Thirsty Bear Golden Vanilla

Brewed by Thirsty Bear Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
San Francisco, California USA

Draught. Pours golden/amber with a moderate white head. Aroma is strongly of vanilla, with hints of grassy yeast. Flavor is slightly less strong vanilla, some citrus, yeast, and malt. Not bad for what it is---the vanilla is less artificial than most vanilla beers, especially in the aroma, and mixes interestingly with the rest of the flavors. Still way too much vanilla to be a good beer, though.

From June 2007 tasting notes, sampled at Thirsty Bear. Deep golden with a white head. Nice, non-artificial vanilla aroma. Light caramel, a little noble hop presence - grassiness, vanilla flavor is noticeable but not over-the-top. Light citrus. Medium bodied with smooth, moderate carbonation. Not really my thing, but an interesting beer.

Sweet, lightly floral vanila aroma. Dry, thin perfumey body, tingly and strong vanilla flavor. Finishes sweet, despite the initial dryness. Simple, but tasty.

Date: August 22, 1998
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: light amber, scant head
Aroma: light sweet vanilia aroma
Flavor: strong vanilia flavor that overwhelms any other character, touch a vanilia induced bitterness (is that possible?)

Date: July 09, 2009
Mode: draft
Source: brewpub
Aroma: sweet caramel and vanilla aroma
Flavor: rich sweet vanilla flavor, very light bitterness

Aroma: 4/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 4/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 7/20
Rating: 2.1/5.0
Drinkability: 5/10
Score: *+/4

Creamy natural vanilla smell from a rich bright, clear, orange pour with some nice lacing. Taste is refreshing, a definite vanilla, with a nice crisp finish. Lingering subtle vanilla and an organic grainy taste. Good overall and maybe my favorite Thirsty Bear beer.

Draught, Thirsty Bear. Head is mostly diminishing. Body is medium yellow. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), with a strong and very genuine aroma of vanilla beans. Flavor is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. I’ve had a lotta vanilla brews in my day, but none so vibrantly realistic in that aspect as this one. One of the few in which their claim to use whole vanilla beans seems very very believable. Granted, there’s not a whole lot else going on in this beer, but the vanilla character is wonderful.

Draught at the brewery. Beer is clear, light caramel with a large, frothy, off-white, mostly lasting head.<P>The aroma is dominated by an artful vanilla infusion. This beer drips with heavy notes of Tahitian vanilla; flutters with gorgeous undertones of rich orchid-like floral. Only support is a light malty note of toasted grain. Simple in a little black dress sensibility.<P>The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter with an average-length, trace acidic, lightly sweet finish. Big vanilla bean retros.<P>The body is light, the texture is watery and the carbonation is average.

Gold color, low tight head. Vanilla note throughout. Creamy texture. Like a cream soda. Lingering sweetness. This works on some level, but it’s not the first thing I’d choose to drink again.