Named after fabulous Jazz musician, hoppy porter offers stylistic change of pace. Instead of leading with chocolate or coffee expectancy, heavy-headed, pekoe tea-hued competitor relies on bittersweet grain subtleties, toasted malt thickness, and fruity notes. Yet it’s as rich and assertive as most challengers.
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SLO BLUBERRY ALE
Initial blueberry distinction edged out by sharp grain presence until strong lingering alcohol-fueled finish. As fruit-flavored ale, just o.k.
SLO AMBER ALE
Brewed in ‘San Luis Obisco tradition of fine California microbrews,’ worthy reddish copper pale body places sweet barley-wheat conflux above dry roasted rye malting and faint cherry nicety. Clean mineral finish preserves slight floral spicing and toasted almond tingle.
SLEEMAN STEAM BEER
Slim barley roast, soft Scotch smokiness and fluffily foamed creaming caress delicate tangerine tang for simple middle of the road amber lacking distinction. Word has it Sapporo Brewery now makes these.
SLEEMAN SILVER CREEK LAGER
Bland straw-cleared cumulous-headed dry lager with polite rye malt palate, thin resinous hop bitterness, minor floral stint, and moderate creaminess gets cloy despite pungently skunked waft. Misleading 5% alcohol volume vaporized by metallic watering that wouldn’t scare away novices. Once again, Sleeman finishes below Molson in yet another style category.
SLEEMAN ROUSSE ALE
Faint citric-grained entry and sugary malt sweetness contrast mild hop roast of dark amber red ale. Sticky yeast finish suffices, but overall depth lacks.
SLEEMAN PORTER 68
Metallic auburn hued porter finds early licorice dawdle fading to ashy malt smokiness and dismal leathery tobacco spell. Charred hop bittering obscures thin cocoa-vanilla creaminess, dried fruit quip, and black tea acridity informing shaky finish.
SLEEMAN ORIGINAL DARK AMBER LAGER 50
Garnet amber mediocrity brings dry nutty dalliance to caramelized crystal-black malt roasting and orange-peach-grapefruit tang. Similar to IPA 46 minus the piney protrusion.
SLEEMAN ORIGINAL DARK AMBER LAGER
Red-tinted creamy-headed dark beer with 5.5% alcohol content, thin buttery malt texture, delicate hop bite, and sugared blandness. Unspecific golden ale fruiting or red ale toasting kicks in after few swallows, but lack of prolonged finish hurts resolve.
SLEEMAN I.P.A. 46
Efficient, if not creative, russet-tinted IPA allows smoky Cascade hop dryness, orange peel bittering and piney nut taper to counter increasingly effectual peach-grapefruit tang. A well-balanced medium body.
SLEEMAN HONEY BROWN LAGER
Bland light-bodied bronze-hazed Euro-styled lager lacks tangible distinction. Thick round-bubbled head and expectant Sleeman creaminess exist alongside mild sugar water palate as grassy-hopped astringency lingers to honey-roasted finish. Light white-breaded toasting nearly escapes notice.
SLEEMAN FINE PORTER
Thin, clear-bottled, 2004 limited edition ruby-brown porter leads with subtle caramelized malting deepening dry hop roasted flog. Sedate cocoa-chocolate chalking and remiss plum-walnut keepsake dull out by impish espresso finish.