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Concentrated Evil
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- From:
- FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 76
- Avg:
- 3.23 | pDev: 13.31%
- Reviews:
- 31
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Oct 10, 2017
- Added:
- Nov 17, 2009
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 5
Brewed with Raisins, Coconut Sugar, Panusta Sugar.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SolomonGrundy:
Reviewed by SolomonGrundy from California
3.29/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2
3.29/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2
Why can't my hectic, annoying weekends come during my three month vacation??!! In any event...OK, a relatively new brewery should NEVER be charging $8.99/bomber for ANYTHING. They are calling this a Belgian "style" ale. We'll see, kids...Pours a deep amber with hints of orange. Only the slightest haze sits in this here brew. No real head forms, and no real lacing. It's carbonated a lot more than I would have expected for an 11% ABV ale. Just a touch above par. Nose is somewhat subdued but what there is is loaded with sour stone fruit of the cherry and peach varieties. Some raspberry seems to be in there too. A touch, just a wisp mind you, of funk, too. Nice and kind of unique. Flavor is thinner than I would have wished. Are they SURE this is 11% ABV? Some real funky sour notes right upfront. Not overwhelming by any means. No real sweetness either, which is kind of surprising. The malt character is really downplayed in this brew. Almost no "punch" to it. A little thin all the way through. Finish is very dry and not at all hoppy. This is a bizarre and intriguing brew, but not elite or even in the 2nd tier. It's very unique and I still can't believe it's 11% ABV. A pretty nice effort but too expenisve for my tastes.
What I like most: The interesting and dilectible aromas.
What I like least: The price and thinner-than-expected flavor profile.
Verdict: Unique but a little too expensive. try as a novelty.
Dec 13, 2010What I like most: The interesting and dilectible aromas.
What I like least: The price and thinner-than-expected flavor profile.
Verdict: Unique but a little too expensive. try as a novelty.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania
2.75/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
A bomber poured into a tulip appears clear mahogany with khaki cap that fades leaving spotty lace.
An aroma of neutral fruits maybe somewhat vinous and certainly oxidized.
The taste has a stale grain flavor with vinous oxidation to slight cardboard.
This is medium in body with modest carbonation. Time has not served this one well.
Oct 10, 2017An aroma of neutral fruits maybe somewhat vinous and certainly oxidized.
The taste has a stale grain flavor with vinous oxidation to slight cardboard.
This is medium in body with modest carbonation. Time has not served this one well.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
2.75/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev -14.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Oh the ol' beer that tastes like its name joke. Its funny because its true. . .
Pond water brown, stagnant river, turbid brown. Lots of dark fruit alcohol booziness wafting around, coming off a little harsh.
Taste was harsh alcohol, sweet fig, bitter raisin and prune, dark bready notes. Toffee, phenolic yeast notes, just too big of a beer for me to enjoy, not doing anything I'm really down with.
They can't all be zingers fiftyfifty.
Jan 28, 2016Pond water brown, stagnant river, turbid brown. Lots of dark fruit alcohol booziness wafting around, coming off a little harsh.
Taste was harsh alcohol, sweet fig, bitter raisin and prune, dark bready notes. Toffee, phenolic yeast notes, just too big of a beer for me to enjoy, not doing anything I'm really down with.
They can't all be zingers fiftyfifty.
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
2.53/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
2.53/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
Appearance: Pours a mahogany color with a modest head; decent lacing
Smell: Wow, is this ever phenolic; that's about all I can say
Taste: Hints of dark fruit and caramel, up front, but by mid-palate, the sour tones take over; after the swallow, the phenols appear, bringing a lot of herbal character to the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation
Overall: The best I can say about this beer is that it might have made an interesting sour if it were not for the phenols
May 02, 2014Smell: Wow, is this ever phenolic; that's about all I can say
Taste: Hints of dark fruit and caramel, up front, but by mid-palate, the sour tones take over; after the swallow, the phenols appear, bringing a lot of herbal character to the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation
Overall: The best I can say about this beer is that it might have made an interesting sour if it were not for the phenols
Reviewed by oline73 from Maryland
3.59/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the bottle into a pint glass. I wasn't expecting much from this one and was pleasantly surprised.
