Peak Organic The Maple Collaboration - Peak Organic Brewing Company

lordofthewiens

Maine

2.78/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I was looking forward to this beer because I generally like what this brewery produces. Unfortunately, this beer was not one of my favorites.

A copper color with a small, off-white head.

Faint caramel malt aroma. Alcohol, not pleasant (even though it's only 6.7% ABV).

The taste was vaguely oatmeal with maple syrup. Still very alcoholic.

I thought this was way too much booze and not enough of the oats and syrup.

No mas!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 22:05:46 | More by lordofthewiens

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

2.93/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a clear red with hues of orange. An inch of white head fades quickly. Small specs of lacing.

S: Caramel, slight toffee and molasses, a touch of sugary maple, subtle berry fruitiness, hit of butterscotch, and an underlying earthiness.

T: Butterscotch and a slight coffee impression open. A wave of maple syrup washes over the palate. Slight fruitiness is hard to pick up underneath the maple. Tea leaves. Sugary malt sweetness builds and becomes slightly cloying. A pinch of brown cocoa and some earthy undertones are all but drowned. Finishes with a buttery maple flavor.

M: Medium bodied. Slightly viscous and mouth coating. Low carbonation.

O: This beer is a train wreck. Far too sweet, and the flavors at work just do not mesh well. Peak organic keeps trying to force the issue with these amber ales. Much like the coffee flavors of Espresso Amber, the maple just doesn't seem to belong in this beer. The distinct house yeast further muddles things, adding an unpleasant buttery/butterscotch flavor into the mix. If there's one good thing to be said about this beer, it's that the maple at least tastes very natural and authentic.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 06:22:40 | More by ryan1788a5

lurpy1

Minnesota

2.95/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The Maple Collaboration was rolled out at a recent tasting. I was all fired up for this, because short of cat food, what doesn't taste great with Maple?

Here's the thing. I am guessing this was brewed in collaboration with the renowned brewer Wayne Maple, because that's the only reason I can think of to include "maple" in the title. There sure as hell isn't any maple in the beer to justify it. Nothing particularly wrong with the drink, but I wound up fixating on the lack of maple, and therefore, the lack of identifiable flavor.

Bummer of an experiencer. C/C+ as a beer, F- for truth in advertising

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 19:47:02 | More by lurpy1

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Clear amber with a runaway beige head. What was once a runaway head that almost expanded out of the glass it then ran away from sight. Eh retention.

Aroma is some maple sweet twang a little bit of oven baked oats and caramel sweetness.

Taste is fruity apple juice with a little bit of leafy hops. Not much maple but some. Seltzer-y mouthfeel.

I've had better maple ales. I've had better amber ales. I've had better Peak beers. This beer is a let down on many levels. It's odd that Peak's Oak Aged Mocha Stout tastes like maple sugar candy and Peaks Maple Collaboration tastes like a bland amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 22:53:10 | More by donkeyrunner

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz Bottle
A) Pours with a two finger head then settles to a thin white lacing on top. Clear body. Amber in color.
S) Caramel and toffee notes. A very mellow maple aroma.
T) A bit grainy. Some astringent notes. A decent malt base, but not noticeable "maple" taste. Not much of an aftertaste, just ends abruptly.
M) Medium light body. A bit thin feeling. A lingering slick tongue feel.
O) An average red ale. Not that impressed especially when the rest of the Peak's repertoire are solid brews.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 02:08:45 | More by u2carew

KELPAK

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Went into trying this beer with somewhat scepticism because i'm not a huge fan of maple in my beer but quickly realized that this beer didn't have a very big maple taste.

Although i don't perticularly like the maple i think the beer in the long run lacks its desired flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 15:22:21 | More by KELPAK

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

kind of a murky amber brown with a smallish light tan head that sticks around for just a bit at 1 finger that laces well.

kind of a kind of slightly getting a maple sweetness when taking a huge whiff. other than that, some grainy hops and caramel. really subdued.

a bit more of a maple (almost honey-like) sweetness in the taste with some cereal grains and slightly toasted white bread. some herbal hops behind that. a buttery aftertaste with just a bit of sweetness on the finish.

medium/light bodied with prickly carbonation and a bit of syrup left on the back-end.

meh.. very forgettable. It offers little in the way of maple flavors, just a bit of sweetness, it offers little in the way of oat body. It's okay.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 01:24:53 | More by silentjay

maximum12

Minnesota

3.18/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Ah'm a sucker for maple syrup, molasses, or anything related, so seeing this on the shelf was waving a red flag at me. 22 oz. bomber split with my wife.

