The coolest thing about running a beer blog is receiving promotional samples from breweries every now and again. It doesn’t happen often and it wasn’t a goal I set out to accomplish with this site, but it’s certainly not a trend I’m hoping ends any time soon.
The latest to arrive in the mail is Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown, a fall/winter seasonal sporting a nicely roasted malt flavor. It’s not quite as nutty as I would prefer in the style, but serves as a nice introduction to the style for those that aren’t familiar with it.
Appearance
The Fireside pours a medium amber with a reddish tint. The one finger head faded quickly to patchy surface lacing.
Aroma
The nose on this one is chock full of lightly roasted malt. There is a nut presence in the aroma, but it’s subtle to say the least. I’m also picking up light caramels, as well.
Taste
This brew reminds me more of something that one would package as an Oktoberfest offering. It’s got a large malt character, but with a nice nuttiness to it — much more than I found in the aroma. The caramel is in the mix, as is a light sweetness and a dry finish.
Overall
Fireside Nut Brown isn’t the best beer of this style I’ve had, but that didn’t stop me from putting away both samples with a quickness. It’s got a well balanced flavor and at 4.9% ABV disappears rather easily from the glass — perhaps a bit too easily.
Rating: 3/5
November 12th, 2009
BarleyBlog said:
Well, since publishing this review, I’ve been blessed with a bunch of samples from Flying Fish, Narragansett, Karl Strauss and one from Shipyard on the way. I better enjoy this trend while it lasts.