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

tastybeer

North Carolina

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

Clear light brown with red and amber. Kind of a warm chestnut color with a light tan head that forms a ring in not very long after the pour. Smell is sweetly mellow but very full. Maple syrup comes through strongest followed by butter, toffee, caramel, and butterscotch. Nicely malted with a bit of hops hidden within. Taste is of sweet maple syrup and subtle caramel. Definite buttery bread maltiness. Nice earthy, floral and fruit hops peak through the maple. There's a wide range of fruit tastes including fresh green grapes and juicy plums. There's kind of a second long, unexpected cherry burst as well. Hop bitterness at the finish balenced with a calming sweetness. Just the right carbonation and no drinkability problems here.

This beer it suprisingly awesome. Its nicely complex and seems to cover a lot of different tastes. Kind of like yummy controlled chaos.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2006 01:13:57 | More by tastybeer

techdiver

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a clear deep reddish copper with modest head that dissipates quickly.

Toasted malt and toffee to the nose.

Wonderful malt taste with a balanced hop bite.

Very smooth, medium bodied, clean and crisp.

Great drinkability, just a pleasure to drink. My first look at this style, and it's fairly impressive.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2007 20:18:28 | More by techdiver

alexwag

New York

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

A: Good ruddy amber with hint of red, partially opaque. Thin film of creamy white head, not much lacing.

S: Rich and malty, with toasted notes. Enticing but not overpowering.

T/M: Toasted and caramel malts, somewhat bready, but in a good way. Smooth and creamy without being cloying, goes down consistently well. Great balance with a little hop twang coming in at the end. Tasty beverage for the last few hours of '07.

D: Damn fine beer, could have a few and be feeling great. Rich and interesting and well balanced. Can't ask for much more.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 00:01:26 | More by alexwag

dsa7783

New Jersey

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

Short, fat, stout, single 12 oz bottle purchased from Total Wine and More in Union...
After an aggressive pour, a deep, dark, amber and ruby-red hue is noticeable along with a moderate-sized head that slowly receded and left a copious amount of lacing...
My first brew from this company, and I must admit that I was very impressed by the overall quality and flavor exhibited...
Subtle, soft smell with some noticeable hops and a touch of malts present along with a tinge of vanilla...
Rich, sweet, creamy taste bursting with caramel, sugars, vanilla, bread and butter, and butterscotch...
In my opinion, another highly underrated beer that should deserve more attention and respect...
Flavor was top-of-the-line and certainly one of the best depictions of the style that I have recently come acrosss...
Rich, creamy, thick, filling mouthfeel and an equally high level of drinkability where the ABV is well-masked behind a rich conglomeration of flavors...
Excellent stuff...
Definitely recommended...

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 02:19:29 | More by dsa7783

JayNH

New Hampshire

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

A- Pours a deep clear copper. Not much of a head.

S-Bready, slightly sweet and fruity. Mild alcohol scent and a hint of the sour green apple.

T- Starts a little sweet and finishes with a nice hoppiness. Very well balanced.

M-Moderately carbonated, smooth and full bodied.

D- excellent, a very nice offering from Geary's.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2008 23:53:19 | More by JayNH

tvazteca

Massachusetts

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

The Geary's HSA pours a beautiful dark amber, sticky-icky up the sides and a beautiful 1/4 inch head. It smells good but would probably smell better if my dishwasher didn't do such a shitty job. Sorry Geary's. The beer still tastes great. It almost tastes like an ESB despite it's strong ale label. I know the salesman told me I'd say that, and my heart wants to be contrarian, but it does taste like an ESB. Feels great going down. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 01:04:08 | More by tvazteca

BEERMILER12

Maine

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

A: Pours a nice amber color with a fingers worth of head that sticks around for a while

S: Ringwood yeast, some pale malts, and maybe some backing hops

T: Again with the ringwood yeast, some pale to darker malts, and backing hops to prevent sweetness. Fairly stiff, but no alcohol noticeable

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, fairly leathery on the tongue

O: Another solid brew from Geary's. The style is done very nicely and is definitely a pure example of an English strong ale

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 02:38:50 | More by BEERMILER12

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a winter seasonal - Must Try! Deep golden bronze/amber with a tint of red. Very complex dry robust malt with a trace of sweetness. Powerfully hopped, then dry hopped for good measure. The maltiness rolls forward throughout the glass and begins to reveals a trace of berries and some smoothness. An unusual, but nice pine essence is long lasting. The alcohol is noticed, though not overly so. The creamy beige head lingers and nice lace is formed. As with all of D.L. Geary’s brews, there sort of a raw wildness, like Maine itself. It’s easy to picture a Norman Rockwell Maine coast pub scene in winter where the cheerful patrons are toasting one another with a frosty mug of Hampshire Special. Now that really warms the heart! BTW – Hampshire Special pairs really well with hearty stews. Try braising a roast with this ale in place of Burgundy wine.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2003 06:56:16 | More by BeerResearcher

mydeadguy

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a reddish/orange hue with a bright clarity, and about and inch of smooth tan head.

