Cosmo's Beer Blog

Mission #4: Glassware

2012-02-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I have spent the money to accumulate a fairly decent collection of glassware. I have snifters of varying size, tulips, stangs, pint glasses, chalices, Pilsner glasses, Weizen glasses, mugs, flutes, and wine glasses.

Yet, there are plenty of beer drinkers that drink beer directly from the decanter of origin. Others consider the pint glass to be the do-it-all beer glass. Have I wasted money and cabinet space by amassing a large collection of glassware? Or is there benefit to be enjoyed in selecting specific glassware to match the various ales and lagers?

Mission Parameters

Select
Pick out one beer from each of the following categories:
1) Any Belgian style ale
2) A Russian Imperial Stout
3) An American Pale Ale, IPA, or Double IPA

Drink
1) Sample each beer from at least three different styles of glass, making sure to pick at least one glass from the Beeradvocate recommended glasses.
2) Sample each beer from the bottle or can.

Report
Don't write a beer review, but rather a glass review. Take notes and report back on the following:
1) What, if any, are the differences in taste?
2) What, if any, are the differences in aroma?
3) From which glass did you prefer each beer?

I'll be excited to see the results of this Mission. I'm either going to feel justified in my collection of glassware or I'm going to be able to clear some space in my kitchen cabinets.

Eis Igian!
Randall

Schlafly Reserve - Imperial Stout

2012-02-12T14:48:00.000-08:00

2010 Schlafly Reserve - Imperial Stout by Schlafly Brewing
Style / abv: Russian Imperial Stout / 10.5%
Source / Temp: Bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Medium Snifter

Appearance: Black ale with a very thin tan head.

Aroma: I pick up alcohol, cherry, and bourbon.

Taste: I'm very surprised that the alcohol smell doesn't translate to the taste. This brew has a big sweet malty flavor and finishes with dry dark chocolate. Somewhere in the distance is a slight bourbon flavor.

Drinkability: This is a smooth, fairly thin ale with very low carbonation, and a slight hop bite at the finish.

Notes:
The alcohol sneaks up on you because, though it lingers in the aroma, it is virtually undetectable in the taste. This is a very nice, high quality beer, yet I find myself a little disappointed. When I have a bourbon barrel aged stout, I prefer a bigger bourbon flavor. To be fair, I need to try this beer fresh since two years of aging in the bottle has undoubtedly blended and mellowed the brew.

I give 2010 Schlafly Reserve - Imperial Stout 7.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Cedar Aged Jai Alai

2012-01-29T12:40:00.000-08:00

Cedar Aged Jai Alai by Cigar City Brewing
Style / abv: American IPA / 7.5%
Source / Temp: Bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Medium golden peach brew with a fizzy white head.

Aroma: From the instant that I brought the glass to my nose, it was apparent that this would be another interesting brew by Cigar City. This beer has a big cedar aroma with marmalade, grapefruit, and a touch of spiciness.

Taste: Wow, what an interesting beer! The sweet citrusy front is followed by a slight marmalade middle and then a fairly strong dry cedar finish that bites the tongue.

Drinkability: This beer is quite drinkable in part because of the watery, medium carbonated body and in part because of the enticing flavor.

Notes:
I was skeptical that cedar could offer anything to Jai Alai. To be completely honest, I was skeptical that cedar could improve any beer. I was wrong. This is one of the most interesting beers that I've ever had and one that I greatly look forward to having again. As with Hunahpuh's and Marshal Zhukov's, I find that between the amazing aroma and delicious taste, I can hardly set my glass down. A buddy of mine once said that everything Cigar City brews is awesome. I'm only five brews in, but so far I am very impressed.

Thanks to Charles for sending me this for my birthday!

I give Cedar Aged Jai Alai 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Waffles At Noon

2012-01-23T16:33:00.000-08:00

Check out Mike's interview by the folks at Waffles At Noon about his thoughts on the Craft Beer Phenomenon.

Dark Lord Day 2012

2012-01-08T17:43:00.000-08:00

Just one week ago, I wrote a short post about all of the great beer that we got to try at Dark Lord Day 2011. Today Three Floyds posted the first little bit of news about Dark Lord Day 2012. Their post doesn't say much more than that there will be information coming later, but it is exciting to see Three Floyds is starting to gear up for this excellent festival!

Eis Igian,
Randall

Cigar City

2012-01-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

Just visited the lovely Cigar City brewery in Tampa, FL. I will post a review of what they had on tap soon. I'll just briefly state that their offerings to us crazy micro beer fiends was quite the beertopia. Looking forward to doing a video blog of their infamous Hunahpu's day this March.

-Charles

Dark Lord Day 2011

2012-01-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

I was doing some cleaning and found a list of the various brews that we got to try at Dark Lord 2011:

Bell's : Special Double Cream Stout
BrewDog : Tactical Nuclear Penguin
Bruery : Saison De Lent (tap)
Deschutes : The Abyss
Firestone Walker : Double Jack
Founders : Breakfast Stout (tap)
Founders : Devil Dancer (tap)
Founders : KBS
Goose Island : Night Stalker
Half Acre : Daisy Cutter
Live Oak : Hefeweizen
Live Oak : IPA
Lunar : Kosmonaut (tap)
Port Brewing : Swamis IPA
Russian River : Pliny the Elder
Schlafly : IPA (tap)
Stone : Smoked Vanilla Porter (tap)
Surly : Darkness
Three Floyds : Dark Lord De Muerte
Three Floyds : Evil Power (tap)
Three Floyds : Vanilla Bean aged Dark Lord (tap)
Three Floyds : Zombie (tap)

While some of these beers were available on tap at the festival, some were brews that we brought, and many were brews shared by the many generous patrons of the festival. I think that the sharing at Dark Lord Day is what really makes it a special event.

Finding this list has me really looking forward to Dark Lord Day 2012! I think I'll have to pop a bottle of 2011 Dark Lord soon...

Eis Igian!
Randall

Rogue Mocha Porter

2011-12-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

Style: American Porter
Thanks to Randall for passing this one on to me.

Appearance - Appears very dark brown or black, but is actually a very dark ruby when held up to light. Big creamy and rocky off-white head that shrinks slowly leaving my glass covered with a film of thick lacing.

Aroma - Initial aromas of milk chocolate, mocha espresso, and caramel. Lots more caramel aromas come out after the initial wave starts to wear off.

Taste - Less sweet and more bitter than expected from the aroma. Smooth, mild dark chocolate and coffee flavors with just a bit of citrus hops. Balance is towards the malty sweetness, but there is a bit of coffee-like bitterness. Aftertaste is mild coffee, sweet bread, and orange peel. Somewhat one-dimensional, but pleasing nonetheless.

Drinkability - Thinner, almost watery, body with lighter carbonation. The smooth sweetness, thin body, and light carbonation makes this brew extremely drinkable.

Rating - 5 out of 10.

A good American Porter, but not my favorite. The appearance, aroma, and flavor reminded me of a darker Scottish ale with a bit of a roasted quality. For the style, I prefer less sweetness, less citrus hops, and more roasted characteristics. This beer, like a lot of Rogue beers, does not impress me, but their Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout is hard to beat.

Surly Wet

2011-12-06T18:24:00.001-08:00

Wet by Surly
Style / abv: American IPA / 7.5%
Source / Temp: 1 Pint Can / 55 deg
Glass: Half Pint Glass

Appearance: Clear reddish-gold ale with a thick white head.

Aroma: This brew has an awesome citrus aroma with notes of orange and grapefruit. I also notice a hint of lemon-grass.

Taste: The taste is so full of crisp citrus fruits that it literally reminds me of biting into a juicy orange. The middle is sort of a sweet pine and is followed by a big hop finish.

Drinkability: The body is surprisingly watery with medium carbonation. This is easily one of the most drinkable 7+ percentage beers I've ever had.

Notes:
This beer tastes and smells so good that I don't want to put down my glass. I have had the pleasure of trying some of the finest IPA's that America has to offer and Wet is easily one of the finest IPA's I have tried. The only real problem with this beer is that it is not readily accessible in Indiana. Fortunately I have found a couple of great traders in Minnesota that are willing to help me acquire future batches.

I give Wet 9.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Avery Mephistopheles' Stout

2011-12-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

Style: American Double / Imperial Stout
Thanks to BA buddy Mark for passing this bottle on to me.

Appearance - Solidly black with hardly any light penetrating the edges. Nice one-finger creamy khaki head that wells up with the pour and then quickly dissipates to a frothy ring. Some nice lacing left behind.

Aroma - Smells excellent... lots of milk chocolate and caramel goodness. Some molasses, hops, dark fruits, and alcohol detectable as well

Taste - Whoa... at 16.8% alcohol, this beer packs a punch. Tastes like a big chocolate stout with some roasted notes. Some sweet fruitiness is present which becomes more noticeable in the aftertaste. Quite a bit of alcohol heat/warmth, but the alcohol content is still somewhat hidden. At times, there seems to be some subtle bourbon flavors, but I do not believe this is barrel aged. Warming blends the flavors well and brings out further complexity.

Drinkability - Sticky, and mildly velvety, medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Somewhat of a sipper due to the alcohol content, but this is balanced out somewhat by the malty sweetness.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

Avery's Mephistopheles' Stout is a huge, yet solid, imperial stout. In fact, this is probably the best brew that I have tried by Avery to date. I am interested in what this would drink like with some age on it, as the alcohol burn can be a bit overwhelming at times. Definitely deserving of further thought and another try at a future date.

Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout

2011-11-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

Last September, a good friend shared a bottle of Hunahpuh's with most of the bloggers here. We were all blown away by that amazing stout and ever since then, I have been very interested to try the base stout that Cigar City Brewing uses to create their Mayan inspired Hunahpuh's. Recently, the same friend was kind enough to share this foundation:

Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout by Cigar City Brewing
Style / abv: Russian Imperial Stout / 11.5%
Source / Temp: bottle / ?
Glass: Large Wine Glass

Appearance: Completely black ale with a thick mocha brown head.

Aroma: The aroma is both appealing and unusual. I smell cocoa powder, molasses, soy sauce, and I detect just a hint of alcohol.

Taste: I taste creamy molasses, dark cocoa powder, and a medium roasty finish. This is a very sweet brew, but the roasted malt finish balances the taste nicely.

Drinkability: Despite Zhukov's being an extremely thick brew with only medium carbonation, I find it to be surprisingly drinkable. Not drinkable like a glass of pilsner after mowing the yard in the hot summer sun, but rather drinkable like a cup of hot chocolate that you just can't put down on a cold winter's day.

Notes:
As Zhukov's warms, I notice more roastiness in the finish to the point that it actually tastes a bit smokey.

Some aspects of this beer feel like they contradict one another: good and strange aroma, sweet and roasty taste, thick and drinkable body, highly alcoholic with almost no evidence in the taste or aroma. Yet somehow they all work together for an extremely enjoyable beer and one that I will seek out again.

I give Marshal Zhukov's 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Canadian Breakfast Stout

2011-11-26T10:02:00.001-08:00

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) by Founders
Style / abv: Double Imperial Stout / 10.6%
Source / Temp: 750ml bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Medium Sized Snifter

Appearance: Black ale with a tan head.

Aroma: The first thing I notice is that this ale smells like a tame KBS. I pick up a light bourbon scent, chocolate liquor, and a bit of alcohol.

Taste: This is a very sweet beer. I taste creamy chocolate milk, a bit of coffee, tons of maple, and just a touch of bourbon. I am strongly reminded of a sweet Starbucks coffee. The only evidence of hops is a very slight bite somewhere in the middle. I do not taste any alcohol.

Drinkability: This smooth, creamy ale has just a little bit of carbonation. This is a dessert beer that while tasty, it is not very drinkable. I cannot imagine drinking much more than about 6 ounces.

Notes:
As CBS reaches room temperature, the sweetness becomes over-the-top. I find myself with my nose in the glass, yet less and less tempted to take a sip.

I am glad that I was lucky enough to secure a single bottle of this interesting and lauded ale. It is a tasty brew that was fun to share with my fellow bloggers. I must admit, however, that while I will continue to hunt and scrap for bottles of KBS and Backwoods Bastard, I will not go to the same lengths for CBS. There is one exception: many who have had both say that CBS on tap is far superior to CBS in the bottle. So I will reserve my final judgement of CBS for the day that I have opportunity to sample it on tap... if that day ever comes....

I give CBS 8 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

A Zombie at the Beach

2011-11-26T09:10:00.001-08:00

Fun Picture by Charles

Sun King Brewery: Osiris

2011-11-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

Sun King Brewery Osiris

Type: APA (American Pale Ale)

I first tried this beer as a sample in the Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis, Indiana right before the Three Floyds Anniversary celebration (good times) this year. It was a great experience at the Sun King Brewery and it is amazing now out of the colorfully ornate 1 pint can.

Appearance - Pours with a full head and a light amber color.

Aroma - Fresh, crisp citrus…amazing and perfect.

Taste - Absolutely perfect, just like the aroma. Pours in rich and creamy with a….hate to use the word again, but 'perfect' carbonation tantalizing the tongue with 'perfectly' (dang it, can't stop using that word) balanced lasting hops. The subsequent tastes repeat this process 'perfectly' till the bottom of the glass.

Rating - 10 out of 10

This is a close tie with Zombie Dust from Three Floyds for APA's, from the same great state of Indiana (what is going on over there?). Because of Osiris and Zombie Dust I have a new found attraction for APAs and the relationship is growing. We found another winner. Great job Sun King Brewery you are amazing!

Broma Theon

(food of the gods)

-charles

Mikkeller 10 (APA)

2011-11-25T17:46:00.000-08:00

Mikkeller 10

Type: APA (American Pale Ale)

Appearance - A liquid very similar to a Hefe weisen or Belgian trippel with smokey liquid pours with a hefty and lasting head.

Aroma - I would not have believed it unless I smelt it personally, but the smell that quickly dropped my expectations is…..wet dog. Yes, the smell was wet dog with a side of hops. Not very refreshing to start.

Taste - Tastes more like a belgian trippel than an APA to me, but I'm fairly new to APA's so I'm trying to figure them out. My absolute favorite APA is Zombie Dust by Three Floyds, but…I'll talk about that one in another review. The citrus is definitely quality, but I just can't shake the 'wet dog' smell to really enjoy the hops. Seeing that they brewed this limited release at De Poef, Belgium I am going to take a wild guess to understand why there are strong Belgium yeast overtones.

Rating - 6 out of 10

It was really hard to score it so low with the amazing complex flavors, but I just can't get past smelling wet dog while I am stuffing my face into the glass. This is my first time trying anything by Mikkeller so I will try not to judge my next tastes of their beer based off of this limited release. Till next time.

Broma Theon

(food of the gods)

-charles

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 11 (aka Endeavour)

2011-11-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

Saint Arnolds Divine Reserve 11
Type: American Double, Imperial IPA

Appearance - While it pours with a full head, it quickly settles to allow you to enjoy the experience. Waiting is sometimes frustrating when you want to taste a great beer.

