It's like drinking Sinha on steroids. It's the smokiest beer I've had, but apparently many people here perceived it as subtle. i think the smoke is definitely noticeable at each point. I could never have more than one bottle of this in a single sitting. Overall, its a welcome addition to the seasonal line up.pootz wrote:It's out. I loved it, better than I expected..... but I'm interested to see what Bar towelers thought of it
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We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Ölvisholt Lava
- El Pinguino
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I really like this beer. Always thought the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier was ok, but just not appealing to me. So I strayed away from smoke beers for quite some time (actually even more after I had some insane smoked beer at a Toronto beerfest a few years back that tasted like cigarettes)....anywho...
Solid brew, tasty and different.
Howevr, my top smoked beer is now Invercargill Smokin Bishop. Had it in New Zealand last month....amazing. Perfect balance of smokiness from start to end....loved it.
Solid brew, tasty and different.
Howevr, my top smoked beer is now Invercargill Smokin Bishop. Had it in New Zealand last month....amazing. Perfect balance of smokiness from start to end....loved it.
Where I saw it was at a likbo in Oakville. Luckily there are no yuppies in Oakville, just ex-yuppies sipping their sherries on Friday night.Belgian wrote:Based on a NNNN 4/5 review in today's NOW I would haul butt to get a few bottles right now. They will be gone when (I imagine) the Shiraz-drinking Yuppies descend on the LC the nezt few days (God bless 'em for experimenting & supporting our kind of beer.)duncan wrote:I skipped on buying a bottle of this last time I was at the likbo. Based on these reviews I gots to get me a bottle.
- SteelbackGuy
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Hahah yes!duncan wrote:Where I saw it was at a likbo in Oakville. Luckily there are no yuppies in Oakville, just ex-yuppies sipping their sherries on Friday night.Belgian wrote:Based on a NNNN 4/5 review in today's NOW I would haul butt to get a few bottles right now. They will be gone when (I imagine) the Shiraz-drinking Yuppies descend on the LC the nezt few days (God bless 'em for experimenting & supporting our kind of beer.)duncan wrote:I skipped on buying a bottle of this last time I was at the likbo. Based on these reviews I gots to get me a bottle.
That and those same yuppies that live in urban sprawl homes, shop at wal-mart and in those giant plazas, and wouldn't know a neighborhood with an identity if it smacked them in the face.
If you`re reading this, there`s a 15% chance you`ve got a significant drinking problem. Get it fixed, get recovered!
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- markaberrant
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Tried a bottle last night that I picked up in Winnipeg.
The smoked aroma was nice to start. As it warmed, it turned into more of an iodine/blood-like character which I did not like.
Overly boozy, too much fusel alcohol.
Almost no chocolate or creamy smooth roast, just bitter roast, which is fine, but lacks complexity/refinement.
The brown sugar component is overdone and off putting.
I was unable to finish the bottle. Reminded me of an average homebrewed RIS, not bad, but needs recipe improvement and suffers from some brewing flaws.
The remaining 3 are definitely going into the cellar for a long slumber.
The smoked aroma was nice to start. As it warmed, it turned into more of an iodine/blood-like character which I did not like.
Overly boozy, too much fusel alcohol.
Almost no chocolate or creamy smooth roast, just bitter roast, which is fine, but lacks complexity/refinement.
The brown sugar component is overdone and off putting.
I was unable to finish the bottle. Reminded me of an average homebrewed RIS, not bad, but needs recipe improvement and suffers from some brewing flaws.
The remaining 3 are definitely going into the cellar for a long slumber.
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you know it's pretty good stuff - I had a bottle when it was released and haven't gone back...been overwhelmed with stouts, I guess...but I really should pick up a few before the end of the release...
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John
I have.....and I put a couple more in the beer cellar. It seems pretty much as I remember it _ great RIS flavors bathed in a light smoke wrapper. However this year I noticed something that is either new or I didn’t remember from previous samples....the finish has gone a little dryer, like there’s some wheat malt or torrified wheat in the brew. Still good value for the cost.jmcnally wrote:So this is back and got a glowing review in The Grid this week. Anyone tried it yet this year?
BTW I re read some commentary on the thread pertaining to Schlenkerla's smoked Marzen. For those who are not used to the robust smoky bite of Bamberger Rauchbier, would be best advised to initiate yourselves to the style by pairing a Shlenkerla with some strong flavored food, Pork/mutton/salmon I've found it even dulls the heat of spicy Tex-Mex. The Smoke tastes are intense but that’s the way they like 'em in Franconia because they drink lots of it. It's a benchmark for the style so when you taste a mildly smoked beer like Lava you have a standard to compare it to. So in that regard, Lava’s profile has a subtle smoke component to it.
Aventinus rules!
I have been waiting to get my hands on this one and didn't they just have a sale on at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago.
This has a unique taste to me, very smoky. For anyone who has never smoked, now they know what it tastes like well sort of I mean. It's a very good stout in all respects.
Go Iceland!
Cheers,
This has a unique taste to me, very smoky. For anyone who has never smoked, now they know what it tastes like well sort of I mean. It's a very good stout in all respects.
Go Iceland!
Cheers,
Live or Die by Good Beer
Yes, everyone has their taste preference and although this is unique I prefer chocolate, cranberries, vanilla, etc in my stouts.Brewbert wrote:I honestly didn't like it. I love stouts, but this was so smokey it felt like I was eating dirt from the pit of a volcano. It's one of the only beers I didn't finish. That epic smokey after taste just turns me right off, even in food or other things than beer. bleh.
I love stouts too, which ones do you like?
Live or Die by Good Beer
Not really 'epic' smoke in my book. Hope these thoughts are helpful:Brewbert wrote:I honestly didn't like it. I love stouts, but this was so smokey it felt like I was eating dirt from the pit of a volcano. It's one of the only beers I didn't finish. That epic smokey after taste just turns me right off, even in food or other things than beer. bleh.
You can always try a beer at least twice. Even if you seal it with a champagne cork & finish off the bottle over the next day or two, it WILL taste different each time, and probably for the better! The brain actually adjusts to the newness (and hopefully coolness) of the unaccustomed flavors of the style.
Smokey qualities in beer are very traditional, and not just in fire-kilned malts of Rauchbier, or the Steinbier boiled with the addition of red-hot stones. A lot of beers are gonna come your way you won't want to miss - Stouts and Porter and Baltic Porters can all have smokey qualities, and some of the best will. It's worth broadening the palate one bit at a time.
In Beerum Veritas