Beer Tasting: Red Star Imperial Stout

More than two months after brewing and about 5 weeks after kegging, I wanted to do a taste-test of my imperial stout. This tasting was done prior to our club competition, so as to not bias my opinion on it one way or another. In the competition itself, it was at the top for the homebrewed entries, although just barely! A two year old entry from another club member was just behind mine in the overall scoring.

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.098; final gravity = 1.031; abv = 9.1%; estimated IBU = 66.5.
• Aroma
• Aroma is rich and moderately roasty, with a faint earthy note and a very slight alcohol tinge in the background. As the beer warms up, the booziness comes a little more to the forefront, but is not overwhelming. The aroma is rich enough that it blows out the smell receptors pretty quickly. I don't pick up any level of fruitiness.
• Appearance
• This beer is black, or a rich chocolate brown when viewed at an angle. The head is low, thin, and brown, which rapidly subsides to a ring around the edge of the glass. This bit of head is pretty persistent, though.
• Flavor
• Flavor-wise, this beer has a prominent malt character that is distinctly roasty (coffee-like) and a tad burnt on the finish. As the beer warms up, I get some chocolate notes, too. There is a tinge of alcohol heat, but that is definitely in the background. This is balanced against a hefty dose of bitterness.
• Mouthfeel
• This beer has really great body, and a slightly creamy feel on the tongue. The finish is medium-dry, with a lingering roasty finish. It has maybe a touch more bitterness on the extended finish than I care for, but this is fairly minor in the overall beer. Carbonation is moderate and seems appropriate for the style.
• Would I brew this again?
• This beer turned out pretty well, particularly for a "big" style that I haven't attempted previously. For what it is (imperial stout), it's a pretty good beer. I'm missing out on a bit of the malt complexity in the flavor (I think), but that also could be my unrefined palate. Attenuation seems spot on--I was worried this might have underattenuated or ended up a bit cloying, but that is definitely not the case. So would I brew this again? Sure, I think it's a pretty good recipe, although not so exceptional that I wouldn't try others, too. I'll be curious to see how that assessment changes as the beer ages. I also should say I don't see myself making imperial stouts that often--I just don't care for "big" beers, and it's a lot of effort for a beer that I'm only moderately interested in (even if I think it tastes pretty decent).
• Overall score: 7/10

Beer Tasting: Alt-Alt Ale

My altbier has been on tap for over a month, and seems to be at peak flavor. Time for a tasting!

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.052, final gravity = 1.008, abv = 5.8%; estimated IBU = 28.
• Aroma
• Exceptionally malty, with a strong caramel/sweet note (thank you, honey malt!). I do not pick up much in the way of hops, esters, or other components.
• Appearance
• Brilliantly clear, with a deep amber, almost copper, hue. The head is low and ivory colored, with excellent retention.
• Flavor
• Moderately-high degree of maltiness, which is predominated by caramel aspects at the front end and a bit of breadiness at the back. It is rather bitter, and the bitterness has a distinct but clean character. There is a very modest perception of sweetness, but it is not overwhelming. The maltiness and hopiness are really nicely balanced, although it is definitely the bitterness that lingers longest on the finish.
• Mouthfeel
• This is a medium-bodied beer, with medium-high carbonation.
• Would I brew this again?
• I quite like this beer, particularly as a way to try out a new style along with some malts that depart from my usual repertoire. The gelatin definitely did the trick for fining this out (particularly so when melded with the ingredient of time in the keezer). It departs from the altbier style in some ways (e.g., head is a bit lower than optimal for the style, and I didn't use much in the way of German ingredients), but as a variation on that theme, it's darned good. I can't say it is in my "brew and drink every day" category (it's a little too 'massive' of a beer for that), but it's definitely in the "brew every once in awhile and enjoy" category.
• Overall rating
• 8 / 10

Special Beer Review: Heady Topper

A friend was out east recently, and brought me back a can of Heady Topper! I've never had this legendary beer before, so I thought I would really slow down and savor the experience by doing a formal tasting. Here it is!

