AliExpress - Digital Refractometer Testing

In our previous blog post, we gave a quick run down on our recently purchased digital refractometer from AliExpress. In this post, we're going to outline a quick side by side comparison we did to compare the results when measuring a simple solution of dextrose and water using a standard floating hydrometer, and our new digital refractometer. 

After mixing up the sugar solution in a glass pyrex jar (to simulate our wort), we poured a sample into the floating hydrometer tube and floated the hydrometer and took a reading. We then took a small sample from the hydrometer tube and used this on the digital refractometer. After each test, we returned the solution from the floating hydrometer into the pyrex jar, then added more dextrose (or in some cases added water to re-dilute) to get different and randomised levels of sugar in the solution. I didn't measure the amount of dextrose used, just simply "free poured" then stirred it in thoroughly.

Interestingly, we found we were getting more accurate results by adding 5-6 drops onto the digital refractometer which is contrary to what we found in our previous/initial testing of the device.

Our first comparison after adding only a small amount of dextrose, sees a reading of around 1.008 on the floating hydrometer and 1.005 on the digital refractometer. As you can see from the display of the digital refractometer, the temperature of the water was quite cold at a little over 15c. The floating hydrometer is calibrated at around 20c so using morebeer's hydrometer temperature correction calculator, the actual reading would be 1.007, meaning a difference of 2 gravity points between them.

Our next comparison shows a value of 1.028 on the floating hydrometer and 1.026 on the digital refractometer. Our sample temperature is now a more reliable 19c, so once again we have a difference of 2 gravity points.

For the next side by side test, we unfortunately didn't break the meniscus on the floating hydrometer sufficiently before taking our photo, so we'll go off the reading of 1.052. Our digital refractometer read 1.049 giving us a difference of 3 gravity points.

This next test was surprising, as we had a reading of 1.080 on the floating hydrometer and exactly the same reading on our digital refractometer!

Next we revisited our previous reading where we failed to break the miniscus on the floating hydrometer properly (by diluting our 1.080 sample). This time around we had a reading of around 1.050 on the floating hydrometer and a surprisingly low 1.044 on the digital refractometer. A difference of 6 gravity points which is significant.

Next up we had 1.036 on the floating  hydrometer and 1.034 on the digital refractometer. Once again, giving us a difference of 2 gravity points.

Our final test and we have a reading of 1.054 on the floating hydrometer and 1.053 on the digital refractometer, giving us a difference of 1 gravity point.

Here's a table outlining the results of our tests.

Floating Hydrometer	Digital Refractometer	Difference
1.007	1.005	-0.002
1.028	1.026	-0.002
1.052	1.049	-0.003
1.080	1.080	0
1.050	1.044	-0.006
1.036	1.034	-0.002
1.054	1.053	-0.001

The table outlined above shows the digital refractometer consistently had a lower gravity reading than the floating hydrometer. For the majority of tests, the reading was within 2 gravity points of the floating hydrometer. The advertisement for the digital refractometer states it's accurate to within +- 0.001 gravity points, and given floating hydrometers aren't necessarily 100% accurate either, this all seems reasonable. 

We'll write off the test with a difference of 6 gravity points as an outlier - perhaps the digital refractometer screen wasn't cleaned properly, or the sample was otherwise contaminated or diluted which may have affected the reading.

Our initial concern was that perhaps in the range of 1.050, the digital refractometer wasn't accurate - but was more accurate at higher gravity readings such as 1.080, however our last test at 1.054/1.053 indicates this isn't the case.

What can we take away from this? We think it demonstrates that the readings are reasonably accurate, especially for homebrewers where having measurements 1 or 2 points off really aren't that big a deal. We're not calculating alcohol percentage for tax and labelling/packaging purposes after all so the implications of a slightly inaccurate reading are almost negligible. The convenience of much lower sample sizes is a major benefit in using the digital refractometer, but I think we'll end up taking measurements with both for the next few batches to see how they compare.

You can check out our previous review of our AliExpress Digital Refractometer here.

KegLand Tri-Conical FermZilla Release & First Impressions

KegLand recently announced the release of a new FermZilla model to supersede the current FermZilla Conical. The replacement has been dubbed the "Tri-Conical" FermZilla and features new tri clover connections on the base of the unit where the collection unit attaches.

The previous "Conical" model featured a threaded nut assembly to attach the butterfly valve and collection container assembly to the PET plastic body of the fermenter - and it was problematic to say the least. KegLand/FermZilla user groups on Facebook and other internet forums were frequented with posts from users complaining of being unable to unscrew the collection container, or being unable to unscrew the nut assembly. The nut featured a double thread that meant to unscrew one of the threads, it had to be turned in the opposite direction - leading people to overtighten it when they were trying to unscrew it. 

Needless to say, it quickly developed a pretty poor reputation amongst the homebrewing community, which no doubt would have affected sales of the unit and grabbed KegLand's attention. Users who were weighing up whether to go with the FermZilla Conical model or the simpler All Rounder model were almost always swayed in the direction of the All Rounder, simply because it doesn't have the butterfly valve assembly at the bottom to contend with - it's just simpler and much less problematic, and unless you plan on harvesting yeast, there wasn't really a compelling reason to go for it. This is certainly the reason we opted for the All Rounder model ourselves when faced with the same decision some time ago.

Now, KegLand have released the "Tri-Conical" which features a redesigned bottom end. The thread and nut assembly at the base of the FermZilla has now been replaced with an opening that allows the provided butterfly valve and collection container assembly to be attached to the fermenter body using a 3" tri clover fitting. Tri clover fittings provide a much simpler and more reliable connection method and is the standard connection fitting on the majority of stainless steel kettles and fermenters on the market currently.

