Big’uns and Minotaurs
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

I haven't had cream soda since it made me sick as a kid, but for some reason that was the descriptor that came to mind - in the very best way! Vanilla dialed in beautifully, honey came through clear as day...I had heard mixed reviews on this but was ultimately very impressed. Booze is there but honestly very muted, didn't find this hot at all and went down very easy.

Picked this up at Other Half a while back and finally got around to it on this winter's night. Sure, these guys are my favorite brewery and their IPA's are (mostly) worth the wait in line but this was one of their other types of beer that proved how well they're nailing it right now. Wonderful to sip and even better for dessert, this put a smile on my face while feeling nowhere near as strong as it's listed 14.00% ABV!

Lovely pour to this as the liquid was nearly pure honey in hue with plenty of fluffy, raspberry head to top it off. A good amount of soapy lacing remained on my Teku glass as I worked my way through this and the consistency was nearly perfect. Tons of honey, vanilla, oats, and caramel on the sweet and sticky nose as all of them were turned up a notch or two once I took a sip of this. Rich, luxurious, and dripping with dessert all over, there was so much body here and enough bourbon and nuttiness to complement the initial flavors that I was hardly able to put this down as it warned up. Lots of graham cracker, bread, and wheat here as well with all of those give me plenty to physically and proverbially chew on!

This was a beast of a brew but never felt like it as the alcohol only affected me once I finished this off. This almost felt like mead and was better than many I've had recently, as this was so smooth and wonderfully crafted. Sure, this is a beer but something like this proves how much more that can be than just "beer" - one other Other Half's best and given how much they've released, that's saying a lot. Luxurious and impressive to quite an extent!

 

On tap at Tap and Mallet in Rochester, NY.

This one pours a light golden brown color, with a very small head, and no lacing.

This smells like caramel cream soda, with just loads of vanilla, a bit of toffee/caramel, cream, and very light bourbon.

This is again essentially cream soda in barleywine/wheatwine form. There's a ton of vanilla and creamy lactose, creamy and very, very smooth. It melds well with the sweet and authentic honey flavor. There's not a ton of barrel here- definitely no oak, and just the slightest touch of bourbon. This overall basically tastes like candy.

This is lighter bodied, and creamy and light, with absolutely no hint of the booziness. How is this possible for a 14% beer?

This is pastrywine (?) personified. It's a decadent dessert of a beer.

 

 

16oz bottle purchased at Other Half. Pours a chesnutty auburn color with a half inch of head. The aroma is malty and sweet with lots of dark fruits, vanilla, honey and oats. Smells a lot like a granola bar. The first sip is very sweet with lots of the vanilla and honey. Sweet malts, caramel and bread follow with some cinnamon and graham crackers. A bit nutty. Again, it has a granola bar or trail mix taste to it. The sweetness from the vanilla and honey are a bit overpowering at times but overall it works. Maybe aging it a bit would help mellow this out. Graham cracker and vanilla finish with more caramel malts. Medium to heavy mouthfeel with low carbonation. Boozey, but not as much alcohol heat as expected.

Barely a month old when reviewed. Poured from pint bottle into tulip glass. It pours a pretty, honey-brown color with a half finger of foamy, khaki-head and a thin, creamy sheen of lacing. It's nose is highly aromatic and sweet, featuring vanilla, caramel, oats, and honey. The taste is sublime! Vanilla, honey, caramel, and wheat cracker blend beautifully. While this beer is very sweet and sticky - it's not cloying in a distracting way. It has a plush, creamy mouth feel with only moderate carbonation, and I had to read the bottle twice to confirm the 14% ABV. You would never know it's that potent. It appears my rating is way above the mean but I think this is easily the best Wheatwine I've had. It's a perfect dessert sipper. Other Half is famous for its IPAs but this offering really proves the brewery's versatility.