Prognosticator
Lucky Cat Brewing Company

Lucky Cat Beer Co. AKA Lucky Cat Brewing Co. AKA 3'OClock d/b/a Lucky Cat Ales & Lagers "Prognosticator"
16 fl. oz. can, "CANNED ON 01/27 2023" and sampled on 04/16/2023

Notes via stream of consciousness: So what's this on the label? Upside down it reads "NAXNWUEPYTSU ILHP". Haha! It's a letter jumble that properly put together spells out Punxsutawney Phil, Gobbler's Knob's most famous groundhog, and that's a good thing because the Groundhog Club Inner Circle has copyrighted the use of the name "Punxsutawney Phil" and no commercial entity may use the name without the permission from the Inner Circle, which does not allow commercialization of the name. The whole thing is kind of funny, particularly the name Gobbler's Knob to me, but I digress. I should, however, point out that Groundhog's Day was a massive, highly interesting and enjoyable event held at the now defunct Grey Lodge Pub in Philadelphia which has morphed into Lucky Cat. It's poured a lightly hazy ruby-brown colored body beneath a short head of creamy off-white foam. The aroma is malty and suggests doughy bread, grainy bread, toasty bread, golden caramel, medium reddish caramel, and a soft fruitiness. Not surprisingly, the flavor follows the aroma. It's malty but not too sweet, and balanced by a moderate to median bitterness that keeps it mainly dry in the finish, and the 8.7% ABV helps as well although it's remarkably well cloaked. The fruitiness, which is actually coming from Vienna malts rather than yeast, adds an additional component that keeps it interesting beyond just bready and caramelish malt. There's also a touch of hop character to it that I'll call herbal and grassy, and although it's minor there's enough that it lends it an additional thread of complexity. In the mouth it's medium-full, or perhaps full-medium in body, and smooth with a moderate, fine-bubbled carbonation. It's unique, and not as dark as most doppelbocks which is curious and charming.
Review #8,582