Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Tap at Falling Rock - Pours great - pitch black with a clingy, dark tan lace - expertly mask alcohol - creamy body - tastes like an amped up version of their oatmeal stout, with lower bitterness - medium cream sweetness, vanilla - tempered by black malt bitterness and roast that gets stronger near the finish, but never becomes astringent - hops kick in in the finish to compliment this - a touch of smoke in the finish - balanced and not overly assertive - nicely done, but needs a slightly thicker body.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Bottle - pour is dar brown, almost black, with a thin, fizzy tan lace - aroma is equal parts bitter and sweet - baker’s chocolate, vanilla, cream, bitter black malts, roast/char - creamy mouthfeel, full carbonation - surprisingly dr for the style, with considerable roast, a hint of smoke, char and a moderate woodiness - some vanilla sweetness before the lingering finish of bitter chocolate - oat presence is strong on the end, adding a certain earthiness - pretty good, but a bit overly bitter.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Draft - dark brown - moderate, sudsy tan lace - resinous hop aroma, with some mild chocolate and roast from the malt - flavor is somewhat dry and moderately acidic up front - mildly astringent, wet hop character - becomes sweeter through the middle and finish, as the malt becomes more dominant - a kind of odd malted milk flavor in the finish - eh, it’s okay.
bhensonb (22605) reviewed Boxcar Brown from Crabtree Brewing Company 15 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle from the brewpub. Pours dark amber/brown with a 3 finger foamy beige head. Aroma is sort of nutty chocolate. Med body/frothy carb. Flavor is nutty/malty, and I can imagine a hint of chocolate. It goes a bit thin, but it’s very smooth, and the finish is delightful.
bhensonb (22605) reviewed Jeff's Pale Ale from Crabtree Brewing Company 15 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle from the brewpub. Pours light amber with a foamy off-white head. Aroma seems floral and citrus. Strange hop combination. Seems to finish off a bit woody. Some unusual taste transitions. Hard to pin them down - but it’s like hop going towards woody. Hmm.
bhensonb (22605) reviewed Dearfield Ale from Crabtree Brewing Company 15 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Bottle from the brewpub. Pours gold with a white head. Defintely strawberry aroma. Flavor is a bit strawberry jam. Though it seemed to start more like fresh berry. Finishes bready/wheaty.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle from the brewpub. Pours orange gold with a white or off-white head. Aroma seems mildly spicey. Med body/frothy carb. There’s a little citrus and some yeast/spice. Like it’s struggling to be Belgian. Wheat is detectable, but not the main flavor by far. Pretty drinkable for a wheat.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Tap at the brewpub. Pours lightly hazy dark amber with a large foamy off-white head. Aroma is lightly treacle and slightly veg. Foamy carbonation. It’s malty, and there’s enough veg/noble hop to break the sweetness. Maybe some citrus breaks out. Full bodied for an "amber". Surprisingly good.
bhensonb (22605) reviewed Oatmeal Stout from Crabtree Brewing Company 15 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Tap at the brewpub. Bar lady said it’s 7%. Pours really dark brown with a creamy beige head. Smells richly chocolate. Flavors of smooth burnt malt and chocolate. No harshness - moderately bitter finish. Excellent.
bhensonb (22605) reviewed Chunkin Pumpkin from Crabtree Brewing Company 15 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Tap at the brewpub. Pours dark amber. Very pie spice. Seems heavy on clove and nutmeg. Pumpkin sort of seeps through in the finish. It’s very tasty.