Geary's Hampshire Special Ale - D.L. Geary Brewing Company

sprucetip

Alaska

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After many trips to Maine and an increasing appreciation for Allagash, Marshall Wharf, Maine Beer Co, and Rising Tide, I had kinda written off the old school Maine breweries as perfunctory and average. But after a few trivia nights at a bar where the HSA was the beer most to my liking, I have decided that I should not generalize quite so much.

It looks good, as if that matters. Clear, active, medium amber, decent head, some retention, and thickish lacing.

Malts and hops battle to something like a standoff. Malty sweet richness is there and noticeable, but citrusy and even a bit piny hops are stronger. Booze is noticeable too. It all works well together. Not amazing, but definitely good.

Much like the nose, some sweet malty richness is pushing and pushing, trying to be noticed and having some success. But the hoppy profile, more citrus and pine than floral, has more girth. The blend of these elements and some booze balances nicely with the medium level of hoppy bitterness..

Wel carbonated, medium bodied, and modestly bitter in the finish. It isn't dry or thick. It drinks easy.

For lack of other options in the particular environment, I drank quite a few of these and they grew on me. Probably not a trade bait type beer, but certainly a moderately complex and very well balanced one. Despite being decent sized at 7%, it drinks whacked easy. I like that there is some significant malt quality to it, and more hops than a lot of IPA's. I'll have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 22:21:09 | More by sprucetip

capeannbass36

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Had on tap at Mac's Grille in Auburn, Maine.
Arrived in a pint glass. Sort of ice tea color, one finger off white head.

S- Some sweet malt. Some fruit.

T- Flavor is similar to smell, but less intense.

M- Unfortunately this draft was pretty flat. Minimal carbonation. Huge disappointment. Slightly warm, boozy feel.

O- Didn't even bother to finish. Too flat. Temperature was fairly cold. That felt right. Flavor and carbonation did not cut it for me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2011 21:45:43 | More by capeannbass36

gfreed

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on cask at Cambridge Common. Deep mahogany color that blended perfectly with the table, topped by the loosest head I've ever seen. I could have dropped a golf ball between the bubbles. At first this had an odd, Flemish-sour bend to it, but that disappeared after it warmed up a bit (relative to its initial temperature). Plenty of hops in the nose, along with vanilla, cherries and a burlappy smell that reminded me of a warm barn. Hops were mild in the taste; malt was dominant with fruit and figs, and the whole thing was very, very dry. Tasty indeed, but I have a suspicion that this might be better a bit colder from a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2010 22:27:17 | More by gfreed

bceagles39

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on draft at the Great Lost Bear in Portland, ME in May 2010.

Copper color. Not much head and no lacing.

Sweet, fruity aroma.

Sweet taste upfront and then the hoppy bitterness hits you. But a great balanced finish.

Medium bodied with average carbonation.

A solid, well balanced beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 02:09:47 | More by bceagles39

Durge

Connecticut

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Encountered this specialty brew at The Great Lost Bear in Portland, ME. It has a dark clear copper color with a scanty white head and fair lacing. The aroma captures plenty of woodsy malt and light floral hops. The flavor declares a smooth fruity malt that harbors just a hint of wheaty alcohol. There's a touch of bubblegum and more of that floral sweetness. After the initial acclimation you pick up the dry hop aftermath. I don't feel this is very complex, there's not much to say. It's medium drinkable, not something I would rave about, OK, that's about it. Malty alcohol and some dry hop. Just not winning me over.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2009 03:00:16 | More by Durge

Bowdoinbeerboy

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Presented with a mild copper colored body and a finger of head that just lasted all night.

Smell- A fairly hoppy smell with some sweeter undertones.

Taste- Initially spicy with lots of hoppiness but with a definitive sweet malty under character.

Mouthfeel- Coats the entire mouth and fills the entire palate.

Drinkability-Exceptional definitely a must have!

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2008 03:17:16 | More by Bowdoinbeerboy

changeup45

Florida

3.3/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled this on draft at Harlow's Pub on 1/6/2005.. Poured an amber color with a relatively thick head and quite a bit of lacing. Quite malty and sour with caramel and some bitter hops. Overall, a strong brew that tilts towards malts. I'd get it again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2008 17:48:05 | More by changeup45

beerbutcher

Maine

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pours a deep copper with a finger off whitish head.

there's a clean malt aroma as well as english hops and some yeast character to the aroma.

on the palate, the beer is broad and slightly sweet. there's a bit of english hop flavor though, not a ton of bitterness. the malt is really standing out, more than i remember. I will say, the alcohol is quite discreet making for a bit of a guzzling session.

