Bitter Monk - Anchorage Brewing Company

bmwats

Louisiana

3.78/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 650 ml bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Hazy golden-orange hue. Pours about a finger and half, bubbly white head. Settles pretty quickly. Peak and valley lacing.

S: Hay and wheat prominent. A little citrus, and coriander.

T: Hoppy, yeasty, and bitter. Slight tinge of citrus, sweetness, and spice.

M: Light body, dry bitter finish.

D: Sip and enjoy. The character will dictate it.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Interesting hue, nice head, and some solid lacing. Nose is hay and wheat with fruit and spice components. Yeasty and hoppy with citrus and spice. Overall, this is a pretty good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 05:49:10 | More by bmwats

Rope

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This is one of Anchorage's best ventures.

Appearance-
Pours out like a Belgian, but you see the hop oils dance with the last few drops.

Smell-
Exactly as advertised, a bitter pine front with a hint of that spicy Belgian yeast.

Taste-
Powerful, the hops stay with you front to end laced with the Belgian taste.

Mouthfeel-
Oil to coat your mouth, and protect you from freezing in your Alaskan study.

Overall-
Fondly remembered, greatly missed. It comes close to what I would call "a thinkin' beer", but retains an approachable quality.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 04:57:09 | More by Rope

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured out as a hazy golden color with a thick white head, the retention is clumpy. The lacing is sticky. The smell of the beer gets better as the beer warms up. There are aromas of lemon citrus and orange, some subtle oak and Brett on the nose. The taste of the beer is sweet with a slight tart bitterness with hints of honey in there. The mouthfeel is carbonated pretty well. Still very drinkable on the smoother side. Overall this is excellent. Really really good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 03:37:51 | More by Knapp85

cvm4

Mississippi

4.66/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a golden straw color with a lovely two finger eggshell head. The body is not translucent at all.

S - Very funky... Good amount of belgian yeast with a nice citrus aroma and the chardonnay barrels come out in full force.

T - Bitter, grapefruit, funk, belgian yeast with ever so tart dry white grapes in the end.

M - Medium bodied and high carbonation. Nice, crisp & dry finish.

O - A truly fantastic beer! Just wished the bottle was never ending.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:44:02 | More by cvm4

FosterJM

California

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

1731st Review on BA
Bottle to Pinot Noir Glass
750 Ml C/C

Batch 2
Purchased at El Cerrito Liquor

App- A glowing orange with a bit of a yellow and creme tinge behind it. A nice and puffy head. Cracky and puffy white head that faded very slowly. Great cling and lace behind it.

Smell- The Brett takes over and creates a nice funk blended with the hops and the yeast behind this one. Dry, hoppy, citrus and yeast. A great combination especially with the barrel aged wine behind it.

Taste- I liked this beer. I didnt get blown away by it, but I really enjoyed it. I think the price affected me. The beer itself was a very nice mixture of what I would say was a attempt at a very layered beer. Spot on Anchorage. Huge notes of the barrel come in, with the duality of the citrus and the dry tannic of the barrels they used. The DIPA flavor was a bit of a background noise with the Brett stealing the show.

Mouth- A solid medium body with a certain dry grassy feel to it. A bit of a cracker flavor remains with some funk, yeast and citrus zest to balance this all out really.

Drink- I paired this with artichokes, italian chicken and ravioli. Holy cow was that a good idea. Nice job anchorage. I was hesitant when this 1st came out. Glad the ticker in me had to tick this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 02:00:39 | More by FosterJM

daledeee

Iowa

4.71/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A 750 ml bottle.

Poured into a chalice. Great bright yellow or gold with lots of bubbles. Nice white head and lacing.

Nose is yeast and citrus. Nice and fresh smelling but yet funky.

Taste...well taste treat. Plenty of grapefruit. I specially like the mix of grapefruit, brett and Belgian yeast. This beer is truly unique. The tastes are not overpowering and in your face like some IPA but the flavor lingers for some time on your palate. Mouth feel is beautifully crisp and clean. I would never guess this has 9%.

