So it's been ten months since I got the case of Fred with the crap cap job. Rather than complain - or recap - I loaded them up with weight and have been sipping them quite happily as the days became weeks and then months.
The beer has settled down a bit. Rather than pour an explosive head like illustrated from last December. No, it now pours a civilized deep glowing orange amber with a rich, fine lacing head that resolves to a rim and foam. I have to admit that this is one of the best beers I have ever had, with the 10% heat, the vigorous and complex hopping joining in with the rough rye to create a framework in which the raisin, apple, pear, fig and a whack of other flavours are bursting to get out. A bridge of rich spiced yeast joins it together.
Bird watchers say the bobolink sings like it has more notes than its throat can hold. This beer is a little like that. Not one BAer put it quite that way - but they like it.
Comments
Jason Tucker - October 11, 2007 11:20 PM
This sounds like a beer right up my alley! How are the hops holding up? I see that it was made with 10 different varieties, very cool.
I wish I could find anything from this brewery around where I live (Albany NY). I do see on their website that a distributor from Brooklyn has stocked their beers before, I think it may be time for a call...
wittaker - October 12, 2007 7:33 PM
Now I wish I kept some around. I was worried about those loose caps. Great beer.
Alan - October 3, 2008 11:52 PM
Another year later and there are still a few bottles left. A pronounced pffft leads to a clear pour. Still a great beer with a little bit of drying showing in the maltiness now. Incredible complexity at two years from brewing.
Alan - January 15, 2010 9:31 PM
Another year and a bit on and this is the second last Fred. Elegant. A bit of menthol now in the malt. The aroma is gorgeous.