Big Bison Ale - Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co.

bnes09

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Deep caramel, toffee colored ale. Creamy colored head with solid retention and lace lines.

Complex aroma of dark fruits, sour dough bread and spicy hops.

Most prominent flavor is sweet caramel and dates. Underlying herbal hop spice adds a bitter dimension. And of course, the bready malt provides a solid foundation with an interesting sour character. Highly flavorful and well blended.

Light to medium body. Seems slightly thin for the style but adds to the drinkability. Moderate carbonation. Could definitely use a more sturdy consistency to match the depth of flavor.

So easy to put down! The alcohol is almost indetectable. Rich in flavor and aroma. An excellent Belgian-style brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 03:23:24 | More by bnes09

Artjsantos

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-20-2013 19:36:43 | More by Artjsantos

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.08/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Never saw this in Mizzou, but pick it up at Biergarten in Jenks, OK USA!

Pours a slightly hazed orange/caramel with 2 fingers of cream colored head. Sheets of lacing & impressive head retention, never cleared up all the way

S: Nice whiskey notes, not much else

T: Oakyness, figs, dryness, a touch of vanilla & charcoal up front. Smooth whisky mixes with a bit of pear, plum & cherry as this warms, a little bit of taffy nibbling at the edges. Finishes oaky, with vanilla, cherry & a bit of sour mash

MF: Medium bodied, over carbonated for the style, but kind of helps with the big flavor profile, warming. Carbonation mellows out as this warms past cellar temp somewhat

An enjoyable tipple, but the dubbel aspect is getting steamrolled by the barrel aging. Easily the best beer I've had from these guys. I only bought this because Freddy ( the proprietor at the Biergarten) endorsed this. He did me right!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:51:44 | More by russpowell

RoryOMoore

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

05-18-2013 03:46:14 | More by RoryOMoore

dtivp

West Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured a clear reddish copper with a two finger foamy tan head, very good retention with heavy lacing.

Aroma of dark fruit, spice and malt.

Taste the sweet plums, raisins, with hints of caramel, malt and a slight spice finish.

Mouth Feel was medium body, light carbonation, crisp and smooth with a nice sweet, spice balance.

Overall a very nice beer, I wouldn't classify it as a dubbel,however, it was a very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:53:16 | More by dtivp

jheezee

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

05-09-2013 21:36:23 | More by jheezee

sparrowed

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

04-16-2013 22:43:26 | More by sparrowed

Minkybut

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this new beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer was a nice amber color and poured a really nice tight packed head that was tan in color. The beer smelled a little sweet but did not taste so. Alcohol while over 7% did not affect the taste of the beer like sometimes can happen. A very nice beer that I would drink again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 13:55:24 | More by Minkybut

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

No date. Fizzy head leaving some splotchy lacing. Fairly subdued on the nose: some sweet dark malty breadiness. Flavor is stronger, with dark dried fruit and caramel. Not unbalanced. Mouthfeel is bit fizzy, but I may be drinking this beer too warm. Still a nice creaminess. Overall, not a bad dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 01:09:07 | More by greybeardloon

tbryan5

Louisiana

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

04-03-2013 17:52:18 | More by tbryan5

jrohrbacher

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.3%

04-03-2013 03:32:41 | More by jrohrbacher

JackRB

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5.3%

03-31-2013 23:44:30 | More by JackRB

Soomars

Georgia

4/5  rDev +5.3%

03-29-2013 22:30:40 | More by Soomars

Bartinator

Tennessee

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

03-26-2013 22:14:23 | More by Bartinator

mcaulifww

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

03-25-2013 13:25:48 | More by mcaulifww

Ford

Texas

3.76/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass.

I'm very excited. This is my first review using my new "scale of deliciousness!" Basically when I drink a beer I judge if it is delicious or not. Pretty simple. But for others, that might not be enough info.. as it leaves a lot of room in between.

So I came up with five delicious ratings.

From best to worst.

Magically Delicious
Delicious
Somewhat Delicious
Lacking Deliciousness
Not Delicious

This beer has the right deep brown amber color. It smells delicious. Taste is certainly that of a dubbel style. Not the best I've had, but certainly a good one.

I judge this one Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 01:26:03 | More by Ford

Gavage

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: nice orange amber color with a 2" head that last a long time. Nice lace develops.

Smell: very little bread aroma with a hint of citrus.

Taste: caramel, bread, mild citrus, A touch of honey, and a mild bitterness makes up the main flavors here.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Light crispness to start, a bit smoother and a touch dry at the finish. Short lived aftertaste.

Overall: a malt centric beer that is pretty straight forward and easy to quaff. I can see having one or two of these in a session.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 15:54:54 | More by Gavage

CarnivalDog

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

02-24-2013 22:45:08 | More by CarnivalDog

boudreaux

Alabama

4/5  rDev +5.3%

02-17-2013 07:36:14 | More by boudreaux

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +5.3%

02-17-2013 01:58:01 | More by grahamboudreaux

DB0Z

2.5/5  rDev -34.2%

02-07-2013 04:09:14 | More by DB0Z

Kahlerbock

Kansas

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

01-26-2013 04:44:34 | More by Kahlerbock

Rwang

California

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

01-01-2013 20:25:40 | More by Rwang

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into ye old chilled tulip.

Appearance 4.0: Very attractive opaque, deep amber color. Nice, 1/4" head that dissipated into a foamy swirl that lasted the entire session.

Smell 4.0: Gorgeous deep and rich malty bouquet. I also smell low alpha/beta hops and caramel. Nice.

-Taste 4.5: Front is smooth and caramel. Middle is big and malty with hints of dried fruits and dark honey. Finish is where the hops pop up and then it dissolves into a fine and dandy aftertaste which accentuates the caramel and the malt. Delicious and well-balanced.

-Mouthfeel 4.0: Great mouthfeel on this brew. Creamy and it accentuates the tasting experience.

-Overall 4.0: Excellent beer. Refreshing and at the same time nourishing and deeply enjoyable. Tastes light enough to be a pleasurable session beer, but strong enough to end your session a bit early if you are not careful. This beer is delicious and is highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 07:05:23 | More by BeerDocT

kaunshelly

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

12-29-2012 03:36:50 | More by kaunshelly