471 IPA - Breckenridge Brewery

Cavery

California

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle given to me by my Brother in-law a few weeks ago. We've exchanged some beers from time to time, so it seems I've got an unexpected tick in my glass. Always appreciate Colorado brews, as we get pretty weak distro here in Socal. Cheers Mark!

Over Sized Wine Glass, Fancy Proper.

A: Really rustic cider orange that immediately makes me think this bottle might be a bit older than I'd like, there's a lot of Barley Wine character in the visual that furthers my suspicions. A modest off-white yellowish orange sticky bubble formation forms some weak but present lacing along the sides of the glass. A thin half-transparent film hugs the circular ring of the glass.

S: Triple sec infused brioche bread, with some golden raisins adding some texture to the baked product. Dried apricots, a little bit of bright dried pineapple chunks, and some thin leathers with some persimmon juice spilled on them. Alcohol is hidden well by the flavors, but the intensity of the nose does makes this seem alcohol forward. The alcohol just seems to be a sticky adhesive which all the flavors have stuck to very firmly. Light banana and tangelos in the finish.

T: Geez, it's so surprisingly light in the mouth. A complete absence of hops definitely makes me think I am drinking this beer well off it's intended state. However, I really like what I am getting out of this. Tons of crazy bursting dried fruit flavors. Dirty old Pineapple, pumpkin, and green mango. Earthy bitter tones that almost make up for a ghostly hop presence (A phantom bitterness does appear in the back). I am scratching my head a bit, but I honestly am liking this. Sweet breads make a great background for all the flavors.

M: Medium body with very little bubbles, once again the age comes into question. The beer feels so lofty in the mouth, like a freeze dried cloud. The mouth is chewy and musky with a thick humidity. The bitterness plays off the light chewiness really well, this accentuates leathery feels in the mouth. This might be old, but geez this is pretty good.

O: The combination of the visual and the taste of this beer really makes me feel like this is a fresh JW Lees Harvest Ale. The flavors seemed so familiar, and it once I made that connection I really have been unable to separate these beers. Obviously there's a difference in gravity, and in the intention of consumption, but this has a strikingly similar (but much much lighter) flavor profile. With all that in mind, I have to admit I liked this beer. The lightly chewy leathers with the slow release of juicy flavors from dried fruits made this an unexpected pleasure. The dried fruit flavors are intensely bright, but still have that unmistakably muskiness that reeks of dried fruits. Unexpected ones too: Pineapples, persimmons, tangelos. This was unusual to drink, and hid the alcohol amazingly well. I'd really like to try this fresh from the source to give me an idea as to how old this was. I suspect this was quite old, as there wasn't even the slightest bit of hops present.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 02:02:12 | More by Cavery

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into snifter; cloudy dark orange/amber with a thin filmy head that fades into nothing but a rim. Smell is big juicy citrus fruits, I'm getting grapefruit and mandarin oranges. There is also some alcohol in the nose. Taste is just like the smell, but in reverse order; alcohol bathes the tongue in heat before thick, sweet malt takes over followed by the sweet fruit. Finish is very bitter hops destroying everything until just a lingering bitterness and malt stickiness remain.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 04:37:10 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

kguard

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

06-18-2013 18:26:29 | More by kguard

Matthewpakula

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

06-18-2013 16:00:38 | More by Matthewpakula

Larrydoherty

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-17-2013 21:28:04 | More by Larrydoherty

bcheng

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-16-2013 20:01:25 | More by bcheng

jaxon53

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

06-16-2013 13:25:24 | More by jaxon53

bizkat

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-15-2013 21:17:33 | More by bizkat

Eaglefan344

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

06-15-2013 00:02:30 | More by Eaglefan344

djtomain

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-14-2013 22:30:15 | More by djtomain

csadkins54

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

06-12-2013 21:34:21 | More by csadkins54

JMUbrewz

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-12-2013 21:18:02 | More by JMUbrewz

beersnbass

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-12-2013 05:03:55 | More by beersnbass

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-12-2013 00:21:52 | More by BeerForMuscle

dhbiker0889

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

06-11-2013 03:18:59 | More by dhbiker0889

blastoderm55

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-09-2013 18:45:56 | More by blastoderm55

msinger1002

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-09-2013 11:06:15 | More by msinger1002

Fahhqu2

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-08-2013 14:27:11 | More by Fahhqu2

jackrodgers77

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-07-2013 20:53:59 | More by jackrodgers77

chim52chim

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

06-07-2013 18:32:03 | More by chim52chim

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3/5  rDev -23.7%

06-06-2013 22:36:56 | More by EgadBananas

kjrod20

New York

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

06-06-2013 17:54:49 | More by kjrod20

EricClayton

West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

06-06-2013 04:23:13 | More by EricClayton

kurtisnelson

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -17.3%

06-06-2013 01:47:12 | More by kurtisnelson

DemoniChris

Nebraska

4/5  rDev +1.8%

06-04-2013 19:29:51 | More by DemoniChris