6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
On tap at a festival. Pours a clear deep amber with an off head that dissipates to the edges. Aroma has a good amount of grassy hops and backing sweet grains. Flavor starts with sweet grains and flora with a bit of a resinous backing.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Jun 2012
at 14:53
7.1/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Draft pint at Downers Grove. Big head that hangs around awhile as I sampled some of the Barley Wine first. Creamy Guinness type head from nitro pour. Body is solid black. The smell has some of our favorite American IPA hops, but not overwhelming. Underneath the head is the creamy texture of an oatmeal stout, with dark, carefully toasted malts in the schwartzbier vein. Sometimes I’m getting an impressions of something… agricultural; like old hops with stems and seeds. Hop palate favors bitterness over the usual citrus and pine. But the overall package works very well with the nitro push in this serving.
Tried
from Draft
on 05 Jan 2012
at 13:15
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Taster, on tap at Downers Grove. This smells like a fresher barley wine, what with its citrusy hop smell. A thinning layer of foam. Hops are more bitter than anything else, I’m guessing Northern Brewers at the top of the bill. Light texture lets more malt character out, too. A nice, though brusque taste.
Tried
from Draft
on 05 Jan 2012
at 11:06
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Draft at Downers Grove as "Poppin’ Pils," Solid gold color, filtered to look clean, open bubbly head. Smell has a touch of sweetness, but also some noble hop pepper. Big, filling flavor from first sip. Plenty of golden roast barley managed by German hops. Still a bit of yeast, but a full and filling brew.
Tried
from Draft
on 21 May 2011
at 22:36
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Draft @ Emmett’s Downers Grove. The server said this was a 6% beer. I guess they tinker with the recipe each year. Dark red-brown, nearly opaque. Stiff, but bubbly eggshell head. A dark grain smell; almost porter-rific. Taste first brings a schwartzbier feel, but malts are bigger than that. Malty, but toward the dry side with Emmett’s usual hint of yeast bite. Hearty in the bock tradition, but not too filling, and a very subdued alcohol taste. Molasses and slight cola in the finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 14 May 2011
at 20:54
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle: Poured a hazy deep amber color ale with a nice foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of hoppy and bitter citrus notes with recognisable caramel malt. Taste is also a solid mix between some caramel malt with great notes of citrus and bitter hops. Body is quite full with great carbonation. Very refreshing with nice level of hoppiness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2011
at 19:37
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Sampled from the tap at 2010 FOBAB. Poured a hazy brown with an amber hue and a gray head that dissipated to the edges. Aroma had a slight grain note with light sour fruit and backing funk. Flavor had a light grain note with light sour berries and a hint of funk.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Nov 2010
at 12:53
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draft at Emmett’s Downers Grove. I’m entering this here rather than make a new entry for what was listed as "Emmett’s Harvest Golden Ale" since thier beer menu had no information and the server was too clear on details. Tap handle also reads "Downers Grove," is this a beer actually brewed at the Downers’ location? My server said this was supposed to be "milder" than an Oktoberfest, and that it was unfiltered, however, all Emmett’s beers tend to drop very clear. This has a bright brown Oktoberfest color, a thin cream head, and very few bubbles in the pint. Overall, the smell is nice, malty yet clean. The taste does indeed imply a lighter grain bill than other American style Oktos; slightly toasty with hints of toffee. Ale yeast creates a smooth finish with very low esters. Some light hops, maybe Earthy English type Fuggles. This has some substance to the malt, but it’s still nice and easy drinking.
Tried
from Draft
on 08 Oct 2010
at 22:39
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Draft. Lightly fruity smell of a warm-fermented ale. Hazy reddish gold color with a thin layer of foam. A very light hop and malt nose. Taste is malty, but easy on the palate, like a Sam Adams Summer Ale. Lighter malt flavors, but a bit of substance and texture to it. maybe a bit much for a "lawnmower" beer, but a nice "aprés mow" beer.
Tried
from Draft
on 02 Sep 2010
at 21:05
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pour is a dark brown with a large tan head. Aroma is crisp rosted malts with with a nice hop. Flaovr is more of the hops than anything. Decent pine and citrus hops with a bit of the chocolate malts toward the end. The brewer was deffinalty going for a hoppy brown ale.
Tried
on 16 Aug 2010
at 17:44