As my beer stash began to diminish, especially over this weekend as my boyfriend and I drowned our financial woes in fermented comfort as the time to pay rent draws nearer, my choices for what to review have also significantly decreased.
Mostly I have things I have had plenty of in my lifetime. This is truly because they are good ol' standbys, but I really wanted to look into something new.
In the back of my fridge I've been storing a find that I am extra proud of, especially considering it's something I grabbed through my job at an incredible price, and it was the only one they had available. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
The beer was Ta Henket from Dogfish Head Brewery. This limited edition brew comes in at a measly 4.5% abv and was brewed in a traditional fashion according to hieroglyphs in Egypt. The backstory alone was enough to peak my curiosity. The bottle boasts that this spiced ale is brewed with doum fruit, za'atar, and chamomile. It was specially brewed with wheat and loaves of hearth baked bread with actual native saccharomyces yeast strains the brewers gathered in Cairo.
I was also excited because this beer was pre-aged for me. Not the ideal conditions as it had been a return based on the date, so it had been sitting on a shelf since it was bottled in January 2012, but I was particularly anxious to see how it aged. I only wished I had a fresh bottle to compare it to, but they are impossible to get now.
I tried this during a beerscapade with my friend Franklin, where we also tried some things from his cellar, including Short's Cornholio, a group effort that included ingredients contributed by Dogfish Head and Three Floyds, and The Sixth Glass from Boulevard Brewing Co.
Anyway, there was a lot going on needless to say, but we started with Ta Henket.
Poured into a tulip, it was a somewhat cloudy burnt umber gold with an off white head that dissipated instantly and became somewhat lifeless in the glass (possibly due to its age).
In the nose you got a little bready yeast, but likely less than if it was fresh. There was a little earthy funk to it, kind of like white onions. We've got something floral and juicy in there, which was probably the doum fruit, but I have to tell you, I know no clue what doum fruit smells or tastes like. But it didn't resemble any other fruity odor. Then you got a huge nose full of Za'atar, which was very pleasant and peppery and spicy.
Taste matched the aroma to a T. There was some nice funk in this guy, and the chamomile came through more in the flavor than in the nose. With some age on this, I think the fruit has gone a little south. It comes off as over ripe and bruised stone fruit, but fortunately the finish is a nice and cleansing heat from the middle eastern flavors of the za'atar herb and spice blend that really linger at the end, especially in the back of your throat. There is a little bit of cinnamon sweetness that makes this drink easy, especially mixed with the incredibly low alcohol percentage.
This beer would have done well with a little carbonation, it was a little dense for me. But all in all, you'd probably chock that up to a combination of age and the ancient techniques they were using.
In general, this beer is like nothing I have ever tried. I am glad I had the opportunity to taste this one, especially because of its ancient roots, but I am glad I split the bottle. There is no way I could have finished that whole thing, there were some strange flavors going on in there. If for some crazy reason you can get your hands on this one, don't pass up the chance. It's a very unique experience.
