Three Floyds - Behemoth

Today, I felt like drinking a BIG ol' barleywine.  No, a huge barleywine.  Nay, a Behemoth.  No really, 3 Floyds makes a barleywine and they call it Behemoth.  I acquired this little (er... big) gem from my buddy Lance and have managed to hold on to it for most of a year.  It's not quite the winter travesty outside that is usually recommended for consuming large barleywines - in fact, it's a gorgeous January day - but as long as there is still snow on the ground I imagine it to still be an appropriate choice of beer.  This is the second time in a month that I've cracked open a beer that has been wax sealed and I'm not upset about that one bit.  Let's pour!  

Aroma 11/12

The hop aroma is not shy in this beer.  First to the nose are several hop aromas that are all grass, pine, a bit of the "sticky icky icky," and a citrus tinge.  All that and it hasn't even warmed yet.  Once it has begun warming the pine and citrus take center stage and big gooey drops of caramel begin to slowly roll into the scene.  A bitterness sits behind this trifecta and a long, deep sniff makes the alcohol in the beer very apparent.

Appearance 3/3

This brilliant, clear beer pours a bright copper color that is made to seem darker by some reddish and sienna tones that also fill the glass.  Carbonation bubbles sllooowwwly ascend to the surface as they fight against what must be a beer as full-bodied as the cartoon on its label.  Stucco-like rings of lace run round the inside of my glass.

Flavor 19/20

I'm having a difficult time putting a finger on the initial flavors of this brew.  Things begin with such a mellow tone that it's hard to really notice things before the bolder flavors begin.  They are mostly a very subdued citrus from the hops and a distant candi sugar.  Before long both flavors are easily overcome by the brew's bitter and caramel flavors.  Both seem to be slugging it out for supremacy, but the caramel outlasts the bitter thus giving the beer an overall sweetness.  A bit unusual as most big barleywines tend to err on the side of bitter than sweet; unusual, but not unpleasant.  In that big battle of sweet vs bitter, the citrus from the aroma fades out completely, but the candi sugar weighs in to tip the scales toward sweet instead of bitter.  The aftertaste is largely a continuation of the backbone, but the finish is a hot tingle from the alcohol that lingers in the mouth well after swallowing.  The result is a dry, bitter finish that reminds one of a crisp pale ale on steroids.

Mouthfeel 5/5

The mouthfeel of this beer is definitely one of its strong points.  It's unique and definitely steals some of the attention away from the flavor.  First of all, one would expect a beer a beer with the nomenclature "Behemoth" to be a massive, giant of a beer, and while this beer is certainly full-bodied there are other forces at work as well.  The alcohol warmth from the 10.5% ABV puts its own mark on the beer, but without being too boozy or hot.  The carbonation is quite active and when holding the beer in the mouth results in a lighter foam than one would expect.  Long story short, this beer is full-bodied, but never syrupy and certainly not a chore to drink.

Overall Impression 10/10

This is a solid barleywine that strays from the pack a bit.  As mentioned earlier, it falls slightly to the sweet side as opposed to the bitter, while still making both characteristics prominent.  It uses its warmth judiciously to both add to the flavor and the mouthfeel.  While its flavors may not have been insanely complex, they're certainly bold and delicious.  A fresher version may have lent more of the citrus hops to remedy said lack of complexity, but the alcohol heat, undiminished by aging, would certainly have become more intrusive.

Total 48/50

I'd normally feel like rambling on here a bit, but the prior paragraph covers things rather nicely.  This is a damn good beer and coming from Three Floyds, I can't say that I'm surprised.  Whether or not its $15.99 pricetag is justified is another matter entirely.  I feel like I've had other comparable barleywines from less.  Does that make this bad?  Hell no.  Is it one you MUST purchase?  No.  Should you?  Yes.

Ommegang - Gnomegang

"Little" did I know that Gnome Week was from Jun 6-9, 2012!  Here is a small press release that explains it better that I can.

Brassiere d’Achouffe Gnome Week Celebrates 6,666 Years of Enchanted Brewing

Be Part of the Magic, All Across the USA, June 6-9, 2012.

A larger and clearer picture can be found here.

(COOPERSTOWN)  Belgian brewery Brassiere d’Achouffe is going tastefully small while celebrating the 6666th anniversary of gnome-style brewing during Gnome Week. The celebration kicks off 6/6 and continues through 6/9 The four-day event features a release of Chouffe ‘Biere de Soleil’ as well as the return of Brewery Ommegang‘s ‘Gnomegang’ collaboration ale. On the final day of the event ‘the world’s smallest toast’ will take place with tiny Chouffe mugs and fittingly tiny coasters at 6:66pm, at 190 participating locations across the nation.

The myth and magic behind Chouffe is that it began 6,666 years ago (the postal code in Houffalize, home of Brasserie d’Achouffe is 6666). While Chouffe opened as a brewery only 30 years ago, it was 6,666 years ago that ancient gnome ancestors discovered the magical Chouffe brewing water. The present-day gnomes passed the source of the water and the Chouffe recipe on to Pierre Gobron and Christian Brauweraerts in 1982, and pledged them to keep the Chouffe tradition alive.

