Drafting Room 12th Anniversary Ale

Formerly brewed at Tröegs Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania USA

Draft at the DRE. Wow, what a malt bomb this one is to go along with its hop bomb character! This beer really reminds me a lot of Oggi’s Hop Whompus. I liked it so much I took 2 growlers to go! The pour is hazy deep brown with 1-finger khaki head. The aroma is very caramel malty and brown sugary, with the huge fruity, feety hops and some tropical fruits and citrus wafting right up the nostrils. The flavor is wonderful, very fruity and hoppy but with a boat load of caramel malt and brown sugary notes. The palate is on the dense side, which is good, as this one never gets watery even when it warms up. I could drink this one all day.

On tap at the Drafting Room in Spring House. They did not have the cask version on opening night, so I may try to get back after Friday to check it out. Pours a hazy dark brown with some red/orange when held to the light. Light tan medium foamy head that left great lacing and sustained. Very nice looking beer. Aroma of orange, pine, caramel and floral hops. Tough to put into words but what a great mix. Flavor of pine, grapefruit, orange, caramel and light roasted malts.

Thanks to Whaleman for bringing this one to the Heavyweight Open house. Pours out a dark copper color with a thin lacing head. Aroma was similar to their nugget nectar with some grapefruit and floral hops. The taste was very nice with a good balance and range of hops. Floral and grapefruit/pine hops with a nice sweet malt balance. Very nice beer, very drinkable and well balanced.

Very deep amber body with a lush and creamy beige head. Killer aroma of ultra fresh, woodsy hops with grapefruit and mango highlights plus brown sugar maltiness and some grape notes. Sooooo fresh, but sadly hops this fresh and bright are bound to fade. Pleasant sweet and toasty malt flavor with earthy, tea-like properties plus some cherry, nice full hop character and mellow, balanced bitterness. Has a distinct Tröegs signature suggesting Nugget Nectar, plus some deeper malts. I dig it. Get it while it’s fresh!

[Cask] Poured a hazy, dark amber color wtih a medium sized, light tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of lots of pine, citrus fruits, grassy, floral hops (lots of amarillo), with a light toffee, somewhat roasty malt as well. Taste of citrus fruits, caramel malts, toffee, and pine, with a dark malt finish... maybe some roast or rauchiness. Creamy smooth mouthfeel, and no alcohol detected.

Draught: Aroma from floral hops with a hint of grapefruit. Also scent of caramel malts. Poured a brown & green mud-water color. It was dark amber/ruby in front of a light. It’s quite dark without a light behind it. Big, frothy, light-brown head. Head lasted. Great lacing. Sparkling. Opaque. Cloudy, but no particles visable even in front of light. Flavor was of dirt and mud, floral and spicy hops. Also, flavors of smoke, very dark choclate, and tar. Amarillo hop spicyness too. Medium sweet and medium bitter. Slighly dry, short finish. Strangely balanced, but good. Lively carbonation. Chalky or gritty. Full body. Overall, my first thought was ’like an IPA and Brown Ale hybrid/mix. I would not call this an Amber Ale myself. A different but pleasant tasting and drinkable beer. Bonus points for creativity and drinkability. Good and different!

Growler at Heavyweight. Dark copper in color with a light off white head that left a nice lacing in the glass. Hoppy and malty aroma. Citrusy. Earthy and grassy. Chocolatety fruity caramel notes. Malty flavor. Finish is malty and roasty. Full bodied. Smooth and creamy. Well balanced. Very Drinkable.

On tap at the Drafting Room in Exton. Poured a dark copper/brownish color wtih an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, citrus, pine, floral and roast. Tastes of citrus, toffee, caramel, and pine. Nice balance.