Truly a fine beer. I am sad they are only brewing this once. Everything I have had from these folks has been a taste treat. I can honestly say this brew is unique to anything else I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 01:45:53 | More by daledeee

fdig23

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Beer Heaven in Philly

Appearance: Glowing cloudy golden orange with a perfect thin white head

Nose: Grapefruit jumps out of the glass followed by some caramel and farmyard undertones. Candied oranges and toasted bread are present as well.

Taste: Grapefruit juice flavor is up front followed by toasty bread, peaches, funky rotten apples, and a creamy vanilla note. Finishes with butterscotch oak and astringency like eating fresh grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: Very full and creamy, maybe a bit too much so.

Overall: Extremely delicious, drinkable, original, and unusual brew. Grapefruit forward hops, brett, and Chardonnay oak is a weird and wonderful combination. Definitely makes me want to try more from Anchorage.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 18:20:06 | More by fdig23

ccrida

Oregon

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Bitter Monk is hazy gold with a huge white head leaving sticky lace.

Smell is very musty, very herbal, with sweet tropical fruits, marmalade.

Taste is bitter, herbal hops and lots of pineapple notes from the Brett. More must, a sharpness. Oranges. Pretty good, big BIPA, similar ABC profile.

Mouthfeel is oily but dry, very rustic, medium body.

Drinkability is pretty good, big flavors, but not as complex as the recipe and and barrel-blending suggest - as i often find with Brett.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 05:06:21 | More by ccrida

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Murky and hazy pale orange body. Big off-white head. Good retention.

Smell - Brett all over. Acidic notes and a lot of Belgian yeast. Pine hop profile isn't my favorite, but the Brett keeps it interesting.

Taste - Hops at first. Just a touch of sweetness before the Brett takes over. Surprisingly Bretty for how fresh the bottle is. A little tang in the back and quite a bit of bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Dry and bitter. A little harsh as a result. The Brett accentuates the bitterness in the finish.

Overall - Excellent beer. Bretted to hell, but well done. The hops manage to come through despite being a Brett bomb.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 16:28:59 | More by Alieniloquium

cfrances33

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pour: Hazy deep orange, with some pink hues mixed in. Nice three finger off white, fluffy, and soapy head. Super sticky, and leaves frothy lacing, and the head sticks around.

Smell: Pink lemonade first. Umm… wut? WOW. Next comes a nice bretty funk, followed by a nice lemon zest. Some bready yeast and a light spiciness, but the chard barrel really owns the nose.

Taste: Amazing! More pink lemonade up front, followed by a clean oak barrels. A nice brett funk sets in, a long with some hay and a light pear tartness. Some spicy red peppercorn comes along next, and I get more traces of the chard barrels. Finishes with clean peppercorn, pink lemonade, and brett.

Mouthfeel: Like LoveBuzz, this is heavier than one might expect. Super juicy, with such a huge taste, it has to be sipped. All the while, this beer maintains a nice refreshing drinkability. A light tartness, but only just.

Overall: Another winner from Anchorage… this brewery now has my full attention after this and LoveBuzz.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 01:38:38 | More by cfrances33

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into a pint glass

A: really golden color almost yellow nice white to tan head like 2cm head completely opaque

S: orangey tropical fruit to start lots of floral fresh hops almost a little white winey and bitter malt to finish

T: lots of light hops you can taste the Brett immediately almost like a mix of wine champagne beer and I don't usually like those first two things but this is balanced perfectly there a citrusy malty finish with a smooth bitterness that lasts

M: it's clean and light which makes it very drinkable but I feel like it should have a little more carbonation for a better feel

O: I usually don't like this style but this is really well balanced and drinkable the Brett is actually a positive for me as it works really well solid beer would buy again

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 00:52:26 | More by Pinknuggets

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a cloudy medium straw yellow in color with light amounts of visible carbonation near the surface. The beer has a two finger tall white head that reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of sourness/tartness from the brett with some barnyard funk over the top of clementine/tangerine citrus hops.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of pale malts with quite a bit of sourness/tartness from the brett. There are some lighter notes of barnyard funk and clementine/tangerine citrus hops which lend a light amount of bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Easy to drink as the high ABV is very well hidden and there is a very good balance to the flavors (not overly bitter or sweet) with the brett really enhancing the overall flavors of the beer. Great amounts of complexity to the smell and taste making it very enjoyable - definitely a great beer to sip on during football... Glad I got a second chance to have this one now that I have started reviewing (previously it was the best beer I had on New Year's Eve 2011 which included many nice beers).

