REVIEW 150: NUGGET NECTAR

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Tröegs Brewing Company

STYLE:  Amber Ale

ABV:  7.5%

PURCHASE:  Draft (pint), $7.00

SERVING:  Chilled pint glass. From the tap, a little more than an inch of head on the first beer. On the second, a little less. Very good retention in any case.

APPEARANCE:  Fairly see-through but eye-catching amber body. Off-white head bordering upon beige territory. Very little in the way of visible bubbling. Lacing is initially prominent as well as consistent, but doesn't hold.

BOUQUET:  Well-balanced aroma that toes the line between hops and malt. Ever so slightly doughy.

PALATE:  Mild carbonation. Moderately filling. As with the aroma, this is a very well-balanced mouthfeel. Starts hoppy, and while that part of it doesn't go away, each sip gets maltier toward the end. Roasty finish, with an aftertaste that sees a resurgence of hops. Not a particularly complicated palate, but one whose execution is simple but superb.

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  This is a sterling example of how not to overdo it during the brewing process.

Which leads me to the following question: Does the country's finest amber ale hail from Hershey, Pennsylvania? I can't say just yet. But it's clearly a contender.




GRADE:  A