• Color -- given that name, its pretty much as you would expect:  very dark brown/black
• Head -- relatively modest, but rich.  Not as foamy as a typical lager, but a not insignificant head
• Flavor -- 
  • Foretaste -- by which, I mean the intial taste, on the lips and front of the tongue.  Smooth, but not particularly distinguished
  • Midtaste -- pleasant, rich mouthfeel .... but the best is yet to come:
  • Swallow / Aftertaste -- its only when it reaches the back of the mouth that the flavor really asserts itself.  Initial notes of carmel, smooth and sweet, follow with a somewhat hoppy aftertaste

• Head:  *Very* thick ... I know how to pour a beer, but when  I poured this one, the stein ended up being almost *half* head.  I had to wait a few minutes for the head to settle to pour the rest of the beer.
• Texture:  Smooth, full, satisfying mouth-feel
• Taste:  Rich, Carmally.  Maybe just a *hint* of chocolate
• This doesn't have a particularly *complex* taste -- I experienced no significant foretaste nor after-taste -- but the flavor was very rich and satisfying.
• Prevalence of malt over hops ... bitterness relatively slight in comparison to maltiness.
• Assessment:  recommended!  Not an ideal beer, perhaps (an ideal beer has no fewer than three distinct flavors, by my standards!) but I quite enjoyed it, and would have it again.

Okocim Porter

• Head:  very full, but not quite so full as the Baltika 6 -- a healthy head, but only filled a fourth of the stein on the original pour
• Mouth-feel:  Satisfying ... but not quite as rich and satisfying as the Baltika
• Taste:  A little more complex than the Baltika ... strong notes of coffee
• Finish:  Decidedly bitter.  If you like your beer on the bitter/hoppy side, this might very well be for you.  For myself -- I prefer a more malty taste.
• Assessment:  I quite enjoyed it ...  very rich and satisfying.  That being said, a bit hoppier than I prefer.  Everything else being equal, I would have preferred to start the evening with the Okocim, in order to savor its complexity ... but would have finished it with the Baltika.  Overall, though:  recommended.

• Foretaste:  rich texture
• Midtaste:  smooth
• Aftertaste:  *here* is when it get pleasantly complicated!  Notes of caramel, maybe a little apple (?).  Most sweet and mellow, with only the hit of hops on the swallow

The last entry was, pretty much, a copy of a message which I sent to the people at the Cooper's Home Brewery company -- the ones who make the kit I'm working with.

I have now heard from two people in the corporation, giving me suggestions and advice, not only about my current batch -- but also future batches to make -- emailing me from all the way down in Australia!

Good, old-fashioned, customer service -- I'm pleasantly surprised! They act as if they really *care* that their customers are satisfied!

So: if you are considering taking up home-brewing, you should consider getting a kit from Cooper's -- not only do they conveniently provide all the supplies you need, but also, they are singularly helpful with any problems that may arise.

As for this particular batch: it seems I was panicing needlessly -- the fermenting slows down after the first couple days, but that doesn't mean its stopped. The way to find out if your wort is continuing to ferment is by using a device called a hydrometer, which comes with the kit, and measures the specific gravity of the wort.

I have now bottled my first batch (30 bottles!), and now, only need to wait for optimal potability: One person at Coopers says you can drink it after a week -- another person recommends waiting an entire *month*, for optimal flavor.

Talk about testing my powers for deferring gratification!

However, in the next week or so, I'm thinking of getting the supplies for making either a Porter or a Scottish Ale ... I'd like to get this process going at a steady cycle -- starting a new batch in the vat, as soon as I've bottled the old batch.

And, as I do so, I'm thinking in terms of trying varioius variations on the sugar component, and/or other flavors: honey, molasses, chocolate -- even coffee -- can be used to give additional nuances to the flavor of beer.

I have too experimental and improvisational a temperment *not* to try some of these variants, and, when I do, I'll let you know how they come out!

Next Time: back to reviewing new beer! I'm trying to cultivate the habit of taking notes, when I try a new beer -- so I reckon I should be able to write up a new review every week or so!

Belhaven Scottish Ale

• Full, satisfying mouthfeel. 
  
• Smooth finish. 
  
• Slightly sweet. 
  
• Predominance of malt over hops. 
  
• The hops are just even to give a slight, bitter, contrast to the full maltiness.