Tuesday, February 5, 2013

John Henry 3 Lick Spiker Ale

 Cold Springs Brewing Co.   Cold Springs, MN

Notes:
American Strong Ale
12oz Bottle
9.10% ABV

From the web:

Three Lick Spiker Ale is brewed with three different roasted malts creating chocolate flavors and full body taste. After fermentation has been completed with our top fermenting ale yeast we infuse our brew with bourbon oak aged chips and let the extended aging process take over. Hints of bourbon and vanilla from the oak come through the aroma and flavor.


Appearance:  Pours a very dark brown with caramel hues along the edges, not transparent at all…very little head formed or hangs around for the party…doesn’t really liven up much when I swirl it around…(3/5)

Smell:  Bourbon oak aroma right off the bat, no doubting this spent some time maturing in a barrel…I’m also getting caramel, sweet fruit (cherry, strawberry), dark fruit (raisin, fig), alcohol heat, roasted malts, vanilla and some light chocolate notes playing delicately in the background…(3.75/5)

Taste:  Hmm…lot’s going on here…there’s the obvious bourbon oak aged flavor, it’s very strong and right up front…sweet and dark fruits (cherry, strawberry, fig, raisin), alcohol, faint chocolate, vanilla, roasted malts, yeast, faint green apple...maybe the faintest hint of citrus hops…it’s roasted and sweet all at the same time…(3.5/5)

Mouthfeel:  Light to medium body, light carbonation…no real bitterness to speak of…melts away to a bourbon/oak/vanilla after taste…it’s a little weak in this department…(3.25/5)

Overall:  Classic good, not great…tons of roasted malts and bourbon flavor going on here and playing well, but there’s something missing that would take this ale to another level…for the higher ABV, it’s very drinkable and light…if it were a little chewier, more of a “sipper” style brew, I think it would be rated much higher…as it is, it’s alright, but nothing that stands out…(3.5/5)

Score:
(3.44/5)

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