Ben Mayn's Belgian Styled Ale Homebrew Review

Ben Mayn's Belgian Styled Ale
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Appearance:
Opened with a good "shhttp", pours a burnt mahogany with burnt orange highlights. A large copious head which has tight bubbles, reminded me of a chocolate meringue. The beer has a bit of haze as the beer had a bit of oomph when opened which disturbed the yeast, but still a nice looking beer.

Aroma:
The beer has a nice spicy aroma, chocolate/cinnamon/clove/dark fruit. I do not pick up any hop character in the beer, just a Belgium/spicy/funk.

Mouthfeel:
Light to medium mouth feel, carbonation is spot on. The bubbles keep the flavours dancing on the palate. Light, fluffy and effervescent, carbonation is perfect for the beer and really helps the flavours get to all the taste buds.

Flavour:
The flavour comes across as chocolate/cinnamon/clove/dark fruit and typical Belgium funk which has a dry finish and chocolate aftertaste. Has a nice bitterness that balances the sweetness of the beer but could be reduced slightly. The abv of the beer is well hidden with the spiciness and sweetness of the beer, and for a 8% abv, it goes down very well, no burn at all. I cannot pick up any off flavours, no stressed yeast or diacetyl. A Very nicely brewed beer!

Overall:
A very solid beer, it's spicy/funky and goes down very smooth. The abv is well hidden and does not distract from the flavour or aroma of the beer. I am not the biggest fan of Belgium beers, but this beer by Ben is grand, it is easy drinking, spicy/funky and hides a whollop. I am very impressed with the spiciness that he got out of the us04 yeast. If he did not tell me, I would have thought he used a Belgium strain of yeast.

Cascadian Pale Ale

Cascadian Pale Ale

Appearance:
Pours a burnt copper/orange with slight yellow highlights. Has a off white/tan head which keeps a small cap. The beer has decent lacing but head retention needs work. The brew does have quite a bit of haze, which could be hop haze and/or chill haze. I like the look of the beer, the colour is great but head retention and clarity needs work.

Aroma:
Aroma of the beer is balanced with the malt/hop, more English aroma than US pale ale which I was after. There is a decent grapefruit/orange peel/lime aroma which is backed up with a sweet malt/biscuit backbone. The aroma is nice, it could do with some more punch though, it is something that I need to work on.

Mouthfeel:
The mouth feel is light to medium leaning more to the medium side. The biggest issue I have is the carbonation is a bit off. It's more of an English style than American, so the aroma is not a prominent as it could be as it is slightly undercarbed. Saying this, it is also going down quite nicely because of the subtle carbonation.

Flavour:
Nice prominent bitterness which eases out to a biscuit/caramel finish. The hops are nice a distinct and have some punch, flavour matching the aroma, with grapefruit/orange peel but with a overall orange marmalade flavour which is balanced with the bitterness. The brew has a nice dry finish which cleans your palate and makes you want more. I am very happy with the malt bill of this beer, it suites/balances the hop bill and is a great backbone for the hops.

Overall:
The beer still needs some work, but for a simple pale ale, it's moreish. The aroma/carbonation needs work, as the nose is still not quite "in your face" like I would have liked, but it's okay for now as it goes down smooth on a hot humid day. The actual flavour of the beer is pretty good, smooth bitterness, citrus bang and easing into a caramel/biscuit backbone with a dry finish. I am very happy with the beer, it suits summer nicely, it is not too heavy, the citrus flavours keep it light and refreshing and the dry finish keeps you wanting more. Would I brew it again? Yes, yes I would.

Recipe: Cascadian Pale Ale    TYPE: All Grain
Style: American Pale Ale

RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS
SRM: 21.7 EBC        SRM RANGE: 9.8-27.6 EBC
IBU: 42.3 IBUs Tinseth    IBU RANGE: 30.0-45.0 IBUs
OG: 1.050 SG        OG RANGE: 1.045-1.060 SG
FG: 1.012 SG        FG RANGE: 1.010-1.015 SG
BU:GU: 0.849        Calories: 465.4 kcal/l    Est ABV: 5.0 %       
EE%: 72.00 %    Batch: 20.00 l      Boil: 28.92 l    BT: 60 Mins

WATER CHEMISTRY ADDITIONS
Amt                   Name                                             
3.00 g                Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins)                  
2.00 g                Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins)                 
2.00 g                Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins           
5.60 g                Calcium Chloride (Boil 60.0 mins)                  
3.70 g                Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Boil 60.0 mins)                
3.70 g                Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Boil 60.0 mins           

Total Grain Weight: 4.46 kg    Total Hops: 217.00 g

MASH/STEEP PROCESS
Amt                   Name                                            
4.00 kg              Gladfield Ale Malt (6.0 EBC)                    
0.23 kg              Caramalt (Thomas Fawcett) (29.6 EBC)             
0.23 kg              Gladfield Shepherds Delight Malt (300.0          

