EKU 28

By John on March 31, 2007 (16 Comments)

EKU 28 is a German eisbock – an ice bock.* Like most ice beers it means it’s stronger than normal – this happens to be the strongest of the bocks, which are already pretty potent. The process starts off with a doppelbock and freezes it in order to remove a portion of the water, resulting in an extra strong concentrated bock. Imagine drinking the Coke syrup instead of the Coke (a bad analogy but you get the point).

It comes in an 11.2 oz bottle and is 11% ABV – one of the higher gravity beers I’ve tried. I was able to handle this one better – the last one (a trappist ale) almost put me to bed.

It has a solid pour with a lot of carbonation and a head that goes away quickly. The color is deep orange/amber – a similar color to other doppelbocks. The smell is not bad – clean and sweet with an aroma of roasted malts, honey, molasses and alcohol.

The taste has a strong bite to it – sweet and very malty with honey and molasses, and a touch of either toffee or caramel. No detectable hops. It coats the tongue very well and the alcohol warms it up. Not too thick but it definitely hangs around longer than most. It’s got a decently smooth finish – not a ton of aftertaste and definitely less aftertaste than you’d expect – not unlike a port I recently tried.

It’s like a stronger version of a Paulaner Salvator Double Bock, but not as complex. The alcohol does warm you up, but it may be overkill – it’s tough to see myself drinking two bottles of this, whereas I could with a Salvator. Definitely worth a try, though it probably won’t make it into the rotation.

* Update: Thanks to alert reader xencat for notifying us that the EKU 28 is not technically an Eisbock. Due to the way it’s produced, it’s technically a double bock (albeit a very strong double bock with more alcohol than double bock styles are normally credited with). Though the ABV is in the eisbock range, if you want to associate this at all with an eisbock you could probably get away with calling it an Eisbock-style beer because the resulting beer is very eisbock-like with many of the same characteristics you’d normally find in an eisbock. No matter what the style, EKU 28 is still one of the most potent lagers you’ll ever try!

EKU 28 Rating: 7 out of 10 (?)

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Abita Mardi Gras Bock

By Dad on March 22, 2007 (No Comments)

Pours light amber with a beige head and caramel aroma without the distinctive yeasty bread aroma that comes with the wheat in a bock. Head didn’t last very long. Fair depth to the malts with a definite caramel taste. Fairly hoppy aftertaste and a definite sweetness, a medium heavy finish. The sweetness helps mellow out the hops while drinking but doesn’t help the long lasting finish. Not too bad but I find Shiner or Amber Bock much better.

Wish I hadn’t bought a 6 pack. It’s not bad enough to pour out though. Being extremely thrifty (cheap) I tried making a black and tan out of it. Couldn’t use a sweet stout as that would be way too sweet so I selected a Beamish and it worked out pretty well. Abita makes some good beers but this isn’t one of them.

Abita Mardi Gras Bock Rating: 3 out of 10 (?)

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Young’s Oatmeal Stout

By John & Dad on March 21, 2007 (No Comments)

Note: Young’s Oatmeal Stout was reviewed by both John and Dad on different days and originally posted as two separate reviews. We usually do our combined reviews together in one post, so this post has been edited to bring you both reviews on one post.

Son Beer Love Review (March 21, 2007):

I’ve tried other oatmeal stouts and Young’s is by far my favorite. Not too bad for a beer from London! It has a tremendously rich taste – it’s a stick-to-your-ribs kind of beer. And as a stout it is a really nice change of pace from the other beers we’ve been trying.

It pours black with a creamy brownish tan head that lasts a long time and laces well. Holding it up to the light you realize it’s not quite black, but a dark dark red.

The aroma is biscuit, chocolate, nut and oats. Another tremendous smell. I’m really getting an appreciation for the smell of beer lately.

The taste is a slightly sweet and complex one – dark malts and roasted barley, chocolate, coffee, nut and oatmeal. The mouthfeel is superb – right in the middle – not too thick and not too thin. The finish is good and smooth – the bottle touts a distinctive finish reminiscent of toast and you do get that. You also pick up another hint of coffee and a slight touch of hops.

The beer is better the warmer it is – let it sit out of the fridge for 45 minutes or so to really warm up. Absolutely a good go-to beer when you need a change of pace or even when you don’t. It’s a good stand alone beer as well – no need to balance with food, just sit back and enjoy. I drank it right on the “Best Before” date of 21 Mar 07. Truly a top beer!

