Evil Twin - Heretic Brewing Company

ccrida

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draught at Zeitgeist, Evil Twin is a dark, brownish amber, with a small off-white head leaving scatteded lace.

Smell is hoppy, pine forest. Spicy, flirting towards ginerbread.

Taste is malty, a little caramel, and agressively hoppy, loads of pine. I love the fierceness, and trhe cleanliness of execution.

Mouthfeel is oily and dry, medium bodied.

Drinkability is good. My kind of amber. Enough *cleanly executed* malt to provide texture, and lots of hops to bring it home.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 06:15:59 | More by ccrida

Mark

California

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had this beer with my great friend Ed of 35 plus years. I have turned him in to a craft beer dude and we both loved this beer. had it again yesterday at the same alehouse and it was a sgood as i remebered it. deep amber color, fresh hop smell of pine. Taste is very IPA like with piney notes. just an outstanding beer overall and this brewery will be on the big time map sometime very soon.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2011 19:06:11 | More by Mark

largadeer

California

4.45/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

05-01-12:

Heretic has really dialed this one in. Great tropical fruit aromatics backed by just enough malt to make it taste like a hoppy red rather than an IPA. Scores have gone up accordingly.

08-01-2011:

On tap at Beer Revolution. Muddy red appearance with no head, though it does have moderate carbonation. Resinous, piney hop aroma backed by semi-sweet caramel malt. Smells quite good, though you have to dig a bit to get much aroma out of it. The palate is very solid, too; grapefruit and orange, pine, a bit of breadiness and caramel from the malt. Sticky, moderately bitter finish that doesn't linger too much - very nicely balanced for a hoppy red. Thankfully it's not especially sweet, it just has a touch of caramel to balance the hop bite. Nice stuff, I'm looking forward to trying more beer from this new brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 02:02:30 | More by largadeer

GFabMedia

California

5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On Tap @ Orcutt Brewing Co. (07.20.11)

I've been noticing promotional posters all over my area for this beer the past couple weeks so after enjoying a nice lunch I decided it was time to see what all the "hype" was about.

The beer poured a DARK amber with a nice off white, thick head.

The smell consisted of strong hops almost what you would find in an IPA scent. Along with the great hoppy scent you get a real earthy smell with hints of citrus.

The taste was so well balanced. The scents you were presented with are very noticeable in the taste. This Amber is not for the faint at heart. Its presence of hops and bitterness go so well with the citrus notes and sweet malts which linger on the palette.

Overall this beer lived up to the local "hype" and I'm very satisfied with it. Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2011 01:11:55 | More by GFabMedia

colforbin73

California

4.18/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

SERVED: ON-TAP (Cato's Ale House, Oakland CA 7/17/11)

good stuff here -- this is my first awareness of HERETIC BREWING CO. this is my first review of a beer not right in front of me -- no notes but i enjoyed it quite a bit -- so please excuse my freeform review.

this pours a little like a black lager, fine tan head over a dark brown fizzy brew. but it has a good rich aroma -- a good deep malt body gives itself away to a good stiff drink of ALE with really fine bitterness and a little roasty caramel -- my firts impression was - a solid well made beer.... half way to a black ipa.

this beer was served right, but really opened up as it warmed -- more fruity complexities and sweetness developed -- true to the style this is a great American Amber -- a richer, more bitter and complex Dead Guy Ale -- i liked it! more heretic please.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2011 05:57:04 | More by colforbin73

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Blue Palms

A: The beer pours a dark amber color with a frothy off-white/khaki head and excellent lacing.

S: A nice hoppy aroma with lots of citrus and grapefruit notes as well as some tropical fruit and pine.  A bit of sweet caramel and toffee, too.  A little bit of toasted malts on the back end.

T: The flavor has a nice grapefruit bite with a bit of tangerine and and lemon zest.  Bitter piney hops and sweet toffee and bread with a little bit of toast make up a substantial part of the flavor and provide a nice base.

M: Medium in body with a medium carbonation.

