UPDATE: Foreign Extra Stout (HB#1) just about ready to drink!

November 22, 2011

This past Friday (November 18) was the end of the two week bottle conditioning period that the Foreign Extra Stout recipe called for. The two weeks is more of an estimate/minimum number, and from past experience and what I have read, weeks three, four, and even five may produce a more uniform beer with fully developed flavors.

On Friday, I opened a Foreign Extra Stout and poured it into a glass admittedly hoping the beer would be "done" and taste perfect. The taste had definitely developed more of a full finish, which was something lacking when tested after week 1. However, there was also a more prominent and somewhat off putting alcohol flavor for a beer only ~5.5% ABV. Honestly, it gave the stout a "homebrew-y" taste that comes across as semi-artificial and overly syrupy (molasses-y almost). When the glass was tipped so a small layer of liquid was at the top of the glass, you could even see a clear line where there seemed to be a water layer surrounding the dark extract inside (a bit hard to explain). I assumed the worst, which is that something went wrong during brewing or the fermentation. Everything from two small of a boil when adding the liquid extract to decontamination can cause off-tasting alcohol flavors. My main concern was that the off-flavor could be a result of temperature fluctuation that I experienced during primary fermentation. Needless to say, everything that could have went wrong was going through my head in order to sift through what probably did and didn't happen. In the end, I just have to wait to see if the alcohol off-flavor remains or settles down and allows the other flavor profiles to come through...

Fast-forward five days later to today (November 22) and the prominent alcohol flavor is no more. Now, let me point out that I only opened one bottle so it is possible, for example, that the beer I had on Friday (11/18) could have been some freak turn out, or the one I am having now is some miracle bottle that tastes delicious and not something brewed in a tub (not that it was...). I am hoping, and choosing to assume, that all the other bottles consistently taste as good.

The pour produced a big head on top of an almost black colored liquid. When the glass was tipped, the liquid was uniformly dark and did not appear watery around the edges. The nose has notes of chocolate, dark and roasty malts, and a slight rummy smell (perhaps the remnants of the overly alcohol flavors from a few days ago). The beer has a full bodied mouth feel with a robust malt flavor, though it does not taste as chocolatey as it smells. There is a definite bitterness that hits the back of the tongue during the finish, which I am happy to say is more full and complete, from the hops, though it is not overtly "hoppy" like in an IPA.

All in all, the Foreign Extra Stout is better then I could have imagined. It really does have a full taste that doesn't have that "homebrewed" tang that I was sensing this past Friday. I am now comfortable to say that the Foreign Extra Stout is just about done. Though, it is not unreasonable to think that the flavors could develop and settle out even more, thus resulting in an even better brew. Either way I'm marking Homebrew #1 as a success.