Southern Tier Cuvée Series 1

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Lakewood, New York USA

In short: An extra-simple, slightly woody and excessively honey-sweet big brew. Boring.
How: Bottle 22oz. Consumed soon after purchase. Tasting session with Montreal crew.
The look: Cloudy orange body topped by a little white ring of foam
In long: Taste is dominated by honey. Some light woody notes that I’d describe as cedar sawdust. Some citrusy hops lighten up the beer but not enough. This is way too sweet. Alcohol is very well hidden, or maybe I was too annoyed by the honey to notice it. Finish is a long sticky honey sweetness. Very simple, no complexity whatsoever. Not something I could drink a bomber by myself. A boring “French Oak Impressions” brew (called “Freedom Oak Impressions” by conservatives in 2003).

Pours a deep copper color wtih a small white head. Aroma is loaded with honey and syrupy notes. Coconut is eveident as well once you get past the sweet honey. Flavor is sweet and has an artificial quality about it, finish is lightly bitter. This could have been great, but it isn’t.

Bouteille de 22 oz partagée lors d’une dégustation Ratebeer Montréal chez MartinT. Arôme: Odeur de caramel sucré avec une pointe de raisins. Apparence: La couleur est orangée voilée. Présence d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel et de miel sucré avec une pointe vanillée. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture huileuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Arrière goût légèrement sucré. (Rating #2421)

honey copper color and clear with a barely off white -ish head. the nose is faint... even when warm it is difficult to pick anything up... butterscotch, whiskey? (must be the spices in the wood), yeast and sugar. the palate is terribly sweet (yet i can see why some like this style)... flavors of caramel/ brown sugar,honey, malt, woody spice, yeasty richness and an attempt at bitterness. there is some dryness on the finish but it is brief. medium to thick body with creamy carbonation. a sticky sugar residue is left on my lips. it’s rich and slick but there is just too much sugar in this thing to make it enjoyable. 5/3/4/3/13/2.8

My Bottom Line:
Fat honey flavors dominate the earthy hop resins and their bitterness in this thick and oily sipper of a strong ale.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A thin veil of foam skirts the misty amber.
-Oak aging is very discreet.
-These honeyed notes are very lengthy too. This is not really balanced.
-Alcohol is thankfully not too boastful in the flavor profile.
-This is for sweet teeth only, and has to be enjoyed when one is looking for a heavy potion.

Bottle.

Clear orange pour with a bit of a red tint. Light tan one-finger head. Thick molasses malt flavor. Nutty with oaky notes. Lots of sweet hearty malt on the tongue. Some herbal grass and grain. Oaky, nutty notes with a strong citrus flavor. Hoppy finish.

Bottle pours an orange amber color with off white head. Strong caramel aroma. Has some hop spice mixed in. Medium mouthfeel. Flavor is more strong caramel. I don’t really get the oak here. Maybe some vanilla? Has a sweet finish. Not really that good. Just ok.

Bottle in a box from Bottleworks. Orangey amber. Minimal head. Thick Barley Wine-like aroma with big apricot and caramel aroma. Long caramel flavour and alcohol. A little heavy to pick out the oak. I can convince myself of some woody flavours as I get into the glass. Ah here they are! Woodiness picks up riding the sweet caramel liquor.