South Cheshire Bottle Swap

[NPi]

@DavidB @DavidT @cjibbo @Falco @Obadiah Boondoggle @PhilBrew @Falco @chopps @GeorgieV

All

Tried mailing a couple of you separately, as well as adding you all to a single message thread (too many recipients unfortunately), to see if there is any interest in taking part in a bottle swap. Simply for fun, but with some feedback offered to those who put their beers in (see attached). As we are all Congleton, Sandbach, Alsager and Holmes Chapel (I think!), I'm looking to plot a route and pick up one way and drop off another.

I'd be looking to collect the bottles and drop them to and from doorsteps, spraying them with anti bac. I'd also recommend any recipients to do the same.

Initially I'd just want interest, as to whether you are happy to submit beers and/or offer feedback. If you are interested, please let me know how many multiples of the same beer you could likely offer.

Cheers, Nick

 

[chopps]

Would love to participate! Thanks for inviting me.
Honestly, I’m most keen to get feedback from other brewers on my beers. I don’t think my sense of taste is sophisticated enough for me to judge others, other than a few common faults, so if this is something where people might get upset if I don’t like their beer and cant give them a detailed technical reason it might be a challenge :).

If it’s just for fun, why not. I’d like to learn more about tasting.

In terms of bottle count - what’s normal for this kind of arrangement? If I could get 3 or 4 different people to feed back on my beer I’d be delighted.

 

[Falco]

Count me in too @NPi although only been brewing occasionally since last June and just 4 brews with my new Brewzilla, my stocks are pretty meagre at the moment as me and the OH are drinking as fast as I can produce .

Like I mentioned in the PM, my knowledge and prctice of beer tasting is very limited so I'd not like to upset anyone with my musings on their pride and joys

Just about to taste tonight a choc orange stout which has been bottle conditioning for two weeks and if it's any good I'll gladly offer it up for inspection.

 

[GeorgieV]

Count me in.
I have a couple of bottles left from my Punk IPA clone and similar amount Belgian dark. My latest brew is an English bitter - plenty of it (for now).
I'm afraid this is all that I can offer at the moment. I hope to start brewing again soon.

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

The difficulty I have with this is I don't bottle any beer - it all goes into Cornelius Kegs

If I were to tap some off into a bottle the carbonisation wouldn't be right

 

[PhilBrew]

Hi Nick

Like I said to you in DM, in principle I'm up for this ... but like others above, stocks aren't great just now (and what I do have is in the wrong format (cornies) like OB)

Perhaps we need to put together a plan for this bottle swap idea, first ... if we were to agree to do the actual swapping in mid-March/April, say, we'd all be able to get on with brewing and bottling in preparation

Cheers, PhilB

 

[PhilBrew]

... unless anyone's brave enough to sample my smoked beer, the one that I'm quite sure was made with (too much) peated malt (it was probably a labelling error at the retailer) ... it's mellowing, but it still tasted like anti-sceptic last time I sampled any (about 6 months ago)

Cheers, PhilB

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

... unless anyone's brave enough to sample my smoked beer, the one that I'm quite sure was made with (too much) peated malt (it was probably a labelling error at the retailer) ... it's mellowing, but it still tasted like anti-sceptic last time I sampled any (about 6 months ago)

Cheers, PhilB

Is there an opposite of a like icon to click on when replying to a message?

 

[Falco]

Is there an opposite of a like icon to click on when replying to a message?

Try this although only available from an iPad

 

[NPi]

Hi Nick

Like I said to you in DM, in principle I'm up for this ... but like others above, stocks aren't great just now (and what I do have is in the wrong format (cornies) like OB)

Perhaps we need to put together a plan for this bottle swap idea, first ... if we were to agree to do the actual swapping in mid-March/April, say, we'd all be able to get on with brewing and bottling in preparation

Cheers, PhilB

I'm happy for it to be a one way swap, I've got a serious glut that I need opinions on.

Are you and Oba able to bottle from keg, purging a bottle before? I've no idea, as I've never done it. If not, happy to wait to sample. I don't think I'm brave enough to sample that dreaded smoked beer!

 

[Falco]

Happy to receive and taste free beer if you’ve got a glut @NPi

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Happy to receive and taste free beer @NPi

Selfless as ever Rob

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

I'm happy for it to be a one way swap, I've got a serious glut that I need opinions on.

Are you and Oba able to bottle from keg, purging a bottle before? I've no idea, as I've never done it. If not, happy to wait to sample. I don't think I'm brave enough to sample that dreaded smoked beer!

Certainly understand your views on "smoked beer" (No offence Phil)

Glut? what do you mean?

Think of it as you are leaving it longer to condition

No, if I were to fill a bottle with beer from a keg - it would be flat (a bit like when you go to a Real Ale Festival) - not how I like beer, and it just wouldn't be right

 

[Falco]

It would be fantastic to do this face-to-face in a local group once Covid does one and fecks off for a bit

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

You are all welcome to come and help me empty my kegs once covid is over, but we will dispense with the bottles and either use a glass of lie underneath the tap with our mouths open.

Chopps' idea is that we would have a BBQ at the same time

 

[NPi]

Better to be owed a favour, than to owe a favour

 

[NPi]

You are all welcome to come and help me empty my kegs once covid is over, but we will dispense with the bottles and either use a glass of lie underneath the tap with our mouths open.

Chopps' idea is that we would have a BBQ at the same time

I think if we're drinking direct from the taps we really should wait till Covid is gone

 

[NPi]

Certainly understand your views on "smoked beer" (No offence Phil)

Glut? what do you mean?

Think of it as you are leaving it longer to condition

No, if I were to fill a bottle with beer from a keg - it would be flat (a bit like when you go to a Real Ale Festival) - not how I like beer, and it just wouldn't be right

You misheard me @Obadiah Boondoggle , I said not sharing this beer is giving me a gut!

Lockdown has been kind to my reserves but not my liver.

 

[PhilBrew]

Hi Nick

Ahhhhh, a willing victim brave sampler ... ... some people just have no spirit of adventure ... I do have a carbonation cap and could transfer some beer into PET bottles, I'll have to have a dig around in the garage to see how many PETs I have. I'll report back tomorrow.

In the meantime ... I've opened another bottle of the Smoked Beer ... after all, I would never expect anyone to sample something I'd brewed without sampling it myself first ... this was brewed to the Greg Hughes Smoked Beer recipe, back in Sept 2018, but like I say, I think I was delivered peat smoked malt in place of the oak-smoked malt that I ordered, which I didn't realise till after it was brewed, fermented and conditioned ... this is how it's now looking ...

... basically like a brown ale. Having been in the bottle two and a half years it was a bit more carbonated than I'd have wanted, so I had to pour carefully, but I was able to get most of a pint into the glass. And taste wise, well it's unusual, but it's drinkable now, I think ... but I'll leave detailed considerations up to anyone brave enough to try it :hat:

Cheers, PhilB

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Oh, alright then, I'll give it a go