Heavyweight Baltus O.V.S.

Formerly brewed at Heavyweight Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Ocean Township, New Jersey USA

sampled at DLD, pours dark amber. nose was pretty oxidized, tobacco, swweet caramel, brown sugar, plums, raisins, this was overly sweet.

Sampled March 2007
Pours with a dark, burnt amber color that shows a touch of haze and a brilliant ruby color when held up to the light. The beer seemed a bit light in the carbonation department when I popped the cap, so I poured carefully to maintain the carbonation. Because of this it forms a scant, tan colored head that quickly recedes to a ring of foam. Rich, aged malt aromatics dominate the aroma. These notes are not yet wet-cardboard like, instead they add rich caramelized notes, touches of sweetened toffee, fermented cherry, fruity notes of prunes and figs and a deeply caramelized / browned crusty bread character. The aroma really makes me think of the Maillard browning with some age.

The taste is lightly sweet up front and the body is quite a bit lighter than the rich aroma would suggest. My guess is that this has lost some body with age. Some light tart notes, along with other components add to a taste sensation reminiscent of plums, a touch of kiwi, currants, figs and definitely prune notes as well. The finish has a dry, toasted grain maltiness to it that leaves a sensation of dusty barley husks lingering on in the palate.

This is certainly still quite interesting, it has certainly aged quite a bit since being released. If you like aged character in a beer I would still recommend it, though I don’t see this lasting more than another year or so before the oxidation character takes a turn for the worse.

12 oz bottle. Thick syrupy pour giving a deep ruddy colour and a fine off-white head. Some light suspended protein chunks. Fruity aroma, with intense sweet maltiness and a soft grape vineousness as well. Some light molasses and dark rum sweetness in the nose as well. Some soft plumminess in the nose as well. Flavour is quite sweet but well-developed, cherries and plums up front with a bit of sweet caramel, grape and figgy sweetness. Drinks like an English barleywine with sweet plummy malts, a bit of sherryish oxidized notes on the back and a full sweet mouthfeel without ever losing balance. A lovely refined brew.

Bottle...dark caramel color with some redness...the alcohol scent is blanketed by some syrupy malts...minimal foam...visible sediment floats in my glass...very smooth mouth feel...malty body a tease of brown sugars with a muddled citrus finish

Pours with some good carbonation. Was kept well by eclectic! Wood, dry raisins and unsweetened molasses dominate the flavor, with some iron, metallic taste and pencil shavings. Aroma is grainy, malty, old and musty, but in a good way. Nice translucent dark brown in the initial clear pour. Fascinating. Not delicious, but challengingly flavorful. I miss this brewery! (Have I said that a million times...?)

12oz bottle via trade with MrBendo. Aroma: Some slight oxidation, but more sherry than cardboard. Toffee and caramel, bready yeast, some candy-like sweetness, dried cherries and raisins. and a touch of citrus. Appearance: Dark rusty brown in color and very murky. Light beige head was small and fleeting. Light lacing. Flavor: Brown sugar, dried fruits, yeast. Lots of oxidation and a peculiar sourness. Alcohol is fairly strong, too. Finishes dry. Palate: Medium-low bodied. Low carbonation. Strong alcohol warming on tongue and back of mouth. Overall: Wish I could have had this fresh. The underlying structure seemed good, but the beer has lived past its prime. Sad.

Sitting in the back of my fridge left over from a Heavyweight sampler (RIP Heavyweight). Pours hazy light brown with a very thin head. Aroma is sweet caramel and some brown sugar. Taste is sweet, caramel, brown sugar maybe some molasses and some alcohol on the finish.

Pour is hazy reddish brown with a thin tan head...smell is wow...butterscotch, toffee, brown sugar, nutmeg...taste is oxidized...some brown sugar flavors...lightly peppery finish...this beer is done, so if you read this don’t bother.