State of Excitement: Cascadian Dark Ale
Level Beer - 1 Brewery & Beer Garden

Look: Black as night with a light tan head that holds as a pillow after slightly settling and leaving a ring of lacing behind

Aroma: Ripe oranges, pink grapefruit, some lemon, dark chocolate, light roast, raspberries, and some earthiness

Taste: Opens up with roast and some earthiness that hold the spotlight for a moment before the citrus parade begins. Orange, grapefruit, lemon-lime, and tangelos all in play, along with some raspberry and also joined by some nice, rich chocolate notes. Chocolate and roast go back and forth with citrus until it closes with a nice bite

Mouthfeel: Full, pretty smooth, medium-high carbonation, clean, and smooth on the finish with a touch of dryness

Overall: This is some good stuff. I was keeping my eyes out for this when I first heard about it and recently lucked out as I’m a huge sucker for CDAs. This is a tasty and well-made example that does well blending the chocolate and roast with the hops without clashing or feeling harsh, plus has the smoother feel of a dark beer, which I think really helps take CDAs to the top tier levels. Recommended