#011 Betray Ale
Wisconsin Brewing Co.
- From:
- Wisconsin Brewing Co.
- Wisconsin, United States
- Style:
- Maibock
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.68 | pDev: 6.52%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 14, 2017
- Added:
- Mar 04, 2015
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
We took a golden bock beer that was minding its own business and surprised it with dry-hopping, creating a brew with aroma, flavor and a smooth bock finish!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois
3.41/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.41/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Found this one at the Kenosha Woodman's where they had it labeled: "New Release." I have an e-mail into the brewery to see if it's on a rotating schedule, but it doesn't appear to be retired. It's also labeled as a Maibock, so an update has been reported.
Based on "Ale" the beer's name I was surprised I gave this a second look, or I wouldn't have seen it's a Maibock, albeit a dry-hopped Maibock. No clear dating on the bottle (maybe it is retired?), poured into my short Becher glass.
L -- Slightly hazy, peach to gold color with a dense white head.
S -- Piny to spicy hop nose, some mild citrus back.
T -- Citrus to piny hop character up front. Some light astringency in the middle. More citrus fruits, tangerine or peach, in the middle with spicy hop character and bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. There's a definite biscuit-like malt character trying to be recognized in the middle of the drink, but the hops define the flavor.
F -- Mouthfeel is soft and smooth with a medium body.
O -- There's nothing wrong with this beer -- other than being labeled a Maibock. It's a lagered AIPA -- the lagering (maybe even the yeast?) make for a fairly clean and smooth finish, but the citrus and resinous hops scream AIPA. I can understand an experimentation to dry-hop a Maibock for fun, but why not use hops more associated with the style? The result is just another IPA -- rather disappointing from Kirby.
Jun 14, 2017Based on "Ale" the beer's name I was surprised I gave this a second look, or I wouldn't have seen it's a Maibock, albeit a dry-hopped Maibock. No clear dating on the bottle (maybe it is retired?), poured into my short Becher glass.
L -- Slightly hazy, peach to gold color with a dense white head.
S -- Piny to spicy hop nose, some mild citrus back.
T -- Citrus to piny hop character up front. Some light astringency in the middle. More citrus fruits, tangerine or peach, in the middle with spicy hop character and bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. There's a definite biscuit-like malt character trying to be recognized in the middle of the drink, but the hops define the flavor.
F -- Mouthfeel is soft and smooth with a medium body.
O -- There's nothing wrong with this beer -- other than being labeled a Maibock. It's a lagered AIPA -- the lagering (maybe even the yeast?) make for a fairly clean and smooth finish, but the citrus and resinous hops scream AIPA. I can understand an experimentation to dry-hop a Maibock for fun, but why not use hops more associated with the style? The result is just another IPA -- rather disappointing from Kirby.
Reviewed by KTCamm from New Jersey
3.67/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
8/5...pours medium bright copper with 1/4 inch foamy top. Fruity nose - hints of apples, pears and light cinnamon. Dull edged bitter, strong, yeast and belgian like notes. Very dry. Cider hints. Juicy.
Aug 20, 2016
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona
3.59/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours clear golden amber with a fluffy lasting white head. Web-like lacing sticks down the glass.
The smell is of restrained fruitiness, grain, spicy hops, some alcohol. Something slightly plastic-like.
The taste is very sweet - grain - restrained fruitiness. (Like in the smell, something slightly plastic-like). Just a hint of a floral touch.
Just about hits medium-bodied. Initial fizz soon settles. Smooth enough to give higher of the scores I had in mind. (Almost scored feel a 3.5, but it's good enough to bump it to a 3.75 - not a 4 IMO).
Sweet, even for the style. It all comes together to be a decent representation of the style. Not a bad brew (though could use some "tweaking" - not a fan of the slight "plastic-like" character- though it's not strong enough to really throw it off).
Mar 12, 2016The smell is of restrained fruitiness, grain, spicy hops, some alcohol. Something slightly plastic-like.
