French County Ale
The Farmers' Cabinet

Draft at Farmers' Cabinet.

Pours a dark amber, almost chestnut brown color with ruby edges and a two finger frothy white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring.  Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Slightly earthy aroma with a musty hop presence countering the malt notes.  Hints of soil and pine followed by zesty/peppery spice, caramel and toffee.  Some subtle fruit notes as well.

Medium bodied with a balance of earthy hops,  zesty spic, dark fruit and sweet malt.  Not as bitter or earthy as the nose suggests but it's still there with hints of soil and pine.  Spices more prominent than in the aroma  with prominent pepper and coriander.  Odd combo of flavors. As it warms the malt character become stronger with hints of rye, caramel, toffee, cherry and other dark fruit notes.  Easy drinking but a bit earthy for my liking.

 

On tap at the Farmers' Cabinet. This brew appears a hazed copper color with a finger of tan froth. Solid retaining powers to the cap that maintains nearly a finger's strength throughout the entire duration.

The smell of this brew is somewhat fruity and overall very clean with a touch of alcohol esters. Some faint toasty malt is included with almost a vanilla sweetness about it coupled with yeasty notes.

The taste is a bit like cider initially with plenty of dark fruit flavors mixed with toasted to caramel malt. This brew is very clean throughout with a balance of residual sweetness verse alcohol. A light hop inclusion comes across a bit herbal.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation. It is an easy drinking offering with the 6.7% well integrated throughout the brew.