" Kelly told her, "My Husband makes his own beer". "You can do that?" the clueless one then said. Wow.....
I have narrowed the next brew down to a few styles. Planning on having it ready for the Georgia Tech v. Virginia Tech football game, it happens to be homecoming so hoping to make a good one for all my old college buddies to try out. I am thinking either an English Bitter or a California Common. Regardless it is going to be called "Hokie Stomp Ale" or "Bitter Hokie Ale" or something along those lines. I think it is going to come down to what my local homebrew shop has in stock this Friday when I swing by.
I'll keep everyone updated on the brewing progress.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Return of the Beer Snob: Review Blowout!
Here we go, my Beer Review Blowout. Just a sampling of the notable beers that I have tasted over the last two months. Still have a bunch left over from my west coast haul that I need to officially review.
New Belgian 1554 Enlightened Black Ale:
Sweet aroma, smells of cherries, chocolate and maybe a hint of currant.
Pour a nice dark amber color, slightly cream colored head, sticky with good retention.
Sweet and malty, you can really taste and feel the carbonation. Semi-sweet chocolate notes with a hint of a hops towards the end. Too much carbonation? Seems to overpower the beer when you first sip it and that leaves the rest feeling pretty flat. I don't know, just something seems a bit off in the balance of this beer. Not bad but nothing I will seek out in the future.
2.5 pints out of 5
Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic IPA:
Aroma: Sweet, notes of tangerine and a bit of pine.
Color: Slightly cloudy orange gold. Nice big head and very sticky with nice lacing. Really grabs the glass.
Taste: Orange right up front the the hop bitterness hits. Hops are very nice, hang around in your mouth for quite a while after you finish your sip. Good piny note at the finish. Fruit taste at start may be a tad too much, no real malt flavor to cut the fruitiness. A nice IPA but tastes a tad too much like a hoppy fruit beer to me.
3.5 pints out of 5.
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA:
Nice smooth start with a perfect hop finish. Pours bright clear yellow gold (guess what it looks like....) Very stick head. Could not pick up too much of the aroma as my nose was stuffed up. Subtle malt flavors give way to wonderful floral hoppy bitterness. Absolutely wonderful. When the brew warms a bit the fruityness in the middle of the taste really comes out and ads to the overall taste of the beer. Best Rogue brew I've had. Not a big fan of Dead Guy Ale, I do like the Old Crustacian Barley Wine. Really sad that this is yet another amazing West Coast IPA that I can't get in Georgia.
4.5 out of 5 Pints
Terrapin Side Project #6 90 Shelling Scotch Ale:
Ok, here goes another Terrapin Side Project review (loyal readers will know I have a love/hate relationship with Spike's experimental brews).
The 90 Shelling pours a nice dark reddish brown. Large persistent head, very fluffy. Sweet and bready aroma. Very nice sweet malt flavor up front with some nice spicyness mixed in. Full body and a bit chewy, both what I would expect from a big Scotch Ale. Smooth drinking, perfect carbonation for the style, not too much but just enough to help the aroma. A very nice interpreation of a Wee Heavy style Scottish Ale (One of my favorite styles that is rarely brewed well). Well done, add this one to my love list from Terrapin.
3.4 out of 5 pints.
Terrapin Side Project #7 Maggie's Farmhouse Ale:
Another Side Project? Yes, I am that backed up in reviews (Side Project #8 is already out and I plan on picking some up this weekend).
Pours and looks a bit like a Belgian White Ale. Fruity and Light in smell. A definante Belgian influence. Spicy and smooth, maybe a hint of cinnamon or coriander? Light malt notes, no hops hanging around this brew. A very nice white belgian style beer.
3.5 out of 5 pints
Looks like Terrapin is starting to hit on all cylinders with the Side Projects. I think the first few they where just trying too hard and trying to mix too many different things. Looking forward to the #8 Pumpkinfest.
Ninkasi Brewing Company Tricerahops Double IPA:
Mildly fruity, some nuttiness in the aroma, can't quite nail it down. You can smell the hops right off the bat, like standing in a pine forest. Bitter hops all over the place! Is there anything else in this Hopbomb? Orange/copper colored. Sticky lacing in the head. Starts with a hint of malt and then the hops shoves it right out of the way. Good little floral note, arpicot? Not overwhelming, cuts the bitterness just enough. Alcohol content is well hidden in this smooth drinking Double IPA (8.8% ABV). Another awesome west coast brew that I feel honored to have been able to try.
