Dirt Brown Ale
Driftless Brewing Company

 

Transparent, deep copper amber (had a hard time coming up with the color), and a slightly odd scent came from the bottle as I poured it into my glass. That also took me a little while to figure out... toasted Captain Crunchberries, not strong or unpleasant (especially as that was my favorite cereal as a kid along with Apple Jacks) but... unexpected. The inch-high head was a nice latte-color, expanded quickly then receded almost as fast. There is a sweetness to the taste that is more chocolate than Crunchberry, but still an almost dark soda like character that gave way to a not unpleasant bitterness at the end. Having given away most of its carbonation, it was smooth going down. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It's not bad, but I feel like this is coffee mixed with cola and is just... unexpected.

 

Draft at the Driftless Cafe in Viroqua, WI. Served in a mason jar.
Dark mahogany brown with a puffy cap of khaki foam on top, spotty lace in the glass.
Aroma was husky with a multigrain toast and a light dry roasting to it.
Malt forward, nutty and bready with a dry finish, aftertaste of low level roastiness.
Smooth and medium bodied, easy drinking and a solid pairing with various foods.
Overall this was a nice beer, and made a good first impression of this brewery.
Now if only they could just keep up with demand...

Had a fresh pour out of a new keg. Seemed slightly cloudy. Nice, full-bodied, malty aroma, A really good nut brown taste! Can't wait for them to get the new brewery and tasting room finished!