Appearance: Deep brown or mahogany in color. Appears very dark in the glass with brown highlights around the edges. A decent tan foam appears at the initial pour although is fades fairly quickly to a ring of bubbles where the surface of the beer meets the glass. I wish this beer were a little lighter in color. Aroma: It has a reasonably strong smokiness, but not in a bacon or ham-like way. There's a hint of the roastiness as well, so the smoke isn't overwhelming.
Taste: Smoke up front, but a sweeter taste combined with some roasty character after the first impression. Again, the smokiness is neither overwhelming nor meaty, but noticeable. No hop aroma, little if any noticeable bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation. The beer is low in body but the low level of carbonation prevents it from feeling spritzy. Leaves a sweet and roasty aftertaste.
Overall: A drinkable, low alcohol beer with an assertive but not overwhelming smoke character, balanced by a sweet and roasty quality. Low in body, but low in carbonation. Good complexity without being overwhelming.
For Next Time: The only thing I would change is the color. Currently I think it's too dark for the Mild style. Perhaps instead of 4oz Black Patent Malt I could use 2oz chocolate and 2oz black patent. That might also give the taste some added complexity. I definitely want to brew this one again.
Ah ha! Here is your review! That does indeed look and sound quite delicious. I think it would make a nice "light" winter beer. Sort of a counter-point to all the stouts and porters being brewed this time of year. I also brew ~3 gallon batches on my stovetop so this recipe is damn near spot on for me. I plan on using London ESB yeast (Wyeast #1968).
ReplyDeleteGerg, glad you found it, but I guess I need to make the list of reviews more easily navigable. As for the beer, I thought it was quite good and would make a fine session beer for the winter. I'm sure your version with ESB yeast will be just fine.
ReplyDeleteIn my view 3gallons is a good size, especially if like me, you live in a small space and /or could easily ending brewing more beer than you can responsibly drink.
Let me know how your recipe turns out!
Well, I finally tapped the keg with my Smoked Mild ale. I dubbed it Smolder. I must say it tastes great! The smoke aroma dominates the nose. The flavor starts with a smooth smoky note that finishes with a nice bit of chocolatey sweetness. While it is a mild, I feel it may be a touch on the watery side. Overall it is a great beer and one I will definitely be brewing again. Next time I may add a few ounces of roasted malt to add a bit more flavor.
ReplyDeleteGlad it turned out well. It's a pretty flavorful beer and not too alcoholic. I agree that these small beers can sometimes be watery, but maybe some wheat, oats or carapils grain could help with that. Crystal malt too can add body but careful not to add too much because in a small lightly hopped beer the sweetness can become cloying, as was almost the case with the Bitter I brewed this summer.
DeleteI too was thinking the same thing for the next time I brew this beer. I have never used carapils, but it seems that my brew needs something to up the ante. I have been toying with the idea of brewing an ordinary bitter soon and may try some oats to add that body.
DeleteSo i ended up addding some maltodextrine to the keg. I boiled a few cups of water and added the dextrine much like making a yeast starter. Cooled and pitched into keg. Gassed it up and let it sit overnight. Boy! Did that do the trick! Greatly improved the body without altering the flavor. I did this a few days after my previous post and just killed the keg. I actually enjoyed this beer so much I bottled off 4 bottles and send them to two different comeptitons. It'll be intertesting to see what the BJCP judges think of the brew. I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteHey Gerg, glad your beer turned out really well. Please let me know how it does in the competition! Next time I brew this one I'll follow your suggestion and add some maltodextrin to give it more body. Keep up the good work. BTW, do you have a blog or anything for your recipes?
ReplyDeleteNo I don't have a blog. I have been meaning to make one similar to this you have going. I will keep you up to date on the beers performance. The next time I brew the Smolder I plan on using carapils in the grist.
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