Hello everyone.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Pretty Things Our Finest Regards brewed by the Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

I’ve enjoyed most of the Pretty Things beers that I’ve tried thus far and I’ve always enjoyed Barleywines, so I’m rather excited about sampling this beverage.

The website, prettybeer.com, had a very lengthy description about Our Finest Regards, so I’m not going to copy it here, however I would encourage you to journey over there and take a look.

Let’s sip.

This beer had an ABV of 13.5% and it came in a 22 oz. bottle.

It poured a deep burgundy to brown color.  The head was light tan, smooth and creamy, yet kind of small from a very, very gentle pour.  The retention time was slight and it left a thin skim of lace that eventually fell into the liquid to expose some sticky, clear alcohol legs on the sides of the snifter.

The nose released hints of earthy hops, spices of clove and deep, dark fruits of plum.  Feeble bits of nuttiness intermingled with a woody and leather component, which was followed by sweet tones of caramel and/or toffee malt.

The taste seemed to push the sweet toffee and caramel malt to the forefront.  The clove and the dark fruits showed themselves again, however they didn’t seem to be overly robust.  A decent shot of alcohol was there too.  Of course I expected that considering the high ABV.  It also released some bready savors and another relish of wood.

The mouthfeel was medium to full bodied.  Chewy, smooth, dry and slick.  The carbonation was on the lower side as well.  The warmth from the alcohol was duly noted and a sturdy amount of flavor was left behind on the palate after each sip.

Overall, I thought this to be a very good beer.  To me it seemed to be a lot like a mix between and English Barleywine and a Belgian Quad.  Very complex in that regard.  This beer is definitely a sipper though and should probably be relegated to the Winter or at least the cooler months of the year because it will take a long time to finish a bottle if you are trying to tackle it by yourself.  Well, it did for me at least.  Either way, give the Pretty Things Our Finest Regards a try if you have the opportunity.  Be sure to tell me of your opinion when you do.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.95 out of 5

Grade:  B+