Smells rich and malty with hint of alcoholic esters and a touch of sweet fruit.

The taste and mouth are both rich and strong. The mouth is a bit fluffy, full and round. The taste is malty up front with a nice warming alcohol middle and a slight hop finish. The bitterness sticks a bit to the palate, lingering. The taste has warm earthy overtones, the mouth just too damn smooth.

if this is a winter seasonal, I better buy up all I can, this is one fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2003 03:28:04 | More by mydeadguy

francisweizen

Australia

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a dark tawny amber brew with hints of red. The aromas are of sweet malts and spicy hops in the background (do they use saaz in this stuff?). This is not overly hopped nor overly spiced, so that makes this stuff a wonderfully easy to drink winter seasonal that still packs a bit of a warming wallop with its 7%abv. Like I said the drinkability is very good and the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, without being too thick or cloying. I raise my glass to JohnnyP "This HSA is for you!". I guess it is nice to have this available year round and cheap up in Maine. Over here, these bottles are rarely seen. I had to beer trade for this one!

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2003 18:18:54 | More by francisweizen

barrettds

New York

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful red-orange color to the beer. A fine, half inch head remains after an aggresive pour. Lacing remains in the mug all the way through the drink.

Smell is that of apples and other fruits, backed up by some pleasant grassy notes. No hint of the 7% ABV.

Taste is great for an ale of this stature. Since it doesn't really fit into any particular ale category, it is hard to compare. Starts off smooth and somewhat creamy with a tad of bitterness (without it, the beer would be much too sweet). The sweet flavor of the apple and fruit then rushes over the tongue. Again, no sign of 7% ABV. VERY smooth.

Mouthfeel is on the heavier side for an ale. Not something you'll have too many of in a sitting on accident. Light on the carbonation, big on flavor.

Drinkability is wonderful. While an ale, this could also double as a winter warmer as well. I'm not usually a fan of beers with heavy fruit notes, but this one passes in my book. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2006 04:50:51 | More by barrettds

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The slightest of hazes with a neutral amber color. Good head to start but dissipates quickly. Slight lace that slides down the glass.

Sweet, almost like cotton candy. Some crystal malt aromas also.

Surprisingly well balanced. Also, I enjoy the British styling on the malt notes. Far more dry than the aroma would indicate. Bitter finish. Full body with generous carbonation.

Wonderfully complicated. This is one of the nicer complex offerings.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2007 20:47:47 | More by smcolw

BDIMike

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a copper color with a brown tint in a darker light. There is a slight bit of carbonation that creates a thin lace of a white head.
Smell is really nice for an English strong ale. Normally the smell is not as pronounced for this style. However, there are good strong malts of toffee and also a strong hop hit of fresh citrus.
Taste is one of the best I have had of this style. There is an unbelievable balance of malt and hops. The hop taste starts strong with really nice citrus tastes. It balances with a good caramel and toffee malt. There is also a bit of alcohol taste that comes through, but it is a nice amount.
Mouthfeel is very nice and smooth. Great thickness, but incredibly smooth.
Drinkability is excellent on this beer. For all of the strong tastes and flavors in this beer, they all balance very nicely and compliment each other. So smooth and drinkable this is a great beer for the style, probably the best I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2008 01:48:30 | More by BDIMike

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

fdrich29

Massachusetts

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

12 oz bottle from a 6 pack I picked up at Gordon's Wine on Main Street in Waltham, MA.

So there I was in my living room, with my parents, soon to be in laws, fiance and my friend's dad who is interviewing to be the dj at my upcoming wedding. The man has given us an incredible deal, I'm talking almost free here. My future mother in law blurts out "Well we need to hear you first before we make a decision". I quickly head to the kitchen, pretending not to hear what I just heard, and grab the first beer I could find. Luckily it was a Geary's Hampshire Special Ale. It saved me from either offing myself or my fiance's mother on the spot.

This beer is fantastic. A fantastic balance of hops and malt, one of those beers that doesn't come around every day. One taste and you know this one lives up to the term "special", if not defines it. Each sip begs another, highly drinkable and wonderfully tasty. Definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2005 02:18:06 | More by fdrich29

mcowgill

Massachusetts

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

A - clear bronze/copper with nice large bubbly head that dissipates to a thin layer.

S - Buttery, caramel malt aroma

T - Caramel/toffee like flavor and very malty. A nice bitterness is also present. This is a very complex beer.

M - Medium bodied, adequately carbonated

D - I could drink this beer all day and night....and get into serious trouble doing so. My favorite Geary's brew!

