Recipe
Malt
65% Golden Promise
25% Flaked Barley
10% Roasted Barley
Hop Schedule
38 IBU East Kent Golding @ 60min
Yeast
Fermentis US-05
Process
Mash In @ 60C, 0min
Saccharification Rest @ 65C, 90min
Mash Out @ 78C, 15min
Boil, 75min
Chill
Closed Ferment @ 20C, 7 Days
OG: 9.0P — IBU: 38 — ABV: 3.2%
Aroma
Specific Aromas
Dark Chocolate, Freshly Roasted Coffee, Baking Bread
Flavor
Specific Flavors
Dark Chocolate, Light-Roasted Coffee, Dark Berry, Bread Crust, Cracker, Burnt
Impression
Smooth, Dry, Thin, Bitter
The Ale
The goal was to brew a dry, black ale with a low ABV. I wanted something light, drinkable, crisp, & dry, but wasn’t ready to commit to the fruity pale ales of summer. I mashed with English malts to retain a flavorful malt taste & boiled with English style hops to obtain some “English-ness”.
Full disclosure, the goal was not an ABV of 3.2%. The goal was an ABV of 4.5%. I recently changed my brewing system & grossly overestimated efficiency.
Positives
Surprisingly, the ale has more flavor than I expected given the low ABV. It is jet black with dark brown accents when held to the light. The dark-tan head lingers nicely. I love the strong dark chocolate & coffee in both the aroma & flavor. The fruitiness in the taste reminds me of a tropical stout more than a dry Irish stout, but that isn’t a bad thing (I view styles as guidelines, not rules). It finishes dry & roasty.
Next Time
I’ll not go as low as an ABV of 3.2%. With the low-temp saccharification rest to dry the finish, the ale has a slight watery or thin impression. I’ll increase the body, either through a higher saccharification rest or higher ABV. I’ll also increase the maltiness, utilizing a touch less roasted barley, a darker kilned base malt, & perhaps a bit of toasted specialty malt. I’d like to ferment at a lower temperature to quell some of those fruity esters, but that’ll be dependent on my future fermentation equipment.
Overall Preference
“This is a lot better than I thought it would be, especially since I don’t like stouts.”