HeBrew Genesis Ale

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: American Pale Ale
San Francisco, California USA

(12 oz bottle: Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, CA) If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was drinking a bartender’s special blend of Becks or Heineken, a Bass Ale, and a Newcastle Brown. It has that cheap European pale lager taste, grainy, lightly sweet and mildly bitter, but with a nutty, caramely finish reminiscent of an English ale. Aroma is like a moderately sweet honey lager. Light to medium in body, but that Becks style bitterness leaves the palate fairly clean. I’d describe the color as murky amber, and the off-white head pours to about half an inch in height. As I drink the beer, the head falls away to a thin topping, but leaves plenty of swiss cheese lacing on the glass. Not all that good, but not all that bad either, and it’s actually growing on me as I continue to consume the beer.

Bottle. Small off-white head that mostly diminished, fine-medium sized bubbles, fair lacing, carbonated, mostly transparent with a slight haziness, and an orange hue. Aroma was malty, sweet and hoppy. Flavor mimicked the aroma. Fairly smooth mouthfeel. Light-medium body.

Ordinary. Not really bad, just kinda boring. It actually reminded me of Newcastle Brown, with a hint of sweetness, although it’s not terribly well-balanced.b

Poured medium brown with an off-white head. Light floral hop aroma with a hint of malt. Taste how it smells. Was pleasantly surprised by this brew.

Bottle: Decent fruit and caramel aroma. Mostly transparent, just slightly hazy, amber with a nice off-white head with pretty good retention. Decent lacing. Caramel starts at the finish and increases into the finish. Real light hops are added in the finish and seem to be a little off. They just don’t blend right.

Given as a gift, I had never heard of this one before. Faint malt aroma. Nice looking. Has decent hop flavor and hop/malt balance, with a good feel and finish.

This was a decent beer with a nice hop profile. I only had a small amount of it, but I would try it again if I had the chance.

I was let down by this brew. Perhaps the theological connotations of this one had me expecting more. A bit murky, this brew tastes dark for the "lighter" of the two Hebrew ales. It’s not bad, but reminds me of the Fisherman’s Brew, which I reviewed several weeks back. It is more drinkable, because of a lower alcohol content, but I find myself not satisfied. I’d rather have Newcastle for a brown ale.