Burton Ale
Stark Brewing Company

 

 

Poured on-tap and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark, opaque, ruby coloring with a thin, filmy, off-white coating on the surface. Aromas of toffee, both roasted and darkly sweet. Smells like a malt bomb. Initial taste, and hello hops. Darkly bitter and resiny, with a peppery spice to the hops character that is carried on a toffee sweet backbone. Hop heavy and a little unbalanced, the flavor is tasty. Roasted and bittter/peppered aftertaste, with a dry, clean finish. Good beer, but off for the style.

On tap in a pint glass.

A - Dark amber body. Two finger off white head that sticks around for a while. Modest retention.

S - Piney English hop varieties, caramel and toffee malts, a touch of citrus and as mentioned in a review below, slightly metallic in finish.

T - Similar to the nose. Piney hops with just a touch grapefruit, caramel and toffee, some light diacetyl and mineral notes on the finish. Coating mouth feel with decent carbonation.

O - This was my first "Burton Ale" and I'm having a hard time distinguishing it from a standard english style IPA. Either way its pretty tasty and easy drinking, albeit a bit boring.

 

Pours a burnished copper color with a minimal off white head that shows little retention or lace. Smells of earthy piney hops with a smattering of toffee and caramel. Sweet sticky malt aroma with just enough hops to keep it from cloying. Taste follows the smell really well and adds a bit of a buttery component as well as a bit of a mineral bite. Light to medium body, medium to high level of carbonation with a sticky bubbly mouthfeel. Decent English style brew.

Pours murky light brown - odd color and dull for style - with a thin head that eventually disappears.

The smell is of tea-leaf with slight citric notes and soft caramelish grain. Fairly mild.

The taste is of tea leaf and mild lemony citric notes. Metallic notes (from the hops?) is mediated by a grainy malt that weaves in and out. The metallic notes diminish as the drink warms/progresses. Some sharp alcohol is also present - more than would normally be noticed at this beer's abv level. A tannic bitterness could use more balance. It does get better as it progresses, with more balance and citric notes, but reaches no great heights. The finish is quite dry.

The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a nice texture and carbonation level.

A bit raw, but fairly drinkable, especially as it warms. I can see this being better on-cask. Fits English style well-enough, with a touch of an American flair. Worth trying this one, but I wouldn't go out of way for it.

Thanks to jcwattsrugger for bringing back a growler and sharing.