Victory Yakima Twilight

Brewed by Victory Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

Bottle; poured a dirty auburn color with a big fluffy khaki colored head. Aroma was great and very nw. Fruity, spicy, caramel and chalk. Flavor had many of those same qualities. Fruity and spicy with a prominent malt backbone. Easy to drink, but flavorful.

Bottle shared with scottyp at woody’s. Pours a great rich red cherry juice color with fair ring of tan head. Nose is a sweet and sour blend that is hard to wrap one’s head around. Taste is a little like medicinal flavoring, but not bandaid or antisceptic. Burps are tasty from this one though. Nice citrusy bitter aftertaste. Can’t decide how I feel about his one. Good label for such a unique brew.

Pours a clear, dark reddish/amber with tan head. Aroma of citrusy hops, roasted caramel malts, hint of grapefruit. Similar taste, although spicy with a dry, warm finish. Not one of my favorite offerings from Victory.

Another outstanding beer from Vicotry. This fairly unique beer pours nearly a mahogony color with a thick and rich light brown head. The aroma is strong and well-balanced, with notes of spicy hops, caramel, earth, citrus, grass and rye bread. Yakima’s body is fairly thick and full, but like the nose, is also very well-balanced. The flavors are absoutely delicious, with notes of extremely spicy hops, grapefruit, brown sugar, caramel, rye bread, grass, earth, dark chocolate and cayenne pepper. The finish is extremely spicy and hoppy, wit plenty of sticky hop resin that coats my mouth. This beer also leaves a nice amount of sticky head goodness around the edges of the glass. Yakima can very dangerous, especially when drinking it on an empty stomach. This strong ale definitely kicks a little rear end!

On tap, 5th Amendment Alehouse in Santa Monica. First beer of the new year! Served in a Chimay goblet, pours dark amber-brown with a small head. Aroma is pungent, piney, with grapefruit. Not citrusy per se, but layered with ash and earthy notes. Interesting. Palate is lightly carbonated, medium in body with a long finish. Flavor has a nice hoppy character matched with the same roasts as noted in the aroma. A bit spicy as well. Lovely hoppy and bitter balance, unique and “christmasy.” Kicks hard with bitterness, but the hop flavors also stand up well against it. I like it a lot, but certainly not for everyone.

Bottle from Sam’s Blue Light in Durham. Pours clear reddish-amber with yellowish beige bubbly head. In short, this is a simple but delicious beer. A nice interplay between big, bold fruity hops and a solid malt backbone. Some citrus, mild resin, some caramel on the malt end. Some notes of black tea. Surprisingly light-bodied and drinkable for 9%. Nicely done.

Big hoppy nose--always the strong suit for me with a high-hopped beer--but typically disappointing in the flavor and finish. Here’s another beer from which I just pushed on.... On tap at The Happy Gnome, St. Paul

12oz. bottle. Pours hazy brown with a tan head. Aroma of citrusy hops, a touch of toasted malts, a hint of sweetness, and grapefruit. Tastes bitter with hops, toasty, caramel, a hint of citrus. Very dry on the tongue. A nice start to NYE.