Smuttynose Big Beer Series: Homunculus
Beer and human life have a lot in common. For centuries, no one knew quite how either really worked. Beer fermentations were believed to begin when a “magic stick” was dipped into a fresh batch of wort. Without microscopes, no one knew that a tiny, sugar-eating fungus turned all that sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Biologists faced similar mysteries about human life. One widely-accepted belief was that teeny, tiny people, called homunculi, would grow into full size babies inside of a woman (that’s where the label comes from!).
Homunculus is a strong, golden Belgian ale with a pronounced hop character. We’re not talking bitterness, but hop flavor and aroma. The Belgian-style yeast strain contributes significant fruity esters that mix with the hop profile to create a taste that’s more than the sum of its parts.
Homunculus is a strong, golden Belgian ale with a pronounced hop character. We’re not talking bitterness, but hop flavor and aroma. The Belgian-style yeast strain contributes significant fruity esters that mix with the hop profile to create a taste that’s more than the sum of its parts.
3.5
277 reviews
Hampton, United States
Community reviews
Bottle @SBWF.
I’m a huge fan of hoppy Belgians, but this doesn’t really float my boat.
Alcoholic aroma.
Taste like a light barley wine, ie malty but no apparent alcohol, red berries but no hops...
Bottle at SBWF2015. Hazy orange color, small white head. Belgian yeast, fruits and some citrus. Medium-bodied. Fruity. Spicey hops, alcohol, Belgian yeast. Simple.
Cloudy orange tint, finger of off white head. Nose is Belgian yeast. Bittersweet. Middle is medium roasted malt, orange zest. Finish is a little boozy and bittersweet.
Bottled. A hazy amber beer with a yellowish head. The aroma has notes of malt, fruits, yeast, and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of alcohol, over ripe fruits, yeast, and caramel, leading to a dry finish.
Bottle@RBESG2015, Copenhagen - Amber pour with small white head. Sweet fruity malty aroma and taste, some caramel sweetness, nice brew.
66cl. bottle. Hay orange colour with an off-white head. Aroma and flavour of malt, spice, fruit, yeast and hops.
Bottle.
Hazy amber colored with a medium sized white head.
Sweet and fruity aroma of caramel and hops with notes of pine needles..
Fruity flavor of caramel, hops, peaches and pine needles.
Hoppy finish.
Trübes Bernstein mit durchschnittlicher Schaumkrone. Malzig, fruchtig, Zitrus, Abgang etwas bitter (75 ibu).
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, 2015 vintage bottling. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy bright orange color with a 2 finger dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big lemon zest, apricot, orange peel, pear, apple, light banana, bubblegum, pepper, clove, light caramel, candi sugar, bread, floral, grass, and herbal/yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of citrus/earthy hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and pale malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big lemon zest, apricot, orange peel, pear, apple, light banana, bubblegum, pepper, clove, light caramel, candi sugar, bread, floral, grass, and herbal/yeast earthiness. Fair amount of earthy bitterness and yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of lemon zest, apricot, orange peel, pear, apple, light banana, bubblegum, pepper, clove, light caramel, candi sugar, bread, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and pale malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness/yeast spice balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, fairly crisp, and lightly sticky/bready mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian IPA style. All around great complexity, balance, and robustness of citrus/earthy hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and pale malt flavors; and very smooth and crisp to drink for the big ABV. A very enjoyable offering.
Taster at the source. Pours orange gold with a light beige head. Aroma is grapefruit, honey, floral, alcohol. Flavor is honey, orange, floral. A little alcohol heat in the finish. I’d like to lay one down for a couple years and try it again.
Old rating. Orange color…interesting. Honey, grapefruit, earth, malty caramel, Belgian yeast. All over the place, but not a bad hybrid.
66 cl bottle @ home. Pours murky golden with some sediment and an off-white head that leaves a little lacing. Aroma and flavour are dried fruit, yeast, malt, and spices - with a slightly dry finish.
22 oz. bomber from Holiday Wine Cellar. Pours slightly cloudy, rich, dark gold with a nice frothy white head that leaves thick lacing. Aromas of white peach, honey, hearty grain, banana, clove, ginger. Has a dry, crisp quality to the flavor, with spicy and grain accents. Well balanced flavor, very fruity and spicy, a fine example of the style. Full bodied, creamy texture, soft carbonation, and well balanced finish. Would repeat.
Bottle. Pours murky dark yellow with a small, creamy white head. Aroma has sweet malts, doughy, citrus, grapefruit, peach. Medium carbonation, fine dry and fairly bitter mouthfeel. Flavour has good malty sweetness, light maize character, some oranges, light peach. Good, lingering bitterness. Nice.
Bottle from Mikkeller webshop. Fruity and malty smell. Fruity and sweet taste with some caramel. Very nice. I love the mix of the sweet malts and the hops.
