mmmmmm, beer. I love beer. Have I mentioned this before?
I have been researching beer since my initial thought on beer blogging. There is so much I want to learn, yet I know that I have barely scratched the surface. Recently, I began reviewing beer judging and its associated technicalities. It is this newly acquired knowledge that I will apply to my first beer review.
My first victim is Dark Cloud from Mother Earth Brewery located in Kinston, NC. This is a brewery has been on my radar screen for some time now and it just so happens that I found a "sixer" of their brew in a local store. The brewery got its name from a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band song titled "Mother Earth." I'll save the details about the brewery for my visit.
Dark Cloud is a Munich Dunkel style beer. I have never drank much Munich Dunkel style beer. Not that I chose not to, but it just was never available where I lived or I wasn't looking for it. Anyway, I saw it the other day and thought I would give it a try.
Appearance: This munich-dunkel pours a crystal clear dark copper color. Gave a substantial off-white, one inch head that had little retention which resulted in minmal lacing.
Smell: The main scent that comes through is a Munich malt sweetness, typical of a traditional Munich Dunkel. There was also a hint toasted breadiness (is that a word?), along with caramel.
Initial Taste: Mmm...this is one well balanced beer. As the aroma suggests, sweet flavor of the malts are dominate with hints of caramel and a bit of grass. The finish is sweet with some lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue.
According to some of the research I have done, this beer has all that of a traditional Munich Dunkel. This is a very tasty beer that would satisfy any beer enthusiast and may convert a few over to the "dark" side. There is a nice blend of bitter and sweet to make it smooth. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good dark lager or just wanting to try something new.
cheers!
cheers!
