Avery Fourteen

Formerly brewed at Avery Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Very dark brown color with a hugh lasting light tan head. Big earthy licorice aroma, yes an scent I have never been to keen on. Some caramel, resin and cooked celery as well. Just not digging the nose of this one. Some dark chocolate and orange zest comes out as it warms. Malty flavors dominate with molasses, toffee, dark caramel, light fruit and toasted grainy bread. Middle has lots of herbal hops to balance the sweetness. Some roasted malt and light smoke seems to come out a bit in the finish. Raw flavors, similar to the aromas seem to course through this one. Interesting effort, just too raw and young. I don’t either think or know that time will do much for this one.

Bottle@BlindTastingSession. Strong aroma, very sweet and fruity with some laurel. Ruby color, beige firm head, good lace. Very sweet, very bitter, especially towards the finish, licorice wood, roasted malts, hint of chocolate, black currant. Full and I don’t think I could finish more than 1 bottle. But the flavors and especially the aroma are great.

Bottle: Copper mahogany, nose of light spice, ethanol and cinnamon/allspice. Nice floral malty notes. The finish is smooth, creamy, and a bit brash.

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured clear dark brown color with a large fizzy brown head that lasted and produced good lacing. Moderate complex toasted sweet malt and spruce aroma. Medium to full body with a sticky texture. Heavy balanced bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of long duration. This is a standout beer.

Bottle. Pours dark brown color with a small off-white head. Malty hoppy aroma with some spicy hints. Sweet malty spicy hoppy bitter flavor. Long warming malty hoppy finish.

I always look forward to the new anniversary release from Adam Avery. He makes big beers, and doesn’t shy away from experimentation. I respect that. The meek need not apply. This one pours dark brownish ruby with a 2-finger khaki head and tons of lacing. The aroma is heavily piney hoppy, with a smattering of spicy and floral notes, plus a solid dose of roasty scotchy malt and chocolate syrup. The flavor is rich, very chocolatey malty, with a huge resiny hop bill. The palate is hefty, does get a tad hot toward the finish, yet does seem to smooth out a bit. This one at times reminded me of both Alpha Klaus and Gonzo, and that duo is great to be reminded of. I think 2 parts Gonzo, 2 parts Alpha Klaus, and 1 part Rogue chocolate stout would approximate this one very closely. This is an excellent beer that you need to acquire now!

Dark ruby beery with a lasting light beige head. Initial aroma is "dry hopped Avery", with that great balance of the grapefruit, the peach and the pine. Also some chocolate, molasses, wood, caramel and a hint of alcohol. Flavour is rather sweet, full of dark, roast malt, chocolate, and a little alcohol. Long aftertaste of classic porter "charcoal". Unusual and a little confusing to drink since aroma and flavour doesn’t quite match.

Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy, light brown, mostly lasting. Body is dark brown. Aroma is moderately malty (cookie, caramel, chocolate, nuts), moderately to heavily hoppy (resin, grapefruit), lightly to moderately yeasty (mold, dough), with light notes of overripe banana, rubber/plastic, ashtray, and alcohol. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, creamy texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Not the most enticing aroma, though not just ’cause of the resinous green hop that sits out front...there are some funky things underneath that don’t appeal to me. But overall an ok sweet/strong beer.