Sweet Potato Soufflé Rye Ale - Triple Barrel Aged
Odd Side Ales

Sweet Potato Souffle Rye Ale – Triple Barrel Aged - from Oddside Ales. Purchased from Riverside Liquors in Grand Rapids on 20/08/22. Stored on room temperature shelf at the store. Stored at 37 degrees at home. Reviewed 21/08/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
12 oz bottle stamped on the label “MF08/31/20”. $ 9.63 (Including tax and deposit) = $ 0.79/oz. Served at 55.7 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 62.6 degrees.
Appearance – 3.5.
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), slight chill haze.
Body – Amber Brown (SRM 28), opaque. Under direct light, large clumps of sediment rest on the glass. When rear-lite, ruby, translucent, and heavy effervescence.
Head – Average (Maximum 1.8 cm, aggressive center pour), floral white, high density and initially fizzy, average retention. Subsides to a gently undulating three to four mm crown and a thin complete cap.
Lacing – Good. An arch of tiny bubbles slowly appears as the level drops, the top of which resembles the Alamo before disintegrating into torn curtains.
Aroma – 4 – Weak, brown sugar sweet with nondescript tuber smell. After a couple of deep inhales, a bit of rye whiskey appears. No malt, no hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins moderately sweet with hints of brown sugar. No malt, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (11 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Marked gastric warming. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Cinnamon and nutmeg (mostly cinnamon) show up at the aftertaste. Post-consumption, a small belch is distinctly rye whiskey and a ghost of cinnamon.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, almost syrupy, lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 Can’t honestly say that I’ve ever eaten sweet potato souffle, but both sweet potatoes and yams have crossed my palate more than once, mostly dressed in brown sugar and butter. This is good! Rye whiskey is present, but I can’t vouch for either chocolate rye or rum barrels. Still, this is one for which I’ll definitely keep an eyestalk out.

A - Pours amber with a sturdy white head. Nice amount of clingy lacing.

S - Aroma is cinnamon, vanilla, raisins and rum.

T - The taste is cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, sweet potato, oak, rum and whiskey barrel.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a soft dry finish.

O -Really digging this. Drinks like a rum soaked sweet potato pie. Defiantly on sweet side making a slow sipper.

Pours a clear but very dark ruby tinged amber. Ring of tan/off yellow foam that leave soapy lacing. Smell is chocolate and burnt wood and whiskey. Flavor follows suit. Nutmeg and cinnamon are there but subtly. Very good blending and balance here. Chocolate and whiskey are there as well, I’m not so sure about the rum. I’m not sure if the sweet potato was there or not because there is a lot going on in this beer but it all works well together. Feel is silky smooth but sharp from the alcohol. This is a good sipper. I love these aged beers from OddSide

 

 

A - pours an amber brown with some clarity and absolutely zero head to speak of. No lacing at all after each drink.

S - Smells amazing - pumpkin pie, caramel, vanilla, pecans, boozy, figs, roasted malts.

T - Malt bomb up front, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, roasted caramel, sweet potato, candied yams. Back end is boozy, barrel aged rye, smooth mouthfeel, but the overwhelming take away is that it is cloyingly sweet.

O -Drank as a dessert beer for Thanksgiving and this one didn't hit the mark...overly sweet and not balanced. I think this if this was a stout as the canvas instead of an ale it would work.

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 2020 Review
12oz bottle dated 8-31-20. Poured into a tulip glass.

Pour: ruddy brown with one finger light tan head. Lots of lacing with a thick ring and lots of clouds. 4.25

Nose: cinnamon, rye, nutmeg, as suggested by the label. Maybe some rum coming through. 3.75

Taste: super complex and pretty well balanced. Rye, cinnamon, lactose (with sweet potato reference as suggested by the label), pecan/nutmeg/oak, hints of rum, whisky, faint bitter chocolate and coffee, especially on the backend. Maybe too much going on but I like it. 4.25

Feel: moderate carbonation with a bit of alcohol burn and sharpness. Probably the rye and rum. Not thick or thin, drinks pretty easy. 3.75

Overall: regular sweet potato soufflé is a favorite of mine and this is a great variant. Complex and balanced, not overwhelming in any flavor bit still bold. Will buy another bottle or two to drink now and age. Odd Side really is one of the most creative and interesting breweries. You won’t love everything they do but most are at least worth trying and plenty are pretty darn good 4.0