Poured from the bottle into a Sam Adams Sensory glass.
Appearance: The beer pours an opaque apricot, and my mildly aggressive pour left a thin head that quickly dissipated. A nice level of carbonation is exhibited. Noting spectacular in the looks department but an attractive color.
Smell: A great nose on this - some peach, some citrus, some resinous hops, some slightly sour funk going on. Very fragrant and inviting.
Taste: A truly interesting beer. I'm reminded of Port Brewing's Hop 15 (or at least what I remember of that) - extremely thick, with a high level of syrupy, effervescent fruitiness. A sharp sour green apple bites through the initial sweetness for a bit, then is drowned with a clover honey finish that eventually gives way to that always unpleasant alkaline baking soda sensation on the tongue due to the IBUs.
Mouthfeel: I love a thick beer with a rich, creamy mouthfeel, so I'm all about The Oracle. The carbonation is quite good, and it's a nice mouthful of beer without being syrupy.
Overall, it's a darn good beer. It's going to rate outstanding and exceptional on the review sites due to it's rarity, but honestly I think I prefer the similar, and better, Hop Slam. The alkaline finish is just distasteful to me and keeps it from being a truly great beer. I'd give it an A-/B+.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Review: GLBC Commodore Perry
Poured from the bottle into a Sam Adams sensory glass. This bottle was only a week or two off the bottling line, as I got it from a buddy who gets me a lot of underfills...
Appearance: The color isn't anything special, really, but it's pours quite clear with a nice head and good retention. A good level of carbonation is exhibited with a steady stream of bubbles rising from the nucleation points in the glass.
Smell: A very nice and strong aroma, indeed. A nice malt mixes with slightly citrus, lemon aromas, and some fresh grassiness.
Taste: A creamy mild sweetness is complemented with a bit of bready malt, and finished up with clean, sweet bitter hop flavors. Everything is well integrated - the sweetness never overpowers the mild bitterness, and the finish is clean on the palate - but still reminding you it's an IPA. I'd say for non-imperial IPA it's one of my favorites.
Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is fantastic for a single IPA. Thick and rich, but never syrupy, and with a perfect level of carbonation. The mouthfeel perfectly complements the flavors of the beer and enhances the entire package. For the style, I think it's worth a 5.
Drinkability: It's extremely drinkable, due to the great taste and wonderful mouthfeel. I'm nearly done with my glass as I finish this review, actually... and really wouldn't mind another!
One of the best of the GLBC brews, in my opinion. An A- single IPA for sure.
Appearance: The color isn't anything special, really, but it's pours quite clear with a nice head and good retention. A good level of carbonation is exhibited with a steady stream of bubbles rising from the nucleation points in the glass.
Smell: A very nice and strong aroma, indeed. A nice malt mixes with slightly citrus, lemon aromas, and some fresh grassiness.
Taste: A creamy mild sweetness is complemented with a bit of bready malt, and finished up with clean, sweet bitter hop flavors. Everything is well integrated - the sweetness never overpowers the mild bitterness, and the finish is clean on the palate - but still reminding you it's an IPA. I'd say for non-imperial IPA it's one of my favorites.
Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is fantastic for a single IPA. Thick and rich, but never syrupy, and with a perfect level of carbonation. The mouthfeel perfectly complements the flavors of the beer and enhances the entire package. For the style, I think it's worth a 5.
Drinkability: It's extremely drinkable, due to the great taste and wonderful mouthfeel. I'm nearly done with my glass as I finish this review, actually... and really wouldn't mind another!
One of the best of the GLBC brews, in my opinion. An A- single IPA for sure.
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