Hell Kitty Kitty
Whiner Beer Company

 

12 fl oz pull-tab can:

"Belgian-style pale ale." 7% ABV. "Brewed with Sterling, Zythos & Hallertau Perle hops. Fermented w/ Bastogne Belgian Ale yeast."

AROMA: Dry herbal hops. Obvious biscuity yeast. Malts seem more substantial than mere 2-row, bringing notes of biscuit. I don't get caramel or crystal hops, but it seems fuller-bodied maltwise than most Belgian pale ales I've had.

The Zythos hops aren't coming through at all...there's no citrus or tropical fruit aromatically.

Sterling brings vague Saaz-like spiciness at most.

Aroma promises a stealthy pale ale with a well disguised 7% ABV and a mellow European hop profile more redolent of grassiness and herb than fruit.

TASTE & TEXTURE: Medium-bodied with a hint of funkiness but no overt brettanomyces or similar. Subdued apple, mild Saaz-like (i.e. Sterling imparted) spiciness, Perle herbal hop flavour, generic floral hop flavour. Biscuity Belgian saccharomyces yeast. Biscuity malt. Scintillae of cedar. Clove. Faint brief impressions of bready malt.

Not crackery or grainy. Doesn't have the microfloral flavours, brettanomyces yeast/barnyard character, or overt spiciness that would really sing in a Belgian ale. In simpler terms, it does taste like Americans aping Belgian expressions of the style to its detriment.

Balanced but simplistic for a 7% Belgian pale ale. I get no trace of Zythos hops, nor would I think that varietal's tropical/citrusy/fruity flavour would be welcome in this ale.

Unrefreshing. Smooth. Wet. Well carbonated. A biteen pulpy with more weight on the palate than it really needs.

ABV is well disguised, but there isn't a lot of flavour here.

OVERALL: A shallower and simpler expression of the nascent style than those I've tried out of Belgium, and not a beer that delivers on its Zythos hop regimen or really seems interested in showcasing hop varietals anyway. The yeast flavour in this helps it sing, but maltwise and hopwise it's nothing terribly interesting and not what I'd hoped for when buying a Belgian pale ale blind. Its primary accomplishment is hiding its 7% ABV, but I don't see why an ABV that high was warranted in the first place.

Mediocrity from Whiner.

C / AVERAGE

 

Christmas cans. Poured into pint glass with lots of head. Belgian yeast on the nose. Solid flavor.

My son lives in Illinois and brought me a sampler 6 of micro brews. This one was included.

It poured nicely with a thin lace head. The aroma was interesting. I got spice, more specifically clove mixed with citrus and that was affirmed by my first sip. I could taste the spice above all else. Aftertaste was sweet and malty. Couldn't taste the 7% ABV.

Interesting beer to say the least and one that would go well with a light meal with fish or seafood lounging on the beach.

 

Slightly bitter, kinda sweet,but not bad for a 7%. Had it on tap at young Americans Chicago. Thin lacy head. Slightly funky round aftertaste. Citra hop flavors

 

 

 

 

 

From the 12 oz can in a snifter via Savor Growl in a snifter from me and the
Little Lady's Columbus Brew Odyssey. This interesting BPA pours a hazed
orange tinged bronze with a nice head of white foam that settles to a thick ring,
thin subtle pool, and displays some rather nice clinging lacing. Nose of subtle
grapefruit, breaded malts, spicy hop notes, and sweet honey tinged malts.
Flavors exceed the nose with notes of cantaloupe (!?), grapefruit, spicy hops,
some pine touched resinous hops, pink grapefruit, and Belgian style candy malts
with herbal overtones with a touch of cracker and heavier notes of breaded malts.
Nice mouth feel; medium light body, medium light carbonation, and a nicely done
dry finish that with warmth gives rise to notes of white grapes.

Overall, a very nice little brew that was welcome after a long fay at work!

Cheers

12oz can, thanks to my friend, Derek, for giving me a can to try. A very thick and creamy beige head slowly fades atop a slightly hazed copper colored ale. Fruity aroma with spicy & bready yeast. Orangey citrus, mango, caramel malt, spicy, bready, and fruity Belgian yeast for flavor. Medium body, ample carbonation, finishes semi-dry and somewhat harsh with a piney earthiness lingering. There's something about this I don't like; I can't place it but this beer didn't work in my opinion. Basically, I'm finding the flavors do not meld together very well.

 

MLY SECOND BEER I'VE HAD FROM WHINER - THEY SAY IT IS A BELGIUM - BUT DID NOT HAVE THE FULL BELGIUM FLAVOR - STILL A DESENT BEER

Being the curmudgeon that I am, I suppose this is what BPAs are becoming... particularly if a Belgian specialist like Whiner wants to grow in this hophead market we call North America. But being a traditionalist also, I put this is the saison category. It is a spirited ale.

Its main contribution is that it is OK to make a saison and have it be called a BPA.
Judging Hell Kitty Kitty on its merits: It looks slightly above average; its Smell of grapefruit puts me off a little bit, but otherwise is OK; its initial Taste is fine, but grapefruit takes over the mid-palate; while it finishes too dry for many foods, I surmise. Kitty sits OK in the mouth and is overall refreshing. Have it again? Maybe.

I share this observation for those who want to know how objective my rating is. Chicago's Southside Belgian brewer is Whiner, whose beers I've rated totals 11 . Chicago's Northside Belgian brewer is Off Color, whose beers I've rated totals 42. The Cubs just swept the Sox in the (pretend) subway World Series. You be the umpire who I like most. (Glad to have them both.)

10/10/18 Had again. While grapefruit rind does not go well with food, this Kitty goes better with food than I thought the first time. Lesson: second chances are worth it half the time.

6/23/20 Had again and surprised myself pleasantly and enjoyed Kitty even more. Versatile almost with food. But after editing the above review, I decided all are served best if I now keep count over at UnTappd. I will have Kitty again.

Although I'm no fan of whiners, I am a fan of Winer Beer. They make some fine products, and all the ones I've tried have been something I'd drink again (and I repurchased my previous three tastes this weekend).

This one opens dirty yellow with a little fine fizz. The aroma is a yeasty, malty smell that's clean and appetizing. The taste is dry, hoppy, and yeasty all well balanced so you can appreciate much nuance from the hops, yeast and malts. The aftertaste is bitter. This is a less Americanized take on the style that is fairly easy drinking.

Highly recommended.

Pours a dark bronze color. Completely clear and effervescent. Thine two finger white head dissipates leaving a residual thin layer of white foam along with some white foamy lacing.

Aroma has notes of smoked wheat malts, spicy pepper, smoked meat, orange, and grapefruit. A really interesting nose on this one that I just don't know what to do with.

Taste has some smoked wheat malts, grapefruit and orange. Between the hops and the yeast in this there is a strong spiciness that starts halfway through and then spikes towards the back end. As the beer warms you get more of the grapefruit, orange and pine from the hops on the finish. Some moderate lingering bitterness on the finish.

Feel is moderately bodied with mild carbonation. Semi-dry finish.

Overall this is a very weird riff on a Belgian Pale Ale - its not really to style. But on its own merits, its a solid beer. The spiciness is a bit much to my taste, but others may enjoy this.