The other day, I had the chance to try the new Vintage Ale from Goose Island, Pepe Nero.
It is considered a farmhouse ale, but is much darker than any I have seen of this style. When I first poured the beer, it was a dark brown-red color. It had a very strong scent to it, with a large burnt caramel aroma with a bit of Belgian-style sour scents mixed in.
The flavor was very interesting. It had a strong roasted chestnut flavor with just a hint of Belgian funkiness on the finish. It had a slight bit of tartness, but not too much to be overwhelming. The final impression reminded me of a lighter Belgian dubbel .
Did you try Pepe Nero? What was your impression of this new ale?
It reminded me of sort of a spicy and or peppery porter. Very nice, but I don’t think I’d want more than a couple of bottles at a time. I liked the funkiness in avdarker beer.