
Reviews of Member's Homebrew
As ifUnless you're all just being polite

Strange you should say that, as I had a metallic taste in my beer but I put that down to my plate chiller and using iodophor with itI'm glad the metallic flavour that I mentioned in another thread didn't carry through

I certainly didn't detect it in your Robust Porter. What do you think was the issue with the C02?[/quote]
Just finished off this, J_P's Glasshouse Porter ... (Sorry about my lousy photo taking skills)

I'm pleased to report this is another winner. JP's beer appeared to have lost a little carbonation in transport and subsequently had the kind of carbonation and head you get from beers poured straight from the cask. Poured a dark brown with reddish highlights very similar in colour to Vossy's stout. The aroma was of bourbon biscuits and chocolate cake, maybe a little coffee too. Great flavours especially as the beer warmed up. Mostly bisuity, chocolate, slightly bready and earthy flavours. Very subtle and nicely balanced together. You could definately taste some fuggles which complimented the malt flavours very well. The mouthfeel was on the medium to dry side and it finished with a nice hoppy aftertaste. An excellent quaffing beer that hides its strength; I could easily drink a great deal of this. Again, absolutely no off-flavours or rough edges.
Two really excellent beers there, thanks guys. No pressure Wez
I've learned a lot by tasting these and looking at your recipes, well worth the money.
I'm pleased to report this is another winner. JP's beer appeared to have lost a little carbonation in transport and subsequently had the kind of carbonation and head you get from beers poured straight from the cask. Poured a dark brown with reddish highlights very similar in colour to Vossy's stout. The aroma was of bourbon biscuits and chocolate cake, maybe a little coffee too. Great flavours especially as the beer warmed up. Mostly bisuity, chocolate, slightly bready and earthy flavours. Very subtle and nicely balanced together. You could definately taste some fuggles which complimented the malt flavours very well. The mouthfeel was on the medium to dry side and it finished with a nice hoppy aftertaste. An excellent quaffing beer that hides its strength; I could easily drink a great deal of this. Again, absolutely no off-flavours or rough edges.
Two really excellent beers there, thanks guys. No pressure Wez

J_P's Glasshouse Porter
J_P
what a great Beer.


It travelled very well, to say that it was bottled from Keg it kept it's life extremely well.
A lovely coloured beer deep brown/red.
Great tightly beaded head which stayed to the end, I got lots of strong coffee and dark chocolate flavour a great big dry/malty aftertaste which lingers. Some hop aroma but not overdone, just about right for this beer I would say. Bitterness was perfect too. I'd describe this as a BIG beer.
I'd pay good money for this J_P and will be brewing it myself - well done that man.
Aren't we becoming quite the amateur beer reviewers
J_P



It travelled very well, to say that it was bottled from Keg it kept it's life extremely well.
A lovely coloured beer deep brown/red.
Great tightly beaded head which stayed to the end, I got lots of strong coffee and dark chocolate flavour a great big dry/malty aftertaste which lingers. Some hop aroma but not overdone, just about right for this beer I would say. Bitterness was perfect too. I'd describe this as a BIG beer.
I'd pay good money for this J_P and will be brewing it myself - well done that man.
Aren't we becoming quite the amateur beer reviewers

Many thanks for the kind words folks, it's certainly a relief to find out you like it.
If I brewed it again I'd possibly add some carapils or oats to the recipe to give it a little more body but other than that I like it.
The head is courtesy of a liberal dose of torrified wheat, if you brew this and keg it in a corni the head seems to stick around for ages and stands in peaks like a meringue
It's a result for someone who's been grain brewing only five months
If I brewed it again I'd possibly add some carapils or oats to the recipe to give it a little more body but other than that I like it.
The head is courtesy of a liberal dose of torrified wheat, if you brew this and keg it in a corni the head seems to stick around for ages and stands in peaks like a meringue

