Thursday, October 17, 2013

Minneapolis Town Hall Hope & King Scotch Ale

Back in January, 2003, I wrote a very brief review of the scotch ale at Town Hall, one of their popular perennials. Why so brief? It was many months before they started doing growlers (that began in August or September of that year), and I did not take notes while at pubs. Or maybe I did, it could have happened...But these would have been scribbled down notes that I would post later when I went home or to some computer off-site. What I'm trying to say is that it was mostly based on memory. And here they are, and I think they still stand up:

Dark brown to violet in color, with a firm, creamy, lacey head.

Aroma is fresh and fragrant with hints of cocoa, oats, lavender, and honey.

 Soft palate, great texture, generous and lingering finish. Hop presence is minimal, initially, hidden behind a buttress of malt, exuding a pleasant sweetness.
Medium body. In the middle, some hops start to show and do a delicate dance upon the tastebuds, that carries through the finish.
This fine Scotch ale is 3-tiered, I find: malt, hops, happiness.

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