Alpine Beer Company Good

Date: 12/01/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Strong Ale Fest

opaque dark orange, fine beige head, big sweet fruity aroma with a peachy apricot character, rich malt flavor, well balanced with earthy hops, dry but with lots of fruity character, a few esters floating around, good but not great

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

On tap at the 10th Annual San Diego Strong Ale Festival: Pours a hazy copper mahogany with a lightly-lacing light tan head. Sweet, complex caramely malty oaky aroma has a good dose of grapefruity hops. Body starts sweet and caramely with some tart fruity oaky notes and a smooth, drier toasty finish that hides the whopping 17% abv pretty well.

10th Annual SD Strong Ale Fest: Poured a hazy deep amber color with a small off-white head. Very sweet and fruity aroma. Candy aroma with notes of sugar, grapes and apples. The malty sweet flavor had a good amount of vinous character. Mildly tart. Semi-dry finish and a silky mouthfeel. The alcohol was very well hidden for the ABV.

At PP SAF, malt and hop balance nose, very nice. Flavor is sweet, bitterness needs to balance out sweetness. Pretty good considering 17%

PP SD Strong Ale Fest: tastes like carmel apples. this was like the best beer at the fest next to the kona BA. lots of carmel, lots of melted chocolate/carmel bar.

Tap @ Toronado 2005 barleywine festival. Golden amber color with a foamy tan head. Nice oak, strong caramel, with a rich full body (but avoids syrupy).

Draught, Toronado. Body is medium amber. Aroma is moderately hoppy (apricot, resin), moderately malty (cookie), with notes of sherry, wood, alcohol. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. A little disjointed/unfocused in the aroma, but rich and balanced well. Doesn’t seem like 17%.

02.19.05 Tap at Toronado BWF Dark, muddy, and flat looking. A touch funky on nose but flavor is all goodness. Pear, prune. Mega hops trying to fight big alcohol result in a decent balance. Stylish, vanilla. Apples cooked in sugar water. Numbing. Pretty cool, but way over the top.