Saturday, February 2, 2008

Flying Dog: K9 Cruiser

The season for darker drinks continues... On a total whim I grabbed a beer from a brewery I'd never heard of before: Flying Dog. They're originally from Colorado but have moved their operations to Maryland and are apparently making a name for themselves on the East Coast.

The K9 Cruiser is a standard winter warmer: a darker malty ale with a slightly higher ABV (6.4% in this case). I had high hopes for a beer that traces its origins to the mighty state of Colorado, but I have to say that all in all this one's fairly unexceptional. It's got bold malty flavors and a slight alcohol kick and a mildly sweet carmelly finish. It has a medium mouthfeel (not too heavy, not too light) and a pleasant dark ruby color if you hold it up to the light.

All in all I'd say that if you are in to winter warmers and like sweeter malts then this is definitely one to try. But it hasn't got a very complex flavor, has very little hops to speak of, and the alcohol taste comes through surprisingly strong considering it's only 6.4%. Sorry fellas, but I'll be looking elsewhere next time.

3 comments:

Mattie said...

Last month I went to a BYOB party. I brought a pitcher of my Sangria and gloriously traded up for 6 beers. I started with an Amstel Light, then dealt for three Lagunitas IPAs, the bargained for an Anchor Steam, and then finally traded my last drop for a Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale. And it tasted delicious! I mention the background, because I was pretty drunk by the time I tried this beverage. So I've been trying to find a six pack to see if it lives up to my memory. My local market has only been providing Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager. So I continue to wait. Obviously a sober review could change my opinion but don't give up on this brewerty just yet...

Steph said...

Hey Hof,

Sorry you didn't like the K-9 Cruiser. My name is Stephanie and I am the PR and event coordinator for Flying Dog Brewery. I would like the chance to redeem ourselves by sending you some of our award winning brews. The Doggie Style Pale Ale is our flagship and I would imagine you would enjoy this one. Let me know if you are interested.

Cheers,
Steph

Steph said...

Mattie, if you check out our webpage www.flyingdogales.com and go under the tab "Good Beer No Shit" there is an option to find our beer. Then you can search by state. If that doesn't work, go under the Contact Tab and email us with your address and I'll help you find the Doggie Style Pale Ale! Cheers!