Gnome Week is being celebrated in a variety of ways including 190 in-bar promotions, an interactive Facebook page www.facebook.com/LaChouffe.beer, and the World’s Smallest Toast. The Facebook page includes a schedule of events, a countdown to the World’s Smallest Toast, links to participating venues, an amusing Gnome-Thyself photo app, a Twitter feed, and beer descriptions with beer locator.

To commemorate the week is an iPhone and Droid application called: Chouffe Little Gnome. When each of the Gnome Week coasters is scanned by a smart phone, they immediately spring to life in full animation. The app is available for download at the Apple App Store or Google Play store searching “Chouffe”. For a demonstration of this engaging technology, download the app and scan the coaster images.

(Taken from:  | Beer Nut http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/beernut/2012/06/01/gnome-week-is-upon-us/#ixzz1xJUZaKeX)

Since I have such a high respect for d'Achouffe, I wasn't about to let this anniversary go past unmarked!  I quickly dug up my only remaining bottle depicting a gnome and threw it in the fridge.  That bottle is collaboration between Brewery Ommegang and Brassiere d'Achouffe is a wonderfully punny brew named "Gnomegang."  Now, Gnomegang was originally in production in early 2011 and hasn't been seen since.  As you read above it's finally BACK in production (though again likely to be a limited edition), but the bottle I'll be reviewing today is from the original release in 2011 (thereby aged just over one year).  Let's pour!

Hell yeah, cork & cage!

Aroma 12/12
Good gracious!  This is fantastic!  The smells come in waves after the beer is first poured.  First is a thick malt, but it is hard to get a grasp on because it is quickly overcome by a very floral Belgian yeast.  Oh, what a treat!  Just when you're getting used to that the smell of candied cloves arrives!  I don't even know if it's possible to candy a clove, but if it is I'm sure that this is what it would smell like:  sugary, cloves, and hints of vanilla.  This just keeps getting better and better.  The malts then become more detectable and they are a bready, dense, caramel-drizzled lot.  As the beer warms, the 9.5% ABV can be picked out at times as can hints of honey.  If there's anything else you'd want in a Belgian-style golden ale, I certainly can't think of it.

Appearance 3/3
The head is a pure white generous two fingers of fluffy, light, and tightly packed bubbles that seem to dance when the glass is jostled.  The brew itself is a wonderful, bright golden (imagine that) hue that is only slightly hazy.  This is an unfiltered beer and there's a bunch of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but only a few crumbs sneak into my tasting glass and settle on its bottom.  The light this beer lets in truly help it to shine and show off a variety of light and dark gold alloy colors.

Flavor 20/20
This is lighter than the aroma would have us believe, but still a ridiculously good beer.  It begins with a wash of Belgian yeast flavors, which are quickly joined by a caramel.  The caramel then begins to turn dark and blend in a very complimentary way with an alcohol warmth.  Things then become a bit spicy as the cloves come forward ever so slightly, but the spiciness is truly limited because a strong fruitiness take center stage.  This lighter fruit is definitely the featured flavor and is akin to apples, honey, and a lighter floral note.  These more delicate flavors are much easier to detect when held in the mouth.  On a quick swig, the stronger Belgian yeast and cloves tend to take over.  I strongly recommend letting the lighter flavors do their thing.  You will not be disappointed.  The finish is a resurgance of the beefier flavors and they intend to remind you that this is not a light, sissy beer.  It's full of strong cloves, a much more detectable warmth, distinct Belgian yeast banana goodness, and even a left jab of balancing hops.  What an impressive beer!  The aftertaste is mostly a boozy bitterness that quickly leaves the mouth dry.

Mouthfeel 5/5
Considering this brew has a 9.5% ABV the warmth is largely undetectable unless the brewers want you to detect it.  This is a nice feat when brewers do this and especially when they allow that warmth to blend well with other flavors.  The beer itself is very full-bodied, but never heavy thanks to the abundant carbonation and its large foaming action.  Even though the carbonation is very full, it never becomes prickly or intrusive.  Great job!

Overall Impression 9/10
This beer sets itself apart from the lighter Belgian varieties by utilizing a nice alcohol warmth (especially as the beer itself warms) and an aggressive clove.  It tastes like a much larger, stronger version of the style. However, there is more than meets the eye.  The beer hides away its lighter flavors to those who would bother to search for them.  Top marks in aroma, head, and mouthfeel.

Total 49/50
While I certainly appreciate the complexity of flavor of this brew and it's seeming ability to please all comers by offering an aggressive side when quickly gulped, and a more nuanced side when held in the mouth, it did was not a "wow" moment when I first drank it.  I think that's the only thing holding it back from an otherwise perfect rating.  This beer has it all, big body, huge/gorgeous aroma, pleasing mouthfeel, complex flavors, and all the brewing prowess of two amazing breweries.  Is there anything that I can name that is bad about this beer?  Not really.  The cloves and alcohol tend to be more aggressive if the beer warms too much, but as the recommended temperature for consumption  on the label is 40F/5C, I certainly can't fault them for that.  I suppose if anything, I'd want the stronger flavors to be the banana-y Belgian yeast and the floral notes from the golden ale.  I know that this is a variety of Belgian strong, but must "strong" always equal distinct alcohol?  Why can't the other flavors be the strong ones?  In any case, thank your lucky stars that they're producing this again.  Don't screw it up this time!  Buy a bottle or two.  You won't regret it.  What a great beer!  Happy Gnome week everybody!