Hope & King
Town Hall Brewery

A - Pours a dark brown-black, with strong red highlights, transparent but so dark it is hard to see without good light. Head pours a pale orange-light tan, persistent and dense, leaving extensive lacing. A pretty brew.

S - A malty sweetness over strong floral notes and an almost orange marmalade or candy quality, with a subtler tannic bite that signals the hops beneath. As it warms, that tea note gets stronger on the nose, and the fruit elements recede, though they remain there.

T - The beer opens with a robust tea snap, a bit of citrus with an over-steeped tea bitterness beneath, while the middle expands into full bready malt and a touch of caramel and molasses, and a turn back to bitter lines to close out, tannic red grape skins over lingering tea and soft bread notes.

M - Moderate weight, a decent but restrained carbonation and a dry finish make this an easy drinker.

O - I appreciate the quality of this brew, and its commitment to the style. The drinking experience is satisfying, and it is one of the better Scotch Ales I've had on this side of the ocean. I do think I'll pick this up again, to scratch this particular itch.

At 5.8% ABV this is a little light in alcohol for a Wee Heavy but hits the mark in all other areas. It's always been billed as a scotch ale but the new cans bill it as a dark ale...probably to not intimidate the dumbed down beer masses these days with a style they may not know. At least that is my guess.

Brown with ruby highlights....The flavor is rich and malty with notes of plums, raisins, caramel and some nuts...

Medium bodied....aroma is earthy with caramel and perhaps some light peat.

Great drinking beer loaded with flavor. Brewed and canned by Surly and they did a fine job here with this one.

 

16 oz can date stamp 25044 into a tulip glass.
L: SRM 33 Pours dark brown with ruby and mahogany shiny highlights, medium-low steady carbo, a 1/4" creamy khaki head that recedes slowly to edge foam & skin, light lacing.
S: Light malts, dark fruits, rose water, very faint overall.
T: Toasted burnished caramelized malts, a hint of rye, distant cocoa, gently sweet, a toasty and zesty lingering finish, a suggestion of brown bread with raisins, lightly nutty with warming.
F: Very smooth, creamy, milk-like medium to medium-light bodied feel with a medium-long fairly dry finish.
O: Velvet smooth, balanced, bittersweet, mildly dry finish that has a tangy linger. This beer drinks like you're thirsty no matter what. Top shelf tastes and feel. It is outstanding in its style.

Poured from a crowler that was canned just under a month ago. Pours a clear dark brown with a smallish tan cap that dissipates quickly. Spotty lacing. Aroma is dark roasted malt and peat. Flavor follows the nose, smoky peat and roasted malt. Slight chocolate and dark bread notes. Feel is medium bodied and low in carbonation. Overall, a nice Scotch Ale.

Had on tap. Lighter brown opaque body with a khaki cap. Caramel malt leads the aromas with cocoa, mild earth, and a whisper of plum. Taste leads with a trio of toasted caramel, cocoa, and very gentle peat to the earth, dark fruit notes are faint with tobacco whispers. Feel is smooth and leans lighter for style, some booze warmth pokes through here and there, good balance.

 

 

On tap. Light khaki head. Copper color.

Caramel, toffee, lightly Smokey, bacon, and red apple skins. Smooth and creamy feel. Well balanced. Medium bodied with a lot of flavor. Would be a great beer to drink with smoked meat.

 

 

 

An awesome winter sipper for the thirsty Minnesotan, the Hope & King is one of the standout year-round beers at one of Minnesota's best breweries.

 

 

 

 

Pours kind of a brownish amber color. Sweet caramelly bready malts dominate with some fruity esters. Not much in the way of balancing hops, but this is pretty consistent with the style. A bit too sweet for my own taste but still nicely done.