Bottle/Tap: Bottle

A few weeks back I was in Vermont camping with friends, and we paid a visit to the Long Trail Brewery.  We had a good time with great food and some delicious beer.  One of those beers was the Pollenator, and I decided to grab a bottle to bring back home with me since it was such a rare release.

The other night I thought to crack it open and re-live the magic I had back in September.  What did I learn?  Sometimes memories are better off left as that, memories and reliving them will not bring back the full experience.

Pollenator comes in a 22-ounce bottle and is a pale ale with honey.  I set it in the fridge for a bit and then opened it and found that it smelled inviting, but that was not the source of my disappointment.  When I had a taste I was expecting something. Well, I was expecting something, but it wasn’t what I got.  I originally had this beer on tap, and I quickly found out that this beer did not translate too well in a bottle.

I still found that honey flavor, not as strong as I remembered it to be, yet it was under there.  As it got warmer, I found that it didn’t taste too good. Whereas some beers open up, this one did not.  I was let down and I began to doubt my elephant-like memory.

This is not a knock toward Long Trail, they brew some great beer, but I have a feeling that this one in particular is better enjoyed at the source.  I should have let it stay in the fridge longer. It only means I have to go back to Long Trail and try again.  Not that I would mind at all.

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Tags: ale, beer review, Long Trail, Pollenator