Solar Trans Amplifier - Epic Ales

match1112

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

thanks to Lazerlobe for the bottle, batch 4

a: heavy thick creamy yellow body, bottle starts gushing as soon as the cap is pryed off. three inches of bright white thick creamy head settles to a very thin cap of tight knit bubbles.

s: wheat, yeast, sourness, light ginger and camomille.

t: sour dough bread comes to mind, lucky for me i like it. subtle flowery presence that is quickly overpowered by the sour/tartness of it. yeast seems to be balanced out better in the taste than on the nose.

m: thick and chewy, maybe a tad much on the carbonation. tartness lingers on the tongue with a dry finish.

o: at first smell i didn't think i was gonna like this, but after a couple of sips it is really growing on me. not sure i would seek it out but really happy to of had the chance to try it. thanks again lazerlobe!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 04:35:03 | More by match1112

Telestic

Washington

4/5  rDev +2%

02-19-2013 02:56:35 | More by Telestic

sanford_and_son

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

02-11-2013 19:51:48 | More by sanford_and_son

KiMiRaiK

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%

01-27-2013 20:52:12 | More by KiMiRaiK

stript

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%

12-01-2012 18:45:17 | More by stript

harrymel

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled: earlier.
Batch 1
ABV %6

Pours a nice copper ale with little carbonation character. Smells strait ginger with lots of yeast and the chamomile sweetens it a bit. There's a PixieStik character. I think I like the smell. Tastes of soap and ginger and lemongrass and limes, and lots sour. The ladies around me are starting to dislike it, not me. This is really tasty. Thin with hi carb and a nice puckering finish. I like this beer. They think there is a metallic character, but I'm not catching that.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 08:08:45 | More by harrymel

Lordkrystic

Washington

3/5  rDev -23.5%

10-11-2012 05:37:33 | More by Lordkrystic

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +2%

09-26-2012 02:40:31 | More by t0rin0

iKrystin

4.75/5  rDev +21.2%

08-22-2012 07:43:37 | More by iKrystin

strongaf

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%

08-16-2012 06:45:49 | More by strongaf

mrandypandy

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%

07-07-2012 21:55:02 | More by mrandypandy

Birdlegs

Washington

4/5  rDev +2%

01-11-2012 04:58:09 | More by Birdlegs

Exiled

Texas

4/5  rDev +2%

11-27-2011 01:41:45 | More by Exiled

brotherloco

California

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz Bomber. No date. Served in a lowball. Picked up on recommendation at Malt & Vine during a Seattle visit.

Pours a hazy unfiltered golden orange. Small light beige head. Mild lacing.

Ginger is predominant in the nose, spicy perfume as well. Can't pick out much in the way of malt, and hops must be contributing to floral and perfumy notes.

Surprising tartness in the initial flavor. Sweet and sour blossoms in the middle. Spicy and peppery. A touch of what I can only describe as hand lotion, I suppose that's the camomile. Long lingering sour and bitter aftertaste. Reminds me a bit of a RR sour.

Medium bodied with high carbonation. Quite effervescent and refreshing on the palate.

I was told Epic Ales brews some unique beers, and as my first offering from them, this one does not disappoint. A great refreshing beer for a warm late-summer day.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 21:05:53 | More by brotherloco

HopHead84

California

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

7/8/2011

Thanks to pranaferox for the cool extra.

A: Hazy burnished yellow with a frothy white head.

S: Camomile, cinnamon, and ginger. Lots of apple and pear. Reminds me of cinnamon apple pie. Notes of gingerbread.

T: Tastes like camomile tea with ginger and apple. No astringency. Slightly spicy with a strong gingerbread profile as well as nutmeg. Reminiscent of cinnamon applesauce with a finishing spiciness.

M: Lower medium body with upper moderate carbonation. Sticky and smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: An interesting and surprisingly enjoyable beer. 

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 12:01:03 | More by HopHead84

grittybrews

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a sparkling pale gold into a Duvel tulip with an inch of quick-receding white head. Dry aroma of ginger, lavender, and candy sugar.

Fairly low carbonation and a light, smooth mouthfeel. Strong chamomile presence up front balanced by more lavender, lemongrass, green apple, and a slightly sweet candied ginger sake-like finish.

Had my doubts going in, but this flavor combination was executed to great effect -- extremely tasty and drinkable. (This brew paired very well with food.)

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 03:54:02 | More by grittybrews

Wetpaperbag

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very interesting combination of flavors to add to a beer, I hope it turns out well.

A- A straw yellowish color that has quick head deflation.

S- This smells like kalamata olives, it is very strange. I can smell a dryness that most likely is coming from the sake yeast.

T- Interesting. The flavors are all over the place. I'm getting a huge sour funk of straw flavor up front then out of nowhere comes this sweet herbal hit that is bright and refreshing. Then this dry earthy finish. Very unique, and is worth a try.

M- Light and easy on the palate. Lots of delicate flavors in this.

