The masses have been patiently waiting and the moment is here. In ways this brew turned out just as I had hoped, and in many others, much differently. This beer is full of surprises. Age seems to have been my friend with this brew turning it from 'meh..not too bad' to a subtly complex, surprisingly mild and drinkable beer that I'm quite proud of. Within the first 2-4 weeks in bottle, there was a noticeable tang, some described as metallic, others medicinal. I've found that now that's all been cleared away and the blandness I first observed has opened up to surprise with more flavor.
This really says something about how fresh beer really needs to be. Most people insist that beer must be fresh to truly experience as it was meant to be, that aging really does nothing for it but allow the flavor compounds to degrade. Rude Boy is proof of the opposite. While I agree, most hoppy beers are designed to be drunk sooner rather than later, some time can open up other flavors no one knew were possible in a given beer.
I'm not talking about aging a beer for 18 months, or three years (though that is a very interesting concept, especially with barleywines or Belgian Quads). A few weeks to a couple months can make all the difference. There are also many that think, especially with homebrewing, that that delay in drinking is required. There is no hard and fast rule, and it's all subjective. Rude Boy did better after a minimum of 1 month in the bottle, but was still drinkable after 2 weeks. Pale ales are usually quite a bit faster to reach maximum drinkability, possibly due to a higher reliance on hops.
I suppose what I'm getting at is that with beer, time is not always our enemy. Like with wine, beer deserves patience, deserves to be savored. Beer is a living entity and deserves to be given an opportunity to bloom into something amazing.
Stubborn Agnes Brewing - Rude Boy Oatmeal Brown
American Brown Ale
5.4% ABV
Appearance: Rich, dark reddish brown pour with a creamy, off white, robust head. Light-Moderate lacing. Good clarity.
Aroma: Mineral, slight hop aroma with dark malt and a hint of caramel and molasses back up.
Taste: Raisins, caramel, slightly bitter, very slight tang, crisp. Hops much more subdued than I had anticipated, especially after the large late addition. After some time, as previously stated the tang disappeared and the beer became more flavorful with a distinct, subtle green apple flavor, and more roasted malt flavors playing through with caramel, raisins and molasses more prevalent than before.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, lightly tingling carbonation. Initially a short palate but it has matured to a long pleasant finish.
Overall: This so far is the best I've produced (the 2nd being my first batch, a Drop Top clone that was delicious), in my opinion. The main goal was to make a delicious beer that really didn't quite fit in any particular category, that rides the fringes and I think Rude Boy fits this exactly. The way the flavor opened up, it was very surprising, like drinking a different beer altogether! I definitely slowed down, and took my time with it and I believe it shows. It still needs some polishing, but I like it enough that I want to perfect this recipe. I think a dose of CaraMunich malt will really do well in Rude Boy, I'll have to pick some more experienced brains for an amount. I think another small late addition of Columbus, which were used as bittering hops will help move the hops a bit more forward. This is a delicate operation because I don't want to go overboard with them. I think it's a good balance, not too bitter, not too sweet. It isn't heavy, and goes down smoothly and easily. Despite it's name it's just a good mild, very drinkable beer as is.
No comments:
Post a Comment