Home Brew Forum

Joeskidmoor - Bitter 3.8%

Bottle opened with a nice hiss, and some light smoke came out the top of the bottle. It pours with a medium to high carbonation, a deep golden colour, with a loose pearly coloured head. That does seem to stick around. There is really good clarity to this beer.

On the nose, the first thing you get is this mellow grassy hoppiness, then there are light floral notes, followed by this cracker bread, small amounts of caramel and a slightly yeasty aroma. This smell like a nice bitter.


On to the taste, and the first thing you get is this bitterness, which is spicey, something like challenger, this then develops into the grassy and floural flavour, there is also a little tart Apple present. After the hops have gone away, you pick up digestive biscuits and wheat. There is a dry finish to this beer.

The body is a little thin, and slightly over carbonated. This overbalanced on my opinion, the hops give it to much bitterness upfront. The head lasted all the way down the glass, and so did the carbonation.

Would I drink this again? Yes if that initial bitterness was tuned down a little. Other than that it's a good drop.

ArmChair wrote:On to the taste, and the first thing you get is this bitterness, which is spicey, something like challenger, this then develops into the grassy and floural flavour, there is also a little tart Apple present. After the hops have gone away, you pick up digestive biscuits and wheat. There is a dry finish to this beer.

Another excellent review. It's nice to have someone else review my beer as they pick out things which I haven't.

ArmChair wrote:The body is a little thin, and slightly over carbonated. This overbalanced on my opinion, the hops give it to much bitterness upfront. The head lasted all the way down the glass, and so did the carbonation.

I went with Boadicea as the single hop used in this and you are absolutely right; the beer came out as 35 IBUs which is right on the borderline for the style and could be reeled back to allow for more of the malt flavours to shine.

ArmChair wrote:Would I drink this again? Yes if that initial bitterness was tuned down a little. Other than that it's a good drop.

This brew was a considerable success for me for the main reason that it's been the only one to date that my old man has drunk and actually liked! Just goes to show that whatever your age, the need to seek a fathers approval will always exist.

I only like to give my honest opinion.

It was a little too bitter, but could be spot on at 25-30 Ibu.

I usualy get my father in law and my dad to taste my ales, then send a few beer mails out

ArmChair wrote:I only like to give my honest opinion.

It was a little too bitter, but could be spot on at 25-30 Ibu.

I usualy get my father in law and my dad to taste my ales, then send a few beer mails out

Honest is good, very helpful information for retrying the brew.

This is the first proper swap I've ever done and really glad I did - will certainly look at a few more.

joeskidmore wrote:

ArmChair wrote:I only like to give my honest opinion.

It was a little too bitter, but could be spot on at 25-30 Ibu.

I usualy get my father in law and my dad to taste my ales, then send a few beer mails out

Honest is good, very helpful information for retrying the brew.

This is the first proper swap I've ever done and really glad I did - will certainly look at a few more.

Well I'm always up for a swap!