Avery Anniversary Ale - Sixteen - Avery Brewing Company

kylehay2004

Florida

3.76/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Two finger frothy head with good retention and lacing on a clear golden body. Aroma is mostly tropical fruit with mostly pineapple, some lemon custard, a little grainy and little in the way of Belgian character. Flavor is a little understated, the Belgian yeast goes well with the creaminess, fruits are mild and mostly are of lemon. The herbal flavors are generic. Creamy body, pretty dry finish, moderate carbonation. I don't know how age may have affected this one. I had this one stored and forgot about it. It's easy to drink just bland.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 01:38:21 | More by kylehay2004

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

We pour a brew of pale golden honey. It holds a one finger head of crisp white bubbles, showing okay retention, and leaving a creamy film across the top of the liquid. Lacing is thick and lays in rings. There is moderate haze, no sediment, and active carbonation. The aroma is heavy, with big musk, cheddar cheese sharpness, wheaty malts, light bubblegum esters, metallic Belgian yeast, raw vanilla coolness, raw honey, and the toast of paler, muddier malts. With warmth comes phenolic bite, browned apples, fusel booze, and nutmeg spice. Our first impression is that the flavoring is crazy strong, with massive musk and honey sweetness. The flavoring opens with wheaty grain, light citric hops, raw honey sugars, pale and muddy malts, mineral, and Belgian yeast. This moves forward with fruity esters, apple sweetness, adjuncty grain, and red grapey syrupiness to the peak. Sweet booze mixes in, giving residual dextrins and lightly bittering fusels. Floral nectars wash through the finish, with floury grain, more mineral, more Belgian yeast, banana esters, grainy and adjuncty metallics, muddiness of raw honey, light pine, and light booziness. The aftertaste breathes of alcohol, peppery bite, wet and soggy grain, wheat, browned apple sugars, floral hops, grassiness, and barnyard funk. The body is medium, and the carbonation is medium to high. There is hearty slurp, cream, froth, and smack off the sip, with a foam to the entire mouth. The palate and tongue are coated with creaminess, with an ultimately mild coating, and little dryness. The abv is appropriate, and the beer is more of a sipper.

Overall, the best thing about this beer was the creaminess and fullness to the mouth, and the warmth and spice to the nose. Each sip was soft, inviting, and lightly warming, making you readily come back for more, while the nose kept the room aromatic and lively. The latter gave funk and definite Belgian coolness, much like Duvel or the likes. The flavoring, however, seemed a bit muted, where the jasmine and peaches were virtually unattainable. All of the funk and mustiness were there, but things were rather stale. This could be due, in part, to the agedness of the beer, but on the whole, things stood to the test of time and delivered for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 14:39:50 | More by TheBrewo

davey101

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Random find in a store on a warm shelf. Bottled in May, 2009. 22 oz bomber into a tulip glass.

A - Pours a clear light amber body. Two finger bone white head disappears quickly into some thin edging. Dismal lacing.

S - Bubblegum sweetness with a cereal like malt presence. Floral and spicy herbal finish. No honey or peaches but the jasmine is still going strong. A bit of wet cardboard oxidation on the end. Not great, but not bad considering the age.

T - Awfully similar to the nose. Bubblegum, wheat and cereal malt, jasmine flowers, white grapes, and just a nod towards oxidation. Again, not great but drinkable. Mouth feel is well carbonated and lively.

O - This beer has held up well given its age and questionable storage conditions. The peaches and honey are long gone which probably originally constituted a great beer. What we have here is a jasmine strong quasi-saison that is past its peak. While it is on its way down the beer hill, its still very drinkable and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 07:53:18 | More by davey101

yamar68

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I suppose I'd better open this up, three and a half years later...

Pours very pale, hazy straw gold body that's capped with a finger of paper white head that sinks to a collar after a few good minutes of retention. Great lacing.

The nose is still bright - sweet honey notes, white grapes, still quite floral. Unsurprisingly, the peach has faded entirely. What's left of the beer though smells terrific.

