alcohol burn and taste?

I prefer it as an aftertaste and definitely not as a highlight. For most beers the name of the game is balance, and if the alcohol isn't balanced properly you'll have one mess of a beer.

My favorite example of a beer that balances this with sweetness is GI BCBS. That beer is ridiculously alcohol forward, but in a way that is smooth, sippable, and delicious.

A beer that needs a little age on it to balance it out a little better is, for me, Founders Backwoods Bastard. It's a good beer, but the alcohol is too prominent in the 2012 vintage.

 

I thought the Backwoods was nicely balanced, I'm sure it only gets better w/a bit of aging on it. A creeper for sure but I don't mind a lil heat, just not too boozy, striking the right balance is an art form.

 

As long as the alcohol taste is just in the background and doesn't overpower the rest of the beer, I can kind of enjoy it. Some beers that I like it in: Brown Shugga', Backwoods Bastard, and Unearthly.

 

I thought backwoods was more balanced and mild on the bourbon than usual, I actually wanted more. I think perhaps I am just liking that flavor more though, I felt the same about bcbs this year, and I ussually have to put that beer away for awhile.

 

I certainly don't mind an alcohol kiss at the end, but I don't want it to be in your face or prominent. Honestly the more you can hide the alcohol in your higher abv beer the better for me.

 

When I am not drinking beer I am drinking whiskey and more often than not drinking it neat. The heat is something I have become quite accustomed to. I enjoy the characteristic but keep everything in its right place.

Over the top, unabashed booziness is a flaw. A beer can be very boozy but still work within the confines of the beer. I find it hard to give a general answer to this question, it is best to answer this on a beer by beer basis.

 

A warmth from the alcohol can be good. The Boltcutter from Founders was warming in a good way.

Poor fermentation can lead to a boozy mess from the higher fusel alcohols. Fusel alcohols make a beer "hot", and you get a lingering unpleasant burn around you mouth and in the back of the throat. A defect!

Edit - Saying I agree in my own way.

 

I agree with kzoobrew, it works well with some beers and not so much with others. depends on the beer.
In general though I enjoy a beer that balances that particular characteristic well.
I would make mention of a particular beer, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, that everyone raves about, and I think is a good beer, but to me the alcohol burn is balanced poorly. Not a seasonal I look forward to as much as most.

 

Burning sensations aren't a good thing in most experiences in life.

 

I know for me, if I'm looking for an alcohol burn, I like to stick to hard liquor. I'd rather my beer be a bit deceptive an hide it. Don't mind warmth, I like it to go down easy.

 

See that's why it was so confusing to me to not be as big a fan of Backwoods as I had expected. I love this years BCBS. It is fantastic. I'm also a big fan of bourbon itself. Something about Backwoods threw me; it wasn't bad, but I have no doubt a little (or a lot, we'll see) age on it will improve it dramatically.

 

As mentioned up thread, it is desirable in some styles, not in others. I would also make another distinction - that between "warming" and "hot".

Beer isn't a spirit - at most alcohol warming should be a background note. It should pretty much always blend with other strong flavors in the finish. That's why it seems to work best in big Barleywines Belgians and Imperial Stouts and such. Even moderate warming wouldn't be too balanced in a blonde ale.

If you get a harsh spicy hot impression, that is another issue, at best that implies a lack of balance, with the alcohol not being balanced by other complex flavors. More likely it is the result of fusel alcohols (longer chain alcohols for the geeks) that can result from poor control of the fermentation process, such as temperature and yeast health and such.

So, for me at least, a warming impression in a snifter of barleywine or RIS, even a strong warming impression in the finish, is a plus. It let's me know I'm drinking something to be respected, as well as adds complexity. Anything that crosses the line into hot or harsh leans toward being a flaw, in my opinion.

 

I'm not a fan of noticeable alcohol in beer. There's nothing worse to me than a beer that doesn't taste like beer because of high ABV. Anything over 7% I usually avoid because of this. Once in a while, i'll get a nice surprise, like Sante Fe Imperial Java Stout.

 

I only like it ona high ABV, maltier beers. Preferebly stouts.

 

I love it in any form. Bruery's Fruet tastes like carbonated bourbon to me. I love it.

 

(Drooling) Fruet Yuuuuuuum!!!!

 

Fantastic bourbon. Er, beer.

 

Slight booziness in most things 10%+ (including DIPA's) is always a plus. If it's Barrel Aged it's what I'm looking for.