Raspberry Porter or Raspberry Dunkel

Woohoo! The batch of raspberry porter i started brewing 3 weeks ago was ready for bottling today.  I took a little taste prior to bottling and it did not contain the typical smokey, chocolatey taste I'd expect from a porter. Perhaps next time I should use two cans of the Mr. Beer UME rather than one and the booster. It also didn't have much of a raspberry taste, so maybe I also went a little too easy there, but maybe the fresh brewed yeastiness was just overwhelming the taste.  It could've been just the yeast talking to me, but the taste actual reminded me more of a dunkelweiss.  So, based on this initial taste, I've decided to rechristen this batch of brew the Raspberry Dunkel.  Now let's give it another four weeks of conditioning and see how it turns out.



A little tasting prior to bottling


Bottles all lined up waiting for priming sugar and bottling

Revisit of the Orange-Coriander Witty Monk

A couple of weeks ago I discovered an old bottle of the orange peel-coriander witty monk (mr. beer) that I brewed back in March that I had left over at my in-laws.  I was attempting to recreate my everyday fav Blue Moon.  Back in April I dove into this batch of brew during a birthday party for the wife where most of it was wiped out.  Back then, when it was fresh off a 2 week brew and 3 week bottle conditioning, it was highly carbonated creating an overwhelming head and the taste was strongly yeasty. Overall, I wasn't that pleased with it at the time.

After my work was done out in the yard today, I decided to pop the bottle open and see how well (or how poorly) this brew had aged.  I was pleasantly suprised by my findings.  The carbonation had mellowed substantially to a light effervescence creating a slow dying head. The taste had improved dramatically with the yeastiness subsided, allowing for the orange and the coriander (although slightly) to come through to create a more balanced taste.  The color had also changed to more of a golden brown reminiscent of an unfiltered spiced apple cider.  It was very pleasing just to look at.  This nice little discovery definitely has taught me to be more patient with my brews and allow them to age more in the bottle to let the still living yeast do its full work and let the flavors settle.




Orange-Coriander Witty Monk

A Relaxed Weekend Lunch

With the wife gone this weekend, I've been completely on my own schedule to get done what I want, when I want. So, I decided after working in the yard in the morning to make up a quick lunch to complement a bottle of The Bruery Orchard White I picked up a couple of weeks ago.  I was a big fan of a bottle of their Saison Rue that I had at Father's Office, so I figured I'd try one of their lighter brews and one of my favorite styles of beer.

I decided to utilize some of my leftover homemade smoked bbq pork to make a few mini pulled pork sandwiches along with a small salad of spinach, white balsamic vinagrette, and crumbled goat cheese.  The Orchard White pours with an extra white tall head that diminishes slowly.  The color is light golden.  The aroma is light but with a definite yeasty factor typical for white ale.  The taste, much like the aroma, is very light but with noticeable sweet lemon and coriander notes. I don't know much about the hint of lavendar that the bottle mentions. Although, I am sometimes slow to pick up on hints. I'm sure my wife can attest to that.  Carbonation is extremely high which helps add to the tingly citrus taste.  Overall, it is very light in taste for a white ale, but it makes it an easy drinker. I know, since I polished off the 750ml bottle easily on my own.  Despite the light taste, there was just enough to stand up to the smokey-sweetness of the pork and the tangy-saltiness of the salad.


A cellphone picture is better than no picture

Manifesto

Basically this blog serves two purposes; 1. to share my experiences in beer (with those actually following) and 2. to explore the world of beer further (aka give me an excuse to drink more beer). I'm on a mission to expand my knowledge of beer and to share it with those that care.

I believe just about any time is a good time for a beer. Whether its a fine belgian ale at a fine restaurant (that actually happens to have a decent beer selection), a Miller Lite filled beer bong at the river, or anything in between, a wisely chosen beer will fit the occasion.

I've long been a consumer of beer going back to the heady days of high school, progressing to college where the true awakening to the variety of beer occured, to today where I am taking the next step in formulating my own brews to be proud of.