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 20:27:41 | More by dbrauneis

Pintofbrown

Iowa

4.08/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got bitter with my inner monk with a goblet.

Appearance- My pour results in a dense and pillowy white foam. It recedes slowly, and leaves behind a big ring of just as dense lace. The opaque, yeasty body goes from a bright lemon meringue to a darker copper. This offering looks like it came to dominate.

Smell- The brett comes through big time! This beer has a huge sour nose with a bit yeasty, barnyard scent. I cannot say I get any hop notes, maybe a little citrus underneath. It is hard to say.

Taste- Again, the brett really takes center stage in this beer. Unlike the nose, however, there a citrus-y note in mid-drink that manages to peak through the sourness. I also feel a little resin in the finish. This guy is sour all the way down!

Mouth feel- This beer has a big body and really sticks to the cheeks. I feel like for how well the bubbles have been harnessed, it could be a little less slick. Other than that, this big beer certainly feels big.

Overall- Even though I enjoyed this beer immensely, I am unsure that Bitter Monk lives up to the IPA moniker. The brett especially comes through strong in this beer with the hops being more of an after thought than a main player. I would have this again, maybe my bottle has just gotten too old to really showcase its hop forward potential.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 03:13:11 | More by Pintofbrown

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very excited for this one.

A-Pours a hazy golden hue. Head is white and fluffy. Head retains perfectly. It leaves long serpents of lacing along the glass. Quite pretty. Body of the beer absolutely glows.

S-Goodness, what an aroma. Packed full of herbal, citrus and grassy hops. Quite a broad hop spectrum with plenty of exotic fruit. The hops are supplemented by a musty, dusty fog of Brett. Oh, how I love the Brett here. The Chardonnay barrel lends an obvious vinous quality and further intensifies the fruitiness. Just a beautiful aroma.

T-The flavor is amazing as well. The tropical hops begin the journey and then are immediately washed away by a bitter, coercive wave of grassy hops. The Brett follows the hops and lingers forever. They really melded the yeast and the hops with exquisite precision. The wine barrel sets in elegantly on the back end of the flavor resume. Just too many flavors to name…but I will try until it becomes annoying: pineapple, clementine, clove, stone fruit, hay, grass, apple, eucalyptus, white grape, and on it goes.

M-Where is that 9%? Goes down quite easily. High bitterness. Full bubbles. Very drinkable. I want to slowly sip and further dissect the flavors, but I can't help but gulp.

O/D-First I must say that I paired this with a cake of St. Marcellin cheese and it was absolutely awe inspiring. This is blatantly the best Belgian IPA I have had the pleasure of laying lip upon. The Chard barrels and the Brett infusion elevate this to a whole new level. Incredibly lucky to stumble upon this.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 02:51:38 | More by VelvetExtract

popery

California

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a great a Belgian-style DIPA. It pours yellow gold and quite hazy. Thick white head, a heavy blanket of foam. Lots of tropical fruit flavored hops in the aroma. It's big on pineapple, mango, guava, raspberry and tangerine. Just a mouth-watering fruitiness. The brett funk blends in nicely, contributing some funk and probably helping some of the fruit aroma. Some earthier tones are also in there. The taste is relatively dry with a mild to medium bitter finish. That said, there's still some nice light malt sweetness, which allows the hop flavors to shine. Feel is soft and light. There's some prickle from the hops, but it's still a smooth rich beer. Bitter Monk is another excellent beer from Anchorage, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 04:00:41 | More by popery

Arbitrator

California

4.65/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Chilled bottle into a glass. Batch 2. From notes.

