Review: Not So NE IPA

Then...

...Now

The best laid plans of Mice and Men often go awry.  When I planned to make a NE IPA I used the techniques I had researched.  Flaked Oats.  High Chlorides.  A stone fruity yeast that tends to be a low floccer.  No fining agents.  Boat loads of hops in the whirlpool and fermenter.  The resulting beer came out nice and hazy, not milkshake thick, but opaque for sure... for a couple weeks.  Time, cold, and gravity worked to pull it clear enough to read through.  Luckily for me, it has made the beer taste much better.  While it was young and hazy it tasted phenolic, enough that I thought that my Brett strain might have taken up residence from the fermenter.  The tartness from the acid malt was also a little more present.  After clearing it has lost the phenolics and the tartness has backed down to a juiciness.

Appearance:  Pours a nearly bright orangish gold with a dense white head and streams of bubbles that continue to reload it.  Thick and sticky lace grips the glass with each sip.

Aroma:  A juicy bouquet of hops pop from the glass.  Grapefruit, orange juice, peach, guava, with pine and resin filling it out.  The hops are sweet, like a ripe orange.

Taste/Feel:  The hops follow in the flavor, yet lower than I would like.  Low to medium flavors of citrus, peach, and resin, finish in a resin laden medium high bitterness.  Sweet malts help with the juiciness as well as a lightly tart finish, like a grapefruit.  The body is creamy and smooth giving way to a light finish which is washed away by the carbonation and bitterness.

Overall:  Although it isn't a NE IPA, it isn't a West Coast either, but it is a damn tasty beer.  The hop aroma is big and inviting, but could use some extra oomph from a secondary dry hop (this one only got fermentation hopping).  It needs a little more bright, raw, nose in the bag, hoppiness.  The mid palate hoppiness needs some work as well to carry through between the nose and the finish.  Body and carbonation are spot on.  Acid malt is out of place.

Brewery Trial Review: Session Saison: Tragic Magic

I recently tried using a fining agent on my beers to see if they would impact the flavor of the finished product.  Specifically, I took my Saison and split it at packaging.  Half went into the keg on the fining and was then racked off the fining onto the dryhops in a second keg.  The other half was dryhopped before being racked into a second keg with the fining agent.  The attempt was to see if dryhopping prior to fining or after fining altered the dryhop contribution at all.  My blend of yeast has a tendency to transform hop oils so the thought was if I removed the yeast it would have less impact on the hops.  As far as the Noble hops on this Saison, the results were rather negligible.  There is no discernible flavor or aroma difference.  The only real difference is the appearance.  The dryhopped after fining beer has, well, hops in it.  After a few weeks of sitting in the keezer, the hop particles in the bottom of the keg keep on coming.  They don't seem to be compacting on the bottom and staying there. 

LOOK:

Pours a clear pale gold with a hint of orange under a dense and tight white head that falls way too quick for a Saison.  Thin ring leaves mild splattering on the glass.  Bubbles flutter up the glass.

AROMA:

Herbal and floral hops with a hint of spiciness lead the charge giving way to an earthy yeast note.  Pears and citrus with a touch of pineapple esters and a rosey alcohol float atop crackery malts and wheat with a light rye.

FLAVOR:

Pears and citrus give way to earthy phenols and a rye bite.  Crackery and rustic malt rear up behind notes of floral and spicy hops.  Bitterness is high and a little off putting as well as the hop flavor.  Complex to say the least.  The malt is medium low while everything else fires on medium high.  Lots of flavor for such a small beer.  No astringency.

MOUTHFEEL:

Light body with bone dry and very bitter finish.  Bubbles dance on the tongue, no alcohol bite.

OVERALL:

Crushable high flavor session beer.  The complexity is right where it should be for a Saison.  The bitterness and hop flavor are a little too high as they linger too long into the finish instead of cleansing the palate.  The head needs better retention for sure.  These kegs have had some issues with foam which I think I have fixed with by insulating the collar on the keezer.

Test Batch Review - Super Saison: Imaginary 1.0

As I stated in the recipe post Super Saison isn't my usual go-to beer.  Let's be honest, it's nobodys go-to beer.  It is a special ocassion beer by nature.  So why have it as a staple in a brewery?  Because drinking a beer at End Of Silence is always a special ocassion.  Having a breadth of styles and ABVs is always a good idea.  Everybody has massive IPAs and Imperial Stouts (as will I), but who has a readily available Super Saison.

Appearance: A foggy orange pour under a frothy egg white head that clings to the sides through the whole drink.  Needs a little more carbonation to keep the head up through the whole glass and bubbles for sparkle.

Aroma:  Pear and citrus pop from the glass with a light herbal note from the hops and a toasty malt base following behind.  A light rosey alcohol comes through in the end with a hint of fresh cracked pepper and cardamom.

Flavor:  The tongue follows the nose with pears and citrus, herbal hops, light spiciness, and a hint of cracked pepper.  Lots of toasted biscuits.  Just a mild funkiness and acidity.  Alcohol is light and floral.  Bitterness is balancing.  Very malty for the style.  More like a malty Tripel than a Imperial Saison.

Mouthfeel: Big and bold with a medium body and a fairly dry finish.  The maltiness and alcohol with a lower carbonation leave a little more heaviness on the tongue than a Saison should have, no matter the ABV.  Needs more carbonation for sure.

