Crazy Hazel
Alpine Beer Company
- From:
- Alpine Beer Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Brown Ale
- ABV:
- 6.8%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.67 | pDev: 13.9%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 9
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 19, 2013
- Added:
- Jun 14, 2004
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
This beer uses real Hazelnut Mash for an authentic nutty flavor.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
3.49/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.49/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Served on-draught into a 5 oz taster at Alpine's pub in Alpine. Reviewed from notes. Expectations were high; I'm a huge Alpine fan.
A: Pours a half finger beige floater. Body colour is a clear copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.
Sm: Toasted malt, amber hops, caramel, hints of toffee, butterscotch, and other rich malts. A mild strength aroma.
T: Amber malts, pale malts, hazelnut, floral hops, and some pine. Quite well balanced, but lacking complexity. Very enjoyable. No yeast character or alcohol comes through.
Mf: Smooth and wet. Ideal thickness. Good carbonation.
Dr: Very drinkable and enjoyable; a great amber. Hides its ABV well. I quite like it. Still, its relative simplicity holds it back.
Low B
Jan 29, 2013A: Pours a half finger beige floater. Body colour is a clear copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.
Sm: Toasted malt, amber hops, caramel, hints of toffee, butterscotch, and other rich malts. A mild strength aroma.
T: Amber malts, pale malts, hazelnut, floral hops, and some pine. Quite well balanced, but lacking complexity. Very enjoyable. No yeast character or alcohol comes through.
Mf: Smooth and wet. Ideal thickness. Good carbonation.
Dr: Very drinkable and enjoyable; a great amber. Hides its ABV well. I quite like it. Still, its relative simplicity holds it back.
Low B
Reviewed by beagle75 from Iowa
3.39/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.39/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Draft service into a shaker pint glass at the Alpine pub.
A: Clear, light brown color with less than one finger of white foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass.
S: Features of the smell generally do not stand out, but some nuttiness and lesser toast can be teased out with careful study. The smell is too clean and understated for any type of ale, unable to disguise the gassy, characterless presence of carbon dioxide.
T: Begins sweet, with mixed dark fruit and balancing bright carbonic acidity. Flavors turn more toward pale malt and earthy hop aromatics in the middle. Caramel of considerable depth develops before the drier, husky finish. Bitterness is very restrained, even at its peak toward the end.
M: Thin to medium viscosity, sharply acidic on the palate at first then turning creamy, with moderate carbonation.
D/O: This ale has a restrained hop profile and other qualities befitting a reasonable attempt at an English mild ale. It is a pleasure to drink, appearing more potent on the palate then it ever is in the nose. Acidity is a significant component of the flavor and texture but stops short of derailing the beer.
Dec 18, 2011A: Clear, light brown color with less than one finger of white foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass.
S: Features of the smell generally do not stand out, but some nuttiness and lesser toast can be teased out with careful study. The smell is too clean and understated for any type of ale, unable to disguise the gassy, characterless presence of carbon dioxide.
T: Begins sweet, with mixed dark fruit and balancing bright carbonic acidity. Flavors turn more toward pale malt and earthy hop aromatics in the middle. Caramel of considerable depth develops before the drier, husky finish. Bitterness is very restrained, even at its peak toward the end.
M: Thin to medium viscosity, sharply acidic on the palate at first then turning creamy, with moderate carbonation.
D/O: This ale has a restrained hop profile and other qualities befitting a reasonable attempt at an English mild ale. It is a pleasure to drink, appearing more potent on the palate then it ever is in the nose. Acidity is a significant component of the flavor and texture but stops short of derailing the beer.
Reviewed by pmarlowe from Virginia
3.58/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Alpine. Tulip glass.
A: Pours clear medium amber/gold, with a finger of pure white head. Minimal lacing and decent retention.
S: Sweetish toffee, malt, and faint nuts.
T: Caramel forward with some nuts and bread, with a good long finish.
M: Very smooth, light carbonation, and medium body.
O: A solid brown ale, and good with food, but no "wow" factor here. I was expecting much more hazelnut, but you really have to make an effort to pick it out.