BOIL PROCESS
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.040 SG    Est OG: 1.050 SG
Amt                   Name                                             
17.00 g              Chinook [12.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min           
5.60 g                Calcium Chloride (Boil 60.0 mins)           
3.70 g                Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Boil 60.0 mins)         
3.70 g                Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Boil 60.0 mins   
1.06 Items         Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)          
30.00 g              Cascade [6.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min            
30.00 g              Cascade [6.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min            

Amt                   Name                                        
40.00 g              Cascade [6.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool  20.0    

FERM PROCESS
Primary Start: 06 Dec 2014 - 2.00 Days at 19 c
               10 Dec 2014 - 1.00 Days at 20 c
               11 Dec 2014 - 2.00 Days at 21 c
               13 Dec 2014 - 1.00 Days at 18 c
               18 Dec 2014 - 3.00 Days at 1.5 c

Amt                   Name                                    
100.00 g            Cascade [6.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days     

NOTES
Added 500ml to cool. Strike water to target temp 74.7c
Added 2.5l of boiling water to raise temp from 64.6c to 68c
Forgot to add brewing salts at beginning of boil, added with 20min left in the boil.

07/12/14 - Beer very slow to start, positive pressure but no active Fermentation
08/12/14 - Fermentation has started and going well, temp had gone up to 21c, but brought it back down to 19c
10/12/14 - Beer still fermenting. Increased temp by 1 degree to 20c
11/12/14 - Beer still fermenting. Increased by another degree to 21c
13/12/14 - Took Gravity ready, FG is 1.010. Lowered temp to 18c for dry hopping
14/12/14 - Dry Hopped with 100g of US Cascade at 18c
18/12/14 - Dropped temp to 1.5c for crash chilling to the 21st
21/12/14 - Kegged beer, carbing @ 13psi for 3 days
22/12/14 - forgot to put gas on, increased gas to 15psi for 1 day

Review of the Cascadian Pale Ale:

 

Grant Bakers Wife's Pale Ale Homebrew Review

Grant Bakers Wife's Pale Ale
Youtube Link

Appearance:
Pours a beautiful burnt copper colour with a pure white head. A really good looking beer, crystal clear and the colour on it, wow, it's a really great looking beer.

Aroma:
I am not sure how old the beer is, but I would say is a wee bit old as the hops are very subtle. What I do pickup is piney/resiny aromas backed up by a sweet malt character of biscuit/caramel. I do pick up a bit of diacetyl in the beer, which does not take anything away from the beer, but it is there. Does add a nice butterscotch/caramel aroma to the beer though.

Mouthfeel:
Medium mouth feel with good carbonation. Small tight bubbles streaming up the glass which keeps the beer with a nice fat white cap. Carbonation is spot on which keep the flavours moving around the palate.

Flavour:
A nice assertive bitterness up front which smooth out into a nice caramel/biscuit aftertaste. Pine and resin with a bit of citrus, with the caramel/biscuit combination the hop and malt comes across as marmalade flavour. Very fresh tasting beer, what the nose lacked the flavour makes up. There is still a slight bit of diacetyl but in the background and does not take away from the beer but add to it.

Overall:
This is a fantastic looking beer, the colour on it is amazing, I can waste an hour just watching the carbonation stream up the beer. The aroma is dying off which show the diacetyl in the beer, but which also does not distract from the beer flavours. Piney/resin/marmalade/caramel and biscuit, this is what I pick up in the beer and they go so very well together. In the end this beer is great to drink after mowing the lawn and just wanting to chill out. Great beer! Thanks to Grant Baker for sending it to me to try, really do appreciate it!

Choice Bros Experimental Creme Brûlée Stout Homebrew Review

Choice Bros Experimental Creme Brûlée Stout
Twitter

Appearance:
Pours dark and thick, tan pillowy head with nice tight bubbles. Head lingers and looks like chocolate meringue. Very good looking beer.

Aroma:
Sweet malt/caramel/chocolate/vanilla/spice/coffee/coconut which all mingle together to a creme brûlée aroma. The aroma is very subtle and delicate, this is a very pleasing beer to bring up to the nose. What is also great is picking up the different aromas as the beer warms up. Aroma starts of delicate and then just become brûlée to the face.

Mouthfeel:
Mouthfeel is good, medium to full, Coats the mouth which helps the flavours linger on the palate. Carbonation once opened was a bit aggressive, but eases off into a nice light tingle on the tongue.

Flavour:
A very complex beer, sweet and rich. Vanilla/caramel/coffee/toffee/sweet malt, not much bitterness for the hops more of a dark malt bitterness, would say this is more of a dessert beer and at 9% it is very easy to drink. There is still a bit of alcohol burn, but with age, would mellow and smooth out. Not saying that it is not smooth now, but with dark beers, age does wonderful things.

Overall:
This beer is going down on a crap rainy/windy day very well. The brew is a great sipping beer. I am really enjoying the different aromas/flavours as this beer warms up, it's complex and moreish. At 9% it is not a sessionable beer but so very tasty and easy drinking! The beer is very enjoyable and I am quite honoured to get a bottle to try. I would love to try this beer aged for a year, just to see what flavours come out from behind the high abv.
At the end of the day this beer is big, sweet and very moreish. Damn tasty, and oh so good!

HBW 89 - Rocking the Casket