Mysterium
DuClaw Brewing Company

MysteriumMysterium
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From:
DuClaw Brewing Company
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
Herb and Spice Beer
ABV:
5%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.47 | pDev: 14.41%
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
123
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 27, 2019
Added:
Aug 17, 2008
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  14
A refreshing ale spiced with cardamom & chamomile"; "A mystical blend of chamomile, grains of paradise, cardamom, and fruit flavors from Belgian yeast, this Belgian-style Spiced Ale is a mystery, and a bottle, you'll never want to get to the bottom of. Have a sip, and ... Transcend Ordinary
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Ratings by Kegatron:
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours a clear copper, with a finger of foamy white head. This maintains some richness on the edges with a decent ½ finger flare-up that leaves back some patchy lacing on the sides. The chamomile stands right out in the aroma, backed by flowery notes, sticky smelling fruit and malt character, and some underlying spiciness. This overall has a ripe and zesty feel to it in the nose.

The taste is fruity and spicy with a flowery character from that chamomile. Underlying malts have more of a crisp sweetness (feels like a wheat base) to them that lead into a dry finish with more lingering spice. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a lively carbonation on the tongue and then more of a crisp creaminess that fills out the corners of the mouth. Decent, drinkable feel here.

This wasn’t bad and the flavors definitely came together more as this warmed but I just wish that DuClaw would steer away a bit from some of these gimmicky beers that they put out and brew some more standard styles that stand on their own two feet. Unfortunately, this one didn’t leave a whole lot of an impression on me.
Jul 11, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of EMV
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

3.32/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Crystal clear golden amber pour with thin fizzy white head. Falls fast... modest ring of lacing.

S: Spicy. Loads of spice... ginger, chamomile, and cardamom. Not unpleasant.

T.F: Sweet and bready up front. Herbal tea and a bit musty. Spice was more on the aroma than in the flavor which isn't a terrible thing. The chamomile certainly comes though. Some light citrus/lemon. Light bodied and thin. Undercarbonated.

O: Smells good... taste is kind of a week herbal tea and very thin. Interesting beer but not one I'd snag again.
Dec 27, 2019
 
Rated: 3.1 by thisita from Maryland

Jul 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.56 by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

Feb 25, 2018
Photo of goodbeergoodfood
Reviewed by goodbeergoodfood from North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Lookers of a musty light Amber with little to no head.
Smell is pretty much as ever tized you can definitely pick you up the cardamom and the chamomile.
Taste is pretty flat in generic slightly sour a little bit of lemon or citrus some Essences a spice and of chamomile.
You feel is very weak very watery not even a lot of carbonation flat Cola.
Overall I've had this group previously and thought it was much better the first time maybe this one has a little too much age or just isn't as good for some reason it's an interesting concept and I would recommend giving it a try.
Feb 06, 2018
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

3.59/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Brown color with a beige head and great lacing. Very herbal smell, sort of floral. The taste is of sweet spice and herbs, a bit earthy. Not something for everyday, but not bad.
Jan 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.09 by tuowl74a from Pennsylvania

Nov 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.58 by Urk1127 from New Jersey

Oct 17, 2017
Photo of jjamadorphd
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida

3.96/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
An interesting pairing of chamomile and cardamon that sorta works...

Another very appealing drink to the eyes from DuClaw with thick head but no staying power. The smell was a very nice balance of the advertised spices and hops - light to the nose but definitely there. The drink was medium-bodied and a bit astringent - not a good combination. I found the beer to be relatively well-balanced with the chamomile and cardamon, though I could pull out the chamomile more than anything else. It was a decent beer, I was hoping for something a bit more unique and outstanding, but this was still good as it was.
Jul 16, 2017
Photo of BeerSexLove
Rated by BeerSexLove from Virginia

3.52/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
It's a nice ale with a myriad of flavors. It's a beer I'd drink if I wanted to drink just one with a meal or as a refresher.
Jul 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by alexsergio from New York

Jun 16, 2017
 
Rated: 2.23 by BlueShepard19 from Kentucky

Jun 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.52 by DaveCash from New York

