Brainless On Cherries Belgian-Style Ale (Batches 1-4) - Epic Brewing Co.

Metalmonk

North Carolina

2.48/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

"Release #2, 10.1% Alc./Vol" sez the label. One of 1,800 bottles apparently.

Kind of a burnt ruby red liquid, glistening with clarity and with a half-inch of wispy, loosely-banded bubbles topping it off.

First smell impression is "a little much alcohol," somewhat solvent/medicinal, but the cherries ride through nicely, even if they smack of Juicy Juice cherry rather than something picked right off a tree. No hint of wood here, and there's a faint enough trickle of Belgian yeast coming through to lend this some sort of Belgian character.

Alcohol also dominates the taste, having a solvent evilness about it, a hit of cough syrup-like cherry (without the syrupy thickness), and where is the oak? Also, I can hardly detect the yeast here, such a necessary characteristic of any ale calling itself "Belgian" or even "Belgian-Style." Wayward, directionless. Or maybe just a mess. A medicinal, misguided mess...

Soda-like texture doesn't help much. Tingly and tickly, with some decent stickiness, but unfortunately the cherry medicine
flavor that hangs out most in the finish isn't pleasant enough where you want any stick.

Really liked this brewery's Imperial Stout and Hopulent offerings...was starting to think I was liking this brewery a lot more than your average BA, but this one doesn't leave a positive impression. Such a great idea: Belgian Style Ale + Cherries + Oak Barrels; but it fails to deliver on the concept. Epic needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 23:45:59 | More by Metalmonk

thejiggse

Virginia

1.5/5  rDev -53.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

This is a nasty beverage. American brewers really shouldn't try to emulate Belgian styles (and especially sour ones) unless they really know what they are doing. Clearly Epic does not. Little kids shouldn't play with matches, and Epic shouldn't sell beer like this to the public. I have personally visited over 300 breweries and brewpubs in 11 countries. I like ALL beer styles. This is a VERY poor beer. My cats can produce something better than this in their litter box.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 15:24:51 | More by thejiggse

bifrost17

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

02-27-2013 16:53:13 | More by bifrost17

halo913

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

11-22-2012 14:49:51 | More by halo913

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

09-26-2012 02:46:33 | More by t0rin0

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +33.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy amber-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind a touch of lace.

S - Aroma is cherries with Belgian yeast, and coriander with some oak, funk, lemon, and a bit of booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of slightly sour cherries with some Belgian yeast, coriander, and a bit of lemon. Through the middle, some funk comes through with a bit more sourness and some oak. The finish is a mix of sour cherries, funk, Belgian yeast, oak, and some booze.

M - Medium bodied with moderate-minus carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, warming, and lightly sour finish.

D - Very drinkable. Good base Belgian Strong Ale with the oak aging and cherries adding some complexity. Nice overall balance.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 04:12:00 | More by ngeunit1

maximum12

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a lot of Epic when they first showed up in MN & missed a few of the series. Went back to grab a few more in recent days - this is a bunch of bombers that nobody talks about, but they're good. Hey, I love you Epic! 22 oz. bomber, batch #2. I'll assume this has been sitting around for a while.

The cap pops with vigor enough that I expect overflow; it doesn't come. Pour is is a light red, with enough body so I can't see but shadows through it. Nose is nice tart cherries. Reminds me of a certainly New Glarus beer, & that's a good thing.

Brainless on Cherries doesn't reach the heights of excellence to be mentioned in the same breath as New Glarus fruit beers. First impression is strong cherry that's balanced between being sweet & tart, as there's a bit of both in the mouth. The sweetness wins out as the beer warms. Cane sugar & light malts in the background, strong yeast presence. Can't detect the oak. No visible carbonation, but it's felt as a weird pricking on the tongue. The combination is slinkily easy to put down.

I'd categorize this as a straight-up fruit beer, & a very good one at that. Love the balance of the cherries, & that this is sooo easy to sip.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 02:32:55 | More by maximum12

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A bit of a brash take on a Golden Ale with cherries.

Presentation: 22 oz brown capped bottle. Paper label with a simple light cream and soft burgundy range, with name of the brew and series branding. Again, looking somewhat like the lazy design of a generic brand of a large franchise. Side narrative offers a small note about the special and limited character of the brew (1800 numbered bottles, although the number again is not apparent anywhere), and encourages to check their website for more details. Notes release #4, and a semi-erased Alc. by Vol. 10.3%? Served in a tulip glass.

A - Faintly hazy deep amber/crimson pour, short fizzy head, count 1, 2, 3 and it is all gone leaving no surface memory or any trace to speak of.

S - Yeasty and soft fruity nose, cherries and booze...

T -Yeasty and sweet, with a soft fruity sense rounding up the coarse sweetness over the raspberry, sugar and malty booze..

M - Medium body, very faint carbonation with a dry finish, brash and monochord sense.

O - Fair but one dimensional.

Notes: Probably one of the poorest if not the poorest offering I've tried from Epic. Not a bad brew per se but surely in their low bracket, below their Brainless on Peaches, too harsh, and somewhat unstimulating.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:56:21 | More by Daniellobo

mhaugo

California

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

07-09-2012 14:00:11 | More by mhaugo

PluckyDucky

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-04-2012 08:44:36 | More by PluckyDucky

RebornStussy

Ohio

4/5  rDev +23.1%

04-29-2012 00:42:52 | More by RebornStussy

UpToMeBeer

Colorado

4/5  rDev +23.1%

04-19-2012 07:46:06 | More by UpToMeBeer

macrosmatic

Florida

3/5  rDev -7.7%

04-10-2012 04:42:37 | More by macrosmatic

tswarner

Virginia

3/5  rDev -7.7%

04-09-2012 00:02:53 | More by tswarner

jeonseh

Indiana

3.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a GI tulip

A - Reminds me a bit of cherry cola except with hints of brown and gold mixed in. Very carbonated as the bubbles were actually jumping out of the glass. Looks to be a bit thin in the body

S - Smells of tart cherries, oak, lemon, grass and Belgian yeast. It is a bit funky and musty in the nose

T - Taste profile is definitely more on the Belgian side than expected from the nose. Taste is grassy and lemony at first. The cherries only add a slight tinge to it. There is a nice mix of farmhouse funk and light bubblegum that comes through on the backend. The finish is dry and the slight bitter, musty flavors linger on.

