He'Brew Jewbelation 11 - Shmaltz Brewing Company

yamar68

Minnesota

3.86/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

As dark as the devil's dick... pitch black with a finger of khaki brown head. Loads of sexy lace, looks boozy.

Chocolate, licorice, butterscotch, peanut butter, sweet booze, caramel, sweet and smooth. So far so good.

Dry with a papery tobacco sweetness. Faint brown sugar and a detectable alcohol presence. Bitter booze and black malts. Some peat, some maple... not overly exciting but interesting nonetheless.

I definitely prefer this to Fifteen, but would opt for Sixteen any day.

I'm nervous to see what next year's brew will look like...

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 02:40:06 | More by yamar68

Mitchster

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

$4.99 for a 220z bottle @ Oryana food co-op. Brewed with specialty 2-row, dark crystal, chocolate, victory, munich, and carapils malts, wheat, oatmeal, 'rye ale', crystal rye, and spelt. Hopped with warrior, northern brewer, mt.hood, centennial, cascade, vangaurd, tettnang, czech saaz, willamette, simcoe and amarillo hops in 11 additions. This year, they added the spelt and amarillo from the prior recipe. 11% ABV. If you want, you can go to their website and download the recipe note-for-note.

I thought that this bottle was flat when I poured it. It's not, it's just that the beer is so thick that it takes a while for it to achieve a head. Pours out to a thick nearly black, forming a dense whipped medium tan head with very good retention and sticky sheets of lacing. Carbonation is mild to moderate. The aroma is great, with a huge malt bill up front reminscent of sticky raisins and prune juice, carob, cocao, black walnut, beef bouillon, soy sauce and then a dark underbelly of earthy and pine-laden hops. The body is dense, but the mouthfeel is actually very smooth and soft...liquid velvet. The taste of the beer is a recap of the aroma. There is a huge opening of sorghum molasses, followed by that dark pine sap hop bite. The bitterness is moderate in comparison to the hefty malt body. I would have actually preferred it a little less hop intense, because these malts taste so good. As is, they are a little buried. Finished with a pronounced chalkiness as it warms, and a lingering aftertaste of green oily hops and deeply roasted malts.

I think this may be my first He'Brew beer. I've got 2 other bombers in my fridge and after this, I'm looking forward to them. Well brewed and worth a try.

Re-review 2/15/13-Compared to my original review, the hop bite I mention isn't quite there, although this is an aged 120z bottle from the gift set. The chalkiness isn't there either. Nose of dark fruit and toasted bread crust malt with earthy, herbal and spicy hops and dried fruit esters. Good head with excellent retention, medium carb, ~2.5. Flavor is a recap of the aroma: Lots of carob, molasses, prune juice, herbal hops and a touch of spiciness. Warming mouthfeel and full bodied, not very astringent. No fusels or oxidation. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 06:26:00 | More by Mitchster

sweemzander

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev -26%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle from the 2011 Holiday pack

(A)- Pours a near black color. Some tan froth & lace.

(S)- A dense and rich malt profile. Otherwise its quite muted and subdued.

(T)- Plenty of roasted grains & raisin

(M)- A good carbonation level with an ok balance to it. A bit heavy in the grains to almost make it a touch abrasive.

(O)- Overall, an oak beer. A bit grainy in taste and feel.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 14:16:55 | More by sweemzander

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, from the vertical Jewbelation 2010 gift pack

appears almost black, with off-white thin head. just a thin collar sticks around. aroma is very nice - a little booze, tobacco, spice.

taste is dark malt, raisin, plum, earthiness. well balanced, smooth blended flavors. medium to thick body. mild carbonation level, drinks well.

overall - similar to the other Jewbelations, very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 03:54:53 | More by jmdrpi

Mora2000

Texas

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

The beer pours a dark brown color with an off-white head. The aroma is very similar to several other Jewbelation beers: a lot of roasted malt and chocolate, and fairly straightforward. The flavor is similar. There is quite a bit of chocolate, as well as quite a bit of booziness from the alcohol. There is also quite a bit of sweetness and some molasses-like notes. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 20:31:55 | More by Mora2000

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 1/2011 notes. Bottle from the 2011 Holiday Gift Pack. Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a dark red brown. Thin light tan head and nice lacing. Aroma of faint dark and roasty malts, dark fruits, alcohol. Taste is nice, malts up front with a subtle change to dark fruits finishing with a bit of hops and booze. This is my favorite Jewbelation so far. The balance and depth are excellent.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 03:19:37 | More by LiquidAmber

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

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

Grabbed this from one of the gift packs they released this year.

