Den Skjeløyde Mann Lettkledd 1 and 2

Lettkledd 1 and 2 by Den Skjeløyde Mann, Session IPA, 4.7/4.3 ABV, 50 IBU.

Den Skjeløyde Mann loves his IPAs, this time I’ll compare two batches of the same brew – a watered down session IPA based on the Nøgne Ø IPA recipe.

Before I start, I need to mention that I forgot the bottles in the freezer, so they were both served far too cold (4ºC, I guess).

Lettkledd Batch 1 to the left, Batch 2 to the right. Trust me, the colour is in fact very similar, but Batch 1 looks lighter in this shot since it’s placed closer to the window.

In their glasses they look as good as identical: cloudy, a bit dirty-looking, medium amber colour with an average-sized beige head of average life-time.

The moderate aromas are also quite similar, I get restrained tropical fruits, hints of caramel and a lager-like, pale malty sourness from both. I also get hints of the same booziness as you find in imperial pilseners. 2nd Batch is maybe a tad sweeter, with the caramel bordering on butterscotch that is somewhat unpleasant.

The moderate flavours are also comparable: generic fruitiness, bitter grapefruit, citrus peel, resin, pale malt, caramel and hints of tropical fruits. The big difference is that in 2nd Batch the caramel is replaced by some disturbing notes of sweet butterscotch and light diacetyl. The taste of both beers is light sweet followed by a quite heavy bitter finish.  1st Batch feels a bit more bitter, but that might be due to the fact that 2nd Batch is somewhat sweeter.

Both batches are quite dry on the palate, but 1st Batch is a bit drier.  They are both fairly lively carbonated, and has a surprisingly bold body for such low ABV brews, with 2nd Batch having an even fuller body. I actually like the mouthfeel of both beers equally well.

Conclusion: 1st Batch  is a decent session IPA, without being a highly successful brew. 2nd Batch has the same positive elements as 1st Batch, but it’s also pretty messed up by  the butterscotch. Both batches lack a bit of intensity and hoppy punch in the aroma and flavours. So, ok, try again.

 

Lettkledd Batch 1:

Aroma:      6/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste:      6/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    11/20
Ratebeer score: 3.0/5.0

Lettkledd Batch 2:

Aroma:      5/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste:      5/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    10/20
Ratebeer score: 2.7/5.0

ClubGonzo’s Ginger Lemon Cure

Ginger Lemon Cure by ClubGonzo, mead, 10,3% ABV.

Ginger, lemon and honey, what could possibly go wrong?

Ginger Lemon Cure, mead batch no. 16.

It pours a crystal clear, dark golden body.

The aroma is strong, and I easily identify the three main culprits: heather honey, ginger and lemon. I like the fact that the honey isn’t completely drowned in the other elements, but at the same time the ginger and the lemon freshen things up significantly.

In the mouth this mead feels as fresh as a mead can possibly feel. Despite it being very sweet and syrupy, the lemon and ginger ensures that this is dangerously drinkable and “refreshing”. I particularly love the gentle ginger bite in the long-lasting finish, it contrasts the initial sweetness very well indeed.

Conclusion: A complex, powerful and refreshing mead!

Aroma:      7/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste:      7/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    14/20
Ratebeer score: 3.6/5.0