Atlantic Bar Harbor Real Ale

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

Date: 09/01/1995
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

good color & taste, basic brown ale
-------- /> Date: 10/19/2005
Mode: bottle

clear dark brown with ruby highlights, scant head, great toasted nut and chocolate aroma, rich malt flavor, mostly dry, good chocolate character, touch of nut, clean finish, tasty session brown ale

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Score: *4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Amber-brown colour. Toasty, earthy nose with cocoa notes. Balanced earth and cocoa. A light hint of tartness late.

(12oz bottle) Medium off-white head atop a clear chestnut brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, floral, hazelnut, caramel, some tea. Taste is medium sweet, floral, orange, some caramel, hazelnut, tea. Low carbonation, light-medium body with slight stickiness.

(12oz bottle, courtesy of blutt59) Pours an amber-brown body with a small beige head. Aroma of cocoa, caramel, light ash, plum, raisins, brown sugar, and slightly burnt toasted bread. Flavor of roasted malt, cocoa, raisins, and toasted bread.

Poured a medium brown color with a smaller sized off white head. Lighter aromas of nuts and caramel. Tastes of nuts and other malts. Lightly sweet with light hops. Aromas, tastes and body all on the thin side.

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.

Any first impressions?
-An enticing dark brown gown is garnished with deep mahogany highlights.
-A fine ring of foam is beginning to lace.
-The deficient aroma barely offers up lightly roasted malts on an earthy platter.
-An obvious oxidation problem is picking up steam.

What if you dig deeper?
-Some nutty sweetness and black peppery notes reside within the malt’s roastiness.
-Mouthfeel is sufficiently well-rounded, while being drinkable.
-There isn’t enough residual sugar and caramel maltiness for my tastes in the style.
-Grassy hop blades brush the oxidized minerals.

Bottle; no date of any kind notched.

Real Ale? Don’t insult the category by naming your boring bland brew this. Brown with no head. Smells and tastes of nuts and coffee. Watery finish.