Batch #2 (for David Lynch)
Zebulon Artisan Ales
- From:
- Zebulon Artisan Ales
- North Carolina, United States
- Style:
- Smoked Beer
- ABV:
- 7.4%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 4.01 | pDev: 11.72%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 03, 2023
- Added:
- Feb 02, 2016
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
A smokey, black ale aged with whole coffee beans. Our grain bill starts with over 60% smoked malt, flaked barley for mouthfeel and brown and black malts for a complex roast character. The coffee from Mountain Air Roasters compliments the malt flavor but doesn’t overwhelm the beer.
We dedicated this beer to David Lynch, one of our favorite film directors whose love of coffee and cigarettes is well known. His first film, Eraserhead is our brewer’s favorite movie of all time.
We dedicated this beer to David Lynch, one of our favorite film directors whose love of coffee and cigarettes is well known. His first film, Eraserhead is our brewer’s favorite movie of all time.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.91/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.91/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
750ml bottle, 2015 vintage. Dark brown pour, thin foamy beige head. Aroma is roasty with smoky notes, coffee, chocolate. taste follows with more roasty, ashy flavors, chocoolate and coffee. Body seemed a bit thin. Cigarettes and beer.
Jul 03, 2023
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.17/5 rDev -20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.17/5 rDev -20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Large shared bottle.
Very dark, with some burnt, grains and coffee dominated this beer. With this mix I'd prefer a little more sweetness and, even then, a bit less char.
Jul 03, 2016Very dark, with some burnt, grains and coffee dominated this beer. With this mix I'd prefer a little more sweetness and, even then, a bit less char.
Reviewed by KensWorld from Florida
4.51/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.51/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Great smoky aroma and taste. Somewhat boozy. Slight coffee feel. Mellow smooth aftertaste. Better then many German examples I've had. Solid release, look forward to trying my Batch #1 and future batches.
10/31/2016 Just opened my other bottle. Not much change from fresh other then it holds on to its head longer. The coffe has dropped out but the smooth smokey malt has became a little more subdued. Same score.
Jun 08, 201610/31/2016 Just opened my other bottle. Not much change from fresh other then it holds on to its head longer. The coffe has dropped out but the smooth smokey malt has became a little more subdued. Same score.
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4.23/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours coffee brown with a thick mocha head that leaves swaths of lacing behind
Smell: Ashes, smoke and coffee, with black bread underneath
Taste: Very smokey, up front, with an ashes and burnt toast character; perhaps a little bacon, too; the coffee starts to arrive, in the middle, with some earthy hops, as well; the finish is quite ashen
Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: I am not a huge fan of smoked beers but this one is very well executed
May 14, 2016Smell: Ashes, smoke and coffee, with black bread underneath
Taste: Very smokey, up front, with an ashes and burnt toast character; perhaps a little bacon, too; the coffee starts to arrive, in the middle, with some earthy hops, as well; the finish is quite ashen
Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: I am not a huge fan of smoked beers but this one is very well executed
Reviewed by AngusOg from North Carolina
4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
The smoke and coffee play nice with each other, and there is still room for some roasty stout characteristics in the finish. Nice balance, well made. Still with the price point on this one, not good enough to be anything but a one and done for me. But I do look foward to trying more from Zebulon in the future.
Mar 13, 2016
Reviewed by Brewsed from North Carolina
4/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Never been a fan of smoked beers, but this one is fantastic.
Black with an off-white head.
Smells roasty/malty with a touch of smoke (reminds me of when you catch a whiff of someone barbecuing)
Tastes like a light bodied stout with a huge hit of roast, a well balanced hint of smoke, and a hint of coffee and cocoa as it warms
Feels light on the tongue with a good level of carbonation
Overall i really liked this beer. As i mentioned, smoke is not my thing, but i really found myself wanting more of this beer. I couldn't really pick out much coffee other than the usually hints of coffee/cocoa you get from roasted malt, but I was okay with the flavors being that delicate and balanced.
Feb 24, 2016Black with an off-white head.
Smells roasty/malty with a touch of smoke (reminds me of when you catch a whiff of someone barbecuing)
Tastes like a light bodied stout with a huge hit of roast, a well balanced hint of smoke, and a hint of coffee and cocoa as it warms
Feels light on the tongue with a good level of carbonation
Overall i really liked this beer. As i mentioned, smoke is not my thing, but i really found myself wanting more of this beer. I couldn't really pick out much coffee other than the usually hints of coffee/cocoa you get from roasted malt, but I was okay with the flavors being that delicate and balanced.
Reviewed by Generous_Beer_Lover from North Carolina
4.29/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Great use of smoke. Never have been a huge fan of most smoked styles but very well balanced, never harsh or ash tray bound. Rounded bitter chocolate, slight coffee in aroma. Nicely executed.
Feb 21, 2016
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