Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale

Brewed by Tommyknocker Brewery
Style: Brown Ale
Idaho Springs, Colorado USA

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with goldtwins, thanks Larry!) Enjoy within 4 months of 22-Jul-05, so I’m a few weeks late. I tried twice to rate a healthy bottle of this beer, and now that this second bottle is infected too, I think I’ve put enough effort into this. The nose is only moderately sour and funky, so it’s not horrendously bad, but it overwhelms whatever other aromas there might be, and infection is still readily apparent. Sourness has taken over the flavor as well, and though it’s not undrinkable, I have no desire to take another sip. Medium bodied and well-carbonated, but how nice can an infected beer feel on the palate? Ruddy brown in color and very hazy, the body is topped by a light tan head that settles to a wide ring. A polka dot pattern of lace decorates the glass. Maybe if I get this as a bonus in the future, I’ll give it a third try, but I’ve given up on actively seeking out a clean bottle.

Bottle. A deep molasses/fudge aroma. Medium dark brown color with small head. Sweet dark maple syrup and light malt flavor. On the light side palatewise. I would like more of a malty beer flavor.

Pours a medium brown with very low head and relatively low carbonation. The aroma is malty, hazlenut and a bit of maple. The flavor is lightly sweet, but it is too thin to be called malty. What’s there is good, but there just isn’t enough of it.

Relatively thin, iced tea brown with little head; almost sticky. Smells somewhat weak with a slight chocolate aroma. Moderately mild in flavor, with a chocolate vanilla and subdued maple taste. Slightly bitter finish. Although the flavor is decent, it’s a little bland and not particularly well-balanced.

Bottle, best within 4 months of Nov 7 ’02. Umm, oops, 3 years late. <P>Looks like a mud puddle. No head. Smells like chocolate and vinegar. Something odd here. <P>Dare I taste? ("dare, dare")... FIrst sip, tastes like (surprise!) mildly sweet maple syrup with a little chocolate malt. No hops or bittering. Hard to get past the muddy water appearance. Pretty flat. What did I expect for an out of date beer from my local store’s $.75 singles bargain bin tho? Heh.

glug glug glug... hear that? Down the drain... icky aftertaste.

would have liked to see more kick in it. brown sugar, tastes just like a young girl should! rerated 12/14

Bottle. Pours fizzy mahogany brown with small head. The aroma is sweet and malty. The maple is evident in the flavor, but not as prominent as I would expect. The flavor is actually kind of sour with faint sweetness, some barley, and some yeast. Meh, it’s ok.

On tap at the Brewgrass Festival in Asheville, pours a dark, glazed bronze with a nice head. Tastes of black cherries and light vanilla. Kinda like a maple donut. Not good, not bad. Meh.