He'Brew Jewbelation Vertical (Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Blend) - Shmaltz Brewing Company

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The culmination of the He'Brew Jewbelation Vertical pack. Pours out black, yet not opaque as it shows some healthy garnet highlights when held to light. Tall creamy tan head that settles to a dense cap.

The aroma of rye and wood is most noticeable, straight alcohol warmth, some earthy notes with mild dark dried fruit, while everything else seems to get buried beneath the rye whiskey.

Once you get past the rye whiskey up front there is a lot going on in the flavour of this beer. Sweet chewy malt, dates, raisins, cherries, milk chocolate, grapes, carob nut, light herbal hops, and a good dose of alcohol and warmth. It's good, but would be much better without the rye whiskey entirely. For starters it gets in the way, and it really does nothing to enhance the overall flavour or experience, in fact in a way it starts to detract from the overall goodness that could be happening.

Once again the booze seems to get in the way of the overall potential of the mouthfeel. Medium-full mouthfeel, smooth and silky, but the texture is also quite thin from being watered down, and the carbonation is non-existant.

Would love to see another vertical blending like this again, without the barrel aging, or at least without something as crass and low quality as rye.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 07:53:10 | More by IronDjinn

JimGlonke

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

06-09-2013 22:56:55 | More by JimGlonke

DeutschesBier

Maryland

4/5  rDev -5.7%

06-07-2013 20:01:33 | More by DeutschesBier

Tiernan

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -35.1%

05-24-2013 22:45:53 | More by Tiernan

jegross2

Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewing the Jewbelation Vertical (Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Blend) from Shmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew) out of Saratoga Springs, New York. This strong ale is a blend of He'Brew's eight, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteen and fourteenth anniversary beers, which was subsequently barrel aged in 6 year rye whiskey barrels. I have been sitting on this bottle for a few years.

Score: 93

2013 vintage bottle served in a GLASS and enjoyed on 02/24/13 to celebrate the Oscars. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color that is almost black in color. Not opaque, with amber highlights atop and bottom when held up to the light. A finger-plus of beige head off the pour. Good lacing and retention. 4.25/5

Smell: Figs, fudgey chocolate cake, desserty vanilla, brown sugar, and non-boozy bourbon. Toffee, leather and caramel too. 4.5/5

Taste: Caramel, toffee, vanilla, molasses and cocoa throughout with a touch of alcohol warmth in finish. There is a nice kick from the rye too. Tons of toffee and fig in finish. Dark fruit and plum are also present. Excellent medley of malty flavors and barrel character! 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, medium carbonation. Quite malty with a good sweetness, but it's not a "sweet" beer. A touch over carbonated, but that is nothing that letting the beer sit out on the counter for 30 minutes can't solve. 3.5/5

Overall: Easily He'Brew's best beer. If the carbonation was a little lower this would have been even better. I wonder if they'll ever attempt to replicate this beer by blending and barrel aging more recent vintages. I am glad I have a few more bottles of this, as it is aging wonderfully.

Cost: $12.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 15:59:41 | More by jegross2

tbryan5

Louisiana

4.75/5  rDev +12%

05-06-2013 02:42:10 | More by tbryan5

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

04-08-2013 02:43:27 | More by mendvicdog

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4/5  rDev -5.7%

04-07-2013 17:44:06 | More by marlinsfan4

DruRho

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

04-06-2013 20:02:55 | More by DruRho

elgiacomo

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottled December 1, 2010. Over 2 years old. Served at cellar temperature. Purchased from the beer cellar at Beverage World.

Pours very dark brown to black with a two finger brown head that settles to a small creamy cap and leaves a bit of lacing behind.

On the aroma, the whiskey hits you first and foremost, really nice, then it’s just layers of malt complexity, chocolate, molasses, vanilla, oak, coffee, toffee, overripe dark fruits of dates, figs, plums and raisins, some sinus-clearing alcohol. Excellent strength.

Flavor is amazing. Whiskey, vanilla and oak, dates, figs, plums, chocolate, coffee, molasses, fairly sweet, moderate bitterness, still some alcohol heat on the finish. Very complex and rich.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, sticky, creamy, good carbonation.

Very complex, flavorful, aromatic and enjoyable. Will need to snag at least one more bottle to tuck away for a while longer.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 07:15:00 | More by elgiacomo

davey101

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Batch no. 002 / Cases: 892. Bottled on: 12/01/2010. 22 oz bomber into a tulip glass. Pro tip: Let this one breath for a bit!

A - Pours a dark, dark red/brown body. Appears black until held up to the light. Massive head forms, then settles into a fingers worth of light khaki foam. Super sticky lacing with long lasting retention.

S - Holy mother of rye! Rye spice, sweet caramel, figs, maple, raisins, vanilla, oak, chocolate, pears...man this is a great smell. Very sweet with that distinct rye bite to balance things out. The interesting thing is that it really balances on the line between stout and barleywine without adhering to a real style.

T - Rye spice, oak, vanilla, chocolate, raisins, and butterscotch. Not as impressive as the nose but its still awfully intriguing and unique. Very barleywine-esque with plenty of chocolate and barrel notes to shake things up a bit.

M - Medium bodied and creamy with low to moderate carbonation.

O - This is drinking very damn well right now! Very unique blend of beers with a fantastic rye whiskey edge on it. I was very impressed by this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:10:26 | More by davey101

fhyden

Florida

4.16/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber from original release.

A -- Opaque brown, minimal retention, nothing special but nothing off-putting.

S -- Figs, oak, leather, vanilla. The smell is a little over-sweet, but not bad.

T -- There we go. When I had this beer fresh, the Sazerac was overpowering and the beer was kind of a boozy mess. After a few years of aging, this has settled into an excellently-balanced and nuanced brew. The Sazerac counters the sweet tastes of figs, brown sugar, vanilla, and cacao beautifully.

M -- Well carbonated, if a bit thinner than I'd expect from the nose and taste.

O -- I'm glad I stashed a few bottles; I was hoping that a few years would let the heat and barrel flavors settle down, and it certainly did. Considering the low cost of this beer, I'm stoked.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 21:29:39 | More by fhyden

DavidEddie

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +12%

02-11-2013 20:57:11 | More by DavidEddie

freewill35

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

01-27-2013 01:54:46 | More by freewill35

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

01-09-2013 17:03:53 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

01-05-2013 03:09:37 | More by t0rin0

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

12-30-2012 00:28:48 | More by Rhettroactive

Mscarpen

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

12-22-2012 03:05:36 | More by Mscarpen

Texasfan549

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

12-12-2012 01:51:13 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

12-08-2012 22:05:00 | More by kjkinsey

Grant35

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

11-29-2012 18:00:45 | More by Grant35

shagal

Alberta (Canada)

2.25/5  rDev -46.9%

11-12-2012 05:28:07 | More by shagal

ilikebeer03

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

10-29-2012 00:44:18 | More by ilikebeer03

silentjay

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

10-22-2012 18:47:14 | More by silentjay

awdturboiv

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

10-18-2012 21:51:39 | More by awdturboiv