New England Series: Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale

Organically brewed ales and lagers are an increasingly available option at liquor stores and bottle shops. While it may seem silly to some to worry about whether or not pesticides were used in the ingredients, it is also important to realize that along with "organic" often comes environmental consciousness, sustainability, and support of local business and industry. At the end of the day, however, beer is enjoyed based on the way it interacts with your senses, so organic or not, it still needs to taste delicious.

I was in the mood for something on the darker side of the spectrum since I have been favoring the lighter Belgian ales lately. I saw Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale and it seemed like a good choice to mix things up a bit. Based out of Portland, Maine, Peak Organic focuses on brewing craft beer with quality ingredients from sustainable, local resources. It is a comforting to know that people actually care for the well being of not only our environment but also the importance of small-scale industries.

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Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale pours a very light brown with an off-white, creamy head that sticks around for quite some time. Scents of toasty and nutty  malt and caramel sweetness are present with slight hints of chocolate and bread. The taste starts off with toasty malts and strong notes of nuttiness. A very prevalent bitterness appears in the middle and holds out through the finish. Some of the toasty flavors come through in the finish, but it is primarily the bitterness. There is also a slightly off putting metallic flavor that appears in the middle and lingers on to the after taste, which may be due in part to the bitterness overpowering the malt flavor profile.

The beer is drinkable, but seems to be lacking prominent flavors. Honestly, it smells better than it tastes because there is almost a watery quality to it that makes it taste like it is lacking depths of flavors that should be present. I would not rush out to buy this beer again, but I can appreciate what Peak Organics is doing up in Portland in regards to supporting sustainable business ethics. Though I am not won over by this beer, I would not hesitate to try another another Peak Organics brew...