Hard to believe, but it’s been over a year since Andrew and I started brewing. Things have gone much better than I had originally imagined, and I’m enjoying myself even more than I would have thought possible.
In celebration, here’s a rundown of the brews we’ve made and how they turned out:
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Porter (P1) – Our first attempt, 1 1/2 gallons short and a little weird, but drinkable. Ah, sweet success!
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Stout (S1) – Tasty, and especially excellent after the “passable” por
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Trappist Ale (T1) – Kit was a Christmas gift. Very nice, with the bubble gum/banana fruitness expected of the variety.
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Nut Brown (B1) – First real failure… just turned out with a weird flavor, overly foamy.
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Porter (P2) – Fantastic redux on the porter. One of my favorite batches.
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Irish Red (R1) – Good red color, nice flavor, a solid entry.
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West Coast Stout (S2) – Great stout. When I found one more six-pack of it recently in the utility room, I actually cheered.
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Habanero Amber (H1) – Solid Amber ale + habanero kick. Not kill-your-taste-buds-off hot, but you definitely need another drink by the end of it.
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Belgian Wit (W1) – Our lightest beer yet. Expected more of a spiciness from the coriander and orange zest, but drinkable.
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IPA (I1) – Enter the hops! Not quite as light as many IPA’s in color, but good flavor.
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Stout (S3) – Another good stout. Intended for gift-giving (really, I will give it away soon once it’s rested enough!)
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Porter (P3) – Ditto the S3. Good porter effort, but not long for my home unfortunately.
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Porter (PB) –Arg, busted thermometer screwed the batch!
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Porter (PB’) – Still in the carboys, but it’s the “baby porter” for after my wife can drink again.
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Stout (SB/S4) – Stout base for a bourbon spiked stout. Still in the primary, but hopes are high!
All in all, far more success on that list than I expected getting into the brewing game. Plenty of other challenges ahead, but then the rewards make it all worthwhile.
Keep brewing out there folks!