Hay Burner
Berthoud Brewing Co.

this one is quite a bit better than the amber, a curious dark malt profile and a fun yeast strain. quite dark, more like a black ale than a dunkel, not a ton of red underlying this. the head is nice and off white frothy but short lived. it smells pretty good, a touch of smoke, a little more roast than i usually see in the style, and a fruity yeast complexion that finishes it off nicely. the flavor is about the same, hard to tell if its smoked or just scorched, has a slightly caramelized complexion, and still a dab of smoke in there. the yeast lightens it up from the dark grain a lot, and provides some need fruity balance. it could stand a little more carbonation, but feels pretty good in terms of overall mouthfeel against the style norm. slightly tannic finish like the amber had, just to a much less degree. not sure how long these guys have been around, but im sure it will get better. this is a creative recipe thats just slightly off from being very good. ill check back with them in a few months and see how they have progressed, i would bet quite a bit.