Into the Woods

Christmas Day afternoon drinking calls for brown ale—this time Into the Woods from Fredericton, NB’s Graystone Brewing. ITW is a 5% ale sold in 473mL cans that have a pretty river scene on them.

ITW is a clear copper ale. It pours with a short-lived off-white head and has a metallic and roasted malt nose. Those notes are mirrored in the flavour, along with molasses and some breadiness. The back end sees nuttiness enter the equation, along with some coffee-tinted bitterness.

If I’m being honest, I didn’t love this beer when I first cracked it—I found the aromatics to be a touch too sweet and coppery, and that put me in a bad headspace. However, as I got to tasting it and found the sweetness to be largely confined to the front end, my enthusiasm grew considerably. By the end, I was pretty satisfied.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.