Style: Amber Ale
ABV: 5.3%
Joe’s Take
It’s Friday so that means it’s time for a post in my favorite section of the blog – new releases. This week Nick and I went to a brewery that had been in the back of our minds for a bit that we didn’t realize was so close to us – Tarboro Brewing Company. For some reason I always envisioned this brewery and city being farther away than it is, but when I looked at a map and realized Tarboro, NC is just over 30 minutes from Greenville I knew we had to make the trip one night. It just so happened that the night we picked to head that way was the night the brewery was releasing their new amber ale “Old Racket.” This gave us even more incentive to head to the brewery…even though we drove through a torrential downpour to get there.
“Old Racket” was served in the archetypical brewery branded shaker pint glass, something I didn’t mind too much as it gave me a large clear area to see the beer. It was surely an amber ale, with red and brown hues tinting the clear liquid. The color of the beer was a refreshing contrast to the variety of haze bombs I have been drinking lately. Atop the beer sat a thin off-white to tan head that did not dissipate, persistently releasing aromas throughout the duration of my enjoyment of the pint.
The nose of the beer provided heaps of sweet caramel and molasses aroma and provided a glimpse of the malty goodness to come. There was a very mild hop character that peaked through the veil of malt every so often and this played nicely with the sweeter tones of the beer.
“Old Racket” had a nice smooth mouthfeel that was medium-bodied and lightly viscous. It was not offensively carbonated or bitter, and allowed you to warm the beer on your tongue to appreciate the full flavor of the malt. I felt as if it was ever so slightly mouth coating after each sip and it did not leave a drying feeling on the tongue. It seemed as if residual sugars in the brew stuck around for a few moments after the sip.
On tasting, the beer had a bit more hop character and bitterness than I was expecting from the provided aromas. It didn’t present itself in the usual hoppy way you are used to with IPAs and showed up as more of a spicy character that complemented the flavor of the malt. To me, this effect brought the beer into balance and made for a sweet, malty, spicy brew that was wholly enjoyable. From the malt side of things, I experienced flavors of molasses, biscuit, and a bit of nuttiness. The beer was sweet but not too sweet and in addition to the other flavors, added a profile of dark fruits to the mix. I could instantly see myself drinking this beer on a cool fall night with friends and a bonfire (or somewhat more likely, on my couch).
Its a shame that we didn’t realize Tarboro Brewing company was so close to us earlier. The great beer, friendly staff (shoutout to Abigail), and unique atmosphere will have us heading back there soon. So make your way over to Tarboro, try “Old Racket,” and tell them East Carolina Beer and Brewing sent you!
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: Red to brown hue, thin off white head that did not dissipate throughout the tasting. Appealing looking beer. (4.5/5)
Aroma: Malty, sweet molasses and caramel. Slight nuttiness and brief hints of hop character. (4/5)
Mouthfeel: Soft, medium-bodied, slightly viscous, gently mouthcoating. (4/5)
Taste: Well balanced between sweet malt and spicy hop character. Not overwhelmingly sweet. Notes of molasses, biscuit, nutty, and dark fruit. (4.5/5)
Drinkability: Easily drinkable, could have a few pints on a cool fall night (or anytime) without issue. (4.5/5)
Total: 21.5/25
Nick’s Take
Happy Friday everyone! Joe and I look forward to conducting tastings for new release beers in eastern North Carolina on a weekly basis, and we are doing our best to expand our scope to other breweries in our area. One brewery that was on our radar was Tarboro Brewing Company in Tarboro, NC. We were thankfully able to make the trip, finally, and check out their taproom, try some brews, and get a small glimpse at their brewery. The timing was perfect, as they had just released their newest creation. “Old Racket,” an amber ale coming in at 5.3%, was first in line for us to enjoy as we sat in TBC’s taproom on a rainy evening.
Our beers were served in branded pint glasses, which gave us a great view of this amber ale’s hue. I’d describe it as a mix of brick-red and a deep caramel color, which looked very appealing. On top there was a thin fleeting head of off-white foam that slowly faded into a light wisp that hung around throughout the tasting.
At first, aromas were not easily detected, so I decided to take a few sips to try giving some room at the top of the glass (for twirling/agitation and creation of some head). This proved to be helpful, as some moderate swirling brought forth a nutty malt profile with noticeable sweetness in the form of some caramel and some fruit aromas I could not yet identify. I figured I would move on to tasting “Old Racket” and come back later to revisit the aromas.
What I first noticed from a modest sip was a crispness on the tongue that felt more like that of spice flavor than a lot of carbonation. Besides that initial crispness, the drink itself had a soft mouthfeel. I’d say it’s a medium body beer that covers the mouth with a pleasant softness that is neither sticking or coating. Each subsequent drink affirmed this for me, and it maintained those qualities until I reached the bottom of the glass.
After having some uncertainty with certain aromas, I was hoping to clear things up by paying close attention to my tasting. The malt bill of nut, caramel, and sweetness was there and was quite delicious and balanced. The fruit flavor was still escaping me until about halfway through my beer, I identified some cherry notes in retronasal olfaction. What a relief it was to finally realize the flavor that was on the tip of my tongue (as always in this blog, pun intended). Once I put a name to the flavor, it’s like my taste receptors amplified the cherry/fruit notes for the rest of my beer, and I actually really enjoyed that finish to a this amber ale
I think “Old Racket” exemplifies the amber ale style well, while having its own flavor profile. It is easily a sessionable beer for me, and would be a great option to drink on these chilly autumn evenings. Had I been to Tarboro Brewing prior to our outing, I would’ve grabbed another 1-2 “Old Racket” pints (but I wanted to explore other options to see how they would stack up). Hopefully anyone reading this is able to make it to Tarboro – or Rocky Mount, where TBC has a taproom as well – to try “Old Racket” and the rest of the brews on tap.
Abbreviated tasting notes
Appearance: An brick-red/caramel color with a fleeting off-white head that left the surface of the beer wispy. (4/5)
Aroma: Sweet scents from the malt, which reflect nuts and caramel. Also minor notes of fruit. (4/5)
Mouthfeel: Medium body, soft feel, with just a bit of crispness early. (4/5)
Taste: Nutty, caramel, and minor aftertaste of cherry and fruit. (4.5/5)
Drinkability: A very sessionable amber ale that goes well with a chilly evening. (4.5/5)
Total: 21/25
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