Torrent Pale Beet Bock - Elysian Brewing Company

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This brew was served from the tap at The Blind Tiger in New York, NY. It arrived in a generic tulip, glowing firecracker red. It held a one finger head of white bubbles. This receded on the quick side, leading rings of lacing around the glass. There was a moderate haze, no sediment, and active appearing carbonation. The aroma gave pale malts, a light toast, honey sweetness, agave fruitiness and astringency, dusk, and musk. The advertised beets were huge and raw of metallics and that root vegetable air. Our first impression was that the beets, as in the nose, were very apparent from the starting, adding uniqueness without much of that dirty beet flavoring. As we sipped, beet sourness, pale malts, yeasty metallics, and boozy bite started things off. The peak came with bittered phenols, more boozy wash, more pale malts, and more bready, metallic yeast. The end was muddled, with those aromatic vegetable metallics, strong plastic phenols, and black pepper booze. The aftertaste did, however, breath crazily of that beety grittiness, along with mineral, bittered chalky grain, stone, and that same pale malt wash from the swallow. The body was medium, and the carbonation was medium. There was good froth, slurp, smack, and cream to it, with pop and pucker to a bright astringent dryness. There was no real coating, however, despite a massive foaminess on the swirl of the sip around the mouth. This contrasted strangely with the starchy dryness of the feel otherwise. The abv was fine, and the beer drank decently.

Overall, the best thing about this beer was its uniqueness. The beets gave something wild to bounce off the pale grain base in the mouth, while the nose was hit with robust vegetable metallics and sugars. This was all interesting, but also a bit bizarre. Things were muddy, and the flavors didn’t really blend all that well. This is also advertised as a “bock”, but there was an utter lack of darkness to the grain bill. Dark coffees or caramels through the malts actually might have helped to bolster some of those other hearty components.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2013 02:12:22 | More by TheBrewo

snaotheus

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into two big snifters

I decided that although beets are not a normal part of any bock I've tasted, I would count beet-like properties as expected for this beer, since it's clearly the intent of the brewer. I do like beets.

So. This beer is pink. It's actually fairly pretty, for a pink beer. Otherwise, it is clear with a fairly small pale head. Smell is beets first and foremost, with a slight amount of yeast.

Taste is not quite dominated by beets. The beets co-exist with a dryish lager flavor, some surprising hop notes of piney and spicy character, some yeast.

Mouthfeel is dry but smooth. Overall, if you like beets and you're not offended by the notion of beets in your beer, this is actually pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 21:05:08 | More by snaotheus

beertunes

Washington

2.88/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Served in straight pint glass. Poured a clean, clear, slightly reddish, amber color, with about an inch of slightly pink head that had good retention and very light lacing.

The aroma was mostly neutral, some malt and no real hops or beet scent. The taste was the same, mostly bland and neutral, but the beet flavor did show up a bit more. There was a slight bit of hop bitterness on the end.

The body was thinner than I look for in a Bock, this was kinda thin, leaning towards watery. Drinkability wasn't that good for me, but I don't like beets, YMMV. Overall, while not a "bad" beer, it wasn't one I particularly enjoyed. You might like this a lot, and it's probably worth trying if you get the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 22:49:56 | More by beertunes

mhaugo

California

2.83/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1 pint, 6 ounce bottle. Decanted into a pint glass.
Appearance: As red as Satan. Crystal clear with a rapidly dissipating head.
Smell: Smells like walking past the beet tray at the salad bar.
Taste: Tastes like beets… but not the canned variety. There’s definitely a fresh quality to it. Very earthy, almost like they didn’t wash dirt off before using the beets. Also a little grassy with a touch of bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Clean and dry.
Overall: Wow… this beer is really red. I generally do not like beets, but this is not too bad. It has a freshness to it that I like. I don’t know if I need to hunt down a second bottle, but I certainly don’t regret opening this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 05:35:11 | More by mhaugo

oline73

Maryland

2.58/5  rDev -17%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I had this on-tap at Max's. Served in a tasting glass.

Let me start this review by saying that I hate beets, but I tried to approach this beer with an open mind.

Appearance: Pours a clear red color with a layer of off white head that leaves a ring around the pour. The beets are doing there thing here.

Smell: Very mild with a hint of beets. There is also a slight sweetness here, but it's really quite boring.

Taste: Right off the bat I'm getting a mild bready malt flavor. Beets and some dirt show up along with the malt. The finish is rather bitter. Not a big fan of the dirt like note.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with aggressive carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I thought this was a weird beer that tasted like beets and dirt. Definitely won't have another.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2012 02:24:57 | More by oline73

harrymel

Washington

2.58/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

#7 of 12 beers of the apocalypse.

From label: TORRENT Pale Beet Bock will tow you under with an earthy inundation of beets and malt, bringing satisfaction to the survivor in a beer the color of hellfire.

No lie in the color - certainly beets added here, a pretty rusty rose color with a pale pink sheet of foam atop. Smells of beets, grass, hay, some sweet malts. Taste is classic dirt beets - which I happen to like. There is plenty of sweetness lent from the bock malt bone, unfortunately not the best combo. Medium bodied with slightly hi carb and an off dry finish. Overall, this was an okay beer, the beets I'm certain are very, very polarizing for some. I happen to like beets very much, so this wasn't too far of a stretch - and yet was overly sweetened.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 05:03:48 | More by harrymel

HuskyinPDX

Washington

2.05/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bottle opened on 8.14.12.
Number 7 in the series.

