Collaborative Evil 2008
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery

Collaborative Evil 2008Collaborative Evil 2008
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From:
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
10%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.88 | pDev: 15.46%
Reviews:
41
Ratings:
53
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 03, 2015
Added:
Sep 28, 2008
Wants:
  27
Gots:
  3
A collaboration of brewers Todd Ashman (FiftyFifty), Zac Triemert (Lucky Bucket), and Matt Van Wyk (Flossmoor Station). Made with Raisins, local honey, Mexican and Indian sugars, orange peel and black cardamom.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by pmccallum86:
Photo of pmccallum86
Reviewed by pmccallum86 from Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to the mothman for breaking this one out.

Pours a deep mahogany raisin color with a thin little head that dissipates quickly.

Big, dried fruits, spices and malts.

Just like the nose, dried fruits, various spices, kind of a little sourness as well. Tons of flavor that is melded very smoothly, I'm assuming it comes from the age.

High carbonation, very pleasant mouthfeel.

Very nice example of the style, goes down well.
Apr 19, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.34 by JMBSH from Colorado

Nov 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by iRun2Beer from Minnesota

Sep 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by KAF from Iowa

Jul 08, 2014
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottle: Poured a hazy deep burgundy color ale with a relatively large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of dry raisins with sweet honey notes and residual candi sugar is pleasant though quite sweet. Taste is also dominated by dry raisins with sweet honey notes with deep caramelized malt with residual sugar notes. Body is full with somewhat of an oily texture with medium to good carbonation and light warming alcohol notes. This is a big sweet beers which is enjoyable but would have probably benefited form additional attenuation.
Jul 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by ackeeper from Illinois

May 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by madtowndmb1 from Wisconsin

Nov 09, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by t0rin0 from California

Sep 27, 2012
Photo of bamadog
Reviewed by bamadog from Ohio

4.12/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I lucked out and happened into a beer shop at the right time - when one of our fellow BAs was needing to sell off a good chunk of his collection for some bills... This is the original vintage, and I'm pretty pumped to give it a shot. Review is from notes taken on 7/30/2012 and poured from the bottle to a snifter.

Appearance: Pour is a dark, burnt caramel brown with some ruby to it; starts with a 1/2 finger dark tan creamy head that fades pretty quickly to nothing other than a thin, incomplete peninsula of a cap with a thicker, foamier ring around the surface; body is murky, hard to see too far into but near the sides of the glass where the light penetrates one can see tiny and quick streams of carbonation bubbling up throughout;

Smell: A lot of sweet malts with Belgian candi, a lot of spiciness as well that blends in with the candi, and it's weird, but I would almost swear that I smell Andes Candies in it; smell is solid and I feel pretty unique...

Taste: Hmmm... Interesting, to say the least. I still say there is Andes Candies in here, but there is a strong blast of dark, overripe and slightly tart fruitiness to it as well -- perhaps figs, raisins and/or dates; Belgian spiciness blends with the candi sugar and malts; bit of a booziness to it that that makes the mouthfeel interesting and kind of warm.

Mouthfeel: Body is of medium weight; carbonation is still plenty lively and fits the body as it's not harsh, doesn't thin out the body at all; as mentioned above, the spiciness, booziness and I swear mint-like flavors make the mouth, gums and belly warm and tingly. I really enjoy how this beer feels on the palate.

Overall: It's good, no doubt about it. Not something I would crave a lot, but I think the flavors are pretty unique and have a good thing going for them. I wouldn't be disappointed to see this appear again, but I doubt it would ever happen. On a side note, the bottle is super bad-ass.
Jul 31, 2012
Photo of prototypic
Reviewed by prototypic from Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Thanks to DIPA for the bottle.

The 2008 Collaborative Evil release pours a dark copper color. It’s very hazy. Might even be some yeast particles floating around. Backlighting shows some really nice crimson highlights. A tan head covers it. Carbonation looks active and yields a head that’s over two fingers tall. It recedes to a surface covering rather quickly. Lacing was a little sticky and moderate.

The nose is good. It smells a bit spicy up front. Pepper, orange clove, and perhaps a little clove are noted. Dark fruit is quite prominent. Smells like raisin mostly. Sweet caramel, honey, and Belgian yeast are all noted and add nice depth. It’s a bit more complex than I anticipated. Light cocoa and a bread-like scent are secondary, but smell nice. Alcohol is easily noted. Smells a little strong, but isn’t overly offensive. Pretty good smelling stuff.