Father Beer Love Review (March 22, 2007):

I had one of these @ John’s the night before we flew to Munich and hadn’t been able to find it locally. I remember it favorably but didn’t review it. I gave it 25 min. out of the box to warm as it’s a .5L, what a civilized size.

Beer temp. 49.6F. Pours a dark ruby brown with a caramel colored head. Aroma is coffee and molasses. Flavor is distinctly stout but with an unusual smoothness. This is definitely a sweet stout which is right up my alley. The heavy malts really come through with deep caramel and molasses flavors predominating. Color cleared after settling and is a surprisingly beautiful ruby brown. Flavor lingers a while on the tongue but not overly long. It feels rich in the mouth and coats the whole mouth and tongue evenly. Head has been weak and thin, not clinging to the sides of the glass. Nice smoky rich flavor lasts all the way down the bottle. Not quite the complexity of flavors and aromas of my favorite Mackeson but is countered by its unusual smoothness.

A definite keeper. Maybe next time I’ll use a pub glass to give the head a better chance. Wish I could find it here.

Young’s Oatmeal Stout Rating: 7 out of 10 (?)

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Bruegel Amber Ale

By John on March 4, 2007 (No Comments)

This is classified in the “Beer” book as a strong Belgian Amber Ale. That may be the wrong classification. It’s lighter than I thought an amber ale would be.

The pour is good – light to medium carbonation – and the color is a nice, true amber with a little red in it. It has a decent creamy head that laces well on the glass. It has a strong aroma – honey, molasses and vinegar. Rice vinegar is exactly what it reminds me of and it is a strong smell.

The taste is fairly clean – molasses, citrus fruits, biscuity malts, modest/medium hops and maybe some added herbs. The mouthfeel is light and slick – some carbonation. The aftertaste is a little sour with the vinegar revisited and a little bit of hops.

I’ve got to give it a 4 because of the rice vinegar overtones that seem to dominate. It was slightly refreshing, but reminded me more of a bad rendition of a Red Stripe.

Bruegel Amber Ale Rating: 4 out of 10 (?)

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Trappistes Rochefort 10

By John & Dad on March 2, 2007 (5 Comments)

Note: The Trappistes Rochefort 10 was reviewed by both John and Dad on different days and originally posted as two separate reviews. We usually do our combined reviews together in one post, so this post has been edited to bring you both reviews on one post.

Son Beer Love Review (March 2, 2007):

The Trappistes Rochefort 10 was a beer I was eagerly looking forward to trying. When I bought it I told Mike Brawley I was looking to try one trappist ale and asked for his recommendation. He pointed me past the others to this one. Great directive – this beer was an absolute treat.

I did a some research on trappist beers – of the 171 or so Trappist monasteries, only 7 produce beer. I think Chimay, Orval and Westmalle are some of the other noted monasteries – at least ones I’ve heard of. The Rochefort 10 is made at the Rochefort Brewery – Brasserie de Rochefort – located inside the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy. They make 3 trappist beers – the Rochefort 6, 8 and 10. Talk about a niche. There are 15 monks resident at the monastery, which has been brewing off and on since 1595. It is said the beer is only sold to financially support the monastery and other good causes. That’s a cause I can get behind. At $5.99 a bottle at Brawley’s it should be a worthwhile cause.

The Rochefort 10 is classified as a quadruple ale. At 11.3% ABV, the classification is fitting. This bad boy will knock you down (more on that later). The pour is terrific (using a tulip glass). The color is dark and rich – a dark brown/red color that is quite cloudy – it looks black until you hold it up to the light. The head is a magnificent tan that lasts quite a long time. The smell is intoxicating – roasted malts, chocolate and alcohol. Though you can smell the alcohol, it doesn’t seem to interfere with the taste much. The taste – terrific – malty sweet – chocolate and dried fruit flavors – apricot, prunes and dates is what I pick up, as well as a hint of spice. It feels thick and creamy in the mouth and coats the tongue well. It’s definitely a sipping beer and I took my time with it. It’s got a good bit of carbonation – I burped a lot. I read the monks will use a Belgian candy sugar in the fermentation process, which helps pack in more alcohol. You really don’t taste the alcohol much, but you feel it. Very warming. Afterwards I felt very ready for bed.

