Dark Bass aint that bad

The condensation turned out to be nothing to be concerned about. A neighbor of mine, who has a two year head start on me has been kind enough to answer such questions as they come up.

The color was concerning, but even if it didn't come out tasting anything like the brew it was inspired by, it would probably be good in it's own right.

Earlier tonight, I got the specific gravity meter out and gave it a test.

Color still dark, aroma not bad. I marked the reading as 1.009, and poured the contents into a drinking glass. Better get this over with.

OK It's a little hoppier than Bass at first taste, but definately mellow after that. Missing the caramel flavor in between. I believe by overcooking the sugar it not only turned the beer darker than it was meant to be (through carmelization) but it also dulled the sweetness a little. It's still got the sweetness you don't find in a brown, though. Not that bad, but not as good as the first batch.

I will bottle it on Sunday (tomorrow is Valentines Day; the wife likes beer, but not that much). We'll see what it tastes like after conditioning, carbonating and cooling down. More to come on that.

I may also try for the root beer on Sunday as well, using the honey and dissolving the yeast in warm water first.