Umami Monster
Garage Project

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Garage Project
 
New Zealand
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.57 | pDev: 16.81%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
18
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 13, 2017
Added:
Jun 02, 2014
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  1
Brewed with Kombu (seaweed), Katsuobushi (fermented bonito fish flakes), and sea water.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by gueuzegossage:
Photo of gueuzegossage
Rated by gueuzegossage from California

3.5/5  rDev -2%

Jun 05, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.91 by jaydoc from Kansas

Jan 13, 2017
Photo of Mashbrew
Reviewed by Mashbrew from Florida

5/5  rDev +40.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
From the Godzilla esque artwork to the seaweed and katsuobushi this is a classic homage to Japanese culture. I love this beer as it is very different from anything I've tasted while very enjoyable. Salty seawater pair with sweet maltiness to balance a beer that is fishy, oceanic, and very Japanese. BONZAI!!!!
Aug 02, 2016
 
Rated: 2.7 by aceseth13 from California

May 12, 2016
Photo of Phil-Fresh
Reviewed by Phil-Fresh from California

3.71/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: Moderate smoke with a malty caramel-toffee quality, with a light earthy note.

A: Deep brown color with an amber hue, the beer is lightly hazy with a moderate white head that slowly dissaptes. There is ample lacing in the glass.

T: Moderate smoke, clean malt character with caramel-like quality, moderately sweet with savory quality (from the fermented fish flakes) with a light salt note.

M: Medium bodied with moderately-light carbonation. There is an unmistakable savory quality and hides its alcoholic content well.

O: Very interesting; the aroma is pretty complex with a lot going on. I like how the smoke, malt and savoriness all came together. The smoked malt aroma and flavor is not for everyone and is definitely not a tame beer, but a great choice for those searching out something unique, and savory.
Apr 30, 2016
Photo of SmashPants
Reviewed by SmashPants from Australia

3.49/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Format: a 100mL taster from the cellar door at Garage Project during Wellington Good Beer Week.

Appearance: a dark reddish-brown colour with a solid finger of tan head that lasts for quite a time. Good lacing as it slowly drops down the glass.

Aroma: a very complex aroma of caramel and earth, with some umami and smoke.

Taste: smoke and caramel malts with that earth characteristic again.

Aftertaste: the umami flavour comes through on the finish, along with some bitterness from the earth.

Mouth feel: medium in body with a lighter to moderate carbonation that somehow still manages to come through a bit sharp.

Overall: quite a nice version of the American Brown Ale - very drinkable considering it is definitely not one of my favourite styles. Interesting additions of the umami and smoke. A bit rich at AU$23 for a 650mL bottle.
Dec 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by deniserat from California

Sep 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by wethorseblanket from California

Sep 20, 2014
Photo of laituegonflable
Reviewed by laituegonflable from Australia

3.81/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
On tap at GABS festival in Melbourne, May 2014.

Pours a dark red colour, clear with nice head of beige foam. Decent.

Smells lovely. Big sweet malt with notes of caramel toffee that gives way to spicy, meaty, smoky aroma. Pepper, paprika, sage. Notes of char and meat smoke. Wow. Delectable.

Taste is very sweet upfront and that pervades the rest of the palate. Caramel mostly that descends into a slight dry rye spice. Some savoury notes towards the back, with a touch of pepper and a touch of smoke. Enjoyable enough but the nose promised more.

Carbonation comes through quite fizzy. Body is OK though.

Too sweet, really. If the umami took hold earlier and for longer I would love it, but the sweetness of the malt just undermines the other nice flavours.
Jul 15, 2014
Photo of UCLABrewN84
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California

3.94/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the 2014 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest held at the Paso Robles Event Center in Paso Robles, CA.

Pours an almost opaque super dark orange-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, smoke, campfire, and earth aromas. Taste is much the same with sweet smoke and campfire flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of smoke bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that doesn't really taste like of any of the odd ingredients it's supposedly brewed with.
Jun 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by drewone from California

Jun 04, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by Skunkdrool from California

Jun 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by akang from California

Jun 03, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by HaveUSeenMyCellar from California

Jun 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Jun 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by largadeer from California

Jun 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by SocalKicks from California

Jun 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Smarty_Pints from California

Jun 02, 2014
Umami Monster from Garage Project
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 18 ratings