O: The aroma was really great though the flavor fell a bit short.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2011 15:30:02 | More by womencantsail

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.73/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours brown with a large head.
Nose shows herbal, spicy and piny hops along with some biscuity malt and a minty note.
Very similar flavours: herbal, minty and piny hops alongside some toasty malt hidden underneath followed by a sharp, aggressive bitterness.
Carbonation is a little over the top.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:22:16 | More by CrazyDavros

magictacosinus

California

3.36/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Thanks for the bottle, John. Poured into a nonic pint glass from a 22oz bottle. Split with another person. Bottled on "03/04/13."

Pours a deep, dark reddish color with light amber streaks at the edges, in an almost opaque appearance until held towards the light. Carbonation is plentiful at first, with pockets sticking around the inner edges, as well as an initial 3-4 finger of head that dies down to about a ring with bubbles on top. Lacing is alright. Looks a lot like a decent homebrew, to be perfectly honest.

At the nose, there's an immediate burst of strongly roasted malty aromas, as well as alcohol soaked floral and slightly herbal hops. Slight notes of red berries, maybe apples arise. Smells a lot like a rather toned down American Strong Ale, in fact, without the aggressive hops or graininess, and instead comes off as part the classic rising West Coast red ales - maybe even Scottish-style red ales - coming around. For what it's worth, the hops ARE slightly muted, and there's a strong syrupy sweetness that definitely is a bit strong overall.

The flavor is luckily a little less intense, and rather than the hops smelling muted or too overblown with the alcohol, they are still very lively up to this point and add balance to the rather large malt profile. Blood oranges are one flavor as a result, but I'm getting light raspberries, apples, and toasted grains right at the finish combined with caramel. The malts are large enough but not to the point where they become predominant, and the hops contain a pretty long lasting astringency in the aftertaste. Slightly boozy and soapy towards the finish as well, and with all sad, sort of thinned as well in spite of the malts. It's not a bad aftertaste, but it isn't the most pleasant kind.

A solid local red ale, if only lacking a bit in body and balance. It's almost like it wants to be a stronger ale but doesn't ever get there, which leads to a frustrating ascension of big flavors that never gives up or turns to anything else. I'm glad I split this, because it's a little too astringent, maybe even acrid, to have all by myself. Pairing this with food is highly recommended. It's a strong American red, but not my favorite so far in the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 02:27:37 | More by magictacosinus

pkalix

California

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

super dark red, browninsh even. minimal head.
smell is pine. maybe some toffee, if you might....
taste is a bitter pine tar. almost a bitter kind of sweetness to it which lasts a bit after swallowing.
overall, i guess it's your typical 'red ale' from the west coast. hops over power the malts, bitter pine is the dominat aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 02:04:39 | More by pkalix

gpogo

California

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Dark amber with a red tint when light hits it. Tan foam head and a sparse lacing.

A- Citrus and pine hops with a light touch of chocolate.

T- Chocolate and citrusy hops, nice bitterness throughout. Nice malty flavor.

M- Medium body very smooth and clean tasting.

D- This is a wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 19:29:03 | More by gpogo

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - pours a hazy dark brown-red with a tan head and no lace. Too dark to see any bubbles.

S - nice aroma of citrus and soft pine hops with a mild chocolate malt character and a hint of roast.

T - is just like the aroma. Very nicely balanced flavor. Nothing is individually extreme, but all the flavors complement each other very well. The aroma suggests you are about to drink a fairly bitter Imperial Red, but the flavor is malt forward with a pleasant hoppiness that saves it from being a sweet malt bomb. Basically perfect for the style.

M - medium-full with an average carbonation for the style. Soft bitterness with a medium sustain supported by chocolate roasted malt.

