Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Draught pint at Redbones on 5/6/06. Dark black, very nearly opaque with a very well-retained light chocolate head that provides ample lacing. Moderate chocolate tones falling off the liquid intertwine gracefully with clean Belgian yeast notes (soft dough, vanilla, marshmallow). Very reserved roast and light prunes provide depth, with succulent malts hidden, waiting to burst forth as it warms. Highly aromatic, especially for a draught beer served out of a shaker. And as it warms, definite sticky fudge comes forth, almost showing a touch of tobacco and crunchy, earthy black malts. It never gets too far dry, however, thanks to the prunes (which sort of share a note with some raisins and/or dates) that sweeten things. Chocolate fudge, woven amongst vanilla and light yeast slowly assuage the palate, while light tinges of bitter chocolate provide an intriguing change of pace, as some minimally crunchy malts show themselves. Just enough to add a little oomph and cut the sweet chocolate and soft vanilla-creme sweetness. All the while, visions of Abbey Dubbels and dark Belgian ales flash through my head. WIth a slight change of malt, this could blend seemlessly in to a true Belgian ale. Very tastefully yeasted, perfect attenuation with low, fairly engaging carbonation. Maybe a light touch of leafy, soily hops, but it is mostly lost amidst the dark malts. Clean, flavorful and quite complex. It dosent seem to have been boiled that long, and that contributes to a drinkable beer, with a lighter palate. When I think of Alvinne Podge imperial, I just think of too much chewy, near-syrupy brown malts building up too heavily on the palate. This concentrates on presentation of flavors, which, ultimately, I think beer should do, without confusing things with a heavy mouthfeel or overly aggressive flavors. No alcohol noted in flavor or aroma.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Hellbrook from The Alchemist 19 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Draught tulip at the brewpub on 3/10/06
Deep cherry-red color, with some light gold and tan tints, glassy clarity, is obviously unfiltered, but well-settled. Frothy, prominent, chalky-beige colored head is very well-retained providing light lacing.
Smells of a mix of light chocolate matls, touches of sticky caramel and just a hint of crystal malts for color. Not overly dried out or papery from the crystal malt addition, which is a feat in itself. A touch of creamy-sweet pale malt sugars, dry, but lively fruits (apples, cherries, raisins, plums) and a straightforward, but delightfully playful and aromatic hop profile of soft citrus, light soil and bits of wintergreen and controlled pine. The flavor is full of fruity and sprucey hops, at first, with a grainy, unfiltered texture, sticky caramel, near-creamy pale or dextrin malts and tastefully done, lightly drying crystal malts. Some bits of chocolate on the very tail end, with a very tight, low amount of carbonation. Perhaps it dries out a bit too much, with a growing toastiness as it warms, and the hops are only moderately assertive (yet fully flavorful). No alcohol noted in nose or flavor. Brewers that can make crystally/caramelly, PNW hopped, 8% abv double-red ales taste lively, round and balanced are a rare breed.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Schtüpulator from The Alchemist 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
Draught tulip at the brewery on 3/10/06.
Deep auburn-mahogany with some darker black cherry skin highlights and a sandy-beige head of moderate size (one-finger) that is somewhat well retained and laces lightly.
The nose smells of a mix of fruity nut bread (cherries, candied figs and dates), brown sugar and some sweet cream. Alcohol dryness on the end, again a touch of phenols and the usual munich malt breadiness. The brown sugar and simple, sweet creamy sugars come off a bit too simple, with the fruits being a little too sugar-soaked/candied. Dryness comes, but it’s too bready and sharp (alcohol).
