Lost Coast Old Ale

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Sampled at 1702; April 2009
This beer arrives from the tap with a frothy, one-finger thick, light tan colored head. The beer is a hazy amber hue that has a touch of gold to it. The aroma has a sort of soapy note to it, it is quite malty, with perhaps a touch of mustiness and what seems to be a light tartness. This has an interesting aroma, and certainly not exactly what I was expecting.

The beer has a softness to the mouth-feel up front, but it is backed by a bit of a prickly carbonation-derived texture. The beer tastes sweet and fruity with notes of raisin and red table grapes being most noticeable. It gets a bit herbal in the finish and also has a light bitterness there as well. This is actually quite fruity tasting and the straight malt character plays a secondary role; the malt does provide some light caramel notes and a touch of biscuit like maltiness. This definitely has a nice texture to it with a medium fullness that isn’t too heavy.

This is a nice beer that has a nicely balanced character of fruit and herbal notes; it could use a touch more malt character though, but it is still nicely enjoyable.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Sampled on tap at 1702 on 4/23/2009. This old ale pours a medium orange gold color from the tap. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is caramel, fruity, touch of brown sugar/molasses. A medium bodied old ale. The malts are caramel, fruity and sweet. The hops are floral and earthy. Touch of orange and orange peel flavors throughout this beer. Nice balance. Good carbonation. Nice beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

On tap at Papago. Pour is light brown, thin initial head, near nil lacing. The aroma was dark fruity, molasses, caramel. The flavor was dark fruity initially, roasted semi-chocolate type malts, caramel, finishing with a substantial hop presence, especially for an old ale. The flavors overall didn't work great together for me. Mouthfeel was thin.