Overall:  Near miss, not an epic fail.  The maltiness, low carobonation, and high alcohol create for a bigger feeling beer than a super drinkable Saison.  The hops and esters come across nicely, just too malty and "heavy".  A little more bitterness, less Vienna, and higher carbonation would line this up where it needs to be.

Brewery Trial Review - Breaking the Habit - Coffee Porter

I'm literally sitting here thinking... "Is it really October already?" I mean, really? Feels like my wife and son just got out for Summer vacation. I'm not even sure I ate much of the wonderful Summer bounty from our area and now it is gone and pumpkins are everywhere. It used to be too hot to fall asleep, and now the night is crisp and brisk, and the darkness overshadows the day sooner and sooner with each passing moment. The days of crisp and light beers are passing and the dawn of a new season of dark and roasty beers is upon us. Just in time for the switch is this Coffee Porter.

Appearance: This beer pours very dark, yet super clear, under a rich and sticky head that last for a few minutes before dropping to a thin cap. Sticky lace clings to the walls of the glass all the way through. Clear, dark brown highlights hug the edges.

Aroma: Big bursts coffee leap off the nose. Roast coffee leads the way with caramel and dark chocolate notes, hints of esspresso, which gives way to fruity pineapple esters and a wiff of alcohol. Below the coffee is a rich biscuity malt with a touch of hops.

Flavor: The flavor doesn't mimic the nose at all. Biscuity malt leads the way with hints of chocolate and burnt sugar. A mild spicy hop note peaks through leading to a balanced and dry finish. The final note to wash over the tongue is a return of the espresso notes and a mild acidity.

Mouthfeel: The light, yet creamy body, gives way to a dry and mildly roasty finish. Though the body is light it isn't thin or watery, and could use a little boost. No acrid flavors from the coffee.

Overall: The blend of coffee and beer is complex and balanced with neither overcome by the other. Each take a turn coming forward in waves, cofee, beer, coffee, beer, coffee beer. The blend of coffee adds depth, but the beer never gets lost to it. Could use a higher FG for more body, but other than that, this beer is ready to go.

#80 Homemade Candi Syrup Belgian Dubbel Tasting

This entire concept for this beer was born out of a desire to make a Belgian Quad.  Of course, I am not paying $8 for a pound of sugar that I can spend around $2 on and an entire day of work.  Before I invested 2.5# of my first attempt and making Belgian Candi Syrup on a massive Quad, I wanted to give it a test run.  Thus this Belgian Dubbel.  I kept it simple, Pils malt, Vienna malt, and the sugar.  What started as a "better make this beer to test my sugar experiment" turned into a wonderful beer.  This could easily work itself into a normal rotation with an addition of Special B and a different yeast.

Rich aroma of caramelized raisins and toasty malts.  There is a moderate sweet Pils malt and crackery notes as well.  Mild banana esters give way to perfumy alcohol and a touch of funk (not a pure yeast pitch).  There is a hint of clove in the background, subtle.  Fruitiness dominates the nose and burnt sugar, some cherry and plum.

Pours a deep clear copper with a billowy off white head that persists to the end leaving trails of sticky lace down the glass.

Sweet and toasty malts wash over the tongue first giving way to caramelized raisins, plum skins, and dried cherries.  Almost candy like.  There is a moderate rosey alcohol note, clean, but evident.  Mild phenols spice it up at the end of the swallow.  Light banana and pear esters step aside to expose a low spicy and herbal hop note.  Low bitterness balances the finish and cleanses the palate.  Alcohol warmth lingers after the drink is swallowed.

The medium body gives way quickly to a dry finish that pulls a little at the sides of the mouth.  Bitterness is low but balances the candy sweetness well.  Medium-high carbonation gives way to alcohol warmth.

Stunning beer to look at, especially now that it has cleared (the Biere de Garde strain stays in suspension forever).  The interplay of candy, toast, alcohol, dried fruits, esters, and phenols is very balanced and complex.  Could benefit from a touch more dried fruit character, maybe some Special B.  Also needs a better yeast, the old repitch of 3725 made beer, but it isn't totally clean and doesn't produce as many phenols as this beer could have used.  The Belgian Candi Syrup was spot on.

Tasting: Trios Coffee Porter vs West Yorkshire Coffee Porter

The first batch of Coffee Porter was a fluke, a challenge from my wife to not add Brett to a beer for once.  I accepted that challenge, kind of, and added coffee per her suggestion.  It was so amazing that I had to rebrew it, and bring it on as one of my year round offerings for the brewery in planning.  For this version, I fermented one half the same as before, using West Yorkshire, but the other half got "Brett" Trios (not actually Brett, just a super tropicaly Sacc strain).  The purpose was to see if Brett could actually work as a house yeast for more than an IPA and Saison.  Below is a side-by-side tasting of both versions.  A real Brett fermented version will take the lessons learned from this side-by-side into account on the next re-brew.

Trois vs Cal Ale IPA Tasting

One of the flagship beers for the brewery will be a 7% ABV IPA.  I'm looking for loads of hop expression and a firm, but not overpowering bitterness.  This batch of IPA was split between White Labs Cal Ale and "Brett" Trios.  Of course, there is a lot of stir around the inter-webs about the fact that it is indeed not Brett.  But it still acts like Brett and throws flavors like Brett primary with big tropical fruit esters.  I did this to begin the process of not only getting house recipes, but also getting a house yeast strain.  The difference between these two beers is almost night and day.  The Trios continued to act on the dry hops morphing them around in the keg (producing CO2 as well).  I am not sure where the huge melon component in the Cal Ale version came from since there are no melony hops in the mix, but it is a huge turn off to me, even though judges really liked it and it got an Honorable Mention.  The Trios through some phenols as well that detracted from the overall flavor.  Good start to recipe and yeast formulation, but definitely not there yet.

