Black Moon Stout

The next few posts will probably review some of the recent brews. I’ll kick off with the Black Moon Stout as it sitting in two kegs and I’ve been drinking plenty of it, served under a Nitrogen/Co2 mix.

I split the 10 gallon batch, which had been infused with a couple of vanilla pods, into two fermenters and added some toasted coconut to one. 

The positives are that it’s a very drinkable beer. Dark  ruby, rather than black, and very very smooth. Any vanilla flavour is muted in the background somewhere, but it’s there if you search for it.

The coconut, however, was probably a gamble which didn’t pay off.

It didn’t add enough flavour to make the impact I had hoped, and for some reason, the coconut version isn’t quite as smooth as the vanilla. While it’s  a nice beer, it’s simply not as nice as the other.

Would I make it again? For sure, although I might tinker with the recipe a little. If anything it’s a little light for a stout – in terms of body and maybe in colour. Maybe just a handful more roast barley would sort that. And I’d leave the coconut alone and maybe double the vanilla pods.

A good beer.

Black Moon Creeping

I've started tucking into the recently brewed Best Bitter and Citra Pale Ale, both are pretty good and I'll try to get around to giving some tasting notes and pictures when I find some time. But right now, I'm itching to brew again.

Having sampled some fine oatmeal stout last week, I just have to brew some. I've not done a stout for a couple of years - my last attempt was far too roasty for my liking, but my palate has changed. While I'm still not a massive fan of dark beers, they're more agreeable than they used to be and nice smooth oatmeal stout will be just the job. I'm rather ashamed I've not already got one lined up for Christmas, so I'll have to pencil in a brewday real soon. I might also chuck in a few interesting ingredients to add a twist to the flavour - I'm currently thinking vanilla and coconut, so watch this space for the recipe.

And as I usually have the music cranked up when brewing, with it more often than not featuring tunes from the Black Crowes, there's only one name possible for this forthcoming brew. Black Moon Stout.