Fumata Nera

Beer Name: Fumata Nera
Brewery: High and Mighty Beer Company
ABV: Unknown
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

I should probably be concerned that this beer is not even featured on High & Mighty's website. Does that mean that they aren't proud of it? Or that they don't want people to know about it because it didn't come out deliciously? Good thing I had already finished drinking it before I decided to read up on it.

Fumata Nera is Italian for "black smoke," which makes sense as this is a smoked rye beer. It's a very dark beer, but the degree of darkness is hard to specify because the restaurant is a pretty dark one. The beer arrived with very little head, but there was a think layer that stuck around for about half of the glass, and it left a good lacing pattern behind. There was a very strong aroma of smoked malts.

As expected, this beer's flavor was very much in the roasted department. I believe this is the kind of beer that Kate says tastes like meat. Lots of smokey malt flavor, and maybe a little bit of hops bitterness in there as well. This was a nicely drinkable beer that went along nicely with some food, but would have been enjoyable without it as well.

Final thought - Whether or not the brewery is proud of it, I would drink this beer again. I will throw in the caveat that it seems like a beer that is going to be more enjoyable on draft than from a bottle though.

-Jon

XPA

Beer Name: XPA (Extra Pale Ale)
Brewery: High & Mighty Beer Company
ABV: 5%
Serving method: 16-oz draught in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Did you know that High & Mighty was based in Holyoke? Or that they originally used the same brewery as Paper City (and maybe still do, since they said they were shooting for their own brewery in 2010 but haven't updated that portion of their website)? It's exciting to find out about local beers!

The XPA is a golden orange color with a cloudy appearance. There is only a thin head on it, and it fades pretty quickly without leaving much lacing. There is an aroma that is mostly hops (like a combination of pine and citrus) with some grain scents in the background.

Since I ordered the beer with my meal, I had a couple of sips and then waited for the food. As it warmed up, the flavor was very good. It was lightly hoppy with a little bit of dryness. Not nearly as hoppy as an IPA though. The finish was slightly bitter, and there wasn't really an aftertaste. Overall, it was a nice crisp, clean beer. It had a light carbonation, which worked very well with the flavor.

Final thought - I am glad I tried this beer. It's easy drinking, and very enjoyable! It's also exciting to know that it's a local place, so hopefully they'll have tours and stuff with some sweet swag. And beer tasting!

-Jon