I have looked over the entire can, and I can't see when this was brewed. I am hoping this was brewed in September, and that means that this is only about a month and a half old at the time I'm doing the review. I know that Panther Creek specifically tells you on every one of their beers to drink it fresh and keep it refrigerated. Well, I kept it refrigerated. I had the opportunity to get a Panther Creek beer, and I'm not going to pass that up. It seems that they have replaced Bearded Iris in my lexicon of local brewing staples. So far, that has worked out pretty well for me. Although, I will admit to missing Bearded Iris.
Unsurprisingly, the beer is a mahogany brown with not much of a head. The aroma is dark fruits, nuts, and light spices. The day right now is actually a particularly warm day for it being late autumn and heading into winter, but this combination of flavors, as far as I'm concerned, can probably do me right any time of year. It would be nice if there was a little lacing, but that's not what every beer is about. It's certainly not what this one is about. I'm hoping it's about taste.First sip is sweet, smooth, nutty, and has more brown sugar than I would've expected. The spices are very light, but they add interest to the beer while not detracting from the smoothness. It is not uncommon that I observed that I could probably sip this beer all night, and that is certainly the case here. I'm not sure what I would wind up with for a rating on just a sip, but it would be pretty good. I'm hoping that a swig will get even higher.
Tip-in is mild carbonation with spices, brown sugar, and nuts. The middle opens into a silky smooth mixture of sweet and spices that remind me that beers that are intended to stand up to dropping temperatures don't necessarily need to come off as caustic in order to get their point across. The finish is a slight bitterness on the tip of the tongue as carbonation waves goodbye and spices cling to the sugar for the trail off.
Bottom Line: I'm not sure these guys have produced a bad beer yet.
3.75/5