B2
Transmitter Brewing

 

 

Bought this beer over at Transmitter on Black Friday, which happened to be the day that this was released. I'm lucky they this was obtainable near where I work as there isn't a place quite like this and not a set of beers that are like the ones that I've had from them - from the size, to the label, to the overall funkiness of the liquid itself!

Nice pour to this, as the beer had a dark hue, thin body, and a tan head that was slick and thin but lasted longer than I would have anticipated. Plenty of booze, brandy, vanilla, and licorice in the nose with all of those present in the taste as well. The brandy aging really shone through when I gave this a sip as there was a rich, dark fruit backbone to this that the vanilla was able to wonderfully complement. The mouthfeel was that of citrus juice, which kept this from feeling overly heavy or boozy as there was enough body here to compensate for the lighter feel of this. Notes of roasted malt and milk chocolate kept me intrigued while the finish was clean and slick as it was apparent that the Belgian Yeast made all of the difference here!

This was strong but never felt overly strong as a nice warming effect kicked in once I polished this off. I'm not a big Brandy drinker but this captured the essence of it perfectly without being overly strong or harsh. A really nice range of flavors and smooth viscosity made this easy to enjoy as this served as a perfect nightcap on a frigid evening such as this. Love the label but would love it more if Transmitter would start canning - this stuff's too good not to share!

 

 

one of few brandy barrel beers that I have tasted. this ones boozy with a warm sweetness like the brandy itself. overall it was good enough to try again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: The beer is very close to being black in color—slight traces of red are visible near the bottom of the glass when it is held up to the light. It poured with a quarter finger high tan head that died down but consistently left a short head covering the surface and a thick collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of apple brandy are present in the nose. The alcohol becomes a little more apparent as the beer warms up.
T: As in the smell, the taste has flavors of apple brandy along with notes of dark and roasted malts. Once the beer warms up, hints of alcohol become noticeable.
M: It feels medium-bodied and slightly smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. There is some warming from the alcohol as it starts warming up.
O: This beer has a good balance between the apple brandy and the underlying stout. It also manages to hide most of its alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

 

From the 750mL bottle into a wine glass.

The head is simultaneously fizzy and chewy and pillow soft. There's a frothy touch to it. Body is pitch-black. 4.25

Tart aroma of cherries and vanilla. Light dark chocolate notes and a floral bouquet. 4

Still lightly tart, but with a citrusy edge, chocolatey notes and hints of barrel. Heavy vanilla notes puncture the finish and blend with dark fruit (cherry and plums). Roasted malt asserts itself as the beer warms. 4.25

The yeast can feel a bit aggressive, but a silky, smooth and viscous mouthfeel. Good roast feel and a touch of tartness. Finishes dry and yeasty. 3.75

Delightful beer with a wealth of flavors. I'm a fan.