MMXIV
Earth Bread + Brewery

As a fan of English style beers I was pleased to find this on tap at Earth Bread + Brewery. Tom has always been a proponent of "mild" beers (this being 4.6%), despite the fame he acquired with his Heavyweight Baltic Thunder, and I appreciate that he's keeping these beers flowing.

It's a clear, deep amber color beneath a creamy head of white. The head retention is very good, the lacing I'm not sure about because of the way the glasses are probably handled at the bar. I'm guessing that in a beer-clean glass it's probably going to leave sheets of lace, but that's not what I saw before me.

The aroma is limited but displays caramelish malts and leafy/earthy hops.

In the flavor the malts appear first, grassy and straw-like with delicately sweetish caramelish notes that are both lightly golden as well as somewhat darkened. The fruitiness follows, floating on top, with notes of apple, soft pear, and dried fruits, mainly apricot. Immediately then, the hops rise, showing a grassy, dried leaf, and earthy quality. As might be expected, no alcohol is to be found, but a firm bitterness does make its presence known, and it finishes dry.

In the mouth it's medium to medium-light in body, and moderately carbonated leaving it quite smooth.

Nicely done. Flavorful, easy accessible, and fulfilling.