Ithaca Excelsior! Fourteen

While at the LeBleu release, I picked up a bottle of Ithaca Excelsior! Fourteen, a hoppy black ale. The beer pours a black color with a lofty and frothy cream colored head that leaves a thin lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of chocolate, lemon, toasted malts, cream, pine, pepper, and spruce. The taste is dry and has a pine, pepper, and lemon hop bite on the front end. A solid chocolate, toasted malts, and caramel base provides a great foundation for the beer, and it has a vanilla and cream tasting finish. The alcohol content is 8.2% ABV. This was a well put together black ale with plenty of hoppy, citrusy goodness. The best part was the light caramel, vanilla, and cream accents that really bridged the gap of all of the flavors.

Weyerbacher Fourteen

My roommate picked up a case of Weyerbacher Fourteen and gave me a bottle to try. The beer has a golden color with a light head. Looking into the glass, you can notice the yeast flakes floating. The smell is sweet with a wheat aroma and lemony accent with a slight spice hint. The taste is sweet with an alcohol bite and slight banana accent. The alcohol content is 11.8% ABV. I thought that this beer was excellent and would be even better with age. The label suggests that you cellar the beer, and I can only imagine that it gets much better with the amount of yeast in the bottle.