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| Me with this Divine Concoction |
Divine Reserve No. 12 will be released Tuesday, July 31. Not every store will get it tomorrow. It may take the entire week before everybody gets their allotment. Also, while the kegs will be delivered this week, not all accounts will put it on draft right away. Some may even age it. You can search Twitter under #DR12 to see where people are finding bottles and draft.
DR12 is an old ale and was inspired by David Rogers' winning entry in the 2011 Big Batch Brew Bash. There are two definitions of Old Ales. The first is an ale in the old style, which refers to an ale bigger than regular ales. This was the more common definition up to 15 years ago. Our Christmas Ale is an example of this style. The newer definition is a very high alcohol ale that has been aged. This is what DR12 is, except that you have to supply the aging. We did condition DR12 in the fermenters for over 2 months.
DR12 is a very big ale with the high alcohol (10%) creating a spicy malt and hop flavor. Aging will allow the alcohol to oxidize and create sherry flavors that will round out the beer. It will age best if stored cold. This beer will come into its own in a year and should be drinking great 5 years from now.
When pouring this beer, we highly recommend decanting it, pouring it slowly and smoothly and leaving the last ounce or so in the bottle. You
can pour this into a separate glass if you wish, but you will find that the decanted portion tastes brighter and cleaner. The nose has rich malt notes and a little alcohol that combines with a spicy hop note to create a complex bouquet. The taste has a spicy, malty beginning that smoothes out into a creamy middle and a warming finish. Also, make sure to let this beer warm up before your drink it. It is best enjoyed at around 50° F.
While most of DR12 was packaged in 6 packs, for the first time there will also be a small amount available in 22 oz bottles.
This beer is a mostly clear amber colour. Has a slight head to it. It starts with a woody bitter top note--like you get a hint of the barrel it was aged in. Next, I exprienced a cloudy semi hoppy middle. This was were I got the bitter hop bite. This was were there was this mellow essence that mitigated the bitterness of the hops. This is a damn good beer. And then as I swallowed, the final taste I caught was a hoppy,bitter cold finish.
After finishing the beer, I was tasting sour black cherries for nearly an hour afterwards. This is unusual in my beer drinking experience. Usually you might have a yeasty aftertaste, no aftertaste, or a bitter, hoppy aftertaste. Instead I tasted sour black cherries. This is really making me wonder what this beer will be like after its been cellared and allowed to age properly. I need to get some latex or wax and properly seal one of my bombers and allow it to age in the fridge for a couple of years.
Grade: A+
One of the best DRs I've ever had from Saint Arnold! And I've had DRs 9 through 12!!!
In this case:
Remember to DRINK Hoppy, Y'all!!!
早安，你们!!!
2 comments:
Just stumbled on this. Not sure where you're getting the 'alt' name, as this beer style is English in origin and not German. Alt certainly means 'old' , but typically refers to 'altbier', a German ale that harkens back to the times before lagering was popularized, hence, refers to the 'old' style of brewing.
Anyway, I've aged every DR release and have never had any issues with leakage. Sealing with wax sounds really neat and probably looks even better but I don't think it's necessary if you're storing them cold and upright.
ytee:
Thanks for your comment. I did a little research. A LOT of folks are calling St. Arnold's DR 12 an ALT or Altbier, which means an "Old Style" of beer--as in a style that has been around for a long time, typically a top fermented ale. However, after re-visiting the St. Arnold's website, it is described as "old ale", which is indeed an English Style.
Per The Beer Advocate: "Old Ales, also referred to in the past as "Stock" Ales, are low attenuated beers with high levels of dextrins, creating a full malt body with plenty of character. Old Ales of a hundred plus years ago were often transfered into vats to mature, hence the name.
Rich dark amber in color to a very dark brown; near black. Tamed aromatics. Although bittering levels can greatly vary, expect common fruity, vinous, intense malts and sharp alcohol characteristics. The often racy but mellow attitude of the beer may also include acidic notes, raisins and black currants. Vintage varieties may have a low level of oxidation. Stronger versions may have similarities to a port wine. Brewers may also inoculate a portion of the batch with Brettanomyces lambicus and age for an extended period of time to achieve an old-school acidic character."
This would explain why this beer can be cellared and develop such complex character.
I did not age DR 11 or DR 10--all gone now. I wish I had now. I have them in a beer fridge upright, but just worry about if it's not properly sealed, hence my considering sealing up the top of one bomber so I can feel a little more confident it will age properly.
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