Gemini (Imperial Blended Ale) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

PorterLambic

Florida

2.3/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Arrives a hazy, grapefruit color with a finger high head of nearly white foam. Retention is not a strong suit as it was an island and ring in under a minute. Decent lacing left behind.
Smell is hops, IPA-like hops with a light citrus note and button else.
Taste is exactly what you mlwould expect from an Imperial IPA, hoppy all over with very faint malt and some citrus.
Nearly full-bodied with tangy effervescence up front, focused on the tip of the tongue. Warming after the swallow and leaving a slight coating behind.
Overall, a good brew but either the style or the label is wrong customer this ain't no strong ale. If this were an IPA or Imp. IPA, I'd give it 4-4.5 across the board.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2012 23:30:29 | More by PorterLambic

oregonskibum

Oregon

2.45/5  rDev -40.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a tulip, then small wine glass.

A: Color is a dark orange, bordering on a hazy brown. Thin off-white head died off quickly, leaving some splotch lacing on the side of the glass.

S: Some odd earthy hop flavors with a strong presence of wet dog. Not really digging this.

T: Some citrus hops up front, but nothing that big. Caramel, sweet malts quickly take over as well as a continued musty taste characterized as 'wet dog' from the smell. Finish is odd, a flavor I can't place. Plus some definite bitterness. Not that great.

M: Medium to heavy body with decent carbonation.

D: Not enjoyable at all. It was first poured into a tulip glass and I thought that perhaps it wasn't quite clean. So I poured a fresh taste into a confirmed clean class and it didn't help much. Bottle was purchased fresh, but perhaps this was a bad batch? This was not up to ST quality and not good. It was drain poured, which I don't often do for an $8 beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 04:14:04 | More by oregonskibum

aglose45

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -35.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Secret Santa 09, thanks Kyle!

A: Pours a golden brown color with a nice tiny, tight bubbled, off-white head.

S: The nose is atypical for the style. It starts off with lemon smell, then more than a belgian wit style, yeasty aroma. Following this is a dry malt note.

T: A quick hit of lemon, orange and grass hop flavor before a more belgiany malt presence takes over. Not what I expected. Not what I prefer.

M: Light bodied, with a minimal amount of hop resin left behind.

D: This beer is too sweet and wheaty for me. One will definitely be enough...

...maybe I had an older bottle...

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 04:40:46 | More by aglose45

Bobby12many

Wisconsin

2.68/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Hazy orange amber glow with a light smattering of fluffy head. Thin and consistent lacing rings my glass.

S - Grapefruit and melon with a bready backbone. Hints of yeast and dank mustiness.

T - Zesty hops up front with a yeasty and somewhat musty finish. There is a slight 'funk' to this beer that I cant put my finger on which really brings it down. I cant help but associate the flavor with a dank moldy cellar. Once the dank nastiness fades away, the alcohol lingers and makes it hard for me to enjoy. Really let down by this beer, as I had high hopes for it.

M - Well carbonated and lively with a dry sticky feel. On par with other great beers of the style.

D - I had to really push to finish a bomber of this stuff. The alcohol was not over bearing, although it was not well hidden. It was the off musty flavors I was picking up that really ruined it for me. Maybe I just had a bad bottle.... but wont be dropping the $7+ anytime soon to find out.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 00:33:36 | More by Bobby12many

midaszero

Washington

2.7/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

A - Clear golden orange body with a small amount of light tan head and a little bit of lacing

S - Lots of hops and grapefruit up front. Some sweet and fruity notes in the back

T - There are hops ... I want to say there is grapefruit as well but can't fully tell. There is a lot going on in the taste. It isn't bitter but I can't say I like or enjoy the taste at all.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation

D - I just can't drink this. The taste is very off putting. I might have gotten a bad bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 03:17:07 | More by midaszero

beertunes

Washington

2.83/5  rDev -31%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured into straight pint glass. Poured a cloudy orange color with just the thinnest head, slightly off-white, with no retention or lacing.

The aroma was citrus hop forward, with a bit of malt at the back. The overwhelming taste was alcohol. After that there were citrus and pine hops and a bit of malt sweetness. At the end was another kick of alcohol.

The body was typical for the style. Drinkability was low, the alcohol dominated the whole profile of this beer, and a 22 was a chore to finish. Overall, there better examples of the style out there. Try this one out of curiosity only.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 06:01:05 | More by beertunes

plfahey

Minnesota

2.83/5  rDev -31%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

22 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance-Medium to deep gold in color, slight haze, moderate white head with decent retention and some light lacing.

Aroma-Not at all what I expected-grainy, crackery malt in the forefront, with light herbal and tropical fruit and citrus hop notes. Whiff of alcohol.

Flavor-Crackery, grainy malt flavors, with moderately low, piney, resiny, and pineapple hop flavors. Hop bitterness is moderate at best, finish is semi-sweet, cereal grainy, and a touch alcoholic.

