Beer Review: Ode to Mercy (Wild Heaven Brewery of Decatur, GA)

Ode to Mercy from Wild Heaven Brewery

Since Wild Heaven celebrated its 1 year anniversary Sept. 14, I thought it would appropriate to devote this week’s beer review to one of their flagship brews. Congrats guys! Here’s to many successful years of brewing in your future.

Origin: Wild Heaven Brewery of Decatur, GA

Style: Imperial Brown Ale (estimate 8.2% ABV)

Color: Dark, rich mahogany…very dark brown, with tinges of ruby red when struck by direct light, but otherwise too dark to see through.

Aroma: Like all beer from Wild Heaven, this one makes a statement from the first whiff of aroma rising up from the glass.  It’s big.  It’s fruity.  And it definitely has a higher concentration of “social lubricant.”  But underneath its bravado, there lurks a pleasantly complex aromatic mix of ripe plums, raisins, and the slightest notes of roasted coffee.

Taste: Upon initially sipping this beer, I was surprised by the fleeting presence of a biscuity/ toffee taste on the top of the palate.  As the taste of the beer progresses, it moves from notes of toffee to a stronger caramel presence; from caramel to the slightest notes of roasted coffee; and finishes with the pleasantly citrusy (stronger notes of orange than lemon) finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp yet lingering.  The only downfall of this beer is that it does not dissipate quickly enough from the palate. 

Recommendation: This, like the Kentucky Bourbon Beer, is a great beer for sipping by the fire on a cool autumn evening, the operative word here being “sipping.”  However, unlike the bourbon beer which imparted significantly stronger notes of vanilla, this beer would make an excellent addition to a Sunday pot roast, or a coffee rubbed brisket.

Eat good food.  Drink good beer.  And above all, stay classy.