Release the Panic (Trios IPA):

Aroma:
Tropics burst off the nose, pineapple and mango.  Behind the big esters are citrus rinds and hints of resin.  Mild alcohol peeks out behind the powerful aroma.  There is a touch of phenols, some peach, with mild grassy and melon notes.  No where near as much grass and melon as the Cal Ale.

Appearance:
Pours a super clear golden orange under a dense off-white head with tiny bubbles.  Fades to a thick cap and leaves lots of spotty lace all the way down the glass.

Flavor:
Hop oils coat the tongue, heavy notes of citrus and pine.  Spicy notes could be peppery phenols or from the hops.  Pineapple esters and sweet malt notes make it almost candy like.  Bitter finish, less so than the Cal Ale version.

Mouthfeel:
Body is a quite thin and watery, especially for the level of cara-pils in this recipe.  Semi-dry finish.  Bitter and oily.  Medium carbonation.

Feed the Machine (Cal Ale IPA):

Aroma:
Huge melon and vegetal note leaps from the glass.  It is odd, this is the same exact aroma, just sometimes it is a lot of vegetable and the next it is melon.  Hints of sweetness, candy like, followed by mild herbal notes and citrus rinds.

Appearance:
Pours a super clear golden orange under a dense off-white head... sound familiar?  The head on this beer stays around longer and thicker than the Trios version.  Head is moussey.  Leaves lots of lace.

Flavor:
Tastes like hop candy and cantaloupe (I hate cantaloupe), resin, and pine.  Vegetative notes and medium citrus pith.  Honey like malts.  Medium high bitterness.

Mouthfeel:
Medium body with a fairly dry and bitter finish.  Crisp.  Body is much more in line with an IPA than the Trios version.


Overall Comparison of Both:
The Trios version is very enjoyable in the nose and flavor, lots of tropics and hop notes lends an enjoyable complexity.  The phenols and thin body detract from the overall wonder of this beer.  For the Cal Ale version the body is spot on as is the cleanness of the fermentation, but the super melon notes are too much.  The odd thing is that there are no melony hops in the mix, and it only came in on the dry hops.  Speaking of dry hops, part of the reason the melons don't come through on the Trios version might be due to the fact that this yeast was still active in the keg during the warm dry-hopping (it started carbonating on its own).  It was exciting to do this little experiment.  I need to work on the body and fermentation parameters, but definitely going with Brett (yes I know that Trios is not Brett, which is why the next batch will have actual Brett as the sole yeast).  Neither of these beers will become the Flagship IPA for the brewery, but it gets me one step closer.

REVIEW: RE: Fresh (Mango Berlinerweisse)

A hot Summer's day, sweat, labor, dirt, lawn, shovel, gardening, building, deck, scorching sun, heat stroke.  A far cry from the blustery weather in Oregon this December.  But thus is the way of the sour beer brewer.  It's ready when it's ready and no sooner.  I wanted my Mango Berlinerweisse in the heat of August when I was mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, Barbecuing fish, and preparing to pick some hops.  A week before Winter is officially here is not when I wanted it.  But when you work with Lacto as a souring agent post boil, that is what you get.  I am finding that the Cascade Lacto strain is best used with patience.  It does not sour quickly, that is for sure.  Still a tasty beer, and will be great in another 6-7 months when the heat hits again and yard work is in full swing.

Look:

Pours stunningly clear with a thick, moussy, brilliantly white head that drops harder than a Ghavi beat.  Bubbles continue to rocket up from the bottom of the glass like an aquarium stone.

Aroma:

Mild barnyard funk jumps first with fruity yogurt following.  The fruit is kind of dull and nondescript, can't tell it is Mango.  Light crackery malt back note.

Taste:

Sourness washes over the tongue first with a fruity pop.  Subtle tropical fruit note, but like the nose, can't discern Mango.  Crackery malt.  Light sharpness to the acid, acetic isn't part of the style, but it isn't overpowering at all, very light.

Mouthfeel:

Puckering tartness pulls on the tongue and sides of the throat.  Dry finish with a very prickly carbonation.  Effervescent, light, crisp, refreshing.

Overall:

Clean lactic kick with a mild fruitiness and faint Brett notes.  Not a super complex beer, but the style isn't known for that.  Easy drinker, and will be wonderful when the heat hits next year.  Definitely needs more Mango.

REVIEW: BANGARANG: No Nap (Coffee Porter)

There is something so comforting about a dark beer in the cold of winter.  The roast and chocolate, the hint of sweetness, a touch of toasty malts, it seems to invoke the natural atmosphere of the season.  It's something you can snuggle up to the fire with.  A good cup of coffee can do much the same on those dark and dreary days.  And of course, these two beverages make great friends.  The dark, chocolaty, roastiness of the beer and the coffee interplay beautifully if done well.  As a bonus, it makes for a great beer to pair with breakfast, whether on a Saturday morning, or Tuesday night.  Turned out just like I hoped the recipe would.

Look:  2/3

Pours a dark brown, almost black, see of lusciousness under a creamy tannish head that persists to a thick cap all the way down.  It is too dark to see through, but is super clear with garnet highlights.  Foam clings to the glass to the end.

