Strange-steve's Homebrew Reviews

[strange-steve]

how does one get and therefore avoid, DMS

It's something that is created when a chemical found in malts, particularly lighter malts, breaks down during the boil. To make sure it's removed, a vigorous boil for a decent duration is really all that's needed, and this is more important when using pils malt as a base.

 

[samale]

The description sounds very similar to @Pennine Belgian sour blonde. I had this last night. He used WLP 655, it was very fruity with light Brett character. His beer was still very young.

 

[strange-steve]

The description sounds very similar to @Pennine Belgian sour blonde. I had this last night. He used WLP 655, it was very fruity with light Brett character. His beer was still very young.

I have a bottle of that to look forward to also

 

[SteveH]

Today's beer is a delightful sounding Brett Saison courtesy of @SteveH...

Thanks for the review @strange-steve - I'm glad you enjoyed it! :hat:

Details of the recipe:

20l batch, water was 15l Tesco Ashbeck, 10l pre-boiled tap water (to reduce alkalinity), 4g gypsum

4kg Lager malt (Warminster)
350g Vienna
250g Wheat malt

1hr mash @66c

30g Pilot - 60min
30g Pilot - 5min
40g fresh ginger (finely chopped and pre-frozen) - 5min
Rind of 1 lemon - 5min

Primary fermentation was WLP 566 (Belgian Saison II), which took it 1.054-1.007

Secondary was WLP4603 - Beersel Blend - I bottled after 2 months and it'd reached 1.002

This was actually a split batch, I did the other half with WY5526 (Brett Lambicus) which did turn out a little more funky and somewhat less fruity - overall I think the beersel blend suited this beer better.

 

[strange-steve]

Thanks for the review @strange-steve - I'm glad you enjoyed it! :hat:

Details of the recipe:

20l batch, water was 15l Tesco Ashbeck, 10l pre-boiled tap water (to reduce alkalinity), 4g gypsum

4kg Lager malt (Warminster)
350g Vienna
250g Wheat malt

1hr mash @66c

30g Pilot - 60min
30g Pilot - 5min
40g fresh ginger (finely chopped and pre-frozen) - 5min
Rind of 1 lemon - 5min

Primary fermentation was WLP 566 (Belgian Saison II), which took it 1.054-1.007

Secondary was WLP4603 - Beersel Blend - I bottled after 2 months and it'd reached 1.002

This was actually a split batch, I did the other half with WY5526 (Brett Lambicus) which did turn out a little more funky and somewhat less fruity - overall I think the beersel blend suited this beer better.

That's really interesting, thanks for the info. There was something familiar which I couldn't quite place, I think I called it spicy and aromatic, and now I see it was ginger! I love ginger but always been afraid to use it because it could easily be overdone. One of my favourite quotes from Brew Like A Monk was from the head brewer at Rochefort who said something along the lines of "if you can tell what spice has been used then too much has been used" and I think you got it just right. Loved the flavours from that brett blend, I'll definitely be trying that in the future

 

[strange-steve]

I'm off work today and tomorrow so treating myself to @BeerCat's Barleywine which sounds a bit special, Roger's Old Todger at an impressive 13% ABV...

Aroma
A deliciously rich vinous aroma, dark fruits, plums and sultanas, brown sugar, dark chocolate, spicy alcohol, hints of sherry like a well aged beer.

Appearance
Really stunning looking. Deep red, almost black with a wonderful creamy, almost nitro looking white head.

Flavour
Thick and almost syrupy with flavours like a rich and fruity sticky toffee sponge with brown sugar, dates, as well as cranberries and bitter chocolate. Starts off sweet but there's a good level of bitterness that cuts through before it becomes cloying and it actually finishes surprisingly dry. There is a bit of earthy and woody hop(?) flavour in the finish that also cleanses the palate in a nice way. Incredibly no alcohol flavour, like none whatsoever!