I disobeyed the directions on the can, and poured most of the contents into a glass. I left a bit in the can, though, and talk about the distinctions at the end of the post.

• Appearance
• Hazy light gold beer, with a thick and sticky cream-colored head that leaves some fine lacing on the glass.
• Aroma
• Piney and slightly dank aroma, with a hint of peach/apricot behind it. As the beer settles down, the aroma is milder.
• Flavor
• Definitely hop-forward, with a smooth and well-rounded bitterness that ramps up as I drink it. The hop character is quite resiny and piney. I don't pick up much in the way of other flavors, but that might just be my palate. Malts are in the background; I can't say anything in particular about them.
• Mouthfeel
• The beer has a medium body, with a slick mouthfeel; it really coats the tongue. I'm guessing that must be the hops.
• Overall
• This beer definitely lives up to the hype, although I am curious how I would view it in a blind tasting. The hype is probably part of the experience, and definitely set me up to want to enjoy it. It's interesting reading reviews on Beer Advocate and places like that...there is a very subjective element (I think the technical term is "BS"). Really...passionfruit and cracker alongside 20 other flavors? I suppose...

Is it that different in the glass versus from the can? Not in flavor, certainly. I perceive the aroma as different, but I think that's largely because of the metallic aroma from the can itself. This shifts the overall aroma more towards the citrusy side--very interesting, but definitely not a "real" character of the beer.

Beer Tasting: Transatlantic IPA

My Transatlantic IPA seems to be at its peak--no better time to give it a close look!

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.064; final gravity = 1.015; abv = 6.5%; estimated IBU = 64
• Aroma
• The aroma is very hop-forward and pleasant, but not overwhelming. I pick up citrus (orange) and floral aromas, with a hint of fresh apricot. There is a faint malty aroma that comes through as the beer warms up.
• Appearance
• Relatively clear, with a minor bit of haze. The head is quite prominent, white in color, and fine-bubbled, with excellent retention. The beer itself is a beautiful gold color.
• Flavor
• This is a pretty well-balanced IPA. There is a low degree of malty flavor, with a slight caramel note to it, but not enough to take it out of character for what I intended. The hops are of course prominent, tending towards the floral and piney side of things. The bitterness is strong but not over the top, and it definitely has a piney and slightly resinous finish. I detect a very modest ester background, perhaps some of the stone fruit (peach/apricot) that characterizes the yeast strain.
• Mouthfeel
• The beer has a medium body, with an appropriately moderate degree of carbonation. The finish is slightly dry, but not ridiculously so. 
• Would I brew this again?
• Yes! This is a really nice "winter IPA", and nails pretty much everything I was hoping for in the beer. I really like how the Conan strain plays against the hops and malt. Additionally, the hops combo stands up pretty well too. It's complex, but not muddled. The beer is probably a bit heavier than I would want outside of the cold months, but that isn't a flaw in my view. I was a little curious when formulating this recipe as to how much the Maris Otter base malt would show through--not much, in the end! It provides a good base, but doesn't get in the way of the other ingredients.
• Overall rating
• 9/10

Beer Tasting: The Celtic Elk Stout

My Irish stout ("The Celtic Elk Stout") has been on tap for a few weeks now, and is definitely ready for a tasting.

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.048; final gravity = 1.018; abv = 3.9%; estimated IBU = 36
• Aroma
• Strong and ever-so-slightly sweet coffee aroma, with a roasty chocolate note behind it. 
• Appearance
• Clear as near as I can tell, but pitch-black in the glass. When you hold it up to the light, you can glimpse a dark brown color with a red tinge to it, but that's only if you have the thinnest sliver of beer against strong backlight. The head is dark tan and thin, with a fine texture and good retention.
• Flavor
• This beer has a very coffee-like quality, in terms of being quite roasty in flavor with a bitter finish (more from the barley than the hops, though, in terms of the bitterness character).
• Mouthfeel
• The stout has a moderate-low body, with moderate and fine carbonation. It is a pretty dry (but not puckering) beer, as befits the style. 
• Would I brew this again?
• This beer is a darned good Irish stout, and I'd definitely use the recipe again in the future. It hits exactly what I was looking for, in terms of dryness, drinkability, fairly low alcohol content, and intangibles. I like this one!
• Overall
• 9.5/10

And a label!