Light and slightly fruity. A bit of bubblegum that's kept in check by sweet, non-bitter citrus. I'm very impressed by how much flavor is still perfectly intact. Traces of peach are still evident here.

I'd honestly say this beer still has some genuine potential in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 23:41:56 | More by yamar68

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled May 2009. Pours hazy golden amber color with a nice 2 finger fairly dense white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some good soapy lacing clings to the glass, with a fair amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of pear, apple, grape, peach, herbal, honey, floral, clove, pepper, earth, and light yeast spices. Very nice aromas with good complexity, strength, and balance. Very pleasant. Taste of pear, peach, apple, herbal, floral, honey, earth, pepper, clove, wheat, and yeast spices. Slight funkiness on the finish; with lingering notes of light fruits, pepper, herbal, floral, clove, earth, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Great flavor balance and complexity; with no cloying sweetness at all. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly slick, creamy, and prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a great saison! Great flavor balance and complexity; and very smooth to drink. Really enjoyed this one (also enjoyed this one much more than the last time I had it a while back).

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 06:21:44 | More by superspak

Phelps

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled May 2009, poured into a Stella chalice.

What a pretty beer. Pale dandelion yellow with absolutely perfect clarity. An inch of frothy head of pure white is constantly replenished by bubbles below.

According to the label, this was brewed with honey, jasmine, peaches and Belgian candy sugar, and this is pretty apparent in the aroma. Honey and hops are the biggest contributors, then floral jasmine and peach skin appear in the back.

This might be a little oxidized, but it’s to be expected from such an old bottle, and it doesn’t really detract from the flavor. Lots of honey and belgian sugar, a little wheat, pepper, jasmine and mint.

Soft like a fleece blanket in the mouth. This has a nice, fluffy feel to it. Light, prickly carbonation; a little alcohol heat upon the swallow.

This has held up surprisingly well after three years. Still boasts great flavor, nice feel and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 04:39:54 | More by Phelps

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - pours a hazy lemon with a tint of cherry. Three fingers of creamy snowy foam above the brew, leaving some cratered and craggy lace ridges behind. Lots of bead underneath.

Aroma - not much at first, disappointing. As it sets up though, I'm getting notes of the yeast and the peaches. Nice.

Taste - a light crackery malt, the yeast is light but authentic. The peaches and jasmine have a grapey effect, making this very wine-like. A light alcohol vapor on the exhale. Mild sweetness on the finish with the palate drying. The flavors of peach and jasmine really show up as it warms.

Mouthfeel - crisp, fluffy, and medium-bodied.

Drinkability - time has turned my view of this style. Very tasty!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 00:02:44 | More by brewdlyhooked13

jtmartino

California

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into my Bruery tulip.

A wonderful light straw color. About a finger of microbubble head with minimal lacing.

Smells a little funky and a little sour. Sourdough bread and tart peaches.

Taste is smooth and sweet with candied sugar and honey. A nice, very smooth aftertaste of Belgian yeast, mild spice, peach and very light citrus. And then a mild vanilla flavor that lingers.

Mouthfeel is very nice - light, bubbly, but not thin. Coats the tongue and sticks around for a while. Carbonation is perfect for this style and complements the light spice well.

This is an excellent beer with an interesting flavor profile. Light, easy to drink, with big flavor that would pair well with poultry or fish dishes. I also tried this beer almost two years ago and aging has really improved this beer. Wish I had more bottles.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 04:05:37 | More by jtmartino

bmwats

Louisiana

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 650 ml bottle into a standard pint.

A: Cloudy, hay color. Pours about a 1 and a half finger, bubbly, white head. Settles slowly. Leaves a foamy blanket on the surface. Some beer ring lacing, mostly retreats into the body of the brew.

S: Baked sourdough bread, raspberry, orange, and clove.

T: Baked bread with a bitter tang of orange rind, and just a slight bubble gum sweetness.

M: Light and a bit of a washed out feel. Bittersweet, dry finish.

