Deep End
Tonewood Brewing - Barrington

12-ounce can courtesy of @jonphisher. No date stamp. Enjoyed in a nonic half-pint glass.

Look:
A very appealing chestnut brown with orange-amber highlights. The thick head of ivory white foam shrinks quickly to a patchy skin and collar, and then disappears altogether. No lacing.

Smell:
Nutty, toasty, and slightly sweet with some melanoidin malt coming through. Somewhat earthy in the finish.

Taste:
Not quite what I was expecting from the nose. Less sweet, for one thing. And the Munich malts are more prominent than the melanoidin. Still nutty and toasty, though, with mild sweetness through the middle and gentle roasted malt character on the back end. There's also a bit of noble hop spice (earthy, slightly floral) in the finish.

Feel:
Light-medium body with refreshing carbonation. Clean finish, high drinkability.

Overall:
The nose makes you think it's going to be like Negra Modelo, but the taste, as you'd expect from Tonewood, is much more interesting. It has a rewarding depth of flavor for a mid-strength beer, with nuances that make each sip a pleasure. Deep End is a very enjoyable beer, in a style I don't usually reach for.

 

 

Chestnut brown with excellent clarity; slightly brown tinged head, puffy; above average retention, though no lacing.

Nose is inviting; mellow sweetness with dark toast; roasty, maybe some light cocoa.

Taste is slightly nutty, well done toast, little bit of roast on the finish; there is a lightly sweet malt presence to smooth it all out.

Light-medium body, smoothly carbonated; verges on moderate bitterness, mostly roast driven but there is a noticeable hop aspect too; highly drinkable; the light sweetness is cut by a sticky dry and bitter finish.