Aroma:  10/12

The first thing to blast you from the glass is fresh cold pressed coffee!  Roast, chocolate, bold mocha.  Not like 2 day old coffee at work, fresh and vibrant, like smelling the coffee grinder after a fresh batch.  Under the coffee are notes of walnut skins, rich toffee, and biscuits.  There are also some mild dark fruit esters in the background.

Flavor:  16/20

Tastes like a barista prepared you the best cup of Joe.  Coffee dominates with mild roast and dark chocolate.  There is a low level of earthy hop notes that pair well with the roast and coffee, layered over bitter chocolate, biscuits, and walnut skins.  Hop bitterness is in the medium range and could use a boost to help the finish hit with a touch more oomph.

Mouthfeel:  3/5

Medium body gives way to a semi-sweet finish that is balanced out by the bitterness and roast which linger on the palate.  Medium carbonation helps to cleanse the palate.  There is something slightly off in the end, it sits a little flabby.  Needs to either have a few more IBUs or a few more points off the FG to give it a finishing punch.

Overall:  9/10

The combination of the base beer and the coffee beans is exquisite.  Hard to tell where the coffee ends and the beer begins.  The sweetness of the beer pairs well with the roast in the malt and coffee, and is balanced well with the bitterness of the hops.  Multi layered beer as the coffee kicks hard and then gives way to toffee, chocolate, toasty malts, and earthy hops below.  The stonefruit esters from the yeast play well with the cherry notes from the beans as well.  Again, the finish needs a little more punch to it, but otherwise a wonderful beer.  And at 5.5% you can have a few.

40/50

REVIEW: Bangarang: Neverland (American Sour Collabo w/ Falling Sky)

When the guys at Falling Sky and I set out to do a kettle soured homage to my Best of Show Gueuze, I wondered if we would ever actually get it brewed.  Scheduling conflicts continued to get in the way.  But we made it, and I am sure pleased we did.  The beer is a hit at the pub.  A new member to our church was talking with another member over lunch about how great this sour beer was he had at Falling Sky.  That other member then introduced him to me, the guy across the table from him, as the brewer of said beer.  It has been a cool experience to have conversations with people about the beer and the vision behind it.  My head is getting a little big, but it is hard not to, the beer is that good.

Look:

Pours a slightly hazy deep orange with a decent head to it.  The head is low as the beer is carbed lower than it should be for a sour.  It also falls a little fast, but sticks around as a thick cap, which for a beer this sour is really good.  Some spotty lace clings to the sides, but not much.

Aroma:

The first thing to jump from the glass to the nose is a big sour bite.  Like lemons, but less citrusy.  Very clean for a kettle sour.  Most kettle sours I have had are easy to pick out, but not this one.  Tropical and stone fruits follow, mostly pineapple juice and Kern's Apricot Nectar.  The malt is dominated by sweet honey notes.

Flavor:

A blast of sweet tarts hits the tongue first, makes you pucker up for sure, like sour patch kids.  Mild fruity hops come in next but are pushed away quickly by honey and toasty malts.  It is definitely a sweet and sour punch.  When it was a little younger the hops came through more with the pineapple and apricot, with a finish of Lipton Iced Tea powder. 

Mouthfeel:

This is a sour beer for sure, suck your lips off your face, but then it releases to a sweet, but light and crisp finish.  Faint bitterness.

Overall:

Very clean and sour beer.  Sweet.  Hints of hops play with fruit up front.  Would actually like more from the hops, so I dry hopped my second keg with Mosaic and Simcoe.  It also need a higher CO2 level, which up until this past weekend I couldn't really do (I finally was able to hook up my dual regulator giving me 4 lines at normal beer levels, and one tap at a higher level for sours, wilds, Saisons, Belgians and Hefes).  You really have to be in the mood to have your lips removed to drink this beer though.  Wish we would have made it in May so I would have the kegs in July and August when it was really hot and this beer would have been super refreshing.

REVIEW # 70: BANGARANG: Rufio 2.0 (1st Place Imperial Red IPA)

The rain is here, actually it is dumping buckets full everywhere.  The weather report says that there is possible flooding, and strong South winds that could down power lines and take out trees.  It gets dark by 6pm, and it stays dark until after I am already at work in the morning.  The temps are dropping as quickly as the leaves on the trees.  Fall is officially here.  And so is my Imperial Red IPA.  I love having this beer around at this time of year, malty, hoppy, dank, alcoholic, warming, comforting.  Needs a couple tweeks and we should have a house recipe.

Look:

Pours a clear deep red bordering on brown with definite ruby highlights under a 2+ finger thick khaki head that lasts forever.  Bubbles are tight and small, leaving a thick lacing all the way down the glass, alcohol legs sweep along the path of the sip.

Aroma:

A huge burst of resin and pine leap from the glass before it even gets to your nose, and gives way to a generic bag-o-hop-pellets kick from the dry hops.  Citrus pith, mild coffee grounds, sweet breads, toffee, fruit cake, tangerines, and spicy hops.  As it warms there is a faint floral soap note.

Taste:

Citrus rind washes all over the tongue at first sip, pith, resin, hop oils coat the entirety of the mouth, pine cones, and dank hops.  Below the initial burst of hops is a firm malt backbone, toffee, dark fruits, sweet malts, burnt sugar finish.  Spicy hops blend with the smooth but warming alcohol.  The finish is roasty, slightly ashy, and bitter, a pithy note lingers.  Touch of lactic sourness when really cold, I added 9ml of Lactic Acid to the sparge instead of 0.9ml, and it shows.