The flavor is quite good, as well. Light caramel and cocoa are noted up front. It tastes a little sweet. It does have a nice bready flavor. Belgian yeast is very subtle. More would be better. Dark fruit flavors of raisin and light plum and are noted. Honey is rather prominent in the mix. It works better than anticipated. Spicy notes of pepper, light clove, and orange peel emerge late. They seem a tad strong for what it is. A little restraint would’ve helped. Alcohol is there, but isn’t warm or hot. Finishes spicy and raisiny.

Collaborative Evil has a light-medium body. Carbonation is active, but doesn’t feel buzzy. The feel is just okay. Honestly, it’s a bit average for a Belgian style.

The 2008 release of Collaborative Evil is pretty good. It could be better. The spicy flavors tend to be a little overbearing, and the body could use a little finesse. It’s pretty tasty though. I’m enjoying it overall. Over the past 3 or 4 years, it’s held up pretty well. Not sure it will be improving a great deal from here on out though. If you’ve got a bottle, crack it open.
Apr 14, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by imperialking from Illinois

Feb 20, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Jan 10, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by whartontallboy from New York

Jan 04, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by spycow from Illinois

Dec 14, 2011
 
Rated: 4.5 by brandoman63 from Illinois

Nov 30, 2011
 
Rated: 2.75 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.94/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle courtesy of d0b. Shared as part of a Collaborative Evil "diagonal" at Goose Island. Served in a taster glass.

A - Pours with a thin tan foam that settles to a thick collar, but leaves minimal lace. Murky raisin brown color. Not much of a looker here.

S - Cardamom, nebulous spices, raisins, some cocoa, dark fruits, light oxidation. Strangely chai tea-like in some ways. Surprised how strongly the spices have held up.

T - Taste has an odd sour cherry note, but if it's an infection it's stalled out at the same level for the last two years. Cocoa and dark fruit malt and fruity esters, but not much overt "Belgian yeast". Spices are far lower profile.

M - Somewhat zesty carbonation, medium body, sticky finish that also has a bit of tannic character to it as well. Was surprised that this was 10% - I knew that, but had forgotten.

D - This has aged quite well, and I'm not totally sure the sour note is infection (but I could be wrong). If you had spiced beers, you'll probably despise this, but I find it works far better than something like Poppaskull. I find it strangely compelling, and found Ovation to be pretty good as well.
Apr 04, 2011
Photo of Spica66
Reviewed by Spica66 from Indiana

3.92/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Got this in trade from DavidEddie. Thanks, Dave!

Shared with gwuilliums. From cellar into tulips.

A: Deep red-brown color. This head, not much retention. Some lacing.

S: Fruity, spicy. Very aromatic.

T: Raisins and dark fruit and a spice on the finish that was slightly herbal. Just slightly sour. No hops.

M: Thin for this style. Excellent carbonation.

O: A little too much raisin for me. Of course, this is now three years aged. Maybe hops would have been present to offset the raisins earlier in its life...
Apr 02, 2011
Photo of largadeer
Reviewed by largadeer from California

2/5  rDev -48.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Bottle shared by bring. Thanks, Barry.

The beer glugs from the bottle a murky shade of brown, topped by a thin crust that settles to a wispy collar.

Overwhelming candi sugar sweetness, honey and spices assault the nostrils on first whiff. Intense cardamom and citrus - this is a bit of a trainwreck and a good example of how to not use spices in beer.

Overwhelmingly sweet and fruity, like taking a bite into a Maraschino cherry that's been coated in honey and brown sugar. These flavors are soon swept away by intense cardamom and coriander-like spiciness. There's a little fruity tartness in the mid-palate, but it's hardly a saving grace. Pretty much gross, I couldn't handle more than two ounces. Collaborative evil indeed.
May 26, 2010
Photo of nickd717
Reviewed by nickd717 from California

2.58/5  rDev -33.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
2008 bottle thanks to bring on BA.

Pours dark reddish-brown with a small off-white head.

Aroma is sweet and spiced as hell. Molasses, caramel, allspice, cardamom, and dark fruits.

Flavor is WAY overspiced. Cardamom, allspice, orange peel, raisin, honey, caramel, and molasses.

You can feel the spices on the palate. Medium body.

Overall, not that good. Not balanced at all, and the drinkability is low.
May 21, 2010
Collaborative Evil 2008 from Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 53 ratings