Troutbrook Brewing Co.
Hartford, CT
Thomas Hooker founded Hartford in the early 17th century. This traditional Oktoberfest-style lager is brewed with Moravian 2-row, Munich Light, Carapils, Caramunich I and II, Vienna and wheat Malts, with Tettnang and Saaz hops.
Alcohol (wt.): 4.7
Alcohol (vol.): 5.9
Color: 5
Bitterness: 16
Gravity: 1057
Autumnal hues of amber and gold are gorgeous, like leaves falling on a New England field. Frost on the pumpkin calls for food and drink of substance. Hooker answers with a nose of nutmeg, and a rich, round, sweet barley flavor balanced with a sustained dryness of fresh, well selected hops. Finish is clean and crisp, like a newly picked apple.
Sweet floral hop aroma. Golden sunset color. Toasted malt foundation in flavor and aroma. Well balanced with a great aftertaste. Attractive hop balance and malt. I could easily drink a liter or two of this at any Oktoberfest under any tent in Oktober, Juli, or Mai or any other month. Crispy-roast me a chicken, steam some Thai sticky rice, serve me a Hooker and I’ll have grin from here to the horizon. Full-flavored American-made German-style craft beer that is worth paying good money for.
Magnificent recreation of a true “Vienna Red” lager that inspired the Munich brewers to fashion their beers for the Oktoberfest. It has a massive, spicy hop, fresh sourdough bread, ripe bananas and vanilla nose. Bitter hops burst on the tongue with yeasty bread and sour fruit. The finish is dominated by rich, toasted grain, tangy fruit and spicy hops. In the Munich fashion, this is the perfect companion for roast chicken.
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Charles Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and a Beer Examiner at www.examiner.com, Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
