Weyerbacher Quad at The Oyster House (Presidential Brief)

What:  Weyerbacher Quad
Where:  The Oyster House, Philadelphia, PA.
When:  Saturday, January 22nd, 2011.
What-have-you:  Are you kidding me? Quad on tap?  Aroma of a Belgian double, only double THAT to capture the flavor. The malts have a sweetness and a pungent, dried-fruit dinginess that brings this otherworldly brew back to an earthy level. I have a few bottles of Quad locked away in the Presidential basement, aging itself to perfection.

Weyerbacher Insanity (Citizen Review)

What: Weyerbacher Insanity 11.1% abv
Where: Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: July 17, 2010
What-have-you: "It's a buttery barleywine, so it loses accessibility points right off the bat.  But it's flavor mellows as you drink it, and it's good and strong.  Reminds me of: oak-aged butter?"

Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: .5
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: .75


Total: 3.25 Flags

Posted by: Jack W.

Weyerbacher Insanity (Citizen Review)

What: Weyerbacher Insanity 11.1% abv
Where: Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: July 17, 2010
What-have-you: "Chocolate, poundcake tofee. Sea breeze?  Reminds me of the undertable of a London pub" (this citizen assured me that this was by no means an insult, and we at The Ferment Nation believe him)

Representation: .6
Accessibility: .4
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: .8


Total: 2.8 Flags

Posted by: Citizen Chris W.

Beers at Bar Ferdinand (Philly Beer Week 2010)

The first Sunday of Philly Beer Week 2010 saw a number of Sunday brunch bars getting in on the action.  in Northern Liberties, two bars(Bar Ferdinand and Camino Real) rocked outdoor seating and music on the Liberties Walk.  Paella and ribs were the foods of choice outside with beer specials from Victory Brewing.  Here are some of the beers sampled:

Southern Tier Heavy Weizen Imperial Wheat Ale:

Wheat beer on steroids. The richest weizen on record, Heavy Weizen is dry, then sweet, then dry again. Delish as can be, but not quite as refreshing or accessible as your typical wheat brew. This beer is just short of a wheat-wine style ale (Weyerbacher 14 and Smuttynose Wheat Wine are a bit richer and boozier) and is meant to be enjoyed slowly.

(From the VP) Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA:
At 9% abv, it's not too boozy.  It fills your mouth with light hoppiness.  Hoppy, hoppy, yum, yum, with a lingering sweetness.  Don't know if I have ever had this on tap before.  Normally, I get this in a bottle.  Very nice.

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA (Presidential Brief)

What: Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA 9.0% abv
Where: The Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: May 5, 2010
What-have-you: "Pour House. Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA. Savage hops attack! Grapefruity, floral, and a nip o' sweet."

Weyerbacher Fourteen (Citizen Review)

Weyerbacher Fourteenth Anniversary:

"Too sweet + too hoppy"

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: .10

Style Points: .10

Personal Preference: .10

Total Score: 1.3 Flags

--Reviewed by Citizen Cheryl

Weyerbacher Merry Monks' (Citizen Review)

Weyerbacher Merry Monks' :

"My friends said they hated this beer, but they said I would like it. Much love to Pete + Dave, because they know me too well. Sweet, with banana tones. I like it."


Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: .75
Style Points: .75
Personal Preference: 1.0

Total: 3.5 Flags

--Reviewed by Citizen Jack Witzig

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe

This is no ordinary IPA. The Simcoe hops are GENEROUSLY infused into this rich and lovely beer from Weyerbacher. Actually, it's quite amazing how many varieties of hops and recipes can vary from beer to beer. I'm trying to compare this brew to something familiar, but I can't really come up with anything quite like Double Simcoe. You can tell right away that it will be a hop-lover's delight simply from the aroma. It's so inviting--floral yet manly. Does that make sense? Oh, drink it from a wide-mouthed glass so you can stick your honker right up in there. The fragrance seems to hover over the foamy head like a soul leaving its body, looking down from above and seeping into the ether, half in this world, half in that...

Double Simcoe is packed with body for such a bitter, hoppy ale. The consistency is a tad oily, which lends a sinuousness to the fanciful uber-hopping that can leave some IPA's in the playground thinking that hops are enough to make a great brew.

Weyerbacher's stable of big beers shows the average brewer that size matters as long as there is artistry to go along with it. And no catalogue is complete without a killer IPA. Double Simcoe is a serious brew with tons of hops. Is there a touch of sweetness? Maybe a little, right in the middle of the swig. Starts smooth, then sweet, then dry, then bitter. But remember to start with a huge whiff of the fragrant hops, double-plus-good. Not for beginners--the hops may scare them off. And at 9% abv, maybe Double Simcoe is best left to professionals.

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA:

Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: .85
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: .95

Total: 3.8

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

This would be superfly on a camping trip on a cold night sitting around a campfire. Need to warm up? Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale does the trick with a warming alcohol kick. 8%abv is no joke so be careful how many of these you take down while you attempt to assemble those s'mores.

This Imperial Pumpkin is a medium to full-bodied ale with lots of spices. Yes, they hit your tongue but really go through the nose when you exhale. Then that spiciness stays a bit in your chest. That's part of the mysterious alchemy of this nice brew. I had this on my beercation last fall and remember it being a little less imperial. But now, make no mistake: Weyerbacher soes make a fine rendition.

You know, Weyerbacher isn't always hanging around your local liquor store so grab it if you see it. Take the Imperial Pumpkin Ale to a Halloween party and make some waves. But only if you're going to a party with beer nerds. There are cheaper and less challenging pumpkin ales out there if you are strictly after a novelty beer. Weyerbacher doesn't make novelty beers.

(Click HERE to see the results of the Ultimate Pumpkin Showdown!)