3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Cask/gravity feed in the tap room at the Bavarian Lodge for Metropolitan’s Oktoberfest kick-off party. Poured a hazed amber/gold with modest, off white head foam, and a light ring of lacing. The nose was toasted malt and heavy spicing, with nutmeg dominating the array. The flavor also added to these some moderate bitterness, and a peppery, lightly dry nature. Lower carbonation, as expected, made the body come off a little thin, but not bad for a harvest time, seasonal brew.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Cask pour on tap at Bavarian Lodge (Lisle, IL). A new Metro variant! "Watch the throne". Pours a well hazed darker amber pour, some fiery glow to it, golden amber edges with a frothy loose offwhite head atop. Films thicker, laces well. Aromas are pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and nutmeg, clove, with touches of caramel, vanilla, and biscuits. Toast, toffeen light floral hopping. Pie spice is strong with sweet mellow malts creeping through a bit. Initial is mellow, lighter end of medium bodied with dry crisp spice, cinnamon and nutmeg, touches of caramel, biscuits and toast. Some cool mint works it’s way into the middle, perhaps a byproduct of the spice. Some more toast, mellow grains, and bread. Light dry florals and mellow oranges. Oranges grow, spice, and toffee, some toastiness. Doesn’t really dry out into the finish, some lingering spice, toast, and oranges. Interesting, a bit odd perhaps in the middle with those oranges and faint minty coolness. Ok, but the lack of actual pumpkin seems noticeable. The Dynamo seems an odd choice due to it’s goal at a more dry finish. Ok, and certainly a very pretty pour and solid aroma. But the beer does slack off a bit.
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