My home brew: it's time for the taste test
Added: Wednesday, April 9th 2014
To recap: I am attempting to make, with a BruBox kit, an Irish Extra Stout. Mt track record as a home brewer is not good so I have set out with some trepidation on the challenge by manufacturer Brupaks to use its “OK for idiots” system.
I followed the simple instructions. Everything takes place within just one vessel, a plastic cube for mashing, fermentation and serving the finished beer. I heated the can of wort and mixed it with sachets of additional malt and hops, stirred in the yeast and left the hopped wort to ferment for a week. The initial temperature was too low so I moved the cube to the airing cupboard – to the derision of experienced practitioners of the dark arts – and a vigorous fermentation then started. The temperature was a tad too high but I reckon ale yeast is sufficiently tolerant and robust to handle that.
When fermentation was completed after 10 days, I added three teaspoons of sugar, gave the cube a good shake and left the brew to condition for a further seven days. I then up-ended the cube so the tap was horizontal and waited a further 48 hours for the beer to clear.
Then came the moment of truth. Nervously, I poured a glass of beer, sniffed and supped it and returned for a refill. Joy of joys! It tastes good. Correction: it tastes really good!
A heavy collar of barley-white foam tops a jet black body. There are liquorice, Marmite and burnt fruit on the nose. Bitter, spicy hops break through in the mouth, with rich dark grain, liquorice and a new note of espresso coffee. The finish is malty to start but bitter coffee, dark fruit and spicy hops combine at the end.
It’s wonderfully refreshing. The absence of roasted grain makes this more of a porter than a stout but it’s none the worse for that.
The beer was easy and rewarding to make. If I can brew it, anyone can. Have a go!
