Yule Tide (2015+)
Heavy Seas Beer

Bottle from liquor store, cellared. Murky dark brown pour, small ring of bubbly head. Sweet, boozy aroma, rum notes come through in taste. Ginger makes enough of an appearance to be noticed. Potent, yet approachable. Tasty, warming, comforting. One of the evenings highlights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours an incredibly interesting cloudy dark caramel (looks to have the thickness and consistency of a candy, really) with a nice, big dark khaki head. There is some clear active carbonation, but not a lot. Smells of a sweetness that is also rich and substantial with fruits and wheat malts. The sweetness dominates the first taste, with some clear alcohol character on the back end. A touch of citrus to go with dried fruits (grape, date.) The mouthfeel is almost too heavy to grapple with, particularly in combination with the heavy and apparent ABV.. Overall, an incredibly interesting (and good) beer, but probably one I'd only need 6-8 oz. of time with. Eh...I guess I'll kill the extra pint in the bottle that goes beyond that.

 

 

 

 

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 10/18/2015. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy dark ruby red/brownish color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big banana, raisin, plum, cherry, fig, clove, gingerbread, toasted biscuit, caramel, brown sugar, nuttiness, light chocolate/vanilla, spiced rum, oak, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, fruity/spicy yeast, ginger, and light-moderate rum barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big banana, raisin, plum, cherry, fig, clove, gingerbread, toasted biscuit, caramel, brown sugar, nuttiness, light chocolate/vanilla, spiced rum, oak, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Moderate amount of yeast, ginger, and rum/oak spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of banana, raisin, plum, cherry, fig, clove, gingerbread, toasted biscuit, caramel, brown sugar, nuttiness, light chocolate/vanilla, spiced rum, oak, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity/spicy yeast, ginger, and light-moderate rum barrel flavors; with a great malt/spiciness balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready, and lightly sticky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an excellent spiced weizenbock style! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity/spicy yeast, ginger, and light-moderate rum barrel flavors; and very smooth and easy to sip on for the ABV. Was hoping for a bit more rum barrel presence, but it still had a solid amount. A very enjoyable offering.

 

 

 

3.14/5: This big, boozy weizenbock has some interesting elements that work...and some flaws that don't

really yummy expensive only tried a sample!