D: Sip and enjoy.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Good color with a nice foamy head, and some decent lacing. Nose includes a nice combination of baked bread, fruit, and spice. Flavor is a light malty baked bread, with a light fruity bitterness and sweetness. Overall, this is a pretty good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 03:23:44 | More by bmwats

kkrez

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

from notes:
This Saison captures the bold, experimental and adventurous nature the Avery staff brings with them to work on the daily. Sixteen is also known as the three strippers beer because it is brewed with Jasmine, Peaches, and Honey.

She pours a beautiful hazy golden straw color.

The smell is of Belgian yeast, somewhat sulfury, with hints of the jasmine, peaches and honey, the peach is the most pronounced of the three.

Taste starts out somewhat citrusy wheaty, Belgian yeast, hints of banana, peaches, and a slight hop bitterness.

It starts pretty creamy and finishes pretty dry

Overall, a very interesting American Belgian. Would def drink again

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 19:04:36 | More by kkrez

shanblur

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Found this at the Liquor Locker Green River Road location in Evansville, IN. Imagine that, a beer sitting for 2 years in Evansville. Bottled in May of 2009. Poured from 22oz bomber into a tulip.

A - Pours a murky straw color with a sizeable white head which stirs up more from a vigorous pour. Leaves moderate lacing.

S - Fruity esters dominate with scents of lemons and peaches. There is also the characteristic barnyard smell of the style.

T - Tart up front with the fruit playing a major role. The funk is also evident and mixes well with the fruit.

M - Fairly light with a generous carbonation.

A good representative of the style. Glad I got to try it. Have never had a bad beer from Avery.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 21:29:49 | More by shanblur

Immortale25

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sierra Nevada pint glass. Says Bottled on May 2009. I didn't realize this was bottled so long ago. I should've known something was up when I found it in Total Wine's clearance section. At first, I was upset but, upon reading reviews for the beer, I realized that many people have let it sit for a couple years intentionally and that the results were very good. So my spirits were once again lifted and now: time to review the beer!

A- Pours a hazy straw color with a 1/4 inch head that eventually decays to a more or less solid sheet of white foam on the surface. Some lacing but not much.

S- Smells of oranges, lemons and of the peaches made during the brewing. Smells a bit sour and has a lightness that's typical of saisons.

T- Some citrusy fruit esters upfront that widen to a full, tart flavor and lingers a good while. The 7.6% ABV is clear but not overpowering. Feel a warming in the stomach after a few easy swigs. Jeez, this stuff's good. I'm not usually a fan of sourness but this is pretty much spot on to my pucker threshold. And it's not that syrupy sweet sour that you sometimes encounter in contrived versions but rather a light yet complex use of the style. Mild hops and mild malts but still around for the ride. Way to go.

M- The tangy tartness of the beer provides plenty of room for the medium-high carbonation to bounce around and show off its stuff.

O- Interesting take on a farmhouse ale. I'm not used to them being this strong yet light in body but man, Avery nailed it as they usually do. A great beer indeed.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 02:10:45 | More by Immortale25

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear light gold with a medium head. Nose is floral, sweet, saison yeast, stone fruit. Mouth is sweet upfront with a lot of stone fruit, honey, Belgian yeast, very light hops on the finish. Kind of hot. Stronger than I would have thought before I opened it, and comes across as such. Like a Belgian Strong Ale more than a saison, and way too sweet for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 00:42:50 | More by JAXSON

mactrail

California

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled May 2009. This has lasted amazingly well. Fruity, tart, and on the sweet side. No trace of off flavors. Just a slight haze to the light golden color in the wine glass. Slight head and modest lacing, but enough carbonation to fill the mouth. Sharp and flavorful. Quite fruity, which carries over into the aroma. Celery and jelly beans.

Very drinkable and pleasant beer. If only it was a regular Avery offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 05:32:48 | More by mactrail

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this on-tap at Stone back around when it first came out. From old notes (August 2009).

A: The beer pours a cloudy golden straw color with a tall white head.

S: An incredibly floral aroma. Lots of jasmine to it along with some of the peach and perhaps even a touch of honey. A light malt note to it, very soft but slightly sweet. Quite a bit of yeast with a mild citrus note.