First, my own prejudice, but I expect maple beers to be dark; weird. Pours a very light amber. Smell is terrifically sweet, with a five o'clock shadow of maple & malts. Almost a cedar-like tint, too.

The Maple Collaboration is less maple than mint. Very minty. I can feel my teeth glinting. Heavy dose of Cheerios, grainy, cereal, husk included. Oaty. This is like a horse's feed bag. Cut rate sweetness that might be maple, might be malts, disappointed there's not more molasses. Late, tongue-tingling bite in the hops. Slow & low.

Not bad, but I feel victimized by false advertising, the maple syrup is the pale ghost of a possibility. Decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 04:23:25 | More by maximum12

MasterSki

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to Chad for sharing this. Served in a Bell's tulip.

A - Finger-plus of white foam settles to thin cap, thick collar, and a few stray splotches of lace. Hazy amber body.

S - Big maple syrup aroma. Some brown sugar and treacle malt in the background. Definitely not a hoppy take on the style.

T - Taste is less interesting. More seltzer and bready flavors, with very little maple sweetness, or any saccharine flavors for that matter. Not offensive, but kind of boring.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, dry and clean finish, no alcohol. Not particularly exciting, but no problems here either.

D - Not an offensive beer by any stretch, but fairly tame on the maple, particularly in the flavor. My experiences with Peak Organic have been fairly middling in the past and this has done little to change my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 04:10:02 | More by MasterSki

Rukasu

District of Columbia

3.38/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Clear honey copper color, thin, thin head.

S - Very little smell, faintly maple and sweet roasted malts

T - Quite sweet, the maple taste really stands out. Some hoppiness and brown sugar notes, but the maple is certainly noticeable throughout.

M - A bit syrupy (no pun intended) and viscous. Very light carbonation makes it seem even more so.

O - Pretty good beer, not typically a fan of Peak, but this is decent. A bit too sweet for more than snifter glass, but would be good as a dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 04:14:42 | More by Rukasu

UCLABrewN84

California

3.54/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly murky orange-brown with a foamy tan head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, oats, and some subdued maple aromas. Taste is much the same with malty and earthy maple flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the maple presence in the smell and taste seems to come out more as the beer warms up.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 03:58:00 | More by UCLABrewN84

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a three finger cream head that fades quickly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Nice copper amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Light maple nose. Flavor is maple, hints of caramel with slight bitter finish. $5.99 for a 22oz bottle from Market Basket Concord, NH.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 22:29:24 | More by jdhilt

shand

Florida

3.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

This beer? It's a solid brew. Pours a nice red color with tons of carbonation and a tiny head. Aroma is sweet and grainy, caramel malts and some spicing. The taste is quite sweet, with caramel and maple immediately standing out. There's some slight bittering hops to go along with the spices that round off the beer. Nothing special, but still a decent brew. The mouthfeel is highly carbonated and smooth, and the drinkability is pretty good considering ABV and sweetness. Overall, a solid, cheap bomber. It wouldn't hurt to give this one a try, although I don't think it'll stun you.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 02:39:50 | More by shand

jsdunlop

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light orange-amber with a faint, wispy head. Faint grain in the nose with some light maple. Rich malts and light grain up front in the taste, light bitterness, crisp floral notes and a dry finish. Moderate carbonation, crisp, smooth mouthfeel. Overall, a balanced, yet simple take on an amber. Maple only noticed in the nose, but it was a nice addition. An enjoyable and simple beer, a nice change.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 01:49:14 | More by jsdunlop

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was an orangey brown, with a thin 1 finger dirty white head. Copious streams of carbonation rose from the bottom. Aroma was slightly sweet, reminded me of brown sugar, and finished with an oaty smell. Taste was a bit sweeter than expected, but not overly so. Maple was very understated, but balanced with a bit of bitter grainy finish. Felt a bit thin and watery in the mouth. Needed to be thickened up a bit. Overall a respectable selection. If found for a reasonable price, definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 00:14:42 | More by mountdew1

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice creamy head, decent lacing, hazy tan color.

Nose maple, fresh cut bleeding-oak-tree-like earthy aroma, light caramel brown syrupy malts, herbal, weird syrupy estery thing too.

Taste sweet brown malts, caramel like but a thin syrupy flavor, some maple, light toffee, nutty, toasty, etc. Mild herbal earthy bitterness, light corn stalk. Finish is dry lingering mild grassy bitterness, syrupy brown malts and light maple.

Mouth is med to lighter bodied feeling but a bit thin, decent carb.