A - Pours a ruby red with a fluffy light pink head with good retention.

S - Earthy and some sweetness.

T - Earthy, and some gross beats.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body. Dirty mouth finish.

O - Beets are gross, ok... why put them in a beer. Yuck.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 06:01:24 | More by HuskyinPDX

vkv822

Oregon

2.6/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

on-tap @ Elysian Brewery.
taster glass.
from notes.

Pours a clear, vibrant, dark red with a thin white head.

The nose and palate on this are fairly unique, with a sweet, faintly vegetable, beet characteristic that is definitely the most upfront taste in the beer, followed by the bready malt backing.

Medium+ body, with appropriate carbonation.

The beets are definitely there, so kudos for that, and while it was certainly not unpleasant, I didn't find it to be very appealing either.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2012 07:05:57 | More by vkv822

RJLarse

Washington

1.85/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

I bought a bomber of Torrent Pale Beet Bock at the Swamp Tavern in Spokane. Poured in to a pint glass.

Pours a crimson color, clear, with a bubbly pinkish colored head.

Smell is a predicable sweet cooked vegetable scent.

Taste is also predictably a beet flavor, with a little watery bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is thin, with a bitter beet flavored aftertaste.

Overall I'm not a fan of beets. I don't like them cooked, or raw. Never have probably never will. So this beer will drop off the table because of my liking, or lack thereof related to beets. And frankly I can't think of many vegetables I would want to brew beer with. Fruit and sugars sure, certain spices no problem, but vegetables, nah.

So if the world ends in December and this is the last beer in the fridge, some one else can have it.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 22:44:12 | More by RJLarse

flagmantho

Washington

3.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 22oz bomber into a pint glass. This is #7 in the 12 beers of the apocalypse series.

Appearance: light orange-pink hue with a moderate haze and a good effervescence. Head is two thick fingers of pillowy ivory foam with a light pinkish cast. Weird, but exactly what I would expect in a beet bock.

Smell: earthy aroma with a very light tinge of sourness and a definite beet character. Bizarre, but not bad.

Taste: tastes like beets and dirt. Sweetness combines with a kind of harsh maltiness and a raw beet flavor. I love the idea, but I think the execution just doesn't work. A for effort, but it's not a lovely tasting beer.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent carbonation and workable creaminess. Not too bad.

Overall: this beer just doesn't work, in my opinion. However, I'm glad the experiment has been done.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 00:26:28 | More by flagmantho

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

#7 in the "Beers of the Apocalypse".. Pale Beer Bock.. Yeah.. does not sound great out of the gate.

Pours with a pretty damn good head... pinkish head... the brew looks like a cherry lemonade.. very red... hold it up to a light and see how the light comes through the glass... candy apple red.

Nose is dry with slight fermented out malt presence and no hops to speak of... earthy.... not much else.

Flavor tastes like "beer" ... This glass has been sitting for a while now, and I think I get something that reminds me "roasted beets" but somehow without the typical sweetness associated with beets.

Body is a bit heavy.. carbonation seems a touch light... drinkability is not that good... besides the "color" there is just nothing going on.

4/3/3/3/3

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 06:35:53 | More by JohnGalt1

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.65/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Now for something completely different. Poured into a Celebrator Pokal. Pours a bright ruby red with a half finger off white head (appears pinkish from the underlying beer) that dissipates slowly to a ring around the glass. Aroma of sweet malt and, yes, fresh beets. Flavor is fresh beets, sweet and biscuit malt, spicy hops. The beet flavor plays well off the the dry biscuit malt flavor. Finish is slightly astringent. A very unusual flavored beer that almost works. The earthy beet flavor is somewhat surprising on each sip, which makes this a bit interesting to drink. Light to medium bodied. I was not sure at all they could pull this one off, and am glad it was flavorful enough to keep me drinking. The base flavor seems to be closer to the lightly toasted and biscuit malt of an amber or ESB than a bock; it is also not all that sweet. Probably the most unusual of a very experimental series. I've enjoyed this experience every month.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 18:13:14 | More by LiquidAmber

Redrover

Illinois

2.65/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

This was on one of the rotating taps at Post Street Ale house in Spokane.

Poured in a standard shaker pint glass, the beer is a chill hazed bronze with an egg shell colored cap.

Citrus and caramel malt on the nose. The beets are not evident in the nose.

The taste starts with some citrus and a hint of pine and then a big smack of something earthy, it must be the beets and it’s a bit off-putting. Not sure why, but the beats overpower the base beer.

The mouth has active carbonation and a bit of heft.

All-in-all, kudos to the brewer for trying something new. I won't be having another but I salute the effort.


From the Brewer’s website:

JULY 21 RELEASE:: TORRENT PALE BEET BOCK
The end of the world will be full of unexpected pairings: drought and pestilence, crushing crowds and disorienting emptiness, fire and flood. Torrent provides a moment of satisfying survival, washing over you with an earthy inundation of beet and bock, crisp but with a malty sweetness, pale but the color of hellfire. Brewed with pale, Munich and Cara-hell malts, bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Styrian Goldings hops. Powdered beets were added in the whirlpool for a lot of color and a touch of earthy sweetness

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2012 21:32:47 | More by Redrover