Sorcerer
Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon

 

 

 

 

 

On room temperature shelf at Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA. $ 11.00 (Including tax)/four-pack of 12 oz bottles ($ 0.229/oz). Reviewed 3/25/20.
On neck of bottle “BOTTLED ON 04/15/19 10:33”. Purchased 3/10/20. Stored at home at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 3.25.
First pour – Medium amber (SRM 12), slight haze.
Body – Brown (SRM >20 < 24), opaque. When held to direct light, ruby and translucent.
Head – Average (Maximum 633 cm, aggressive center pour), khaki, medium density, fizzy, short retention, diminishing to a two mm crown fed by effervescence and a thin partial cap.
Lacing – Poor. A few one to two mm diameter tiny islands remain.
Aroma – 3 – Slight “dark fruit”, no malt, no hops, no yeastiness
Flavor – 3 - Very weak “dark fruits”, slightly sweet, no malt, no hops, no yeast. No alcohol (9 % ABV as marked on the label) taste or aroma. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide. Aftertaste is slightly sweet quickly becoming slightly sour with a medium hang time.
Palate – 3 – Medium, approaching syrupy, medium carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3. Minimal example of the style. Label is passable. Price seems high for the quality.

Poured a ruby brown with one finger tan head that dissipated quickly. No lacing. Candied dark fruit, cinnamon and wine nose. Taste of fig, raisin dark cherry, caramel and candied sugar. Slight sourness and dry finish. Medium body and light carbonation that is soft to the feel. Not what I would expect from a dark Belgian ale.

 

 

 

 

 

-Belgian style dark ale. Bot. 04.15.19 Consumed 07.05.19.

A: Soft cherry-crimson red colored body with a khaki head that was short lived. Good density of effervesce rises softly within. Clean vessel walls.

S: Spicy Belgian candy sugars, sweet dark fruit of figs, spicy ginger, and peppery grains of paradise. Toasted munich malts, bready toast, baked apples, cinnamon, and rosemary spicing. Spicy fruit and sweet caramel of good strength.

T: The flavor was spicy candied fruit and sugary toasted munich malts. Ginger spicing, hints of peppery, woodsy citrus. Warming spicy alcohol, dark fruit, figs, woodsy peppery citrus bite. Hints of mild anise. Finishes with some bubblegum, apricot, and cotton candy yeastiness.

M: Very sharp and pronounced alcohol and effervesce. Sticky, chewy malts. Outstanding feel.

O: It seems forever since I enjoyed or was able to find a good Belgian style beer with the ipa craze putting a strangle hold on various styles. Spicy character, great chewy malt base, and mouthful. Spicy alcohol and flavor, toasted malt depth, caramel, and a peppery citrus bite. Very authentic feel and hearty 9% abv alcohol. Much respect with each passing sip.

 

 

If you read the bottle and go "That sounds dandy," then this beer will do nicely for you. The liquid behind the label delivers accordingly.

Pours mahogany brown. Lovely color. One finger head, rim of lacing.

Picking up candied fruit on the nose. A bit of wine smell, but the roasted malt is there, making it a beer regardless of what it smells like.

Spiced flavor. Back of the tongue gives away to the bitterness, and a heavy central palate sensation with plum, prune, raisin. A powerful sweetness, and an offset to the bitterness.

It tastes okay. High ABV, dark in color, lighter than it seems. It would make a good Christmas ale for sure. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this brew to in the middle of summer though.

 

Having this beer on-tap at the Craft Collective. Served in a tulip-ish type glass, this beer draws a mainly clear, medium to dark copper color with a small, white head that’s about half an inch thick when first drawn and served. Settles eventually to a thick white ring lining the inside of the glass. Not much lacing though unfortunately. Aromas of roasted and toasted caramel, bready malt sweetness along with notes of fig and plum. The taste is pretty much the same, with toasted caramel, bready malt sweetness along with notes of fig and plum that’s rounded out with a bit of Belgian candy sugar sweetness. Also just a bit boozey, and no trace of hops that my palate can detect. An excellent flavor profile here. Has crisp, slightly prickly, smooth and slightly creamy, medium bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Has a clean finish and sweet aftertaste.

Eric

Pours a deep cola, whispy head that doesn’t last long, spritely carbonation. Aroma & palate feature some dark ester / phenol alcohol notes, chewy raisin bread malt, prune skin. There a dry yeast vein throughout which doesn’t quite mesh, finish with a boozey kiss. Pretty hefty & chewy, could maybe dial up the fruitier elements (fig, raisin etc) for a bit better balance, but still good