21st Anniversary Belgian Strong Ale Aged With Old Vine Zin Grapes - Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Gobzilla

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: poured a purplish brown into a tulip that had a white head that dissipated quick fast, but left some good sticky lacing on the glass.

S: the smell is quite intresting consisting of some vanilla, funk, a little grape, and a hint of booze considering that it's a 10% ABU's.

T: there is definitely some vanilla, and the zinfandel grapes come thru at the end. there is some booze for sure but mixes quite well in this beer.

M: the beer is meduim bodied with light carbonation which also has a pleasent dry finish.

D: Couldn't drink a whole one by myself due to the sweetness and the alcohol content. good sipper and pretty decent coming from karl strauss.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 02:58:33 | More by Gobzilla

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.25/5  rDev -15.6%

05-19-2013 16:39:27 | More by Photekut

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev -15.6%

10-17-2012 02:41:20 | More by t0rin0

tjfinkle

California

4/5  rDev +3.9%

04-10-2012 05:29:56 | More by tjfinkle

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3/5  rDev -22.1%

02-11-2012 18:21:01 | More by ygtbsm94

djaeon

California

5/5  rDev +29.9%

01-22-2012 22:25:11 | More by djaeon

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.83/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a murky reddish brown with a wispy white head.

Smells of some sweet malts and vanilla along with some dry white wine. Really wish the grapes were more prominent.

Wood, sweet malts and vanilla again dominate the flavor. As it warms the grape juice flavor comes in more, but it doesn't mix well at all. It's just odd. Alcohol is present as well as it finishes a bit boozy.

Thick and chewy. Outstanding mouthfeel with medium-low carb level.

Disappointed in this one. It wasn't at all what I expected. Too sweet and the grape presence contrasted completely with the other flavors going on.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 23:13:34 | More by jmarsh123

ineva

California

4/5  rDev +3.9%

11-18-2011 01:44:07 | More by ineva

mactrail

California

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rich and grapey, but a medium mouthfeel. Alcohol keeps it from being too sweet. Hot but mellow. Crazy stuff, but it's a good example of why we keep reaching for flavored beers. Nice nose of vanilla and sweet vermouth. Lovely copper color with strong lacing in the snifter. Fruity yet crisp, candy but a clean, refreshing flavor. Long warm aftertaste of butterscotch with just enough yeasty Belgian rough stuff.

I think if the CBS and KBS fanatics tasted this, KS would get more respect. Big barrel-aged flavors without going totally for the booze.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 03:56:03 | More by mactrail

rand

California

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 22 oz bomber to tulip glass

A: Pours a dark ruby-red in color, clear, with a cavernous 1-inch head that recedes fairly quickly. Scant lacing remains after a gentle twirl, surprising for a frothy head.

S: Expecting vinous grape notes up front, the bouquet is surprisingly dominated by sweet bread, wood, and vanilla. Touches of candied and ripened fruit linger, as plenty of alcohol volatiles propel the bouquet.

T: Again, the woody, vanilla tones are noted first. These blend nicely the boozy, bready complexion. Given that wood and vanilla are fairly neutral flavors, plenty of depth and nuance can be perceived. The grapes are there, but just. Dates and figs as well. Cinnamon and orange zest play a part. The boozy character adds plenty of body and flavor, but I would have never guessed this was 10%. Finishes sweet but surprisingly clean.

M: Unexpectedly chewy. I was expecting something a little more diluted in body, given the added grapes (think Victoria or Victor by Allagash), but not here.

