Midnight Sun Venus

Formerly brewed at Midnight Sun Brewing Company
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Anchorage, Alaska USA

Appearance: Pours a clearish, dark amber body with a small, though creamy-looking, beige-colored head. Smell: Toasty, biscuity malts with rich, expressive notes of spicy hops, anise oil, a distant red wine barrel, and dried fruits from a trail mix served up with a shot of clean liquor. Taste: Pale malts along with a maltiness delivering a taste of toasted biscuit tops sweetened with a sprinkling of brown sugar and, why not, some simple table sugar. Touch of dried fruit. Spicy hops display a light, brief bitterness. Add in a full tablespoon of Ouzo. Drying, leathery tannins leech in, as does a lesser hint of red wine. Pinch of chocolate shavings. The strong alcohol presence is definitely evident, but the heavy, dense layers of flavor and complexities help to turn your attention away from it. Return of the anise liqueur for the sweetish, very warming finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Moderate carbonation, which thoughtfully helps to prevent any cloying syrupiness. Drinkability: Surprisingly drinkable considering the ABV percentage. Though Venus is an inhospitable, downright hellish place, it’s namesake beer is one to soak in and savor.

Date: March 28, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Appearance: clear dark ruby red, fine beige head, bits of drippy lace
Aroma: sweet dark malt aroma, light fruityness
Flavor: rich sweet malt flavor, brown sugar sweetness, rich fruityness, light balancing earthyness
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

22 oz. bottle courtesy of a trade with AmEricanbrew. Pours a very deep brown with some mahogany when held against light. Large, fluffy brown head that hangs around until the final sip and coats the glass fully. Gorgeous brew. Very pleasant aroma of caramel, vanilla, oak, candi sugar, prunes and raisins. The flavor is equally enjoyable with caramel, molasses, vanilla, oak, candi sugar, and raisins. Fiarly smooth on the palate, especially for a beer with such a high abv. There is only a trace of warmth towards the finish from the alcohol. Excellent.

pours a dark brown with a slight tan head. Aroma is predominantly of alcohol with undertones of spice. Tastes like candied raisins and molasses with a spice and alcohol aftertaste. Well bodied good beer.

A. Dark malts, star anise, cabernet wine and light oak and light vanilla App: Dark amber with red highlights, small white head, lace and legs. F. Sweet malt, peppery alcohol, light spicey star anise. Vinuous winey hints along with oak and vanilla. Light hop and spice bitterness P. Medium body, Spicey alcoholic MF. Low carbination O. Complex dark Strong Belgian ale aged in Cab. Barrels

Pours a transparent dark mahogany with a well-lacing frothy light tan head. Aroma of sweet dark caramel malt and dark fruity complexity with some raisins and milk chocolate with a touch of Belgian yeast. Body starts with good sweet malty fullness and rich caramel and dark fruity complexity. Finishes smooth and semi-sweet hiding its alcohol quite well.

22oz bomber courtesy of a very generous Alaska trader poured into a snifter. This one pours a deep mahogany out of the bottle and settles in almost black in the glass with a rocky tan head that lingers as a small cap for the duration. The aroma is huge on this one with tons of sweet dark malts, oak tannins, and candied dark fruit, like raisins soaked in booze and covered in brown sugar. There is a dry red wine character that balances the huge sweetness and leaves a bit of alcohol burn in the nose. The taste is very sweet as well up front with lots of candi sugar and caramel malts. The dark fruits are present as well, but the alcohol really makes its presence felt in the finish with a massive burn in the throat going down. The red wine dryness is barely detectable in the finish with a bit of the barrel presence and an earthy tobacco flavor trying to peak out behind the alcohol burn. The mouthfeel is crazy smooth and velvety with lots of carbonation which, for me, helps ease the boozy presence a little bit. This is one helluva big beer from MSBC and despite being fantastic, it’s a little on the hot side. I have a feeling that after a year or two, this one will be world class. That said, it’s already a seriously great beer and another original brew from the boys in Anchorage.

Bottle. Wow! Now this is one very good beer. Huge, fluffy head on top of a black pour. Creamy, full mouthfeel. Leather, tobacco, vanilla, and dark grit flavor. Excellent.