Category Archives: Style

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Barleywine - American, Beer Reviews, New Zealand

8 Wired Lord Of The Atlas

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Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 12%
Style: American Barleywine
Other Notes: 2016 vintage. Oak aged barley wine ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) American style barley wine, brewed with New Zealand malt, Australian hops, English yeast and aged on French oak. A true globetrotter, a mighty Lord of the Atlas.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.31
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2016 vintage, with a best before date of 14th December 2019, however I believe it’s still good. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark orange brown colour with a thin half finger beige head that had decent retention but left only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Hoppy, herbal, sweet dried fruit, caramel malt, raisin, coconut and oak.
Taste: Sweet, herbal, medicinal, pine hoppy, dried stone fruit, dried coconut, oak, caramel malt, with a bittersweet finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipping barleywine with nice aroma and flavours.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Triple IPA, Beer Reviews, Heretic Brewing Co., USA

Heretic Evil3

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Brewery: Heretic Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 11.5
Style: American Triple IPA
Other Notes: McDole, Steele, Zainasheff

Brewer Description: (from can) This is the story of three friends: Tasty McDole, Mitch Steele, and Jamil Zainasheff. Three bold men with hops in their blood and crazy in their hearts. Once a year these three passionate brewers come together to concoct a beer that represents their lifelong bond. A beer that is bold. A beer that is hoppy. A beer to share with your best friends.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.87
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 1 pint can, canned on 27th January 2020. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A nice clear golden orange colour with a two finger white head that had excellent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malts, grapefruit, dried candied fruit, citrus peel and notes of pine.
Taste: Sweet malts, caramel, candied grapefruit peel, citrus zest, grapefruit, pine, booze and some light bitterness in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice candied aroma, but perhaps slightly too sweet and heavy for me. The bitterness in the background does help a bit though.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, The Lost Abbey, USA, Wild Ale

Lost Abbey Framboise de Amorosa

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Brewery: The Lost Abbey
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Barrel-aged raspberry sour

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Raspberry sour ale aged in French oak barrels. The 10 Commandments and its “Thou Shalt Nots” do not apply to Amorosa. A courtesan, she has no need for the morality of denial. A stunning beauty with depth of spirit and sensuality. Amorosa is ruled by the fruits of her loins and mother earth. Sweet and sour, Amorosa is equal parts lover, liberated soul and the object of every suitor’s affection. She is desire incarnate and sensuality embodied. In choosing to open this bottle, you are now courting this magnificent woman. For some, she will arrive like the siren’s call breathing upon your lips and dancing across your taste buds. Others will be denied. For you see, a wonton woman, Amorosa beckons all and chooses few. Will your prayers be answered?

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A corked and caged 12.7 fl. oz. bottle, with no bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy reddish brown colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly and left only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Tart, raspberry, sour, oak, lemon juice.
Taste: Sour, tart, sweet, raspberry, grape, lightly vinous, oak, light lemon juice and a splash of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very enjoyable with a good balance between sour and sweet, and good raspberry aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Alvinne, Wild Ale

Alvinne Laurelin 2017 Fellowship Ale N°5

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Brewery: Brouwerij Alvinne
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2018 Fellowship. Cuvée Sofie Schaarbeekse Kriek (2017). Fruit Flemish Sour Ale. Sweet 1/5, Sour 4/5 & Bitter 0/5

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Laurelin was one of Two Trees of Valinor. It was said to be some sort of cherry tree, her last fruit was made into the sun. In July we added 25kg of Schaarbeekse Kriek to a Domaine Harmand Geoffroy red wine (Bourgogne/Gevrey-Chambertin) barrel. This Cuvée Sofie aged for 16 months in this third time used French oak barrel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.05
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330ml bottle, with a best before date of January 2024. Poured into an Alvinne teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark reddish purple colour with a thin white head, that left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, sour, cherry, cherry pie, acetone, nail polish, with hints of vinegar.
Taste: Sweet, sour, tart, tangy, cherry, jammy, cherry pie, cherry juice, oak, acetone, with notes of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I tried this side by side with the 2016 version, and I preferred this version a lot more. The cherry was much more prominent here and not overwhelmed by any barrel character like too much vanilla in the 2016 version. It’s still sweeter than I expected given the sweet and sour ratings on the label, and the carbonation was softer than I prefer, but this was still enjoyable as the acidity helped with the soft carbonation.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Alvinne, Wild Ale

Alvinne Laurelin 2016 Fellowship Ale N°4

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Brewery: Brouwerij Alvinne
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2018 Fellowship. Cuvée Sofie Schaarbeekse Kriek (2016). Fruit Flemish Sour Ale. Sweet 1/5, Sour 4/5 & Bitter 0/5

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Laurelin was one of Two Trees of Valinor. It was said to be some sort of cherry tree, her last fruit was made into the sun. In July we added 25kg of Schaarbeekse Kriek to a Domaine Noelat Michel red wine (Bourgogne/Vosne-Romannée) barrel. This Cuvée Sofie aged for 28 months in this first time used Hungarian oak barrel.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.8
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 330ml bottle, with a best before date of January 2024. Poured into an Alvinne teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dull reddish brown colour with a thin white head that left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, oak, vanilla, cherry, marzipan, more wood, barnyard, and lightly tart.
Taste: Tart, sweet, sour, cherry, cherry wine, oak, vanilla, marzipan, with a splash of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Given the sour and sweet ratings on the bottle label, this was a lot sweeter than I expected. That in itself is not really a problem. However despite the nice cherry notes, I felt that the oak barrel imparted quite a lot of vanilla into the flavour, and probably more than I prefer. I tried this side by side with Laurelin 2017 Fellowship Ale N°5, and I easily preferred the 2017 version more.