Aroma: Fresh honey with a slight hint of grape fruit.

First taste - Definitely taste the honey and the rush of my favorite flavors...hops!! I imagine that this Divine Reserve 11 would have tasted even more amazing had it been completely fresh, but even after the many months of waiting for me to taste it, I'm impressed. I admit that I have not found a beer that Saint Arnolds produces that completely captures my taste buds, but tonight...I found one. Thankfully Saint Arnolds is smart enough to keep this one around for good and is releasing it as a normal production beer under the title, "Endeavour." The vote was between the name 'eleven' and 'Endeavour' and Endeavour won. I voted for Endeavour myself....who calls their beer eleven? Really?!

Later tastes - Creamy, rich, a slight warmness, and the slightly bitter hoppy goodness that I love in my aftertastes. Some hate it, but I absolutely love it.

Rating: 9 out of 10

For its new name's connotation of the Space Shuttle Endeavor and for the James Cook's ship Endeavor, it represents the best that I've had from Saint Arnolds to date. Good job Saint Arnolds, keep 'em comin'!!

Broma Theon
(food of the gods)

-Charles

Canadian Craze

2011-11-19T08:44:00.001-08:00

Beer geeks around the world have long pursued Founders' Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS). Described by Founders as an "Ale brewed with Chocolate and Coffee aged in Maple Syrup - Bourbon Barrels" it is easy to understand its appeal. Of course many brews fall short of the delicious descriptions conjured up by marketing professionals but CBS has consistently received excellent reviews on websites like Beeradvocate and Ratebeer. Over the years CBS has become legendary. Part of this fame is also based on Founders reputation as masters of bourbon barrel aging. When Founders commits to aging ale in bourbon barrels, they rarely miss the mark.

Until recently, CBS was only available on tap and it's legend grew as the chosen few beer reviewers lauded it's amazing taste and aroma. Earlier this year Founders started bottling in large format 750ml bottles. Their first release was Blushing Monk and immediately people started speculating that CBS could be, or should be, next. Founders played their cards close to the chest as anticipation grew but in late August Founders announced that the next large format release would indeed be Canadian Breakfast Stout. The web was abuzz with anticipation and excitement and our little tasting group was no different.

On one of my many trips to the local bottle shoppe, I discussed the impending release of CBS with my friend and purveyor of great beer, Dave (or as he is called on Beeradvocate: backfat). "I'm not even going to bother trying to get it locally", Dave said. "It's going to be a bloodbath." I chuckled. Laura and I thought about driving up to the release party but ultimately decided to skip it. I figured it would be difficult to get, but I had always been able to track down any brew that I really wanted and figured this would be no different.

As the date for distribution grew closer, I began calling my various sources for rare beer. I could tell early on that store employees were being harassed by frenzied beer fans, concerned that they might not get a bottle of CBS. Was Dave right? Maybe I should have made the trip to Grand Rapids to secure my bottles... still, I wasn't too worried. I put my name on three bottle lists and stayed in contact with eight different stores. At the first store I was number 14 on a list, at the second I was number 5, and at my regular spot I was number 8. The only problem was that no one knew how many bottles they would receive. More time passed and rumors of extremely limited bottle counts began to surface. Now I began to lament my decision to not attend the release party in Grand Rapids. With no going back, I tried to call stores often enough to keep abreast of what was happening without becoming a nuisance. The problem was that with so many callers, beer stores were growing weary of any mention of CBS.

Finally distribution week came and the incredible stories began. People waiting outside stores who refused to make lists, some even sleeping in their cars. People hearing they would get bottles, only to find their store received none. Stores not selling a single bottle to the public but rather letting employees purchase their entire allotment. As I touched base with stores that did not make lists, I received the same news: either their bottle allotment was so small that they were already gone or they received no bottles at all. I still had hope as my name was in good position on a few lists. I spoke with the first store and found out that I was number 14 on a list for 12 bottles. I called the second store and found that I was number 5 on a list for no bottles. Uh oh. I called my last hope and found that I was number 8 on a list for 12 bottles! Okay, this would work out just fine... or maybe not. The shop kept taking names and as their list grew well beyond their allotment they decided that the only fair thing to do was to have a lottery. The list grew to around 40 names and the bottle count dwindled to 4 as their employees reserved bottles for themselves. At this point I was hopeful but not especially optimistic. I spoke with one of the employees who stated, "we're going to do the drawing at 5 this afternoon. Everyone just wants to get this whole Canadian Breakfast Stout thing behind us". I empathized with him for a minute before hanging up.

After work I decided to run over to the store and see how the drawing went. A group of people that included Dave and the store owner were quietly chatting as I entered. I smiled, congratulated them for being almost done with all the craziness, and asked how the drawing went. Dave pulled out a bottle of CBS and said, "isn't that a beautiful thing?" He held it forward and handed it me. As I looked over the label he said, "we just did the drawing and you won. That's your bottle." I paused for a moment wondering if he was kidding, but quickly concluded that Dave wouldn't be that cruel. I was a little stunned and a lot excited to realize that I would finally get to try this storied ale.

As Dave walked back to check some stock I said, "Man, you called it on the CBS release! How did you know that it would be so crazy?"

"Well, I figured this: bottle one of the most sought-after stouts in the world that tastes so good that you'd stab your best friend in the face just for a sip; it has to be crazy." I think I'll listen next time.

So last Friday night on the eve of the Three Floyds 15th Anniversary, I decided to open my bottle of CBS. It seemed appropriate as the group assembled included most of us who write here.

So next up... my review of CBS.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Great Lakes Blackout Stout

2011-11-15T00:38:00.000-08:00

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Thanks to Randall for passing this on to me.

Appearance - Very dark. Not quite black, though... when held to the light I can see some hints of dark brown or ruby on the very edges. Big, solid, rocky, and creamy khaki head wells up and takes its time folding back in.... actually it never really totally fades. Leaves a thick coating of incredible foamy lacing on the glass as it recedes.

Aroma - Mainly getting coffee, dark chocolate, toffee/caramel, dark fruits, and molasses aromas. Not quite what I expected, but I can't have too many expectations, right?

Taste - Flavors of sweetened creamed coffee, caramel, mildly nutty dark chocolate, and molasses. Balanced towards the sweet end, yet there is a resinous and spicy hop bitterness that is noticeably present. Aftertaste is hops and coffee bitterness. Pretty smooth, but there is some alcohol warmth in the throat. Definitely does not taste like 9% alcohol, though.

Drinkability - Creamy, mildly sticky medium body with lighter carbonation. Drinks pretty smoothly for a 9% Russian Imperial Stout. This is probably attributable to the balance towards the sweetness and the well-concealed alcohol content. The body seems somewhat thin for the style at times.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

I tried this last summer and have wanted to try it again ever since. Great Lakes does not disappoint, and I would love to try the barrel-aged version of this. A solid Russian Imperial Stout. According to the Great Lakes web site, this is only available from November through January, so grab it while it is available and bottoms up!

Victory St. Victorious

2011-11-14T23:56:00.000-08:00

Style: Doppelbock
Thanks to BA buddy Mark for this bottle!

Appearance - Dusky orange amber with a big creamy off-white head. Lacing is minimal if any at all.

Aroma - Smells great! Initial aroma is a blast of malty fruit (rasberry, strawberry, etc...) and yeasty sweet bread. As the initial aroma passes, I am starting to pick up some caramel, toffee, and spices. Reminds me of a spiced Christmas fruitcake. This is one of the better aromas that I have gotten from a doppelbock.

Taste - Mmmm... Smooth, rich, malty, and fruity. The taste seems to register slowly after I take a sip, and it begins with a blended wave of malty fruitiness and buttery caramel/toffee flavors. There is some mild hop bitterness and alcohol warmth in the aftertaste/finish, but this is definitely a brew that is balanced towards the richly sweet smoothness. Tastes even better as it warms with some subtle spicy complexities starting to come out. This is the best tasting doppelbock that I have tried thus far.

Drinkability - Smooth and mildly sticky medium body with lighter carbonation. This is fairly drinkable despite the rich sweetness and the 7.6% alcohol content.

Rating - 7.5 out of 10.

A very solid beer from Victory. Rich and malty without being cloying or overindulgent, yet it does taste somewhat decadent. I am still discovering doppelbocks, and I think this is my favorite so far. An all around winner... looks good, smells great, tastes excellent, and drinks well. Keep your eyes out for this one.

Elevator Dark Horse Lager

2011-11-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Style: Euro Dark Lager
Thanks to Randall for passing this one on to me from our friend John.

Appearance - Fairly clear dark amber brown. Massively huge off-white bubbly, creamy, and rocky head that leaves some nice lacing as it recedes.

Aroma - Lots of caramel, a bit of chocolate, lager yeast esters, and a healthy dose of hops. Smells kind of a like a lager version of a darker Scottish ale.

Taste - Nice balance of smooth caramel sweetness and citrus hop bitterness. Got a blast of bloody metallic flavor on the first sip, but I do not taste this as much now. Mild aftertastes of burnt biscuit and astringent iced-tea (tannins?). Some subtle orange and earthy chocolate flavors coming out in the middle as this warms. Like the aroma, the flavor reminds me of a darker, more complex, lager version of a Scottish Ale.

Drinkability - Light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. The sweet lager smoothness makes this easily drinkable, yet the smoothness is balanced out by a coarser dose of carbonation and hop bitterness... still remains pretty drinkable, though.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

This is my first Euro Dark Lager, and it is a unique and tasty beer that goes down smoothly. I am quickly becoming a fan of Elevator brews. From what I understand, they have limited distribution and are based out of Columbus, OH. Definitely check out their Three Frogs IPA as well... it is excellent. I look forward to trying more of their beers in the near future.

O'Hanlon's Thomas Hardy's Ale

2011-11-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

Style: Old Ale
Thanks to Beeradvocate buddy Mark who traded me this 2008 vintage bottle.

Appearance - Hazy, glowing deep golden amber with some brownish orange highlights. A thin off-white head fizzes up and quickly settles back into a ring around the snifter. Some decent lacing. Overall, a very nice looking beer.

Aroma - Sweet caramelized sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, apples, cherries, and some alcohol. Aroma is very malty, complex, and smells quite good. Actually one of the better aromas that I have gotten from a beer recently. Very nice!

Taste - Extremely intense and complex flavor. Malty explosion of burnt sugar, toffee/caramel, vanilla, and apple/cherry fruit flavors that is balanced out by hop bitterness, scorched sugar, and a dry, tart earthiness. Aftertaste seems to consist of a pleasant apple/cherry flavor that lingers for some time. The 11.7% alcohol content is prevalent in the flavor which adds to the intensity and makes this into a sipper, yet the sweet complexity keeps me coming back for more. Warming only improves the flavor and brings out some more complexity... actually getting some hints of chocolate flavor in the middle as this warms.

Drinkability - Somewhat sticky medium to heavy body with medium carbonation. As stated above, a bit of a coarse sipper due to the intensity and alcohol content, but very tasty at the same time.

Rating - 8.5 out of 10.

Hands down one of the best Old Ales that I have tried so far. The bottle claims that this ages well for up to 25 years. I can totally believe this, and would love to lay a bottle of this back for several more years. Thanks to my buddy Mark, I also have a 2004 vintage bottle that I will continue to age. From my understanding, this is now a retired beer that was only brewed from 2003-2008, but I still occasionally see bottles (mainly 2008's) around. A great beer... pick this up if you can find it!

Alesmith Grand Cru Ale

2011-10-31T20:34:00.000-07:00

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance - Murky brownish amber with a huge off-white bubbly head. Looks amazingly effervescent in a Duvel tulip. Some nice lacing as well.

Aroma - Dark fruits, sweet bread, green apple, caramel, and Belgian yeast. Maybe a bit of a bloody metallic aroma, but not too distracting.

Taste - Definitely tastes like a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Very smooth, malty, and just a bit dry. There is some hop bitterness, yet balance is more on the sweet/malty side. Sweet dates, raisin, and caramel apple. Some yeasty bread flavors in the aftertaste. Some alcohol warmth, but does not drink like 10%.

Drinkability - Creamy medium body with medium to high carbonation levels. Fairly drinkable due to the smooth sweetness.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

A solid Belgian Strong Dark Ale from Alesmith. The bottle recommends aging for 6 to 24 months before drinking, but this was only aged for about 2 months. I can definitely see how laying this back for a few more months would improve it. Definitely a brew that I would like to try again with some age on it. Good stuff!

Hanssens Oude Gueuze

2011-10-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

Style: Gueuze
Thanks to Randall for sharing this with me.

Appearance - Golden straw with some light orange highlights. Hardly any head except for a whitish ring of foam around the snifter.

Aroma - Sweet white wine, horse blanket, band-aid, old rotting gym shoes, and other pungent Belgian yeast funkiness. Very complex aroma.

Taste - Very unusual, and a bit on the dry side. Tastes like a sour white wine with some mild pear and apple sweetness on the finish. Although the alcohol content is only 6%, it actually tastes stronger than that.

Drinkability - Light-medium body with light carbonation. The tart sourness of this beer is almost overwhelming to me at times, and this made it into a bit of a sipper.

Rating - 4.5 out of 10.

This was my first gueuze, and I am not sure that I was ready yet. I have acquired the taste for some sours, but the funky aroma and sourness of this were just too much for me. Maybe they will appeal to me more after my palate has evolved further... then again, maybe not. For now, I will stick with sours and just sample the occasional gueuze.

Elevator Three Frogs IPA

2011-10-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

Style: American IPA
Thanks to Randall who got this from our friend John and passed it on to me.

Appearance - Hazy golden orange with some yellowish highlights and a finger of thick foamy off-white head that gently folds back into the beer rather slowly. Nice spotty lacing.

Aroma - Grapefruit and pineapple citrus hops with some caramel sweetness in the background.

Taste - Not as bitter as I anticipated from the aroma. In fact, there is a nice balance between the upfront caramel sweetness (which also seems to include some fruity tropical notes) and the bitter fruity/citrus hop flavors that dominate through the finish and aftertaste. Some mild wheat graininess, dry iced-tea, tropical fruitiness (papaya, apricot, and pineapple), and subtle burnt biscuit flavors manifest in the drawn out aftertaste. Actually very good... went well with my dinner of veggie barbecue ribs, spiced yam, and broccoli.

Drinkability - Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation levels. The carbonation and hop bitterness is a bit high to make this a session beer, yet it is fairly drinkable due to the excellent flavor. 8% alcohol is pleasantly detectable, but is not a deterrent in any way.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

A very solid American IPA from a brewery that I have never tried before. Surprisingly good actually. Excellent balance of hop bitterness and malt sweetness. Looking forward to trying more brews from Elevator in the near future.

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

2011-10-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

Style: American Double / Imperial Stout
Thanks to Randall who acquired this from my Uncle Larry and shared this bottle with me.

