Post by landis on Jul 12, 2010 9:29:07 GMT -5
A few weeks back my sister and her boyfriend went on a Weyerbacher tour and picked me up 9 of their beers. (Blithering Idiot, Double Simcoe IPA, Fifteen, Hops Infusion, Juliet, Kilo, Merry Monks' Ale, Old Heathen Imperial Stout, Verboten).
Here are my reviews:
Based on a weighted rating scale:
Appearance - 10%
Aroma - 20%
Taste - 20%
Palate - 10%
Overall - 40%
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Blithering Idiot
11.1% English Barleywine
89 B+
Appearance - 8.5
Aroma - 8.5
Taste - 9.5
Palate - 8
Overall - 9
Ap - Beautiful light brown/amber in color with a thin white head
Ar - Malty dark fruits that remind me of a sweet wine. No hop aroma, but this is an English Barleywine so I wasn't expecting much in the hops department.
T - Rich sweet malt with cherry and other dark fruit. The alcohol is clearly present, but not off putting.
P - Thick and rich with nice warming alcohol.
O - Definitely a slow sipper. The chalice sat with me for about an hour and as it warmed the flavors became so much richer.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Double Simcoe IPA
9% American Double / Imperial IPA
93 A-
Appearance - 9
Aroma - 9.25
Taste - 9
Palate - 9
Overall - 9.5
Ap - Hazy orange amber with a thick white head that lasted to the last drop
Ar - Huge pine simcoe hops everywhere with traces of a sweet maltyness
T - Starts off smooth and malty but bitters up quick with a strong pine flavor. In true east coast style the malt holds strong and supports the intense hop flavor
P - Creamy thick mouthfeel with subtle alcohol burn
O - Very delicious, but not something I would want to drink more of in one sitting - perfect sipper at 9%.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Fifteen
10.8% American Double / Imperial Stout
89 B+
Appearance - 9.5
Aroma - 9
Taste - 9.5
Palate - 8
Overall - 8.5
Ap - Pitch black with a thin brown head.
Ar - Sweet malt and roasted chocolate. I was expecting to pick up a lot of smoke, but there wasn't much present.
T - The smoke that I was expecting in the aroma was definitely found in the taste. Sweet malt and chocolate with a solid alcohol presence. Also some hints of coffee and dark fruit.
P - Solid body and slick on the tongue.
O - The smoke flavor is a little overpowering, but all in all this is a pretty solid beer. Definitely only one in a sitting. I would be interested to see how this one ages. Maybe the alcohol heat would cool down along with the smokey flavor.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Hops Infusion
6.2% American IPA
79 C+
Appearance - 7.5
Aroma - 8
Taste - 8
Palate - 7.5
Overall - 8
Ap - Crystal clear copper with 1 inch thick head.
Ar - Fresh piney and citrus hops that reminds me of the hop debris I compost after homebrewing. There is also a touch of malty sweetness.
T - Crisp and just slightly bitter - there must be simcoe hops in here. There is something about this that reminds me of a tamed (and very tame at that) version of their Double Simcoe IPA.
P - Solid mouthfeel with subtle carbonation.
O - This is a very satisfying beer and not very overpowering. The hops are there, but they don't kick you in the face. The malt backbone is very strong and holds the beer together. I may not buy a whole case of this beer, but I will be sure to pick up more and I would never turn one down.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Juliet
8.5% Altbier
87 B+
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 8
Taste - 9
Palate - 8.5
Overall - 9
Ap - Deep hazy chocolate with 2cm white head
Ar - Rich sweet caramel malt with hints of chocolate.
T - Malty toffee with some chocolate. A very earthy bready flavor.
P - solid on the tongue with subtle carbonation.
O - This was a fantastic beer! I didn't have any notes in front of me when I was drinking this one, so I didn't know it was an altbier. I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to try this one. I wish they would turn this into a seasonal beer, because I would be sure it pick it up every time.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Kilo
?% Saison / Farmhouse Ale
72 C-
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 8
Taste - 6.5
Palate - 6.5
Overall - 7
Ap - A crisp copper orange with billowy white head that quickly calms to a few centimeters
Ar - Lemon and citrus with a few other more subtle spices in the mix
T - Tart with a slightly metallic taste (might be from the cap - I'm not sure how safely this one traveled). Subtle chamomile, cloves and coriander. There is also a slight fruity sweetness.
