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"a_friend_in_mead":25nhhyta wrote: an ICB communist brew[/quote:25nhhyta]Red Barrel?

[img:25nhhyta]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I4Snyzw2IMM/R89zLPWayGI/AAAAAAAAAZg/1BcTGRlf5wE/s200/Red%2BBarrel.JPG[/img:25nhhyta]

I'm glad the bock and the lambic were passible! Next time I'll try to get a bit more than one 33cl bottle for you <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> John, the base beer was quite nice, I probably shouldn't have put fruit in the entire thing, though I thought it was a bit too 'oaky' for my tastes, the barrel was quite young, so I really like the chokecherry overtones.
The next one I'll send out is another barrel project we did...a Russian Imperial stout aged in a bourbon barrel. This one should age rather nicely!
Hope all is well in Dublin.
Cheers!

I really liked the fruit flavours in the lambic. There was a nice balance between the tartness and the sweetness of the fruits. The clarity really brought this balance to the fore. The best part, however, was the amazing vanilla after taste. It took at least 20 seconds to come through, but when it did, it was a real treat. I presume that's the influence of the oak. All in all, it was a complex balanced beer. Congratulations Ramfan!