Eldest Brother
Green Empire Brewing
- From:
- Green Empire Brewing
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Pale Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.97 | pDev: 10.33%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Sep 22, 2024
- Added:
- Oct 08, 2020
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
3.64/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.64/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
One of the briefest heads I've ever had. It completely dies to no bubbles and absolutely no lacing. The liquid is clear and amber.
Mild malt nose with a touch of sourness. Overall, a very faint smell, particularly for the style. I'm not getting any Belgian yeast nor hop.
The taste mimics the smell...initially. Soon the alcohol warmth and mostly sweet caramel flavor takes over. Very rich with a low carbonation. The finish is boozy with a whiskey like aftertaste. A bit one-dimensional but it fits the profile.
Sep 22, 2024Mild malt nose with a touch of sourness. Overall, a very faint smell, particularly for the style. I'm not getting any Belgian yeast nor hop.
The taste mimics the smell...initially. Soon the alcohol warmth and mostly sweet caramel flavor takes over. Very rich with a low carbonation. The finish is boozy with a whiskey like aftertaste. A bit one-dimensional but it fits the profile.
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut
3.66/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sampling a cellar temp 16 oz can poured into my snifter. The can is date stamped 3/16/2021. Ive had it in my cellar for about 6 months.
Pours a clear bright gold color with fizzy and dense bleached white head of 2.5 cm. This foam fades to a sturdy surface covering and looks fairly creamy as it rests on the surface of my glass. Several active streams of carbonation rise to the surface replenishing the foam.
Aroma is Belgian forward with pear and green apples hitting me. Some white wine or green grape notes pop up. I also get some hints of rye barrel and a bit of general boozy note. There is also a bit of a citrus rind note The nose is a little bit of a disappointment, but not problematic.
First sip reveals a medium body with thinner texture and very fine, soft carbonation. This beer drinks easy on the physical traits. But the flavor is a little rougher. I get some general fruitiness with green grapes and pears again. There is also some general spiciness, but a good bitter astringent bite too, which I feel is black peppery booze bitterness and certainly not hops. And where is the rye barrel?? that is what I bought this one for, and I am not getting much on the flavor profile. The beer is kinda meh overall and a little bummed on the purchase. I dont think I would pick this up again.
May 23, 2022Pours a clear bright gold color with fizzy and dense bleached white head of 2.5 cm. This foam fades to a sturdy surface covering and looks fairly creamy as it rests on the surface of my glass. Several active streams of carbonation rise to the surface replenishing the foam.
Aroma is Belgian forward with pear and green apples hitting me. Some white wine or green grape notes pop up. I also get some hints of rye barrel and a bit of general boozy note. There is also a bit of a citrus rind note The nose is a little bit of a disappointment, but not problematic.
First sip reveals a medium body with thinner texture and very fine, soft carbonation. This beer drinks easy on the physical traits. But the flavor is a little rougher. I get some general fruitiness with green grapes and pears again. There is also some general spiciness, but a good bitter astringent bite too, which I feel is black peppery booze bitterness and certainly not hops. And where is the rye barrel?? that is what I bought this one for, and I am not getting much on the flavor profile. The beer is kinda meh overall and a little bummed on the purchase. I dont think I would pick this up again.
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
3.73/5 rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.73/5 rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Canned 2021/03/16
Pours a med frothy foamy almost 1 finger head with good retention, bits of lacing, hazy med orange-gold-tan color
Nose brings plenty of yeast additions, lots of potpourri like spices, quite perfumey and some acidity that brings tart aromas almost as if soured, golden sweet malts with some candi sugar notes, generic fruity esters, some buttery oak and barrel notes and white wine, a bit of spicy rye and candied apple, as it warms more sweet candi sugar
Taste brings plenty of fruity esters again, candied apple, a little tart lemony note, white wine, almost Skittles like fruit flavors, fair Belgian light candi sugar with some sweet golden malt, honeysuckle, more potpourri phenol spices as well, almost mulling spice character, as well as a spicy and fruity rye in the background, light buttery oak again with a little vanilla and touch of rye whiskey flavor, hot alcohol but not quite fusel, a little sour green apple as well, sticky sweet finish with more spices, tart fruit, spicy rye
Mouth is med to fuller bod, med to higher fizzy carb that borders effervescent, plenty of tingly alcohol
Overall an interesting beer, def hits hard in the alcohol dept but expected for the style, something to sip over the winter (or end of May when it feels like winter), wasn't too much a fan of that tart sour character that kept popping up almost making me think infection sour but it wasn't. Also wish the barrel came through a bit more
May 30, 2021Pours a med frothy foamy almost 1 finger head with good retention, bits of lacing, hazy med orange-gold-tan color
Nose brings plenty of yeast additions, lots of potpourri like spices, quite perfumey and some acidity that brings tart aromas almost as if soured, golden sweet malts with some candi sugar notes, generic fruity esters, some buttery oak and barrel notes and white wine, a bit of spicy rye and candied apple, as it warms more sweet candi sugar
Taste brings plenty of fruity esters again, candied apple, a little tart lemony note, white wine, almost Skittles like fruit flavors, fair Belgian light candi sugar with some sweet golden malt, honeysuckle, more potpourri phenol spices as well, almost mulling spice character, as well as a spicy and fruity rye in the background, light buttery oak again with a little vanilla and touch of rye whiskey flavor, hot alcohol but not quite fusel, a little sour green apple as well, sticky sweet finish with more spices, tart fruit, spicy rye
Mouth is med to fuller bod, med to higher fizzy carb that borders effervescent, plenty of tingly alcohol
Overall an interesting beer, def hits hard in the alcohol dept but expected for the style, something to sip over the winter (or end of May when it feels like winter), wasn't too much a fan of that tart sour character that kept popping up almost making me think infection sour but it wasn't. Also wish the barrel came through a bit more
Reviewed by probablyandy from Connecticut
4.7/5 rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.7/5 rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Got this in a mix six pack from the farmers market when visiting VT. I really like this beer and wish it was easier to get near home in MA.
Slightly sweet and boozy, as per the style. This does not hide the ABV, nor should it.
First taste I noticed lots of spice. I guess that’s partially from the yeast and part from the rye barrel.
The hops come through after the spice or behind it. The hop profile is definitely secondary here in favor of the malt and barrel. For my tastes, it is well balanced between sweet and bitter for this style. (The rest of the mix pack was IPAs and DIPAs so this was a nice variety.)
Oct 30, 2020Slightly sweet and boozy, as per the style. This does not hide the ABV, nor should it.
First taste I noticed lots of spice. I guess that’s partially from the yeast and part from the rye barrel.
The hops come through after the spice or behind it. The hop profile is definitely secondary here in favor of the malt and barrel. For my tastes, it is well balanced between sweet and bitter for this style. (The rest of the mix pack was IPAs and DIPAs so this was a nice variety.)
Reviewed by Sanchez8484 from Vermont
3.63/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Belgian style strong ale aged in rye whiskey barrels . The most elaborate can art I've seen from GEB. "Boozy" is the first thing that comes to mind when tasting, even with the higher ABV there's no attempt to hide it's alcohol. Prominent rye taste and smell. As someone who likes rye I did like how forward it was but some may not. Filtered. Smooth mouthfeel, despite the booziness.
Oct 08, 2020
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