I just thought that I would take a second to introduce some of the home brewing tools that are available online, which may help in the assistance of those in need when it comes to the making of beer. These are ones that I use when I want to check for what may be needed for the beers that I brew.
So it's been a while and I decided to get back into making a little beer. A little while, like almost two years I think, lol, but anyway I decided to pickup some supplies that you can see here and look at making a batch in a return to my home brewing side. It should be interesting and fun.
The Split Shot from Elysian Brewing comes in as a nice representation of a sweet milk stout and proved to be a nice pick for my latest review. The ABV on this one was 5.6% which is decent enough and was coupled with a 28 IBU. Dark in color with good aromas coming off the ale made this one a delight for both. The taste was where it needed to be, but for me the big knock would be that it does have some thinness in its texture. Is that overall bad, not really but I like for my stouts to have a little more sturdiness. The thinness here played more like that of a porter for me but that being said, stouts really are just bigger porters so can’t fault them too much. This one just played like a middle brother rather than the big one. All in all, a pretty decent beer as for me I rated it 3.75 out of of 5 and would definitely drink it again.
So, Holly of Holly's Happy Hour tagged me in this challenge that seems to be going around, and here is my response to the challenge which includes the following:
1. Name 3 YouTubers that have inspired you
2. Name 3 things you're good at
3. Name 3 things you're excited about
4. Tag 3 subscribers!
What did I say? Who did I tag? What the hell am I talking about? You will have to watch to see and find out...
Here is a look at the Duvel from Duvel Moortgat located in Puurs, Antwerpen Belgium, a brewery and a beer that has been around for a long time. This original namesake beer was created in the 1920’s following the winning of World War I when the original yeast strain was introduced and is still used today. At 8.5% ABV, this Belgian Strong Golden Ale is designed to be enjoyed over time and not to be rushed. See some notes below from my experience and watch my YouTube video to see my thoughts in more detail.
My experience with this one was once again, that of a pleasant one. The beer pours a lovely golden color and capped itself with a nice foamy white head that broke down easily over time. Aroma was not an issue as the notes easily climbed out of the glass and featured all of the characteristics that are usually enjoyed in a Belgian Ale. And as for taste, a nice effervesce was found as well as a nice sweetness from the malts. However, if there was one thing that detracted me on the beer then it would be the carbonation which was very lively to say the least. But that aside, the beer was still somewhat pleasurable for me as it has been in the past and still had a classic quality about it. My rating on this one was 3.5 out of 5 and has fallen some overt the years, as for me it seems time may have caught up to this one versus some of the other offerings now available.
The Young’s Double Chocolate Stout from the Charles Wells Brewery located in Bedfordshire, England was the subject of this latest beerventure. Dark and chocolaty, this beer poured out in a nice shade of darkness capped by a nice but less than expected in size head. Aroma was good though, as the chocolate notes easily came out of the glass. The ABV of this stout was lower than what I usually prefer at 5.2% but with a beer like this, it is more often about that decadent dessert feel that you get from a sweet stout.
Speaking of which, the taste of the beer was as solid as I remembered, although there is that thinness of the texture which doesn’t always sit well with me for this style. The stout is essentially the porter’s big brother and should have with it a certain heartiness in my opinion, and although that comes through in the flavor and on the palate; it is the texture that I just find to be a little lacking. This may go to the timeliness of the beer as it hasn’t probably changed in quality, but other brewers with their offerings have just kind of pushed them back a bit in my opinion. With that all being said, it is still a decent beer which is why I rated it 3.5 out of 5. Check out my video here to see more, and to hear more of my in-depth thoughts on this offering.