Archive for the tag “High Water Brewing”

05 Sep 2012

Anniversary Doppelsticke – High Water Brewing

7.5% ABV
Purchased at Davis Beer Shoppe ($7.99/22 oz. bottle) and poured into stanges.

His Notes:

This wonderfully offbeat offering from Bay Area-based High Water pours a watered-down cola brown with a discreet off-white head and a faint nose of earth and toffee.  Fascinating caramel and licorice flavors arrive on the first swallow, along with some nice nuttiness that finishes in an earthy funk. Anniversary Dopplesticke – High Water’s take on a largely unknown Altbier style – is very malt-forward, but with remarkable complexity and clarity. Subsequent swallows offer even more intriguing tastes – some root beer syrup, more smoked nuts, and dusky fruit (especially plums).  It’s an extremely unique brew, with a fantastic mix of rootsy, roasty, nutty, tangy, and sweet flavors, all of them delicious.

  5 Toasts

Her Notes:

  4.5 Toasts

Posted in Anniversary, Beer Review, Doppelsticke and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
06 Feb 2012

Blind Spot (High Water Brewing)

8.2% ABV
Purchased at Taylor’s Market ($4.99/22 oz. bottle) and poured into mugs.

His Notes:

The very curious Blind Spot pours black with amber highlights and a fluffy tan head.  It has an abnormally heavy and earthy nose containing chicory, sassafras, and licorice root, very similar to an old-fashioned root beer.  Blind Spot’s taste follows suit – there is very little in the way of traditional malty/hoppy flavors offered, but rather more chicory and root flavors with a strong and silky menthol finish.  It’s more similar in taste, aroma, and color to a natural root beer than an American black ale, and as much as I like the bold attempt, I doubt I will ever be compelled to sample this brew again.

  2 1/2 Toasts

Her Notes:

  2 Toasts


Posted in Beer Review, Herbed-Spiced Beer and tagged , , | Leave a comment
30 Jan 2012

Retribution Imperial IPA (High Water Brewing)

9.5% ABV
Purchased at Taylor’s Market ($6.99/22 oz. bottle) and poured into tulip glasses.

His Notes:

Retribution pours a brackish orange with a creamy white head and a fruit salad of aromas on the nose, including peaches, bananas, strawberries, and guavas.  Peaches are also present on the palette along with freshly mowed grass, giving the beer a cleaner and less resin-y finish than most Imperial India Pale Ales.  The flavor profile is more focused on fruit and butterscotch malt than pine and hay, with even a little toffee and brown nuts emerging on the periphery.  It’s more clean and refreshing than most brews of its’ type, and it should pair better with food than more hop-tastic IPA beers like Sculpin or Torpedo.

  4 1/2 Toasts

Her Notes:

  4 Toasts


Posted in Beer Review, Imperial IPA and tagged , , | Leave a comment

Post Navigation