Looks:
Smell:
Taste:
Overall:
Description:
This Belgian table bier is a traditional entry into the Session category. It is meant to be consumed with food but also stands well on its own. When you need to drink the whole meal and want something with plenty of flavor but don’t want to get shit-twisted from the alcohol, this is a great choice. Look for a smooth malty body with hints of biscuit and rye. The hops are subdued and mostly present as a bittering agent. The yeast plays a prominent role increating bready and lightly fruity notes. (Description provided by company)
Beer Style:
ABV:
6.50% ABV
Availability Frequency:
year-round
Containers Available:
can
draft
Locations Where Available:
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Colorado
Store/Serve Temperature:
45-54 degrees F
Comments
Good, but...
Pours a clear medium amber with a full two fingers of an off white head. About a finger sticks around for awhile.
Lots of caramel and toffee aromas in the nose, with a slight toastiness.
A little more herbal and and grassy hop flavor than the aroma led on, but a strong malt backbone gives a nice balanced sweetness, although I'm not getting much of the Belgian/yeasty flavors. The aftertaste lingers a bit more than expected, but it's not too bad.
A nice medium light body.
Overall Sho'Nuff is quite tasty, but I'm not sure how much of the Belgian character actually comes through.
Missing Belgian traits for me
Against the Grain's Sho' Nuff sits in my pint glass a clear amber with an off-white pinky-thick head. The foam is quite resilient and is sticking around for a while. Despite the head's tenacity, it isn't leaving much lacing on the glass.
Smells of grain - bread and rye - with some caramel mixed in. Smells quite malty.
I'm not getting the Belgian yeast flavors I was hoping for. The breadiness is okay but I was expecting more fruit notes to round this out. The taste is like a sweet roll. Hops, which I didn't really detect in the smell, are noticeable in the taste with grassy notes.
This seemed more like a German ale with its grainy malt backbone rather than the lightly fruity malt I expect from a Belgian pale ale. Sho' Nuff isn't bad, I just feel it is mislabeled - wasn't what I was expecting.