After the 3" tri clover fitting is a butterfly valve that can be opened or closed to fully seal off the fermenter from the collection container assembly. On the under side of this butterfly valve is a 2" tri clover connection that the collection container connects to. Sounds complicated but it really isn't when you look at the picture below.

FermZilla Tri Conical dump valve assembly

This change will no doubt prove a total game changer for the FermZilla's reputation and ease of use for those wanting a cheaper (plastic) fermenter with all the features and functionality you can get with stainless - think pressure fermenting, yeast collection and completely oxygen free dry hopping using the collection container at the bottom.

For those that are brave enough, the previous FermZilla Conical model has now had it's price slashed from AU$139.95 to AU$95 (27L model) which is great value, but still carries the inherent risks outlined previously in this article with the dump valve assembly.

The Tri-Conical is available in 27L and 55L versions and is selling for AU$165 and AU$244.95 respectively. The pressure brewing kit adds some more cost but we'd highly recommend it to ensure you're getting the most out of the product.

The rebirth of the FermZilla Conical with tri clover clamps is definitely a step in the right direction and really separates it from other plastic fermenters currently available on the market. We're hoping to get our hands on one soon for a review/testing and will post further updates once we do.

Cheeky Peak Brewery - Nano X Fermenter Range - Rundown

In late 2021, Cheeky Peak Brewery (Albury, NSW) released a new range of stainless steel fermenters called "Nano - X". We were particularly interested in these fermenters as the pricing of them was really sharp, especially compared to other stainless offerings on the market current, however, upon diving down the rabbit hole of looking at the different options available, we were quickly overwhelmed and somewhat confused by the different options available, so we wanted to break it down for our own understanding, and yours.

We're going to focus on the 30L versions, but we suspect these differences/options will apply to the 50L and 70L versions as well, though the prices will obviously vary.

Entry Level Option - Nano - X 30L Flexi Bucket Fermenter

Although it is called a "bucket" - it is still a conical style fermenter!  

What you get in the kit;

• Flexi Bucket Fermenter
• 2 x 1.5" welded ports on the fermenter body (1 on middle right, the other at very bottom where the dump valve would attach).
• 1 x 1.5" tri clover end & 1/2" valve assembly racking port (middle of conical part of fermenter)
• 1 x 2" welded port on the fermenter body (middle left)
• 1 x 22mm laser cut hole on the fermenter body (for thermowell/temperature probe)
• Flat lid with 1.5" welded port on top
• 1 x thermowell (assuming this is what is in the 22mm laser cut hole previously mentioned?)
• 1 x 2" tri clover clamp, end cap and seal
• 4 x 1.5" tri clover clamps (why 4?)
• 2 x 1.5" tri clover end caps (one for each of the 2 x 1.5" ports on the fermenter  body)
• 4 x 1.5" seal
• 1 x 1/2" tubing racking cane
• 1 x 1.5" tri clover fitting with 1/2" elbow barb for fermenter blow off tubing (this attaches to the 1.5" tri clover port on the lid)
• 4 x adjustable feet
• Price - AU$410
  
  

Middle Level Option - Nano -X Flexi Unibucket 30L 

What you get in the kit

• Everything in the Flexi Bucket kit EXCEPT for the 1 x 1.5" tri clover end & 1/2" valve assembly racking port (middle of conical part of fermenter)
• 1/2" sight glass ball valve instead of the above (AU$37.95)
• Flexi bucket pressure lid (AU$210)
• Price AU$640 (AU$17.95 cheaper than buying the Flexibucket then buying the additional parts listed above)
  

Check out our Unboxing of the 30L Flexi Unibucket Fermenter post.

Top Level Option - Nano - X Flexi Conical Unitank 30L

What you get in the kit

• Everything in the Flexi Unibucket kit, plus
• 1.5" dump valve assembly (AU$139.95)
• Price AU$810 - this makes no sense to us as the price difference for the whole kit is AU$170, but the only difference is a single part that is worth AU$139.95?

We like the way Cheeky Peak have approached this, by trying to make the range completely modular, so brewers can start and upgrade their fermenter in stages to avoid a large initial financial outlay, because let's face it, stainless steel equipment is expensive and the additional components can begin to add up very quickly.

If you're going for the middle or top-tier option, you'll at least need a couple of extra bits and pieces to be able to do pressure fermentations and transfers.

• 1.5" tri clover PRV 15psi (AU$41.95) - this is a must have, as the pressure lid is rated to 15psi so a PRV is essential to ensure that the pressure inside the fermenter never exceeds 15psi to avoid damaging the fermenter. This will attach to one of the 1.5" tri clover ports on the pressure lid.
• 3" tri clover gas & liquid ball lock male head (AU$48.95) - another must have. Attach a spunding valve to one of the ball lock heads (for pressure fermenting) and a liquid dip tube to the other (so you can get your beer out of the fermenter!) OR
• 2 x 1.5" tri clover single ball lock male head (AU$22.95 each) - these will attach to 2 of the 1.5" tri clover ports on the lid. Use these is if you want to keep the 3" port unused for dry hopping etc.
• Floating dip tube (to attach to one of the ball lock heads as mentioned above (AU$8.50)
• Blow-tie spunding valve (to attach to one of the ball lock heads as mentioned above (AU$45.10)

There are of course loads of other things you may want, to be able to do oxygen free dry hopping for example. but the above is the minimum to get going with pressure fermentations and transfers.

