Archbeer.com is an independent informal site for beer enthusiasts, providing information on specific beer brands tested by guitarist Archaon of the Norwegian black metal band 1349.
I’m always a bit exited when it comes to trying a new beer from Sierra Nevada. The brewery has since I first tried their «Pale Ale» and later «Torpedo» as well as «Celebration» + a few others, surprised me with a supreme quality in the whole selection, even though it’s a brewery of their size. At hand this time we have their «Oktoberfest», which would be their interpretation of this famous seasonal brew. Together with them on the team is the German craft brewery Brauhaus Miltenberger, in order to bring the level of expertice to an even higher level. Light and crisp with golden colours, this fine brew is pretty malt-driven with several layers, together with a quite complex fruityness from the hops and with a very fine bitter adjustment at the end. No dissapointment, pretty far from. A right beer for the fest!
As I am familiar with some of their other brews, expectations would be reasonably high from the start here. Adding to that, the fact that this is an Imperial IPA from the brewery’s Barrel aged-series, stakes are dangerously high… First off; the label design is cool. There is a tipsy reaper lurking beneath the beer bottle, all barely visible in this dark artwork. So, let’s get down to the real deal, shall we? A fine, smooth golden look, pouring equally esthetic head in the tulip glass- just a tad mirky… Like watching a still flame. Nose is an incredible blend of hops, resulting in foresty smells, including flowers, spruce and almost caramelish notes of sweetness. I’m incredibly eager to drink this! When the first drop comes in contact with the tongue, there’s maturity fusing with an incredible bitterness, vanilla hints comes into play in the background. It’s quite strong, as one would expect from an imperial IPA to be. Still, very very nice balance of each of the elements featured. The taste lasts for an eternity, like a dark long catacomb from here to the underworld. Pretty astonishing stuff, as I thought.
(Photo: M. Brochs)
This beer has a a deep yellow colour to it and I t produces a light, small hat, after showing off it’s pretty highly carbonated nature when pouring. Nose is very intense and sweet- at the same time as it is a bit stingy. One can even smell the acidity, and there’s hints of strawberry. Taste is fresh, sharply sour rhubarb-like craziness! The acidity is strong in this one. As a matter of fact, it reigns pretty hard in an otherwise light-bodied beer here. The dominance of fruity acidity in the middle evolves. After a goood while, into subtle taste of summerly taste of raspberry and strawberry, which becomes evident at the end. Splendid stuff.
(Photo: M. Brochs)
For one of those days which simply calls for a stout, I must say this is not a bad alternative. The somewhat not-too-tough in ABV beverage at hand holds a dark, seemingly medium-bodied consistency with a decent head topping it. The nose is heavily roasted coffeemalts, providing delicious flavours and a hint of wood-like ending as far as taste goes. Perfect carbonization helps to ease the extremely present roast-taste, there’s not much of that oily-feeling one often gets in stouts. Not a long aftertaste, but highly present during consumption. Pretty nice indeed, torn between a 3/4 here.
Hailing from southern Florida, this dark red beverage leaves an inviting impression, due to it’s beautiful dark red visuals. Pours a small bubbly head, it gives away aromas of fruit, tobacco and roasted malt. As far as taste goes, it has sweet notes of fig, a hint of hay and a mild bitter touch, provided by the Colombus hops herein. Greatly balanced and medium bodied, this is a beer that one definitely could come back for. There’s nothing extreme about it, but a comfortable, tasty beer that might be enjoyed on a summer night as well as later during the year, and I see this pairing well with food such as meats/poultry (if you’re into that, of course) as well as functioning as a more all-around versatile thirst-quencher.
This APA holds a gold medal in the Great American Beer Festival. No Wonder- the very hoppy (but comfortably so) nose paves way to forest-like Associations… Mosaic hops provides to a highly floral presentation in this beer. Nice golden colour and pours a great head with the foam lying perfectly as a carpet in the glass. This is Perfect in terms of carbonization-level and mild enough for the malts to step upfront, before the hops positions itself… Which it does in a very suitable way. All in all: This beer is an epitome of well-balancedness. Definately amongst the top of what I’ve had of Pale ales, simply superb and with a long-lasting aftertaste- refreshingly good.
Visual presentation is dark brown/black. A creamy brown head reveals a rather extensive degree of carbonization. Nose is distinctive roasted dark coffee blend with dark chocolate of pure cocoa. Tastewise, a great spicy start evolves into bitter chocolate, which somehow gives the sweet section a later position than in many stouts… Almost like a reversed fresh hint towards the end, rather than at first. The body is somehow a little heavy, lacking a tad of balance. Nonetheless, the rawmaterial is exeptionally great and helps this version of Yeti over the line of average.
Here we have a beer brewed on an amber ale- recipé, to then be aged in rye whisky barrels. Stating that “contains anything but chicken”, the funny decorative bottle/label should make even the most hardcore vegetarian (with a sense of humour) intrigued. (Bottle also rolled in tar & feathers) Well, enough about image, let’s get onto the taste experience here… Nose being sharp bourbon-reference more than anything, the level of carbonization (or lack thereof) makes it all a little flat. Brown and mirky appearance so to speak, this one reminds me of Nøgne Ø’s “Sunturnbrew (although this one is better tasting), for those of you that’ve crossed paths with that one. The funny, priceless label served it’s purpose. The good taste of the Amber/malts are there early, to be dominated by bourbon later. There’s no bitterness to be traced, but some sweetness. The aftertaste is simply watered out whisky/bourbon. Could have had an overall more dry sense, I’m of the perception that it would have helped. However, well-tasting in it’s category, by all means.
Not what I expected as far as lager goes, this beverage is close to black. Actually, dark ruby in colour with a nice head. Nose is highly fruity/berry-like blend with powerful maltbody. Now, let’s get to the most essential aspect, taste… This is at first sweet with hints of raisin and huckleberries, before transforming into somewhat comfy sour delicacy. This is a magnificent beer that easily can be enjoyed all around the year, and will go exeptionally great with mature cheese. The only thing I miss a little is a longer-lasting aftertaste, but for a lager to be, this is a quite breathtaking one.
This Imperial brown ale is mirky oakbrown by colour. Nice head which is quickly disappearing. Fruity/nut-like taste with Nutella/Toffee’ish notes, perhaps a tad too cold at time of consumption, as it is first & foremost bitterness that I get, although one can sense some sweetness here too- mainly from coffee, light chocolate and hazelnut. Very dry and longlasting. Goes through a variety of fases, from almost acidic bitter to sweet.