Treblehook barley Wine is a fine, flavorful offering from Woodinville, Washington’s Redhook Ale Brewery. The beer starts and ends on a slightly sweet biscuit malt note. In between, the beer shows rich and flavorful malt flavors.

Treblehook pours a honey brown with a tall tan head. Its aroma is of toffee malt with distinct citrus hop notes of orange and grapefruit.

This barley wine has an initial flavor of slightly sweet biscuit malt on the tip of the tongue that immediately segues to a moderately intense malt flavor at mid tongue. At mid tongue, the malt is rich – showing dark fruit flavors of fig and light raisin -  but not really sweet.

Although the malt flavors are deep, they are buoyed by nice citrus hop flavors that keep the malt from tasting murky.

At the back of the throat the hop flavors amp up, turn rather intense and piney.

Treblehook’s finish is of medium length and keys on residual biscuit malt flavors and piney hops. It is in the finish this barley wine’s 10.1% alcohol by volume shows as a soothing warmth.

Trebelhook is recommended as well done, flavorful barley wine that gives almost equal weight to both malt and hops. It is listed at 52 IBU and I consider it full flavored and full bodied.

Treblehook was purchased at Miller Liquor in North Sioux City, SD.

-Tim Hynds

For those who may wonder, here are some of my tasting notes for Surly Darkness:

The closest comparison I can give to Darkness that would make sense to Siouxlanders is Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout (I doubt the comparison will offend either Surly or Goose Island) with the following differences:

* Darkness does not have the oaky nor the boozy flavors that Bourbon County has.

* Both beers are about the same as far as having a massive depth of flavor. However, Darkness seems to have a bit more carbonation and that effects the beer’s mouthfeel. Because of this, Darkness seems to be a bit more “spritely” and less “40-weight” than BCS. in other words, Darkness goes down easier.

* Darkness was redolent with dark fruit flavors with some dark cherry notes and some notes of vanilla. Hop levels seem pretty high (for a Russian imperial stout) but the beer is well balanced. I’m sure the hopping contributes to the beer’s liveliness vis-a’-vis BCS.

* Alcohol flavors were not noticed in the beer.

* I ended up nursing my (about) 10-ounce pour for hour. This is a sipping beer with a huge finish.

If you can get it on tap or find a bottle, I highly recommend the beer.

Also of note, I bought a draw of Surly’s Wet Hop Ale.

Comparisons are dangerous, but…… The closest thing I can compare it to is a hybrid (hop-wise) of Dogfish Head’s 90 and 120 Minute IPA.

However, Wet Hop DOES NOT have the overt sweetness of either of those two beers. Hop flavors in the Wet Hop were very intense, but also very fresh and crisp tasting.

Wet Hop’s finish was huge and very citrusy. A hop-head’s delight.

I found Wet Hop to be very enjoyable and somewhat more interesting (a very well balanced, big IPA without the apparent malt sweetness) beer than Darkness. If you can find some, it too, is highly recommended.

-Tim Hynds

Brothers’ Reserve Cherry Oak Doppelbock is a very highly recommended doppel, whose oak and cherry essences are so well integrated into the beer that I wonder why all doppels aren’t this flavorful.

With this beer, Widmer Brothers Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon, has achieved a wonderful balance of malt, oak and cherry. No one flavor overshadows the other and all contribute to a smooth, satisfying beer.

Cherry Oak Doppelbock pours a dark honey-brown with a quick-to-fall tan head. The beer’s aroma is of toffee malt with undertones of cherry and minor notes of oak.

This doppel’s initial flavor is of sweet caramel and toffee malts that show an incredible depth of malt flavor that gains in intensity and richness at mid-tongue.

At mid-tongue, some small but very complimentary notes of oak flavor join in. The oak is so well integrated that you really have to search your taste buds for it, for this is no oak bomb.

However, the star at mid-tongue is the beer’s cherry flavors. However, as with the oak, these flavors are subtle but oh-so-important to the complexity of the beer.

Some dark chocolate malt flavors appear at the back of the throat as well as some piney hop flavors that serve to help balance the beer’s malt.

At 9% alcohol by volume, this doppel has a pleasant alcohol warmth that shows in the beer’s finish. That finish is long and is dominated by deep, flavorful malt accentuated by oak and some light cherry notes.

Summing up this beer’s flavor profile is pretty easy. Sweet-ish malt throughout, cherry forward at mid-tongue and oak forward at the back of the throat. However, be reminded that all flavors integrate wonderfully.

My only criticism of the beer is a very slight metallic note that shows deep in the back of throat.

Brothers’ Reserve Cherry Oak Doppelbock is very highly recommended and was purchased at Miller Liquor in North Sioux City, SD.

-Tim Hynds

Warrior IPA enters the Siouxland marketplace with a fresh hop beer brewed with 100% Colorado-grown hops. My only fault with the beer is that I think the hop profile gets a little too jiggy in the finish.

