234. Shmaltz Brewing Reunion Ale '12

"Teaming up with Terrapin Beer Co. for the second time, Shmaltz Brewing returns as a production partner for Reunion '12.  We brew Reunion each year in memory of our dear friend and partner in this venture - Virginia MacLean.  Virginia lost her battle with Multiple Myeloma in 2007.  It was her wish that we continue to raise funds and awareness on behalf of The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org)

This year's beer is a dark ale brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla and cinnamon.  It was inspired by a fantastic dessert that we used to share with Virginia at our favorite restaurant.  This brown ale leads with a sweet and subtle cinnamon aroma  Complex malt overtones quickly give way to a chocolate and vanilla mix of satisfying bliss.  

Many thanks to all who have supported this project and have helped us honor Virginia's memory.

Cheers - Pete & Alan"

With the cooler weather and infinitely gray clouds and rain in my neck of the woods, I felt the need to get my hands on a darker beer.  Since this was a beer from 2012, I felt it was time to cycle through this bad boy and get it out of my collection.  I opted to have this for dinner and dessert, pairing it with a flatbread pizza.  No, it wasn't a match made in heaven, but I did my best to make the best of it.

This was poured into a stemmed snifter glass.  It had a nice cocoa color and provided 2 fingers of frothy, tan colored head.  It had average retention, leaving splotches of lacing on the glass and a thin film layer on top.  I could pick up aromas of roasted malts, cinnamon, cocoa, milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla.

This beer was not what I expected.  I could taste milk chocolate, coffee, vanilla.  The cinnamon must have faded with time.  That was the good part.  The not so good part?  It had this tart bite to it.  Not bitter, just a little sour.  The beer was light to medium bodied with average carbonation, clocking in at 7.9% ABV.

First thing I ask myself is if I let this thing sit too long.  It was probably meant to be consumed within a year or two, tops, and here I was at year 3.  It wasn't overly sour or off-putting to the point that this became a drain-pour.  Call me stubborn, but I didn't have much of a problem drinking and finishing.  Still, I do have a Reunion 13 and I'll probably consume it within the next couple weeks and see if I get a better result.  That said, if you still have some of this stuff, go ahead and consume now!

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $8.50 (22 oz bomber)