Review 38: Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree

Review 38
5/13/12
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree: 13.6% abv

Whoa...this is practically a liqueur. Setting the record for the highest percent alcohol beer we've tried here, this one was definitely of interest to us. Matt still noted crooked tree on the nose, but interestingly, he smelled two of them this time around.

On the nose, there is pine, lemon, grapefruit, honey, pineapple, red wine, and a f...loral note. The nose is actually very pleasant. The taste though, is a bit different. With a great hoppy bitterness at the base of this beer, there are a few notes like molasses, honey, grapefruit, juniper berry, pine and melon and cut through, but overall the bitterness overpowers this beer. Unfortunately, this takes away from the complexity and enjoyability of the beer in my opinion.

The finish is medium-long, with grapefruit and hops carrying over mostly, and also some honey and lemon along with it. Although I was really looking forward to this beer after having had the "not double" Crooked Tree and enjoying it so much, there is a lack of balance in this beer, that knocks it down a peg from the original.

Score: 8.0/10