Shannon The Dude's Brew
Rock House Brewing

16 ounce can, don't remember the exact canning date but I'm pretty sure it was sometime in November 2021. Bought this at the brewery when I was in Lexington recently for the Ohio University/Kentucky basketball game. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a dark brown color with not quite an inch light tan head that stuck around a while. Decent amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like grainy malt, vanilla, nuts and chocolate. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some caramel and earthy flavors noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's smooth and easy drinking, nice sessionable brew! It's a good overall tasty brew, nice to drink when you're at KSBar or at Rock House. I've had this brew a few times over the years, but didn't get a chance to do a proper review of it until now. Worth picking up if you get the chance to!

 

The insistence among Kentucky brewers to drag an extinct beer back from the dead is uncanny. Teaming with radio personality, Shannon the Dude, the brewers at Rock House embark upon the Kentucky common ale to give the style a reason to make a resurgence.

Medium brown and decorated with a scant trickle of froth, the slightly tart ale rises to the nose for a scent of toast, cola, coffee, light chocolate and a hint of tangy orchard fruit. Squarely focused on malt sweetness, the beer's early impressions are of the toasted, nutty cola-like tendencies along with the creaminess of malted milk.

Light in carbonation, the robust taste of a brown ale influence bring the underlying chocolate, coffee, pecan and heavy toast flavors to a caramelized backdrop with a light and floral honey taste. A kiss of cider and cherry lurk underneath and begin to inform the tastebuds after the sweetness subsides. Light on hops, the beer's late palate is a broad and woodsy balance that works with the mild acidity for an offset of sweetness while allowing the session to remains malt dominant.

Medium bodied and laying weightily on the tongue, the beer's friendly malt taste rewards the tongue with a hint of decadence even though the beer's gravity and alcohol influence is only moderate in its palate impact. A hint of wine decorates the finish while the classic Kentucky beer trails with that quintessential taste of cola.

I didn't find the right type for this beer, a Kentucky common. To me, it's a brown ale with a vanilla flavor. Dark in color but light in mouth feel. Surprisingly tasty! And you can have more than one! 4.9 ABV