The beer poured well, and is a dark amber color. There's not a whole lot of smell coming off the head save for some dark fruity notes, like sniffing a date. Or something. I don't know what a "country ale" is and I'm too lazy to Google it but if it's like a farmhouse ale, then it's supposed to be drinkable and a little funky. The first sip speaks to both of these facts. This is a malt-centric beer, with sweetness giving the backbone of the flavor throughout the profile. I also get a bit of winey notes, which is probably what is bringing the funk of the beer. There is just the beginnings of a sour note which is not unpleasant. The beer is 5.9% ABV so while it doesn't knock you out it's not something you'd drink a lot of after a day as obnoxiously hot and muggy as what we've been experiencing here in the midwest/east the past week. Nothing new is really brought to the beer as it warms, which is all right, it's packing a solid taste, but I kind of expected some more flavors and tastes to come out with temperature.
Overall, this is a good beer: I'm not sure it's a fair representation of the farmhouse style but it does call itself a country ale. But it proves that just because a beer is French-styled doesn't mean it's going to surrender to your mouth.
