Collaboration Not Litigation Ale - Avery Brewing Company

spoony

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

From a 650 ml bottle (dated January 2012) into a tulip.

A-The beer pours heavily with very little head. It is nearly still in the glass with only a random bubble or two visible. The brew is a medium, nutty brown color, and cloudy.

S-The smell is seriously sweet with a lot of dark, dried fruit. I detect fig, prune, raisin, brown sugar, caramel, and syrup. I suppose it is appropriate for the style, but be warned...there is some serious malty brown sugar going on here.

T-The taste is slightly less sweet than the smell, which is not saying a lot, but it does make for a more drinkable brew. Still lots of prune, fig, and raisin. The alcohol heat is mild in this older bottle when compared to a newer bottle that I had not too long ago.

M-The feel is pretty thick, with very light carbonation. It is a bit syrupy and the heavy feel doesn't do anything to balance the sweetness.

O-As a litigation attorney, this beer holds a special place in my heart and, honestly, it is not a bad brew. The sweetness is a touch out-of-balance, but perhaps I sat on this bottle for a little too long and it might be better fresh with a little more carbonation and alcohol heat to counteract the sweet malts. Anyway, as is, this would be a decent choice for a desert beer and it would probably form a nice reduction or sauce for red meat or game.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 19:29:42 | More by spoony

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottled February 2008. Reviewed May 2013

Appearance: a nice burnt orange with a little brown. Very hazy but not opaque. A finger of a off white head that leaves a bit of a lacing.

Smell: mostly brown sugar. Smaller notes of dark fruits and grains

Taste: strong barley. Weaker but still there notes of fruit, tartness, brown sugar, and alcohol. Very subtle, very good and quite complex.

Mouthfeel: nice and heavier. Pretty sticky in a good way. Some sweetness left behind.

Overall: very tasty. I love the strong barley with subtle notes of the rest. The smell could be a little more like the taste but this is a great beer

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 00:47:37 | More by SportsandJorts

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

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

On tap served in a tulip glass

A - Pours a murky amber orange color with a fleeting off white cap. Mild lacing

S - Roasted toffee/caramel, yeasty, cloves, dates, golden raisins, orange tea, smells pretty sweet.

T - Sweet toffee malts, caramelized brown sugar, cloves, nutmeg, sugary dates, raisins, red delicious apples. Has a strong orange tea flavor that really stands out. Stone fruit mixes in well with the caramelized malts. Some peppery bitterness starts to build riding through to the finish.

M - Medium to full body but thins out as it sets, low carbonation, smoother feel.

A well blended brew that went down smooth. Not as good as I was expecting but still good. Glad I got to try it on tap though.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2013 17:15:58 | More by StaveHooks

UnderPressure

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cloudy burnt orange. Beer clears as it warms. Momentary fizz fades to a ring. Not much of a head, especially for a Belgian. Good lacing though.

Funky yeast upfront in the aroma. Followed by a strong, malty sweetness. Maybe a little bit of tartness.

Wow. Not what I was expecting. In the flavor Very, very smooth and sweet upfront. Complex, tart, and acidic in the finish. No boozy alcohol. Really great flavor.

Medium bodied. Light carbonation. Clean, neutral finish.

I like this beer a lot. I can't get over how smooth it tastes, especially considering its relatively high ABV. I'll buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 12:49:32 | More by UnderPressure

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3 year old bottle

Hazy faded amber. strong fig jam aroma, tootsie roll. Offensive nose but thankfully the flavor is much more delicate and a lot smoother. Nice almost sherry like sweetness on the tip of the tongue along with some of the flavors found on the nose. Carbonation is almost gone giving the beer a nice creamy body. Definitely worthy of ageing.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 01:08:51 | More by jtierney89

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

AVERY/Russian River : collaboration not litigation ale

These two breweries were to release a beer by the same name; instead of taking legal action, they brewed/blended this beer .