Overall Impression
Fantastic beer. There's something special that seems to happen to beer when the ABV gets into double figures. I've read that alcohol is a flavour-carrier which might explain some of it but whatever it is, beer seems to become something more than just fermented barley juice at such high alcohol content. You can tell it's special, particularly when it's as well made as this one. Quite how there's no noticeable alcohol flavour is incredible, but another common flaw in these big beers is being overly sweet which you've also avoided, the balance is just about perfect. The upfront sweetness doesn't outstay it's welcome, just giving that initial "desert beer" impression before the bitterness takes over. This is the kind of beer you slowly sip on a Christmas eve, by the fireside, in your velvet lounge jacket, cigar in hand, Wagner on the record player, as snow falls outside. I absolutely loved it, probably one of the best you've sent me, and extremely well made so thanks again for this mate. Look forward to our next swap :hat:

 

[BeerCat]

Thanks very much indeed Steve, most appreciated. I think the woodiness you picked up was from the sherry oak chips. Only 1g a liter but i bulk conditioned for about 5 months. I believe this beer was possibly oxidised a touch as it was in a fermenter with a broken seal for that time. Brewed last May. 52 IBU. My notes say mashed at 63c with 20% brown sugar, 8% crystal and fermented with voss and juggernaut kveik. Magnum hops, no lat addition.

 

[strange-steve]

Thanks very much indeed Steve, most appreciated. I think the woodiness you picked up was from the sherry oak chips. Only 1g a liter but i bulk conditioned for about 5 months. I believe this beer was possibly oxidised a touch as it was in a fermenter with a broken seal for that time. Brewed last May. 52 IBU. My notes say mashed at 63c with 20% brown sugar, 8% crystal and fermented with voss and juggernaut kveik. Magnum hops, no lat addition.

From the aroma I suspected maybe a touch of oxidation (not necessarily a bad thing in a strong beer like this) but I didn't notice it in the flavour so it was perhaps just the sherry oak I was picking up on the nose. Thanks again for this, cracking beer

 

[strange-steve]

This afternoon I have another of @BeerCat's beers, this time a Chocolate Coconut Milk Stout which sounds amazing...

Aroma
Exactly as the name suggests, creamy coconut and dark chocolate as well as fruity hints of blackberries. Delicious.

Appearance
Black with ruby highlights, great clarity when held to the light. Nice foamy tan head with good retention.

Flavour
The coconut hits straight away which has a creamy and toasty impression, with a smooth, lightly roasted coffee flavour. There's also a slight acidic tang which enhances a sweet fruitiness that I'm picking up. The finish is dry and grainy with an interesting earthy funk which I can't really place.

Overall Impression
I've said on this thread before that I'm a sucker for anything coconut, it's one of my favourite flavours and I don't think I've ever had a coconut beer I didn't like. This is no different, it's a cracking beer and not just specifically as a coconut flavoured beer, but importantly the base beer is great too. It's a solid milk stout, bags of flavour, chocolatey and smooth without being overly sweet, plus a nice fruitiness presumably from the yeast. I'm not sure where the (for want of a better word) funk in the finish is coming from, but it's not unpleasant and actually adds a little extra complexity. So overall I thought this was a really well brewed beer and the glass emptied far too soon. I have no idea what strength this was but it felt extremely sessionable and I could happy get through a few of these. Thanks for another great beer mate :hat:

 

[samale]

Sounds lovely, I would be interested in seeing the recipe @BeerCat. More to understand how you added the coconut. Any attempts I had the coconut disappears very quickly.

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm off work today and tomorrow so treating myself to @BeerCat's Barleywine which sounds a bit special, Roger's Old Todger at an impressive 13% ABV...

Aroma
A deliciously rich vinous aroma, dark fruits, plums and sultanas, brown sugar, dark chocolate, spicy alcohol, hints of sherry like a well aged beer.

Appearance
Really stunning looking. Deep red, almost black with a wonderful creamy, almost nitro looking white head.

