Blog Tracker
10-12-2021, 09:54
Visit The Beer Nut site (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/line-up.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe0bLFMLdgbfLuDQN7auFsomWBAtYT6nQGv6maj65IE1 dxU70DynZ62fYNREENcFVIk58zSdNYAV68NYrONOYiSarvjvtx KYW5_pvop67GLateF3X5hPIQpCHy4maLe3vmEifvfCZKg1JMgj bQPGiNRAqxZrSNh59ATKZ7zLyytp0LjcfSyoo=w194-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe0bLFMLdgbfLuDQN7auFsomWBAtYT6nQGv6maj65IE1 dxU70DynZ62fYNREENcFVIk58zSdNYAV68NYrONOYiSarvjvtx KYW5_pvop67GLateF3X5hPIQpCHy4maLe3vmEifvfCZKg1JMgj bQPGiNRAqxZrSNh59ATKZ7zLyytp0LjcfSyoo=s2048)Usuall y, Lineman beers arrive here in ones and twos but I have an unprecedented trio of winter releases today, kindly dropped off to me by the brewery before I got around to buying them.
In a seasonally appropriate way, dark and strong is the theme, and the lightest of the bunch is a brown ale at a mere 6% ABV. Big Calm's can makes all the promises of the style: smooth caramel, coffee and chocolate. And it's not lying. Fresh and rich espresso is present in the aroma as well as lingering long into the aftertaste. That provides a bitter roasted balance to a central toffee sweetness. While that's all rather jolly, and makes for an exceedingly drinkable, refreshing, brown ale experience, I think it could do with being a touch bolder, especially given the strength. The mouthfeel is a little thin and the flavour somewhat muted as a result. I let it warm to see if more character would emerge but it didn't make much difference. Were this presented at 4% ABV or below I would be singing its praises. At 6% I think it should be heftier, enjoyable and all that it is.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNb9IQMFr4x1zg_A9rUFFDRO3Cv8DxBwOWD2a-x35hfJnZ9mal3hRTV-pfWs69uZtSIB4_0V3rwlFYT8KHc4c3Ahrq7amL_-Z9O_S8Bf50ISHxzGRe91_ZXqeXZXdD1CeKx2IMVrXXU2NJfaFV U4iyXuT7zZ3fC-D0RKFt6Btvmnmqhxz_KvA=w185-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNb9IQMFr4x1zg_A9rUFFDRO3Cv8DxBwOWD2a-x35hfJnZ9mal3hRTV-pfWs69uZtSIB4_0V3rwlFYT8KHc4c3Ahrq7amL_-Z9O_S8Bf50ISHxzGRe91_ZXqeXZXdD1CeKx2IMVrXXU2NJfaFV U4iyXuT7zZ3fC-D0RKFt6Btvmnmqhxz_KvA=s2048)From brown ale to stout, and the new one is called Phases. "Barrel aged export stout" is the blurb and I decided to play Guess The Barrel. From the massive hit of sweet vanilla I reckoned bourbon, and I was correct. This is not a subtle affair, and tastes not so much like it was matured in whiskey barrels but rather that a couple of shots have been poured directly into the can. There's a raw oak quality to it, and a substantial alcohol burn, even at the relatively modest 7.8% ABV. An underlying seam of smooth chocolate rescues it, softening it and adding a degree of luxury. It's good, but I prefer a bit more nuance in this kind of beer. Hence I bought an additional can to put away for a while and it will be interesting to see how it develops.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHKc5oR-QFaOWirsHw6uoFyglTWwUubYvFbGjhbJYjcGaCeHrSb5SfAUqV lxIJ2sPWa94-uBze89TjZgASwGeOQPcxlTn5y_bHWVQ8TSau_Et9kxXvO9fVXB CtGMAWsc1f7pM7LGhMTbVlG-HnQ8tBIhK78sFhYTzYA9lIfF9NKGPxz8Kya6Y=w143-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHKc5oR-QFaOWirsHw6uoFyglTWwUubYvFbGjhbJYjcGaCeHrSb5SfAUqV lxIJ2sPWa94-uBze89TjZgASwGeOQPcxlTn5y_bHWVQ8TSau_Et9kxXvO9fVXB CtGMAWsc1f7pM7LGhMTbVlG-HnQ8tBIhK78sFhYTzYA9lIfF9NKGPxz8Kya6Y=s2048)The finisher is a whopper of a barley wine, Insulator, aged in port barrels and finishing at 14.8% ABV. It looked to be pouring flat at first, but a modest head formed gradually, a function of the beer's extreme viscosity. Still, it carries that well -- thickly textured but complex enough that you only need a sip at a time. The port side is very well represented, starting with the raisiny aroma which also includes a hint of chocolate but surprisingly little booze. In the flavour that turns to full-on red wine, possibly even a fortified one. There's an oaky dryness in with the sweet grape, leading on to a peppery finish. It's still definitely a beer though, with that sweet chocolate element running all through the flavour, plus rich bourbon biscuits and a very slight greenly bitter buzz of hops emerging as it warms. The Lineman signature is the balance: it's not hot or any way extremely flavoured. Instead this powerhouse is balanced and approachable; one to savour and explore.
One each of this lot makes for a very decent winter's night in. Despite appearances, they don't have much in common but complement each other nicely. A symphony in garnet.