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing Co. in Longmont, Colo., Warrior pours a deep golden orange with a tall, light tan head that left lots of lacing in the glass.

Its aroma is of  citrus and floral hops with an almost equal amount of caramel malt notes.

Warrior’s initial flavor is a short blast of sweet caramel malt at the tip of the tongue. The malt flavors are then overrun by strong floral and piney hop flavors at mid-tongue. However, as much as the hops overtake the malt, apparent malt flavors remain to provide a pleasant backbone for the bitterness.

Hop flavors start to get a little jiggy, turning slightly vegetal at the sides of the tongue. Those rather strong flavors increase and continue into the back of the throat.

Finish is medium in length and keys on floral and astringent hop flavors, supported by caramel malt sweetness. At the very end of Warrior’s finish, the hop flavors turn slightly soapy.

Warrior is listed at 6.6% alcohol by volume and 60 IBUs. Thankfully, the beer’s caramel malt flavors are able to support its hop profile. Because without the level of malt it has, Warrior’s finish would be akin to an astringent hop bomb.

I consider the beer to be full flavored and medium bodied.

Warrior IPA was purchased at the HyVee Wine and Spirits in South Sioux City, Nebr.

-Tim Hynds

The 2009 edition of Schell’s Snowstorm continues the trend of the New Ulm, Minn., brewery kicking out a top notch winter seasonal.

This year’s version of the beer – the style and recipe changes each year – is a Baltic porter. And, Schell’s take on the style is at once flavorful and delicate. I consider it a very accessible version of the style, but one that devotees of big malt beers can still enjoy.

However, if you are looking for a malt powerhouse, you will be disappointed.

Snowstorm pours a deep, opaque mahogany with a tall tan head that leaves lots of lacing on the glass. The beer’s initial aroma is of roast malt with some sourdough notes. Those aromas are combined with some  light cherry cola and gravelly hop scents.

Snowstorm’s initial flavor is moderate roasty malt with a modest bit of toffee sweetness.

Roasty malt flavors ramp up at mid-tongue, but is balanced with floral hop flavors that show at the sides of the tongue. Some moderate cherry cola (but not the cloying cola sweetness) flavors and anise make an appearance here.

Mouthfeel at mid-tongue is rather spritely, making the beer feel less heavy in the mouth than its flavors would otherwise lead you. It’s a feature that makes this brew go down rather easily and keeps Snowstorm from becoming a 40-weight version of the Baltic porter style.

Hop bitterness picks up slightly at the back of the throat and the malt takes on a dark fruit flavor (think light raisin and black cherry) with moderate to heavy malt roastiness.

The moderately long finish on this Baltic porter is rather dry and keys on roasty malt supported by floral hops.

I consider the 2009 edition of Snowstorm to be on the the lighter end of full flavored and medium bodied. It is highly recommended as a flavorful, but not heavy take on the Baltic porter style.

I’d love to let you know the beer’s alcohol by volume content and other stats, but Schell’s website still lists the 2008 Snowstorm (a fine Weihnachtsbier). In fact, Internet information says this beer isn’t scheduled to be released until Sunday (Nov. 1, 2009). My guess is that this beer will hover around 6% ABV. I’ll update with a comment when the information becomes available.

Schell’s Snowstorm was purchased at Miller Liquor in North Sioux City, SD.

-Tim Hynds

Horizon Red Ale from St. Paul, Minn’s, Summit Brewing Co. is a satisfying hop-forward ale that doesn’t forget that hoppy ales need malt for balance.

Horizon Red Ale pours a ruddy brown with a tall fluffy tan head that leaves lots of lacing on the glass. Its aroma is slightly sweet malt dominated by nicely done grapefruit and orange citrus aromas.

The ale’s initial flavor is a jolt of citrus hoppiness (it’s 65-70 IBU) blended with a well balanced and slightly sweet biscuity malt flavor.

Hops and malt are well balanced at mid tongue, with the hops turning from citrus and slightly floral to pine flavored.

At the back of the throat, both hop and malt flavors take a turn. The hops move from piney to slightly resinous and the malt turns roasty with some coffee notes. These flavors were unexpected – more so the malt turning roasty  – but were very pleasant.

The medium length finish on this ale is very dry and focuses on piney hop flavors and light roasty malt.

I consider Horizon Red Ale to be medium bodied and medium flavored. I recommend it as a very worthy hop-forward ale.

Horizon is 5.7% alcohol by volume and was purchased at the Southern Hills Mall HyVee in Sioux City.

-Tim Hynds

Is it irony that one of the highest alcohol beers in Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Smokestack Series is called Seeyoulator?

Seeyoulator Doppelbock is a big beer and you’ll be reminded of its 8.5% alcohol by volume with every sip you take.

Seeyoulator pours a medium amber with a massive puffy, tan head. Its aroma is of sweet toffee malt with notes of banana, floral hops and alcohol.

