Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Das Spalter Alt from Zero Gravity Craft Brewery 19 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5
Draught pint at the brewery with Muzzlehatch on 3/11/06. Deep copper-beige color, clear, but not strikingly so, with a gentle effervescence rising in the liquid and a wispy bunch of beige head that is small and fairly lasting. Some very light strawberry-blonde notes. Looks like an alt to me.
The nose is HEAVILY yeasty, HEAVILY bready, plenty of sourdough/munich malt influence, with a sticky, yet dry caramunich sugariness, soft, flowery spalt hops that are just lightly green and herbal, but also a little soapy and oily, as if they used a ton of them for bitterness. Brassy, mineral/metal notes round out the nose, that is overly dry and biting.
The flavor, quite possibly, takes it a step further, going overboard with the dry breadiness. Heavily drying and lightly acidic, with too much German yeast that really dominates the flavor. Hops are very one-dimensional, just rather heathery, minimally spicy and still providing light soapiness. Caramel stickiness is notable in texture, but it’s a sourish, very dry flavor, almost crystal-malt like in it’s vapidness. Farily full of water and drinkable in that sense (though not thin), but just too much bready, yeasty, soapy, grainy buildup on the palate. Carbonation seems appropriate, but it has no effect on clearing the aforementioned palate-deadening characteristics. No alcohol noted.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
2006 draught at EBF ’06 on 2/11/06. Thick looking, goldenrod to bright pencil-yellow, with a foamy white head, surprisingly poorly retained, though it does leave a filmy lace behind. Fair amount of haziness with only bits of bubbles here and there. The nose comes alive with plenty of rich honey and dough. Light vanilla icing and hints of lemon with a touch of drying, nettle-like herbal qualities. Sweet gale and rosemary, with yarrow and juniper as Barry says. Stuff like that. However, the drying note is only minimally felt as this stuff is powerfully malty, with a bit of candied peach and apricot. The flavor confirms the sweetness from the aroma, with a thickening, nearly syrupy mouthfeel (were it not for the pressurized C02, this stuff would be too thick and syrupy, as the cask sample Barry had). Paul (the brewer) told me that he went light on the herbs, only adding a few to the boil and had intended to add a tincture of various mixed herbs to the cask, a sort of dry-hopping of herbs (though a tincture is a liquid, so not really). Anyways, he didnt do that, and hence we have a very malty little gruit. But with the carbonation mitigating the syrupiness, I found the flavors to be absolutely interesting. Light almond skins, thyme, juniper and plenty more vanilla icing and light vanilla extract-like notes. Some fruity cherries and yellow raisins finish things off. Tomme Arthur, at the next booth over, was duly impressed. Tremendously well-done in that it is extremely balanced and only moderately spiced. Too many gruits succumb to a heavy, astringent at times, fatiguing at times, spice/herb level. This one was a malt beverage first, with just light spices added for balance. Very similar to Kuhnhenn’s Gruit, though even maltier than that one, with less herbal notes. No alcohol apparency, thinning, wateriness.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
Draught pint at the brewpub, with Muzzlehatch on 11/5/05. Dark black-brown body is nearly opaque, though settles out transluscent with a strong magenta tinge on the edges and a short-lived tan colored head. Aroma of roast, light coffee and bits of fruits (cherries, oranges, berries). A hint of creamy vanilla attempts to assert itself, but is scared off by the thick roast reprise on the end. The flavor begins with a chewy chocolate (dark) and roasted malt flavor that initially looks promising. But as this flavor recedes, a dry, almost chalky blandness begins to creep in and, simultaneously, the body thins out, and a touch of wateriness is had. Sharp carbonation seems to break up any fluidity in the mouthfeel and it just continues to stay too dry and roasty with no return appearance from the sweet chocolate malt or vanilla. Yeast apparency is low in the flavor, with a passing touch of dark fruits. Too heavy on the roast, needs more body. Still, a disappointment from this brewer is by no means a poorly done beer. No doubt the next batch will work out better.