He'Brew Jewbelation 12 - Shmaltz Brewing Company

Gmann

New York

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown color with a short yet dense khaki colored head that settles into a light ring.

The aroma is big and malty. Big blast of caramel and toffee. Strong prune aroma. Some carob notes as well.

Big toffee flavor with some burnt caramel. Starts off very strong but mellows nicely towards the end. Prune is very present and provides additional sweetness. Dark toasted bread and a roasted nut flavor provide a nice support for the sweet flavors. There are some woody and smoke notes as well.

Big heavy feel and quite sticky. Sweet and bitter on the palate; all malt. The ABV definitely pops its head out and its a bit raw.

I am mixed on this beer. I don't like how it starts out but like how it finishes. Kind of grossly sweet at first but finishes with quality earthy flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 02:22:51 | More by Gmann

pasadoit

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the Bier Stein.

A - Dark with a thick head.

S - Stong malt and booze. Very nice.

T - Great. Caramel stood out. Some vanilla maybe. Sweet, but not cloying at all.

M - Very smooth.

D - Awesome beer. Would love to drink a couple of these, but the alcohol would catch up with you.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2011 06:22:35 | More by pasadoit

claspada

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Aromas are fairly complex to say the least. Lots of dark fruits, lightly roasted malts, cocoa, sweet toffee a little vanilla as well; alcohol become more noticeable as it warms. Slight earthy/floral hop notes as well. This is the least that I can detect the hops in the Jewbelation series.
The taste is very all over the place, but not in a bad way really. Bourbon soaked dark fruits, raisins, molasses, dark chocolate, vanilla, and some balancing earthy hop bitterness as well to help combat the dense malt flavors. Not to beat a dead horse but this Jewbelation is the least "hop flavored" of the series so far.
Mouthfeel is lacking a little; could use a little more carbonation to balance out the sweet, silky maltiness. Fairly thin overall for the high ABV. Overall my favorite so far in this series; I hope 13 and 14 also exceed my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 16:01:37 | More by claspada

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a He'Brew short tumbler.

Pours a deep black with ruby highlights around the edges. Virtually no head.

Aromas of dark fruit, rum raisins, prunes, anise, molasses. No hop aroma.

First sip is of rum raisins, prunes, malty sweet. Molasses, coffee and anise. Boozy, burning alcohol. Finish is sherry-like, with a hint of bitterness and chocolate, that fades rather quickly.

Mouthfeel is huge, chewy, malty. Warming alcohol.

Overall a very drinkable, or sippable, beer. Not sure how this is an american brown ale. More like a barleywine, with the big, sherry like notes and dark fruit malt. Rated as an american barleywine, otherwise, would give terrible scores for an american brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 01:47:27 | More by JamnesCameron

jsh420

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

pours dark dark brown almost black with a 1/2 finger tan head that faded to nothing and left no lacing

smell is almost identical to dfh palo santo - very intoxicating

taste - again palo santo clone with out the wood - vanilla booze chocolate

mouthfeel is not good - the body is too light and the carbonation mixed with the booze stings my mouth

drinkability takes a hit due to the mouthfeel but the flavor on this beer is great and maybe some age will mellow the carbonation?

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 04:09:26 | More by jsh420

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle at 45 degrees into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint. From the Vertical Jewbelation gift pack.

A: The pour is black and completely opaque with a finger and a half of tan head that holds very well and leaves good lacing.

S: It is quite boozy from the start with bitter dark chocolate, raisins, roatiness, and some oaky vanilla.

T: Boozy dark fruits, raisins, licorice, bourbony vanilla, and some medicinal notes.

M: It has a thick body with plenty of alcohol heat - especially late - and a bit of a sticky finish.

D: It's way too boozy (to the point of feeling it move through my stomach), lacks the complexity of Jewbelations 8-11, and loses carbonation too quickly.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 04:28:29 | More by bucklemyshoe

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Oily and inky black color, served with some frothy, darkly tanned foam around the edges. Firmly in the "foreboding appearance" camp. Boozy and fruity aromas, pop out of the glass and seem to rush straight to the cranium. Good news before the first sip.