Check out our Unboxing of the 30L Flexi Unibucket Fermenter post.

You can also see the full range for yourself at the Cheeky Peak Brewery website

Catchment Brewing Co - Night Fever Black IPA - Beer Review

Brewed By: Catchment Brewing Co (West End, Queensland, Australia)
Beer: Night Fever Black IPA
ABV: 6.66%
Malts: Golden Promise, Chocolate, Golden Naked Oats
Hops: Unknown
IBU: Unknown

Catchment Brewing Co - Night Fever Black IPA in the Craftd Alpha glass

"A rich juicy black IPA with a tropical fruit forward flavour using golden promise, chocolate malt & golden naked oats resulting in a smooth and tropical fruit forward beer with a rich and satisfying hop profile..."

Review

This is another exclusive beer for Hops to Home from Catchment Brewing Co in Queensland, Australia. Black IPA's by nature are a bit of a paradox - since IPA's are meant to be all about hops - a black IPA has to handle (and balance) darker and stronger tasting malts with the hops which is a difficult balance to strike.

Thankfully Catchment Brewing Co have done an excellent job with their Night Fever Black IPA.

The can itself has a cool design on it - with a dark background and two bright green eyes staring right back at you. The alcohol content is 6.66% as well - coincidence? I think not.

The beer pours a deep, dark black colour out of the can. There's a decent amount of foam that settles into a nice dirty brown head - and the hop aromas are hard to miss as soon as the can has been cracked open.

The flavour itself is of course, very fruit forward - as it should be in any style of IPA. The initial taste that punches through first is the dark chocolate and roasty undertones - but it's closely followed and overwhelmed by the fruit follow through from the hops. It's a strange taste sensation - almost contradictory - but it works. The brain just isn't expecting these sorts of flavours coming through in a beer this dark.

There's a moderate bitterness present that combines well with the malt and hops for a well rounded and smooth taste. It's rich, as the Catchment Brewing Co say themselves, but isn't overpowering. 

Overall a really enjoyable beer and something a little different from all the other lighter IPA styles available.

Catchment Brewing Co - Night Fever Black IPA Can

Rating

7/10

Deeds Brewing - Double Lamington Imperial Brown Ale - Beer Review

Brewed By: Deeds Brewing (Glen Iris, Melbourne)
Beer: Double Lamington - Imperial Brown Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Unknown
IBU: Unknown
Other: Lactose, Raspberry, Coconut and Natural Flavourings

Deeds Brewing - Double Lamington Imperial Brown Ale in the Craftd Alpha glass

"Turning up the volume on a beer like Lamington Ale was only a matter of time. Double Lamington continues our quest to share dessert in a glass. Light chocolate notes and a healthy dose of coconut are joined by a massive hit of jam as we've added a huge amount of raspberry puree straight into the fermenter.

This Imperial Brown is comfort food, liquified for your enjoyment. Sweet, slightly boozy, and the perfect addition to an evening"

Review

This beer is fun and we found ourselves enjoying more than we ever would have predicted. The description shown above - taken directly from the can label is probably one of the most accurate previews or descriptions for a beer we've seen - it's spot on. 

Unsurprisingly, straight out of the glass we've got a deep, dark brown beer with the colour also seeping into the thick foamy head. The aromas before even taking a sip are inescapable - and then when you do, it's like a punch straight to the taste buds.

"Cherry ripe" was the very first flavour that came to mind - which is strange since this beer uses raspberries and not cherries - although they do both share the dark chocolate and coconut flavours.

And what a combination of flavours this is - the raspberry puree, lactose, coconut and chocolate tones from the malt all blend together perfectly for what can only be described as a "dessert beer". Each sip just keeps you coming back for more.  The coconut notes themselves are subtle, but the full complement of fruit flavours just work so well with each other.

Deeds Brewing - Double Lamington Imperial Brown Ale can

There is quite a noticeable alcohol presence - with 8.5% ABV this is unavoidable - but it's certainly nice. I'd liken it to a dessert wine - such as a muscat - except this is beer, so it's better. 

Mouthfeel is a little thicker which is appropriate for what this beer is trying to do - dessert in a glass, as Deeds Brewing say so themselves.

A really fun and enjoyable novelty beer - would highly recommend.

Rating

8.5/10

All Inn Brewing Co - Sabre Session Ale Fresh Wort Kit (FWK) Review

Brewed By: All Inn Brewing Co
Malt/Adjunct: Ale, Munich, Wheat, Crystal
Hops: Azacca, El Dorado
Current IBU: 15
Yeast Suggestions: Morgan's Premiu, American Ale, US05, BRY-97, WLP001, Wyeast 1056
Dry Hop Suggestions: Morgan's Finishing Hops - Azacca 25g and El Dorado 25g
Mash Temp: 66C
Boil Length: 60 minutes
Current SG: 1.050
Fresh Water Top Up: 5L

All Inn Brewing Co - Sabre Session Ale FWK Box

"A little sleight of hand sneaks an enjoyable amount of passionfruit and pineapple flavours into a light and easy-going beer"

Review

The All Inn Brewing Co Sabre Session Ale is a great example of what can be achieved in a mid-strength beer. For this fresh wort kit - we followed the directions and recommendations on the box - topping up with 5L of spring water for a total volume of 20L. We also used Safale US-05 yeast for the fermentation. The recommended dry hops with 25g each of El Dorado and Azacca hops were also added towards the end of primary fermentation for a little bit of extra fruity goodness.

Original Gravity (OG) on the box was 1.050. After adding 5L of water the gravity was reduced to 1.038 and was then fermented down to 1.010. This gives a total ABV of 3.68%.

