Zymurgy Take V - High Sierra Curley Pale Ale

Last Friday Batch number 5 - my attempt at Pale Ale - was finally ready to taste. This was also my first attempt at brewing using a secondary fermenter using a glass carboy I bought at the friendly neighborhood beer supply store. Suposedly the secondary fermenting process matures the beer and lets it clarify more. So I took a bottle off of the conditioning shelf, walked back upstairs to the kitchen with it, grabbed a pint glass, popped the top *pop*. What an excellent sound that is - that 'pop'. That means that the priming sugar did its job and the beer is nice and carbonated.

I poured the bottle into the pint glass, hmmm nice color - a little darker than the picture above - kind of a tan-red color, nice head also. I noticed immediately the lack of sediment in the bottom of the bottle and also the clarity of the beer.

I took a sip...wow. This beer is better than the beer it is patterned after - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - one of Angie's favorites. The aroma of hops hits you in the nose as you lift the glass and then the first sip is bitter and then finishes out with a sweet full bodied flavor. Yum. APC approves of this batch, since, well, I brewed it just for her knowing that when it was done she would not be pregnant any more and could drink it guilt free. I would say that the secondary fermentation indeed did prove to be a smashing success.

I found the recipe here: Pale Ale Let me know if you want a sample, I'll send you a bottle. (just kidding)

Now I think I'm going to go get my next batch of ingredients and attempt something I never thought would be possible for me to do, make a Belgian Abbey Ale. Well here's to the future! *clink*