The Victoria Inn, Colchester
Attendees: Steve P, Kev W, Colin, Nik L, Rich S, Justin D, Tony T, Graham S, Guy G, Tim, Jim, Dave C and Dave B (a good showing!)
We began arriving at the pub around midday. With the weather being wonderfully sunny, we settled ourselves outside in the back area — shaded enough to stay comfortable but still able to enjoy the fine conditions. Pints in hand, we waited for the rest of the group to arrive.
A few members were delayed due to a platform mix‑up for our Ipswich brewers, but once they made it in and got settled, the meeting got underway.
The first order of business was a brief update on club matters. As everything has already been covered on the website and in the latest newsletter, we won’t repeat it here.
Triangle Taste Test
For anyone unfamiliar with a triangle taste test: each participant receives three beer samples. Two are identical; one is different. The aim is to identify the odd one out.
Steve poured the beers in secret, and each brewer was handed three labelled paper cups — A, B, and C — and asked to evaluate them. Everyone then submitted their choice of the odd beer, along with their favourite of the three, via an online form.
The group fell silent as the sniffing, swirling, and sipping began. Once all twelve brewers had voted, the results were:
Full Results
| Beer A | 5 Votes |
| Beer B | 2 Votes |
| Beer C | 5 Votes |
A split between A and C, which made things interesting. The actual odd beer was A, meaning five brewers correctly identified it.
Steve then revealed the difference: it was a split batch of Porter fermented with two different yeasts.
- B + C: Fermented with WHC Fountainbridge Dry Yeast
- A: Fermented with Allison’s Bread Yeast !!!
Let me say that again, Bread Yeast! The main takeaway for most brewers was surprisingly positive — bread yeast can produce a perfectly decent beer if you ever find yourself brewing a batch and realise you’ve forgotten to buy yeast. We were all quite surprised as group!
South Pacific Beer Challenge
Our second beer challenge of the year was to brew any style inspired by flavours of the South Pacific. As you’d expect, this produced a wide range of interpretations — and, after a surprisingly long debate about the true origins of the coconut, the tasting session began. There were ten beers to get through, tasted in the following order:
- NZ Pilsner (Kev W): Plenty of hop aroma and good flavour, though a little too hazy to sit comfortably within the pilsner style.
- Blonde Ale (Jim): A fair attempt; slightly muted overall but clean and well made.
- Wheat Beer (Tim): A decent wheat beer, though a few tasters noted a touch of oxidation and a hint of sourness.
- Kiwi Lime Gose (Tony): Well received, with a good level of sourness and just the right amount of salt. Unfortunately, the kiwi character had faded.
- NZ Pale (Dave C): A well‑balanced beer with solid NZ hop aroma and flavour.
- Coconut Porter (Colin): Delivered exactly what it promised — a good porter with a well‑judged level of coconut. Like a pastry stout, but without the heavy sweetness.
- Pale Ale (Rich): Another well‑balanced, well‑hopped pale ale with no noticeable faults. One of those beers you could happily drink several pints of.
- NZ IPA (Guy): A full‑on hop fruit bomb. Soft, rounded, and with the pillowy texture you’d expect from a NEIPA.
- NZ Lager (Nik): As the brewer put it, this one had a bit of an “identity crisis” — a touch too dark to be considered a lager.
- SP Stout (Kev): Unfortunately, an infection had taken hold and there was a slight medicinal aroma and taste.
Results
Scores were tallied, and the top five beers were:
- NZ IPA – Guy Gallington
- Pale Ale – Rich Swindells
- Coconut Porter – Colin Miller
- Kiwi Gose – Tony Tilbury
- Blonde Ale – James Pettifor
Well done to all the brewers involved.
AOB
Things were getting a bit hazy at this point — and not just the beers. After a quick refresh from the bar, we moved on to Any Other Beers (AOB).
Golden Ale – Tony T
A solid 3.4% English Golden Ale brewed with Ernest hops. Clean, bright, and easy drinking.
Hobgoblin Clone – Dave B
A really good example of the style. A slight steeliness that actually worked nicely alongside the malty backbone.
Best Bitter – Guy
Another excellent beer — well balanced, flavourful, and true to style.
Imperial Stout – Jim
A four‑year‑old, 12.7% Imperial Stout, and what a way to finish the tasting. Deep, rich, smooth, and a genuinely impressive beer.
With another beer or two from the bar, people began to drift off. A group headed up the road to Café Malabar for a curry, while others made their way home. Either way, it was a great day all round, with some wonderful beers enjoyed.