Peak's Organic Espresso Amber Ale, the seventh beer to be reviewed in the blog, was the brew I selected for Super Bowl Sunday! Why, you ask? Because, it is a "special" release ale produced in Portland in conjunction with Trade Certified espresso by Coffee By Design, another local Portland establishment. The word "special" drew me to it as the SB has somehow morphed into a "special" occasion with parties, food, friends, pools etc...This year, the husband and I quickly came to the realization that we'd be home bound with the little duo enjoying the actual game and forgo an invitation to a Japanese themed SB party.
We planned our detailed menu & indulged in tacos with the kids, danced to The Black Eyed Peas during halftime & the husband even watched the ending of the game on picture-in-picture on our TV while our daughter watched her favorite Angelina Ballerina episode...what a win-win for him (even won a little dough in his office pool too)!
But, this isn't about our SB party, it's about the brew, and, sadly, it was not that "special" for me! I've had other Peak beers, my favorite being their fall release of Maple Oatmeal Ale but this one just didn't do it for me. I found myself shaking my head while sipping it and swishing it around my mouth hoping it would start to taste better. According to their website, http://www.peakbrewing.com/, they produce their ale, "to start bright and lively from an abundance of Crystal Malts by establishing a strong contrast between front palate and back palate by adding generous amounts of Munich Malt, which provides a distinct toasty finish." Unfortunately, for me, their abundance of malts and my multiple tastings did not improve my experience with the beer. Here are my results after the big game:
Taste: malty slightly biscuity with a bittery (not buttery) aftertaste--like a hoppy floral tang
Color: brown with cranberry hues--quite pretty
Thickness: slight to moderate with little head and few bubbles
Will it help me sleep better? you would think so due to the high alcohol content at 6.8% ABV but with the espresso in it the opposite effect should have occurred...who knows? I don't think I drank enough to comment on the sleep or no sleep category, other than to say that I did manage to stay up for the entire SB game!
Mom Factoid: While this beer may not have been one that I'd choose again, I do applaud Peak's for trying to merge a mom's coffee addiction with a brew. In terms of coffee, there's nothing better than waking up to a strong pot of joe and meeting up with a mom or group of moms for a cup of coffee during a play date!
When I read that you were reviewing a peak beer, I was excited! After all, I believe that a Maine Peak Organic was the winner of last year's beer drink-off. What a bummer that it didn't match up!
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