He'Brew Jewbelation Fifteen - Shmaltz Brewing Company

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from session notes.

Has the same appearance, once again, as all the other Jewbelations; the opaquely dark brown with red fringes, the single finger of tan head with good retention but mediocre lacing.
As I should have expected, out of all the Jewbelations I tried at the event, the most recent one is the only one that has IMHO too much harshly alcoholic booze in both the aroma and in the taste. Really, this one could use some cellaring time to mellow out for a while. Putting that issue aside, aroma also contains the usual suspects: Brown sugar, molasses, and a surprising whiff of green apple peel blended in with the dark fruits. Most of the hopping aromas I could piece apart were of the citric peel variety, the rest were sprinkles of herbal tones.
Flavor wise, this Jewbelation stands out from the rest in being significantly sweeter than the rest of the crowd, it is practically a Samichlaus clone on my palate...for both sugary sweet caramel / vanilla-dipped fruity flavor and heavy, syrupy body texture. When I swirled the glass, I could actually see the streaky 'legs' of the alcohol residue in there quite clearly.

So, my recommendation is to be certain that you are in the mood for something heavy and sweet like a Samichlaus if you are going to sample Jewbelation 15 relatively fresh. Its good, and probably even better once given some cellar time to mellow out the harsh solvent tones.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 00:12:20 | More by WastingFreetime

KimenTshom

California

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass from the tap at Wine Affairs

A - Very dark brown and opaque almost like a porter or stout. About two fingers of dense, tan head.

S - Overwhelming malty, syrupy notes with a medicinal quality (as would be expected in a beer of this strength). Despite being advertised as having "15 varieties of hops", that fact is undetectable in the nose.

T - Very sweet malt with a syrupy or molasses-like backbone followed by hints of tobacco and dark fruits. The hops show through a bit at the very end with a nice bitterness that helps to balance the sweetness. Not as well-balanced as it could be, but impressive considering the alcohol.

M - Thick and syrupy with very low carbonation.

O - Considering that this is something of a "novelty" beer (15 malts, 15 hops, 15% alcohol celebrating 15 years of the brewey), it is surprisingly drinkable. Not as complex as it potentially may be a couple years down the road with proper aging.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2012 00:58:43 | More by KimenTshom

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Double Windsor, Brooklyn, NY.
Poured into 8oz glass.
Dark golden brown syrup looking, slight head and lacing.
Great aroma...sweet candies fig, raison, and alcohol.
Taste is very similar; of sweet fig and raison...maybe some date, with alcohol and a bit of spice.
Its very strong and boozey, like a good barley wine should be, but lots of flavour to balance it all out. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2012 01:15:23 | More by DrinkSlurm

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a very dark brown with good carbonation leaving a dirty white cap and some bubbles

S: Nose was chocolate, dark fruits, light bourbon and booze sting

T: Big chocolate, dates, figs, raisins with a light booze feel. Some Earthy notes, toffee and caramel. Pine and fruits are noticable but pretty masked.

M: Hefty, a bit sticky, well carbonated, lots of flavor. The palate feels like a chocolate covered fig.

O: Very good. Lots of flavor, booze is well masked

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2011 15:17:10 | More by barleywinefiend

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Mikro.

A: Pours a clear, deep ruby-brown body with a thin cap of dense light-brown head; good retention and lace for such a big beer. Very nice.

S: Pungent: brown sugar, cherries, dark fruits, light acetone, and a hint of smoke. Very sweet and boozy, but thoroughly enjoyable all the same.

T: Follows the nose: huge malty and fruity sweetness up front, with some sweet and spicy alcohol building in on the finish. Hot, but more like 12% hot than 15% hot - quite smooth for what it is. Tasty.

M: Very smooth, medium-full body with moderate, creamy carbonation and only light stickiness. Excellent.

O: I enjoyed trying this one, and it's certainly a good value, but I really think that it would have been better if the ABV were less astronomical. It's not as solventy as some beers of similalry strength (cough DFH cough), but it could be better.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2011 01:45:27 | More by woosterbill

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Properly (but accidentally; forgot about it) cellared bottle. Poured into an Elysian snifter. a very dark russet brown, appearing black in the glass. Thin light tan head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of toasted and caramel malt, dark and dried stone fruit, hint of chocolate and red wine. Flavor of caramel malt with hints of toasted malt, dried stone fruit and raisins, slight cherry and chocolate. Complex and well integrated. Warming, but not boozy, which is amazing. Medium bodied with light carbonation. Wish I had tried this fresh to compare, but with one year on it, this is very, very nice and very possibly much better balanced. Lots of barley wine elements, but also lightly toasted and sweet malt. Wish I had put two away, but glad I had a chance to try this.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 03:39:58 | More by LiquidAmber

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this one from codysjb when he came to Amsterdam for a visit. Cheers for flying over all that delicious stuff man!

