Let me first say, that I love collaboration beers. They often take the best of each brewery and mix it all up into one fantastic beer. The latest is ‘Life and Limb’ the American Strong Ale brewed with maple and birch syrup by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co of Chico, CA and Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales of Milton, DE.
As they can say it best, I’ll let Dogfish Head tell the tale “Life & Limb is a collaborative effort, the brainchild of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong, dark beer that defies style characteristics- brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico, CA. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries’ house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska.
Life & Limb is dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community.
The other beer of this collaboration is Limb & Life (draft only). Both beers will be released later this fall.”
Dogfish Head has long been know for their cavalier attitude and adventuresome spirit toward brewing, and Sierra Nevada is an icon and credited by some as sparking the craft beer movement in the late 70′s and early 80′s. Combine the two and you have Life and Limb.
This unique beer pours a very deep brown with rich accents a ruby red when held up to the light. I poured this one into a goblet, producing a half finger head, that sustained itself during the duration of the experience. While it just sat there, the bubbles continued to swim there way to the top of my glass. A good start to be sure..
Take one whiff, and instantly you instantly get the alcohol aroma. Almost overwhelming in fact. however, another sniff and you get roasted malt. Both breweries states it’s brewed with maple and birch syrup, however in the smell I don’t get any. What I do get is other flavors, such as some spice, fig and dates.
To taste this one, is divine. Although the alcohol I originally smelled is still at the forefront, the more subtle flavors now creep in. The fig and dates definitely come out. A few more sips, I seem to taste the maple syrup described. Either that’s because it’s actually there, or I want it to be. What I definitely get, is a nice hop undertone that seems to balance the alcohol in this one out.
The mouthfeel is what I’d expect from an American Strong Ale. Although this is almost a ‘catch all’ category for stronger American beers, it seems to do what it should. A crisp, yet slightly sticky feel to i, it is creamy and definitely a full beer.
Overall, I really like this one. I admit, that I had it straight out of the bottle the day after purchase, but it was divine. I still feel that the alcohol is a bit overpowering initially and on the back end, but I’ll have more of this one. It weighs in at 10.2% ABV, so take your time with it. Not a session beer, but one to enjoy when the time is right. I enjoyed life and Limb with a modest portion of Buttered Pecan ice cream.
0 Responses to “Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head's Life and Limb”