HeBrew Jewbelation 5766 Ninth Anniversary Ale

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

’05 bomber sampled Jan ’08.

Pours dark brown with a modest cream head. Big plum aroma, dried fruit, some smoke, tons of dark malt. Sweet flavor, a hint of smoke, again those plums and dried fruit, again powerful toffee malts. This one is a bit too sweet and sticky for my taste, but otherwise fairly nice.

Poured from the bomber a deep, dark mahogny brown; close to ebony. Produced a handsome dense and creamy beige head with admirable retention. No lacing noted. Aroma was that of a typical English Brown Ale but one on steroids. Hefty, assertive notes of roasted malts, nuts, toffee, dark chocolate and dark dried fruits such as figs and raisins immediately fil the nose. Some faint smells of spicy/herbal hops linger gently in the background. Mouthfeel was superb. I personally enjoy big beers of this style having a thick and almost syrpy/oily texture and this did not disappoint. Thick and silky with a very subdued CO2 level. Just adds to the overall richness of a big Impy Stout, Barleywine, etc. Flavor department was rich and assertive with lots of dark roasted malts, dark caramel, toffee, molasses, nuts and dark dried fruits taking center stage. The beer’s overall malty sweetness is nicely tamed by the presence of just a touch of spicy hop bitterness finishing things off. The 9% alcohol is warming but in no way intrusive. This was an enjoyable late night treat.

From can, no 21 at Papsoes blindtasting. Pours dark brown and slight reddish hue and a light chocolate brown head. Dried fruity aroma, slight chalky and with a smooth chocolate note. Solid chocolate flavoured and roasted malty. Sweet finish lingering into the finish with a chocolate malt flavoured smoothness.

Thanks to brewer Jeremy Cowan for sharing this one with me at the Concordia Alehouse in Portland (he probably doesn’t remember, but I certainly do!)--Poured an amber-brown body with a off-white/beige head. Sweet, sticky, malty flavor as indicated by nose. Roasty with dark fruits in the palate. Sharp hops finish.

Bottled. An amber-brown beer with a brown head. The aroma is sweet malty with strong notes of roasted malt as well as alcohol. The flavor is sweet with notes of alcohol, metal, prunes, hard roasted malt, and oxidation, leading to a metallic finish. Thanks Papsoe for sharing.

#21 [Blind tasting session @ Papsoe 30-11-2007] Small beige bubbly head that mostly diminished. Fair lacework. Dark mahogany color. Rye bread, liquorish, heavy dried fruit. Over the palate roasted malt, hint of coffee and sweet chocolate with a hint of brown sugar. Full bodied with a light alcoholic texture and an average carbonation. Moderated sweet with a hint of acidic. Quit explosive dried fruity and light bitter burned malty finish that lingers. Quit good beer.

Bottle. A deep red beer with a beige head. The aroma is light dusty caramel malt, fruit, light alcoholic and oxidiced. The taste is sweet caramel malt, chocolate, bread and light alcoholic. Medium to full body with a sweet dry light alcoholic finish.

Bottle. Cloudy red brown coloured with a beige ehad. Sweet aroma of dried fruits, rye bread and caramel. Sweet flavour of dried fruits, rye bread, caramel and alcoholwith roasted notes. Roasted and alcoholic finish.