The Swill: He'Brew Jewbelation Twelve 12th Anniversary Ale
The Still: Shmaltz Brewing Company
Saratoga Springs, New York
http://www.shmaltz.com
The Drill: Imperial Porter, 22oz bottle, 12% ABV
The Spill: Listed as a limited release ale on the bottle's label, the beer tastes most like a porter, which is a member of the expansive ale family. Add to that the beer's enormous body and character, and the word Imperial must precede the word porter. The ale pours a very dark brown, opaque except through the very sides of the glass. The mouthfeel is slick and oily. Robust with dark fruit flavors like currant, yet with a mellow coffee bitterness as well, both flavors combine further down the bottle into a thick, rich, caramel and toffee flavor, which disguises all taste of the alcohol. The sweet, winey fruits return at the finish, winning out over the roasty malts.
Says Bill: This is a fun beer, brewed with 12 kinds of malt and 12 kinds of hops in honor of the company's 12th anniversary. At 12% ABV, it could get you into trouble, too. Fortunately, it's a stick-to-your-ribs kind of beer, which makes for a long, slow, patient enjoyment. Go to the website and read the write-up on this beer. It's pretty funny, as are some of the company's other beer names, like "Rejewvenator" and "Messiah Bold."
Refill?: Shmaltz knows malts: 4 taps out of 5.