After a couple of weeks to settle in the keg after fermentation - we feel the beer has reached it's prime. Pouring from the tap it comes out a light, bright, golden colour. There's a good level of head and retention as well - no doubt helped by the presence of wheat in the mix of malts used to make it. A noticeable bit of haze is present but expect this will further clear after another couple of weeks. We don't mind a bit of haze in our beers anyway.

As noted above, there's a surprisingly large variety of malts present here (4 in total) - but they combine well for a nice flavour with nothing really standing out or dominating.

All Inn Brewing Co - Sabre Session Ale in the Craftd Freddy glass

As you'd expect in a mid strength sessionable beer like this, the flavours are somewhat subtle but combine well for a thirst quenching and satisfying finish. The Azacca and El Dorado hops are well matched and in the recommended levels that were added, give a nice fruity finish on the tongue without being over powered or dominating.

It's nice being able to enjoy a couple of glasses on a hot afternoon without feeling the effects. The Sabre Session Ale presents an excellent compromise between flavour and alcohol strength which is what a session style beer like this should really be.

Rating

7/10

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Akasha Brewing - Grand Tour IPA - Beer Review

Brewed By: Akasha Brewing (Five Dock, Sydney)
Beer: Grand Tour IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Unknown
IBU: Unknown

Akasha Grand Tour IPA in the Craftd Freddy glass

The Magellan of beers, this West Coast-style IPA circumnavigates the world of hops in a global tour-de-force of stonefruit, citrus and grape punch, balanced by a delicate bitterness and backed with a dry, moreish finish for a united nation of harmonious flavour. Excelsior!

Review

Grand Tour is a limited edition IPA by Akasha Brewing that was created for IPA Day. Surprisingly, we weren't aware such a day existed so will definitely be marking this in the calendar for next year (it's the first Thursday in August). 

The name itself is curious and is in no way related to the Amazon Prime television series featuring former Top Gear presenters. Instead, it's a nod to the plethora of hops that have been used in this beer from all over the world - including Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Europe. And what a combination of hops it is - this beer is seriously impressive.

After cracking open the can - the instant waft of new world hop aromas is unescapable and deliciously inviting. Pouring into our Crafd Freddy glass - there was plenty of fizz and froth happening which lead to a nice, creamy white foamy head on top of the golden beer beneath.

There was a noticeable haze present in the glass - which to us is a good thing in a beer like this - and likely caused by a large amount of hops being used - aka 'hop haze'.

As you'd expect in a heavily hopped IPA such as this - there is a real fruitiness in the flavour profile. We picked up notes of citrus, melon, orange and mandarin. This was well balanced and matched with a bitterness that whilst making it's presence felt - doesn't linger and stick around in the mouth for too long as you get with a lot of other IPA's. There's a subtle dryness that follows each ship which keeps you coming back for more - and more - and more. All this flavour also does an excellent job in masking the fact it has over 7% alcohol content by volume.

It's almost a perfect example of pairing hop bitterness with hop flavour and aroma and is seriously impressive. A true showcase of what can be achieved with new world hop combinations.

There's a decent level of fizz/carbonation and also leaves a nice fluffy mouthfeel making it really enjoyable to drink in every way.

One of the best IPA's we've ever had - if you see it anywhere, do yourself a favour and buy it.

Akasha Grand Tour IPA Can

Rating

9.5/10

Have you tried the Akasha Brewing Grand Tour IPA? Did you enjoy it as much as we did? Let us know in the comments below.

Prancing Pony Brewery - Miss Kitty Schwarzbier - Beer Review

Brewed By: Prancing Pony Brewery (South Australia)
Beer: Miss Kitty Schwarzbier
ABV: 4.8%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Unknown
IBU: 26

Prancing Pony Miss Kitty Schwarzbier in the Craftd Freddy glass

Miss Kitty, the Saloon boss has been spooking around the brewer’s head for a long time. Miss Kitty is dark and alluring with a refreshing personality. A Black Lager styled on a traditional German ‘Schwarzbier’, with roasted flavours, a low bitterness making it perfect for a winters evening.

Review

What the heck is a Schwarzbier anyway? We'd never heard of one before so had no idea what was going to come out of this brightly coloured can after opening it. As it turns out, Schwarzbier - also known as "black beer" is a dark lager originating in Germany.

The aforementioned can has a cool cartoon style design on it - we had to give it a good once over to even find the name of the brewery that made the beer - the artwork really takes place front and centre on this one.

After carefully perusing the can details, we identified that Prancing Pony created it - a brewery that first started back in 2012 and are based in Totness, South Australia.

But back to the beer. The first thing that hits after the dark hue is the smokey flavours - accentuated by the carbonation and fizziness. It's smokey but a really clean flavour, as you'd expect from a lager.

The dark malts lead to a slightly thicker mouthfeel than what you'd normally get or expect from a 'regular' lager but it's still easy drinking with subtle classic lager yeast flavours lingering quietly in the background.

As you can see in the photo above, there wasn't much in the way of head, or the retention of it for some reason.

Along with the smokey flavours, there are hints of chocolate and coffee but all blend well together to leave a pleasant lasting taste in the mouth after each sip. 

Prancing Pony Miss Kitty Schwarzbier Can

Rating

7.5/10

Have you ever tried a Schwarzbier or other type of dark lager? Let us know in the comments below.

