Honey Crisp
Al's of Hampden / Pizza Boy Brewing

 

 

 

Could have used more carbonation and barm for the style. Aroma is fine, ordinary smells of esthers and clove with a little sweetness from the honey. Taste is long the same line, has all of the traditional notes with an added sweetness, but nothing really gels and pops out. Mouthfeel is a little slick but fine. Overall a solid beer

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a light brownish color with honey edges. The most prominent note is the nose was that of over-ripe apples. The flavor was heavy on the classic Belgian funk.

 

 

 

 

On tap at Rattle n Hum West. I've been enjoying a blend of Mackensey's spiced cider & Weihenstephaner Hefwiessbier (20/80) for a few years, so I`m no stranger to the cider w/the dry of hops, but this comes across as a bit over the top. Honey crisp, IMO, is the premier apple available today. They have an amazing amount of sweetness & a hint of spice in their natural state & it comes through here but merely as a blush. Unfortunately I feel the sweet that a triple adds is not a good match. Something with more of a dry element would lend a much more sophisticated nuance. This is big plus big.

 

 

Had on draft in a tulip. More of a wine (or perhaps a cider) than a beer, but my serving wasn't very carbed, so perhaps that affected it. Quite apple-y, and the 13% is well-hidden, so they hit the mark for what they were trying to do (I assume), but just not really my thing. Reminded me much more of an apple wine than a beer.

That said, it was easy drinking, and not overly sweet. I think wine drinkers would really enjoy this, but I'd be interested in a review of it from someone who would typically order a white wine versus a beer.