Friday, October 15, 2010

Beer of the Week (Vol. LXXIV)

Another edition of Beer of the Week brought to you by the cultured folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who will tumble for ya as they help you explore the wide world of wine, whiskey, and beer.

Let's jump right to our beer of the week, Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale:

As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. In honor of this yearly dance, we bring you Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale and invite you to enjoy the show. We use malt within days of roasting at the peak of its flavor to give Tumbler a gracefully smooth malt character. So pour a glass, and grab a window seat to watch as the leaves come tumbling down.

Style: Brown Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 5.8%

COLOR (0-2): Rich brown. 2

AROMA (0-2): Roast malt, a little faint. 1

HEAD (0-2): Off white color. Good volume and lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Toasted malt nicely offset with tangy hops. Flavors of nuts, cocoa, and caramel are noticeable. Medium-bodied with a smooth, slightly creamy mouthfeel. Hearty, but decently drinkable. 4

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Pleasantly bittersweet follow through. 2

OVERALL (0-6): More robust than most autumn offerings, Tumbler Brown Ale is an excellent choice for a crisp fall day, but also serves as a good transition beer as fall invariably turns to winter. This is a fall beer that can still be enjoyed well past the point where the last leaf has fallen and the first chills of winter are upon us. 4

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 15