Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale

fruity aroma with a hint of maple and a bit of bitterness on the finish. creamy and very much so mouthfull. long lasting finish with soft aftertones. yeasty at first, but hops and malt off-set it quite nicely. one of the nicest ales i have ever had.

Thomas Jefferson was a man of great taste, and one taste Jefferson had was for beer. He could be found in Philadelphia quite often, and often drank many a fine ale at the City Tavern. Jefferson of course, brewed his own beer as well, and was fond of beers that he called "big and bold". A favorite recipe of Jefferson’s was that of a golden ale that was very strong, and brewed with malted barley, malted wheat, malted corn, and malted rye. This beer was said to have reached an abv of 11% abv, and was the perfect beer for those cold winters spent at Monticello. Yards version is not quite as strong, but it still packs at punch at 8% abv. Yards brews Jefferson Ale with barley, wheat, corn, rye, as well as honey and lemon. It makes for an amazingly good sipping brew. Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale pours to a beautiful, bright, deep golden color with a thick white head that eventually fades and a soft to moderate amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is fantastic, with complex sweet and grainy aromas, paired with peppery aromas of alcohol. The palate is lush and heavy on the tongue, with lots of sweet malt flavor and flavors of fresh baked bread. This is paired with nice undertone of grainy/spicy rye flavor, and a hint of plummy/citrus fruit. Thomas Jefferson ale finishes with more complex malt flavors up front, then ends with a soothing, peppery alcohol burn that lingers.

My bottle said the Tavern Ale was Jefferson's--not Washington's. Still good, though, especially since we're related to ole TJ. If this is what the Founding Fathers were drinking during the Revolution, it's no surprise that we kicked British butt. Malty fer sure, fruity in the nose, it's a real ale with lots of body and character. Definitely not a session beer, though, unless you're planning a revolution. Let's hear it for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Hoppiness.

Copper color with a nice off-white head. Fruity aroma slaps you in the face immediately on the pour. Upon further inspection the aroma is of sweet apples dipped in caramel or possibly candied apples. background notes of spicy, somewhat floral hops. Enticing start. First sip yields malty sweetness with an impressive hop character that perfectly matches the malty overtones. Ginger and cinnamon possibly evident here along with fruity undertones. Perfectly balanced, hearty mouthfeel. Finish is nice and clean and the alcohol is completely hidden. Very impressive.

An excellent, strong beer. Very interesting flavor. Different. No noticeable hop flavor.