For my first homebrew review I'd like to start out with a brown ale I brewed with my friend John a little over four weeks ago. This was the third batch that we brewed with my new setup. The first two being a Pale Ale and a Belgium Wit. I'll try to review those in the future.Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Notes of toffee and caramel with a roasted sweetness in the background.
Appearance: Dark Brown with a slight ruby color when held up to light.
Flavor: More toffee/caramel with a roasted edge to the finish. A little chocolate and coffee peaking through in the background. Also, a lightness and spiciness to the finish that makes it very easy to drink. Not bitter, just an easy to drink balanced brew. Honestly, the most apt description is if you ate a smore and then washed it down with a lager , rich and quaffable at the same time (not that I've ever had smores and beer at the same time).
Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, not cloying or too sweet.
Overall I am very pleased with how this beer came out. This was by first attempt at a brown ale and it turned out much like I hoped it would. It suits my tastes and is one that I would brew again in the near future. I wouldn't want to change too much the next time. I might add a couple more ounces of chocolate malt to the mix or perhaps some crystal 120L, or maybe try a half pound or so of molasses. I I did that I might also up the bittering addition a little bit too. Let me know what you think of my recipe!
Brown Ale:
OG: 1.052
FG: 1.012
65% Mild Malt
24% Victory Malt
8% Crystal 60L
2% Chocolate Malt
1oz Willamette @60 min.
0.5oz EK Goldings @60 min
0.5oz Saaz @30min
0.5oz EK Goldings @ 30 min
0.25oz Willamette @5 min
0.25oz Saaz @5 min.
Safale S-04
Infusion Mash @155F
Bottled with 2/3cup priming sugar.
Added brewing salts to match a Northern English water profile.
After two batches getting used to my new system I felt more confident that I would hit my desired starting gravity the third time around. Everything went smoothly on brew day and and was chugging along when I checked on it the next morning. This beer was fermented using S-04 at an ambient temperature of roughly 62F. Primary fermentation looked to be over in about four days but I wasn't in a rush and I let it sit in primary 12 days before checking the final gravity and bottling . I used the Saaz hops because I had them left over from a Belgium Wit that I had brewed earlier in the week.