And sip you must. Big as hell, and fairly unforgiving. Judged on "American Brown Ale" I would say completely unforgiving. Since I'm more forgiving (a Just and Righteous reviewer of this 'brew brew). On it's own two feet, this two-year-old iteration of Jewbelation is boldly malty, thick like motor oil, and as drinkable as a bull in a china shop is neat.

Raisin, brown sugar, date, coffee beans, and aspirin jump to mind when describing the flavor. Definitely very sweet, with really only the malt side to speak for itself. Hops have long since lost their presence in this one. Not a big problem, as it's a fine after-dinner sipper and a great ale. Enjoy cautiously.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2011 02:41:15 | More by BretSikkink

kaseydad

California

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Part of the vertical pack.

Snifter pour and I am met with a dark brown, almost black, liquid with a beige head that stays for awhile and then places a ring on top. The aroma consists of sweet malt, sticky candy, slight prunes and caramel. The taste has some dark fruits, nutty and an almost medicine-like character present. The booze is much more noticeable as it warms. I drank mine slightly chilled but almost room temperature and I was getting the burn rather easily the more I consumed. There is a slight pepper kick on the swallow and a slightly bitter aftertaste. The mouthfeel is very silky and creamy. I like that the most out of this session. Drinkability was ok for me. I enjoyed the session but one was enough for this BA'er.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 00:18:00 | More by kaseydad

CooperEllis

New York

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

from checkii, thanks! 22oz into small chalice.

Tasted: 1/15/10

I know, it's an "american brown ale" and that's fine. But this thicker, boozyer, has a good deal more depth of malt character. I'd put it closer to a barleywine light. Or somesuch. Regardless, it is tasty and I'd imagine it'll hold up for a while as it is still a bit hot out of the gate.

Aroma has a lot of wood, booze and malt. It is a bit on the earthy side.

Really chock full of different flavors. This is my first of any of the Jewbelation's and it is quite good. The malt notes and wood notes make me think of port, this is obviously much thinner.

I can't reconcile the mouthfeel with the aroma, the style, the booze. There's a bit of oily finish but otherwise, it's fine just unexpected.

I can't say it isn't drinkable, but the way it drinks, the abv, and the feeling that I'm drinking an after dinner drink all combine to make this an enjoyable treat but not a go to bottle.

(83rd)

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 23:21:19 | More by CooperEllis

FosterJM

California

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

182nd review on BA
bottle to mug

App- A very deep dark brown with a head that started as one fingers then cascaded down into the glass and settled into 3. Impressive.

Smell- Smells like chestnuts with a malty undertone. Heavy dark chocolate with a small hoppy note.

Taste- This is a brown ale? Could have fooled me. It's very lush, creamy and chocolate packed. I would have pegged it for a stout. A bit of sweetness to it as well.

Mouth- Full bodied with a low carbonation level. Drinks like a creamy milk stout or a nice chocolate stout.

Drink- One lucky find in the back of the case. I suggest you try it if you can find it. It was very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 04:54:44 | More by FosterJM

Phelps

Arizona

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After a flawless pour from the bottle, the coffee-colored liquid merges in the glass to a deep, opaque dark chocolate brown. A fizzy half-finger crown of brown sugar tops the liquid, popping in an out of existence quickly and leaving behind a thick, clingy ring.

Tons of black molasses, milk chocolate and coffee in the nose, in equal measure. The roasty malts are offset by a more subtle fruitiness, like prunes and bubblegum.

The flavor follows through nicely, with lots of molasses and licorice with lighter notes of cocoa and a much heavier dark fruit presence. It's mostly sweet throughout, with just a hint of tangy dryness at the finish. It's also rather boozy, but for the first time in this anniversary series, it seems to work well here.

Medium-light, massaging carbonation amidst a medium body with lovely smoothness. The beer fizzes up just a bit as it moves around, and the alcohol, so noticeable in the flavor, is incredibly well-integrated here. This doesn't feel like a 12 percent ABV beer.

