Sheepscot Valley Damariscotta Double Brown Ale

B4K. Very dark brown body with very light brown head. Nose shows toffee, some toast, and a hint of caramel. Some butterscotch and citrus hop in there as well. Overall the beer is sweet. Quite yeasty – almost Belgian in character. Slightly astringent roastiness clashing with the sweet finish detracts from what overall is a pretty good brew.

Growler from Downeast Beverage consumed 4/27-4/29
God damn! This one caught me off guard. After the recent enjoyment of the Special Organic, I was hoping for a good beer, but didn’t expect this caliber. Wonderfully conditioned, naturally carbonated, live, fresh beer pours a huge, well retained head, sporting sticky lacing. Dark brown with some chestnut-auburn tints and light haziness.
Whatever yeast they’re using, I gotta get me some, because this stuff is just fantastic. Crisp, very aromatic and clean. It produces light, dry esters and just tons of crispness...don’t really know how else to describe it. Maple, brown sugar, walnuts and moderately caramelized malts all apparent in the nose, with leafy, earthy hops that add a hint of bitterness. Nuttiness is low, as is the breadiness and there is a distinct, but light coffee note as well. Big, strong aroma, though nothing is overdone, nor is it overly sweet, the wonderful yeast seeing to that. No alcohol or flaws.
As good as the aroma is, the flavor easily tops it, with everything coming together more cohesively. You get a bit of light coffeecake and some vanilla icing, with an almost tea leaf-like hoppiness, showing some light green juiciness. It dries out significantly, adding sweet, but not thick, caramel that is wonderfully chewy and feels as if you are almost chewing on real caramel. Chocolate and light coffee add more complexity and balance as the beer finishes on a peppery, crisp, and lightly earthy yeast note, with caramel and light toffee lingering on. Balance is almost as perfect as a dark beer gets. There’s definitely enough malt texture and sweetness up front, with even a light reprise on the finish, but it’s still well attenuated and shows qualities of a dry, crisp, refreshing brew as well. Gets more flavorful and complex as it warms. Never overdone in any category. I thought it was good upon first sip, and near world-class by the last. Unfiltered texture and natural, tight carbonation is just icing on the cake.

Maine Brewers Festival 2005. Very dark brown body, small khaki head. Stupidly cold. Muted malt aroma becomes slightly sour as it warms. Dark malt with a touch of brown sugar, caramel and burnt sugar are all quite nice until a touch of sour acidity ruins the efect. I can’t imagine that’s on purpose. Average palate. This would probably score at least 3-4 points higher in good shape, but when it’s straight from the brewer like this...

On tap Maine Brewers Fest 2002: Dark brown color, rich nose. Full bodied, starts and ends sour and acidic. Tasted more like a Belgian brown than an American one.

Dark chestnut. Creamy head. Sour with a little countering sweetness and heavy Belgian yeastiness. Medium body. Another disappointment.