Greenpoint Shard
KelSo Beer Company

I don't usually give beers a straight 4, but that's what I was feeling on this one -- Billolick said all the hype I'd heard on it (barrels, specialty, etc.) but I guess I'll add that, as it's printed up on the Fette Sau menus, it seems like it's going to be a staple there. Which I'm glad about.

Poured a very hazy golden orange, with decent head and lacing. Smelled predominantly of bready malts and yeast with some light hops in there to balance it out. I could discern the oakiness, but it wasn't overdone. Tasted delicious but not overpowering in any sense -- pretty nice balance between the sweet malt, the spicy yeast, the wood, and the light hops, but it ends a bit on the sweet side. Goes very welll with the BBQ meats -- a nice creation by Kelly Taylor (who I just found out brews up the street from me on Waverly b/w Fulton & Atlantic -- that's that malty smell when I go to the C train!).

This, I was told, is a beer brewed specially for the new Fette Sau BBQ joint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. IAmerican Pale, aged in chardonay barrrels, sounds good. pours out of my growler super cloudy and apricot in color. The head is fine, and just off white, leaving just a tad of light lacing. Nose is subtly of bready yeast, and just a faint wiff of some smoke or wood. Pleasant, soft ale, notes of piney, leafy hops, some more wood. Interesting appearance, nicely crafted and quite pleasant brew. Probably would do quite well with BBQ/spicy foods, which I suppose was the idea behind this creation. Worth a try.