Hobo's Breath Brown Ale
Mountain Town Brewing Co.

 

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled on 10/5/2015. Pours lightly hazy deep ruby red/brownish color with a 2 finger dense and rocky khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, chocolate, light cocoa/coffee, light plum/apple, herbal, grass, light pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, earthy hop, and light fruity yeast notes; with good strength. Taste of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, chocolate, light cocoa/coffee, light plum/apple, herbal, grass, light pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, chocolate, light cocoa/coffee, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, earthy hop, and light fruity yeast flavors; with nice malt/bitterness balance and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light dryness from roast/hop bitterness as well. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderate creamy/bready, and lightly sticky/chalky balance mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a nice English brown ale style. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, earthy hop, and light fruity yeast flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A nicely enjoyable offering.

 

 

 

 

 

Hobo's Breath is in my top three favorite beers, alongside Lindemans Frambois, and North Peak's Dubious Black Chocolate Stout. Hobo's Breath is served @ the Black Sheep in alpena michigan on tap, and it keeps the customers coming back. Its dark, malty, and just hoppy enough to balance the beer properly. Its not overpowering in any way, and frankly is just pleasant all around. I highly recommend this beer to anyone who enjoys a good full bodied, and well balanced dark beer.

 

 

 

 

12oz bottle poured into a mini 12oz looking pint glass thing.

Appearance: Awesome. Two finger tan head, nice and clear brown color, with outstanding lacing. Looks great.

Smell: Not much there. Some caramel malts with some traces of roastiness with some nuttiness and maybe some coffee. Smells like your typical brown, really.

Taste/feel: I am surprised. I'd almost give this a four, but I can't quite do it -- this is JUST the brown ale you want to have on a hot day like today. Nice and cold, fairly thin but creamy feel, not too much carbonation, and tastes way better than I expected. It's not bursting with flavor, but it has a nice creaminess. The flavor is primarily nutty caramel with a touch of roastiness. It's not too bold, but it's very enjoyable. I'd buy it again.