Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
Hit Me American Red Ale - tap at the brewery - lightly hazy amber - nose of toasted grains, lightly earthy hops, buttered toast - flavor is light, bordering on watery - mostly just mild earthy hops, light grains and a background tanginess and acidity - there is nothing terribly off about it, it is just very bland - nothing stands out.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Tap at the brewery - black pour, somewhat viscous, minimal head - nose of anise, raisin, milk chocolate - slick mouthfeel, but a fairly thin body for the abv - bittersweet chocolate is most prevalent in the flavor, with some notes of licorice - nothing terribly complex, but what is there is balanced and fairly tasty - a little heat from the alcohol, but it is fairly well-masked, considering the thinness of the body - a nice attempt.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
[Have had a few more times since the initial batch - the hop profile is much more strong and crisp, keeping the sweetness much more in check - solid and my current go-to local IPA] Tap at the brewery - lightly hazy orange - nose explodes with wet, fresh, citric hop character - medium body, creamy mouthfeel - mildly acidic, with moderate sweetness to balance - moderately bitter, earthy hop character, carrying a lot o citrus flavor, complimented fairly well by the light sourness of the rye - a bit yeasty, and the sweetness lingers a bit, but I enjoyed this one.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4
Tap at the brewery - burnt orange pour - fairly clean, with a moderate caramel sweetness - has an odd peanut skin kind of flavor which I has tasted in quite a few dark "Mexican" lagers, so perhaps this has something to do with the yeast? - the chilis are certainly there, but they are very mild and add no spice, leaving only a moderately vegetal quality to the beer - moderate, semi-metallic acidity timor terrible, but thiis one was really a mess for me.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5
Tap at the brewery - light golden with a soapy lace - pretty hoppy for a golden ale, with a mix of stale British hoppiness and grassy noble hoppiness - light biscuity malt flavor and a hint of sweetness - a little bit of a medicinal finish - meh.