Roots

Dropped in at Roots' brewpub today for an excellent salami sandwich and a taster tray.

Calypso is a fruity summer brew, with a very spicy feel. Light and easy drinking, the heat is a wise departure in a summer brew. As anyone who has sampled world cuisine knows, spicy hot food is popular in hot regions - probably because the sweating that follows enhances the natural evaporative cooling of the body.

Kolsch follows in good form, with a very mellow and soothing mouthfeel after the Calypso. There was a unique odor that I could not identify, and unfortunately it wasn't to my liking. Overall a decent beer.

Burghead Heather Ale comes third, using Heather flowers in place of hops. A very striking and unique brew yet extremely pleasant. A beer that proves even hop free brews can succeed, and a good demonstration of ancient techniques. Extremely tasty for a beer without any hops.

Roots' Island Red is a pleasantly hearty beer lover's dream, based on oats and English hops. It's essentially a dark red stout, and tasty as heck. Recommended.

Woody IPA is yellow-orange and bursting with hops. Mellowed with a little citrus note, this dry-hopped ale is assertive in a good way. Highly recommended.

Crannog Stout rounds out the selections today as dessert, and restored my faith in the ultimate goodness of existence. Caramel and coffee help form a dream of a closer brew. No bitter aftertaste, just a well executed stout that leaves me smiling. Hard to go wrong here.