Fire Company Brew
Fire Company Brew

A clear, deep amber body lies beneath a sturdy head of creamy off-white froth. It's retention is good and it maintains a thin surface covering throughout most of the pint. Nice lacing adds to the appearance. The aroma is of a rich caramel malt and some lightly citrusy and grassy hops. The F.X. Matt yeast lends a gentle touch of fruit. It's medium body combines with a fine, median carbonation that's just lightly crisp on the tongue before warming to become lightly creamy and smooth. A light citrus hop flavor melds with a distinctly caramelish malt and well-balanced bitterness. Some fruity notes make a minor appearance. It finishes smooth and semi-dry with a soft lingering maltiness. Quite nice; an enjoyable beer with enough character to keep it interesting beyond one.

Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck bottle with no freshness date, a beer brewed after the 9/11 catastrophes. A portion of the proceeds goes to Fire, Police and Volunteer construction workers. Why not all of the proceeds … who else is making money off of this?

Appearance: Pale copper colour with a great clarity, a pretty good head subsides with a slightly sticky lace.

Smell: Malty sweet aroma, clean to the nose with mild toasted and caramel aromas.

Taste: Moderate body with a crisp carbonation that flows well off the tongue. Quick lightly toasted malt flavour, some sweetness on the palate. Hops are clean and bitter well leaving a balance. Mild breadiness middle to end with a slow drying effect that hits right in the after taste.

Notes: A decent and clean lager, both the whole “proceed” thing is a bit vague on the bottle as well as the website. It pretty much tastes like a Saranac product though if you feel a need to make yourself feel better then give this one a try.