mouthfeel is quite nice. nothing stands out, the carbonation is great, the hops are there enough and the alc factor is in check. the only problem is that nothing stands out... except for its drinkability...
.. which is insane. i can see how so many people get hurt drinking this stuff. makes a fantastic session beer, and the palate doesn't tire of it. gulp, gulp, grin.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2008 04:26:37 | More by beerbutcher

lehows

New York

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Eastern Standard in Boston, this hearty brew poured a dark amber color with a very small off-white head. Head dissapeared completely. Strong aromas of sweet malt and alcohol hit you in the nose. Big malt flavors abound here, with a mild fruity quality and a pronounced alcohol presence. Bitter hops display themselves in the finish. Almost whiskey-like aftertaste. This is a big and malty beer to sip on a cold winter's night. Another good one from Geary's.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2007 16:04:04 | More by lehows

Franchise

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This offering from Geary's pours a crystal clear orange body that leaves a thin off-white lace. The aroma is sweet, citrus hops are what comes to mind, followed by some malty sweetness tough to make out though. The taste starts very sweet upfront on the palate, it leaves you with a brown sugar, caramel, feel that is quickly balanced with some english style hops not pungent at all more mellow and smooth. The finish is silent, no real, back end to this beer maybe a bit of spirit quality to it but overall very drinkable. This brew paired well with the pepperoni and mushroom flatbread pizza I was having.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2006 18:23:27 | More by Franchise

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This used to be Geary's winter beer, but now it's available year-round. That's the good news; the bad news is that the present winter beer isn't as good (but that's another story). It pours a nice golden amber with a creamy head and has a spicy odor to it. It has a spicy taste with a distinctly hoppy
flavor. Feels great in the mouth, and is very drinkable. Highly recomended as a wonderful every-day beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2006 21:04:37 | More by lordofthewiens

Jacobob10

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap @ Penguin Pizza in Boston, MA.

This brew was on the menu as a tap offering long before it was actually available, guess there were a few problems getting it there, but if nothing else it built up some anticipation.

Pours a dark orange color with a small head. Low to moderate retention and little lacing to speak of. Subtle aroma with some roasted malts cutting thru the mix. Pretty decent taste with the malts outweighing the hops, but there's still some good balance between the two. Creamy mouthfeel and definitely drinkable for the ABV.

I expected this beer to be a litte bit bigger. It was pretty light bodied for it's style, but it's worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2005 21:54:01 | More by Jacobob10

TheJudge

New York

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at David Copperfields in NYC. This poured a very nice, dark amber, with a good head. Retention not an issue, held to the side of the glass the entire way. The first note at nose is Hops. It tastes like an IPA, which I guess is its style, although I didn't know that when I ordered it. There is a definate hop presence, but is nicely balanced with the malts chosen, which provide a nice body without being too heavy. Not meaning to contradict that, it felt heavier in the mouth than it looked, and it gets you at the back of the mouth and stays there.

This is a good, strong beer, but it would be hard to drink it all night.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2004 19:01:17 | More by TheJudge

kunzbrew

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew pours a amber color with a mild size head that last for a short period of time but leaves one hell of a sexy lace behind.

The aroma of caramel and hops fill the nose with great pleasure. My mouth is watering jsut waiting for the first sip.

The toasted caramel malts are strong to the palatte, I am really liking this one. The hops are just bitter enough, for my liking.

This one is easy drinking and goes down very smooth.


Prost

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2003 16:09:27 | More by kunzbrew

Jdiddy

Rhode Island

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Still not too sure what to make of this one. Had it at Redbones on tap. Pours a deep copper color. Does not really taste like an ale but does have a pretty intense alcohol. Ithad a taste that I just could not put my finger on...a taste that I was not too thrilled about. Definitely got better as I kept drinking it. Heavy malt and caramel flavor. Burned caramel?? Maybe that was the taste.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2003 15:22:35 | More by Jdiddy

popery

California

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a relatively dark amber with a light beige head. The head sticks around for a medium length of time. Little lacing. The aroma is rich with deep caramel malt flavor. It's doughy and sweet. Toffee, shortbread, raisins, prunes, dates, syrup. It's a rich muddling of toasted malt sugar. There's some booze in the aroma and a bit more in the taste, but once the beer hits the proper temperature, it contributes more warmth than harshness. The taste is otherwise quite sweet, but the hops are more apparent than in the aroma and, besides providing some respite from the caramel, adds in a mineral/grassy note. The mouthfeel is full and thick for a 7% abv beer. This is an interesting beer. Before it had a chance to warm up, the booze seemed to come out in excess. At cellar to room temp, the sweetness shined and the booze blended into the beer. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 06:25:47 | More by popery

MsNitch

France

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle to wine glass (that happens)

A: bright ruby red with leathery tints that has a fast falling head and no lacing

S: caramel malts with a touch of floral sweetness

T: starts mild and malty then bursts into a bitter round of hops that finish in a fantastic toasted caramel sweetness. Fantastically balanced joy ride of a palate.

M: strong with alcohol cuts that linger slightly in a mid level of carbonation.

O: A mega drinkable beer that could possibly use a touch more carbonation to pitch the strength, but has all the balls of a strong ale with the balance of a female mental structure. But if that doesn't make total sense then lets just say, it goes off with a bang but cuddles your taste buds into a sweet finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 04:13:51 | More by MsNitch

pixieskid

France

3.7/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into my moeder lambic snifter/tulip hybrid.

