As it happened, my good friend Bob was over on the day that Secret Santa Stout was ready to taste. I chilled two bottles in the fridge for a couple of hours, and then poured them, as you see above. The carbonation was dead on.
I'll be straight with you: this beer is awesome.
It poured black, with a toasted brown colored head, and a cascading effect like that of Guinness. The first thing I noticed was a subtle but unmistakable scent of vanilla, giving way to a malty sweetness that was underlined, not overpowered, by the oaked bourbon. The finish was roasty and coffee-like. This beer has a decent amount of hops and no small amount of alcohol, but neither of those flavors stands out. It's all about the interplay of the malts, with the vanilla, oak, and bourbon flavors highlighting it all.
I'm very happy with how Secret Santa Stout turned out. This is a big step up from my first batch, which I credit equally to the recipe and to the experience that I had under my belt. My sanitation was more thorough this time around, no curveballs caught me unaware, and I had the patience to let the fermentation run its course. I'd still call myself a novice, for sure, but this has bolstered my confidence in a big way. I am already starting to think about what I'll do next.
But I have some unfinished business first. Since Secret Santa Stout is a Christmas gift, I can't just hand off some plain old bottles. I need to make labels!
Mitch,
ReplyDeleteFor sanitation, just remember that yeast eats the same thing as bacteria (sugar) so you're just trying to knock down the bacteria population enough so the yeast can starve out and then suffocate the bacteria.
In one of your posts you mentioned bleaching - save yourself some hassle and use a no-rinse, mild acid sanitizer like Star-San. Much less worries about off tastes than with bleach. Just pour the solution in, shake it around to cover the surface and after about a minute it's sanitized.
That does sound easier. The convenient thing about bleach is that I already have plenty of it around the house, but next time I order ingredients I'll get a sanitizer as well. I assume they're not pricey?
ReplyDeleteI've been following this adventure from the beginning and I've got an adorable idea for the label (though I'm assuming you already have one?)
ReplyDeleteWe do have one already. Just need to print 'em, which has proven to be a bigger challenge than we expected.
ReplyDeleteMan I would like one of these again
ReplyDeleteI agree!
ReplyDelete