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Sonoran 200
Sonoran Brewing Company
- From:
- Sonoran Brewing Company
- Arizona, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 19.37%
- Score:
- 81
- Avg:
- 3.44 | pDev: 23.26%
- Reviews:
- 19
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 14, 2014
- Added:
- Feb 22, 2010
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 4
The "Sonoran 200" is produced from 2-Row Malt and pure Agave Nectar. To increase the Agave flavor and sweetness we infused more Agave Nectar into the brew after four weeks of fermentation was complete. The batch was then Oak Aged for six months, achieving the perfect balance of Agave Nectar and Oak flavors, giving the Sonoran 200 its mellow body and distinctive characteristics. We suggest enjoying the Sonoran 200 in a snifter at room temperature, though some prefer it chilled or on the rocks, or as a "floater" on you Margarita. For a truly unique experience, pair it with your favorite cigar or dessert.
7 IBU
7 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by haknort:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by cosmicevan from New York
3.77/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.77/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to joefuzz for bringing this to the southampton release and sending me home with the left overs, enjoyed almost a week after opening. Enjoyed from a mini snifter.
a - brew poured a fairly sludgy muddy orange brown. Not all that attractive
s - super sweet caramel
t/m - surprisingly drinkable. Abv is well integrated and this is easy to sip. Is it sweet? You bet. But the flavor is nice. Sweet caramel. It broke up the beer at the tadting and i am digging on it right now. Not the best beer, but for what it is, this is interesting and enjoyable. Seems like it will hold up, but i have more left and will revisitthe corked bottle again soon.
Feb 14, 2014a - brew poured a fairly sludgy muddy orange brown. Not all that attractive
s - super sweet caramel
t/m - surprisingly drinkable. Abv is well integrated and this is easy to sip. Is it sweet? You bet. But the flavor is nice. Sweet caramel. It broke up the beer at the tadting and i am digging on it right now. Not the best beer, but for what it is, this is interesting and enjoyable. Seems like it will hold up, but i have more left and will revisitthe corked bottle again soon.
Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan
3.4/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Jeff for giving me a pour of this. Pours a swamp and cloudy brown-yellow hybrid color with absolutely no head. The beer is completely silent and still after the pour, as expected for a brew of this magnitude. A quick swirl generates some moderate legging on the glass, but all-in-all, this beer is pretty ugly.
The aroma is, as Chris pointed out, somewhat similar to Sam Adams Triple Bock.; however, it is much less sweet and not quite so intense (though it is still quite potent). And don't mistake me - Sonoran 200 has a huge sweetness character in the aroma, just not *quite* as large as Triple Bock. Plums, heavy booze, brown sugar, figs, potent perfume, and a heavy nail polish remover scent from the alcohol. Lots going on here, perhaps a bit too much.
After a hefty aroma like that, I'm wondering what this sucker's gonna taste like. Much to my chagrin (and expectation), it's very sweet. But still not nearly as sweet as Triple Bock - Sonoran 200 is much more drinkable, though much more than a few ounces would certainly be too cloying. Nice meshing of caramel apples, candied grapes, melted brown sugar, sticky toffee and syrupy molasses - the flavor profile stretches for miles. And while it's insanely sweet, it's actually not too bad.
The thing that surprises me the most about this is that it's literally not hot at all on the palate. It's almost 20% ABV and yet it feels not even 10%. I was expecting something that was throat and/or gut-burning, but this is neither. I don't know if that's due to the high sweetness offset, or if it has just mellowed out nicely over the years. The mouth feel is heavy, sticky, and trudges slowly through your mouth, but it isn't offensive nor bothersome for an over-the-top brew such as this one.
Thanks again to Jeff for giving me a pour from his bottle. This is one of those crazy experimental brews that it's nice to try at least once, even though it's not something you're going to be cracking very often (both due to the beer's style and it's relative scarcity). This isn't quite as complex and magical as something like Utopias, but it was much more enjoyable than Triple Bock.
May 08, 2013The aroma is, as Chris pointed out, somewhat similar to Sam Adams Triple Bock.; however, it is much less sweet and not quite so intense (though it is still quite potent). And don't mistake me - Sonoran 200 has a huge sweetness character in the aroma, just not *quite* as large as Triple Bock. Plums, heavy booze, brown sugar, figs, potent perfume, and a heavy nail polish remover scent from the alcohol. Lots going on here, perhaps a bit too much.
After a hefty aroma like that, I'm wondering what this sucker's gonna taste like. Much to my chagrin (and expectation), it's very sweet. But still not nearly as sweet as Triple Bock - Sonoran 200 is much more drinkable, though much more than a few ounces would certainly be too cloying. Nice meshing of caramel apples, candied grapes, melted brown sugar, sticky toffee and syrupy molasses - the flavor profile stretches for miles. And while it's insanely sweet, it's actually not too bad.
