Our Journey

Having grown up on the Wisconsin-Illinois border, I’ve always had a soft spot for the breweries of that region.  When I came across Small Town Brewery I knew I had to check out the brews they were producing, as I’ve found some great craft beer throughout the Midwest.  I was definitely not disappointed this time, as Not Your Mom’s Apple Pie turned out to be more than I hoped for.

Small Town Brewery is producing big aromas and complex flavors!

Let me start by saying that I wasn’t sure what to expect with this brew.  Sure, there are other fruit beers out there that are great and ones like Angry Orchard have found some pretty great success.  However, I was not overly impressed with Angry Orchard myself, as it seemed like just another mainstream brew trying to follow the footsteps of Redd’s Apple Ale and the like.  Thus, I went in with a bit of skepticism, even though I was interested in the brewery.

I was a touch disappointed in the nearly warp-speed dissipation of the head after the pour.  That said, the amount of carbonation present was quite impressive overall.  The brew is a lovely golden color with a wealth of bubbles, but that lack of foam left me feeling like I was about to drink apple juice.  However, I could not have been more wrong.  Check out the breakdown below for my thoughts on the brew.

• Color:  Lovely, clear, golden color that really suits the brew
• Head:  Non-existent after the first ten seconds, no film, no lacing.  Frustrating, but acceptable given the rest of the story.
• Aroma:  Crisp and sweet apples, cinnamon, vanilla, a bit of sweet cream, all very lilting and highly inviting.
• Flavor:  More of the same from the aroma, with a lot more apple.  The brew is not at all too sweet, which is good.  However, you won’t notice the alcohol in this one at all.  At only 5.5% that’s not too much of an issue, but be aware.  The flavors evolve quite a lot in the glass, so this one is definitely meant for sipping!
• Mouthfeel:  Quite malty and smooth, coats the mouth and tongue quite well.
• Finish:  While some have said this brew has a bitterish finish, I’ve not noticed that at all.  Quite tart, yes, but not at all bitter.  Plenty of apple, cinnamon, earthy notes and just a hint of vanilla hold out for ages on the finish.

Small Town Brewery hit this one out of the park overall

Overall, I would certainly suggest this brew to others.  If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, you should.  As a “fruit beer” or “dessert brew” it is quite refreshing and it pairs really well with Seasoned Tri-tip steak and Loaded Baked Potatoes.  We’ll be trying some other pairings later this week, so be sure to stop back in for another feature post!

In the meantime, from all of us at West Palm Beach Brewery and Wine Vault in South Florida, happy tasting!

-West Palm Brewery

Jun 14, 2017