Beer of the Weekend #1,074: Builder the Bob

Jam is obsessed with heavy machinery, especially construction equipment, so we introduced him to Bob the Builder. He watched it but was not a big fan; he prefers Paw Patrol and Rubble & Crew.

I, however, was impressed. Having never watched it before, I found it cute and really liked the old-school stop-motion. Needless to say, I could not resist trying Builder the Bob, brewed by the Dimensional Brewing Company of Dubuque, Iowa.



Serving type: 16-ounce can. There is no freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a nonic pint glass. The color is a medium brown or dark caramel. A finger of fluffy, bubbly, buttery head dissipates slowly and evenly, leaving trails of foam along the glass.

Smell: The aroma is quite muted but there are light scents of toasted malt, caramel, cherry licorice, and milk chocolate.

Taste: Interesting. The flavor seems diluted, though it has quite a bite. Toasted malt, a touch of cherry and black licorice, light berries, a massive earthy bite, and milk chocolate. It becomes more impressive as it warms but I don’t think it is worth $15 for a four-pack.

Fun facts about Builder the Bob:

• Style: Brown ale.

• Price: $14.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

• Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.

• What’s the story behind the name? I wish I knew. All that is written about it on the brewery website and Untappd profile is “English style brown.”

The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.