Eliot Ness

The first beer I tried at our family's favorite pizza place in Glenview, Dagastino's Pizza on Friday night. Their beer selection fluctuates, but constantly includes unique ales that I often have not tasted. Enjoyed this preceding a delicious thin crust pizza with goat cheese, mushroom, tomato and spinach.

Appearance: Pint poured. Bronzed/rubied amber with a stable 1/2 finger tan foamed head. No visible carbonation while clarity is maximal.

Aroma: This beer exhibits a sweet caramel malt smell with some complementing biscuit malt adjuncts. The smell finishes with a crisp smell reminiscent of a true German lager

Taste: Sweetness is extremely similar to Schwartz's Bavarian Red ale in Sydney of which many of us obsessed over. The rich caramel sweetness with the delicate biscuit malt lagered taste make for an ale that's sweetness is even more pronounced amongst a backbone of complex flavors. The finish is crispy with a note of spice within the finish. Similarly there are slight appearances of leafy bitterness which are then countered with toffee and light, dark fruit tones. Bitterness is not the central characteristic of this beer if at all. As the glass level diminishes I find more notes of nuttiness develop. Finally I can pinpoint the flavor of rye by the end, reinforcing the complexity of flavors.

Mouthfeel: Extremely smooth and refreshing. Body is light with a crisp clean finish of a normal American lager, but far from. Great carbonation ultimately completes this beer.

Overall Impression: Quite a lager. Extremely complex and balanced with nothing forgotten. Definitely the best of both worlds, a potential session and something one could down quite quickly. Simply fantastic.

93/100