Honey Cream Ale
Butte Brewing Co.

 

i had much higher hopes for this one, seems simple enough to execute and exactly the kind of beer i was feeling like when i walked into this place, which is large and new and very happening on a week night. this is a bit darker than i expected, a deep honey color, brassy looking, clear enough, but not as light and drinkable visually as i hoped it might be, deep for a cream ale. the aroma is sweet, but its like a generic sweetness to me, not an obvious honey complexion, maybe that part is fermented out and we are just getting the grain sugar here, but its pretty one dimensional as they go, not unappealing, but sugary and devoid of much honey character. in terms of the flavor, its more of the same, a bit of the honey up front, but it turns into just sweetness pretty quick. its not as crisp then as i like cream ale to be, and seems kind of dumbed down even if its a little bitter in feel than most. a light metallic note on the finish doesnt fit in well either, and this warms up a little rough. a beer that should be so bright and easy ends up being kind of tiring, and thats a big turn off in the style. fortunately, i liked a lot of the other ones i tried in here quite a bit better than this one. its in need of some retooling i reckon...

Served on tap in a pint

Appearance – The beer is served a clear golden color with a one finger head of white foam. Over time the head fades leaving one with a ton of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell –The aroma of the brew is strongest of nice creamy and bready smell mixed with some lighter notes of honey and some graininess. Along with these aromas comes a little bit of hay as well.

Taste-The taste begins with a caramel and bready taste with a little bit of a grainy flavor. As the taste advances the caramel and bready fade, with some more grainy flavors and a bit of hay taking their place. All the while some light grassy, herbal, and cardboard like flavors develop, which in the end, mix with the rest to leave a slightly dank and dirty cream taste to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the slightly chewier side with a carbonation level that is rather high. For the cream ale style it is rather decent, but nothing special overall.

Overall – Not my favorite cream ale overall. It was not super smooth and had some slightly off flavors associated with in. Not one I will go to again.