2008/10/26

It's Good!


Hiya,
I gave the Imperial Stout a try today and it was really very good! I know most people are biased towards their home brew, but I tend to be overly self-critical about my beer. I figure I'll go through a review like I do on beeradvocate.com if only for my own edification.

Serving type: Bottle poured into an Imperial pint glass. 8% ABV

Appearance: Pitch black with about two fingers head.
Smell: Malt, some herb and sugar smell.
Taste and Mouth-feel: Very malty, bitter, some coffee and chocolate. Heavy and big in the mouth (that's what she said) but without the slickness of an oatmeal stout. Some lingering sweetness in the aftertaste.
Drinkability: I limited myself to one so that I have plenty to share in the coming months, but I felt like maybe one more could be possible. There is not a lot of alcohol in the taste, but it does kick, limiting the drinkability to a degree.

Please let me know if you want some and I'll try to get it to you, I am waiting on the label though so it may take a little longer (presentation is everything is it not?).

Slainte!
-J

2008/10/02

Jeff's Sketch!



Hiya, my good friend Jeff (http://jefflanceillustration.blogspot.com/) was kind enough to sketch this up for the Imperial Stout label and I am really excited about it! I only hope the beer is worthy of the cool label, and I feel the need to say, I am not entirely hopeful for this batch. It is looking like 26 Oct will be the first taste trial and I am a little nervous that there will not be enough carbonation. Stylistically this beer is not supposed to have loads of carbonation, but obviously should have some, and I am afraid this batch may not have any. When I was doing the primary fermentation, the conditions at home were not ideal. For starters it was about 90 degrees here in Maryland, and I could not get my room much cooler. With that, the fermentation only took about two days to stop bubbling, a bit short. I'm hoping that the yeast didn't die in the heat and were able to eat the sugar in the bottles. I'm fighting the urge to open a bottle prematurely to check the carbonation, but the urge may overpower me by the week end next!
Slainte!
-J