Big Boss Liquidator

Serving: 22 oz. bottle. Appearance: Very deep amber color with a small, foamy, off white head. The head fades fairly quickly. Aroma: Malty nose with some vegetal and caramel notes. Slightly off white vinegar note too. Flavor: The milk’s gone bad! Tart and sour with not much else in the flavor department. Light tart cherry notes. Methinks this one is infected. Palate: High carbonation with a medium, coating mouthfeel and a medium-short, sour finish. Overall: Further evidence that this brewery needs to clean up their act. This is the third different brew I’ve had from them that is infected.

Not very good. Biggest problem was a puckeringly tart flavor, just seemed overwhelming and totally out of place. Big Boss... has yet to hit the mark with these bomber releases.

Bomber from City Beverage. First of all, the rating is horsecrap. I do not usually like doppelbocks, but this one stands above most of its bretheren. It pours ruby red, kind of see-through, with a good white head. The aroma is very toasty with hints of banana and berries. I cannot emphasize the toast enough. The palate is slick and quaffable. the flavor does not live up to the supremely toasty aroma, but is still good. Notes of banana, vanilla, berries, and bread are present. This is a slight departure from the usual formula, but is welcome. It is not vegetal, it is very well balanced, smooth, and masks the alcohol deftly. I don’t see the problem here.

Bottle from Cindirene’s. Pours dark copper with fast-dissipating off-white head. Nose was malty, with brown sugar, hops, and tart fruit notes. The taste was malty, with hopcitrus, brown sugar, and a tart fruit flavor that got very lactic with the repour and stayed throughout the rest of the beer and all the way down the throat. At 6 months old, this one may have become infected, and I will make every effort to try it again. As it was, I drain poured about the final 1/4 of the bottle.

Bomber. Bright, completely clear dark copper color leaning towards red. It fizzed as I poured it into the glass leaving a big soda-like head that quickly diminished to flat. Zero lacing. For a style this big the aroma is amazingly minimal...I pick up a trace of sugar but barely anything. Sour citrus grains dominate the front of the palate with some more caramel malt notes following. Quite sour aftertaste as well. I’m no ace homebrewer, but my first shot at a doppelbock was noticibly better than this. I keep wanting to love this local brewery but haven’t found the beer to justify the love yet.

Bomber. Clear darkish copper with a 4-finger creamy head that finally settles to a lasting half-inch. Aroma is sharp soured grain, some bread and grass. Flavor is the same with some caramel and toasted nut. Medium body is smooth and dry. Soured a bit from infection but still decent.

(22oz bottle, thanks wilkie) Small tan head with hazy copper body. Aroma is moderately sweet, chocolate, caramel, light earthy/floral. Taste is sweet, chococaramel, some earthy, light alcohol, faint cherry. Medium body, some stickiness, fairly smooth.

On tap at Tyler’s. I liked this beer. Amber pour without a big head, so it doesn’t look like much. Nice caramel and bread aromas, and some vague fruit presence. Not just caramel/molasses/grain/etc. Lighter, too, and lighter on the palate. Solid.