Nona's Amber
Crooked Run Fermentation

 

Served in a standard shaker pint, Nona’s is a maple brown in color, poured with a nice head and good retention. I was fairly excited by the description of a hoppy west-coast amber, and hung around long enough for another keg to kick and this one to be tapped, but was ultimately disappointed. Heavy band-aid phenols run roughshod over what could have been a nice base of toffee and caramel - very chemical and really detracting. Some steeped hop character pulls through, but the complexities are mostly covered up. Moderate in body and carbonation. Phenols continue a bit into the finish with a moderate-high bitterness. Unfortunately, this one had a fairly dominating flaw, and was my least favorite of my first visit to the brewery.