Probably the best beer I've had from Karl Strauss so far. Wow, they've really stepped up their game - after moving to San Diego and sampling some of their lesser offerings, I dismissed them for years. Looking forward to more surprises from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 08:10:01 | More by rand

trappistlover

Arizona

3.3/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(22oz bottle). Pours a mahogany color with off-white head and decent lacing. Small carbonation bubbles. Smells wine-y with vanilla and raisins. Definitely getting the alcohol in there. Taste is sweet-almost port-like with some sourness. Hops are barely noticeable. Not quite full bodied, but almost. Thisis a slick, sticky beer with soft carbonation. Finish is quite long as far as wine/raisin/port flavors go. Alcohol is already warming the throat and chest.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 15:19:37 | More by trappistlover

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Muddy pumpkin with a slight reddish glow when backlit with the rising sun outside my front window. Three full fingers of golden khaki colored foam were created on the pour and don't look to be in a hurry to depart. More lace than expected (in ragged rings) is a nice touch.

The nose is shockingly weak. Belgian yeast esters and Zinfandel grape juice are nowhere to be found. This big brew smells more like a brown ale than a BSDA or an American strong ale. Here's hoping warming improves things a little. Note: it doesn't.

Better on the palate, but not amazingly so. My relatively high hopes for this anniversary ale were because Big Barrel DIPA was such a pleasant surprise. We aren't talking bad beer here, but the depth and complexity that this style typically delivers has not been achieved.

On a positive note, the 10.4% ABV is hidden remarkably well and the beer should age relatively gracefully for at least another year. With respect to the flavor profile, think Imperial brown ale with slightly more fruitiness (fig jam) and a smattering of Belgian yeastiness. Still not getting the red grape vinousness that was promised.

Mouthfeel, along with appearance, is this offering's finest feature. It's medium-full without being heavy or sticky, and has beautifully buried bubbles that keep things inflated for as long as beer remains in mouth.

Karl Strauss 21st Anniversary Ale Brewed With Zinfandel Grape Juice did not meet my (perhaps unfairly high) expectations. It's still a worthwhile purchase, even now, but there's no need for the brewery to consider year-round or seasonal release for this particular recipe.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 12:26:30 | More by BuckeyeNation

FosterJM

California

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

338th review on BA
bottle to over sized wine glass
22oz

App- The app of a small red wine when held to the light. One finger quick receding head. Scattered lacing.

Smell- This was unique and quite aromatic. Grapes, yeast, vinious (redundant?) and tart.

Taste- Much smaller than I thought. It's got a certain grape juice sweetness quality that masks the ABV. The oaky vanilla comes very faintly. The taste is very tannin like without the wine sting. Quite delicious after saying all that.

Mouth- Medium bodied with a medium carb level and a bit dry and leaves a grape after taste.

Drink- Overall I could put a few of these back. The ABV is well hidden and just drinks really well. It was dry, sweet and crisp with a nice fruit quality.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 04:29:05 | More by FosterJM

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. Thanks to AndrewNations for this trade, I would have never been able to taste this otherwise.

Pours perfectly clear deep crimson under a finger of nearly white compact head that diminishes to a thin layer in a couple of minutes. I suspect that this beer is so clear partly due to the fact that it has been cellaring for months unmoved. This brew laces a bit.

Smells of surprisingly light caramelized sugars and malts, paired with a wine-like tartness that reminds me of a sour-style beer. I suppose that this character I am smelling is the grapes, but I didn't expect them to manifest in this way. Interesting. Smells inviting and dry.

This taste took me completely off guard, and it is very very good. Distinct caramel is evident from the beginning, and it is nice and malty. Instead of forming the backbone, I feel this malt flavor rides on top of the grapes, which are subtle and much broader in flavor than I expected them to be. Hops are not present. The grapes are deep and buried, but pervade the entire taste. Wonderful and highly intriguing. I don't taste the oak but I can feel that this was aged. Very sweet and almost sugary.

This beer is perhaps one of the smoothest I have ever found. I was expecting distinctly sharp carbonation, or at least a lively prickle. None of that is the case however, and what is here is amazingly smooth, the carbonation being very compact and mellow. This could be a cask ale if I didn't know better. Body is on the lighter side of medium.

Drinkability is very good as well, with well hidden alcohol. Good job at over 10% ABV.

