Morland Hen's Tooth

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 6:37 pm

Picked some of this up at Dufferin and Wilson today. There was lots. More a strong bitter than a winter warmer, hoppy, (Goldings?) spicy English ale. I'm enjoying it.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:47 pm

I had mine in the cooler for a week and just got round to trying it...It's an interesting ale. Bottle conditioned so it's a sparkling ale like Cooper's but heavy on the malts so it has a decent malty body to it as well as a spritzy dry character. It comes off like a medium bodied quencher.

Interesting ale... but will not be a staple with me at $3+ a bottle.

Rosko · Post by **Rosko** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 11:58 pm

First couple I had were great - the next three exploded like they contained rocket fuel. Skunky and diseased.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:43 pm

Finished my 3rd tonight and I noticed no deviation in quality...I can get used to this sparkling rich ale...but not at the price they have on it...at the same store, I saw a case of Fuller's vintage and Innis and Gunn specials sitting unbought probably for the same reason...when you crack the 3 dollar mark on a beer it better be because the size is more than a pint or the juice inside is spectacular.

Hamilton Brian · Post by **Hamilton Brian** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:07 pm

Mine had the carbonation of an alka seltzer on 'roids. Colour me unimpressed. I've got two more to try before I pass judgement. An unfair sample, I know, but is the another case of the Greene King curse?

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:52 am

Hamilton Brian wrote:Mine had the carbonation of an alka seltzer on 'roids. Colour me unimpressed. I've got two more to try before I pass judgement. An unfair sample, I know, but is the another case of the Greene King curse?

You've discovered why you don't shake a bottle conditioned sparkling ale Like Coopers...deadly "fountain" effects

....you have to wet the glass before you pour to reduce the possibility of "fizz-over" ( which happened to me on my first glass) then pour gently...the colder the bottle the more fizzy it will get.

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:12 pm

pootz wrote:....you have to wet the glass before you pour to reduce the possibility of "fizz-over" ( which happened to me on my first glass) then pour gently...the colder the bottle the more fizzy it will get.

No matter the temperature of the glass or the wetness of it you can't save a spoiled bottle that explodes from the NECK when opened. If you partially freeze the bottle prior to opening you can reduce the volume of the explosion but to what end? The beer tastes off no matter what you do with it.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:00 pm

Jon Walker wrote:
pootz wrote:....you have to wet the glass before you pour to reduce the possibility of "fizz-over" ( which happened to me on my first glass) then pour gently...the colder the bottle the more fizzy it will get.
No matter the temperature of the glass or the wetness of it you can't save a spoiled bottle that explodes from the NECK when opened. If you partially freeze the bottle prior to opening you can reduce the volume of the explosion but to what end? The beer tastes off no matter what you do with it.

Well I was not talking about this issue with bad beer....I have not experienced one....If it "explodes" and tastes "off" as you say, chances are it's an issue with the bottle seal...sounds like air has gotten in and caused a bacter or yeast reaction and created more CO2...I did notice that there were "rust" marks left on the bottle glass of my samples from the crown cap edges...That would seem to indicate these bottles may have been agitated and the pressure broke the cap seal forcing some liquid out and then the equalization intake of air started the beer to spoil. The Brewer recommends refrigeration.

Or it could be a miscalculation in "Priming" a living beer before bottling by the brewer...Ive had the same problem with my HB except the extra pressure popped the bottles

I hope those who got these spoiled samples take them back to the LCBO for new ones. $3.55 a bottle is a lot to pay to get a spoiled bottle......I suspect a handling issue but knowing the Bo' they will just not order again rather show any will to understand or handle "living" beer differently than canned Mol-coor-batt sudz.

old faithful · Post by **old faithful** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:28 pm

I had one of these recently.

The Morland's was dry, as the label promised, with a noticeable yeasty edge, almost like some Belgian ales. (That dry, metallic-like yeast taste).

No issues with gushing or uncontrolled ferments.

I am wondering, seeing how yeasty the beer is, if it is not pasteurised and only roughly filtered and the fermentation is continuing in an uncontrolled way in some bottles. However, mine was fine.

This is not my preferred style of English ale. I find that yeast bite covers the malt taste too much. It is nice, but I prefer others in the U.K. range.

Gary

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:02 pm

old faithful wrote:I had one of these recently.

I am wondering, seeing how yeasty the beer is, if it is not pasteurised and only roughly filtered and the fermentation is continuing in an uncontrolled way in some bottles. However, mine was fine.

Gary

It's a living beer...certainly not pasturized...the effervessence is natural from priming the finished filtered beer in the bottle with a "prime" of active yeast and sugar...a final small controlled fermentation that produces the "sparkling" carbonation. This is an old brewing trick that came about after the invention of Champagne. The Schneider aventinus is the same type of bottle conditioned...as well as many hefeweizens and witbiers.

The gusher I got when I opened my first was my own falt for agitating it too much prior to opening.

old faithful · Post by **old faithful** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:01 am

Thanks, I didn't realise it was bottle-conditioned although the taste certainly shows that.

I also opened mine just after purchase.

I might buy some more and let it sit a while. Maybe some of the characteristic yeast taste would diminish (through settling) and allow the malt and hop notes to show through more.

Gary

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:38 am

Truth be told, I don't mind this beer at all...I just find the cost too restrictive and I don't think it will cellar too well.