Scurry - Off Color Brewing

    Scurry is an Altbier brewed with molasses and honey. The beer is brewed by Off Color Brewing in Chicago, Illinois. Off Color is another of the breweries that I have discovered is located in my neighborhood. I was first attracted to the beer by the sketch-like label, then saw that it was made a few blocks from my home. Needless to say, I had to pick it up.

    Scurry pours a dark molasses color that shows its true ruby tint when held up against light. The beer is much more clear than the dark color would lead you to believe. There is next to no head on the beer, but the a layer of bubbles ring the top of the liquid and leaves a bit of lacing.

    The Altbier smells mainly of roasted malts with a small bit of hoppy bitterness.

    Scurry is just under medium bodied with a nice dry, crispness to it. A mild carbonation level keeps things light without seeming like a cola. The beer has an alcohol content of 5.3% ABV.

This is a Honey bee-r hive.

    Off Color's beer tastes of lightly roasted malts with a bit of oats flavor as well. The honey and molasses comes through in a surprisingly dry way. There is little sweetness to the beer, even with it being brewed using such sweet ingredients. Earthy hops add just a slight bitterness to the beer, making the overall flavor almost savory.

    The label leads me to believe that the brewers at Off Color are all mice. Also, that this beer required raiding special bee-r's hives in order pull off its honey character. It makes sense then that the name, Scurry, is due to a unsuccessful attempt at raiding the hive, and a flight from bee-rs. Of course my imagination goes back to cartoons in which bees would fly in formation and make shapes like a bow and arrow while flying after the mouse. The mouse would run and dive into a pond, breathing through a reed to escape. The bees would either be fooled by this, or would dive down into the reed causing the mouse to run out of the water.

    Scurry has a very interesting flavor that is unlike other beers I've had. That said, I've only ever had one other Altbier. I really like that Off Color is making whatever types of beer they want, and seemingly aren't limited to popular contemporary styles. I look forward to trying more of their beers!

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