Appearance - Appears darkly opaque, but when held to the light is actually a very dark ruby with some brownish highlights around the edges. Features a finger of lighter tan head that dissipates at a medium rate leaving minimal lacing.

Aroma - Coffee, roasted malt, and some sweet caramel/chocolate aromas that emerge more with warming. Definitely dominated by coffee scents, though.

Taste - Caramel and chocolate sweetness take a backseat to a strong, astringent coffee flavor. There is a balance here between the sweet flavors added by the malt and the hop/coffee bitterness. Some soapy flavors and sweet bread in the aftertaste. The 8.8% alcohol content is concealed well.

Drinkability - Light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Pretty drinkable, but the astringent bitterness from the coffee (maybe some of this is hop bitterness as well?) is a bit much for me.

Rating - 4 out of 10.

In my opinion, Lagunitas Cappucino Stout is an average coffee stout. The bitter coffee astringency is just too much for me at times. This bottle has been aged since July, so I can't imagine what this is like fresh. I am glad to have had the opportunity to try this, but unless you like this kind of astringent bitterness, there are much better coffee stouts out there that skillfully infuse coffee flavoring without this quality.

Sun King Grapefruit Jungle IPA

2011-10-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Style: American IPA

Appearance - Looks a lot like apple juice. Clear yellowish orange with a big rocky white head that sticks around for a while.

Aroma - Very hop oriented. Bold grapefruit and orange citrus aromas. Some sweet caramel in the background as well.

Taste - Grapefruit Jungle is on the dryer side with some heat from the 7.5% alcohol content. As the name implies, lots of grapefruit flavor here from the hops. A quick caramel sweetness up front with an earthy citrus hop bitterness dominating the finish and aftertaste. At times, I am picking up some iced tea and orange-icing glazed biscuit flavorings way into the aftertaste as well.

Drinkability - Mildly sticky light to medium body with light to medium carbonation. Too intensely hopped to be much of a session beer. In fact, the amount of bitterness slows me down some.

Rating - 5.5 out of 10.

Another interesting beer by Sun King. An IPA that is definitely geared towards the hop heads. This was not my favorite rendition of the American IPA style, but it is a solid one. When I picked this up at the brewery, I also got to try their Cowbell Milk Porter which was fantastic! If you are passing through the Indianapolis area and love craft beer, do not miss a stop at Sun King.

Southern Tier Pumking

2011-10-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

Style: Pumpkin Ale

Appearance - Crystal clear golden orange with some touches of amber. Whitish head dissipates very quickly. Hardly any lacing.

Aroma - Real raw pumpkin, wheat, graham cracker, and nutmeg spiciness. Each of these aromas can be individually picked out which is amazing. Actually does smell like a slice of pumpkin pie. It is not hard to imagine that I can smell some whip cream as well.

Taste - Yum! Taste is amazingly similar to the aroma. Sweet burst of sugary pumpkin followed by a honey wheat graham cracker flavor. Aftertaste includes a mild spicy sensation. Maybe even some whip cream here as well. 8.6% alcohol content is hidden extremely well. The flavors improve with warming to a point, but this is one that is better to serve on the cooler side.

Drinkability - I could drink this all night. Extremely drinkable due to the smooth sweetness. Medium carbonation and body, but is not really that filling which adds to the ease at which this can be consumed.

Rating - 8.5 out of 10.

An amazing beer. Extremely impressive. Smells and tastes like a slice of pumpkin pie. This goes down way too easy for the 8.6% alcohol content. The best pumpkin ale I have had so far, and I will be looking for this next year. Highly recommended.

Shoreline Lost Sailor Imperial Stout

2011-10-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
2008 vintage poured to snifters.

Appearance - Everything about the appearance of this beer reminded me of dark grape juice. Even the way it bubbled when poured reminded me of grape juice bubbles. It was also evident that there was barely any carbonation in this brew.

Aroma - Aromas of bourbon, grape juice, vanilla, and maybe some coconut.

Taste - Sweet malty dark pitted fruits (especially prunes/plums and dates), molasses, and some smooth bourbon. Hardly any hops or carbonation which creates kind of an unbalanced sweetness, but this does taste good. Lots of dark fruit flavors in the aftertaste. Some interesting vinous, cherry, and vanilla flavors emerge as this warms. 12% alcohol content is well concealed.

Drinkability - Medium bodied with little (if any) carbonation. Easy to drink due to the sweetness plus the lack of hops and carbonation.

Rating - 4 out of 10.

I had heard a lot about this beer, and I have been wanting to try it, but it was a bit of a disappointment to me. It was tasty and smooth, but the lack of hops and carbonation made this kind of an unbalanced brew that lacked complexity. In my opinion, Lost Sailor would be greatly improved with a bigger hop profile, more carbonation, and a thicker body. Maybe 2008 was a bad year for this one? Glad to have tried it, though.

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad (BBQ)

2011-10-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

Style: Quadrupel (Quad)
Thanks much to Randall who brought this gem over for my birthday.

Appearance - Murky golden amber brownish with some orange tones and a quickly dispersing off-white head. Some lacing.

Aroma - Cherries, bourbon, caramel, and some vanilla notes from the bourbon barrel.

Taste - A crisp and clean sweet quad with sour cherries and bourbon. Some caramel sweetness in the middle followed by an extremely smooth and drawn out aftertaste of bourbon and sour cherry. With warming, booze and more cherry tartness emerges, but this still does not drink like an 11.8% alcohol beverage.

Drinkability - Smooth and creamy goodness! Medium to heavy body with medium to high carbonation levels. Very nice!

Rating - 7.5 out of 10.

I had been wanting to try this for awhile, and it did not disappoint. Yet another good bourbon barrel-aged beer that is out there to try. Reminds me of a quad like St. Bernardus Abt 12 that has been aged in tart cherries and bourbon. My favorite quad is still good 'ole St. Bernardus Abt 12, but Boulevard BBQ is great if you are looking for some variation in the style.

Surly Bender

2011-10-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

Style: American Brown Ale
Thanks to Randall for bringing this over for my birthday!

Appearance - Surly Bender appears to be on the darker side, but actually looks like a clearer dark brownish burgundy when held up to light. Half a finger of off-white head foams up with the pour and leaves some minimal splotchy lacing behind as the snifter drains.

Aroma - Clean cocoa, caramel, and vanilla aromas with a noticeable hop profile. I am not sure if it is possible to smell lactose sugar, but this does have a similar aroma to a milk stout. This can was a few months old, and if there was any coffee aroma present, it has dropped off with aging.

Taste - The flavors in this brew are very similar to the aroma. Clean, sweet malty cocoa and caramel with some milder coffee flavors. There is some hop bitterness, but the emphasis is on the malty sweetness. A bit of an oat flavor emerges with warming.

Drinkability - Thin-medium bodied with lower carbonation levels. Surprisingly thin considering there is some oat in this... not to mention, it smells like lactose sugar. The thinner body and sweetness does make this easily drinkable, though.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

Surly Bender is an interesting beer because it is hard to classify. Is it a brown ale? An oatmeal stout? Some other stout variation? The American Brown Ale classification makes sense, but this is also what makes this beer unique. There is a lot going on here considering the style. I would definitely like to try this again fresh to see if there is more coffee flavor/aroma present.

Brooklyn Monster Ale

2011-10-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

Style: English Barleywine
2010 vintage bottle

Appearance - Slightly murky golden amber brownish with a finger of quickly receding off-white head. Looks a lot like a dark apple cider.

Aroma - Caramel apple, raisins, citrus hops, and booze.

Taste - Very similar to the aroma. Dominated by sweet caramel apple and raisin flavors, and balanced with some hop bitterness. Yeasty bread on the finish/aftertaste. All of the English Barleywines that I have tried have a strange, almost Belgian, ester quality. This is a tasty beer that improves with warming, but I was thrown off a bit by the initial aftertaste/esters. The 10.8% alcohol content is somewhat hidden, but this is still hot after nearly a year of aging.

Mouthfeel - Medium body (almost syrupy) with low carbonation. The odd flavors created by the combination of booze, hops, esters, and aftertaste slow me down. Some of this fades with warming and this beer becomes more enjoyable.

Rating - 5.5 out of 10.

I saw a single of this at a local bottle shop that was less traveled and wanted to try it. Monster Ale is an interesting brew, but I seem to have trouble getting into English Barleywine. They often have some odd flavors in the aftertaste/finish that turn me off. Monster Ale is worth trying, though.

Beer Tasting September 2011

2011-09-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday evening Laura and I hosted our second beer tasting party. Thank you to everyone who came out! We really enjoyed spending time with you, chatting, and sampling brews.

The picture above shows everything that was shared.

Top Row; Left To Right
1) mdvatab - Home Brew - American Pale Wheat
2) Bell's - The Oracle - American Double / Imperial IPA
3) Kuhnhenn Brewing Company - Bourbon Barrel Fourth Dementia - Old Ale
4) Deschutes Brewery - Hop In The Dark Cascadian Dark Ale - American Black Ale
5) Cigar City Brewing - Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - American Double / Imperial Stout
6) Avery Brewing Company - Maharaja - American Double / Imperial IPA
7) mdvatab - Home Brew - American Stout
8) Founders - Backwoods Bastard - Scotch Ale

Bottom Row; Left To Right
1) Great Lakes Brewing Company - Burning River - American Pale Ale
2) Three Floyds - Zombie Dust - American Pale Ale
3) Another Zombie Dust
4) Half Acre Beer Company - Daisy Cutter - American Pale Ale
5) Another Daisy Cutter
6) Maui Brewing Co. - CoCoNut Porter - American Porter
7) Another CoCoNut Porter
8) Founders - Porter - American Porter
9) Great Lakes Brewing Company - Edmund Fitzgerald Porter - American Porter
10) Deschutes Brewery - Black Butte Porter - American Porter
11) Nøgne Ø - Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri A/S - Porter - American Porter
12) Three Floyds - Amon Amarth / Ragnarok - American Porter

Not pictured:
Deschutes Brewery - The Abyss - American Double / Imperial Stout

Pale And Porters
With a general theme of Pales & Porters it was fun to compare a variety of American Pale Ales and Porters to see how they stacked up. For me, Zombie Dust was the clear winner of the APA's but Porters wasn't as cut and dry. While I really liked trying some new Porters alongside some old favorites, the Edmund Fitzgerald continues to be one of my favorites. The CoCoNut and Nogne variations were both very good and I will seek them out again.

Everything Else
We got to sample a couple of great Double IPA's in The Oracle and Maharaja. Mark brought out a couple home brews which were tasty and fun to try. Laura and I both have a special place for all things aged in bourbon barrels and we both loved the Kuhnhenn and Hunahpu's. The final sampling was a bottle of The Abyss which was unfortunately infected, but enjoyable to try nonetheless.

Thank you to everyone who brought beer. Your generosity was much appreciated!

Eis Igian,
Randall and Laura

Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock

2011-09-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Style: Eisbock

Appearance - Appears to be very dark, but light reveals this to actually be a hazy and robust brownish ruby. A couple fingers of off-whitish head rise up and then fade back rather quickly. No lacing to speak of.

Aroma - Red wine, modeling clay, mixed berries, banana, cloves, perfumed hops, booze, and what smells like Belgian yeast. Extremely unique and complex aroma.

Taste - One of the most unique beers that I have tasted. Fruity red wine, banana, and spice flavors appear and then fade into a finish/aftertaste of mildly sour mixed berries, bread, and clay. Noticeable alcohol burn from the 12% content. Blends nicely as it warms... actually very tasty.

Drinkability - Medium/heavy body with light to mid level carbonation. Goes down well, but the alcohol content and the rich complexity slow me down a bit.

Rating - 5.5 out of 10.

I have picked this up on several occasions thinking that it is just the regular version of Schneider Aventinus. The bottles are very similar, but the regular is a bigger bottle and there is a sleight difference in the labeling. Turns out that an Eisbock is a style that is condensed by freezing during the brewing process, and from what I understand, this is just a condensed version of the regular Schneider Aventinus. Having just had the regular in the last couple days, I can safely say that I prefer it, but this is still a very tasty beer.

Green Flash Double Stout

2011-09-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

Style: American Double / Imperial Stout

Appearance - Truly opaque dusky blackness with a couple fingers of creamy brownish head that leaves some lacing behind as it recedes. Nice lacing as the glass drains as well.

Aroma - Milk chocolate, coffee, caramel, subtle tropical/citrus hop perfume, and a bit of molasses.

Taste - Smooth and sweet milky chocolate, coffee, nuts, dried fruit, and some black patent malt that contributes just the right amount of dry burnt bitterness. Sweetness fades to more of a bitter finish/aftertaste of coffee and dried tropical fruit . Some hop bitterness as well, but the balance is towards the sweeter side. Except for some throat burn, the 8.8% content is not detectable.

Drinkability - Nice oily mouthfeel. Medium to heavy body with light to medium carbonation. The sweet smoothness makes this stout easy to drink, yet the mild richness is somewhat filling.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

Double Stout seems somewhat one-dimensional in the aroma/flavor, but the milk chocolate, nut, and dried fried fruit flavor combinations are the most interesting things about this brew. In my opinion, a higher alcohol content, more bitterness, and just a tad bit less sweetness would improve this. Overall, this is a solid imperial stout, though. Glad to have tried this!

Jaded

2011-09-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

Jaded by Stillwater Artisanal Ales
Style / abv: Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 10%
Source / Temp: 11.2oz bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Medium Sized Snifter

Appearance: Even though I poured fairly gently, the brew still poured with a thick tan head. The body is a medium brown with dark orange tones.

Aroma: I pick up sour plum, grapes and what seems to be dry white wine..

Taste: This starts with a very sweet and smooth red grape and plum front, a fairly spicy middle, and slight dry grain (maybe wheat?) finish. That doesn't really do it justice... this is a pretty complex brew and I'm having a difficult time nailing it down. It is reminiscent of a sweeter Rochefort 8.

Drinkability: This ale is just a little thicker than water with medium carbonation. This is a very enjoyable and at 10% abv, surprisingly drinkable beer.

Notes:
There is a noticeable alcohol warmth but I really don't taste it. After letting the brew warm a bit, the scent of alcohol is much more noticeable.

With the plethora of available Belgian Ales, I haven't felt much draw to try American takes on Belgian classics. After giving this brew a chance, it is apparent that I have been missing out. While I will always enjoy St. Bernardus, Rochefort, Westmalle and the like, Jaded is proof once again that the American brewers can come up with great variations of any style. The only real shame here is that this particular ale was only brewed once with no immediate plan to brew it again.

I give Jaded 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Bells Third Coast Old Ale

2011-09-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

Style: American Barleywine

Appearance - Very nice looking beer. Hazy dark burgundy/ruby with just a bit of off-white head that fades extremely quickly. Some yeast floaters. Not much lacing, but a few very small blotches here and there.

Aroma - Smells great! Fairly complex... honey, brown sugar, dates, chocolate, creamed coffee, caramelized caramel malt, and earthy apricot marmalade.

