Old Engine Oil
Black AleHarviestoun Brewery
6% ABV
11.2 oz. bottle (~$5 inclusive of tax) poured into a pint glass. No age statement.
Pours dark brown and viscous as described with a milky-brown head. While the head falls off quick, a sheet of foam manages to stick around over the course of the beer. 4/5
Smells of sugars, roast and spices more than anything else to me which is quite contrary to chocolate notes I was expecting. 3/5
Fans of this beer might detect all sorts of flavors in it but I find it to be predominantly bitter with hops and roast; and sweet, rather underattenuated. I am a little biased in my opinion because I hated the Ola Dubh 12, that uses this beer, or some cousin of its, as the base beer. However, I have to give it to this beer that it lets the drinker experience a big stout taste without the big alcohol. Still, I find the bitterness over the top, the sweetness too cloying, and most of all, the beer soulless. 3/5
Mouthfeel is perhaps the biggest strength of this beer and it can rival bigger stouts! Smooth and silky with just hints of carbonation. This beer will shine when paired with something even sweeter. 4.5/5
Overall, as remarked over and over, while it could pass for a bigger, badder beer, it needs some soul in it. Barely above average if you ask me. 3.5/5.
Note: Added some Talisker 10 yo Single Malt Scotch in it later because this one seemed like a good candidate for fooling around. The aroma of this pseudo-aged beer became incredibly good, but the contributions to the taste were minimal. While the aroma was full of everything delicate about Talisker, the taste inherited a touch of peat smoke at the end.
The Wizard
Short's Brewing CompanyAmerican Barleywine (aged on raisins)
11% ABV
Sent as an extra by lurchingbeast. Thanks Frank! 12 oz poured into a New Belgium globe.
Dark amber, fairly clear but not brilliantly so with a medium head and good retention. Typical strong ale aroma --- dried raisins and apricots, malts, and hint of dank hops.
The taste is darkly sweet but nearly not as much as I'd like. A roasty bitter finish with a kiss of booze at the end. Too much roasty for its own good! Also, it claims to be brewed with raisins but raisin character is fairly typical and nothing extraordinary. In fact, this ale is pretty ordinary :/
Appearance: 4/5; Aroma: 3.5/5; Taste 3/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 3.5/5
Brewery Weihenstephan
5.4% ABV
24 IBUs
The taste is darkly sweet but nearly not as much as I'd like. A roasty bitter finish with a kiss of booze at the end. Too much roasty for its own good! Also, it claims to be brewed with raisins but raisin character is fairly typical and nothing extraordinary. In fact, this ale is pretty ordinary :/
Appearance: 4/5; Aroma: 3.5/5; Taste 3/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 3.5/5
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
HefeweizenBrewery Weihenstephan
5.4% ABV
24 IBUs
On tap at Bullfrog, Downtown MPLS.
I am divided about whether or not I should review this beer --- I have spent quite some time chasing this one down in the Twin Cities area and it seems impossible to find fresh bottles of this beer. This is May already and haven't seen one that's bottled in 2011! Finally someone posted that it's on tap at Bullfrog, so I figured that I would go give it a try.
From here on I am not sure if it should be the establishment's review or this beer's. Served in a glass that's not like any beer glass I have seen --- like a thin balloon, with the said glass filled to brim. Head you ask? Did you say lacing? The color is a murky orange and cloudiness is in line with the style.
Lots of off aromas that I initially thought were because of yeast. Smells like saison spilled in a fucking pharmacy.
Taste is just as bad: lots of bandaid in the middle, and unmistakable cooked corn towards the finish. Where's the brightness? Banana? Clove?
A dull, flavorless sweetness and some bitterness at the end. Mouthfeel is ok, crisp, light bodied etc. etc., but at this point I don't fucking care. Surprisingly I downed my glass in usual time, so either I am cheap, or this beer is so good that it stays drinkable in spite of horrible treatment. I have had it from bottle (several months old, yeah) and I recall that it was way better, so it has to be the tap lines.
I will still seek fresher bottles and re review this one asap!
Appearance: 2.5/5; Aroma: 2/5; Taste 2/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 3/5
From here on I am not sure if it should be the establishment's review or this beer's. Served in a glass that's not like any beer glass I have seen --- like a thin balloon, with the said glass filled to brim. Head you ask? Did you say lacing? The color is a murky orange and cloudiness is in line with the style.
Lots of off aromas that I initially thought were because of yeast. Smells like saison spilled in a fucking pharmacy.
Taste is just as bad: lots of bandaid in the middle, and unmistakable cooked corn towards the finish. Where's the brightness? Banana? Clove?
