Berghoff - Sundown Dark

OK, I have GOT to get the remnants of this variety pack out of my beer fridge!  I'm pretty sure its been there since the first quarter of this year and fridge space is rapidly becoming a commodity as my nice, cool closet is looking more and more like a beer cellar every day (literally 3 cases in there!).  This is a Wisconsin beer, but the rest of the 12-pack has been so-so.  There is good news though; these beers seem to be getting better as they age.  Needless to say, it has been an incentive to let them sit, but there are now more expensive beers that need the space.  That said... Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 9/12
This is somewhat surprising given my past less-than-memorable experiences with Berghoff.  First to the nose are handsomely roasted, molasses-laden malts.  Something not far behind that is an almost smoky, chaw-like, spiciness.  It is a fainter example of when beers use a rye or spiced tea (chai?).

Appearance 2/3
This has a very nice look for a dark or amber beer - at different times appearing cola-brown, dark amber, copper, and ruby.  The head is a light tan, moderate in size, and remains as a disc for the majority of the pint.

Picture is my own

Flavor 13/20
Certainly more flavorful than any macro, but not a strong competitor in the craft beer market.  The list of ingredients found in the aroma is disappointingly absent in the flavor.  It begins with a lot of molasses and malt, though the malt is much less roasty than we discovered in the aroma.  The backbone continues to be laden with molasses and  malt, but does allow for a bit of the spiciness to show through (now seen as originating from the hops).  Things even get a little sweeter, if you can believe that.  By showing caramel flavors and a sweetness that could be called apple-like were it not the complete lack of tartness.  The finish leaves one feeling somewhat unsatisfied.  There are no parting flavors or changes of profile.  It simply fades away and leaves one a bit miffed, as would company that leaves without saying good-bye.  Aftertaste unfortunately continues that trend.

Mouthfeel 3/5
A bit light in body than a "dark" (which pressumedly means "brown"?) beer should be.  Also the carbonation was almost completely gone very early on into the pint.  Normally, that could complement the "brown ale" style by lending an illusion of creaminess, but when the beer is this light-bodied it can come across as more flat than it should be.  I think this beer examples both the benefit and the detriment to this choice.  There is a certain level of creaminess wrought, but it could also use some more carbonation.

Overall Impression 5/10
Better than pretty much any macro you would find on a shelf.  However, that does not exactly earn it a lofty perch in the grand scheme of things.  Flavor has the elements for something grander, but insists on showcasing a sweet, simple malt.  Carbonation could stand to be increased as could some balance.  The lack of balance effected this beer more than anything when scoring the flavor category.

Total 28/50
I've only mentioned it a couple times already, but this is not an atrocious beer.  I would gladly snag this in a cooler filled with the other typical offerings found at a party.  A great beer it is not, but the beer spectrum must contain all contenders.  They can't all be Dogfish Head or Bud Lights or St. Bernardus or Mickey's.  There will be beers that fall in the middle of low-flavor, well-made macro offerings and amazing flavor, intense craft beers.  This is one of those beers.  Plenty of flavor, but probably not enough to wow anyone involved in craft beer circles.  That said, it sweetness could be a great way to introduce someone to darker beers that might not yet care for the bitter flavors commonly found in them.  Being fairly sweet, it could also be a convincing and safe introduction to beer with more flavor.

Score says it all folks.  They can't all be winners, but that doesn't necessarily make it a loser either.

Flossmoor Station - Pullman Brown Ale

I've been reading about how in June one is supposed to be drinking beers from the state in which they live to help support your true local craftbrewers.  While this is rather difficult for myself as I live in a small market, I would like to think that I should be able to represent the Midwest rather soundly, if not the state of Illinois itself.  That said, today's beer is from a brewery that has been garnering some talk around the craft beer aisles.  Its name is Flossmoor Station Brewing Company and it qualifies for being in my state (Flossmoor, IL).  They have several styles that are getting snatched up quickly so I had to try it for myself.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 11/12
Wow!  This smells more like a stout than almost any brown ale you will find.  Loads of toasty malt, dark chocolate, the mellow sweetness of molasses, and plenty of alcoholic coffee.  Not that the alcohol is overwhelming, indeed the coffee is certainly stronger, but it someone has definitely spiked the morning joe.  Once the head vanishes (it does not take long), one can even pick a few grassy hop notes from the back.  Very impressive in a malt-laden style.