Flavour
Thick and almost syrupy with flavours like a rich and fruity sticky toffee sponge with brown sugar, dates, as well as cranberries and bitter chocolate. Starts off sweet but there's a good level of bitterness that cuts through before it becomes cloying and it actually finishes surprisingly dry. There is a bit of earthy and woody hop(?) flavour in the finish that also cleanses the palate in a nice way. Incredibly no alcohol flavour, like none whatsoever!

Overall Impression
Fantastic beer. There's something special that seems to happen to beer when the ABV gets into double figures. I've read that alcohol is a flavour-carrier which might explain some of it but whatever it is, beer seems to become something more than just fermented barley juice at such high alcohol content. You can tell it's special, particularly when it's as well made as this one. Quite how there's no noticeable alcohol flavour is incredible, but another common flaw in these big beers is being overly sweet which you've also avoided, the balance is just about perfect. The upfront sweetness doesn't outstay it's welcome, just giving that initial "desert beer" impression before the bitterness takes over. This is the kind of beer you slowly sip on a Christmas eve, by the fireside, in your velvet lounge jacket, cigar in hand, Wagner on the record player, as snow falls outside. I absolutely loved it, probably one of the best you've sent me, and extremely well made so thanks again for this mate. Look forward to our next swap :hat:

Well if Roger were to rinse the old man off, now and then, after use, it might not leave so much to write about.
Serious, Steve, your eloquence is something to stand in awe of. You should be a poet. Your description makes me want to ask @BeerCat for the recipe, but I see someone got there before me.

This is the kind of beer you slowly sip on a Christmas eve, by the fireside, in your velvet lounge jacket, cigar in hand, Wagner on the record player, as snow falls outside.

FFS!
If beercat's kind enough to share, I'll knock some up. In the meantime I'll re-read your description.
Well done both!

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Sounds lovely, I would be interested in seeing the recipe @BeerCat. More to understand how you added the coconut. Any attempts I had the coconut disappears very quickly.

I 2nd this @BeerCat ! I have been perusing some coconut stout recipes this week at it happens so would be interested to see yours!

 

[Brewnaldo]

Steve, what advice would you give to a brewer who barely knows his arse from his elbow when it comes to tasting/picking out flavours to get to a better level of analysis?

 

[strange-steve]

Steve, what advice would you give to a brewer who barely knows his **** from his elbow when it comes to tasting/picking out flavours to get to a better level of analysis?

Honestly I don't have a great palate either, but it's definitely something that gets better with practice. One good way to practice is starting with your own brews where you know the recipe, and trying to pick out the flavours that should be there from each of the ingredients. I also recommend volunteering to steward at a BJCP competition (if we ever have them again) and chatting to the judges, I was able to taste the beers along side them and learned loads from it.

 

[strange-steve]

This afternoon's beer is a Vienna lager courtesy of @Pennine and I love a good lager so I've been looking forward to this...

Aroma
Lightly toasty, hints of toffee, distinctive herbal/floral noble hop aroma, fruity, slight note of sulphur.

Appearance
A really nice red/copper colour, a bit of haze which I think is due to the sediment being stirred up a tad on opening, very highly carbonated. Great head retention, lovely lacing.

Flavour
Some fruitiness initially with a pleasant, doughy maltiness and raw graininess that comes through nicely, but the finish is dry and distinctly lager-y. Moderate/high bitterness enhances the dryness.

