Brutus | Brouwerij Maximus
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Maximus
Netherlands
brouwerijmaximus.nl
Style: American Amber / Red Lager
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by sfprint on 01-05-2012
HISTOGRAM
Ratings: 21 | Reviews: 7
1.89/5 rDev -48.4%
look: 2 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Reviewed from notes taken in Summer 2012:
Served on-draught @ Cafe Arendsnest, Amsterdam, NL into a tulip.
APPEARANCE: 2 fingers worth of head, thin, lacking creaminess, and of bad (~1.5 minute at most) retention.
Body colour is a nontransparent copper (not an amber as one might expect in a beer of this style).
AROMA: Amber malts. Overly bitter bittering hops. Strong and unappealing.
TASTE: Unwelcome bitterness plagues the climax, bringing little in the way of hop flavour (maybe some generic floral character). Malty yet thin. Not balanced. Badly built, Nasty stale malt ruins this for me.
Simple. Unenjoyable.
TEXTURE: Smooth, wet, unrefreshing. Doesn't accentuate the beer's flavours or elevate the beer as a whole.
OVERALL: Pretty poorly executed stuff. If I wasn't drinking this at Amsterdam's best beer bar, I might worry the keg was off or the tap lines dirty.
D- (1.89) / AVOID
899 characters
look: 2 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Reviewed from notes taken in Summer 2012:
Served on-draught @ Cafe Arendsnest, Amsterdam, NL into a tulip.
APPEARANCE: 2 fingers worth of head, thin, lacking creaminess, and of bad (~1.5 minute at most) retention.
Body colour is a nontransparent copper (not an amber as one might expect in a beer of this style).
AROMA: Amber malts. Overly bitter bittering hops. Strong and unappealing.
TASTE: Unwelcome bitterness plagues the climax, bringing little in the way of hop flavour (maybe some generic floral character). Malty yet thin. Not balanced. Badly built, Nasty stale malt ruins this for me.
Simple. Unenjoyable.
TEXTURE: Smooth, wet, unrefreshing. Doesn't accentuate the beer's flavours or elevate the beer as a whole.
OVERALL: Pretty poorly executed stuff. If I wasn't drinking this at Amsterdam's best beer bar, I might worry the keg was off or the tap lines dirty.
D- (1.89) / AVOID
899 characters
3.6/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A pretty amber colour with a decent and steady head of foam. Smell of caramel, herby hops and malt. The taste is reminiscent of a dutch bokbier actually, due to the bittersweet taste with caramel, well used hops (herbal, no fruit or flower flavours, which i tend to expect in an american amber) and light citric notes. Quaffs very easily. Quite good, though the taste gets a bit boring after a while. A good balance, but some more complexity wouldn't hurt this one.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A pretty amber colour with a decent and steady head of foam. Smell of caramel, herby hops and malt. The taste is reminiscent of a dutch bokbier actually, due to the bittersweet taste with caramel, well used hops (herbal, no fruit or flower flavours, which i tend to expect in an american amber) and light citric notes. Quaffs very easily. Quite good, though the taste gets a bit boring after a while. A good balance, but some more complexity wouldn't hurt this one.
465 characters
3.16/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Orange-amber colour, with a medium head that has a good retention and leaves a good lace. Aroma of caramel, with some citrics notes. Medium body, creamy palate and OK carbonation. TAste of caramel, malts, notes of citrus and fruits. OK.
236 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Orange-amber colour, with a medium head that has a good retention and leaves a good lace. Aroma of caramel, with some citrics notes. Medium body, creamy palate and OK carbonation. TAste of caramel, malts, notes of citrus and fruits. OK.
236 characters
3.52/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.25/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.75/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.64/5 rDev +26.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
3.87/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.12/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle poured in pint glass. Looks a nice darm amber, medium fluffy head and nice carbonation going on.
Smell is big grapefruit, hops, caramel, spices. Very inviting.
Taste is again fruity, mainly citrus, but with a yeasty bitterness instead of just full on hops. Great toasted malts taste too. Later some mango and dried apricots, again some spices, can't really put my finger on what it is, but it would taste good in a nice curry. Aftertaste is hoppy bitterness, some lemon and a tiny metallic touch. Love this, very balanced but still quite bold.
Mouth: medium, perfect carbonation, slightly sticky feeling. Very good.
Overall: this is really good. Perfect beer for a warm summer evening. Very balanced and complex and still some bold hops. Will drink this again for sure.
784 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle poured in pint glass. Looks a nice darm amber, medium fluffy head and nice carbonation going on.
Smell is big grapefruit, hops, caramel, spices. Very inviting.
Taste is again fruity, mainly citrus, but with a yeasty bitterness instead of just full on hops. Great toasted malts taste too. Later some mango and dried apricots, again some spices, can't really put my finger on what it is, but it would taste good in a nice curry. Aftertaste is hoppy bitterness, some lemon and a tiny metallic touch. Love this, very balanced but still quite bold.