On a whim, I drafted a beer label in honor of the original "Celtic Elk," Megaloceras. It brings in one of the "Irish elk" skulls along with a Celtic knot. Maybe it will make a good t-shirt someday?

Beer Tasting: 80 Shilling Ale

With nearly a month in the keg, the 80 Shilling Ale is ready to formally assess. So, how does it look?

• Aroma
• Quite malty, with a distinct caramel and a faint whiff of butterscotch as the beer warms up. No detectable hops on the aroma.
• Appearance
• Clear, with a fine, low and persistent off-white head. The beer is a deep copper in color.
• Flavor
• Very malt-forward, with a strong caramel component. The hops are extremely subtle, but tend towards the earthy/spicy side. Butterscotch (presumably from kettle caramelization) was pretty forward in the earlier tastings, but has tapered off some since.
• Mouthfeel
• This is a fairly dry beer, with a moderately light body. Carbonation is moderate, with very fine bubbles.
• Would I brew this again?
• This is a very solid (and delightfully simple) recipe, with a tasty result. It has been nice to have on-hand as my "light" ale during the cold months, and fits this bill pretty well. As near as I can tell from the BJCP guidelines, the recipe is also a pretty good approximation of the style. That said, it's not such an engaging style for me that I'm going to brew it every day. It probably falls in the category of "fun to try every few years when I get the urge." All that said, I'm glad I expanded my brewing horizons a bit!
• Overall
• 8.5/10

Beer Tasting: Pumpkin Ale 2015

My latest pumpkin ale is nearing the end of its run this year, so I wanted to do a tasting before the keg was kicked. I've served this beer to a number of friends, to rave reviews (well, except for one person who doesn't like any pumpkin beer, period, but I accept that the style isn't for everyone!). It has done a good job of satisfying my pumpkin beer cravings for another year.

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.064; final gravity = 1.017; abv = 6.2%; estimated IBU = 13
• Appearance
• The beige head is of a medium consistency on the bubbles, moderate in size, and quite persistent. The beer itself is clear and medium amber in color, with no evident haze.
• Aroma
• This beer smells just like pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top! I pick up vanilla and nutmeg fairly prominently, with a faint vegetal/pumpkin background. Somewhat surprisingly, I don't get any cinnamon immediately on the aroma, but I think that's my nose. A freshly poured glass sampled later had a very prominent cinnamon aroma. I detect no distinct malt or hops aroma.
• Flavor
• The flavor is moderately malty, with a light caramel character. Bitterness is moderate too, and evenly balanced against the malts. I don't really pick up much spicing, if any, in the flavor itself, except perhaps a hint of cinnamon at the finish.
• Mouthfeel
• The body is moderate, with good carbonation as I would like in a beer like this. It has a slightly sweet finish, which pleasantly lingers.
• Would I brew this again?
• Yes! Overall, this beer drinks quite smoothly and has the spices very well balanced (to my palate), so it's more than the typical pumpkin ale which is just a lager with some cinnamon and nutmeg. This is a very solid recipe, and the beer was well-received by most people who have sampled it. My only minor change might be to dial back the cinnamon a touch next time, but that's an easy fix.
• Overall
• 8.5/10

Beer Tasting: Pannotia White IPA 1.5

The second iteration of my white IPA recipe is just a touch closer to perfect, with only a few last things to tweak. So close, but not quite there yet.

