Balsam
Ale Architect

Tried it on tap at the brewery. Very dark, almost Guinness-like in appearance with nice puffy off-white head.

Flavours are nice, toasty malt and caramel, but would be nicer if it had a bit more punch. I wonder if the low ABV causes it to be a bit on the “mild” side.

Summary- nice, but I’ll try a different one next time

473ml can - a 'dark mild'. These guys sure have a penchant for interesting names.

This beer pours a clear, dark orange-brick brown colour, with four fingers of puffy, finely foamy, and slightly fizzy tan head, which leaves a bit of streaky island cay pattern lace around the glass as it quickly settles out of sight.

It smells of gritty and grainy caramel malt, some free-range ashiness, bittersweet cocoa powder, subtle cafe-au-lait, some oily nuttiness, and very tame earthy, herbal, and floral noble hops. The taste is bready and doughy caramel malt, toasty biscuits, bar-top nuts, medium chocolate, faded day-old coffee grounds, a hint of brown sugar, and more well-understated leafy, musty, and floral green hoppiness.

The carbonation is fairly timid in its palate-pleasing frothiness, the body a solid middleweight, and generally smooth, with nothing getting in the way of a decent time at this particular moment. It finishes off-dry, the malt, cocoa, and milky coffee essences showing the most lingering swagger.

Overall - wow, for a beer that clocks in at a measly 3.8% ABV, they've packed a whole lot of flavour into it. Great for having a couple when the next thing you have to do is navigate Edmonchuk's treacherous winter streets (and other drivers, for that matter). Good, good stuff!