He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale - Shmaltz Brewing Company

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A very nice thick half inch of head atop of what seems to be a hazy dark amber colored beer. Head turns to a slight lace ring.

S - Naturally smells of Pomegranate but not as tart which is nice and a bit of sweet malts with a bit of caramel malt in the back end. No booze alcohol smell to speak of

T - I do get tones of pomegranate but could use a bit more tart since it's almost completely covered by a slight boozy strong ale with a sweet caramel taste. Overall it is very enjoyable.

M - Surprisingly it doesn't taste too boozy leading to moderately pleasant body and drink ability.

Overall for what I paid ($6.99) I am impressed. Didn't really want a tart monster (Like Blushing Monk) just wanted a bit of fruit flavor and it covers the boozy aspects of this imperial red nicely. One of the best beers I ever had from Shmaltz.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 03:40:07 | More by DrDemento456

Tschnab

New York

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- copper orange haziness that looks unique and really unique, but unfortunately topped by a nonexistent head with no lace.

S- some hop presence here but mostly the smell is of very sweet fruit, pomegranate clearly the foremost note.

T- good flavor at first but it gets cloyingly sweet. I want the pomegranite to manifest in a tarter way, but instead it comes out almost as a cough syrupy taste. Still, it's refreshing and the booziness only comes in as the drink warms.

O- a little gimmicky, but still an interesting fruit beer. Some sour or tart notes from the pomegranate juice would have transformed this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 20:02:31 | More by Tschnab

chickenflea

Florida

3.2/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer releases from the 22 ounce bottle reddish amber with a large creamy head that slowly fades leaving the lace a firm sheet upon the glass. Nose is rich in sweet malt, hops and fruit also present in the aroma. Smells and tastes like a cross between a barley wine and a big schotch ale with the alcohol just a little untamed. The fruitiness come through slightly, moderating the taste. A nice experiment but the taste unexpected and a little jarring. Finish is more fruity than hoppy. Texture is mediu, carbonation is low. An interesting attempt. I think it needs a little tweaking, but I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 18:58:20 | More by chickenflea

colforbin73

California

3.55/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours a nice red amber with adequate carbonation... the smell is slightly burnt, biscuity -- a good amber malt sweetness -- hints of yeast.

the background flavor here is that of a decent red ale, with a nice hop addition to provide a little extra bitter. where is the pomegranate? smack dab in the middle of your palate --- providing a big juicy dollop in the middle of your drink. i would not say it is very prominent, but it is there -- and you shouldn't need the label to tell you this brew has an unusual ingredient. there is way more juice than there is booze flavor for me -- making this 8% abv beer relatively easy drinkin...

overall, this was not a bad beer -- and as a Pomegranate experiment it works fine. but in the end it's a near miss -- comes off a tad gimmicky, more like a Rock Star than a High Quality Craft Beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 00:32:45 | More by colforbin73

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.43/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter glass.

Look - dark amber in color, with about two fingers worth of light khaki-colored, frothy foam.

Smell - malty in the smell, I can only smell a little bit of the pomegranate.

Taste and Mouthfeel - I can taste a little more of the pomegranate. Mostly sweet throughout the tasting until the end, where it gets just a little bitter. Slightly earthy in the end too. Texture is pretty well-balanced.

Overall - not a bad brew at all. It has some of the consistancy and feel of a barleywine type of ale, but without the kick. Pretty easy-drinking and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 04:24:08 | More by Nerudamann

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.18/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Nice looking hazy amber color, nice very light tan head. Beautiful lace.

Nice citrus hops, malt sweetness, and tart fruitiness.

Nice bitter bite, some nice citrus, subtle tart characters, and some fruitiness.

Crisp, clean, smooth, lighter in body.

Interesting brew as a whole, glad to have tried it, but can't see myself revisiting much.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 04:34:36 | More by EgadBananas

RickS95

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It's a neat looking beer for a strong ale. It looks like a Belgian, as it's kind of a peach/apricot in color, with a variety of other hues present.

There's an obvious fruity smell to it, but it's similar to a farmhouse saison I recently had.

I'm not sold on the taste, though for a strong ale, the fruity is a nice addition. The pomegranate flavor is subtle at best.

With conflicting ideas between a sweet fruit and a strong ale, there is a nice balance between the two. It's complex and I'm undecided on whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. There's some sweetness, some bitter, and a yeast presence.

It's not a great beer, but it's good enough that I'm glad I tried it and I'd like to have another one day.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 04:10:17 | More by RickS95

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

First had: at Philly Craft Beer Fest '07

Somewhat better than the Genesis Ale, but only because pomegranates make everything better.

