12 oz single from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pour is a slightly clouded, lemon colored body with a rocky, if not dense head, sitting on top. Not much retention or lace. Nose gives a nice grassy, hoppy note. Tastes are really quite bitter up front (and in the finish), but in between there is a lovely balance and beautiful, creamy mouthfeel. Rounded with some sweet notes in the middle. Lingering bite at the end. Slightly metallic ending as well. VERY tasty and highly drinkable with a good,...
Notes on beers brewed by
Southampton Publick House
Imperial Russian Stout
750 mL bottle, #396 out of 400; 2009 vintage. Shared with BEERchitect on a visit to Lexington, KY. Standard, balck pour with a less than impressive mocha-like head (ABV obviously curtails this a little)) but still surprisingly poor given the fizzy nature of the beer. The carbonation seems really high at first and this leads to an annoyingly, prickly mouthfeel that subsides a bit but seems present throughout the brew for me. Nose and tastes release a LOT of burned character, and it all gets a...
Southampton Imperial Baltic Porter
12 oz single, Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Given that Southampton is a brewer that I have great respect for, and this is one of my favorite styles, I have to say that I was ultimately really disappointed in this. Color and pour were promising. Perhaps not the depth of head formation or retention, but acceptable. Chestnut brown. The nose was an unusual bready combination which seemed a bit out of place. It almost seemed O'fest in its character. Tastes have some more odd, lager characteristics....
Southampton Triple Abbey Style Ale
22 oz bottle. One of my favorite styles from a brewer that usually does a great job, this looks promising. Pour is odd. Lots of large bubbles in the carbonation, but this leads to virtually no head, no retention and obviously no lace. It looks a bit dead in the glass. Disappointing from the carbonation angle. Color is a beautiful, deep orange color but even considering the ABV it seems lifeless. The mouth feel confirms the lack of carbonation, and while I wouldn't call the beer "flat" I feel...
French Country Christmas Ale (Biere De Garde)
Very different look to the bottle than the current picture in the BA db; this is a regular, 22 oz bomber with significantly different label but it is definitely the same beer (BdG etc.). Pour is lively with a decent, well formed head. Body has amid-brown pour with some surprisingly lively carbonation. Nose and tastes reflect a slightly rustic, quite earthy organic note with e earth tones and notes continuing quite strongly through the beer. Plenty of malts without much trace or hint of hop...
Southampton Cuvee Des Fleurs
Decent pop on opening the corked & caged 750 mL bottle. No gun smoke and not much carbonation. Pour is a mid-orange that lacks much head unless the pour is pretty agressive. Seems a touch under-carbonated to me. No lace. Aroma is, errr....floral! No surprises there, then. Tastes are floral yes, but ultimately it plays out as a floral based, sweetened grapefruit. It reminds me of a Dandelion & Burdock, which again is hardly a huge surprise BUT is an enormously nostalgic moment for the English...
Saison Deluxe
750 mL corked and caged from the "750" series! Not much pop on opening and it's not a gusher, but the carbonation is huge and quite annoying on the pour. The head is not at all dense, rather it is very light and fluffy with large bubbles. Body is a very golden, yellow color with the emphasis on yellow as opposed to gold. Lace is broken, extensive but wispy has opposed to sticky. Nose has the requisite funk, but it also has an alcoholic edge almost like an imperial Hefe. The nose strays into...
Biere De Garde
750 mL, corked & caged affair. Pop is average and plenty of foam "gushes" in a controlled manner. Not a "gusher" as such but some foam. Poured into the Duvel tulip the pour is not "dark" as such, but is a distinctly, amber orange color with plenty of yeasty, fine sediment. The sediment introduces some cloudiness. Head is plentiful but leaves quickly and does not produce much lace. Sweet alcohol in the nose with some Tripel like Belgian notes. It's not until we get to the taste that things...
Double White Ale
Recent entry into the ATL market. 12oz single from Macs Midtown, Atlanta, GA, USA. Part of the $8.99 mixed sixer. I've had this beer several times before but not reviewed it until now. Previously I have always drunk it from the 22oz bomber so the smaller serving is a new departure for me as well. High, bright white head with good density, retention and lace. Body is typically clouded, golden yellow. Very big citrus, herbal, spice nose with the emphasis on citrus. Whilst the beer has plenty of...
Southampton Altbier
Very happy to accept this into the ATL market in the last few weeks. 12oz single from Tower on Buford, Atlanta, GA, USA. Contract brewed I believe. Beaufiful clarity on the pour, super light amber color nice carbonation and a decent head. Not much lace. Color is a simple chestnut brown. Great, sweet malty wave after wave of richness greets the tongue and is full and delicious. Richness is the key and its a really full-flavored beer. Nicely in style too. Extremely easy drinking and it seems...
Southampton Pumpkin Ale
22 oz bomber from City Beverage, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. $5.49. I guess that this is the beer that finally tells me that I am not that keen on Pumpkin brews! The reason I say that is that I imagine this is pretty much as good as it gets within the style, and despite that I'm just not mad about it. Beautiful clarity in the pour with a bright, light amber, dark orange body. Nice carbonation, super head and some lace. The body of this beer is very attractive. Both the aroma and taste at least...
Southampton Abbot 12
Thanks go out to Brewfan for this one. I've been waiting on this one for a while, and perhaps I have built it up a little too much in my mind! 750 mL, Corked & Caged affair. Different bottle style and new label in 2007. Pour is a little disappointing. Noisy, soda like carbonation that fades quickly to almost nothing. Dubbel, drab color in the body - a little murky. Not great looking at all. Nose has the requisite Belgian yeasts and candy, as does the taste, BUT the beer is way too sweet for...
Southampton Grand Cru
Thanks go out to Brewfan for this in a recent trade. I've been waiting on this one for a while. Corked & Caged 750 mL bottle. Part of the "750 series". Not much pop on release of the cork - has me a little worried. Pour is a real, golden/orange pour with very little lace or head, but with a thin film of carbonation on the surface of the beer. Maybe a touch more carbonation would be nice. Nose has a mild spice with some whisky like alcohol smells. Tastes are superb. Pretty much exactly what I...
Southampton IPA
Decent example of the style, but considering both the ability of Southampton to produce some great beers, and the fact that the American version of the IPA usually goes the extra mile, this was a little disappointing. Perhaps that is unfair, but when a brewery sets such high standards, then subsequently middle-of-the-road, OK beers, will tend to disappoint. 22oz bomber. Orange body and plenty of chill haze with some, but no a great deal of head. The head does leave much better than average...
Southampton Saison
My first serious venture into the Saison style. First impressions are all about the appearance. A golden orange pour with a magnificent head. The head was huge, and beautifully white and rocky - a real treat. The aroma and initial taste is a cross between cider and champagne. There's a lot of wine like aroma too. A real apple scent is present. The beer starts with a prickly carbonation. The classic acidity and tartness of the style is evident throughout and until the beer warmed up a little in...