Brick Haus
Frankenmuth Brewery

 

 

This being my first from Frankenmuth, I'm still going to guess that these guys know what they are doing. Three reasons.

First, this is not a style that I typically repeat, being a Belgo-phile purist and thinking the Belgian IPA panders to the American market. And I like Brick Haus. I'd have it again if I could find it.

Second... My main dislike of the style is uncertain brewers' lean on the hops, instead of figuring out the yeast. At 66 IBU, it really is only slightly hoppier than the majority of American saisons are becoming... and they often use the favored IPA hops now anyway. As for the yeast, Brick Haus is nicely fruity; working the malt into a sweetness that needs hops... instead of the default of throwing in the hops to distract from the mediocre yeast. In my rating of Belgian's, if they get the yeast right... the ale usually can get above a 4. Brick Haus does and did.

Third... My first from Frankenmuth (and resignedly my last since it is hard to find outside of Michigan), I went on their website and I like how they make the most of the situation. They are close to nowhere, but they have historic claim to being the oldest crafter in Michigan (1862!) They have had four different names and many owners, the last restarting in 2010. Plus, they have this cute doxie; a moxie mascot that they play off of as often as they can. And best of all (and this shows they know brewing), the current owners and brewmaster seems enthusiastic about the Belgian tradition and, to stay within the bounds of Mid-America, have developed a very nice Belgian IPA.

So for all of this, I give them very large OA HUGS.

Picked up a 22 oz from the brewery. Poured from bottle to tulip. Tawny copper color. One finger of tightly-packed foam with great retention and attractive rings of lacing. Nice complex aroma with Belgian bubblegum, spice, and banana, bready malts, and citrusy and tropical hop notes. Flavors follow, with a bready, doughy backbone carrying along a wave of tropical fruits - pineapple, mango - citrus, and a banana and spice finish, with the smallest pepper bite. Another solid offering from Frankenmuth.

I picked up a bomber of this at the brewery when my wife went on a mini vacation to Michigan about 3 months ago. I aged this in my cellar for a bit. Poured into one of my tulip glasses, this beer pours a somewhat cloudy/hazy medium golden/light copper color with a fluffy looking white head that's well over an inch thick when first poured that settles to a solid inch thick and has good retention. Excellent lacing too. Aromas of some bready malts and big pineapple and grapefruit hops with a bit of melon and or cantaloupe and some floral and pine notes. Also hints of banana and spice. A nicely complex aroma. Has a bready, biscuit, slightly toasted and slightly sweet, malt flavor along with the complex grapefruit, pineapple, and melon notes that are rounded out with a hint of banana and spice. Has a somewhat crisp, yet very smooth and frothy, slightly creamy, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Has a clean finish and slightly dry aftertaste. A very good beer all around here that I am glad I got a chance to try.

Eric

 

I picked up a bottle of Frankenmuth's Brick Haus for $7.59 at The Lager Mill. I haven't had the best experience with Frankenmuth Brewery, but since they got a new Brewer I've been trying more of their beers, so lets see how this one goes. 2016 Vintage. Poured from a brown 22 bottle into a teku.

A- The label label looks nice, it goes well with the name and it's a little eye catching. It poured a muddy burn orange color that took on more of a brighter orange color when held to the light with a finger and half of slightly tan bubbly head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end. This is a nice looking beer, but I wish it wasn't so murky looking.

S- The aroma starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness with the Belgian yeast being the first to show up and it imparts a nice estery aroma with a little bit of bubble gum, slight banana with some spices coming through. Up next comes the hops which impart more of a fruity aroma with some citrus rind and tropical fruit aromas showing up. Up next comes the malts which impart a little bit of toasted malt aroma, biscuit, bready, brad crust, caramel malts and little bit of a grainy aroma and some pineapple hops aromas show up at the end. This beer has a good aroma, it's true to style.

T- The taste seems to be similar to the aroma and it starts off with a higher amount of medium sweetness with the Belgian yeast still being the first to show up and it imparts the same aspects that it did in the aroma, but it's just slightly lighter this time. Up next comes the hops which show up just a little more than they did in the aroma and they impart those same fruity and juicy hop aspects that it did in the aroma. Up next comes the malts which impart a less of caramel and toasted aspect and more of pale malt and sweet malts come through this time. On the finish there's a medium amount of bitterness with a nice fruity hop and Belgian yeast aftertaste. This is a good tasting beer, I like the hop profile and it works well with the Belgian Yeast.

M- Smooth, fairly crisp, a little refreshing, on the slightly thicker side of being medium bodied with a slightly higher amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is good and it works well with this beer.

Overall I thought this was a good beer and good example of the Style, it had everything that I look for in the style and the extra fruity pineapple hops flavors really made this beer stick out from the rest. This beer has good drinkability, I should have no problem drinking the full bottle. What I like the most about this beer is the hop profile, it's very nice and it works great with this beer. What I like the least about this beer is the appearance, I wish it wasn't so murky looking. I would buy this beer again and I would recommend it to anyone who likes the style. All in all I was impressed with this beer, I haven't really liked many Frankenmuth beers, but this is an exception and it had everthing that I look for in the style, which surprised me a little. It's a new favorite beer from Frankenmuth Brewery and it's a good example of the style. Good job guys, this is one tasty Belgian IPA.

 

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours hazy deep orange/copper color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, melon, pepper, orange peel, pine, caramel, toasted bread, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of juicy citrus/tropical hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, melon, pepper, orange peel, pine, caramel, toasted bread, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Moderate amount of pine/citrus rind bitterness and peppery yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, melon, pepper, orange peel, pine, caramel, toasted bread, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of juicy citrus/tropical hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitter/spiciness, that lightly increases though the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately sticky, and creamy/bready balance mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a great Belgian IPA. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of juicy citrus/tropical hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.