From a bomber into a snifter

APPEARANCE: Pours a small, fizzy, looser looking, dark tan head with horrible retention. Head crack and snaps its way down to a light ring. Bistre brown body with almost no carbonation evident. No head or ring remains and it looks relatively lifeless by the end. Unimpressive.

SMELL: Lots of fruits and caramel sugars on the nose. Grapes, raisins, caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar and some chocolate covered cherries. Boozy rum qualities as well. Really bold and interesting. Nice and complex for sure.

TASTE: Lots of sweetness here. Dark fruits, red wine for sure, with grapes and raisins, as well as some caramel and brown sugary sweetness up front. Boozy rum with more surary and caramel sweetness at the swallow. Bold and very persistent aftertaste with lots of sugary sweetness, butterscotch, rum, with some dark cherries and a touch of bitter dark chocolate as well. This is boozy for sure, but very flavorful, complex and generally delicious.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Creamy smooth on the palate, goes down smooth with no real bite and finishes slightly sticky. A touch of heat lingers. Very good for such a big beer; only some more weight would help give it top marks.

OVERALL: This is some fantastic stuff. Boozy, but not hot; flavorful and complex, but not tiresome. This bomber was way, way too easy to drink. I've had my fair share of American strong ales, and I feel pretty confident saying that He'Brew makes the best of its kind in the USA. They're always flavorful, complex, surprisingly balanced, and nowhere near as hot as they could be. Definitely pick this one up if you can, or any of their other strong ales for that matter. Thanks again codysjb. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 13:09:45 | More by Jeffo

AmitC

Indiana

4.48/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jewbelation 15 - Made from 15 different malts and 15 different hops. 15% ABV. This one is going to be a fun ride down the alcohol train.

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a snifter.

While pouring it appears as a dark brown malty liquid. Inside the glass, it is pitch black. Good shining brown colored head that fades rather quickly and forms a ring. Just decent lacing. Not sticky enough for such a heavy beer. Opaque. Looks good.

Aroma: Strong malt presence. Roasted malts, caramel and chocolate flavor dominate the aroma. Sweet smelling. Some hint of booze but still mild enough for a 15%. Not a very strong smell but dark malts, chocolate and alcohol shine through.

Flavor: Roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, slight vanilla. Semi-dry and slightly sweet finish. Apparent booze but not very strong. Hops and burnt up malts do appear but somewhat subdued.

Mouth feel: Full bodied. Slight astringency due to alcohol, but that is very much expected out of this strong brew. Should have been more boozy. Warm.

This definitely does not fit any style. Correctly classified as strong ale. To me it reminds a lot of RIS - sometimes BCBS and Brooklyn BCS. Do try and drink slow. Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:59:13 | More by AmitC

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Props to joemcgrath27 for including this treat in our latest cross-Canada trade. Cracked this brew in celebration of finding out the sex of my child-to-be... It's a girl!! :-)

A - Pours pitch black with a ruby red hue on the edges, two thumbs of beige head with solid retention and nice sheeting lacing.

S - Scent is bold and robust with dark fruit, cocoa, hints of maraschino cherries, smokey peat, burnt toast and raw hide leather.

T - Flavour follows the nose with explosive dark fruit and raisins, dark chalky cocoa lingers on the finish alongside hints of smoked wood, hints of ABV sweetness and leafy green hop notes.

M - This one is lower in carbonation, comes across thick and velvety, yet is surprisingly fitting. A perfect sipping consistency.

O - What a great brew to celebrate the news... This is a fantastic ale that has incredible flavours, though is certainly not for the faint of heart. The ABV is incredibly well hidden, making it dangerous. That being said, the thicker mouthfeel keeps you from consuming it too quickly.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 22:06:46 | More by andrenaline

Immortale25

Florida

3.91/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a Dogfish signature snifter. Aged 1 year.

A- Pours a 99% opaque black color with a 3/4 inch tan head that fades fast to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and some sparse surface foam. Small clots of lacing cascade down the glass.

S- Heavy dark fruit notes such as plum, fig and raisin. There's also a strong roasty quality accompanied by plenty of alcohol fume. Sweet as well, with some caramel, vanilla and chocolate.

