Working Man's Lunch | Fullsteam Brewery
Brewed by:
Fullsteam Brewery
North Carolina, United States
fullsteam.ag
Style: American Brown Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.70%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
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.
Added by atsprings on 10-02-2010
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 117 | Reviews: 21
3.4/5 rDev -3.1%
Texasfan549, Aug 28, 2014
3.24/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.63/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to bmanning for opening this growler to start off a recent tasting. Served in a snifter.
Pours near black with a short tan head that leaves behind a tad bit of lacing and has a nice tan collar throughout the brew. The nose is pretty nice with a bit of roast and chocolate plus some mild German yeast characteristics. A bit of banana in there, though not really any clove. They certainly hit their description, though I'm not sure how well it works. The flavor is fairly roasty, though it is pretty light as well. Faint dark chocolate notes throughout as well as a lingering yeast presence. The body is medium with moderate carbonation. Overall, this is pretty good. Certainly unique.
691 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to bmanning for opening this growler to start off a recent tasting. Served in a snifter.
Pours near black with a short tan head that leaves behind a tad bit of lacing and has a nice tan collar throughout the brew. The nose is pretty nice with a bit of roast and chocolate plus some mild German yeast characteristics. A bit of banana in there, though not really any clove. They certainly hit their description, though I'm not sure how well it works. The flavor is fairly roasty, though it is pretty light as well. Faint dark chocolate notes throughout as well as a lingering yeast presence. The body is medium with moderate carbonation. Overall, this is pretty good. Certainly unique.
691 characters
4.05/5 rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Eddy Pub in Saxapahaw.Poured into a standard pint glass a deep roasted chesnut brown with a tinge of ruby,a thinner beige colored head atop.Aromas of chocolate and roasted nuts really stood out,light vanilla and clove-like spice were subtle.A little sharp in the mouth but after awhile it did mellow a bit.Bitter chocolate,molasses,and vanilla flavors with light roasted nut on thepalate,a decent earthy/woody drying note in the finish.A pretty good after dinner beer,I have never had a moon pie or RC cola for that matter but I'll take their word for it.
569 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Eddy Pub in Saxapahaw.Poured into a standard pint glass a deep roasted chesnut brown with a tinge of ruby,a thinner beige colored head atop.Aromas of chocolate and roasted nuts really stood out,light vanilla and clove-like spice were subtle.A little sharp in the mouth but after awhile it did mellow a bit.Bitter chocolate,molasses,and vanilla flavors with light roasted nut on thepalate,a decent earthy/woody drying note in the finish.A pretty good after dinner beer,I have never had a moon pie or RC cola for that matter but I'll take their word for it.
569 characters
2.87/5 rDev -18.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
22 ounce bottle - $6.00 at Tasty Beverage Company in Asheville, North Carolina.
Appearance: Pours up a clear, dark-brown body with an inch of beige-colored foam.
Smell: Subtle chocolate, dry caramel and some slight, underlying nuttiness followed by some sourish bananas notes and a bit of phenolic cloves from the hefe yeast.
Taste: Flavors of light cocoa powder, caramel, toast and toasted nuts. Initial malty tastes give way to an undercurrent of green banana and (light) clove. A little showing of bitterness along the way. Things don't particularly mesh well as you head into the drying, thinnish finish. With the brewery going for cola and Moon Pies, I can surmise the cola, but, Moon Pies? Not buyin' it, guys.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body, light leaning and even a tad watery. A hair over medium carbonation.
Overall: It did not win me over. For me, the selection of a hefe yeast, while different, wasn't a welcome inclusion. Time to get back to work.
964 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
22 ounce bottle - $6.00 at Tasty Beverage Company in Asheville, North Carolina.
Appearance: Pours up a clear, dark-brown body with an inch of beige-colored foam.
Smell: Subtle chocolate, dry caramel and some slight, underlying nuttiness followed by some sourish bananas notes and a bit of phenolic cloves from the hefe yeast.
Taste: Flavors of light cocoa powder, caramel, toast and toasted nuts. Initial malty tastes give way to an undercurrent of green banana and (light) clove. A little showing of bitterness along the way. Things don't particularly mesh well as you head into the drying, thinnish finish. With the brewery going for cola and Moon Pies, I can surmise the cola, but, Moon Pies? Not buyin' it, guys.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body, light leaning and even a tad watery. A hair over medium carbonation.
Overall: It did not win me over. For me, the selection of a hefe yeast, while different, wasn't a welcome inclusion. Time to get back to work.
964 characters
3.37/5 rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
3.71/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.16/5 rDev -10%
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.
508 characters
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.
508 characters
3.45/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.
Two finger light and slight creamy head, very light tan colored almost getting into a dark vanilla brown color. Body color is a nice dark walnut brown, quite dark with some nice red chestnut brown edges slightly. Solid looking brown ale.
Interesting aroma. Large amounts of canned peanut butter and hints of banana. Peanut butter and Elvis sandwich? Maybe not too far off. Nutty and just a little sense of toasty bread crust, but also thick and slightly sweet malts come out to be in the front. Interesting brew, quite fun, but could be a mess here hinting or something interesting. Some light clove and nutmeg dry spices just a bit. Solid but not sure the direction this beer is going.
Palate takes a very unexpected turn. Nutty flavors come but with a really weak watery palate. Quickly fleeting nuts and roast mid palate, even giving some of that fun peanut butter and banana, but rinses away to a large amount of cola flat sweetness. Large amounts of cola sweetness and watery soda sweet body and flat chocolate soda aftertaste. Hinted peanut butter and banana flavors continue but come out like a dead soda, and hardly any chocolate character to match as advertised.
Overall missing a lot of malt depth and backbone here, and the sweetness is just a little too much and off putting as well.
1,361 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.
Two finger light and slight creamy head, very light tan colored almost getting into a dark vanilla brown color. Body color is a nice dark walnut brown, quite dark with some nice red chestnut brown edges slightly. Solid looking brown ale.
Interesting aroma. Large amounts of canned peanut butter and hints of banana. Peanut butter and Elvis sandwich? Maybe not too far off. Nutty and just a little sense of toasty bread crust, but also thick and slightly sweet malts come out to be in the front. Interesting brew, quite fun, but could be a mess here hinting or something interesting. Some light clove and nutmeg dry spices just a bit. Solid but not sure the direction this beer is going.
Palate takes a very unexpected turn. Nutty flavors come but with a really weak watery palate. Quickly fleeting nuts and roast mid palate, even giving some of that fun peanut butter and banana, but rinses away to a large amount of cola flat sweetness. Large amounts of cola sweetness and watery soda sweet body and flat chocolate soda aftertaste. Hinted peanut butter and banana flavors continue but come out like a dead soda, and hardly any chocolate character to match as advertised.
Overall missing a lot of malt depth and backbone here, and the sweetness is just a little too much and off putting as well.
1,361 characters
3.52/5 rDev +0.3%
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.
667 characters
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.
667 characters
3.87/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2.79/5 rDev -20.5%
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.
230 characters
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.
230 characters
2.58/5 rDev -26.5%
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
996 characters
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
996 characters
3.27/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Working Man's Lunch from Fullsteam Brewery
3.51
out of 5
based on 117 ratings.