Misery - DuClaw Brewing Company

smokeypeat

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Recently saw this available in a bomber and thought I'd give it a try. Pours a deep golden color with a slight off white head. Smells of honey, golden currants, tart apples, and late summer goodness. Thick in mouthfeel that makes this a certain sipper. Alcohol heat is there from the beginning but as you work through it you get some blood orange, mixed with honey, peaches, and general breadiness. I enjoyed this overall but I would sit my next bottle in the cellar for awhile in hopes that the alcohol heat would ease somewhat so the other good flavors would be more prominent from the get go. As it stands now a good beer to try and share with a friend.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 22:20:42 | More by smokeypeat

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

05-24-2013 23:04:15 | More by Rifugium

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 22 oz. bottle. Has a cloudy caramel color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell has lots of tropical fruits. Taste is mild compared to the smell. There are tropical fruits, some sweetness, alcohol is present, a touch of hops. Easy drinking for this abv. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 03:10:38 | More by tone77

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

There was no date on the bottle, but this was on the clearance rack, so this has at least a little age on it.

a: There was a slight haze to the golden peach color. It poured with a medium sized head that faded to sheets of lace.

s: Very appealing musty honey with hints of tropical fruit. Some boozy toffee as well.

t: Lots of honey sweetness with a toffee finish. Hints of tropical fruit throughout.

m: Big and chewy wirh velvety carbonation.

o: One of the best wheatwines I've had. Should have bought more dammit.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 18:12:51 | More by DIM

canawler

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%

03-19-2013 13:26:52 | More by canawler

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +5.5%

03-17-2013 16:52:03 | More by DrunkinYogi

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

01-27-2013 15:50:22 | More by mendvicdog

hopandbarley28

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -20.8%

01-25-2013 21:22:36 | More by hopandbarley28

cliff1066

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

12-22-2012 21:35:34 | More by cliff1066

philbe311

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A finger's worth of perfectly level smooth, lush and creamy light khaki colored head... Modest retention gives way to an even richer full lacing... A good bit of rapid paced carbonation streaks throughout with an equal amount of bubbles clings to the glass... Looks fairly thick... The color is a deep dark slightly murky honey... Loads of bubbles cling to the glass...

S - Honey... Golden raisins... Bread dough... Lots of over ripened fruit tones... A bit musky as well...

T - Honey... Golden raisins... Over ripened bananas... Over ripened green grapes... Apricot... Pineapple... Light brown sugar... White bread... The finish has a very light boozy heat that is rather quite enjoyable... Good complexity that revels subtle nuance with each sip...

M - On the fuller side of medium bodied... Sturdy and sleek... A bit sticky... Minimal carbonation... Lush... Delicate...

D - This was yet another enjoyable offering from DuClaw... A bit rough around the edges and perhaps a bit cloying, but those are rather minor critiques in the grand scheme of things... Overall this one of quite enjoyable with good depth and character...

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 02:42:54 | More by philbe311

ncaudle

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

10-17-2012 19:00:53 | More by ncaudle

mccleandr1

Maryland

1.25/5  rDev -67%

07-31-2012 16:57:43 | More by mccleandr1

nickfl

Florida

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A a small head of white foam on a clear, dark golden body. Good retention and lace.

S spicy yeast notes with some bright fruit.

T thick, sweet malt up front with a distinct orange character in then middle. Finishes sweet and spicy with notes of clove and pepper.

M medium thick body, moderately high carbination, and a sweet finish.

D a better than average wheat wine, which isnt necessarily saying much. In this case I actually kind of like this one, it has a pleasant fruity character that balances any if the harshness that RNA other examples of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 02:33:47 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thin head on a clear deep golden with copper hues body. Excellent lacing. Very sweet aroma with candied citrus, caramel malts and grape notes. Flavor follows well but is even sweeter, too sweet and medicinal up front with thick caramel malts, candied citrus and finishing a touch bitter And sour with earthy and Chardonnay notes. Creamy body and lighter side of moderate carbonation. Not an expert on this style, I just know I don't like it very much. Can't honestly say if this is a good version or not but overall too sweet for me.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 02:26:09 | More by kylehay2004

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a dark golden-copper color with almost no clarity. The head is a one finger eggshell color that fades in almost no time, even as the carbonation trails try (in vain) to leave a collar around the glass (though they do produce a nice show trying to form said head!) Luckily, swirling the beer around in a glass will cause the head to reform nicely.

S: The nose is tropical, in a pleasantly hoppy manner. There's a strong orange scent combined with the wheat malt, bubblegum esters, and a distinct honey note. Unlike anything I've ever encountered in a beer, and by gawd, it works!

