Hanami Ale   

Smuttynose Brewing Co., Portsmouth, NH

According to Smuttynose, this is an ale brewed with cherries and other natural flavors…O.K.
The color is a deep pinkish amber.
The aroma is sweet, cherry pie…Oh yeah!
First sip-CHERRIES!!!  This is not an ale with a subtle cherry flavor, this is all cherry with other subtle flavors falling in.  I can’t tell if it’s all sour cherry or cherry with a lemon finish.  There is a quality ale carrying these huge fruit flavors.  If you like fruit beers, especially cherry, then this beer is for you.   I happened to have lasagna with this beer and they complimented each other very well.  I imagine this beer could step in anywhere a red wine could go.  Hanami Ale would also go very well with dark chocolate, cherry cobbler, or chocolate covered cherries.

Saaalut!

Hanami Ale gets  9  bananas!

Bell’s Amber Ale
5.8% ABV
Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Comstock, MI

Golden Amber in color

Great Amber Ale, malt lays comfortably over the top of the hops, perfectly balanced for the style.  This is THE amber ale.  Crisp and clean, malty goodness.  Bell’s proudly states that this is their flagship beer, and rightly so.  Bell’s makes some quality beer but I’ve had sediment in every brew from them so far.  They are not pasteurized, so maybe this is the norm.  It doesn’t seem to affect the flavor.  If it does affect the flavor then I really want to go to Michigan and try these beers fresh!  Highly recommended, give all Bell’s offerings a shot!

Saaalut!

Strong 9 bananas!