Harvest Red Rye
Sea Dog Brewing Company

 

Draught @ So. Portland Pub: This one pours a clear, ruby tinged amber color. There was a thin light tan head that left a good amount of lacing. The aroma is good. Spicy with some rye. Also some faint fruit notes. The taste is also good. Spicy, rye and a hint of sour fruits. Some bitterness. I liked this one.

 

Enjoyed at the South Portland brewpub this casker shows a dark red-edged mahogany colored ale with a decent moon-cratered tan head and very nice lacing. The aroma comes on strong with dark fruit/prunes and blackberry rhubarb. This gives way to some red grape and chocolate and maybe a touch of cabbage(?). Very interesting and deeper than most cask ales I've ever experienced. Prunes dominate! The flavor brings a dark concoction of vegetable prune with vague milk chocolate and hints of red wine. I can't say it's my favorite tasting brew but I have to give it kudos for personality. It's really just an odd combination of vegetable and prune with a subtle chocolate background to help stabilize an otherwise questionable marriage. There's a bit of leafy hop hidden in here as well, but that's a subtle quality. It's solidly medium bodied with the typical cask flacid feel but with good constitution. Hard to say I would recommend this except to the adventurous but I have to give it a medium grade for being different with a quality feel that includes a dry finish. Not bad, but one is enough I'm afraid.