Working Man's Lunch
Fullsteam Brewery
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Brown Ale - American
Ranked #641 - ABV:
- 5.7%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #43,320 - Avg:
- 3.6 | pDev: 12.78%
- Reviews:
- 23
- Ratings:
- From:
- Fullsteam Brewery
- North Carolina, United States
- Avail:
- Year-round
- Wants
- 8
- Gots
- 13
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
Notes:
It's back. And what should be in its final form.
This is a 12bbl R&D run of what we believe to be the new Working Man's Lunch. The biggest change: a shift from that tricky Weizen yeast to our house ale yeast, as well as some ingredient adjustments to bring out more chocolate notes. WML epitomizes LUNCH. It's a snack beer. It's not intended to be a decadent chocobomb. It's a brown ale with some chocolate in it...an afternoon beer that you can have more than one of.
Notes from previous version:
A tribute to the Southern tradition of an RC Cola and a MoonPie. We brew this beer with biscuity malts, vanilla, and chocolate nibs from Raleigh's own Escazu Artisan Chocolates. But instead of using a traditional, dry English or Scottish ale yeast, we get zany and brew with a German (Weihenstephan) yeast strain. This lightens up the beer and adds vanilla and banana notes to give it that MoonPie connection. The result is a drinkable "dark ale" that, like most of our plow-to-pint beers, doesn't fit neatly into any one particular style. Have your three martinis, Boss Man. We'll take a Working Man's Lunch.
This is a 12bbl R&D run of what we believe to be the new Working Man's Lunch. The biggest change: a shift from that tricky Weizen yeast to our house ale yeast, as well as some ingredient adjustments to bring out more chocolate notes. WML epitomizes LUNCH. It's a snack beer. It's not intended to be a decadent chocobomb. It's a brown ale with some chocolate in it...an afternoon beer that you can have more than one of.
Notes from previous version:
A tribute to the Southern tradition of an RC Cola and a MoonPie. We brew this beer with biscuity malts, vanilla, and chocolate nibs from Raleigh's own Escazu Artisan Chocolates. But instead of using a traditional, dry English or Scottish ale yeast, we get zany and brew with a German (Weihenstephan) yeast strain. This lightens up the beer and adds vanilla and banana notes to give it that MoonPie connection. The result is a drinkable "dark ale" that, like most of our plow-to-pint beers, doesn't fit neatly into any one particular style. Have your three martinis, Boss Man. We'll take a Working Man's Lunch.
Reviews: 23
| Ratings: 120
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Reviews by JohnnyK:
More User Reviews:
jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
2.79/5 rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
22 oz bottle, no date
dark brown in color. head quickly fades. fizzy bubbles. sort of a sweet cola aroma. Not any chocolate really in the smell or taste. Not really a good brown ale either. Too thin.
Overall a miss.
Nov 28, 2015
2.79/5 rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
22 oz bottle, no date
dark brown in color. head quickly fades. fizzy bubbles. sort of a sweet cola aroma. Not any chocolate really in the smell or taste. Not really a good brown ale either. Too thin.
Overall a miss.
Nov 28, 2015
mikeincharleston from North Carolina
3.75/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Apr 19, 2015
3.75/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Apr 19, 2015
scottfrie from California
2.58/5 rDev -28.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Shared at the last BA BA tasting.
A: Pours a soda-like caramel with a very fizzy short lived head. The color isn't bad but the carbonation seems pretty active.
S: Diet soda mixed with a bit of chocolate. Not the best odor on this one. I was expecting something sweeter.
T: Tastes like flat Coke but not as sweet. I get some vanilla and Dr. Pepper like flavors as well. The finish has slight flavors of bubblegum and clove, and the aftertaste reminds me of chocolate syrup. For a brown ale that is supposed to taste like RC Cola and Moonpies, think is a noble effort, and the soda flavor is especially prominent, but as a beer overall it's just an average brown ale.
M: Fizzy soda carbonation, medium slick body, with a bubbly and spritzy mouthfeel.
O: This tastes more like soda that doesn’t have enough syrup than it does beer, and I thought it could use some polishing. This definitely was a unique and interesting experience, but overall its still an average to below average brown ale
Nov 23, 2011
2.58/5 rDev -28.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Shared at the last BA BA tasting.
