Xmas Swap 2018 Review Thread

[MickDundee]

Not too sure where they got that from as I read 2.5 - 3.2vols for that range. I'd say yours was bang on in that case!

No the Tain address wasn't me buddy.

Getting my Hehlands mixed up! Forres, not Tain! It’s all “up north” to those of us in civilisation anyway

 

[Ajhutch]

First up for me is a coconut wheat ale which is a fascinating and enjoyable drink. Very pleasing hiss on opening and poured with impressive clarity and a nice tight foam which stuck around well. The aroma and flavour are really well led by the coconut; the sensation is sort of lush rich coconut cream type rather than toasty dessicsted on a macaroon type. I think the quite creamy mouthfeel contributes to this. Malt flavour and hop bitterness are largely there in support of the coconut which is absolutely fine. Honestly in making a beer to showcase an ‘alternative’ ingredient I don’t know what more you could do than this; it’s clearly a beer but it’s coconut to the fore. Santa professed himself disappointed with this, I think Santa has very high standards. Very much enjoyed.

 

[Martybhoy]

View attachment 17008

So I opened the bottle of reindeer Poo tonight while I was waiting for our cherubs to get to sleep before we commenced stocking wrapping.

Do you know what I didn’t think I would enjoy a brown but this was really nice. Just enough of the dark malts to give the beer that deep malty flavour, then with just enough hops to balance it out. Reminds me of a really nice American brown I once had, just with a more restrained hop profile. Not to much alcohol either and no obvious faults I could detect.

Has made me think of a few brown recipes to try and develop over the Xmas holidays to try. All in all a beer I liked and exactly what the Xmas swaps are all about.

Thanks for the swap of “Reindeer Poo”

Cheers Hoddy, that was from me.

I felt it was ideal as a swap at this time of year, something of a winter warmer.

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Hoddy]

N

Cheers Hoddy, that was from me.

I felt it was ideal as a swap at this time of year, something of a winter warmer.

Glad you enjoyed it.

no probs. I really enjoyed it. I would be really interested to know what the malt and hop bill was. PM me the recipe if you can.

 

[Mungri]

View attachment 17017

Second bottle was Les Citrus Pale, hopped with Simcoe and Citra. Simcoe is my favourite aroma hop, but I could pick out more citra than Simcoe.

Apart from that this beer is right down my street. Very hop forward and the balance between malt and bitterness was spot on. Colour-wise it was pretty much the same as my “usual” APA so again, right down my street. Decent head retention and I think it would have had decent clarity, but I think I kicked up some yeast when I opened.

That one was from me Mick.
Same amount of Simcoe & Citra in the brew but I agree the Citra dominates.
Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Ghillie]

Getting my Hehlands mixed up! Forres, not Tain! It’s all “up north” to those of us in civilisation anyway

Haha indeed it is! Ah

First up for me is a coconut wheat ale which is a fascinating and enjoyable drink. Very pleasing hiss on opening and poured with impressive clarity and a nice tight foam which stuck around well. The aroma and flavour are really well led by the coconut; the sensation is sort of lush rich coconut cream type rather than toasty dessicsted on a macaroon type. I think the quite creamy mouthfeel contributes to this. Malt flavour and hop bitterness are largely there in support of the coconut which is absolutely fine. Honestly in making a beer to showcase an ‘alternative’ ingredient I don’t know what more you could do than this; it’s clearly a beer but it’s coconut to the fore. Santa professed himself disappointed with this, I think Santa has very high standards. Very much enjoyed.

Well I'm glad you liked it pal. Wasn't right up my street, but I guess just because it's not to your taste doesn't mean it's bad - just different.

Merry Christmas bud!

 

[jceg316]

My first beer was Must Die IPA - Really nice pale ale. Assertive bitterness balanced with a malty aftertaste. Very complex flavour with something new coming through at every sip, from citrus to earthy flavours. Really enjoyed it. I gave some to my dad as well who agreed.

 

[jceg316]

My second is a 9% imperial IPA, to narrow it down it was the one sent with some elderflower mead. This was really enjoyable!

Chocolate aroma with dark fruit and raisin. Full mouth feel, nice roasty flavour with some coffee coming through. A really nice beer and whilst a slow sipper, I would not be able to tell the strength of that beer!

Not tried the elderflower mead yet but I will give it a go after lunch.

 

[Tim Hunt]

Couldn’t resist any longer ...
Accidentally Clear Wheatbeer.

