Soothingly mellow crystal malt sweetness lingers to bland paper-thin clay finish of mild gold-hued medium body. Vagrant barley hops swish around watery texture for incomplete, indistinct follow-up. Brewery defunct: 2002.

Complex blend of bitter-hopped curacao orange briskness, buttery white wine-like effervescence, and delicate floral spicing provides busy template for refreshing fluffy white-headed tawny ale. Billowing artisan water softens citric load. On tap, sour wheat-backed banana sweetness and mild lemon tang greet mint-y clove freshness.

Ill-defined ruddy-clouded moderation balances bittersweet honey tartness with lackluster sourdough dryness. Poor, undeveloped finish lacks honey essence to set it apart and earn its moniker.

Relegated fruited malt tang slowly dissolves as countering piney hop uprising embitters backend. But sterile finish needs better grain insistence and sharper citric bite.

Grainy golden ale is casual fence-sitter, lacking adequate overall sweetness to counter emergent molded rye bittering. Brown-sugared honey biscuit nicety overlays maize-flaked corn-buttered dryness. As rye influence diminishes, orange pastry illusion caresses thin floral-spiced hop tingle.

Post-Katrina hurricane relief came from flawed cumulous-headed golden ale, October ’05. Murky sourdough tongue, sulfuric waft, and dank gluten-free remnant override barleymalt retreat as innocuous cinnamon wisp fades.

Opaque light-bodied amber-hued blonde ale moderates fuzzy carbolic acidity with subtle citrus-cherry sweetness and slim grain trim. Toasted barleymalt continuance fades quick, leaving wee vegetative, herbal, and floral respite to supplant fruited plain.

Rye malts, spicy hops, and heavy yeast sediment inform bottle conditioned limited edition (batch #23 and #44) 1-quart 18-ounce wine-bottled champion honoring beer historian Fred Eckhardt. Peach ambrosia mouthfeel and sweet Scotch insistence usurp honeyed cognac warmth. Chewy molasses undertow, creamy malt elegance, and cookie dough ‘heaviosity’ similar to highly praised Ipswich IPA. Arguably the best and most complex golden ale available.

Label claims it’s Birmingham’s best beer, but unfortunately we’re talkin’ Alabama, not England. Despite flaxen hue, its wafting citric tartness, soured mocha depth, and rousing malted hop splotch position this between lightweight stout and tingly red ale. Unique in approach, though no dominant flavor emerges. Brewery defunct: 2001.

Dark rust-hued brew buttresses perfumed hop aroma, nutty mocha bitterness, and barley-roasted graining with buttery malt perusal, nicking brown ale styling. Only disappointment comes when lingering sweet ‘n’ sour balance dips below shallow watery texture, giving soft finish neutral blandness.

Muted cherry-orange nose and phenol caramel malts initiate overtly foamy, puffy cumulous-headed lightweight, but simplistic grapefruit-hopped midst undermines potential. Brewery defunct: 2007.

Serviceable golden ale salutes dubious baseball founder, Abner Doubleday, underscoring roasted barleymalts and toasted hops with muted orange rind, sour apple and spiced peach illusions. Dry phenol finish flattens caramel-toffee tinge as floral bitterness fades.