Jun 07, 2017
Photo of nicholas2121
Reviewed by nicholas2121 from Ohio

4.34/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Mysterium Belgian-style Spiced Ale brewed by DuClaw Brewing Company, with an ABV of 5.00% This brew pours out a deep golden amber color with a small white head. There is also a slight haze to the look of this brew. Spotty lacing to this spiced brew, it sticks. The smell is rich with spices and sweetness. You pick up on cinnamon, Ginger, and nutmeg. Reminds me of spiced tea, not saying that is a bad thing. You also pick up on earthy grains and malts, hops. There is a lot going on in Mysterium Belgian-style Spiced Ale. Now for the taste, it is bold with spiced malt flavors. I really like how this brew is different from most brews on the market. The body of Mysterium Belgian-style Spiced Ale is a soild medium. There is nothing overpowering about this brew, it a has a nice spicy balance to it. If you are not into cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg you possibly will not enjoy this brew. This is a nice spicy drinking brew. The mouth feel of Mysterium Belgian-style Spiced Ale is Spicy, Clean, Bold, And Refreshing. If you are into a spicy brew you should look this brew up. Overall I'm giving this brew a 4.25 out of 5. I would look this brew up again​. I would get this to change it up from the other brews on the market. DuClaw Brewing Company, did a real nice job with this brew.
Apr 19, 2017
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours clear, tan in color with 1/2 inch head. Taste is big chamomile, cardamom, ginger, and Earl Grey tea. Light bodied, dry, moderate carbonation and slightly sweet. Reminds me of a very tasty Scottish Gruit. Interesting, light, and complex. Probably a one a night but shoulda picked up a six of this. Worth a try.
Apr 18, 2017
Photo of tillmac62
Reviewed by tillmac62 from South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
BOD 12/23/16. Clear copper pour with a heavy dash of amber. Below average head volume. Poor retention and no lacing.

Outstanding nose with a burst of cardamom over a sweet base with hints of chamomile. The Belgian yeast contribute a blended substrate of banana, light phenolic clove and a touch of pear/apple.

Medium body that is smooth and has hints of creaminess at the finish. The carbonation / body balance is outstanding. The middle subtly provides just enough effervescence to open the flavors up. The finish is more powerful and delivers a nice prickly burst to close the show.

The flavor profile is quite good. It delivers with the cardamom spice but is a bit too intense, hence balance is out of kilter a bit. Dial the cardamom back slightly and this one can become outstanding. It begins with a light chamomile touch that cardamom quickly overtakes. The sweetness of the nose never really materializes and consequently the contrast to allow the pear and apple notes to appear fails to occur. Roughly three quarters through, phenolic clove is evident. Clove and cardamom linger after the finish with clove being the last man standing.
Apr 10, 2017
Photo of classixIII
Reviewed by classixIII from Pennsylvania

3.57/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a slightly murkey deep copper. Very faint head that disappeared quickly. Nicely spiced aroma. Cinnamon way out there. Great feel, light and fresh. Taste is mild, very herbal. Works for me.
Apr 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.81 by tdm168 from Pennsylvania

Mar 17, 2017
Photo of Dodo2step
Reviewed by Dodo2step from Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
A- amber with copper overtones. Clear and minimal head and lacing.

S- grapes, chamomile, clove and maybe pear.

F- this is an awkward flavor...weird herbal spice with white grape and sour floral notes.

M- light bodied but the floral and herbal notes dominate and not well.

O- hmm its definitely interesting but the floral notes taste sour and the white grape doesnt go well with it.
Mar 14, 2017
Photo of Caveworm
Reviewed by Caveworm from Ohio

4.14/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Mysterium | DuClaw Brewing Company. Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, this brew's got a two finger thick head, webbed lacing, and a clear deep golden body.

I smell a pleasing, not-overpowering use of the spices and slightly zesty Belgian-style yeast.

Here, the spices meld somewhat awkwardly with the traditional Belgian ale components. Which is kind of confusing considering how nice the smell of this beer is. Not terrible, but certainly could be improved upon.

Medium-light mouthfeel with mild carbonation.

I'll choose to give Mysterium | DuClaw Brewing Company an overall rating of a 4. Again, the taste is just wonky. This was bottled on December 28th, 2016, so its still relatively fresh. I strongly doubt I will buy this brew again.
Mar 10, 2017
Mysterium from DuClaw Brewing Company
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 123 ratings