Hercules - Fitger's Brewhouse

tewaris

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sampled at the brewpub in a nonic style 10 oz glass on September 26, 2010. The server told that this is an American Strong Ale that's aged in barrels and has a lot of alcohol, bourbon flavor... it's kinda like a barleywine etc.

Appearance 5/5
Clear dark brown with a good dark tan colored head that stayed around, and left good lacing as well.

Aroma 2/5
Tart, malty sweet. Where's the bourbon? Where's the malt character, or hop character of a barleywine?

Taste 3/5
Tart, sweet, bitter, warming, fruity at times... lots of things going on here but there's no oak/bourbon/specialty malts; in fact nothing that fits the description. Yet because "anything goes" in a Strong Ale, I am being generous with the score.

Mouthfeel 3.5/5
Thin for an ale of this magnitude (ABV).

Drinkability 4/5
Moderate to good.

Other
I thought to myself time and again after reading my notes on this beer whether I got the wrong beer. But, there was no Wild ale on menu, and this was very tart for any other style. If this was a sour brown, it would do real good score-wise, but this wasn't anywhere close to the server's description. So if I did get the right beer, does it mean that it's infected?

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2010 19:23:50 | More by tewaris

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewery. Brewer personally stated that the lacto sour comes from 16 months in the barrel (yikes!). He also described it as a strong old ale.

This one takes some getting used to with the strong ABV (mine was 10.2) coupled with the lacto, if you didn't know better you would think the beer is off and gone sour.

A: tawny, cloudy, great
S: bourbon, EtOH, malt
T: deep malt with plums, slight sour, bourbon, hot
M: very good, like a shot of bourbon with hotness
D: very good but with high EtOH it's definitely a sipper

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 01:17:27 | More by wisrarebeer

Redrover

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hercules American Strong Ale - wisely served in a 10 oz mini Imperial pint, the beer is a hazy bronze with a skim of beige head. 10 percent.

Nose of hops (citrus) and sweet malts.

The beer has a lot going on. The beer veers between malty sweetness and bitterness. Reminds me more than a bit of an Arrogant Bastard. Caramel, a touch of molasses, citrus rind, pinesap and apple. It is all there and the different tastes swirl to the forefront and then recede.

The mouth is oily and coating. This is a sipper and one to savor slowly.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2010 02:03:52 | More by Redrover