Taste - Delicious. Smooth and malty with lots of flavors everywhere. A burst of sweet dark fruits and caramel that slowly fades off into a finish/aftertaste that reminds me of brown sugar and apricots. Some subtle milk chocolate and creamed coffee tones as well. Bitterness is present, but tame compared to the sweetness. Lots going on here. The flavor is intense and complex without being cloying or confusing.

Drinkability - Aside from a little throat/chest warmth, the 10.2% alcohol content is hardly noticeable. Medium body with lighter carbonation coats the inside of your mouth. Incredibly drinkable considering the sweetness and alcohol content.

Rating - 9 out of 10.

Simply an amazing beer, and one of the best American Barelywines that is widely available. This is a seasonal winter release that I am going to stock up on when it comes out. Third Coast Old Ale begs to be aged and tasted in a multiple-year vertical. I have been on a barleywine kick lately and need to retry Great Divide Old Ruffian and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, but so far, Third Coast Old Ale takes the cake. Also have a bottle of Troegs Flying Mouflan that I need to try. Looking forward to cool fall weather, camp fires, and good bottles of barleywine to be shared with friends and family.

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Aphrodite

2011-09-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

Style: American Stout
Picked this up due to a recommendation by local Beeradvocate buddy Mark.

Appearance - Appears black as a starless night in the deepest woods, but some clarity around the edges reveals this beer to actually be a very dark amber. Some small yeast floaters or cocoa nib particles are visible at the bottom of my snifter. A finger of brownish head rises up and subsides rather quickly. No lacing.

Aroma - Dark chocolate, cocoa, and some coffee. Maybe also some molasses and cinnamon bread, but I do not smell the vanilla beans that are advertised as being in this brew. Actually, the vanilla aroma is becoming more detectable as this warms.

Taste - The vanilla is definitely present in the taste along with dark chocolate fudge cake and coffee. At times, the interaction between the vanilla, chocolate, and bread flavors almost comes off as a subtle cotton candy or marshmallow flavor. Nicely balanced with some astringent hop bitterness. Very tasty... especially as it warms, and I do not detect the 6.5% alcohol content at all.

Drinkability - Body is on the lighter side (almost watery) with medium carbonation. This is an extremely drinkable beer... so tasty and light that there is never enough in my glass.

Rating - 8 out of 10.

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel is a Canadian brewery that also makes a great imperial coffee stout called Peche Mortel. Aphrodite is also brewed under the names Aphrodisiac or Aphrodisiaque. This is an excellent American Stout (one of my favorites so far) that is very unique due to the added cocoa and vanilla beans. This stuff is difficult to find around here, but I will be keeping my eyes open.

Sprecher Black Bavarian

2011-09-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

Style: Schwarzbier

Appearance - Truly black and nontransparent, but the edges are clearer and reveal this beer to either be a very dark brown or amber. Big thick creamy khaki head that disperses slowly to a fine film across the top of the liquid. Some minimal lacing follows the beer as the glass drains.

Aroma - Milk chocolate, coffee, and some lager yeast esters.

Taste - Very similar to the aroma. Tastes like chocolate milk mixed with some creamed coffee and resinous hops. Some burnt biscuit flavor and a very subtle fruitiness in the finish/aftertaste as well. No trace of the 6% alcohol content. I aged this bottle for about three and a half months and it is super smooth. This is not usually a beer that you would age due to the lower alcohol content, but sometimes they get stuck in the fridge for awhile and I forget about them. Actually, I almost prefer this aged to fresh... the sweet chocolatey flavors emerge and almost taste like a very smooth milk stout.

Drinkability - Smooth medium bodied creaminess with medium carbonation levels. Almost feels like it has added lactose sugar similar to a milk stout, but I am thinking this is actually just the lager smoothness. Very drinkable, yet somewhat rich.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

Black Bavarian is actually the top-rated Schwarzbier according to beeradvocate, and I can see why. I would like to try this again fresh at a later time to compare to this aged version. Schwarzbiers are an interesting style because they mix the smoother body and drinkability of a lighter lager with the bigger taste and aroma of a stout. Samuel Adams Black Lager is still my favorite, but this is pretty damn good.

Mission #3 - 5 new DIPAs

2011-09-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I took my sweet time with this mission, and now I am finally ready to report my findings. I searched far and wide for the best DIPAs I could get my hands on. Thanks to Randall who ended up providing me with four out of the five new double IPAs that I tried. Following is a synopsis of the five new DIPAs... full reviews can be read on beeradvocate.com under my profile name Barfwin.

Pliney the Elder by Russian River - Big thanks to Randall for this. Probably my favorite of the new beers. Very tropical and fruity in both aroma and flavor. Incredibly smooth, sweet, balanced, and complex. In my opinion, this falls a bit short in the mouthfeel department and does not quite live up to the hype of being the 4th best beer in the world (according to the Beeradvocate rating system), yet it is an outstanding beer that I would definitely like to try again.

Abrasive Ale by Surly - Thanks again to Randall for this one. A double IPA that blends sweet pine-sol, tropical fruitiness, and a very dry, smooth flavor. Overall, a good double IPA, but still did not live up to the hype. Another beer that I would like to try again, but my mind is pretty much made up on how I feel about this one.

Lake Erie Monster by Great Lakes - Yet another thanks to Randall for two bottles of this. Syrupy mix of pine, honey, and pineapple aromas/flavors. On first impression, this was a bit of a letdown, but a couple months later I tried another bottle which changed my mind. Maybe there was a freshness issue with the first bottle? This beer deserves another chance in my book. I would like to try it fresh one more time before really making any kind of official judgment on it.

The Oracle by Bells - Picked up this fresh limited edition Bell's release at Belmont Party Supply in Dayton, OH. Total hop bomb with some citrus and pine notes. Complex, but will scorch your palate with an ungodly mixture of hop insanity. This is a brew for hop heads that are actively seeking taste bud annihilation. Actually starts to taste pretty good after your tongue has been melted off. The over-the-top bitterness was just too much for me at times.

He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA by Smaltz - Another beer courtesy of Randall. Actually a rye IPA, but still classified as a double IPA according to the fine folks at Beeradvocate. Similar to Founders Red Rye PA, but darker, sweeter, and less hoppy. Much darker and reddish than most DIPAs. Pleasant balance of caramel malt sweetness, rye, grapefruit citrus hops, and cinnamon spiciness. Very unusual interpretation of a double IPA. I aged this a bit before drinking and noticed that the sweetness was emphasized, and I am curious how much of the hop aromas/flavors dropped off. A good beer that I would like to retry fresh.

Here are my three favorite double IPAs at the moment:
1. Three Floyds Dreadnaught
2. Oskar Blues G'night Imperial Red Ale
3. Firestone Walker Double Jack

Although none of the new DIPAs I tried ended up in my favorites list, it was a pleasure to expand my palate with this mission and try five new excellent beers from this style. A great mission!

Three Floyds Jinx Proof

2011-09-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

Style: Dortmunder / Export Lager

Appearance - Slightly hazy golden yellow with some shades of light orange and a finger or two of persistent creamy white head. Some nice, but minimal, lacing. Since this is a lager, the haziness surprised me a bit.

Aroma - Subtle lemon hop aromas and lager yeast esters. There is also a spicy aroma that I can not identify... I am not used to drinking lagers, so this is fairly foreign to me. Smells similar to a macro lager, though. Since it is Three Floyds I will give it a fair chance.

Taste - Actually pretty nice. I like their interpretation, and they never make a beer that isn't interesting. Crisp and clean with plenty of flavor to go around. Noticeable lemon bitterness followed with a mild wheat grain finish/aftertaste that trails off slowly and pleasingly. Some malt sweetness also present.

Drinkability - Creamy and smooth body with mild carbonation. Heartier than most macro lagers, but still fairly drinkable.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

Picked up a six-pack of this on a whim when I recently traveled to Three Floyds with Randall for the release of Zombie Dust . Jinx Proof is one of the only lagers that they brew, and is only available at the brewery as far as I know. I am not a big lager fan at all, and this was surprisingly good. Another triumph by the brewing wizards at Three Floyds!

Ivan the Terrible

2011-09-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Beeradvocate buddy Mark shared this 2010 vintage bottle during a drinking session/homebrew bottling.

Appearance - No light can penetrate this monster of a beer. Appears to be jet-black or a very dark brown. Two-fingers of creamy khaki head sit on the top.

Aroma - I could literally sit around and smell this beer all day... one of the best smelling brews I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. Even the aroma is complex. Dried dark fruits, coconut, vanilla, and bourbon are some of the main scents that I can make out.

Taste - Extremely well-blended and balanced. Dark fruit, coconut, vanilla, and bourbon take the center stage here. There is also chocolate, but it is more in the background. The 10% alcohol content is buried by all the rich flavors. One of the best tasting Russian Imperial Stouts I have ever had.

Drinkability - Creamy medium bodied nectar of the gods with medium to high carbonation. So drinkable it should be illegal.

Rating - 9.5 out of 10.

Ivan the Terrible is a masterful bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout brewed by the folks at Big Sky Brewing Company out of Montana. Too bad this is not available around here, because I would be hoarding multiple bottles of this in my cellar for special occasions. It strangely reminds me of the Lunar Kosmonaut Russian Imperial Stout by Lunar Brewing Company on tap at Dark Lord Day this year, but Ivan is a much better beer. If you can find this, drink it.

Alesmith Yulesmith (Summer)

2011-09-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

Style: American Double / Imperial IPA
Shared with local Beeradvocate buddy Mark during a Labor Day Weekend homebrew bottling session.

Appearance - Hazy golden orange with half a finger of whitish head. Little retention. Some lacing.

Aroma - Perfumed orange marmalade and grapefruit with some yeast esters.

Taste - Very tasty and clean. Some caramel malt sweetness, but balanced towards the hops. Hoppy citrus perfume of orange peel and pine. Orange marmalade on the finish. 8.5% alcohol content is hiding... I know it's there, though.

Mouthfeel - Somewhat creamy light-medium body with higher carbonation levels. Not exactly a smooth or coarse drinking experience. Good overall, though.

Rating - 7.5 out of 10.

Yulesmith (summer) is probably one of my favorite double IPAs. Very good if you prefer fizzy and hoppy citrus/pine flavored beers. Providing that Alesmith distributes to your area, this is a seasonal beer that is usually available around the beginnings of each July. There is also a Yulesmith (winter) that is a very tasty imperial amber. I would love to have the chance to try this when fresh.

Beer in Dayton, Ohio

2011-09-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write a quick post about a few of the great places in the Dayton, Ohio area to pick up amazing beer. Many people have heard the name Arrow Wine, but few have paid attention my two preferences; Centerville Carry Out at 725 and 48 and Belmont Party Supply off of Smithville and Watervliet Ave. I like Arrow Wine, I really do, but....they have a more kindred spirit for those 'wine' folks. I'm not against the wine brethren, but they seem to receive preferential treatment in selection and focus as the name of the store is Arrow 'Wine.' The name Centerville Carry Out and Belmont Party Supply aren't exactly all encompassing either, but at least they're not purposely picking favorites.

Names and preferences aside, I just love Centerville Carry Out and Belmont Party Supply. They are small locally owned stores that have amazing selections to keep me browsing for more than what should be 5 minutes when I visit from Houston, TX.

Keep up the great work guys, we'll see you in Dayton, Ohio soon for some great selections we just can't get down here in ol' Texas :)

"Broma Theon"

-charles

Dogfish Head Aprihop

2011-09-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

Style: American IPA
Thanks to Randall for this bottle.

Appearance - Golden amber with two fingers of off-white head. Good retention. Some chill haze which clears with warming. A fair amount of thick patterned lacing.

Aroma - Definitely smells like an American IPA... lots of grapefruit and citrus aromas from the hops. There does seem to be some apricot aroma here too, but it seems somewhat buried. I am not sure when this was bottled, so it is possible that some of the scent has worn off.

Taste - The taste is pretty laid-back and mellow, and I am guessing this is partially due to letting this age for a couple of months. There is still a balance here, though; sweet caramel malt, some toasty biscuit, and apricot with a healthy dose of hops still present. The apricot flavor remains into the finish and is actually best detected in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body with carbonation on the lighter side. Even with the aging, this is still pretty hoppy, but drinks well in spite of this.

Rating - 6 out of 10.

Interesting beer. According to the Dogfish Head website, this is a seasonal release that is brewed with real apricots. I am not a huge fan of their beers, but this is one of the better ones that I have tried... their series of IPAs being my favorite. The apricot is a nice touch that works well with whatever IPA base they used. If I could get this fresh, I would be interested in trying it again. Then again, this might be improved with a bit of age.

Lion Stout

2011-08-31T22:24:00.000-07:00

Style: Foreign / Export Stout
Thanks to my Uncle Larry for bringing this to our family reunion.

Appearance - Completely impenetrable blackness with a massive rocky mocha head. Fairly good retention. Some interesting lacing... appears delicate, but is actually pretty hardy.

Aroma - Beguiling wafts of strong nutty dark chocolate and coffee. Definitely smells like a stout!

Taste - Smooth chocolate malt sweetness and mild molasses with a roasted finish/aftertaste. Dank hop bitterness balances throughout. A brief metallic flavor pops up in the aftertaste before quickly fading back down. The 8.8% alcohol content is more noticeable as this warms, but not at all overwhelming in any way. Warming also makes this taste more like an imperial stout. Interesting.

Drinkability - Thinner body that is of medium consistency. Light-medium carbonation. The metallic aftertaste is somewhat off-putting, yet this is still adequately drinkable.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

Very solid Foreign / Export stout. This was pretty good... I would have rated it a bit higher without the metallic aftertaste. The last few beers I have reviewed have had some metallic flavoring, and I am wondering if this is from storing some of my beers on their sides in the fridge. Maybe flavor leeching from the bottle caps? Still a well-made stout, though. I would drink this again.

Perkulator

2011-08-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

Perkulator by Dark Horse Brewing
Style / abv: Dopplebock / 7.5%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Beer Mug

Appearance: Murky brown with some red tones. It poured with a medium sized, thick bubbly brown head.

Aroma: HUGE coffee aroma with a little vanilla.

Taste: Sour coffee with a little bit of roasted malt and slight dry bitter finish.

Drinkability: With a body that is just a little bit thicker than water, you'd think that it would drink very easily. It doesn't.

Notes:The warmer it gets, the more sour it smells and tastes. I definitely think it's worth trying but the aroma is much better than the taste.

I give Perkulator 5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Sun King Wee Mac Brown

2011-08-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Style: Scottish Ale

Appearance - Clear light brownish orange/amber with a dollop of thick creamy off-white head. Good head retention. Appears to be well carbonated. Some lacing.

Aroma - Tantalizing mix of leafy hops, sweet caramelized malt, and yeast esters. I am noticing that all Scottish Ales have a similar aroma.