• Aroma
• Strong hops aroma, but not overpowering; citrusy with slight hints of tropical fruit. I don't get much if any malt coming through in the aroma.
• Appearance
• Very clear and straw-colored, with a low but persistent fine white head. This beer has cleared up considerably since the keg was first tapped.
• Flavor
• The balance is towards the hoppy side, with citrusy and floral hops at the front of this beer's flavor. There is a very light malty background. The bitterness is surprisingly low, more in pale ale than IPA territory. What bitterness is there is fairly smooth, with a gentle but noticeable finish. 
• Mouthfeel
• This is a light-bodied, moderately dry beer. The moderate carbonation is appropriate for an IPA.
• Would I brew this beer again?
• Yes, with some changes. I feel like the aroma is pretty close to what I want, nicely balanced between Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy, although I'm still lacking the lemon aspect that I remember from the original white IPA I sampled. I think instead of using 3 oz. of Citra in the steeping phase, I might mix it up with a mix of the same Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy as used to dry-hop, for a slightly more complex flavor. The body is pretty close to perfection, although I feel like I could go to just 2-row and wheat malt for the next batch, rather than a mix of 2-row and pilsner alongside the wheat. I'm also going to up the bitterness a touch; I think the fairly low bitterness was the result of the homegrown whole hops, which can be a little unpredictable. I suspect the alpha acid content was a bit lower on this year's Cascade crop that I received, so I might swap those out next time for a definitive ~5% alpha hop pellet.
• Overall: 7.5/10

Beer Tasting: Clonal Common

With a little over a month in the keg, it's time to test out the Clonal Common! The recipe is intended as a clone of Anchor Steam, in the California Common (steam beer) style. For the sake of comparison, we also picked up a 6-pack of commercial Anchor Steam beer.

Clonal Common

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.049; final gravity = 1.012; abv = 4.8%; estimated IBU = 35
• Aroma
• A sharp woody/minty aroma is prominent (I can only assume this is from the Northern Brewer hops), but not overwhelming. I also pick up a caramel malt aroma in the background. Overall, a clean and pleasant aroma. 
• Appearance
• Very clear, but not quite bright, with a medium-gold color. The off-white head is moderately fine and prominent when poured, and sticks around for awhile.
• Flavor
• The flavor is nicely balanced between the hops and malt--both have a light and pleasant touch. The bitterness is there, but not over the top. The malt character is a combination of caramel with a bit of toastiness faintly at the rear. There is a very light apple/pear fruitiness on the finish, which is pretty pleasant. 
• Mouthfeel
• This is a beer with medium-light body, moderate carbonation, and a medium-dry finish.
• Would I brew this again?
• As this beer has matured, it has turned into a very quaffable drink. I wouldn't say this is my favorite style of all time, but it definitely is a very solid recipe and one that I'll brew again. There's not much I'd really change on this.
• Overall score: 7 / 10

Beer vs. Beer (homebrew on left, commercial version on right)

Anchor Steam

• The Basics
• abv = 4.9%; additional data not available
• Aroma
• Malty with a caramel-forward note; some fruity esters in the background. No noticeable hops to my nose.
• Appearance
• The head is low and moderately-fine, with an off-white color. Head retention is reasonably good. The beer itself is a light amber or medium gold color.
• Flavor
• Prominent caramel malt flavor, almost butterscotch-like. The bitterness is subdued and most evident on the finish, rather than being hops-forward. The hops finish is slightly woody.
• Mouthfeel
• Medium-light body, with moderately high carbonation. Moderately dry finish.
• General comments
• A good beer, and I suppose the epitome of the California Common style, but I like mine a bit better, in terms of its more subdued malt. Both my wife and I agreed that my homebrewed version was more to our tastes. The commercial version was just a little too fruity and cloying.
• Overall score
• 6 / 10

Overall Comparisons

The commercial Anchor Steam has a far more prominent caramel aroma and flavor than my homebrew version, which is slightly more prominent in the hops and toastiness of the malt. Anchor Steam itself is slightly more carbonated, too. However, the body, color, and abv match up quite closely. In all, I like my clone quite a bit (and actually prefer it), even if it's very definitely a different beer from the commercial product. I suspect the differences come down to process and ingredients. This has been a fun exploration of a beer style--I'll have to try one of these side-by-side comparisons again with another style!

