Draught at the brewery, 3/29/14 and 4/3/14
Nicely bright, bronze-amber body is topped by a moderate amount of light tan head that shows strong retention.
Oily, phenolic smoke in the nose is deliciously strong and filled with citric, juicy, leafy hops. Strong malt presence, as well, adding sweet graham cracker, vanilla and tons of honey. Great, lasting aroma, down to the last drop in the nose. Very rich, bordering over-the-top (and probably actually is, but for the fact that I dont think any amount of smokiness could be over-the-top for my tastes). No alcohol or flaws.
Strong, zesty, citric and light pine hop bitterness is met with a sweet, salted toffee maltiness that comes across sticky, and perhaps a touch syrupy, but for the phenolic, smokey dryness and fair amount of hop acid. The smoke flavor is absolutely divine. Rich, bacony, oily and unending. It works really, really well with the hop bitterness, I think. Carbonation is medium, a touch loose in places. It seems they were a bit worried about the potential hop and smoke assault and understanably opted for a bit maltier of a beer. So it’s a bit sweet for my tastes, though only slightly so. A little rough around the edges and the carbonation could stand to be a bit stronger/tighter to really pull apart some of this sticky, near-syrupy maltiness, and hop/smoke oiliness. All that being said, it still goes down pretty easy.

hicory, smoke, cocoa and mild marshmallow are in the flavor as well as the aroma. Body is medium at best

Bottle split at the Jack is back tasting, thanks once more to LKS for more MA ’Linner Aktion, 06/03/14. Hazed pinkish orange with a moderate off white swirl atop the glass. Nose is tarte fruit snifters, rhubarb, fruit balsams, strawberry pang, berry fruit pips. Taste comprises summer fruits, rhubarb crumble, light berry pangs, a little insipid. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, drying close. Ok ’Linner but lacks a little in the flavour front.

Bottle split at the Jack is back tasting, thanks once more to Leighton, 06/03/14. Orange amber with small off white edgeing. Nose is tarte fruit, ginger, rhubarb, bitter orange. Taste comprises tangy mixed fruit sherbet, light acid, peach, pithy orange, straw. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, acidic pangs in a semi refreshing close. Ok ’Linner, not top draw but solid enough.

Bottle split at the Jack is back tasting, big thanks to Paulo, 06/03/14. Hazed orange with a moderate off white covering. Nose is tarte tangy fruit, light smoke, orange rind, bitter apricot, herbal pang. Taste comprises apricot sherbet (if such a sherbet existed !), citric licks, straw, light sugars. Medium bodied, fine carbonation with a lick of spritz, crisp close. Solid stuff, super refreshing.

On tap at the EBF Saturday Tart and funky with a fair amount of fruitiness, decent American wild.

On tap at the EBF Saturday Oddly colored floral spicy citrusy hoppy beer. Odd but interesting.

6th March 2014
Jack is back tasting at Bruce’s. Thanks to Leighton. Murky peach coloured beer, small pale peach coloured head. Palate is light and a little airy. Mild fine carbonation. Somewhat wishy washy tartness here, a little watery cranberry. Light semi dry finish. Bordering on bland.