American Special Bitter
Uncommon Brewers in Santa Cruz, California, United States 🇺🇸
Strong Ale - American Special Out of Production|
Score
7.21
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It’s a west-coast strong ale that is hopped up like a double IPA, black as sin and aged on redwood.
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6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Draught at Mikkeller Bar, Copenhagen
Dark color, almost black, with virtually no head. Aroma of dark malts, glue, caramel, phenols. Flavor of caramel with some darker malts, a lot of chemicals, phenol, booze, enough residual sugars; some chocolate flavor, and quite sweet overall; it has a correct (or strong?) bitterness and some alcohol in the final. Unrefined and inelegant cowboy brew.
It could score high because of its strength and bold statements, or low because of its chaotic way.
Dark color, almost black, with virtually no head. Aroma of dark malts, glue, caramel, phenols. Flavor of caramel with some darker malts, a lot of chemicals, phenol, booze, enough residual sugars; some chocolate flavor, and quite sweet overall; it has a correct (or strong?) bitterness and some alcohol in the final. Unrefined and inelegant cowboy brew.
It could score high because of its strength and bold statements, or low because of its chaotic way.
Tried
on 03 May 2014
at 01:47
8.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Draft at the Copenhagen Beer Celebration 2012. Pours dark, red-brown with a fine, bubbly tan head. Some dark sugars on the nose, bit of wood, mild tart fruits, some brown sugar and caramel. Hugely sweet flavor with some light, tangy dark wood notes, mild age to the malts, dark toffee, dark cherries, some cocoa. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Very warming on the finish, some dryness imparted by the wood gives the beer a nice vinous quality, which is furthered by the dark fruit notes. Very nice beer. Yes, quite vinous.
Tried
from Draft
on 26 Sep 2012
at 02:02
6.8/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
On tap(@Mikkeller): Hazy, dark amber coloured, almost no head, solid port-vinous and fruity (raisins) nose, a bit sherry-like, too plus some wood; solid sweet-bitter flavour, full bodied, as expected, but not sticky; drier port-vinous and bitter-malty finish. Really good…
Tried
from Draft
on 22 Aug 2012
at 07:19
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
On tap @ Copenhagen Beer Celebration. A near murky brown one with a small quickly sidesticking brown-ish head. Woody chocolate and some tartness on the aroma, salt + pepper and vinegar also present! That's a bit weird I guess? It's quite caramel sweet, really vinious and woody! Also some licorice here. Really tasty, and a nice alco burning finish. Really tasty! 12.05.2012
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Aug 2012
at 03:16
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draft @ CBC 2012. Pours a black color with a small tan head. Has a fruity woody weak roasted caramel aroma with hoppy hints. Dry woody roasted malty caramel flavor with hoppy bitter hints. Has a roasted malty woody hoppy finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Jun 2012
at 04:52
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draft. A black beer with a lazing tan head. The aroma has notes of alcohol, roasted malt, and caramel. The falvor is sweet with notes of alcohol, soy sauce, roasted malt, and wood, leading to a dry, roasted, and slightly tart finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 05 Jun 2012
at 02:12
7.5/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Draft at CBC. Pours a nasty murky brown with an off white head, but it all gets a lot better after that! Nice sweet aroma of caramel, malt, dark fruits and raisins. Flavour is also very sweet with fudge, caramel, raisins, dark fruit, wood and only a little noticeable alcohol aside from the sweet warming finish. Full bodied with soft carbonation. A surprising highlight beer of CBC.
Tried
from Draft
on 04 Jun 2012
at 13:49
7.3/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Draught @ [ Copenhagen Beer Celebration 2012 ] @ Spartas Lokaler, Faelledparken in Osterbro, Copenhagen, Denmark.Unclear dark brown colour with virtually no head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, chocolate, coffee, wood, alcohol, dark fruit, buzzy. Flavour is heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration, alcohol warm. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat, finish feel is light to moderate alcoholic and buzzy. [20120512]
Tried
on 01 Jun 2012
at 05:51