Sauce Brewing Co - Bruclipse TDH Juicy IPA - Beer Review

Brewed By: Sauce Brewing Co
Beer: Bruclipse TDH Juicy IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Unknown
IBU: Unknown

Sauce Brewing Co - Bruclipse TDH Juicy IPA in the Craftd Alpha glass

"Possibly our juiciest beer for a while, this new addition to our dual-hop juicy series is TRIPLE dry-hopped!

This juicy installment combines the punchy pineapple notes of North American BRU-1, with the sweet mandarin and zesty citrus peel of Aussie-grown Eclipse."

Review

A relatively recent release from Sauce Brewing Co - located in what is essentially the heart of craft beer and brewing in NSW - Marrickville. The Bruclipse TDH Juicy IPA is everything it claims to be.

TDH stands for "Triple Dry Hopped" - which means lots of hops - which means juicy. Nice. The can itself looks really cool too - eye catching with a nice palette of orange, yellow and green colours to match the typical colours you'd expect from the types of fruits you'll get tastes of within.

The term Bruclipse is obviously a portmanteau of the hops that have been used - the American variety BRU-1 and good old Aussie Eclipse.

After opening the can and pouring into the glass - the citrus and floral aromas are instantly released. The beer pours a beautiful, light straw hazy hue with a nice creamy white head on top.

Initial taste had me thinking that the bitterness and the alcohol content seemed to dominate - and the fruity goodness from the hops was not as prevalent as I'd expected - especially considering it had been triple dry hopped. I was perhaps expecting something a bit more like a NEIPA which is perhaps not fair since it isn't what this beer is claiming to be.

That's not to say that the fruitiness isn't there - I was picking up notes of apricot, mandarin and orange. The combination of hops definitely works well together - I just perhaps expected something a bit more in your face.

The unspecified base malts, as you'd expect are just background noise and play a subtle supporting role to the hops which is what a beer like this is all about.

I'd definitely like to try another one of these in the future.

Sauce Brewing Co - Bruclipse TDH Juicy IPA Can

Rating

8/10

Nail Brewing - Red Carpet - Imperial Red Ale - Beer Review

Brewed By: Nail Brewing
Beer: Red Carpet - Imperial Red Ale
ABV: 8.4%
Malts: Pale, Cara Red, Munich
Hops: Citra
IBU: 50

Nail Brewing - Red Carpet - Imperial Red Ale in the Craftd Alpha glass

"We sent our famous Nail Red to hell and it came back stronger. Tread carefully between caramel malt flavours, balanced citrus, floral and hop aromas."

Review

Nail Brewing is a brewery located in Perth, Australia that was established in 2000. I hadn't heard of them before or seen any of their beers so was keen to try this imperial red ale when it arrived in a mixed pack of craft beers.

I've had red ales before and quite enjoyed them and was hopeful this one would be no different.
The can itself as a really cool design with a red snake/serpent design on a dark blue background. Upon opening said can and pouring, the beer colour was reminiscent of pouring a can of cola. Plenty of golden froth and some real caramel and sweet toffee notes from the malt became fragrant as they escaped from the can. Yum.

The bitterness is well matched by the sweet malt and hop notes - and the bitterness does linger a little in the mouth after each sip. But 50 IBU's in a beer will certainly lead to some lingering bitterness and it's appropriate for the style of beer. I was a little surprised to read they only used citra hops in this one - as one of my favourite all-time hops, I was surprised I didn't pick it. 

This is perhaps because the hops tend to take a bit of a back seat to the malt presence - at least in terms of taste. I found the hop aroma on the nose much more prevalent than on the taste buds.
As the beer warmed up though (or perhaps after I'd drunk a bit more) - some orange and citrus flavours came to the fore which was a welcome surprise.

At 8.4% ABV I wouldn't be enjoying too many in a session (without falling asleep at least) but the one I did have was very enjoyable indeed.

Nail Brewing - Red Carpet - Imperial Red Ale Can

Rating

8/10

Quakers Hat - Hoppy Black Lager - Beer Review

Brewed By: Quakers Hat
Beer: Hoppy Black Lager
ABV: 4.8%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Unknown
IBU: Unknown

Quakers Hat Hoppy Black Lager in the Craftd Alpha glass

A dark, rich, double dry hopped lager

Review

I've never had a black lager before, let alone a hoppy black lager. So, first things first. They weren't kidding when they said it's a black lager. This thing is black. Like, ink black. Cool.

Plenty of froth after pouring which presented a dirty, golden, foamy head.

The roasty and chocolate undertones of the presumably dark malts that have been used really punch through. Mouth feel is light as you'd expect from a lager along with an expected level of carbonation. That's really about where the similarities end though.

I found it to be quite refreshing to drink, and not heavy as you'd often expect from dark beers. Bitterness is relatively low, providing a somewhat fresh, clean finish.
Not particularly exciting, but is definitely what it says it is.

Quakers Hat Hoppy Black Lager Can

Rating

6/10

Morrison Brewery - Oat Biscuit Ale - Beer Review

Brewed By: Morrison Brewery
Beer: Oat Biscuit Ale (Red IPA)
ABV: 6.5%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Unknown
IBU: 35
Other: Golden Syrup, Oats, Toasted Coconut

Morrison Brewery Oat Biscuit Red IPA in the Craftd Alpha glass

This collaboration between Tasmanian brewery Morrison and online retailer Hops To Home might be called Red IPA, but take a closer look and you'll also find "Oat Biscuit Ale" on the cans. Dig further still and there are references to Australia's favourite biscuit and times of war. Given the brewers used golden syrup, oats and a huge bag of toasted coconut along the way, you should have an idea where we're headed...