O - super impressed with my first Heretic beer even though I secretly wanted to say it was meh. The brewer was a top notch, award winning homebrewer who recently turned pro. He has educated a legion of homebrewers . I've learned quite a bit from him over the years and his generous sharing of knowledge has enabled me and many others to brew quality beer. Thank you Jamil, for this beer and for everything you've done for home brewing.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 01:04:33 | More by GuzzLah

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Dogfish Head pint glass. Pours a dark reddish mahogany amber with a two finger light tan head with good retention and lacing. Nicely aromatic pine and lightly citrus hops, sweet malt and citrus. Flavor is a well melded caramel malt and piney hops, citrus and light fruit juice. Finishes with lingering citrus and earthy hops. Very nice medium body with great creaminess. A very pleasant and well made red ale. I'm particularly impressed because I forgot this at the back of the refrigerator for several months and was expecting the hops to be destroyed. Despite my neglect, the hops are aromatic and great tasting. I'll have to amend for my error by getting another bottle of this to try even fresher hops. I will also watch for other ales from Heretic.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 04:58:43 | More by LiquidAmber

SmashPants

Australia

4.13/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle: big 650mL dark brown bottle, funky and funky, 'dark' label. A good package.

Appearance: very, very impressive. A quality, copper-red colour with a good three-finger head on top. Head drops to one-finger with fantastic lacing and great staying power. Carbonation looks mid leveled. Enticing!

Aroma: a highly hopped aroma - grapefruit citric and lemon, with a good dose of pine. Good United States hops. A light but noticeable caramel / bread malt backs up.

Taste: follows the nose very closely, with extra emphasis on the pine hops and sweet malts. A fantastic, mouth-filling beer.

Aftertaste: lingers for a good long while - this really is a fantastic beer. Good for a sessional wipe-out, or for a lonely sipper. Great quality.

Mouth feel: medium in body with a moderate but fine carbonation. Carries the flavour through nicely. Topping the glass up resets the great head too.

Overall: a great quality American red, one of the best I've had. Full in flavour without being overly hopped, reasonably expensive at AU$12-15 a bottle (2013), but hey - you get what you pay for.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 13:08:11 | More by SmashPants

BaronRogue

California

4.53/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very dark red with a meaty head that diminishes fairly quickly, leaving a bit of lace.

The smell almost hit me faster than the color... absolutely mouth watering and ultimately beckoning... apricots and sheer fruity hops abound. I've been searching for a beer like this.

Taste is top notch, leaning heavily on the hop end but with biscuity malts bringing up the rear. Can feel a bit like a fruit juice at times, but you won't find me complaining.

Mouthfeel saves it from feeling too juicy, nice and crisp with a slight dry hop sting on the tongue.

Overall, it's like Heretic pulled this recipe from the deep recesses of my brain and fashioned it just for me. I did get a very fresh bottle which I'm sure helped. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a beer a few flavor notches up from a pale ale but not quite an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 06:05:54 | More by BaronRogue

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a really deep amber in color with 2 fingers of foamy head which give off some pretty nice lacing. smells hoppy! citrus, pine, grass, grapefruit, caramel.. tons of sweetness coming from this.. hope it tastes as good! hoppy at first but not what i was hoping for.. has a bit of a fruit taste of strawberry that kind of throws me off. earthy bitterness balances the fruity sweetness. the base of it is pretty bready, although sweet. medium in body with a nice amount of carbonation. i feel like if this beer tasted like it smelled, i would have been in love with it. to its defense, it looks like it was bottled in july, which makes this six months old.. not so great for a hoppy ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 03:18:05 | More by facundoCNB

bnes09

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful dark amber toffee colored ale. Huge head on the pour maintains a half finger of froth throughout the drink and blankets the glass in rich, sturdy foam.

Toasty wheat and rye aroma, lots of malt character. Piney, earthy hop tones. Exceptional balance and plenty to savor in the nose.

Flavor is malty, earthy, piney, toasty, spicy and sweet all at the same time without anyone getting out of line.

Sturdy medium to full body. Plenty of lively bubbles spread the flavors around well.
Finishes semi dry from the hops with lingering malt texture.

As far as amber ales go, this is about as good as it gets. Tons of depth and complexity with perfect balance, great appearance and feel.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 03:44:57 | More by bnes09

ElSid

California

3.53/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The Beers of California

#40

Bottled Date: 3/26/12

A: Deep burgundy brown with two fingers of khaki foam which sticks around for a while.

