Atlantic Bar Harbor Real Ale

Brewed by Atlantic Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Bar Harbor, Maine USA

(Bottle from a trade with Porterhouse) Nose of coffee, caramel, and hops; Transparent brown with a very tiny tan head; flavor shows coffee, chocolate, and a little bitter walnut.

12 oz bottle, snifter. Appearing brown-black at first, a soft light reveals a deep red hue. The fizzy, light tan head falls quickly without lacing. Beginning with a sharp whiff of ground coffee the aroma moves to light caramel and more forceful bread elements. As it warms, a toasted nuttiness shines through. Dry, earthy hops shyly move amongst the shadows and a flicker of spice and fruit emerges on occasion. The flavor never strays far from the aroma, starting sweet and nutty. At the center a zing of fruity acidity shows up momentarily, but everything is quickly compacted into a lightly roasted finish that leaves a hazelnut tone floating long after the sip. Well attenuated, but not dry, this beer comes across a little on the watery side. The reserved carbonation does help the body to seem a bit bulkier, though.

Bottle poured a clear brown with a creamy lasting tan head. Aromas of milk chocolate, toffee, light coffee and a hint of nuts. Palate was light to medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of chocolate, nuts and a bit of toffee with a smooth bittersweet finish.

Pours dark brown. Smells of maple, nuts and toffee. The flavor is rich and nutty and goes down smooth. This was a simple but good brown ale.

Bottle... Blurred, burnt orange ale with a large , frothy, mushroom head. Excellent retention. Toasted nuts, milk chocolate and caramel notes in the nose. Mild flavor. Decently balanced. Malty... a blend of lightly and darkly roasted malts. Traces of chocolate and hazelnut. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and almost flat carbonation. Lengthy, chocolatey finish with hints of coffee brewed from a course grind. Solid English brown ale brewed to style. I suppose it could be a mild. American style mild ale / English style brown ale. What’s the difference? Who cares?... other than the brewer and the judges at the GABF.

Cola color with a large, off white head. Muted malty, soft fruit aroma. Medium bodied, modestly carbonated mouthfeel. Smooth taste, malty, earthy with a hint of walnut. Hop bitterness was kept to a minmum. Not bad as a session beer.

Deep brown; thinnish head. Light and soft texture. Malts resembled lightly toasted multi-grain bread and nuts. Hops were slightly zingy, with a subtle nip of grass ... and perhaps some bitter/acidic citrus. Nice woodsy tobacco aromas in the background, albeit faint. Light and slightly drying bitterness in the aftertaste.

The aroma has coffee, bread, and salted nuts. The appearance is medium red/brown with a medium head. The flavor is just like the aroma and is mildly acidic and bitter. The palate is a tad thin but ok. Overall I like it but don’t love it.