Tasting Two Batches

After two weeks of bottle conditioning, it seemed about the right time to give my first few batches a proper tasting. The results were mixed.

Clark Kent's Manners, my attempt at an English mild is dark but not as dark and roasty as we'd hoped. That's probably as much the recipe as it was my brewing. I'll have to start formulating my own soon. The ale is dark brown, and pours up a pleasant and surprisingly retentive head. There's some subtle chocolate flavors, a bit of hoppy bitterness, a nutty aroma and a butterscotch finish. It's not bad. The bottle conditioning resolved the excessive diacetyl brought on by a warm fermentation. The FG is 1.005, and the ABV is about 3.1%. It will make an excellent quaffable session brew.

Kimble's scotch ale did not fair so well. It has minimal carbonation, and forms very little head. It still tastes textured and overly sweet. The fermentation stalled out during bottle conditioning, leaving too much sugar behind. I'm heating the bottles hoping to jump start that process. If it doesn’t work in a week I will have to dump them all back in a carboy, pitch a more attenuative yeast (one that doesn't become drunk and lazy in 7% alcohol), and rebottle. I'm thinking about an aggressive American strain or some crazy Belgian action. My only concern is that the yeast will take a bite out of the 1.015 FG and explode a couple bottles. We'll see.