Dec 11, 2011A: Pours clear medium amber/gold, with a finger of pure white head. Minimal lacing and decent retention.
S: Sweetish toffee, malt, and faint nuts.
T: Caramel forward with some nuts and bread, with a good long finish.
M: Very smooth, light carbonation, and medium body.
O: A solid brown ale, and good with food, but no "wow" factor here. I was expecting much more hazelnut, but you really have to make an effort to pick it out.
Reviewed by Klym from California
3.43/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On-tap at the brewery on the first day of the recent exponential release. Review from notes.
A: A clear hazelnut brown with red hues and an off-white head with dripping lacing.
S: Not very aromatic. Some nuts, some wheat and some malty sweetness.
T: Malty with upfront nuttiness and some very light hazel/almond sweetness, the flavors are very light in this.
M: Smooth, well-carbonated medium body that was refreshing for the style.
O: Decent, but I think there are far better browns out there. Not sure there was much reason to bring this one out of retirement considering the brewing capabilities shown by Alpine in some of their other beers.
Jul 31, 2011A: A clear hazelnut brown with red hues and an off-white head with dripping lacing.
S: Not very aromatic. Some nuts, some wheat and some malty sweetness.
T: Malty with upfront nuttiness and some very light hazel/almond sweetness, the flavors are very light in this.
M: Smooth, well-carbonated medium body that was refreshing for the style.
O: Decent, but I think there are far better browns out there. Not sure there was much reason to bring this one out of retirement considering the brewing capabilities shown by Alpine in some of their other beers.
Reviewed by notchucknorris from California
3.98/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad
A: Clear chestnut color with a thin cream colored head. Ridiculous lacing down the glass.
S: Sweet malts, brown sugar and a bit of maple syrup.
T: A really good brown ale. One of the best I've had. I'd rate this just below Rogue's Hazelnut Brown. Brown sugar and malt sweetness with a nice nuttiness in the background. Slightly thin mouthfeel, but other than that very good.
Jul 16, 2011A: Clear chestnut color with a thin cream colored head. Ridiculous lacing down the glass.
S: Sweet malts, brown sugar and a bit of maple syrup.
T: A really good brown ale. One of the best I've had. I'd rate this just below Rogue's Hazelnut Brown. Brown sugar and malt sweetness with a nice nuttiness in the background. Slightly thin mouthfeel, but other than that very good.
Reviewed by ehammond1
3.62/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.62/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On Tap
Stone Brew Co.
Escondido, CA
**Alpine's Web site describes this beer as: An American Amber Ale with Hazelnut meal**
A spectacularly beautiful and rich auburn and amber. Thin white cap. Specked and messy lacing down the glass. A beautiful beer on a beautiful day at Stone.
Simple, bready aroma with a touch of sweetness. Not a lot going on.
Bready, simple flavors, along with a touch of sweetness and some earth, nutty elements.
Medium bodied. A wonderful summer ale.
Full-bodied, simple, somewhat nutty amber ale. A pleasure to enjoy during a warm summer afternoon and terrific with food.
Jul 15, 2011Stone Brew Co.
Escondido, CA
**Alpine's Web site describes this beer as: An American Amber Ale with Hazelnut meal**
A spectacularly beautiful and rich auburn and amber. Thin white cap. Specked and messy lacing down the glass. A beautiful beer on a beautiful day at Stone.
Simple, bready aroma with a touch of sweetness. Not a lot going on.
Bready, simple flavors, along with a touch of sweetness and some earth, nutty elements.
Medium bodied. A wonderful summer ale.
Full-bodied, simple, somewhat nutty amber ale. A pleasure to enjoy during a warm summer afternoon and terrific with food.
Reviewed by skunkpuddle from California
4.36/5 rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.36/5 rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This beer has been unretired. A fantastic American Brown Ale. Imagine Fat Tire but without the taste of burnt malt. This is the only beer I could drink an entire growler of and still feel like having another. I do not consider myself a great beer reviewer of beer so to fill my 250 words I will just say Drink Crazy Hazel or go to bed.
Jul 12, 2011
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!