Avery Anniversary Fourteen

Formerly brewed at Avery Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

bottled in 2007.
pours dark with a red tint when held up to the light, medium size tan head that dissipates slowly leaving a very nice lacing.
smell is of prunes, figs, cocoa, some caramel, some malts, slight hint of roasted nuts.
taste is thick and creamy, dark and bitter chocolate, dark fruits, some caramel, some sweet malts, a little white pepper in the back.

My first thought with my first sip was: "What an interesting and strange brew!" A lot of the flavors I just can’t put my finger on. Is it rye? The molasses is definetly there - a strong wheatiness and pleasant hoppiness. It really tastes pretty strong. Not much sweetness - in fact, pretty dry finish. There are pleasant cocoa-notes that you pick up here and there. Good.

Pours a deep brown color, almost looks black with amber accents. Nice foamy tan head and some impressive lacing. Aroma is lots of caramel then some molasses and a slight scent of fruity hops. Rich flavors, heavy on the malts, roasted and doughy malts, caramel, butter (diacetyl?) and the dry hopping in the finish with a touch of fruit. I honestly can’t decide if I liked this or not. The first couple of sips I didn’t like it but then it kind of grew on me but something always seemed a little off. It wasn’t at all alcoholic, that was hidden quite well. The bottle has been aged a year now so maybe that played a part.

From a 22oz Bottle. Pours a mostly transparent dark brown color of brazil nut shells, topped by a layer of fizzy tan head. Aroma of mild floral yeast fruits, roasted malt, and a touch of herbal hops. Medium bodied, firm texture with a soft carbonation. Bitter roasted malts immediately assault the palate, accompanied by a hint of smoke. Not much depth in the middle of the palate malt-wise, just a lot of roast. A hint of yeasty spice seems to crop up toward the end, but it gets pummeled by a massive load of astringent hops in the finish. Dry, bitter, astringent finish. Technically sound, but overall I find it to be too busy and muddled; the roasted malt, one-dimensional hop astringency, and yeasty spice don’t form a pleasant marriage.

POurs dark brown. Nose is molasses, cocoa, floral, figs, prunes and raisin. Flavor is sweet dark fruits, booze, molasses, toffee, floral hops, butterscotch, raisin and dates.

bottle. near black pour with huge frothy head that lasts throughout. nice lacing. powerful aroma. spice, yeast, dry hops prominant, dark fruits, candy, some sugar, oak. very rich and complex aroma. Hopped out. At first I thought it threw off the balance a bit but at the end I don’t know. Very rich malts, mild chocolates and dry fruits. some spice and oak. A little dank. A nice alcohol warming. Unlike anything else. You find yourself analyzing every sip. A definite treat.

old rating: Good dark beer, but the sprite. very hoppy beer with a slightly strange smell of stale beer.

Floral hoppy aroma, quite estery. Sugary as well. BItter, quite hopbitter in fact, with a bitter chocolate note as well. Molasses and sugary sweet. Flowery hop flavor, orange rind note as well. There’s no lack of things going on here, it just isn’t very interesting or cohesive.