Drakes Expedition Ale

Brewed by Drakes Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
San Leandro, California USA

Bottle consumed on 5/26/07
Amber-mahogany colored body is mostly clear, yielding a deep beige head that is well-retained and laces lightly.
Bold hops in the nose are fruity and floral, with not too much citrus and just enough pine dryness. Curnchy, earthen malts sit in the background and I almost think I smell some coffee-like character from them. Definitely a bit of caramel and a very distinguished woodiness on the finish. But back to the hops....very lovely and lacking the annoying bitterness that so often comes with this level of hop character. No alcohol, no flaws.
A lot more bitterness than expected in the flavor, and though it’s not a resinous or heavy acidity, it’s still creates a lot of dryness that the medium/dark malts arent able to soak up fully, leaving it somewhat bready/crusty and nearly astringent on the end. Fortunately some honey and caramel come through with warming, to give it some sweetness and depth, while the hops get juicier. Good and interesting, though as with their IPA, I must admit I don’t usually care for the mix of strong PNW hops and medium/dark malts. Carbonation is a bit loose at times, no alcohol or flaws noted.

Courtesy aspidites. Dark amber. 1cm of dense, creamy, tan head. Lots of resinous, pine tree hops in the aroma with some generic fruit and caramel malt. Flavor is an amber IPA- west coast hops with modest biscuity malt support. Medium/light body, soft, with balanced carbonation. Calling it an amber is a stretch, but whatever it is, it’s good.

12oz - thanks KrausenJockey - Aroma is nutty, toffee, toasted malts and earthy hops. Pours dark amber with a medium head and great lacing. Flavor matches aroma with a crisp hoppy finish. Palate is clean and smooth. If I could get this locally, it would become a favorite session brew. I love the mix of amber/IPA that provides something robust, full flavored and tasty while remaining easy to drink.

Bottle, fantastic beer, my favorite amber by far. It is beautiful with a great head, kind of like a barley-wine, very malty and earthy. Another solid offering from Drake’s.

Tap @ Toronado. Amber brown color with a tan head. Rich toasted malts with earthy flavors and aroma and a mild mint and touch of cherry in the flavor. An earthen chocolate malt with toffee and caramel. Medium to full bodied for the style with an ice hop profile.

Bottle (12oz). Via trade with DarkElf. Dark copper/ruby, clear, small tight foamy off-white head. Am I crazy? This smells like a soft, sweet-grainy UK-style barleywine - grain, mild alcohol, wood resins and a hint of peat. The aroma is quite surprising - I was expecting strong booze and resiny hops - this is soft, grainy, with gentle malt and alcohol merging with herbal hops, very smooth. Soft mouthfeel, mild carbonation, nice astringency which is tempered by the malt, medium finish, slightly boozy aftertaste - subtle and complex, very very nice indeed.

Bottle sampled on 2/13/07: Pours a dark copper mahogany with a nice, wispy-lacing light tan head. Earthy dark malty aroma has some fresh piny hoppy notes. Body starts with a dark caramely malty sweetness, some earthy piny bittering hops, and a smooth bittersweet caramel candy finish. A nice amber ale.

12 ounce bottle purchased at the Davis Food Co-Op. Aroma is initally quite sweet with some candy sugar aromas. I also got a touch of coffee, but that has dissipated and cannot smell it any more. Piney hoppiness is present, but there is also some ethanol burn retronasally. Transparent dark amber/cola colored body with a nice, large, frothy light tan head. Attractive. Nice malty, sweet beginning. Lots of burnt, roasted notes in the middle with some coffee-like flavors present. Finish has some dry hop bitterness that is piney and grapefruity. There are plenty of resins present. Light ethanol comes through as well. Finish is a bit too dry and bitter for me.