22oz
bottle decanted into a snifter. 8.7%
ABV. Served cold and allowed to slowly
elevate to room temperature.
Appearance: Deep coffee color, a little murky, with multiple
columns of rising bubbles and a thick, billowy head (3.5/5).
Aroma: The dominate aroma here is booze. It doesn’t sound like this was aged in a
spirit barrel, but I would have guessed that it was. I suppose that it’s a combination of the
grapes and the oak that are fooling me.
I also pick up a little bit of molasses, brown sugar, dates, raisins,
and bready malt. It has a fairly
appealing smell, but the alcohol is a little over the top (3.75/5).
Taste: Still boozy.
It’s hard to pick up many other flavors because the alcohol is so
intense. It’s also very sugary. And I guess there’s also a bit of overripe
dark pitted fruit. As it warms up the
grapes may be coming out some, but I may just be talking myself into finding
them. If “grapes” weren’t written on the
bottle, I’m not sure I would have (3/5).
Mouthfeel: Beyond warm… hot. I’ve got heat all through my chest. Full body and medium carbonation. There’s also a bit of astringency, maybe from
the oak or maybe the grape skins (3/5).
Overall: Hangar 24's first "Local Fields" beer is an Old Ale brewed with freshly
crushed Mourvedre Grapes from Temecula, California and aged on French Oak. 8.7 ABV should definitely be a level where I perceive
an alcohol strength, but this beer is way out of balance. It’s so boozy that I have a hard time
identifying any other flavors. It’s just
too hot. I like the concept of mixing an
Old Ale and grapes, but I would like to see a little more grape and a little less
booze (3.25/5).
-Matt
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