12 oz single from Hop City, Atlanta, GA. Deep brown pour with a nice head. Not very good retention and no lace. Body has a few orange and rust colored highlights. A barrage of sweet, bready malts in the nose and not hint of bitterness of alcohol. The tastes still keep the malt based at the forefront, but add some alcohol and a little bit of bitterness to back up the idea that this is in the American end of the Brown Ale spectrum. Malts hold up well, and the alcohol never gets out of control....
Notes on beers brewed by
Bison Brewing Co.
Bison Organic Honey Basil
12 oz single from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pour is a fairly dark orange body with a fast receding head and little retention. The nose and tastes do not benefit much from the honey, but there is a distinct herbal quality to the beer which reminds me a little of a a Cinzano Bianco or other herbed/spiced vermouth. This is not really recognizable (at least to me) as specifically being basil, but the herbal nature is unmistakable. The herb nature adds an organic, green feel to the beer and a...
Reunion ’08
22oz bomber from Green's on Ponce, Atlanta, GA, USA - $4.99 (I think). Delighted to have the opportunity to help a good cause, not so much bothered what the beer is like. Amber body - good clarity; thin looking with a lack of significant head and lace. Thin in the mouth too. Some rye in the taste, but I have had one or two rye beers that have MUCH greater rye character (Terrapin). I like the somewhat muted rye notes. Sweetish, sugary toffee/caramel nose. A bit popcorn like. Despite the fact...
Bison Organic Chocolate Stout
12oz single from Total Wine, Kennesaw, GA, USA. Black pour with some impressive ruby red highlights especially a the bottom of the pint glass. Spotty, creamy head (after an aggressive pour), but not much lace. Nose contains a cocoa based, dry chocolate powder. The taste however goes the other way and had plenty of milky chocolate creaminess - the full chocolate spectrum. The finish is especially milky and creamy. I enjoyed this more than I thought I might. A manageable ABV and a creamy beer...
Bison Organic IPA
12oz single. Total Wine, Kennesaw, GA, USA. Pale orange, unfiltered pour with a serious lack of head, lace or retention. Disappointing look. Flat looking. Nose has some hops but gives a little bown sugar too. The taste is overwhelmingly sweet (even for my taste) and its way out of style in that respect. Body lacks life. Dead looking brew. Reminiscent of iced tea. First and last bottle of this one.
Bison Organic Belgian Ale
22 oz bomber. Pale golden pour into the Duvel glass. Clear, golden pour with a somewhat thin and disappointing head. Watery lacing - not much of it. Very mild yeast and spice in the nose. Tastes are extremely mild too. This drinks like a Tripel lite, which of course defeats the whole purpose of a really alcoholic, heay, sweet tripel. Having said that, the more to the bottle that I drink, the more it grows on me. Definitely "different" tastes which I suppose is the Organic nature of the...
Bison Organic Gingerbread Ale
Label describes this as a medium-bodied Porter but I don't see it in that light at all - far too light. Definite garnet color in the pour with a light and fluffy head. Not much lacing to speak of. I'm afraid I simply didn't get any strong cinnamon, spiced or gingerbread aroma's or tastes at all. In fact the whole experience was very subdued and a little flat. Not a bad beer, but rather disappointing, I was expecting a much firmer body and some bolder tastes. Instead I got a drinkable, but...