It's been about 4 weeks since I bottled so I decided to open a bottle today and review it. Not bad, but it's doesn't scream Leffe Brune clone.
The main problems:
1) Not red enough. It's too dark. I used twice the candi sugar by accident, and I suspect chill haze because it looked nice and clear in the bottle before I chilled it. Any suggestions on clearing it up and getting it a little bit more red?
2) Too bitter. This could just be the hops I used, and I bet it would mellow out with more time to condition.
3) Doesn't finish crisp. It is heavier than I remember Leffe being, and has a lingering malty taste that I don't remember. Any suggestions for making this finish more crisp?
4) Not as fruity as it should be. I think this is my fault. I accidentally let the fermentation get out of hand temperature wise the first day. It was nearing 80 after 12 hours in the fermenter so I had to bring the temp down fast. Luckily I didn't get a banana bomb, but I also missed out on the good fruity esters. Next time (December 2010) I will start it off around 62 degrees and let the temp rise naturally.
I've been drinking mine for about 2 weeks now... My thoughts are as follows:
a. Needed a little bit more conditioning time. But overall pretty good. Probably a little bit sweeter than the original.
b. The color wasn't as far off as I thought it would be... Definitely too lite, but only by a few SRM.
c. Has a fantastic Belgian character to it... As I recall, it hints of the original, but more like a "near miss."
My thoughts on your remarks:
1. To clear it up, just give it a couple weeks in the fridge... alll the chill haze will drop out... Thats how I clarify all of my beers.
2. You mention it being bitter, but yet in the next comment, you mention it being malty... My thoughts are that you have it overcarbonated. It sounds to me that the bitterness may be accentuated by the carbonation, yet the maltimess that you get is more from the yeast. I know this sounds like a conundrum, but what I get from mine is a maltiness from the yeast, but not being overly bitter- yet my overall IBU's is greater than yours.
3. "Not as fruity" Wow.. thats a bit shocking to me... I get big time fruitiness in mine... Absolutley no banana, but that would be expected out of 1214. 1214 has never been banana like to me, more like dark, plum type, fruity.
One other thought... WOW! Does this beer ever give me a buzz! I mean seriously, one or two bottles and I am flying... Major league fusels???