Opened with a quiet hiss.
Poured lovely, a little hiss , nice head but quickly dissipated.

Aroma - complex, I knew it was a wheat beer immediately !

Tasting this - wow, the banana and clove smacked me in the chops ! This is a banana butty in a glass !

Sweet mouth feel , and low bitterness , this is a sipper.

Not sure what the abv is .

Lovely beer !

Thanks Santa !!

That was mine cheers for the review, glad you liked it! I would have bottle conditioned it but didn’t have time so had to do it straight from the keg - thus the quiet hiss. The abv was 5% btw, realised I forgot to put it on. Merry Christmas all, I’ll review my beers tomorrow when I get back home - looking forward to them.

 

[Ajhutch]

I’m responsible for the impy stout reviewed by @Bezza and @jceg316. Glad you both enjoyed it. That scored a 31 in the Welsh National comp but I think it’s a better beer now with a bit of age on it. I’ve still got about 12 bottles left, will see what that total is after Christmas! Hope the mead is ok, I quite like it but I’ve got no real idea if it’s good as I’ve never had any other mead! If there’s any sediment in the mead it tastes a lot less good so pour carefully (again! Maybe bottling is the major area I need to get better at)

 

[braziliain]

I just kicked off my Christmas with a 'Dill With It' Table Saison (2.7%). I didn't know what to expect here but was assuming from the name that it may contain Dill. I don't eat fish so didn't really know what Dill tastes like but had a good whiff of the dried stuff from the cupboard before opening this bottle!

It poured light golden with a lovely bubbly white head. The aroma I found to have that typical Saison fresh yeast scent I would associate with a Saison. Maybe a little orangey citrus? If there is dill, then it is either very subtle or I can't pick it out due to my inexperience of it.

Wow, this beer zings! Very dry, super refreshing. After peeling a ton of veg this was just the refreshment I needed. It's so crisp, dry, light in body and highly carbonated, almost like a pils but with that unmistakable Saison yeast character. I get a deep lemon rind bitterness that compels you to go back for more. Noble hops?

At 2.7% percent this is a great session beer that I could happily drink all day long. A keg full of this on a hot summer day would be glorious. To say it is such a low abv, it doesn't want for anything.

Thank you Santa, that was delicious! Happy Christmas all :)

 

[-Bezza-]

I’m responsible for the impy stout reviewed by @Bezza and @jceg316. Glad you both enjoyed it. That scored a 31 in the Welsh National comp but I think it’s a better beer now with a bit of age on it. I’ve still got about 12 bottles left, will see what that total is after Christmas! Hope the mead is ok, I quite like it but I’ve got no real idea if it’s good as I’ve never had any other mead! If there’s any sediment in the mead it tastes a lot less good so pour carefully (again! Maybe bottling is the major area I need to get better at)

That was my guess!

The stout looked to be bottle conditioned but yeast was very compacted even after postage.

I'm not saying this to be polite - it really was a very good beer.

How would you suggest I drink the mead?

 

[Ajhutch]

I drink it chilled as a dessert wine, though it’s fermented dry I think it has a sweet tinge to it.

Thanks for your kind words!

 

[brewhaha]

I just kicked off my Christmas with a 'Dill With It' Table Saison (2.7%). I didn't know what to expect here but was assuming from the name that it may contain Dill. I don't eat fish so didn't really know what Dill tastes like but had a good whiff of the dried stuff from the cupboard before opening this bottle!

It poured light golden with a lovely bubbly white head. The aroma I found to have that typical Saison fresh yeast scent I would associate with a Saison. Maybe a little orangey citrus? If there is dill, then it is either very subtle or I can't pick it out due to my inexperience of it.

Wow, this beer zings! Very dry, super refreshing. After peeling a ton of veg this was just the refreshment I needed. It's so crisp, dry, light in body and highly carbonated, almost like a pils but with that unmistakable Saison yeast character. I get a deep lemon rind bitterness that compels you to go back for more. Noble hops?

At 2.7% percent this is a great session beer that I could happily drink all day long. A keg full of this on a hot summer day would be glorious. To say it is such a low abv, it doesn't want for anything.

Thank you Santa, that was delicious! Happy Christmas all :)

View attachment 17026

This one's mine. Glad you enjoyed it & thanks for the kind comments.

It was hopped with Amarillo & Sorachi Ace but the Amarillo is much more dominant in this version compared to the original. I think the lemon rind is from the Sorachi as that's another flavour descriptor for that variety.

