SXNW (Brothers' Reserve Series)
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Deep mahogany hue. Initial foam dissipates promptly. Zero lacing.
Nose hints gently at chile peppers, caramels, pecans, and mild roast.
All in all, a lot of flavors waltz around this one. All are fairly subdued and patient, taking turns. Baking chocolate, slightly green chile with only a hint of past heat, pecan, date, and mild coffee roast.
Mouthfeel is medium, minimal carbonation but after 8years, I'm ok with that. No alcohol warmth. Smooth.
Overall, I suspect this has mellowed a bit on the spice, but I find it quite enjoyable.

brewed in 2012, this one is pretty old at this point, done with spices, pecans, cocoa, and chili peppers, its faded some, but i think its faded well, if that makes sense, like, not sure if this was ever hot, but the peppers are mellow and subtle, a light earthy smoke and green warmth, but no throat burn and no flavor domination, so if thats a product of time, i am in favor of it. still a lot of dry dusty cocoa here, not like bitter nibs but like baking powdered chocolate. the pecan element is more evident in the nose, toasty and lightly sweet or candied, but i dont get nearly as much of them in the flavor, maybe a bit up front, but this is pretty malty, and now has some oxidation to it, so the pecan is partially lost to this it seems. the alcohol isnot there at all through, its not overly sweet now, and there is a high degree of complexity still apparent, not sure the spices, but i get everything from allspice to anise and vanilla. i bet this was pretty awesome when it was new, but its about expired as far as something to keep around in the cellar, faded probably past the point of recognition, but as a little experiment with an ancient beer, it was fun to share. hard to be too critical of something so dated, not sure it was ever intended to be aged this long, and frankly, nobody in our group disliked it. i have never had a beer in a box from these guys, was this a one time only thing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clear deep mahogany pour with a thin tan cap of foam. Brief retention, leaving a light surface ring. Deep brown and mahogany in the light.

Touch of muddled spices on the nose likely belie the intent of this beer as it seem to be about three years old. This wasn't known to me as of a recent purchase. More malted cinnamon up front which seques to a chili spice. Still subdued a bit.

Spices pop on the tongue much more than the aroma. An initial splash of chili spice subsides as the palate accustoms to it, then some light hints of cinnamon and chocolate. Later comes some nutty cocoa with a chili pepper charcter. Not spicy but evident on the chili. Again all components and subtle and a bit reaching. Still there is never any evidence of the ABV on the smell or taste.

Offers a pleasant feel with no real detectable sweetness and drinks easily with no real bitterness either. With warming there is a more lingering chili character. Overall an older beer than expected but still quite interesting and still relevant though I'm now intrigued how it was when fresh.

 

 

A bit of a disappointment. Small short lived head, no lace. Aroma's cocoa, a bit of spice. Flavor's like nose, a little sweet and nutmeat (which don't really work that well- off tastes) . Kind of forgettable for all the hoopla.

 

 

 

 

 

This one pours seemingly flat at first then gives to a fast rising head that is weak, settles very fast and leaves zero lacing down the glass. The color is a cloudy dark brown that is nearly impenetrable to light.

The nose is sharply sweet with a lot of sugary alcohol and reminds me of a very strong barley win. In fact I think it smells exactly like a rich barley wine.

The taste is somewhat cloyingly sweet and very off balanced in the complexities. Instead of having the potential complexities of these ingredients presenting themselves over the time is takes to cross the palate they are fighting each other for dominance and just confuse the palate. Not that enjoyable to be perfectly honest.

The mouthfeel is mostly alcohol and watery.

Overall a real disappointment.

Strong aroma has a malty core and notes of - each whiff seems different. I get cocoa, cinnamon, nuts, and even hints of chili peppers and caramel. Gets the old salivary glands in action. Pours a barely translucent chocolate brown with a good light tan head that doesn’t stick around too long. Flavor has malty, chocolaty, nutty, sweet syrupy, and earthy tones, plus a sharp chili pepper note. I like hot foods in the right circumstances, but I really don’t care for hot pepper in my beer. However, it is subtle enough that it doesn’t detract much from the rest of the taste. I get a firm undercurrent of hoppy bitterness as well. Texture is smooth, syrupy, and not too tingly, though the pepper provides a little "pins and needles" feeling. Overall, distinctive, delicious, interesting.

 

From 22 oz bomber to snifter

A: Copper-brown in color with a ruby hue, a liberal pour yields virtually no head to speak of. No lacing either.

S: Sweet bouquet, bold. Toffee-malts anchor the aromas, with notes of oak and chalky yeast at the edge. Distinct molasses and cocoa, warming booze lingers.

T: Malty sweetness at the front of the sip, toffee-like and creamy. Caramel notes are easily parsed and very sweet, but the brew is nicely balanced by oak, booze and a touch of bittering hops. Suggestions of chalky cocoa and cherry phenols come through toward the finish, along with the added cinnamon. Closes long and sweet.

M: Strangely thin for the style and all of the flavors bouncing around your palate. It's not off-putting, but a little more viscosity might've driven home the nuances of the flavor profile.

By far the best beer I've had from Widmer. There's virtually no hype surrounding this beer, and it's a bit underrated - I wonder if the ubiquitous, and rather lame, Hefeweizen (which is really just a pale wheat ale) has damaged the brand among beer geeks. But if anyone gets a chance to sample it's worth a try - easy to drink and full of caramelly, full-flavored goodness.

Note: I just noticed that the last entry was 2012 - this brew is about 2 years old, and aging may have done a beer good, based on other reviews. Some of the nuanced aspects of the added ingredients may have waned, but the flavors are singular and tasty.