Beer Review: Imperial Apricot Bu

Reviewing the Imperial Apricot Bu from de Garde Brewing out of Tillamook, Oregon.

Score: 98

2014 vintage bottle served in a Surly Darkness chalice and enjoyed on 01/09/15.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy apricot color with nice fade and tons of floating particulate. Minimal head off the pour, which totally settles. 2/5

Smell: Apricot for days plus some oak. Quite lovely. It's simple, but incredibly appetizing. 5/5

Taste: Tart apricot with a good pucker factor on the mid, which gets more intense as it warms. Notes of lemon too. A little vanilla, oak, and wine character on the finish too. Super lovely mix. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, mild carbonation. Lovely sourness, without a heavy acidic character. Very dry finish. 4.75/5

Overall: Another home run of a fruited Bu Weisse from de Garde! This one rivals the likes of West Ashley and Fou Foune in deliciousness, albeit less complex than either.

Cost: $10 for a 750 ml bottle.

Beer Review: Great

Reviewing Great, an English-style barleywine from Alpine Beer Company out of Alpine, California.

Score: 95

October 2013 vintage bottle served in a Ballast point snifter and enjoyed on 02/11/2014. Thank you Brandon for sharing this delectable treat while letting us crash at your place Darkness Day weekend!

Appearance: Pours a chestnut brown color with a few wisps of tan head that quickly settle to a ring around the glass. 4/5

Smell: Ton of rich, fruity, and desserty aromas present: brown sugar, toffee, dates, sweet dark fruit, caramel, whiskey, vanilla cake, and light oak notes too. Smells more like a quad a la Westy 12, rather than a barleywine. There is a very faint aged hops smell present too, a la an aged IPA. 4.5/5

Taste: Candied dark fruit, toffee, and caramel. More dark fruit-forward than nose. Molasses and a hint of soda syrup underlie as well, lingering past the finish. A little alcohol warmth on the finish too. Malty, rich flavor profile. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus bodied, low carbonation level. Malty sweet and rich, but not cloying. No alcohol astringency, while possessing a robust warmth. 4.5/5

Overall: Smells and drinks more like a quad than a barrel aged barleywine, which makes this unique. Seek this one out with confidence.

Cost: $10.99 for a 12 oz bottle.

Beer Review: Civil Disobedience #6

Reviewing Civil Disobedience #6 from the Hill Farmstead Brewery out of Greensboro, Vermont. This beer is a blend of wine barrel aged and wild versions of Sankt Hans, Clara, Flora, and Juicy.

Score: 93

2013 vintage bottle served in a stemmed Hill Farmstead bulb glass and enjoyed on 02/22/14.

Appearance: Pours a murky/cloudy peach color with a thin layer of white head that settles to a ring around the glass. Poor lacing, but solid retention. 4/5

Smell: Tart grain and white wine. Grapes, tropical fruit, and lemon. A touch of honey sweetness. Reminisce of Juicy, only with more of a white wine/grape twist. 4.5/5

Taste: Tropical fruit, grain, and peach upfront, followed by an oaky white wine/grape finish. Tasty mix. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, appropriately carbonated. Very dry finish. 4.25/5

Overall: This is a really nice blend of Hill Farmstead wild ales/saisons, and superior to Clara and Sankt Hans in my opinion.

Cost: $12 for a 375 ml bottle.