A: Pours a hazy golden-orange body. Despite a careful pour, the head rises to a vigorous 4 fingers in height in my tulip. It recedes slowly, leaving clumps of bubbles down the sides as it collapses into a thin collar.

S: Incredibly tropical, fruit-forward hop nose: pineapple, tangerine, lime, apricot, mango, white wine. This hits my sweet spot for noses; a nice twist is its small introduction of a hay-like brett presence. Thankfully, this is young and the brett hasn't really taken hold yet. I don't want it to; as an IPA alone, this is outstanding.

T: Bitter Monk has a beautiful fruit cornucopia. Pineapple dominates; I really love this flavor in beer, and to find it on the nose and taste is a real treat. I know some brett strains can enhance this flavor, so maybe it will persist with age. As noted before, I pick up tangerine, lime, apricot, mango, and white grapes. The bitterness is more pronounced than I like; the beer is pretty dry (a perception enhanced by its slightly tannic finish), so there isn't a lot to counteract the acridity.

M: Up front, there is a perceived sweetness -- I say perceived because the beer finishes dry and bitter (the latter being a bit of a drawback). It makes me wonder how the brett will evolve the beer; there can't be a lot of sugar for it to work with. Time will tell, I suppose. I'm certainly not bothering to age it. Good carbonation, no trace of the ABV.

O: I've been pretty underwhelmed by everything else that ABC has released so far, but this one blew me out of the water with the first batch. I bought 3 bottles of the second batch -- and I will continue to buy more of later ones. This is a winner (fresh, at least). I don't intend to age it.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 02:08:20 | More by Arbitrator

McD0uche

California

3.83/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on 10.21.2012, from bottle to pint glass.

A: A nice golden color that is more orange in the middle of the glass and more yellow around the edges. After the pour, a nice two-finger head blew up and lived for a good while before disappearing. Lacing is pronounced.

S: Lemon, grapefruit, hops, earthy malts, and some grassy floral undertones. A little funkiness here and there.

T: Earthy malts typical in Belgians, with fruits, hops, and grassy/floral notes mixed in typical of IPAs. Starts sweet and ends with a bitter taste that lingers on the tongue.

M: Medium/light bodied, with the perfect amount of carbonation. Nothing overpowering or unpleasant.

O: This was good to me, and I'm not really a big fan of Belgians.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 01:50:23 | More by McD0uche

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Anchorage Brewing is quickly becoming the pretty girl on the block. Everything they allow me to taste seduces my palate and entrances me with its high level of complexity, full tart-bitter interplay, and powdery acidity that's impossible to refuse. What's there not to like with all that layered onto an imperial IPA base recipe?

The beer pours with a creamy lightness that captures a stern golden hue. As the refined carbonaiton separates from the citrusy liquid beneath, it builds a creamy, cottony foam that proves formidable of both Belgian ales and IPAs. Sticky lace adorns the glass evenly and artistically. This is a highly aesthetically appealing beer!

Mouthwatering aromas of citrus and tropical fruit provides a sweet and sour interplay that tingles the nose with lemons, limes, tangerine, pineapple, apricot, and mangos. Acidic white wine and white grapes continue to wash the nose with wave after wave of complex aromatics. Thin honeyish caramel notes inform the sweeter citrus notes but never seem sweet unto itself.

Creamy, sweet and dry all at the same time- the beer seems to put on a magic show in the mouth. Like "Pop Rocks" candy, the sweet, sour, musty, acidity pulls the taste buds in a lot of directions. Dried lemons and oranges provide a woodish dust taste to complement the zesty citrus notes. Savory sweetness of "Hawaiian Punch" seem to strike the sensetivities of the teeth and gums, and then make me beg for more. Finish with a bone-dry malt taste, the hops carry the beer with smooth bitterness and wineish vinous wood notes.

