Phφ
New Holland Brewing Company

PhφPhφ
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From:
New Holland Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
European Strong Lager
ABV:
8.7%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.46 | pDev: 23.99%
Reviews:
64
Ratings:
68
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 05, 2013
Added:
Aug 15, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by proc:
Photo of proc
Reviewed by proc from Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours out to a blackish-amber in the glass. I can't tell if its that dark or if its just me? There is little carbonation present. Very light aroma of fruit and licorice. The taste is good, with plums, raisins, licorice and a light molasses present. The finish is good, and softer than I thought it would be. Seeing as others have taken a stab at the style-type, I would classify this as a Imperial Stout Light or a slightly jazzed up stout.
Sep 24, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

Aug 05, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by imperialking from Illinois

May 10, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Gonzoillini from Illinois

Mar 27, 2013
 
Rated: 1.25 by BGsWo22 from Texas

Mar 21, 2013
Photo of kinger
Reviewed by kinger from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Based on some quick research I believe this Phi is a 2005 edition, the abv listed on the bottle is 9%. This one appears to be a strong ale. Pours a nice medium orange/burnt yellow with a medium white head and tons of lacing followed by strong carbonation. Aroma is sour and fruity. Very sweet to the taste buds at first which soon becomes sour and acidic. Tangy and fruity as well this ale is very interesting. The alcohol is well hidden. Rich on the palate with a sour finish that is dry. Perplexing and rather tasty.
Aug 12, 2008
Photo of CharlesDarwin
Reviewed by CharlesDarwin from Rhode Island

3.85/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 Oz Bottle (At the least an older bottle). Weak bretty nose; sour coconut, lush apple, banana cream and light yuzu zest. Bits of malty sugar. Pours a deep gold, with pale edges and a rocky soap of white. Flavor is generally pretty mild. First, some tart sour Brett lemon juice, then a wash of bland sugar and finally a reminiscence of hops. I don't believe this was intended to be a Brett beer, but me loving accidental Brett beers, this is interesting. It's possible there's a good bit of Lacto in here too and I'm just not picking up on it directly. There is some unsettling melon bitterness in the smack, but it's not terrible. There's really nothing happening behind the Brett, so unique yeast flavors or malt character. Instead, just a plain base of a now dryly, refreshing Brett beer. Higher alcohol makes this unique. Definitely some Asian pear and green tomato further down. A tasty accident. Thanks Sean!
Aug 07, 2008
Photo of SPLITGRIN
Reviewed by SPLITGRIN from Kentucky

3.35/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A vigorous pour only results in a short lived quarter in light tan head that quickly fades to just a skim. Body is a deep rich amber. Nosw hints a bit of german style pilsner, with hints of lemon zest, alchol, and spice. The taste buds are quickly awakened by a shrill sour rush that is long and complex. This includes sour lemon hard candy, raw wheat, green apple, and a noticeable hop presence in the finish. This is a very sour dominated beer, but not undrinkably so. Actually develops almost a creamy texture on the mouthfeel as it warms. For the sour feel it has it is really quite drinkable.
Jan 07, 2008
Photo of joe1510
Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz Bottle
$9.99 6-Pack
Sam's Downer's Grove

Phi pours the color of iced tea but absolutely glows when held to the light. Minimal carbonation rise slowly along the sides of the glass. A thin cap formed on an aggressive pour. Leaves drink lines after each sip.

Aroma is strange. White grapes start things off but are quickly followed by a dirty scent and a sweet sugary maltiness. Flowery and sweet. The aroma isn't all that appetizing. Not bad but not very good either.

Flavor starts off with the white grapes, somewhat sweet but also tart. Flowery mid palate with a powdery yeast finish. Not bad but that dirty flavor comes around and taints things.

Body is on the thicker side of medium and coating. Finishes bone dry.

I'd drink another of these but that would be it. A little to viscous to drink too much.

