Dark Horse Rod

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Marshall, Michigan USA

on tap at hopcat. billed as an imperial red, but at 6%, not really that ’imperial.’ quite tasty though. hoppy standard amber ale, with a slightly thicker malt backbone. really drinkable.

On tap at Jerry’s. Dark caramel with good, foamy tan head / Sweet nose of caramel and dry hops / Medium body with balanced malts and chewy hops, and decent finish / Toasty flavors of dry hops and fresh caramel, with a touch of the herbs in the finish / Nice blend of chewy hops and caramel backbone.

Very nice surprise on tap at Flossmoor Station. The pour is pretty...crystaline red with robust head. The nose was a strong herbal hoppiness and roasted caramel. These aromas pretty much prefigure the flavor. Not very exciting, but damn drinkable and refreshing. I’d have liked it a lot better if I hadn’t worn such snug jeans...I had to back out of the bar when I left.

From the tap this poured a slightly hazed chestnut body topped with a full, off-white head. Lots of lace. The aroma was a floral/herbal/grassy spiciness over a quiet malty sweetness. In the flavor the malts are a combo of nuttiness and a soft caramel sweetness. The blending of hops and a handful of spices mash them all into an earthy, herbal bitterness, not unpleasant, but not inspiring, either. Don’t know about its aphrodisiac qualities. My car had broken down and I was too fatigued from doing several miles of hiking for my parts to react. Not a bad session ale.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Station, Flossmoor, IL<font size=-1>

Had this on tap at the brewery, no clue what to expect. Poured a nice red color. Small amount of head. Aroma was of floral hops and soft malt. Taste was a nice soft citrus and full caramel flavor, nice bread and a small bite on the end. Quite drinkable, and enjoyable. Not overly hopped, but just enough to make it fun.

Draft at the brewpub. Pours a redish brown color with creamy head. Nice lacing. Mild bitterness, but smoother then most reds. Lots of earthy tones. Not sophisticated enough to taste all the herbs listed in the description, but did enjoy it. Need to try again in a controlled environment. Drank this one from plastic glass while feasting on crawfish and listening to the bands at Crawfish boil 2008.

Draft at Nessun Dorma in Milwaukee. The beer pours to a deep hazy red-brown body with a creamy foam tan head. The aroma is a nutty malt with herbal hops and a nice specialty malt base. The flavor builds upon the nutty specialty malt base with the herbal hops and some really hard to describe things. It was blended really nicely, however. The palate was medium bodied with a rich malty texture. This beer was very good.

Draft, current guest tap at Flossmoor Station. I just tried it as a beer not an aphrodisiac, and it’s very good. Deep brown body with a "stiff" white head (oh, no, here I go anyway), some unfiltered haze. Nose is intriguing, complex and spicy. As I sipped, the head fell in to gain a creamy oatmeal stout texture. Taste is a delightfully different blend of spices on a base of, I think, German and American hops, and English brown ale malts with a touch, I think, of wheat. Notes of sage, coriander and cumin (huh-huh!). Wouldn’t know what epimedium tastes like, after all. Empties with nice lace through the glass. I may be rating it too highly for its own good, but hey it’s different, it’s good and it’s fresh. As for its claimed herbal properties, my favorite remains stroken palm.