Taste - Very nice... smooth, simple, tasty, and balanced. The caramelized malt is featured with the leafy hops and yeast esters becoming more apparent on the finish/aftertaste. Occasionally tasting a bit of a citrus orange peel flavor on the finish as this warms. Alcohol flavor emerges with warming as well.

Drinkability - Light, smooth, and watery consistency with low level of carbonation... almost flat, yet it works. Extremely drinkable due to the sweetness, lower alcohol content (5.4%), and lighter body.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

I have been on a Scottish Ale kick lately. A few weeks back, I had this on tap and it was awesome. Much tastier with a "fluffy" mouthfeel. Not that this is bad out of the can, but you just can't beat fresh beer on tap. Like Oskar Blues, Sun King cans all of their beer. They are based in Indianapolis and their beers are definitely worth trying... especially their Osiris Pale Ale.

Columbus Scottish Ale

2011-08-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

Style: Scottish Ale
Thanks to Randall for giving me a couple bottles of this.

Appearance - Hazy amber brownish with a huge bubbly off-white head that settles slowly. Some minimal lacing.

Aroma - Initially some leafy hop scents, but this quickly fades into sweet caramelized caramel malt and toffee aromas with a bit of orange peel. Smells like a Scottish Ale to me.

Taste - Pretty tasty. Clean and mellow sweet caramel, toffee, and some butterscotch with a bit of light orange citrus. Some subtle biscuit flavor in the aftertaste as well. Not a lot of complexity, but just enough to keep this interesting.

Drinkability - Sticky light to medium body with light-medium carbonation. The smooth sweetness make this brew fairly drinkable.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

Randall gave me two bottles of this, and I let the first one sit for a while before reviewing. This is actually an edited review after drinking a fresh bottle, and it was noticeably better. I appreciate a good Scottish Ale, and this is a solid one. Definitely worth trying along with the Columbus IPA.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 40 Reserve

2011-08-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Style: Old Ale

Appearance - Appears a nontransparent black, but is actually a very dark brown when held to the light. Thin and fizzy beige head with little to no retention. Some lacing, though.

Aroma - Fairly complex. Grape juice, vanilla, whiskey, and whiskey barrel.

Taste - Nice balance of the sweet and bitter. Starts with a short burst of smokey malt sweetness. Whiskey barrel is tasted on the finish followed by a dry aftertaste of fine vanilla and whiskey alcohol burn. This brew pairs well with an aged 5-year Gouda.

Mouthfeel - Thinner body with light carbonation. Surprisingly drinkable and smooth.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

This is the first Old Ale that I really appreciated. I'm not sure that I would buy a bottle again, but I did enjoy this one. Both Old Ales that I have tried have had a smoky flavor and a grape juice aroma, and I am curious if these are characteristics of the style. There are a couple other Old Ales tucked away in my cellar for the near future. As always, I look forward to further exploring this style.

Founders... Again!

2011-08-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have definitely been on a big Founders kick lately. I think this will be the last one I review for a while... until I get my hands on a bottle of Canadian Breakfast Stout that is!

Breakfast Stout by Founders
Style / abv: Imperial Stout / 8.3%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Wine Glass

Appearance: Dark brown, verging on black. Poured with virtually no head, just a small ring of brown bubbles.

Aroma: Fresh coffee, maple and dark chocolate. I'm not sure I pick up on the Kona, but the Sumatra is evident.

Taste: Rich dark chocolate blended with robust coffee and roasted malt. Interestingly, I think the Kona is more evident in the taste. I can't taste the hops but they bite my tongue at the finish.

Drinkability: This beer has creamy, thick mouthfeel making for a good sipping beer.

Notes:
Breakfast Stout is one of my very favorite stouts. I look forward to it when it comes out each season and I buy enough to last a while.

I give Breakfast Stout a 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Blushing Monk

2011-08-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

Blushing Monk by Founders
Style / abv: Fruit-Vegetable Beer / 9.2%
Source / Temp: 750ml bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Dark red brew with a fizzy amber head.

Aroma: An explosion of raspberry with some tart yeast and sour grape candy.

Taste: This beer tastes like fresh raspberries with a little grape and no discernible hops. It is very sweet and very tart with the 9.2% alcohol hidden so well that I couldn't tell it was alcoholic.

Drinkability: Slighty thicker than water with tight caronation. I can't imagine drinking this or any fruit / vegetable beer all the time, but I really enjoyed this brew.

Notes:
While Blushing Monk isn't very complex, it is the oppitome of fresh. I am so glad that Founder's is now bottling some of their specialty brews and I look forward to having this again next year!

I give Blushing Monk a 7 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

An Old Favorite

2011-08-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

Imperial Stout by Founders
Style / abv: Russian Imperial Stout / 10.5%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Wine Glass

Appearance: Black with a small chocolate brown head

Aroma: Chocolate liquore with a little bit bit of maple and roasted malt

Taste: Much like the aroma, it tastes like a dark chocolate liquore with and a nice roasted malt finish. The bite from the 90 ibu's does a good job balancing the sweetness.

Drinkability: Smooth creamy body with light carbonation. I can definitely finish off a bottle, but it would be the rare day that I'd drink two.

Notes:
Imperial Stout by Founders has long been been one of my favorite Russian Imperial Stouts. This is a very nicely crafted ale that is somehow both simple and intense.

I give Imperial Stout 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Sierra Nevada Stout

2011-08-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

Style: American Stout

Appearance - Appears black when poured, but is actually a deep dark ruby when held up to the light. Big thick light brownish head that has excellent retention and lacing. I can tell this is bottle conditioned because there is some yeast caked at the bottom of the bottle.

Aroma - Dark milk chocolate and some dank hops. There is a slight soapy scent that is somewhat off-putting, but I can't put my finger on what it is. It is possible that it is from my pint glass and not the beer.

Taste - This is a solid American Stout. Balanced blend of spicy bitter hops, sweet dark chocolate, and some roasted malt. There is a faint sourness that I'm occasionally catching on the finish, and I'm wondering if they add a small portion of sour beer to their recipe. This is done with Guinness and provides its famous tangy taste.

Drinkability - Thinner light-medium body with lighter carbonation. Pretty drinkable for a stout.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

This is not my favorite American Stout, but it is a good one that is well worth trying. There is something about it that seems somewhat plain, yet at the same time it is a very solid beer . It has been said that Sierra Nevada is another brewery like Sam Adams that is a bridge between macro and craft beer. I can see how this might be the case, as there is enough going on to appeal to craft beer drinkers, but they also play it safe to appeal to the masses of macro drinkers. Overall, a nice offering from Sierra Nevada.

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

2011-08-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

Style: American Porter
Thanks to Randall for picking this up for me.

Appearance - Very dark amber/brown that I can just barely see through when held up to the light. Seems to be clear despite being dark. Huge bubbling frothy khaki head that leaves amazing lacing.

Aroma - Molasses, cinnamon, chocolate, and some roasted malt.

Taste - Similar to the aroma. There is some bitterness, but the emphasis is on the malt sweetness. Well balanced caramel, roasted, and chocolate malts come together to provide a very pleasant porter flavor. Almost reminds me of an extremely rich, but lightly carbonated, root beer.

Mouthfeel - Velvety light-medium body with light carbonation. The sweetness makes this beer easily drinkable, yet it is still somewhat filling.

Rating - 8 out of 10.

This is probably the best American Porter I have ever had. In fact, Black Butte Porter may be the defining beer for this style. Delicious!

The Devil's Got My Tongue!

2011-08-17T19:05:00.000-07:00

Devil Dancer by Founders
Style / abv: Tripel IPA / 12%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Snifter

Appearance: This brew pours a translucent dark gold with a reddish cast. It almost looks like a glass of honey topped with a white foamy head.

Aroma: Pine, sour citrus and marmalade

Taste: Pine and burnt marmalade followed by alcohol and a big bitter aftertaste that fades quickly. The aftertaste reminds me of bay leaves.

Drinkability: A little creamy with a slight grittiness... though the grit just may be my tastebuds retreating from the bitterness... While I typically enjoy Imperial IPA's, this beer is just a bit too harsh for me. After one glass, I'm ready to move on to something else.

Notes:
I posted this same basic review on Beeradvocate, but I will be a little more frank here: I think that Founder's is a great brewery but I haven't loved any of their IPA's. I'm not saying their IPA's are bad, because plenty of people enjoy them. I am saying that they do not suit my tastes... at least not so far.

I give Devil Dancer 5.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Sanctification

2011-08-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

Sanctification by Russian River Brewing
Style / abv: American Wild Ale / 6.75%
Source / Temp: 375ml bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Thanks to Mike for sharing this intersting and complex ale!

Appearance: Light yellow with a very thin white bubly head.

Aroma: This beer has a distinct sour "earthy" smell with lemmon grass and pepper.

Taste: I taste star fruit, lime, and freezer burned ice in this sour ale. Long after the sour aftertaste has faded, there is a slight spiciness. It's almost like an earthy, dry Sour Patch Kid.

Drinkability: Thin and watery with tight carbonation. This is a pretty sour beer and I find that the sourness goes a long way, so I can't imagine drinking more than a glass or two.

Notes:
This is a very interesting ale. While this isn't something that I'd drink on a regular basis, that really has more to do with the tartness of the style than the quality of the brew. Still, this ale has really made me very interested in trying more sours and American Wild Ales. It is exciting to embark on a journey into a "new" style!

I give Sanctification 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

The best of brewing literature...

2011-08-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

In the next couple of weeks, I will be updating my brewing equipment to finally go all-grain. In preparation, I have been reading a lot of books on brewing. This post gives some details on the best brewing books I have read so far...

The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian - This is an outstanding book to pick up if you want a great introduction to homebrewing. Some say it contains dated information, and there may be some truth to this claim, but I still often refer back to certain parts of it for advice. Well-written, relaxed, and humorous... there is no better way to begin your brewing hobby.

How to Brew by John Palmer - For me, this is the next logical read after The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. Although still fairly easy to read, it is a bit more scientific and technical than Papazian's book, and contains updated information and techniques. One of the early additions is available online for free at http://www.howtobrew.com , but the newer print editions claim to contain even more updated data.

Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels - A great book if you want to design your own beer recipes and learn about the mathematical equations that are involved in recipe formulation and brewing. Great information on brewing specific styles and calculating grain bills/IBUs. Also excellent for estimating the appearance, flavor, and aroma of your homebrew.

Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher - Not really a brewing book, but an excellent source of information on many aspects of beer. Includes beer history and a general overview of the brewing process as well as information on tasting, glassware, pairing beer with food, beer styles, etc...

Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher - Another excellent book by Mr. Mosher. I found this book to be a great inspiration for creative brewing, exploring your inner brewer, and pushing beer boundaries. If you want to create a beer that is unique and different, you have to exit from established traditions a bit, and this is a book that will help you step outside the box.

Russian River Sanctification

2011-08-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Style: American Wild Ale
Acquired through a trade with a local Beeradvocate. Shared with Randall and Laura.

Appearance - Cloudy pale to deep golden with just a bit of foamy white carbonation. Light lacing.

Aroma - Pear, sour Belgian yeast, barnyard funkiness, and pepper. The aroma on this is fairly complex... lots going on.

Taste - Burst of sour lemon/pear cider. The sourness is upfront with a placid aftertaste of barnyard funk (brettanomyces) and hot pepper. As this warms, it begins to remind me of a saison a bit, but the distinctions between the two styles are still apparent.

Drinkability - Medium bodied creaminess coats the mouth. Lightly carbonated.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10.

I have only tried a few sour ales, so this style is still new to me. Sours are a very unique beer style, and they may take some extra time and consideration to get used to. This came in a smaller bottle and I was somewhat glad because it was such a foreign taste to me. This is a good beer to share with friends, as I think it would be difficult to polish off a whole bottle by myself. An unusual, yet very good, beer.

Moloko

2011-08-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

Moloko by Three Floyds
Style / abv: Milk Stout / 8%
Source / Temp: 750ml bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Coal black with a thin tan head.

Aroma: Strong coffee and espresso scent with lots of caramel and roasted malt.

Taste: Chocolate milk and espresso with a roasty and light citrus finish. This brew makes me think of a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks with more espresso and a hint of orange.

Drinkability: Rich, medium to thick body with very little carbonation.

Notes:
While I typically enjoy milk stouts, I especially enjoy Moloko. The roasted malt and slight hop finish balance this ale into a very drinkable milk stout.

I give Moloko a 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

AIPA

2011-08-14T11:14:00.001-07:00

American IPA by Schlafly
Style / abv: American IPA / 7.2%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Cloudy, dark golden with an orange hue.

Aroma: Very nice sour citrus tones with lemon and orange peel.

Taste: Loads of citrus flavors with a strong dry grapefruit taste. I pick up a light alcohol flavor with some yeast esters in the middle and a medium hop bite in the finish.

Drinkability: Medium creamy body, with light carbonation.

Notes:
To me, this is the perfect single IPA. While having enough aroma and taste to keep me interested, it is simple to enough to remain very very drinkable.

Standing by my "perfect" comment, I give AIPA a 10 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

2011-08-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

Style: American Pale Ale
Again, thanks to Randall for hooking me up with a few cans of Oskar Blues!

Appearance - Pours a clear deep golden/pale amber with two fingers of foamy whitish head. Very nice lacing.

Aroma - Lots of floral hops with some tropical fruitiness that reminds me of orange marmalade.

Taste - Very smooth with the sweet and breezy tropical fruitiness slowly building to a crescendo before dropping off. Somewhat one-dimensional, but tasty nonetheless. The 6.5% alcohol content is undetectable.

Mouthfeel - Although this is a medium bodied pale, this is pretty darn creamy. Carbonation is set on the lighter side. I could easily polish off a few cans of this.

Rating - 8 out of 10.

Great example of an American Pale Ale! I've had this a couple times in the past, but this is the first time I have sat down to really review it. As is the case with many craft breweries that are based out West, I wish Oskar Blues distributed to the Midwest because I would definitely be a loyal patron with an ever-present stash in my fridge. They make a lot of good brews (all canned), so definitely check them out if they are available in your area.

Parabola

2011-08-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

Parabola by Firestone Walker
Style / abv: Russian Imperial Stout / 13%
Source / Temp: 650ml bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Medium Snifter

Appearance: Deep, dark brown brew with a thin dark brown head.

Aroma: Sweet bourbon infused with molasses and a slight scent of alcohol.

Taste: Dark chocolate, mild bourbon, some milk chocolate and a surprisingly strong hop bite at the end.

Drinkability: Thick and creamy, this is a sipping beer at it's best. The alcohol is hidden very well.

Notes:
While this isn't my favorite barrel aged stout, this is a very special brew. It makes me think of a milder and slightly less flavorful version of Rare Bourbon County. I will definitely be making the trip to Chicago to pick some up when they release it again next year.

I give Parabola a 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Deschutes Obsidian Stout

2011-08-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Style: American Stout
Thanks to Randall for this one!

