The Bar Towel

Yeah, 'wet dog' would NOT be a good thing to detect in an Ordinary Bitter Jesse!!

All I got from Stuarts Organic Ale in the summer was some sourness, but it was a pleasant light lemon-acidy kind of overtone that did not dominate and it made the brew really cut one's thirst. It was actually an incredibly gratifying summer beer. I don't know what happened to Stuart's when it left the 613 dialing area.

It's very sad because (as with the oft-maligned Trafagar) there have been some good samples, and the brewer often does have a good beer hiding there somewhere in a bad one. It's such a waste of OCB potential to gain ground among consumers.

Is there a cure for brew-house infections? Why are they so common? Is it just one of those things (like original Upper Canada) that is really hard to eradicate, once it is introduced?

I was looking forward to the corporal a few week ago. Today - not so much.

shintriad wrote:

JesseM wrote:I was pretty disappointed in the Black Irish Plain Porter, seemed like a more watery version of its former self. And the Stuart's is just awful every time I have it now in every format. Sour, and as if they let loose the dog on the label in the fermenting tanks for a swim. That is my bizarre assessment of it.

Funny, I was reminded by that Simpsons scene as well:

MOE: All right, here you go. Red Tick Beer.

(Homer takes a swig.)

HOMER: Mmm. Bold, refreshing, and something I can't put my finger on.

[Cut to the Red Tick Beer Brewery. Three dogs are swimming around in the beer. A man tastes it.]

BREWER: Mmm...needs more dog.

Yes I remember that scene. But the flavour I'm talking about is that gross smell that comes from a dog after it's been out in the rain, or sometimes that comes off a freshly washed plate.

Though every time I envision the Trafalgar or Heritage brewery now, I think of that scene .

robinvboyer wrote:I had a bottle of the john by from my stash a couple days ago, and it's way past gone. It was thin, and sour. I'm glad i've only got 2 left not 22.

This thread inspired me to dig a couple out myself, and I have to agree. I don't understand it. This is a beer that should age well!?! It tastes like a three year old porter, not a one year old IS.

Having said this, these ones were from the second batch, which, in my opinion, was inferior to the first. (My theory is that it's actually got some porter blended in there. Which would explain Perry's way high over-estimate of the alcohol content.) I've still got a couple from the first batch under the stairs. Hopefully it has fared better.

robinvboyer wrote:
I had a bottle of the john by from my stash a couple days ago, and it's way past gone. It was thin, and sour. I'm glad i've only got 2 left not 22.

The_Jester wrote:

This thread inspired me to dig a couple out myself, and I have to agree. I don't understand it. This is a beer that should age well!?! It tastes like a three year old porter, not a one year old IS.

Having said this, these ones were from the second batch, which, in my opinion, was inferior to the first. (My theory is that it's actually got some porter blended in there. Which would explain Perry's way high over-estimate of the alcohol content.) I've still got a couple from the first batch under the stairs. Hopefully it has fared better



I have had a couple bottles lately (more than I would like) due to the same reasons mentioned above. I don't see this beer lasting as long as some expected. I think Derek was the first one to notice the beer was starting to go down hill and I am glad he did otherwise I would have been stuck with over a dozen.

Strangely, the few I had from the second batch (black cap) seemed fine. Over half the first batch (red cap) was going sour. I'm thinking it must have picked something up during filtering or bottling, because some of them are still fine?

I still plan to buy some fresh ones this year, but I won't be stocking the cellar.

Derek wrote:Strangely, the few I had from the second batch (black cap) seemed fine. Over half the first batch (red cap) was going sour. I'm thinking it must have picked something up during filtering or bottling, because some of them are still fine?

I had a black cap bottle (batch 3, I think) a couple of weeks ago and it was quite good. My Tsarina has been holding up very well too.

i just cracked open a black cap john by and it's still going strong. although i have lowered expectations for my other red cap john by after reading the previous posts.