I’m writing this review the next day after trying the Rochefort 10. Vivid dreams last night and a tough little headache this morning. I didn’t drink much water yesterday and I think that had a little something to do with it. I should have remembered my lesson from Oktoberfest – one liter of beer to one liter of water means no headache in the morning. Though this is only an 11.2 ounce bottle, with the higher ABV you may need to treat it more like a liter. Man those trappist monks can make some brew!

Side note: I am actively using my new book, Beer: A Guide to Choosing it, Drinking it, Brewing it, and Loving it for the Connoisseur and Wannabe Alike, by Eve Adamson and have adapted my drinking style a bit based on her recommendations. I think I have been trying my beers too cold – starting with this one I’m now pulling them out of the fridge for about 20 minutes so they can warm up before I try them at her recommended beer tasting temperature of around 50 degrees. If this one is any indication it does enhance the taste a good bit.

Father Beer Love Review (March 9, 2007):

This is a trappist Belgian ale. 11.3% ABV 11.2 oz @ $5.99 per bottle. Cool spring evening 52 degrees. Beer temp. 47 degrees after a 20 min. wait out of the icebox. Drank 20 oz. of cool water to slake thirst.

It pours very dark brown with a light brown head. Sweet aroma of raisins, plums and caramel. First taste gives me sweetness, caramel and chocolate. Reminds me of 50% cacao Godiva chocolate I bought in Munich for my wife. Later I catch a little coffee taste. The mouth feel is unbelievable. This must be what a fine dessert wine is like. Flavor coats my entire mouth, front back, top and bottom. The hops aren’t bitter enough to overpower the rich depth of the exquisite malts. I have an aversion to too sweet beers but this is something totally different. Think of this as dessert in a glass. This should be sipped slowly and savored until the taste fades away slowly which takes quite a while. I find I’m swirling and sniffing twice as much as sipping to savor it even more.

Last review I shot my mouth off about how I didn’t think a 10 was possible. I’m going to stick with that as I don’t like to be proven wrong in just a week. I had a hard time reading my writing at the end so it hits really hard.

At $5.99 per, this isn’t an everyday beer unless you’re very wealthy. THIS IS A SPECIAL OCCASION ALE, well worth the price. Anybody inviting me to have one would be a special occasion!

Trappistes Rochefort 10 Rating: 10 out of 10 (?)

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Duvel

By Dad on March 2, 2007 (No Comments)

A Belgian golden ale at 8.5% classified as strong ale. I tried one of these about 18 months ago and really liked it when I was new to the game (or is it the sport) of tasting beer. Have been holding one in the fridge for that long so wanted to try again before it went bad. Made it with 10 months to spare.

Down to business. Pours medium dark gold, maybe even light amber. Good solid white head that holds fairly well. Fruity aroma reminds me of orange skinned fruit. At first taste I find a slight sweetness and a definite citrus taste, maybe add grapefruit to the orange and apricot. Malts have good depth to them and hops balance with the slight sweetness. Alcohol is fairly noticeable. Label talks about a unique yeast strain, this may be the slight sharpness that I taste. The 8.5% alcohol hits pretty hard, but its part of the risk I gladly take.

This is definitely a great ale. I appreciate it for what it is. I wouldn’t know how it could be better. Why you may ask isn’t it a ten? I figure a 10 would be so outstandingly good that nothing could surpass it and only be made by a greater being. Why not a 9 then? The elements are all there – the balance is there but the harmony isn’t quite there. It is very subjective I know. My integrity can’t be bought, however it can be rented, inquire about prices.

Wow 3 paragraphs, I’m on fire. I guess hitting that enter thing twice really does work.

Duvel Rating: 8 out of 10 (?)

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Ayinger Oktoberfest Marzen

By John & Dad on February 28, 2007 (No Comments)

Note: The Ayinger Oktoberfest Marzen was reviewed by both John and Dad on different days and originally posted as two separate reviews. We usually do our combined reviews together in one post, so this post has been edited to bring you both reviews on one post.

Son Beer Love Review (February 28, 2007):

I was a little disappointed with this one. Compared to the Ayinger Jahrhundert it didn’t rate nearly as well.

