#17 Dark Mild - Tasting Notes

We had some friends over for game night last night to break in the new kegerator, and downed several pints of both this and the pseudo-Kolsch.  I can't believe I'm already drinking this mild after only 12 days, instead of waiting 5+ weeks.  As Steve put it, "this must be what it's like to be a professional."  If only drinking beer made me more professional...

The beer turned out good and clean.  It's a deep, dark brown that's actually surprisingly clear (translucent?) when held to the light, despite the fact that the dark color lets little light through.  The English yeast and roasty chocolate malt are definitely the most prominent flavors here, with the malt flavor and sweetness in a supporting role, with a nutty finish.  That's right, I said it.  I've frequently heard ales described as "nutty," especially bitters and brown ales, but I never understood how that descriptor is applicable to beer.  Until now.  The aftertaste of this beer is definitely chunky peanut butter.

The body of the beer is medium-light, definitely lighter than it looks, but not watery.  Considering it's only 3.3% alcohol, that's not bad.  I really expected this beer to be more chocolaty and porter-y I guess, considering the high percentage of crystal and chocolate malts, but the finished beer is definitely it's own style.  Each flavor component seems to come across distinctly.  This could be a result of the low gravity, low attenuation, yeast strain, water profile, hard to tell, but it certainly reveals that I chose a simple recipe.  I could see this being a good style on which to experiment with a more complex grain bill.  Before brewing, I listened to an episode of the Can You Brew It podcast on Eagle Rock's Solidarity, and their 10-malt grain bill makes more sense now.

Overall I would say this was a decent beer, but not a style I'm anxious to brew again.  If I do, I'll certainly rework the recipe, probably adding another dark malt and using a mix of crystal malts.  It's been a fun experiment, and encouraging to have it come out so clean and drinkable, but there are too many more appealing kinds of beer.

EDIT 2/22/2014: Now that I've had this beer on tap for awhile, it's kind of growing on me.  It's not that the flavors have changed, but it's wonderful to have waiting for me when I come home from work.  Especially during the winter, I frequently crave the dark, rich flavors of a porter or imperial stout.  Half a pint of this beer offers a nice low-alcohol alternative to opening a $10 bomber of something stronger.