Gritty McDuffs Halloween Ale

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

Bottle sampled from Julio’s Liquors with the Mad_Indian. Pours orange with a small off-white head. Aroma of caramel, grain, and slight traces of hops. The flavor is sweet caramel, grain, with some mild bitterness in the finish.

Sampled with Stegosaurus during our second Boston Tour. I think we got this from Julios. Orange pour with a sweet caramel aroma. Taste mildly of brown sugar and pumkin. It was not great but ok.

Redish/Amber, sweet malts and mellow hops. Bitterness like a normal ESB, although a little heavier than most I’ve had. Nothing too adventurous, but still very well done.

bottle poured a slight red amber in color with a two finger head and plenty of initial carbination becoming a thin layer of foam on the beer and still well carbonated. smell is of caramel malts, slight hops bitter, some sweetness, and alcohol. taste is clean on the tongue, has an initial chewiness to it but becomes lighter on the aftertaste with a bitterness at the sides of the tongue. good beer, very fresh, seems to become more hoppy as it goes down, and definitely fits the bill as an esb.

Pours a three-finger cream head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Clear amber color. Hoppy spicy nose. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Flavor is indeed like an ESB earthy, hoppy but some sweetness with hoppy finish. Lingering bitter aftertaste. 12oz bottle $1.50 from Capitol Convenience Concord, NH.

Date: February 01, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: dark amber, whispy tan head
Aroma: light sweet malt aroma
Flavor: rich carmel malt flavor, nice spicy balancing hop, touch of sweetness, light bitter finish

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Date: September 24, 1995
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Vintage: 1995
Smooth, strong, slight bitters

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Score: ***4

Date: September 26, 1997
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Vintage: 1997
Appearance: deep clean amber, frothy head and nice lace
Aroma: rich sweet malty butterscotch aroma
Flavor: rich malt flavor followed by a good dose of lingering bitterness

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Score: **4

Date: October 17, 1997
Mode: Firkin
Source: Brewpub
Vintage: 1997
Appearance: deep clean amber, frothy head and lotsa lace
Aroma: strong malt aroma
Flavor: rich malty flavor, a touch of butter, hint of the 7% esters

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.8/5.0
Score: *4

The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Hazy dark amber pour, ruddy and lively, though only a small wispy head forms, retreating quickly. Sweet malts comprise the largest portion of the aroma. Following suit are mild spices, not-so-mild hops and lightly roasted malts. Palate is average, not bothersome nor exciting, but quite refreshing. Finishes soft and moderately bitter, drying. Pretty good taste, incredibly drinkable.

This pours a dark amber, caramel color with a minimal, off-white head. Fully diminishing head with hardly any lacing. Aroma is malty, smells tasty. Initial taste is lightly bitter, which lasts right through to the finish with an average duration. Light on the mouth, it has a watery texture with soft carbonation. Reviewed on November 30th, 2006.