The initial pour was great – the color is beautiful – a remarkable dark orange and amber color with a strong, long lasting head. It is a little cloudy towards the bottom. Really looks great in the glass. Not a lot of aroma – hard to discern the smell but it was a little fruity and floral. The taste was a little sweet and fruity (and even a touch floral) – I could pick up hints of honey and caramel (which I like) along with some other ones I couldn’t place. It was a bit sharp – like there are too many other competing flavors to truly enjoy it – not enough complementary flavors. The finish was a bit bitter for me – maybe too much hops to compensate the sweet edge. The word astringent comes to mind – like a too acidic glass of red wine that violates your mouth and makes your face pucker.

Overall this was a disappointment. The thought of an amber Oktoberfest beer from Ayinger got me salivating. They make so many damn good beers. At the $3.50 for the bottle I paid I would recommend leaving it on the shelf. Go with an Ur-Weisse, Brau-Weisse or Jahrhundert instead.

Father Beer Love Review (April 20, 2007):

Beer temp. 48.2 F – 9.7 C. Pours medium amber with large light amber head with fairly large bubbles. Slight caramel aroma with some sweetness and maybe a touch of wheat. First taste is of marked sweetness and light caramel taste and a nice clean bitterness of the hops with a clean finish. Head lasted pretty well but not much lacing. The balance is good. Nice rich mouth feel. I feel it should be colder than I had it. The harmony I’ve found in all Ayinger biers is still there. Although not as good as the other Ayingers I’ve had, it’s still good. Secondary flavors lean toward toffee. Flavors last well and work the back of the tongue.

As a youngster caramel was about the only candy I could have so I’m not too big a fan of it. Just a tad too much sweetness for me, kind of like a dessert. Repeatability, not really.

Ayinger Oktoberfest Marzen Rating: 5 out of 10 (?)

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Ettaler Curator Dunkler Doppelbock

By John on February 25, 2007 (No Comments)

This one came recommended from the owner of Brawley’s. I must admit the idea of a dunkel doppelbock was intriguing. Pour is a dark brown, I had to hold it up to the light to make sure it wasn’t black. A decent head, but nothing to write home about, it went away pretty quickly. It has a 9% ABV – you need to keep your guard up for that. It has a rich smell – some malts and fruits jump at you. The flavor was dark roasted malts and a little woody – maple perhaps. It gets better as it warms up. It’s a fairly smooth, slightly bitter finish with a touch of hops. It feels a little thick in the mouth. Overall a drinkable brew. It’s not as complex as the latest double bock I’ve tried (Paulaner Salvator) – not as sweet, but still interesting and good.

Ettaler Curator Dunkler Doppelbock Rating: 6 out of 10 (?)

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Grolsch Amber Ale

By Dad on February 23, 2007 (No Comments)

Pours medium amber color, not much head, I may have it too cold. Definite caramel aroma – caramel overpowers hops in aroma. Smooth taste with caramel malts coming through along with a definitely hoppiness I would call medium to medium heavy. Detect a tiny bit of sweetness but very hard to discern among the bitterness of the hops. Definitely not a swigging ale, more contemplative sipping is in order. A nice pour on a cool night. The last few ambers I’ve had have been disappointing, thought I might have lost my taste for them, but it’s back now. As it warms hops really dominant, maybe a little much for me. It’s still good. Started as a six but finished as a five. Definitely worth another try. Love my new glass. Head got a little better as it warmed but was still thin and weak.

Grolsch Amber Ale Rating: 5 out of 10 (?)

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Boddingtons Pub Ale

By Dad on February 23, 2007 (No Comments)

Pours light amber or dark gold color with very smooth creamy head. Aroma is creamy and smooth too. Carbonation is very light to almost non-existent. Another word about the head is it is so long lasting, the best I’ve seen since my last pour of a Unibroue product, and head clings to sides of glass. Kind of a sharp taste, very lip-smacking. Has a floating widget like I found in Beamish stout. Breaking in a new tasting glass sent to me by my beloved son. Thanks John, it really collects the aroma. Sitting, swirling, and smelling great times. This is a damn good ale. Just what I needed. Maybe I was lagered out. Good healthy malts and fairly heavy hops make this a very satisfying pour. Glad I bought a four pack. Will definitely keep in the rotation. Deeply satisfying, a good ale for a cool day – 60 degrees. Glad I didn’t try it a year ago, it would have been too sharp for my poor American taste.

Boddingtons Pub Ale Rating: 7 out of 10 (?)

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Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Dark

By John on February 22, 2007 (No Comments)

Ah, the traditional dark wheat from Munich. A nice dark amber pour with a nice head that dissipates quickly. It has a great bread and roasted malt aroma. It’s the kind of aroma that makes you wonder why they don’t make cologne smell like beer. Great smell.

