As part of an ongoing effort to improve the quality of the beer we at Glass Bottom are producing, I have been studying up on beer judging. I'd like to think that my palate has improved as a result of my efforts, but it's possible I've simply learned the language and vocabulary of beer tasting. Nevertheless, I will endeavor to taste one of my own beers, while sounding as pretentious as possible. Please don your monocles and top hats while you read my description of my Belgian Black IPA:
Appearance: Beer appears black in the glass. When held up to the light garnet highlights appear around the edges. Pours with a tall light brown head. Head is slightly velvety and dissipates slowly, leaving a thick lacing on the side of the glass.
Aroma: Generous hop aroma in the nose. Aroma is clean and evocative of light citrus. This citrus character is complemented nicely by abundant fruity esters - also very clean and evocative of light fruits such as pears and a subtle hint of bananas. Low to no malt aroma present - perhaps just a touch of graininess.
Flavor: Sweet up front with raisin and caramel notes. Grassy hop flavor from dry hopping additions and medium resiny/citrus hop character in the middle of the sip. Pear esters continue their supporting presence in the flavor. Finishes with a mild to moderate bitterness that lingers for 10 to 15 seconds on the palate. The balance of this beer is decidedly hop forward, with little malt character present.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with mild carbonation. Has a heavy, creamy feel punctuated in the finish by the slight tartness and dryness of the bittering hop additions. Slight alcohol warmth warns of higher than average alcohol content, but is pleasant and inviting without ever becoming boozy.
Prescription -
An interesting and elaborate hybrid that incorporates aspects from multiple beer styles. I got just about everything that I was going for with this beer - the dark sweetness of the crystal malts combines well with the hop and ester profiles, but I've noted that the full bodied heaviness imparted by such an abundant crystal malt addition is out of style for an IPA, certain types of stouts, and Belgian strong ales, all of which tend to finish on the dryer side. In the future I will lower the crystal malts and replace them with fermentable sugars and just a touch of the darkest, roastiest malt to aid in the drying effect. A fruity backbone with a crisp, bitter finish is what I think I'm looking for in this beer. Stay tuned for future iterations.
