The Brewery Project: Automatic

Ranking a spot on Draft Magazine's list of America’s 100 best beer bars 3 years in a row, it's no secret that Blind Lady Ale House (BLAH, as it is affectionately known) sports great food and a killer beer lineup.  What may be a lesser known fact, at least to the casual patron, is that it is also home to Automatic Brewing Co., brewing quite literally in and around the building.  Even so, their beers are not always present on the beer board, so when I saw they had a brew currently on tap I knew it was time for another visit.  The beer in question was Blacktagon Black Ale.  As dark as this beer poured I was a bit hesitant, as I'm not a huge fan of dark, roasty brews.  My fears were quelled with my first sip.  The bitterness I was expecting was not present.  It was a smooth, balanced, and very drinkable beer made with a black wheat malt called Midnight Wheat.  With only 5.5% alcohol, I could have had several of these and been quite happy.  I liked this beer very much, even though it was out of my usual comfort zone, and look forward to having it again.  In fact, I'm anxious to try more of their beers as they become available.  Great beer and a great place to enjoy it.  I'm in!