Brew Batch #58 Extra Special Bitter

Kegged it tonight after having it cold drop in the new soon-to-be keezer. FG 1.002 +0.001@ 72F to yield 5.25%abv. Tastes is a bit more yeasty than I'd like but we'll see how gad treats, using the new Red method. This was a play batch to brew and try line transfer on. Stay Tuned.

Our Tastes-- Swamp Head DarkWater

On a recent trip to pick up my brother, my dad and I stopped in a Swamp Head Brewery. That day (4/2) DarkWater went on tap and into 750ml bombers. I've waited until now to sample it up, but the bottle is just as good as the tap. Considered a black IPA, but with lighter hues of brown in my opinion. A nice off tan/khaki head that boasts a nose of heavy citrus lemon/grapefruit as opposed to floral/grassy. Mouthfeel is full with bitterness that gnaws away at you. It seems that the malt bill just barely holds up the Northern Brewer, Columbus, Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe hop additions. 65 IBUs and 6.8%abv. One of only a few beers I have had from Swamp Head but their love of the hoppy brews is definitely present.

Our Tastes-- 12th Round Ale

Part of the Junk's Junk series, Andy Mc and I partake of this brew from a city that has a special place in my heart, Midwest City, OK (where my dad grew up and I spent a lot of tornado ravaged summers!) Rough Tail Brewing Co. lays out 12th Round Ale pouring a chewy medium brown. Touted as a strong ale with a heavy malt backbone, this is my first encounter that I know of with Apollo hops and it's a great well balanced hop brew. At 7.6%abv and recyclable cans for the keezer fund, I'd buy this on a regular basis.

Our Tastes-- Beard Beer

Look this was a marketing ploy population campaign by John Maier and I bought it. Beard Beer is exactly what it sounds to be. Since John has had the same beard since 1983 they were able to isolate a wild yeast and ferment a wild ale with it. Pouring a medium straw color and nose of absolutely nothing, possibly a slight yeast. The front end is beer, the backside may have a touch of sourness. Other than that boys and girls, you'll spend $5.99 on bomber (whereas Arto would tell you the glass, crown and screen printed label costed the most) and Rogue will reap the financial gain. I love it. Marketing and name recognition got me to try this one. At 5.6%abv it's an angry wild yeast, but then again what's the alcohol tolerance on those strains? Does it very with the length and thickness of the beard? Idunno, but I'll die with a molecule of it in me.

Our Tastes-- Spencer Trappist Ale

Well Andy Mc's family apparently has a contagious virus, bootleg-itis. It appears to have a genetic component to it, as seen with patriarch Bootleg Chuck and we here at Beat-12 Brewing/Yard Dog Brewing encourage it's healthy spread like Bubonic. (without the gangrene, seizures and the groin knot). Our newest sheep to the flock, (we'll call her Ang?) open heartedly recycled her shipper of Wee Hefty and sent it back with the newest and ONLY Trappists brewery in the US, Spencer. So we poured up our tulips and a golden, orange hue with a thin white head sat there at 45F. At first the pour is a sharp coldness, with only a slight appreciable yeast backbone. Then we let it sit and raise to 61F. This is the temp at which this beer reveals itself (>50F). When swirled a heavier fruity pebbles and slight yeast with more complex ester and phenol nose and palate come forward. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to get a 6er if this every 90 days. With the way fire treats these guys, I may need to beg for more soon. Read the history and you'll get it.

Our Tastes-- SweetWater The Gimp

"A Wide Open Old Ale", The Gimp was quite a beer to start brewing ESB with. Old Ales are best served in English pints or snifters and the class itself is muddy with regards to characteristics but I think this one brings the high notes of the style to light. The color is a spectacular mahogany with ruby highlights that shone in the 80F sunshine. With the abv at 10.3% there is of course no head. The nose gave out plummy, tannin, currant notes and refreshed with each swirl of the glass. It had aged since December 2012 and taste was a complexity of heavy raisin and currants because of the outrageous malt bill for this one that seemed cloying on the tongue. I'm not sure how the guys at SW gt their label approval for this one but check it out at the above link when you get a second. I've got a couple of bottles of this and plan on having the other soon. It seems to be right on for this very broad style?

Brew Batch #58 Extra Special Bitter (ESB)

Didn't pitch this one until morning of 5/18 but I needed a cheap quick recipe that was early summer friendly and cheap to see what fermenting in a keg is like. After about 10 hours the keg had already started to blow off through the gas out tube. Not sure I am comfortable with this process yet and I want to learn how to jump it to another keg to decrease air contact after fermentation but as of right now OG 1.042+ 0.001@ 72F. Simply a batch to further by kegging/transfer skills on and if it turns out ok, we'll all have a growler of it.