Great Waters Equinox Brown Ale

Yesterday, I posted a beer session I had when I went to Great Waters last Friday. I tried a new beer (Glacier Pale Ale) and then I tried another new beer. I only covered the pale ale in my previous post, so today is reserved for that second beer.

Equinox Brown Ale is our subject. This beer is not a cask ale, like the Glacier Pale Ale. It is your typical "pushed" tap style. It is served chilled and pushed through a common bar tap by pressure from a CO2 tank. This is how most people are accustomed to having their beer poured at a bar. Here is Great Waters description of their brew:

"A lush, full-bodied brown ale brewed with Belgian yeast. Dark roasted malt mixes with fruit and spice. A fitting tribute to the equinox...the dark winter giving way to light freshness of spring. Get it while it lasts."

The beer is brought to me in a Great Waters pint glass. There is a 1/4" thick head that is light tan in color. It falls fairly quickly into a thin coating floating on top. The body is dark brown with hints of red around the edges.

Mmmm. This beer smells good. I detect some caramelly, almost toffee-like sweetness. Fruit is present, like figs and raisins, and there is no noticeable hop aroma. It smells like a rich Belgian.

First sip. Second sip. Third sip. Sorry, I got distracted. Tasty stuff. Brown sugar is followed by dark dried fruit, like dates. There is a moment of spice and then a slight bitter finish. I can also taste some of the alcohol. This beer is 7.5%, so that flavor is fine with me.

The mouthfeel is much lighter than I expected. It's not watery, but this beer seems like it should be thicker. There is a decent level of carbonation and it's easy to drink.

Why didn't I bring my growler? Equinox is on the "pushed" side, as I mentioned earlier. That means Great Waters sells it in growlers. I would happily take some of this brew home. It seems a lot like a Belgian Dubbel to me. It's dark, sweet, and fruity with enough hopping to cut some of the malt. If you're a fan of Belgian ales, definitely give this one a try. Maybe buy yourself a growler to enjoy at home, too!