San Diego Headwrecker Strong Ale

Brewed by San Diego Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
San Diego, California USA

On tap at SDBC a few days ago. Color of reddish amber, with a small tiny off white head. Aroma of caramel, orange peel, fruit and sugary alcohol. Didn’t know the style at the time, but flavor was definitely that of an american strong ale. Flavors of caramel, fruit, orange peel and alcohol. Flavor was slightly sweet. Not enough hop flavor and too much alcohol.

Reddish-amber. Berryish hops and sticky brown sugar malts. Super sugary with some fruity notes. Way too sweet, this will no doubt wreck your head and it’s just not justifiable.

Tap @ brewpub. Red color, no head. Barely any nose but what is there is brandy-like. So are the flavors: apple brandy, sugars, and slight burnt grain taste with a decent clean finish. Not bad but it is hot and sweet.

tap at the brewpub - Pours dark amber with a thin head. It smells mainly of the malt and has a big, sweet, alcohol accented flavor. It’s pretty good, but I was hoping for more from this big beer, whether it’s an American strong ale or a barleywine.

on tap-pours a thin light tan head and copper color. Aroma is citrus hops, secondary medium malt. Taste is alcohol, sweet syrupy, citrus hops-plasticy, secondary medium malt.

At SDBC. A deep amber pour with a light sticky lace. A nose of malt and hops. A very good hop profile and malt backbone make this semi sweet beer very good. Mellow smooth palate that has good carbonation. Very hoppy very well balanced very good:)

On tap @ San Diego Brewing brewpub. I don’t know how this isn’t listed as a barleywine. The brewer Dean seemed to make it with the style in mind. Hmmm.

Anyway, it pours crystal clear amber with lasting white foam ring. The mild aroma is full of dark fruity esters and just a bit of phenols. Nice nose. The taste starts thick and sweet with rich sweet and ever building dark fruitiness with some pronounced cherries then plums, prunes, raisins and a bit of fig. There is a hint of alcohol warming that works very well with the whole experience. Lip smacking good barleywine with a faint under current of caramelized malts and pine hop bitterness. This is a young beer and darn tasty now. I’d love to try it again with a year or so of age.

2007 PP Strong Ale Fest: Poured a clear chestnut color with an off-white head. Hop forward aroma with pine and citrus notes. It covers the malt for the most part. Citrus and pine hop flavor is strong but mixes with the malt well. Sweet with a pine finish. Warming with a medium body.