Mouthfeel:

Medium body gives way to a dry and bitter finish.  The alcohol, dextrins, and carbonation leave a good body keeping it from becoming thin.  Medium carbonation helps deliver the hops and wash the palate clean.  Lingering bitterness and alcohol warmth.

Overall:

The blend of hops and malts are pretty spot on for this beer.  The color is a tad dark, and the roastiness is too present in both aroma and flavor, need to dial the Black Patent back a hair.  Definitely need to avoid adding too much LA to the sparge water, detracts from a wonderful beer.  As always, my bitterness needs to get a crank up a notch or two.  Overall I am really pleased with the beer aside from the minor flaws, the worst of which is brewer error as opposed to recipe.

This beer took 1st place in the Imperial IPA category at the McKenzie Cider & Craft Beer Festival - Homebrew Competition

REVIEW: I (heart) PcA (1st place IPA)

When my pastor told me we were going to do a Fall Party for the church and wanted me to brew a beer for it, I knew right away what I wanted to make.  I wanted an IPA, because that is the drink of choice here in the PNW.  Home to Oakshire and Ninkasi, the people here in Eugene know good IPAs, so I had to make a great one for the event.  I wanted big citrus character with background pine and resin notes.  I wanted a dry finish.  I wanted a firm bitterness.  Boy did I get it.

Look:
Pours a fairly clear orange with a touch of haze which is appropriate for a dry hopped beer.  A 3 finger eggshell colored head with tight bubbles sits atop the beer and slowly fades to a thick cap that lasts the whole way down.  Thick lacing clings to the glass and spots its way down the glass to the end.  Beautiful beer, best looking IPA I have made to date.

Aroma:
The smell of floral hops hits first with a touch of geranium, but not overpowering as some floral notes can get.  This is shoved out of the way quickly by an onslaught of grapefruit rind, sweet onions, hop oils, and mangoes.  After a moment there is a hint of sweaty socks (hello again Amarillo), followed by lemon and lychee fruits.  Touch of dank and pine, some sweet bread notes, and a hint of alcohol.

Taste:
The first wash over the tongue is super oily, resinous hops, pine, bitter grapefruit, and tropical fruits.  There is a touch of floral, but not much and a hint of dirty peaches.  Sweet malt backbone supports the hops well leading to a firm bitterness that lingers on the back of the tongue.  Touch of grainy crackers.

Mouthfeel:
The medium to light body gives way to a really dry (but not bone dry) finish.  The bitterness is firm but not abrasive or harsh, and it lingers through the glass.  No astringency.  Touch of warming alcohol.

Overall:
I am really happy with this recipe.  I have always been anti-crystal malts in my IPAs but the light handed use of the lower lovibond Carastan actually worked quite well.  The sweet grainy malt and dry finish really let the hops shine.  Complex blend of citrus, dank, tropical, and floral work great together without getting muddled.  The bitterness is firm, but could actually stand to get turned up a few more IBUs.  Need to keep this recipe in the rotation and make a couple tweeks.

This beer took 1st place in the IPA category at the McKenzie Cider & Craft Beer Festival - Homebrew Competition

REVIEW: Enygma (Mystery Saison)

For going into this beer blind to exactly what to expect from both the hops and the yeast, I am quite pleased with the results.  So much so that I want to brew it again, and used the yeast for my barrel project.  The yeast didn't finish as dry as I had hoped on this iteration, but after speaking with the manufacturer, he stated that it is much more characterful and dry when used at a higher temp (got down to 1.005 on the barrel beer, but it contained sugar as well).  It is still fairly dry, spicy, characterful, and hoppy, and the taste is great.

Look:   3/3

Literally clear enough to read through, this beer is stunning.  Pours a brilliant pale gold into my Saison glass.  A top the beer is a thick, moussey, stiff head made of tiny bubbles that lasts for days, leaving thick lace down the glass to the bottom.

Aroma:  7/12

The first thing to jump from the glass on this beer is definitely the hops.  Bold burst of floral and resin, hop oils, grassy, light herb notes, earthy.  Under this is a touch of sulfur (part of the yeast's character) and white peppercorns.  There is some hay and a touch of funkiness to it, but not Bretty.  A mild vinous character, grape skins, hint of pear.

Flavor:  13/20

As the beer washes over the palette there is a general tartness to it, mildly Lactic, giving way to a wheaty cracker note from the malts.  Herbal and floral hop notes in the mid range play nicely with the peppery notes from the yeast.  No esters, just a touch of sulfur.  The finish is a medium bitterness, but needs to be dryer.

Mouthfeel:  2/5

Medium body sits light on the tongue from the carbonation which should be higher in a Saison, but that is the sacrifice you make with kegs.  Semi-dry finish needs some work as it should be bone dry for the style.  Bitterness is right where I wanted it which is amazing since I didn't know any information on the hops, not even the variety.  Touch of tartness and phenols in the end.

Overall:  9/10

Though the beer is lacking the super dry finish and high carbonation, as well as the dominate esters of a typical Saison, this beer is really enjoyable.  Not totally true to style, but headed in the right direction for sure.  The marriage of hops and yeast on the mild malt background is an amazing display of rustic character.  During fermentation, this yeast exhibited a strong smell of Orange Julius (orange juice and banana) which didn't carry over into the final product which is sad.