P - Highly carbonated and crisp with a medium body.
O - This was a decent saison, but not really what I was anticipating. At first I was hoping they revamped the Muse, but this is nothing like that beer. I'd be interested in trying this one again, but overall there are other better saisons out there.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Merry Monks' Ale
9.3% Tripel
84 B
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 9
Taste - 8
Palate - 8
Overall - 8.5
Ap - Hazy light golden color with thin white head.
Ar - Lemon and spice with cloves and yeast esters.
T - White grapes, banana, and pear. The alcohol is a bit hot, but nothing terribly overpowering. Some spice in there (coriander and clove).
P - Solid carbonation and strong on the tongue. The alcohol hits you in the back of the throat.
O - A very solid brew with many strong characteristics fighting for dominance. This bottle was very fresh and young. I would like to see how this one ages for 6 months or so. I don't think this could be a beer I would drink every night, but one that would be nice every now and again.
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Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Old Heathen Imperial Stout
8% Russian Imperial Stout
88 B+
Appearance - 9.5
Aroma - 9
Taste - 9
Palate - 8.5
Overall - 8.5
Ap - Midnight black with a thin tan head that quickly dissipates.
Ar - A fantastic roasty chocolate and toffee combination.
T - Chocolate! Sweet malty flavors with expressions of bitter coffee and alcohol.
M - Creamy with a bit of alcohol on the back on the throat.
D - There is an alcohol presence that slows the pace, but all around a fantastic example of a Russian Imperial Stout.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Verboten
5.9% Belgian Pale Ale
87 B+
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 9
Taste - 8.5
Palate - 8
Overall - 9
Ap - An aggressive pour produces a massive fluffy white head over a slightly hazy golden brew.
Ar - Tart citrus and earthy hops with a slightly funky yeast presence. Makes me want to just dive into this one.
T - Tart lemon peel type flavor with spicy funky yeast. Also some subtle apple, pear and banana
P - Solid carbonation with a dry finish. A nice light body keeps this one refreshing.
O - This is a fantastic beer. There are many characteristics that remind me of a saison. In one sitting I would probably only want one, but I would definitely pick this one up again.
_______________________
Here are my reviews:
Based on a weighted rating scale:
Appearance - 10%
Aroma - 20%
Taste - 20%
Palate - 10%
Overall - 40%
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Blithering Idiot
11.1% English Barleywine
89 B+
Appearance - 8.5
Aroma - 8.5
Taste - 9.5
Palate - 8
Overall - 9
Ap - Beautiful light brown/amber in color with a thin white head
Ar - Malty dark fruits that remind me of a sweet wine. No hop aroma, but this is an English Barleywine so I wasn't expecting much in the hops department.
T - Rich sweet malt with cherry and other dark fruit. The alcohol is clearly present, but not off putting.
P - Thick and rich with nice warming alcohol.
O - Definitely a slow sipper. The chalice sat with me for about an hour and as it warmed the flavors became so much richer.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Double Simcoe IPA
9% American Double / Imperial IPA
93 A-
Appearance - 9
Aroma - 9.25
Taste - 9
Palate - 9
Overall - 9.5
Ap - Hazy orange amber with a thick white head that lasted to the last drop
Ar - Huge pine simcoe hops everywhere with traces of a sweet maltyness
T - Starts off smooth and malty but bitters up quick with a strong pine flavor. In true east coast style the malt holds strong and supports the intense hop flavor
P - Creamy thick mouthfeel with subtle alcohol burn
O - Very delicious, but not something I would want to drink more of in one sitting - perfect sipper at 9%.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Fifteen
10.8% American Double / Imperial Stout
89 B+
Appearance - 9.5
Aroma - 9
Taste - 9.5
Palate - 8
Overall - 8.5
Ap - Pitch black with a thin brown head.
Ar - Sweet malt and roasted chocolate. I was expecting to pick up a lot of smoke, but there wasn't much present.
T - The smoke that I was expecting in the aroma was definitely found in the taste. Sweet malt and chocolate with a solid alcohol presence. Also some hints of coffee and dark fruit.
P - Solid body and slick on the tongue.
