#032: Ithaca Beer Co. - Wild Mamba (Belgian Black Ale) & Dark Mild (English Dark Mild)

Quick stop in for a gift turns into a couple quick tastings of draft-only ales...

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Wild Mamba (Belgian Black Ale)
Availability: Draft Only (5-Barrel Series)
ABV: 7.3%
Rating: 9/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Beer? Excellent. Juicy, dark Belgian glory right here. Brewed with honey and dark wheat. Definitely some wild stuff going on in here. Spices dancing with mild, dark sour notes. A dry finish with a bit of lemon - lemon grass, maybe? Subtle, sour dark fruits in the background - cherry for sure - along with nods to black tea and a Chai bitterness.

Very unique and one of the better Ithaca experiments in the new facility. Two thumbs up to put this in rotation!

The Brew: Dark Mild (English Dark Mild)
Availability: Draft Only (Cask Series)
ABV: 3.8%
Rating: 6.5/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Beer? Interesting session cask. As the name depicts, it's quite mild and with only 3.8%, we're really sticking to the English "Real Ale" tradition. Mild roasted flavor, mild hops, mild mouthfeel... hits the nail on the head on par with most of the real ales I put back in the UK last summer, but that's about it. Great after work, pre-dinner beer.