Ding Points: 64.50

Pour: 60.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 60.00

Tasting Notes:

25.4 oz bottle, $13.99 Smyrna World of Beverage. Not sure why I bought this. Anyway….

A lighter than expected, reddish hue on the pour.

Founders, Frangelic Mountain Brown

I’m a little surprised at how thin the beer looks. No viscosity to speak of at all, and a beer that produces little or no head even with severe agitation. Little retention.

The nose is a very sweet, nutty affair with a surprisingly low amount of coffee aroma. As it warms we get more of the artificial, hazelnut creamer that many others have spoken of. The same can be said of the tastes. Not really a coffee-based beer at all, the emphasis here is very much on the hazelnut for me.It is a VERY light drinking beer in at least three respects. The 9% ABV is very well hidden; the mouthfeel is very light, even to the point that I might even call it a tad watery; the coffee element in it is very reserved, being replaced by a light nuttiness. It is true that there is a little more alcohol at the end of the bottle and as it warms slightly, but it’s still very well in check.

Frangelic label

Obviously this is reminiscent of Rogue Hazelnut Brown, although I seem to recall that beer having quite a bit more body than this – and it is considerably cheaper, even at Rogue’s often inflated prices. Not sure if that is a fair comparison or not, but either way this represents dreadful value.

I think that if you are looking for a ‘coffee’ beer then you’ll need to look elsewhere for satisfaction. If you are looking for a sweet, hazelnut based brown ale then you are likely to be less disappointed, but at the same time it’s highly likely that you’ll walk away feeling that value for money was not secured.

Other: 9%, American Brown Ale.