Gritty McDuffs Halloween Ale

Brewed by Gritty McDuffs
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Portland, Maine USA

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow & tupalev -- courtesy of jerc. Pours a clear dark amber with a spare off-white head. Mild aroma of sweet malt and spices. Flavour also of sweet malt and spices but adds some light hops and grain. Creamy mouthfeel and medium bodied. Nothing special but a decent beer.

Bottle, shared with Hogtown Harry, blankboy, and Greg Clow, thanks Jerc. Dark brown, small brownish head. Very mild malt aroma. Dry, slightly sweet malt, some hops in nondescript taste. Some lemon maybe in there as well. Pretty bland stuff, but drinkable.

Bottle (341ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow and tupalev, bottle from jerc (who only RESENTS beer, he doesn’t really hate it). Poured hazy mahogany with a smallish diminishing white head. Sweet malt aroma, mild but pungent spices, vegetally pumpkiny (sp?) - ehh. Flavour of sweet lightly roasted malt, a hint of cream, spicy, grainy - didn’t make me angry. Mouthfeel lively and creamy, average body, decent linger to it, not too sweet - decently drinkable, a bit juicy, no chems, corns or vegetal nastiness - maybe a touch sour by the bottom of the glass.

Nice buttery nose -- not too much in the hops department and bit of a thin aftertaste, but this beer is well done and HIGHLY drinkable. Well done yet again, McDuff.

Bottle: Burnt orange, slight sediment, large rocky off-white head, moderate carbonation, fairly nice lacing.   Soft grainy nose, slight apple cider.   Soft bitter grass on the tongue, still remaining somewhat grainy.   Light malty finish, subtle sweetness.   Body and mouthfeel are fairly average.   Very light malt sweetness lingers after the finish.   Not too shabby, love the label.   Thanks John!

pours a clear brown color with a medium head and good amount of lacing that’s really sticking to the glass. Aroma is spicy (nutmeg, cinnamon) and light. Upon further smelling, I really noticed thet aroma of bananas and caramel! The flavor is slightly fruity (bananas) and spicy, kind of like a weak banana nut bread. Very easy/light on the palate. It’s good but I was hoping for more pronounced flavors!

Bottle via Secret Santa. Pours copper bronze with loads of tiny fast-rising bubbles and a huge foamy rocky tan head that stays mostly throughout. Yeast (cellar, cobwebs), oak, and light roasted malt (meal, cookie) aroma. Lightly bitter, lightly acidic yeasty malt nutty flavor with faint hop notes. Medium bodied and fizzy, spicy palate.

Translucent dark copper body with finger-thick light tan head. Smells very malty with strong caramel and yeast notes. Tastes malty and spicy, with hints of burnt malts. An excellent beer and an old favorite for me. While it’s very good, I would love to try this on tap.