We're taking another short break from the last of the remaining Canadian beers to take a look at another beer from my friend, Trey and his trip to the northeast. Today I'm drinking Zoe from Maine Beer Co. out of Freeport, Maine. The label bills it as a happy, hoppy, amber ale that checks in at 7.2% ABV. Let's not waste any time. To the beer!
Zoe enters the glass a deep, rich, hazy brown. Orange/ amber highlights become evident when the glass is held to light. A couple of fingers of bubbly tan head sit atop the beer. It's pretty resilient and leaves some spotty lacing as it recedes.
If the look alone wasn't enough to convince you that this isn't your typical amber, the nose sure will. Subtle hints of chocolate are tucked underneath intense hoppy pine aromas. Notes of rich coffee and sweet dark fruit notes of plum and raisin. There's just a touch of citrus as well. Very complex.
Zoe has a nice, full, round body. A bit of creaminess leads into roasty flavors of chocolate and a bit of subtle coffee. The roastiness is contrasted by tons of piney hop character and plenty of dark fruity notes of raisin, date, and just the tiniest hint of licorice.
Man, calling this beer an amber really does it a disservice. Not that there aren't plenty of great ambers out there, but this seems like so much more. Rich, dark, complex, tons of great hop and malt flavor. Zoe takes your conceptions of what an amber ale is and absolutely turns it on it's ear. This beer is tremendous.
HD
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