Jug Thumper Malty Brown Ale
Lucky Bucket Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Appearance: Pours a dark, nearly opaque black color with hints of a red hue. A soft, tan head. SRM of 22-23. (3.50)

Aroma: Rather strong aromas of dark malt.. A lot of molasses and brown sugar, but there is some cocoa and caramel behind that. There’s also a strong phenolic paint thinner aroma and a strong alcohol presence off the back end of the aroma.

Flavor: The flavor follows the nose with more expression of dark malts of molasses and brown sugar with cocoa and nuts to support. Possibly some dark fruit and toffee? Hints of roastiness. A detectable alcohol presence again. However it’s not too sweet and finishes rather light and dry.

Feel: Medium-bodied. Lower carbonation. Finishes not too sweet, but with an alcohol burn off the ned.

Compared to Lake City's Brown Ale 1/1/21: Pours a darker color with a milder head. Stronger aromas of dark malts, molasses, brown sugar, dark-fruit/toffee? Less cocoa and nut malt smoothness. Finishes with a stronger alcohol burn and less malty. Similar sweetness, but slightly sweeter.

Overall: A decent dark ale, but not the cocoa brown ale I was expecting. This one has a strong molasses brownness to it. Not as much cocoa as I would expect. Furthermore, it has a strong alcohol presence which is robust and almost has the aroma of paint thinner. Not sure if it's the alcohol or dark malt presence. Probably both. Not a fantastic beer, and probably won't become a notable beer of the style. Will need some refining. My first beer from Lucky Bucket, but I am hoping it improves from here. (Final Rating: 3.48. Would compare next to TJ Dark Lager)

 

 

 

Served poured from a bottle into an Innis and Gunn Half Pint Glass.

Look: Dark brown with a light, short-lived head. Somewhat ruby in appearance when held directly up to light.

Smell: Sweet and malty with some mild roastiness

Taste: On the tongue, it mirrors the smell; Sweet and malty. The aftertaste brings a heavier roastiness.

Feel: Light, with light carbonation.

Overall: A good brown ale with everything you'd expect from the style given it's ABV.

 

APPEARANCE: A nice, rich, brown. A little ruby up to the light. Half a finger of quickly dissolving tan, foamy head. Nice looking carbonation when rocking the glass. Real spotty for lacing.
AROMA: Big chocolate, a little vanilla, mild coffee, and a little earthy.
TASTE: Nice chocolate, mild coffee, mild but pleasant dark roasted quality.
FEEL: Medium body, Good level of carbonation, a little sticky.
OVERALL: Pleasantly surprised with this. Chocolate is the standout, but nice bit of vanilla in the aroma and a touch of dark roasted coffee. Decent, for sure.

12 oz. brown bottle poured into a pint glass, the beer is a dark brown with some amber highlights. There is a skim of beige foam.

The beer has a nose of roasted malts and molasses.

The beer leads with some sweetness and lightly roasted malts. There is a bit of dark fruit but I was hoping for a bit more depth and heft.

The mouth is ok but could be bulked up a bit.

After having their pre-pro lager I had high hopes for this one, unfortunately, they were not really met.

Big molasses aroma. Never had it so prominent.

Flavor is slightly sweet and molasses laden, but the nutty, deeply toasted malt dominates. Finish is dry. Notes of chocolate surface late.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoyed from the 12 oz bottle in a snifter via a friend from work---THANKS RANDY!
This fine ale pours a red tinged brown cola color with a nice head of light tan foam that subsides to thin ring and thin layer with light lacing. Nose of cola, light roasted grains, and some vanilla. Flavors exceed the nose with moderately roasted malts featuring cola, cocoa, and subtle vanilla notes on all sides fading to a light coffee note on the back. A delicious malt bomb with a medium mouth feel that is moderately carbonated giving it a pleasant mouth feel with a lightly dry aftertaste. Very solid for the style.

Cheers!