El Muerto- FINAL RECIPE!

I feel satisfied. A rare thing in my brewing, or anything I tend to be a perfectionist about. This current batch of El Muerto, or more specifically, my recipe is the recipe I've finally settled on. About four years ago, I made my first beer that I didn't make from a kit. I got a recipe from the internet, and at the time it was a big deal. I was used to going to the store and getting the kit and that was that. My first non-kit recipe was a clone of Rogue's Dead Guy Ale and I named my version "El Muerto" and designed the label. Its the one label I haven't tinkered with and instead have been messing with the recipe over and over. What started out as clone of Dead Guy has morphed into something that doesn't resemble Dead Guy at all and is now a beer I have a hard time defining.
The last time I made this, I decided to up the amount of biscuit and to go with more of an amberish ale with a heavy emphasis on a biscuity quality. I was happy with the beer, but wanted more of a hoppy presence. Using Organic Pacific Gem hops as both the bittering agent and some at 45 has given the beer some currant flavors going on. Also, I use cascade,first gold, and saaz hops, which creates a unique combination of citrusy sweetness and some floral/fruitness. Onto my review:
El Muerto pours a clear amber-dark orange with a thin white head. Some nice aromas of malt and fruit, berries with some citrus. Sweetness right away with some nice maltiness and fruitiness, in particular currants. There is a lingering bitterness in the finish as well some biscuit, which is more toned down than the last version. Much more of a malty profile with some hoppy/citrusy sweetness that is nice on top of the bitterness and the malty body. I'm really happy with the complexity of El Muerto, it's hoppy and bitter, along with an almost Belgianish fruity aroma and berry fruitiness. Like I said...I'm satisfied and need to make sure I resist the urge to make any tweaks the next time I brew this one!

I'm on spring break this week, so I plan on brewing twice, a new IPA recipe which I'm calling Bearded Fury, and the second collaboration with my buddy Jeff, this time an ode to our home state, IAPA (Iowa Pale Ale). More to come on those beers. Also I'd like to finally get to my double IPA reviews.
Salud!
Bearded Brewer