I'm going to crack into my secret Santa beer tomorrow evening when I'm back home - a Citra saison at the other end of the ABV spectrum, 6%.

Merry Christmas everyone & thanks to @strange-steve for organising. Fantastic idea & perfectly executed.

 

[braziliain]

This one's mine. Glad you enjoyed it & thanks for the kind comments.

It was hopped with Amarillo & Sorachi Ace but the Amarillo is much more dominant in this version compared to the original. I think the lemon rind is from the Sorachi as that's another flavour descriptor for that variety.

I'm going to crack into my secret Santa beer tomorrow evening when I'm back home - a Citra saison at the other end of the ABV spectrum, 6%.

Merry Christmas everyone & thanks to @strange-steve for organising. Fantastic idea & perfectly executed.

Thank you, it was a lovely beer!

Was there any Dill in it or was that a red herring??

I see that Dill is also a flavour descriptor for Sorachi Ace.

 

[Leon103]

Had my first swap with Xmas dinner.

Named big ring and labelled a India helles lager I didn't know what to expect.

Something pale and hoppy was my guess.

This was a lovely pint. Darker than my first thought. A nice hop aroma and flavour coming through over the malt.

Nice thick head that laced right until the end. I went to save the yeast incase it was something worthwhile but hardly any present so possibly taken from a keg.

Would be interested in knowing the recipe for this. Not a style I have had before but since drinking I have done some reading and can see a few commercial varieties out there.

Thanks Santa

 

[Ciaran12s]

Well I've just polished off my first Christmas beer. "Big Ring" which is described as an India Helles Lager at 5.8%.

This is a first for me in both style and tasting another homebrewer's beer. Very impressed I must say.

When I received it I could not see any sediment even after a couple of days in the fridge. So I'm thinking bottled from a keg. If bottle conditioned very well done on getting next to no sediment in the bottle! The beer was a golden brown and a little hazy which could be from a big dry hop? But very good on the eye.

Aroma of tropical fruits which carries over to the flavour. Nice hoppy flavours and well balanced. Some hoppy beers can be a bit like eating hops.

Carbonation was good and it poured with a thin head (due to my pouring) which lasted all the way down. Ive been going 1.7-2.0 volumes for about 6 months now and I'd say this is lower than my recent beers and a refreshing change!

India Helles Lager. Well I've never had an Indian Helles Lager before so can't judge on style but overall a very tasty brew. If there was no hint as to style I'd have put it in American IPA due to the colour and hoppiness. Does the "India" allude to the India in IPA?

Thanks Santa!

 

[Ciaran12s]

Had my first swap with Xmas dinner.

Named big ring and labelled a India helles lager I didn't know what to expect.

Something pale and hoppy was my guess.

This was a lovely pint. Darker than my first thought. A nice hop aroma and flavour coming through over the malt.

Nice thick head that laced right until the end. I went to save the yeast incase it was something worthwhile but hardly any present so possibly taken from a keg.

Would be interested in knowing the recipe for this. Not a style I have had before but since drinking I have done some reading and can see a few commercial varieties out there.

Thanks Santa

I hadn't seen this before posting my review!

 

[braziliain]

@Leon103 @Ciaran12s

The Big Ring IHL was my creation. Thank you for the kind review and I'm really glad you both enjoyed it. It was indeed bottled from a keg and this was my first attempt at doing that, so I'm glad it made it to you in good condition.

It's inspired by Camden Town Brewery's IHL and is hopped like and American IPA but has a Pilsner base and is fermented with Saflager W-34/70. It was lagered at 2C for around a month before being bottled and sent. The darkness comes from a little Munich.

The dry hop was fairly large at 150g in 12L and despite the lagering it hasn't cleared. I never fine as my wife is vegetarian.

Recipe is below if you are interested. Happy Christmas! :)

 

[strange-steve]

My Santa very kindly sent me two beers so this is the first one, a Saaz Lager.

Despite organising the swaps I genuinely can't remember who sent me this, and rather than check I thought I'd stick to the spirt of this and keep it secret.

The first impression was that this is a beautiful looking beer. Very pale straw colour and extraordinarily clear.

This drinks really nicely, light bready pils malt flavours. Quite a lot of residual sweetness due to the low bitterness level. This went down rather well after a big lunch so thank you very much and I'm looking forward to the second one :hat: