Heritage Brewing Kings Mountain
After spending the last four days having a great time in Atlanta, the Delta airliner I was crammed into slowly descended as it neared Dulles airport offering me a chance to spot landmarks from a few thousand feet up.
The first was the Fredericksburg area and the in-laws neighborhood, then a few short minutes later I spied Manassas regional airport. Knowing where that was geographically, I was then able to work my way quickly up Rt. 28 to the roof tops of both Bad Wolf Brewing (and it’s distinctly orange facade) and across the street, a local favorite, Heritage Brewing.
I believe at this point, I’ve enjoyed all of Heritage’s staple of full-time beers. While The Revolution is still my go-to for growler fills, their 7.4% ABV Kings Mountain appears to have jumped to the forefront as their top grossing product. It’s easy to see why this Scotch Ale has gone to the head of the class — there just aren’t that many malt-forward brews in the northern Virginia area that are as thoroughly enjoyable.
Perhaps it’s the robust malt and grain character the beer brings to the table. Perhaps it’s the hint of brown sugar that it’s crafted with that draws in fans. Regardless, Kings Mountain is an approachable and easy drinking (despite its potency) beer with a rewarding richness and smoothness that is good just about any time of year. I could have surely used a pint on my flight home.
Appearance
Kings Mountain pours a hazy copper in color with a short-lived cap of beige foam.
Aroma
Subdued overall, but there is a good malt character with bready notes, toast and hints of brown sugar. There’s a soft peatiness, as well.
Taste
The malt profile leads the way and dominates throughout. Bread, caramel, distant brown sugar and a smooth roast accompany the light peat notes as a soft bitterness rounds it out. The medium bodied brew drinks incredibly smoothly with barely a hint of alcohol in the clean finish that also has a lingering, gentle malt sweetness.
Overall
It’s easy to see why this tasty brew has become such a hit for Heritage Brewing. Smooth malts with caramel, toffee and a hint of brown sugar not only make for a great flavor, but also a departure from the norm for most of the hop-forward brews that dominate this market.
Rating: 3.75/5
