HeBrew Messiah Bold

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

Bottle. Pours deep brownish black. This clearly emulates Israeli "black beer," a nonalcoholic malt beverage - and does so well. Very dark malt flavors, with some licorice and bitter cocoa. Not exactly nutty like other brown ales, which may explain some of the low ratings. Bonus points for good representation of its nonalcoholic counterpart.

Pours a dark black from the bottle with a light head that quickly dissipates. Light aroma of dark malts. I don’t like this on initial taste. Dark malts, some licorice? toffee? Really can’t put my finger on it, but it’s not good. Tastes like a monkey. A monkey that’s past it’s prime. Or maybe a piece of fish that’s been sitting out too long. Or maybe bad shellfish. Aftertaste is bad too. Not a good brew.

Darker than average brown ale. Some might say bold. Oh, wait, the brewer is saying that in the name. Very roasty, nutty, highly drinkable brown ale. A little heavier in the palate than some others I’ve had but no less enjoyable. And here I thought the Messiah was supposed to be meek. Goes to show what I know. But I do know a good beer when I taste one, and this is no exception.

Dark mahogany ruby color, no head, no lacing. Nose of charred pine, mild coffee and some cocoa/chocolate character. A bit of darker fruits. Dry robust sweetness in the finish. Flavors are a bit watery but there’s some chewy element to it. Meh.

Crisp clean aroma. A rich dark amber color with a fluffy white head. Very smooth, some vanilla, malty, with a slight hop finish. Very easy to drink, great session beer!

Pours brownish-reddish color with a thick off-white head....a very easy to drink brown ale. Good malty qualities. Funky hop presence and toasty roasted notes. A pleasant, though not wonderful surprise

Nice dark brown color with Malty caramel taste. It’s a light on alcohol and body but the overall taste is good with chocolate melding with citrus..

Interesting concept. Pours a dark brown color with mahoganey hues and a tan head that quickly dissipates. Aromas of roasted malt, caramel, and toffee. Light bodied, mildly carbonated and watery. Although somewhat flavorful with notes of nuts, caramel, toffee, and butterscotch. An average dark beer.