I have been salivating over this beer since I visited the Brooklyn Brewery with Alex a few months ago and saw the bottles lined up fresh from the bottling line. I really enjoyed Local 1 and was at the top of my list of Belgians along with Duvel and Chimay, so I have high hopes for the Local 2.Appearance: Man, I love hearing the pop of the cork! Pours with a dark, bubbly brown with plenty of head that just won't quit, definitely darker than your classic Belgian ale, more comparable to the Chimay blue label.
Smell: A combination of nutty/chocolate and (slight) caramel malts with the slimmest of hints of dank hops, all topped with a zest of citrus, completely different from the sweetness and pine aromas from the Local 1, it distinguishes itself as its own beer, not simply a sequel.
Taste: Nothing is dominant at first taste, a little dry, again the nutty malts and dank hops play tug of war for the attention of your tastebuds, with neither winning or losing. After letting it warm up a bit and a couple more sips, the malts start to become more prevalent. The bottle mentions honey and citrus on the front of the bottle, these ingredients really don't show themselves until you let the temperature settle for a while, then they compliment the beer nicely.
Mouthfeel: Light, thin, even a little watery, some carbonation, pretty smooth.
Drinkability: Like the Local 1, it's extremely easy to drink at 9% abv. The flavors are pretty subtle, which is a double edged sword; nothing will overpower you and make you put it down, but there is the possibility of becoming bored with it. To be honest, I might have set my expectations a little too high for this beer. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very good beer and definitely worth a buy. There is just something off, like the beer doesn't know if it wants to be a Dark Ale or Golden Ale. The brewer's intentions could have been a Dark Ale similar to a Chimay, but the execution doesn't seem to be complete. A little disappointed after the Local 1, with that said, I still give it a 8/10.
Glass type: Duvel tulip
Serving type: Bottle
3 comments:
So you prefer local 1 over local 2? By the way, the popping of the cork gives me a boner, especially when it is beer and not champagne
I have a bottle of both 1 and 2. Now I am just looking for a time to pop them open.
Local 2 didn't do anything for me at all. Local 1 was delicious. I used Local 1 as my 100th beer at Andy's Corner Bar a few years ago. Nothing like getting one of the most expensive beers in the bar for free.
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