Mill Creek "Goalden" Golden Ale

This beer was brewed in association with the Nashville Soccer Club. Presumably, they actually exist and are either good or bad, but they have some kind of a following. I've never been a fan of most sports, and soccer always seemed like a slow version of hockey that was played without sticks and on grass. They don't even have hockey fights. But, do they have good beer?

The pale yellow-gold brew sits under a thin layer of white bubbles, and they become little more than a dusting in no time. I really hoped that this would be a deeper gold, but the taste doesn't always follow the color. What about the aroma? Well, it's not got a lot of hops. It's bread and caramel malt over light spices.; odd, but intriguing.

First sip is underwhelming. It's a bit watery, but it also has a smidgen of lemon mixed into a bready base. Any spices that I detected in the smell just aren't asserting themselves well enough to be sensed in the actual taste. This seems to have more in common with most lagers than the ales I've had. That's not necessarily bad, but the sip isn't impressing.

Tip-in is light carbonation burn with bread and a touch of the caramel. The middle awakens with an increase in carbonation burn while the caramel gets joined by those spices and some flowers (there are the hops!) The finish is a swell of carbonation before a very nice sweetness of honey washes up on the shores of the tongue and then fades away into a delightful finish.

Bottom Line: When I sipped, it was okay. When I gulped, it was very nice.

3.25/5