A: Pours a soda-like caramel with a very fizzy short lived head. The color isn't bad but the carbonation seems pretty active.
S: Diet soda mixed with a bit of chocolate. Not the best odor on this one. I was expecting something sweeter.
T: Tastes like flat Coke but not as sweet. I get some vanilla and Dr. Pepper like flavors as well. The finish has slight flavors of bubblegum and clove, and the aftertaste reminds me of chocolate syrup. For a brown ale that is supposed to taste like RC Cola and Moonpies, think is a noble effort, and the soda flavor is especially prominent, but as a beer overall it's just an average brown ale.
M: Fizzy soda carbonation, medium slick body, with a bubbly and spritzy mouthfeel.
O: This tastes more like soda that doesn’t have enough syrup than it does beer, and I thought it could use some polishing. This definitely was a unique and interesting experience, but overall its still an average to below average brown ale
Nov 23, 2011
InspectorBob from New Jersey
3.71/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
May 19, 2015
3.71/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
May 19, 2015
Yoda22 from North Carolina
3.02/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Mar 24, 2015
3.02/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Mar 24, 2015
MacQ32 from South Carolina
3.55/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Nov 09, 2014
3.55/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Nov 09, 2014
mychalg9 from Illinois
4/5 rDev +11.1%
Quite a lot of flavor in this one. Glad to have tried it.
Oct 05, 2014
4/5 rDev +11.1%
Quite a lot of flavor in this one. Glad to have tried it.
Oct 05, 2014
AngusOg from North Carolina
3.87/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Mar 24, 2015
3.87/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Mar 24, 2015
sonofliberty2 from South Carolina
3.33/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
May 10, 2015
3.33/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
May 10, 2015
tdm168 from Pennsylvania
3.16/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
On tap at the brewery on 3/3/12.
Pours a deep, dark brown with a slight reddish hue. There's no head on this pour. The nose smells spicy and mildly chocolaty. The flavor has a rich malty character of chocolate, roasted malts, caramel and a little nuttiness. However, there's an odd creamy, yeasty note that in my opinion detracts from the flavor. The mouthfeel was smooth and medium bodied with little carbonation.
This would have been a pretty solid beer if not for the off notes. I will probably revisit.
Mar 06, 2012
3.16/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
On tap at the brewery on 3/3/12.
Pours a deep, dark brown with a slight reddish hue. There's no head on this pour. The nose smells spicy and mildly chocolaty. The flavor has a rich malty character of chocolate, roasted malts, caramel and a little nuttiness. However, there's an odd creamy, yeasty note that in my opinion detracts from the flavor. The mouthfeel was smooth and medium bodied with little carbonation.
This would have been a pretty solid beer if not for the off notes. I will probably revisit.
Mar 06, 2012
GarthDanielson from Virginia
3.52/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bomber into a shaker pint, the beer is a dark, vibrant, mahogany highlighted brown coloring with a foamy, dense, cream colored, one inch head. Aromas of roasted and tangy sweet nut, hints of milk chocolate, and candy sugar. Flavors are heavily roasted forward, with a tangy blend of nut and milk chocolate sweetness. Banana and cream sweetness blend into the palate, as well. Very light and sweet, but smooth bodied and highly drinkable. The roast character kicks up a bit in the aftertaste, cleaning up the overly sweet palate a bit. Nut sweetness dominates the aftertaste. The finish is smooth, light, and slightly frothy at the very end. Decent brew.
Oct 11, 2014
3.52/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bomber into a shaker pint, the beer is a dark, vibrant, mahogany highlighted brown coloring with a foamy, dense, cream colored, one inch head. Aromas of roasted and tangy sweet nut, hints of milk chocolate, and candy sugar. Flavors are heavily roasted forward, with a tangy blend of nut and milk chocolate sweetness. Banana and cream sweetness blend into the palate, as well. Very light and sweet, but smooth bodied and highly drinkable. The roast character kicks up a bit in the aftertaste, cleaning up the overly sweet palate a bit. Nut sweetness dominates the aftertaste. The finish is smooth, light, and slightly frothy at the very end. Decent brew.
Oct 11, 2014
Working Man's Lunch from Fullsteam Brewery
Beer rating:
82 out of
100 with
120 ratings
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