Foundry 'Chillin' Moose' Corona. 5.5x42. Medium brown wrap. Good build with smoothed veins and leaf ends. Cut and lit quite well. Medium draw pre-light, slightly easier draw down the burn. First half tastes of very mild leaf with a bright pepper back end. Aroma of toasted light wood. Second half offers a rounder tobacco taste with a subdued note of pepper. Burn is even across. Ash is clean, light gray, holds an inch and a half before the drop.

This is a well crafted cigar, medium bodied, with a taste that progresses nicely. The tobacco flavor heightens while the background spice-pepper mellows by the midpoint. Excellent little smoke break. Recommended.

From the company:

"Why a moose? And why is he chillin'? It’s because he knows a secret – you don't need an expensive cigar to have a good time. Available in three sizes, Chillin' Moose gives you more bang for your buck. So kick back, light up, and stop worrying about your wallet."

[source: foundrytobaccocompany.com]

I enjoyed this Chillin Moose corona al fresco on a lovely day in the Tower District.

Big Sky Brewing 'Moose Drool' Brown Ale. 5.1% abv. 26 IBU. Dark brown color. Nearly two fingers of ivory head. Good retention and low-moderate lace. Nose of malt, nutty, slight smoke. Front taste of caramel, roasted malt, notes of dark fruit. Aftertaste of caramel, earthy hops, distant bitter. Thin-medium body. Mouthfeel is thin, small bead carb.

This is a decent brown ale, certainly an example of its category, but unfortunately nothing more. The nutty and smoky notes of the aroma do not carry over to the taste which is largely roasted malt. There is some hop presence in the aftertaste but not nearly enough to stand this beer above the fold. The promised mix of different malts and hops are barely detectable, failing to create any complexity.

Brown ale is one of my favorite beer styles, and many people love Moose Drool, so I was unexpectedly disappointed. It fits its category, but is not impressive or memorable. I originally ended this review with "pass on this one." However, I won't discourage you from trying one - you may well enjoy it like many others do - but I can't recommend it either. Like many other beers I've reviewed, I can and do enjoy this beer, but it is far from my first choice.

From the brewery:

"Moose Drool is the world's premier brown ale. For a dark beer, it is extremely drinkable and excellent complement to most foods. Four different malts are used in this brew. We also do four hop additions consisting of a combination of East Kent Goldings' Liberty and Willamette."
[source: bigskybrew.com]