Heavyweight Chuck

Date: 04/29/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Dark Lord Day, 2005

muddy brown, musky Belgian aroma, huge sour flavor masking anything else,

Aroma: 4/10; Appearance: 3/10; Flavor: 2/10; Palate: 2/10; Overall: 5/20
Rating: 1.4/5.0
Score: 4
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The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Last HWOH. I think cornboy brought this. This is a flemish wild/brown ale with tons of wild yeas tand bacteria character. Aroma is pretty much straight up blue cheese- funky, stinky cheese, tons of brett horseblanket as well. Flavor is slightly sour, funky, yeasty, doughy, musty and old with lightt oxidation/cardboard. More blue cheese as well. Fizzy carbonation due to lots of refermentation in the bottle, but settles after a while. Pretty good- real funky though.

750 bottle. I was sitting on this for a while so I finally gave it a try. Not a bad beer. Along the Belgian style of brown ales. Very dark for a brown. Might have been slightly past it’s prime but still a good beer.

I have had this brew on several occasions before and it is definately starting to turn. Thin sheet of dense creamy foam. Very good carbonation. Awesome hot spot of head generation keeps a sheen on the surface. This is how a beer is supposed to look. It actually looks like a fine belgian. Dark fruit and a slight sourness (brett as everybody calls it). Sort of a tart cranberry and even a little raspberry. Some spices in the aroma (ginger). Color is a very impresive dark reddish brown. Fizzy and lively in the mouth. Dry and tart. Little metallic up front which kind of put you off initially. The the dry tartness kicks in and you find yourself struggling to find saliva. A little too dry and tart for my liking. Obviously not the original intention of the brown ale. Finish is dry and tart again with what seems like a little grittyness. Finally a beer I that I can understand the descripter of horse blanket. Except that you are not smelling it but eating one. I probably would have liked this brew better when it was fresh as these tart one are not my cup of tea.

Gloomy rust. Thick lily pad of brownish foam with some rockiness. Gloriously funky, acetic nose of band-aid phenolics and musty stone. Fruity yeast hints. Soft carbonation, but oh so tight and creamy with some expansion, as well. Quite airy and “wildly” yeasty, at first. Brett deposits oodles of sharp medicinal phenols, which compounds the musty, gritty underlay. Funkiness soon gives way to a downy-soft husky malt base, with accents of nuts and sweet bread, but the artful mesh of medicine and dried leather remain to perfectly temper the huskiness. Late hint of unripe plum acidity, but the tartness is now more of a background element, as the malt persistently keeps it at bay. Exemplary balance in the finish, albeit anticlimactic, with steadily waning shades of musty yeast and chewy, husky malts. The finish needs some work (more intensity, in particular). Otherwise, this is delectably rustic.

Bottle... Muddy, light brown ale with a large, fizzy, tan/orange head. The breadsy, spicy nose releases tart notes of cola nut and lemon. Perfectly balanced, dry and tart. Light-bodied and fizzy. Lengthy, tart, dry finish. Don’t buy it expecting a true, English brown ale. Very Flemish. Thanks go out to growler for sharing the bottle.

Bottle, from tasting @ Bauer wine & spirit. Good nose, Tart. Dried fruit, Lemon/lime sour candies, raspberry, hints of chocolate, sour milk. Hazy brown color with a big beige head. Bitter sweet flavors, Same as aromas, the sour aspect mellows a bit and the brown side came up a bit more. Medium body, smooth, lite creaminess mouthfeel, mild sour dry finish. Good brew, nose will turn off the non serious beer drinker. Thanks Mike, the Stone Rep for a rare treat.

cloudy copper color w/ a large spongelike off white head. Smells a bit rank at first an odd sour smell very tart reminded me of a lambic. Palate is highly tart ok carbonation and not much body. Flavor is initially tart w/ a touch of fruiteness breaks into a more herbal flavor w/ some odd hops after the initial bit wares off. Overall the flavor was pretty mild and it was a solid beer in the flemish style.