Reunion Ale '13 - A Beer For Hope
Shmaltz Brewing Company

Reunion Ale '13 - A Beer For HopeReunion Ale '13 - A Beer For Hope
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From:
Shmaltz Brewing Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.81 | pDev: 10.76%
Reviews:
46
Ratings:
285
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 09, 2018
Added:
Sep 26, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  22
No description / notes.
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Ratings by grittly:
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Rated by grittly from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

Apr 20, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by MonkeyPilates from Minnesota

Jun 18, 2017
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Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
not totally sure how much batch variance there is on these from year to year, this is only the second one i have had, and its essentially ancient now, although it obviously holds up pretty well, but perhaps with some of the additives doing better than others over time. its medium brown in color with a decent head to it, looks lighter than i remember, and has a really enticing nose of dry bakers cocoa powder and slightly sweet baking spices, not overdone at all. cocoa leads the way on the flavor, the ingredient i think thats benefited the most over time, with the cinnamon faded slightly among the oxidized grain, but its good. vanilla is hardly here at all, but neither is the alcohol, i recall this having a little warmth in other batches, quite the opposite now, its almost thin and too easy drinking for what it is. im not sure the original complexity remains, but this presents itself now as a nice chocolatey brown ale thats well carbonated and just a bit different from what else is around out there in the style. for me, the shmaltz beers have been more misses than hits, but i like this one.
Apr 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by sposter4 from Pennsylvania

Nov 20, 2016
 
Rated: 4.28 by Hopstout from Minnesota

Jul 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by calcnerd from Pennsylvania

Jun 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.84 by TheBeard89 from Alabama

Jan 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.45 by RBorsato from Virginia

Jan 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.56 by Jhavey from Texas

Sep 24, 2015
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Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.79/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
"This year's beer is a dark ale brewed with cinnamon with vanilla, coffee and cocoa nibs added. It was inspired by a fantastic dessert that we used to share with Virginia at our favorite restaurant. The Brown ale leads with a bold coffee and subtle cinnomon (sic) aroma. Complex malt overtones quickly give way to a chocolate, coffee and vanilla mix of satisfying bliss." Brewed in the style of an American Brown Ale with Chocolate, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Coffee added. Available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a tulip glass.

(Appearance) Pours a frothy foam head of a golden caramel color over a sparsely carbonated maple brown body with high clarity. Retention is good and lacing is light and spotty. 3.75

(Smell) Very potent cinnamon and vanilla cream forward, sweet like dessert with delicate raw coffee bean undertones. Smooth brown malts with light, toasted grain and a bread body. Potency is moderate. 4

(Taste) More coffee flavor up front in the flavor, with lesser impact from the cinnamon and vanilla, the former generating a nip of earthy spice up front. Decent cocoa nibs on the finish, smooth, clean toasted bread malt body with little alcohol presence. Enjoyable and highly drinkable, yet a bit polarized in its flavors considering the range of potential that a beer with vanilla, chocolate, coffee and cinnamon would be expected to have. Overall a very enjoyable dessert-appropriate ale. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Texture is silky, smooth, lightly chewy, very clean, moderately dry. Carbonation is light, generating a moderate frothiness and a lightly crisp finish. Body is medium+ for the style, medium/heavy overall. Balance is slightly sweet over grainy and earthy bitter. Alcohol presence is light and there are no off characters to note. 3.5

(Overall) An impressive dark ale that seems to get better (or perhaps just more complex - to its benefit) with each passing year. I can't imagine cramming much more into a bottle but hopefully the brewery will develop a more even balance between all of the flavors in this bottle for a truly decadent dessert ale. I'm looking forward to Terrapin continuing this series (they skipped bottling in 2014) as the Reunion series is an often overlooked favorite of mine. 3.75

Terrapin Beer Company's
Reunion Ale '13 (With Shmaltz Brewing Company)
3.79/5.00
Aug 19, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Eziel from Ohio

Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.89 by JMS1512 from New Jersey

Jun 04, 2015
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Reviewed by Reckage from New Jersey

3.94/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Don't know how I came across this one at my local store last week but I'm glad I grabbed it. Very tasty, getting the cocoa and cinnamon, coffee and some vanilla. Smells very good, coffee, cocoa and cinnamon. Vanilla is faint but makes a presence. Don't know if the age mellowed the flavors but it all goes well. Good brew for a great cause.
May 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.42 by kell50 from North Carolina

Mar 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.03 by sneth019 from Maryland

Mar 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.57 by rlovitt from New Jersey

Mar 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.6 by CTJman from Connecticut

Feb 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.46 by briancregg101 from New York

Feb 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.56 by Derek from Canada (BC)

Jan 18, 2015
Reunion Ale '13 - A Beer For Hope from Shmaltz Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 285 ratings