T/M: Much like the aroma, initial notes of tropical fruits (orange, pink grapefruit, maybe some clementine) mingle with a light honey sweetness, before giving way to a finish loaded with caramel, brown sugar and even a little milk chocolate - which is nicely integrated with the candy-coated hop flavor. It's hoppy without being remotely bitter. Light herbal and wheat malt tones exist as subtle notes throughout the flavor progression. A little more complexity would REALLY send this over the top, but it's still excellent as is.

Without a doubt, it's fairly boozy, but it's not at all distracting, either. Basically, I can feel the alcohol on the back of the tongue, down the esophagus, and in the stomach, but it's excellently integrated with the other flavor, to the point where I hardly think about it. While it would be hellishly drinkable if the texture was a little lighter and the carbonation a little more easygoing, it's still a dangerous drink that hides its alcohol well enough (note those key words 'well enough', once you accept the fact that you WILL taste some booze in this, you might really like this!)

O: One of the most unique beers I've ever come across, wheatwine or no. Any time I can easily finish a bomber of a 10% beer, it's usually a great thing. Can't say drinking this gives me the feeling of misery - maybe when it's all gone, I'll feel this misery DuClaw preaches, but right now, all I feel sipping this is glee.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 22:35:44 | More by ThisWangsChung

Texasfan549

Texas

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-23-2012 23:51:31 | More by Texasfan549

603BeerMe

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +18.7%

04-13-2012 18:01:11 | More by 603BeerMe

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

04-12-2012 00:58:47 | More by Beer4Baltimore

aerozeppl

New York

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Quite light in color for the style. Quite a bit of billowy white head for the style. The lacing was quite impressive as well.

S: Quite a bit of wheat in the nose. Just a hint of alcohol. A nice sweetness was there as well. The nose was a little bit weak on this one. Not offensive at all though.

T: I thought this was a nice cross between ABV and flavor. The wheat was there and so was the ABV to a degree. I like my wheatwines a little hot. The flavor just really not was enough for the style though still an enjoyable beer.

M: A little thick and syrupy. Carbonation was spot on. They nailed this.

D: Very good beer but I just want a little more flavor out of the style. We split this bottle and it was too drinkable. For better of worse. Barrel age this then...

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 23:42:30 | More by aerozeppl

adrian21

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

02-16-2012 15:46:21 | More by adrian21

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A finger of sudsy offwhite head on an applejuice-colored body. No lace.

Nose has some sour, almost funky, but not Brett or lacto sour or anything. Plenty of wheat, and a bit of bubblegum sweetness.

Taste follows the nose-- tons of toffee and some sticky candy orange. A subtle, elegant trace of honeyed, slightly citrusy hops at the end which I would ordinarily object to in theory, but in practice works quite nicely.

Thick and decent, but almost syrupy and a bit sticky in the aftertaste.

A totally solid wheatwine, not miserable at all! And at a good price point as well.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 23:32:09 | More by zaphodchak

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3/5  rDev -20.8%

02-06-2012 04:59:01 | More by yourefragile

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer poured a hazy orange, and produced a one finger high, bubbly head, which dissipated fast and left little lacing.
Smell is orange, honey and yeast.
Tasting the beer, the front is all orange.A strong wheat character is noticeable in the middle, followed by yeast flavors and sweet malts. A honey orange linger remains on the tongue.
Overall I think the beer fits the style and seems to be a good representative of it. My personal experience in this style is limited, but I certainly enjoyed the ride!

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 04:43:08 | More by Hopfenpeter

Montrose79

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%

12-12-2011 02:56:06 | More by Montrose79

maximum12

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to beandip for this bottle, furthering my quest to try every wheatwine I can get my yeast-stained hands on. Excited to try Town Hall's version next week, but that's a completely separate subject.

Pour is a virtually solid orange, heady for a big wheaty beer. Smell is also orange, & I begin to feel that the Orange Lobby is crying at the number of oranges harmed in the making of this brew. Little sweet malt, touch of yeast, restrained.

Misery loves wheatiness. Wheat is written all over this beer, held up by a framework of sweet, tawdry malts. Strong cereal component, Honey-Nut Cheerios, tangerine, more oranges. Booze slices through the tastes like Narsil on a cloudy night. Almost rum-like. More lively than many a wheatwine, & certainly drinkable, this is like wit after a lifetime hitting the gym.

Very good beer. The combo of flavors is interesting in a wheatwine no, scratch that, unique. Odd, but nice.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 02:11:17 | More by maximum12