The thing that surprises me the most about this is that it's literally not hot at all on the palate. It's almost 20% ABV and yet it feels not even 10%. I was expecting something that was throat and/or gut-burning, but this is neither. I don't know if that's due to the high sweetness offset, or if it has just mellowed out nicely over the years. The mouth feel is heavy, sticky, and trudges slowly through your mouth, but it isn't offensive nor bothersome for an over-the-top brew such as this one.
Thanks again to Jeff for giving me a pour from his bottle. This is one of those crazy experimental brews that it's nice to try at least once, even though it's not something you're going to be cracking very often (both due to the beer's style and it's relative scarcity). This isn't quite as complex and magical as something like Utopias, but it was much more enjoyable than Triple Bock.
Reviewed by oline73 from Maryland
3.17/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.17/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Poured from a bottle that looks like it should hold tequila into a tasting snifter.
Appearance: Pours a very murky amber with almost no head at all.
Smell: Really, really sweet. Caramel malt and dark fruit. Lots of alcohol heat.
Taste: Tastes like candy. Lots of dark fruit and carmel. I'm getting some notes that remind me of vanilla and banana. The heat isn't as strong as I would have guessed. Smooth considering.
Mouthfeel: The body is syrupy and the beer is flat. Some alcohol heat.
Overall: Neat to get to try this beer but I don't need more.
Jan 14, 2013Appearance: Pours a very murky amber with almost no head at all.
Smell: Really, really sweet. Caramel malt and dark fruit. Lots of alcohol heat.
Taste: Tastes like candy. Lots of dark fruit and carmel. I'm getting some notes that remind me of vanilla and banana. The heat isn't as strong as I would have guessed. Smooth considering.
Mouthfeel: The body is syrupy and the beer is flat. Some alcohol heat.
Overall: Neat to get to try this beer but I don't need more.
Reviewed by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia
3.24/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.24/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Shared by ygtbsm94 at my place last weekend. Thanks Brad.
The beer appears still and is a hazy, orange, copper hue. The aroma is sweet and boozy. Malty, nutty, fruity, strong, bold, interesting. Caramel malt with some brown sugar, A bit oily on the palate. Low carbonation. Fun to try. Best in small doses.
Jan 11, 2013The beer appears still and is a hazy, orange, copper hue. The aroma is sweet and boozy. Malty, nutty, fruity, strong, bold, interesting. Caramel malt with some brown sugar, A bit oily on the palate. Low carbonation. Fun to try. Best in small doses.
Reviewed by searsclone from Arizona
4/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
poured into a snifter
zero head, murkey dark orange color, almost brown.
smells sweet like honey, brown sugar and alcohol
taste is sweet at first with honey, then a little bit of alcohol then brown sugar and some tequila then some chocolate and more sweetness, maybe maple syrup
mouthfeel is hard to describe because this one's a sipper
overall, I'm not really sure how to rate/review this. It's not like any other beer I've had. Definitely worth a try
Jul 29, 2012zero head, murkey dark orange color, almost brown.
smells sweet like honey, brown sugar and alcohol
taste is sweet at first with honey, then a little bit of alcohol then brown sugar and some tequila then some chocolate and more sweetness, maybe maple syrup
mouthfeel is hard to describe because this one's a sipper
overall, I'm not really sure how to rate/review this. It's not like any other beer I've had. Definitely worth a try
Reviewed by birchstick from Colorado
3.65/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
A - pours a murky orange color out of the most unique beer bottle I have seen.
S - the nose contains a sweet nectar characteristic with some funkiness and a little bit of agave
T - very sweet, sticky honey lemon fades to honey suckles and sweet syrupy agave flavors. It is a little gingery and maple as well. The abv is very well-masked and not even noticeable in the palate.
M - very smooth body
D - super sweet and the abv is a little limiting, but this is definitely approachable and drinkable for what it is. Worth a shot as this is a very unique beer.
Dec 04, 2011S - the nose contains a sweet nectar characteristic with some funkiness and a little bit of agave
T - very sweet, sticky honey lemon fades to honey suckles and sweet syrupy agave flavors. It is a little gingery and maple as well. The abv is very well-masked and not even noticeable in the palate.
M - very smooth body
D - super sweet and the abv is a little limiting, but this is definitely approachable and drinkable for what it is. Worth a shot as this is a very unique beer.
Reviewed by brokensail from California
3.11/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.11/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A: The beer ours a flat, hazed, golden-orange color with no head.
S: Sweet. Very sweet with lots of caramel, toffee, bread, and tons of brown sugar. Tons of honey type aromas with some grapes/sweet wine, and definitely some booze.
