Here is what the Brewer says:
At the Southern Tier Brewing Company, vigorously hopped beer is our standard and inspiration. We continue a commitment to innovation with an aggressive offering. Oak Aged Unearthly is a manifestation of the brewer’s craft; skillfully balancing art and the forces of nature to produce a divine liquid. Delicately pour a taste of this oak aged brew into a fluted glass. Smell the enchanting aromas of the hops waft forward as your first sip divulges this beer’s fervent soul. To underestimate Oak Aged Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe, so please consume wisely.consider it an immoral act to blacken an ale. We suggest they don’t rely on conventional standards. Allow the darkness to consume you. Cheers! 9.9% ABV
A few weeks ago I tried to review Oak Aged Unearthly and things went horribly wrong. Long story short, I had an old bottle and it was horrible. If you'd like to read about that experience look here. While picking up beer for the home opener of the Tribe I noticed that they had Oak Aged Unearthly back in stock. I was reassured this batch just came in so I took the chance and bought another bottle. ($9 for a 22oz)
My Thoughts: This beer poured a clear and dark copper/amber with minimal head retention. The smell was not anything overpowering. Mild oak, mild hops and mild sweetness. The taste improved upon the nose. A fairly strong oak flavor and mild malt sweetness start you off and is quickly joined by a fresh citrus hop flavor. As you drink this brew down the hops tend to be so well balanced by the oak and malt that you kind of forget you are drinking a DIPA. There is a slight lingering hop bitterness at the end. Mouthfeel was smooth as can be and carbonation was mild at best. This is a "coat your tongue" type of brew. The booze comes out in this beer after the first 12oz, but the last 10oz of this 22oz bottle went down very easy. Drinkablity for me on this one was very good. This is a good "change-up" dipa for a hop head. I appreciated its oaked characteristics and found it to be a worthwhile purchase. That being said I liked it, I didn't love it. Just be sure to get a fresh one if you are going to try it!
Serving Type: 22oz bottle
My Rating: Overall 84/100
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5| drink: 4.5
What temperature did you drink this? I usually drink my DIPA's around 50-55 degrees and I find that the warmer it gets, the less "boozy" the taste. I'm glad this second bottle worked out better than the first.
ReplyDeleteIt was around 48-52. I agree as it warmed even a little more it improved. Still can't quite touch my top ten ipa, dipa list though. :)
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