It's a result for someone who's been grain brewing only five months

Tonight I am sampling Vossys Oatmeal Stout
This is a lovely dark looking beer with a deep red hue to it. The beer itself has all the deep roasty chocolate aromas you'd expect in a stout but there is also something else that I can't quite put my finger on it could be the oats I'm not sure. Did you toast them? in the mouth it feels good and dry with very soft bubbles, it sounds odd but they feel somehow softer than the Glasshouse Porter. The deep roast flavours give way to a cracking dry finish with no discernible hop flavours but with malt this big who needs hops!
In conclusion the V1 brewery has turned out a really good, dare I say, "session stout" I'd be happy to drink this all night long
Shiny Herms Beer = Good Beer 
Edit: For anyone who doesn't understand the term "session stout" this is a recipe you need to brew, failing that you need to avail yourself of a pint of "Hamsterley 'Old Rocker' Dark" stout. Both beers are great because they're not too heavy or chewy and wont lay like lead on your stomach so you can drink more than 2 pints and not need to go home
This beer may well be getting an outing in the spring. Any chance of the recipe Vossy?
This is a lovely dark looking beer with a deep red hue to it. The beer itself has all the deep roasty chocolate aromas you'd expect in a stout but there is also something else that I can't quite put my finger on it could be the oats I'm not sure. Did you toast them? in the mouth it feels good and dry with very soft bubbles, it sounds odd but they feel somehow softer than the Glasshouse Porter. The deep roast flavours give way to a cracking dry finish with no discernible hop flavours but with malt this big who needs hops!
In conclusion the V1 brewery has turned out a really good, dare I say, "session stout" I'd be happy to drink this all night long


Edit: For anyone who doesn't understand the term "session stout" this is a recipe you need to brew, failing that you need to avail yourself of a pint of "Hamsterley 'Old Rocker' Dark" stout. Both beers are great because they're not too heavy or chewy and wont lay like lead on your stomach so you can drink more than 2 pints and not need to go home

J_P's Glasshouse Porter
I enjoyed my bottle of J_P's Glasshouse Porter on Sunday and here are the results of the V1 jury
When I first opened the bottle I was greeted by the hiss of escaping C02, the bottle had travelled well. I poured the Porter into a wide tankard glass and a nice, tightly beaded tan head formed on the ale, much like Wez's photo above. The colour was a dark brown black, though when held to the light it became more a chesnut brown.
The initial aroma was of strong coffee and roasted malt with little/ no hops. The drink was very smooth almost velvety. Again the roasted malts played a heavy part of the taste, as did some biscuit.
The finish was nice and bitter but it did not linger too long.
I did detect what I can only describe as a marzipan taste to the finish which was very subtle.
It wasn't at all a heavy pint but you soon knew it was potent.
All in all a very nice drink...well done J_P
I enjoyed my bottle of J_P's Glasshouse Porter on Sunday and here are the results of the V1 jury

When I first opened the bottle I was greeted by the hiss of escaping C02, the bottle had travelled well. I poured the Porter into a wide tankard glass and a nice, tightly beaded tan head formed on the ale, much like Wez's photo above. The colour was a dark brown black, though when held to the light it became more a chesnut brown.
The initial aroma was of strong coffee and roasted malt with little/ no hops. The drink was very smooth almost velvety. Again the roasted malts played a heavy part of the taste, as did some biscuit.
The finish was nice and bitter but it did not linger too long.
I did detect what I can only describe as a marzipan taste to the finish which was very subtle.
It wasn't at all a heavy pint but you soon knew it was potent.
All in all a very nice drink...well done J_P

Hope I am not gate crashing but I have really enjoyed this thread and wondered if any of the other readers want to try this beer swapping thing?
I have a nice bottle conditioned ale that is the colour of an 80/-, around 5.4% abv but is using some american hops (galena for bittering and amerillo and simcoe for aroma).
I have also just spent a couple of hours bottling a porter which is around 4.3 abv that has some roasted wheat in the mix (new one for me). This one will need a few weeks in the bottle to let is mature.
Not sure if that interests anyone but if it does either post or pm me.
I have a nice bottle conditioned ale that is the colour of an 80/-, around 5.4% abv but is using some american hops (galena for bittering and amerillo and simcoe for aroma).
I have also just spent a couple of hours bottling a porter which is around 4.3 abv that has some roasted wheat in the mix (new one for me). This one will need a few weeks in the bottle to let is mature.
Not sure if that interests anyone but if it does either post or pm me.