Maple Nut Brown (Venture Series)
Madhouse Brewing Company

 

Sampled on 11/29/13. This large 22 ounce (650ml) bottle was chilled down to 36 degrees F in my beer cooler and poured into a brandy snifter.

Pours a deep dark brown in color with a 1-finger tan head that lasted a bit. Lacing was seen with each sip. The aroma is of toffee, roasted malt and maple syrup. The taste was about the same with a slight nutty finish. Perfect carbonation. A really smooth and easy to drink brew.

Poured into a Pint glass with a thick tan head that stayed around, nice lace that was present throughout. Aroma held sweetness like syrup and bread/biscuit notes, taste was surprise as it started out like a Stout or Porter in body and taste with coffee and chocolate hints and a thick mouthfeel. With a few sips the taste settled in and the hops started to show up, it all ended up being a very good Brown Ale and I like how the ABV while high doesn't get in the way of the taste. Overall this is a beer and a brand I would pick up again, I want to try other styles from them because I do like Brown Ales as a whole...need to see what else they have and what their spin is on them.

 

App - deep dark brown like fall leaves or fresh maple syrup.

Taste - biscuit, toffee, bread, earthy hop in the back drop.

mouthfeel - thick, viscous, syrupy.

smell - biscuit, nut.

overall - very good high gravity brew. Kind of lets you down with the lack of maple flavor. I think that it is good for the style, but definitely could have improved had it been bottle conditioned with maple syrup or perhaps had a bit more of that syrup added - but I'm just speaking to my expectations. It is a great Nut Brown Ale and it masks it's high ABV well.