Light & Sweet
Carton Brewing Company

 

 

 

Can. Light & Sweet, a nitro-carbed cream ale. The nitro wasn't very spectacular to watch. The carbonation just settled differently. Not much head either. Doesn't really seem like the can tech was on point - at least visually. Smells like sugary sweetness and coffee grounds. Blonde roast coffee...but also very much still beer. Flavor is sorta like used a coffee ground was steeped in a light bodied beer. Soggy, used coffee grounds is what i keep coming back to. The nitro doesn't really work either. It's just flat and lifeless. I get that this is a riff off their pretty impressive offering Regular Coffee. This attempt to scale down does not work. Happy I only bought a single. OH, and when I poured the final contents of the can into my glass the bottom of the beer shit out what looks to be tobacco shreds? No idea what it is, maybe coffee? Looks like someone put their cigarette out in my beer and the flaked tobacco just danced about. Holy shit.

 

 

 

Pours a nearly translucent copper-straw with a finger of white foam. Pour was gentle, but it appeared it would've gained more foam with a more modest or harsh pour. Head retention is good. Aroma is caramely, nutty, earthy, toasty malts with sugary lactose and lightly bitter coffee that come on stronger as the malts fade away. Net balance leans sweet. Flavor profile is sweet, with toasty, earthy, caramely, nutty malts and lactose sugar and coffee. Coffee is mild, with a moderately bold development that carries light characteristics of chocolate across the tongue. Really lovely coffee development in each sip. Mouth feel is medium in thickness with a splendid smoothness. Overall, sugary (as the name would imply) with great coffee characteristics, all contained within a solid cream ale. Very approachable. Very enjoyable.

Served in a 15.5oz Speigalau tulip from a 16oz can.

 

 

A: Murky deep gold with minor foam and decent lacing for the foam it has (Foam only from aggressive pour).
N: Light coffee, malt, caramel, sugar, and a little vanilla.
T: Follows the nose, creamy light coffee hit with some sugary notes, caramel/vanilla, and a light malt feel.
M: Light and clean zero ABV feel.
O: A nice lighter version of the beer, good flavors and easy to consume.

On tap at brewery:
Looks stark white until after a slow clearing period of the nitrogen bubbles. Afterwards, we have a perfectly golden beer with a pillow of dirty white nitro head atop of it. Sheets of foam.

Nose is that similar to a few “white stouts” I’ve had in the past. A bit of malt plays with a lighter coffee note, with a sweetness included that I’d assume was lactose, though I missed that as part of the description if it is there.

Taste is sweet, but not too much up front. The cream ale base can still be discerned fairly easily, along with the coffee notes. The latter doesn’t squash the former, though it does take over eventually. Sweetness builds.

A soft, moderately light beer, drinking easier than its 6%. It did remind me of the higher ABV original Regular Coffee, even though I haven’t had that beer in a while.

 

On draught (nitro) at the brewery. It pours a slightly hazy, light honey color with a thick, creamy, bright snow white cap. On the nose there is freshly-brewed coffee and creamy lactose. True to its mission, the taste is almost equal fresh coffee and creamy lactose. It lacks the big coffee flavor of the Regular Coffee variants, which isn't surprising since it's intended to be a liter version with half the ABV. It's also less bitter than the original version. Served on nitro it's very creamy and an easy drinker. Overall, Light & Sweet does exactly what it's supposed to do. But just as I prefer stronger, darker coffee at a New Jersey diner, I like the more robust Regular Coffee, which is an iconic cream ale, better. By no means a criticism, just a preference.

If I had never tried Reglular Coffee I would probably be rating this higher. Regular Coffee is incredible and this light version does seem to miss that big ABV richness and sweetness. With that being said this beer is still great, tasty, easy drinking, lovely flavor balance. A bit pricey but I'm glad I bought it. yb

 

**
07/10/2019

can to tulip glass.

LOOK: pale yellow, small eggshell head, poor retention (expected better with nitro).
AROMA: sweet creamy coffee.
TASTE: coffee and lactose flavors are prominent; a nice sweetness but not too much. Light grains.
FEEL: very smooth, goes down nicely. weak carbonation (nitration), but this is probably best with less bubbles.

Very nice. enjoying this as a little after dinner drink.

**

 

Poured into a pint glass. A hazy golden color with a medium sized creamy white head. As billed, this smelled and tasted like coffee regular. I was impressed by the bright coffee notes balanced with just enough sweetness to avoid overwhelming the beer. Light and creamy feel. Outstanding.