Try?
As a long time beer hunter, a title that I borrow with
much reverence and respect from the foremost Beer Hunter Michael Jackson,
I’m always on the prowl for something different. Imagine my utter delight,
then, when a longtime good friend and fellow beer enthusiast told me about
Schmalz Brewing’s He’Brew Rejewvenator Harvest to Harvest Ale. So, as
soon as it became available in Georgia, I snapped a bottle up.
He’Brew beers, of course, are contract brewed at Mendocino Brewing’s Saratoga Springs, New York location, as Schmalz does not have a brewery of its own. But that’s ok by me, because first, contract brewing has never been a bugbear for me, and second Mendocino brews up some really mean beers at this location.
A quick trip to the Schmalz Brewing website shows why this beer is out of the norm: it’s made with fig juice, not something you’ll find in most beers. In fact, this is the first fig beer I’ve ever come across. But there’s more: the beer is brewed with large amounts of Munich and dark Crystal malts along with the standard two-row, and fermented with lager, trappist ale and abbey ale yeasts. They do throw in some Warrior, Goldings, Cascade, Amarillo and Mt. Hood hops, but for once these all really take a back seat to the malt.
He’Brew Rejewvenator pours to a beautiful dark mahogany color with a
very light head formation and a sweet molasses and fruit nose. From the
name, you know right off the bat this is based on a a double bock, but it’s
also a dubbel fusion, and if you had any doubts of that, they would be
dispelled immediately as soon as you sip. Wonderful waves of sweet, dark,
nutty, chocolaty malt wash over your tongue as soon as you sip; at the same
time, you’re treated to a luxurious, thick and chewy texture, too.
I get the figs more in the finish, where they add a note of dark ripe fruit and work very nicely with the strong chocolate flavors. A hint of the Belgian-inspired yeasts and a little candyish crystal malt flavor is here, too. But overall this beer has more of Bavaria than Belgium to it. Dubbels and double bocks are very close anyway, even in alcohol strength, and at 7.8% alcohol by volume Rejewvenator is in line with either style. A touch of that alcohol comes through in the finish, which is surprisingly balanced with maybe a minor tilt to the sweet side. Beers such as this are meant to accent the sweet dark malts anyway, and shouldn’t be overly hoppy.
What a wonderful beer, original and very, very delicious. Worth every penny of the $4.99 I paid for a bottle. Double bocks and Belgian dubbels aren’t all that different to begin with, but when you can have both in the same bottle, well, that’s really double your pleasure.
He’Brew beers, of course, are contract brewed at Mendocino Brewing’s Saratoga Springs, New York location, as Schmalz does not have a brewery of its own. But that’s ok by me, because first, contract brewing has never been a bugbear for me, and second Mendocino brews up some really mean beers at this location.
A quick trip to the Schmalz Brewing website shows why this beer is out of the norm: it’s made with fig juice, not something you’ll find in most beers. In fact, this is the first fig beer I’ve ever come across. But there’s more: the beer is brewed with large amounts of Munich and dark Crystal malts along with the standard two-row, and fermented with lager, trappist ale and abbey ale yeasts. They do throw in some Warrior, Goldings, Cascade, Amarillo and Mt. Hood hops, but for once these all really take a back seat to the malt.
He’Brew Rejewvenator pours to a beautiful dark mahogany color with a
very light head formation and a sweet molasses and fruit nose. From the
name, you know right off the bat this is based on a a double bock, but it’s
also a dubbel fusion, and if you had any doubts of that, they would be
dispelled immediately as soon as you sip. Wonderful waves of sweet, dark,
nutty, chocolaty malt wash over your tongue as soon as you sip; at the same
time, you’re treated to a luxurious, thick and chewy texture, too. I get the figs more in the finish, where they add a note of dark ripe fruit and work very nicely with the strong chocolate flavors. A hint of the Belgian-inspired yeasts and a little candyish crystal malt flavor is here, too. But overall this beer has more of Bavaria than Belgium to it. Dubbels and double bocks are very close anyway, even in alcohol strength, and at 7.8% alcohol by volume Rejewvenator is in line with either style. A touch of that alcohol comes through in the finish, which is surprisingly balanced with maybe a minor tilt to the sweet side. Beers such as this are meant to accent the sweet dark malts anyway, and shouldn’t be overly hoppy.
What a wonderful beer, original and very, very delicious. Worth every penny of the $4.99 I paid for a bottle. Double bocks and Belgian dubbels aren’t all that different to begin with, but when you can have both in the same bottle, well, that’s really double your pleasure.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler
