Boom Town Brown
On tap at the Skagway Brewing Company in Skagway, Alaska, (population 850) now open year round. Beautiful deep brown with ruby highlights. Thin tan head with some retention. Some lacing. Very clear. Very attractive. Initially not much in the nose, just a little bit of malty sweetness. But after the barkeep brought me a warm glass and it warmed after being transferred to the warm glass. As it warmed I got some nutty, Earthy notes. Later even some alcoholic heat in this modest brew. Like the nose, the taste got way better and complex after being poured into hot glassware and warming. Sweet malt up front, but some dark grains blended nicely, and there was some faint bitterness in the finish to balance the malty base layer. Lightly carbonated and pretty thin. Some creaminess in the texture as it warmed. A faint bitter dryness in the finish added some complexity. No problems here! Easily a session beer. I recall pretty much taking care of a neglected growler at a potluck last summer. So I concede that this is probably not an award winning ale. But, in a town with a year round population of 850 (it more than doubles during the summer tourist season with seasonal workers), we have a brewery! And unlike most businesses, it is open year round!