Alpha Hop Society: Barrel-Aged Coconut Lime Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

neat beer, always a rare treat to try any of the alpha hop society stuff, but this one is a little past its prime, 2019 vintage and definitely faded and oxidized, still good, but easy to tell its on the downslide. rum barrel aged strong ale as a base, deep brassy golden colored beer, not quite clear all the way, and without much head or carbonation, looks a little tired. big oak and rum notes in the nose, wow, spicy and intense, with pretty hefty sweetness too, the grain riding on it, and then the acid of the lime, no longer fresh and peppy but still piquant and identifiable, seems almost cocktail-esque now. the coconut has a toasted richness to it, also very tropical of course, and great with both the lime and the rum, a classic combination for a reason, and i think the proportions of things is really appealing. the flavor is rum forward, more malty than expected too for its color, nutty and bready and a bit rich. the lime cuts it nicely but runs into the oxidation, it could be brighter, but i bet it was awesome a little fresher. the coconut adds some sweetness, and it likes the toasted grain aspect too, hints of almond and dried apricot come out too as it sits, a little wrinkle of alcohol, and some lingering confectioners sugar to me, even with the acidity of the limes. flavorful beer, collapsing a little bit, but the rum and wood still drive it. a little outside of the norm for these guys, although i guess thats what this whole series is all about. super cool to get to drink something this limited and now rare i assume, complex and adult, thankful for my friend who shared it so generously!

 

Surprise! I was not expecting much before drinking this beer. While I like all of the combinations of coconut, lime, and rum, I wasn't sure how they all come together in a beer. Well, Sierra Nevada did it. A great summer beer with a nice balance between the base beer and coconut and lime. If there was anything to complain about, it would be that the rum notes were fairly tame, but I was OK with that.