Eye of the Hawk American Strong Ale

Tried this following my last cross-country workout at Augustana. We ran with Matt Bowman who qualified for nationals as an individual, and just to keep him company. Came back and relaxed to enjoy some Mendocino Select ale

Appearance: Heavy rustic orange/amber with no head whatsoever (perhaps served too cold). The turbidity of this beer is thick for an ale brewed primarily wile pale malt, yet somewhat transparent around the edges.  Carbonation is difficult to see

Aroma: The aromatics of this ale revolve around a boozy backbone with a butteriness interspersed with a sweet malty liqueur. Caramel takes a dominating sensation with a subtle hop profile at the end. Brown sugar and subtle phenols may be noted.

Taste: Dry and malty with an alcoholic finish. as the beer warms, more malt characteristics show themselves as well as slight fruity undertones to complement. The grassy finish remains paralleled with the hop complexities at the end. Gradually, raisins take a dominant role in the sweetness with some clove spices to back it up
Mouthfeel: Thick and tacky with a warming character. Nevertheless it maintains a smooth texture with its minimal yet present carbonation
Overall Impression: This beer is more of just a regular. There wasn't anything too notable about it except the whopping 8.0% ABV. It was balanced but it lacked some vigor. It developed some phenolic notes by the time it warmed to slightly below room temperature.


81/100