Review: #66 Becca's Bavarian (German Hefeweisse)

There is just something so refreshing about a well made Hefeweissen.  And when I say Hefeweissen, I don't mean that bland, unfiltered Wheat beer crap from America that stole and destroyed the name of a great beer style.  I mean a real Hefeweissen, turbid, yeasty, bursting with aromas and flavors of over ripe bananas, cloves, and vanilla, layered over crackery malts, and hints of bubble gum, with a tart and dry finish, crisp, refreshing.  On a hot Summer's eve sitting on the deck drinking a glass of Hefe with it's huge billowing head filling the top third of the proper glassware is a wonderful thing.  And it pays that my wife loves them too.

Look:  2/3
Pours a light golden, lightly hazy, hue under a thick moussey white head with tight small bubbles.  Head fades fairly quickly to a thick cap and leaves lots of chunky lace.  Carbonation bubbles flutter up through the beer. 

Aroma:  7/12

Ripe banana jumps out of the glass on first sniff at a medium intensity.  A medium-low note of vanilla bean follows, as well as a medium level of spicy clove.  Low levels of crackers, chex, and light bread crust linger under the fruits and spices.  Mild wafts of strawberries round out the finish.  The aromas could pop some more which would make this beer shine.

Flavor:   15/20
Tastes just like a banana milk shake.  Medium-high banana esters give way to low levels of wheat chex, a nice medium spicy clove note, and even a touch of cinnamon.  There is a light bubble gum, and mild tartness as well, no bitterness.

Mouthfeel:  2/5
The beer is juicy, with a medium body, and a spritzy, dry, crisp finish, touch of phenols.  Carbonation needs to be higher as it is fairly low to style.

Overall:  6/10
Wonderful marriage of banana and clove, neither one dominates the other.  The mild notes of vanilla, wheat, and bubble gum play well and add a level of complexity.  A few things to work on is the carbonation, haze, and head.  Bottle conditioning a Hefeweisse works much better as you are really able to get that higher level of carbonation that drives much of the aromatics up out of the glass more and would help increase the head retention.  It also gives you the ability to swirl the yeast up and add to the glass which is very hard to do with a keg.

32/50

Review: #55 The Callen 2013 (2nd Place Oaked Wee Heavy)

Scottish Wee Heavy.  I really enjoy them, but have not been able to make one I enjoyed in my 2 previous attempts.  One was infected and had lots of cherry pie.  The other was left to age on the yeast too long and tastes like pot roast (great for cooking stew, chili, or Corned Beef).  For this one I used a base of Golden Promise for a richer and sweeter malt character, and layered on top of it Cara-Pils for body, and British Dark Crystal, Carastan, and a hint of Special B to play up the rich toffee and dark fruits.  I wanted this one to hit hard on all cylinders.  Add to that aging it in the keg for a few months on second round oak chips and some Bourbon.  Almost perfect.  Needs a couple tweaks.  10.4% tastes nice, should drink great this fall after a few more months in the cellar.

Aroma: 10/12

The first thing to hit the nose is dark plums, caramelized figs, and rich toffee.  Behind this is a dark crusty bread.  Layered in and around the malts are medium-low notes of vanilla, barrel juice, and char.  Notes of molasses and burnt raisin linger in the back with a finish of alcohol.  The malts are dominant, but the level of aroma is medium high at most which is too style, malty, but doesn't jump out of glass like other styles.

Appearance: 3/3

Poured into a traditional Scottish Thistle glass at cellar temps, the beer is a clear dark brown with deep garnet highlights under a thin wispy khaki head that remains as a ring all the way through.  Leaves no lace, but lots of legs slip on the glass with each sip.

Taste: 12/20

As you sip you're greeted with rich malts, dark bread crust dominates.  Not much of the dark fruits from the nose though which is sad, but there is a good medium level note of burnt sugar.  Touch of age is on the palate with a hint of Sherry, but this is behind the woody oak, Bourbon juice, notes of vanilla, and a deep char from the wood.  The Bourbon character is low, the wood a little more expressive, but not by much.  Quite sweet.

Mouthfeel: 2/5

The beer is full and chewy, sweet, borderline cloying.  Low carbonation as to style.  The finish is sweet and full and rich, not really a trace of hop bitterness.  Definite warmth from the high alcohol, but it is clean.  The finish is flabby, needs some pH adjustment to finish a little cleaner on the palate.  Also need to use fresh hops instead of homegrown ones that are a little old, needs a touch of bitterness to balance it out.

Overall:  6/10

This beer is rich.  Super malty, with big alcohol warmth.  Great blend of oak and dark fruits and melanoidins in the nose, and caramel and oak on the tongue.  As far as a base recipe, I am thinking I hit it on this rendition, but still needs some tweaks on water and pH to help the finish, as well as a beefier IBU to help with all the sweetness and aging.  The oak and Bourbon need some help.  I actually think that this beer would be better with a little more oak, and Rum instead of Bourbon.  A touch of acid in the glass helps the finish round out better and cleanses the palate on the swallow.