Beer Tasting: Packrat Porter

• The Basics
• Starting gravity = 1.054; final gravity = 1.017; abv = 5.1%; estimated IBU = 38
• Aroma
• Lots of malty aroma, with a grainy and roasty character to it. I don't pick up much in the way of hops or yeast esters.
• Appearance
• The beer is deep brown in gross examination. When held up to the light, a deep ruby tinge is quite apparent, as well as excellent clarity. It's very pretty! The head is beige, fine, and moderately low, with excellent retention during the course of consumption. 
• Flavor
• The beer is malt-forward, with a primarily grainy and chocolate character backed up by roasty notes (in the overall same ballpark as the aroma). The bitterness is moderate and smooth, but not overwhelming.
• Mouthfeel
• The beer has a moderate body and a pleasant, fine carbonation with a slightly creamy sensation. The finish is relatively dry and tasty. 
• Would I brew this again?
• Yes! For something that was thrown together from odds-and-ends, it turned out exceptionally well. Although I am unlikely to duplicate this exact recipe ever again, I think the overall 'feel' is a definite winner. The beer is a solid improvement on my last porter, most probably in my choice of a less attenuative English ale yeast as well as a healthy addition of flaked oats, which added some needed body over the previous recipe. I would note that this probably is best classified as a "hybrid porter"--the starting gravity is a bit higher than conventional for an English porter and the graininess is apparently slightly out of character, but it's not quite aggressive enough to be an American porter (no 'burnt' characteristics and the hops are fairly tame). Ignoring the BJCP, though, it's a great beer! I would definitely brew a simplified version of the recipe (cut the micro-additions of various grain sample packs), or perhaps even switch it up by using Maris Otter for the base malt.
• Overall rating
• 8.5/10

Beer Tasting: Seven Seas Session IPA

After 5 weeks in the keg, it's a good time to formally taste my latest session IPA! Overall, it seems like I'm about one iteration away from the "house recipe."

Seven Seas Session IPA

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.052; final gravity = 1.018; abv = 4.3%; estimated IBU = 50.
• Appearance
• Very persistent ivory head with a little bit of lacing on the glass; it starts quite high, and lowers a bit as I drink the beer, but never disappears. The beer itself is a rich gold with a slight haze.
• Aroma
• A strong but not overwhelming pine and grapefruit dominate. I don't pick up much in the way of malt (except towards the end of the glass, when the beer is warmed up a notch).
• Flavor
• The malt is in the background on this one, but definitely there. It supports a prominent bitterness from the hops, which is quite pleasant at the forefront but fades perhaps a little more harshly on the finish than I care for. In other words, the bitterness sticks around.
• Mouthfeel
• The body is just about perfect on this one; moderate, but not overly thin or overly chewy. Carbonation is moderate and on-point for an IPA.
• Would I brew this again?
• Yes, with only slight modification. The appearance, aroma, and mouthfeel are exactly perfect for me, so I wouldn't change the malt bill, mashing schedule, yeast, or dry-hopping. The only minor issue that I would care to fix would be to tone back the nature of the bitterness a bit; something a little more subtle might be nice. It's not bad in this way (as discussed at my homebrew club when I brought it), just slightly outside my personal preference. So, I would probably change up the bittering hops for this recipe; dial them back just a touch, and aim for something with a smoother bittering profile (?Cascade). The beer is definitely a big step closer to my house session IPA recipe. Once I get the bittering hops figured out, I think the recipe is set!
• Overall rating
• 7/10

On Falconer's Flight 7C's: I quite like this hop blend. It basically says "West Coast IPA." And despite the slight shortcomings for the bittering profile in this particular recipe, I think it would be fine for bittering in a bigger beer (i.e., a standard strength IPA). It's just a _touch_ much for a session IPA.

Beer Tasting: Citra Blonde Ale

Time to taste the Citra Blonde Ale! It has been in the keg for about two and a half weeks, and turns out to be an incredible beer.

