Star Chamber
Hudson Valley Brewery

 

(16 oz can, no date/code; purchased cold at Pinocchio's two weeks ago, kept at cellar temp... poured into a teku)

L: moonglow-hazed, orange-amber liquid; thick, greasy foam sponge, building high... foam doesn't hold and the last dregs from the can crumble the suds quick and thicken up the fog

S: the papaya is ridiculously-bold and vibrant; I sort of detect coconut milk on the sides and maybe a faint green tea top note in the highlights

T: rather nectary papaya juice bursting up front, with only a tangental sweetness in the finish at first... delicate note of coconut flakes in the aftertaste after a few beats... pretty darn tart front to back, but its intensity is well matched by the papaya, which gets more (peach?) Jolly Rancher in expression as it goes

F: like sucking on a Sweet Tart and a teaspoon of lemon juice - near puckering - but the impact tapers off... between the acidity, abv, and attenuated nectar texture, this kind of hits like a Tiki cocktail served up

O: pleasingly impressed by this... my first HVB beer I had a few years ago and was mildly blown away, but did not have a repeat experience with a couple other brands of theirs in the interim... this is top-tier sour, and I ought to grab additional cans for further research (2435)

Hazy yellow color with a medium-sized, white head. Papaya. apricots, green tea, and lactose in the aroma. Tart taste with light fruity notes and astringent finish.

 

 

 

 

Star Chamber is just one of those beers. One that you know is not only very good, but also very unique. It's one that when you go back to the store and don't see it on the shelves anymore, you're immediately disappointed you didn't get more. That's why I grabbed the last 4 pack when I saw it. The papaya is prominent, but the lactose gives it an almost vanilla-like creaminess that's slightly more than subtle. From there, the coconut is evident, and shines in a way that even those who don't like coconut would probably enjoy. The green tea is all around in this one - it ebbs and flows among all the other elements. With all that said, I would probably not be able to pick out the coconut or green tea in this one had I not known they were there. But I think that's what makes this beer so good. The sum is greater than its parts, and the parts are fantastic.