In an attempt to try something entirely different, we decided to make a dark biere de garde with chocolate and chili pepper extract. The results were a bit underwhelming, but here's the review anyway.
Appearance – Dark but not the darkest I have encountered. Slightly translucent with a brownish tint around the edges. Off-white head that dissipates rapidly leaving
behind a little bit of lacing.
Aroma – Dark fruits (currants, raisins, etc.), some malty
sweetness but both are rather dull. Not a significant nose to it. Slightly
off-putting aroma to this one, which seems to be the same flaw observed in both
of my imperial stouts.
Taste – Coffee and chocolate up front. Slight off flavor
that I am still having trouble placing (possibly astringent, which may be due
to ineffective vorlaufing procedures – don’t worry if you don’t understand what
that means). Also a bit disappointing was the fact that I couldn't taste any of the chili
peppers that we put into this brew. Chocolate comes through a bit, although I
am not sure if this is due to the extract I included or the malts I used. The
tastes are subtle, which I believe plays more into the reason why the off
flavor really harms this beer. Hopefully, armed with a new variable to control,
we can make an even better brew next time.
Mouthfeel – Full
and syrupy mouthfeel. Coats the palate. Very little carbonation also lends to a
strong feel overall.
This beer didn’t turn out all that special. Overall, it is
quite forgettable, but it may have been a very significant brew in that I was
able to identify an off flavor that I believe played a part in harming
(possibly ruining) three of my more recent beers. It reminded me that we are
still ramping up our operations – improving with each batch.
Recipe Volume: 5 gallons
Yeast: WLP011 European Ale
| Malts: | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1. 2-row malt | 10.7 lbs. |
| 2. Chocolate malt | 10 oz. |
| 3. Roasted barley | 10 oz. |
| 4. Carapils | 4 oz. |
| 5. Victory malt | 9 oz. |
Brewhouse Efficiency 70%
Calculated Original Gravity 1.068
Caclulated Boil Gravity 1.055
Measured Original Gravity 1.064
Measured Final Gravity 1.011
| Hops: | Amount | Boil Time | IBUs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Northdown (7%) | 0.5 oz. | 60 | 12 |
| 2. Mt. Hood (4.5%) | 0.5 oz. | 30 | 5 |
| 3. Northdown (7%) | 0.5 oz. | 10 | 4 |
| 4. Mt. Hood (4.5%) | 0.5 oz. | 0 | 0 |
Calculated IBUs 21
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