Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak

Brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
St. Louis, Missouri USA

2005 bottle. Ruby-garnet to chestnut-auburn, clear, rather viscous looking in the glass, with a bit of fairly dense grey-beige head (look at the picture to the left) that is poorly to moderately retained, no lacing. Aroma of thick, syrupy, artificial candy (twizzlers, jolly ranchers provide the light fruit notes, while a heavier, darker and equally artificial candy note is present as well). Bits of light wood notes, dry, short lived but no where near the strength needed to balance this sweetness (which is predominantly thick, syrupy, cloying caramel and buttercream). Notes of light cinnamon and toffee and then of course, we have the vanilla. What can I say? This is actually done well, be it a bit too heavy. The notable thing is that it is a whole bean vanilla addition, providing a true vanilla note, in place of the expected vanilla extract. Some crunchy dark malts, bit of graininess, but it’s fleeting and inadequate. The flavor is a syrupy, cloying mess of a beer, very artificial, sluggish and with no elegance whatsoever. Thick vanilla cream flavors combine with syrupy sugar and candy coated cherries to pulverize the senses, while the wood character adds a sharpness on the end that is neither welcome nor balancing. Syrupy, extremely undercarbonated and underattenuated mouthfeel. But at least they got the vanilla right (sort of). . . .

Dang - I wanted to like this, but what a piece o crap. Looked good, a bright crystal ruby-garnet color, fizzy head, fading quickly leaving no lace. Poured with legs, revealing the alcohol potency. Aroma mild, but lots of vanilla, a little melanoidin malt, maybe some burnt malt, and a heavy whiff of alcohol. Flavor sweetish up front, with a little hint of vanilla, some whiskey, brandy notes, going straight into a harsh alcoholic finish. Thin body, sickly, with not enough carbonation. A general impression of a bad vanilla cream soda mixed with brandy. I nursed a glass of this until I couldn’t torture myself anymore, so harsh and unbalanced it is not drinkable. I dumped the remaining bottle and regret at the $11 purchase.

Bottle gift set that included 2 Celebrate glasses. Poured a small ivory fizzy head that mostly diminished, transparent, carbonated, and a red amber hue. Malty, caramel, vanilla, bourbon notes, and alcohol nose. Flavor was rather surprising from AB-caramel, bourbon, dry, vinuous, vanilla, thick, sweet, and some maltiness. Mouthfeel was dry, thick, tingly and vinuous. Medium body.

This beer pours a deep copper color with little to no head and has a very sweet barlywine like smell. The smell kinda reminds me of avery’s smael’s. Has a very sweet but strong vanilla flavor to it that really lingers... Say’s it’s 10% abv, but you don’t taste it... Actually it taste kinda thin. I expected a little more thickness after smelling it. all in all this beer is different. don’t know that I would buy this again. but might drink again if given to me! lol Cheers!

Pours a clear copper with a fizzy tan head that dissipates in a flash. The aroma is sort of a tainted sweetness, like a spiced pale lager scent. As the beer warmed the scent matured giving off vanilla and oak scents that became far more pleasant than my first impression. Slight bitter taste at first that becomes sweet vanilla. Like the scent the vanilla and even some oak hints come out as the beer warms up. Vanilla seems a bit overstated. Thick and creamy in the mouth, and warming. You can detect a heavy carbonation in the mouth which runs counter to the sweet smoothness evident elsewhere. Interesting, but inconsistent brew.

Pours amber/orange, with a tan head. Aromas are sweet malt, vanilla, and wood, but they are all very subtle. Flavors are vanilla, sweet malt, bourbon, and oak. The carbonation is odd, ...there seems to be some at first, but it’s mostly on the flat side. Body is medium to light. Not as bad as I expected. It is drinkable, but far from great.

Crappy twist off cap...Pours like soda...fizzes up w/ foam that quickly dies away to nothing. Bubbly and amber in color. Aromas of vanilla and slight bourbon barrel. Reminds me of creme soda; something I occaisionally indulge in(sprecher!), but never savor. Woa, this is one crude beverage! It assaults my mouth w/ intense vanilla(extremely more than creme soda), honey sweet thickness, and some really mis-placed bourbon oak in the finish. What the hell. I guess they were trying to capitolize on a trend here, but this is autrocious. Nothing in this concoction even resembles "beer" flavor. This reminds me of schnapps in a way(horrid). I drink beer b/c I like the flavors of beer (malt, hops, yeast). This is a strong alco-pop. Built for those who can’t appreciate or understand real beer flavors. Gag. Glad I got it on close out at the supermarket, bought against my better judgement, I decided to throw my predjudices to the wind...and they blew right back in my face.

Very weak quickly diminishing head on top of a nut brown amber body. The vanilla and caramel aromas seem to be eminating from behind a regular Michelob lager dominance. Yuck. At least it tastes better than it smells or looks, although the overall sweetness is far too much for my tastes. Initially, it has the alcohol burn and taste of cheap oaky bourbon, but then sweet vanillla and caramel overpowers its way to the tongue. Unfortunately the vanilla and caramel fade quickly to a crappy "domestic pale lager" finish. This beer is in need of improvement.