Canterbury Faire 2015 Brewers Guild Meeting
Present: Mistress Rohesia, Mistress Elayne , Mistress Miriam, Lords James of Southron Gaard, Dauid De Cochran, Timothy Haast, Wiley, Damian, Nathan, John Longshanks, Kotek, Howard, Gideon, Giles Ballard, Edward, Rossell fitz-Richard, Noah, Hercules, Hannibal Mailmaker, Sam, Ladies Iseabail, Margriet, Constance, Sigrith, Sally, Helga, Isabeau and Alanna (taking minutes).
Not everyone was present for the full tasting hence the total votes changed from time to time. There was no official business so we got straight into the tasting.
18 brews were entered over 5 categories. There was a tie between Rohesia with the Metheglen and the Red Zoned Avoncider, and Timothy with the Sweet Mead and Dark Rum. The tie was decided by the on site brew off, using our own home made malts. A public tasting ended with votes 28 to 13 in favour of Rohesia’s Gruit Ale, over Timothy’s Barley Malt Ale, giving Roheisa the Canterbury Faire Tasting prize for 2015.
FERMENTED SOFT DRINKS
Rohesia’s Elderflower Champagne <2%
As per last year, Lemoney with a good elderflower nose. Well liked by the Guild and the populous.
Category WINNER by default.
ALES AND BEERS
Timothy Haast’s Pale Ale
A very “happy” beer, using English yeast and NZ hops. Presented on a hand pull. A good English pub ale.
Votes 9 positive, 10 neutral, 3 negative.
James’ Meant to be a Bitter
Added too many hops. Primed and conditioned in the bottle, would have been better cold.
Votes 3 positive, 7 neutral, 12 negative.
Damian’s Belgian Saison
Crisp and refreshing
Votes 17 positive, 5 neutral, no negative.
Category WINNER.
Timothy Haast’s Padrons Barley Wine
As presented last year, now aged a year.
Votes 12 positive, 8 neutral, 2 negative.
James Black Death
Way too much chocolate malt gave a LOT of colour, but not a lot of flavour
Votes 6 positive, 8 neutral, 2 negative.
CIDERS
Dauid’s Pear Scrumpy
7kg of pwears juiced, store bought yeast, still cider.
Votes 12 positive, 11 neutral, 2 negative.
Rohesia’s Scrumped Perry
Fermented on the fruits own yeast.
Votes 10 positive, 6 neutral, 8 negative.
Rohesia’s Serpent’s Kiss Cider
Fermented on the fruits own yeast. A mix of backyard apple varieties. “First mouthful is bitey then it grew on me”
Votes 15 positive, 7 neutral, 1 negative.
Rohesia’s Cox’s Cider
Only Cox’s orange apples used, fermented on the fruits own yeast.
Votes 3 positive, 11 neutral, 7 negative.
Rohesia’s Redzoned Avoncider
A mix of backyard apples scrumped for the earthquake damaged suburb of Avonside, fermented on the fruits own yeast. Back sweetened with Quince syrup. Votes 22 positive, no neutral, 3 negative.
Category WINNER. Also won the Brewers guild Cider competition held during the A&S display.
Rohesia’s Redzoned Crabapple Cider
A mix of crabapples and Red delicious with some Japanese Quince, fermented on the fruits own yeast.
Votes 6 positive, 8 neutral, 5 negative.
WINES
Howard’s Gooseberry wine 10%ish
Flavour of burnt peanuts, might be better chilled.
Votes 3 positive, 8 neutral, 9 negative.
Category WINNER by default.
MEADS
Rohesia’s Queen Elizabeth Metheglen (original recipe)
Winner of the Midwinter coronation competition. Herbed mead according to the recipe favoured by Queen Elizabeth I.Flavoured with rosemary, thyme and sweetbriar (Elegantine)
Votes 24 positive Unanimous.
Category TIED WINNER
Rohesia’s Queen Elizabeth Metheglen (altered recipe)
The same as above but with extra sweetbriar.
Votes 13 positive, 6 neutral, 1 negative.
Category TIED WINNER
Timothy’s Sweet Mead
Made with raw honey and a little honey comb, Flavours of pepper and lavender
Votes 23 positive Unanimous
Category TIED WINNER
SPIRITS
Timothy’s Dark Rum
Made from sugar and molasses, back sweetened with molasses, aged in a 10 ltr oak cask.
Votes 24 positive, 1 neutral.
Category WINNER
Rohesia and Silver’s Apple Brandy
Silver’s autolosis tainted cider, distilling, aged for a year on oak and apple wood, diluted with a little apple juice.
Votes 9 positive, 7 neutral, 4 negative.
BREWED ON SITE ALES, as voted by the populous who tasted them.
Rohesia’s Gruit Ale
Using our home made pale malt, Heather (from Timothy’s garden), Sweet woodruff (from Rohesia’s garden) and Yarrow picked on site. Sweetened with honey and using a Belgian Saison yeast. Yeast was pitched on the Tuesday evening of Faire and the ale drunk on the following Saturday afternoon.
28 votes from the populous.
Timothy’s Barley Ale
Using our home made malt, some of which was toasted on site on the Sunday of Faire and using a Belgian Saison yeast. Yeast was pitched on the Tuesday evening of Faire and the ale drunk on the following Saturday afternoon.
13 votes from the populous.