That said, while Anzac biscuits are the inspiration, there's a bit more fruitiness at play here, with elements of soft citrus rind and red berry sitting alongside the cake batter like sweetness and conjuring memories of a fruit biscuit slice or a slice of dense orange cake. It makes for a rich experience in which the combo of fresh hops, specialty malts and other adjuncts even contribute a cinnamon like spice as well as flashes of coconut, before the hops add a drying bite.

Morrison Brewery Oat Biscuit Red IPA Can

Review

I like the uniqueness of these collaborative beers between Hops to Home and craft breweries. And would like to make special mention of the really cool can design - as pictured above.

The Oat Biscuit Ale Red IPA by Morrison Brewery is no exception. After opening the can it pours a deep redish, caramelly colour that has also leeched into the foamy head leading to a tinge of brown appearing.

Upon the first sip, some real hop spiciness pushes through the malt profile - which unfortunately hasn't been specified. When mixed with the bitterness and what seems like a slightly higher level of carbonation for an ale style beer - it really hits quite hard on the mouth and taste buds.

There is a mention of coconut and golden syrup being used in  this beer, however any traces of this are very subdued and barely noticeable - at least to my taste. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though - no doubt the subtleties of such inclusions combine in their own unique ways to give the overall unique flavour profile of this beer. It does seem like an interesting and complex mix of flavours and it's good fun really concentrating on each sip to see what notes you can pick up on.

Also nice to try an IPA with a bit of a difference and that doesn't taste like a fruit salad like most others do these days.

Rating 

7.5/10

Deschutes Brewery - Hazy Ale - Beer Review

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewery
Beer: Neon Daydream Hazy Ale
ABV: 4.8%
Malts: Pilsner, 25% Wheat/Unmalted Wheat, Flaked Oats, Acidulated
Hops: Cashmere, Simcoe, Lemondrop
IBU: 35

Deschute Brewery - Neon Daydream Hazy Ale in the Craftd Alpha glass

"Drift beneath dayglow skies on a cool, refreshing current of zesty candied orange and lemon notes, immersed in the mellow malt embrace of a deliciously lazy, hazy afternoon"

Review

A seasonal release from Deschutes Brewery located in Oregon (USA), the Neon Daydream Hazy Ale is a new-world example of what pale ales can be.

Hazy's are normally reserved for IPA varieties - as large amounts of hops present in IPA's can really  help contribute to the haze effect in the beer. In this case though they've really managed to get that haze effect without the truckload of hops - more than likely from using a low flocculating yeast.

Pouring into the glass it come out very pale and murky - and my first reaction was "that look's like pineapple juice!" The haze is very prominent as you can see in the photo above.

With a mixture of some of the lightest available malts - pilsner, wheat and oats - it's no surprise the colour is so pale, and leads to a nice delicate and light body. Each sip reveals some notes of melon, tangerine and passionfruit - with some light citrus mixed in as well for good measure. The moderate bitterness follows this up and lingers on the tongue.

In typical ale fashion, the carbonation has been dialled right back to really let the yeast and hop flavours to shine through.

It's a well balanced mixture of bitterness and fruitiness as you'd expect from a full strength ale like this. A tiny bit more forward fruitiness would have been good - but this would perhaps lead into IPA territory. It's definitely nice to have a full flavoured, easy drinking, hazy beer that you could have a few of in a session without needing a nap afterwards.

Rating

8.5/10

Hops to Home/Hope Estate - Citra Hop Hazy IPA - Beer Review

Brewed By: Hope Estate Brewing & Hops to Home
Beer: Single Hop(e) Hazy - Citra Hop Hazy IPA
ABV: 6.5%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Citra
IBU: 75

Hope Estate & Hops to Home Collaboration - Citra Hop Hazy IPA in the Craftd Alpha glass

Review

This is a big beer. A collaborative effort between Hops to Home and Hope Estate Brewing - this beer is big in just about every aspect. At 6.5% it's plenty strong, delivers a massive punch of hop flavour and has heaps of bitterness to back it up.

Pouring into the glass, it comes out a very pale colour and then settles into a very cloudy, golden hue. It's definitely a hazy and looks similar to some NEIPA's. Can't help but wonder if the haze is from the yeast, the hops, or perhaps both?

At 75 IBU's this is well on the high end of the bitterness scale. The number was pretty daunting when I read it on the can - but thankfully it's well balanced with plenty of citra hop fruitiness to help level out the bitterness.

Initial hints on the nose are typical of citra (one of my favourite hops) - slightly peppery and resiny at first, but is quickly followed up with a strong waft of citrus aroma - predominantly orange but with other notes definitely mixed in. Some floral presence was apparent too - and this is what makes citra a great option for a single hopped beer - it's one of the more complex hop varieties and can single handedly impart flavours that would otherwise require multiple hops to achieve.

The bitterness lingers in your mouth after each sip but is never overpowering or unpleasant, and leaves your tastebuds simply wanting more.

The high alcohol content is well masked by the abundance of flavour, but certainly makes itself felt by the end of the can.

A very bold, yet well balanced IPA - and a real showcase of what Citra hops are all about.

Rating

8.5/10

Hawkers - Original Saison - Beer Review

Brewed By: Hawkers
Beer: Original Saison
ABV: 5.6%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: Fuggles, EK Golding, Grains of Paradise
IBU: Unknown

Hawkers Original Saison in the Craftd Alpha glass

"Only around for a brief stay, the Original Saison is a modern representation of an old world style - effervescent and refreshing with characteristic peppery undertones. 'Tis the Saison."

