Sprecher Shakparo Ale

Brewed by Sprecher Brewing Company
Style: Traditional Ale
Glendale, Wisconsin USA

I keep trying to give these gluten free beers a fair trial, but...man...this is tough to finish. Really sweet, really thick, and cloying. Pretty tough to finish.

Pours a semi-heavy dark golden color with a thick wispy white head. Aroma of bourbon fills the drinking area and a closer whiff produces a strong saw dust and alcohol nose. Flavor is a bit better than the aroma, although you get the off whiff before you drink it. A very strong overly ripened apricot/peach flavor hits first, alcohol isn’t high but it really isn’t tempered by the "malt" as it normally is in beers, a light bourbon middle and finishes with a spicy note. Mouth feel is moderately heavy with some sugary sweetness feeling. Overall an interesting brew but I am not a fan at all of sorghum flavors. Good attempt and one of the better sorghum brews I have tried.

chemical taste. Some other alcohol hints and sweetness very odd. But looks good in the glass

Pours a murky golden with a thin white head. Aroma is odd. Pleasant bourbon and ripe peaches one moment and very chemical the next. Flavor is chemical, super glue, nail polish remover come to mind. Different for sure, but not in an enjoyable way.

Oh God I hated this thing. Bottle at Zeke’s. Pours a milky amber color, really looks nice with a thick tan head and lots of lacing. But it’s all downhill from there. A horrid paint thinner chemical bouquet--I almost don’t want to put this into my body and everything in me shouts not to. But I take a sip...and there is nothing to redeem it! No malt or hop character to speak of. The tastes are, however, better than the aromas. It’s like drinking a steaming pile of rotting fruits bathed in acetone. It’s like the garbage disposal in your sink is getting revenge. If I were allergic to gluten I would stick with wine and vodka. F--- this shit.

Peach-amber colour with a thin head. Truly bizarre aroma - could be peaches, could be whisky, could be a garbage heap, could be a really bad batch of mofongo - use you imagination. Honestly, it’s probably just a heavy sorghum aroma, but it’s not pleasant. Raunchy sour sorghum character, like the fruity funk of a Caribbean stout but without the stout. This one is a major struggle.

Bottle as shown. Pours a cloudy yellow golden with a very small white head that diminishes quickly. The aroma is a skunky fruit with spice. Decent spotty lacing on the glass. The taste is a bready malt with some citrus and very watery. Not much going on with this one.

Bottle from Craft Ale. Pours turbid orangy coppery with minimal head and no lacing to speak of. Nose is citrus, bready malt, mild fruity and funky feety notes. Tastes wheaty bready malty, with spic, citrus, and mild hops, but is unbalanced and rather flat. Falls apart at the end, becoming a bit like a very diluted mead mixed with a few ounces of IPA. Forgettable.