Appearance - Opaque, yet shiny, jet-black with a finger of thick khaki head. Leaves behind some nice lacing.

Aroma - Big sweet chocolate, caramel, and roasted malts. Maybe also some molasses in the background. Smells like a stout that is bigger than it really is.

Taste - Nice balance between the hops and malt sweetness. The bittering hops (which have a slight citrus quality) are more upfront followed by the sweet chocolate and caramel malt. Aftertaste seems to be the roasted malt which kind of comes off as a mild coffee flavor. No trace of the 6.4% alcohol content.

Mouthfeel - Body is on the thinner side with some light carbonation. Easily drinkable, yet somewhat filling.

Rating - 7 out of 10.

This is a nice solid American Stout. So far, every beer that I have tried by Deschutes (mainly Abyss and Hop in the Dark) has been very impressive. Thanks to Randall, I also have a bottle of Black Butte Porter chilling in the fridge for another day.

The Elder

2011-08-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Russian River
Brew: Pliny The Elder
Style: American Double IPA
Alcohol: 8%
Source: 1 Pint Bottle
Glass: Medium Snifter
Temp: 50 deg
Appearance: Golden yellow
Aroma: Sour citrus fruit, lime and something sweet... maybe honey. As the Pliny warmed, I noted an scent of what I would describe as alcoholic melon.
Taste: Refreshing and surprisingly complex taste for such a low-intensity Double IPA. Right along with the scent, I taste sour and tropical fruit with some slight tones of honey and melon. Warmth seems to shed a lot taste resulting in what almost seems like a different beer all together.
Drinkability: Smooth watery body with fairly tight carbonation. Very drinkable for a double, but then again... for my tastes (and in my opinion), this beer really doesn't seem like a double IPA. The alcohol content and mouthfeel are more comparable to an IPA than a double.
Notes:
I had very high expectations for this beer. It is so well regarded that I couldn't help but expect this beer to blow my mind. I got two bottles and when I had the first, I was a bit let down. Knowing that I had high expectations, I waited until the second bottle to do my review. While Pliny is definitely better than average, I am just not super impressed with it. Its good enough that if it were easily available I would get it on occasion but its nothing that I'd drink with regularity.

I give this nice rendition of an IPA/ Double IPA 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Dark Horse Raspberry Ale

2011-08-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer

Appearance: Pours a very murky light-medium amber with a huge frothy and bubbly 2-3 finger off-white head. Good head retention that leaves some nice temporary lacing behind.

Aroma: My first impression is strongly of raspberries and sweet cream. A bit of alcohol and yeast funkiness emerges with subsequent smelling.

Taste: Very different from the aroma. Strange balance of mild, yet upfront, grassy hop bitterness and mildly sweet and sour raspberry/caramel malt. I am surprised that the hops are emphasized and the raspberry flavor is in the background... almost on the aftertaste. Warming blends the flavors better and brings out more of the raspberry, but this was not what I was expecting at all.

Drinkability: Light and watery body with light carbonation. This is easily drinkable, but would not make a suitable session beer in my opinion.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10.

I recently tried Dark Horse Tres Bluberry Stout on tap and was blown away, but the Raspberry Ale is kind of a let down in comparison. This probably has more to do with style appreciation than any brewing flaws, though. The Raspberry Ale is more like a slightly sour raspberry lambic, while the Tres Blueberry is a stout with the blueberries nearly perfectly blending in with the roasted/chocolate malt. I look forward to trying more of what Dark Horse has to offer in the near future.

Hair of the Dog Adam

2011-07-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

Style: Old Ale

Batch 77

Appearance: Murky and opaque dark brown. Some light brownish head with little retention.

Aroma: Bourbon, vanilla, grape juice, and some faint smokiness.

Taste: Smokey sweet chocolate with some dry roasted coffee notes on the finish. Grape fruitiness emerges as it warms.

Drinkability: Light to moderate consistency with about the same amount of carbonation. A bit of a sipper due to the potency (10% ABV), sweetness, and richness.

Rating: 4 out of 10.

Although this beer did not appeal to me, I am glad that I tried it. My experience with Old Ales is very limited, so I am not sure what to compare it to, or if this is at all representative of the style. However, Adam is listed as one of the top ten Old Ales on Beeradvocate. I have been extremely interested in exploring this style since drinking a Bell's Third Coast Old Ale a couple of weeks ago... it was delicious, but I have since learned that it is technically considered an American Barleywine. Yes, the universe of beer can be a bit of a confusing place, yet I still look forward to further investigating the world of Old Ales.

Three Floyds Pride & Joy Mild Ale

2011-07-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

Style: American Pale Ale
Chilled and poured to a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Vaguely cloudy orange color that resembles a darker orange soda. There is just a bit of thin whitish head that settles quickly into a ring around the pint glass.

Aroma: Tropical fruitiness with some sweet crystal malt. Upfront mango, mild grapefruit, and light caramel. I am guessing this is dry-hopped with some Citra and Cascade hops... maybe Centennial?

Taste: Wow! Great blend of sweet crystal malt, tropical/grapefruit hoppiness, and a very subtle graininess that is probably a yeast ester or the grapefruit bitterness of Cascade/Centennial hops. Perhaps also a subtle tea flavor at the back of the tongue on the finish.

Drinkability: So smooth, sweet, and tasty that I could drink these all day/night. Carbonation is light and just right for this beer. Pride & Joy has actually become my favorite session beer during the summer.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

Thanks to Randall for turning me on to this brew a while back. This beer suffers from mixed ratings on Beeradvocate, but in my opinion, this is really an overlooked gem. Every time I drink Three Floyd's, I marvel at the craftsmanship. Amazingly enjoyable!

Four homebrewing essentials...

2011-07-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wort Chiller – Wort should be cooled to yeast pitching temperatures quickly to ensure that there are optimal conditions for converting the sugars of malted barley into alcohol. Rapid cooling will also improve the quality of beer while lessening the possibility that the wort will be tainted by wild airborne yeasts and/or bacteria. From my understanding, appropriate cooling aids in protein separation which ultimately contributes to the clarity of beer as well. Running your scalding hot brew kettle to a sink/bathtub full of ice water gets old very quickly, and cooling wort in this manner takes a while. If you are into homebrewing, and you do not own a wort chiller, do yourself and your beer a favor by investing in one. Most wort chillers are fairly easy to use and are capable of cooling to pitching temperatures in much less time than an ice bath. You will see and taste the difference in the quality of the beer you are making!

Propane Burner/Turkey Fryer – I started extract brewing with partial boils on a gas-powered stove top, but I soon realized the numerous benefits of moving towards full boils. Attempting full-boils on the stove took three or four hours to heat my 5-gallon batch to boiling point. A propane burner changed everything for me. Now I brew outside on nice sunny days while sipping a delicious craft beer… no more mess to clean up in the kitchen, no more stressing about boil overs, and no more waiting for hours for batches to come to a boil. The propane burner brings my batches to a boil in about twenty minutes, and the temperature control for steeping specialty grains is an added bonus. Going full-boil with the control of a propane burner or turkey fryer will make the difference in your beer positively palpable!

Digital Scale – After brewing a few batches of beer, I realized that much of my brew was over carbonated. Since I prefer to bottle carbonate naturally, I have discovered that accurately measuring out priming sugars is nearly impossible without a scale. This is why I originally invested in a digital scale and I have found it to be extremely useful for several facets of brewing. If you want more control and precision in your brews, a digital scale is one tool that will aid you in this endeavor.

Stir Plate – I began making yeast starters several batches ago, and the caliber of my beer has been noticeably more refined as a result. To further my obsession with brewing, I picked up a used professional grade stir plate from a brewing store that received their stock from a local laboratory that had closed down. A stir plate considerably aids in the yeast multiplication of starters by oxygenating through constant stirring. This is accomplished by placing a small magnetic bar in an Erlenmeyer flask (or whatever container you use) that contains the starter while a magnetic plate swirls the bar around. Creating quality yeast starters will make arguably better beer, and will go a long way in raising alcohol content for those higher gravity brews.

No Label Brewing Co.

2011-07-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, another new American brewery...No Label. I was in Specs the other day and their friendly beer rep recommended that I begin to look for a beer by a new brewery called No Label.

What is No Label? According to their website nolabelbrew.com, "There are many ways of how our name came about. Basically we wanted to name our brewery something that symbolized all four us. ...NO LABEL BREWING means to us is that our beer is for everyone. We don't put a label on our beer...."

Just thought I'd share a potentially new brew that will be tried as soon as I can get my hands on one.

"Broma Theon" (beer of the gods)

-charles

The Family Reunion, Tasting 4

2011-07-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

July 6th, 2011

The group this evening was what has become the core group of tasters. We had another good line-up with one repeat from earlier in the week:
1. Three Floyds - Gumballhead - American Pale Wheat
2. Three Floyds - Pride and Joy - American Pale Ale
3. Three Floyds - Robert The Bruce - Scottish Ale
4. Oskar Blues - Old Chub - Scotch Ale
5. Brouwerij Westmalle - Westmalle Trappist Dubbel - Dubbel
6. Flat Earth Brewing Company - Cygnus X-1 - English Porter
7. Ceylon / Lion Brewery - Lion Stout - Foreign / Export Stout

Westmalle seemed to please most, but it was no surprise that Robert the Bruce was the brew that was enjoyed by everyone.

We had a blast sharing one of our favorite hobbies with the family and really hope that everyone who partook found a couple of new brews to enjoy.

Eis Egian,
Randall

The Family Reunion, Tasting 3

2011-07-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

July 5th, 2011

The group tonight was a mix of people who had joined us the previous two nights. It's interesting how the ales of varying intensity have apparently scared off a few but have also attracted many repeat customers. Tonight we sampled a new variety:
1. Madhouse Brewing Company - American Wheat - American Pale Wheat Ale
2. Great Lakes Brewing Company - Burning River Pale Ale - American Pale Ale
3. Sun King - Osiris - American Pale Ale
4. Boulevard Brewing Co. - The Sixth Glass - Quadrupel
5. Avery Brewing Company - The Czar - Russian Imperial Stout
6. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - Abacus - American Barleywine
7. Three Floyds - Dreadnaught - Imperial IPA
8. Full Sail Brewery - Reserve Old Boardhead Barley Wine Ale - American Barleywine

While tastes differed as usual, the two clear favorites of the evening were Abacus and Dreadnaught. Both are fantastic brews, but I was surprised that a Double IPA could be such a crowd pleaser.

Eis Egian,
Randall

The Family Reunion, Tasting 2

2011-07-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

So tonight we hit an almost entirely different line-up with almost a completely different crowd. Tonight's tasting included the following:
1. Madhouse Brewing Company - Pastime Pale Ale - American Pale Ale
2. Three Floyds - Pride and Joy - American Pale Ale
3. Anderson Valley Brewing Company - Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout - Oatmeal Stout
4. Bell's Brewery, Inc. - Bell's Special Double Cream Stout - American Stout
5. Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) - Oatmeal Stout - Oatmeal Stout
6. Lindemans - Framboise - Lambic
7. Stone Brewing Co. - Arrogant Bastard Ale - American Strong Ale
8. Founders - Breakfast Stout - American Double Imperial Stout
9. Three Floyds Brewing Co. - Apocalypse Cow - American Double / Imperial IPA
10. Lagunitas Brewing Company - Imperial Stout - Russian Imperial Stout
11. Founders - Kentucky Breakfast Stout - American Double Imperial Stout

While KBS was still well received, tonight the big winner was Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout.

Night two was just as fun as night one, but one thing that was noticeable was that with a much larger crowd to share the beer, the overall inebriation was lower :)

Eis Egian,
Randall

The Family Reunion, Tasting 1

2011-07-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

Mike, Laura and I are attending a family reunion so we decided to bring a ton of great beer and try to create some converts. Tonight we went through:
1. Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV - Duvel - Belgian Strong Pale Ale
2. Brasserie de Rochefort - Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Belgian Strong Dark Ale
3. St. Bernardus - Abt 12 - Belgian Quad
4. Deschutes Brewery - Hop In The Dark - American Black Ale
5. Founders - Kentucky Breakfast Stout - American Double Imperial Stout
6. Boulevard Brewing Co. - Imperial Stout - American Double / Imperial Stout

KBS was the big winner followed by St. Bernardus 12. For my taste, Hop In The Dark was an excellent brew that was reminiscent of one of my favorites: Three Floyds Black Sun Stout.

The reunion has just begun and we've got plenty more to share!

Eis Egian,
Randall

Dark Lord Day 2011

2011-05-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it took me a little longer than I thought to get this video completed...life is moving at break neck speeds right now. Dark Lord Day 2011 was a great adventure and here's the quick video of a few moments during that day at Three Floyd's brewery:

Part One

Part Two

"broma theon" the food of the gods

-Charles

Our First Ever Beer Tasting Party

2011-05-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday evening Laura and I hosted our first ever Beer Tasting Party. The picture above shows everything that we enjoyed that night.

Top Row; Left To Right
1) St. Bernardus - Abt 12 - Belgian Quad
2) Three Floyds - Black Sun Stout - Irish Dry Stout
3) Unibroue - La Fin Du Monde - Belgian Tripel
4) Three Floyds - 2011 Dark Lord - Russian Imperial Stout
5) Three Floyds - Dreadnaught - Imperial IPA
6) Another bottle pf St. Bernardus
7) Three Floyds - Rabid Rabbit - Belgian Saison
8) Three Floyds - Robert The Bruce - Scottish Ale
9) Bell's - Oberon - American Pale Wheat Ale
10) Guinness - Extra Stout - Irish Dry Stout
11) Birra Peroni Industriale - Peroni Nastro Azzurro - Euro Pale Lager

Middle Row; Left To Right
1) Sun King - Osiris - American Pale Ale
2) Oskar Blues - Old Chub - Scotch Ale
3) More Old Chub
4) Three Floyds - Pride and Joy - American Pale Ale
5) Brasserie de Rochefort - Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Belgian Strong Dark Ale
6) Lindemans - Framboise - Lambic
7) More Peroni
8) Left Hand - Milk Stout - Milk Stout
9) New Glarus - Spotted Cow - Cream Ale
10) More Pride and Joy
11) More Guiness
12) Sun King - Sunlight - Cream Ale

Bottom Row; Left To Right
1) Founders - Kentucky Breakfast Stout - American Double Imperial Stout
2) More Guinness
3) Founders - Backwoods Bastard - Scotch Ale
4) Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau - Hefe-Weisse - Hefeweizen
5) Founders - Red's Rye PA - Rye Beer
6) Aonther Osiris
7) Oskar Blues - Gordon / G'Knight - American Double / Imperial IPA
8) A second Rochefort 8
9) Some more Backwoods
10) Another KBS
11) Bell's - Two Hearted Ale - American IPA
12) Another Robert The Bruce
13) And finally... a Guinness

Not pictured:

Peoples Brewing - Mound Builder IPA - American IPA

Peoples Brewing - Aberrant Amber - American Amber / Red Ale

We had a great time sharing a food and brews with friends and we look forward to doing this again!

