I showed you a couple of days ago that I had kegged the beer that I brewed about a month and a half ago. Now, the beer should be fully carbonated and ready for drinking. I ventured into the basement with a clean glass, hoping that it all turned out okay. Brewing is not a lot of work, really, but there is the long span of time where you’re not sure if what you’ve made is delicious or just shit.
Here’s my glass immediately after the pour, backlit by a basement light fixture to accentuate the color.
I was hoping for a more crystal clear liquid. I need to work on my filtering system, it seems. Nothing to worry about, since there is zero effect on the flavor. But as the French say (I think), your first taste is with your eyes. I like the orange-brown color, like a ruddy sunset. It fits well with what I intended the flavor to be – an Apricot Ale.
Then I tasted it.
It’s got some very distinct (but not too strong) tartness, like what you’d expect from an apricot. It still tastes like an ale, though. I might, in future batches, use slightly less apricot, since I was going for more of just a hint of flavor. This is still very good, though. I might, on the other hand, stick with it, since I enjoyed this beer very quickly. It’s got sweetness that’s well balanced with the light bitterness of the hops. It’s retaining the foam as well as I’d hoped.
For a first draft of this recipe, I’m happy. Some tweaks are necessary, like any first draft, but I’m off to a good start.
To Beer!
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