Jewbelation 12 marks a step in the right direction for this series of anniversary beers. There's an increase in complexity and depth of flavor here that reminds me a little of Bell's Batch 9000 -- a beer I thoroughly enjoyed. This beer isn't as good, but it's definitely the best I've had from this series so far. Looking forward to 13.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 07:18:38 | More by Phelps

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Vertical Jewbelation glass. Pours super dark brown/black, tiny brown highlights can be seen at the edge... when held up to the sun. Tiny dark tan head with no lace.
The smell is intense, chocolate, caramel, raisin, pepper, alcohol and earth. I'm working my way up from 8 and this is by far more complex than its' predecessors.
It is an evening ender of a beer mouth and taste-wise. Very thick very sweet. The malts take the bill on this one (along with booze). I'm through a third and I'm almost done. Huge beer, very tasty. Have a good DD.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 22:16:33 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

imagese

California

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ Ave Pub

A- dark auburn with a one finger head. Faded to very fine layer that spot laced the glass

S- really heavy on plum with some brown sugar

T- black cherry and almost a bitter grape. Incredible bitter malt taste. If someone told me I was drinking a bourbon barrel aged RIS, I wouldn't disagree

M- very full bodied. Light carbonation. Coated my tongue with a sweet molasses taste

D- as like the 11, amazing for the abv. I could almost session this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2011 04:58:15 | More by imagese

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into tulip dec27 2010

A close too black with a fast falling fingers width of tan foam that falls quite fast and leaves no lace

S some apple, molasses and booze with a little milk chocolate

T lots of prune and liquor to go along with what I smell and maybe some faint coffee

M thinner then expected but enough bubbles to help its cause and my lips appear to be stuck together and the heat is apparent but not unpleasant

D this one needs to mellow out a bit, a little too hot and not as complex as I would expect. Overall better then average but I recall the 13 being much better

a large beer without question and I doubt I'll get the chance to drink it again, another one out of my vertical pack and perhaps I should have tried to score an aged bottle because I'm thinking it would be a little better

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 09:35:10 | More by wordemupg

Rmason104

Nebraska

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Part of the holiday beer menorah pack. I do love the Schmaltz sense of humor.
This one pours thick dark brown/black with a thick tan head that dissipates quickly.
The nose is hit with a bourbony alcohol smell right away, and w/ good reason...this one weighs in @ 12% ABV! Also considerable sweetness.
Deep and rich, this one drinks much like a Belgian dubbel. Starts off with rich dark fruit sweetness and finishes w/ the satisfying warmth of the alcohol.
This one is a good one, definitely a slow sipper, perfect for cold winter evenings.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 01:23:56 | More by Rmason104

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into Tulip.

A. Poured a 1 finger head that disappeared pretty quickly, but left an almost permanent collar of foam. Not much lacing. Color is black.

S. Smell is big. Much like Jewbelation 11. A big malt bomb of a beer with a little more punch. Smell is molasses, brown sugar, dark fruit, some chocolate, maybe a litte coffee.

T. Taste is molasses, brown sugar, maybe a litte maple. All kinds of malt flavors going on. Has a little bit of heat to it. Its a big beer for sure.

M. Medium bodied. Goes down pretty slick. Low carbonation. Finishes sweet.

D. Drinks like a big beer. So far of all the Jewbelations I would say 11 is my favorite. Still have 13 and 14 to go though. This is a big malty beer with a lot of different flavors going on. This one was quite a bit hotter than 11 was though. This is a good beer for sure, the drinkability was a bit less than others but it obviously is a bigger beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 23:47:08 | More by siradmiralnelson

BigPlay1824

New York

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

Served in the hebrew vertical jewbelation glass

A: pours a very deep brown with slight deep amber notes, pours with little head that quickly dissipates, leaves a slight amount of lacing on the glass

S: nice sweet malt notes, slight alcohol scent, possible grape scent as also noted in other jewbelation brews

T: nice sweet taste, nice depth to back it up from the maltiness, slight alcohol bite

D/M: nice smooth drinking, slight alcohol bite does not detract from the brew, as with the other jewbelation brews it does not drink as deep as it looks