Eis Igian,
Randall and Laura

Dark Lord Day: Here we come!

2011-03-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

My fellow beer-blogger Randall and I were lucky enough to get tickets for Three Floyds upcoming Dark Lord Day yesterday. We are both really excited about this, and I will be counting down the days until April 30th. I plan on bringing some 2011 KBS and Bell's Hopslam to trade (as well as some other goodies), so if anyone out there in internet land is going to Dark Lord Day and has some good craft beer to trade, we will be game. I would really like to get my hands on some Pliney the Elder, Kate the Great, Deschutes Abyss, Hunahpu's, Firestone Walker Abacus, Russian River, etc... To top it all off, I will even throw in some bottles of my latest home-brewed RIS that I aged for two months in bourbon and vanilla beans. It is going to be a blast...

Mission No. 3 - Imperial/Double IPAs

2011-03-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

This mission was great,

Hardcore IPA (explicit imperial ale) - (rated 5) - Poured like grape fruit juice, smelled close to belgium ale with a hint of lime, but did not pleasure the taste buds. I can taste the alcohol immediately, a bit overwhelming. It has a pleasurable aftertaste and perfect carbonated consistency, but the flavor just never sat right with me. No matter how many times I sipped it just seemed like something was just 'off'.

Moylander Double IPA - (rated 8) - Pours with a full head, and a light citrus aroma. This is a very sneaky beer...I can't taste the alcohol at all and it is 8.5%! It does not have a typical, or at least typical in the double IPAs I've had so far, taste. In fact it almost feels like it has no taste until the aftertaste, very strange. The aftertaste lets you know it is an IPA, but that's pretty much it. Almost too much carbonation, but this is a great beer. I found another one I like...next.

Moylander Triple IPA - (rated 9) - the more hops the better! I was very excited to see a triple sitting beside the double IPA by Moylander. It has a familiar aftertaste as a Belgium ale and the crisp punch of the triple IPA, what a great combination.

Bells Hopslam Double IPA - (rated 9) - I can't get this beer in Houston and forget the specifics, but I remember that it was an amazing beer....sorry I didn't write the review when I tried it.

Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA - (rated 9) - This was the most surprise I had so far. I picked it up as a four pack for fairly cheep ($11) and did not expect to get the drinkability it served. Pours very crisp with little to no head. With a sweet and mild flower effervescent it is quite the delight. The aftertaste leaves a touch of warmth, but well balanced, so well balanced you are ready to take the next drink somewhat quickly. I found myself finishing a bottle before I completed the taste test...interesting. Either way, this is a big surprise and I am very happy to have found such a cheap wonderful Imperial IPA.

Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA - (rated 7) - Pours as a solid amber with little to no head. Initial whiff is a subtle pleasant flowery smell. Initial taste is lacking with plenty of carbonation. Aftertaste is warm and pleasant, which can almost fool me into desiring another one.

After trying these different beers I tried the 479 again and found its taste was a little lacking. Maybe I had it in the fridge too long, I don't know. The winner of this contest has to be the Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA for a great balance of cost and flavor. The Moylander wins by its great taste, but the Leviathan gets it in the end due to its sheer value.

Till next time,

Broma Theon (the food of the Gods)

-charles

Oskar Blues

2011-03-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Oskar Blues

Just thought it would be worth to watch a quick video of the 'Gubna', probably my favorite Imperial IPA still. I will get the review out soon for Mission 3, enjoy the video from their website.

Mission 3: Double Imperial = Double Taste

2011-02-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

If you're new to the blog, please check out our scoring system under the Beer Missions tab to better understand how we are rating beers.

Okay, so this mission is going to start with an admission: I don't like reviewing beer that I don't enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I love trying all kinds of beer but I always feel bad about scoring brews low because I know that a brewer somewhere worked up a recipe and I hate trashing someone's invention. And if I'm being totally honest, I have to admit that I don't feel inspired to write about beers that I don't like. Obviously this creates an unrealistic cross-section of my tasting experience. It probably appears that I love every beer I try when the reality is that I run across many brews that don't suit my tastes.

Well, this mission didn't give me any room to hide, so I'll shoot straight.

(1) Southern Tier - Unearthly
Watery with a marmalade flavor that isn't over the top. An interesting brew that I won't avoid but probably won't go out of my way for either.
Score: 5 out 10

(2) Flying Dog - Double Dog
Oddly, the scent reminds me of a Belgian pale ale. Strong orange taste with a strong bitter alcohol finish. I won't say that this beer is bad, but it did not suit my tastes at all.
Score: 1 out 10

(3) Founders - Double Trouble
Awesome citrus hop scent, big citrus and pine front and a nice dry finish. Now, this I enjoyed!
Score: 9 out 10

(4) Mojo Risin - Boulder Beer
Small orange taste with a huge bitter finish. I like the little brother much, much better.
Score: 4 out 10

(5) Rouge - XS Imperial Pale Ale
I almost added this brew to my list of favorites. This brew reminded me distantly of an English IPA without as much "earthiness", which I really enjoyed.
Score: 8 out 10

So in the end, I did find a couple real winners. XS is good enough that I will seek it out and Double Trouble had to be listed as one of my favorites.

My new list looks like this:

(1) Bell's - Hopslam
(2) Three Floyds - Dreadnaught
(3) Oskar Blues - Gordon
(4) Three Floyds - Apocalypse Cow
(5) Founders - Double Trouble
(6) Victory Brewing - Hop Wallop

The separation between 1 - 3 is minuscule enough that it's difficult to say that I really have a favorite.

Thanks Charles, this was great mission! Lots of fun and very tasty!

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission No. 3: Preview

2011-01-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

I'm already geared up for Mission Number Three, great idea Charles! I have 5 never before tried (by me) IPA'S in my fridge, chilled and ready to go.

I thought that before I got going on this mission, I'd post my current top five IPA's:

Bell's - Hopslam
Three Floyds - Dreadnaught
Three Floyds - Apocalypse Cow
Oskar Blues - Gordon
Victory Brewing - Hop Wallop

After compiling this list, it led me to feel that I didn't really like being limited to a "Sweet 16" list on Our Preferences. What about numbers 17, 18 and 19? What about the fact that I like my favorite stout for entirely different reasons than I like my favorite IPA? How do I even compare KBS to Hopslam to Rochfort 8? In light of this, I abandoned the "Sweet 16" and made a categoric list. I don't intend to have a 100 beers on my favorites list... but then again, why not? If we get to that point, we could always create a preferences / profile page for each of us.

But now back to the mission. With today being a great football day, I'll begin my journey into Mission Number Three by trying at least two "new" IPA's. I can't wait!

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission No. 3 - Double IPAs

2011-01-17T20:56:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is a crazy one for me. I definitely didn't see myself enjoying IPA's, let alone their double goodness older kin the Double (or Imperial) IPA. I love the more rich flavor (and usually alcohol percentage) in the Doubles so it is part of my new challenge. Being that we all like IPAs now (except Laura I think), the challenge will be to try at least 5 new Double or Imperial IPAs that you have never had before and then give a final tally of your top 3 favorites even if those favorites didn't move before the Mission. The hope is that we will be forced to travel to the undiscovered country and find some new tracks of land worthy to return to in the future...find new great beer!

Although the challenge is not very original or thought provoking, I honestly just want us all to find some amazing new Double IPAs. Maybe I'm just selfish. Or maybe I'm thinking of all of us since we like IPAs!!

So far the Double IPAs I've loved are (in order):
1) Gordon - Oskar Blues
2) Dreadnaught - Three Floyds
3) Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company
4) 471 Small Patch Double Hopped IPA

Strangely enough, Colorado has 3 of my favorite 4 so far.

Very excited to find a few more great ones to throw on the list! Cheers and let's see what great new Double IPAs you can find for me...I mean we can all find for each other!!

"broma theon"
"food of the gods"

-charles

Coming Soon

2010-12-22T20:38:00.001-08:00

Coming soon: our first group review!

Oskar Blues: Gubna

2010-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

I have another top 3 beer! This beer is amazing with a capital A! It is strange that it took this long for me to enjoy an IPA, but when you taste this IPA you are brought into an amazing world of goodness whether you want to go or not.

Brewer: Oskar Blues Brewery
Brew: Gubna
Style: Imperial IPA
Alcohol: 10%
Source: 12 oz can
Glass: St. Arnold's Tumbler
Temp: Pulled from freezer (trying to cool quicker)...40 deg?
Appearance: Light Amber
Aroma: citrus
Taste: The most balanced citrus flavor I've had in an IPA yet, so robust with other flavors, just can't name them, but it was absolutely amazing.
Drinkability: Very smooth, amazingly easy to drink and this is saying a lot for me with 10% alcohol, which is freakishly hidden. The beer was chilled a little too much so there was almost no head and the bubbles were very slow to rise. Can't wait to try another one...pulled from the fridge this time.

This beer gets a 10 of 10!

"Broma theon"

-charles

Dark Horse

2010-12-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Brew: Plead The 5th Imperial Stout
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Alcohol: 12%
Source: 12 oz bottle
Glass: New Belgium Goblet
Temp: 50 deg
Appearance: Thin chocolaty brown head, jet black ale.
Aroma: Molasses, chocolate, coffee, slight booziness
Taste: Creamy chocolate and coffee with no noticeable roasted malt.
Drinkability: Very smooth, very easy to drink and deceptively alcoholic. While the bubbles make a cool pattern atop the brew, I only notice slight carbonation..
Notes:

I give this very drinkable stout 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission Two: A Festival Of Belgian Ales

2010-11-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, the completion of this Beer Mission is coming quite a bit later than I had planned, but I have finally sat down to complete it. I thought a bit about the best way to put my thoughts to "paper" and have decided to do sort of a head-to-head comparison.

Brewer	Trappistes Rochefort	Trappistes Rochefort	Trappistes Rochefort	St Bernardus
Brew	6	8	10	12
Style	Belgian Strong Dark Ale	Belgian Strong Dark Ale	Belgian Quad	Belgian Quad
Alcohol	7.5% (Not noticeable)	9.2% (Hidden pretty well)	11.3% (Warm alcohol feel with each sip)	10.5% (Hidden very well)
Source	11.2oz Bottle	11.2oz Bottle	11.2oz Bottle	25.4oz Bottle
Glass	Orval Goblet	Westmalle Goblet	Westmalle Goblet	Large Wine Glass
Temp	50 deg	50 deg	50 deg	50 deg
Appearance	Cloudy light brown with a frothy tan head	Cloudy dark brown with a frothy tan head	Cloudy dark ruby red with a frothy tan head	Cloudy plum color with a gushing foamy white head.
Aroma	Some caramel and a little bit of sour fruit	Strong estery yeast with big notes of plum	Sweetest aroma of the four with notes of cherry and grape	Clove, anise, estery yeast, dark fruit and light notes of apple
Taste	Dry, mildly sweet with some apple and a small spice finish	Rich and sweet with warm fruit tones and a smooth fruity finish	Strong sweet grape, w/some "breadiness" and a light bitter finish	Sweet, smooth with some hints of anise and a sweet finish
Mouthfeel	Watery with medium carbonation	Slightly thicker than water with light carbonation	Syrupy with almost no carbonation	Watery with medium carbonation
Drinkability	I could drink more than one bottle.	One whole bottle is about my limit.	I could drink half a bottle.	Very, very drinkable. I could (and did) drink an entire 750ml bottle.
Notes	Lacks the rich and hearty attributes that I associate with the style	In my opinion, this is the quintessential Belgian Strong Dark	Rochefort 10 is very well thought of, but just doesn't suit my tastes and borders on too sweet for the style	I absolutely love the craftsmanship of this ale.
Score	6 of 10	10 of 10	6 of 10	10 of 10

If you're new to these styles, let me make a note about drinkability. These are big, hearty ales that fill your belly and satisfy the taste buds. While technically they are all beer, they have about as much in common with a session beer as a Great Pyrenees does with a Chihuahua. These ales drink more like a glass of rich wine than a glass of Budweiser.

In closing, all four of these brews are good examples of fine Belgian ales and all four are well respected. While I can enjoy them all, St Bernardus 12 and Rochefort 8 are especially magnificent ales that leave little room for improvement. St Bernardus 12 was influential enough that I had to change my Sweet 16 and give it nearly top honors.

Mike, this was a great Mission, one that I throughly enjoyed!

Eis Igian,
Randall

The Basics of Beer & Homebrewing

2010-11-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

To continue my series of posts on homebrewing, I would like to briefly go through the primary ingredients of beer before describing three types of brewing.

Water - Beer, like the human body, contains mostly water.

Barley - Many of the colors, aromas, flavors, and fermentable sugars in beer come from grain. Traditionally, this grain has been barley, but other grains can be used. Barley goes through the processes of malting and mashing to convert grain starches into sweet fermentable sugars.

Hops - Hops are a preservative flower. Not only do they offset the sweetness of malted grain with their bitterness, but they can be responsible for many of the floral, citrus, and other earthy flavors/aromas within beer.

Yeast - Yeast are mirco-organismic fungi that transform fermentable sugars into alcohol. Brewing yeasts can be broadly classified into either top-fermenting (used in ales) or bottom-fermenting (used in lagers) yeasts. There are many different strains of both types of brewing yeast that will impart different characteristics to beer, and they are often responsible for the degree of dryness, sourness, crispness, and fruitiness (called esters) in beer.

Other ingredients - Although beer is traditionally made from barley, hops, yeast and water, modern brewers are using many other ingredients in their beers. Various types of sugars, syrups, and fruits are commonly used. The use of ingredients like chocolate, coffee, vanilla beans, and bourbon are also becoming increasingly popular.

As one can see, the above ingredients can be combined in an infinite number of ways to create various styles and classifications of beer. Now that I have covered the basics of beer, I would like to briefly write about three different types of homebrewing.

Extract brewing - Extract brewing is a simplified form of brewing using canned and/or powdered malt extract. Malt extract is simply the concentrated product of barley that has been pre-malted and mashed to convert its starches into fermentable sugars. Some malt extracts are also pre-hopped which further simplifies the brewing process.

Extract brewing with specialty grains - Extract brewing with specialty grains would probably be considered intermediate brewing, and this is the type of brewing that I am currently attempting to master. It is very similar to extract brewing, but specialty grains are steeped to impart additional color, flavor, body, and/or aroma depending on what style of beer is being brewed. Specialty grains are usually barley kernels (but other grains like oatmeal can also be used) that are prepared in various ways to transmit different characteristics. For example, malted barley kernels can be roasted to varying degrees to produce black malt (dry burnt flavors) or chocolate malt (nutty cocoa flavors), and unmalted barley kernels can be slow dried to create crystal malt (caramel toffee flavors).

