Big Steamer Kalifornia UnKommon Ale
Watch City Brewing Co.

On-tap at the brewpub on 3/19/08, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark brown color, with a short, dense, beige head that fades slowly and leaves a very thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of dark roasted malts, caramel and a good amount of hops.

T: The taste is very malty, with flavors of caramel and nuts, which is a little different from the usual citrus flavor that you typically get from this type of beer. There's a good hops presence that brings in a decent balance. The after-taste is bready, hoppy and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easy, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style while adding a twist to it, this is a decent beer to drink for a while.

Dark amber color and reasonably clear. Small head but it leaves excellent lace.

This smells like a homebrew meaning that there is a strong yeast nose. Beyond that, you'll not some darker malts, particularly chocolate which leaves a distinctly cocoa smell.

The taste matches the smell--lots of yeast and chocolate. However, there is a powerful hop finish during the swallow lasting a long time in the aftertaste (36 IBU's). The only distraction is the thin body which was completely unexpected given the profile thus far.

Hoppy for the style, this is still a quenching and flavorful offering.