The taste is very sweet - grain - restrained fruitiness. (Like in the smell, something slightly plastic-like). Just a hint of a floral touch.
Just about hits medium-bodied. Initial fizz soon settles. Smooth enough to give higher of the scores I had in mind. (Almost scored feel a 3.5, but it's good enough to bump it to a 3.75 - not a 4 IMO).
Sweet, even for the style. It all comes together to be a decent representation of the style. Not a bad brew (though could use some "tweaking" - not a fan of the slight "plastic-like" character- though it's not strong enough to really throw it off).
Reviewed by pweis909 from Wisconsin
3.41/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.41/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Big fan of maibocks and this one is advertised as a dry hopped maibock. Sort of interesting. It missing a bit of the richness and mouthfeel I seek in a maibock, but not bad. Were they thinking Dead Guy when they decided to make this?
Feb 26, 2016
Rated by deebo from Michigan
3.39/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.39/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Weird hybrid beer. It's ok but nothing worth sorting out.
Aug 16, 2015
Reviewed by Chaz from Minnesota
3.69/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a golden straw in color, with excellent clarity and topped with of billowing off-white head. Head recedes to leave behind a nice bit of lacing on the beer-clean glass.
Huge hop profile on the nose. Reminds me of --YEP!-- an I.P.L., with a West Coast aromatic hop blend, and this is fairly unique for a classic heller bock. There's some nice, bready malt in here, but it is easily obscured by the hop profile.
Much sweeter than expected on the initial sip, but with a light tanginess and quite a bit of initial bitter interplay, too. It's definitely not a sweet or one dimensional rendition. The hops add all the right spiciness to the bitter and aromatic portions (as no doubt intended) and are altogether not too far removed from the traditional profile when it comes to the drinking of the beer; The big, rush of hops on the nose are mainly a diversion.
There's some sweet malt in here to be sure, but the more subtle malt notes are rather dry and biscuit-like, so when the astringency of the hops kick in, it's a real treat.
Semi-sweet but nicely bitter as the drink wears on. This is very good...
The body is fairly light, but it's not too light so as to be too far removed from the classic examples in the style. Very, very easily drinkable, and an engaging interpretation which is probably worth sitting still long enough for in order to enjoy a couple in a row -- that's if you like lagers in this style (as I do).
A unique but truly solid American interpretation of a Heller or Maibock, and definitely worth a try if you like the style.
Jul 28, 2015Huge hop profile on the nose. Reminds me of --YEP!-- an I.P.L., with a West Coast aromatic hop blend, and this is fairly unique for a classic heller bock. There's some nice, bready malt in here, but it is easily obscured by the hop profile.
Much sweeter than expected on the initial sip, but with a light tanginess and quite a bit of initial bitter interplay, too. It's definitely not a sweet or one dimensional rendition. The hops add all the right spiciness to the bitter and aromatic portions (as no doubt intended) and are altogether not too far removed from the traditional profile when it comes to the drinking of the beer; The big, rush of hops on the nose are mainly a diversion.
There's some sweet malt in here to be sure, but the more subtle malt notes are rather dry and biscuit-like, so when the astringency of the hops kick in, it's a real treat.
Semi-sweet but nicely bitter as the drink wears on. This is very good...
The body is fairly light, but it's not too light so as to be too far removed from the classic examples in the style. Very, very easily drinkable, and an engaging interpretation which is probably worth sitting still long enough for in order to enjoy a couple in a row -- that's if you like lagers in this style (as I do).
A unique but truly solid American interpretation of a Heller or Maibock, and definitely worth a try if you like the style.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
3.67/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Dark amber body with a white head. The dry hops don't take well in the nose, paper and lemon zest at best with malts swirling around for the kill. Taste is better but very sweet, caramel malts and citrus run away with it. Feel though is soft and malt smooth, and somehow the hops meld into a uniform texture
Jun 24, 2015
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