If I wait too much longer to post the remaining reviews for my own beers, I will have brewed more batches and have even more home brew evaluations backed up in the queue. That was the entire thought process as I decided what to go with for the post today. Of course that means there will be a bit of a run of these reviews to get them out of the way, so expect to see more over the next few weeks.
Now on to the first of the bunch . . .
Brewery: Blueprint Brewing (Winter Park, FL)
Name: Draft Day Ale
Style: Black Ale (Specialty Beer)
ABV: 4.65% (+/-)
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass. Named for having been brewed on the day of the first round of the NFL Draft. Reviewed next to bourbon vanilla half of batch.
Aroma: Faint roasted malt aroma with a light mineral character. Somewhat porteresque overall.
Appearance: Black (dark, dark brown) and slightly darker than the other half of the batch with bourbon. One finger, dark cream head that is pretty thick with good retention and some trail. Opaque, though clear with rising bubbles visible when held to light.
Flavor: Nice clean roasted malt flavor with some light bitterness (mostly from roasted character). Not much in the way of hop character (not surprising based on the amount used) with some slight dryness at the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body (though lighter than appearance) with a moderate level of carbonation. Smooth and lightly creamy on the palate.
Overall Impressions: Somewhat like a porter that is lighter in body. A good beer that is a solid base recipe for experimentation, but it needs some more malt (and hops) next time. There is a character in back that I cannot quite explain . . . almost a very light oily-like mouthfeel.
Grade: B(ish)
Blueprint Brewing - Draft Day Ale (on left)
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