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Siamese Twin Ale
Uncommon Brewers
- From:
- Uncommon Brewers
- California, United States
- Style:
- Dubbel
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 82
- Avg:
- 3.6 | pDev: 16.67%
- Reviews:
- 126
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 12, 2018
- Added:
- Jul 26, 2008
- Wants:
- 14
- Gots:
- 7
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Metalmonk:
Reviewed by Metalmonk from North Carolina
3.49/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This can was sent by the great msubulldog25, a man whose generosity knows no bounds. Thanks Brian! (And cheers to Chang & Eng)
Wowza, this thing is a beaut: over an inch of dirty white head, fluffy, firm and long-lasting. The color is a caramel-esque brown, veering toward milk chocolate but never quite getting that dark. About as interesting-looking as the label description of the ingredients (Belgian dubbel brewed with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and coriander).
Coriander, lemon and lime are detected in the aroma, but they're subtle...actually everything else about the aroma is subtle. The sweet caramel/toffee-like malt is there but hanging far back, as is that tell-tale Belgian yeast character (not sure they actually brewed with a Belgian yeast strain). Not bad, but doesn't leave much of an impression. Despite the exotic elements, it's a tame smell.
The flavor is about as strange as the description on the label. I just couldn't reconcile Belgian dubble meets lime leaves and lemongrass in my mind. Still can't now that it's on my tongue. Not saying it's bad, but...I guess "interesting" would be my best description of the flavor. Things are spicy and almost minty, with the coriander, lime and lemongrass working together as they do, as if you accidentally dropped some toothpaste into your glass of Belgian brown ale. The sweeter, candy-like characteristics of the malt "pop" thanks to these unusual ingredients. Intense herbal-ness and exotic spiciness are just barely kept in check by brown bread, caramel/toffee and earthy yeast dirtiness.
How much alcohol is in here? 8.5%? I wouldn't have known, as there's little to no alcohol flare, and the oddity of the flavor distracts from even thinking about alcohol content and its contribution to flavor. Finishes a little bit dry, even somewhat tart.
Feels smooth and slick, round and silky, gently carbonated; plenty of presence in the mouth. Just about right for the style.
Uncommon? Oh hell yeah. Just not as enjoyable as I'd hoped. But it did start growing on me, and with warming things began coalescing a little better. Still, every now and then my palate was rocked by the odd ingredients, just as I was starting to decipher and "feel" the dubbel-ness of this thing. Ultimately, even though I might never crave another, it's hard to dislike when I know I'll remember the flavor forever...there's no other beer out there like this one, as far as I know.
Aug 02, 2010Wowza, this thing is a beaut: over an inch of dirty white head, fluffy, firm and long-lasting. The color is a caramel-esque brown, veering toward milk chocolate but never quite getting that dark. About as interesting-looking as the label description of the ingredients (Belgian dubbel brewed with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and coriander).
Coriander, lemon and lime are detected in the aroma, but they're subtle...actually everything else about the aroma is subtle. The sweet caramel/toffee-like malt is there but hanging far back, as is that tell-tale Belgian yeast character (not sure they actually brewed with a Belgian yeast strain). Not bad, but doesn't leave much of an impression. Despite the exotic elements, it's a tame smell.
The flavor is about as strange as the description on the label. I just couldn't reconcile Belgian dubble meets lime leaves and lemongrass in my mind. Still can't now that it's on my tongue. Not saying it's bad, but...I guess "interesting" would be my best description of the flavor. Things are spicy and almost minty, with the coriander, lime and lemongrass working together as they do, as if you accidentally dropped some toothpaste into your glass of Belgian brown ale. The sweeter, candy-like characteristics of the malt "pop" thanks to these unusual ingredients. Intense herbal-ness and exotic spiciness are just barely kept in check by brown bread, caramel/toffee and earthy yeast dirtiness.
How much alcohol is in here? 8.5%? I wouldn't have known, as there's little to no alcohol flare, and the oddity of the flavor distracts from even thinking about alcohol content and its contribution to flavor. Finishes a little bit dry, even somewhat tart.
Feels smooth and slick, round and silky, gently carbonated; plenty of presence in the mouth. Just about right for the style.
Uncommon? Oh hell yeah. Just not as enjoyable as I'd hoped. But it did start growing on me, and with warming things began coalescing a little better. Still, every now and then my palate was rocked by the odd ingredients, just as I was starting to decipher and "feel" the dubbel-ness of this thing. Ultimately, even though I might never crave another, it's hard to dislike when I know I'll remember the flavor forever...there's no other beer out there like this one, as far as I know.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
2.6/5 rDev -27.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
2.6/5 rDev -27.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
Man I remember when they used to bring this shit to Canfest. Pours a dark amber to light red kind of color, nothing different genre SRM wise going on here, looks the part, 3/4" off white head on the top. Aroma starts to veer left from the middle, the lime is just weird, but it was mostly malt heavy dark bread kind of smells.