Overall Impression
I hope you don't mind, but I whipped a little of the carbonation out of this after my initial tasting. I know this style should be highly carbed but I find sometimes that can mask some of the more delicate and elusive flavours. After I did this the beautiful noble hop flavours came through much better, with those delicious floral notes that are simply divine. I'm curious about your yeast choice here, the label says "harvest", but I don't know what it was harvested from, and I thought I was picking up a little more fruitiness than I might expect for the style. For my taste the bitterness was perhaps a tad high which overpowered some of the toasty malt flavours, but it cleans up the finish in a refreshing way. These things, along with the more hop-forward flavours, make me think a little more of a Czech amber lager than a Vienna lager, but in any case this was really enjoyable as always and has the drinkability factor that's essential for these continental lager styles, it's hard to believe this is actually 6%. Many thanks for another great beer mate :hat:

 

[BeerCat]

Cheers Steve most kind of you. I don't know if the funk would be from the wyeast 1084 or something else. It was 4.5% and raw, kegged at the beginning of December. I will start a couple of threads soon for anyone that wants to give them a go.

 

[Pennine]

This afternoon's beer is a Vienna lager courtesy of @Pennine and I love a good lager so I've been looking forward to this...

Aroma
Lightly toasty, hints of toffee, distinctive herbal/floral noble hop aroma, fruity, slight note of sulphur.

Appearance
A really nice red/copper colour, a bit of haze which I think is due to the sediment being stirred up a tad on opening, very highly carbonated. Great head retention, lovely lacing.

Flavour
Some fruitiness initially with a pleasant, doughy maltiness and raw graininess that comes through nicely, but the finish is dry and distinctly lager-y. Moderate/high bitterness enhances the dryness.

Overall Impression
I hope you don't mind, but I whipped a little of the carbonation out of this after my initial tasting. I know this style should be highly carbed but I find sometimes that can mask some of the more delicate and elusive flavours. After I did this the beautiful noble hop flavours came through much better, with those delicious floral notes that are simply divine. I'm curious about your yeast choice here, the label says "harvest", but I don't know what it was harvested from, and I thought I was picking up a little more fruitiness than I might expect for the style. For my taste the bitterness was perhaps a tad high which overpowered some of the toasty malt flavours, but it cleans up the finish in a refreshing way. These things, along with the more hop-forward flavours, make me think a little more of a Czech amber lager than a Vienna lager, but in any case this was really enjoyable as always and has the drinkability factor that's essential for these continental lager styles, it's hard to believe this is actually 6%. Many thanks for another great beer mate :hat:

No problem about the carbonation, it's definitely a preference thing. Harvest is one of Imperial Yeasts lager Yeasts the brulosophy people always talk about it so I figured I would give it a try. It is fruity reminded me a bit of s23 actually. Glad you enjoyed it, it was one of my favorite lagers I have brewed.

 

[strange-steve]

Today's beer is a Belgian Pale/IPA conditioned with Orval dregs sent by @dave_77. I've had this one for a while so apologies for the delay, but I didn't want to drink this too young. Anyway, here goes...

Aroma
An interesting combination of big tropical fruitiness and earthy, funky brett that actually works really nicely. Hints of biscuit, caramel, and a gentle warming spiciness. Really nice.

Appearance
A very pretty reddish/copper colour with a thin white head, good lacing, a bit of haze. (Note my kitchen is lit like a medieval dungeon, the beer is much lighter than it appears below.)

Flavour
Lovely bready/biscuity malt flavours, a general fruitiness but not as intense as from the aroma, with orange and strawberry notes, noticeable but not overpowering leathery brett flavours with a little spice in the background, and just a hint of tanginess before a very dry, crisp finish.

Overall Impression
What I'm really impressed with here is the way the malt flavours manage to take centre-stage despite the many layers of very different flavours. Brett B has such a powerful flavour and can very easily overtake everything else, but it is so nicely balanced here allowing the biscuity malt to come through, and it's not because it's especially young, it was bottled about 4 months ago according to the label. It's really interesting that initially there is a hint of fruity sweetness but it finishes completely bone dry which gives it a remarkably refreshing quality, all the more remarkable that it's over 7%! The high level of carbonation also really lightens the mouthfeel, which along with the dryness gives it a lovely sparkling wine quality. Overall I really loved this beer and I wouldn't change a thing. It went down an absolute treat so many thanks for sending this mate :hat:

 

[dave_77]

Today's beer is a Belgian Pale/IPA conditioned with Orval dregs sent by @dave_77. I've had this one for a while so apologies for the delay, but I didn't want to drink this too young. Anyway, here goes...

