Graham Cracker Ale
Hearthstone Brewery

On tap at the brewery taproom in N. Vancouver B C.
Dark brown body with excellent clarity and a decent white head.
Mild aroma with faint spicing.
The flavor has moderate strength but subtle spicing.
Overall. Worth trying.

 

 

A bit muddled. Lovely caramel, brown sugar aromas but way over hopped for the style.

Pours from the can a ruby colour, capped by some loose white head that recedes to a half-finger but leaves lots of lacing.

Smell is malty (toasted? roasted? caramel?), with a slightly wheaty (not wheat beer, but almost Maker's Mark bourbon) backbone. Light vanilla and spice.

First thing on the taste is the yeast, which feels distinctly English in origin. Sharp, slightly metallic. Malt; some hop presence toward the finish and the swallow--herbal, bitter greens; again very much in the style of English Ale of some sort. The whole affair is rather bready, with some subtle spicing--vanilla, perhaps some cinnamon?

I don't really get much in the way of "graham cracker" here. Rather, this just seems like pretty balanced, malt-forward English-style ale. The Reverend Graham would be proud because, like it's namesake, it's tasty without really exciting the loins.

473ml can poured into Sam Adams pint glass.

Pours a clear copper-red with a thin cap of off-white head that leaves alien silhouette lace as it recedes.

Smells of sweet caramel malt, dark bread crust and faint candied dark fruit.

Tastes of more sweet doughy malt, raisins dusted with brown sugar, and mild bitter hops.

Feels smooth and slightly creamy. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Finishes off-dry.

Verdict: Recommended. Doesn't exactly sing of graham crackers, but nice enough.

473ml can - another heretofore unknown to me BC brewery showing up on the local bottleshop's shelves? Okily dokily! Holy shit - I just read the back label - they make a joke about (not) jerking off! Awesome!

This beer pours a clear, bright medium red-brick amber colour, with three fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and bubbly beige head, which leaves some scattered specks of sudsy lace around the glass as it slowly sinks away.

It smells of bready and sweet biscuity caramel malt, vanilla cookies, gritty and reduced brown sugar, and quite faint earthy, leafy, and slightly perfumed floral hop bitters. The taste is rather sugary caramel malt, vanilla cake icing, a booze-tinged dark orchard fruitiness, dried field honey, and some still tame earthy, herbal, and citrusy hoppiness.

The bubbles are simple and sufficient in their supportive frothiness, the body a decent middleweight, and somewhat smooth, but for that rising tide of alcohol astringency, especially as things warm up a tad (so, far, only in the glass). It finishes still sweet, but moderated by a lingering crackery character, understated green hops, and a simmering booziness.

Overall, the sweet breadiness and vanilla essence comes close, but doesn't quite nail the experience of the titular confection. Maybe it's the lurking alcohol, maybe it's the unheralded hops, but whatever it is, I'm certain that crusty old Reverend Graham would not take kindly to this offering, as it could surely inspire carnal thoughts and/or actions, whether self or otherwise directed.

 

 

This poured a rich coppery almost brown with a thin tan head that laced the glass. There is a sweet breadiness to the nose, with brown sugar and vanilla notes. No hoppiness is perceived. The taste is much the same with the sweet bread coming forward. The vanilla also steps up and completes this beer. The only hint I get of hops is a slight bitterness at the finish. I really enjoyed this beer. As this warmed up a more dark fruit, toffee and caramel almost a port or rum like flavour. The higher ABV really becomes more prevalent as it warms up.