 Ernest (4217), Boulder, Colorado, USA
Mar 3, 2002 Updated: Jul 22, 2003
Head is initially large, rocky, frothy, white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium yellow, dense particles of all sizes, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately hoppy (flowers, herbs), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), moderately malty (cookie, toasted grain, caramel), with notes of coriander, clove, pineapple, orange, and honey. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter, lightly acidic. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic, lightly astringent. Persistence pays off...this time I am able to declare that Hallertauer is the major player here, no question in my mind, and I can't get enough of this. My love for this beautiful, succulent, and elegant honeysuckle hop grows with every experience I have with it. Then throw in a dash of coriander for effect, some toasty wheat, some cookies, let that spider web of yeast work its magic, and you have one of the best strong blonde ales money can buy, IMHO. My first rating was being introduced to this charming maiden as a young lad, 3.9. The second was learning more about her depth of character and becoming more intrigued, 4.4. And now, I am positively smitten, 5.0. She has won my heart. Consistent quality, sexual and absolutely mesmerizing aroma, perfect flavor balance (terrific bitterness development in the finish, but just enough), luxurious mouthfeel, and virtually the only place you detect the maiden's alcoholic sting is a warming within. I couldn't ask for more from a beer of this style. If you like Hallertauer, this is a guaranteed delight. But enough squawking, it's time for you to stop reading this long-winded tirade and start discovering this beer for yourself.
Dickinsonbeer (2513), Hoboken, New Jersey, USA
Jul 22, 2008 750 ml bottle. I had been holding this bottle for a while- I think I got it in a Secret Santa trade a while back. Thanks! Pours a nice hazy blonde- still nice carbonation and a wierd looking foamy head. Aroma is initially dusty, light must and cobwebs- definitley old but not oxidized- more of a tart lactic lemony character with some grassy herbal hints. Dulle stale old malty flavors, stale bread, crackers, dull lemony citrus and lactic acids, musty, earthy and dusty. Not much character left, but has some sourness going on. Probably well on its way past its peak. Oh well- it was cool to try.
TURDFERGUSON (1125), Carrboro, North Carolina, USA
Jul 15, 2008 Bottle, from dickinsobeer. Thanks Paul! Nose and flavor have quite a bit of buttery oxidation which takes away from my deep exploration of the complexity of this beer. Flavor is slightly earthy, with some dried caramel malt, and a lot of strange yeast. A weird beer that I can’t seem to get into at this point. Would have liked to try this fresh.
kmweaver (1973), Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
Jul 13, 2008 750mL bottle, sampled at the 1st Annual Shenandoah Beer Throwdown, courtesy of Dickinsonbeer. Thanks, Paul! Pours a hazy, brownish-yellow color; mixed-bubbled off-white head with very pleasant perimeter of bubbles; patchy, mixed-bubbled lacing. Lots of intricate yeastiness, vanilla, honey, and floral notes in the aroma; light dried caramel oxidation. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: lots of sweet caramel, complex yeastiness, and honey notes upfront; relaxed carbonation; gorgeous yeast character, vanilla-tinged, and lots of nice dried caramel notes. Lengthy finish: yeastiness, toasty bread, and honey; ends on the warm, sweet side.
FatPhil (2090), Espoo, Finland
Dec 2, 2007 330ml bottle (One Pint Pub, Helsinki, Belgian Beer Weeks 2004)
Deep yellow, large tight creamy head, floaty bits. Sweet, spicey and hoppy aroma. Taste is predominantly hoppy bitter, but in a really pleasant way, not harsh at all. Don’t drink in a single gulp, that’s just silly.
Glouglouburp (1935), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Oct 22, 2006 Cloudy yellow body with chunks of yeast and a large white head. Smells like a spicy lemon pie. Taste is hard to describe. Some weird yeast character than I’m not used to. It’s not bretty, not fruity, not estery, not whatever, just something else. And that something else is great. Taste is hard to describe but I’d say lemon pie coated by rich caramel with grassy hops bitterness. Truly excellent. Unfortunately few good bottles remain. I got one amazing bottle at Le Vaudrée pub in Liège. I immediately ordered a second one but I was too late, diacetyl had taken over. Tragedy. Diacetyl, my arch-enemy, one day you and I will settle our differences and I shall rid the earth of your malevolent doings in an epic battle of good versus evil.
|
