New Glarus - Thumbprint Enigma

New Glarus says: "A few times a year we cut Dan loose to brew whatever he chooses. Always handcrafted, the bottle you hold is brewed for the adventurous soul. This is a very limited edition and we make no promises to ever brew this style again.

A complex and intriguing original. The mystery began with wild yeast spontaneously fermenting a rich treasure of malted barley and cherries. Unlined Oak casks breathe deep vanilla hues and chords of smoke into this sour brown ale. Our Master Brewer has forged a smooth garnet tapestry that defies description. Wander off the beaten path."

That just about does it, no? This sour brown ale is 5.5% ABV and was sent by a friend.

Appearance: This is a densely carbonated, clear, garnet-red beer that initially pours off about 1 finger in head. The head then recedes to about the level you see in the photo and eventually down to nothing.

Smell: So complex! Sour notes of apple, cider vinegar, raspberry, cranberry, oak, and vanilla.

Taste: Wow -- this is complex, like the nose, incredibly well balanced, and has subtle flavors that play with each other on the palate. I get cherry, oak, a bit of sweetness, some spice -- it's overall reminiscent of tart cherry pie.

Mouthfeel: I usually think of sours as being very light bodied and heavily carbonated. Despite looking that way, Enigma drinks creamy, super smooth and dense, and the carbonation actually feels very light. This is a nice surprise. Generally I like the lighter body in a sour, but drinking this in the winter made me appreciate the denser character as it added perceived weight and warmth.

Overall: This was a stellar beer and I'm sorry I didn't get more of it! I couldn't believe the complexity of scents and flavors, and everything melded really well together. I don't have a lot more to say -- this was incredible and if they ever do make this again, I want a case of it.

5/5

Founders Brewing Co - Frangelic Mountain Brown

Frangelic Mountain Brown is a limited (brewed-once) beer that was released into the Founders distribution network July 2012. Midwest and some East Coast folks got a shot of getting this in bottles; lil' ole me in California needed to rely on friends out that way to try it myself. Thank you, as always, friends across the country! Founders says: "We’re excited to share this beer with all of you. The use of hazelnut coffees in the brewing process gives Frangelic Mountain Brown distinct flavor and aromatics, with sweet and nutty notes beautifully balanced. We think you’ll enjoy it. We do." 

As the name suggests, this is a brown ale that checks in at 9% ABV. As the quote from Founders mentions, it was brewed with hazelnut coffee as a adjunct, so there is meant to be a strong flavor from that, melding (ideally!) with the nuttiness from the brown ale style.

Appearance: Clear dark brown, not opaque, with a small one-finger head that recedes down to invisibility and leaves essentially nothing on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Hazelnut is super dominant: nutty and sweet. There are coffee notes there, as well as faint traces of biscuit and milk chocolate.

Taste: It tastes exactly how you would expect it to, from the smell: huge hazelnut coffee sweetness dominates the palate, with more subtle notes of caramel, toffee, and light chocolate at the end.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a slight chewiness, that then finishes surprisingly dry. Excellent mouthfeel -- there is body and heft throughout that feels appropriate given the flavor profile, but then it doesn't linger and feel sticky and overwhelming. Nicely done.

Overall: For me, this wasn't the most complex beer. The hazelnut was super dominant and overpowered a lot of the more subtle notes I might have otherwise picked up from the brown ale style. All that said, it was pretty damn good, especially if you are a hazelnut fan -- think Nutella, Frangelico, etc. Particularly considering that great mouthfeel, this is still a beer that Founders can be very proud of. The beer fully commits to its style and namesake, which is a nice change from me often drinking a beer that claims to be brewed with something, and not actually being able to taste it that much. So overall, well done.

3.5/5

Stone Vertical Epic 11-11-11

They're calling this year's beast an "Ale Brewed with Anaheim Chilies and Cinnamon" -- 9.4% ABV

Appearance: Dark chestnut or cherry wood color. Pours a nice, full head with decent retention that leaves net-like lacing around the sides of the glass.

Smell: It smells almost like a blonde wit! It's very yeast-forward, with clove, ester, and perhaps a trace of the cinnamon that they brewed with. I don't get chile in the aroma at all.

Taste: There's a nice malt backbone, but it's not sweet at all and the forward tastes are all spice. The cinnamon is there, clove as well, and alcohol at the end. There are some nice dark fruit characteristics as well. I still am not getting the chilies in the taste; however on the back of the bottle they claim that the Anaheim chile doesn't really generate heat, but just provides "rich flavor." Unfortunately, without knowing specifically what an Anaheim chile tastes like, I don't really think I can pick it out from the flavor line-up here, and there isn't really anything unusual jumping out on the palate that I might attribute to the chile either.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light-bodied given the flavor profile -- the carbonation seems to pick it up a bit.

Overall: This is a solid beer, and probably my favorite of the Vertical Epics I've tried. I can't say overall that I'm too excited about it compared to some other favorites, but I have to give Stone credit where it's due that they took some pretty seemingly discordant flavors and the result is a nicely balanced and complex brew. Wish I got more of the chilies though!

Since I've already gone ahead and done it once, I might as well go ahead and add the .5's into the regular ratings rotation.
3.5/5

Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head - Life and Limb (Batch 2)

American Strong Ale / Brown Ale - 10.2% ABV

  

Appearance: Life and Limb is dark brown/black with a modest head, but it doesn't recede much. Lacing sticks to the glass nicely.

Smell: Dark fruit, caramel, a bit of wood/earth, and some roasted character as well.

Taste: Like the aroma, but more complex. The fruit is there, with caramel and brown sugar, which to me are both more dominant than the maple that is supposed to be added to the beer. The alcohol is present but not overly dominant, and there are traces of chocolate and even a touch of liquorice. The birch addition provides a slightly smoky quality, but it is not overwhelming.

Mouthfeel: Fairly heavy, with warming from the alcohol, but not too thick or cloying.

Overall: This was a very pleasant, warming beer to drink in the fall/winter months. Both the aroma and the taste have nice complexity, and there is some uniqueness in the taste character due to the birch. I'd definitely get this if I saw it again, and I'd also be interested in aging for this one. It drinks very well fresh, but I'd love to try it after a few years as well. It's not an absolute favorite overall, but a great beer.

4/5