Ölvisholt Lava

Lukie · Post by **Lukie** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:43 pm

pootz wrote:It's out. I loved it, better than I expected..... but I'm interested to see what Bar towelers thought of it

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.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:02 pm

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.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:10 pm

Belgian wrote:
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.
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.)

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.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:36 pm

duncan wrote:
Belgian wrote:
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.
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.)
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.

Hahah yes!
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.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:46 pm

Was able to grab a bottle on Friday night. Had it earlier today with lunch. I have to say I didn't get much of any smoke character. Though I just getting over a cold. My opinion is probably skewed. But, all in all an excellent stout.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 10:14 pm

Drinking this right now.

The smoke flavour is definitely present but not overwhelmingly so as often happens with smoked beer. Good overall roasted malt profile and slightly boozy. Bought one to age and it will be interested to try this one in a year or two.

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:00 am

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.

jmcnally · Post by **jmcnally** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:34 pm

So this is back and got a glowing review in The Grid this week. Anyone tried it yet this year?

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:55 am

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...

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:25 am

jmcnally wrote:So this is back and got a glowing review in The Grid this week. Anyone tried it yet this year?

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.

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.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:42 am

I had a couple when I was back for the holidays... GREAT stuff.

Liverdie · Post by **Liverdie** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:22 pm

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,

Brewbert · Post by **Brewbert** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:20 pm

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.

Liverdie · Post by **Liverdie** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:26 pm

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.

Yes, everyone has their taste preference and although this is unique I prefer chocolate, cranberries, vanilla, etc in my stouts.

I love stouts too, which ones do you like?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:00 pm

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.

Not really 'epic' smoke in my book. Hope these thoughts are helpful:

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.

The Bar Towel

Ölvisholt Lava

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