Sweet Potato Pie
Verboten Brewing and Barrel Project

this is super clever and good, a vienna lager base, i think thats the part of this i like the most, not a generic red ale or something, but a really solid vienna that still easy to appreciate on its own, even with everything else going on in this beer, a huge part of why its so successful for me, and a brilliant recipe decision, way cool. the draw though is that its made with actual sweet potatoes, vanilla, nutmeg, and some lactose, it hits just like the fall time favorite dessert, and im about it! nothing too cloying or forced about it, there is an authenticity here thats very impressive. light amber to deep copper color on this, light cloudiness but not messy looking at all, well carbonated and with an average head on it. the aroma is wonderful, not over spiced, but the nutmeg is there prominently, with mildly sweet vanilla and a lot of room left for the caramel malt richness, nice vienna underneath, and the potato part is subtle but there is some starchy earthy depth here, and i think the elements come together really well, not too sweet with the lactose but a touch of that classic marshmallow top. the flavor follows, sweet but not overly so, not even much sweeter than most vienna lagers, toffee and brown sugar to it, but i could still drink this one by the pint. i think the potato impact is evident and i love that, its so nice with the malts in this, and the nutmeg is all it needs to be elevated, its awesome, tastefully proportioned, perfect for holiday time, and something rather unique overall. i love it not being over flavored and i love the lager as a base beer for this, its just so smart, lovely vanilla warmth at the end, cool its low alcohol, so many dessert types go imperial, so this is different. really fun stuff, very well conceived and executed!