T: The flavor has a distinct spice and intense floral quality to it. Jasmine notes are certainly there and there's a hint of lavender. Sweet fruits such as apples and peaches with a lightly sweet malt flavor.

M: Quite light in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: Nice and easy to drink, great for the summer time. Not sure how it might be holding up these days.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2011 15:30:39 | More by womencantsail

brewskier

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed on 8/4/11. Fluffy, fairly loose white foam. Cloudy bright lemon-yellow brew has ample trails of effervescence throughout.

Funky, spicy aroma. Dry and quite redolent of barnyard. Just a faint hint of the peach peeks through.

Tastes sweeter than it smells, but still on the dry side. Lots of white pepper and coriander spiciness. Light peach and pineapple add a mere touch of sweetness. The peach comes through most readily in the aftertaste, where it lingers alone on the palate after the spice departs.

Mouthfeel is overly fizzy, making an already light beer even fluffier.

Overall, this is an interesting beer that could be very refreshing if less carbonated. Not bad, but not one of Avery's best, either.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 00:38:03 | More by brewskier

jneiswender

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured out of a bomber bottle into a tasting glass. Served cool but not cold.

A-very clear yellow body and a nice fluffy white head.

S-yeasty, clove and slight veggie smell

T-spicey, hard candy middle, metallic aftertaste.

M-light, well carbonated.

D-okay, there are such better representations or this style out there. Might pass if given limited options.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 04:46:42 | More by jneiswender

busterthecat

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this 22oz on sale for $5.95. Bottled May, 2009. Poured into an Allagash chalice.

A- Pours a pale hay hue from bottle, sits a hazy pale golden straw color. A nice crisp paper white head forms and stays around for a while. Creamy lacing.

S- Really nice and robust aroma. Immediately sweet summer fruit and spice are upfront. The ripe peaches are really enticing. Smell almost is of fruit juice.

T- Sweet fruit, hay and mellow spice upfront. There is a slight citrus zest in the mix. The yeast lends some character. There is a slight bitterness that comes from the citrus rind notes.

M- Medium body that starts light on palate and builds up through sip. Starts wet and juicy and ends pretty dry. The sweet fruit lingers on sides of palate while the mild zest sits on tip. End flavors linger very well.

O- A very nice take on a farmhouse/ saison. The peaches really add a good flavor and sweetness to this brew. Crisp and sweet, great for a warm summer evening. Worth the $6 and will be looking to pick up another bottle or two. Recommend picking this one up if you want a good fruity summer saison.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 03:12:28 | More by busterthecat

mdcrouser

Missouri

2.8/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Hazy gold, shining like a flashlight from beneath the glass, glowing from its base. A narrow lip of white head wraps the outer edge and thinly covers the top.

Acidic from the start, with citrus and yeast being the most apparent. The sweet tang of peaches is there as well - almost too much. Reminiscent of other acidic liquids - like stomach acid.

Lemons and other citrus are highlights, underscored by a floral bitterness - guessing that's the jasmine. Honey sweetness and yeasty to close.

Biting carbonation blows up in the mouth at the swallow, bringing with it a sweet and bitter close, which slowly fades, drying the mouth as it does.

Off-putting from the outset, but after awhile it is a beer that begins to grow on you. Unfortunately, there is not enough beer in that bottle for me to like it very much. Love the experiment, not the end result.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 03:08:44 | More by mdcrouser

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

this one closed the show for us tonight, as we had 4 different anniversary beers, i really liked this and thought it had actually improved over time. served into a tulip.

A rich and very hazy medium yellow color came gurgling out of the bottle, quickly coming to a head that reached a height of maybe two inches. There was then a rich coating of side glass lace that thoroughly coated the glass with some nice carbonation being visible throughout the session.

