2nd Anniversary Blend - Haymarket Pub & Brewery

jegross2

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewing Haymarket's Second Anniversary Blend from Haymarket Pub & Brewery out of Chicago, Illinois. This strong ale is a mix of several of the beers that were on tap. The second anniversary blend is the one on the far left.

Score: 89

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: Dark brown in color. Serve with a ring around the glass of tan head. 4/5

Smell: Sweet and malty nose. Bourbon and vanilla dominate with a little berry sweetness. Bakers chocolate is present too. 4/5

Taste: It is also a little more berry heavy and less sweet. I do not think the taste quite follows the nose. Vanilla and berry dominate the flavor. Oak, raisin, and chocolate too. Some dark fruit as well. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Thinner than expected. Medium bodied, low carbonation. A little bit sweet, but not as sweet as the Acrimonious. 3.5/5

Overall: This beer would be better if it had thicker mouthfeel. Still pretty tasty.

Recommendation: Worth the cost of a pint; give it a whirl if you see it around!

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

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2013 22:17:41 | More by jegross2

MasterSki

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Haymarket. 12oz snifter.

A - Dark tan foam settles to a thick collar, leaving behind a partial cap and spotty lace. Very dark brown body.

S - Huge Woodford Reserve bourbon and barrel aroma, with lots of vanilla and light coconut. Dark fruits, cherries, and chocolate are present in there as well.

T - The aroma has more of the base beers present, with nice notes of raisin, chocolate, cocoa nibs, prunes, and molasses mixed among the bourbon, oak, and vanilla flavors. There's a surprising hop bitterness and astringency in the finish; guessing they added some Mathias in here. Good on the whole, but gets a bit fatiguing after a while.

M - Sticky, chewy, medium-full body, with a dry, oaky finish. Lower, but present carbonation, and a bit of alcohol warming. Pretty much what'd expect from a hefty barrel-aged blend.

D - I'd certainly order this one again, but it'd be hard to put down more than a glass in a session as the bitterness and alcohol would wear me out. That being said, I enjoyed my 12oz and look forward to subsequent blending experiments from Haymarket.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 18:31:08 | More by MasterSki