Ünnecessary Ümlaut

If you’re lucky enough to find this special Shmaltz /He’Brew brew in your local beer store or Whole Foods, grab it with chutzpah. This version of their Chanukah-only release is a super-limited blend of all seven Jewbelation releases, barrel-aged in Sazerac 6-year rye whiskey barrels for a year.

Vertical Jewbelation pours a deceptive dark black. When the light catches it right, near the edges, a deep ruby red is revealed. A hint at the complexity inside.

A sniff uncovers a strong scent of rye and not nearly as much whiskey as I expected from the nose of a 100% barrel beer. But that was only the smell. The taste? Oy, the taste …

Holy complex! This is one of those mouth-expanding beers that seems to grow with new flavors the moment it hits your lips. Then washes over the tongue with thick vanilla, molasses, tawny port, and charred oak flavors. Wow. While the Rye provides a nice snap, and the whiskey flavors are unmistakably pervasive, this is one really smooth (big) beer.

More info: He’Brew Vertical Jewbelation

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