Epic Brewing Brainless on Cherries (Release #40) Belgian Strong Pale Ale at 10.1% ABV (C$19.00 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)
Appearance: clear ruby-tinted amber with a short, short-lived pinkish head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cherry syrup with a medicinal edge, vinous red berries, lightly woody. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter, moderate tart. (5/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, cough syrup finish. (2/5)
Y’know, I’d be the first to admit that I’m a hopeless romantic kind of guy, prone to believing the best of people on little evidence. So, it’s probably not surprising that I went into this with expectations that were way too high – but to be honest, the prior offerings from this brewery had me thinking they could do no wrong. Bow, howdy, was I wrong. The double digit ABV is capable of getting you brainless, sure, but so’s Nyquil – and in fact, there’s a strong resemblance. The bottle says there’s nothing artificial added, and it’s not that I don’t believe that – but I sure don’t taste that. Having had some of the best Belgian krieks around, this is, while perhaps not terrible on its own merits, a pretty pale shadow of those beers. (10/20)
5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