Aroma of bready malt, citrus, yeast, fruity esters, earthy notes, hint of spice, hoppy notes. Flavour is moderate to medium sweet with a moderate bitter finish. Slightly boozy.
Bottle. Pours unclear orange in color with a whitish head. Some floral notes, bit of banana and fruity garden pear in aroma. Yeasty spicyness as well. Very fruity taste with some apricots perhaps, bit of grassy notes and citrus appears later on. Dry, slightly vinous and spicy finish.
Color dorado con espuma abundante y cremosa, muy belga. Es una cerveza fuerte, cálida, falta de armonía por un amargor que no acaba de encajar, pero con un gran aroma, muy personal. Hierbas de perfume, naranja, melón y miel, con una puntita metálica.
Bottled 650ml. -from Svijet Piva Zagreb. Hazy orange/golden coloured, medium sized off-white head, fruity sticky nose. Sweet malty, quite fruity and sharp alcoholic with notes of plums, wood and light spices. Big yeasty sediment without really yeast presence. Mild spicy finish. Drinkable.
Bottle (65 cl) shared.
apperance: hazy orange with a medium, frothy white head with a decent retention, leaving not that much lacing.
Aroma: Bready malt, some bubble gum and pear, orange and yeast, dried fruit.
Taste:moderate sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, riped fruit,(oranges) dried fruits (arprictos), some bread and light yeast and alcohol only there in the back.
Medium -full body, soft carbbonation., oily texture.
And American Belgian strong Ale. Quite interesting and better as most Belgians I had in this style in the last months. However it seems to be a bit more orange instead of lemon based incase of fruityness.
Bouteille de 22 oz achetée chez Madden Beverage Center (Saco, ME). Arôme: Odeur de levure avec une pointe fruitée. Apparence: La couleur est orange voilée avec une faible densité de bulle. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de levure et de caramel fruité avec une pointe d’épices. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une textuer légèrement onctueuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Présence d’agrumes en arrière goût. (Rating #6027)
Color cobrizo, espuma blanca. Aromas afrutados, melocotón, plátano, naranja y miel. Cuerpo medio, textura melosa, inicio dulce de miel y fruta con final lupulado y seco.
1 pint 6 ounce bottle. Pours an off-white head with great retention. Cloudy carbonation. Aroma and taste of apples, spicy cloves and yeasty spices. Creamy smooth on the palate, goes down smooth and finishes slightly dry. Very good beer.
Botella de 65 cl en el momento en el lúpulo el 05-11-2014. embotellada en 2913. color amarillento turbio con espuma blanca no muy persistente. Aromas y sabores maltosos afrutados,, un autentico zumo de piña. Con toques amargos ligeros sobretodo al coger temperatura. Cuerpo medio con 9.9 vol que no se dejan notar mucho, solo saliendo a relucir al final un poco. No esta mal, buena refrescante y con sabores afrutados intensos.
"kinda like the bastard child of belgo old guardian and more traditional belgians. the yeast is fruity, spicy ,and sweet, with the hops a little more in the background. some alcohol heat shines through, as dome some bubble gum aroma and flavor. nicely done, tasty brew."
Bottle (65 cl) froSystembolaget. Clear golden, medium white head. Bready malt, some bubble gum and pear, some floral hops. Medium bodied, medium carbbonation. Semi dry, low to medium bitternness.
Bottle at home. Pours lightly hazy orange with a medium, frothy white head, medium retention with light lacing. Aroma is cracker malt, pear esters, earthy hops and light alcohol. Flavor is sweet malt, spicy alcohol, pear esters and Belgian yeast spices with a dry finish. Full body and medium carbonation.
Bottle. Hazy golden/orange with medium tan head. Aroma is malt, fruit, yeast, caramel, hop and ripe fruit. Flavour is malt, fruit, yeast, little ripe fruits, caramel, hop, peel, medium bitter with notes of alcohol.
Bottled from Biernavigatie, large sample, served in an Oersoep tulip glass. Clear golden to orange color, medium slight off-white frothy head. Aroma has slight sweet honey, bit spicy, fruity of yeast and hops, bit grassy and spicy, slight malty as well, hint of toffee. Not as much high alcohols as most Belgian beers would have. Soft sweet taste, bit malty, slight flowery and citrussy bitterness, soft alcohol burn. Spicy and dry as well. Medium carbonation, quite full bodied. Totally not like a belgian example, but very typical american-belgo styled. Much more malt based (instead of sugar) and powerful and less crisp and dry. Almost barley-wine-esque. Nice big sipper.
Bottle. Golden-orange colour with an off-whiote head. Aroma is yeast, orange, malt. Flavour is yeast, orange, malt, sugar, peaches, alcohol, dried fruits. Full body. Nice beer.