Aroma
An interesting combination of big tropical fruitiness and earthy, funky brett that actually works really nicely. Hints of biscuit, caramel, and a gentle warming spiciness. Really nice.

Appearance
A very pretty reddish/copper colour with a thin white head, good lacing, a bit of haze. (Note my kitchen is lit like a medieval dungeon, the beer is much lighter than it appears below.)

Flavour
Lovely bready/biscuity malt flavours, a general fruitiness but not as intense as from the aroma, with orange and strawberry notes, noticeable but not overpowering leathery brett flavours with a little spice in the background, and just a hint of tanginess before a very dry, crisp finish.

Overall Impression
What I'm really impressed with here is the way the malt flavours manage to take centre-stage despite the many layers of very different flavours. Brett B has such a powerful flavour and can very easily overtake everything else, but it is so nicely balanced here allowing the biscuity malt to come through, and it's not because it's especially young, it was bottled about 4 months ago according to the label. It's really interesting that initially there is a hint of fruity sweetness but it finishes completely bone dry which gives it a remarkably refreshing quality, all the more remarkable that it's over 7%! The high level of carbonation also really lightens the mouthfeel, which along with the dryness gives it a lovely sparkling wine quality. Overall I really loved this beer and I wouldn't change a thing. It went down an absolute treat so many thanks for sending this mate :hat:

Thanks for the detailed notes and I'm glad you enjoyed. I'm happy with the outcome being my first Brett beer. I'm definitely going to go down this route again , 2-3 bottles of Orval to drink and some free Brett to play with. I usually only brew 16 litre batches but Im thinking of doing bigger batches of some of the Belgians and then Brett bottle conditioning 10 litres.

 

[strange-steve]

Today's beer is a Cherry Red Ale by @JFB, and I'm not sure I've ever had a homebrewed kriek so looking forward to this...

Aroma
Beautiful complex aroma combining sweet, sharp, fruity, funky, and spicy. The cherry comes through really nicely, very prominent with the distinctive delicious almond aroma. This takes me back to the Cantillon tap room.

Appearance
Stunning red colour with a fluffy pink head. Good head retention, nice lacing. Medium carbonation.

Flavour
Quite sharp up front with a clean, fruity, acidity that reminds me of lemon and sharp apples. No vinegar at all in the acidity. The cherry flavour is there adding to the fruitiness as well as a soft nuttiness, but it's more subtle than on the nose. The brett flavours again are fairly subtle, with just a hint of funk and there's a refreshing bitter hop flavour in the finish, which leaves a sort of drying, grape skin effect on the palate making this very drinkable, especially for a >7% beer.

Overall Impression
On my first sip I have to admit I was a little disappointed that the cherry wasn't as prominent in the flavour as it was in the aroma, but the more I drank the more I noticed it, and although I haven't seen your recipe this tastes exactly as I'd expect a kriek made with real cherries to taste like. As I mentioned, the aroma took me straight back to the last time a had a proper kriek which was in the Cantillon tap room, and I'll be honest the flavours are similar too, even their's doesn't hit you over the head with the cherry flavour as some of the "fake" krieks do in an artificial way. Tbis beer has that beautiful, clean, crisp, fresh fruitiness that is lacking in beers flavoured with syrups and the like. I feel like it is however missing just a little something that would make this really special. Don't get me wrong I absolutely loved this and it's much better than any attempt I've made at a sour beer, but I was craving just a touch more complexity from the brett flavours that would make this even better. That's just my subjective opinion though and I'm being a little harsh just because this is so good. The carbonation is maybe a tad low for the style but personally I rather like that, and otherwise I can't really fault it. This was wonderful so thanks for sharing mate and I look forward to the next one :hat: