Gimmick Ale
Half Door Brewing Co.

 

May 19th, 2015 - I really like that the brewers are self-aware on this beer, confessing it's a gimmick before I even get into the glass. Though it might be a one-off experiment, it is a beautiful beer, clear and red like an Irish Red Ale. But there's no mistaking this for something more standard and common. There's peanut butter all over the nose, and effectively smells just like a Reese's peanut butter cup. The flavor is more of that Reese's hit but it's actually quite good. Peanut butter is stronger here than in the nose, and could easily be mistaken for a peanut butter stout. And I think the balance is better here than some of the classics around town like Belching Beaver's peanut butter stout.

 

 

 

 

A: Mild aroma with very faint chocolate and peanut butter aromas.

A: Copper color, totally clear with a very thin head that quickly forms a ring around the glass.

T: Light peanut butter, gives way to moderate white chocolate. The beer is very smooth and finishes semi-dry.

M: Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: Tasty; the beer is surprisingly light (golden milk stout) in appearance and body. While the aroma is pretty minimal, the flavor is very smooth and complex.

 

 

 

It's a funny but kind of hipster premise. The beer is super damn tasty, so they definitely pull it off. Looks like a pale ale, smells like peanut butter, has a complex salty-sweet taste. Definitely worth trying.