Beer four from Trader Joe's comes to us in the form of Jumping Cow Amber Ale from Steinhaus Brewing Co. which is again a front for the actual brewery Firestone Walker Brewing of Paso Robles, CA.
The labels description for this ale is boring, stating simply that the ale is
Brewed from the finest malted barley, hops, yeast and water.
If only the description was as exciting as the label.
The ale pours nice and clear with a dark reddish hue and a thick creamy tan head. This beer has some carbonation and the head sticks around long after pouring.
The aromas are hard to gather, especially since the wife finds the need to make toast moments after the bottle top was removed. It may not sound as good as it smells, but it has the aroma of a musty barley. It is a faint sweetish smell that seems to disappear soon after initial contact with the nasal cavity.
The first few sips are hard to describe. The ale is smooth and not much kick given the dark color and good carbonation. It takes several draws from the glass to finally decide that this brew has three distinct stages when you drink it. Upon meeting the taste buds, the beer has a full flavor that can be describe as a lightly roasted barley. Then as you swallow, the beer seems creamy and sweetens. Finally you are left with a slight tingle from the hops with just a hint of bitterness that only seems to last a moment or two.
Overall the beer has a lot of positive features and a unique flavor. You couple that with the great head that sticks to the glass and you might be tempted to lick the head off the inside of the glass.