 BitchesBrew (699), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
Sep 22, 2006 [tap @ Bukowski’s] Pours a dark, hazy brown color with a tan, frothy head. Aroma is sweet, toasty caramel malts. Flavors are dense, sweet malts, sort of chewy and very nutty. Finishes with a spicy bitterness that balances the initially dense, malt-bomb of flavors. Delicious!
whaleman (2168), North Wales, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 13, 2006 Clear, red-copper body with a filmy off-white head. Very toasty nose with Munich malt notes of dark bread crusts and sweet roasted nuts. More toasty Munich malt in the flavor, plus light plum characters and moderate Noble hop qualities. Medium bitter finish. A nice, stylish American alt.
GriffinAvenue (352), South Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Sep 4, 2006 Draft. Brownish pour. No head but lingering lace from top of glass. Hoppy with notes of chocolate initially and at the finish.
ClarkVV (3547), Allston, Massachusetts, USA
Aug 24, 2006 Strusselspalt dry-hopped cask, tapped 2 hours before serving, from a tulip, at the brewpub on 8/22/06.
Dense, creamy off-white head never falls below cover, and is initially quite large. Strong lacing is left. The body is not quite bright, but almost there, showing just a touch of haze. Very layered color scheme; some nut brown tones, bits of brass, straw and burnt mahogany, with an extremely faint chestnut highlight.
Very hoppy nose, but highly aromatic and not bitter/sharp at all, with that robust, tangy German-hop twang, producing various notes of dry grass, hickory nuts, lightly tart cherries and strong leafiness. It’s got a very high strength, which even carries it through the multitude of high-speed ceiling fans that sit above the bar, wisking away aromas. Creamy, smooth malt behind the hops seems to be very balanced in dryness, with just a hint of chocolate dabbed atop light sourdough, with reserved fruitiness adding further complexity. Yeast is rather clean, not distinctly German, if it is indeed so (not sure).
Frothy, engaging carbonation brings on a comforting malt body, with perfect attenuation and fruity/grassy, highly flavorful hops. Great integration of flavors. The hops match the malt well, the malt being neither too dry/pale and grainy, nor too dark/sweet and creamy and the hops providing a good mix of lighter, more piquant fruity notes and softer, earthy/leafy notes. Goes down ridiculously quickly, with a light, lingering nuttiness. Let’s see more of this, Will!
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