T- Punch of roast in the beginning giving way to a very sweet middle and an alcohol kick to round things out. The flavors meld pretty well but the sweetness is quite overbearing and doesn't lend itself well to the high alcohol. Same notes of dark fruit as mentioned with the nose and maybe some molasses to add to the list.

M- Starts out a bit creamy but becomes syrupy with low carbonation not helping out much. Body somehow manages to be robust and thin at the same time if that makes any sense. Also a bit dry. Mouthfeel is the downfall of this beer.

O- Definitely smoother than the fresh Jewbelation 15 I had a year ago on tap, but it's still very hot and not too balanced. Hopefully the Jewbelation 16 I just bought will be better.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 04:39:57 | More by Immortale25

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, from 2011.

appears extremely dark brown, nice khaki colored head that fades fairly quickly. smells a bit of fig and plum, some booze. doesn't seem quite as complex as the last few editions of Jewbelation. taste is similar to aroma, a bit fo sweetness and spiced rum. medium thickness, lower carbonation, not quite as sticky.
overall, not quite as nice as the 13 or 14.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 00:58:01 | More by jmdrpi

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle of this at Russell's a while back, poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Holy shit..this is 15%?! Pours a nice deep dark brown with a BIG two finger mocha head that leaves tons of side lacing and a very thick blanket. This is outstanding appearance.

S - Lots of caramel and sweet malts here with some light vanilla and chocolate. Lots of big sweet malts.

T - Similar to the nose with lots of malty sweetness some light dark fruits but mostly caramel sticky sweetness. The dark fruits really come out as the beer warms up.

M - Mouthfeel is pretty solid for such a boozy beer. Its a sipper by far, however, the carbonation is nice and prevents it from being syrupy, though it is a little sticky sweet in the mouth.

O - Overall this wasnt a bad beer just a bit too much on the sweet side for my liking. Like someone else said, I enjoyed 14 much better than 15.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 18:12:27 | More by rudzud

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a tulip- pours a dark, murky brown color with 1.5 fingers of mocha head. Has good retention, very nice lacing.

Nose is thick and boozy- definitely some maple, clove, anise, chocolate and a hint of pine.

Taste is also very thick but maybe not quite as boozy as would be expected. Sticky sweet maple up front, mid palate has some spice, anise, clove, smoothes out into chocolate and a little bit of maple. Finishes very sweet.

Mouthfeel is ok- very full bodied, moderate carbonation, very syrupy. This is an interesting beer but it is certainly a sipper. Could not drink it faster if I wanted to. I wouldn't get it again but I thought, "It's got at least 30 distinct ingredients and it's 15% ABV; I might as well". You might as well try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:05:44 | More by Hopdaemon39

brotherloco

California

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle. Served in a tulip.

Pours a mostly opaque root beer brown with about half a finger of beige foam. Settles quickly to a slight ring. A spot or three of lacing.

Aroma of marshmallow, vanilla, chocolate. Toffee and roasted malt. A lot of sweetness with an alcohol presence that floats on top and reminds me of a red wine.

Taste is quite sweet with a medium hit of toffee and a big hit of smokey molasses. A blend of hop and roasted bitterness emerges in the middle and leads to a lingering roasty finish.

Medium-full bodied with medium-low carbonation. Feels a little thick, which is to be expected with something this big. Still, it gets a little sticky.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 03:05:20 | More by brotherloco

suspect

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Central Waters Snifter.

A: Deep dark mahogany color. Aggressive pour leads to a 1 finger light mocha head that fades pretty quickly. Lacing is present but not very prevalent.

S: Lots of dark fruits, figs, licorice...big sweet malts. ABV is present but mixes nicely with the sweetness.

T: Follows the nose almost directly. Man is this thing full of flavor. Big sweet malts with tons of sweet dark fruits with a twist of bitterness at the end mixed with a touch of hotness at the very end.

M: Big bold bodied. Wonderful creamy finish. Perfectly carbonated.

O: A nice easy drinking humongous beer. Congrats He'Brew on another wonderful anniversary beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 01:19:58 | More by suspect

jsulko

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a snifter glass

Pours a very dark brownish black with a decent brown head.

Smell is of dark fruits and malts.

Taste starts off a bit sweet with the dark fruit flavors hitting on the back end. Alcohol burn is almost non-existant, surprising given the abv

Flavors just aren't as forward as 14 were. Bottle is a bit of a let down after having that 14 a few weeks ago.

