driftwood-aleAs the seasonal creep, well…..creeps in, I’m maintaining that there are still several weeks of summer left to enjoy. No pumpkin beers have found their way into my refrigerator, and the beach is absolutely awesome when the kids are back at school.

So I’m still drinking a lot of canned beer. This past week I picked up a six-pack from Montauk Brewing Company as I deemed it apropos to drink down at the ocean.

The ale is a true amber color with some copper around the edges and a white little head. The aromas of the ale are very mellow and malty. Salted caramel and oats mingle on a nose which is mostly subdued. The first sip is a bit surprising out of a can. It is way maltier than expected, with a really toasty malt flavor taking over the beer. It was almost reminiscent of Blue Point Toasted Lager but a bit more bitter and dry on the finish.

The beer didn’t WOW me, but it also wasn’t bad. Montauk Brewing Company has been contract brewing in Westminster MA since their opening in 2012. If I’m drinking a “local” beer, I usually go for a beer that is brewed in-house. I do this because I like supporting local breweries, and partly because I’m a beer snob.

That being said, I drink (and enjoy) contract brewed beer all the time. But after spending over $12 on a six pack of cans that weren’t overly impressive I would definitely reach for a different local favorite next time.

Producer: Montauk Brewing Company
Price: $12/six-pack cans

(Not Recommended)