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/line-up.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe0bLFMLdgbfLuDQN7auFsomWBAtYT6nQGv6maj65IE1 dxU70DynZ62fYNREENcFVIk58zSdNYAV68NYrONOYiSarvjvtx KYW5_pvop67GLateF3X5hPIQpCHy4maLe3vmEifvfCZKg1JMgj bQPGiNRAqxZrSNh59ATKZ7zLyytp0LjcfSyoo=w194-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe0bLFMLdgbfLuDQN7auFsomWBAtYT6nQGv6maj65IE1 dxU70DynZ62fYNREENcFVIk58zSdNYAV68NYrONOYiSarvjvtx KYW5_pvop67GLateF3X5hPIQpCHy4maLe3vmEifvfCZKg1JMgj bQPGiNRAqxZrSNh59ATKZ7zLyytp0LjcfSyoo=s2048)Usuall y, Lineman beers arrive here in ones and twos but I have an unprecedented trio of winter releases today, kindly dropped off to me by the brewery before I got around to buying them.
In a seasonally appropriate way, dark and strong is the theme, and the lightest of the bunch is a brown ale at a mere 6% ABV. Big Calm's can makes all the promises of the style: smooth caramel, coffee and chocolate. And it's not lying. Fresh and rich espresso is present in the aroma as well as lingering long into the aftertaste. That provides a bitter roasted balance to a central toffee sweetness. While that's all rather jolly, and makes for an exceedingly drinkable, refreshing, brown ale experience, I think it could do with being a touch bolder, especially given the strength. The mouthfeel is a little thin and the flavour somewhat muted as a result. I let it warm to see if more character would emerge but it didn't make much difference. Were this presented at 4% ABV or below I would be singing its praises. At 6% I think it should be heftier, enjoyable and all that it is.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNb9IQMFr4x1zg_A9rUFFDRO3Cv8DxBwOWD2a-x35hfJnZ9mal3hRTV-pfWs69uZtSIB4_0V3rwlFYT8KHc4c3Ahrq7amL_-Z9O_S8Bf50ISHxzGRe91_ZXqeXZXdD1CeKx2IMVrXXU2NJfaFV U4iyXuT7zZ3fC-D0RKFt6Btvmnmqhxz_KvA=w185-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNb9IQMFr4x1zg_A9rUFFDRO3Cv8DxBwOWD2a-x35hfJnZ9mal3hRTV-pfWs69uZtSIB4_0V3rwlFYT8KHc4c3Ahrq7amL_-Z9O_S8Bf50ISHxzGRe91_ZXqeXZXdD1CeKx2IMVrXXU2NJfaFV U4iyXuT7zZ3fC-D0RKFt6Btvmnmqhxz_KvA=s2048)From brown ale to stout, and the new one is called Phases. "Barrel aged export stout" is the blurb and I decided to play Guess The Barrel. From the massive hit of sweet vanilla I reckoned bourbon, and I was correct. This is not a subtle affair, and tastes not so much like it was matured in whiskey barrels but rather that a couple of shots have been poured directly into the can. There's a raw oak quality to it, and a substantial alcohol burn, even at the relatively modest 7.8% ABV. An underlying seam of smooth chocolate rescues it, softening it and adding a degree of luxury. It's good, but I prefer a bit more nuance in this kind of beer. Hence I bought an additional can to put away for a while and it will be interesting to see how it develops.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHKc5oR-QFaOWirsHw6uoFyglTWwUubYvFbGjhbJYjcGaCeHrSb5SfAUqV lxIJ2sPWa94-uBze89TjZgASwGeOQPcxlTn5y_bHWVQ8TSau_Et9kxXvO9fVXB CtGMAWsc1f7pM7LGhMTbVlG-HnQ8tBIhK78sFhYTzYA9lIfF9NKGPxz8Kya6Y=w143-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHKc5oR-QFaOWirsHw6uoFyglTWwUubYvFbGjhbJYjcGaCeHrSb5SfAUqV lxIJ2sPWa94-uBze89TjZgASwGeOQPcxlTn5y_bHWVQ8TSau_Et9kxXvO9fVXB CtGMAWsc1f7pM7LGhMTbVlG-HnQ8tBIhK78sFhYTzYA9lIfF9NKGPxz8Kya6Y=s2048)The finisher is a whopper of a barley wine, Insulator, aged in port barrels and finishing at 14.8% ABV. It looked to be pouring flat at first, but a modest head formed gradually, a function of the beer's extreme viscosity. Still, it carries that well -- thickly textured but complex enough that you only need a sip at a time. The port side is very well represented, starting with the raisiny aroma which also includes a hint of chocolate but surprisingly little booze. In the flavour that turns to full-on red wine, possibly even a fortified one. There's an oaky dryness in with the sweet grape, leading on to a peppery finish. It's still definitely a beer though, with that sweet chocolate element running all through the flavour, plus rich bourbon biscuits and a very slight greenly bitter buzz of hops emerging as it warms. The Lineman signature is the balance: it's not hot or any way extremely flavoured. Instead this powerhouse is balanced and approachable; one to savour and explore.
One each of this lot makes for a very decent winter's night in. Despite appearances, they don't have much in common but complement each other nicely. A symphony in garnet.
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/line-up.html)