Review: Stephen's 1st Homebrew

Hey everybody! I am especially proud to bring this post to you today. As the snow began to fall, I opened the first of my friend, Stephen's, virgin homebrew: a dry Irish stout (extract w/ steeping grains). I'm not exactly sure of his process, and he is welcome to correct/comment on anything I say about it, but I found this inaugural homebrew to be quite nice. So nice, in fact, that I asked his permission to review it on my blog. (Perhaps he will blog about it, too.) The review with pictures will follow. Enjoy!

Stephen's Dry Irish Stout:

Appearance-The beer pours predictably thin-ish, which is characteristic of the style. It is a very dark brown (not quite black), fading through reddish brown, dark orange, and yellow hues as the light breaks in near the edge of the glass. Topped by a fairly dense off-white to light tan head which clings to the glass and remains well after the glass is emptied.

Smell-Equal parts roast and fruit, though the fruit is subdued and, perhaps, narrowly edged out by the roastiness. No noticeable off-aroma (alcohol, solvent, funkyness, etc.) I expect to get fruit from the English yeast strain characteristic of the style (in case you were wondering). Malt sweetness fills out the middle of the nose. Hints of dark chocolate.

Taste & Mouthfeel-Easy to drink, yet interesting enough that the drinker takes notice. Woody, and slightly herbal hop bitterness underlies assertive but not overwhelming roast. A moderate malt sweetness helps round out the flavor profile and contributes to mouthfeel. Slightly drying, but not overly so. Flavor finishes with a pleasant dark chocolate note. Mouthfeel is appropriately thin-ish, with substantial foam which coats the tongue and marries well with the slight sweetness from medium dark (?) crystal malt.

Overall impression-I will admit that I was expecting less from this beer. Rather, I am pleasantly surprised by the quality and craftsmanship exhibited in Stephen's first (successful) attempt. I cannot think of anything missing that I would want in a dry Irish stout. I hope this review helps to encourage Stephen's continuation of his new found hobby. Great job, Stephen!

Until next time, BE FERMENTIVE!