Funky Old Ale: 2nd Tasting

Recipe and 1st Tasting

I thought it was time for an update on this one since it had beer more than a year since it was bottled.

Appearance – Clear, dark brown, with red/orange highlights when held to the light. Only a minimal brown head forms, very poor retention. Not sure if the drop in retention is from the Brett eating the last of the dextrins, or if I just have a dirty glass.

Smell – Wet oak, cherries, and distant coffee grounds. The alcohol is almost like perfume, very interesting. Very smooth, no harshness funkiness like when it was bottled.

Taste – Rich bread crust maltiness, big dark fruit (cherries, plums), almonds, and lightly roasted coffee. Really stunning complexity, one of the better tasting beers I have made. The bitterness has mellowed out to match the dryness, very balanced. Will probably develop more dried fruit (raisin, prunes) as time goes on, but I like it the way it is now.

Mouthfeel – Medium-thin body, with medium carbonation. The finish has just a hint of alcohol warmth, but it is very subdued.

Drinkability & Notes – Wow, at a year since bottling this beer is really hitting its stride. It is disturbing how quickly I polished off my glass of this 10% abv beer, so smooth, dry, and drinkable. Looking forward to really breaking these out next winter once the weather cools down again.