Review

This is my first Saison. I've read a little bit about them and was curious to try the style myself for something different to the usual ales and occasional lagers I typically drink.

The first thing that struck me after my first sip was the unique taste and flavour of this beer. For anyone who hasn't tried one (a Saison) before, I'd describe it as a "spicy lager". It's a very unique and distinctive taste - not a lot of (fruity) hop presence - which isn't a surprise given the classic English hops that are used.

In the glass it comes out a nice golden straw colour. Plenty of clarity and loads of foamy head - likely because of the relatively high level of carbonation that the Saison style calls for.

The malt flavour is smooth and subtle and really takes a back seat to the yeast which really dominates and gives it a special, funky kind of taste. "Peppery" is a good word to describe it and is often used to describe Saison's, and this one is certainly no exception. There are some hints of banana on the nose before the complex spice combination comes to the fore after each sip.

Although I don't have experience with other Saison's to compare it to - this one certainly seems to tick all the boxes for what the Saison style calls for. I quite enjoyed it but the unique flavour means it's the sort of beer I'd enjoy occassionally, and not regularly. Hawkers perhaps feel the same way which is why they're saying (on their website) that this particular beer will only be around for "a brief stay".

Rating

7.5/10

Bright Brewery - Brew Grit American Brown Ale - Beer Review

Brewed By: Bright Brewery
Beer: Brew Grit - American Brown Ale
ABV: 6.1%
Malts: Biscuit, Chocolate
Hops: Cascade, Columbus
IBU: Unknown

Bright Brewery - Brew Grit American Brown Ale in the Craftd Freddy glass

"... Brewed with columbus and cascade hops, and a healthy dose of biscuit and chocolate malts, Brew Grit American Brown Ale has sweet, nutty notes and a pine and grapefruit hop aroma, all enveloped in a layer of smooth malt sweetness. Yeehaw!"

Review

This is the first in a collection of beers received in a mixed pack from Hops to Home. I have always tended to stick to lighter coloured and more hop forward beers, like pale ales and IPA's - so I'm looking forward to trying some different types and styles of beers that I wouldn't normally buy for myself - like an American Brown Ale.

As you'd expect from a brown ale - the appearance is a very dark and deep copper colour. Plenty of thick, creamy foam was present after pouring, which also had a brownish tone to it. Brown ale's are meant to have a clear appearance, but when it's this dark it's hard to tell!

Before the beer event touches your lips - the strong aromas of chocolate, coffee and toffee are very much present and sneaking straight up your nose.

Initial taste is a very malt forward sweetness - almost like brown sugar and golden syrup. Nice. After the initial flavour hit, the taste mellows a bit where the rest of the more subtle sweet flavours shine through, balanced with a nice bitterness from the columbus and cascade hops.

At 6.1% it sneaks up on you a little bit - the alcohol content is well masked by the strong flavours all round.

I certainly wasn't picking up on the pine and grapefruit notes mentioned on the can, but still very much enjoyed it nonetheless.

Brew Grit American Brown Ale Can Notes

Rating

7/10

All Inn Brewing Co - Blind Axeman Amber Ale Fresh Wort Kit (FWK) Review

Due to time contraints giving me limited time for a full all-grain brew - I decided to try my hand at a fresh wort kit (FWK).

One of the common kits that I've seen available online and in home brew shops are the ones made by All Inn Brewing Company - located in Banyo, Queensland. After making several lighter coloured beers - ie. pale ales, I figured it was time for something different - albeit a little darker and with more of an emphasis on malt flavour instead of hops. A bit of research quickly lead me to the "Blind Axeman" amber ale - perfect.

What is a Fresh Wort Kit (FWK)?

For those who don't know - a fresh wort kit is essentially an "unfermented" beer kit - also known as "wort". Wort is what is created by mixing malt/grains with water at particular temperature(s) to extract the sugars from them. The wort is then fermented with yeast that consume the sugar and convert it to alcohol. Creating the wort from scratch is a very time consuming process and is what takes up basically all the time during a brew day - with a mash (typically 60 minutes) followed by a boil (also typically 60 minutes). A fresh wort kit has already done all of this, so you literally pour the FWK into your fermenter, top it up with some water and then pitch your yeast. Easy, right?

Be Careful when Opening/Pouring the FWK

A warning for anyone attempting one of these in the future not to make the same mistake as I did. Releasing the seal on the plug from the FWK to pour the wort into the fermenter can be quite tricky - a fair amount of force was required to release it. And when I eventually did release it, the wort came out FAST, leading to quite a bit of spillage on my garage floor. Next time I do it I'll have the FWK sitting upright so the spout is pointing directly up to hopefully avoid this in the future. I found it a little tricky handling 15L of wort in a box on my own - a second pair of hands would certainly help - and I'll be doing it on the lawn so I don't have to mop up any future spillages.

Topping up with water

After pouring the 15L FWK into the fermenter, I then topped it up with 5L of water as per the recommendations for this kit. This is optional and not adding the water will result in less beer, but with more flavour/alcohol. For me, a 20L batch is perfect to fit in one of my 19L corny kegs.

I decided to use a 5L spring water bottle to eliminate the possible of any off flavours from plain old tap water - although I'm sure others have used regular tap water without any problems.

Pitching Yeast

I opted to use a new yeast that I hadn't used before for this batch - Lallemand BRY-97. This is one of the recommended yeasts from All Inn Brewing Co for this particular FWK. It's a fairly neutral flavoured yeast which will be perfect for this style to allow the malt flavours to shine through uninhibited.

