SRP

I tried my Smoked Rye Porter again last night and was very pleased with the initial impression this beer gives. Head retention was not what I would have wanted, but it's hard to tell whether that was due to something beer-intrinsic or to the 90-degree heat and resulting air movement from the fan. Once the beer warmed up (didn't take long), the licorice-like flavor was detectable, but when it was cold, it was almost stout-like in it pure, creamy, dark malt flavor. This is a very refreshing beer (as long as it stays cold). I'm still somewhat disappointed that I didn't get more smoke flavor into it, but the rye gives it a pleasing sharpness that plays well with the coffee flavors from the black malt. I declare it a success, at any rate.

first taste, new batch

I tried a bottle of my Smoked Rye Porter last weekend. It isn't as smoky as I had hoped, but it's pretty good. It still has some flavors from the malt that I'm hoping will go away as it ages, some licoricey homebrew flavors. It's nicely carbonated after two weeks, though, so Ima gonna start to drinking it.

The Honey Cream Ale (which I have taken to calling Urschleim) is still fermenting hard a week after pitching the ale yeast. I may let it go until the weekend, then rack it and hope for the best. I can't do anything until it gets done blowing and starts in on sedimentation.

In (my belly) with the old, in (the bottle) with the new

I drank the last bottle of my first ever batch of homebrew last Friday. It was delicious. Scroll down to see a picture of its swansong. I'm still mourning it a bit. It was some very good beer. *sniff.*

The next morning, I stiffened my upper lip, sanitized various plastic bits, and bottled the next batch. This is a funky one, my intention being to brew a Smoked Rye Porter. I have to admit that the sidelong eyerolling from the guy at the brewstore and my brother's skeptical comments had double-teamed me to create feelings of immense trepidation about how this will come out, but after tasting my test sample (gravity was at 1012), I now feel confident that it will kick much ass. It has a very toasty, aggressive malt flavor to it. It's dignified and austere. I believe it has a walrus moustache and perhaps a monocle. It wears a waistcoat and carries a cane with a raven's head for a handle. You do not screw with this beer.

Bottling went well, but I need to end up with less waste. I was short nearly a gallon due to siphon leavings, short-filling the carboy, and being only 3/4 full on the last bottle.

Next weekend, I will be making Land of Milk & Honey Cream Ale. I already have a plan. It may even come out the way I intend, who knows?