Viking Metal
Jester King Brewery

 

 

 

L: Poured from a bottle to a snifter glass. Had a golden yellow color and a mostly cloudy consistency. There was a half inch of foamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Average lacing.

S: An unusual aroma of smoke, citrus fruit, malt, an herbal quality, a funky, yeasty quality, and gin.

T: Tasted of a small amount of malt (mostly in the finish, very fleeting), a tinge of juniper, a good shot of the advertised smokiness, a decent bit of the funky, yeasty quality, a little gin, and some citrus fruit (lemon, orange). This is an oddball flavor, but somehow it works. The citrus is more powerful than the juniper, but they mix well with the smoke.

F: A good amount of carbonation with a sharp finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This beer won't please everyone, but if you want something unusual, check it out. Drinkable.

 

 

Blend #3, Nov 2018

This beer is as advertised. Without going into great detail, the look and mouthfeel are there. The nose and taste are a wonderful balance of juniper, cedar, and smoke with a velvety cool finish.

More accessible, although not better, than Gotlandsdricka. Brilliant. Perhaps not for everyone, but a farmhouse that’s not to be missed in my opinion. Jester King never disappoints in this style.

Blend #1.
Feb 2013.
Alc/Vol 7.4%.
FG 0.999.
IBU 16.
Moderate pour yields a one inch white head over a slightly hazy, golden body with some lacing. Nose of light to medium smoke, slight botanicals, lemon, and a bit of funk. Taste of lemon, slight orange, slight smoke, and gin; almost like a smoky, fizzy gin cocktail that I may have had in the past. Very interesting, refreshing, and not too smoky. Fairly nice mouthfeel and would never, ever turn this down if it was within my grasp. Cheers to Austin and especially Sir John R. for the hookup so long ago!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This almost looks like a NE-IPA. Opaque orange with a fuzzy, mild white blanket clinging to the glass in wavy mounds.

Smell is lightly smoky with cheesy funk, gin, wild mint and herbal botanics.

Dry and tart, flavor starts with charred lemon transitioning through a medium, frothy soft body to tangy blackberry-mint with a light smoke and charred, spiced oak, becoming more crisp with time.

This is probably my favorite smoked beer of theirs, as the gin really helps to lighten and brighten up the overall beer with unique popping accents that develop complexity and keep it from becoming the meaty gut bomb of smoke and ash tray that some smoked beers devolve into.

2017 vintage