Mouthfeel-Medium full body, with moderate carbonation. Some alcohol warmth.

Not at all what I was expecting-I was hoping that a blend of two great beers would show the best characteristics of each-instead, I found Gemini to be rather bland and uninspired.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 04:55:16 | More by plfahey

Patrick999

Florida

2.88/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

This is my 500th review! I had originally wanted to pull out something a little more "rare," but this bottle is cold and I'm in the mood for some hops.

I'll give it the snifter treatment, choosing the biggest I have. Modest pour results in a lazy foam that wants to settle, but is easily roused with a swirl or two. Bright apricot-colored body.

I usually like to talk of taste following aroma, but in this case, the aroma is following the appearance. Smells like apricot nectar and sweet shortbread, with some nail polish remover entering into the equation at times. Oregano and a more herbal aroma as it warms further, along with lavender and other florals. This has a complex, varied aroma.

On the palate, it's bitter peach pit giving way to a general weedy bitterness - and I don't mean weed as the term relates to cannabis, but rather the weeds you'd find growing in a vacant lot. It's a dirty, unhinged, mildly unpleasant alcoholic bitterness similar to what I pulled from Unearthly. Similar to that beer, the main problem I have with this is that it seems to be bitterness for the sake of bitterness. I'm not finding a lot of interesting flavor nuance, and warming isn't helping much.

It has a coarse, palate-scraping feel I find typical of my least favorite double IPAs.

Whether it's the particular hop profile, or the overwrought alcohol, I continue to have trouble with the big Southern Tier IPAs. I still think these beers are 1-2 percentage points in ABV too high.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2010 21:19:26 | More by Patrick999

musicforairports

New York

2.9/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap at The Ruck in Troy.

Cloudy amber, fluffy head, lacing lasts a while.

Smells like sweet, syrupy pine and tropical fruit, as well as some alcohol.

Taste is sweet malt, sweet pine and floral hop flavors and alcohol. Flavors are pretty dense and thick.

Thick on the mouth, sticky and creamy. Not one you could pound down.

Definitely a boozy and sweet DIPA, if that's your thing. I'd take the crisp, clean hop flavors of 2XIPA over this any day.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2011 15:00:04 | More by musicforairports

rudzud

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Typical IIPA look. Took a hard pour to get a nice two finger head.

S - Disappointed in the smell here. Not getting much hoppy aroma. No pines or citrus here. Lots of malt though.

T - Not diggin this. Really Expecting a "hop bomb" like others have described but this is much, much more malty that I expected or would like. Not getting any hops really. Just a one note malt.

M - Heavy and syrupy. Again, disappointment.

D - The only thing this has going for it is how nicely it masks the 10.5%. I love Southern Tier brews but this one...not sure if its a bad bottle or what. Just huge disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 05:01:34 | More by rudzud

PDXHops

South Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Growler poured into a Duvel tulip. See-thru orange with a massive frothy head that doesn't leave crazy amounts of lacing, but is to be commended for its excellent retention.

The booziness in the nose is smoothed out by a wave of sweet malts and gentle citrus notes. It certainly doesn't smell outrageously hoppy, but it's pleasant.

An odd beer to figure out. It's fairly bitter up front, but by the time the finish rolls around it has a very soft, delicate feel. Fairly, but more candied fruit than zest or fresh juice. It's flavorul, but lacking the rawness of a memorable DIPA. An oddly clean finish, with booze, light toasted notes and hints of orange zest lingering. No resin, no grit, nothing really to keep you from chugging the stuff. Tasty, but way too tame for the style. Further evidence that excessive ABV seems to be kryptonite for DIPAs.

Serving type: growler

02-28-2011 23:10:03 | More by PDXHops

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle picked up at Rick's in Alexandria. Served in a tulip.

Pour brings a fairly-dark brew for the style; too dark. This is an unfortunate preview of a beer that has too much crystal malt. Thin off-white head produces an average amount of lacing. The nose contains some floral and citrus notes as well as a bit of sugary malt. Booze there as well. The taste has some hop flavor without too much bitterness. Too sweet. Feel is overly sweet and has a bit too much booze. Feel is too full and lacking in bitterness. Not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 20:40:34 | More by Thorpe429

OlieIPA

California

3.05/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The last "Tasting Tuesday" for my buddy Victor...you'll be missed.

A: Amy suggests it looks like her urine...which scares me a bit, but it does have that dark golden color...the beer that is. A beautiful one to two finger head that seems to hold it's own for quite some time, while the lacing acts like the incompetent little brother and takes a back seat to it's frothy sibling.

S: A slight chalky aroma...not sure what it is. The hop presence is easily detectable, but the malt profile seems to take the lead: not the freshest bottle would be my guess.

