Monday, March 19, 2007

Beer Tasting: Yards Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce


The Beer: Yards' Brewing Company Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce Ale
Style: Spiced Ale
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz bottle with no date stamp

From where & how stored: Purchased cold from Ron's Original Bar & Grille. In my fridge ever since.

Pricing: $2.50 per bottle (at The Foodery)

Availability: Year-round

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 5% ABV, according to the bottle (4.5% according to their website)
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- brown, cola-like colored liquid
- decent, lumpy head hangs around for a while
- the cobalt blue bottle is an alluring conversation point

The Aroma:
- slight hoppiness to the aroma
- slight maltiness also
- suppose that makes the aroma slight, and not memorable

The Taste:
- the spruce comes through in just a subtle way
- a bit of sweetness as well, molasses perhaps?
- medium weight to the mouthfeel

The Verdict: Unlike previous experiences with this beer, the spruce came across as a bit "dead" as opposed to the fresh, sappy, live-from-the-tree spruce flavor that I've noticed before. I couldn't determine what may have contributed to this. But, in the end, not a bad experience. Would try again. (As I did with the draft version at White Dog Cafe.)
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- nice blue bottle
- something about that is cool :-)
- darker than an amber, more brown
- head is fairly small, but, nice thing carpet while drinking

The Aroma:
- mmmm...lightly sweet nose

The Taste:
- the taste follows with that same lightly sweetness
- that gives way to a tinge of something that must be the spruce
- clean brown ale with a little zip, but, oh so subtle

The Verdict: I need help understanding this. I've tried it a few times. I like it. It isn't hugely spruce. It is a clean brown ale with a little extra something. It's a keeper. ;-) Makes me wonder what the original tasted like. Hmmmm...I guess Ben Franklin took that to his grave. I'm happy he left his recipe behind.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Pours a dark, brownish mohogany w/ a full, semi creamy, spattered froth slowly receding to a dusty blanket and thin yet contiguous lacing. Aroma is remeniscent of spiced menthol w/ a slight hint of sweet cinnimon biscuits. Medium nectar w/ ample residual effers. It’s a dry, fruity brew w/ a moderate malt componant. There is a defined herbal/menthol character w/ a finely bittered finish. An interesting brew that gains momentum as it warms up. The flavors really start to jell becoming more lucious and complex. Flavors of wintergreen, nutmeg, cinnimon, tobacco, herbs, leather, and bitter wood. OVERALL: I’m always happy to sample brews from the Colonial period. They are very intersing to say the least. I do know they had some good tasting brews back then. I personally would not buy this brew for everyday drinking but it is a complex specimen and worthy of it’s rating. Let this one warm up a bit.