Flavor is overly simple. Well-extracted, of course, are the malts, but it just seems like brown sugar and candied cherries fatigue the palate somewhat, while a bit of looseness to the texture is at odds with the low carbonation. I don’t get all of the lusciousness I had hoped for. The malts nearly cloy instead of comforting. And it’s interesting that the alcohol is used to dry out the flavor. I can appreciate that that is more traditional than using hops, but combined with the breadiness from the munich malt it proves tiresome to my palate. Nuttiness and lightly astringent berry-skins on the end, with perhaps some phenols. Perhaps more an issue with German beers, than any complaint with Alchemist, as this beer is well-made, but I just find the breadiness and sweetness coupled with overly drying phenols and alcohol in a strong German beer to be inferior to a similarly made Belgian beer.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Tweisse from The Alchemist 19 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Draught tulip at the brewery on 3/10/06
Small pinch of off-white head is well-retained, though the liquid does not provide nearly any lacing. The body is a chill-hazed, lively golden-maize with some very faint burnt amber tones.
The nose quickly delivers a blast of phenols, clovey and ever so slightly medicinal, with creamy bananas and an oily, cedar-like note that is probably just the interplay of wheat and phenol. Dry lemon and tangerine juice notes are faintly perceptible, further adding a dry and mildly acidic tone to the aroma. Aroma strength is quite strong.
Upon sipping, the beer begins significantly sweet, with doughy, sweet, white malts, some grassy, almost wet hay-like notes and a creeping phenolic overtone that becomes more prominent as it warms. Alcohol dries out the flavor heavily on the end, though I wouldnt call the alcohol overly apparent, just light sharpness/perfuminess. Grainy and yet doughy at times, but ultimately too phenolic for my liking, with too much alcohol dryness. Low carbonation makes things a little "soggy". Some soft fruits (nectarines, peaches, pears, bananas) provide a light playfulness. The wheat and barley texture, is superb, however, as I’ve come to expect from this brewer. I just don’t buy in to the concept of a "Double Hefeweizen". To me a hefe should be quenching and crisp, with only playful ester and phenol qualities. If you are giong to amp up the flavors/alcohol, you’ve got to find some way to keep the original spirit of a hefe, or so I think. This strong version loads the palate up with too much, in too many categories. Perhaps a bit more carbonation would help? Not sure, but it is a very intriguing experiment. Maybe if you approach it as a German Strong Ale. . . .
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Ménage à Trois from The Alchemist 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
On draught at the brewpub 11/4/05 with Muzzlehatch. Well I suppose this is sort of trippel-ish in nature, and they call it a strong golden ale, but I don’t know, it didnt seem very estery or candi-sugar influenced, so I thought it a Belgian ale, in the strong sense, but perhaps it should be reclassified. The pour is a polished brass-copper-gold color, light chill haze to it with a small, fairly well-retained white head and moderate amounts of lace. Aroma of spicy hops (herbs, light hay and sweat), strong yeast presence and some cookie dough and a touch of breadiness. Just a hint of peaches, apricots and nectarines. Flavor seems to have more munich malt, it’s slightly sour anyways, with light fruitiness, a hint of very dry caramel/toffee and more spiciness from the hops. Finishes with moderate sugariness (sugar cookies, white dough) and then a tremendously drying alcohol/yeast sensation. Mouthfeel is lightly creamy at times, ending a bit watery with moderate carbonation.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Petit Mutant from The Alchemist 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Draught pint at the brewpub, with Muzzlehatch on 11/4/05. Pours a hazy, fiery orange and amber-auburn colored beer, with a small, fairly well-retained off-white head that recedes to cover fairly rapidly, with light lacing. Aroma has lightly tart cherry pie, a lemon candy-like note and a smooth, drying wheat note on the end. Flavor shows lightly acidic cherries balanced by light honey and a bit of sweet breadiness. Yeast is rather thick, while the wild yeast adds a clean, if rather subdued tartness. Wheat gives a light chewiness to the texture, but the mouthfeel might be a little bit too easygoing on the end, being a draught beer. Some peaches, cherries and plums, with a hint of woody-like flavor and more yeast. No alcohol apparency. Rather subdued overall. I wasnt paying too much attention to the beer for the first two-thirds of it and looked up to see it almost gone. By that point, I hadnt come away with much other than the fact that I was drinking some cherry beer infused with small amounts of brett. Perhaps just a little too simple in its flavors, with too weak a mouthfeel.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Revitalization Rye from The Alchemist 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Pint draught at the brewery, 7/8/2005 with TAR and CQuiroga. Deep amber-maize-blackberry colors swirl about, with an outstanding hickory-red sheen to it and a small, but neatly retained off-white head. Light, spotty lacing. Nose is gorgeous! Simcoe and warrior hops gone wild, fresh, aromatic, fruity, clean and juicy. Really gets in your face, but dosent kill you with sweet malt ntoes. The lightly peppery, dry rye gives strength to the nose as well. Unfortunately, the flavor didnt live up to the nose. Begins with astringent, bitter, floral hops, and unripened fruits. Dry, peppery, grainy rye further dries things out, and the malt has to play catch-up from the start. Nutty notes mix with light cola and touches of dry toffee here and there. Strong toasted grains, more bitter hops and light fruits round out the finish. The malt balance improves, somewhat, as it warms, but not enough, IMHO. Oily, borderline overcarbonated texture is very lively, but also lightens up as it goes. They just needed more malt balance. . . .
