Secret Santa 2019 Reviews

[big yogi]

Review 2
Secret santa beer - 7.2% IPA

Arrived in a pringles tube, if that helps identify?
Initial pour looked good. A tad fizzy for the style. Aroma was of lemon/citrus. Very thin for the style and abv. Lacked balance, hence the thinness. As a consequence, the beer had a very boozy taste. It also tasted quite green. No idea when it was bottled. Perhaps I opened too soon as I didn't bother waiting until Xmas day.

I’m afraid that was mine, only bottled a few at the beginning of December and put the rest in a keg without sampling , it was getting closer to posting so took a gamble.
I have a full keg of thin beer
to look forward to now
Thanks for your honest feed back

 

[Lawrence22]

Really enjoyed this I will make sure and have 2 bottles ready for next year. Only had one available this year due to the fact I keg most of my beer. Thanks Strange Steve for organising.

 

[Homeboy]

I dont think that my beers have been reviewed yet.

 

[jceg316]

Had my second swap tonight - Beware the Crows blonde ale. On opening this had a good fizz and I was struck by the colour and the clarity of this beer. There was a good head but it dissipated quite quickly. It has a really strong fruity aroma and the flavour was malty first up with a very fruity lingering aftertaste. There was a slightly sour flavour which I believe may be from a Belgian yeast. I haven't had a Belgian blonde for a long time but it felt really authentic, this was a well balanced and well made beer. Cheers and thank you
View attachment 22168

My second beer
View attachment 22176

This beer came without a note, but an 'L' on the cap led me to suspect that it was a lager. And so it transpired!

A very good easy drinking lager too. A hint of sulphur, nice and clean, good carbonation, bitterness where I like it, nicely dry. Good job Santa!

Both of these beers are mine I think. @Oneflewover I must have forgot to put your note in, apologies.

Thanks for the kind words, hope they were enjoyable beers!

For the clarity I cold crashed at 1c for about 3 days.

 

[Zephyr259]

Here is my review for the bottle I got:

nice creamy white head
very clear amber colour
yeasty smell? but generally not much to me on the nose.
quite highly carbonated
slightly sweet, with a malty fruity background a just a edge of bitterness at the end
very nice drinkable ale.
Thanks a lot to the sender!


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Your welcome, glad you enjoyed it. It's a Maibock fermented with Hornindal kveik which made it not really a bock anymore.

I'm lagging behind due to getting home from the rig late and being busy. Drinking Black as Coal BIPA just now. Poured a huge off white head and very dark black with red when held to the light. Aroma was fruity hops and coffee. Pallet is light which matches the fruity hops and the after taste is a combo of hop and roast bitterness. The touch of roasted malt could be leaving a touch of coffee on the flavour or it could be in my head. Pretty tasty and drinkable, no where near as bitter as the estimate 72 IBU would suggest, which worried me in a 5.5% beer, very smooth. Thanks Santa.

The 16% stout will follow tomorrow or Saturday.

 

[mitchmalt]

Your welcome, glad you enjoyed it. It's a Maibock fermented with Hornindal kveik which made it not really a bock anymore.

I'm lagging behind due to getting home from the rig late and being busy. Drinking Black as Coal BIPA just now. Poured a huge off white head and very dark black with red when held to the light. Aroma was fruity hops and coffee. Pallet is light which matches the fruity hops and the after taste is a combo of hop and roast bitterness. The touch of roasted malt could be leaving a touch of coffee on the flavour or it could be in my head. Pretty tasty and drinkable, no where near as bitter as the estimate 72 IBU would suggest, which worried me in a 5.5% beer, very smooth. Thanks Santa.

The 16% stout will follow tomorrow or Saturday.

Black IPA was me, first time I’ve made it, definitely one to experiment with. Thanks for the kind review.
Cheers

 

[strange-steve]

Okay, by my reckoning there are still 8 reviews outstanding. The guilty parties have all been reminded via PM before I name and shame

 

[Leon103]

Still awaiting. Same person who didn't even confirm they received them.

 

[DavidHatton]

Alright then the moment finally arrived where I could sample the Behemoth 17% stout,

first on the smell you get booze, basically a very strong aroma of alcohol and very little malt aroma.
This could end my night before it's even started.
colour is jet black, I think the carbonation could have been higher as it poured flat even with a vigorous pour.
now for the taste, yep as I expected, very high alcohol flavour with a sour note, no malt character comes through the alcohol.
I honestly think this beer should have been aged for me to really appreciate it's gifts.
hope people realise it was hard to do a real review due to the strength.

would love to try another beer from the brewer as a rectification.
No offence meant it is just too strong and maybe young.

 

[user 23602]

Alright then the moment finally arrived where I could sample the Behemoth 17% stout,

first on the smell you get booze, basically a very strong aroma of alcohol and very little malt aroma.
This could end my night before it's even started.
colour is jet black, I think the carbonation could have been higher as it poured flat even with a vigorous pour.
now for the taste, yep as I expected, very high alcohol flavour with a sour note, no malt character comes through the alcohol.
I honestly think this beer should have been aged for me to really appreciate it's gifts.
hope people realise it was hard to do a real review due to the strength.

would love to try another beer from the brewer as a rectification.
No offence meant it is just too strong and maybe young.