It has a smooth taste, like most wheat beers. The bread theme continue to the taste, as do the roasted malts. There’s also a hint of caramel, but not much. Some fruit too – banana I want to say – maybe it’s banana bread. Sweet – very drinkable and satisfying – I’d even say thirst quenching. Different from a lot of beers – it feels light in the mouth – the kind of beer you could drink a lot of. Not a lot of aftertaste – a little fruity. The glass was finished very quickly. 5.3% ABV is manageable. I want another!

Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Dark Rating: 7 out of 10 (?)

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Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock

By John & Dad on February 19, 2007 (No Comments)

Note: The Bamberger Original Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock was reviewed by both John and Dad on different days and originally posted as two separate reviews. We usually do our combined reviews together in one post, so this post has been edited to bring you both reviews on one post.

Son Beer Love Review (February 19, 2007):

This is a delicious beer. Pour is amber – cloudy and unfiltered, with a nice head that seems to go away fairly quickly, but laces well on the glass. Passes the smell test with flying colors – a doughy, bread-like smell.

It has a sweet edge to it – toffee and caramel perhaps – and you can taste the malts. The finish is a little bitter, but not unpleasant – a good balance between smooth and bitter capped off with some good hops. Would definitely do again.

Father Beer Love Review (August 24, 2007):

Tragedy has struck the The BeerFathers house (west), sob. In the back of the ice box I have kept 2 beautiful .5L bottles of Ayinger beer – one Jarhundert and one Brau Weisse for about 6 months or so. Last week I decided to celebrate something or other, I believe Tuesday was it (I don’t have to look to hard for something to celebrate) uncapped the beautiful brown bottle of Jarhundert and made a good pour. As I admired the color and smelled the wonderful aroma something seemed slightly amiss. I tasted it warily and discovered that it had turned into a Milwaukee’s Best. While Belgian strong ales and barley wines can improve with age, Dortmunder/Helles styles don’t. So keep an eye on your stock less this happens to you. As a side note the next night I drank the Brau Weisse and while it might have lost a little bit of flavor it faired much better.

This one is made by Bamberger – .5L 6% ABV beer temp. 44.9F-6.9C. Pours light amber brown with a nice off white head, somewhat cloudy. Aromas of caramel, wheat and a touch of sweetness. Head faded slowly and laced well. First impression is of sweet caramel and a touch of toffee and butterscotch. The bitterness of the hops is a bold counterpoint to the sweetness. The mouth feel is good but not the rich butter feel of some. It is milder than the double bocks. This could be a nice compliment to rich Christmas foods (Think the feast of the seven fats).
This one is worth a try if only as a single. It’s bolder than a Shiner Bock or an Amber Bock. Use it as an occasional treat and keep it in mind around the holiday season.

Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock Rating: 6 out of 10 (?)

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Paulaner Salvator Double Bock

By John & Dad on February 19, 2007 (4 Comments)

Note: The Paulaner Salvator Double Bock was reviewed by both John and Dad on different days and originally posted as two separate reviews. We usually do our combined reviews together in one post, so this post has been edited to bring you both reviews on one post.

Son Beer Love Review (February 19, 2007):

Call me sentimental, but the Munich beers just seem to touch my heart. The Salvator Double Bock is a benchmark beer for me – one of the beers I use to compare all other beers. It’s that good. Everything about this beer makes you understand why you love beer in the first place.

I had my first Salvator when I was home for Christmas visiting my family in late 2006. Dad had raved about the beer for some time but I was unable to find it in Charlotte at any of my beer locales. I told him before the trip that was one I had to try while I was home. He accommodated my request and as soon as I tasted it I fell in love.

The great thing about beer is there’s no one right answer. What’s right for me may not be right for you. This beer was the answer and the other beers we tried that night paled in comparison. I had to try it again but still couldn’t find it in Charlotte. So, when my wife’s parents decided to come visit for the weekend I had my dad run over a 6 pack of Salvator to her dad so he could bootleg it across 5 states to get it here. Fugitive beer.