Translucent mahogany hue with a one finger white head; lasts for a while, nice lacing on the glass.

Nose; really mild overall. A touch of caramel, candied fruits, and some herbal hops.

Taste; a blance of plums, herbal bitterness, some caramel malt, a lingering dry pistachio note (quite interesting actually, never noted any flavor like that in a beer until now) finishing with a very earthy bitterness.

Mouthfeel; pretty solid, well carbed and slightly thin, helps out with the drinkability of this "strong ale".

Overall; a unique and enjoyable beer. Quite old-school and not something I drink on a normal basis but I dig it.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:16:08 | More by pixieskid

GuyIncognito

Maine

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Popped one of these open tonight, and poured it into a pint glass. It has a beautiful reddish-brown hue, with a light fizzy head that disappeared almost immediately. Wonderful malty aroma, and plenty of malt taste, but with a decisive bitter finish. Good solid beer, but a little flat. Geary's beer always reminds me of when beer was beer, if you know what I mean. A strong old school foundation. This is a good beer, but not really my style.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 00:36:57 | More by GuyIncognito

grittybrews

Washington

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured ruddy amber with a finger of off-white head. Aroma of caramel and dark fruit.

Moderate carbonation and a crispy, slightly sticky mouthfeel. Big malt flavors up front with caramel, bread, and some dark fruit. Some mild, spicy bitterness on the tail end.

Kind of a malt bomb but the bitter finish helps to balance. Enjoyed it more the second time.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 21:03:34 | More by grittybrews

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No evident date.

A: A really beautiful clear mohagany color with a nice head.

S: Sweet malt, fruit esters and peppery hops. Pleasant but a touch cloying.

T: Full, sweet, bready and caramel malt with banana peeking through. Peppery hops balance and longer on the finish. Alcohol cuts through nicely Many distinct flavors balance each other well.

M: Zippy carbonation keeps it from getting too thick or sticky.

O: Nicely balanced and drinkable for the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 01:52:08 | More by greybeardloon

AtrumAnimus

Texas

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This Special Ale pours a very rich amber that reminds me of strong Iced Tea in color. The head is thick and rick with a light tan color that is long lived and settles out slowly in about a minute leaving a nice appealing lacing down the side of the glass.

The nose is actually fairly decent as well. Malt that is subdued by the fragrant hops along with hints of coriander, nutmeg and fruit with some apples.

The beer has a very nice full mouthfeel that is rich, satisfying and filling. Not a hot day summer beer. I would prefer this one on a cool spring or fall day. But it is a rather excellent beer. The flavor is dry malt with a sharp hoppy flavor that is a very strong with a peppery undertone. The finish is bitter but pleasant and not overwhelming.

Overall this is an above average beer that is very drinkable. I would definitely buy it again were it available in my area.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 00:12:54 | More by AtrumAnimus

nickfl

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours with one finger of light tan foam on top of a clear, amber-brown body. The head settles at a moderate pace and leaves nice lace.

S - A rich, malty aroma of caramel and toffee with just a hint of spicy hops in the background.

T - Toasty, sugary brown malt notes up front. Some caramel, toffee, red apple, and a big load of brown sugar in the middle. Finishes with some musty hop flavor, more toffee and brown sugar and moderate bitterness.

M - Medium-thick body, moderately high carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - Actually not bad. I didn't expect much after finding this one in a local bottle shop that I rarely visit, but it turned out to be a decent example of the style. The malt character is quite nice and if finishes with balanced bitterness that makes it quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 02:26:42 | More by nickfl

metter98

New York

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear dark reddish amber in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high dense beige head that gradually died down and left a large patch of bubbles that nearly covered the entire surface and a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are pleasant aromas of buttery malts and fruity yeast in the nose.
T: The taste has a good amount of malty flavors along with notes of fruity yeast. There is a light amount of bitterness, which particularly stands out in the finish along with some hints of spices.
M: It feels on the high end of being medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a bit of warming from the alcohol; the bitterness causes some tingling on your tongue.
O: This beer is rather easy to drink for the style and hides its alcohol well, although it’s complex enough to enjoy sipped slowly.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 00:59:45 | More by metter98

Etan

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Libbey tall tulip. Sent to me by Valdieu2.

A: Pours a dark brownish-amber with a spongy off-white head. Nice retention and lacing.

S: Strong aroma of yeast and vinous esters. Prune, grapes, brown bread maltiness, cinnamon.

T: Almost-tart fruity esters open the taste: banana, prune, grape, raisin. An astringent, deeply earthy bitterness takes over for a brief moment before going into a big bready, yeasty, grainy finish, along with some caramel and toffee maltiness. Some fruitiness, most noticeably banana esters, return in the finish, with crisp grain, hop bitterness, and a bit of alcohol.

M: Relatively light-bodied for a strong ale, but good.

O: I definitely enjoyed this one. The esters were nicely balanced with the grain flavors. The bitterness in the middle is a bit acrid, but other than that this is a tasty ESA.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 23:34:53 | More by Etan