Carty Cascade Vintage 2009 Review

I couldn’t be more happy with the way the Carty Cascade 2009 turned out!  Recall I was shooting for a straightforward APA recipe that would showcase the hops we harvested in September.  Here’s my writeup of a recent tasting and a picture.  I really enjoy the hops and look forward to future harvests!

The beer pours a dark golden bordering on amber with a very clingy white head.  The aroma is moderately hoppy, citrus and spicy with a noticeable sweet malt in the background.  The flavor is moderately hoppy but there is also a noticeable and competing malty flavor, a bit sweet, slightly bready and something a bit different than any other beer I’ve made, perhaps the wheat malt shining through.  (I’ve only used flaked wheat previously.)  The bitterness is medium-low and provides a nice balance combined with a slightly dry finish.  The carbonation is moderate and body is quite smooth.  Overall I’m very happy and very impressed with this beer and the hops!  I don’t know I’d change much with this recipe, it is quite tasty.