Shmaltz Albino Python – 22oz $5.50 6% abv.
A semi-clear golden color. A cross between a clean lager and a wheat beer. The smell caught my attention. Herbs/Spices definitely mask most other components. Some sweetness in the background. Taste revealed a lot of the smells to me. The main spice is definitely ginger. I couldn’t mistake that spice. Malt is subtle, but its sweetness compliments the ginger well. In the end, the ginger spice is the only thing that lingers, and it does so for a while. I recommend this beer and enjoy it very much.
Shmaltz Coney Island Sword Swallower 22oz $5.50 7.25% abv.
Pours a slightly hazy straw with an orangish core. Beautiful, thick white head – 2 fingers high sits on top with great retention and gorgeous lacing. Smells of a well projected tangerine and pine with some metallic overtones. Layered and pleasant. Taste is an dry rush of bitter hops and sticky sour orange and pencil lead, with some supportive malts that sit in the center rear of the tongue. Orange/tangerine lasts long into the finish with a decent bitterness left .
Shmaltz Reunion Ale 2011 22oz. $7.50 7.3% abv.
Very deep brown, mahogany in color. Looks almost black. Good looking, creamy tan head. Excellent retention and lace. Lots of toffee and caramel up front. Cocoa and vanilla come in and blend very well. Toffee flavor comes in first, followed by some cocoa powder, and a bit of vanilla. An interesting spice feel from the peppers, which adds a nice complexity. Spicy note lingers for a while. Medium body, with a great creamy feel. Alcohol seems hidden pretty well. A very nice, complex, and interesting beer for a good cause.
Shmaltz Coney Lager 22opz $5.50 5.5% abv.
Appearance is bright amber orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. Decent two fingers of off white head fades into a thin layer. Decent amount of lacing. Smell is lots of malts with plenty of caramel. Some of the malts smell lightly toasted. Big presence of Pilsner yeast. Hints of nuts and maybe a little rye. Also some grassy hops. Fairly complex and full aroma. Taste is like the smell, pretty complex and bold for a American lager. Big carnival of malts with lots of caramel, toffee, and toasty bread. Has some nutty characteristics and a little hint of spice. Also some grassy and herbal hops lingering in the background. Tastes great. Crisp, smooth, and slightly chewy. Overall a nicely complex and very tasty lager. Very bold flavor and nicely balanced. One of the better American lagers out there.
Shock Top Pumpkin Beer 12oz $1.50 5.5% abv.
Pours a murky copper color with a 1 inch foamy white head that settles to a film. Random streaks of lace cling to the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, pumpkin puree, sugars, and typical pumpkin pie spices. Taste is exactly like the smell with a very sweet malt flavor to go along with the pumpkin and spices. This beer has a good level of carbonation on tap with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Every aspect of the beer was bumped up a notch to make this serving type a pretty good one. I would definitely recommend trying this one!
Buffalo Bill Brewery Pumpkin Ale 12 oz $1.70 5.2% abv.
Pours an orangey amber color. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and some cloves on nose. A touch of pumpkin in the background. The spices seem to dominate. Spices dominate followed by a rounded pumpkin flavor. A bit of malt, nothing too complicated or strong. No hop character that comes through as far as I can detect. Medium to light bodied. Smooth and slick feeling. Overall, a nice easy drinking beer.
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