City Steam Careless Love

Brewed by City Steam Brewery Cafe
Style: Bière de Garde
Hartford, Connecticut USA

Serve in Stem glass, Tulip

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Draught @ Brewpub: This was quite the nice brew. The color was a slightly reddish shade of copper, and was fairly clear. The head was small and tan. The aroma was interesting: There was a lot going on there, but I got some notes of floral, vanilla, oak, caramel, and many other unidentified aromas. The taste was quite good. It was sweet, with some caramel, vanilla, fruits, all coming together to make a really good brew.
Earlier Rating: 2/8/2004 Total Score: 4
Draught: This was nice. The beer was served in a long flute. It had a dark amber color, with a hint of coppery red in there also. It had a good, strong head to it. Nicely sweet aroma, with some spices thrown in. The tste was really good: it was a nice malty sweet, with some spiciness. Perhaps a bit oaky too. A very pleasant suprise to find this one at City Steam!

I was pretty excited to try this one, and it didn’t let me down. Served in a pilsner glass, pours a bright golden with 2 fingers of thick foamy head. Aroma is sweet, floral, lightly fruity of pears and apples, and a little oaky. Flavor starts with a complex, yet subtle sweetness. Oak, pears, and caramel, then turns to some more light fruits and floral notes. I’m glad I got the opportunity to try this, the brewmaster did a great job with this one.

On draught, 4/13/05 at the brewpub. Served in a tall pilsener glass, this beer appeared a deep copper-amber color, lightly hazy, with no head and large bubbles sitting on the sides of the glass. Aroma is strong and lasting, of sweet caramel and wonderfully fresh almonds, lightly dry wood, very aromatic and fresh vanilla beans with no hops. A little light on the yeast notes in the nose, is my only complaint thus far. Flavor is initially malty sweet, with caramel and almond flavored vanilla pudding. Lightly sticky toffee notes mix with a dry, and very sublime oakiness. Lack of a big Belgian yeast kick somewhat dampens the experience, but you could, perhaps, pass it off as just a low-yeast apparency version of the style. What did impress me, was the controlled use of barrel aging (well, chip aging actually). Subtle, but just noticeable enough to add a pleasant woodiness. I applaud the brewer for not getting carried away. On the finish, with the wood and almonds are notes of vanilla and perhaps nutmeg or cardamon or rye. A bit of a fruitiness on the finish as well, darker fruits though. Mouthfeel is a touch watery and the carbonation tickles the tongue. No alcohol or hops apparency. Fantastic effort. WIth a good deal more yeast, this stuff could attract a lot of attention.

Deep golden in color with a small off-white head. Aroma of fruit and spice with mild woodiness. Flavors of dark fruit,banana,plums,toffee,spicy with a prickly carbonation on the tongue.
Earlier Rating: 12/26/2003 Total Score: 4.3
Deep copper with a thin white head.Fruity,sweet malt aroma.Roasted malt notes,with pepper,clove and other spices in the mix.Starts sweet ends dry and mildly bitter.

Has a deep amber/ruby color and a sweet malt smell. Taste is very malted/alcohol and finishes spicey. Overall I did not like this one too much, the flavor of the malt/spice did not sit well with me.

Vanilla and fruit in both the aroma and flavor. Woody and alcohol bitter. Grows on you the more you drink it. Perhaps too subtle.

Clear golden with white head. Aroma is sweet and spicy apply, fairly mild. Taste is sweet and perfumy -- spicy apple cider. Finishes fairly bitter.

Golden honey with a slight haze. Frothy off white head. Creamy smooth, full bodied, spicy, sugary sweet with a nutmeg, juniper aftertaste. Hints of oak and feisty alcohol. Long, spicy finish. Could be a bit maltier but quite the solid example, especially considering it’s local.