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.049; final gravity = 1.015; abv = 4.5%; estimated IBU = 19
• Appearance
• Clear with just a very faint haze. The head is white, medium-fine, of moderate size, and persistent. 
• Aroma
• Very lightly malty, with a refreshing hint of citrus.
• Flavor
• "Juicy" is the best descriptor; that flavor is robust but not overwhelming. The hops are definitely in the foreground, and I can pick out light citrus. It's really interesting how "juicy" this beer is - I can't say I've ever picked up on this before in my beers, but it's definitely there. It's almost like a bit of watermelon was squeezed into the beer. The hops are noticeable more for the flavoring and aroma than bitterness.
• Mouthfeel
• Moderate body and carbonation, as is appropriate for this style. 
• Would I brew this again?
• Absolutely! This is an incredibly tasty beer, which really nails a unique set of flavors and aromas. I love pretty much everything about it! The special techniques--including no-sparge--as well as the Citra hops added up to something quite nice. It's interesting how different it is as a blonde ale from my other favored recipe, the Summer Blonde Ale.
• Overall Rating
• 10 / 10

Beer Tasting: Azacca Session IPA

My first intentional attempt at a session IPA has been in the keg for about a month. A perfect time for a tasting!

Azacca Session IPA

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.045, final gravity = 1.015, abv = 3.9%, estimated IBU = 38.
• Appearance
• The head is white and fairly thin, but still pretty persistent. The beer itself is slightly hazy and light gold in color. Quite pretty!
• Aroma
• Fairly weak, considering that it was dry-hopped for so long. There are slight tropical fruit notes, with perhaps a whiff of citrus.
• Flavor
• Light and hop-forward, with a pleasant floral and tropical fruit taste; very smooth on the finish. The bitterness is noticeable but restrained; I might up the hops a bit for any future iterations. There is a slight (but not unpleasant), rounded mineral taste at the finish. The malts are very much in the background, perhaps too much so.
• Mouthfeel
• Pleasant and fine carbonation; the body is adequate but perhaps a touch thin. 
• Would I brew this again?
• Yes, but with some modifications. I quite like the concept of session IPAs, which hit all of my buttons (hop-forward, not numbing in alcohol content). Truth be told, I was a little disappointed with Azacca hops. My personal preference for an IPA is to have a big nose punch, and Azacca just isn't there. It has pleasant aroma and great flavor, but is restrained to the point where it might be better suited for light dry hopping in a blonde or perhaps plain pale ale. Next time, I'm going to try something different from the hops, and perhaps a little more for bittering. I also would like to up the maltiness on this just a touch--a small amount of crystal malt (perhaps crystal 60) might be what I need. Finally, I'm thinking about a little wheat to aid with head formation and retention. All in all, I feel like I'm on the right track with this brew, but have a little work to do to dial it in.
• Overall rating
• 5.75/10

Beer Tasting: West Coast Wheat Beer

As my first all-grain wheat beer (and an American wheat beer at that), this batch has been a complete success. Check out the details below!

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.049, final gravity = 1.012, abv = 4.8%, estimated IBU = 23
• Appearance
• The head is white, creamy, and fine; almost meringue-like in consistency. It is incredibly persistent, too; even though it thins out some time after pouring, the head sticks around down to the very end of the glass. In fact, if anything the head is a little too dramatic - it takes a slow pour, a steady hand, and a bit of patience before the glass is full and ready to drink. I initially had chalked this up to potential over-carbonation, but now I'm pretty satisfied that it is a happy consequence of an all-grain beer with a heavy percentage of wheat. The beer itself is light gold and modestly hazy (it has clarified some over the 2-3 weeks since tapping the keg).
• Aroma
• Tart and lightly malty, with perhaps a hint of tropical fruit. Delicious!
• Flavor
• Slightly tart taste, balanced against a clean malt backbone. Smooth and light bitterness. Wonderfully balanced! 
• Mouthfeel
• Crisp and light bubbles; it could be carbonated a touch more, but is still within style.
• Would I brew this again?
• I would brew this beer again and again. It's one of the best brews I've made to date, and is quite popular in our household. 
• Overall rating
• 10/10

Beer Tasting: Red Oak Ale

After about a month of conditioning, it's time to review the red oak ale I brewed in mid-May. As previously described, I oaked it with oak chips for a week, and have been dry-hopping it ever since.

