Beer of the Weekend #845: Ugly Pug
Though I have dedicated August to wheat beer, my uncle from Texas is visiting and he brought me a sixer of Ugly Pug, brewed by the Rahr & Sons Brewing Company of Fort Worth, Texas. I cracked open a can on Wednesday night.
The color is deep, ruby brown. A finger width of tan, buttery, bubbly head leaves a skim and ring of foam. The aroma is malty and slightly sweet with scents of toasted malt and a mix of milk and dark chocolate. There are hints of smoked or roasted malt, too; it is a little reminiscent of peat. It is definitely not a summer beer—for me, at least. The flavor and mouthfeel are on the light side. The flavor mostly mirrors the aroma: toasted malt, a mix of milk and dark chocolate, and that smoked/roasted/peat element. The beer’s description on the brewery website mentions coffee, but I don’t get any coffee notes. The taste buds are coated in a roasty bitterness. (Perhaps that is the coffee they mention, but it doesn’t taste like coffee.) Rye keeps popping into my head, too, but the beer is not spicy. Overall, it reminds me of pumpernickel. Cherry and black licorice become noticeable after the beer has warmed considerably.
Fun facts about Ugly Pug:
• Style: Schwarzbier.
• Price: Unknown since my uncle bought it.
• Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+/B-.
The color is deep, ruby brown. A finger width of tan, buttery, bubbly head leaves a skim and ring of foam. The aroma is malty and slightly sweet with scents of toasted malt and a mix of milk and dark chocolate. There are hints of smoked or roasted malt, too; it is a little reminiscent of peat. It is definitely not a summer beer—for me, at least. The flavor and mouthfeel are on the light side. The flavor mostly mirrors the aroma: toasted malt, a mix of milk and dark chocolate, and that smoked/roasted/peat element. The beer’s description on the brewery website mentions coffee, but I don’t get any coffee notes. The taste buds are coated in a roasty bitterness. (Perhaps that is the coffee they mention, but it doesn’t taste like coffee.) Rye keeps popping into my head, too, but the beer is not spicy. Overall, it reminds me of pumpernickel. Cherry and black licorice become noticeable after the beer has warmed considerably.
Fun facts about Ugly Pug:
• Style: Schwarzbier.
• Price: Unknown since my uncle bought it.
• Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+/B-.