MF - Despite looking very carbonated, the carbonation wasn't overpowering. Not too smooth or full feeling and there is a slight astringency that lingers on the tongue in the finish.

O - I was surprised how little the cherries and oak came through in the taste. They are there in the nose, which is the best aspect of the beer. However, this really just reminds me of a decent Belgian Trippel.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 04:22:25 | More by jeonseh

doucmehu

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

04-07-2012 01:34:57 | More by doucmehu

EyePeeAyBryan

Arizona

2.25/5  rDev -30.8%

04-03-2012 19:39:43 | More by EyePeeAyBryan

TicoCali

California

2/5  rDev -38.5%

04-02-2012 03:35:54 | More by TicoCali

phishsihq

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Epic Brewing Company took their double-gold winning Brainless Belgian, added cherry puree and aged it in French Chardonnay casks for a secondary fermentation in the barrels. The beer pours a vibrant light ruby, with little to no head, and sparse lace. A big bouquet of cherries mellows into some Belgian funk, vanilla, oak, and slight alcohol tones. The aromas carry over to the flavor pretty well, with cherries dominating the pallet with a fun and intriguing battle between sweetness and tartness making the mouth smile. A high level of carbonation is met with a medium-light body in this flavorful ale from Epic. We probably prefer this to the Peaches, but not by much.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2012 02:09:56 | More by phishsihq

FosterJM

California

3.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

1186th Review on BA
Bottle to Pinot Noir glass
22oz

Batch #9- 2012
Purchased from Bruery Provisions

App- A very dark cherry amber looking beer with some golden notes radiating at the edges. At most on a heavy 2nd pour I got some small puffy lambic head with zero cling though. A bit more like flat juice. Fairly translucent.

Smell- Very much in the vein of fusel alcohol with a bit of biting sweetness behind that. Next came the golden ale yeasty notes and followed by a touch of tannic barrel. Not much aromatics on this one.

Taste- A small bit of oaky wood flavors opens with a bit of that fusel alcohol coming in the next wave and then follows up with some false cherry and golden yeasty notes.

Mouth- A light medium body with a light carbonation. A wee bit too thin. Sweet false cherry notes and some oak are residual flavors.

Drink- For the price it was okay. Wanted/expected more but it happens sometimes. The barrel needs to come out more and be a bit thicker on the profile overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 02:44:15 | More by FosterJM

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Epic Brainless on Cherries

22 ounce bomber, Release #3, split with my buddy Griff and poured into a couple of Bruery Tulips.

The cap comes off with a loud *pop*. lots of pressure in the bottle.

A: pours thin, and bright ruby red, with lots of fizzy carbonation that dissipated almost immediately. 3.0.

S: very cherry, and a little herbal. Maybe like a cherry cough medicine. 3.5

T: Vinuous. Bubbly. Lots of dry, tart cherries. A little medicinal. Dry and acidic. 3.0

M: incredibly lively. Very bubbly. Finishes dry. 4.0

D/O: I've never had a beer that had such a pronounced difference between the top and the bottom of the bottle. Griff's pour (second) was significantly cloudier and fuller in the mouth, but much duller in flavor.

I struggle to understand how this is a "Belgian Dark". If "Belgian Dark with Oak" is what you think you're getting, this will be disappointing. If "cherry with chardonnay" is what you are looking for, youll enjoy this.

This is repeatable, but I didn't love it. 3.0

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 01:17:01 | More by psuKinger

TeamD

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +38.5%

03-07-2012 00:46:40 | More by TeamD

GTB

North Carolina

1/5  rDev -69.2%

03-04-2012 18:53:58 | More by GTB

syrupjoe

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +31.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Release #5, 10.1% abv. 750ml into snifter. Received this as a birthday gift from my lovely significant other

Pours a passionfruit ruby red with one finger almost white head with a pink tint that dissipates quickly. Color of this beer is amazingly vibrant.

Nose: Booze, dark red fruit, vanilla, date, fig, oak.

Taste: Lightly acidic red berries, oak, fig, aspirin bitterness. Natural cherry aftertaste that is quite pleasant.

Overall a delicious beer. Red fruit marries well with the dark fruit notes of the base beer. Well-rounded. Could be a bit richer but the alcohol that bites up front subsides and leaves a pleasant and drinkable dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 04:24:44 | More by syrupjoe

CraftVA

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A – Pours a gorgeous reddish brown color with a slight pink-tinted head that fades quickly.

S – Smells like cherries (as the name suggests), sour and fruity. Slightly malty scent as well.

T – The cherry and fruity flavor is predominant, with a nice balance between sweet and sour. The malt comes through as well in the finish.

M – This beer was, unfortunately, over-carbonated in my opinion. It detracts somewhat from the flavor.

O – This was a solid Belgian ale with a unique twist. It was light and fresh, paired very well with a cheese platter that was enjoyed along with the beer. I just wish it wasn’t so over-carbonated so the flavors could really come through.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 00:04:40 | More by CraftVA