Dead Ahead
Caravel Craft Brewery

A- The coloration of this one is great....dark copper, with rusty orange/red undertones....it comes out of the can semi hazed as well. The head starts out well too, being that of a rich foamy dark tan color, however, it rapidly disappears into nothing more than a simple thin patch of fizz right in the centre of the glass, alongside an equally thin ring. I believe that this will be mild in carbonation based on the look too, as I only see a few solemn columns that lumber their way to the top of the liquid. As for the lacing, well there really isn't any, but I do get a solid oily looking film that coats the inside of my glass, and it just stays there, looking like my children have rubbed soapy water over the bathroom mirror. Overall its below average looking.

S- I get some heavily toasted caramel and/or toffee inspired malt, dark bread, yeast, robust whiffs of what could be Vienna or Amber malts, giving off some nuttiness and muted char, and I also detect to various degrees milk and dark chocolate towards the finish......speaking of which, there is a subtle leafy dry bitterness right at the end that sparks the nostrils.

T- Much of what I experienced on the nose applies to the flavors as well....big time roasty toasty malts, that lean into brown sugars/burnt toffee or caramel, huge yeasty flavors, dark full grain bread, hints of vanilla, milk and semi dark chocolates, almond nuttiness and even hints of clover honey. The finish is clean with muted dry hop bitterness, but isn't enough to keep the rich maltiness of the beer to cling to the palate after the swallow. Very nice indeed!

M/O- Certainly a medium bodied beer, and as suggested upon glancing at this one, the carbonation is mellow, which suits the fullness of the flavors. It is a social beer that would pair up well with pub fare and if the meal is more traditional, then I would think a beef/lamb stew or pot roast dinner would be great. I recommend this and think it is a well made version of the style!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20oz pint at Arcadia, my new favourite off-Broadway beer joint in central Edmonchuk. Great people.

This beer appears a murky, dark orange-brick brown colour, with a thin cap of wispy and bubbly beige head, which leaves some consistent dissolving ice shelf lace around the glass as things slowly sink away.

It smells of grainy and bready caramel malt, white grape pomace, further black orchard fruity notes, a meek earthy nuttiness, and very tame leafy, weedy, and floral green hop bitters. The taste is semi-sweet, grainy and bready caramel malt, more mixed grape fruitiness, some Nutella or Mars Bar candy character, a hint of earthy yeast, and more understated herbal, grassy, and floral verdant hoppiness.

The carbonation is quite mild in it plain Jane frothiness, the body a decent medium weight, and generally smooth, with a thin airy creaminess arising as it slowly warms. It finishes well off-dry, the vinous malt making the most of its lingering prowess.

Overall, this is an agreeable enough version of the style, if a tad sweet and sticky in its bearing, with a faint damp smokiness arriving late in the game. Interesting, and hardly evocative of the moribund Erse moniker - at least as far as can I tell.