Special B

As you know, I brewed my last batch of beer about 8 weeks ago. I was loosely shooting toward a Trappist-style freeform strong brown(ish) ale. I had never used Belgian or Trappist yeast before, and I used several methods, such as lagering, re-yeasting, warm storage, and long secondary fermentation, that, although elementary to many homebrewers, were new to me.

Last time I tasted this beer, I was horrified by how unpleasant the flavor was. This was a labor-intensive beer, that I spent more than the usual investment on, and to have it turn out bad would have been a kind of spirit-crushing experience.

Last night, I gave it another shot, after having let it age for another two weeks (for a total of 5 weeks, which is about 3 weeks longer than any other beer I've brewed). I was overjoyed, elated even, to find that all that unpleasantness was behind me, and that by doing nothing for 2 weeks, I accomplished something, namely, the achievement of the exact flavor I was attempting to create!!

My euphoria only grew as I continued drinking, partly owing to the fact that this beer is something like 9% alcohol. It was even a "happy" beer, like other tasty Belgian ales I've tried. I'm still quite thrilled. My interest in brewing had waned over the past few weeks, but I'm finding some renewed interest now, and I may have to start planning my next batch soon.

Yay for success and good beer!