Subtle smoke is the best way to describe the latest edition of Saint Arnold’s Divine Reserve series. Granted, this was my first adambier, so I have no other reference point, but the only thing I could compare it to was a rauchbier with less smokiness.
Taking the beer straight out of the fridge and drinking it is not the best way to savor this brew. I found this out as I was enjoying this beer over a period of roughly 45 minutes. During the first 10 minutes, the beer is too cold and it’s more similar to a barleywine in flavor. As it warms up, you start to taste more of the caramel notes throughout the beer and the smoked malt flavor really pops to make it a complex beer.
Saint Arnold describes the Kolsch yeast as adding a light fruitiness. I never got this flavor in the beer, but I’ve only had it twice.
At first, I asked myself, “why have I never had an adambier?” After doing a little more researching, I found that the beer style basically went the way of the dodo and was virtually extinct. The prominence of pilsners and Munich-style lagers caused the popularity of this style to vanish and it’s only recently been making a comeback.
Clocking in at 10% ABV, this beer is for enjoying over a period of time. This is important, especially considering the flavor profile changes as the beer warms. With this being one of the most unique beers available on the market right now, it’s worth searching for and finding. Grab a six-pack or a bomber and enjoy!