Old Embalmer - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

AmitC

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +6%

12-21-2012 23:52:10 | More by AmitC

ChalupaBatman

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%

06-12-2013 03:16:40 | More by ChalupaBatman

sommersb

Tennessee

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 05-30-2013
Freshness: 2012 Vintage
Packaging: 22 oz. brown bottle, pry cap
Glassware: Signature glass
Purchased: Received in a trade

The label says my bottle of Old Embalmer '12 was bottled on 07-18-2012.

The appearance has a semi-clear amber/orange colored beer with a nice sized off-white head on top. Both lacing and head retention are very good.

Aromas are very pleasant; first with piney and floral hops, then malty caramel notes, followed by fruits and spices, with perhaps a hint of tobacco.

The taste follows suit, leading off with hop bitterness in the medium range, then a dose of caramel malts and some oak and woody flavors. The alcohol lends a pleasing warming to the taste.

For mouthfeel, the body is thick and full, moderately carbonated, and finishes with an excellent balance of hoppy bitterness and sweetness of rich malts and fruits.

Overall I enjoyed this beer a lot. With almost a year in the bottle, I'm sure the hops are much more restrained than they would have been at bottling, but it seems to have aged very well.

Thanks to my cousin Brian for this one!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 03:31:10 | More by sommersb

Thumpybass

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

05-22-2013 23:26:46 | More by Thumpybass

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-19-2013 17:18:32 | More by Whiskeydeez

nick_asian

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -12.7%

05-19-2013 07:07:45 | More by nick_asian

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is super malts. Loads of them, with a fairly firm sweet tone to it. The bravo hops are still carrying a good deal of influence with a noticable spicyness from them. Very slight burn from alcohol. This is a good barleywine as it is now, but I think a very significant amount of time in a cellar would bring out a much different experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 03:33:26 | More by RblWthACoz

TheRougeBastard

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -0.2%

04-26-2013 01:07:15 | More by TheRougeBastard

jsteele

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -19%

04-14-2013 18:33:24 | More by jsteele

Pencible

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: This poured a cloudy copper with some off white head.
S: It smelled like orange and copper hops, with sweet caramel and earthy bread crust.
T: It tasted like sweet caramel and earthy bread, with some bitter citrus and copper hops. It had a bitter and waxy aftertaste.
M: It was somewhat thick with lots of carbonation. Fairly lively body.
D: This was a decent barleywine with average scent and taste and body. The finish was a bit harsh, and the alcohol was noticeable, so it was not super easy to drink. Age would probably help, but this will likely never be great.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:07:24 | More by Pencible

WinZipMyPants

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

04-08-2013 18:04:12 | More by WinZipMyPants

tuka

New York

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

03-27-2013 04:38:40 | More by tuka

MA08

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

03-09-2013 03:04:25 | More by MA08

kjkinsey

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

02-24-2013 22:48:28 | More by kjkinsey

tdm168

North Carolina

3.99/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - caramel amber with a soft lacing of pure white head that fades but leaves nice lacing on the glass.

S - bready, caramel, candy sugar; intensely malty aroma

T - bread, caramel, candy sugar, some citrus, bitter finish, some underlying sweetness in the finish as well; spicy alcohol that warms the throat

M - warm, a bit thin at times, medium to full bodied

This is a decent barleywine. Just as advertised it showcases "copious amounts of malts". The bravo hops in this '12 edition offer a big bitterness similar to a vegetable-like bitterness and some citrus notes throughout. My only complaint is that this beer is a bit thin and alcohol is a bit intense. I wish I had another bottle to age for a year or two. Once this beer blends and mellows, I bet it would be fantastic. Even relatively fresh (5 months old) it's pretty decent.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 13:22:02 | More by tdm168

powdersoldier

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +6%

02-09-2013 21:02:04 | More by powdersoldier

kluless59

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%

02-09-2013 02:05:36 | More by kluless59

beernads

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -19%

02-07-2013 06:24:08 | More by beernads

Heathbrook

4.25/5  rDev +6%

01-26-2013 00:13:53 | More by Heathbrook

Pugs78

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%

01-21-2013 02:37:26 | More by Pugs78

chubby2u

New York

4.25/5  rDev +6%

01-18-2013 19:18:27 | More by chubby2u

ZombiesAteMyDog

Indiana

4/5  rDev -0.2%

01-16-2013 22:44:32 | More by ZombiesAteMyDog

TheSixthRing

California

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing Old Embalmer '12, bottled July 18th, 2012.

Appearance - Pours a hazy, orangish amber color with a white, finger width head. Average retention. Lacing is spotty at best.

Smell - Loads of caramel notes on the first whiff. Moderate bread. Minor hints of astringency. Faint chocolate.

Taste - Predominant caramel and toffee notes. Hints at berry sweetness. Finishes sweet with a touch of heat, and a lingering moderate citrus bitterness.

Moutfheel - Full-bodied, with light, but tingly carbonation. Sticky on the lips, but goes down like a beer with lesser body.

Overall - At this stage, reminiscent of Mendocino's Eye of the Hawk, with a bit more kick. Loads of caramel flavor backed by strong fruity ester character. Still has a touch of hop character, even with 5 months of age on it. At $4 a bottle, I must have purchased it at a closeout discount. Hopefully there's still another bottle or two, because I'd love to get a good year or two of age on this thing.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 04:55:36 | More by TheSixthRing

CoolGuy42

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.2%

12-27-2012 15:52:04 | More by CoolGuy42

Cramerican

North Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

12-27-2012 05:41:19 | More by Cramerican