Homebrew # 3

    After an exciting first attempt and a not so encouraging second (undocumented), we decided to innovate on an existing kit to brew an Islay Whisky Porter. The base kit was Northern Brewer's Bourbon Barrel Porter, and we replaced the bourbon by Laphroaig 10, and added an extra pound of specialty malt (~8 oz Peated malt, the rest Crystal malt) to achieve a peaty scotch character and a more robust body. While the result is not the ass kicker we wished it would be, it's still a worthy beer that continues to improve with conditioning. I'll say that it's good enough for my review ;)
    12 oz poured into a big snifter. ~6.5% ABV. Pours clear and very dark brown and looks opaque in the snifter. Huge mocha colored head is formed as a result of a vigorous pour with very good retention and some lacing. I must add that this snifter is very tough to lace, and our beer does a better job than many others!

    Aroma is sweet malts, smoke, and leather - uniquely Laphroaig, and yet the booziness coefficient is fortunately 0. Opens fruity but gets roasty bitter quickly and finishes with some astringency, slightly bitter taste and some warmth. Faintly smoky notes are present in the bittersweet aftertaste. Warmth enhances the aroma and the fruity nature of the beer.

    The body is medium and the carbonation is low. Silky but not as thick as I would like, and  yet the finish is a little sweet for my taste and the estimated abv. If I finish the beer before finishing my notes, it generally means that the beer is very drinkable. Still the fact remains that this is not the beast we hoped for.

    Scores: Appearance 4.5/5; Aroma 4.5/5; Taste 3.5/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Drinkability 4/5. Numbers aside, I think this a beer I would pay for at a bar and that makes me happy!