4 out of 5 Pints.
There you have it, possibly the longest post I've ever done. Don't worry folks, more to come!
New Belgian 1554 Enlightened Black Ale:
Sweet aroma, smells of cherries, chocolate and maybe a hint of currant.
Pour a nice dark amber color, slightly cream colored head, sticky with good retention.
Sweet and malty, you can really taste and feel the carbonation. Semi-sweet chocolate notes with a hint of a hops towards the end. Too much carbonation? Seems to overpower the beer when you first sip it and that leaves the rest feeling pretty flat. I don't know, just something seems a bit off in the balance of this beer. Not bad but nothing I will seek out in the future.
2.5 pints out of 5
Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic IPA:
Aroma: Sweet, notes of tangerine and a bit of pine.
Color: Slightly cloudy orange gold. Nice big head and very sticky with nice lacing. Really grabs the glass.
Taste: Orange right up front the the hop bitterness hits. Hops are very nice, hang around in your mouth for quite a while after you finish your sip. Good piny note at the finish. Fruit taste at start may be a tad too much, no real malt flavor to cut the fruitiness. A nice IPA but tastes a tad too much like a hoppy fruit beer to me.
3.5 pints out of 5.
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA:
Nice smooth start with a perfect hop finish. Pours bright clear yellow gold (guess what it looks like....) Very stick head. Could not pick up too much of the aroma as my nose was stuffed up. Subtle malt flavors give way to wonderful floral hoppy bitterness. Absolutely wonderful. When the brew warms a bit the fruityness in the middle of the taste really comes out and ads to the overall taste of the beer. Best Rogue brew I've had. Not a big fan of Dead Guy Ale, I do like the Old Crustacian Barley Wine. Really sad that this is yet another amazing West Coast IPA that I can't get in Georgia.
4.5 out of 5 Pints
Terrapin Side Project #6 90 Shelling Scotch Ale:
Ok, here goes another Terrapin Side Project review (loyal readers will know I have a love/hate relationship with Spike's experimental brews).
The 90 Shelling pours a nice dark reddish brown. Large persistent head, very fluffy. Sweet and bready aroma. Very nice sweet malt flavor up front with some nice spicyness mixed in. Full body and a bit chewy, both what I would expect from a big Scotch Ale. Smooth drinking, perfect carbonation for the style, not too much but just enough to help the aroma. A very nice interpreation of a Wee Heavy style Scottish Ale (One of my favorite styles that is rarely brewed well). Well done, add this one to my love list from Terrapin.
3.4 out of 5 pints.
Terrapin Side Project #7 Maggie's Farmhouse Ale:
Another Side Project? Yes, I am that backed up in reviews (Side Project #8 is already out and I plan on picking some up this weekend).
Pours and looks a bit like a Belgian White Ale. Fruity and Light in smell. A definante Belgian influence. Spicy and smooth, maybe a hint of cinnamon or coriander? Light malt notes, no hops hanging around this brew. A very nice white belgian style beer.
3.5 out of 5 pints
Looks like Terrapin is starting to hit on all cylinders with the Side Projects. I think the first few they where just trying too hard and trying to mix too many different things. Looking forward to the #8 Pumpkinfest.
Ninkasi Brewing Company Tricerahops Double IPA:
Mildly fruity, some nuttiness in the aroma, can't quite nail it down. You can smell the hops right off the bat, like standing in a pine forest. Bitter hops all over the place! Is there anything else in this Hopbomb? Orange/copper colored. Sticky lacing in the head. Starts with a hint of malt and then the hops shoves it right out of the way. Good little floral note, arpicot? Not overwhelming, cuts the bitterness just enough. Alcohol content is well hidden in this smooth drinking Double IPA (8.8% ABV). Another awesome west coast brew that I feel honored to have been able to try.
4 out of 5 Pints.
There you have it, possibly the longest post I've ever done. Don't worry folks, more to come!
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