It actually came out better than expected. It's been so long since the last time I made beer that I was a little worried. It was all for nothing though, since this brew is great! Light, but with plenty of flavor. It will be perfect for these upcoming Summer days, and I look forward to drinking it. The rest of the batch still needs to sit a bit longer, but I will share with anyone that happens to be around when it's completely ready. So those of you that know where I am...
Not one to rest on my laurels, I started another batch a short while later. I used a bunch of Centennial and Cascade hops that I got at a brew supply store in Asheville and got the process started.
A cauldron of yummy.
I didn't plan to stop there. I'd been reading about different ingredients for homebrew, which prompted me to look in the cabinet for something I'd wanted to use for a while. You see, my Great Uncle (who's in his 90s) gave us some honey from his bees. So I used some (well, most of it.)
I'd always heard that honey is a good additive, and after adding it to the wort I had high expectations. After the fermenting was complete (which took longer due to the added sugars from the honey), I took a sample for a taste test...
It looked good, but it tasted even better. A nice aroma of honey, with a slight honey flavor on the finish. And yeah, plenty hoppy too. When I bottled it, I instantly came up with a name for my latest creation.
MuddHoney IPA. Since my uncle and I have the same last name, it made perfect sense. It's a family beer I guess, and quite possibly the best one I've made so far. And yes, I haz plenty...
It's not ready yet. This one will take more time to be perfect. Will I share this one too? Probably. You know, since I'm pretty damn proud of it.
Now, it's time to come up with another brew creation. Stay tuned.