Conclusion: This lived up to my expectations, and will live on in my memory as an interesting and expressive brew. I hoped it would blow me away and it hasn't, but it is very good. The grape in the flavor is ceaselessly interesting. I would love to have tried this when it was the very freshest, however age hasn't hurt it I don't think, and I am curious to see what another year would do to it. Maybe the grapes have faded but I will never know, because in the unlikely event of my tasting this beer again it will only have more age on it than this sample does now. I would love to taste a sour version of this beer...

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 00:18:13 | More by allforbetterbeer

ccrida

Oregon

4.78/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into my Delirium snifter, Karl Strauss's 21st Anniversary is auburn tinged ruby with a light tan head leaving lots of scattered chunks of foamy lace.

Smell is pretty big oaky coconut and very fruity. Not a lot of complexity, but awesome, and the wine comes out more and more.

Taste is absolutely delicious - from the first sip, it was a 'wow' beer. The main components are the coconut from the barrels and the fruity Belgian yeast. There a tart, vinous note, but it's not strongly wine like, just a hint of sweet maltiness. It's super smooth and very well integrated in spite of the ABV and fairly young age of only 9-10 months IIRC. Some complexity develops as it opens up, some sweet nuttiness, almost almond liquer like, a little more of the zin juice as well.

Mouthfeel is very smooth, a nice viscosity but not too heavy at all, just a touch stickier then your average Belgian, but with a dry, tannic edge.

Drinkability is very good, really awesome beer, even more so because my expectations were pretty low for some reason. Really wish I bought more then one of these when I got it in California last spring, oh well. Assuming I'll never see get to have another though, I can't give it a perfect 5.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 07:35:27 | More by ccrida

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to BeerFMAndy for sharing this one one with the tickerazzi. Poured from a bottle into a tulip.

A: Rusty brown with red edges. Modest off white head touch of lace no cap.

S: Tart white grapes are the first thing that grab me. Solid caramel malt backbone. Mild sweetness with bits of tanic wood and wet leather. Just a hint of booziness.

T: Very malt forward. The white grapes can be picked up within a fairly pronounced wet wood profile. Leather and caramel round things out. I pick up zero alcohol. Which surprised me considering the ABV.

M: Medium to fullish body. Light carbonation with a bone dry finish.

D: A rather easy drinking beer overall. None of flavors are too overpowering. I would have trouble classifying this one as a BSDA.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 14:23:13 | More by beerwolf77

sweemzander

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz. bottle poured into a tulip. Thanks to BeerFMAndy for sharing this one!

(A)- Pours a deep reddish mahogany color that produced a quickly dissipating off-white head. Some lacing.

(S)- Earthy, with some raisin and fig and hints of vanilla. Lightly dry.

(T)- Rich, with some minor/subtle belgain influences. Some dark fruits in there. Light spicy oak nuances.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. Lightly sweet with a rich core of dark fruits and oak.

(D)- An interesting and engaging take on the style. Not much in the realm of a belgain style, but it is pretty good. I wish more of the Zindfandel grapes were more prominent.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 18:38:10 | More by sweemzander

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle split and poured into a Meantime tulip. 10.2% ABV, no date.

Shared with the tickerazzi during a big tasting.

A - Brilliant clarity allows the bronzed amber color to shine nicely. A good loose off-white head rises, falls, and leaves little in it's wake. Awesome color, but where's the Belgian lace?

S - Robust red grape aroma with a unique fig and dark cherry fruity undertone. Hints of milk chocolate break it up a little while adding awesome character. Awesome Belgian yeast component in the finish. Full and inviting.

T - Toasted amber malts and a pinch of coffee are different. A little earthy wood comes through. Dusty cocoa finish with a pinch of grape and Belgian yeast esters. Some warm alcohol on the finish. Mild earthy hops.

M - Smooth and medium-bodied, it finishes a bit warm with alcohol and dry as well. A bite comes out after the swallow. Medium carbonation.

D - This is one bottle to split for sure. Some good nuances but it's lacking some nice Belgian traits. Grapes have fallen away a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 20:36:19 | More by BeerFMAndy

mcallister

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear crimson color with a off white head foamy and good retention. Nice lacing as well.