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Fallbock from Zero Gravity Craft Brewery 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Draught pint at the brewpub, 11/5/2005 with Muzzlehatch. Minimally filtered, brassy-orange with some strong beige-to-pencil-yellow hues and a very small, rather poorly retained off-white to beige colored head. Aroma shows dry toffee and caramel with tons of lager yeast. Nice bockiness, with some caramel corn notes and a touch of light, dry, yellow fruits. Strong, but mostly just sweet caramel malts and lager yeast. Flavor begins with plenty of sticky, sweet caramel and toffee, followed by some lightly drying, yeast notes, moderately acidic, lightly sour toasted grains/munich malts and a hint of soft, grassy hops. Plenty more yeast, which dosent quite balance the sticky caramel. The complexity is lacking, which creates some fatigue on the palate, when drinking a whole pint. The carbonation is low to moderate and the mouthfeel is sticky, with a touch of bready dryness on the texture as it warms. Well-concealed alcohol and low hops, with plenty of yeast and sweetness. It’s well-done to style and maybe batch two will yield a bit more complexity/balance.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Munich Helles from Zero Gravity Craft Brewery 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Batch 1 Draught pint at the brewpub with Muzzlehatch on 11/5/05. Very proper appearance. Just the slightest hint of haze to a copper-gold with a dark brass tinge and a very high level of clarity. White head is small and moderately well retained, with light spotty lacing. Aroma pours forth warm baked brown bread, crusty and with a sour dough. Magnificently dry, sweaty, hay-like hoppiness and plenty of herbal influences (tarragon, sage, rosemary). Touches of honey drip from the bread as well. Flavor begins with a large, pervasive yeastiness that is authentic, lightly sour, very crisp and satisfying. I havent had a nice lager-yeast bite on the finsih like a lager should have, in a long time. More sourdough breadiness and drops of honey coat the palate, while the hops are done splendidly. Not too much bitterness, and the flavor, while fresh, hay-like and mildly herbal, does not detract from the malts and yeast. Texture shows a lively, fresh, drinkable helles, just such that it should be, with a soft breadiness and a very crisp yeast bite on end (as I already have said). Moderate, engaging carbonation, medium-full body for the style. Fantastically drinkable example. Taktik_MTL and VTHophead=CRAZY! ;)
Batch 2 Draught pint at the brewery on 3/11/06.
Eek, what happened here?? The nose is full of brass and copper, with way too much sour munich malt apparency. The flavor is just dishearteningly overyeasted, with not enough attenuation, or just too much residual yeast character. Sourish, grainy and metallic character builds up sluggishly on the palate. No glimpse of its former self. 6/4/5/2/11 Rating is an average of the two batches.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
On draught at the brewpub, 4/16/05. Very light golden-pale yellow almost green tinged. Not a caramel malt driven IPA. Foamy white head has some retention and light lacing. Aroma is dry, lightly perfumy, some honey and spicy, floral hops. Flavor has more floral hops, a strong sense of bitterness, with just a plain pale malt and honey flavored backbone. Can’t deny it’s well-made, but this one didnt do anything for me. Medium body, too much dryness, odd fruit-atop-crusty bread flavor.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Extra Stout from Zero Gravity Craft Brewery 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
On draught at the brewpub, 4/16/05. Dark black with some cola-brown tinges on the edge. Greyish-brown head recedes to cover rather quickly. Aroma of lightly burnt malt, hints of tobacco and anise. Cola, coffee, chocolate are all present in good measure here, though the intensity of the aroma could be a bit stronger. They serve the beer very cold here. Flavor starts with soft vanilla beans mixed with milk chocolate covered raisins, very easygoing, pleasant roastiness, not overly drying or bitter. Finishes with a good deal of coffee flavor, ilghtly oily, but again not too bitter as to bore the drinker. Good malt body, which is medium and just a slight touch of thinning as it warms. Low carbonation, fairly low fruitiness for the style, but as the bartender told me, it was kind of a dry stout/foreign stout hybrid (and the distinctions can get pretty blurry between the two styles). Very flavorful, I will reiterate, and I was very impressed to find this so well-made already.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
On draught at the brewpub (well it’s really a nice restaurant with a small brewery), 4/16/05. Dark copper-auburn, medium amount of mostly dissipating off-white head, quite transluscent body, light lacing. Smells fuzzy and bitter, with light toasted malt, a bit of iron and caramel. Flavor begins dry, lightly woody/grainy with lots of toasted malt. Prickly, but not very bitter hops add good balance and as it warms and finishes there is a touch of creamy caramel. Very crystally (malt), quite carbonated, but oh so fresh tasting. Medium body with no water/thinning.