Hommel Bier - Perennial Artisan Ales

flagmantho

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: medium golden hue with plenty of haze and a strong effervescence. Head is three fingers of frothy ivory foam. Quite good.

Smell: very sweet malt with a hint of funk and a ton of hop aroma. Hops are citrusy, fruity, perhaps a bit funky and a little bit floral. Interesting combination; I quite like it.

Taste: big, sweet malt, with a whole lot of that floral character from the aroma. Almost soapy in flavor. Sweetness is a bit too high, even for the style. It's not bad, per se, but it's not particularly amenable to my palate.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a huge carbonation and a pretty giant, mouth-filling creaminess. Great stuff.

Overall: texture is good, but I wish it had delivered a better flavor. If you are into floral gum candy or the like, then this beer may be for you. It is not for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 08:01:22 | More by flagmantho

farrago

New Jersey

3.64/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

You get a rich, frothy head of two fingers, somewhat airy so it starts dimpling right off and retention is average to average plus, off-white in color, randomly assigns big splotches of lacing to the glass, not consistent around the sides. The liquid is a coppery orange, more red tint than yellow, loads of effervescence, a cloud of hyperactive tiny bubbles churning inside. The nose has a decided leafy, earthy quality to it, metallic and with notes of cracked black pepper and sourdough bread crusts, there is a softer side featuring banana, flowers and peach pits, not getting much citrus, earthiness builds and gets close to asphalt or tar at times. Medium-bodied and firm, the carbonation is lower than would be expected based on visual inspection and it is dry and slowly paced from mouth entry through finish. Produces that metal, mineral to earth side in spades, the herbaceousness is not green and biting, more like fallen leaves, twigs and bark. Increase in sour oranges, decrease in flowers and pepper. The banana, bubblegum persists, low level of apricot, apple, peach fruit. Baking soda, bread crusts and toasted dough, not sweetly yeasty. The dryness impedes length of flavors, accentuates its bitterness. Refreshing in its own way, not really a personally favored style.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:32:55 | More by farrago

Eaglefan344

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +9%

05-15-2013 03:20:11 | More by Eaglefan344

kjkinsey

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 20:31:19 | More by kjkinsey

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 19:50:42 | More by leprechaunandfatman

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-12-2013 12:58:13 | More by bigfnjoe

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.26/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: ever-so-slight haze, orange/amber color, very nice rocky head
S: mild to medium nose, some Belgian characteristics with spicy hops and yeast
T: well-balanced with malt and hops, good spicy/earthy bitter finish, nothing out of ordinary but well-made
M: decent, well-balanced

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 03:33:57 | More by wisrarebeer

ystazi

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-11-2013 18:42:11 | More by ystazi

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

05-10-2013 22:16:33 | More by mikeburd1128

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750ml big bottle, picked up on my last trip to St. Louis.
From the label: "In the hop capital of Belgium, Hommel is the word for humulus, the plant genus where hops reside. Our Hommel Bier defies tradition by combining North American malts, Pacific Northwest hops, and a Belgian yeast strain. The result is a beer that combines earthy and spicy tones from the yeast with a slight orange note contributed by the hops. We think it's buzzworthy."
Slightly hazed, golden orange color, small white head. Foam faded but never disappeared, thinnest of lace lines. Initial smell is of earthy hops, some yeast and pepperiness. A bit of citrus notes as well. No alcohol burn is noticeable.
Taste has a good dose of hop bitterness. Leafy and earthy, touch of pepper or other spice. Belgian yeast in the aftertaste, with more citrus and grapefruit hoppiness. Dry finish. Slightly thin mouthfeel, average body. Complexity of flavor as expected from a belgian ale, but with a healthy kick of hops was quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 19:12:24 | More by BigBry

hilgart1

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2.6%

04-18-2013 23:51:43 | More by hilgart1

draheim

Washington

3.89/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap into a really big pint glass @ Llewellyn's in Wildwood (proper glassware anyone?) Pours a coppery amber w/ a minimal head.

Aroma is floral with plenty of spicy and fruity esters from the Belgian yeast. Pretty standard Belgian pale ale smell.

Taste follows nose. Pale malt, Belgian yeast, w/ some floral and spicy undertones.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, smooth, drinkable.

Overall a pretty average Belgian pale. Good but unremarkable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2013 20:24:57 | More by draheim

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

04-18-2013 02:43:22 | More by stereosforgeeks

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

on tap at bainbridge barrel house

Mostly clear copper pour with thin wispy head resting on top. Retains well while leaving some rings of lacing on the glass.

Touches of well-placed juicy hops, citric fruit and toasted bread in the nose.

Immediately more expressive than I expect for the style, driven by some juicy hoppiness, orange peel and balanced bitterness. Nice backbone, bread crust, caramel and Belgian yeast. Finishes a little dry and hoppy.

Medium body, well carbonated, crisp and juicy on the tongue. I literally took two sips of this and wanted a full pour - extremely drinkable, flavorful and balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2013 22:29:13 | More by xnicknj

nmann08

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

04-16-2013 17:21:55 | More by nmann08

bubseymour

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -16.7%

04-12-2013 21:55:13 | More by bubseymour

Schlafly33

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

04-09-2013 17:29:48 | More by Schlafly33

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.94/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Really happy to be able to try something from this brewery.

This is a nice Belgian Ale. Shouldn't it be a Belgian ipa though? It's a little sweet with the hop tones coming in the back as a decent accent. Carbonation is quite lively. After I pour the dregs in, the feel is quite smooth; silky almost.

This should be a Belgian ipa. I mean, hops are in the name. Ya know? Very glad I had the chance to try it. I'm looking forward to more from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 03:49:59 | More by RblWthACoz

Jamison85

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +9%

03-27-2013 16:33:55 | More by Jamison85

slapperloon

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +15.4%

03-21-2013 16:54:06 | More by slapperloon

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

03-21-2013 11:03:14 | More by Thorpe429

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

One finger of soft white head that slowly recedes.Nice thick film of foam. Good bubbling floating around a slightly hazey amber and copper colored hue. Good lacing too.

Spicey, faint citric hop aroma combines well with a yeasty dry fruit and toasted caramel malty aroma. The hop dominate the aroma, but overall is very balanced.

Mild toasty malts upfront. Cracker like crispness accentuated by the Belgian yeasts dryness and American, earthy and slight citric hop flavors. Such easy, carbonated, cleansing drinking. This beer is great and one I will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 00:36:22 | More by scruffwhor

briandot

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev -16.7%

03-20-2013 02:45:37 | More by briandot

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

03-20-2013 00:09:39 | More by yourefragile

siege06nd

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

03-19-2013 23:07:51 | More by siege06nd