Secret Santa Reviews 2022

[Clint]

I can now reveal that my two SS beers went to SMP Brewery and Cwrw666...both received a bottle of ",my" Best Bitter.
I'm glad you both found it drinkable! Thanks for the nice feedback.
Recipe courtesy of Hazelwood Brewery..probably slightly tweaked!

 

[Cwrw666]

Cheers Clint. I think I should have let it warm up a bit before drinking it - I was definitely getting more flavour and aroma as I approached the bottom of the glass. My beer store room is a bit chilly this time of year.

 

[Clint]

Cheers Clint. I think I should have let it warm up a bit before drinking it - I was definitely getting more flavour and aroma as I approached the bottom of the glass. My beer store room is a bit chilly this time of year.

Yes,I agree..it definitely likes the cellar temps instead the very cold weather we've been getting.

 

[H0PM0NSTER]

My SS bottles went to @dave_77 and @Leon103. Thanks for reviews chaps. I regretted not sending you a bit more info on the beer, so you knew what you were getting into! The Christmas Belgian Dubbel was actually a rum raisin Dubbel recipe that had rum soaked raisins added to the secondary. The rum tasted so sweet and fruity after steeping the raisins that I added the whole lot (about a third of a bottle of rum!) into the FV even though the recipe recommended straining it.

Of course, once the yeast had chewed through the fruit sugars, only the raw rum flavour was left with more prominence than intended. You both detected this in your reviews, but bonus points to Dave who also picked up the raisins. I think I was overly optimistic in sending this out for Christmas. It was brewed mid October and I hoped it would have just enough time to mature, but I think a little longer would have helped the flavours round out more and maybe (hopefully as I'm storing the remaining bottles) reduce the rum harshness a little.

Thanks @Alastair70 for organising. This is the first forum bottle swap I've done and really enjoyed it. Hopefully @dave_77 and @Leon103 aren't too scarred by the experience!

 

[Begbie]

First chance to collect my ss bottles from the depot today. Unfortunately one didn't make it out alive. It smells lovely too. No idea what it was as the label was just mush. The other one, an American Amber, was surprisingly crystal clear despite the handling it would have received by Royal Mail. It's in the fridge now chilling and I'll probably review tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

 

[Leon103]

My SS bottles went to @dave_77 and @Leon103. Thanks for reviews chaps. I regretted not sending you a bit more info on the beer, so you knew what you were getting into! The Christmas Belgian Dubbel was actually a rum raisin Dubbel recipe that had rum soaked raisins added to the secondary. The rum tasted so sweet and fruity after steeping the raisins that I added the whole lot (about a third of a bottle of rum!) into the FV even though the recipe recommended straining it.

Of course, once the yeast had chewed through the fruit sugars, only the raw rum flavour was left with more prominence than intended. You both detected this in your reviews, but bonus points to Dave who also picked up the raisins. I think I was overly optimistic in sending this out for Christmas. It was brewed mid October and I hoped it would have just enough time to mature, but I think a little longer would have helped the flavours round out more and maybe (hopefully as I'm storing the remaining bottles) reduce the rum harshness a little.

Thanks @Alastair70 for organising. This is the first forum bottle swap I've done and really enjoyed it. Hopefully @dave_77 and @Leon103 aren't too scarred by the experience!

Thats a lot of extra alcohol. Should be good for next Xmas, stash some bottles away

 

[Clint]

My SS bottles went to @dave_77 and @Leon103. Thanks for reviews chaps. I regretted not sending you a bit more info on the beer, so you knew what you were getting into! The Christmas Belgian Dubbel was actually a rum raisin Dubbel recipe that had rum soaked raisins added to the secondary. The rum tasted so sweet and fruity after steeping the raisins that I added the whole lot (about a third of a bottle of rum!) into the FV even though the recipe recommended straining it.

Of course, once the yeast had chewed through the fruit sugars, only the raw rum flavour was left with more prominence than intended. You both detected this in your reviews, but bonus points to Dave who also picked up the raisins. I think I was overly optimistic in sending this out for Christmas. It was brewed mid October and I hoped it would have just enough time to mature, but I think a little longer would have helped the flavours round out more and maybe (hopefully as I'm storing the remaining bottles) reduce the rum harshness a little.

