Big Experimental Brew Batch No. 4
Texas Big Beer

 

My beloved recently traveled to Houston a few weeks ago and brought me back a whole bunch of great local beer. I had been trying to hold off drinking this one as long as I could but I finally gave in. I poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a nice tulip glass. The color of this beer is a striking, deep ruby with very faint off white head that falls away quick. The smell of dark, sweet fruit is about all I can smell. The taste is very heavy plum and sweet cherry. I do taste a little funk in the background that gives it some tartness, but I will admit I was hoping for more. As for the finish, there really isn't much of one. There's some sweetness that hangs out but for the most part, the taste disappears quick. I'd like to see how this does after a year or two in a cellar.

I didn't get the crazy off tastes that others have been getting. Looks to be a QC issue or something. No cheese, vinegar or Worcestershire for me. Aroma is sickly sweet of dark fruits, sour with a bit of candi sugar. Taste has a strong dark fruit component of grapes. A little bit too sweet and cloying for me. A sour funk mixes throughout, tart - but not too puckering. Almost seems like a sour dark wine to me. Complex, but the sweetness detracts from it for me on the aroma, flavor and mouthfeel. It does seem to get better as it warms. Not sure if the resulting beer is intentional or what, especially since others have had a very different experience from me. Definitely interesting.

Lord help us.... I've never experienced anything like it. Strong CHEESY smell and flavor. Don't do it.

Taste like funky Parmesan cheese and I even had pizza around to eat while drinking. Sorry guys you screwed the pooch here and it's a big A-men to know that it was experimental and no longer being brewed! Well I'd say that I have had worse but frankly I'd be lying!!!

Okay, so first, I usually like the experimental big beer series. Second, I usually enjoy wild ales, sours, and the like. So I was pumped for this. Unfortunately, it's in the undrinkable range for me. The smell is overwhelmingly of Parmesan rind. The flavor is a little better, moving from sour to some berry flavors. Sadly, the Parmesan rind flavor hits you at the end and has a distinct and lasting aftertaste. Like the other reviewers, I'm hoping something went wrong here and this isn't what was intended.

Pours a hazy amber color with a finger width foamy head. Head retention and lacing are good. The aroma is like cheese in a bottle. Absolutely horrible. So bad, that you cannot properly judge taste. I had to pour this one out. Not sure if it was a bad bottle. I really hope it was.

Appearance:
Clear body that’s burnt orange and topped with a thin off white head and strong lacing.
Smell:
Sour, almost vomit like at first, but that does fade away. Tart blueberry and raspberry smells are strong.
Taste:
Extremely sour to point that vinegar or even Worcestershire sauce start to come out. After some time airing out, the vinegar and Worcestershire die down just a bit, and a mild blueberry flavor starts to emerge; but it does remain sour through the tasting.
Mouthfeel:
Light and vinegary.
Overall:
If this is what they were going for then they hit the spot, if not I just got a bad batch (I have no idea how many batches are in this batch?). If you can get past the first few minutes you just might enjoy this one. I haven’t so far , but I will drink the whole bottle damn it.

*I’m basing my rating on two previous tastings:
He'Brew Funky Jewbelation 14'
Brux Domesticated Wild Ale