Ever since hearing of Schmaltz Brewing’s winter seasonal Jewbelation a couple of years ago, I’ve always kept an eye out for it on the shelves of various stores as I pass by. It’s been a while in coming, but I’ve finally found myself a couple of bottles of their limited edition Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah — celebrating their 13th anniversary in existence with a beer touting 13 malts, 13 hops and 13% ABV.
Now, that’s a big beer, but as with Schmaltz’s shtick in past beers I’ve had from them, this is nothing new. What really caught my eye regarding this product was the ridiculously low price that Wegmans was letting this one go for. I ended up buying out their stock (read 3 bottles) at about $5 a pop. As I was leaving the store, I had secretly hopped that the low price wasn’t an indication of the quality of the brew. Luckily, it wasn’t.
Appearance
This American strong ale pours a dark brown with a rich tan head that faded quite slowly for the higher ABV.
Aroma
There’s a great deal of scents in this brew’s nose as it warms in the glass. It’s a rich smelling beer for sure with caramel, subtle chocolate, dark fruits, slight sweetness and a light roasted character. There’s also a pretty decent helping of flowery hops thrown in as you would expect from the 13 varieties of hop used.
Taste
Now, this is an anniversary brew. I’m unable to compare it to years past, but this thing is super smooth with a well balanced taste profile for as many hops and malts its been brewed with. The smoothness combined with a full body makes this one quite rick and decadent. The higher ABV is noticeable, but it’s fairly subdued, yet lovingly warming. The malts combine for a great toasted upfront taste while the various hops coming in midway through and wrap up the finish with a slightly bitter bite.
Overall
Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah is definitely a rich, full bodied brew that would be more appropriate for an evening sipper — instead of the pre-dinner timing that I had the other day. I’ve got a couple more bottles stored away to see how this one does with a little time under it’s belt. That is, if they can last that long.
Rating: 3.5/5
January 15th, 2010
Zak Davis said:
Howdy. This is Zak from Shmaltz Brewing Company. Thanks for picking up those bottles of Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah. I’m really glad that you enjoyed it. For a huge 13 percenter, we’re really proud of how it came out. It will definitely age well. In fact I just had a Jewbelation 10 and 11 last week, and they were both delicious. Time really brings the flavors together and mellows out the alcohol. I think 11 is at it’s peak right now. My suggestion: get drunk and hide one somewhere where you won’t find it for a year. Thanks again for the support. L’Chaim!! ~Zak