Chiba
Ham's Restaurant & Brewhouse

A fresh growler poured into my DFH shaped pint glass yields a murky crimson-orange tinted burnt hazelnut body with a thin cap of beige foam. The lid of milky bubbles persists at a fuzzy sheet that leaves a fine film of webby lacing on the glass.

The smell is succulent and brown sugar-sweet, with notes of toasted pecans, sweet toffee, orange Pekoe, plus hints of sugary wildflowers and woody uncooked maple sap. A bit of zippy spice and a mild zing of citrus cut through the sweetness.

The taste is sweet and caramel-malty with savory, mellow toasted grain and a slight steely quality. Lightly-roasted oily nuts and a touch of husky, leafy bitterness come on strong, brimming with confidence, kicking caramel's ass and taking down its name for future persecution. A splash of dilute pear/apple juice cocktail lightens the cocoa-infused simple syrupiness of the drink and the earthy, tea-like drying hop bitterness that predominates in the finish also rules the aftertaste.

Just a tad on the full side of medium-bodied, Ham's India Brown is lightly-carbonated and quite drinkable. Another superb offering from brewmaster T.L.!