The aroma was highly charged on this one. Lots of light fruit swirling around with a healthy dose of spice in it as well. Nice touches of coriander, lemon, hints of pepper coming through, with a touch of pears warming up to it as it came up to room temperature. Nice earthy notes as it mellows with a rather lively profile. The initial taste was grainy, with a rush of lemon following suit almost immediately banana and clove soon to follow.. A wonderful sense of light fruit really just ran all over this one. I was quite impressed I have to admit. Smooth mouth feel was more the adequately carbonated and really just kept the profile popping throughout. An easy sipper, the moderate ABV lended itself well to a warm late summer evening.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 01:52:38 | More by mikesgroove

CMW

Missouri

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy, straw yellow color with a bright white head that adds some nice lacing to the glass.

S - Earthy as you might expect. I get straw, esters, banana, and clove.

T - The taste comes through just a little flat. Somewhat sweet upfront and that transforms into a more earthy flavor. However, the aftertaste is almost non-existent. Very strange.

M - The mouthfeel is dead on, light and crisp.

O - Overall this is a good beer but the aftertaste still has me scratching my head.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 01:59:38 | More by CMW

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer fresh when it was released and I thought it might do well with some age on it. I was not wrong. The maltiness, Belgian yeast esters, spiciness and alcohol have all subsided a little. And although the other flavors may have become toned-down a bit as well, it now appears much more focused and balanced than I remember it. If it was bottled in May of 2009, then it's just about 2 years old now...

It still looks the same, except that my first pour was much clearer as the yeast had sedimented.

The aroma displays only a minimal amount of malt and yeast within a fruity combination of peach, apple, and tangerine. Don't get me wrong, it's not brightly fruity, those notes are mixed within the malt, but it's not nearly what it was initially, and they appear a little more readily within the mix.

The same is true of the flavor. There's a bit of light tang at the front, followed by some chalky yeastiness and a bit of rising spiciness that arcs over peach, honey and floral notes going into the finish. It's just so much smoother and more balanced and rounded than it had been young. A hint of vanilla, and a clear note of peach linger in the finish.

Pleasantly surprising - I wish I'd aged more than one bottle of this one!

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 14:48:29 | More by NeroFiddled

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to aapp for grabbing this for me at Julio's. 22oz brown glass pry-top bottle. Brewed with jasmine, peaches and honey.

Pours a very pale straw yellow with thin, quick white head. Nose is a little stinky right off the bat, but opens up and blows off after a few minutes. Aromas of white peaches, white flowers, orange blossoms and Belgian-yeast fruitiness.

Palate is crisp and fruity. Very light with some peach juice notes, a little white pepper and some pale wheat malt.

Notes: A decent "fruit beer" and is rather tasty, but I feel it falls short on the saison promise.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 03:11:23 | More by SFLpunk

Krakistophales

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: It pours a honeydew sort of hue, like a yellowish green, with pretty lively carbonation and about a finger's worth of head.

S: I did get some honey and floral notes, but definitely not a jasmine or peach smell. It has a sweet, light, and tart smell.

T: Honestly, I was let down a bit because I was looking forward to something heavy in either honey, jasmine, or peach, and if I did get any of those notes, they were subtle in the utmost. I didn't really get any jasmine, either in smell or taste, a small touch of peach tartness in taste, and I wish the honey was as present as, say, Chateau Jiahu by dogfish head.

M: Light, thin, fizzy, has a very summer ale, champagneish mouthfeel.

O: It wasn't bad, definitely drinkable, and if you're into lighter tasting beers, this will be something to consider. However, I won't be grabbing for this one again. Usually, when a beer lists ingredients, I want those ingredients in spades, and if I don't get them, I'm usually disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 02:54:03 | More by Krakistophales

DoktorZee

Alberta (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz bottle. No best before date.

A - very light yellow, clear, no head and no lacing.

S - apple and dried fruit; slight floral but not overpowering.

T - very light initial taste with a hint of bitterness, middle palate fruit and ending with slight sweetness; definitely not a classic Saison, though has a hint of the familiar yeast at the very end

M - very sharp carbonation, almost too much, little aftertaste

D - goes down relatively easy though wouldn't want a lot.

Decent, but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 23:01:21 | More by DoktorZee