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Key West Sunset Ale

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Remember that Key West vs Cuba Challenge I was promising to do? Welp…I did it.

Brewed by the Florida Beer Company, we review Key West Sunset Ale:

The Florida Beer Company has been among the leaders of Florida’s craft brewing renaissance.  Founded by Humberto Perez, who is a third generation brewer (his grandfather began one of Venezuela’s largest breweries back in 1929), the company has grown to feature several different beer brands, with each offering a sense of Floridian pride in their beer names a label art.  Perez’s goal has been to help bring overdue recognition to Florida’s growing better beer culture – a goal that’s quickly becoming a reality with each passing year.

FBC’s brewery is located in Melbourne, FL, mid-way down the state’s Atlantic coast.  Originally founded as Indian River Brewing Company by Bruce Holt and Jack Owen (as owner and brewmaster, respectively), the brewery eventually was bought by Perez who was able to keep the brewery in operation and providing great beer to the local community.  With every beer handcrafted with very little automated processes, the brewery remains committed to traditional micro-brewing techniques for the creation of each batch of their tasty brews

As always I recommend that you decant this into your snifter or pint glass. Beware opening this beer as the head foams up quickly and abundantly, even with the gentlest hands.

The stunningly white head retains well, too well. This ale is 4.8% ABV.

The color is a dark blonde, copper, or light amber with a hint of cloudiness to it.

I recommend letting the ale warm a few degrees as you would with many ales. A good swirl will, as you know, release subtle nuances and aromas in the beer. Employing your sniffing pattern of choice, you will find aromas of light caramel malt, mildly herbal hops and a bit of toastiness that grows somewhat with warmth. You may also find a mild fruity quality, with some candied orange peel and a hint of candied ginger.

On the palate Sunset Ale sort of fills the role of a golden ale, but with some caramel and a bit more of a hop presence that leans herbal/spicy and dries the beer completely by the finish as it lingers with a bit of a hoppy bite. Think Kölsch meets Amber Ale. Light yet crisp carbonation and a lighter mouth-feel round out this marvelous beer; not too much for a hot day. Refreshing, but somewhat tasteless. It does leave a slightly metallic acid after taste which, to me, is undesirable.

This beer wasn’t astounding, but I think its critics are far too harsh. 7/10. Not great, but good.

Cuba vs Key West? The better beer in this case was Key West, but nostalgia and the rawness of the Cuban beer would drive me to pick that one to try for a second time.

 

 


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