Creamy from start to finish, but the fine carbonation and dry malt textures evade sweetness in the mouthfeel. The beer is arid, and seems to float just above the tongue, but caresses the palate all at the same time- in true Belgianesque fashion. As the beer dissolves at mid palate, the cotton candy textures carry a whimsical perfume into the gullet and beyond. Powdery wood astringency, evaporation alcohol, and the dry malt-hop interplay keeps me revisiting the glass much quicker than a nine-percent beer should.

With the care and attention to brewing details, Anchorage is proving time and time again that they are not simply content to meet the standards of Belgo-American ales, but far exceed them. Wine barrels, brettanomyces, triple fermentation, exclusive hops and technique cause a ton of work for small rewards- but its far worth it!

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 17:47:43 | More by BEERchitect

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.93/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750mL bottle into an Allagash cervoise glass. Batch #2 (June 2012).

A: Pours begrudgingly, glugging out of the small opening. A finger of churning, solid white head. The beer is milky, cloudy, pale, and lightly opaque. Some visible carbonation.

S: Plentiful, bitter, American hops. Solid IPA, but so far, nothing special.

T: Hmm. Interesting. The Brett is noticeable, but dampened (perhaps by oak aging?). There is substantial carbonation that helps to (only somewhat) cut the bitterness. Definitely 100+ IBUs. As it warms, it expands, and more of the Citra-Chardonnay fruitiness comes to the fore. I enjoy this.

M: Wood-dry, spicy, carbonated, and engaging.

O: I don't know...the holistic production didn't do it for me. Interesting -- good even -- but not particularly 'drinkable' and certainly not worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 03:27:11 | More by AgentMunky

Greywulfken

New York

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: deep gold body with a 2-finger head of ivory fluff that settles into a filmy lid with some scant lace along the side

S: earthy, herbal and grassy - some distant pale fruit

T: butter and chardonnay - musky and bitter, yeasty breads and bitter hops; only slight sweetness from the malt

M: buttery-feeling, great aftertaste, very drinkable, well-carbonated

O: great beer, lots of complexity and depth - this is, like, my 3rd beer from Anchorage, and these guys are making some great brews. Definite buy and try.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 23:17:40 | More by Greywulfken

notchucknorris

California

4.6/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a hazy apricot color with a huge fluffy white head. Leaves loads of lacing down the glass. Looks pretty awesome.

S: Huge citrus hop aroma. Vanilla, lemon, grapefruit, nilla wafers, just a touch of Brett and some oak. Really complex and absolutely incredible.

T: A nice hit of Citra right away with some mango, white grape, and pink grapefruit. Some honey and caramel malts in the middle before a finish of peppery and earthy hops. Some oak and Chardonnay dry the finish a touch as well.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 20:24:53 | More by notchucknorris

dmatsui

5/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A strong pour into wine glasses resulted in a 4-finger, bone white, sudsy and tight head that stuck around for a while. Alcohol legs visible, not much lacing due to the higher alcohol content. The beer itself is a beautiful, hazy gold/yellow.

If someone made a "BItter Monk" Cologne I would rock it all day. The girls might not want to play with me; I'd probably have a squad of beer geeks following me around. Upfront the hop complexity hits you with juicy citrus, pine and dank qualities. NIce use of CItra hops. The fragrance of Grapfruit, melon and apples also waft from the glass, a result of the Belgian yeast strain which also adds some savory, spicy notes. There is the slightest hint of funk and tart coming from the Brett, and the light malt bill provides just a touch of honey-covered bread notes.

Anchorage Brewing BItter Monk. Whoa.

First and foremost, this is a Double IPA. Anchorage put the hops first, and Bitter Monk is just full of earthy, fruity and full-flavored hops. I wasn't too sure what to look for in terms of the Apollo hop characteristics, but the Citra hops really came through nicely. It's hoppy as hell, but so incredibly well balanced with all of the other HUGE components. The Malt bill was just perfect, providing a light, sweet and understated backbone that lets the hops shine. The Belgian yeast marries perfectly with the hops and subtly provides a spicy, fruity and savory component to the brew. However, the yeast isn't so in-your-face as to mask the hops. The Brettanomyces was nothing short of a stroke of genius. It is faint, and if they didn't mention it on the bottle you might not know it was there, and instead be wondering what that vague tart zing and heady funk is coming from. The Brett added a really nice extra complexity to BItter Monk, but as with everything else, it is understated and perfectly balanced. BItter Monk is a hop bomb and definitely in the upper echelons of bitter, but the finish was just ridiculously smooth and slightly buttery and vaguely woody, earthy and oaky. The Aging in the Chardonnay barrels is probably responsible for that, and it truly made a huge difference.