This beer’s initial flavor is rich, sweet maltiness with hints of cedar (the beer is aged on cedar), vanilla and dark fruits.

The malt and dark fruit flavors increase at mid-tongue and are joined by a boozy, bourbon-ey sort of alcohol flavor that adds quite a noticeable bit of warmth to the flavor profile.

A piney hopiness appears at the back of the throat and acts to (sort of) balance out this beer’s intense malt sweetness and cedar flavors.

Seeyoulator’s finish is very long and very dry. It is dominated by maltiness, piney hops, cedar and the beer’s everpresent alcohol warmth.

Seeyoulator is full bodied and full flavored. It is recommended with the caveat that some might find its alcohol flavors a bit distracting.

Seeyoulator was purchased at the HyVee Wine and Spirits in South Sioux City, Nebr.

-Tim Hynds

Does Jerome Cerveza Rubia have an identity crisis? It’s labeled as a “fine aged ale,” “white ale” and as “Belgian style.”  I’m not so sure.

Cerveza Rubia, brewed by Jerome Brewing Co. in Potrerillos, Mendoza, Argentina, has a tart – almost sour – sort of aroma and flavor that was very similar to a farmhouse ale or perhaps a lambic. It’s not what I’m use to from a “white ale”.

Or, maybe I just got hold of a bad bottle. Some reviewers posting on a national beer website mention the sourness, some do not. For the purpose of this review, let’s assume the funk is intentional. But, be advised of this particular bottle’s, ahem,  lambic-ness.

Jerome Cerveza Rubia pours a light golden yellow with an off-white frothy, but quick to fall head. Its aroma is tart, with notes of lemon citrus and light honey.

The beer’s initial flavor is of very light caramel malt. The flavor rapidly segues into a tart lemongrass sourness that reminds of a lambic.

The main flavor at mid-tongue is of bready sourdough with some honey notes. Some light citrus hop flavors show at the side of the tongue.

Those citrus hop flavors continue to the back of the throat and into the beer’s medium-length finish.

Sourdough, however, dominated the finish with companion notes of light honey and lemon. An off-putting metallic flavor also appeared in Cerveza Rubia’s finish.

The funk in this 6% alcohol by volume beer was not offensive – at least not if it had been labeled as a saison or some other farmhouse style . If you think of it as such, this is an unremarkable, but not unacceptable beer. If you’re expecting a blond ale, you will be sourly disappointed.

Jerome Cerveza Rubia was purchased at Charlie’s Wine and Spirits in Sioux City, Iowa.

-Tim Hynds

Hoptober, the newest seasonal from Ft. Collins’ New Belgium Brewing, is golden ale with a nice bit of complexity resulting from its use of rye, wheat and oats.

But, don’t be afraid if you’re not a hophead. While probably one of New Belgium’s hoppiest tasting beers (it’s 40 IBUs), this beer is no hop bomb.

Hoptober  pours a light orangish-gold with a tall white head that left plenty of lacing on the glass. Its aroma is of orange zest and pine hops.

The ale’s initial flavor is of light malt that immediately gives way to a pleasant citrus and pine hoppiness.

Spicy (but not overpowering) rye flavors emerge at mid tongue and are complimented by the wheat and oat’s contributions to a very smooth and almost oily mouthfeel. Malt flavors in this beer are subtle.

Piney hop flavors come to the fore at the sides of the tongue.

Hoptober separates itself from the ordinary (which it otherwise would be)  at the back of the throat where light rye spiciness ramps up slightly to contribute a subtle complexity that counterbalances the brew’s citrus and pine hop flavors.

That interplay of spiciness and hoppiness continues into Hoptober’s medium-length finish.

I consider Hoptober to be light to medium-bodied and medium flavored. It is listed at 6% alcohol by volume.

My six-pack purchased at Miller Liquor in North Sioux City, SD.

-Tim Hynds

With notes of light honey and lemongrass, Towhead Ale is a worthy brew with a Belgian ale bent.

Towhead is brewed by Sand Creek Brewing Co. of Black River Falls, Wisc., for  Briar Creek Brewery of Janesville, Iowa.

Towhead pours a light gold with a bubbly white head that was quick to collapse. Notes of lemongrass, yeast and light honey make up the ale’s aroma.

The initial flavor of this beer is a light honey and caramel sweetness that gives way to slightly spicy, lemongrass and floral hop flavors.

At mid-tongue, the brew’s mouthfeel turns pretty thick and velvety. Spice flavors ramp up very slightly and compliment a fruitiness that reminds of a Belgian ale. Flavors that are very similar to the yeastiness of a hefe show at mid-tongue.

At the back of the tongue, light spicy and citrus hop flavors slightly increase and lead into a medium length finish that keys on light lemongrass hoppiness backed by mild honey and caramel malt sweetness.

Despite the beer’s heavy mouthfeel, Towhead is a rather delicate, well-balanced beer.

Towhead was purchased at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. It is recommended.

-Tim Hynds