Nose shows hints of wood, dark fruits, jammy fruits, with hints of a sweet floral ester.

Man what a great tasting beer. Coconut, oak, wood, blackberry jam, more wood, oak tannins, lavender, other floral flavors, earthy on the finish with a showing of alcohol in the chest. Very nice refreshing and oaky.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 20:42:01 | More by mcallister

armock

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a copper color with a thin white head and no lacing

S - Is of sweet malt and grapes

T - Just like the smell sweet malt with a grape finish

M - This beer has a fuller body with medium carbonation to it

D - Overall this is a decent beer and I was a little excited to try it from what the bottle said but was let down some their other bottles are better

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 23:23:47 | More by armock

itsfreeasinbeer

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a goblet from a 22 oz.

The beer smell is reminiscent of a wine, and I definitely detect the zinfandel grapes and a hint of alcohol.

The color is a darker brown, almost the same color as the empty brown glass bottle, and with an inch of head .

It is smooth for 10.5 abv, and is decently carbonated.

The taste at first is malty and sweet, with laces of grape flavor. It fades to a bready aftertaste that reminds me of a nutty whole grain. The rich caramel-like taste from the malts is nicely complimented by floral flavoring from the grapes and yeast.

I will definitely drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 21:45:07 | More by itsfreeasinbeer

crvcac

California

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Tasting conducted with a tulip glass.

Appearance: pored with a beautiful white head. Nice reddish brown color with ruby highlights. Slow dropping head that leaves nice lacing.

Smell: smells wonderful. Hints of oak and spices. Unmistakable vinuous quality.

Taste: tastes reminiscent of it's smell. Red vine grapes, plenty of the spice u expect from Belgian beers and good balance of hops and malt.

Mouthfeel: although the abv is high, believe 10 or so percent, it is nicely masked amongst it's ingredients. Overall, a very interesting take on a classic style. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 19:47:06 | More by crvcac

tpd975

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Purchased at Holiday Wine Cellars

A: Pours a deep amber with a nice solid off white head. Wonderful retention and a nice smattering of lace all the way down the glass.

S: The grapes can be picked up in the aroma. They are more earthy red than white. The beer is sweet and yeasty. Lots of candy malt and spice as well.

T: The grapes are there in the flavor as well. The grapes add a bit of tartness to a wonderful sweet brew. Sweet bready malt, toffee, and caramel stand out. Subtle spices and Belgian yeast come through as well.

M: On the lighter side of medium, mosty sweet with a bit of dryness in the finish.

D: Did not dig this one when cold, as it wamed it opened up and became pretty enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 05:00:09 | More by tpd975

brentk56

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear mahogany color with a finger of a head that sticks around and leaves some traces of lace

Smell: Graham cracker, vanilla, oak, dark fruit and, as you would expect, red zinfandel wine

Taste: Fruity, at the outset, with the dark fruit and zinfandel grape flavor making a statement; by mid-palate, the graham cracker, vanilla and oak flavors arrive, along with a slightly odd, grassy bitterness; after the swallow, the sweeter flavors predominate, with a rather wine-like finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: I really enjoyed this experimental brew, so much like a wine-influenced dubbel, though I would have preferred a little less sweetness overall; still, I really like some of the things Karl Strauss is doing now

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 23:58:14 | More by brentk56

glid02

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Brodie - thanks!

Pours a clear dark amber color with a one-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of sweet dark malts with hints of toastiness and solid amounts of white grape aromas.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth dark malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by good amounts of dark fruit flavors - plums and raisins. Midway through the sip some light white grape flavors make an appearance before fading out to a crisp ending.

Mouthfeel is OK. It's a bit on the thin side with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass with no problems and could have another.

Overall I thought the addition of white grape flavors was welcome in a beer like this, something I initially wasn't all that sure about. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2010 16:17:32 | More by glid02