The Farmer’s Tan pours a clear, pale, golden color with a medium amount of carbonation. Atop the beer sits a one finger white head that leaves some rings of lace on the glass. The aroma is light crisp and grassy with hops upfront and sweeter malts in the background. A good summery aroma for a beer.

The taste retains some crispness from the flavor but it is more dry than crisp. There is also a good amount of spice from the hops backed up by some citrus from the hops as well. Before it gets too intense, it is taken back by some of the sweeter malt characters. Thanks to having a 9% ABV, there is also a slight twinge of alcohol.

The Farmer’s Tan is more of an “intense” summer beer, but I don’t know if the overkill of the spices works well. It crosses the line from crisp and refreshing into the realm of dry and weak. If toned back a bit it could be a good summer beer, and the flavors could work well together but for now, it is unbalanced and doesn’t live up to its label.

Rating

68
out of 100

The Straub’s Special Dark isn’t dark at all but is in fact a traditional American Lager that pours a clear amber color. It pours with about one finger of foamy head that diminishes by the time you are halfway through the beer. The aromas coming off of the beer are pretty traditional, with a small twist. It smells at first like a traditional lager, but there is a bit more sweetness behind with a bit of caramel and nuttiness thrown in as well.

Unfortunately, the flavors seem a bit muted and slightly watered down but the ones that do stand out are pleasant and make for a very drinkable beer. A good amount of malt allows some of the caramel sweetness to come through but not as much as one would expect given the nose. There are also a good amount of bread-like flavors present as well. There is the slightest hit of bitter hops, and right at the end, the sweetness from the nose makes itself known. What this beer reminds me of is if somebody took a Yuengling Lager and decided to make it a bit more sweet and slightly more complex.

Overall, I’m pleased with the Special Dark, but it didn’t leave me wanting more. I like what Straub’s is doing, just brewing away in St. Marys and not trying to rock the boat and keeping their tradition going. I believe that in the Special Dark they have a decent platform to build off of should they choose to get a bit more adventurous and branch out.

Overall: 6/10