When we went over to the Buffalo Brewfest, we were a bit intrigued to learn that Syracuse had their own regional brewery.

We’d lived in Syracuse before, and although their Brews and Blues fest is of epic proportions, it didn’t strike us as a beer-lovers Mecca.

Flash forward a couple of years, and here they were - a relative newcomer - serving arm in arm next to such regional heavyweights as Brooklyn and Ommegang. How did they rise so far, so fast?

The answer, of course, is great beer. The Wailing Wench was the initial offering made to us by the throwback brewing company, and lets just say we were taken aback by the sheer force of the ale. The color is a medium-brown, with a lace that runs caramel around the edges. Once you smell that first aroma, you’re in for a world of hurt. The hops and the grains leap out of the glass like frogs on amphetamines.

Raising the glass to our mouth, we were sucked in by the glorious hops and robust malty character. The alcohol was noticeable, but not overpowering like in some strong ales. We were quite pleased.

If you have the chance to purchase such a beer, it comes highly recommended.

It’s not the best beer we tried at the festival, but it is certainly one of the most memorable.

Rating: 4 pints