Dark Horse Rod

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

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.

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.

This one is a bit heavier than the description tells, it heads into the 9.5% ABV. Very warming imperial red. Taste of subtle hops and roasted malts. As for the aphrodisiacs, I don’t know if they work but I had a great night.

I love this amber I have had a lot of good nights this summer while drinking this great beer

On tap at the Bavarian Lodge, Lisle,Il. Cloudy, brown appearance with a light, clingy, white head. Earthy, herb & spice aroma. Semi-sweet almost dark fruit & malt flavor with substantial dryness throughout. Favorably complex

Draft @ Brewpub. Pretty excited to test the strength of the Rod. Dark cherry pour, bubbly thin, frothy head. Has the bitterness of a pale ale, but also a very herbal, earthy quality due to the additives. Relatively smooth and drinkable, the herbs are not as prominent as you would think. Unfortunately, I did not feel the power of the Rod but it was still tasty nonetheless.

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, 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.