“Our mission is to brew great beer. No exceptions. No excuses.”
-Mike Hess Brewing Company TeamMaltsHops
LightDark
(Rating from Mike Hess Brewing Co.)
The Mike Hess Grazias Vienna Cream Ale, a noteworthy twist on the old-fashioned Vienna lager, is in season.
The locally-brewed cream ale has a malt flavor, notes of caramel and spice-accented Noble Hops to form a creamy-flavored palette.
This is a darker cream ale in color. It’s a dark amber best served from the tap into a pint glass. The malt creates a taste that is reminiscent of chocolate, vanilla and toasted flavors. This sweet taste plays off the hops producing a sublime flavor.
Don’t be fooled by the darker color, Grazias, at 5.50 percent ABV, is on the lighter side, but is given some body with the smooth creamy texture.
The aroma smells of faint hop spices and creamy notes that could interest even the nontraditional beer drinker. To the nose, a faint caramel smell enters, as well as a pleasantly roasted scent.
This is not a weak beer, it has a malty backbone that is accented by sweet undertones.
To the taste, this beer is sweet but not so much that it disguises the taste of the beer’s hoppiness. The yeast helps eliminate most of the bitter taste, and adds a quaint fruity flavor. The hops, the caramel malt flavor and the sweet creaminess come together beautifully.
This beer is for those who enjoy a flavorful beer without the taste bud twinge associated with most dark ales.
The low carbonation allows for this beer to go down smoothly. It has steady breadiness, as well as hazelnut and cocoa notes.
The medium body makes it an excellent choice when creating an ice cream beer float.
