Applefest Ale
South Shore Brewery

Applefest AleApplefest Ale
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From:
South Shore Brewery
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Fruit and Field Beer
Ranked #272
ABV:
6.25%
Score:
83
Ranked #24,390
Avg:
3.48 | pDev: 14.66%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
14
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 19, 2023
Added:
Nov 13, 2003
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sgttibbs:
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Rated by sgttibbs from Minnesota

3/5  rDev -13.8%

Dec 29, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.63 by trentster from Wisconsin

Feb 19, 2023
 
Rated: 2.75 by bplabernie from Michigan

Sep 29, 2015
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Reviewed by dav2080 from Wisconsin

4.46/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Given to me by the husband of a co-worker of my wife. The brew master is a friend of his.
Deep clear golden color, short lived head but nice lacing. This is a fruit ale.
Smell of crisp apple. Hint of sweetness. Clean smelling.
Taste follows nose. Apple taste. Finishes clean on the palate. It is thin but flavorful. Good malt backbone.
It is as I expect in an apple ale. A refreshing beer.
Jan 04, 2015
 
Rated: 2.75 by Whiskeydeez from Kansas

Jan 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by mkf629 from Kansas

Jan 01, 2014
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Reviewed by Bootscraper from Wisconsin

3.42/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
My friend picked up some of this, and gave me one to review.
Served at about 50 degrees F in pint glass listening to Napalm Death's "Scum". This beer wasn't quite quite scum, but I think it was another example of a beer being good in concept, and falling short in delivery.
As soon as I cracked open the bottle, there was bubbling making it's way out the top. I thought this may be a good indicator of a great head. And indeed, a creamy 2cm white head (the 2nd bottle, I turned upside down before the pour, resulting in one at least a good inch) made it's welcome after the pour, but it quickly shrank down to just a thin layer in about a minute. It did, however, stay there until the bottom. It was a deep, near-opaque shade of apple juice color, and radiated some red hue when held to certain lights. And boy, was this unfiltered! Like, there was actually half a ton of visible residue like an exploded tea bag, which even settled at the bottom of my glass. Still not sure if this is cool or not. The lacing was average and patchy, but fell pretty damn slow.
There was a "dark" smell in there from rich malt. It had a mellow scent of a fresh-baked pan of caramelized apples for desert... pretty faint though.
Those malts shine through again in the flavor, delicious. The taste was also that of apple juice, and it peaked during the aftertaste, as well as a little spiciness. But as a whole the flavor was pretty thin and watery (except maybe the malts).
In the mouth though, this beer is pretty smooth. It's medium-bodied, and also has a pleasant syrupy feeling (and without the syrupy candy back-wash that I would typically expect from fruit-based beers). It was tingly as well (which translated as the slight spiciness in the flavor), but only because I think it was just tad too carbonated... I found myself burping a little bit more than normal.
Overall, I would drink it if someone had it, but would probably find myself looking for anything else in their fridge at the same time. Not awful, just won't be buying it again.
Jan 12, 2009
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Reviewed by Strix from Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Copper/Apple Juice color, decent initial head, fading to almost nothing

Smell is malty, with a hint of spicy apple, but fairly weak.

The taste on this is well balanced. Seems to me like the base of this is a relatively standard red lager, but then layered upon that are malts, spicy hops, and an aftertaste of apple. Some fruit beers smack you in the face with fruit, this does hint at apples, but is also clearly a beer. I liked it.

Mouthfeel thin, moderate carbonation.

Overall, this was a crisp and refreshing beer. A great way to enjoy a fall day.
Oct 02, 2008
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Reviewed by supercolter from Wisconsin

3.47/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance is ok with a nice copper color but no head or lacing. Smell is pretty good a lot of apple cinnimon right away and it was difficult to pick up much else. THe taste is similar but I can lso pick up a bit more malt. Mouthfeel is light to medium in body and good carbonarion. Drinkability is very good.
Oct 02, 2008
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Reviewed by scruffwhor from Illinois

4.21/5  rDev +21%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks Lukaski!!!!

This is one awesome head. Two fingers from the start and exactly two fingers to the finish, maybe its the apple, honey and hop combination that gvethis beer the awesome retention. Candy appl caramel and ruby blended amber with a medium column of bubbles rising to the monumental head. The aroma is a caramel malted fresh apple cider. Just subtleenoughto make a difference. The taste was equally cidery. The very natural cider flavor mixed well with the soft sweetness of the honey and light hebal hops. The apple flavors were baanced just right with the honey, malts, and hops. Very smooth, estery palate. Maybe a little too fruity to be sessionable for me though.
Sep 12, 2008
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Reviewed by CharlesDarwin from Rhode Island

3.2/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Originally reviewed September 17, 2005. On tap at the Big Lake Brewfest. Light hexane malt aroma. Cloudy apple cider pour. Slight apple flavor, but mostly a real mellowed malt caramel. Finishes savory and tangy. Then some touches of apple sugars and light pie spices glow from the back. One of the more drinkable fruit beers, but still missing a little.
Aug 13, 2006
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Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin

3.12/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Looks like it ought to. Pours the color of apple juice. The beer itself is transparent, however, large flakes of yeast or apple float about giving it a cloudy feel. They never settle, being constantly stirred up by a healthy effervescence that also has the benefit of keeping a thin head alive for the entire length of the brew.

Smells like pie dough and chopped apples. Also some spicy hops with hints of cinnamon.

Tastes kind of like an American red ale with just a hint of apples. In fact, I’m not sure that I would even categorize this as a “fruit beer.” There isn’t very much fruit in here. I even beginning to wonder if there are any apples at all. Could this “Applefest Ale” be a non-apple beer brewed in honor of near by Bayfield’s famous Applefest, which takes place the first weekend of October each year? I think it may just be. Let’s look at the label.

It says brewed with honey (I can taste a lot of that now) but mentions nothing about apples. I think this beer might be a big trick on all of us. If at some rate it is a fruit beer, than it is a non-fruit beer drinker’s fruit beer. Any fruit in it is well masked.

Mouthfeel: Tangy with a creamy body. The aggressive carbonation feels great as it slaps my upper lip when I tilt the glass for a gulp. Very good indeed.

Drinkability: High. This one is easy to drink. Not to fruity, not too sweet (this is very rare with South Shore Beers), and a great look and feel.
Oct 11, 2005
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Reviewed by Skidz from Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours golden yellow out of the bottle and sits light amber in the glass with a large, soapy white head with big, beatiful lacings. Head stays with the beer the entire way down the glass, being fed by a constant stream of bubbles. Coats the glass with foam on every sip. Doesn't get any better than this.

Smells lightly toasted and warm with gooey pie crust innards. Malty sweet nose and light traces of apple skins. Hop aroma is mild and spicy.

Tastes of sweet malts and boiled apples. Fruit flavor is light, but present. Toasty with a bready build of flavors and a yeasty toungue. Bits of apple tartness near the smooth bitter finish.

Smooth and creamy in the mouth with plentiful daubs of carbonation and a medium body. An easy beer to drink, goes down very fast. Interesting build of flavors, mild fruity concotion, stays on the beer track. A nice fall beverage.
Oct 25, 2004
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Reviewed by Bighuge from Minnesota

3.38/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Light golden. Slight haze. Small ivory white head leaves nice lace. Aroma is weak. Very light apple nose. The taste was interesting, yet delicate. Tart apple tones. Some green apple sharpness. A litte apple crisp and some hoppy notes. A little apple pie feel to it, but it's all pretty subdued. Not bad. Just not my cup of tea either.
Nov 13, 2003
Applefest Ale from South Shore Brewery
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 14 ratings