Monday, June 16, 2008

Spezial and Divine


Well it's good to be home, and it looks like we have two new beers for your arse. We bought a Six Pack of Shiner Spezial Leicht and at long last we drove 25 miles one way for St Arnold's Divine Reserve #6.


June 12, 2008
Shiner Spezial Leicht (btl to plastic cup)
We picked up this six pack and met some friends in Galveston, TX. I'm starving out on the beach with a salty taste in my mouth. It was straw colored and smell vegetal, like a lager, with a white head. We drank it ice cold (like the bottle says) and it tastes of low breads and low noticeable hops. It's definitely a light beer with little to no aftertaste. It finishes quickly, yet has high carbonation and moderate drinkability. Not my favorite, but it serves its purpose.


June 13, 2008
Divine Reserve #6 an American Barley Wine (btl to pilsner glass)
Now that we got that out the way, we commenced the journey to find DR. This beer is a small batch of beer who's recipe is brewed by the St. Arnold's Brewing Company, yet comes from the winner of a homebrewing contest. We tried to get DR #5 a few days ago (a Russian Imperial Stout) only to find out that this sh*t sells out within HOURS of its release. So we are nervous as heck and find all the various beer bars that may have it. We settle on the Flying Saucer, though that means we'll need to drive all the way downtown to get it. Small price to pay even with these gas prices. The wife and I did not even eat before getting this beer or even wait for the waitress. We sat outside, got a beer from the bar. Bad move on the food.

The smell is of flowery hops, some grapefruit and spicyness in there. It's got a thick tan head, and pours orange at first with auburn color as it fills the glass. The first thing we notice is the bold full body. Lots of hops and great thick maltiness to balance. Velvety finish with medium carbonation. It was a little warm as well PERFECT. It is beers like these are the reason brothas start beer tasting in the first place. It's smooth and creamy. The more I drink it, the more malt and hops come out. We don't sip it but drink it a little fast, and both of us get kinda tipsy as the 9.4% ABV starts to take affect. Awesome wow beer. My only problem is that I think it's too hopped up to be a Barley wine, more like a Double IPA or Imperial IPA to me. But whatever, I ain't a beer judge. St. Arnold's hit this one out the park. It's no wonder I'll probably never taste it again.

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