Out of the Bottle: Old Man's Chest

After much waiting, my Old Ale is finally ready for the light of day. It looks great coming out of the bottle. Clarity is good and there's a nice dense head that leaves a fair amout of lace behind.

I can tell right away that I went a little nuts with the number of grains I used. There are six of them in all. They each bring a different flavor to the party. Throw in the brown sugar and hops, and the beer gets busy in a hurry. I'm not saying I don't like the result, but this beer won't be winning any subtlety awards.

The overarching theme is that of toffee and rum that's been bolstered by tobacco and black tea. There's a bit of a roasted note too, but it's in the background. The sweet/bitter balance is good. Even with an ABV of around 8.5%, the alcohol is well masked and doesn't add much warmth. The beer's body is dry, slightly heavy and has nice soft carbonation. The black tea and toffee flavors linger through the finish.

My overall assessment is that of a beer that's a bit too busy, but perfect for a cold winter night. I already have my sights set on a new Old Ale recipe that will thin the grains down from six to three, but still feature brown sugar and Fuggles hops. Now I just need to figure out how to fit it into my brewing calendar.

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