This beer is different from the last one I had on draft about a year ago, and this is for the better. Last years Applewood Gold had flavors dissipate into the ether from what I recall, and if I were taking this review more seriously, I would reread what I wrote here, but I won’t. I looked at the chart and that’s enough. This year’s Applewood Gold, which I found in 12oz bottles, came out darker, thicker, and smokier, and that led to a better score (overall smoke metric = 4.4 smokestacks compared to the mere 2.5 on draft). Why are these two beers (draft vs bottle) so different? I don’t know. This beer still lands on the lighter side of the spectrum except for smokepower taste, and if sweetness were a metric, sweetness would rank in the high 6’s. Applewood Gold is a light, refreshing, crisp beer with a little sweet and smoky tang to it. This is a positive experience. I will drink more of these when the time is right, and probably when a bunch of barbecue is around.
| Brewer | Moody Tongue |
| Beer Name | Applewood Gold (bottle) |
| Brewer’s Description | The Applewood Gold is a beer true to its name in both hue and excellence. Taste and smell are powerful tools for nostalgia and mood-setting, where certain flavors and aromas can bear the sensor to faraway memories or bring them closer to home. We crafted this beer with sunshine in our minds – making its body light and vibrant enough to enjoy throughout the night, and well balanced to pair with a wide variety of foods from smoked salmon to grilled sweet Midwest corn. |
| Food Pairings | Kumamoto Oysters, Fried Chicken, lemon poppyseed donut |
| Brewer Location | Chicago, IL |
| Alcohol content by volume | 5% |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | 2 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 2 |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 5 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | N |
| Beer thickness 1-7 (water – used motor oil) | 2.5 |
| Overall Happiness Rating: 1-7 (low – high) | 4.4 |
The website is fine.
SmokeBeerMinistry 