Posts Tagged ‘strong blonde’

12 Beers of X-Mas: Sam Adams/Weihenstephaner Infinium

Monday, December 26th, 2011

Sam Adams/Weihenstephaner InfiniumThe largest American craft brewery, Sam Adams, and the oldest brewery in Germany, Weihenstephan, have teamed up to produce a prize beer called Infinium. They are awfully secretive about the supposedly novel process used to make this beer. The end result is not that unlike champagne, or in fact, DeuS, another bright, bubbly golden ale. They may not have intended this to be a winter beer, but it will fit nicely into your holiday celebrations.

Infinium pours a very hazy golden yellow with a copper tint. The off-white head is thick and solid. A spicy nose greets you immediately, featuring cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. A sweet bready maltiness follows, reminiscent of challah. This beer has the sort of mild yet complex aroma that makes you sit back and contemplate, content taking only a whiff.

The flavor of Infinium is likewise sweet and spicy, with some cinnamon and plenty of cloves. There is a significant alcoholic bite (reasonable, given it’s over 10%) which is restrained but invigorating. There are some floral and grassy noble hops as well. The palate is light, lively, and effervescent, but still rich and serious.

I shared several bottles with my family tonight, and here are some of their comments.

  • “Mild, yet wheaty…”
  • “…piquant…”
  • “…evolved…”
  • “…the smoothest ever…”
  • “A great dessert beer. Pairs well with chocolate.”

+Samuel Adams/Weihenstephaner Infinium

4.4 (5-9-7-4-19)

Delirium Tremens

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Delirium TremensDelerium Tremens is quite a beer. There’s alot I could say: I could mention how much my brother loves it and how many people refer to it as the “best beer in the world”. I could bring up the amazing cafe in Brussels with (according to the Guinness Book of Records) the most beers available for sale of any bar in the world. But I don’t really need to mention any of that to impress you.

Delerium Tremens (from Br. Huyghe) pours a lightly hazy golden yellow. The head is a rich and creamy bright white and lasts forever. The nose is strong with the usual heavy Belgian golden ale aromas: a dry, cidery character and some fruitiness. This beer smells much more like hard cider than I would expect.

The flavor is light and playful. The strongest aspect is dry white wine, with some other fruit: green apples, berries, banana, and some kiwi. There is a hint of sweetness that is somewhat confusing, but otherwise the flavor is quite dry and a bit dusty. The palate is assertive, carbonated enough to be very sharp. It is lively but not overpowering.

+Delirium Tremens

3.7 (4-7-8-3-15)