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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 8:20:38 GMT -5
My beer is made from the Holiday Ale extract kit by Brewer's Best. I thought this would be a good beer to get the advent calendar started. I'm new to this kit, though, and while it is holiday-ish with its spices and Christmas-y flavorings, I would give this beer a solid review of "adequate". I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to be taking first place at GABF with this beer, but it's pretty alright. I brewed this beer mid-October, put it in secondary for 2 weeks, then kegged it. Fun fact... this was the first time I've ever filled bottles from a keg. That was quite an experience! I have a makeshift counter-pressure filler constructed from a re-purposed bottling wand (valve removed) with a bottle-sized bung, attached to a picnic tap. It works pretty great, but I did find that using a counter-pressure filler is a bit like learning to play a musical instrument. Topping off the bottles is the tricky part. It's impossible to keep the foam down to nothing, so I wound up losing about 4-5 bottles worth from the foam alone. No worries though, it was properly collected in a large bowl and repackaged into a dedicated growler. I have some practice time to put in on the bottle filler, though. Anyway, enjoy beer numbero uno. Like anyone who has ever been the first person to show up at a party, this beer is kind of standing around awkwardly hoping that someone will come over and be friendly. Cheers!
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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 8:37:28 GMT -5
Alright, this is a picture of my DIY counter-pressure filler. Super easy to make. I've never used a proper counter-pressure filler, so I'm not sure if the all-mighty Blichman Beer Gun is significantly better than this, but it gets the job done in a pinch. I'm all about DIY anyway.
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Post by Scott M. on Dec 1, 2014 9:27:26 GMT -5
Is 9:26am too early to kick off Advent? I'm thinking the Holiday Ale will get me through the work day with a happier disposition. Let the drinking begin, although maybe in the afternoon.
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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 10:09:35 GMT -5
Is 9:26am too early to kick off Advent? As long as your travel mug has as lid, it will be our little secret. I'm right there with ya!
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Post by Kyle H. on Dec 1, 2014 11:54:36 GMT -5
I prefer to counter pressure fill bottles I find that the carbonation is easier to control. I have found that they need to be filled rather slowly to control the foam.
On to the beer....Am I the only one that drinks beer before noon?
I don't particular like spiced beers, but this one is not over the top. I could smell the spices as soon as I opened the bottle and I thought to myself "Oh no this is going to taste like pie!" (not that there is anything wrong with pie) I let the beer warm up a little and for a spiced beer it's not bad.
Good job Scott!
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ricky
Contributor
Posts: 21
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Post by ricky on Dec 1, 2014 18:52:45 GMT -5
I like it. The spice is there, but it's not the (overwhelming and overused) pumpkin pie, but something else. Orange peel? I wonder what the "spice pack" includes.
I didn't get much head with a hard pour, but since the taste seems spot on, I assume that's normal. It's more...bitter?...than I would have expected, but in a very good way.
I noticed my bottle wasn't quite full; I assume you couldn't ever get it truly "full" because of the foam as a result of bottling from the keg?
Happy holidays!
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kczar
Contributor
Posts: 12
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Post by kczar on Dec 1, 2014 19:36:12 GMT -5
Very tasty! I like the spice and this is just what I was in the mood for. My brother tried to bottle from a keg once and said he would never do it again, so way to go! I'm picking up some oak/wood notes to it which I really like. This would be a perfect campfire beer in my opinion.
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tony
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by tony on Dec 1, 2014 20:12:48 GMT -5
This beer has a really nice balance between malty and spicy goodness. It's nice to have a holiday brew that the spices don't make you feel like you've been sucking on a clove flavored brillo pad. I'm very much enjoying this beer, Thank you.
I bottle off my kegs as well, with almost an identical counter pressure filler (cut down racking cane.) Here what I'm doing lately... up the regulator +3 psi the day before bottling, when bottling; lower the regulator pressure to 4 psi and vent the keg, then use the counter pressure filler to fill the bottles. The lower pressure helps me keep things under control with the stopper being an extra precaution for foam control.
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Post by carboywonder on Dec 1, 2014 20:24:16 GMT -5
Scott,
I thought the carb level was perfect. Mine poured with a nice lingering head. Spice is a lot more restrained than I was expecting from the aroma. I get predominantly ginger. I also get a nice roast character that works quite nicely.
I too bottle from a CP filler. I enjoy the control and clarity you get as a result. I've gotten the waste on mine down to maybe 3 bottles per 5 gallons, which I'm just fine with.
Thanks for kicking off a fun month of sharing!
Brian Quinn
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Post by derrickristina on Dec 1, 2014 20:27:42 GMT -5
So I, like Kyle(and everyone else that was writing on all points following while I was), am not big into the fall/winter spiced beer thing. It all resembles jager,and if you know me(not my wife), I'm not a jager guy at all. That being said, I really dug this beer. The nose terrified me at the onset, but then the taste test changed me. The nose vs. the flavor were two completely different senses. As far as the counter filler "issue".... not a problem at all. Seemingly perfect carbonation for the brew. It all worked well. Thanks for changing my mind with at least one brew. Cheers and we cannot more look forward to trying all the rest of the brews.
Cheers and Merry Brewmas!!!!!
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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 20:48:40 GMT -5
I noticed my bottle wasn't quite full Yes! I tried to fill the bottles as close to full as I could, but it's hard to tell exactly where the foam ends and the beer begins in the neck of the bottle when you're filling. Like I said earlier in the thread, working the counter-pressure filler is a bit of an art...one that I clearly have not yet mastered.
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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 20:52:48 GMT -5
This would be a perfect campfire beer in my opinion. Thanks! When I think campfire beer, I think smoked malt. I wonder what this beer would taste like with some smoked malt in it. Probably somewhere between amazing and horrific. I may have to try it.
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Post by deansquishman on Dec 1, 2014 20:54:20 GMT -5
Tasty beer !---I had a Sam Adams Winter ale this weekend which hits you in the face like a pumpkin pie and thought that this one might be more of the same---This struck me more like smooth brown ale with just a hint of something holiday going on---I didn't pick up notes of ginger---excellent beer to start things off---Cheers !
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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 20:54:24 GMT -5
That's cool Tony! Thanks for the kind review and the bottling tip, I'll definitely try that.
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Post by Scott H on Dec 1, 2014 20:59:20 GMT -5
Well I'm really glad that everyone seems to be liking it so far. That's a big relief that I didn't get the party started on a flat note. There's a counter-pressure filler joke in there somewhere... Anyway, cheers to everyone enjoying their first night on the calendar, here's to 23 more great nights of new homebrew!
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