Hebrew Funky Jewbelation 2012

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Formerly brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: American Strong Ale
Brooklyn, New York USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Pours black with a ruby hue when held to the light. Finger length head that dissipates somewhat quickly and leaves a ring of lacing. Nice carbonation which is kind of surprising. Smells of lots of dark fruits like raisin, plums, and figs. Also get some chocolate, oak, tiny bit of whiskey, more bourbon, slight funkiness to it. Not as boozy as I thought, but still some alcohol presence on the nose. Taste is pretty complex. Starts with sweet raisins and chocolate along with some bourbon. Almost get a salty, funky taste. Then the malt comes in and provides more sweetness, as well as breadiness, some nuttiness, oak, still more bourbon. Then the finish is more breadiness and a toast-like quality, tons of dark fruit like more raisins and plums, funkiness, molasses, carmel, definitely some heat from the whiskey. The whiskey takes the place of the bourbon on the finish. Not as much of a mess as I thought it would be, as the flavors meld nicely on the finish as it warms up; however, it is quite cloying. Pretty full body with a creamy and sticky mouthfeel. Although this is a year old, some age could do this beer some good. Not bad.

Bottle at 16 Tons Taphouse, part of WBBF. Pours a dark brown, aroma is lacto with dried dark fruit. Body is rich and dense, finish spicy, then fruity, then boozy bourbon sweetness, raisins. Really lovely, another successful blended beer from Shmaltz.

Can beers get more complicated than this? The Hebrewers are constantly trying to push that envelope... Still, it paid off. A nice blend that manages to present most of the best characteristics of its many ingredients, inc. the funkiness and rye in particular.

Poured from a 22, very dark light head and lacing. Very boozy, strong bourbon nose and front. Light rye after taste overall a good aged beetr, I let age for a couple exrta months. Very strong!

Bottle as shown. Pours a dark amber with medium frothy beige head that last diminishes quickly. The aroma is toffee, caramel, and a faint funk. Medium mouthfeel with a dark fruit flavor and chocolate with nice light funk in the finish. Easy to drink, hiding the alcohol well, a very good American strong ale from Hebrew.

Bottle. Bery dark maroon color, brown head, decent retention. Aroma of vanilla, chocolate milk, coffee, rum. Taste has sweet candied figs, raisins, dates, blackcurrant jam. Very sweet stuff.

Pours dark brown, with a tan head. Aroma of wood barrels and whiskey, Complex mix of flavors, malts, and aged whiskey. Sweet and fairly smooth, I like this blended ale. Thumbs up.

Bottle. Pours brown with thin tan head. Aroma of oak, brandy, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, and dark fruits. Taste of caramel, toffee, chocolate and molasses. Tons of flavors going on with this. Sticky finish.

22oz. bottling date 3/6/12. Here we go, whiskey barrel-aged trainwreck... Aroma of sweet, dark malts and dried fruit, woody, boozy and earthy with notes of bourbon, pine, red grape, cherry, dark sugars, chocolate and alcohol. Dark red-black in color with a lasting, very fine, khaki head. Flavor profile is hugely malty, sweet, fruity and moderately bitter, with more red grape and dark, berryish, tart fruits, dark brown sugar, vanilla, tobacco, semi-sweet chocolate, whiskey, and oak. Mouthfeel is warming and low in effervescence, smooth and lightly coating, body is of course full. Mmm, trainwreck-y.

Bomber poured clear reddish brown with a lasting tan head. Aromas of carmel, toffee, raisin,plum, brandy, brown sugar, light bourbon and light oak. Palkate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of carmel, toffee, molasses, bourbon, plum, raisin and a hint of spice with a smooth lingering dark fruit finish.