LOOK: Orangeish color, mostly clear, with a little sediment. White head forms and recedes to a ring around the edges.

SMELL: Dark fruits, raisin, Belgian yeast, brown sugar, toffee. Sweet breads and just a touch of alcohol.

TASTE: Rum raisin, toffee, sugar fruits, mild spice, orange peel, plum and date. Yeasy funk. Alcohol heat is minimal, just present enough to be felt on the palate. Light hops, citrus, butterscotch and grass. Semi sweet and very delicious. This tastes like a strong Belgian ale.

FEEL: Full bodied, a tad syrupy, well carbonated.

OVERALL: Excellent beer from two class breweries. Everyone can learn a lesson from this. Don't sue each other, just make great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 02:25:58 | More by Stinkypuss

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours an almost clear amber-orange with a finger of frothy tannish head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of dark caramel malts, dark fruits, candi sugar, Belgian yeast, brown sugar, and some spices.

T - Starts off with a mix of sweet dark caramel malts with candi sugar, dark fruits, and some spices. Through the middle, some Belgian yeast comes through with some more dark fruit, some more spices, a bit of banana, and some brown sugar. The finish is a mix of dark caramel malts, dark fruits, candi sugars, Belgian yeast, and some spices.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet, fruity, and dry finish.

D - Very drinkable. Very well balanced with a great blend of body, malts, and yeast character.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 05:55:11 | More by ngeunit1

Murrhey

Montana

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

Poured from a bomber into an oversized wine glass. Batch No. 6. Reviewed from notes.

A- Two finger fluffy white head. Rich amber color. Medium clarity and some frilly lacing.

S- The strong yeasty smell of unfiltered Belgian ales. Sour mash, brown sugar, cloves. Dark malts.

T- Dark malts, some hop heavy finish and a yeasty taste.

M- Surprisingly viscous yeast particles in the feel.

O- I was kinda disappointed with this beer. But then again, I'm not super pumped on the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:06:38 | More by Murrhey

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We crack the top on our bottle of Batch #3 from 2009. It pours a rusty, orange-brown coloring. It holds a two and a half finger head of light brown bubbles that swell and bulge out of the glass. Retention is nice, with sticky, cakey bubbles left around the glass as it goes. There is a thick haze to the brew, with flecks of sediment adherent to the glass. Carbonation appears to be lighter. The nose is bright and boozy, with massive caramel, toffee, and molasses sweetness. The nostrils sag, heavy with sugars and fat roasty malts. There are light banana esters and stark medicinal phenols. Warmth brings smooth cashew and almond nuttiness, coffee notes to the malts, big buttery diacetyls, and lactic creaminess. Our first impression is that the flavoring is very smooth, with generous contributions from dark fruits. As we sip, roasty caramel malts and strong toffee sugars blend with darker chocolates, fig, plum, and seaweed saltiness. The peak comes with sugars of those same dark fruits, with booze-soaked raisin, and pear sweetness. The malts remain buttery, with caramel, toffee, and roast to the finish. The last notes to leave the palate are more caramels and butters, burnt brown sugar, apple sweetness, light leathers, yeasty metallics, and light chalkiness. The aftertaste breathes of caramel malts, salted pumpernickel, seaweed, barley, lemon tea tannins, wet yeast, and grassiness. The body is on the full side, and the carbonation is average. There is nice slurp, cream, froth, and smack, with clean finishing pop. There is nice froth to the mustache. The booze and rich malty backing gives warming heat to the belly and breath. The mouth is cooled and thickly coated, with no real dryness on the back. The abv is appropriate, and the beer sips nicely.

Overall, what we liked best about this brew was the smoothness of flavoring, sweetness, and surprising saltiness. Both the nose and flavoring gave big buttery qualities, which matched nicely to the heavy, syrupy sweetness of the caramel malt flavoring. The nose was equally as robust, with great butteriness as it warmed. Finally, with the feel following nicely this is a fantastic collaboration between two exquisite breweriea.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 03:12:32 | More by TheBrewo

mooseo

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into snifter. Batch #6.