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Wild Child from The Alchemist 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Cask pint at Alchemist, 7/8/2005, with CQuiroga and TAR. A haz(ier than it should be) red-brown auburn colored beer, with some bright strawberry tinges and a fair amount of yellow-tinged white head. Moderate retention and fair lacing. Aroma is full of b. lambicus. Smells like sour cherry pie, with a hint of orange rind and some grainy, almost bready malt in the background. Flavor shows too much meaty, thick, chewy yeastiness, typical of American brewers brewing Belgian styles. You aint gonna mistake this one for Temptation or Supplication (Vinnie’s got it down pat). I really don’t think the lightly sour, bready munich malts complement the lambic tartness. Would have liked to have seen just some sweet, clean, honeyish smooth pils malt, though maybe I’m just lame and unadventurous. Body is medium, and the palate dosent go limp or watery, but this is a prime example of meaty yeast, which I hate (meaty sacch yeast, not the b. lambicus). It’s well-done other than that, though.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Grote Bruin from The Alchemist 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
On draught at the brewpub 4/16/05. Dark milky brown colored beer, hazy and very unfiltered, with a small but fairly well-lasting light beige head. Aroma of cardamon, ginger, light earthiness, brown sugar, Belgian yeast, and light dough. Flavor is lightly spiced up front, transitioning in to a creamy malt and yeast profile that sticks to the palate. Perhaps more simple than some from the motherland, but no alcohol is noted, little to no astringency and just a fantastic body that gives a wonderful mouthfeel and solid medium-full body. Light nuttiness, hints of dark fruits and more spice round out the finish. Much like Watch City Biere de Bordel was on tap (though more dry and phenolic).
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Pappy's Porter from The Alchemist 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
On draught, 4/16/05 at the brewpub. Dark chocolate colored beer, with some lighter mahogany notes on the edges, not altogether transluscent (nowhere near opaque). Light tan head quickly dissipates to a ring. Aroma of hazelnuts, dark chocolate and light blackberries. Flavors of cinnamon, chocolate fudge, roasted nuts and light caramel/toffee. Not enough body to make it distinctly American, not enough yeast mustiness to make it distinctly English. It kind of suffers because I don’t know what they are really aiming for and I taste way too much wateriness. Finishes rather quickly, with light chocolate lingering on. Medium body at first, but growing quickly thin. A very low amount of roast compared to most porters I have had. Bordering a brown ale.6/3/6/3/12
On cask later the same night Believe it or not, the cask version had more body, a long lasting head, and more pronounced flavors. Sticky chocolate sits on the palate, while a very light roast adds pleasant depth. Light notes of cola and toffee, with less thinning on the end and even a light carbonation which added more pleasant texture. Low yeast apparency still, but I like the lack of wateriness on cask. 6/4/7/4/14