Some background on the beer before the review – the Double Bock (Doppelbock) is defined as a stronger bock brew (a regular bock is defined as a stronger lager). Back in medieval days German monasteries would brew a strong beer for sustenance during their Lenten fasts – this stronger beer was a symbol of better times to come (Gotta love those monks!). The names of double bocks commonly end in -ator in honor of the original, Paulaner Salvator (Latin for Savior – and how true). Yes – Salvator is the original double bock.

Six pack in hand from my wife’s dad I put it in the fridge and wait a day. A long wait. The next evening finally comes and I’m ready. I crack open the bottle and pour the beer. The color is dark amber with a creamy white head. The smell is part of the mystique – a terrific sweet smell with caramel, brown sugar, bread, honey, toffee and every other good thing you can think of. The taste is complex – rich and full – you primarily pick up the caramel. I love caramel so this is probably why I like the beer so much. The only knock I’ve ever seen on this beer is the sweet edge, but that’s part of why I love it. You also pick up roasted malt, toffee, maple, coffee and a touch of fruit of some kind that I can’t place. Also a little bit of hops. It feels terrific in your mouth and gets smoother the longer your drink it (perhaps as it warms up?). The finish continues to be smooth and sweet and clean. The beer itself is 7.9% ABV – a pretty good number. You feel the impact of the beer but not so much you’re dizzy. You just feel warm and cozy, like you’ve been enveloped by a beer blanket. A delicious, perfect beer blanket.

Father Beer Love Review (April 13, 2007):

Beer temperature 49.8 F. Pours medium amber and clear, caramel aroma, light tan head doesn’t hold well. Slightly sweet with caramel malts and light hop flavor. Brewed as a spring bock with higher alcohol content. 7.5% ABV helps shake off the winter chill. Unfortunately we went from winter (such as we had) to summer – 87 F. and humid. Our friends from Munich, Fredrich and Christy told us the high alcohol beers even hit them hard and those people can really drink. I miss them. Just the perfect sweetness, anymore would be too much. Reminds me of a weak sweet stout. Hard to find any secondary flavors other than caramel so will comment on carbonation which is weak but I had this one probably a year but no date on it. Still has a beautiful harmony to it like I found in most Bavarian beers. It’s one you must try. Around here it’s available if you can find it definitely try it.
Repeatability one at most. It will make you tired.

Paulaner Salvator Double Bock Rating: 8 out of 10 (?)

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San Lucas Cerveza

By Dad on February 16, 2007 (6 Comments)

Brewed in El Salvador, it pours med. gold with a thin white head. Aroma is clean and crisp. Taste very mild with light malts and extremely mild hops. Little aroma and a very clean finish, maybe a little too light. This bad boy is one you could pour many of on a hot summer day. This is a guess right now as it’s 30 degrees with a 20 mph north wind right now. May have to recheck in the heat of the summer. Well worth a 6 pack. Could give Red Stripe a run for it’s money. I’ve found most of the south of the border beers other than ambers to be quite mild but extremely refreshing.

San Lucas Cerveza Rating: 4 out of 10 (?)

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Gose Original Leipziger Bier Spezialitat

By John on February 9, 2007 (No Comments)

“Die Gose,” as it is referred to on its website, comes in the most unusual bottle – almost like the front of the bottle is actually the back and the back is actually, well, blank. Maybe they just don’t have good graphic designers or maybe it’s on purpose, but it is unique. The minimalist design leads me to believe they must have focused most of their time on the beer – that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s imported from Leipzig, Germany and brewed and bottled by Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Bayerische Bahnhof. The label reads “original bottle fermentation” and indicates that it is brewed with coriander and salt. Coriander is also called cilantro here in the United States and is not the main herb that comes to mind when I’m thinking beer – think Mexican foods and things like salsa. Salt also seems an unusual choice.

The pour is hazy/cloudy and amber/orange in color. It has a nice smell – citrusy – and reminds me a bit of a Hoegaarden. I’m thinking good things about this beer. The first sip leaves you a bit startled – not quite what you expected. The salt taste and aftertaste is a little strong. Another sip, a little too strong. One more sip – something just isn’t right here – I can’t stop thinking of the phrase “saltwater brine” for some reason. It’s like I’m drinking the very thing we use to make pork tenderloins so juicy. That’s not good. It’s a little sour too, yet weak. Hops aren’t noticeable, if there are any. I finish the glass like a good German soldier, but only after a few hours and a little bit of talking myself into it. I do not recommend this beer one bit.

Gose Original Leipziger Bier Spezialitat Rating: 1 out of 10 (?)

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