Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours fairly hazy/cloudy deep golden amber/light orange color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big lightly tart berries, peach, pear, apricot, orange, mango, melon, red apple, citrus peel, juniper, spruce, pepper, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, bread dough, toasted biscuit, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, juniper, chokeberries, and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big lightly tart berries, peach, pear, apricot, orange, mango, melon, red apple, citrus peel, juniper, spruce, pepper, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, bread dough, toasted biscuit, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness, herbal/grassy bitterness, and light yeast/wheat tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart berries, peach, pear, apricot, orange, mango, melon, red apple, citrus peel, juniper, spruce, pepper, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, bread dough, toasted biscuit, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, juniper, chokeberries, and bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitter/spicy/tartness balance; and zero cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and spicy/tart/tangy yeast. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/grainy, and lightly sticky/tangy mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.2%. Overall this is an awesome saison! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, juniper, chokeberries, and bready malt flavors; very smooth and refreshing to drink with the mellowly spicy/tart/tangy/drying finish. I've tried this yeast in the past, it's pretty unique; but still well rounded on complexity for the style. Really great balance of fruity/spicy yeast, juniper/berries, and wheat/spelt/oat malts. Never overly sweet or dry either way. A really enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.
superspak (10160) reviewed 2018 from River's Edge Brewing Company 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in 11/2017. Very difficult cork removal, had to use a wine key. Pours slightly hazy medium orange/amber color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big golden raisin, plum, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, honey, candi sugar, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, and white bread; with lighter notes of toffee, coconut, peppercorn, clove, banana, herbal, grass, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, plums, bourbon barrels, candi sugar, and pale malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big golden raisin, plum, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, honey, candi sugar, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, and white bread; with lighter notes of toffee, coconut, peppercorn, clove, banana, herbal, grass, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light peppery yeast, bourbon/oak tannin spiciness; and herbal/grassy hop bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of golden raisin, plum, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, honey, candi sugar, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, white bread, light toffee/coconut, pepper, clove, herbal, grass, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, plums, bourbon barrels, candi sugar, and pale malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Mildly increasing dryness from bitterness and yeast/oak spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, bready/grainy/silky, and lightly sticky/tannic mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden; a mildly increasing warmth of 9.5%, with zero barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an awesome barrel aged Belgian strong pale ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, plums, bourbon barrels, candi sugar, and pale malt flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the ABV; with the mellowly bitter/spicy/tannic/drying finish. Outstanding balance between yeast, plums, barrels, and pale malts/sugars. Very well attenuated and not overly sweet/heavy feeling for the ABV, with adequate dryness. Nice added silky mouthfeel from the barrel aging. A really enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 5/22/2017. Pours moderately hazy/cloudy deep orange amber/light copper color with a 1-2 finger dense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big caramel, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread, golden raisin, plum, pear, and red apple; with light notes of pepper, clove, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, honey, and bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread, golden raisin, plum, pear, and red apple; with lighter notes of pepper, clove, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light peppery yeast and bourbon/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread, golden raisin, plum, pear, red apple, light pepper/clove, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, honey, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a nice malt/spiciness balance, and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy, bready, and silky mouthfeel that is fantastic. Lightly slick, sticky, tannic, and drying. Mildly increasing warmth of 8%, with slight barrel booze lingering after the finish. Overall this is an excellent barrel aged Biere de Garde. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, honey, and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. Very rich and complex dark/bready malts with nice fruity yeast presence; and fantastic barrel integration. Never overly boozy, tannic, or drying. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. Got better as it warmed. Aromas were pretty fruity initially, but balanced out perfectly.
superspak (10160) reviewed Dirty Frank from River's Edge Brewing Company 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 11/2/2017. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, spicy rye, nuttiness, and toasted dark/brown bread; with lighter notes of smoke, char, molasses, dark fruits, herbal, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of dark/roast/bready/rye malt, molasses, light-moderate earthy hops, and mild fruity yeast notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, spicy rye, nuttiness, and toasted dark/brown bread; with lighter notes of smoke, char, molasses, dark fruits, herbal, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate roast/char and herbal/spicy hop bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, spicy rye, nuttiness, toasted dark/brown bread, light smoke/char, herbal, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready/rye malt, molasses, light-moderate earthy hops, and mild fruity yeast flavors; with an awesome roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and zero acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from hop/roast bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and lightly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 6.7%. Overall this is a fantastic export stout! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready/rye malt, molasses, light-moderate earthy hops, and mild fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Very rich for the ABV. Great well rounded English malt complexity with added molasses; balancing English hops and mild fruity yeast notes. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example.
superspak (10160) reviewed Indubious from River's Edge Brewing Company 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
22 ounce bottle into chalice, bottled on 11/2/2017. Pours slightly hazy deep ruby red, light copper/brown color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big raisin, plum, prune, fig, cherry, date, red apple, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, and toasted biscuit; with linger notes of pepper, clove, nuttiness, chocolate, toffee, molasses, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/earthy/spicy yeast, candi sugar, dark/bready/light roast malt, and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, prune, fig, cherry, date, red apple, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, and toasted biscuit; with linger notes of pepper, clove, nuttiness, chocolate, toffee, molasses, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light peppery yeast spiciness and herbal/roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark fruit, cherry, apple, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light pepper/clove, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/earthy/spicy yeast, candi sugar, dark/bready/light roast malt, and light earthy hop flavors; with a nice malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/grainy, and lightly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.8%. Overall this is an excellent Dubbel! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/earthy/spicy yeast, candi sugar, dark/bready/light roast malt, and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV, with the mildly bitter/spicy finish. Never overly sweet/heavy for the ABV. Very rich and complex; with perfectly balanced Belgian malt and yeast character; with adequate dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.