Day 53: 02.22.10 Smuttynose Hanami

Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire


Hanami Ale


Style: Fruit/Vegetable
Availability: Seasonal - March - April
Format: 12oz - 6pk
ABV: 4.8%
Malts: Pilsner, Carahell, Aromatics & Carafa
Hops: Styrian Golding, Sterling Color/Number: Rosy-hued Amber 


Bottle text & Info:

Smuttynose Hanami Ale, our spring seasonal, is inspired by the ancient Japanese tradition of hanami- cherry blossom viewing - when people throughout Japan gather in parks to contemplate the luminous, ethereal sakura blossoms, while consuming copious amounts of food and beer in a joyous, nationwide picnic.

Made with a generous amount of natural cherry juice, Hanami Ale is crisp and refreshing, a well-balanced, medium-bodied ale offering subtle, tart cherry flavors - the perfect way to bid farewell to winter’s icy grip and toast the arrival of spring with your own hanami celebration.

Tasting Notes: 

Pours a light foggy copper with a creamy looking off white head (tinges of pink here?) hmm. Smells of grains and cherry concentrate. This is my worried face. Ok. Light yet creamy mouthfeel with building cherry tartness. Subtle on the front then building for ages 'til your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth. This is an interesting decision from the folks over at Smuttynose. I think this ale is an idea that could be more successful if executed differently. To succeed as a lower ABV ale, the cherries need to be severely scaled back. Slight tartness with subtle cherry could turn this into a nice little ale with fruit additions and succeed similar to Magic Hat #9. The second modification would be doing something similar to a flemish sour/lambic where you use big alcohol to cut the tartness and some bretts to hold the thing together with complexity. Love the Smuttynose releases, just a bit of a head scratcher, this one.

Day 22: 01.22.10 Smuttynose Barleywine

Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire


Big Beer Series: 
Barleywine Style Ale


Style: American Barleywine
Availability: Limited - First Quarter Release


Bottle text & Info:

Barleywine is a term originally used by British brewers to describe very(term deleted*) ales. Though individual examples of this style vary widely, barleywines are characterized by their full body, (terms deleted*) content, pronounced residual malt sweetness, fruity esters and, in the case of American versions especially, distinctive hop character, with a flavor profile that can lean towards the sweet or the bitter, or somewhere in between, and a color ranging from amber to deep copper. Barleywines tend to age nicely, especially bottle-conditioned versions, and have become quite collectible.

* Since Uncle Sam won't allow us to describe the term Barleywine accurately, here's a link to theBrewers Association Style Guidelines.

Our Barleywine is rich and malty, with hints of fruity esters and a well-hopped finish. Enjoy this hearty ale with fresh fruit and ripe cheese on a cold winter’s night, or lay it up and savor it with a friend for a special summer treat.


Tasting Notes:
Pours a dark orange. Much lighter than expected with a generous half inch white head. leaves nice spotted lacing on the glass. smells like a double ipa! All the flavors are there that you'd expect from a good barleywine. Dark fruits plus prunes with some toasted malts and that dry/sweet rye like finish. I love this one. definitely an american barleywine. Explodes with flavors from the intensive hopping. A great barleywine with a tangerine/blood orange like finish and a carbonation level that's spot on.