Colonial Ale
Blue Point Brewing Company

A: crystal clear; mahogany in color; 1 finger light brown head that receded to a wispy cap; OK lacing;

S: the spruce is dominant, but the molasses is quite noticeable as well;

T: sweet malt with a hint of the spruce tips in the background; mild bitterness on the finish;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;

O: the aroma was more interesting than the flavor;

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a dark mahogany color. Sweetness from the malt and molasses comes through in the nose and taste. Spruce also comes through as well.

 

 

Blue Point Brewing Co. "Colonial Ale"
22 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "Bottled On: 12/14/2016" and sampled on 04/22/17
$4.99 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes: Labeled an "American brown ale brewed with "golden molasses & spruce tips". 3.8% Alc./Vol. Clear russet brown body with a ruby cast beneath a short head of white. Average head retention and lacing. Aroma of nutty milk chocolate with some soft pine, or as the case may be, spruce. The flavor pretty much follows. The molasses is clear up-front, then falls back a bit to reveal more of its nutty, toasty, bready, caramelish, and chocolatey brown malt character, followed by livening spruce in the finish. It's well-balanced with a moderate bitterness; and generally interesting given the molasses and spruce notes, but not compelling. Medium to medium-light in body with a moderate carbonation that leaves it soft and smooth. It's certainly drinkable, like any brown ale should be, and certainly one with a moderate bitterness and carbonation level at just 3.8% ABV. The only drawback for certain imbibers might be the spruce in the finish although I don't think it's overdone at all - in fact I feel that each of the components are very well-balanced against every other aspect of the beer. Without the spruce it would become too sweetish. As a historical representation it's quite nice, and interesting to think about, although I'm guessing it's probably a bit more polished and clean than it was back in the late 1700's. Worth trying.

-dark red-brown, optically clear bottle pour with a 1 cm foam cap. The aroma is largely brown sugar-molasses with some pine. The molasses flavor does dominate and the spruce tips used for bittering are easily detectable. The body and mouthfeel are both very light. This is an interesting experiment, but one was enough for me.

A brown/mahogany pour with a thin white head. A nose of malted barley and sugars. Very light on the first few sips. Upfront, I get the malted barley blast with a good amount of sugary syrup. A very clean and almost watery flow with a dry and bitter finish. Flavor notes of vanilla, oak, bitter pine, and caramel. The mouth feel is light but the flavors do seem to hold up a bit.

Overall, one of the lightest craft beers I've had. Interesting but just not that good.