Leather Interior

According to the tap list at Bar Hop, Redline Brewhouse's Leather Interior is a brown ale with vanilla beans and toasted almonds. It sounded like a dessert to me, and given that I was stuffed to the gills with brunch, I figured I'd give it a whirl. At 5.4%, this beer outta Barrie, Ontario, wasn't overly potent--just warm.

My 15oz glass of ale showed up looking pretty--chocolate brown with ruby highlights, under a fog of creamy head. The nose had a large molasses presence built around a roasted malt body, and, most notably, a huge vanilla tone. The flavour starts like a classic brown ale; all roasted malt business. But as each sip progressed, rich notes of vanilla and mocha became evident. 

Innovative and nicely executed, Leather Interior left me feeling mellow and satisfied. This beer had a smooth, creamy mouthfeel that really suited its flavour profile. It wasn't necessarily a great choice for a sunny, summery afternoon, but I was pleased to have it. A bit more booze could have helped the cause a bit, though, by amping it up to a true dessert beer. Also worth noting, this beer had the potential to be too sweet, but managed to stay on the happy side of that particular line.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.