UPDATED: MAY 2, 2020 From bottle (blend #3, Nov.'18) in English pint. Pours slightly hazy gold, w/thin white head that faded but left a bit of lacing. Aroma of smoked malt, barnyard, juniper, faint rubber. Intriguing tasty blend that transforms as it warms, zesty lemondrop tartness in the finish

UPDATED: MAR 11, 2020 Attained at La Bodega from Riverside, California for $18.99, Viking Metal is a smoked farmhouse ale brewed with juniper and myrica gale and aged in gin barrels crafted by Jester King Brewery from Austin, Texas. The air yields smoked oak, juniper, gin, myrica gale, and wild yeast funk upon the nose. The appearance is a cloudy yellow with a low white head. When held up to light, the cloudy aspect is clearer. The alcohol content is 8.3%. Oak smoked wheat is rich, imbued upon the mouthfeel, and tasted when you lick your chops. Smoked malt barley compliments the oak smoked wheat and deepens the smoked aspect. Flaked rye softly spices the take and glows with the barley hue. Gin eases the drink and flavors the smokey body. Juniper berries lightly accents the take with the flaked rye and sweetens the beer. Lemon gently tarts the comprehension and tones the drink. Brettanomyces yeast brings a moderate, hay, musty funk notable with the rye and has a light lactic tinge in the slightly dry finish. Myrica gale is sensible with the lemon and yeasty combination. Viking Metal is a sensational smoked farmhouse ale. The oak smoked wheat, smoked malt barley, flaked rye, gin, juniper berries, funky Brettanomyces yeast, and myrica gale sets this craft beer apart from the rest of the market. The oak smoked wheat, smoked malt barley, and flaked rye blend beautifully and are expressive upon the mouthfeel. The rye and juniper berries are enticing and easy to experience. The lactic and tart lemon is watered down and barely noticeable to the other characters of the beer. I treasured each drink and impressed by its complexity and depth. The gin and water quality takes this to another level. Cheers. Prost. Drink for the love of beer. For more beer reviews, visit and like my blog “Drink For the Love of Beer.”

UPDATED: NOV 3, 2019 Bomber from Lost Dog Café in Alexandria, VA Aroma: woody, funk, juniper, smoke Appearance: hazy golden with a white head Taste: medium sweetness, smoke, medium tartness Mouthfeel: average carbonation, medium body, slick feel, tart finish Delicious

UPDATED: OCT 21, 2019 750 mL bottle from Little's. This is yellow with a fizzy body and small head. Aroma has some light smoke with juniper, lemon, white oak, and straw. The mouthfeel is light and dry, moreso than the 7.4% would suggest. Probably had some crazy attenuation like Jester King usually gets out of their culture. Bitter juniper comes across in the flavor with unmistakable gin barrel. It's a bit tart. It's a pleasantly weird beer. No one flavor pulls too strongly in one direction.

UPDATED: AUG 3, 2019 750ml bottle, 2018 vintage. Smoked malt aroma with notes of gin, oak, Brett funk and juniper berry. Pours cloudy, pale golden colored with a thin white head that has little retention or lacing. Starts with rich smoked malt, juniper and funky Brett flavors. Finishes dry with gin and oak flavors as well as more smoky malt flavors. Really nice, unique beer.

UPDATED: JAN 4, 2020 Smoky peaty laphroaigish atmosphere . Still refreshing and bitter with lots of sourness .

UPDATED: MAY 20, 2019 8.3%ABV. Farmhouse ale (smoked) Tapped out gold. 6°SRM. Nose has aromas of turpentine which is reminiscent of peated malt. Other related aromas are crayons, axle grease. There are also aromas of spontaneous fermentation with hints of sour, horse blanket, hay, and compost. The combo combination of fruity sour and earthiness also evoke impressions of my limited wine journey, pinot noir. Mouthfeel is juicy, but the smoked malt gives it the mouthfeel of an earthy young wine. There is also a hint of oiliness Palate has flavors of strong white wine. There are flavors barley toast, brown wheat toast, hint of nuttiness as in raw almonds. Gentle sour without tartness. Hop flavors are woody. Bitter astringency of apricot skins and pits. Finish is dry, with just a hint of booziness. Overall, a complex full-bodied finely balanced spontaneously fermented ale. The smoked malt added character but for me was largely unnecessary. Goes on Favorites List!

UPDATED: MAY 11, 2019 Smoke and some light juniper berry. I thought the gin barrel would have been much stronger here but this was pretty well balanced and nice. Some lavender. Pours clear golden with ok head. Flowery sweet end. Tap at Sovereign.

UPDATED: MAY 1, 2019 Very interesting. Cloudy gold pour. Strong whiff of gin & juniper. Some funky yeast and fruit and honey.

UPDATED: APR 21, 2019 Gold pour, small white head. Strawberry, smoke, hay, squash, some barnyardy notes. Really interesting and flavorful!