Serving Type: Draft/GrowlerABV: 3.7 percent
Appearance: East End Fat Gary pours a deep and thick looking brown. Initially, it appeared to have some weight and thickness to it. The head was more of a lighter tan and was thick, creamy and sticky. It also caked easily to the inside of the glass. This led to some very above-average lacing as I continued on with the drink.
Smell: I was able to pick up tons of caramel malt and toffee when I first smelled this. Other notes of the malt bill that I noticed were sweet chocolate and something roasty. I was happy to find as little of a hop presence as possible as is usually the case with brown ales. I also tabbed hints of coffee, but wasn't 100 percent sure.
Taste: The toffee and caramel were the main culprits of the sweeter profile in this. The darker flavors such as the chocolate and roasted malt took over mid-way back and each sip was punctuated by the beer's nutty profile at this stage of the sip. The finish is a little more hoppy that I expected, but nowhere near making a big deal.
Overall Rating:
This is one of my favorite Pittsburgh beers. It looks like it's thick and strong, but plays very light despite featuring many dark and sweet flavors. This isn't overly-hopped and is very sessionable. Few beers can be enjoyed in warmer seasons. This is one of them. I'd prefer minimal hop interference. Again, it wasn't a big deal for me with this one.