T: Has very nice and balanced taste...the Columbus hops seem to dominate the hop-profile. This brew also has a sweet zip at the end, as does the alcohol.

M: I hate to say it, but I think more carbonation could have helped this beer out. The flavor sits on the tongue nicely...and the bitterness is never over the top.

D: A worthy beer...thats about it; nothing too special...slightly disappointing in fact, especially since I love Southern Tier.

Overall: A whatever beer for me. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2009 21:27:43 | More by OlieIPA

PatronWizard

California

3.05/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

FROM ANCIENT NOTES

I'll try to supplement these old notes with my spot on memory as I have a mind like a sieve. I do remember sharing this in the company of OlieIPA, Mauerhan, and Aimstatus. I do remember 'twas Olie who offered up this virgin to our ritualistic pagan beer sacrificing event. I do remember having high expectations as I just love Southern Tier and DIPAs.

As we poured, the comment at the time (from notes) was that this looked liked Amy's urine. What the fuck has she been drinking? Pours a translucent copper with a dishy white head. Maybe she should see a doctor.

Smell is of faint caramel, maybe toffee. Bready even, but not real strong. Far from what I was expecting.

Thick and thin. Yep. Taste is extremely similar to the aroma. Bready here too. As a west coaster, this is not anywhere near what I would call a double IPA. Almost taste tobacco. Hop presence is non-existant.

End notes.

I remember being let down, which is a rare feeling between me and a Southern Tier brew, so of course I forgive them. For now.

Overall: let down

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 19:05:26 | More by PatronWizard

vfgccp

New York

3.05/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Scotch / almond color. Beautiful head with great lace.

S - Hay, touch of booze. Fairly one note.

T - Prominent booze. Light brown sugar and white bread. This bottle is likely past its prime as there's very little hop character to speak of.

M - Light, somewhat watery. Tingly carbonation / booze. Finishes a touch sweet.

D - Big booze, but otherwise nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 19:12:06 | More by vfgccp

BigMike

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a light tangerine color with some haze present. A few good swirls produce less than a pinky worth of head thats eggshell white in color.

The nose has a lot of alcohol. Some grapefruit and tangelo. Lot's of sweet candy like aromas.I can't pinpoint it but something there is something in the nose that turns me off. I noticed the same smell in Brewdog's Hardcore IPA and i couldn't finish that one. Hopefully the taste on this is better.

Just past the heat of this there is a sweetness. Like candied grapefruit. Lots of toffee and caramel. There is a touch of bitterness on the finish and the 10.5% abv. is definitely noticable. As it's warming some light vanilla comes through also some candied pineapple. It sounds like it should taste good from the description but the toffee like sweetness isn't all that appealing to me.

Mouthfeel is just above medium. It's sticky and somewhat oily too.

Drinkabilty isn't verygood. I'm just under halfway through this bomber and i'm close to hitting the wall. It's been a struggle. This beer is a 50-50 blend of 2 other ST beers. Hoppe, and Unearthly. I have absolutly no desire to try either of them after having this. I wish i could get my $7.49 back.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 03:45:25 | More by BigMike

tittymcj

Connecticut

3.1/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This one poured out a very hazy, deep, light brown/orange color. Very little head and moderate lacing throughout.

Smell is a lot of orange, grapefruit, and sweet malts backing it up.

Tastes a lot like a warm Stone IPA, except it was freezing cold. Bitter hops at the outset, but soon recedes to a very strong malty flavor. Lots of bready flavor, but also a little bit of citrus grapefruit or orange.

Mouthfeel is silky and smooth, but a bit thick. Leaves a nice coat on the mouth and tongue.

Drinkability is low just because of the strong malt profile, makes it a bit thick and unmanageable for too many.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2009 22:50:26 | More by tittymcj

bbothen

California

3.15/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz poured into snifter after taking 20 minutes to remove the wax over the cap.

A - Orangish amber color with small 1 finger head.

S - Crisp citrusy hops.

T - Hops rule the roost here. Not overly hoppy to me. One of the least hoppy tasting DIPAs I've had. Seems well balanced.

M - Crisp & clean. Almost wish it wasn't as such.

D - Very easy for %10.5 DIPA.

Solid offering for sure, but didn't hit the mark for me. Maybe it was so well made & balanced that the usual flavors I look for in a DIPA weren't there..who knows.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2008 00:39:46 | More by bbothen

TCgoalie

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Notes from 6/10/10

Moderate carbonation in a caramel red tint brew. Minimal lacing and head.

Big heavy caramel malts with a bit of basement smell. Seems like this could be a malt bomb. The only hops is some buttery citrus.

Malt heavy up front but blends to a touch of pine and grassy lemon. Malt is very heavy with not the best balance.

Heavy malt in the mouth with an aftertaste which is grassy and bitter. Definitely syrupy for its style.