D- Easy to drink for sure. Nothing here is holding me back. I would drink as the first beer of the night to truly enjoy the beers qualities.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2010 21:48:30 | More by Wetpaperbag

Axic10

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to olympuszmurgus for this. Poured from 22oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden with some fizzy fluffy head that quickly settles down.

Smell: Ginger, cinnamon, slightly funky yeast some floral aromas coming thru.

Taste: Ginger and cinnamon, get a nice taste of apricot in the aftertaste. Interesting flavor but it works.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and carbonated nicely.

Drinkability: Very easy drinking beer with interesting flavors that don't over power or offend. Definitely would get this if it was available near me.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2010 02:12:51 | More by Axic10

froghop

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pours a semi-clear yellow with a small off-white head, and some lacing.

smell is of grain, wheat, bread yeast, a touch of citrus, some spice, and a little funk in the back.

taste is a little thick, wheat, a little citrus, and spice, ends somewhat oily.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 17:35:53 | More by froghop

Mora2000

Texas

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

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma is very spicy with some ginger, cinnamon and something which I guess is the chamomile. The flavor is cinnamon, flowers and ginger. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. There is a lot going on in this beer but it all seems to work fairly well together.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 18:48:47 | More by Mora2000

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Beerzebub for this delicious obscurity.

A - Near perfect Witbier appearance, in relation to the description of the style. Although this is not a Witbier, due to the absence of wheat, it is strikingly similar. Cloudy yellow-orange hue, white frothy/fizzy head subsides to a wispy foam cap; a small agitation brings a healthy white froth back to the surface, with small lace.

S - The aroma is spicy, and analogous to a Wit-variant, but it is its own beast; the aroma is saucy with pungent suggestions of sun-dried tomato, ginger-herbal-tea, and flowery jasmine and orange blossom. This is a fantastic and very intriguing bouquet.

T - The taste ranges from orange blossom honey, with nuances of confederate jasmine, to fruity notes of loquat, kumquat, and apricot, also exhibiting an herbal sharpness imparted by the ginger. Very unusually flavored. The comparison to a Wit is useful; although it does not taste like Wit, it seems to be brewed in a similar spirit, and seems to produce the same satisfactions. If it were a Wit, it would be my favorite Wit.

M - Refreshing; medium-bodied and gently carbonated. The feel is quite enhancing.

D - There is no beer that I'd rather have in the hot Florida sun, on a 90+ degree day, with 85% relative humidity. Wheeew, it is hot down here. The refreshing quality of this beer is unparalleled. Also, it is pairing tremendously with the delicious Ethiopian food I am eating.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 21:45:10 | More by ktrillionaire

olympuszymurgus

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

An evergreen graduate, a geoduck, a greener, a head brewer/owner/entrepreneur. What kind of beer do you get from a greener? apparently one with rice, sake yeast, chamomile, ginger, and fermentation near 100 degrees. A sour beer that's not soured, just beat to hell and showing scars.

It tastes like lemonade, gingery lemonade, fizzy and hot and spicy and tart and fun. I like it, I can see drinking this beautiful creature while mowing the lawn, throwing a round of disc golf, chatting with nubile ladies, or watching the magnolia bloom.

To classify this beer as anything other than a golden summer happiness is a failure. I want this fresh, I want it fast, I want it inside me.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 00:51:27 | More by olympuszymurgus

flagmantho

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: highly hazed pale orange color with a thin ivory head. I poured vigorously enough to get some floaties from the debris at the bottom of my bottle; it was recommended to me to do it this way.

Smell: light, slightly chalky malt aroma with a nice dose of chamomile flower. Not too subtle, not too heady; this could be interesting.

Taste: wheaty malt flavors with definite bursts of ginger and chamomile. There's also a fair amount of acidic tartness here which I did not expect. I like it to a certain extent, but I don't think chamomile is a particularly beer-friendly herb (though I quite like the ginger). I like it because it is interesting and, to me, unique; however, it's not going to be a regular at my house.

Mouthfeel: a nice level of carbonation with the medium body yields a nicely creamy mouthfeel. Pleasing.

Drinkability: as I said before, I like this beer for its interesting qualities. I might try this again down the road; it would be interesting to compare this to a heather-infused gruit of some kind.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 00:46:01 | More by flagmantho

RedDiamond

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Epic bills this vivid yellow beer as a variant on the Belgian wit style. I suppose it's useful to compare a highly original beer like this to something more familiar. But STA is brewed with sake yeast, rice, chamomile, and ginger. It makes no use of wheat, coriander, orange peel, or traditional Belgian ale yeast, and the wit comparison is challenging to sustain. It doesn't categorize easily.

Still, STA is a bold and notable beer both conceptually and in its delivery. Prior to fermentation, the beer is allowed to "sit horny" as they say, and accumulate some influx of local microbes. This accounts for the biting, sour aroma and sharp contours while the flavor and smell project notes of grapefruit and guava. The body is opaque and turbulent and the head is coconut white. The full effect is both complex and compelling making this a highly successful and innovative experimental ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2010 03:04:18 | More by RedDiamond