jjefrey
Well-Known Member
Received the Gruit today. All bottles intact.
I've been meaning to email you. I'm a 4th year med student and have been all over the country this fall. Beer is made. I have finally moved home and will be bottling the beer sometime next week and plan on sending it out soon after. I am so sorry for the delay, I've just been so busy. But rest assured, it will be sent.
Okay I heard from our Crabapple Lambicky brewer today. Here's what he said:
So looks like they will be late, but they will be sent.
Never got any fruitcake ales . They must have been throwing/punting around packages. No seriously I've seen them punt packages when I was a ups helper back in college...
Did you ever get any? If not, let me know and I'll send out a package this week!
Should we leave itrader feedback for this?
Tried the Christmas Gruit today and thought it was excellent. I gulped it down before taking any tasting notes, but I promise to get you some when I open the next one. Well done!
It's slightly under carbonated. A touch more carbonation could help the head after pouring and the retention. The beer could be more clear perhaps with irish moss or filtering. Those were the only flaws I found.
Okay I heard from our Crabapple Lambicky brewer today. Here's what he said:
So looks like they will be late, but they will be sent.
Yeah, I hope nobody is holding their breath to get these brews. I'll post something on the front to make sure he doesn't enter any exchanges in the future...
Trying some of these christmas beers. Yes, I've left them in a dark closet all of this time. I grabbed a random one and ended up with the Spiced Cherry Dubbel:
AROMA - 9
Medium toasty maltiness, strong tart cherry funk, nutmeg, cinnamon, black liquorish, no hop aroma
APPEARANCE - 3
Deep ruby red, very little head, light brown ring stays around glass, brilliant clarity
FLAVOR - 13
light alcohol, upfront cherry tart, clean, light toasty malt, no hop bitterness, the cherry flavor overwhelms the typical dubbel flavors Im searching for. Low levels of winter spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, star anise
MOUTHFEEL - 4
Hefty drying tartness, very drinkable, moderate alcoholic warmth, moderate carbonation, medium bodied
OVERALL - 8
The cherry flavor is upfront and center. The spices were evident in the aroma, and present in the flavor. The malt flavors and fruity esters of a dubbel are hard to find with the strong cherry presence. Overall, I really enjoyed it and it is clearly a well-made beer. I can tell the fermentation was at a proper temperature, the alcoholic warmth is there and is pleasant and the beer is exceptionally clean. I think the cherry flavor could be cut back a bit to allow the other flavors, notably the malts, to come through.
TOTAL: 37
Enter your email address to join: