Fort Collins Big Shot

Brewed by Fort Collins Brewery
Style: Brown Ale
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Hazy deep hazelnut coloured ale covered by a small white film. Well, this is aimed at the cake-loving public, rapidly throwing candied milk chocolate flavours, not unlike Ferrero Rochers with its nutty background. The smooth carbonation keeps up the sweets’ finish. Lots of bubbles, but no bite, really soft and smooth for a barely medium-bodied ale. In the finish, it grows a powderiness and an unexpected dryness. The grassy hops feel a bit awkward, but they do procure a sense of balance in this offering that you could have thought as hopelessly sweet. Lightly buttery all along, but this fits. A buttery cake, sure, but not so rich at that.

Copper pour with strong long lasting white head. Malty sweetness with some chocolate and nutty flavor notes. Good quality especially considering the price.

My Bottom Line:
Cocoa powder, hazelnuts and caramel dominate the light hop bitterness of this drinkable but somewhat forgettable Brown Ale.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam covers the hazy dull red.
-Carbonation is rather low and the body is lean, providing a gentle, supple mouthfeel.
-That chocolatey sweetness is present from aroma to finish.
-Balance is not really achieved; this is for malty sessions.

Bottle.

Clear copper pour with a good, long-lasting head. Minimal lacing. Nose was earthy, with spice and malt contributing. Taste was sweet malt, with the spice providing an undercurrent. Mouthfeel was pedestrian for a strong ale. Finish was malty and sweet, with a hint of hops. Did not last very long.

Nutty malty nose. Rich copper color with a big spongy head. Lemon caramel toffee sweetness, good bitterness. Big carbonation, surprisingly lighter body, malty finish. Good beer, just not terribly remarkable.

22oz bottle courtesy of argo0. Clear amber with a creamy head. Malty aroma with a spiced root pie thing going on with some crystal malt tea-like sweetness under that. Sweet caramel, same spiced and root pie character. Reminds me of the english winter warmer style, which I am not typically fond of.

Copper pour with fluffy brown head and spotty lace. Filbert nuts and toffee on the nose. Sticky sweet mouth-feel. Thin bodied. Caramel, nuts, toffee, and chocolate.

(22oz bottle) Medium beige head atop crystal clear amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, toffee, hazelnut, some floral. Taste is moderately sweet, hazelnut, caramel, light chocolate. Light-medium body, low carbonation.