Decent beer from New Holland. I don't know if this was brewed again in the last few months or what but this was purchased about 2 months ago. According to the website last brewing was 2005.
May 27, 2007
Photo of warriorsoul
Reviewed by warriorsoul from Pennsylvania

2.97/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Flat, golden honey in color with less than a skimming of white head with your basic pour...lacing non-existant.
Sour apples up front with some vineous quality...no hint of alcohol and quite sweet smelling.
Taste is unique to say the least...not so sure what they were shooting for here. Sour up front with less sweetness than expected (a good thing). More of that apple flavor and some spent grain taste that didn't help things. Once the fruity flavor dies off (and it does quickly), the flavor is quite bland...no real depth to most lagers I enjoy.
Mouthfeel is thin and the carbonation is high...not the combo for a highly drinkable brew. I can stomach a pint, but not something I'd go for again IMO...at least the alcohol is well hidden. Real surprised to see this one pushing 9%.
Again, not sure what to think of this one...not a bad beer, but not for me.
Jan 06, 2007
Photo of IntriqKen
Reviewed by IntriqKen from California

4.03/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beautiful pour of cloudy orange yellow with a half finger white head of large bubbles melting to a semi-sticky ring.
Aromas are almost belgium in their sweet pale malts and sweet fruits. Very sweet sugary finish to the aroma. Almost like a quad.
Mouth is no where near as sweet as the aromas. Light, light pale malts with a sour light fruit (tangerine, orange??) coming on strong as you swallow then a light alcohol taste that moves to alcohol warmth.
Aftertaste becomes sour but clean, drying and refreshing.
More like a Guaze than a Euro Strong Lager.
This is a very peculiar beer. I couldn't / wouldn't class it as a Euro Strong Lager...but then again...what is it?
Don't know...but I like it.
Very clean and refreshing while being very intoxicating.
Sort of amazing.
Thanks jpm30 for this unique opportunity at a unique brew.
Nov 28, 2006
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Dark body. Basically black with some deep, reddish-tinged mahogany highlights along the surface. The creamy tan head holds quite well and leaves walls of thin tan lace.

The nose is tart and vinous with a chocolate and caramelish malt below. It's somewhat fruity from the yeast, and there's a mineralish and subtly leathery character to it as well... almost as if there was some amount of Brettanomyces to it.

The flavor is tart and vinous at the outset as well, but some nice chocolate and dark caramel maltiness does arise as it warms in the mouth. There are some hops in the background, but they never really step into the light... grassy, floral, and leafy. The alcohol is well cloaked, but it becomes more apparent towards the swallow, and even more so throughout the glass as it warms and your palate becomes aware of it. The mineralish/leathery side remains as well, lingering in the finish along with the wine and some other dark skinned fruit (black cherries, plum).

Overall, it's a really interesting, rich and exciting wine-like ale that can be enjoyed sip by sip over a long period. It's not a bar beer by any means, and it should be treated as such. I'd pair it with some very crusty, almost burnt bread, but nothing unusual like a rye (the spiciness would become overbearing) or olive loaf. And as for cheese, I'd oddly opt for something that might normally go with a Chardonnay. That's how the beer finishes, and I think something buttery like a triple cream would not only counter the beer but also accent it. Explorateur is a famous, widely distributed example of a triple cream; but I might also go for a Gruyere de Comte or a P'tit Basque which has a dry texture and earthy, nutty flavor as well. And come to think of it, maybe even a handful of unsalted, un-skinned red peanuts and raw almonds might be nice. Regardless, there's a lot going on with this beer, it should just be thought of more in wine terms than in beer terms. KUDOS!!!
Oct 01, 2006
Photo of hammer09
Reviewed by hammer09 from Illinois

1.41/5  rDev -59.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
New Holland Brewing Company brews some great beers. Unfortunately, this isn't one of them. I'll try to offer some constructive criticism, but it's going to be tough.

A - Light amber with a moderate head this beer exhibited lacing in thick, bubbly clumps.

S - This beer smells sweet and alcoholic with a mild fruitinees. Also detected a faint bitterness, but nothing that I could associate with hops. The smell wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the presence of a very strange off-odor. I've tried to pinpoint the odor, but I just can't seem to place it. Unfortunately, it's presence severely detracts from the rest of the beer.

T - Very sour and alcoholic with a lingering sourness.

M - Slightly warming, but carbonation is lacking. Basically, the beer was relatively flat.

D - I purchased a four pack of this and sampled two beers on two different occasions. Not very drinkable. I gave the remaining two bottles to a friend who used them to water his lawn (and no, not after drinking them).

Overall, this beer is a disappointment. Given the variety of things that can go wrong when brewing a batch of beer, I believe it's quite possible that this beer was spoiled when it was bottled. I'd be willing to try this again in the future, but only if I can purchase a single bottle.
Sep 29, 2006
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

3.46/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
I am sampling at room temp poured into a snifter. A euro strong lager?