A - Rich dark amber with a small bubbly white head.

S - Light dark fruit (cherry and plum), Belgian yeast, brown sugar, spices.

T - Sweet up front with dark fruit, banana, Belgian yeast, and roasted caramel malt. Bready throughout with a slight hint of nuttiness. Finish is spicy and earthy with plum and raisin notes.

M - Smooth and creamy. Light-medium body with crisp prickly carbonation.

O - An easy drinking Belgian ale with subtle yet complex flavors. I only wish the mouthfeel was a bit heavier. This beer starts to shine as it warms up, as the malts and dark fruit flavors become more prevalent.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 04:36:09 | More by mooseo

ferrari29

Illinois

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

Beer poured from bottle into a Tulip shaped glass

Label reads: Batch #6 - Bottled Jan.2012

A - Beer pours with a light brown, toffee colored body; light beige creme colored head; bubbly in appearance; doesn't hold very well; moderate amount of lacing; slightly carbonated body; lots of visible yeast sediment

S - Banana and pineapple; very spicy yeast; grains of paradise; touch of caramel; toffee; once it starts to warm up you get scents of grain alcohol; brown sugar

T - Strong caramel and deep roasted malt taste followed up with a hint of banana; grains of paradise spice; coriander; white grapes; raisins and brown sugar; candy

M - Medium body thickness; sticky mouthfeel after the drink;

D - Overall its a very good Belgian Strong Dark Ale; balanced deep roasted malt flavor; love the visible yeast sediment

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 02:53:23 | More by ferrari29

merc7186

New York

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

Batch 3, February 2009 bottling.

A: Brownish/Orange Hue, Passes Some Light, Off White Head, Mild Lacing

S: Raisins, Sweet Bready, Apples, Mild Boozy

T: Raisins, Boozy, Sweet Breads, Malty

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Sweet, Mildly Boozy

Overall, aging pretty nicely, somewhat mellowing and boozy.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 18:38:30 | More by merc7186

Dope

Massachusetts

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

Batch #5, bottled January 2011, making this just about 2 years old.

A: Pours a murky dark amber. Large fluffy tan head. Fades slowly with decent retention. Just spotty lacing here and there.

S: Sweet and fruity. Lots of raisin, apple and caramel. Hint of banana and a touch of brown sugar.

T: Good amount of cocoa and caramel up front along with a more subtle dark fruitiness. Raisin is still there with a bit of apple and brown sugar. Earthy and spicy in the middle with a hint of banana. Finishes with a little spiced raisin.

M: Medium bodied, sweet and slick.

O: Overall a pretty solid example of a BSDA. Sweet and fruity with lots of malty flavors and some belgian yeast flavors as well. Mellow and drinkable to boot (perhaps a product of the aging). Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 04:09:21 | More by Dope

dbrauneis

New Jersey

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

Batch #6 - Jan 2012

A: Pours a very lightly hazy reddish brown in color with very light amounts of visible carbonation near the surface and a moderate amount of small white visible yeast sediment. The beer has a half finger tall sudsy off-white head that reduces to a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a thin ring of large bubbles at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of dark fruits (raisin and prune), spices, and yeast as I would expect for the style.

T: Upfront there is a malty presence that has the notes of brown sugar and caramel sweetness that also has some dark fruits (raisin and prune) present. The finish of this beer is all spices and yeast with a light amount of lingering bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with light amounts of carbonation. Smooth with some light dryness and alcohol warming in the finish.

O: Enjoyable and the beer is rather easy to drink for the style - the alcohol is pretty well hidden. I like the story behind this beer and both these brewer's earned respect from me for not litigating. The flavors and aromas are very true to the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 23:29:40 | More by dbrauneis

TheCondor

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love the name, and the story behind the name as well. Excellent! I have been meaning to pick this dude up for a while, but just haven't gotten around to it. Side poured from a bottle into my Chimay goblet. That only fits well, since probably my favorite Belgian Strong Dark Ale is Chimay Blue, or Grand Reserve for you snotty types.

