HeBrew Genesis Ale

Wow, this was a gusher; I lost a couple ounces to the sink after I popped the cap. The beer pours with a light tan colored head that only starts out two-fingers in height. The beer is a brilliantly clear, red-tinged, dark amber color that shows a full copper color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of metallic hops, light pine and toasted biscuit notes. A more detailed inspection yield aromas of light berry notes, caramelized malt, something a bit like roasted malt and maybe a touch of warming alcohol.

Lightly sweet with a caramel backdrop, the hop character plays the lead role, though just barely; again the hop character is a bit metallic, with a nicely herbal note to it as well as some light, grapefruit like citrus flavors. Toasted grain notes pick up a touch of a sharp edge towards the finish were this sort of astringency mixes with a solid hop bitterness. This has a light-medium heft to it; boosted by crystal malts, the body is just enough to provide a touch of fullness, but this is still light enough to be an session beer.

I am not sure why the beer gushed as it is not showing any signs of infection. The flavor definitely grows on me after a bit as I wasn’t really enjoying this at first, but ultimately this strikes a nice balance between malt and hop.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

Pours a copper / amber color with a small off-white foamy head. Leaves a little rimming. A very clear beer. Aroma has a strong apple cotton candy sweetness. Some honey and flowery hops in the back end. The flavor is mostly a malty caramel, with a little bit of fruit. Finishes with a nice bitter, but that hop flavor was missing in the body of the beer. All the hop character is a dirty grass clipping flavor. The body is average for what the brewery calls a brown ale.

Hebrew’s flagship. Got them enough money to start brewin bigger, better, more tasty experimental brews. Not my thing, but it did us all a favor...(think Fat Tire!).

Bottle says light brown ale, but it’s a pale ale. Hazy copper/orange, fading head. Smells of NW hops. Body is a bit on the light side, but that’s fine. Probably mid-range in hops for an APA. Not the most bite, but still some grapefruit bitterness. "Smooth and distinctive" says the label, and the former is more correct than the latter.

Pours a medium orange brown color with small amount of bubbly offwhite head. Aroma is faint caramel sweetness and tad bit of citric and earthy hops. Flavor is mostly bitter earthy hops. Dry bitter tart finish. Overall, so so.