Spruce Willis
Resolute Brewing Company

a clever idea here, a funny name, and a very well executed beer. i think its a neat way to bring fall and winter together, with the heavy pine addition to a robust marzen lager. easily the best of the resolute beers i have had to date. its got a nice deep amber color to it and a rising tan head from the tap. strong spruce in the nose, very woodsy and wintery, like a christmas tree, maybe real tips, its natural in complexion, but maybe an oil too, as the dosage is pretty darn high here. the base lager is big enough to support it all though, with a huge nutty aromatic to the grain and some obvious baked sort of sweetness, very autumnal, so nice together. the flavor is great, a little bitterness from the spruce helps cut some of he obvious malt sweetness of the base beer, and this feels hearty, even healthy to me as i drink it, like this is exactly what i should be drinking here in chilly early november. a smart beer for sure, cool use of spruce, maybe bold enough to be polarizing, you have to like this sort of thing, but for me its a great flavor addition in this style. perfect late fall brew!

C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE