Ginger Twin | Half Acre Beer Company
Brewed by:
Half Acre Beer Company
Illinois, United States
halfacrebeer.com
Style: American Amber / Red Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.50%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
A nod to the hop cone & the bearded brethren, we loaded this beer with our favorites and reinforced it with a solid malt base and caramel twist.
Added by dukedevil0 on 02-20-2010
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 228 | Reviews: 89
Reviews by QuentinCall:
4/5 rDev +1.3%
QuentinCall, May 30, 2014
More User Reviews:
4.08/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Deep amber with sunset highlights throughout. A nice, thick pillow of white head remains the duration of the glass.
A spicy hop aroma with a cherry and pomegranite, ripe berry fruitiness.
More malt complexity than expected comes through on the front of the tongue. Layers of chewy caramel transition (in not the smoothest way) to a spicy hop finish. Something a little awkward in the middle there. Subtle chocolate notes come out as it warms.
The mouthfeel is plush, soft, and chewy. Very nice.
Based on the taste I'm not sure how fresh this bottle was. A reason why at least a bottled on date would be courteous to the consumer.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Deep amber with sunset highlights throughout. A nice, thick pillow of white head remains the duration of the glass.
A spicy hop aroma with a cherry and pomegranite, ripe berry fruitiness.
More malt complexity than expected comes through on the front of the tongue. Layers of chewy caramel transition (in not the smoothest way) to a spicy hop finish. Something a little awkward in the middle there. Subtle chocolate notes come out as it warms.
The mouthfeel is plush, soft, and chewy. Very nice.
Based on the taste I'm not sure how fresh this bottle was. A reason why at least a bottled on date would be courteous to the consumer.
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3.71/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Red and amber pour, average head, lacing, retention. Smell was a weird mix of sweet and sour, but nothing like the Chinese food pairing.
Taste, can't tell what is from the carbonation or the substantive body of the beer at first. A spicyness that is almost rye-esque. Didn't have the hop mouthfeel come across as was talked up by the guy I traded with. I wanted a hoppy red ale, I got a red ale that was carbonated, spicy and funky, which was just a mild disappointment, but I guess made up for it in originality points.
Drank this back in May, soon after DLD, so no 'it wasn't fresh' claim is gonna be valid in my department. Not that I wouldn't recommend this beer, it just depends what you're lookin' for. This was enjoyable before a baseball game.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Red and amber pour, average head, lacing, retention. Smell was a weird mix of sweet and sour, but nothing like the Chinese food pairing.
Taste, can't tell what is from the carbonation or the substantive body of the beer at first. A spicyness that is almost rye-esque. Didn't have the hop mouthfeel come across as was talked up by the guy I traded with. I wanted a hoppy red ale, I got a red ale that was carbonated, spicy and funky, which was just a mild disappointment, but I guess made up for it in originality points.
Drank this back in May, soon after DLD, so no 'it wasn't fresh' claim is gonna be valid in my department. Not that I wouldn't recommend this beer, it just depends what you're lookin' for. This was enjoyable before a baseball game.
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3.9/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
(Served in an American pint glass)
A- This beer pours a hazy dense caramel colored body with a light tan bubbly head that last for a bit. There are a few tiny bubbles stuck to the base of the glass.
S- The slight fruity hops give way to a dry grain note with biscuit malt and toast aromas. There is a slightly dry caramel malt note in the finish.
T- This beer has a dry biscuit malt flavor with a slight spice quality to it and there is a light sweetness of caramel that comes through more when it warms. The green slightly fruity hops finish up wit a dark green pine flavor and a minty quality to them. The dark dry caramel malt flavor mixes with the hops in the finish and lingers just a moment.
M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel wit a soft fizz in the finish and no alcohol heat noted.
D- The biscuit malt flavor is full but not overpowering but toward the end of the bomber it is a bit much. The caramel malt has a nice support to the biscuit malt and the soft pine green hops have some interesting characteristics. This is a nice American Pale Ale with some slightly darker malt notes but it is just not exciting enough to have another glass.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
(Served in an American pint glass)
A- This beer pours a hazy dense caramel colored body with a light tan bubbly head that last for a bit. There are a few tiny bubbles stuck to the base of the glass.
S- The slight fruity hops give way to a dry grain note with biscuit malt and toast aromas. There is a slightly dry caramel malt note in the finish.
T- This beer has a dry biscuit malt flavor with a slight spice quality to it and there is a light sweetness of caramel that comes through more when it warms. The green slightly fruity hops finish up wit a dark green pine flavor and a minty quality to them. The dark dry caramel malt flavor mixes with the hops in the finish and lingers just a moment.
M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel wit a soft fizz in the finish and no alcohol heat noted.
D- The biscuit malt flavor is full but not overpowering but toward the end of the bomber it is a bit much. The caramel malt has a nice support to the biscuit malt and the soft pine green hops have some interesting characteristics. This is a nice American Pale Ale with some slightly darker malt notes but it is just not exciting enough to have another glass.
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3.65/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a sloghtly cloudy red with about an inch if head. The aroma betrays a very large amount of hops ofr an amber. The taste is similar to the smell. Lots of hops that make this particular amber more similar to an APA in taste than an amber. The hops are tasty and generally don't last overly long on the palet.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a sloghtly cloudy red with about an inch if head. The aroma betrays a very large amount of hops ofr an amber. The taste is similar to the smell. Lots of hops that make this particular amber more similar to an APA in taste than an amber. The hops are tasty and generally don't last overly long on the palet.
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4.01/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Gorgeous looking red ale. Blood red amber with a sticky red-tinged beige head.
S: Really fresh and hoppy. Big, ripe sweet grapefruit dominates, backed by caramel and toffee - slightly sticky and resinous, very slight tropical fruit astringency. Very hop forward red ale
T: Much less vibrant than the nose. Grapefruit and caramel. Very smooth
P: Surprisingly low carbonation - medium bodied
O: Another solid offering from Half Acre - love what they're doing
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look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Gorgeous looking red ale. Blood red amber with a sticky red-tinged beige head.
S: Really fresh and hoppy. Big, ripe sweet grapefruit dominates, backed by caramel and toffee - slightly sticky and resinous, very slight tropical fruit astringency. Very hop forward red ale
T: Much less vibrant than the nose. Grapefruit and caramel. Very smooth
P: Surprisingly low carbonation - medium bodied
O: Another solid offering from Half Acre - love what they're doing
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4.03/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep copper garnet with a creamy dense head. Great legs on the lacing.
Aroma blast of grapefruit billing. Roast malt and herbal hop.
Spicy bite to it. Moderate hop bitterness, almost grassy and pine. Malt sweetness and grainy.
Creamy and lush mouthfeel. Very satiating.
Looking at these ginger twins in their seafaring garb makes me want to put down a shot of Jameson while I go on-I dunno. Very tasty amber red that really should not be passed on. Affordable and a formidable contender.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a deep copper garnet with a creamy dense head. Great legs on the lacing.
Aroma blast of grapefruit billing. Roast malt and herbal hop.
Spicy bite to it. Moderate hop bitterness, almost grassy and pine. Malt sweetness and grainy.
Creamy and lush mouthfeel. Very satiating.
Looking at these ginger twins in their seafaring garb makes me want to put down a shot of Jameson while I go on-I dunno. Very tasty amber red that really should not be passed on. Affordable and a formidable contender.
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2.99/5 rDev -24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
So-so beer.Cloudy red body with lot of bubbly foam. Wierd, rather funky aromas. Very lacey. Light mouthfeel. Ginger in taste,some citrus, grassy hops, but not well integrated.Thanks for bringing Ken.Drinkable,they can improve the yeast quality, hey they sell it I rate it.
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look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
So-so beer.Cloudy red body with lot of bubbly foam. Wierd, rather funky aromas. Very lacey. Light mouthfeel. Ginger in taste,some citrus, grassy hops, but not well integrated.Thanks for bringing Ken.Drinkable,they can improve the yeast quality, hey they sell it I rate it.
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3.88/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle, scooped at armanetti's in Chicago last weekend. a presumably old bottle
appearance: served in my ommegang chalice - bright amber body, light creamy beige ring, murky body
smell: piney hops, toffee and caramel, sweet and fruity with a nice malt base
taste: I was looking for a little more in the hops department, but i might be late to the party...toffee, caramel, toasted malts, brown sugar, green piney hops.
mouthfeel: good carbonation, medium body, no bitterness
drinkability: good
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle, scooped at armanetti's in Chicago last weekend. a presumably old bottle
appearance: served in my ommegang chalice - bright amber body, light creamy beige ring, murky body
smell: piney hops, toffee and caramel, sweet and fruity with a nice malt base
taste: I was looking for a little more in the hops department, but i might be late to the party...toffee, caramel, toasted malts, brown sugar, green piney hops.
mouthfeel: good carbonation, medium body, no bitterness
drinkability: good
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4.08/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Thanks go to paco1029384756 for this in a recent trade.
Pours a deep clear amber (almost ruby colored) in the glass, with 2 rich fingers of off-white head. This retains with a robust 1/2 finger, which just slathers the sides of the glass with creamy froth. The aroma is has some definite fresh PNW hop action going on with it, with floral activity, pine, herbal accents, and some spiciness. There is some tropical fruit as well, but it's not coming out quite as robust as some of the other hop flavors are. Some maltier accents of caramel and crackers hang on the edges of the aroma, lending the nose some sweet grainy presence.
The taste is moderately biting up front with sticky resins and spice, while still being still being well balanced by some softer fruit tones, earthy herbal accents, and a silky smooth Red Ale malt backbone of toasted bread and toffeed sweetness. Pine, spice, and earth linger with a hard dryness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium (maybe a touch fuller) bodied, with a big creamy sharpness that blows up in the mouth, while a slicker presence underneath keeps this flowing easy. This feels spot on for 7%, with just some light warmth coming out of the body but no alcohol being present in the taste whatsoever.
Just a really solid take on a hoppy Red Ale here, with a good balance to it that allowed those hops to show their stuff without becoming overly bitter. Really nice drinkibility on this as well, as I had no problem polishes the bomber off. Another well done brew from Half Acre.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Thanks go to paco1029384756 for this in a recent trade.
Pours a deep clear amber (almost ruby colored) in the glass, with 2 rich fingers of off-white head. This retains with a robust 1/2 finger, which just slathers the sides of the glass with creamy froth. The aroma is has some definite fresh PNW hop action going on with it, with floral activity, pine, herbal accents, and some spiciness. There is some tropical fruit as well, but it's not coming out quite as robust as some of the other hop flavors are. Some maltier accents of caramel and crackers hang on the edges of the aroma, lending the nose some sweet grainy presence.
The taste is moderately biting up front with sticky resins and spice, while still being still being well balanced by some softer fruit tones, earthy herbal accents, and a silky smooth Red Ale malt backbone of toasted bread and toffeed sweetness. Pine, spice, and earth linger with a hard dryness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium (maybe a touch fuller) bodied, with a big creamy sharpness that blows up in the mouth, while a slicker presence underneath keeps this flowing easy. This feels spot on for 7%, with just some light warmth coming out of the body but no alcohol being present in the taste whatsoever.
Just a really solid take on a hoppy Red Ale here, with a good balance to it that allowed those hops to show their stuff without becoming overly bitter. Really nice drinkibility on this as well, as I had no problem polishes the bomber off. Another well done brew from Half Acre.
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4.17/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Slightly hazy amber with an off-white gigantic head. Great retention on the head and sticky lacing left behind.
I love the aromas coming off this one. At first there is undeniable caramel, then pine and earthy hops hit the nose. It's everything a hopped up red should smell like, magnified.
Similar flavor, but unfortunately not as pungent as the smell. Still very good flaver, though. It's an equitable balance between sweet and bready malts and resinous pine/woodsy hops. The hops dominate the aftertaste for a long time.
The body is full, juicy, and has a long bitter, dry finish.
Good drinkability. It drinks a little heavier than the abv suggests, but is very fresh and tasty.
Half Acre has really stepped on the scene and made some noise. I look forward to future offerings.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Slightly hazy amber with an off-white gigantic head. Great retention on the head and sticky lacing left behind.
I love the aromas coming off this one. At first there is undeniable caramel, then pine and earthy hops hit the nose. It's everything a hopped up red should smell like, magnified.
Similar flavor, but unfortunately not as pungent as the smell. Still very good flaver, though. It's an equitable balance between sweet and bready malts and resinous pine/woodsy hops. The hops dominate the aftertaste for a long time.
The body is full, juicy, and has a long bitter, dry finish.
Good drinkability. It drinks a little heavier than the abv suggests, but is very fresh and tasty.
Half Acre has really stepped on the scene and made some noise. I look forward to future offerings.
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3.52/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.25/5 rDev -17.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.11/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Gorgeous mahogany in color, one of the prettiest pours I've see.
Immediately smacked by ginger, but the sweet caramel hints balance the bitterness of the ginger well.
Taste is all ginger and very bitter, not at all sweet as the nose hinted.
Mouthfeel is a bitter one.
Overall this beer is a great snifting beer, but as soon as it hits the lips it kind of disappoints.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Gorgeous mahogany in color, one of the prettiest pours I've see.
Immediately smacked by ginger, but the sweet caramel hints balance the bitterness of the ginger well.
Taste is all ginger and very bitter, not at all sweet as the nose hinted.
Mouthfeel is a bitter one.
Overall this beer is a great snifting beer, but as soon as it hits the lips it kind of disappoints.
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Ginger Twin from Half Acre Beer Company
3.95
out of 5
based on 228 ratings.