Kooky Munster
White Flame Brewing Co.

 

Very nice brown ale tried on tap at a local gastropub. Pours a nice very dark brown color with some lingering white head and spotty lacing. Smells of brown sugar, mild coffee, milk chocolate, vanilla, toffee, malt, cinnamon and gingerbread. Tastes similarly, along with a faint amount of nuttiness. Very tasty. Smooth mild thin mouthfeel, maybe the faintest hint of creaminess. Just enough carbonation. Very enjoyable offering from a solid local brewery.

12 ounce can into tulip glass, no can dating. Pours nearly opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, cookies, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, herbal, wood, floral, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. A bit too spicy/fruity/yeasty aromas, but not overwhelming. Nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, spiced cookies, light-moderate earthy hops, and light fruity yeast notes; with good strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, cookies, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, herbal, wood, floral, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, woody, floral, grassy, peppery, roasted bitterness; and cinnamon/ginger spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, cookies, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark/brown bread, light molasses/licorice/dark fruit, smoke, herbal, wood, floral, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, spiced cookies, light-moderate earthy hops, and light fruity yeast flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no cloying, acrid, astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, fairly sticky, and lightly chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.7%. Overall this is a delicious flavored American brown ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, spiced cookies, light-moderate earthy hops, and light fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/spicy/drying finish; not overwhelming on any flavor aspect. Great balance of rich malts, ginger/cinnamon cookies, and earthy hops against sweetness. Mild fruity yeast. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on base style example.