Fermentation

Fermentation was slow to kick off - it's currently winter where I live which resulted in the wort being at a cooler 17C when the yeast was added to the fermenter. The temperature dropped to 15C over the next 36 hours, after which the temperature slowly started to rise as fermentation began. The recommended temperature for the yeast is 15-20C so being at the lower end of this range meant things were a little slow to start.

Once fermentation was underway though, things moved quite quickly. Even with a 36 hour lag time, the fermentation was still done after 4-5 days - I then left it for another day to condition before cold crashing for 72 hours and then transferring to my keg.

Dry Hopping

All Inn Brewing Co suggest you can dry hop this beer with 25g of Warrior hops, however I decided not to worry about it for this beer.

Is it any good (review)?

In a word, yes. I must admit I feel a little lazy making a beer this way - I certainly haven't gotten the same amount of satisfaction when drinking it, when compared to something I've brewed entirely myself. But in terms of convenience and value for money, this FWK is great. 

Blind Axeman Amber Ale by All Inn Brewing

The beer itself as the name suggests, is a dark amber colour. When I first tasted it it reminded me of a 50/50 - which is a 50/50 split of Tooheys New and Tooheys Old - which isn't a bad thing at all.

Taste and mouthfeel are great - and no doubt water chemistry has been taken care of when the wort was created which certainly helps improve the quality of these kits.

So if you're time poor and have run out of home brewed beer to drink, I'd certainly recommend giving one of these FWK's a go - I'll certainly be brewing another one in the future.

Related Articles

All Inn Brewing Co - Kissaki Japanese Lager (FWK) - Review

All Inn Brewing Co - Mutiny Red IPA - FWK Review

All Inn Brewing Co - Alfajor Biscuit Ale Fresh Wort Kit (FWK) - Review

All Inn Brewing Co - Sabro XPA Fresh Wort Kit (FWK) - Review

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What is a Fresh Wort Kit (FWK)?

Pirate Life - South Coast Pale Ale - Beer Review

Brewed By: Pirate Life
Beer: Eazy Hazy
ABV: 4.4%
Malts: Pale, Wheat, Oats, Carapils
Hops: Cashmere, Wai-iti, Taiheke
IBU: Unknown

Pirate Life South Coast Pale Ale can

"This landmark pale encompasses our founding vision of ingenuity, our unwavering commitment to quality and the laid-back spirit of the South Coast - or as we Pirates prefer to call it, home.

It pours a luminous yellow, with a fluffy head of foam. Expect aromas of citrus and peach. On the palate, tropical fruits pair with sweet malt and a fine hop bitterness. It’s light-bodied, crisp and highly crushable."

Review

I first tried this beer on tap at a pub I visited a few weeks ago. It left a lasting impression after a couple of schooners, so when I saw it on special at the local bottle shop I didn't hesitate to grab a couple of 4-packs.

I've had other Pirate Life beers before, and have always found them to be pretty damn good - and this one is no exception. As claimed by Pirate Life above, it's a very lightly coloured, and light bodied beer with minimal bitterness and plenty of hop-forward flavour.

A very easy drinking and as Pirate Life put it, "crushable" beer - would definitely buy some more of these again!

Rating

8/10

Lallemand New England - American East Coast Ale Yeast

The latest recipe pack I purchased included the Lallemand New England - American East Coast Ale yeast - and I noticed a few things about this yeast that were interesting so I thought I'd create a post to point them out and outline my experience with this yeast.

Lallemand New England American East Coast Ale Yeast - 11g Packet

Lag Time

Lallemand's website claims that the lag phase for this yeast "..can be longer when compared to other strains, ranging from 24-36 hours." Lag time refers to the time from pitching your yeast, till when you see signs of active fermentation. Too little lag time (ie. fermentation begins too quickly) can be problematic and lead to incomplete fermentations, or off flavours being developed. And too long a lag time can also be problematic is it gives bacteria and wild yeast the opportunity to infect your wort. A generally accepted target for lag time is approximately 12 hours.

So, 24-36 hours is therefore 2-3 times longer than what we're ideally aiming for. On my first attempt of using this yeast I saw a lag time of over 48 hours before seeing signs of active fermentation. There was another factor at play in my case though which was a low wort temperature. I pitched the yeast at around 21 degrees celsius, and over the next 36 hours the temperature dropped to 15.4 degrees celsius - awfully close to the lower part of the range Lallemand specify on their website. This temp drop was caused by the cold ambient temperature where I live (even though I had the fermenter insulated and in a dedicated brew fridge that was switched off).

But as the old saying goes, "relax, don't worry, have a home brew" (RDWHAHB) - and after 48 hours I was very relieved to see fermentation underway. I was certainly starting to get nervous and working out what my contingency plan was, although luckily I didn't need it in the end.

So if you're using this yeast, be prepared for a longer than usual wait time, especially if your wort temperature is at the lower end of the acceptable range.

Pitching Rate

You probably can't read it in the image at the top of this post, but the pack the yeast comes in recommends a pitching rate of 1.0g/L. Most standard homebrew batches are 23-25L so this would require at least 2 packets to satisfy this criteria.

I only realised this directive after already pitching the yeast (and trying to figure out why the lag time was so long - as per the section above). I put a post out on some home brewing social media pages I'm a member of asking for other peoples experience or feedback with using this yeast. The responses were mixed - some suggest they always pitch multiple packets, others say that if the OG of your wort isn't too high (ie. less than 1.050) then a single packet should suffice.

For my first brew with this yeast, the OG was 1.049 and it took over 48 hours to really get going - as I described in the above section.

I'll report back with the results of this beer/fermentation after pitching a single pack of this yeast.