Thanks @Alastair70 for organising. This is the first forum bottle swap I've done and really enjoyed it. Hopefully @dave_77 and @Leon103 aren't too scarred by the experience!

Must also say thanks Alastair70!

 

[DocAnna]

I've so far received one Secret Santa parcel but it was the very generous three bottle pack, with a DIPA, Pilsner and Nitro Imperial . I tasted the nitro imperial on Christmas Day, but was working 22 hours ( =90 patients seen) so didn't have a chance for a write up or to try the others till today, which has been a very welcome day off - back on tomorrow evening though.

Ok enough about work, how about those beers!

DIPA 8.5%
Well chilled, a light hiss on opening, creamy head on pouring that persisted for the first half of drinking.
Colour: Soft Amber with a light haze
Aroma: Hoppy Mango with a hint of pineapple
Tasting: An initial rounded sweetness with a creamy mouthfeel, tangy bitterness of mango, pineapple and grapefruit, with a long lasting bitterness to end. I tend to think of foods that beers remind me of, this one hits the 'Haribo tangfastics' fizzy jelly sweets mark. Proper hit of bitterness, though my daughter thought the sweetness more prominent. We both liked this, and I'd feel happy at picking a flavour punch of a beer if I'd purchased this .

Nitro imperial 10.8%
Served at room temperature, I was really looking forward to trying this.
Opened with only the slightest hiss and an unusual high pitched fizz on pouring, light almond head which faded quickly.
Aroma: Vanilla verging on tonka bean and sweet almond
Colour opaque near black
Taste.
Initial first few sips wow factor, creamy rich malt ice cream with citric bitterness
after the initial fizz was lost, the hot acetone and alcohols predominate
Rich thick mouthfeel
After the initial taste this was something I could only sip slowly, the hot acetones were a bit too much for me, in hindsight I think I'd have liked this over ice.

Pilsner 5.4%
Opened with a restrained hiss but poured with a nice white foam that stayed for most of the drink, a wee bit under carbonated for a pilsner.
Soft gold colour with a slight haze
Aroma, sharp noble hop aroma and biscuits ... yum!
Tasting: Highly drinkable characteristic pilsner bitterness with light caramel throughout, and a citrus and soft caramel finish, this reminded me of a refined malted biscuit, I really enjoyed this.

Overall, I reckon I was super lucky to receive these, the DIPA was the star out of the three, thank you lots x

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

@pilgrimhudd and @Clint I'll own up to the 'SuperDry' bitter being mine
Thank you both for your very kind comments: I really appreciate them and it really means a lot... I'm chuffed that you liked it; and another big shout out to @Alastair70 for top work on the organising.

FWIW it's effectively a London Bitter with 50% of the crystal subbed for Munich I

• 3.2kg Maris otter, 400g medium crystal, 400g Munich I
• mashed 20min at 55º then 60min at 65ºc
• 22g Challenger @70, 6.3g Fuggles @10, 6g Goldings @0
• WY1318 London Ale III

When I first brewed it, it was mouth-puckeringly dry (hence the name); but after 12 weeks conditioning it's mellowed out quite nicely.

 

[Clint]

@pilgrimhudd and @Clint I'll own up to the 'SuperDry' bitter being mine
Thank you both for your very kind comments: I really appreciate them and it really means a lot... I'm chuffed that you liked it; and another big shout out to @Alastair70 for top work on the organising.

FWIW it's effectively a London Bitter with 50% of the crystal subbed for Munich I

• 3.2kg Maris otter, 400g medium crystal, 400g Munich I
• mashed 20min at 55º then 60min at 65ºc
• WY1318 London Ale III

When I first brewed it, it was mouth-puckeringly dry (hence the name); but after 12 weeks conditioning it's mellowed out quite nicely.

I nearly chanced a comment on a London style but I'm not that knowledgeable!

