One of his underlings is named Maltz, and in one scene a planet-side Kruge calls Maltz on his communicator and asks to be beamed up. “Maltz, jahl ee-chew!” he commands. Or at least, we though that’s what he said. The order Kruge really barked out was “Schmaltz, Ale Ye-Brew!”. And so they did, Star Trek Vulcan Ale: The Genesis Effect.

Schmaltz Brewing of Clifton Park, New York, produces this, the fourth beer in the new Star Trek line of beers, under license from Federation of Beer and CBS. The first Vulcan Ale Federation of Beer released was an Irish Red Ale; Vulcan Ale Genesis Effect is a “Red Session IPA”. It’s the only beer in the line I’ve seen so far, with Klingon Warnog (a dunkel roggen) and Sindicate Lager (a Czech Pils) eluding me. These are not the first Star Trek themed beers however, as some fans of Sci Fi and beer will remember Romulan Ale from the early aughts. To their credit, Federation of Beer seeks to produce true craft beers, which Romulan Ale was not.

Federation of Beer says of Vulcan Ale The Genesis Effect on their website:

Developed by Shmaltz Lead Brewer, Richie Saunders, Vulcan Ale – Genesis Effect is a Red Session IPA. It uses a blend of hops meant to invoke a sense of intergalactic wonder and adventure – Galaxy, Warrior and Comet, to name a few. Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing says there are plans to make the beer available at the brewery as well as from the “Hills of Hollywood, to the Shores of Lake Michigan.

Star Trek Vulcan Ale: The Genesis Effect has an alcohol content of 5.4% by volume and I paid $10.98 for a 4-pack at Cost Plus World Market.

Star Trek Vulcan Ale: The Genesis Effect pours to a beautiful red color with a thick rocky head formation and a gently fruity nose. Taking a sip, the beer has soft chocolate and red berry fruit stewed malt flavors though the body is a bit thinner than I’d like. In the finish, the citrus fruits pop, with big grapefruit notes and a hint of piney resin. The beer finishes with a harsh needle-sharp bitterness; there isn’t enough malt to support the hop bitterness, though to be fair that’s common for the style. The beer is very easy drinking and to me really a hoppy red ale, but still a red ale and not an IPA.

This is tasty and drinkable and maltier than most “session IPAs”, but at $10.98 not interesting enough to be more than a novelty. I’m glad I tried it, but buying it again at that price would be…illogical.

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