Local Option Kentucky Common

Local Option Bierwerker
Brewed at Against the Grain Brewery
Style: Traditional Ale
Chicago, Illinois USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard

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Draft at Jerry’s. Dark mahogany with modest, tan head / Rich nose of roast coffee and chocolate / Light to medium body, moderately tart with just a hint of sugar, and excellent balance and dry finish / Deep flavors of bittersweet chocolate, dark roast coffee, and hazelnuts, with notes of oatmeal and caramel / An elegant, chocolately, sour; but, not really fair to compare this to a Belgian sour since this is not made with brettanomyces. Spoke to the brewer and he thought this beer would be better classified as a "traditional ale", and I agree although, appreciated on its own merits, its a pretty fine sour. Would love to see more of this style.

On tap at Farmhouse Tavern. Pours Murky dark brown with light tab head. Aroma’s of chocolate, plum, light funk, and a bit of a metallic note. Flavors of chocolate, light toast, some bread, plum, cherry, dark fruits, and nice tartness. Mouthfeel is a little soft, but overall I thought this worked.

UPDATED: MAY 28, 2012 Sampler, guest tap @ the GI Clyborn location. Color is dark brown. Moldy cobwebby aroma with faint cherry pit and some roast. It is akin to a Flanders but even tamer and the roast is novel (light roast). Flavor has more sour cherry flavor covered in roast. Interesting and very quaffable. Would love to buy this in a 10 dollar sixer. But roast and sour a bit weird.

Enjoyed on tap at the Local option, with the brewers, the owner. Several samples of a Flanders Red I realize there really isn’t any cherry here, and my palate can walk out scott-free. Coffee! aroma, brown colour, lacey, creamy. I am told only 2 brewers in the USA do this, and I am told from my fellow raters, that someone tried it at a one off cask fest in Ontario.

On tap
Brewed by Against the Grain, I knew this would not let me down after a trip on the train to Local Option for an evening nightcap. Despite a price tag that was a bit high I enjoyed this solid, sessionable beer with plenty of unique character. Hopefully more regional breweries try their hand at this somewhat different style.

Aroma / Appearance - The deep black body rolled around like waves on a choppy sea. Fluid and soft the nose is standard for the style. Sour coffee, malt, and rye drive a profile which is right on par with expectations. My first thought is a Snickers bar dipped in espresso grounds.

Flavor / Palate - Gentle and soft, the mouthfeel is not as intense as expected. A mix of coffee, plums, and sour mash play against each in a competition to see which can last the longest. Eventually it transitions to a burnt chocolately finish with a tart bite. Just thinking about this makes me want to seek out another pint.

From the tap poured a brown color with a fair amount of head. Sweet malty flavor with a sour finish.

On tap at fountainhead. Interesting blackish brown thin fan head. Nose is dark fruits, roasted malts, cherry cola. Interesting grape soda carbonation and sourness with mild chocolate notes. Complex to say the least and I think it works. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

4oz pour at haymarket. Poured a red brown with a modest beige head. Both the rye and funk flavor come through well on the aroma. This has a nice balance between a dry, zippy spicy maltiness.

Aroma of dark cherry, molasses, light apple vinegar. Appearance is dark cola brown with bone head. Flavor matches the nose, but with a nice chocolate base. Palate is lightly bubbly and soft. An interesting mix between a cherry/chocolate beer and a Flemish brown.

Draft from the diamond. Dark pour white head. Sourdough and chocolate biscuits. Pretty good