 

[dave_77]

My SS bottles went to @dave_77 and @Leon103. Thanks for reviews chaps. I regretted not sending you a bit more info on the beer, so you knew what you were getting into! The Christmas Belgian Dubbel was actually a rum raisin Dubbel recipe that had rum soaked raisins added to the secondary. The rum tasted so sweet and fruity after steeping the raisins that I added the whole lot (about a third of a bottle of rum!) into the FV even though the recipe recommended straining it.

Of course, once the yeast had chewed through the fruit sugars, only the raw rum flavour was left with more prominence than intended. You both detected this in your reviews, but bonus points to Dave who also picked up the raisins. I think I was overly optimistic in sending this out for Christmas. It was brewed mid October and I hoped it would have just enough time to mature, but I think a little longer would have helped the flavours round out more and maybe (hopefully as I'm storing the remaining bottles) reduce the rum harshness a little.

Thanks @Alastair70 for organising. This is the first forum bottle swap I've done and really enjoyed it. Hopefully @dave_77 and @Leon103 aren't too scarred by the experience!

Thanks for sharing and thanks for @Alastair70 for organising

 

[Braumeister]

Mine was the DIPA sent to @phildo79 and @andyb13, thanks for the generous reviews! I enjoyed my first swap experience, cheers @Alastair70

 

[Broken Toe]

Thank you @Alastair70 for this year's event, always a pleasure to be a part of and really brings the community together!

Thank you @Subtle Duck and @Nottsbeer for your kind feedback on my American brown, it's one of my few beers I have on an annual rotation, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Yes,I agree..it definitely likes the cellar temps instead the very cold weather we've been getting.

I think that’s where I went a bit wrong with yours only left it a couple of hours in the house, whereas the others I took them out in the morning.

Looking at the recipe did you use Magnum as well?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

The most recently posted recipes for my beers are here…

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/media/albums/hazelwood-brewery-recipe-sheets.174/

 

[AJA]

Baltic Porter

So my feedback. This was an absolutely delicious beer. I'm not typically a dark beer drinker, but this was so good.

Pour was lovely, a perfect amount of caramel coloured foam.

Big malty toffee aroma

Smooth and clean tasting, with caramel and toffee dominating with a slight hint of coffee. No astringency from the dark malts.

After finishing, I wanted another.
Thanks!

 

[Jon1961]

@AJA and @andyb13
Thank you so much for your very generous reviews of my Baltic Porter and Norfolk Belge. I am so pleased you liked my beers. Your praise is all the more encouraging because I am very much a beginner. I have only been brewing for a year or so, and I use minimal equipment. Happy New Year!

Sorry for the delay in reviewing the beers that I received. I’m waiting for my head cold to subside. My sense of taste is currently challenged.

 

[brewhaha]

My first secret Santa beer is a 4.6% "Unconventional" stout.

Lovely carbonation & a head that lasted from first to last sip. Quite restrained on roast character for a stout. I was getting a Guinness vibe from this one as it had a good bitterness & a bit of that "tang" you get from Guinness. I'm intrigued by what is "unconventional" about this but thinking it's linked to the tang? Enjoyable beer overall.

My second secret Santa beer is a 10.7% "Dreamer" imperial stout.

Again great carbonation which is impressive for a high ABV beer. Those yeasties must be tough! Dark fruits & coffee in the aroma followed by some booziness. This followed through into the flavour & I definitely felt all that ABV but I like that. Be boozy if it's meant to be boozy! Nicely balanced bittersweetness meant I could have happily drank more.

Thanks Santas!
P.S. sorry for lack of photos!

 

[moto748]

@brewhaha

The 'unconventional' stout was in fact my legendary parsnip stout!

Here's the thing : last year, I thought it was a bit of a cheek to include this in the SS, what with it not being a 'proper' beer and all, but this year I thought, what the hell, why not? I make small batches of it all the time, and it's one of my staples. Recipe is in the appropriate folder. It does contain a small amount of malt extract, so I reckon that just about qualifies it as a beer!

 

[moto748]

And as I've remarked before, if I could get the same head as the parsnip on all my other stouts, I'd be a happy man! But that remains a bit more of a challenge.