Brewtopia Events LLC
www.ClassicCityBrew.com
Strong Beers #6
Blind Beer Tasting
Tasters    
Thel and Ort prepare to experience the potent brews.
Owen Ogletree (director of Brewtopia Events LLC) gathered together some of his fellow beer enthusiasts on September 10, 2003 at Athens' Wild Wing Cafe on Washington Street downtown to sample and comment on several mixed styles of ales and lagers that are high in gravity and alcohol.  This beer sampling was done as a blind tasting where no one was aware of the brands that were being served.  Beers were informally commented upon and ranked according to Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines.  First, second, third places, and honorable mention were awarded to the beers we felt represented their individual styles in extraordinary fashion.  Because of the excellent quality of each of these beers, it was very difficult to decide on awards (this explains our multiple honorable mentions).  Drop Owen an email to share your comments and opinions.

Brewtopia Events


Commercial Beers -- Blind Tasting Comments...


More beer destinations on our Brewtopia Events webpage...

 

Wild Wing was gracious enough to host our evaluation of these beers.  Visit the pub soon for a fine selection of beer and delicious wings and sandwiches.

Wild Wing
www.wildwingcafe.com
312 E. Washington St.
Athens, GA
phone: 706-227-WING

Tasters
Johnnie and Dan consult the style guidelines.


Saison Dupont 
Saison Ale 
Brasserie Dupont – Tourpes, Belgium 
FIRST PLACE
Aroma: Earthy, horse-blanket, musty.  Smells of farmhouse, cellar, spice, clove, and complex malt and yeast aromas.  An interesting, appealing nose.
Appearance: Very carbonated and fizzy.  Head retention is wonderful.  Pale orange in color with a beautiful, golden clarity.
Flavor: Good balance of malt and hops.  Very refreshing with fruity, spicy notes.  Phenols are pleasant with earthy tastes and a hint of citrus.  An extremely complex, yet refreshing ale.
Saison Dupont


Einbecker Ur-Bock 
Traditional Bock 
Einbecker Brauhaus – Einbeck, Germany
SECOND PLACE (tie)
Aroma: Caramel hints with slight raisin toast aromas.
Appearance: Dark amber with a clear appearance and good carbonation.
Flavor: A bit bitter for style, but very delicious.  Malt is wonderful with toasty, toffee, caramel flavors.  Very smooth and flavorful.  Nice example of a Bock.
Einbecker


Maximator 
Doppelbock 
Augustiner Brewery – Munich, Germany
SECOND PLACE (tie)
Aroma: Slight chocolate, dessert fruit, malt, rum, sherry, alcohol.  Complex aroma.
Appearance: Dark brown and slightly translucent with a mild beige foam.
Flavor: Alcohol, malt, dark fruit, cherry hints.  Complex flavors of pepper, alcohol, spice, and toast.  A very smooth beer for its strength.  Wonderful complexity and richness.
Maximator

Rogue Imperial Pale Ale 
India Pale Ale  
Rogue Ales, Newport, OR, USA 
THIRD PLACE
Aroma: Mild fruity aroma with a deep, earthy hop nose.
Appearance: Light yeast sediment and slight haze.  Nice light head with a dark gold color.
Flavor: American hops are nice in bitterness and flavor.  Great rich balance for style between malt and hops.  Hop bitterness is medium/high and hop flavor is very floral and nice.  Complex, fruity flavors add to a rich, intense beer with good malt and hops.


Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock 
Doppelbock
Weltenburg Klosterbrauerei –Kelheim, Germany 
HONORABLE MENTION
Aroma: Chocolate, malt, dark fruit, hints of candy bars, toffee and raisins.
Appearance: Dark with garnet highlights.  Creamy light brown foam.
Flavor: Dark sugar, candy bar, hazelnuts.  Medium/full bodied with deep flavors of German malts and dark, sweet fruit.  A rich lager with deep flavors.



Ebulum 
Fruit Beer – Elderberry Black Ale 
Heather Ale Ltd. – Craigmill, Strathaven, Scotland 
HONORABLE MENTION
Aroma: Sassafras, mild elderberries, fruit, and malt.
Appearance: Light carbonation with very low head.  Opaque and black.
Flavor: Hint of initial elderberry and a coffee/roasty aftertaste.  Dryer than the aroma would indicate.  Nice, dry, fruity character.  Very interesting and subtle.


McRogue Scotch Ale
Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy) 
Rogue Ales – Newport, OR, USA 
HONORABLE MENTION
Aroma: Sweet toffee, alcohol, with hints of rich sherry.
Appearance: Low carbonation with a clear, ruby appearance.
Flavor: White chocolate notes.  Not very sweet.  Well balanced with hints of peat, earth, caramel, nuts, butter, and malt.  A warming ale.


Georg Schneider’s Wiesen Edel-Weisse 
Historical Beer - strong festival Weizen 
Private Weissbier Brauerei Georg Schneider & Sohn - Kelheim, Germany 
Aroma: Apple, bubblegum, malt and honey.
Appearance: Golden and slightly hazy with a small white head of foam.
Flavor: Sweet with a slightly spicy flavor.  Somewhat tart and refreshing.  A hint of alcohol warmth is here along with some honey flavors.  Not as complex and flavorful as one might expect.



Moretti La Rossa
 
Doppelbock 
Castello Di Udine – Udine, Italy 
Aroma: Toast, malt, caramel, and light chocolate.  Very attractive aroma.
Appearance: Amber with light ruby highlights.  Clear and appealing.
Flavor: Hints of alcohol, caramel, and butter.  Slightly sweet and not extremely thick and tongue-coating.  This is a very pleasant, drinkable Double Bock.


Vermeer 8 
Belgian Strong Golden Ale

De Horste Brewery – Nederhorst Den Berg, Netherlands 
Aroma: Butter, honey, fruit and slight clove.
Appearance: Attractive, with a golden color and lacy foam on the glass.
Flavor: Honey/mead-like with notes of fruit and mild hops.  Candy sugar flavors are here along with a touch of vanilla.  There is no diacetyl (butterscotch).  This is a sweetish ale that is pleasant, but not very three-dimensional.


Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
Specialty Ale – hoppy Brown Ale with brown sugar
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Lewes, DE, USA 
Aroma: Solvent, rubber and phenol nose with hints of caramel.
Appearance: Dark ruby color with a clear appearance.  Very carbonated.
Flavor: Peach, cherry, spice, melon and hints of phenols.  Tastes of soft, ripe fruits and toffee with undertones of caramel, brown sugar, and yeast.  This is an elegant beer that has detracting phenols - possibly from some wild yeast.


Stone IPA 
India Pale Ale
Stone Brewing Company – San Marcos, CA, USA
Aroma: Citrus, resins, pine, and flowers.  Smells like pure, fresh, American hops.
Appearance: Clear with a dark gold color and nice head retention.  Very attractive.
Flavor: Intense hop bitterness.  This flavor is all hop with very little malt character for balance.  This is an intense ale that hop lovers will find appealing -- but hops are a bit heavy, astringent and medicinal.


© 2003 Brewtopia Events LLC
Brewtopia Events Main Page | Classic City Brew Fest | Cool Beer Links
Place Your Banner Ad Here | Let Us Build and Host Your Webpage for Little Cost
E-mail us with your questions or comments
E-mail us to subscribe to our e-mail Brewsletter