Appearance 2/3
This also looks like a stout.  It pours a dark chestnut brown that yields less than half an inch of dark khaki colored head.  It is all but completely opaque, except for the edges of the pint glass.  If the rest of this beer was not so solid, it would have received a lower score for the rather dismal head.  I basically has to throw this beer into the glass during the second pint in order to produce any head.  After that, it did leave some lacing.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 19/20
Big.  Robust.  Amazing.  First sensation is toasted nuts and transitions quickly to an amazing backbone filled with dark, sweet molasses (that could be confused easily for caramel), lightly charred malt, and black coffee.  The dark, dual sweetnesses of malt and molasses are wonderfully balanced with bitter notes of coffee, hops, and blackened goodness - exactly what one wants to see in a robust brown ale.  The finish should showcase the bitter as the flavors pass over the rear of the tongue, but this still seems to show the molasses and malt much more strongly than anticipated.  The aftertaste has a sharp, bitter finish with a spicy hop profile and notes of delicious burnt coffee.

Mouthfeel 5/5
Medium-bodied, ridiculously smooth, adequately low-medium carbonation throughout the bomber bottle.  There is even a moderate level of creaminess, which contributes even more to its "stout impersonation."  Nothing wrong here.


Overall Impression 10/10
Though this beer borders on stronger styles, it still has all of the markings of a brown ale minus some expected nuttiness.  The nutty sweetness is compensated for with the molasses and is much richer in flavor for it.  This is a fantastically dark, rich, charred, balanced, brown brew of goodness.  Not only will I drink this again, but it rivals some of the best brown ales that I have ever had.  Hands down.

Total 47/50 (Outstanding)
Cannot say enough about this brew.  It exceeded any hype that I had heard.  Its a burnt coffee bean splendor with enough sweet molasses and malts to keep it beyond balanced.  It is bitter, robust, complex and a damn good beer.  I will buy this.  I will share this.  I will sing its praises.  You should do the same.  Big, big kudos to Brewmaster Bryan Shimkos!  If the train on the logo is any indicator, this brewery is only going to pick up momentum and be almost impossible to stop.  This is a definite winner.

Point - Burly Brown

Happy Friday, brew fans!  It has been far too long since I have had a brown ale and I look to remedy that ASAP.  Tonight's pouring is from Point Brewery in Stevens Point, WI.  I tend to trust beers from Wisconsin as the vast majority of Wisconsinites are of German descent and can whip up a tasty brew before you can say "Reinheitsgebot."  That in mind I am excited to try this latest offering.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 9/12

The aroma is very malt-heavy and not entirely inappropriate for the style.  The medium roast and notes of caramel great compliments to one another and are a pleasant way to make this beer's acquaintance.  Once the  head dies down, the sweet nutty aroma shows lightly.  The nutty aroma somehow mixes with the caramel and sweetness to occasionally remind the drinker of something cola-esque.

Appearance 2/3

The color is a bit light for the style, bring almost amber/reddish under better lighting than the above photo.  However, the beige head was generous for the gentle pour, retention was solid at worst, and left some nice lacing.  A collar remained to the end of the pint.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 10/20

An extremely light flavor especially when considering the name (let alone the style).  Initial flavors are so light as to nearly be non-existent.  The backbone of the beer is malty, but not in a roasted way as the style demands.  The malt could very well be pale (or even crystal!) with caramel flavors added; a disappointing departure from the aroma.  The finish is again a nutty, malt sweetness with an almost complete lack of roast flavor.  In a true example of "better late than never," the aftertaste has some nutty tones and a nice round bitter.  The flavor is almost like getting a little bit of the shell or lining when eating a walnut - some earthy, sweet taste and a stronger bitter counterpart.

Mouthfeel 2/5

The first impression when sampling this beer had to do with its mouthfeel: thin.  While the carbonation is just about perfect, the body is watery.  This results in a brown that is easier to drink than most, but with too high of an alcohol content (5.43% ABV) to make it truly sessionable.  For a thin beer, it somehow manages to obtain a desirable level of creaminess.

Overall Impression 4/10

A brown ale that is not quite brown, has little roasted malt flavor, light body, and very little nut flavor is overall very disappointing indeed.  The whole beer needs to be bolder, especially to be labeled as a brown (or known as a good one).  The was some good promise in the aroma, but it turned out to be more of a let-down when actually discovering the flavor.

Total 27/50 (Good)

For a beer that is labeled as such, it is anything but, "Burly."  It seems to lighten the best parts of a brown ale every chance it gets.  Perhaps this beer is one of many that loses its way when a brewery grows in size and enjoys the recent spat of success that Point Brewery is currently riding.  It seems light in flavor and more designed for the masses than those who enjoy a quality beer.  For the money, there are certainly more robust brown ales to be had out there.