Sand Creek English Style Special Ale

Brewed by Sand Creek Brewing Co. (Pioneer/Wisconsin Brewing Co.)
Style: Amber Ale
Black River Falls, Wisconsin USA

Date: 03/15/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: clear dark amber, wispy beige head, drippy bits of lace,
Aroma: sweet malt aroma, touch of caramel, light earthy and floral hops,
Flavor: sweet caramel malt flavor, nice dark carmel sweetness, well balanced with light earthy hops,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

Poured a deeper copper color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of toffee and a little nutty. Tastes of caramel, toffee, citrus and some nuts. Medium sweet and I get some hops in the finish.

Pours a deep amber/brown color with lazy beading and a very thin light brown head. Has a mild caramel malt aroma. Very smooth, medium body. Nice nutty, sweet malt flavor. S’all right.

Deep clear amber color with a small lid of light tan bubbles. Heavy caramel aromas with undertones of floral hops and baked cookies. A caramel and dry malt start. A touch earthy. Smooth and mild feel. light malt and mild balancing hops in the finish. A pleasent session ale.

12 oz bottle. Luminous bronze with dark swirling menacing yeast clouds and a soupy lasting cap...pine, dried herbs and a nice touch of whiskey in the nose...creamy-soft body becomes rather watery at the finish, but still manages to support a nice caramel, touch of butter (but not too much) and vanilla. Much better than I expected.

From a Pioneer labelled bottle. The color is a dark amber with a thin yellow head. The aroma is sweet caramel with little else. The taste is peanuts with a hint of toast. A little light for the style.

Bottle: First off, WTF, a brown ale? Who says? Reddish amber hue with a small but lasting off-white head and some lacing. The aroma is quite British with noticeable Fuggles character, malty, bready, aromatic, hints of apple and pear, chalky water and cashews. The taste has an English Pale Ale like nature initially, malty, slightly sweet, mineralized water, and sublime bitters...but then "it’s not suppose to be here" lactic twang shows up. Like others before me, it ruined what could have been a nice beer. The feel was average. Darn it all, I always am looking for a well made english-styled beer that I may be able to get fresher than the real stuff, but alas, this doesn’t measure up. Brown Ale my arse!

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle from Warehouse Liquors in Duluth, MN. Pours a clear dark amber brew with a fast dissolving beige head that leaves behind a thin film top and a very thin white ring. Aroma of caramel malt, some flowery hops, apples, and dried fruit. Taste is medium bodied, light carbonation with flavors of a slight sour caramel and apple character. Finish is slightly dry, with a mild biscuity aftertaste.