Two Brothers The Bitter End

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 6-Pack from Jewel-Osco in Illinois; 2011

Style/ABV: American Pale Ale, 5.2%

Flash

Today I am reviewing an offering from one of Illinois' rapidly blossoming breweries: Two Brothers. Two Brothers is located in Warrenville in Illinois, right in Chicago's backyard. They have heavily amped up their Illinois distribution and seem to be growing quickly. That is a good thing for two reasons: first, we need a legit big craft brewing outfit to fill Goose Island's shoes; second, Two Brothers Brewing is kicking out some really awesome beer including their spectacular Cane and Ebel. (You can check out Two Brothers Brewing Co. here). 

I would love to talk about Cane and Ebel, but today I have their American Pale Ale, "The Bitter End." The Bitter End is a year-round offering, clocking in at 30 IBUs and using "three classic American hop varieties." Hops are like flamethrowers, so the more the merrier. But anyway...

This is a good lookin' beer. It pours a wonderful auburn-copper color, displays very mild carbonation, and yields a wonderful two-inch head that settles into a one-inch head. The head is slightly orange, and is very foamy with some nice bubbles. The head looks sort of like bread. You can see through the beer, and under low light the beer takes on a definitive brown look.

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The nose is pleasant enough, with some bready caramel and sweet hops. It's worth noting that this bottle has been sitting in the fridge for a bit, and that hops tend to fade with time. I do get some grass, some floral notes, and definitely hints at tropical fruit but nothing definitive.
 

Upon first taste I get lots of caramel and grass; this is more malt-forward than I remember it. There are bready notes, some biscuits. The bitterness is pleasant and provides the necessary "bite" that gives this beer character, but it is not overbearing. The bitterness almost manifests as pine, but it doesn't quite hit that note. I should mention that the head is holding up very well, and the craft and quality is evident when you drink this.

As far as mouthfeel goes, on the front end is a big wave of malty, caramel goodness. Carbonation is present too, more so than you would think given the amount of bubbles. The middle is smooth and gives way to a slightly hoppy back end, and that is where I get the hints of pine and the definite grass notes. There is slight bitterness when the beer finishes, but nothing too intense. It's actually quite "full" in its body and has good depth. At 5.2% ABV it also is highly drinkable, so you could turn this into a session beer if you so desired.

Rating: Average

Score: 74%

 

I hate reviewing Pale Ales and IPAs because -literally- just about every brewery from east to west brews this type of beer. Having said that, this is a very good beer in the sea of Pale Ales. It represents the style well, has a full body, and is not overpowering with hops. This is almost ascending Average, but given the prevalence of the style this one didn't tickle me in the right places. A solid Pale Ale, but not a genre bender. If you yokel from Illinois, slap this down as a session beer contender. I would not hesitate to pick this up again, especially since you can grab a sixer of these on sale for 8 or 9 bucks, but a desert island Pale Ale this is not.