8

Mildly spiced brown ale

8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

22 ounce bottle into pint glass; no bottle dating, but was just released. Pours slightly hazy deep reddish copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, nutmeg, vanilla, light cinnamon/clove, light chocolate/cocoa, and herbal/toasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, spices, and light earthy hop notes; with good strength. Taste of caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, nutmeg, vanilla, light cinnamon/clove, light chocolate/cocoa, and herbal/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/spice bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, nutmeg, vanilla, light cinnamon/clove, light chocolate/cocoa, and herbal/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, spices, and earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, fairly creamy, and slightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice spiced brown ale style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, spices, and earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.