Black Wattle Superior Wattle Seed Ale
Best before 09/13/08: Pours reddish copper with a thin head that soon becomes a quickly vanishing swirl. No lacing sticks. The smell is of what I assume to be wattle seed. I read a description, as to know what to expect, and it does have some chocolate/coffee notes - herbal/earthy. Not too strong - and with a malty, caramelish background. The taste is of sweet caramel with an earthy cocoaish flavor - must be the wattle seed. I would appreciate it more, for innovation/creativity sake, but the slightly toasted, almost burnt caramelish background reminds me of an imbalanced amber ale. Hop presence barely perceptible, leaving this one sweet, sweet. Lighter side of medium-bodied, with some sweet stickiness. Interesting, as it has a touch of an herb local to the area that it is brewed in, making it unique. But, mixed with a bland base this just doesn't step up much more than mediocricy.