He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale - Shmaltz Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine June 2007.

Dubbed as an Imperial Amber Ale, this He'Brew release is brewed with pomegranate juice, and it's kosher too boot! Very interesting and good marketing, as the pomegranate hype has not died yet. (On a side note, for anyone who's never actually eaten a pomegranate, you are missing out.)

This beer pours a bright and clear reddish-amber, with rolling bubbly carbonation that holds the head together well. Big fruity and malty aroma--a bit sweet and tart at the same time. There's a waft of alcohol in the nose as well. Full body, with a rolling crisp- ness that jumps. Heavy fist of dry malt character and some sweetness coming through. Modest bitterness from the hops allows a mild tartness to show for a bit. The fruitiness is far from definitive; the pomegranate is there, but some esters from the 8% ADV overshadow everything. Spicy suggestions of allspice and black pepper hit in the middle with a more pronounced hop character toward the end. Finishes on the dry side.

Again, interesting. Enjoyable? Yes. Could we quaff this down? A bottle for the two of us did just fine. It seemed the pomegranate was lost, and the balance of flavors just did not mesh clean. Aim this one at dessert, perhaps with a fruit compote.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 18:45:35 | More by BeerAdvocate

BeerEngineer

California

3.15/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

General - I used to live in Latham, NY, no more than 20 minutes away from the He'Brew brewery in Clifton Park, NY. When I was there (up to around 2006) I hadn't heard of this brewery. This is the first time that I'm trying any He'Brew beer. I poured this directly from the fridge into a SA Perfect Pint Glass. It was too chilled to enjoy it properly so I'm leaving i out for a few minutes to warm up before I review it.

Appearance - SRM color is around a 9, a touch light even for a standard Amber Ale let alone an imperial amber. The head is a light tan, doesn't hold that well or put up much lacing.

Aroma - There is a definite hint of pomegranate in the aroma, I like it because as far as the scent is concerned it's not overpowering. There is also a very nice malty background to this aroma. A slight hop scent, but this is much more balanced on the malt side of the scale, as I expect in any amber ale.

Taste - So there is a touch of pomegranate but just like the aroma it's not that present. It's more of just a hint of it, if I didn't know it was pomegranate I would be searching for what fruit it is. I like that aspect, it's nice when it's not overpowering. There is a strong maltiness in the flavor that is nicely rounded out by a touch of hop bitterness on the back end. There is a lot going on in this flavor, it seems like the more it warms the more bitter it becomes. There doesn't seem to be a lot of residual sweetness left in this, just a touch of it, which explains the 8.0% ABV. I feel like my palette is going to be fried after this big 22 oz. So many flavors are being thrown around.

Mouthfeel - A little thin for me. There really isn't any category for an Imperial Amber in BJCP but if you look at the American Amber category it should still be a little thicker. There is a good amount of carbonation for an amber style but just a little disappointing.

Overall - Not bad, not great. This is one of those beers that I would open up with some friends and say "hey let's try something different". I think that may be the best way to describe it, different. It's not what I would expect from either a pomegranate ale OR an imperial amber. I don't think that I'll be picking up this one again anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 22:50:16 | More by BeerEngineer

Durge

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

06-15-2013 05:19:57 | More by Durge

Rihup

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

06-04-2013 01:07:25 | More by Rihup

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

05-27-2013 23:24:07 | More by Kmat10

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +13%

05-26-2013 18:21:01 | More by Slatetank

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.36/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours out an auburn color with not much sticking to the surface, in the line of foam. A thick-ish ring remains. Decent clarity. Looks drinkable.

Smells like dark berry and slightly-turned malts. Insinuation of pomegranante is duly noted. Moreso, notes of raisin, fig, and caramel. Has a tropical bent to it, but it almost smells like an Old Ale with maltiness reminiscent of an English sipper.

More of that English maltiness, with perhaps a touch of Fuggle. Earthy and only mildly fruity. Again, pomegranate is a bit of a stretch, but I'll stick to their word. It's really missing a lot. A bit cardboard-y. It's either super-hard to get this beer fresh around these parts, or everytime I drink one, I'm severly disappointed by the way it's seemed to have turned. Burnt toffee in the finish. Here I go again...

Has a mild sudsiness and a bushy body. A little slick, too. It's easy enough to finish. I must say, I like how the alcohol barely creeps up (for a Strong Ale, mind you).

I repeatedly shake my head after trying to enjoy this beer. So many times now, it has failed me. Has it failed you, too?

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 03:05:27 | More by thecheapies

kingmaker

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

05-21-2013 00:56:30 | More by kingmaker

lucasj82

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

05-15-2013 01:04:27 | More by lucasj82

leftstagebrew

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

05-13-2013 15:25:26 | More by leftstagebrew

TBoneJones

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours amber with light carbonation, and a good head that presents itself and fades to a minimum. Lacks lacing.
Smells of malts, leathery to me, hint of tropical fruit/ the pomegranate.
Tastes a bit better than my nose was suggesting it would. An earthy/ woody bready goodness with a fruity blend (pomegranate indeed, and this fruit works well with beer here it seems). Hops poke through. Not complex by any means, but i like what is there. Herbal flavoring bordering on medicinal, but in a balanced way. I am stuffed-up while sampling this so maybe I'd have a lesser opinion without a probable cold! Not a favorite style, ambers in general, but somehow this imperial effort tastes better than many to me.
Feels smooth and creamy, unlike its appearance in my pint. Medium carbonation. I do enjoy the bitterness in the finish.

Id probably try this again. Unique in that it centers on pomegranate. Maybe i will try more bold ambers in general.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 23:22:47 | More by TBoneJones

MrBuckHigh

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev -22.3%

05-09-2013 04:08:39 | More by MrBuckHigh

dalepryor

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

05-07-2013 22:30:37 | More by dalepryor

lernerlift

Kansas

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

05-05-2013 22:25:57 | More by lernerlift

shelby415

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

05-02-2013 07:35:42 | More by shelby415

DasBoot2112

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

05-02-2013 04:05:43 | More by DasBoot2112

smartassboiler

Illinois

2/5  rDev -43.5%

04-23-2013 16:12:12 | More by smartassboiler

archero

Texas

1/5  rDev -71.8%

04-21-2013 05:11:42 | More by archero

ChiefHopHead

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

04-09-2013 03:30:59 | More by ChiefHopHead

campfirebrew

New York

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

04-04-2013 16:48:27 | More by campfirebrew

slay

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

03-25-2013 22:46:54 | More by slay

JMS1512

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

03-24-2013 19:34:36 | More by JMS1512

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +13%

03-21-2013 07:18:36 | More by grahamboudreaux

Jediknight362

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

03-11-2013 02:34:10 | More by Jediknight362

Auraan

Arizona

4.06/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured a good looking orange/red with a thing white head that dissipated. Scents of ale yeast, malt and slight pomegranate juice. The flavor begins with dark fruits, citrus and some sour fruity flavors, a mild hop bitterness is also present and allows the sweetness to shine through. There is a pronounced flavor of alcohol on the finish. It has a mildly carbonated mouthfeel with some slight stickiness. Overall it's a good beer, with a combination of bitter, sweet and sour flavors. It may not be everyone's thing, but I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 05:14:59 | More by Auraan