I considered not putting up this post. I thought maybe I should just let this one die, but then I thought some more, and I decided that I don't want this blog to only be a chronicle of the successes I have in brewing. I would prefer it to be a tool for me to document my experiences and tell the complete story of my homebrewing adventures. So with that, I confess - this beer is bad. It's not just ok. It's not half-bad. It's all bad. I am extremely disappointed in it, and I came into making this one with the highest of expectations (I even came up with what I thought was a very clever name). Here are my thoughts. I will get it right next time!
Appearance: Probably the only pleasant thing about this beer. It is extremely dark. Tan head that appears rich, but rapidly dissipates leaving behind some lacing.
Aroma: Something's not quite right here. The smell is off. Not what I would expect in a stout. No maltiness to speak of. A cider-like aroma that might be due to the large addition of extract.
Taste: A few good things, but mostly bad things. The taste is not quite as off-putting as the aroma. I went too heavy on the hops, which probably happened because I didn't think to adjust the amount we used after we got a poor extraction. The cider flavor clashes badly with the rest of the beer. Both the excessive hopiness and cideriness mask what could potentially be a good beer - difficult to tell though.
Mouthfeel: Think coating in the mouth. Slight astringency.
:(
