Yesterday at the Meddlesome Moth, you couldn't walk three feet without bumping into a brewer, beer blogger or beer-fest entrepreneur. The debut of Peticolas Brewing Company's first commercially available product brought out an impressively dense crowd, especially for a rainy Tuesday, to try Velvet Hammer.
These were some passionate, opinionated beer lovers, and I didn't talk to a single one who wasn't impressed by the inaugural offering. I really liked it as well. It's a very well balanced ale, dry with a nice nutty maltiness and an interesting blend of herbal, floral and tropical notes from the hops. The body is smooth and rich but not too thick. And despite a hefty 9 percent ABV, the alcohol was almost imperceptible. It's dangerously drinkable, tasting like something you could sip all day as easily as iced tea. I can't wait to try Great Scot!, the next beer in the Peticolas lineup.