ON the pour a fluffy beige head foams up about 3 cm and recedes slowly. Aroma is not lagery at all. I get roasted malt, some baker's chocolate and a bit of dark fruit. Color is fairly dark mahogany, with little lite passing through.
Very smooth, silky body with mild rolling carbonation. The body is a little thinner than expected, but not watery.
There is a bit of warming alcohol on the finish after each swallow.

Flavor is similar to nose, but fairly mild. Some sweet chocolate and dark fruit (plums) and a bit of brown sugar too. Then the beer just gets hot. Alcohol heat covers flavors and burn down throat. Definitely a sipper. Maybe not ideal brew for hot evening, but still enjoyable. I think the booze is a little higher than ideal and as a result the body is a little thinner.

Not a bad beer, but drinkability is lower due to fusol heat on finish.
An interesting beer nonetheless.
Jul 31, 2006
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

3.16/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a nice dark orange but with no real head and very light carbonation. Well, it *is* 9 percent...

Smells like light grain and cider. Oh no, is this bacteria?

Nope, not bacteria. Sour like a Flemmish red, kinda sorta. Intentional, sweet like candy and light grain and sour all over like--well, like a different kind of candy. The sour does have some appeal, but there's no real complexity. I like my sour beers to have a little fruit in them, or at least something aside from a candy sweetness to balance everything out.

A strange beer, this; I can see it taking most people off guard. Certainly not worthy of its horrendous reviews, but nothing worth going out of your way to try, either.
Jul 22, 2006
Photo of DaveFL1976
Reviewed by DaveFL1976 from Florida

3.05/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Decent, hazy amber color with a thick off-white head that settles down to a skim in rather short order.
Smell is big. If I had to guess, I would say it was a big Belgian Abbey Ale. It's got that same sweet yet alcoholy, friuty nose to it. Maybe candy sugar.
Taste is, uh... Hmmm.... Smooth at the start, then chemically/harsh/acidic. This doesn't remind me of a Belgium Abbey Ale anymore. But the aftertaste diminishes quickly. I try another sip. Tastes like a Geuze, sort of. Tastes like someone put lemon Smarties in my beer. I'm not sure that I like it.
Mouthfeel is moderate with good carbonation, but I don't think I'll pick up another bottle of this.
Jul 18, 2006
Photo of Blakaeris
Reviewed by Blakaeris from Iowa

2.03/5  rDev -41.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
Pours hazy golden with moderate head that leaves slight lacing.

Smell is toasted malt, slight citrus, and strong alcohol aroma.

Taste is super sweet maltiness and lemony. Monstrous alcohol flavor. Finish is sour and has an ashtray like off flavor.

Mouthfeel is light to medium.

This is very sweet then very sour. Not recommended.
Jul 17, 2006
Photo of bashiba
Reviewed by bashiba from Iowa

1.64/5  rDev -52.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
Poured a slightly cloudy golden orange with a long lasting thin white head.

Smells like pure alcohol, overly sweet.

Taste is sweet grains, corn syrup, and sweet alcohol taste.

Mouthfeel is warm and syrupy.

Overall not good, I didn't finish it, I would avoid this one.
Jul 17, 2006
Photo of shbobdb
Reviewed by shbobdb from Indiana

3.82/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A most strange beer. It pours thick and full, like a dopplebock, yet is the colour of a fine Czech pilsner, perhaps just a touch darker. The flavour is a strange mix of fruits, wheat, yeast, alcohol, barley . . . I can't quite describe it. It is as though a Weizen and a Trippel had a baby. This child then met a Koelsch and they too, had a child. Perhaps, somewhere in the Koelsch's distant ancestry there was some wild fermented beer, some unfettered Pilgrim's Dole waiting.

Yes, this beer combines all of those elements and I am intrigued by its complexity. I'm not sure if I like it, but I like the idea of it. A beer to drink and to ponder, but buy a single, not a six-pack.
Feb 06, 2006
Photo of budsboy
Reviewed by budsboy from Ohio

2.08/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1
Pours pale orange, small white head fades quickly.

Sweet malt aroma, candy sugar, cotton candy ... over-the-top sweet. Alcohol is also readily detectible.

Cloying. Too, too sweet. Alcohol is a bit hot. This is like liquid sugar mixed with a bit of vodka.

Full-bodied, slick and thick. An odd astrigency lingers.

Ah, I couldn't finish this one. An attempt at a huge beer that misses. I'll cellar it, see how it ages, but I don't hold out much hope. Too bad, I really was hoping for the best. My advice: avoid.
Feb 04, 2006
Phφ from New Holland Brewing Company
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 68 ratings