Casco Bay Carrabassett Harvest Ale

Reddish-brown translucent body with a half an inch of off-white head. Smells malty and yeasty. Tastes malty and roasty. Some hops are also present, but they’re definitely supporting the roasty malt. Medium bodied. This is really good. Kudos, Carrabassett/Casco Bay (once again)

12 oz bottle. Thanks Humulone Red. Reddish brown color, nice head. The aroma does have some nice hops and caramel. Nice flavor! It has a great balance of hops and malt. It’s a really nice brown ale with a great combination of hops and really nice carbonation to deliver its flavors. Spot on, delicious beer. Try some!

Best before 12/14/2005 bottle from Downeast beverage, consumed on 11/30/2005. First of all, I don’t see what’s so traditionally American about this "brown" ale. It’s not heavily citrusy, certainly not piney or anything like that. Mostly just floral hopped. Secondly, there’s no way you would pick this out as a brown ale in a blind tasting. It would be an APA or probably, more likely, an amber ale. Hardly any sweet malt, certainly no sweet brown malts (brown sugar, caramel, coffee) that sort of thing. Very crisp and dry. Dosent even look brown, it’s an amber-auburn with ruby tints when held to the light. Anyways, style aside, it has a foamy, deep beige head, with plenty of large bubbles rising and smells very dry, dusty, earthy, lightly doughy and has some fruits (cherries, dates, apples). Some leafy, dry hop notes too. Earthy, crusty, toasty malts, light caramel sugars. The flavor has a hint of diacetyl up front, but this quickly passes. Light bland yeast, retronasal and light toasted grains. Some bitterness on the end, and a bit of a sticky dryness, possibly dirtiness. Spotty lace, with a head that recedes quickly to cover. Gets dirtier as it warms with only light fruitiness remaining. Very dry, with a watery texture and low to moderate carbonation. Hazy, though, with light sediment on the bottom. Gets leafy and lightly hop juicy and creamy sweet on the end. The beer changes character widely over different temperatures.

12oz. Pours a regular brown color with a light white head. Nose is semi hopy with some nuts mixed in. Taste is malty and nutty, a decent thickness, and a good bitter finish.

(Bottle, best by 12/14/05) Pours medium orangish brown, thin tan head leaves quickly. Aroma faintly sweet, caramel or honey. Lacing poor. Bitterness up front. Flavor weak. Mouthfeel smooth, watery. All bitterness, no flavor.