I was really happy to share this bottle with a few hop head micro-lovers, and we all couldn't find enough good things to say about this beer. I admit I was a bit apprehensive when I got the bottle. I was presumptuous and thought that Bitter Monk was just going to be one of those trendy, earth-shattering, 20-ingredient adjunct messes that we see all to often. I really thought there was just going to be too much going on, but Anchorage Brewing balanced every component of this beer perfectly. It's definitely an occasional beer, but I really can't wait to get into another bottle, and I will have my eye on Anchorage Brewing from now on.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 18:12:09 | More by dmatsui

Beerenauslese

California

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle bought from Healthy Spirits (thanks for the suggestion Scott), poured into a Bruery tulip glass.

Pours with a big foamy white head over a hazy tan/gold body. Small amounts of lacing, not very sticky. Moderate head retention.

Smells quite floral, with a little vanilla and a touch of brett band-aid. Really, one could use this as a cologne.

This is a mildly tart and fruity upfront, followed by a golden malt sweetness, and then the orangey citra hops make their presence known, ending in a wet, bitter, spicy finish. I don't doubt this has upwards of 100 IBUs, as the hops are numbing my tongue. The hops taste more in the noble direction than in the usual west coast style thanks to the Citra. The brett is resonating with the Citra hops nicely. Spice is a little gingery.

Body is a bit lean for a golden ale. Carbonation is medium and just a bit creamy.

This is an interesting Belgian style IPA. The Citra and brett kicks it to another level.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 04:13:08 | More by Beerenauslese

DovaliHops

California

4.6/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 2. Pours a very hazy, golden color with a hint of orange. Medium white head that disappears quickly. Scent is WOW! Amazing aroma to this beer. Funky wild yeast with some tropical and citrus fruits. Nice pineapple with some orange and lovely hoppiness. The more I let my nose get familiar with this beer, the more french oak and chardonnay I get. Very complex. I could sniff this beer all day. Taste is initially tart with some white grapes and tart green apples. Some citrus and tropical fruit flavors...wow, just wow. A hint of butter. The hops, fruit, oak, and chardonnay flavors blend so well with a subtle funkiness that just makes me wonder how this beer will taste after the Brett works its magic over time. Gotta grab another bottle to sit on. So much complexities going on here. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, nice bite, yet slightly chewy. Drinkability is very high for almost 10%. Alcohol is present, but not very much so. Overall, this is just another great beer from a brewery I have grown very fond of over the last year. I have yet to find an Anchorage beer I didn't think was good.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 07:45:10 | More by DovaliHops

mgironta

New Jersey

4.83/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer came out of a corked and caged bomber. The cork was pretty easy to get out and only had a slight pop. The brew poured with a gigantic head, about three fingers of pure white head that was thick and fluffy and left lots of lacing on the glass. The body was a clear, almost straw yellow with lots of active carbonation visible. I thought the color was pretty light for a Belgian IPA. The nose was all brett…not that I’m unhappy with that. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a brett beer. Wow, this was really different. The brew started with a bit of grapefruit and tart citrus with a bit of barnyard funk from the brett. It was really light (body-wise) for a Belgian IPA and the booze and IBUs are really well-balanced out by the flavors. The finish was relatively quick with a hint of citrus. The body was probably the lightest that I’ve ever had with a good dollop of carbonation. This beer was just fantastic to me. It was an easy drinker despite the ABV and was complex and quaffable. I would definitely have this bad boy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 02:45:15 | More by mgironta