This isn't a very drinkable brew, perhaps this is an old bottle? Either way, I was let down.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 02:12:09 | More by TCgoalie

manleyphoto

Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Well I want to start off by saying that I really like Southern Tier beers. just about everything I've had from them has been if not really enjoyable, than at least damn pleasant.

I hate to admit it but I'm not feeling this beer.

It pours a hazy amber orange with an off white sticky head that oozes hop aroma. The beer is damn striking in the glass and I though that I would be in for a treat... not so much.
I find the malt backbone to be really laking and the hops to bit a bit biting and aggressive, even for an imperial IPA. The hops are missing the delicious juicy citrus and pine that I long for, particularly from S.T. beers.

I bought a wax topped 22 ounce bottle, that I assumed i could take down in one shot, but I have to admit it was a bit of a struggle for me to finish this beer. Apparently Gemini is a blend of S.T.'s other IPA's Hoppe and Un-earthly, bot of which I find infinitely more successful than this.

I don't hate this beer, and I would probably drink it again, but as far as S.T. beers go I would just assume have an un-earthly any day, over this one.

i really do love Southern Tier beers though, and I look forward to some more great drinkers in the future.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2008 15:38:04 | More by manleyphoto

TheSarge

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured this one into a tulip. Makes about two fingers of bright white head with only about an eight ounce pour. The body is orangish amber in color with lots of haze.

The aroma is perfumy and citrusy.

The taste is a little off. It's got the characteristics of the aroma along with honey and burnt cracker.

Mildly carbonated and smooth for an IPA. Overall not happy with this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 00:05:45 | More by TheSarge

n2185

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: pours a hazy orange red with about a finger of off-white head that quickly recedes into a ring with little lacing.

S: some sweet caramel malt up front followed by a blast of bitter citrus hops--mostly grapefruit and rind.

T: very strong malt pressence up front followed by lots of resiny pine hops. Finish is both sticky sweet and bitter.

M: medium-thick body and carbonation--sweet enough that it coats your tongue.

D: alcohol is well hidden and the hops are nice, but this beer is just too sweet to be a great DIPA.

Overall, better than either of the Unearthly beers, but still just too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 04:29:42 | More by n2185

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Looks good with a big head that settles down to about a quarter inch over a hazy amber coloured brew. Lots of spotty lace. A very nice looking beer.

Nose is grapefruit citrus with some sweetness from the malt. Taste-wise its a bit of a let down. It's a brutally sweet brew. The hops make a valiant effort, but are just overwhelmed. Too treacly and sweet. Very sticky mouthfeel. The alcohol is masked by the sugar, but the buzz is still there. This drinks like a barleywine and I don't think will be to all tastes. If there wasn't so much sweetness to it, it might be a more interesting quaff. As it stands its too one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 19:43:26 | More by TerryW

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Got this from the Disc Golf #2 BIF.
Bomber into my Innis & Gunn tulip.

So this a blend of a pale ale and an ipa... Seems like an unnecessary mix to create... It also seems that the "strong ale" designation is inappropriate. I'd call this more of an east coast DIPA.

Bright sunny orange color with a light amber hint and golden highlights. Creamy yellowish head of 1.5 fingers settled after 2 or 3 sips to become a thin soapy film with a fluffy collar around the edges. Weak lacing-- just some light spotty clumps (I'm now reminded of the small print during a birth control advertisement).

Smells overly sweet-- but it's odd sweetness, like not malty sweetness, but a real genuine sugar kind... Like diluted aspects of honey, molasses, and table sugar rolled into one. Some citrus and pine notes sneak through as well.
The flavor is very sweet-- sugary sweet with some sweet bready and caramel malts and something that reminds me of tangerines rolled in sugar. Some bitterness on the back end is just not enough to cut through the sweetness... Perhaps the word 'cloying' could be appropriate.

Feels sugary and syrupy with loads of residual sugar left coating my teeth. Little oily. Medium body. Ample carbonation.

Overall-- meh. This is really a beer that shouldn't be. There's no reason for it. It's a blend of two readily available beers that really don't demand blending. I reckon using oak-aged unearthly would help. It's odd though, but I actually really like Hoppe, but the addition of Unearthly ruins it.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 18:40:20 | More by AleWatcher

mully

Minnesota

3.28/5  rDev -20%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured with a crisp white head that fades to an 1/8th of an inch and hangs around leaving a little lace. Hazy Orange gold
Malt sweetness, a lttle carmel, some citrus scents blend together slightly medicinal hop aroma
Aniseptic medicinal hops, at times the hops blend together well with the malt sweetness, but over all they do not work well together.
mouth feel is good, crisp no problems here very smooth
Not as good as southern tiers other beers that I have had a little disapointing

EDIT: poured second half of the bottle and it is very diffrent, much more balanced and less antiseptic

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2008 04:13:10 | More by mully