Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead - Shmaltz Brewing Company

barbellsNbeers

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

10-21-2012 13:43:57 | More by barbellsNbeers

AltBock

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

22oz. bomber bottle with a life like drawing of a man with a handlebar mustache. This man has a nail in his nose and a hammer in his hand. Behind the man is a wall of hammers and nails. Off to the left of the blockhead in a circus font is where they tell what kind of barrels it was aged in. On the neck of the bottle is another label. This where they tell you how many cases were bottled, the batch number, and bottling date. This is from batch 2 and bottled on 25 May 2012. 1002 cases were available.

When poured into a simple Pilsner glass, this Doppelbock was a semi clear dark cherry amber with some faint sun yellow highlights at the bottom of the beer. A part of me really enjoyed the color of this beer. The head of foam wasn't as impressive as the color of the beer. The initial head of foam was a tab bit over the 1/4 of an inch line. As for the color of the foam, it was a light tan color or what I like to call a dirty white color. The retention was too fast for my liking. It fizzled away into a tiny string of rings and if you're lucky, a spot or two of lace.

When the cap came popping off, out came a strong whiff of caramel, roasted malt, and charred oak. When it settled in the glass, those aromas were in there and more. But every aroma had a sweet alcohol undertone to it. Besides the strong aroma of alcohol, there was roasted malt, sweet caramel, a touch of dark chocolate, a dab of coffee, a drop of black cherry, and a little charred oak and bourbon at the end. Even though this aroma loved the booze, there was a variety of aromas in here that slightly evened out all the booze.

The taste started off tame with the roasted malt and a dash of black cherry. Immediately after the cherry, in washes in like a hurricane a strong taste of alcohol. The taste of the alcohol lasted for a while before it let anything else through. Intermingled in with the alcohol was the sweet caramel, dark chocolate, and a drop of coffee. After the alcohol had its fun in the sun, it then let through a little charred oak and bourbon. It was clearly the alcohol that reigned supreme in the taste. It the alcohol had been toned down a little bit, this would have been a killer Doppelbock taste.

This was a full bodied Doppelbock that had a good level of carbonation and an alcohol based aftertaste. Like everything in the aroma and taste, every aroma/flavor had an alcohol undertone to it. I got roasted malt, coffee, dark chocolate, black cherry, and some more charred oak and bourbon. This isn't one of those beers that was going to mess around. It wanted you to feel the strong taste of alcohol. I guess you can say that the aftertaste was a tab bit on the boozy side.

You'd think the year this beer was aged, the alcohol would have calmed down. Nope, age didn't do anything to the alcohol. It's actually not a bad Doppelbock. The bourbon barrel aging was a nice touch. It could have been the barrel that added to the strong taste of alcohol. The only thing this beer has going for it is that its an affordable bourbon barrel aged beer. Would I drink this version again. Probably not. Cool label though.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 00:16:07 | More by AltBock

hawkmage

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-19-2013 22:25:01 | More by hawkmage

RandyKemka

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

05-16-2013 14:47:11 | More by RandyKemka

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-15-2013 18:39:50 | More by twenty5

lernerlift

Kansas

4.75/5  rDev +17%

05-05-2013 22:26:43 | More by lernerlift

Graviz

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

04-28-2013 21:15:42 | More by Graviz

GeePee

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

04-20-2013 01:10:32 | More by GeePee

July2Nov

Hawaii

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

04-18-2013 19:45:49 | More by July2Nov

cfh64

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.5%

04-14-2013 22:24:46 | More by cfh64

cvm4

Mississippi

4.06/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz'er bottle 5/25/2012

A - Pours a "tea" color to almost brown with a one finger light tan head.

S - Caramel malts, sweet vanilla, bourbon (not overwhelming) and some dark fruits on the backend.

T - Sweet, sugary bourbon to start off. Develops into dark fruits, slight oak character and has a vanilla/brown sugar ending.

M - Full bodied, medium carbonation. Really coats the mouth without being cloying or overly sticky.

O - This is a beer I always pick up if I see it. The barreling melds wonderfully with the base beer to give it though bourbon characteristics without being overpowering. The only complaint is that it can be a bit sweet to start off until one gets used to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 14:25:32 | More by cvm4

Supergenious

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

04-14-2013 03:18:30 | More by Supergenious

Jspriest

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

04-13-2013 23:01:39 | More by Jspriest

BMMillsy

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

04-13-2013 03:09:46 | More by BMMillsy

fullmetal1381

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

04-11-2013 05:22:47 | More by fullmetal1381

Jonada

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22oz bomber bottled on 5/25/2012. Served in a DFH signature glass

Appearance: Pours dark amber in color with 2 fingers of a light tan head.

Smell: Lots of sweet malt, caramel, bourbon, dark fruits, vanilla, coconut

Taste: Big kick of sweet bourbon, raisins, figs, toffee, oak. Lots of sweetness in the finish, which lingers into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, soft mouthfeel. Medium fine carbonation.

Overall: I liked it. The barrel characters work well with the base beer. The sweetness can get a bit cloying after a while, but that's really my only complaint. Pick up a bottle if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:03:28 | More by Jonada

PrimScrewhead

Rhode Island

4.75/5  rDev +17%

03-31-2013 01:33:10 | More by PrimScrewhead

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%

03-31-2013 00:49:29 | More by drgonzo2k2

BAsbill

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%

03-30-2013 08:21:39 | More by BAsbill

imperiallibations

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

03-25-2013 01:07:59 | More by imperiallibations

mendvicdog

Maryland

2.75/5  rDev -32.3%

03-18-2013 19:12:24 | More by mendvicdog

AOShabaz

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

03-16-2013 22:39:27 | More by AOShabaz

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottled 5/25/2012 poured into Kuhnhenn tulip

Pour: Clear brown with a reddish hue and a finger off white head. Lacing is modest and alcohol legs are present.

Smell: Nice sweet caramel malts, tons of dark fruits (raisins, plums, figs), toffee, vanilla, bread notes, and butterscotch. Bourbon notes are here in moderation and do not overpower the nose. Very well balanced smelling beer.

Taste: Up front sweet, sweet, sweet dark fruits like in the nose mixed with toffee, brown sugar and caramel. The oak and vanilla are forward as well with the barrel notes just complementing everything. The alcohol does create a bit of heat and a warming sensation.

Mouthfeel: Slick and pretty full. Coates the palate and lips with it's sticky sweetness. Carbonation is medium-high.

Overall: This is my first offering from this brewery and will say that this is good. Much better as it warms up, though.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 02:48:04 | More by sleuthdog

kingmaker

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

02-13-2013 04:32:35 | More by kingmaker

runner440

Maryland

4/5  rDev -1.5%

02-07-2013 03:11:02 | More by runner440