View attachment 22249

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated. I was always aiming for ABV strength as I'm a lover of the big stouts, so I dont see that that personally as a bad thing. It would of been helpful to have know if you experienced any other notes and/or flavours. I agree with the carbonation comments I did forget to prime the beer but was hoping the amount of sugar in this would of helped. It was only brewed a few months ago, so will hopefully age well with time.

 

[DavidHatton]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated. I was always aiming for ABV strength as I'm a lover of the big stouts, so I dont see that that personally as a bad thing. It would of been helpful to have know if you experienced any other notes and/or flavours. I agree with the carbonation comments I did forget to prime the beer but was hoping the amount of sugar in this would of helped. It was only brewed a few months ago, so will hopefully age well with time.

Hi, honestly couldn't taste anything other than the strong alcohol, didn't want to come across as harsh, but I feel it would defo benefit with aging, personally I love high abv beers, shame about the carbonation. anyway I wish you well and hope we can swap a another beer again, something lower, around 8%

 

[Zephyr259]

Convenient timing as I've got the 17% stout in a glass now too. I agree mostly with David, aroma is just sweet alcohol maybe a hint of treacle toffee not unpleasant. Body is thick and slightly syrupy, mine is petillant which cuts the body but a touch more carb would have made it great. I'm very curious of the recipe and gravities here as it's sweet and doesn't really have any bitterness from hops or roast and is very mildly flavoured for an opaque stout (really opaque, torch didn't show through), flavour is like malty treacle toffee and keeps me going back for another sip as it's quite tasty.

What I'm very impressed with is that it's very smooth, I don't get any harsh alcohols or anything which I've struggled with above 6 - 7 %.

 

[user 23602]

Convenient timing as I've got the 17% stout in a glass now too. I agree mostly with David, aroma is just sweet alcohol maybe a hint of treacle toffee not unpleasant. Body is thick and slightly syrupy, mine is petillant which cuts the body but a touch more carb would have made it great. I'm very curious of the recipe and gravities here as it's sweet and doesn't really have any bitterness from hops or roast and is very mildly flavoured for an opaque stout (really opaque, torch didn't show through), flavour is like malty treacle toffee and keeps me going back for another sip as it's quite tasty.

What I'm very impressed with is that it's very smooth, I don't get any harsh alcohols or anything which I've struggled with above 6 - 7 %.

The carbonation seems to be my let down which I knew of beforehand. Big thank you to yourself and @DavidHatton for the reviews.

 

[RichardM]

Convenient timing as I've got the 17% stout in a glass now too. I agree mostly with David, aroma is just sweet alcohol maybe a hint of treacle toffee not unpleasant. Body is thick and slightly syrupy, mine is petillant which cuts the body but a touch more carb would have made it great. I'm very curious of the recipe and gravities here as it's sweet and doesn't really have any bitterness from hops or roast and is very mildly flavoured for an opaque stout (really opaque, torch didn't show through), flavour is like malty treacle toffee and keeps me going back for another sip as it's quite tasty.

What I'm very impressed with is that it's very smooth, I don't get any harsh alcohols or anything which I've struggled with above 6 - 7 %.

Petillant is new word to me, I had to google it...A French word meaning effervescent, used to describe wine that is slightly effervescent.

 

[Leon103]

Convenient timing as I've got the 17% stout in a glass now too. I agree mostly with David, aroma is just sweet alcohol maybe a hint of treacle toffee not unpleasant. Body is thick and slightly syrupy, mine is petillant which cuts the body but a touch more carb would have made it great. I'm very curious of the recipe and gravities here as it's sweet and doesn't really have any bitterness from hops or roast and is very mildly flavoured for an opaque stout (really opaque, torch didn't show through), flavour is like malty treacle toffee and keeps me going back for another sip as it's quite tasty.

What I'm very impressed with is that it's very smooth, I don't get any harsh alcohols or anything which I've struggled with above 6 - 7 %.

Think there is a thread somewhere in this. Believe it's a kit brew with sugar

 

[Leon103]

I hope whoever got my beers isn't doing dry January, this is taking the piss now

 

[user 23602]

Think there is a thread somewhere in this. Believe it's a kit brew with sugar

Its here @Zephyr259

 

[Zephyr259]

Its here @Zephyr259

Thanks.

Edit: 1.082 FG! I've brewed a 9% beer that started at 1.070. That's why it's so sweet and the bitterness is hidden then...

 

[user 23602]

Thanks.

Edit: 1.082 FG! I've brewed a 9% beer that started at 1.070. That's why it's so sweet and the bitterness is hidden then...

I'm no expert... But yeah? Lol. Hope you enjoyed the Frankenstein beer though.

 

[Harbey]

Sorry for the delay in this review - was away after Christmas so didn't get chance to sample Santa's second offering...

A 6.5% coconut porter. This one poured well with a little head and nice level of carbonation. Silky smooth mouth feel and a really nice malt flavour with hints of caramel, chocolate and coffee. Slightly sweet in a good way., not at all sickly. What I didn't pick up was any coconut but then I don't think I've ever had a coconut beer that I've detected coconut in. Maybe it's me. A great beer though and a lovely new year's treat. Many thanks.