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newbs beware

by Ceit
December 29, 2022December 29, 2022

Second to last and not as dark as my desires, but expecting to guide the tastes of others can be a mistake. It might even be a … Rookie Mistake. I’m not sure if Guineu is quietly admitting they meant to make something else, or warning off people who don’t quite know what to make of a Special Bitter.

It has the dark caramel color of stronger, toastier beers. There’s a certain Christmas spice in the aroma, a little ginger maybe and something like clove. But will it be spicy or bitter? Turns out neither, really. It’s unsweet apple mostly, but not quite enough to be astonishingly bitter. The potential spices are a bust in the taste. Too bad, could have been sort of an apple pie beer. It has some roughness, a little throat-grabby, and I get a mild aftertaste that is more bitter than the beer itself. So, although surprisingly subdued, it does make you pay some attention when you drink.

vroom vroom

by Ceit
December 19, 2022December 19, 2022

It’s not a black beer, but it is pretty dark, and strong besides. Attik Brewing offers Hot Rod American Strong Ale for another rainy December day, with a label that ought to warm the table. It looks exciting, and vaguely dark and dangerous.

It has the dark color of a strong beer, with a light beige and resistant head. There’s a little bit of apple floating around in the air, again hitting the notes of strong beers in memory. For some reason I expected a thicker and sweeter entrance, something like a barleywine, but it is not like that at all. It’s strongly bitter, playing up the ale part of its build, with a bit appley sweetness wandering in only when most of the sip is already down your throat. The bitter never goes away either. Although it’s not a heavy or sticky beer, echoes of sharp bitterness remain much longer than you expect. Good to keep you from chugging it down too fast, I would imagine.