33/50

1/31/15*** This beer took 2nd Place in Wood Aged Beers at the 2015 KLCC Homebrew Competition***

REVIEW: 1st Place: Tropic Thunder (100% Brett Trois APA)

This is my second attempt at a low abv, session IPA with 100% Brett fermentation.  The first wasn't that good, and I ended up dumping the last gallon or so of the keg.  This one turned out much better.  But of course, even when using Brett as a primary strain, it is still a wild yeast and can do some things you weren't looking for.  The evolution of this beer in only a matter of weeks is far different than a normal Sacc fermented beer.  When it was judged a few weeks ago at a BJCP comp it exploded out of the glass and was awarded 1st place against 14 other American Pale Ales.  At the Best of Show table a judge caught a medicinal note in the finish that knocked it out.  When I told everyone after the judging was over that it was a Brett beer, no one knew.  Of course, there was no funk in that beer, just the medicinal finish.  Since then the beer is starting to show some funk in the nose alongside the fruit, and the esters have started to fade a little as well.

Aroma:  9/12

Big burst of North West hops and esters hit first.  Hard to discern where each aroma comes form, is it the Brett or the hops.  Starts with pineapple and mango, gives way to pine drops, and some grapefruit pith, floral hop notes, and a touch of the funk.  There is a little sweatiness in there, not sure if that is some Brett funk or Amarillo as I have gotten it from this hop before.  Beyond this are some plum skins, rosy alcohol, and gooseberry, all layered over a toasty malt backbone.

Appearance:  2/3

Pours into my IPA glass a hazy burnt orange under 2+ fingers of thick and rocky tannish head with small, tight bubbles.  The head drops to a thick ring that lasts the whole way down, constantly re-energized by the glass design.  Leaves spotty lace down the glass, should be better with all the hops in there.

Taste:  15/20

Taste starts off with a low level of funk which starts to show the nature of the Brett.  This gives way to juiciness, over-ripe peach, and sweat (hello Amarillo).  There is some yummy pine cone in there from the Simcoe, mango, and floral hop notes (mild geranium).  Hop oils coat the tongue.  A touch of dankness hits before you get the toasty malt.  Medicinal note in the finish, as well as a soft but noticeable bitterness.

Mouthfeel:  3/5

Body is light on the tongue thanks to Brett not producing glycol in beers (and breaking it down in beers where it is present).  Spritzy carbonation tingles all around the mouth (keg keeps overcarbing, even at low 40s the Brett is continuing to attenuate the beer more).  Dry finish gives way to a lingering bitterness and phenolic note.

Overall:  7/10

Wonderful blend of big hops, bold fruity esters, and mild funk.  The beer is fading from its former glory upon judging though.  Starting to move towards funk and away from fruit, and the medicinal note is distracting from what would be a great end.  Still a very enjoyable, quenching, juicy, hoppy, fruity, refreshing session beer.  You just want another pint.  Need to find a way to make this beer again without the phenolic and funk creeping in so quick.  Might back off on the Carafa a tad too and lighten it up a touch, but not much.  Brett doesn't flocc well at all so it remains muddy, an lighter color could help with this.

36/50

REVIEW: #61 Jolly Roger (Rye Saison)

It is getting warm outside, the sun stays up longer, the days are brighter, and my skin is tanner.  My yard has never looked better after all the work we've done on it in the past few weeks (now to keep it alive with all these warm and dry days).  It is the perfect time of year to grab a cold glass of Saison and a rake.  Designed for field workers to refresh them and keep them hydrated during the Summer heat, a Saison should be light, dry, crisp, bitter, refreshing, and hoppy.  Of course all of this is a showcase for so much yeast character.  For this Saison I used a combination of yeast I stole from a bottle of Allagash's Confluence.  They use their proprietary house Belgian yeast from their Wit, and a proprietary house Brett strain that they isolated from their coolship.  After stepping up this yeast blend I added it to my Rye Saison wort and the outcome is very pleasing.  1.004 FG, 4.7% ABV, 24 IBUs, and so much flavor.

Aroma:  10/12

Calypso dominates the nose with pear, apple, and an odd herbal note.  Still not a fan of Calypso, even though I dry hopped with Amarillo alone, it still dominates.  Past this is tangerines, flowers, geraniums, spicy phenols (can't put my finger on what though), light Brett funk, esters, plum skin, mild tropical note.

Look:  2/3

Pours a stunningly clear pure gold with a big thick moussy white head.  Fades slow to a thin ring.  Lacing a little sparse, needs better cling, could be the glass.

Flavor:  13/20

Spicy phenols hit the palette first, pepper and a touch of clove.  This is followed by pear and citrus rind, herbs, and a floral note.  Biting rye and a touch of bready malt in the background.  Light funk.  After taste is clean and bitter, with lingering rye.  It's all there, just needs a little more punch to it.

Mouthfeel:  4/5

Light refreshing body gives way to a dry and bitter finish.  Carbonation is bubbly on the tongue.  Not thin for such a small beer and low final gravity.

Overall:  6/10

The Calypso dominates in this beer like the 3 others I have done before, thought it might work well in this beer, but I have to say, I am still not a fan.  Beyond that, the nose is a complex blend of fruity hops, spicy yeast and Brett funk, flavor is there, but needs a boost.  Super easy drinking and quite refreshing.  Needs a touch more bitterness and funk, but it is still quite young and I rushed it into the keg for consumption.  Need to work on the lacing.