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2006 00:11:22 | More by mcowgill

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Received from cburian as part of Secret Bunny 07. Thanks Chris!

Clear medium amber with a thin cap of fine, whitish foam. Some stickage between sips, decent head retention for what's there. Aromas of floral hops, caramel, brown sugar, and fruity esters (pear?). Malty flavour, not overly sweet, but with a mellow caramel backbone and a solid, balanced bitterness. A little bready, toasty, estery middle, and a hint of alcohol. Medium bodied, lowish carbonation, slightly grainy texture with a bit of warmth at the end. Very nice. A well-crafted, easy drinking english strong ale. I like this one quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2007 00:26:47 | More by DrJay

Bassetdawg

Maine

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

Presentation: 12 oz bottle (with new label) poured into shaker glass

Appearance: dark amber, with cream colored head, one finger thick, with some lacing

Aroma: malty aroma with a hint of spice.

Taste and Mouth feel: a caramel and toffee malt up front, quickly balanced by hops. smooth, thick mouth feel.

Drinkability: wow – this goes down quickly and smoothly – an excellent ale, one that should have a permanent place in the refrigerator.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 00:09:36 | More by Bassetdawg

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a clear amber brown with a light tan head. On the nose it is tar like with a slight alcoholic tone to it. There is something else that is extremely prevalent that I just can’t put my finger on. Peat, maybe? On the mouth it is...whoa...sorry...was tasting and typing at the same time. Smooth and even. Strong caramel tones on the mouth. Feel is good, with a lower carbonation. Thicker with an almost syrupy feel. Definitely drinkable, but it’s definitely a strong English ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 15:30:11 | More by RblWthACoz

stemcell001

Connecticut

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

Poured a light amber and off white head into a pint glass. Got a good whiff of some good hops. The first taste in the sip was a nice bitter hop followed by some slightly sweet and nutty smooth malts. The head left nice lacing down the pint glass. Definitely a great, quality ale. I could have a couple of these in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2008 01:44:59 | More by stemcell001

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

John

New York

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Clear amber liquid with nice head following a vigorous pour. Toasted caramel and semi-sweet bready aroma. Caramel and toasted malt predominate the flavor with a touch of grapefruity hop. Alcohol warms the belly nicely. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2002 10:47:45 | More by John

ZAP

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice amber color....Nose is very inviting....a bit of whiskey...some bing cherries...and even some leather and mustiness...body is thick and firm but easy drinking....about perfect...feels good in the mouth, like it was meant for me to drink a six-pack of this tonight (although I only have one which is a probably a good thing)...A verynice flavor to match the nose although slightly weaker than the nose.....same elements...sweet fruit/whiskey/leather...finsihes with a nice twang of hops that throws this malty badass into balance.....a very enjoyable beer...one of the more drinkable barley wines I've had...A guy could get in trouble with this....a lot of character with this beer, but a high drinkability as well....thanks to Bierman9 for providing this memorable beer..

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2003 22:10:26 | More by ZAP

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pretty clear amber copper color, it is topped by a light tan head. There is a nice dry hoppy aroma, evocative of English hops; A bit lemony, slightly grassy. Wow, I was not expecting so much hop flavor to be packed into this beer. It has a balancing malt sweetness a bit of caramel. Quite good, I am duly impressed. The hop flavor is citrusy and floral in character. The beer has a medium body, which is perfect for this beer. This is still an easy drinking beer but has enough body to balance the stellar hop flavor. I certainly wish that I had access to more of this great beer. Overall this is a very well put together beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2004 01:16:24 | More by Gueuzedude

bditty187

Nebraska

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear amber-copper hue with bronzy-brown influences, the color is fabulous! The head was very small at its apex, it might have reached a 1/4th of a finger in height; it faded quickly to a thin soapy collar. The lacing was absent. The nose had some lovely depth; there was a mix of light citrus juiciness, sweet maltiness, a hint of biscuit, buttery-toffee, a faint note of woody-alcohol. The potency is modest but the bouquet is inviting nevertheless. The palate is down right tasty! The toasty caramel malt really stands out in this offering; it is rich and deep with just enough of a hint of biscuit. When the buttery-toffee notes mixed in, all I can say is, wow! The fruitiness was mild and interwoven perfect, citrus and honey soaked berries. The bite of hops is surprisingly burly, no I’m not talking West Coast hoppy but it is nicely aggressive. The persuasion of alcohol is very faint. The palate is well-rounded and tremendously gratifying to quaff. Medium in body, the carbonation is low and natural, mouthfeel is a tickle thin; maybe I am knit picking. HSA is a relaxing beer; it fits comfortably like an old pair of slippers. I see why this beer is so respected, it is very agreeable. If I had this beer available locally I would treasure it like gold, a “thank you” goes out to Bierman9 for the sample. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2004 22:39:44 | More by bditty187