My last beer to end the weekend tasting festivities. A happy hello to Monday and cheers to you all!
Profiled by Maria Devan
Brooklyn uses the word nimble to describe this beer and I think it’s the perfect word to do it. Pours the darkest brown with a with a glowing tint from ruby. Fat tan head that fell slowly to cling and leave lace. Nose is hop prominent alright! At least at first it is because ti’s so fresh. they seem to burst forth.. Beautiful spice and floral from those noble hops. They shimmer even on the nose. A fruitiness that smells fresh and vibrant and a firm hop herbal that is just darn sexy. The malt that seemed shy at first keeps coming forward until you have earthy coffee, bread like pumpernickel. Flavor is mellow earthy and round. Those abundantly fragrant hops are much lighter on the palate but the herbal is the most forward flavor from them. Peppery. Coffee and a tempting dryness from the malt. Here is the part that I think is nimble. It’s so dry as to show itself off. A touch nutty, toasty and all that bread. The bitterness int he flavor is just a light touch from both hops and the malt itself and that highlights the earthy coffee . It also shows me some very smooth richness from the malt that is not caramel. Oh boy! It finishes like silk with only a tickle from bubbles and gives up some bitter chocolate in the last moments. No harshness, no astringency, no diacetyl. Lingers leisurely and shows you a last peek at those hops and all that roastiness. Just a light residual sweetness. Nimble indeed and very hearty while showing a subtle richness underneath that is the very expression of the black beer. Classic and extremely well done.
4.2
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is a great beer writer. She has regular beer Sundays where she profiles brews, reviews brews online with homebrewers and other beer community connected bloggers. She’s judged beer at a homebrew competition and been a steward. And she’s kind of short. But that’s OK.