The beer pours a slightly cloudy amber color with a mild layer of off white head. The smell is sweet with brown sugar, dark fruit, and some Belgian spice like notes. The flavor is a weird mix of dark fruit and Belgian spice. Things aren't working together as well as I would have hoped. The dark fruit notes are a bit tart. Sweet notes fade towards the finish. There is also a slight smoke that shows up in the taste and smell.
Feb 19, 2013The beer pours a slightly cloudy amber color with a mild layer of off white head. The smell is sweet with brown sugar, dark fruit, and some Belgian spice like notes. The flavor is a weird mix of dark fruit and Belgian spice. Things aren't working together as well as I would have hoped. The dark fruit notes are a bit tart. Sweet notes fade towards the finish. There is also a slight smoke that shows up in the taste and smell.
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington
2.55/5 rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
2.55/5 rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Review from 12/2010 notes. Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a dark red amber, slight head and no lacing. Slight belgian aroma with a spicy sweetness. Bitter orangy start with some elements of Belgian flavors, some malt and light fruits; more citrus flavors finishes dry and astringent. Not very good. I'm not finishing the bottle.
May 06, 2012Reviewed by ccrida from Oregon
3.4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Bomber picked up and cellared 1.5 years, poured into a tulip, Concentrated Evil is light mahogany with a tight egg-shell head leaving scattered, foamy lace.
Smell is very phenolic, a touch of sweet raisin malt. Fairly herbal, some brightness, I'd guess phenols more then hops at this age, but surely some of both. Gains pretty big intensity as it warms.
Taste is also very phenolic, lots of fresh herb, wintergreen, and some prune. The malt lacks depth, the punch here is all yeast, spicy esters and phenols. Not bad, just not exciting.
Mouthfeel is dry, sticky, medium bodied. Some sweetness from the booze, which is otherwise well hidden.
Drinkability is okay. No real off-flavors, it was just a little exaggerated with yeast notes, and not much else, save a little turbinado. The age probably helped the smoothness, with the heat only on the back end of the throat, but it's not one I'd seek out.
Feb 05, 2012Smell is very phenolic, a touch of sweet raisin malt. Fairly herbal, some brightness, I'd guess phenols more then hops at this age, but surely some of both. Gains pretty big intensity as it warms.
Taste is also very phenolic, lots of fresh herb, wintergreen, and some prune. The malt lacks depth, the punch here is all yeast, spicy esters and phenols. Not bad, just not exciting.
Mouthfeel is dry, sticky, medium bodied. Some sweetness from the booze, which is otherwise well hidden.
Drinkability is okay. No real off-flavors, it was just a little exaggerated with yeast notes, and not much else, save a little turbinado. The age probably helped the smoothness, with the heat only on the back end of the throat, but it's not one I'd seek out.
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada
3.09/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.09/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Kind of a dredgy brown and purple pour with almost no head on it. Prunes, brown sugar, figs, raisin aroma, with a substantial amount of alcohol to it, but relatively in the right proportion for none of it to be offputting.
Taste, a sipping beer for sure, mildly enjoyable, sweet, but not cloying or disdainful in its interaction with everything else. Its a relatively hot beer, and once you get to the point where you are a little bit more used to it, then the raisin aspect seems to be a little bigger than you'd prefer (well, than I'd prefer is more like it). Dark and bready, like rye bread, without the rye. Sorry, I couldn't come up with a better dark bread descriptor. Maybe it has a little nutmeg and cinnamon in it, but raisins and alcohol are quite upfront here. Appreciated the higher than usual carbonation, I can only imagine how much raisin there would be in the mouthfeel if the carbonation was flatter.
Loads of toffee, seems like the yeast phenols are equal parts English and Belgian.
Dec 25, 2011Taste, a sipping beer for sure, mildly enjoyable, sweet, but not cloying or disdainful in its interaction with everything else. Its a relatively hot beer, and once you get to the point where you are a little bit more used to it, then the raisin aspect seems to be a little bigger than you'd prefer (well, than I'd prefer is more like it). Dark and bready, like rye bread, without the rye. Sorry, I couldn't come up with a better dark bread descriptor. Maybe it has a little nutmeg and cinnamon in it, but raisins and alcohol are quite upfront here. Appreciated the higher than usual carbonation, I can only imagine how much raisin there would be in the mouthfeel if the carbonation was flatter.
Loads of toffee, seems like the yeast phenols are equal parts English and Belgian.
Concentrated Evil from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
76 out of
100 with
48 ratings
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