Clare's Thirsty Ale - Haymarket Pub & Brewery

MasterSki

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at FoBAB 2011. Served in taster pint glass.

A - Thin wispy partial cap settles to nothing. Black body.

S - Holy raspberries Batman! Fresh raspberry purée mingles with chocolate, vanilla, coconut, roasted malts, and a hint of bourbon. Reminds me of chocolate-covered raspberries, unsurprisingly.

T - Unsurprisingly the flavor is also redolent of chocolate-covered raspberries. The fruit intensity mutes a lot of the bourbon and barrel flavors, although some oaky vanilla creeps into the periphery.

M - Smooth full body, with some tannic fruit and barrel character present. Carbonation was surprisingly active and zesty on this one. Alcohol was a bit more present than the espresso version.

D - A very rich dessert of a beer - it's a slow sipper like the base and doesn't quite match the addictive qualities of Steve it to Bieber. It looks like Pete Crowley has finally hit his stride - looking forward to seeing these beers on-tap at Haymarket.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 00:14:18 | More by MasterSki

jegross2

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing Clare's Right Hook (aged with Lemon Zest) from Haymarket Pub & Brewery out of Chicago, Illinois. This beer is an imperial stout aged for 13 months in Templeton Rye Whiskey barrels on Raspberries. I previously had this beer at FOBAB, but finally got the chance to sit down at try it "at my leisure."

Score: 94

4 oz sample served in a taster glass and enjoyed at Haymarket's 2nd Anniversary Party on 01/12/12. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Pours a very traditional barrel aged stout look. Dark brown, maybe black in color with a foggy, film-thin layer of tan head when brought to the table. Decent lacing/retention. 4/5

Smell: Raspberries, fudge, cocoa, a little spice and very faint vanilla. Not detecting any bourbon/barrel at all in the nose outside the marginal vanilla notes. As the beer warms, I get a faint amount of molasses in the nose too. Even still, the nose is predominantly chocolate and raspberry. 4.5/5

Taste: Tastes like an (aged) Bramble Bourbon County Brand Stout clone! Fudge-infused raspberry jam/chocolate covered raspberries, some vanilla/oak and a light roast. The raspberry flavor is very "upfront" and mellows thereafter on the palate. There is a little spiciness on the midpalate. Hint of bourbon towards the finish. A little bit of booziness, but nothing intense. Finishes with a cocoa-y flavor with a light brown sugar twinge. Very tasty! 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Like all of Haymarket's barrel aged stouts, this beer is not full-bodied (I'd say it is closer to medium bodied) with minimal carbonation. However, the beer is silky smooth and a little jammy, and its bold enough in flavor to soak the palate in flavor despite possessing a thinner mouthfeel than its Bourbon County Brand Stout variant sister. For whatever reason, the mouthfeel here works and does not leave me wanting more viscosity (unlike their Angel's Envy Port Barrel Aged Acrimonious Imperial Stout). This stout is sweet, but not Lindley Park sweet. 4.25/5

Overall: Considering that Bramble has been retired, this periodically brewed beer is an excellent replacement for those who want to try an example of fruit in a stout done right.

Recommendation: Seek this beer out; it's one of Haymarket's best!

Pairings: Chocolate cake.

Cost: $2 for a 4 oz pour or $6 for a 12 oz pour.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 07:49:09 | More by jegross2

chronie

Illinois

4.95/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at FoBAB 2012.

Appearance - Dark brown/black with a little bit of tan lacing for the head

Smell - The bourbon comes through very strong here, also get hints of chocolate.

Taste - This thing tastes amazing. At first you get a punch of chocolate, vanilla, oak. Then the raspberries hit you. It is not like any other fruit infused beer I have had. The raspberries have a huge presence, but you don't get any sour taste.

Mouthfeel - It is thick enough to cover your mouth, but thin enough to go down smooth. Perfect consistency.

Overall - It is a shame this thing did not place at FoBAB. It is a sweeter, desert type beer. However, it blends just perfectly. It blends, in my opinion, better than 99% of the beers at Fobab. I cannot believe this beer is not winning Haymarket competitions left and right.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2012 04:05:41 | More by chronie