Introducing "Dark Chapel" Belgian-Style Dark Ale.

It is now official. The brewing, fermenting, and bottle conditioning took almost three months in total (not unlike the "White Queen"). I think it was all worth it.

The Beer pours beautifully with a deepest brown color and light brown head of tight bubbles. The oak is upfront in the nose, followed by mild vanilla and some light clove from the yeast, and finally, a hint of the bourbon.

At bottling the ABV calculated out at about 6%, but after bottle conditioning hydrometer readings indicate a final 7.2%. Much closer to my original intent.

I could tell you how it tastes but I feel that tasting notes can be really subjective, even if using a standardized rating system, because we all taste things differently. Instead I'll simply describe the flavor using some fairly recognizable descriptors and if you're interested in trying it, just give me a shout.

I tried to get a good picture of it in the glass before the head receded, but I'm not wasting a bunch of time or Beer on getting a good "money shot".

The same flavors in the aroma are present in the taste, but the vanilla is much more prevalent. The bourbon and oak meld mildly into the malty backbone for what is a pretty smooth character. The light cinnamon additions and earthy hops balance out any residual sweetness from the Belgian candi syrup. The overall result is a smooth, strong dark ale with a pretty well-balanced flavor.

I am pleased with the results, though I had several doubts during the process. I will admit that the finished product is not exactly as I had planned, but I can tell now how I might more easily achieve the desired results the next time I attempt this recipe.

Thanks for reading through the rambling and maybe I'll get to share one of these with you. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't, but we won't know until then.

Cheers!

( Brewing Notes: As soon as I get my notes properly reconciled I will post the recipe, but I can tell you it was brewed as a mixed extract/grain beer using Belgian Special B, Chocolate Malt, C80, and C120 malts. I used Goldings and my "Owl and Moon" hops, along with Amarillo towards the end of the boil. The yeast was the Wyeast Abbey Ale. Fermentation was done over toasted Oregon Oak soaked in cream sherry and the Bourbon Oak chips used in "The Archdruid" (which themselves were soaked in some vodka along with the Bourbon Vanilla Bean. I added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the boil and a half-ounce of vanilla extract as well. )

Dark Chapel Artwork

final "Dark Chapel" label art.

     "Dark Chapel" is nearing readiness and bottle conditioning is going well. I decided it was time to take the label art ideas that have been taking up numerous sheets of paper and choose a final image. After scanning the sketch I used GIMP to give it a little extra character and after numerous variations I am pleased with the result I'm making "official".

     I'll provide more info on the Beer itself after a full two weeks in bottles. I'll provide an updated %ABV, notes on the recipe, and some overall thoughts on the result and what I will do differently the next time.

     I decided to make a collage of some of the other rough sketches I played around with just for fun. I eventually decided that the simple glass and candle idea had a more subtle, elegant demeanor.

Several of the rough idea sketches I played around with.

 Cheers!