Jeff and I are about to start our 4th brew day some time this month. We already have two batches ready for drinking and the 3rd batch has been bottled and will be ready to drink soon too. I don’t even know how many 6 packs we have stored away in the basement right now, but it’s a lot.
I realized recently that I never even told you how our first batch turned out! So, I thought I’d show you just how it stacks up against the original Sierra Nevada Pale Ale that it was crafted to imitate.
The Sierra Nevada pours very crisp and clear…
Ours was a little cloudier.
We left the last bit of ours in the bottle since it’s full of settled yeast sludge. Yuck.
As you can see, the Sierra Nevada (left) is noticeably clearer and lighter in color.
Jeff checking the two in the light…
But how does it taste? Well, when we first tried it it was very close in flavor to the original. Crisp and clean with a subtle hoppiness and bright citrus. There was a bit of a strange flavor that Jeff noticed more than I did that he attributed to not letting it age long enough, so we decided to give it more time to age in the bottle.
2 weeks later, we tried it again…
This time it poured much clearer as the yeast sludge had completely settled and was caked into the bottom hard enough that it didn’t stir up again. The flavor had taken on a bit of a fruity note though. Not bad, just not as near to the flavor of the original Sierra Nevada as it was before.
Overall though, I’d say our first brew was a complete success. The beer tastes really good even if it isn’t exactly like the beer it was modeled after.
Now we’re trying to decide what to make for our 4th batch. Definitely something fresh and clean for summer like an IPA.
What is your favorite summer beer? Or, what’s your favorite refreshing warm-weather beverage?
This is so cool! I should have been begging you for a tasting invite when I saw you today.
Great running into you, btw!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Edamame and Jicama Salad
See, this is why we need to have another blogger potluck… So I can get rid of some of this beer!
I like wheat beers like blue moon and hoegaarden the best.
Lee recently posted..Two Bad, Two Good
I really do love the flavor of wheat beers, but they just make me feel so full!
I tend to be a Corona girl, but I’m looking forward to learning more about beer in future. AT YOUR PLACE. Yes.
Hannah recently posted..For Jerome
Ah, Corona. I remember my parents used to drink those with wedges of lime while roasting themselves on the beach during summer vacations. That flavor is definitely a summer one, but as far as Mexican style beers go I’m a fan of Negro Modelo the most.
Yay – so glad your first beer was a success!! We’ve never tried to mimic other beers, we try to make better beer.
It’s always hard for me to pick a favorite beer – too many to choose from – but Bell’s Oberon comes to mind as a great summer brew.
Heather @ Better With Veggies recently posted..Eating Out in Utah — Vertical Diner, Indochine Vietnamese Bistro, & The Farm {Review}
I have been really impressed with every single offering from Bell’s. I love their Two Hearted Ale for a refreshing summer brew.
After our next batch Jeff should be ready to start brewing his own recipes. I cannot wait to see the crazy things we come up with together!
Two Hearted, yussss. Any IPA is great by me, any time of the year.
And is it wrong for me to say how much I wish I had your husband’s hair? It is just so well-tamed and lovely. I’m sure he gets that all the time, but still;)
Emma recently posted..lumberjack pancake cake
Ha ha! Yes it is very lovely. We’re both due to chop a few inches off soon though since Georgia has decided that April is as good a time as any to start with the 80+ degree weather nonsense.
Awesome job!!! I think it is neat you tried to model your beer after something already created! Jesse does that sometimes and the way they turn out is always so interesting. My favorite summer beers are usually hefeweizens but like you mentioned before- they are really filling!
Carol @ Lucky Zucca recently posted..Are You Green?