TLDR Beer Club

[Audion]

Hi Guys,

New to the forum...uNL player... I am actually a brewer by occupation and training..
Anyone want to ask any techno questions etc I would be happy to try and answer. If irrelevant please ignore... enjoy the beer!

Kind Regards

[MediaPA]

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I'll be reviewing tons more as I live near a great store that has like 500 different beers sold as singles. I do need to get a digi cam also. For the record - my current fav micro in a bottle is Dogfish 60 IPA. My fav cheapo beer is Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale.

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siggy, just curious what store you are referring to? I typically head down to Total Wine in Claymont, DE or State Line Liquors in Elkton, MD (when I'm passing by). Just curious if you had a different 'hot spot'

[KilgoreTrout]

Haven't checked the thread for a while, so apologies if this one's been reviewed before. Picked up a 4 pack of Corsendonk Pater Abbey Ale last night ($11.50 US at my local booze merchant). What a great strong ale!

Poured into a crystal goblet, it displayed a dark reddish brown color with a frothy caramel head that wafts essence of chocolate, plum, and a bite of alcohol at the finish. Very bubbly (the carbonation had me blowing the sheets off the bed) but I managed to polish off two of the bottles and had a warm headfull. At 7.5% ABV this packs a whallop, but the palate is rich and the hint of alcohol at the finish is understated.

I'm partial to Belgian ales, and this time of year the strong ales warm the soul. I daresay I give Corsendonk Pater Abbey Ale [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

[MrWookie]

Nice review, and there's no shame in reviewing something that someone else has done. I like to see multiple takes on the same brew or how much other people enjoyed a beer I liked. This goes for everyone, not just KT [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[KilgoreTrout]

With that encouragement, I'll proceed.

Last night I broke into a 6 pack of Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale ($8.99 US for six 8.5 oz bottles). I was skeptical to say the least, as "sour" is not a flavor I equate with good beer.

This ale is certainly not for everyone. The label says that this is a blended ale, with 75% "fresh" and 25% aged ale top fermented with a "proprietary" microflora that gives its sourness. The pour is mellow into a tankard with barely any head. The nose is sweet apple cider-ish, sort of like a snake bite (cider and ale). The sourness overpowers at the back of the palate, but a patient sipper will find the sweetness of fruit preserves and an earthy malt.

I admit that I didn't particularly enjoy the first sip, but I pressed on in the interest of science. More hops would help balance the sourness and the sweetness, but would render the brew less remarkable. By the second bottle my palate (or my expectations) had adjusted and I enjoyed it. At 5.1% ABV it's on the lighter side, but this is more of a novelty sipper than a football game gulper.

I reiterate, Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale is not for everyone, but it is worth checking out simply because of the uniqueness of the style. [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 1/2

[MrWookie]

This is one of the few beer styles I haven't tried yet. I remember MaxxDaddy loved it, but yeah, it sounds like a style that might not appeal to everyone. I'll keep my eye out for it, and even if it ends up not being my thing, I'll be glad to have tried it.

[Maybe]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Guys,

New to the forum...uNL player... I am actually a brewer by occupation and training..
Anyone want to ask any techno questions etc I would be happy to try and answer. If irrelevant please ignore... enjoy the beer!

Kind Regards

[/ QUOTE ]

Perfect timing as I just bottled a home brew last night and had a question. I've only done 5 brews up to this point, so I'm sure not everything is perfect. However, on every beer I have made, the opening and final gravity has been different from what was advertised by the recipe. Am I wrong in assuming the OG is affected basically by the amount of sugars the yeast eats? If so, is there any reason why all of mine have been significantly lower?

[RunDownHouse]

If you're doing extract and getting a lower OG than you expect, either your shorting how much extract you're putting in, or you're not hitting the correct volume of water. If you're doing AG, there are a bunch of things that could be off.

OG is taken before fermentation starts, so it's not the yeast throwing things off, it's either your extract/efficiency/volumes. fyi, different brands of extract have different amounts of fermentables, so if you've only been using one brand, switch it up.

[KilgoreTrout]

Wookie,

The Rodenbach I sampled is different from the Grand Cru. I tried their base brew. Grand Cru, according to the web site is a more robust brew in the style of a red sour ale whereas the beer I tried is a lower end sour. Haven't tried the Grand Cru yet and doubt that I will.

[MrWookie]

Ah, I see. Good to know.