Small Batch Hoarders: Toasterversary
The Bruery

 

 

A: Poured into a snifter to a deep brown beer which is topped by a very airy half finger of light tan head which fades quickly to a collar before completely disappearing leaving no lacing
S: Smells of huge strawberry notes with some oak, rich chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. All the red fruit notes would make you think this was aged in a wine barrel
T: Taste is sweet strawberry jam up front with some caramel, vanilla, and chocolate, slight toasty notes with some oak coming in as well but it's mostly jammy strawberries. On the swallow there's more strawberries, vanilla, caramel, oak, toasted malts, and chocolate.
M: This beer has a body which is on the fuller side along with a slightly syrupy feel. Carbonation is somewhat low on this beer but it is not out of line while the beer has a neutral to slightly drying finish.
O: Overall this is an awesome treatment. Very nice flavors and complexity and very well executed. It's a little on the sweet side so a 12 oz bottle is a good size. I'd like to see this one come back.

375ml bottle poured into a teku

A- pours brown in color with a deep ruby hue, one-finger off-white head eventually reduces to a ring around the edge

S- plenty of strawberry on the nose, followed by the classic anniversary ale aromas; caramel, toffee, raisins, prunes, figs, tobacco, leather, brown sugar and molasses. A hint of vanilla and a bunch of booze close it out

T- sweet strawberry provides a bright fruitiness up front, followed by notes of sweet malty notes of caramel & toffee, booze soaked raisins and figs, fruit cake and a hint of bourbon barrel to close it out. The linger gives bold strawberry, vanilla and booze that sticks around

M- medium body with mow carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel that continues into a warming finish

O- the strawberry shines through, provided a spectacular compliment to the anniversary ale. Didn't get much graham cracker, but the vanilla was definitely there as well, a delicious dessert sipper

 

I believe this was beer #2 in a flight at the source, the day after the Rolling Stones show at the Rose Bowl (late August 2019).

Strawberry beer had a strawberry-auburn-brown appearance, thin beige head 1/5". Naming rights check out, this puts a nice toasted strawberry, graham cracker and mild bourbon nose on it. I'm nodding my head, this is nice.

Taste keeps going. First of all, jeez, 15.6%? No problemo somehow. The vanilla is very present unlike in in the nose, has both a great taste and mouth feel alcohol hiding ability benefiting both scores. Such a nice dessert beer for sipping. You guys should put this in a 750. I don't really buy the Hoarders Society boxes anymore, I figure they'll re-release something if it is a hit. This is a hit. Break it out in the formats.

Between this and Ichigo Highway, Bruery can now claim to be the greatest strawberry beer producer. I mean, New Glarus's Strawberry Rhubarb is still the best, but its only one beer. Two very good fighters can take down one great fighter.

 

More anniversary than pop tart. Carbonation makes a quick cameo before jumping out of the picture. Some graham cracker and vanilla on the nose along with a hint of strawberry jelly rancher. Tastes like anniversary with the adjuncts playing supporting roles. Nice