OVHA Chat

Drank a bottle of Rochefort 6 last evening. I don't have the trained nose or palate to appropriately describe it. I think it was too cold at first because it alcohol was quite pronounced and it seemed a bit tart. However, after it warmed up a bit I could finally smell and taste the complex of flavors and the alcohol faded into the background. Overall, a wonderful beer to have on a rare occasion.

Noir De Dottingnies
Incredibly malty Dark Strong. Great story of two homebrew friends who decided to brew a beer based on flavor rather than profit.

Over the weekend I had a bottle of Rare Vos from Brewery Ommegang. I highly recommended it.

2 years ago I made a plum mead that I bottled a year ago and observed that it sucked. I pulled a 1 year old bottle out last night and couldn't believe it came around. The nasty fermented honey flavor that had overpowered the drink has all but gone leaving a soft plum flavor with a nice alcohol dryness. I'm glad I let this one sit. I've never seen something change so much from when I first bottled it before.

sirgiovanni wrote:2 years ago I made a plum mead that I bottled a year ago and observed that it sucked. I pulled a 1 year old bottle out last night and couldn't believe it came around. The nasty fermented honey flavor that had overpowered the drink has all but gone leaving a soft plum flavor with a nice alcohol dryness. I'm glad I let this one sit. I've never seen something change so much from when I first bottled it before.

I'm afraid I can't take your word for it. Only tasting is believing, so....

I've had a couple Doghead Fish 90 Minute IPAs over the past few days. I can certainly see why it was so highly ranked in BYO Magazine's survey. I'd have to put brewing a passable clone on my list of goals.

Abbaye d'Aulne - Blonde des Peres (definately one of the best Blonds I've had)
Abbaye d'Auline - Brune des Peres (good)
Allagash Curieux (reminds me of a boilermaker, pass next time at that price)

Very good 1/2 wheat.One month or so in the bottle.
In the fermenter:
Taledaga Pale Ale.
Victory Amber Wheat.

Brew Date: July 26,2009

BrewAgain:
Aroma Wheat ( Half Wheat )
Beer: Aroma Wheat Style: American Wheat
Type: All grain Size: 5.25 gallons
Color: 14 HCU (~9 SRM)
Bitterness: 26 IBU
OG: 1.056 FG: 1.012
Alcohol: 5.6% v/v (4.4% w/w)
Grain: 4 lb. British pale
6 lb. Wheat malt
1 lb. Belgian aromatic
8 oz. Special Roast
8 oz. Dextrine malt (Cara-Pils)
Mash: 65% efficiency
Boil: 60 minutes SG 1.047 6.25 gallons
Hops: 1 oz. Cascade (3.2% AA, 60 min.)
23g Cascade (6.3% AA, 45 min.)
Yeast: Safale wb - 06.
Fermenation: Pitched at 70deg.(F) Wort, 10:30 pm.
Attenuation: July 27,7:00 am 72deg. F
7:00 pm 75deg. F
July 28 6:45 am 77deg. F
July 28 10:30pm 72deg. F
Raised temperature in cabinet gradualy over next 3-4 days aiming for 75deg F.
Temerature stable at 76-77deg F for duration of 2ndary.
Bottled: Sunday August 22,2009 to 2.8 Vol. at 77deg. F. 5.6 oz.Corn Sugar.
Left at 76 - 80deg. 4 days.Moved to basement 76 - 78deg.

Winetree has Witches Brew (Tripel) from Belgium and SEVEN types of pumpkin ale in!!!!

Schlafly Pumpkin Pie - At 8% and the best flavored one I've had since John's, I'm at a loss as to why I would ever drink another brand.

sirgiovanni wrote:Schlafly Pumpkin Pie - At 8% and the best flavored one I've had since John's, I'm at a loss as to why I would ever drink another brand.

I tried it last week and I agree. It has more of a cinnamon-forward flavor than any of the others I have tried.

Red Stallion lager, Crescent City Brewhouse, Decatur St, New Orleans.

This is an awesome microbrewery in the French Quarter. If you're ever there, find it. They have four beers, a pilsner, a munich style they call Black Forest, a weiss beer, and the Red Stallion.

I was there last week working on some Katrina disaster recovery, and of course, stopped in. This was my third visit. The Red Stallion is a copper-colored lager, brewed in the "Viennese" tradition, they say. It has to be the best Vienna lager I've personally ever had. Full-flavored, with a perfect balance of a rich German malt bill and noble hops, with just a clean taste without any fruitiness or other yeast flavors. It's worth the 12-hour drive!

It inspires me to find a fridge and start delving seriously into lager brewing!

Winetree did a deal for a tasting with Schlafly's and so they released some more pumpkin pie to them. But you better get there quick! John, I have yours for you b-day buddy if you can't get by there!

Puglley's Signature Series Smashed Pumpkin from shipyard at 9% - Yep!

On tap at Gerst Haus - Stone's Cali-Belgique IPA - 9% abv - yummmmm!