Tasting Day - Two Funky Beers

My carboys have been busy the past month and a lot of beer is starting to get to the point where I can finally get some tastings done.  This past weekend I had Le Singularite - a recipe from the Wild Brews book by Jeff Sparrow - and the first of my "Funk with Less Fuss" beers created with the method outlined by Matt Lange in his article in Zymurgy.

First up: Le Singularite

Beautiful golden barnyard funk beer.

Overview: A very basic pale ale fermented with 100% Brett Clausenii.The grain bill is 88% Belgian Pilsner, 8% Wheat and 4% Acidulated malt.  The acidulated malt is used to lower the pH so the Brett yeast can get to work ASAP.

 SRM = 4
ABV = 6.5%
IBU = 18

Appearance: A brilliant golden color.  The photo does not do it justice. One of the better looking beers I have made.  Pretty clear.  Pours a 2 finger head and then dissipates slowly to a thing white layer as shown in the photo to the left. 

Smell: Traditional Belgian smell with some barnyard funk to it. Slight tingle from an almost spice smell.  Biggest smell is a fruity yeast smell.  Maybe like an over-ripened tropical fruit. 

Taste: For how simple this beer is, the flavor is very complex.  Each sip I get something different.  I get hops in the back end on some sips.  Some taste very fruity while others have that very traditional Brett character that has hay-like or "earthy" flavors.  I even get a slight bubble gum flavor that is traditional for some Belgian yeast strains in some sips.  I was expecting a bit more acid flavor from the acidulated malt, but it is a very minor player in the flavor.  You really got to look for any tartness. Overall a great beer.  It is not an easy beer to drink because of the layers of flavor that the yeast contribute but one of my favorites to date. 

Mouth:  Medium to light.  Kind of like a normal American Pale ale. 

Overall:  One of my favorite Belgians that I have brewed to date.  Its complex while not going overboard in any of the flavors that I outlined above.  It seems to be pretty well balanced. I would definitely make this again.  Maybe the next batch can be split between Brett C, Brett B and Brett Trois for a side by side tasting.

Next up: Funk with less Fuss - California Sour Red Ale

The first of the Funk with Less Funk
beers - California Sour Red Ale. - which
got great reviews at the initial tasting.

Overview: A "Quick Sour" Flanders Ale using the wort souring method as described in previous posts from the Funk with Less Fuss article by Matt Lange.  As a reminder the main batch was split between 3 different yeast. The goal for this specific beer is to see how good a sour can test after only 5 weeks from brew day.  It was fermented with a clean yeast - California Ale from White Labs. 

SRM = 17
ABV = 6.2%
IBU = 20 

Appearance: A deep ruby red - almost chestnut brown.  Pour a great head the disappears quickly. 

Smell: Here is the funny thing about this beer.  It had little to no funk smell what so ever.  It just smelt like a very clean red or brown ale with minimal hops and minimal malt smell coming through.  A faint smell of the oak cubes comes through but its very minimal. 

Taste: Wow. With the smells being so nondescript, I was expecting this to be a failed experiment.  I was 100% wrong.  It had a lot of the characteristics of a traditional sours - just not as much layering.  It was really tart.  Reminded me of sucking on a sweet tart.  You even get a bit of the oak flavor which is a nice compliment.  The one thing this was missing is that sweetness that some sours get with the use of sugar or fruit.  It also had a slight metallic flavor that I experienced in some of the other quick sours I have tested.  It is very minimal and the tartness really takes that way down in the end. 

Mouth:  Medium and a nice puckering effect after you swallow.  Really impressive for a beer that only aged for 5 weeks from the brew day. 

Overall: Surprising.   That is the only way I can describe it right now.  It had no aroma and then punches you in the face with the tartness of a sweet tart candy.  It has minimal off flavors which I expect while doing this sour wort method.  They are very minimal though.  I expected this to be the weakest of the three that I will be trying.  Up next is 100% Brett B and then the Roeselare blend.  My hopes are high for those after tasting this which makes this beer a 100% success.  This has a chance to move to a full 5 gallon batch that will go into the wooden barrells for its next test run.

Here is a quick overview of what is happening in my homebrewery

1. Farmhouse Ale Saision is going to be bottled in one week. 
2. Funk with Less Fuss - 100% Brett B version will be ready for tasting in one week.
3. Chimay Blue Clone will age in the secondary for about another month.
4. Golden Sour Pale Ale Batch #1 - the sour starter is ready to go and I will mash tomorrow and sour the wort for 48-60 hours after innoculation.  It will be split into two batches.  One with Roeselare and one with Brett Lambicus.
5. Golden Sour Pale Ale Batch #2   - I will start the sour starter for this in about a week or two and go through the same steps as Batch #1.  These ones will be brewed with Brett Trois and Belgian Wheat yeast.
6. I am finalizing my recipe for my Peach/Apricot Berlienerweiss and hope to brew that by the end of May so it's ready for the hot summer days of July and August.