Then again it is still a solid beer and I am looking forward to trying to snag 16.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 03:36:04 | More by jsulko

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark black with a touch of brown around the edges with a thin finger of frothy khaki-chocolate head. The head fades at a normal pace leaving behind some light lacing.

S - Aroma is roasted dark caramel malts, chocolate malts, dark fruits, molasses, black licorice, coffee, with a bit of citrus and pine hops and some booze.

T - Starts off with some dark caramel malts, chocolate malts, raisin and other dark fruits, and some black licorice with a bit of grapefruit. Through the middle, pine hops, coffee and more dark chocolate malts come through. The finish is a mix of dark chocolate malts, dark fruits, molasses, a bit of pine hops and some booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and warming finish.

D - Very drinkable. Good complex malty profile with enough body and booze to balance.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 06:09:25 | More by ngeunit1

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice glass.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown that is almost completely black. Moderate bubbles and about two fingers of deep tan head that fades away pretty quick. Lacing is pretty light.

Smell: Dark, fruity, and pretty sweet. Dark malts with big hints of caramel, toffee, and a little chocolate. Lots of dark fruit with hints of fig, plums, raisins, dark cherry, and grape. Some cherry licorice. Big sweetness coming from molasses, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Quite a bit of alcohol which is expected at 15%. Hops are fairly subtle compared to the huge malt presence.

Taste: Big, rich, and sweet as expected, but smoother and not as cloying as I thought it might be. Rich dark malts with notes of caramel, toffee, and chocolate. Big mix of dark fruits with notes of plums, figs, raisins, dark grapes and cherry. Some noticeable licorice taste that is more cherry than black. Quite a bit of molasses, burnt brown sugar, and syrup. Some taste of booze. Quite complex and tasty.

Mouthfeel: Big full body with a fairly low level of carbonation. Robust, syrupy, and creamy. Some alcohol heat is felt as you would expect but this goes down smoother than expected.

Overall: This works pretty well. This has at least a few months of age on it and I think that helped smooth it out. The syrupy sweetness and booze taste is definitely there but it doesn't overwhelm the other flavors. Very nice dark fruit flavor here. This is kind of like an amped up Dubbel. As smooth and balanced as a 15% beer can be.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 06:31:31 | More by MattyG85

bcostner1

Tennessee

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours syrupy and with some definite viscosity. Thin mocha head that quickly dissipates, leaving a glass full of deep, dark mahogany colored liquid. Attractive beer for sure.

S: Maple Syrup, molasses, some brown sugar, malt. Some gumdrops maybe(?) Mildly detectable ethanol element.

T: Delicious. I tried this when it first came out and I thought it was a little hot. I bought 5 bottles total and I am reviewing the 2nd one now with about 6 months of age on it. Much, much smoother than I remember. There is a lot going on here. Following the nose, there is a strong maple syrup element complemented by molasses, brown sugar, honey, and bomb's worth of malt sweetness. Very faint hop bitterness on the aftertaste. Fine tasting beer; the flavor profiles change for sure as it warms as well with maple coming even more to the forefront.

M: I knocked this a little for the syrupy, thick, viscous mouthfeel. It's not terrible but does become a little cloying after a while. I still gave it a 4 though b/c for such a high ABV beer, the alcohol is still well hidden and this remains a dangerously drinkable brew.

Overall, another quality anniversary brew by He'Brew. Of the ones that I have had, I still enjoyed the Vertical Jewbelation the best, followed by Fourteen, and then this one. Still, when they are all this tasty, IMO it's almost splitting hares to pick a top one among them. Definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 23:26:16 | More by bcostner1

DovaliHops

California

3.13/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark brown color with a medium tan head that disappears quickly. Scent is packed with sweet molasses and brown sugar. Dark fruits and plenty of sweet and roasted malt. Vanilla and toffee with an intense amount of sugary sweetness. Something tells me this beer is going to be overly sweet. Taste is initially molasses and burnt sugar, followed by brown sugar and vanilla. Such a malt bomb! This beer has so much malt flavor it's ridiculous! Intense sweetness...not very boozy at all for such high ABV, but I'm pretty positive you can't taste the alcohol due to how sugary and sweet this is. There are some pleasant flavors within this beer, it's just too much. Mouthfeel is full bodied and syrupy. Drinkability is low. Overall, I will not be able to finish this bomber. I was able to drink a bottle of Fruet to myself the other night, and it was a bigger bottle and more ABV...this one is just a bit messy. This beer reminds me of the 2009 Dark Lord I drank. So I'm sure Dark Lord fans will enjoy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 07:49:45 | More by DovaliHops