Taste, certainly has a dubbel base (bass, how low can you go?). Its like a mix of lime leaves, spice rack and dark bready malts. Too much spice rack for sure, the lime could be less too. Shit is just clashing hardcore with tradition right now. The alcohol is way too noticeable, and the lime contributes a degree of bitterness that just isn't acceptable for this style of beer. Dark bread and dark fruit notes punish the mouth feel here.
Its one thing to make a weird beer, but when its weird and not pleasant, hard pass.
Jan 12, 2018Taste, certainly has a dubbel base (bass, how low can you go?). Its like a mix of lime leaves, spice rack and dark bready malts. Too much spice rack for sure, the lime could be less too. Shit is just clashing hardcore with tradition right now. The alcohol is way too noticeable, and the lime contributes a degree of bitterness that just isn't acceptable for this style of beer. Dark bread and dark fruit notes punish the mouth feel here.
Its one thing to make a weird beer, but when its weird and not pleasant, hard pass.
Reviewed by eigervue from California
2.61/5 rDev -27.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.61/5 rDev -27.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Before I get into the details this is one of the weirder more difficult beers to reassure because of how much it changes as it warms. The can does say to serve at cellar temperature, but the pub served it fridge cold. At first I quite liked it although I couldn't really make out the flavors on the can. Eventually it opened up more and the flavors really didn't do it for me.
Appearance: dark Amber with reddish tones, weak head that quickly dissipates
Smell: I have been recovering from a cold, but that was last week and I can still barely pick up any notes other than malt, even then it's weak.
taste: This is the toughest for me as it changed so much as the temperature did. It started off just reminding me of a winter spiced ale with the flavors staying far in the background , I picked up a bit of the kaffir leaves at the end but that was still subtle. I would have rated it a solid 3.5+ at this point. Unfortunately it went downhill from here, as it warmed and got closer to the recommended temp it got sweet, sickly sweet even. The corriander came out as did the lemongrass but that just made the beer more cloying and medicinal tasting. This was a very rough one to finish, and I wonder if the pint serving has something to do with that as well.
Mouthfeel: actually one of the better things about this beer, if you get past the taste it has a good mouthfeel that makes you want to drink this, if it tastes better, very smooth in the mouth and you wouldn't guess it's an 8.5% brew
Ultimately, I wouldn't try this beer again and can't imagine recommending it to anyone.
Jan 11, 2018Appearance: dark Amber with reddish tones, weak head that quickly dissipates
Smell: I have been recovering from a cold, but that was last week and I can still barely pick up any notes other than malt, even then it's weak.
taste: This is the toughest for me as it changed so much as the temperature did. It started off just reminding me of a winter spiced ale with the flavors staying far in the background , I picked up a bit of the kaffir leaves at the end but that was still subtle. I would have rated it a solid 3.5+ at this point. Unfortunately it went downhill from here, as it warmed and got closer to the recommended temp it got sweet, sickly sweet even. The corriander came out as did the lemongrass but that just made the beer more cloying and medicinal tasting. This was a very rough one to finish, and I wonder if the pint serving has something to do with that as well.
Mouthfeel: actually one of the better things about this beer, if you get past the taste it has a good mouthfeel that makes you want to drink this, if it tastes better, very smooth in the mouth and you wouldn't guess it's an 8.5% brew
Ultimately, I wouldn't try this beer again and can't imagine recommending it to anyone.
Reviewed by Eddiesbar from Pennsylvania
3.4/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4
3.4/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4
Can from Edgemont. Smell is dark fruit, raisins, caramel and malt. Dark fruit and malt flavors with spices. Finishes like and sugary malt. Very Belgian-esque. An interesting one.
Jan 28, 2017Reviewed by Stevem68 from Ohio
3.62/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a Amber color. Has an aroma of coriander and some citrus peel. Flavor is malty and coriander forward. Has hints of citrus and an almost light cactus refreshing flavor. It's not bad but overall just kind of ok. Overall this reminds me a bit of a scotch ale but with more citrus lemony flavor profile. It's a solid beer.
Mar 29, 2016Reviewed by Jack_Malts from Virginia
3/5 rDev -16.7%
3/5 rDev -16.7%
Pretty unbalanced, actually kind of gross. Whatever. It's different? I guess at least try it once... Kind of tastes like a weird candy your grandmother might give you. It could be your thing! Side note - it really opens up as it warms...
Nov 11, 2014
Siamese Twin Ale from Uncommon Brewers
Beer rating:
82 out of
100 with
240 ratings
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