When I did my first review of this beer, it had only been available in growler form. I have found that growlers that I get tend to make beer a little too flat, and I suspect the canning process may preserve it a little better. Beyond that, this is the first Panther Creek beer I've been able to get in a can. I felt it was my obligation to the brewery to try out the most professional product that they have available. I liked it in a growler well enough, and I'm expecting to like it from a can.
True to form, this poured out with a lot more head than the growler ever did. I wasn't even able to get the entire can in the glass on the first pour, and that's when I took this picture. I also kind of think the foam being behind my logo makes it pop a little more. This beer is the same color as it was in its previous incarnation - a bold and soothing amber color. The off-white head is a rocky mixture of medium and small bubbles, and the aroma underneath continues to be full of hops and a caramel malt.First sip is shockingly good. Looking at my previous review, my first sip had been tart and bitter, but that's not what I got on this first sip. Instead, I can taste the pine, grapefruit, caramel malt, and even a nice resin. I had previously paralleled this beer with an amber, and there's no way this would be confused for such a beverage. The hops are definitely more disruptive to the pallet then any amber has a right to have.
Tip-in is very light carbonation sizzle with pine and grapefruit right in front to let you know what you're there for. The middle brings a bitterness, but the malt comes in a lot stronger than it had been in the sip, and the fruits are allowed to enjoy themselves on top of the pine mattress. The finish is a ghost of resin as the sweetness nullifies the bitterness for a quite balanced and pleasant trail off.
Bottom Line: I definitely preferred the can to the growler experience.
3.5/5