O - The smoke flavor is a little overpowering, but all in all this is a pretty solid beer. Definitely only one in a sitting. I would be interested to see how this one ages. Maybe the alcohol heat would cool down along with the smokey flavor.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Hops Infusion
6.2% American IPA
79 C+
Appearance - 7.5
Aroma - 8
Taste - 8
Palate - 7.5
Overall - 8
Ap - Crystal clear copper with 1 inch thick head.
Ar - Fresh piney and citrus hops that reminds me of the hop debris I compost after homebrewing. There is also a touch of malty sweetness.
T - Crisp and just slightly bitter - there must be simcoe hops in here. There is something about this that reminds me of a tamed (and very tame at that) version of their Double Simcoe IPA.
P - Solid mouthfeel with subtle carbonation.
O - This is a very satisfying beer and not very overpowering. The hops are there, but they don't kick you in the face. The malt backbone is very strong and holds the beer together. I may not buy a whole case of this beer, but I will be sure to pick up more and I would never turn one down.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Juliet
8.5% Altbier
87 B+
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 8
Taste - 9
Palate - 8.5
Overall - 9
Ap - Deep hazy chocolate with 2cm white head
Ar - Rich sweet caramel malt with hints of chocolate.
T - Malty toffee with some chocolate. A very earthy bready flavor.
P - solid on the tongue with subtle carbonation.
O - This was a fantastic beer! I didn't have any notes in front of me when I was drinking this one, so I didn't know it was an altbier. I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to try this one. I wish they would turn this into a seasonal beer, because I would be sure it pick it up every time.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Kilo
?% Saison / Farmhouse Ale
72 C-
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 8
Taste - 6.5
Palate - 6.5
Overall - 7
Ap - A crisp copper orange with billowy white head that quickly calms to a few centimeters
Ar - Lemon and citrus with a few other more subtle spices in the mix
T - Tart with a slightly metallic taste (might be from the cap - I'm not sure how safely this one traveled). Subtle chamomile, cloves and coriander. There is also a slight fruity sweetness.
P - Highly carbonated and crisp with a medium body.
O - This was a decent saison, but not really what I was anticipating. At first I was hoping they revamped the Muse, but this is nothing like that beer. I'd be interested in trying this one again, but overall there are other better saisons out there.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Merry Monks' Ale
9.3% Tripel
84 B
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 9
Taste - 8
Palate - 8
Overall - 8.5
Ap - Hazy light golden color with thin white head.
Ar - Lemon and spice with cloves and yeast esters.
T - White grapes, banana, and pear. The alcohol is a bit hot, but nothing terribly overpowering. Some spice in there (coriander and clove).
P - Solid carbonation and strong on the tongue. The alcohol hits you in the back of the throat.
O - A very solid brew with many strong characteristics fighting for dominance. This bottle was very fresh and young. I would like to see how this one ages for 6 months or so. I don't think this could be a beer I would drink every night, but one that would be nice every now and again.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Old Heathen Imperial Stout
8% Russian Imperial Stout
88 B+
Appearance - 9.5
Aroma - 9
Taste - 9
Palate - 8.5
Overall - 8.5
Ap - Midnight black with a thin tan head that quickly dissipates.
Ar - A fantastic roasty chocolate and toffee combination.
T - Chocolate! Sweet malty flavors with expressions of bitter coffee and alcohol.
M - Creamy with a bit of alcohol on the back on the throat.
D - There is an alcohol presence that slows the pace, but all around a fantastic example of a Russian Imperial Stout.
_______________________
Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Verboten
5.9% Belgian Pale Ale
87 B+
Appearance - 8
Aroma - 9
Taste - 8.5
Palate - 8
Overall - 9
Ap - An aggressive pour produces a massive fluffy white head over a slightly hazy golden brew.
Ar - Tart citrus and earthy hops with a slightly funky yeast presence. Makes me want to just dive into this one.
T - Tart lemon peel type flavor with spicy funky yeast. Also some subtle apple, pear and banana
P - Solid carbonation with a dry finish. A nice light body keeps this one refreshing.
O - This is a fantastic beer. There are many characteristics that remind me of a saison. In one sitting I would probably only want one, but I would definitely pick this one up again.
_______________________
