March Brew and Swap and beyond.

[Agentgonzo]

Or a Czech lager, light or dark?

For a slow burner, biere de garde or an American Barleywine?

I like the idea of a biere de garde. It's vague and wide enough to get a decent variation making a swap more interesting

 

[Begbie]

I'd be up for a Scottish beer like an 80' and maybe a black IPA - they're on my to brew list. Looking through the bible for ideas, something caught my eye - Cornish Tin Miner's Ale

 

[Caramel Ox]

I was planning brews along the lines of Alastair’s suggestions anyway so happy with those. Also fancied trying Burton Ale as it’s a bit lonely being the only BJCP provisional style and could use some support!

 

[Clarence]

If we're paying lip service to BJCP for a UK forum bottle swap, then count me out.

 

[SMP Brewery]

If we're paying lip service to BJCP for a UK forum bottle swap, then count me out.

As far as I’m concerned we aren’t using the guidelines to do any scoring or judge it by them. It’s a guide to brew beers that perhaps some of us have never done. This then for me gives me a rough idea what I’m brewing and can then construct something that hopefully others will recognise, whether it’s good or bad is a different matter.

So for example if it was Black IPA there is no problem in my eyes brewing with seaweed if you wanted.

 

[Clarence]

Fair enough. In fact I haven't got an issue with the BJCP per se. I think it's an excellent guide to brewing American styles, and that's where it should end. It's when I see posts (not yours) that claim a bitter or a German Pilsner is out of style that my hackles rise.
But having said that, can't you find examples of Burton Ale in Wheeler or any of the British writers? This isn't a nationalistic thing, but surely British writers should understand British beers better and American writers would have a better understanding of American beers.
When it comes to Burton Ales, we're to understand that it's the water that makes all the difference. The principle author of the Guidelines makes al his beer from RO water with, in my opinion, a very cavalier attitude to attempting a mineral profile so I'd be a bit dubious.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I quite like the sound of a black ipa or an attempt at producing something that might pass as an English cask ale (despite being bottled).

I might be interested in a beer that uses foraged ingredients, I’ve brewed with rose petals, geranium leaves, lemon grass, and spruce - don’t use spruce unless you like the smell and taste of “pine-fresh” toilet cleaners!

I can’t see myself drinking a whole keg of anything like a barley wine so I probably don’t have any great interest in slow-burners unless it’s an Impy because I’ll brew one of those anyway. As an idea though, a lambic, bretted, or oaked ale might be an interesting challenge.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Are we still on for this as I have two empty kegs and one was going to be a fruit saison but I might change that to something I haven’t done before.

I hope this is still on. I have 3 bottles in plastic of my BLAM entry ready to be sent out

 

[Agentgonzo]

Also, if this is going ahead, can I call dibs on receiving Stu's 2nd in show dubbel please?

 

[samale]

I hope this is still on. I have 3 bottles in plastic of my BLAM entry ready to be sent out

What beer are you planning on swapping

 

[Agentgonzo]

What beer are you planning on swapping

My dubbel from BLAM ... Which was a lower gravity version of the strong dark/quad I sent you last year in the forum Belgian comp

 

[samale]

My dubbel from BLAM ... Which was a lower gravity version of the strong dark/quad I sent you last year in the forum Belgian comp

That was a lovely beer. I have a slightly over carbonated bier de garde. It was brewed for the competition but I didn't take a chance sending it in. Also have some imperial stout to swap

 

[SMP Brewery]

Not sure I’ll manage this as I’ve got nothing either brewed or brewing. Unless I can get a quick brew next weekend, probably won’t be ready in time

 

[Nottsbeer]

I have an imperial stout to swap, and maybe a Dubbel (if I keep my mits off then). Haven't tasted the imperial for a few months so need to check on them.

 

[Alastair70]

Sorry folks, I’ve had a busy 3 or do weeks and it’s hard to believe we’re in the second half of October already.

First up, on-going swaps. We’re are due to swap the Spring slo-burner, so hands up if you have an Impy stout to go.

Secondly, the autumn swap was the Belgian brew. So, add a hands up for that one too.

The final order of business will be deciding on next year. There’s been a lot of good suggestions so far, I’ll try to pull them into a theme and get a poll out later this week. You know what is just around the corner () so it’ll be good to get a plan locked in.

 

[Alastair70]

Impy - yes, Belgian - no for me.

 

[Stu's Brews]

I have both an Imperial Stout and a Belgian.

I have promised @Agentgonzo I will send him a bottle of my Belgian Dubbel but happy to do that outside of the swap if it would over-complicate things.

 

[Caramel Ox]

Imperial yes.
Belgian no as the beers need more work.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Imperial yes, Belgian hand grenades no.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Belgian