Poured into a snifter: Black body with purple-ish-red highlights under a thin, clumpy coating.

Sweet, malty smell with some cocoa, some graham cracker, a little prune. There's a milky smell in there - not sour or anything, but more like fresh milk, that's interesting.

Cocoa & fruit are a little more prominent in the taste, a little nutty, with a pronounced dryness & heat from booze that's not overboard. Smooth wrap-up in the finish with a slightly roasty aftertaste, some maple, mmm.

Medium-full-bodied, a little sharp booze character in the finish. Considering the ABV, this is relatively smooth & light, something I've found common in the Jewbelations.

Tasty number here. I can't help but compare it to the 15: very similar profile, lighter, still remarkably easy for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 17:50:16 | More by OneDropSoup

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark brown with a large tan head, large bubbles intermixed with small dusty powdering.

S: Aroma of brown roasted malts, molasses and caramelized sugars

T: A nice strong ale / with robust brown ale malt flavors. There is a rich creamy roasted sugar presence with the caramel , toffee

, molasses all fighting for attention. Slightly dry at the end. This has been aging for a year, but I suspect it was similar at

the time of bottling with a slightly dry cloying bite at the end.

M: Medium body for an old ale, slightly dry finish. High carbonation.

O: I like this a lot. Seemingly the entire lineup from this anniversary series is very good. I would prefer the 13 , 14 and 15 over

this however this is less sweet and many people will like that, screaming that they will not get diabetes along the way drinking a

handful of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 00:18:05 | More by alpinebryant

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle

A - Damn a full 1 1/2 inch deep mocha head! Beer is a fairly deep black with only slight amber hue at the base.

S - Mild coffee grounds, figs, sweet malts, but more noted no noticeable ABV.

T - Dark fruits and cherry flavors make way for slight roast and coffee flavors. Finish is kind of porter like and a bit drying. Toffee and caramel sweetness. Not bad.

M - Medium bodied like the 15 it hides the ABV well.

Overall once it goes beyond 10 they seem to all taste the same and this is only slightly more porter like similar to the 8. A good brew but not worth the 4 dollar price tag.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:11:30 | More by DrDemento456

MrOH

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep brown with a thin tan head.

Treacly, deep malts, licorice, raisin, prunes, burnt sugar, sherry. Definitely a complex aroma.

The nose plus broad bitterness. Very much like a molassas based licorice candy. Nice sweetness, very well balanced.

Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, fairly clean for the sweetness and abv. Fairly low carbonation.

My favorite so far of the series.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 01:12:33 | More by MrOH

jlindros

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Continuing my Jewbelation vertical 1 beer at a time, here is 11.

Pours a decent creamy 1/2 finger head that fades slowly with some lacing, over super dark cola brown colored beer with hints of dark maroon light coming through just a bit.

Nose is big, I could smell it on the pour, bringing tons of dark malts at first. The malts bring hint of chocolate, light coffee, nutty malts, candy, etc. Then comes nice fruits with a bit of fig and date, even light plum, etc. More sweeteners with brown sugar, toffee, molasses, caramel, etc. It really has a dark sugary molasses and caramel like overall presence. A little bit of booze and hints of earthy hops finish the overall aroma.

Taste is also quite complex. It starts with syrups. Tons of toffee, like biting on toffee candy, sugar daddy, and butterscotch candy. Then caramel, molasses, and brown sugar add more to the sweeteners. Malts bring some light coffee and hint of coca, as well as nutty flavors, darker almost roasty like malts, and even light biscuit. A bit of darker fruits but not much, with light fig, date, plum, and raisin. it gets quite bitter due mostly to the darker malts, but I think there's some earthy bittering hops as well. The bitterness creeps up a bit too much and gets slightly briny and overpowering as it warms and moves towards the finish. A bit of booze comes out as well and gets a bit stronger as it finish. the finish also brings more sugar daddy flavors, toffee, nutty flavors, caramel, and earthy spicy hops.

Mouth is fairly full bodied, lots of carbonation, light booze.

Overall pretty good, maybe not quite as good as the last few Jewbelations I've had, but still good. The hops come through a bit too bitter and earthy, and the toffee and caramel flavors are so much it gets a bit too weird as well. Booze is done well, and most of the malts are mixed well. I wouldn't call it drinkable, but otherwise a tasty beer that I have to sip, not the best of the Jewbelations.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 01:59:39 | More by jlindros

drcarver

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - deep brown color with a small light brown head that fades slowly and good lacing.

