smellysell
Go Vols!!!
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2007
- Messages
- 9,915
I saw this last year about the same time and passed on it, but figured I’d give it a shot this time since most of what I came for was gone (Olde Bluehair). First off, I’m no sure how the hell this is listed as a fruit/vegetable beer on BA, it’s clearly a BSDA. Just because there are cherries somewhere along in the fermentation doesn’t make it a fruit beer. Anyways… Let me preface this by saying that Big Sky might be my LEAST favorite Montana brewery. Most of the stuff they make is average at best, but their last few big beers they’ve put out have been pretty good.
Style – Fruit/Vegetable Beer
ABV – 8.75%
Brewed In – Missoula, MT
Availability – Valentine’s Release
Score – 7.2/10
Appearance
The 750 mL bottle is numbered 495 of 2028 so it must be good!
The neck and cap is wrapped in red foil, giving a very attractive presentation. It pours a clear, garnet color into my tulip. The head is a soapy, slightly off-white and diminishes to nothing immediately, but surprisingly leaves very thick lacing.
Smell
Not surprisingly there is a strong cherry presence in the aroma, accompanied by Begian yeast and candy sugar. There’s also a very slight hint of alcohol in the smell.
Taste
There is a lot of Belgian candy syrup up front, lending a very sweet flavor. The sweetness is accompanied by a hint of cherry flavor, but unfortunately the flavor of raw/fusel alcohol is a bit harsh. The flavor is very rough around the edges and a bit unbalanced.
Feel
The carbonation is too much, and the alcohol is warming going down. The medium body is pushed to the background by the unpleasantness of the over-carbonation and alcohol.
Overall
This beer is average at best, though there are some very nice flavors going on. I can’t imagine this beer doing anything other than improving with some age, with the alcohol flavor and carbonation both mellowing. I think the flavors will meld together better too. I’m gonna buy a few more and see what happens at least.
Style – Fruit/Vegetable Beer
ABV – 8.75%
Brewed In – Missoula, MT
Availability – Valentine’s Release
Score – 7.2/10
Appearance
The 750 mL bottle is numbered 495 of 2028 so it must be good!
The neck and cap is wrapped in red foil, giving a very attractive presentation. It pours a clear, garnet color into my tulip. The head is a soapy, slightly off-white and diminishes to nothing immediately, but surprisingly leaves very thick lacing.Smell
Not surprisingly there is a strong cherry presence in the aroma, accompanied by Begian yeast and candy sugar. There’s also a very slight hint of alcohol in the smell.
Taste
There is a lot of Belgian candy syrup up front, lending a very sweet flavor. The sweetness is accompanied by a hint of cherry flavor, but unfortunately the flavor of raw/fusel alcohol is a bit harsh. The flavor is very rough around the edges and a bit unbalanced.
Feel
The carbonation is too much, and the alcohol is warming going down. The medium body is pushed to the background by the unpleasantness of the over-carbonation and alcohol.
Overall
This beer is average at best, though there are some very nice flavors going on. I can’t imagine this beer doing anything other than improving with some age, with the alcohol flavor and carbonation both mellowing. I think the flavors will meld together better too. I’m gonna buy a few more and see what happens at least.