Peak Organic - The Maple Collaboration

So I must confess: I love good beer, too. There's something about a nice hoppy IPA or a deep Belgian witbier or a delicious porter that really makes life worth living. And I've been spoiled: I've never lived anywhere that does not have easy access to a Whole Foods or a beer distributor, so I've had a chance to try dozens and dozens of tasty brews. Some not-so-tasty ones have crossed my pallette, but let's not talk about those. Let's talk about a tasty one.

So today I'm going to review Peak Organic's "The Maple Collaboration." Being from New England, sweet maple syrup is practically irresistible for me this time of year. Luckily, the Portland, ME-based Peak Organic Brewing Company delivers.

Their Maple Collaboration is made with Vermont maple syrup and a healthy dose of malt. Now, looking at this beer both in the bottle and in the glass...

...one might think it tastes sweet. Like maple candy. But it's actually not super sweet, but strikes a nice balance between malty and sweet. It tastes more like maple cotton candy in terms of sweetness - it's sweet, but the maple does not kick you in the teeth like maple candy does. It's very smooth, with notes of oat and maple sugar. The pour was easy, foamy, and has lots of carbonation. The beer has a nice sugared aftertaste. Some beers leave you gasping for air (or dealing with a harsh aftertaste - I'm looking directly at you, IPAs) but this beer simply invites you to have another taste. The cost was also a factor: it was just shy of $9 for the 22 oz.-bottle, so very affordable. I'd love to know how well it cellars, because if it's able to be bottle-conditioned I'd love to grab a half-dozen and hang on to them until next year.

So the verdict is that this beer is worth trying. If you like maple and the taste of fall, give it a spin. It's probably a dessert beer, though, because of the sweetness. Definitely worth a drink!