S - nutty smell with mixes of roast and dark fruit.

T/M - bit of burn (not a surprise with 11%) but not nearly what was expected. nutty with deep roasted flavors. sweet but a clean finish.

O - great stuff. best of the set.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 23:26:20 | More by drcarver

cosmicevan

New York

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from last year's holiday gift set. something about 11's today...the date being 11-11-11 and all and all the random times that 11 came up - by chance i wore my BCTC tshirt which is spinal tap themed and all about turning it up to 11...and when i reached into the set to fish out the 13, i picked up the 11. just about 11pm too...eerie (maybe i'll win the lotto tonight?).

a - opened the bottle and filled my E snifter. poured a pretty stunning brown that settled as purple in the glass. there was just shy of a finger full of brown tinted creamy head. the head was thick and hung out leaving slight trails on the glass of where it had been.

s - deep lush dark fruit. nuts. berries. vanilla malt. quite nice. has a bit of an alcohol shine.

t - BAM. grapes. nuts. some booze.

m - fairly thick for it's age. leaves a tingle.

o - bearing in mind that this beer is about 5 years old and i have never had it fresh, the booze is fairly tamed. however, my head tells me that the heat is on in a vodka kind of way. enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 04:00:13 | More by cosmicevan

drabmuh

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Jewbelation vertical glass because I can. Retired so it no longer appears on any lists unfortunately.

Beer is dark brown but clear with a thin lazy head, no lacing, low carbonation.

Aroma is boozy and sweet like syrup.

Beer is thick to medium in body and super sweet, hot on the palate, it sort of burns the back of the my mouth but I'm exaggerating a little bit here. It is very strong, very sweet, almost like liquor or a mixed drink. A little harsh but decent overall, I won't have it again but it was fine.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 01:43:49 | More by drabmuh

ElmerBruisery

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up for cheap when Haskells, a local independent unfortunately shut down.

Hebrew jewbelation 11
Very dark brown, 2 finger head that quickly falls. With some lacing.

Licorice, very dark fruit, Belgian yeast, raisins.

Body: thick and gooey. Low carbonation. Drinks like an imperial stout.

Taste: woah, was not expecting this based on aroma. Coffee, chocolate, bitter. Alcohol becomes more apparent as it warms.

Overall a good beer. I probably would enjoy it even more when it's not 95 degrees outside! 

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 22:36:17 | More by ElmerBruisery

megahurts4

Louisiana

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

He'brew Jewbelation 11

Appearance: dark brown, medium head, and good lacing.

Smell: dark chocolate, malts, and a slight dark fruit.

Taste: hops, dark chocolate, and cocoa.

Mouthfeel: medium.

Overall:
This is a very flavorful Jewbelation. There is a nice bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 04:55:34 | More by megahurts4

drowninginhops

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes, served in pint glass.

A - Black probably the darkest beer I have had, with ruby edges, and quickly receding head with no lacing.

S - Malts lots of malt, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and alcohol

T - Bitter, see smell. With molasses rounding out the taste.

M - Moderate carbonation. I dont think I have ever had a brew that coated my mouth this well, with some alcohol warmth.

D - Most assuredly a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 23:55:28 | More by drowninginhops

jera1350

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Solid black in color with a creamy mocha colored cap of foam.

Sweet malt scent with some molasses and dark fruit. The smell is nice, but it is pretty light overall.

Moderately sweet and toasty malt presence with some vanilla, vanilla, rum and brown sugar. A nice touch of hop bitterness and plenty of warm alcohol. Some light metallic presence as well. Lingering hop bitterness with the long finish.

Nicely soft carbonation with a mostly smooth feel and a lightly dry finish.

I like this beer just fine. Not outstanding, but a nice strong ale that is quite enjoyable as a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 01:53:21 | More by jera1350

Schmittymack

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the gift set vertical into trusty pint shaker glass. Poured a dark brown, nearly black color with a nice creamy had that lasted well into the ten minute mark. Nice lacing, also. Aroma chocolate, malt, maybe a touch of coffee. Taste was quite nice: a bit of bitterness at the start, then sweet(er) malt, bitter chocolate and caramel with no after taste bite. Alcohol well hidden. I like this/these Jewbelations. Hope to try more again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 07:59:22 | More by Schmittymack

DoktorZee

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a schooner; no obvious best before date.