I had a black cap one recently, and it seemed fine. I've found that the beer has always a nice tang to it that I enjoy - some could call that sourness.

What he said. This is a fine effort, a brown ale in the northern English style, very drinkable and fresh with a mocha-like note. I've had unfiltered beers from this brewery that did go sour (not this brand) but this bitter brown is in tip-top shape and essentially a real ale. The bitter and "acid" note is clearly from the bittering hops used. Very English beer (albeit not estery - not all are), very good beer.

Gary

Just cracked open my first bottle of the corporal's brown, and I'm glad to report that its damn good. Far better than the lame ass effort I had on tap several months back. Hopefully this beer is back on form for good. This is my BA review:

The body is a fairly bright copper, with a decent white foamy head, that slowly diminishes, but leaves little lacing. Excellent aroma of toasted bread, nuts and grassy hops. Flavour has wholesome brown bread, nuts, caramel, and some nice herbal/grassy hops. The balance between the malts and the hops is excellently executed and far more in equilibrium than I remember from past versions. There's a nice nutty aftertaste that lingers alongside a very decent bitterness (this beer packs 84IBUs but conceals them well). The body also seems better than I remember it, a bit fuller and less watery. Also a touch drying. Quite a marked improvement.

This beer went through a difficult transition stage, but I'm glad to see it back on form. Ontario has another fine brown ale that it can add to Black Oak's. I'll be buying lots more soon!

shintriad wrote:Maybe it's the condition of the beer or the condition of my palate, but I'm drinking the Black Irish Plain Porter right now and I'm not liking it as much as I did in May 2006 when I rated it 3.7 of 5.

Seems a bit thinner, a bit more sour, with a lot less of the smoky, dark-chocolate malt characteristics I noted two years ago. It's not that bad, but it feels like it's missing something. Perhaps a certain master's touch.

Had my first Black Irish of the year last night and I had the exact same experience. All of the original character of the porter went away and was repalced by a very thin, sour beer. I only bought one bottle just in case this was the scenario and I'm glad I did.

The Corporal's Brown, on the other hand, was a pure pleasure. Super nutty, a little smokey and a big hop finish. I hope these stand up for a at least a week in my fridge.

Going to try one of Heritage's Blackcurrant Rye beers today. I hope the Heritage line doesn't have the same problems as the Scotch Irish stuff.

Drinking a bottle of it right now - it's kind of ashy, and I swear there's a note of pickles. Not undrinkable, but certainly not what I expected.

boney wrote:

shintriad wrote:Maybe it's the condition of the beer or the condition of my palate, but I'm drinking the Black Irish Plain Porter right now and I'm not liking it as much as I did in May 2006 when I rated it 3.7 of 5.

Seems a bit thinner, a bit more sour, with a lot less of the smoky, dark-chocolate malt characteristics I noted two years ago. It's not that bad, but it feels like it's missing something. Perhaps a certain master's touch.

Had my first Black Irish of the year last night and I had the exact same experience. All of the original character of the porter went away and was repalced by a very thin, sour beer. I only bought one bottle just in case this was the scenario and I'm glad I did.

The Corporal's Brown, on the other hand, was a pure pleasure. Super nutty, a little smokey and a big hop finish. I hope these stand up for a at least a week in my fridge.

Going to try one of Heritage's Blackcurrant Rye beers today. I hope the Heritage line doesn't have the same problems as the Scotch Irish stuff.

I take it back. I take it all back. I had another Corporal's on the weekend and it was sour. Then, last night at 2:30 in the morning, one of the bottles exploded. Took out 2 other Scotch Irish bottles it was stored with, sent glass all over my house and beer all over my walls. The explosion scared the shit of of me and my wife. I have now poured out all of my remaining Scotch Irish bottles and I will never again give my money to this berwery that insits on selling infected beer.

Say what yopu want about Trafalger, at least they don't sell "bombs".

Can that happen out of infection alone? I have only heard of bombs arising from over priming. Have you told the LCBO? Call today as these things are sitting on shelves.