O-Tay
Nodding Head Brewery

 

 

On tap at Nodding Head on 1/5/08. Served in a shaker pint glass.

A - Very cloudy, unfiltered golden/straw-colored body with one finger of creamy white head. Lots of carbonation pushing through this hazy brew. Good head retention overall with some decent lacing.

S - Lots of bubblegum paired with a spicy, yeasty aspect, buckwheat and clove. Pepper and banana were also present, but much less prominent in the nose. No noticeable hop aroma.

T - Initial spicy taste with clove and Belgian yeast, followed by a bit of fruit sweetness. Ends with a huge bubblegum finish. All of the flavors blend extremely well and travel across the palate like a rollercoaster. The result is a fresh-tasting wheat ale with a very nice complexity.

M - Quite full-bodied and chewy mouthfeel with just a bit of prickly carbonation on the tongue. Creamy texture gives way to a clean, spicy finish. Sublime mouthfeel!

D - Probably one of the best wheat beers I've ever had. Extremely fresh, easy to drink, and quite complex.

NOTE: I LOVE the name of this beer! Wookin pa nub in all de wrong paces... wookin pa nub!

The flavor of buckwheat (soba) is clear in this hazy golden ale. It's delivered to your bar or table with a one-fingered head of bright white that fades steadily to an average collar and leaves walls of spotty lace behind. The nose is grainy, and I'd say wheatish - but it's actually the buckwheat, which is not wheat at all. There is some spiciness and phenolic to it due to the Belgian yeast (which I'm guessing is Chimay yeast via White Labs), and that helps to round out the fuller, richer flavor of the buckwheat. Behind that a moderate bitterness backs it, and it's just enough to leave it wide in the mouth but dry and spicy in the finish. There aren't that many buckwheat beers out there, which makes this one nice to try; and beyond that, it's one of the best examples of the "style" available. Nicely done!

Sampled on-tap at Nodding Head, this American Blonde Ale pours a cloudy gold with some thin but attractive orange highlights. The medium, off-white head holds relatively well but the lace doesn't stick too much.

The aroma is dim even for the style but what is detectable is pleasant. Mostly mild, sweet orange peel and honey. The slightly yeasty malt character was expected but somewhat weak.

The flavor certainly makes up for an 'average at best' nose. Brighter citrus: lemon and orange. Some spice and light, doughy malt. Buttery, untoasted bread. The finish is mostly clean and refreshing. Simple but quality and very representative of the style.

Full to medium body with a fluffy, lush texture on the palate. The flavor and mouthfeel linger a bit but clean up due to the moderate/tight carbonation. Somewhat dry and matted in the finish. A nice selection overall and a flavorful representation of the style.