Yukon Brewing Company Longest Night Cascadian Dark Ale Black IPA at 6% ABV (2015 Craft Beer Advent Calendar Day #22, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 22-Dec-2015)
Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of medium dense light beige head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: chocolate malt, earthy, pine, citrus, herbal, tobacco & leather. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body tending to watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. (3/5)
OK, bonus points for effort, what with the position in the advent calendar corresponding to the solstice in the calendar, but it’s sort of a “close, but no cigar” situation: yes, the solstice falls on December 22, 2015, but at shortly before 0500 UTC, so the longest night of the year is in fact the night following the evening of the 21st. That is, last night. So, unless you open your advent beer after midnight each day, you miss it by one… oh, well… The beer itself? Well, it’s kind of bland, to be honest: mild aromas, mild flavours, light colour and body. Not a particularly inspiring example of a style that’s actually pretty hard to get right. Could be good, with more of, well, pretty much everything, but pretty boring as it stands. (10/20)
5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
