The beers ended up very dry which really accentuated the complexity but reduced the drinkability a bit. I decided to backsweeten up to about 1.012 which is about the gravity of Rodenbach Grand Cru (which is also backsweetened). I let the beer carbonate in my cold basement for about 3 weeks until the bottles seemed carbonated and then pasteurized in a pot of hot water. It's turned out that they weren't all evenly carbonated this time (doh).
I've been drinking these for the past few months and have really enjoyed them. Hope to make them last several more years.
Tasting Notes:
- Aroma:
- Fruity smell dominates - it is reminiscent of cherries or raisin. I also get a leathery and earthy smell mixed in. Maybe a bit of spiciness in there as well.
- Appearance:
- Reddish brown and pretty hazy. The beer pours with a very wispy head which dissipates almost immediately.
- Flavor:
- It has a fairly mild sourness and a good bit of brett funk (earthy, leathery, bandaidy). The sourness goes along well with a slight fruity character. The finish has a very mild bready malt flavor. It has a slightly sweet flavor in the finish as well which softens the sourness.
- Mouthfeel:
- Medium bodied and fairly dry. It drinks very smooth - no prickliness.
- Overall:
- The beer has really bold aroma and flavor and has a very pleasing complexity. Compared with my last batch (2016 Flanders Red) this beer is softer and smoother around the edges which makes it a more pleasant beverage. I think the slight sweetness from the back sweetening is responsible. Maybe lose a bit of Brett complexity using this method but overall I'd say it is an improvement.
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