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Summer 2010 Vintage - Blackberry
Almanac Beer Co.
- From:
- Almanac Beer Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Pale Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.82 | pDev: 15.45%
- Reviews:
- 50
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 18, 2016
- Added:
- Feb 20, 2011
- Wants:
- 21
- Gots:
- 19
Our golden ale reflects a dueling love of classic Belgian ales and American hops. We balance two row barley, pilsner malt and wheat with a touch of Magnum bittering hops added at the beginning of the boil, and a California-sized addition of Citra hops added at the end of the boil. This late hop addition adds a delicate grapefruit-peel aroma. We then age the beer in used oak wine barrels from California wineries with two hundred pounds of fresh Cherokee Blackberries, and another fifty pounds of Marion, Ollalie and Boysen Berries. All of our berries were hand picked at the family owned and operated Sebastopol Berry Farm.
After six months of barrel aging with the fruit, we blended the barrels back together with freshly brewed "base-beer" to reinvigorate the citrusy, hoppy aroma. Blended beer is re-fermented in the bottle to provide a final layer of complexity. Bottle conditioning provides a natural carbonation of superfine bubbles, similar to classic sparkling wines. The finished bottle is alive, and will continue to evolve and change over time, gaining nuance and character for years.
After six months of barrel aging with the fruit, we blended the barrels back together with freshly brewed "base-beer" to reinvigorate the citrusy, hoppy aroma. Blended beer is re-fermented in the bottle to provide a final layer of complexity. Bottle conditioning provides a natural carbonation of superfine bubbles, similar to classic sparkling wines. The finished bottle is alive, and will continue to evolve and change over time, gaining nuance and character for years.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GRG1313:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida
3.84/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to eyebereej for sending this one! While received a few years ago, after a long cellar slumber I finally opened it. Reviewed from notes (drank 10/17/16). Poured from a 750 mL bottle into an El Catador barrel-aged glass.
A: Hazy dark gold, with over a finger's worth of white head that has pretty decent retention. A good amount of visible carbonation as well.
S: Vinous, berries, and oak. Sweet malts with notes of caramel and toffee and with a bit of oxidation. Some booziness as well. It smells almost like a barleywine at this point.
T: Blackberries with mild tartness, caramel sweetness, vanilla and bready malts. Mild oxidation is again apparent. Some oak, vinous character, and a mild booziness. It ends with more caramel malt sweetness overlaid with fruity tartness and a mild amount of hop bitterness (just alpha acid at this point, but it remains mild).
M: Medium body. A lot of carbonation sensation still, and the alcohol seems more prominent than expected.
O: Still a pretty decent beer. Unfortunately, I don’t know what it once was. But at this point, it tastes like a blonde barleywine with some tart fruit in it. But still enjoyable.
Dec 18, 2016A: Hazy dark gold, with over a finger's worth of white head that has pretty decent retention. A good amount of visible carbonation as well.
S: Vinous, berries, and oak. Sweet malts with notes of caramel and toffee and with a bit of oxidation. Some booziness as well. It smells almost like a barleywine at this point.
T: Blackberries with mild tartness, caramel sweetness, vanilla and bready malts. Mild oxidation is again apparent. Some oak, vinous character, and a mild booziness. It ends with more caramel malt sweetness overlaid with fruity tartness and a mild amount of hop bitterness (just alpha acid at this point, but it remains mild).
M: Medium body. A lot of carbonation sensation still, and the alcohol seems more prominent than expected.
O: Still a pretty decent beer. Unfortunately, I don’t know what it once was. But at this point, it tastes like a blonde barleywine with some tart fruit in it. But still enjoyable.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.92/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Amber color, over an inch of white head on it. Despite the fruit additions, this one comes through with respectable clarity under any circumstance.
Aroma was mild oak, berries, mild tart.
Taste was pretty clean, no funk, yeast mild, hopping mild. I can't figure out the classification for this beer. It doesn't fit in any one category. Its like equal parts mild fruit beer, mild pale ale.
Jan 29, 2016Aroma was mild oak, berries, mild tart.
Taste was pretty clean, no funk, yeast mild, hopping mild. I can't figure out the classification for this beer. It doesn't fit in any one category. Its like equal parts mild fruit beer, mild pale ale.
Reviewed by Ryan011235 from Ohio
2.02/5 rDev -47.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
2.02/5 rDev -47.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Poured into a snifter on 6/1/12
Bottled 5/29/11
Bottle No. 3065
Thanks to Nickd717
A) Clear, golden amber. Thin layer of foam with some ring retention.
S) Plastic, fake blackberry aroma, grains, and a soft oak note. Mustiness is on the low side. Light fruit tones.
T) It doesn't taste nearly as good as it smells. Dank oak turns to stale, wet swamp grass and grump, sleepy fruit suggestions. Blueberries are all but gone.
M) Light body with moderate, prickly carbonation. The finish is vinous and a tad earthy and funky.
Sep 26, 2013Bottled 5/29/11
Bottle No. 3065
Thanks to Nickd717
A) Clear, golden amber. Thin layer of foam with some ring retention.
S) Plastic, fake blackberry aroma, grains, and a soft oak note. Mustiness is on the low side. Light fruit tones.
T) It doesn't taste nearly as good as it smells. Dank oak turns to stale, wet swamp grass and grump, sleepy fruit suggestions. Blueberries are all but gone.
M) Light body with moderate, prickly carbonation. The finish is vinous and a tad earthy and funky.
Reviewed by vfgccp from New York
4.16/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled May 2011, opened May 2013.
A – Bright, opaque, dusty honey body. Fine, bone-white head has ok retention and lace.
S – Sweet honey, banana pudding, mixed berries, vanilla, sweet rice.
T – Sharp acidity. Lemon-lime Gatorade, fermented berries, honey, wheat, touch of oak.
M – Big carbonation on a smooth, medium frame.
O – A few years did this bottle well. Great integration on an excellent flavor profile. Another great beer from Almanac.
May 19, 2013A – Bright, opaque, dusty honey body. Fine, bone-white head has ok retention and lace.
S – Sweet honey, banana pudding, mixed berries, vanilla, sweet rice.
T – Sharp acidity. Lemon-lime Gatorade, fermented berries, honey, wheat, touch of oak.
M – Big carbonation on a smooth, medium frame.
O – A few years did this bottle well. Great integration on an excellent flavor profile. Another great beer from Almanac.
Summer 2010 Vintage - Blackberry from Almanac Beer Co.
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
81 ratings
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