Beer of the Weekend #436: Dethhanger Quadruple Brown Ale
It is time for a much needed brown bottle lunch.
Yesterday, I picked up a little something at the Co-op and intended to drink it last night. (Believe me: I needed it after the game.) However, I decided it was too late and hit the hay instead. So today’s brown bottle lunch is Dethhanger Quadruple Brown Ale, brewed by the CIB Brewery of Carson, Iowa.
I first learned about CIB Brewery a couple days ago when browsing the Iowa Brewers’ Guild website. It is among the handful of breweries that have opened since I wrote a story profiling native breweries in June 2011. CIB stands for “Chefs in Black” and I have no clue what that means. According to the website:
While at the Co-op, I could not decide whether to buy Dethhanger or a bottle of Our Finest Regards from the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project of Somerville, Massachusetts. Like a proud Iowan, I chose the native brew (with fingers crossed).
Serving type: 750 ml bottle. No freshness date. The cap was sealed with white wax.
Appearance: Poured into a tulip. Beautiful color: very dark brown with caramel and ruby tints. Three fingers of medium tan head dissipated very slowly and evenly, eventually leaving a dense skim. There is a lot of sedimentation at the end of the bottle.
Smell: Wild yeast funk is dominant, as well as pepper-like spice. It is sweet and fruity, too. Granny apple, tart berries, brown sugar, molasses, and hints of sweet caramel. The apricots and baker’s chocolate mentioned on the brewery’s website description are also present, though I cannot say the same for the leather and meat drippings. As it warms, the booziness dominates and becomes reminiscent of rubbing alcohol.
Taste: At first, the alcohol is somewhat harsh and overpowering. I let the glass and bottle warm a little longer before taking a couple more sips. The alcohol edge does dull as it warms, but only slightly. It is paired with the wild yeast (which is on the sour side) and spice, which I think is pepper. The fruit sweetness emerges slowly, at the tail end of each sip. Nothing stands out, really. There are shades of apricot and apple, but there is mostly a general tartness. Eventually, the tartness dissipates and the spice takes over in its place.
Drinkability: What it lacks in complexity and definition, it compensates with booze and spice. Perhaps subsequent batches will improve, or the beer would benefit from a little aging. Hmmm. I think I am leaning toward disappointment, especially for $13 a bottle (which would be equivalent to a $36 six-pack).
Fun facts about Dethhanger:
-Style: Belgian quad. The beer is not even listed on BA so I will be adding it soon.
-Price: $12.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: 9 percent ABV.
The Quiet Man’s grade: D+.
Yesterday, I picked up a little something at the Co-op and intended to drink it last night. (Believe me: I needed it after the game.) However, I decided it was too late and hit the hay instead. So today’s brown bottle lunch is Dethhanger Quadruple Brown Ale, brewed by the CIB Brewery of Carson, Iowa.
I first learned about CIB Brewery a couple days ago when browsing the Iowa Brewers’ Guild website. It is among the handful of breweries that have opened since I wrote a story profiling native breweries in June 2011. CIB stands for “Chefs in Black” and I have no clue what that means. According to the website:
CIB Brewery is a small batch, production-only nano brewery located in Carson, Iowa.
CIB is a farmhouse style brewery. This means all of our beers are fermented using proprietary yeast blends including Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and other wild yeasts. The end result of this brewing process is that all of our ales will be somewhat sweet and tart on the palette and be uniquely flavorful. All of our wild yeasts are harvested and cultured in the brewery in Carson, IA.
While at the Co-op, I could not decide whether to buy Dethhanger or a bottle of Our Finest Regards from the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project of Somerville, Massachusetts. Like a proud Iowan, I chose the native brew (with fingers crossed).
Serving type: 750 ml bottle. No freshness date. The cap was sealed with white wax.
Appearance: Poured into a tulip. Beautiful color: very dark brown with caramel and ruby tints. Three fingers of medium tan head dissipated very slowly and evenly, eventually leaving a dense skim. There is a lot of sedimentation at the end of the bottle.
Smell: Wild yeast funk is dominant, as well as pepper-like spice. It is sweet and fruity, too. Granny apple, tart berries, brown sugar, molasses, and hints of sweet caramel. The apricots and baker’s chocolate mentioned on the brewery’s website description are also present, though I cannot say the same for the leather and meat drippings. As it warms, the booziness dominates and becomes reminiscent of rubbing alcohol.
Taste: At first, the alcohol is somewhat harsh and overpowering. I let the glass and bottle warm a little longer before taking a couple more sips. The alcohol edge does dull as it warms, but only slightly. It is paired with the wild yeast (which is on the sour side) and spice, which I think is pepper. The fruit sweetness emerges slowly, at the tail end of each sip. Nothing stands out, really. There are shades of apricot and apple, but there is mostly a general tartness. Eventually, the tartness dissipates and the spice takes over in its place.
Drinkability: What it lacks in complexity and definition, it compensates with booze and spice. Perhaps subsequent batches will improve, or the beer would benefit from a little aging. Hmmm. I think I am leaning toward disappointment, especially for $13 a bottle (which would be equivalent to a $36 six-pack).
Fun facts about Dethhanger:
-Style: Belgian quad. The beer is not even listed on BA so I will be adding it soon.
-Price: $12.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: 9 percent ABV.
The Quiet Man’s grade: D+.