A dull, flavorless sweetness and some bitterness at the end. Mouthfeel is ok, crisp, light bodied etc. etc., but at this point I don't fucking care. Surprisingly I downed my glass in usual time, so either I am cheap, or this beer is so good that it stays drinkable in spite of horrible treatment. I have had it from bottle (several months old, yeah) and I recall that it was way better, so it has to be the tap lines.
I will still seek fresher bottles and re review this one asap!
Appearance: 2.5/5; Aroma: 2/5; Taste 2/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 3/5
London Pride
English Pale AleFuller Smith & Turner PLC
4.7% ABV
Served on cask in an Imperial pint glass at the Brit's Pub, Minneapolis.
Golden and smooth, with a small head with fine foam. Good head retention and lacing for the size.
Smells is equal parts malts and hops --- honey, and herbs (but not to the extent of being pungent). Tastes of ripe, lush fruit with a mild bitterness, and rich honey and earthy hop flavor. Well carbonated, but not overly so; great body that's not heavy but not watery by any means.
There's bitterness is towards the end, but it does not stay on the palate. Finish is fairly clean. Overall, I liked it. Especially good for a 4.7% ABV beer.
Smells is equal parts malts and hops --- honey, and herbs (but not to the extent of being pungent). Tastes of ripe, lush fruit with a mild bitterness, and rich honey and earthy hop flavor. Well carbonated, but not overly so; great body that's not heavy but not watery by any means.
There's bitterness is towards the end, but it does not stay on the palate. Finish is fairly clean. Overall, I liked it. Especially good for a 4.7% ABV beer.
Appearance: 4/5; Aroma: 3.5/5; Taste 4/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 4/5
Big John
Imperial StoutGoose Island Beer Co.
11.5% ABV
60 IBUs
Pours silky and dark with a small brown head. Sub-par retention and lacing, but forgivable. Dark brown highlights are seen.
Not a whole lot going on in terms of aroma -- the typical stout aroma with ample amount of alcohol, but not harsh. Smells sweet and perhaps too much so because of the alcohol.
Not a huge fan of the taste either: this one seems a lot like BCS in terms of its shortcomings, without any of the awesomeness that BCS brings to the table. Still, quite "rich" with a strong dark fruit acidity (think raisins) and substantial roast. It should be noted that the roast is still way less than your average RIS, and I don't resent it.
Mouthfeel is a killer -- silky, smooth, coating and low on the carbonation. Overall, I wasn't as impressed as I was with Nightstalker, that is vastly underrated IMO.
Not a whole lot going on in terms of aroma -- the typical stout aroma with ample amount of alcohol, but not harsh. Smells sweet and perhaps too much so because of the alcohol.
Not a huge fan of the taste either: this one seems a lot like BCS in terms of its shortcomings, without any of the awesomeness that BCS brings to the table. Still, quite "rich" with a strong dark fruit acidity (think raisins) and substantial roast. It should be noted that the roast is still way less than your average RIS, and I don't resent it.
Mouthfeel is a killer -- silky, smooth, coating and low on the carbonation. Overall, I wasn't as impressed as I was with Nightstalker, that is vastly underrated IMO.
Appearance: 3.5/5; Aroma: 3/5; Taste 3.5/5; Mouthfeel 5/5; Overall 4/5
The Don
Supposedly ESBTown Hall Brewery
8% ABV
"This Special Bitter was made in memory of Don Younger of the famed Horse Brass Pub in Portland, OR."
Clear and deep honey orange with an off white creamy head. The head retention and lacing are good for the the size of the head.
With rich residual sugars, notes of fruit (banana, caramelized apple), and dark fruit, this beer has the potential for greatness. And still, the presence of this beer is unimpressive. The body is thin and the excellent flavors don't seem to last on the palate.
Finish is slightly tannic, noticeably so with warmth, and sweet, even though strong bitterness kicks in towards the end. I think that the bitterness is a little discordant.
Eventually the alcohol gets noticeable to an interfering extent and definitely affects the scores.
As noted, there is potential for greatness but needs tweaking. And the lack of body is a minus.
Clear and deep honey orange with an off white creamy head. The head retention and lacing are good for the the size of the head.
With rich residual sugars, notes of fruit (banana, caramelized apple), and dark fruit, this beer has the potential for greatness. And still, the presence of this beer is unimpressive. The body is thin and the excellent flavors don't seem to last on the palate.
Finish is slightly tannic, noticeably so with warmth, and sweet, even though strong bitterness kicks in towards the end. I think that the bitterness is a little discordant.
Eventually the alcohol gets noticeable to an interfering extent and definitely affects the scores.
As noted, there is potential for greatness but needs tweaking. And the lack of body is a minus.
Appearance: 4/5; Aroma: 4/5; Taste 3.5/5; Mouthfeel 3/5; Overall 4/5
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