A - deep, deep brown (practically black), with just a hint of ruby at its edges, head that quickly dissipates with little lacing.

S - not as fragrant as some of the others (12, 13) with just a hint of chocolate malt and a slight grassy hops.

T - slightly bitter initial attack followed by chocolate/caramel malt and a foundation of molasses.

M - mild carbonation with mouth-coating thickness. Moderate alcohol warmth.

D - nice to sip, hard to chug!

Solid entry into the series, not my favorite but good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 22:28:59 | More by DoktorZee

Pencible

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2010 re-release as part of the Vertical Jewbelation set.

A: This poured a clear, dark mahogany with a little tan head.
S: It smelled like chocolate and caramel and toffee, with a little dry brown sugar and alcohol.
T: It tasted like chocolate and coffee and caramel and herbal hops, with a little brown sugar. It had a somewhat harsh bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was thick with a little carbonation. Excellent body.
D: This was very enjoyable, but not as improvement over Jewbelation 8, 9, or 10. It was pretty hot, so it wasn't as easy to drink. Well blended malts, but I didn't notice as many subtle complexities as expected. Age may have helped mellow it out, but it was still enjoyable fresh.

(NOTE: Jewbelation 12, 13, and 14 from the Vertical Pack also seemed to lack the comlexity and vibrant taste compared with the original batches released in bombers. So maybe this version of Jewbelation 11 just wasn't as good as the initial release.)

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 18:24:36 | More by Pencible

gnemesis

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle (from vertical mix pack) into snifter on 03/15/2011.
Black in colour- no light is getting thru this one. Thin offwhite head leaves quick and no lacing. My nose is filled with sweet malts, brown sugar, caramel, mollases, and a touch of roast. Taste follows but more roasted malts show thru and some alcohol heat hits the throat. Full bodied with medium carbonation. This is a pretty good beer but the alcohol is a detractor. Some more age will help this beer and mellow the booze.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 02:19:18 | More by gnemesis

SirRuss

California

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Malteser center shaded head with a body so brown that it's basically black. Although the lacing is less than remarkable, the retention is respectable with a skim and halo remaining to the last.

S - Clotted cream fudge, medjool dates, prunes,

T - Soft caramel and toffee on the forepalate are nicely garnished with a touch of spice. Huge roasted notes roll into the midpalate as double espresso, charred wood, and dark chocolate bite down on the tongue. The dark fruit flavors promised on the nose pay their dues, milk chocolate floods through in a sweet unctuous pulse, and that jalapeno spice grows with perfect intensity to match the mounting complexity of flavors. The hops hold out until the finish before revealing themselves, but it is an encore of roasted malts that have the last word.

M - Perfect carbonation allows the body to express its thick chewy roundness, while simultaneously lifting the mammoth profile clear from becoming bogged down on the palate. The 11% is not imperceivable - and neither should it be - as the warming gust lends yet another welcome attribute that matches the unrepentant power of this brew.

O - Jewb 11 is an incredibly well integrated, complex, and perfectly balanced beer that shows great character and dark luscious decadence.

NB. Let this one warm a bit - at lower temps its tight and unrevealing. At ~50F the softer malts and sweetness really

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 05:58:37 | More by SirRuss

wedge

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This one's probably been sitting around long enough...

Pours a darker than expected, pretty much pure black color with a small, creamy beige head that settles to a nice bubbly cap. The aroma is boozy. Molasses, heavy dark fruity esters, raisins, toast, a whiff of sweetened coffee and cocoa. The flavor is far less alcoholic. Roasted malts, vinous fruit, bitter chocolate, another hint of coffee. Even some earthy hop flavor remains. A hint of tea and more mocha-like and sugary raisin flavors come out as it warms. Big, luscious mouthfeel, drying a bit in the finish. The alcohol is really quite well hidden.

Once this warmed up, it smoothed out a lot and really came together. Happy extremely belated 11th?

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 03:33:32 | More by wedge

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown/pitch black with 3 inches of foam that receded slowly leaving lots of lacing. Nicely sweet aroma, some brown sugar, caramel, vanilla and a bit of coffee and chocolate bitterness. The Chocolate taste hits you right away. Strong chocolate and coffee is only added to by some plums. This is a really malty treat. Nice flavor and very enjoyable. The mouthfeel is slightly oily, medium to thick bodied, it just coats your mouth with the flavor and goes down with just a little bit of bitterness. Very enjoyable and there is no way of knowing this is 11%

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 04:28:49 | More by mikereaser