Red Oak Ale

• The Basics
• Original gravity = 1.070; final gravity = 1.015; abv = 7.3%; estimated IBU = 45.
• Appearance
• The modest head is tan, finely bubbled, and moderately persistent. The beer is a burnt umber shade and quite hazy.
• Aroma
• Light and crisp oakiness when freshly poured; as the beer warms up there is a background of alcoholic aroma and raisin/currant notes. Very subtle spicy aroma (presumably from the Willamette dry hops?).
• Flavor
• A modest, but not overwhelming, oakiness at the forefront of the beer, backed by a subdued but not insubstantial malt backbone. Very slight toasty notes and a hint of rye crispness. The finish has a smooth hoppiness and oakiness that fade slowly.
• Mouthfeel
• Delightfully fine carbonation and quite smooth to the feel. There is a very mild tannic finish from the oak. I could perhaps expand the body just a small touch, but that is a minor issue.
• Would I brew this again?
• Absolutely! As a type of recipe outside my usual styles, this one was a pleasing success. The level of oakiness is just about perfect for my taste, and truth be told it is nice to have oakiness alone, rather than the bourbon-soaked oak chips that most people use. The only minor tweak might be to fill out the body just a shade; a slightly higher mash temperature could do the trick. If I did that, I also might oak it for an extra day or two, to compensate for the greater body.
• Overall rating
• 8/10

Beer Tasting: Old Speckled Hen Clone

After a month of keg conditioning, it's time to do a taste test of my Old Speckled Hen clone attempt!

Old Speckled Hen Clone

• Basics
• Starting gravity = 1.055; final gravity = 1.011; abv = 5.8%; estimated IBU = 37
• Appearance
• The beer is a rich amber color with orangish hints; a modest bit of chill haze. Head is low, creamy and ivory-colored; fairly persistent. 
• Aroma
• Light caramel notes, with a bit of maltiness at the core. 
• Flavor
• Lightly malty, with a lingering bitterness on the finish. Very hop-centered. Unfortunately, I think the bitterness overrides the maltiness more than I like. This becomes a better beer as it warms up a bit, though. 
• Mouthfeel
• In the mouth, the carbonation has an almost creamy effect that is quite nice. The overall body, though, is moderately thin and a bit thinner than I prefer in this type of beer.
• Would I brew this again?
• In it current incarnation, probably not. The aroma is delightful, but the bitterness:body ratio is just a too high for my preference. I attribute this primarily to the fairly low mash temperature called for in the recipe, as well as use of the highly attenuative Nottingham yeast strain. If I were to do this again, I would mash higher (maybe 156°), use a different yeast strain (perhaps WLP002), and cut back the bittering addition just a touch. As it is, the current iteration just doesn't hit the round, malty notes that the original OSH does.
• Overall rating
• 4/10

Note (19 July 2015): After a few more weeks in the keg, this is a much better beer. The bitterness has rounded out quite a bit, and more balanced relative to the maltiness. So, I would up it to 6/10; brew again, with modifications to the mash temperature and a longer conditioning time (probably 6 or 7 weeks).

Beer Tasting: Summer Blonde Ale 1.1

My Summer Blonde Ale 1.1 has been carbonating and conditioning in the keg for the past month, so now is as good of a time as any to sample it. We've really been enjoying this beer, and I think it's definitely earned its place as a "go-to" summer recipe.

• The Basics
• Starting gravity = 1.047; final gravity = 1.009; abv = 5.0%; IBU = 21 (estimated)
• Appearance
• Clear (but not brilliant), light golden color; fine and fairly persistent white head.
• Aroma
• Lightly malty and ever so slightly fruity.
• Flavor
• Smooth and very lightly fruity maltiness; a delicate bitterness but certainly not prominent on that end. 
• Mouthfeel
• Medium carbonation, within bounds for the style; a light and smooth body with a nice light finish (just a hint of malt and hops).
• Would I brew this again?
• Certainly! This is my second iteration of the recipe (and first one to be kegged). Pretty much everything about it is spot-on as an easy-drinking summer beer. It also got pretty good marks at the recent homebrew club meeting, so I'll count that as a positive too.
• Overall rating
• 9/10

Beer Tasting: Pannotia White IPA

My Pannotia White IPA has been on tap for about two weeks; it seems like a great time to evaluate the beer and reconfigure it for its next iteration (and there will be another iteration!).

