12 oz stubbie bottle as per the usual Sprecher presentation. Thanks go out to Kevin for the chance to try this beer. The bottom line with Sprecher is that they produce some great examples of simple styles, that are generally under-appreciated outside of their immediate locale, and by America geeks in general. Simple black body with a modest head. The thing I like about both the nose and taste associated with this beer is that they both represent a VERY light, balanced profile that sits in a...
Notes on beers brewed by
Sprecher Brewing Company
Pipers Scotch-Style Ale
12 oz, single stubbie in the usual, Sprecher presentation. Beer courtesy of Kevin - many thanks. Pour provides a reddish, brown hue with some really nice head and lace. The head is pretty thick and produces a lot of sticky residue. Nose and tastes deliver a LOT of peat! A very smoky experience indeed, and not one that I was expecting. Having said that it does grow on me as I consume the beer, but it's a bit of a shock at first. I would call it bracing! Obviously amongst the smoke and peat is a...
Pub Brown Ale
16 oz stubbie as per usual from Sprecher - there's something really substantial about these bottles that I like. Apparently, now called, "Pub Brown Ale". Pour gives a good dark brown color, and importantly a decent clarity with good carbonation. The head is well formed (and white) and the lacing is better than expected. Solid appearance. The thing that i like about Sprecher more than anything else, is the fact that they generally make simple beers, to style in many of the somewhat...
IPA2 (Double India Pale Ale)
16 oz bottle presentation, the usual Sprecher, bulky "stubbies" which I really enjoy. As soon as I tasted this beer I knew that if I read a few reviews at the lower end the criticisms would be that "this doesn't really taste like an American DIPA", and to be fair those reviewers are correct - that why I LIKE this beer! If you were to review this beer in a stylistic manner it would score very badly, but to me it drinks really well and is fantastically tasty, however if you are looking for a...
Black Bavarian
Thanks go out to Kevin (again). 16 oz bottle in the usual Sprecher presentation. The beer pours a solid black pour with a nice, creamy head and some superb red highlights. The lacing is not great. Still looks good though. The nose changes with temperature (as expected) and there is a really large increase in the malt profile with temperature. The light licorice really builds a LOT with temperature. The tastes give a lovely, sweet, light licorice touch that really develops IN the mouth. The...
Hefe Weiss
16 oz, usual Sprecher, "stubbie" presentation. Thanks to Kevin for the chance to try this one. The beer pours a hazed orange with a tea-like appearance. No head, retention or lace to peak of. Looks a little "dead". A lot of tropical fruit in the nose with an especially large emphasis on the pineapple for me. The beer drinks and tastes a little drier than the nose would suggest, but it still has a strong fruit note as opposed to any kind of wheat. The pineapple keeps coming and there is a touch...
Scotch Style Ale Aged In Oak Bourbon Barrels
Thanks go out to fellow BA nlmartin for this beer as part of Secret Santa 2007. 1L, swing-top, impressive bottle. Shared on Christmas Day with the family. I am generally not a huge fan Bourbon based beers simply because I often find that the Bourbon taste has the tendency to overwhelm the brew. Because of that fear I was delighted at the general smoothness of this. Yes it certainly had the Bourbon traits in the nose and in the taste, but it was a taste that melded all the malts and alcohol...
Special Amber
=== Updated Review 08/10 === Thanks go out to Kevin for the opportunity to try this beer once more. The malt nose drifts out of the bottle as soon as it's opened, and the beer seems to fulfill many of the criteria for a beer of this type - fresh, lively, good clarity and refreshing. It's simple, but it's good and it reminds me a lot of the Gordon Biersch beers in the way that (typical of Sprecher) it's a beer that represents some of the Germanic based styles, nicely. Some rounder malts than I...
Oktoberfest
Thanks go out to Vancer for sending this as part of the CEO/Old Farts BIF. 16oz "big" bottle. Label looks "Germanic"! Nice appearance. Good clarity, a great orange/amber color with some head and a little lace. A high quality Fest/Marzen with some delicious toasty, rich malts. Definitely slightly more bitter than some of the same style, but it seems to work well as a change of pace. It lacks a little of the sweetness that I usually seek in the style, but it still comes together nicely. Some...