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 23:39:23 | More by BigPlay1824

atsprings

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a tulip glass a deep almost opaque black with a thin diminishing head. Aroma is dried fruits and dark malts. The taste is a nice complex blend of dried fruits, molasses, bitter cocoa, and caramel. The beer is certainly heavy, but it is a smooth sipper. This one was enjoyable, but far from the best in the series.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2010 18:18:33 | More by atsprings

rka758

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reissued 12oz bottle poured into tulip.
$34/gift pack

A: Poured a deep brown with no head. A thin lacing along the edge of the glass.
S: Smells of dark fruits and sweet malts. The alcohol plays a background aroma.
T: When I sip for tasting I get tastes of dark fruit and caramel. When I sip it to drink it I get a kinda mess of dark fruit with a heavy alcohol after taste.
M: Syrupy. Not exactly what I am used to with a brown ale.
D: This is a sipper. I'm glad that I got to taste this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 04:52:37 | More by rka758

mdfb79

New York

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From 12/06/10 notes. Had on tap at FireWorks in Arlington, VA as part of "The Chosen Bar" Jewbelation takeover. Part of the re-brewed beers they did for 2010.

a - Pours a dark mahogany brown color with one inch of tan head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of dark fruits, roasted malts, caramel malts, and very light dark fruits.

t - Tastes of alcohol, dark fruits, roasted malts, and raisins. Alcohol is way too prominent.

m - Medium body and low carbonation.

d - Wasn't a big fan of this one; I thought the booze was way too prominent in the taste; it was just a lot of booze and dark fruit. Worst of the Jewbelation beers I tried tonight, wouldn't seek out again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 18:55:35 | More by mdfb79

AWolfAtTheDoor

California

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this after a 7-hour brew fest with a fellow brew club member. Many thanks to him for sharing this with me.

Poured dark into the pint glasses he set out for us. Dark, but hints of ruby shined through when looking directly at a light.

Lots of dark fruits and malts on the nose. This is a brown ale? What the hell are you talking about?

Wow, probably the first beer I've ever said had a think syrupy mouthfeel. Does not go away, and you feel it accumulate in the back of your throat. That's 12% ABV for you. This is a Brown Ale? Who the hell categorizes these things? When I tasted this, I honestly thought it was a barley wine.

Too much alcohol to be drinkable. Great sipping beer, and glad I was able to taste it, but at 12%, it's too much for a mere mortal.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 05:41:45 | More by AWolfAtTheDoor

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

RIP, this beer was aged two years in my cellar and did not make it. Just above flat, it poured deep chocolate with a little head. It was not too drinkable nor enjoyable. Soft mouthfeel, but it was a little pungent and chocolate. The chocolate, the coffee liquer was nice but the whole drink did not hold together, it had it.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 03:50:16 | More by northyorksammy

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2%
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

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up a bomber of Jebelation 12 from Johnstown Beverage in Johntown NY for $5.99. No date on the bottle, but since it's apparently last year's release, I'm guessing it has had some time to age. Served cold in a chilled tulip.

Dark dark brown brew gives a lovely 2" of thick smoky tan head that lingers for quite a while but eventually settles to a thick stable layer. Nose is thick and sweet, primarily a big dose molasses, a little mixed hop and licorice buried in there somewhere, and some peppery alcohol peeking out. The feel is pretty thick and sugary smooth with carbonation fighting hard to come through but feeling quite soft because of the brew's viscosity. Taste is big and dark- sweet burnt sugars and dark molasses, roasted malt, smoke, coffee, licorice. Finish is most of the same lingering on, but I also get a menthol-like cool mint aspect, which I guess could just be EtOH evaporating off the palate. Speaking of the EtOH, it's fairly well masked as far as taste but is felt on the breath and in the head.

Overall this is a huge dark tasty brown ale, very filling and handles its % ABV pretty well.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 02:10:30 | More by BeerNinja007

kfsv034

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours Coke brown with a tan 1 fingered head that quickly dissolves

S - pretty much just smell caramelized sugars maybe alittle dark fruit but not much

T - Caramelized sugars, molasses, dark fruits maybe some licorice

M - Full bodied

D - one is enough

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 02:34:40 | More by kfsv034