• The Basics
• Starting gravity = 1.057; final gravity = 1.012; abv = 5.9%; IBU = 50 (estimated)
• Appearance
• Hazy, light golden hue; head is tall and persistent, with a creamy appearance and off-white color. The beer has gotten slightly less hazy since the first tastes a week or two ago.
• Aroma
• Dominated by citrus, secondarily with some floral and passionfruit aroma; very clean and fresh
• Flavor
• Hop-dominated; very citrusy and slightly floral. Any maltiness is subtle at best. There is an extended, smooth, and slightly sweet finish for the hops.
• Mouthfeel
• Nicely carbonated; body is perhaps a touch thin
• Would I brew this again?
• Absolutely! The white IPA style is a delightful and very drinkable variant change from the overbearing single/double/triple/quadruple American IPAs that are the norm for many microbreweries. My original goal was to recapture my memories of the Italian-made Vergött White IPA. I got partway there--particularly in its appearance and refreshing drinkability--but am lacking the somewhat lemony aroma and flavor that I recall from the original. Some more sleuthing on Italian-language websites revealed indications that they dry-hopped with Galaxy hops (and possibly some Mosaic), that the alcohol clocks in at 5.5% (rather than 5.9%), and that oats are part of the mix too. I would also like a little more body in my beer. So, I think for the next iteration I will use 2-row malt instead of pilsner malt, mash at a slightly higher temperature (perhaps ~152°), add some oats, notch the alcohol down a touch, and dry-hop with Galaxy instead of Citra. I will likely maintain the first wort hopping with American hops (probably Cascade), because the background hopping on this one is about perfect.
• Overall rating
• 8/10

Beer Tasting: Lab Bench Pale Ale

My Lab Bench Pale Ale has turned into a pretty nice brew; I did a formal tasting at the end of April (as well as a run-through with my homebrew club). Results are below.

• The Basics
• Starting gravity = 1.047; final gravity = 1.010; abv = 4.8%. Estimated IBU = 38
• Aroma
• Crisp and hoppy, as expected for a dry-hopped beer. A touch citrusy.
• Appearance
• Clear, rich golden hue; off-white head with fine bubbles and excellent persistance. 
• Flavor
• Hop-forward, only a hint of maltiness. Smooth bitterness on the finish.
• Mouthfeel
• A touch thin (but not overly so); excellent carbonation for the style
• Would I brew this again?
• I think so, but with a little modification. My mash temperature seems to have been about right, but perhaps a little carapils would help with body. I am pretty pleased with how the first wort hopping seems to have created a smooth bitterness for the beer. The aroma is also just about perfect!
• Overall rating
• 7.5/10

Beer Tasting: Live Long & Porter

In mid-April, roughly two months after brewing, I did a formal tasting of Live Long & Porter.

• The Basics
• Starting gravity = 1.050; final gravity =  1.016; abv = 4.5%; estimated IBU = 30
• Aroma
• Coffee and a hint of chocolate. Nice.
• Appearance
• Creamy, tan-colored head, very persistent. Dark brown beer with good clarity.
• Flavor
• Chocolate, coffee; some maltiness behind it. Finish a little more bitter than perhaps I like.
• Mouthfeel
• Carbonation is good, but body is pretty weak.
• Would I brew this again?
• Probably not in this form; it's a good enough beer (and the aroma absolutely nails what I love in a porter), but the body is too thin, which really detracts from the overall beer. For the next iteration, I would probably add a bit more carapils and crystal malt, as well as perhaps some flaked oats.
• Overall rating: 
• 5.5/10