Mouth: medium, perfect carbonation, slightly sticky feeling. Very good.
Overall: this is really good. Perfect beer for a warm summer evening. Very balanced and complex and still some bold hops. Will drink this again for sure.
784 characters
3.82/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
On-tap at Cafe Belgie, Utrecht, Netherlands
A: The beer is clear reddish amber in color and has no visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense off white head that gradually died down and left lacing covering the surface.
S: Light aromas of pale and caramel malts are present in the nose along with faint hints of citrusy hops.
T: The taste has flavors of caramel malts along with strong notes of citrusy hops. There are some faint hints of malty sweetness and a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied, a little clean and rather smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a nice beer that combines the citrusy properties of an IPA with the clean character of a lager.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
On-tap at Cafe Belgie, Utrecht, Netherlands
A: The beer is clear reddish amber in color and has no visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense off white head that gradually died down and left lacing covering the surface.
S: Light aromas of pale and caramel malts are present in the nose along with faint hints of citrusy hops.
T: The taste has flavors of caramel malts along with strong notes of citrusy hops. There are some faint hints of malty sweetness and a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied, a little clean and rather smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a nice beer that combines the citrusy properties of an IPA with the clean character of a lager.
729 characters
3.45/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Relatively new brewery here in Utrecht. Thought I'd give their staples a shot. Got this at the liquor store down the road.
APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, medium looking, white head with great retention. Head gets a little loose after a few minutes. Body is a touch hazy and burnt orange in color with slightly higher levels of carbonation. Head fades to a foamy cap and leaves lots of lace at the top of the glass. A splotchy wisp remains leaving some lacing down the glass.
SMELL: Some grainy pilsner malts, caramel and floral hop notes. Some melon and pine hints as well. Quite hoppy.
TASTE: Follows the nose nicely with grainy malts, caramel, some bready flavors and floral hop notes at the swallow. Grainy, sweet finish is bold and lingering with a good dose of hop bitterness to balance it all out. Floral notes and hints of pine join the show. Pretty well balanced.
PALATE: Lighter body and medium levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, smooth going down and finishes slightly dry.
OVERALL: This is good stuff. I'm not a huge fan of pilsner malt and wish it had been excluded or substituted in the grain bill, but this is a well made lager and one that many people will enjoy. I certainly enjoyed it and would gladly drink it again. Recommended.
1,273 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Relatively new brewery here in Utrecht. Thought I'd give their staples a shot. Got this at the liquor store down the road.
APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, medium looking, white head with great retention. Head gets a little loose after a few minutes. Body is a touch hazy and burnt orange in color with slightly higher levels of carbonation. Head fades to a foamy cap and leaves lots of lace at the top of the glass. A splotchy wisp remains leaving some lacing down the glass.
SMELL: Some grainy pilsner malts, caramel and floral hop notes. Some melon and pine hints as well. Quite hoppy.
TASTE: Follows the nose nicely with grainy malts, caramel, some bready flavors and floral hop notes at the swallow. Grainy, sweet finish is bold and lingering with a good dose of hop bitterness to balance it all out. Floral notes and hints of pine join the show. Pretty well balanced.
PALATE: Lighter body and medium levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, smooth going down and finishes slightly dry.
OVERALL: This is good stuff. I'm not a huge fan of pilsner malt and wish it had been excluded or substituted in the grain bill, but this is a well made lager and one that many people will enjoy. I certainly enjoyed it and would gladly drink it again. Recommended.
1,273 characters
4.12/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
exp 08/18/12.
A: Huge head, difficult pour, chestnut brown with red highlights, cream head, oddly no visible rising carbonation.
S: spicy yeastiness, cross between an amber, a tripel and an IPA, creamy and delicious. alcohol aparent, orange peel
T: Indeed, an intesting mix, tastes more in IPA land, but it's really it's own thing. A surprising amount of fresh lemon which I've never tasted before in a beer, but not so bitter or tart. Quite nice. interesting non sweet blackberry elements.
M: nice smooth but textured feel. soft and inflated.
O: quite good. unique, american style but it's own thing. but not outstanding. would gladly have again and regularly.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
exp 08/18/12.
A: Huge head, difficult pour, chestnut brown with red highlights, cream head, oddly no visible rising carbonation.
S: spicy yeastiness, cross between an amber, a tripel and an IPA, creamy and delicious. alcohol aparent, orange peel
T: Indeed, an intesting mix, tastes more in IPA land, but it's really it's own thing. A surprising amount of fresh lemon which I've never tasted before in a beer, but not so bitter or tart. Quite nice. interesting non sweet blackberry elements.
M: nice smooth but textured feel. soft and inflated.
O: quite good. unique, american style but it's own thing. but not outstanding. would gladly have again and regularly.
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Brutus from Brouwerij Maximus
Beer rating:
3.66 out of
5 with
21 ratings
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5