Vernal
Element Brewing Company

VernalVernal
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From:
Element Brewing Company
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Wheatwine
ABV:
11.75%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 15.24%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
57
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 04, 2019
Added:
Apr 02, 2011
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  9
Dunkel Wheatwine.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jlindros:
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Rudzud for sharing this. Bottle 312, march 4th.

Pours a big fluffy head that fades semi slowly with lacing over yeast and sentiment hazy auburn copper brown color.

Nose has nice brown sweet toasty malts, maple, brown sugar, molasses, light booze and esters, some light candy and mild earthy chewy hops, lots of toffee and caramel.

Taste is sweet, light esters and booze jump out front, hint of phenols too, then sweet malts, brown sugar, syrups like molasses, caramel, toffee, lots of maple, crystal malts, brown light toasty malts, then come hops with a bitterness, some earthy chewy hops, light candy hops. Finishes still fairly sweet, a light musty grape seed and biscuit taste later, some fresh grains taste, lingering bitterness and sweet malts, maple.

Mouth is heavier bodied, surprisingly decent carb, some warming booze.

Overall pretty good, some booze esters, sweet, nice bitterness to sweet malt and syrup ratio, the hop flavor could have been a bit more dominant.
Aug 06, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Cellar treat from connecticutpoet. Unknown year or date. Wire cage and cork setup. Paper wrapping, no beer title just "Element Interval Ale", I think I'm on the right page here. Poured into Odell Teku.

Really deep, dark muddy brown with a thin fingernail of bubbly popping head.

I get big notes of caramel and vanilla and booze on the nose, with a wallop of spoiled English hops, slight pine, and butterscotch.

Flavor is somewhat odd and empty but as it warms it really blooms. Some cold butterscotch pudding opens this up, with some definite DMS, spice cake, pine, cardboard, varnished wood, spearmint, vanilla candy, and stale caramel. When it warms I get mostly rye bread, brown sugar, orange rind, maple, butterscotch, and wheat.

Feel is incredibly thin and empty, with a distinct stickiness and alcohol heat. Almost no carbonation. Finishes with spicy water.

Overall, it's a fair wheatwine/barleywine but it's far past its prime (or maybe at its best who knows). It was a generous extra in a trade; drink at room temp for best results.
Apr 04, 2019
Photo of brureview
Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts

4.41/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled March 2014.
This is a Dunkle Wheat Wine fermented with maple syrup, and brewed with local Pioneer Valley Hops. Corked.

One of my favorite styles, more malty, and less hoppy bitterness than a Barley Wine.

Poured a cloudy ice tea color with a 2F head in a Mikasa Tulip.

It's been over 3 years so all the flavors are pronounced.

Aroma: Strong wafting maple syrup. Sweet, sugary.

Taste: predominantly maple syrup candy. Wonderful. My kind of beer.

Accompanied by a moderately full resinous, MF which greatly enhances the beer.

Moderately bitter finish which develops with warming.

Overall: great beer. Wheat Wines should go directly to the cellar. Smutty Nose Wheat Wine also greatly improves with age. Or you could buy two bottles, one for the cellar.

Another excellent beer from my favorite brewing region: Western MA. Element brews with a distinct brewing signature.
May 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by oline73 from Maryland

Mar 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3.78 by scottbrew4u from Pennsylvania

Aug 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.93 by JAck199 from New Jersey

Apr 10, 2016
Photo of JMili
Rated by JMili from New York

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Hang on
Dec 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by tkdchampxi from New Jersey

Mar 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

Feb 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Fettpopps from Massachusetts

Aug 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by clfrost from Pennsylvania

Jun 25, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by Sspeer1 from Massachusetts

May 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Mike from New Hampshire

May 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by ncelauro from New York

May 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Janeinma from Massachusetts

May 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by bigorange from Massachusetts

Apr 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by chet4 from Massachusetts

Mar 25, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by jlordi12 from Massachusetts

Mar 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by oriolesfan4 from Maryland

Mar 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by RummyRedbeard from Colorado

Mar 23, 2014
Vernal from Element Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 57 ratings