S: Strawberry jam, caramel, brown sugar along with a nice earthiness and fresh pine needles.

T: Strong sweetness which follows the nose: strawberry syrup, caramel, and brown sugar. There are moments of fresh, pine, and earthy bitterness that attempts to balance the brew but overall the brew favors sweetness with a strong phenolic quality, that, intertwined with the strawberry syrup, is reminiscent of cough medicine.

M: Medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation and syrupy linger.

O: This beer was a bit of let down being overly sweet with overbearing phenolic notes that were reminiscent of childhood illness and unpleasant cough syrup experiences. Was not mindful of the bottle date when picking this up and will try and get a fresher bottle and revisit this brew in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 06:28:03 | More by ElSid

Dope

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 10.15.12 so almost 2 months old.

A: Dark crimson pour with a good sized fluffy tan head. Fades slowly, leaving very thin lines of lacing behind. Decent retention.

S: Grapefruit and pine initially. Pungent onion/garlic as it warms. A little bit of herbal quality and some decent caramel malt.

T: Lots of pine, grapefruit and herbal hops up front. Garlic/onion mixes in later, followed by caramel malt in the middle. Herbal hops primarily in the finish. Caramel malt fades into the finish leaving just the bitter herbal hops and a little garlic/onion. Garlic/onion really stands out once it fully warms, especially in the aftertaste.

M: Medium but full bodied. Feels bigger than it is.

O: A very hoppy red ale. Has the traditional caramel/herbal flavors of a normal red but the strong west-coast style hops really amps it up and unblands it. Nice variety of hop flavors and excellent balance to boot. A very enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 02:10:35 | More by Dope

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've been waiting to try the original Evil Twin for a long time. I've made a few similar style beers myself over my homebrewing career, since I started listening to BN at least. Now I finally get to try the original thanks to gockets (Reddit).

Unfortunately I don't see a date. It does pour a light fizzy 1/2 finger off white slightly reddish brown colored head that fades semi slowly, some lacing that leaves a high water mark. The beer itself is much darker than I expected, hazy very dark maroon mahogany colored beer with a bit of light streaming through.

Nose is where it's at! Great hops right out, little earthy and spicy, bit of pine, bit grassy, and even a little citrus orange peel. It seems to do almost all the variety of hops a bit of each, even a little flora, and some light candy hops. The malt backbone is plenty as well, with a light sweet caramel toasty reddish malt that adds to the candy aroma.

Taste starts with a light malt base, it's obvious but definitely balances the beer and props up the hops well. A nice toasty reddish malt with hint of toasted caramel and juicy even. Then hops galore, a mild but decent bitterness overall that grows as it goes. They bring a variety of flavors again, light earthy and spicy hops, some grassy and floral again, a bit chewy with a hint of pine, citrus, candy hop flavors, little orange peel, etc. The candy hops and candy like sweet caramel malts make another nice profile. A touch of yeasty taste as well due to the bottle conditioning. The finish is dry and fairly bitter as the bitterness ramps a lot as the dryness pulls it out, a big bitter punch at the end that lingers for what seems like eternity, more earthy and slight spicy hops, little sticky syrupy malt with it.

Mouth is med to fuller bodied, decent carb.

Overall quite nice, great hops and a nice malty balance. It's essentially a great east coast style imperial red ale almost, but made on the west coast so jazzed up a bit. Nice earthy hops, and quite a variety of hops, nice hops, with a nice malt profile and great balance. Tasty beer that is not easy to get through a lot.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 02:33:56 | More by jlindros

BryanCarey

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark reddish brown in color, Heretic Evil Twin Red Ale pours to a reddish brown color with a head of foam that is nice and solid, leaving some lace on the glass as you consume. The nose on this beer is quite pronounced, with scents of pale malt, fruit, pine, and alcohol.