Poured a reddish amber with a bit of haze, and a small white head. Caramel malts of an amber ale in the nose, with some fruit coming through. Mostly malts in the taste at first, followed by some harsh bitterness, and a pomegranate sensation that reminded me of the fruit you get in a witbier. Light-medium body a little thin, and sort of a bitter aftertaste. Decent, but disappointing.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2011 11:19:55 | More by Rifugium

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed several months ago, review based on notes

Pours an effervescent copper with 1 finger of pearl colored head. Above average lacing & average head retention

S: Pears & blueberries in abundance

T: Fruittyness, figs, currants, plus herbal & leafy hops up front. Jammyness predominates as this warms along with dryness & more leafy hops. Finishes figgy, dry & with more leafy hops

MF: Medium bodied, low carbonation, okay balance & some grittyness

Drinks alright, but not really in my wheelhouse

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 03:19:04 | More by russpowell

JordonHoltzman

New York

3.23/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

from notes:

pours a red amber. had a dark fruit color.
pomegranate is prevalent in the aroma
has a very pale ale taste. its malty, but lacks a good fruity pom taste that I was hoping for.
mouthfeel is average, good carbonation
pretty drinkable for its high alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 16:31:57 | More by JordonHoltzman

megahurts4

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale

Appearance: light red, medium-large head, and some good lacing.

Smell: grain, hops, and fruit juice.

Taste: grain, faint hop, and a faint pomegranate juice.

Mouthfeel: medium-light and smooth.

Overall:
This is a nice amber. The pomegranate juice is much more subtle than anticipated, but this is a nice brew nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 05:34:45 | More by megahurts4

wahhmaster

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter.

Appearance: Pours a translucent amber color. Has a large, rocky head that dissipates slowly and leaves some nice lacing.

Smell: Smells fruity (pomegranates, I assume) with hints of caramel and other malts.

Taste: Moderately bitter up front with spicy hops. Finishes sweet and slightly boozey with a hint of fruitiness at the end. All in all, this is an imperial amber ale with just a hint of pomegranate fruitiness.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with an expressive carbonation.

Drinkability: A very good amber ale but, honestly, the pomegranate seems like an afterthought here. It really isn't that expressive in the beer and you really have to search for it. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable and thoroughly drinkable beer. L'Chaim!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 00:35:06 | More by wahhmaster

ianjsullivan

Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

ST: 22oz poured into a snifter.

A: Clear and deep amber with a tinge of red, this beer has a white fluffy head, ample carbonation, and leaves long lacing. Honestly, the beer looks fantastic; it has a brightness and color that is very appealing.

S: Carmel malt, pomegranate (one would hope it was there somewhere), and some citrus from the hops.

T: This beer is very surprising. It starts sweet with some fruit but caramel notes quickly take over. Malt, alcohol, and hops take over much of the flavor. The finish starts sticky malty sweet then flows into bitter fruit and alcohol. The pomegranate that is noticeable in the aroma never really come out from underneath the malt.

M: Though the beer appears to have ample carbonation, it still feels heavy and sticky (though it has brief moments of cream).

D: High ABV and the cloying alcohol apparent finish stop this from being a multiple consumption beer.

Overall: I do not mind paying to try something that is new or "gimmicky." After all, many beer styles were gimmicks when they first started. Sadly, this beer did not have total success. It felt like the brewers decided to take the beer to somewhere unexpected; they wanted to keep the beer from being to sweet because of fruit or they wanted to keep it from being to fruity. Either way, the direction they went in was still sweet. Though pomegranate is present in the aroma, it never is fully integrated into the beer. To make matters worse, malty (and sticky) sweetness takes over, and the alcohol interferes with the taste. Thus the beer does not seem balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 21:16:22 | More by ianjsullivan

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.18/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an amber color with a slight lean toward the red end. Head is good with a 1/2 inch white head which leaves a nice lacing on the glass. Aroma has a very heavy fruit aroma with some citrus hops notes and some caramel maltiness as well. Flavor is very sweet up front with a hot alcohol bit coming in early in the tasting followed by a very smooth malt and citrus flavor in the middle and end to round out the flavor. The beer feels pretty light for alcohol and the carbonation is pretty low as well. Overall the fruit flavor is not discernible and the citrus and malt flavors tend to over ride the sweetness of the beer. Yet another gimmicky beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 18:29:13 | More by CuriousMonk

DovaliHops

California

3.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly murky dark orange with a slightly large cream colored head. Scent is very fruity with nice amount of hops as well. Taste is not nearly as fruity as I thought it would be, which is a good thing. Pomegranite is very subtle. Tastes like a slightly fruity, super hoppy brown ale. Finishes with caramel malt and slight nutty taste. Mouthfeel is nice, slightly creamy. Drinkability is fairly high.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 07:06:07 | More by DovaliHops

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Chimay Goblet from a 22oz.
Pours a very hazy plum/peach with a soda pop head that fizzes down to nothing leaving no lace.
Smells like bread fruit and earth, very sweet, more like a dubbel.
Bready malts, yeast and pomegranate juice. There is a bit of grass and herbal hops on the back burner. Has a burp inducing amount of carbonation and a very light body.
Not bad tasting but nothing special in my book.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 04:49:59 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

biglite351

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - light honey in color with a tight white head.

