Avery Fourteen

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

22 ounce bottle from, uhhh, some beer shop in the midwest somewher in June 2007, served a bit below cellar temperature NOT from a fucking Trappist glass as recommended here but from a plain ol’ Corsendonk Christmas Ale glass that is my go-to for such things, thank you very much. Quite the beautiful pour, light tan with caramel hints in the stable, meringue-like head that initially fills the glass, dissipating very very slowly atop a porter-like near-opaque molasses-brown/black body....thick, spidery-lattice lacing also results as the head decreases enough to attempt a....nosing, which is at first just huge resinous hops, lots of bitter orange and a bit of grapefruit; I look for development but there isn’t much besides light sugariness.....in the body, slightly more interest; it’s very, very sweet, sugary and Stone-like at first, that combination of thick hoppy juices and huge syrupy sugars that I often associate with the California brewery, but there’s a bit more interest in the molasses-brown sugar characteristic, as a bit of a burnt/tarry note creeps in, some caramel-butterscotch towards the finish, vanilla.....still all in all this is pretty dull and unconvincing, a hopped-up, syrupy-sweet, high-octane brown/amber ale that really isn’t terribly quaffable, and isn’t complex enough to merit sipping. Blah. I must admit that I am losing my taste for these sorts of things....

Bottle. Creamy lightbrown excellent fully lasting head. Brown colour. Moderate andheavy hoppy truly powerfull aroma. Heavy bitter flavor. Long heavy bitter finish. Creamy palæate. Fantastic beer.

Bomber. Very dark brown beer that is tried this again recently, still a nice drinker, but nothign too special. nearly black. There is some light brownish red at the edges with a light uellowish head on top. The aroma has some rich caramel and booze. There is also some chocolate covered cherries. The taste is dark chocolate covered cherries with some rum. There are prunes and some light tobacco notes. Surprisingly good and this approaches a stout.

Bottle and served in my NB worthy glass: Deep brown hue with a mostly last foamy head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of piney and acidic fruits, herbal and grassy vapours along with the smoky, earthy, chewy dark side of malt and yeast. I happen to like this nose profile.

The taste starts moderately sweet and caramelized with supporting rye bread and chocolate. Quickly followed by a dose of resiny and fruity hops with a dash of hop spice more towards the finish. There is a bitterness about this brew that is not only the function of hops but too of the malt methinks. I am digging this. The mouth feel is smooth across the palate with a snappy bit along the edges and finish. Light alcoholic kick helps clean the palate. A very enjoyable brew and ready to drink right now. AVERY HATERS DISS THIS! I don’t care!!

Bottle RBESG 07 ... Deep brown... meaty fruit malt ... sweet fruity malt littlemeaty quite rich.

Bottle. High creamy and long lasting brown head. Clear and ark ruby body. Sweet and fruity, raisin - plum, caramel aroma. Burned barley malt flavor with dry and hoppy untertones. Relatively sweet plum rainsin. Low carbonation. Long aftertaste that is a bit hard to describe so I don’t.

Poured a mostly clear very dark amber color with a beige head. Spicy and smokey phenols in the aroma. Some choclate notes as well. The flavor is sweet, fruity, spicy and roasty. The body is medium to full with some alcohol warmth. Somewhat dry finish.

Picked up 22-oz bottle from Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in St Paul, MN. Pours a clear dark brown brew with a thick, creamy tan head. Aroma of roasted nuts, cotton candy, chocolate and tart/dark pitted fruit. Taste is slightly tart with chocolate, caramel and flowery hop flavors. Palate is medium bodied, smooth and almost a barleywine character beverage. Nice aftertaste of ripe citrus and vanilla.