Beer Profile: Laika Cabernet Barrel Aged/Straight to Ale

Image courtesy jclyde.com

Profiled for the Professor by Ken Carman

Huntsville, AL

Deep brown head, plenty of, black as hell, thick. Murky in a great, yet, foreboding way. I would expect Nessie lives somewhere beneath these waters. Pillow and a few big rocks in the head. Aroma: Cabernet, deep roast malt with a hint of roasted barley overtones.

This is like gruel in the pour. Beautiful gruel.

Mouthfeel: Cabernet coats the roof of the mouth and the thick viscosity is like 30 weight motor oil, only tasty, pleasing. Carbonation light, yet perfect. Coats the mouth like a good, pleasant tasting motor oil-ish brew in the pour should.

Taste is roast: deep and pleasing, a bit like plums soaked in Cabernet and some dark cherry. There is a wood sense here: but way in the background. Mostly just the Cabernet. Sweet Cabernet dominates: that with a caramelized brown sugar-like sense. There’s also a toasted sweet pumpernickel–like character in the background

I dare you to put it in your mouth and NOT have it take over your taste buds like the Borg of beers. They WILL be assimilated.

I have to give it a 5.

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”