Appearance - Nice one finger, creamy head comes from a murky, amber brown body that continues to agitate and show carbonation. Leaves ridiculous lacing on the sides of the glass. Awesome presentation!

Smell - Dark fruits are powerful, along with sweetness, some malts, brown sugar, and a little caramel. Complex, but the fruits really carry the torch here.

Taste - Very much like the nose. The brown sugar and caramel first hit the palate, but the dark fruits take over after that. Fantastic brew, tastes awesome. It gets even more aggressively fruity and a little sour as it warms, I liked it a little colder, but some may like it warmer. Good either way.

Mouthfeel - Smooth, creamy, finishes very well. Moderate body with medium carbonation. Done very well.

Overall - Excellent beer that I would highly recommend. Stays true to style, very close to the bellwether of the style, which in my opinion is Chimay Blue. The two beers are very similar in all aspects. Go try this out!

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 01:36:32 | More by TheCondor

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 bottle

a clean deep amber pour with 2 fingers of off white foamy head. nice retention, good lacing.
smells of raisins, dates, nuts, grapes, chocolate, caramel.
a bitter-sweet plum-like flavor up front. nutty, also getting a weird taste in the back end of the palate.. almost mushroom-like. definite earth notes, roasted malts, caramel.
medium body with a good amount of carbonation, creamy, yet thin enough to go down smooth.
overall an EXCELLENT beer. i know it's just a cuvee of both salvations, but this is just damn great.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 00:17:07 | More by facundoCNB

claspada

New Jersey

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

Pours a hazy opaque, mahogany-hued color with a very thin white head that leaves minimal lacing.

Aromas are quite sweet-smelling with notes of raisins, stone fruit and toasted malts. As it warms you get some light caramel and stronger emerging dark brown sugar/candy sugar with some cloves and freshly-grated nutmeg.

The tastes begin with the sweet candy sugar and lighter sweet caramel maltiness. Then you get the fruitiness highlighted by white grapes, green raisins and apricot. As it warms you get the spicy clove and earthy nutmeg component.

The mouthfeel is medium-full bodied with medium carbonation. The finish has a very light stickiness and I wish there was a slight uptick in carbonation as is typical in the authentic Belgian styles.

Overall this was a nice beer and I appreciate the story of how it was formed but I feel the authentic Belgian examples are better and would always prefer them over most if not all American interpretations. Definitely higher on the drinkability scale but somehow just doesn't enthrall me enough to want to revisit anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 20:05:17 | More by claspada

superspak

Michigan

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

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, batch 5 bottled Jan 2011. Pours lightly cloudy orange copper color with a nice 2 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Good spotty lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of prune, raisin, clove, caramel, biscuit, banana, nuttiness, pepper, and yeast spiciness. Very nice aromas with good balance, complexity, and strength. Taste of raisin, banana, clove, caramel, biscuit, pepper, prune, molasses, herbal, earth, and yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, banana, clove, caramel, biscuit, molasses, earth, pepper and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Nice complexity and balance of flavors; no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a fairly slick and creamy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Very smooth to sip on. Overall this is a very nice Belgian dark ale. Nice flavor balance and complexity; and very smooth to sip on. Really enjoyable collaboration offering.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 05:34:41 | More by superspak

Sean9689

Illinois

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

Pours rusty orange/copper, cream-colored head, thin collar. Nose is dark fruits, caramel, light spice, smooth light booze. The age has smoothed this one out in both the nose and palate. Flavor is dark fruit, caramel, molasses, spice, and biscuit. Medium to full body, good carbonation, creamy finish.

