Homebrew Cleansing

I used to be an avid home brewer… quite a few years ago… nearly 8, to be more exact. Over the 5 years that I participated in this worthwhile hobby, I accumulated quite a cache of saved bottles of my precious brews and have graciously shared these with friends and family . This cache has gradually dwindled down to just a very few bottles over the last couple of years… not the best of my production, perhaps, but the final ones none the less. I have decided that it is time to get rid of these… in hopes that I can restart my hobby and produce many more of the same (hopefully better).

I have listed the ones that I have left (in no particular order) and my thoughts concerning their current/final state…

• Batch # 27 – Stout (ABV 4.8%) – Approximately 8.5 years old – A bit over carbonated. Pours a foamy dark black/brown in color with a light tan head. Aroma is still very stout-like… roasty with some coffee. Flavor is very oxidized and borderline unpleasant. Finish is slightly bitter and clean. It was a much better brew when younger. I am very surprised, actually, given the ABV of this brew, that this beer is in as good a shape as it is. This was the last one… bye-bye… 🙂
• Batch #31 – IPA (ABV 5.7%) – Approximately 8 years old – Lightly carbonated. Pours a darkish amber in color with nearly no head at all. Aroma is, surprisingly, still hoppy, though quite muted. The hop flavors have almost entire disappeared… leaving just a bit of the bitterness behind. The malts, on the other hand, have some way forward… almost to the point of over sweetness. Quite oxidized and just a hint of funkiness… though it has held up surprisingly well. I have a couple of these bottles left and will enjoy both of them.
• Batch # 7 – Scotch Ale (ABV 7.6%) – Approximately 10 years old – Almost no carbonation at all. Pours a quite dark black/brown in color with absolutely no head. This was always a sweet beer, but the aroma betrays a deepening of the sweetness… perhaps beyond what I would generally like. Flavor matches the aroma… nearly sickeningly sweet, but *very* mellow in taste. Oxidation is present. but well hidden behind the sweetness of the beer. Clean on the palate. This is the last of this beer. In its day, it was a very good one and I will miss it.

That ends the FINAL tasting of my home brew cache. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did… memories are for ever!!