T: As expected, this one is intensely sweet. Quite mead-like as it has a lot of honey and vinous qualities. Brown sugar, caramel, and toffee add to the sweetness, but there is something almost savory about it. Maybe white sage?
M: Medium bodied with no carbonation.
O: Significantly better than the 100, but still not something I feel the need to try again.
Sep 03, 2011S: Sweet. Very sweet with lots of caramel, toffee, bread, and tons of brown sugar. Tons of honey type aromas with some grapes/sweet wine, and definitely some booze.
T: As expected, this one is intensely sweet. Quite mead-like as it has a lot of honey and vinous qualities. Brown sugar, caramel, and toffee add to the sweetness, but there is something almost savory about it. Maybe white sage?
M: Medium bodied with no carbonation.
O: Significantly better than the 100, but still not something I feel the need to try again.
Reviewed by beerguru14 from Arizona
3.42/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pour, Color, & Aroma:
First off, the bottle this comes in reminds me of a tequila bottle. It was a square and had a cork topper. The colors and logo itself are very unique and Phoenixesque. I don't normally mention much on the aesthetics of the bottle, but this is one that really stands out. I noticed a significant amount of sedimentation along the bottom of the bottle. When I finally uncorked and poured it, I noticed a lack of any head what-so-ever, pouring similar to a scotch or tequila. As far as clarity, the beer was relatively clear with just a hint of haze.
The aroma was something very unique. Up front I got alcohol. I wasn't sure if I would get much else, but with some patience I started getting a boutique of aromas wafting up underneath the heat. Butter toffee, a hint of sweet rum and brown sugar began taking shape.
Taste:
Wow. I was not ready for the flavor of this brew. I was expecting an upfront alcohol taste that would mask any other flavors. I was totally wrong. The first thing I thought of was a sweet and sugary syrup. A mellow agave also made its way up that gave way to other dark fruit type flavors such as plum, date and fig. The last thing I was getting was a hint of vanilla from the oak.
Finish and Body:
The finish of this beer may have been its only weakness and a minor one at that. There was a lack of carbonation. I am sure there are reasons for this, but a slightly higher carbonation rate may have helped distract my palate from all the sweetness. Other than that, the body was somewhat on the thicker side due to the sweetness and the alcohol really didn't play as much of a factor as I thought it would.
Final Thoughts:
Overall I was very pleased with this beer. After I finished drinking it, I went to the brewery website and saw a suggestion of adding it to a margarita. I had enough left in my bottle so I did just that. The recipe I used is as follows:
1/4 oz of Don Sergio Tequila
1/4 oz Grand Imperial (Orange liqueur)
1/2 oz of Sonoran Brewing 200
2 1/2 oz of Bone Daddy Margarita Mix (the best I've had!)
The resulting margarita was fantastic. The agave from the beer really came through and complimented the flavors perfectly.
As far as the beer goes, this is one to try. I would recommend sharing it with friends so they have the opportunity to try something truly unique. Prost!
Jul 26, 2011First off, the bottle this comes in reminds me of a tequila bottle. It was a square and had a cork topper. The colors and logo itself are very unique and Phoenixesque. I don't normally mention much on the aesthetics of the bottle, but this is one that really stands out. I noticed a significant amount of sedimentation along the bottom of the bottle. When I finally uncorked and poured it, I noticed a lack of any head what-so-ever, pouring similar to a scotch or tequila. As far as clarity, the beer was relatively clear with just a hint of haze.
The aroma was something very unique. Up front I got alcohol. I wasn't sure if I would get much else, but with some patience I started getting a boutique of aromas wafting up underneath the heat. Butter toffee, a hint of sweet rum and brown sugar began taking shape.
Taste:
Wow. I was not ready for the flavor of this brew. I was expecting an upfront alcohol taste that would mask any other flavors. I was totally wrong. The first thing I thought of was a sweet and sugary syrup. A mellow agave also made its way up that gave way to other dark fruit type flavors such as plum, date and fig. The last thing I was getting was a hint of vanilla from the oak.
Finish and Body:
The finish of this beer may have been its only weakness and a minor one at that. There was a lack of carbonation. I am sure there are reasons for this, but a slightly higher carbonation rate may have helped distract my palate from all the sweetness. Other than that, the body was somewhat on the thicker side due to the sweetness and the alcohol really didn't play as much of a factor as I thought it would.
Final Thoughts:
Overall I was very pleased with this beer. After I finished drinking it, I went to the brewery website and saw a suggestion of adding it to a margarita. I had enough left in my bottle so I did just that. The recipe I used is as follows:
1/4 oz of Don Sergio Tequila
1/4 oz Grand Imperial (Orange liqueur)
1/2 oz of Sonoran Brewing 200
2 1/2 oz of Bone Daddy Margarita Mix (the best I've had!)
The resulting margarita was fantastic. The agave from the beer really came through and complimented the flavors perfectly.