There's some oxidization, but still, it's drinking pretty good IMO. The age has smoothed this one out and I don't think it's getting much better. I'd probably drink any bottles I had in the cellar, but alas, this was my only one. Decent stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 01:33:26 | More by Sean9689

rfbenavi80

Missouri

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a tulip. Enjoyed with a friend.

A- Pours a dark caramel color with huge yeast chunks floating around in it. It has 2 fingers of off white colored head that leaves good lacing as it leaves moderately slow.

S- Rich dark fruits. Smells very sweet. Lots of brown sugar, and spicy Belgian yeast.

T- Follows nose will. Rich and malty with lots of Belgian candied sugar. So rich and sweet it almost drinks like a dessert. Mighty tasty.

M- Definitely on the low side of medium body. Moderate amount of carbonation. At almost 9% ABV this one is an easy drinker.

O- Stays on par with Russian River quality on the smell and aroma. I'm not too impressed with the appearance of the chunky floating yeast, but on a good note it didn't change the flavor or aroma of this beer. I could drink this beer with any meal easily.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 10:34:28 | More by rfbenavi80

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

I love me some Avery Salvation so I was glad to pick this up for 10 bucks a bomber, mostly since I have never had a Russian river beer EVER!

A - Can't knock the appearance since it's pretty much spot on what it looks like on the label. Dark hazy amber with a 1/2 inch of opaque colored head that sticks around for a bit.

S - Ah I can smell the fruity yeasts and spices of the Avery Salvation but when poured into the glass they get kind of muddled with sour cherry notes and dark fruits. Hope it's good.

T - Well it taste of a well crafted Belgium Dark ale. ABV is well hidden and it does have a mix of great flavors but it just doesn't seem to click. The sour cherry and dark fruit aspect of the Russian River Salvation seems to have taken the thunder out of the fruity yeasts and great spices of the Avery Salvation. Still not bad.

M - Kind of medium to heavy and the alcohol is in the finish but what can you expect from a Belgium Dark strong ale?

Overall I am on the fence with this one. I never tried the Russian River Salvation but I can tell it's very fruit forward and sour. Not bad for a collab.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 02:42:19 | More by DrDemento456

tlazaroff

Virginia

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

Very strange aroma, it's not bad, just different. I get things like sawdust, sour apples, cherries, and hickory. Very strange indeed.

Collaboration not Litigation is about halfway between a honey-orange color and a ruby red. It's topped by a slightly off-white head which laces perfectly around the glass.

Fruity in the taste, but also I get this slightly sour note without the puckering sensation. Apricots, red plums, and cherries are what I can get out of this, with a little bit of background caramel taste on the finish.

Medium carbonation with a slightly higher than medium body. The alcohol in this beer is going straight to my head, and I don't know how I feel about that. It's a sipper for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 01:31:21 | More by tlazaroff

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

appearance: cloudy amber. off white head with some lingering lace.
smell: Very nice. Cherry notes on a sweet, yeasty malt bed.
taste: Very nice again. Much like the nose with a perfect, refreshing balance.
overall: I don't often give a higher overall score than any of the individual scores but in rare cases like this, it's warranted. Nice job.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 22:54:09 | More by cindyjeffsmith

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

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

Dark amber/light brown in colour. Small white head. Good lacing.

Dark fruit and bready malt present in the nose. Some Belgian yeast. Some spice as well, and a hint of ginger.

Like the nose, dark fruit in the taste: raisin and fig. Some spice and a bit of candied fruit. Bready malt.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Bready.

Overall, good stuff. Not a standout, but good all around.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2012 00:20:18 | More by jrenihan

grittybrews

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy ruby brown with a finger of off-white head and lots of yeast floaties. Aroma of toffee, banana, and a slight cherry tartness.

Moderate carbonation and a thick, creamy mouthfeel. Bready toffee sweetness up front with some banana, dark fruit, and peppery spice.

Tasty but a little sweet. I thought the aroma was a little more balanced than the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 15:07:09 | More by grittybrews