Tasting Note

Well well well. You don't need all that candy sugar and hops to have a belgian flavor. All you need is some yeast from a bottle of Chimay Blue.

This (both the Chimay, and Number 17) is a great beer. I wish I could say that it was something that I had done, but truth be known with the exception of using that cup of yeast siphoned off from No. 16 I have been keeping in the fridge I did nothing different than one of our bog standard beers.

The beer itself is dark amber in color, light, and has a wonderful effervescence. More to come as it ages ...

Tasting note ...

Well well well that was good. So very very good. Kind of one dimensional but definitely in the belgian camp. I can't wait for another 6 weeks as it was only two weeks in the bottle.

A simple brew ...

Number 18 was a very different brew.

We got a 1.5kg can of some lager or another.

and 1kg of dextrose malodextrose (to give it a nice head the label said)

Added 100g of crystal malt

15g of Motueka (7.8%) at the start of the boil

7g of Golding (5.3%) at the end of the boil

tsp of irish moss

Couldn't tell you how long we boiled it for as I was preoccupied doing something else.

1035 SG

Time will tell ...

tasting note

Really we are not suppose to discuss tasting on the day we bottled. But Gerry got a mouth full when he siphoned it to the primary (I think he does that on purpose) so I poured myself a wee glass out of the primary.

Wow that was great. The belgian yeast really changed the character of the brew. I can't wait to see what it tastes like in a few weeks.

note to self

don't carry a carboy whilst walking on a wet grassy slope. And if per chance you are let your bum hit the ground in lieu of the big glass bottle that shatters so very spectacularly.

No problem here

Was a very good brew.

Belgian Ale

We bottled the Belgian Ale today. It was a beautiful event putting that dark brown heavenly liquid into the bottles. The very first bottle we filled was the Chamay Blue from which it all started, we then did another 15 330ml bottles as this is a heavy beer that is best had in small quantities (well at least we hope so!) All in all we bottled 25 liters.

Two months seems like a real long time to wait ...

Monique's Turn

OK

Monique here, so now it's my turn.

The house has become a bit of a brewers heaven for Tom and Gerry but not I have to say for me. I have 3 dozen beer, 1/2 dozen wine (which I don't like) and a large barrel of something reddish and vile smelling in the corner of the wardrobe in our master bedroom. There is a old cupboard sat almost in the centre of my dining room with another barrel of something that hasn't taken - the yeast has not made the usual lovely plopping and gurgling sounds that I have come to know well. (Notice the missing "know and love well") I am so looking forward to the "Monique's favorite" beer but so far have not been offered one sampling.

Here is hoping some day they will remember me and offer a wee glass.

I do have to say that I have been impressed in their fervor and passion. If either one of you read this may I ask that the outside beer cupboard be built sooner rather then later.

Love

Monique