Q
DuClaw Brewing Co.

Reviewed from (long-standing) notes. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass.

A: Pours a medium gold that's fairly clear with a good amount of visible carbonation. Forms a half-finger of white head that fades fairly quickly.

S: Spices and herbs – almost like garlic and salt. Cracker malts, resin hops and paprika. Interesting…but not necessarily appealing.

T: Paprika and BBQ spices again. Pale cracker malts and some more of that garlicky flavor. Mild resinous and grapefruit rind hops near the swallow, and the BBQ spice lasts after the hang.

M: A fairly light body, with a low alcohol presence and average carbonation.

O: In about the same sense of that Mamma Mia! pizza beer, this is indeed what they promised. I expected maybe a bit more hops than are here, but it’s not awful at all. But ultimately it's fairly gimmicky, and nothing that I’d be in a rush to repeat or go buy more of. Scores given include a significant pump for delivering what they promised on the label.

 

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled on 5/10/2017. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy golden orange/amber color with a 1-2 finger dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, peppercorn, coriander, paprika, cayenne, allspice, light pine, light caramel, toasted bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/pine hops, spices, and moderate bready malt flavors; with solid strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, peppercorn, coriander, paprika, cayenne, allspice, pine, light caramel, toasted bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine/citrus peel/grassy bitterness and pepper spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of rapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, lemon/orange peel, peppercorn, coriander, paprika, cayenne, allspice, pine, light caramel, toasted bread, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine hops, spices, and moderate bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and moderately bready/grainy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 6%, with a slight increasing of pepper heat through the glass on the finish. Overall this is a very nice spiced American pale ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine hops, spices, and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Was expecting this to be a spice bomb, but was pleasantly surprised. Perfectly balanced citrus/pine C hops and spice flavors; with a nice bready malt backbone. Spot on APA style. The spice rub was used with great restraint. Not salty notes, onion, or garlic etc. A very unique and enjoyable offering.

Ah, this is one of those adventurous brews. It blazes a new trail. Since I love variety, the uniqueness of this brew totally works for me even though the brew is somewhat odd.

It pours a darkish pale ale golden with small fizz and bubbles. The aroma is odd and funky, with ale mixing with stuff.

The taste is a thick, bitter, oddly spiced affair that cuts through the drunken haze of other great brews this afternoon and evening, leaving a thick coating on your tongue.

Highly recommended for a dramatic change of pace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, the hazards of the Bottle Backlog here at Chez Woody! I recently purchased this beer at the FGBS, but it needed to be added to the database, plus a picture needed to be taken & approved. In the interim, I had other beers to drink, so others have beaten me to the punch. C'est la guerre! Now, it is my turn, mes amis.

From the bottle: "This medium/light-bodied, pale ale is Hop Gun-infused with Dizzy Pig Seasonings’ Dizzy Dust Dry Rub to add notes of BBQ herbs and spices to its smooth malty flavor and aroma. It’s a unique drinking experience designed to compliment any backyard BBQ. Now pop that top and ... Get Dusted!"; "Respect_the_Fluid".

How to proceed with the pour once the cap had been Pop!ped? If it is infused with seasonings, should I go with an aggro pour to ensure that they were in suspension? Of a gentle pour & hope for the best? I went with an initial gentle pour, decanting only half of the bottle, followed by an in-glass swirl. This action raised two fingers of foamy, rocky, light-tan head with good retention. Color was a gorgeous Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17) with button brightness & a shade that reminded me of Linda Lou's hair. Sigh. The nose was subtle in its herbaceousness, but it was definitely noticeable. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was an odd combination of earthy, bitter hops and an admixture of herbs and spices. As to the latter, it put me in mind of Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, which I especially like on grits. Even more interesting was the way that the spices built in their intensity, like a movement in a symphony building to a crescendo. They started slowly and reservedly, but as I continued to drink, they began to dominate the taste. Finish was dry, which is not unsurprising, given the inclusion of herbs & spices, but as an APA, I am left unsure. Should I have built it as an Herbed/Spiced Ale? It may be worthy of an update/change so as to better align its scores. It may not do it for an APA drinker (see BB1313), but as a unique Herbed/Spiced beer, it might be just someone's ticket. For me, it was an interesting novelty, but unless I was eating BBQd meat to go with it, I would be satiated at one.

 

Bottled on 5/10/17. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours amber with solid clarity; fluffy white head that falls leaving nice retention and nice lacing. The aromas have a dry spice rub vibe to it. It smells like BBQ. It's not that smokey. Hints of cherry. Lots of malts. The flavors follow the nose perfectly. Lots of BBQ spices. The dry rub spices really shine. Subtle citrus notes with a moderate bitterness. Solid malt backbone. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is nice. It's on the lighter side of medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. It's fluffy and smooth.

This is a very unique pale ale. And I mean unique. It literally tastes like drinking a BBQ spice rub. I'm personally not crazy about it, but they absolutely nailed the execution. They deliver what they advertise. It's not too fun to drink for me.