Silver Moon Brewing is one of Bend’s newer breweries (though still several years old), and they only began bottling their beers last spring. I never cease to be surprised when a new beer from them shows up—they always appear unannounced—and that held just as true a couple of weeks ago when I discovered their latest bottled offering, Brown Eyes Ale.

Brown Eyes is an American Brown Ale made with blackstrap molasses. It’s 7.5% alcohol and bottled in a limited run. Beyond that, I don’t really know much about it—but I’m always interested in trying new Brown Ales, so it’s all good.

Appearance: Murky brown with copper highlights and a thick fluffy head—tan, two fingers worth.

Smell: Sweet, nutty, light whiff of molasses. Brown sugar. Hops take a backseat, earthy and subtle.

Taste: Malty with a malty-sweet-bitter flavor right up front, kind of a roasted, nutty character. Nice rich component without being too astringent, which is a problem I have with some brown ales. Hops are clean and bitter, very straightforward without being overdone. Can I taste the molasses? Not overtly, but it’s there in the rich, darker dry notes.

Mouthfeel: Thick, creamy and full feeling in the mouth—nice and firm. Clean and despite the sweetness, finishes dry with a pleasant aftertaste.

Overall: Enjoyable, rich, a little different. Very drinkable and well made.

On BeerAdvocate, it shows up with 2 reviews and so far scores A-. It hasn’t shown up on RateBeer yet.