False Hibernation
Bent Paddle Brewing Co.

False Hibernation pours a dark brown, almost brown, with a small, long-lasting, lacing head. The aroma is dark, doughy, and salty. The flavor is dark, doughy, and has a hint of salt. Good feel. Overall, this one has a lot of flavor, is thick, and makes for a nice sipper.

 

12oz can. Poured out a dark, dark brown color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left sudsy lacing. It smelled of light coffee notes with caramel and toffee. Sweet caramel and toffee taste with a mild bitterness.

 

 

On the side pull at bent paddle. Khaki head with lace, dark brown color.

Caramel, nutty, light cocoa, roasted malts. Very smooth. Grassy hops, but mainly malty. Biscuits/bread. Another solid lager from BP.

12oz can. Bottom date stamp appears to read '1-24-24'.
Clear, mahogany dark brown colored body. Beige colored head, which turns into an island and a ring. Leaves behind irregular shaped lacing spots.
Aroma of lightly roasted malts, chocolate, and dark fruit (prune).
Taste is a mix of sweet and bitter. Flavors of lightly roasted chocolate malts, weak coffee, fruity/earthy hops, and prune.
Smooth mouthfeel has a dry finish that tugs on the tongue and mouth. Good carbonation.
Intriguing mix of flavors and feels.

 

Appearance: Pours a nearly black, dark brown color with a strong light tan head. SRM of 21. (4.00)

Aroma: Strong aromas of black malt, brown bread, roasted, cocoa, and coffee with a dry yeast. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong favors of black mop, brown bread, with a moderate Coco and coffee roast in the middle. A slightly sweet and bread note with some fruit that lingers. Dry, but fruity. (4.25)

Feel: Medium bodied, strong, carbonation, finishes, dry and clean. (4.00)

Compared to Ayinger Altbairish Dunkel 2/2024: Pours darker, darker aromas. More coffee, cocoa, roast and dark fruit. Less earthy bread and malt.

Compared to Badger State SKI-BRW 3/2024: Pours darker, similar head. Milder aromas. Less brown bread, earthy, nutty notes. More cocoa, roast, black bread and yeast. More carbonation and softer. Winner: Bent Paddle

Compared to Geisenbrau Bohemian Necromancer 3/2024: Pours similar, stronger head. More dark bread and earthy notes. Less roasted chocolate and bittersweet. Lighter and cleaner. Winner: False Hibernation, slightly.

Compared to Venn Luna Obscura 3/2024: Pours darker, stronger aromas. Less brown bread, nuts, caramel. More cocoa, chocolate, roastiness. Roastier.

Compared to Phase Three Czech Dark 4/2024: Pours slightly lighter, lighter head. Milder aromas. More dark grains, smooth cocoa and yeast. Less bittersweet chocolate and coffee roast. Drier. Winner False Hibernation.

to Little Thistle Mist & Shadow 12/24: Pours identical. Stronger aromas. Less dark cocoa and roast. More earthy grains. Not quite as smooth. Winner: Little Thistle

to Utepils Loonar Eclipse 1/25: Pours similar, stronger aromas. More cocoa, fudge. Less earthy grains and yeast. More smooth and dark. Winner: Bent Paddle.

to Half Acre Ridge Tree 1/25: Pours identical, stronger aromas. More cocoa. Less grainy.

to Modist Pretty Metal 1/25: Smaller, lighter head. Similar aromas. Less sweet earthy oak notes. More chocolate. Similar sweetness, but more smooth.
4/25: : Pours lighter, milder aromas. Less grains and earth. More smooth cocoa. Winner: Bent Paddle

Overall: As LesDewIt said, this is an excellent Czech Dark Lager. Dark, lightly roasted, complex flavors. Dry, yet smooth. A bit of dark fruity notes which are pleasant. Great beer style and brew. Should get more hype. (Rating: 4.15)

12 oz cans pkg date 1/24/24 into a Becher glass.
L: SRM 30 Pours dark mahogany brown with a 1/4" off white slightly rocky head that recedes to a flat skin then to just edge foam, light carbonation, medium-light random spotty lacing. The head is governed by the velocity of the pour.
S: Caramelized malts, lightly nutty, background coffee, distant new leather.
T: Darkly roasted caramelized malts, dark fruits, plum, brown bread, distant weak coffee, very lightly nutty, background cocoa notes, a little bit earthy, has a long zesty linger and a metallic nuance.
F: Brisk, clean, medium-light bodied mouthfeel with a drying and long finish. It gets smooth with warming.
O: Tall malts and broad bitterness both finish dry here. It is gently earthy and I personally admire its fruitiness and complex malts. Great balance, extremely easy to drink. It is outstanding in its style.