Little Harpeth "Sneaky Goat" Maibock

Little Harpeth is the little brewery that gets it done. I really haven't had enough of their beers to get a sense for their approach to brewing, but I know that the most recent beer that I had from them was out-freaking-standing. If they can keep their roll going, this one might go all the way and hit 5.0/5! If so, this will be a great night for me!

The golden beer produces a moderate head that fizzles down to the single large island of bubbles in the middle of the beer with a strong ring around the sides. One of the sites I went to in order to figure out what kind of glass I should use for a maibock (a style I don't see frequently) said that I should use a Pilsner glass for presentation. It appears they were spot on, as the beer looks great, and it really shows off the brightness of the gold. The aroma is bread malt and I think they have some hops in there to even it out.

First sip is dry to the point that I looked at the beer in the glass to question whether or not it was a liquid. The bread malt is definitely there in force, and there are light spices mixing with hops to give it some interesting qualities. Still, a sip seems unfulfilling with just how dry the finish is. It's possible the lingering bitterness is adding to the effect of the dryness, but I'm not sure that that analysis of a sip really helps anything.

Tip-in is light carbonation sizzle with bread and spices (and the spices are increasing the effect of the carbonation). The middle raises the carbonation up a notch and pushes it to the roof of the mouth while the bread and a light floral hop slosh through the middle of the mouth relatively unabated. The finish is where there is a bitter turn with a dryness and earth that sucks out most of the good that the middle was trying to do.

Bottom Line: I think it's just not for me.

1.75/5