He'Brew Jewbelation 12 - Shmaltz Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue XI:

Cheers to 12 years. Their dozen is represented with 12 malts, 12 hops and a 12-percent ABV. Dark brown in color with garnet edges when put up to the light. Impressive head retention as it leaves a massive crowning of lace after sipping half a pint away. Sweet aroma of light molasses, faint anise, raisins, brown bread and sweetened iced coffee with a slight boozy alcohol in the nose. Full bodied with a luxurious, creamy, smooth mouthfeel, almost like sipping on a cordial. Sweet, semi-roasted maltiness shows an obvious dominance--dark chocolate, sweetened coffee, brown sugar, brownies and burnt cookies come to mind. The 12 hops lend a dollop of bitterness and herbal flavor that barely balance; thankfully, the alcohol swings in with a prickly peppery warmth that helps and moves the sweetness along with a mild raisin flavor. Pleasant, sweet, roasty finish with a bit of clean solvent alcohol on the breath.

Delicious. No doubt a big beer here that is a slow and very enjoyable sipper and a prime dessert beer to boot.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 18:56:15 | More by BeerAdvocate

Duff27

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-07-2013 15:36:26 | More by Duff27

egrace84

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-06-2013 01:53:14 | More by egrace84

Sparky44

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

03-24-2013 19:37:01 | More by Sparky44

Mitchster

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

$5.99 for a 22oz bomber. Brewed with 12 different grains/malts: Specialty 2 row, Kiln Amber, Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal Rye, Dark Crystal, Munich, Oatmeal, Rye Ale, Spelt, Vienna, and Wheat. Hopped with 12 different hops: Ahtanum, Amarillo, Cascade, Crystal, Fuggle, Hallertau, Mt. Hood, Palisade, tettnang, US Golding, US Saaz, and Warrior. 12% ABV.

Pours out to a very dark brown, forming a dark brown, almost purple tinged head with excellent retention and solid lacing. Carbonation is mild to moderate. The aroma opens with intense dark fruits...lots of figs, dates, prunes, and raisins, chocolate, vanilla, walnut, dark molasses and some distant herbal/resinous hops. The mouthfeel is huge, rich, silky smooth, complex and syrupy. Huge, dense body. The taste opens with dark molasses, soy sauce, prune juice and chocolate, akin to Sam Adams Triple Bock. Slight fusels are hidden in the finish, but disappear quickly. There is a slightly perfumy, floral quality that I can't put my hands on. Aftertaste is of bittersweet chocolate, prune juice and soy sauce. Compared to the 11, there is much more prune juice and soy sauce and the mouthfeel is more syrupy.

At $5.99/bomber, this is an amazing steal for an exceptional beer. I just called my best friend up and told him to buy whatever was left in the store. This should cellar amazingly well. HIGHLY recommended. The best beer I've had in a long time.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 02:41:35 | More by Mitchster

SFASteve

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

02-17-2013 02:08:19 | More by SFASteve

Omer4176

California

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

02-10-2013 08:32:03 | More by Omer4176

JayKay412

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%

12-17-2012 01:59:30 | More by JayKay412

kjkinsey

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-08-2012 21:36:43 | More by kjkinsey

LambicKing

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

12-03-2012 02:06:25 | More by LambicKing

BeerLover99

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-01-2012 23:08:28 | More by BeerLover99

shagal

Alberta (Canada)

2/5  rDev -49.2%

11-12-2012 05:30:30 | More by shagal

sweemzander

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle from the 2011 Holiday Pack

(A)- Pours a near pitch black color. Some tan froth and lacing.

(S)- A nice rich malt profile overall. Some good raisin and a subtle grassy citrus note with molasses.

(T)- Alot of nice dark fruits: plum, prune, fig, and raisin.

(M)- A mellow carbonation level. A nice balance throughout and a smooth feel despite the ABV. Perhaps a little time helped?

(D)- Overall, I quite like this one in the lineup. Smooth, but fruity and malty at the same time.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 13:59:48 | More by sweemzander

thegrifter

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

08-28-2012 00:02:51 | More by thegrifter

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, from the 2010 Vertical Jewbelation gift pack.

deep dark brown, garnet highlights in the edges. off -white thin head that fades. aroma is boozy, dark fruit, raisins, very complex. taste is dark malt, but not roasty. sharp alcohol bite, pipe tobacco, black cherry. very nice. medium to thick, a bit viscous. soft carbonation. appropriate for such a strong beer.

overall - similar to the other Jewbelation beers. Although I'd call it a Strong Ale or Old Ale, not a brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 03:16:56 | More by jmdrpi

ryancl

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.5%

08-02-2012 21:36:40 | More by ryancl

freelancer042

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

07-11-2012 21:18:15 | More by freelancer042

Aschap

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%

06-25-2012 00:56:10 | More by Aschap

Yallnumbskulls

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

06-25-2012 00:39:36 | More by Yallnumbskulls

claytong

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%

05-27-2012 00:45:35 | More by claytong

TimH

3/5  rDev -23.9%

05-19-2012 18:05:00 | More by TimH

Mora2000

Texas

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown color with an off-white head. The aroma has quite a bit of molasses and chocolate in it, as well as quite a bit of alcohol. The flavor is more complex and was the best of the Jewbelation flight in my opinion. I get some nice dark fruit notes, with some cherries and grapes, as well as some roasted malt and chocolate notes. There is also some sugar and molasses-like notes, as well as a good dose of alcohol. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 20:34:08 | More by Mora2000

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 1/2011 notes. Bottle from the 2011 Holiday Gift Pack. Poured into a He'brew small shaker pint. Pours a dark red brown, minimal head and slight lacing. Sweet and dark malts, dark fruits. Nice sweet, malty finish with light hops and alcohol. A more assertive and complex effort than earlier Jewbelations. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 03:14:14 | More by LiquidAmber

MrOH

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Extremely dark brown, bordering on black with garnet highlights. No head. A few spots of lace are left here and there.

Raisins, figs, date, cherries and other dark dried fruits. Brown sugar, biscuit, and slight fudge quality. A bit of herbal hop. Sherry-like oxidation.

Taste echos the nose, with a slight tobacco note and the chocolate being more prominent. Espresso-like bitterness. Balanced for so much going on.

Heavy mouthfeel, light carbonation.

A very complex beer, good for sipping on a chilly night. The best so far of the vertical.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 02:48:04 | More by MrOH

aanakinskywalker

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

03-30-2012 00:23:20 | More by aanakinskywalker