Timberhitch
Fore River Brewing Co.

Deep darker amber. Appears clear. Small but lasting head. Great initial blanketing lace. Spots only toward the bottom of the glass.

Brown toast and slightly sweet smell. A bit of brewery floor and light yeast.

The taste is similar. The body is thin while the carbonation is higher than expected slightly. The flavor is dryer but the brown bread is prevalent. The finish is chewy despite the body. Shorter aftertaste.

 

 

Nice drinkable brew

 

 

 

On-tap 11/19/2021 at Jillian’s in Somerset, MA, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light coppery brown color, with a short dense off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, spice, some fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a strong breadiness from a hearty malt character. Then some sweet flavors come in from caramel, some fruit and a touch of spice. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is bready and slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style. This is a solid beer to drink for a while if you’re in the mood for the style.

 

 

Pint can - no date - poured into a butted pint at 40°F.

Pours a beautiful clear garnet-mahogany hue, topped with three fingers of foamy light tan head with good retention. Some spotty lacing is left behind.

Nose: Classic amber malts lend notes of grain, brown bread, toffee, caramel, a touch of malted milk, and just the faintest toasty whisper of smoke, with a mild hop presence lending some spicy, herbal, grassy undertones. There is a subtle underlying fruitless as well.

Palate: The beer greets the palate with toasty grain and malt. Some subtle toffee, caramel, and bready sweetness really sets the tone for the ale, with a big malty milk ball note. Follows the aroma very nicely. This subtle malty sweetness gives way to some hops - almost Nobel-like in nature, lending a bold spicy, herbal character, with some dry floral notes underneath, which give way to a nice, gentle, resinous bite which dries the malt out very nicely. These hop notes linger into the finish along with that malted milk ball note.

Mouthfeel/Body: The ale is essentially light-bodied, but it's right on the doorstep of medium-bodied. It isn't thin, it isn't watery, and that maltiness builds to provide a hearty sense of fullness. Effervescence is precisely where it should be. Mildly sweet up-front, and mildly dry in the finish.

Overall: This is a local favourite where I live, and shops can't keep the stuff in stock. After finally trying it, I am convinced that there really isn't anything to improve on, without going imperial with it. The balance between malt and hops is perfect, the transition from sweet to dry is perfect, it drinks amazingly, and it is everything an Irish-style red ale should be, and nothing it shouldn't. A spectacular style example.

 

 

 

From the 16 oz. can dated 05/03/2019. Sampled in a dimpled mug on May 21, 2019.

It pours a mahogany amber with maroon or ruby red hues when held to the light. A moderate and lasting tan head.

Ah yes, I get those typical red ale toffee sweetness and bread butter characters with a low to no hop profile. Maybe the vaguest of fruit.

Medium and smooth mouthfeel.

Big and bold toffee malt sweetness in the flavor and a kind of mossy character. It evolves into a moderately dry bitter finale. I liked it.