West Side Common Ale

Not sure I've ever heard of a "common ale" before this. I looked it up, and it appears there are a few hyper-local versions of common ales (like a Kentucky common or California common) but they don't have much in common with each other. It is unclear if Ohio has its own common style or if this is borrowed from nearby Kentucky. I guess I'll just rate it on its own merits, either way.

The copper beer has a significant and sticky head that leaves admirable lacing as it goes down. The aroma is mysteriously free of citrus and tropical fruits that I usually find in my ales. It doesn't even have the more rare pine or floral versions of hops popping out. As I linger in the caramel malt, I get a very faint glaze of fruit marmalade whispering in hushed tones underneath. 

First sip is an intriguing mix of sweet, bitter, and dry with the caramel deftly mixed into grains. The dry sensation is pulling the other towards it like a black hole sucking all of the life out of the galaxy, but the caramel malt's engines are putting out sweetness in a feeble attempt to escape the impending doom.

Tip-in is watery with carbonation alighting on the tongue while caramel mixes with orange marmalade in the sea of clear water. The middle approaches with an uptick in carbonation while the water drains to reveal the grains and additional fruit juices adding to a gently singing chorus of flavors. The finish is a dry lump that starts in the middle and fans out, devouring everything in its path and leaving a bitter mist as a trail off.

Bottom Line: Not entirely common.

3.5/5