Alpine Beer Company Ichabod Ale (2008)

Brewed by Alpine Beer Company (CA)
Style: Dunkelweizen
Alpine, California USA

Bottle from South Bay Drugs and Liquor. The aroma is mild with signs of sweet malt that hints towards caramel or toffee but there is also light background of black licorice. Appears as a complex shade of dark brown almost black and has a fizzle of head that breaks completely down to leave the beer naked. I have to admit I was skeptical about making a return to Ichabod ale this year since I wasn’t a fan of it last year but after hearing a description by Joey I was convinced it would be different this time around. What a change in recipe though, there is so much spicing in the flavor that it just feels right during the fall season of its release. Tasting very much like a pumpkin pie indeed and I’m glad the recipe got switched up. Next year must at least measure up to 2008.

Tap @ Brewery. Really dark, amazing spiced nose and taste. Really malty rich and spiced. I likey. Very tasty brew.

22 oz. bottle from Bev4Less in Santee. Very dark pour with decent tan head. Aromas of spice and pumpkin pie and cinnamon. Flavors were very roasted malts. More nutmeg and allspice. Some alcohol in the finish. Almost perfect for a nice cold night. When is it going to get cold in San Diego anyway? Very very good.

22oz bottle. Very dark beer, no light was evident at all. Very roasty and smokey aroma, hint of coffee as well. The pumpkin and spices were much more prevelant in the flavor than the aroma. Overall a pretty good beer.

25 oz bottle. Pours a dark cola brown body with a small fizzy off-white head that completely vanished. The nose is very roasty with a nice earthy wheat base, coffee, light molassas, lighter accents of pumpkin, cinnamon, and maybe a little nutmeg. The flavor has lots of coffee and roast with less Dunkelweizen character. More cinnamon and nutmeg with pumpkin meat than yeast character. Quite an unusual beast. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with an almost soft creamy texture up front, a little sticky on the finish. Soft fizzy carbonation. Pretty neat beer, not as good as the 2007, but interesting for sure.

Bottle… Pours extremely dark and sits black in my glass with a mid-sized, creamy, light brown head. Very nice retention. Chocolaty, mocha, banana nose with a suggestion of coriander or clove. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and tingly carbonation. The flavor is perfectly balanced, but sort of nondescript; very subtle roasty, spicy notes. Crisp, refreshing finish. As with most of Alpine’s beers, very drinkable; very sessionable.

Sampled on 3/19/2009. This dunkel weizen pours an eclipse brown color from a 22oz bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head with good retention and nice lacing. The aroma is caramel, chocolate, pumpkin, fruity and sweet. A medium bodied dunkel. The malts are fruity and sweet, with hints of semi-sweet chocolate. The hops are earthy. Nice malt flavors with just enough hoppiness. Nice spicing, the pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon become more evident as it warms. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Poured a murky brown color with a small, tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of clove, nutmeg, banana, pumpkin, nuts, and a bit of roasted malts. Taste of caramel malts, some roast, cocoa, citrus fruits, smoke, and nutmeg.