35/50

Review: Dark World (American Stout)

This beer is the second recipe to be created by the Beer Advocate Homebrew Forum as a collective effort.  Spearheaded by Vikeman, the recipes are built by vote by the other forum users to construct the entire recipe: style, IBUs, OG, FG, ABV, Grist make up, Mash Temp, Bittering hops, flavor hops, aroma hops, timing of hop additions, yeast, fermentation temps, the whole 9 yards (except water profile).  Everyone had strong opinions about the beer's make up.  In the end I brewed the beer pretty much to the recipe except using a different yeast since I could skip making a starter by using a brewery pitch.  I missed the FG by only 3 points (high), but everything else was spot on.  I thought the beer would turn out great, but it still needs some work. (32/50)

Look:

Pours a deep black, looking at the edges of the glass it is clear, with deep garnet highlights, though you can't see through it due to the darkness.  Thick brown head stays throughout the whole drink leaving thick lacing all the way down. (3/3)

Aroma:

First thing to jump from the glass is a burst of Chinook hops, citrus, pine, and earthy Willamette hops.  Quickly followed by chocolate malt and day old coffee, toffee, bit of toast.  Burnt raisins (not in a good dark crystal way).  Nutty yeast, light esters. Hops are forward, but not dominant.  Malt is complex and dark, just not as roasty as I would like.  I am wondering if this is from using the higher roasted Crisp as it seems to have burned raisin notes more than coffee or roast. (8/12)

Taste:

First sip reveals nutty yeast and bread dough, followed by earthy hops, touch of citrus, toasty malt, toffee, coffee, bitter chocolate, and more acrid raisin.  Hops, malt, and yeast are all balanced.  Hop forward for a stout which is good for style, but not forward enough to breach IPA range.  Still slightly out of wack though, something no blending well. (11/20)

Mouthfeel:

Medium body, silky on the tongue, medium carbonation, balanced bitterness, it's higher, but not bracing.  Finish is semi-dry, it is full and rich but the roasted grains and hops give a drier impression. (4/5)

Overall:

Early on this beer was way out of balance, too much hops and the ones used were not meshing well.  A month in the keg at cold temps has rounded all the flavors out some.  The yeast, hops, and malts blend well with just enough of each.  The toasting of the oats doesn't seem to add much except some toasty notes, which could be from the Munich too.  Makes for a nice Spring beer, not sure it makes for the best one though.  Something is slightly off, I think it is the Chinook as they are a little harsh here (odd since I love them in my IPAs), and possibly the choice of roast barley.  Hits the spot for when you want a Stout, but don't really want a second pint. (6/10)

Took 2nd place from 12 entries in the Sasquatch Homebrew Competition on May 31st, 2014.

Review: Where The Wild Things Are: The Carol (BOS Geueze/Lambic)

I am actually surprised that I have not reviewed this beer in its 1.5 years from bottling.  I entered this beer at about 3 months into a Club Only Comp and got knocked hard because it was carbonated and Lambic is a still beverage (per their interpretations).  So when I decided to enter it into an actual BJCP comp at 18 months in the bottle (2.5 years from brewing) I took the advice of many other homebrewers on forums everywhere... enter what it is, not what you wanted to make.  Even though it was not a blend of 1, 2, and 3 year old Lambics (not even a Lambic as it wasn't Pils and Unmalted Wheat, nor did it have aged hops), I entered it as a Geueze.  I am looking forward to the new BJCP Guidelines to be released this year; I really hope the addition of Wild Beers expands the categories enough to cover all types of sour beers and wild ales, American Sours, Floridaweisse, 100% Brett Beers, etc.  

Anyways, I judged the competition and was able to hang out for the Best of Show judging.  It was a trip to watch this beer go forward, 22 beers to 7, top 6, top 5, top 4, why aren't they even discussing my beer?, top 3, oh crap top 2, I am for sure the honorable mention if nothing else... then the question from Jamie Floyd (brewer/owner of Ninkasi) says to Jason Carriere (owner of Falling Sky), "Is there anything wrong with the Geueze?"  Jason replies "We don't have a case of it!"  And that was it, the moment every brewer dreams of, but few see, and even fewer see it all unfold in front of their very eyes.  My beer took Best of Show.

Look:

Pours a beautiful golden orange with a nice dense offwhite head that actually sticks around for awhile and fades to a ring that stays the rest of the way.  Slightly hazy, not clear, but definitely not foggy.

Aroma:

Peach bursts from the glass first, followed by mango, and pineapple, hay, light funkiness (touch of baby diaper, but not in a bad way), oak/winey, some horseblanket, and citrus to finish.  Lots of fruit going on in the nose, followed by a fainter layer of funk.  It is very enjoyable to see how Brett can cause so many different layers of complexity.

Flavor:

First thing to hit the palate is a clean Lactic tartness, not face numbing, but puckering.  Mango, peach, and a touch of funk follow.  Definite oak/wine character there, but not too much, vanilla, sweet berries, touch of acetic acid.  Like the nose, the Brett layered on the juicy fruits more than funk.

Mouthfeel:

Light crisp tart body, but not thin thanks to the unmalted wheat.  Astringent oak tannins pull on the sides of the throat alongside the tartness.  The medium carbonation is perfect for the beer, it pushes out the aromatics, but doesn't mess with the feel.

Overall:

A very juicy, complex, fruity sour.  Not exactly a Geueze, but very complex, lots of Brett fruit, touch of funk, clean Lactic character, hints of oak.  Whether it is a Lambic, a Geueze, or an awesome American Sour is pointless (a couple brew club BJCP guys made sure to point out multiple times they wouldn't have made it BOS), this beer rocks!  I am culturing the dregs up right now too and will see how they work when used again.