Heretic Evil Twin offers tastes of caramel, pine, toasted malt, some zesty hop character, and some citrus/orange peel flavor that dominates the finish. I found the flavor more pronounced and more flavorful as the beer warmed up just a bit with the flavors coming through well at the temp of about 50 degrees. But regardless of temperature, the taste was well represented and certainly better than the average beer.

Heretic Evil Twin is a medium to full bodied brew with a solid flavor that is complex and interesting. The taste might be a little more bitter than some may prefer and a little more flavorful than some may expect, but I find it a tasty beer overall with many good things to offer.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 22:45:22 | More by BryanCarey

chsanders

Nebraska

4.38/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was pleasantly surprised with this beer. It is probably one of the most balanced beers (flavor wise) that I have ever had.

A - dark red with a small head that left a small amount of lace on the glass as it went down

S- a mixture of pine, citrus, and other more subtle aromas that sneak through as you go along

T - a very well balanced malty/hoppiness with the flavors of red grapefruit and apricots being the most pronounced

M - very pleasant, it covers everything with a smoothness that leaves you wanting more

O- I'm very pleased with this beer, I got it as part of a variety pack from Heretic Brewing through beerjobber.com (Halloween special) and wasn't sure what to expect. I hope the other beers are just as enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 14:23:03 | More by chsanders

heygeebee

Australia

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From Jim's. No BB

Pours a dark red brown, - half finger head looks good but dies. Also does the inverted head bubble thing when poured. Nice! Spotty lace.

Aromas of malts, some treacle, hint of citrus.

Taste is very integrated and complex. Hops and malts don't fight but accept each other for balance. Add in caramels, roast elements, slight toffee. Not sure if this would be a lot hoppier if fresh ? Tastes of a little ageing.

Mouthfeel on the money - moderate carbonation and medium weight.

This was gifted to me by a mate who doesn't like Amber ales much. Nor do I, but I like this. Nuff said.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 09:00:59 | More by heygeebee

colts9016

Idaho

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass at 45 degrees.

Appearance: A monster three finger head that is very persistent and lasting. The head is a creamy ivory color with foam and bubbly. The color of the beer is a dark amber copper color with reddish orange hues. The clarity of the beer is slightly opaque. Carbonation bubble exist with the beer. The head left quite a bit of lacing on the glass.

Nose: A medium malt aroma with some caramel, toffee, and toasty notes. The hops is equally medium with grapefruit, floral, and some wood. This a slight note of diacteyls.

Taste: A solid malt back bone with some cooked caramel notes, toffee, biscuit, and toasty. The hops melds well with the malt, the hops is grapefruit, floral, and resin. Other flavors is yeast and some diacteyls.

The mouth feel of the beer is sticky, carbonated, and astringent.

Overall: The body of the beer is medium and the finish is medium full. This Red Ale is just wonderful. A solid malt backbone that hold the hops into check. Great flavors is almost fits the style very well. I really am enjoying drinking this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 03:00:58 | More by colts9016

brentk56

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy russet with a perky cap that leaves a nice pattern behind

Smell: Hop forward, though well balanced; the earthy and piney hops are underpinned by an intriguing blend of toffee and toasted bread

Taste: The interplay between the hops and the malts distinguishes this beer; with the toffee and toasted bread interspersed with with earthy and piney hops; the blend creates a complex malt base that avoids sweetness and a hop blend that is nicely bitter without every developing a citrusy edge (not that I dislike citrusy bitterness)

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: It is not everyday that I get excited about a beer in this genre but this beer breaks some new ground in both the malt and hop dimensions; kudos to the brewers at Heretic

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 00:53:09 | More by brentk56

PeterM

California

3.63/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: dark dense brown, creamy 1 finger head, leaving a nice cap.

S: Great! Pine-y citrus-y, with a hint of honey.

T: Kinda unbalanced for my taste. I like a hoppy beer, but the malts seem overwhelmed here. I like the complex collection of fruits, and the lingering bitterness.

M: nice weight and long lasting lively carbonation

O: Overall, a fine beer, just not stellar.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 02:00:42 | More by PeterM