As far as the beer goes, this is one to try. I would recommend sharing it with friends so they have the opportunity to try something truly unique. Prost!
Reviewed by AgentZero from Illinois
1/5 rDev -70.9%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
1/5 rDev -70.9%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
A - Looks like diarrhea in the toilet that sat overnight. Wow this looks awful.
S - Maple syrup, ginseng, weird agave, alcohol, and a really disgusting sweetness. This almost made me gag.
T - Wow this is gross as hell. I literally felt the need to vomit as I tried to get this down. Tastes like sweet, rotten ginseng tea, horrible alcohol, artificial sweetener. Sean took a sip and spit his out in the sink. I choked down enough swallows to be able to tick, but I think it was a mistake.
M - Flat, hot, gross, I can't go on.
O - May very well be the worst beer I've ever had. I seem to have a massively different sense of taste than the people here that are giving this horrible concoction A's. At close to $40 for the bottle, this is a massive rip-off. I'd feel ripped off paying 40 cents for this.
Jul 07, 2011S - Maple syrup, ginseng, weird agave, alcohol, and a really disgusting sweetness. This almost made me gag.
T - Wow this is gross as hell. I literally felt the need to vomit as I tried to get this down. Tastes like sweet, rotten ginseng tea, horrible alcohol, artificial sweetener. Sean took a sip and spit his out in the sink. I choked down enough swallows to be able to tick, but I think it was a mistake.
M - Flat, hot, gross, I can't go on.
O - May very well be the worst beer I've ever had. I seem to have a massively different sense of taste than the people here that are giving this horrible concoction A's. At close to $40 for the bottle, this is a massive rip-off. I'd feel ripped off paying 40 cents for this.
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)
2.59/5 rDev -24.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.59/5 rDev -24.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Bottle courtesy of t0rin0. I know you enjoyed the Cantillons I sent you far more than I enjoyed this. Served in a Cigar City snifter immediately after Sonoran 100.
A - This is a little bit lighter than the Sonoran 100, and hazier as well. Looks like some sort of turbid caramel water.
S - Agave nectar, maple syrup, oaky vanilla, and alcohol. Thankfully no bacon or tires. Still somewhat cloying.
T - Taste is a little strange - there's a herbal ginger note mingling with the agave and harsh alcohol burn. Not as overly saccharine as the 100, which already makes it somewhat of an improvement.
M - It's still. Huge alcohol burn and warmth persists throughout. Sticky and full-bodied, although it doesn't linger as long as the 100.
D - Well - I thought this one was better than the 100, but it's still a far cry from Utopias or Sam Adams Millennium (the only other "beers" of this ilk). This was excellent for dipping Twinkies in, or for glazing sausages.
Jun 20, 2011A - This is a little bit lighter than the Sonoran 100, and hazier as well. Looks like some sort of turbid caramel water.
S - Agave nectar, maple syrup, oaky vanilla, and alcohol. Thankfully no bacon or tires. Still somewhat cloying.
T - Taste is a little strange - there's a herbal ginger note mingling with the agave and harsh alcohol burn. Not as overly saccharine as the 100, which already makes it somewhat of an improvement.
M - It's still. Huge alcohol burn and warmth persists throughout. Sticky and full-bodied, although it doesn't linger as long as the 100.
D - Well - I thought this one was better than the 100, but it's still a far cry from Utopias or Sam Adams Millennium (the only other "beers" of this ilk). This was excellent for dipping Twinkies in, or for glazing sausages.
Reviewed by bringonthehops from California
3.43/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.43/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
1/30/2010:
Wow ... this has the distinction of being one of the 10 weirdest beers I've ever had ... AND, it's easily the most alcoholic beer I've ever enjoyed, clocking in at about 19.5%!!! On the nose, this smells like a sweet Belgian Tripel, but on the palate it is surprisingly smooth, and it doesn't taste alcoholic either! Struck me as being somewhat similar to a Tawny Port. Tastes like it would age quite fabulously. I liked this quite a bit, and consider it a real treat that fellow CT'er, fingers, provided the opportunity to try such a unique beer.
Dec 10, 2010Wow ... this has the distinction of being one of the 10 weirdest beers I've ever had ... AND, it's easily the most alcoholic beer I've ever enjoyed, clocking in at about 19.5%!!! On the nose, this smells like a sweet Belgian Tripel, but on the palate it is surprisingly smooth, and it doesn't taste alcoholic either! Struck me as being somewhat similar to a Tawny Port. Tastes like it would age quite fabulously. I liked this quite a bit, and consider it a real treat that fellow CT'er, fingers, provided the opportunity to try such a unique beer.
Sonoran 200 from Sonoran Brewing Company
Beer rating:
81 out of
100 with
28 ratings
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