S - caramel and slight malt. Some fruit, but not pomegranate as I would have expected.

T - caramel, mild malt and dried fruit. However, up front I do not get any pomegranate. There does seem to be some in the after.taste. I also get a bit of a bock connection.

M - medium coating and no tingle at first. The after taste brings a tingle over the entire tongue. You want to take your time between sips.

D - maybe two. It is a nice sipper.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 00:06:41 | More by biglite351

JizackFH

New York

3.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - This beer pours a hazy reddish amber color. It has a nice off-white head that left decent lacing. There are some carbonation bubbles present.

S - There is a big fruity and sweet malty smell. There is also some citrus, pomegranate, and a touch of alcohol.

T - The taste is tart and sweet. There are definite pomegranate notes, as well as some alcohol presence. There finish is toasty and a little bitter. The alcohol presence lasts through the finish.

M - It has a nice medium body with sharp carbonation. It is a bit acidic, and the finish is dry.

D - The drinkability is good. I think this is a good beer all together. It is a lot better than I thought it would be. The fruit is present, but it's not overwhelming. It goes down very easy, and the toastiness of it makes it even better. I recommend trying it.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2010 20:46:56 | More by JizackFH

ferrari29

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

A - Amber hazy body; thick creamy 1 finger foam pour; solid amount of lacing on the glass; head retention was very good

S - Pomegranate fruit (apple & cherry too) smells; slight malt backdrop; slight hint of caramel orders

T - Crispy & refreshing champagne/cider like taste hits your tongue immediately; dry bitter aftertaste; not as sweet as i expected; taste disappears pretty quickly

M - Thin consistency and viscosity; effervescent feeling on tongue almost like a sparkling wine cooler

D - I could definitely have a couple of more of these, nice to have every once in a while; I will say I expected more flavor out of this beer, especially with the heavy fruit scents

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 00:30:53 | More by ferrari29

armock

New York

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a copper color with an off white head that leaves lacing behind

S - Is of sweet malt with fruit scents

T - starts off with sweet malt then the pomegranate come out with some alcohol in the finish

M - This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation to it

D - This is a pretty decent beer overall it has a pretty good taste its a decent one to sit back and relax with worth picking up to try sometime

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 04:49:57 | More by armock

scott451

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I let this warm from fridge temperature. Poured into a glass mug. A very hazy orange brown with a two finger bubbly off white head. Good lacing. Head soon diminishes to a thin layer.

Citrus and resiny malts in the smell. Very mild malts. Surprisingly dark fruity tastes. Interesting indefinable flavours. At the end, caramel than a hop finish.

Medium body. Kind of like an IPA with fruit. Well balanced. Interesting. A bit high in the ABV for long session but I like it.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 05:11:13 | More by scott451

ReDave

California

3.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm a big fan of He'brew, they've [or he] have been dissed for being a "contract" brewer, but i find most of their offerings interesting, and a few, some of my favorites.

Pours hazy amber- brown with a fairly foamy head, which fades somewhat, but with some very fine lacing.

Aroma is sweet maltiness, some fruit.

Taste, malty, fruity [pomegranate] some hop bitterness, pretty smooth.

Another fine offering from He'brew, I'd get this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2010 00:02:37 | More by ReDave

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -9.9%
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

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber pours a hazed cherry color with a bubbly, off-white foam. Not much retention but does show some nice lacing.

Nose is caramel, toasty malt with not as much pomegranate tartness as I was expecting. Fruitiness is there in small amounts along with a fair amount of alcohol.

Tart fruit meet caramel and burning toffee malt, interesting and quite good. Light sweetness and has only hints of pomegranate as opposed to a full on fruit explosion. Well done Schmaltz. Mouthfeel is creamy enough with a nice balance of fruity sweetness. One of the better He'brew beers I have tried so far.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 14:51:33 | More by twiggamortis420

emmasdad

Colorado

3.03/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a promising dark amber color, with a decent bit of off-white foam. Big fruity aromas (pomegranate, dark cherries, blackberries) with some biscuity malt and caramel. On the palate, some of the same fruit, brown sugar and a lingering fruitiness. Not bad, but not worth buying again.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 06:13:52 | More by emmasdad