Overall ok, nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 12:54:03 | More by jlindros

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Subtle malty aroma has fruity and maple syrup hints. It pours a clear, dark coppery brown with a rather thick, pale yellow-tan head. Flavor is better than what the not-so-hot aroma promised: malty with a strong maple syrup tone and hints of caramel and pear. Smooth texture has average body but good fizz and leaves a maple-ish finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 18:38:51 | More by Cyberkedi

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle served in a snifter.

pours a clear, bright medium amber tone while yielding a 1 and 1/2" foamy beige head. decent retention and lacing in patches. good looking brew. nose is likewise impressive, though nothing extraordinary. malt-forward with distinct notes of maple and some hops, a touch of toffee.

flavor mostly follows the aroma but doesn't quite fulfill its promise. the depth and interplay of its star ingredients leaves something to be desired IMO... medium-bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall, a drinkable, moderately tasty beer but not one i would go out of my way for.

(originally reviewed: 11-22-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 21:16:33 | More by BostonHops

metter98

New York

3.6/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear orange-amber in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense off white head that slowly died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface, a collar and lacing running down the sides of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of maple syrup in the nose along with some hints of caramel malts.
T: Light to moderate flavors of maple syrup are present in the taste, which has some subtle notes of sweetness and hints of bitterness. Flavors of maple syrup linger through the aftertaste.
M: It feels medium-bodied, very smooth and a bit creamy on the palate with a moderate to high amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink and has a nice smooth mouthfeel. It is a good choice if you like some maple syrup but don't want a beer that is overwhelmed by lots of maple flavors and sweetness (like maple candy).

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 04:40:07 | More by metter98

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 2 1/2" custard head. Body is clear and somewhere between golden and amber. Smells nice, maple, caramel, toffee. Taste is moderately sweet but with far less maple than I expected. In fact I'd describe it more as butter brickle or burnt sugar or even a little nutty like a pecan beer I once had. So still good just not the maple I anticipated.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 10:03:49 | More by MoreThanWine

perrymarcus

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle served in a snifter.

pours a clear, bright medium amber tone while yielding a 1 and 1/2" foamy beige head. decent retention and lacing in patches. good looking brew.

nose is likewise impressive, though nothing extraordinary. malt-forward with distinct notes of maple and some hops, a touch of toffee.

flavor mostly follows the aroma but doesn't quite fulfill its promise. the depth and interplay of its star ingredients leaves something to be desired IMO... medium-bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall, a drinkable, moderately tasty beer but not one i would go out of my way for.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 05:30:24 | More by perrymarcus

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Paid a reason-able price for the bomber (6.49)

A - Mild dark brown very hazy with little head (1/4 inch at best) with a pretty good lacing.

S - Smell is initially sweet mostly from the amber side giving me sweet caramel malts, honey sweetness, and mild hops.

T - Pretty good maple flavor, could mostly be from the amber ale side. Mostly malt forward but enough hops to keep it in check. Eh not bad.

M - Light to medium. Semi bitter.

Overall nothing really to seek out if your a "maple beer" hunter but interesting enough to try. Works rather well.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 04:42:33 | More by DrDemento456

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Clear, copper colored beer, maybe 1/2 inch of off-white head on the top of the beer. Quite a long retention and a small smattering of lacing.

S: Sweet, slightly roasty, and, as strange as this is, it has the smell of an elderflower liquor that my better half loves.

T: The front of the beer is light, roasty and full of sweet malt goodness. There is a fair hop presence which breaks up the sweetness. I don't really get a whole lot of maple flavor until the aftertaste, when it just kind of lingers there, pleasantly.

M: Moderate body, slightly creamy, and a moderate amount of carbonation as well.

O: A good beer, not a great one. A nice balance of sweetness and hops. I always worry that a beer that bills itself as full of maple flavor will be too sweet, but this one is not. A nice fall-tasting brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 00:20:41 | More by DaveBlack

viaingo

Maine

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Type: Amber/Red Ale
Color: Deep amber color
Body:
Head: Small white head. Did not last very long.
Taste:
Aroma: Sweet smell, light hops,

This beer was very fancy, through and through with gold foil at the top. The price was reasonable. It was a beer that I had to try and was not disappointed to do so. For a 22 oz bomber, the 6.7% ABV was not bad. I love everything Peak Organic does and want to eventually try everything they brew.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 11:52:36 | More by viaingo

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle purchased as a single at Spirit Haus, Amherst, MA. Gold foiled cap.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" beige head over the slightly cloudy orangey amber brew. Head falls promptly, with average lacing. Aroma is grainy depth and sweetness.

Taste is fruity sweet to start, shot of lightly spiced lemon in the middle, and the malt and hops cruise through to the close. Mouthfeel is smooth, could use a bit more carbonation, and drinkability is pretty good. I could see myself drinking this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 01:01:11 | More by ppoitras