Thursday, March 24, 2011

Cabin Fever Honey Bock

Tasted while preparing 4 Ibs of cabbage to be fermented for 3 weeks into sauerkraut. Thanks to Justen Parris for allowing me to take home this bottle from his house.

Appearance: Pale amber with a golden hue. Foamy white head that results in a evenly distributed film across the top. An entire lacing coats the sides of the glass. Clarity is strong allowing for visibility of micro carbonation uniformly rising to the surface.
Aroma: Pungent and yeasty with a mellowed sweetness and a cellar character. Some fruit but difficult to classify over the strong lager profile. Can't draw too much honey, but perhaps the saaz and hallertau were used.
Taste: Light malt base with a huge kick from the honey but in a very mellow manner that is well crafted into the complexity of this beer. All the flavors pour through, that were absent in the aroma. Some spicy kicks with a bit of tartness and an earthiness to the midtaste where much of the flavor lies. The finish is somewhat nutty with tones of biscuit and toasted malt. Finally the beer maintains some phenolic character that accompanies the alpha acid bitterness as it cleanly washes down the throat leaving only a brief taste of honey. Some herbal elements.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with a smooth texture and a generous carbonation that bring out a very refreshing taste and breaths the beer.The finish is somewhat dry but not overbearing. Some tackiness to the lips.
Overall Impression: Actually I was surprised by this beer. I was expecting something along the lines of a spotted cow with a huge honey profile. It was exact opposite. Light body, mellow malt and honey, but still extremely complex and drinkable. Nice!


85/100

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