at7000

Florida

1.53/5  rDev -61.9%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

I am going to make an oxy-moronical statement- This is hands down the worst beer I have ever tried, yet I recommend everyone to try it. I don't even know where to begin, three days later and I am still having nightmares about it. There was no point at all in adding hops, this is like concentrated malt to the ninth degree. An 8 oz glass has a cup of molasses and brown sugar in it. It's like pure malt extract, pure malt sludge. Sweeter than blackstrap molasses! The most insane beer I have ever tried. The malts made the hops its bitch.... This beer would make even the most die-hard malt-head, freak out completely. It's like a pure malty syrup with an alcohol kick. Ok, try it, and if you live, please post a review here. I was able to consume about 16 oz of a 22 oz bomber. A 22 oz bomber of this could supply the malt for 25 complete full kegs of Budweiser.

Serving type: growler

07-03-2012 04:50:22 | More by at7000

Etan

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle, split with my brother.

A: Dark dark brown with a moderate tan head. No retention or lacing after a couple of minutes.

S: Very sweet. Candi sugar, plum and fig, grape juice, a bit of crisp hop leaf.

T: Sweet as well. Treacly plum cake, molasses, grape juice, some dark grain, a bit of hop bitterness in the finish. Tiny bit of alcohol at the end.

M: Thick with soft carbonation.

O: Incredibly well-hidden alcohol for 15%, but somewhat simple and boring. Not much complexity from a beer with 15 malts and 15 hops.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 02:58:10 | More by Etan

Mora2000

Texas

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

Big thanks to jjfoodie for sharing this bottle. Drank alongside Genesis 15:15 and Funky Jewbelation.

The beer pours a brownish color with a tan head. The aroma is exactly like most of other beers in this series. I get a ton of booze as well as a big dose of molasses. The flavor is similar. There is a ton of brown sugar/molasses, as well as some chocolate and caramel malt. The alcohol is also very noticeable. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. While I do like this beer, I really wonder how much longer Schmaltz can keep going with this series because all of the beers are beginning to be very similar - huge, boozy brown ales.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 15:42:14 | More by Mora2000

bnes09

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown, nearly black, chocolate colored ale. Incredible head after an aggressive pour, especially for the strength of the brew. Head is cream colored and has a cascading effect immediately after agitation. Excellent retention for the style and even some lacing. Opaque in appearance.

Aroma is rich and robust. Toffee, smoked hickory, licorice, and maple come to mind. Just the slightest alcohol presence in the nose.

Flavor is incredibly complex! Fifteen malt varieties blend together to form an elaborate sweet and spicy character of caramel, molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar, roasted almonds, toffee, licorice, and smoked hickory. Hops are assertive with an earthy, herbal character and appear subdued underneath the malt fortress. Hints of sherry. Great balance with focus on the malt. Increases in complexity as it warms. Alcohol is sensed more by tactile sensation than taste.

Very thick, almost like syrup and sticky texture throughout and in the finish. Moderate carbonation and a bit higher than many other beers of this strength.

Overall, an incredible brew! It is amazing how these brewers can combine so many different flavors together and allow them to blend as well as they do. A treat for the adventurous beer connoisseur.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 00:16:49 | More by bnes09

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a snifter

A- Pours pitch black like motor oil. A one finger light brown head with surprisingly good retention. Huge alcohol legs.

S- Smells like an imperial stout and an imperial IPA put together. Its a massive smelling brew. A lot of hop flavors come though, some pine but mostly an older hop character with grapefruit and other overly ripened fruits. Malts are all over the place, chocolate, caramel and everything in between.

T- Tastes like a crazy hopped up imperial stout. A lot of the hop flavors match the smell. Old fruits, grapefruit and a kind of skunkyness. The malt profile is all over the place. There a lot of chocolate malt, a lot of caramel flavors, a creamy breaddy flavor. This beers malts balance out well with the huge amounts of hop bitterness and create a very complex and strange tasting brew. Surprisingly, little to no alcohol taste.

M- This is a big beer and is super thick and syrupy, not surprisingly. It goes down about as easily as you would expect from a 15% beer. A lot of alcohol warming also not surprising. It does have a very full and very creamy feeling to it. Its smooth and the alcohol helps to cut it back and keep it from being total sludge.

O- I enjoyed this concoction. I read the label and knew I had to try it out. This beer is brewed with excellent care and quality and that alone lets this be an enjoyable beer. I don't think combining every ingredient you have into a beer is necessarily a good idea but its a nice change of pace and worth buying.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 02:00:06 | More by TwelveOunces