Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #8 - Saint Arnold Brewing Company

drunkboxer1

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Hazy copper/brown. Smells sweet, almost like brown sugar. Tastes like caramel, a little smokey maybe. There are some dark fruity flavors in there as well. No real hop bitterness that I can tell, the maltiness may just be kicking its ass so bad I can't tell its there. Drinks absurdly easy for over nine percent. I feel like it'll be better with a few more months aging though.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 15:29:23 | More by drunkboxer1

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -17.3%

04-12-2013 02:09:44 | More by SmellsofMahagony

atoulouk

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

03-05-2013 21:38:38 | More by atoulouk

MisterGrizz

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%

02-13-2013 17:34:56 | More by MisterGrizz

phishbone23

New York

4/5  rDev +1.8%

02-03-2013 16:14:28 | More by phishbone23

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

12-27-2012 01:33:29 | More by t0rin0

Prestonlegal

4/5  rDev +1.8%

09-28-2012 21:01:04 | More by Prestonlegal

melissajtai

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

09-23-2012 21:51:57 | More by melissajtai

truesolution

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%

08-16-2012 04:59:21 | More by truesolution

kobeer

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

07-23-2012 20:36:22 | More by kobeer

GreatBloomer

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

07-16-2012 18:59:12 | More by GreatBloomer

bfizzy

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-31-2012 20:03:32 | More by bfizzy

Icehalo

Arizona

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-22-2012 23:36:10 | More by Icehalo

bbadger

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

02-12-2012 03:46:29 | More by bbadger

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter on 2/8/12

Many thanks to mhewes

Light caramel brown pour that results in a vibrant, clear copper hue. Foam is on the thin side, even initially, but it's smooth. Skimmed and patchy retention with a few drippy lace strands.

Layer after layer of malt aroma billows from the glass. Raisin, fig, plum, brown sugar, butter toffee, leather, smoke and baked bread. Subtle hints of peat, caramel, earth and perhaps a touch of cocoa. The sugars take on a pleasant toasted bent as it warms. Soft butterscotch overtones.

I'm kind of bummed to say, but the taste is a bit of a let down after spending several minutes with the aromatics. That isn't to say the beer tastes bad; it doesn't, though it's too sugary-sweet for my usual enjoyment. However, I will admit it has some really enjoyable things going on - raisins and dark fruits, toasted sugars and hints of dry bread, residual earthy hops. It has something of a musty finish. The flavors seem smooth, though.

The feel seems like an ample medium, working its way to the full side. Though the beer isn't incredibly hot, alcohol is certainly appreciable and there is some resulting slickness. Carbonation grabs upfront and tapers off to a gritty latter half.

I like this one pretty well, though I'm inclined to liken it more to an old ale or barleywine of some sort. Perhaps the old taste buds have become acclimated, but it doesn't strike me as being quite so sweet by the end. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 05:15:14 | More by Ryan011235

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle from the cellar poured in to a cervoise.

Appearance: Pours a turgid, yeasty orange, full of suspended particulates and swirls or color. It's near opaque except when exposed to direct light, and isn't the most attractive hue at either time. A mildly vigorous pour yielded a little shy of one finger of fawn head with a very short shelf life - after fifteen seconds, all that remains is a soapy collar and some streaks and drips of tan lace. I imagine it probably looked a little nicer fresh, so I can't fault it too much.

Aroma: A very light, fruity wee heavy. Hints of warm, grainy malts are strong up front, showcasing toffee and caramel in a sweet way, but also bright citrus, apricot, and floral notes linger not far behind. It's rounded and fairly balanced, too - perhaps another result of the aging.

Taste: Similar to the aroma in many ways, which is something to be admired. A mild, "old hop" bitterness - sort of like a very well-aged barleywine showcases, that's a little spicy, slightly herbal, and all around refined - mingles with the slew of fruity notes and moderately roasted malts that are mentioned above: toffee and tropical fruits, caramel and almost tart citrus, apricot and butterscotch. No hint of alcohol heat allows the hop spiciness to steal the show. Quite an old broad here.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, slick even, with low carbonation that does its job without overreaching. The lack of aggressive effervescence really does a service to that old hop spiciness I mentioned above, making it the sole "abrasive" (for lack of a better word) element in the profile of this beer, flavor or feel. The lack of crispness also sits well with the amount of residual sugar in this one - neither cloying in its sweetness and heaviness, nor bland in its dryness and stillness.

Drinkability: I quite enjoyed this beer, as a matter of fact. Dignified but not crusty, this one still has some oomph to it, and shows it off nicely. The 9.3% abv is nowhere to be tasted and barely anywhere to be felt, and the favors and aromas balanced nicely. This one really hit the spot on a cold winters Sunday, and it's a shame I only had this single bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 19:51:18 | More by CrellMoset

TexAggie011

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

12-25-2011 20:57:45 | More by TexAggie011

slvrmon82

Delaware

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

12-22-2011 03:58:48 | More by slvrmon82

Texasfan549

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

12-21-2011 20:53:03 | More by Texasfan549

drummermattie02

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

12-21-2011 03:45:31 | More by drummermattie02

trojankeg

Texas

2/5  rDev -49.1%

12-17-2011 02:52:41 | More by trojankeg

Sean9689

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from the cellar. No clue where this even came from but was mixed with a bunch of random 12oz bottles. Poured into Narke tulip.

A - Pours a reddish/orange copper color, off-white head, thin ring, some lacing, and wisps on top.

S - Lots of sweet malty notes, caramel, toffee, molasses. Very rich and sweet, nice level of malts work well here.

T - Again, big on the sweetness. Caramel, toffee, molasses, burnt sugars, slight medicinal/nutty finish.

M - Light body, perhaps a bit too thin for the style, light carbonation, creamy thin finish.

O - A nice Scotch Ale, but no where near the top for the style. I did think it was good, but not great. Would have again if offered, but would not seek out.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 19:21:17 | More by Sean9689

jheezee

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%

12-14-2011 05:09:08 | More by jheezee

2378GCGTG

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%

12-12-2011 17:50:45 | More by 2378GCGTG

BeerHunter76

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%

12-09-2011 02:44:17 | More by BeerHunter76