33 Select Brown Ale
Okoboji Brewing Company

A: Murky--opaque--brown hue with a thin but steady and thick brown-colored head and great lacing

S: Sweet, malty, and spicy (cinnamon toast); lots of maple syrup--is this French toast; I feel like I need some bacon; this is kind of weird but I am digging it

T: Not sweet but the roasted, toasty malts play well off the maple and spices--the beer finishes really well with some slight tart citrus fruits on the finish

F: Creamy, somewhat thick on the front end but oddly thin on the finish

O: I like this beer; it's a bit odd and it is certainly not for everyone, but I sure wouldn't mind another...especially for breakfast

 

This is a quality brown ale although this is not my personal best choice. Nice dark brown ale color with a rather weakish head. T he aroma is strongly dominated by the maple syrup and hints of vanilla.

The taste opens sweet and maple flavors come through. The vanilla is also also lingers on the tongue. The vanilla for me in beer is a put off. I have tried a couple of vanilla porters and just don't like beer and vanilla. The finish is fast and dry. A nice hop balance to the sweetness. I find it a bit sour, and I think that is the vanilla coming through. I tagged it numerically with a 3.0, a generous 3.0.

A quality beer that deserves quality music. I recommend jazz trumpeter Paul Smoker's collaboration with Anthony Braxton if you can find it. If you cannot try Paul Smoker - Duocity in Brass and Wood with Ed Schuller and Dominic Duval