Heritage Brewing Revolution
Last week, I mentioned that my first official purchase from Heritage Brewing was a pint of their Sovereign Stout. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Minutes before enjoying that roasty beer, I bought a growler and had it filled with their amber ale, Revolution — the guys were kind enough to set it in their cooler while I sipped from my glass.
Revolution is a 5.8% ABV malt-forward beer that’s brewed with organic, local oranges. Had this beer been more hop-driven, I believe the earthy orange character that it currently contains would have gotten lost in the mix. With the maltier backbone than most expect for the style, the orange presents itself nicely, contributing to the hints of toast and caramel without taking too much attention away from everything else.
Appearance
Deep amber in color, the brew pours with a small cap of off-white foam that settles nicely to a full ring around the surface.
Aroma
Overall the nose is rather subdued, but hints of orange, light grassy hops and caramel are all in the mix.
Taste
The organic orange shows through well with an initial surge of earthy fruit before fading smoothly to the background, allowing the caramel, bready malt, citrus notes and grassy hops to finish each swallow. A low-to-moderate hop bitterness tingles the palate through to the lasting finish. The brew is medium bodied, slightly drying and quite refreshing.
Overall
Heritage Revolution is one smooth drinking amber ale. It’s got a great malt base with just the right amount of organic orange and hop bitterness to make for a well balanced and enjoyable drinking experience. While it was darn tasty on the cold January day that I cracked open the growler, I can’t wait to enjoy it over the warm Summer months. I think it’s got just the right flavor profile to combat a hot afternoon working on the yard.
Rating: 3.75/5