All-grain brewing - This is how the professional brewers make their beer. All-grain brewing involves mashing whole grains to essentially create your own malt extract. This takes more specialized equipment than extract brewing, but offers the brewer much more control and flexibility over the entire brewing process. Good beer can be made from extracts, yet it is said that the best beers are produced through all-grain brewing. My goal is to eventually make the jump to all-grain brewing after I develop a comfortable understanding of the many aspects of extract brewing with specialty grains.

Hopefully, this post has helped to create a basic foundation for the reader who has little or no knowledge of the brewing process, and this basic foundation can be built upon through future posts. My next homebrewing post will be a more detailed explanation of the brewing process. More specifically, the process of extract brewing with specialty grains. Stay tuned for more homebrewing posts!

Video

2010-11-15T15:42:00.001-08:00

I just posted a new video from Modern Marvels on beer. The original video got pulled off of YouTube, so I posted a link to it on the video page.

Adventures in homebrewing...

2010-11-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

After returning from Three Floyd's Dark Lord Day in Spring of 2009, I was inspired to start brewing my own beer. Sampling some of the featured brews at the festival really opened my mind to the possibilities of beer, and the pursuit of homebrewing seemed like a logical creative extension to drinking. A week after Dark Lord Day, I had located a local homebrew shop (with the aid of a homebrewing website) and splurged on an intermediate brewing kit. Another week later (after reading The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian), I was brewing my first beer.

Since that first brewing session, I have spent countless hours reading books and perusing websites in pursuit of making better beer. Some of my beer batches have turned out surprisingly well, while others have ended in disaster... like that time my glass thermometer broke inside my brewing kettle while I was brewing. For me, it is a hobby where there is always something new to learn, and I am always saving up for that new piece of brewing equipment that will improve my craft. My goal is to eventually make high quality beer that is comparable to the craft beers that I buy.

I figured that detailing my experiences with homebrewing might be a way to further expand the focus of Cosmo's Beer Blog, and I plan on delivering a series of posts related to brewing. I am still learning, and I am by no means an expert, but that does not stop me from sharing my perspective. So stay tuned for future posts on brewing, and don't stay thirsty my friends, drink a homebrew.

Gulden Draak

2010-10-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Brew: Gulden Draak
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol: 10.5%
Source: 11.02 oz bottle
Glass: New Belgium Goblet
Temp: 50
Appearance: Small tan head atop a a deep ruby brown ale.
Aroma: Sweet grape, plum and that awesome scent of estery Belgian yeast.
Taste: Sweet malt blended unbelievably well with grape and a light alcohol finish.
Drinkability: The mild carbonation and smooth body make this brew go down a little too easy.
Notes: This one was just as good at room temperature as it was cold.

I give this AMAZING brew a 9.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission #2: Three Rocheforts and a St. Bernardus

2010-09-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago, I sat down with my girlfriend and we drank the Trappistes Rochefort 6, 8, 10, and a bottle of St. Bernardus Abt 12 in one drinking session. I have had all of these brews numerous times in the past, but what made this experience truly interesting was trying them all back to back in succession. To give everyone an idea of what these beers are all about, I will include the minimal notes that I wrote during our session. Without further ado, I present my notes!

Trappistes Rochefort 6 (Belgian Strong Dark Ale) - Appearance is like cloudy apple cider. Nose is sour caramel apples. Taste is similar to the scent without the sour Belgian esters. Mmmmm... sweet caramel covered apples. So smooth. The 7.5% alcohol content is hidden quite well.

Trappistes Rochefort 8 (Belgian Strong Dark Ale) - Pours a lot like the 6, but a bit darker. Scent is also similar to the 6, but I also smell cinnamon roll along with caramel apples. Tasting this beer is like drinking a liquid cinnamon roll with caramel covered apples in the background. I should take a moment to point out that these brews are not sweet like a cheap mixed drink, the Rocheforts are masterfully crafted beers that arguably rank among the finest beers in the world. As with the 6, the 9.2% alcohol content is hidden well. The 8 is my favorite of the three Rocheforts.

Trappistes Rochefort 10 (Quadrupel) - Appearance is much like the 6 and 8, but the 10 is darker. The scent is also similar to the 6 and 8, yet the alcohol is much more noticable. Nose is cinnamon roll, caramel apples, dark fruit, and wine. Tastes of dark fruits with a hint of cinnamon roll. The 11.3% alcohol content seemed overpowering to me at times, but this is still a great beer. The 10 is my least favorite of the three Rocheforts.

St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Quadrupel) - This bottle was a gusher, and I hear this is pretty common for St. Bernardus brews. The huge frothy white head took a few minutes to subside after pouring. Appearance is a clear dark brown with much more clarity than the Rocheforts. Scent is funky Belgian yeast esters. Taste is nothing like the scent with awesome dark fruits and sweet spiced bread being the dominant flavors. There are some spices in the background that I cannot identify... maybe a bit of anise? This Quad is amazingly smooth with none of the harshness that I experience with the Rochefort 10. Just where is that 10% alcohol content hiding? This is my favorite Quadrupel by far... the balance and smoothness is simply incredible.

All of these beers are definitely worth checking out. If you love craft beer, they are essentials. As implied within my post, these Belgian trappist ales are considered to be some of the finest beers in the world. I have never understood vows of silence and celibacy, but trappist ales like these make the monk lifestyle a little more appealing. Yes, lock me in the abbey and surround me with a great supply of this beer, and I would be happy to never speak or touch a woman again.

Coming Soon... Micro Reviews

2010-09-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

When I first started posting reviews, I tried to write detailed accounts that highlighted as much of the experience as I could capture. More recently I have been trying to shorten my reviews a bit, mostly for the sake of saving time.

Even then, I still put a fair amount of thought into what I have to say and how I want to say it. Due to the cost in time I have found that I'm not typically writing reviews for beer that I wouldn't rate at least a 6 and even worse, I sometimes push interesting beer to the back of my fridge because I don't want to "waste" drinking it without reviewing it.

Some of the "alternative" review formats that Charles and Laura have been using got me to thinking that I'd like to try some shorter reviews. I am going to try a "Micro Review" style where I just hit the high points and give a quick summary. Or maybe even just the high points or just the summary.

I'll still write detailed reviews for the Beer Missions and I'm sure plenty of brews will inspire careful illustration, but I'm looking forward to trying my hand at a more expedient format.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission No. 2...success

2010-09-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am really beginning to enjoy beer. My picks for the challenge were all amazing and I kind of knew that going in. I chose the Westmalle Dubbel, Westmalle Tripel, and Allagash Four Ale to sample the differences in flavor between a dubbel, tripel and a quad.

The Dubbel is just the perfect loyal reliable contender that I knew it would it be as it amazes you both in the initial taste and after effect. The first time I tried it I was tasting beers every other night by just drinking half of the bottle; I did not stop by just drinking half the bottle with the dubbel.

The tripel doesn't settle as nicely as the dubbel, but its flavor is a home run. It has a lot of carbonation, a little bit clearer appearance, and a little more of a kick.

And finally the Quad had the most amazing flavor out the three delivering a taste I had never had before, but now absolutely desire to have again. With its warm 10% alcohol rating it manages to not overwhelm you while transferring a healthy dose of delicious amber successfully to its new resting place....my belly. Grabbing the Allagash at $16 a bottle (priced at $20) I was a little nervous not knowing if it would live up to the price; I was pleasantly rewarded for my purchase.

If other quads are as rich in flavor and balanced in alcohol punch I think I might have a new favorite. In short, the quad won the contest in fullness and flavor and desirability. Since I didn't take the minute to write the review when I had tasted these amazing contenders I won't finish with the normal bullet point statistics. All you have to know is that Allagash is truly an amazing beer along with the greatness that is Westmalle and is now on my sweet 16 hall of fame.

Success was indeed reached through this new mission as I found a new friend...Allagash.

Broma Theon

-Charles

PBR Gets the Blue Ribbon

2010-09-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

Brewer/Brew: Pabst Brewing Company / Pabst Blue Ribbon

Style: American Adjunct Lager

Source: Straight out of the can and into an English half-pint

My opinion of this brew...

Well, I gave PBR the winning spot for the 1st Beer Mission! Granted, I tried only a handful of the many American Adjunct Lagers that are out there, but nonetheless, Pabst Blue Ribbon was my favorite. As I took my first sip, I tasted a little hint of lemon (just a smidgen). The flavor is neither sweet nor bitter and doesn't offend my taste buds at all. As the beer leaves my tongue, I taste a slight wheat aftertaste (something pleasant in my book). Mmmmm, it's just plain enjoyable and cost me less than $1 at the local liquor store. What more could I ask for??! Each mouthful leaves me wanting another one. Interestingly, the taste isn't really striking, but rather it's mild & has just enough flavor to be memorable. I truly like this beer and would certainly pay for another one. Congrats PBR and thanks for being less than a dollar!

My rating: 7 out of 10

I Found My Mojo!

2010-09-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Boulder Beer
Brew: Mojo India Pale Ale
Style: American IPA
Source: On tap @ Scotty's Brewhouse
Glass: Standard Pint Glass
Temp: Unknown

Appearance: My glass showed up with cloudy light golden brew adorned with a small white head.
Scent: Bringing this ale to my nose revealed floral and citrus aromas followed by light notes of bittering hops. Somewhere in the background, I think I smell hints of mango. This is a very nice smelling brew!
Taste: Mojo is a pretty complex tasting beer. The taste begins with an abundance of citrus flavors: I can taste mango, grapefruit and even a little peach. As the taste transitions into the aftertaste, there is a dry, crisp grapefruit finish and unless my tastes deceive me, a touch of wheat.
Drinkability: This is a very watery ale with virtually unnoticeable carbonation. Mojo is a very "sessionable" IPA.
Notes: I didn't let my glass quite reach room temperature, but I did detect that warmth brought out a little booziness in the taste which was surprising as Mojo only tips the scales at 6.8%. Overall, I really enjoyed this brew. It is tasty, light and has a great aroma.

I give this brew an 8 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Dark vs Dark

2010-09-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

This will not be extensive as I'm crazy busy tonight, but I thought I'd share non-the-less. I thought I would try Beck's Dark vs Shiner Bohemian Black Lager. Hands down the Shiner won the contest. I would not have guessed the local Shiner, TX brewery would outperform the German giant Becks, but that's probably because they are different beers. Shiner Black Lager is a Schwarzbier and the Beck's is a Munich Dunkel Lager. Next time I'll try the beers in their categories. I admit that I was just shooting for a dark vs dark and am glad I found the Shiner as I was very impressed. Without a formal review I would rate it an 8.

Here is a link to different Dunkels, sounds funny making that word plural.

Here is a link to different Schwarzbier beers.

broma theon,

-charles

A Belgian of a different sorts

2010-09-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

While many of the Belgians that I've enjoyed are time honored styles, the Belgian IPA is a relative newcomer. As the name indicates, this is a Belgian take on the IPA.

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Picobrouwerij Alvinne / Den Bierzolder
Brew: Alvinne Extra Restyled
Style: Belgian IPA
Source: 11.2 oz Bottle
Glass: Large Wine Glass
Temp: 45 deg.

Appearance: The hazy golden colored ale poured with a very small head that didn't last long.
Scent: The scent of this one is an odd combination of aromas. I pick up on estery notes, followed by light yeast and finally slightly citrus hops. It smells like a Belgian Pale Ale... and a little like an IPA.
Taste: The initial taste is lightly citrus and little bit sour, once again quite like a Belgian Pale Ale. There is a small bitter aftertaste that must be the hops desperately trying to announce themselves.
Drinkability: The body of this brew is watery and lightly carbonated. A medium amount of taste + a medium alcohol content + a light body = a very drinkable ale.
Notes: This is only my second experience with a Belgian IPA, so I am not yet well versed with the style. While this brew is much more Belgian Pale Ale than IPA, I believe that is par for the style. Mostly this beer makes me think of a Belgian Pale Ale, only a little bit more sour and bitter. Overall, it's an enjoyable brew and something interesting enough to buy.

I give this brew a 6 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission #2: Tackling the Tandem Trappist Task...

2010-09-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

Since everyone seems to be in the mood to drink trappist brews lately, I figured it was time to deploy the beer brigade on a mission that I have been kicking around for awhile. Originally, I had planned to embark on this mission alone, but then I came to my senses and realized the extreme personal danger of being overwhelmed by those crafty trappists and their high gravity beers. Yes, troops... we are in this together, and you will want backup on this mission.

The Mission
This mission is basically an opportunity to further develop a palate while sampling some of the finest trappist beverages that are widely available. Brasserie de Rochefort makes the Trappistes Rochefort 6 (Belgian Strong Dark Ale), the Trappistes Rochefort 8 (another Belgian Strong Dark Ale), and the Trappistes Rochefort 10 (Quadrupel). The mission is simply to try these three beers and pick out the differences between them. The sweet malt backbone, apparent use of spices instead of hops, the dark fruit esters, and the differing alcohol content of each of these beers are all important characteristics that may help to distinguish differences and further develop your palate.

Mission Parameters
1) I do not think it is necessary to review each of these beers for this mission, but you can if you wish. A summary post of your adventures with the Rocheforts should give everyone a good idea of what these beers are all about.
2) Try to address the following questions during this beer mission: Did you like these beers? What did they taste like? What are the differences between them?
Optional parameter - If you wish, you can also try the St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Quadrupel) by the Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV and compare it to the Rochefort 10. How are these two beers different and which one (if you have a preference) did you prefer?

This beer mission is meant to be enjoyable without having to think too much. In my opinion, these are all great beers that will enhance your life with their unique characters. Have fun with this mission and enjoy the beer!

Orval Trappist Ale

2010-09-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

With the words 'trappist' and 'Belgium' on the bottle I was sold immediately. The initial taste is not the splendor that Westmalle is, but the more you drink it the better the aftertaste intermingles with the taste buds and provides a pleasant surprise.

Brew Details: Orval brewed byBrasserie D' Orval, Belgium
Serving Conditions: Served directly from the uncalibrated fridge into my 'Duvel' tulip glass.
Appearance: A very foggy amber, reminiscent of a hefeweizen.
Scent: Smells amazing, reminds me of other trappist ales.
Taste: Smooth, but a touch more bitter than I expected.
Mouthfeel: Lots of carbonation with a great warm aftertaste.
Drinkability: I could have another one, but I wouldn't choose it purposely.

It gets a 7.5, because the more you drink it, the better it tastes due to the amazing aftertaste. The Belgium's generally do not disappoint and this is a great beer, just not in comparison to the Westmalle Trappist Ale.

-charles

Maudite by Unibroue

2010-08-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

Yet another bottle of beer with an appearance of the nether regions of hell inviting you to take a drink. This one however scored much higher with me than the last 'bastard'. The writing on the beer really does define the taste quite well:

"La Maudite (damned), referemented on yeast base in the bottle, goes down uncommonly smooth. One taste of this excellent malt beverage will instill in you the highest respect and appreciation for its warm mellowing effect."

I highly agree, see the comments I wrote before I read the label below:

Brew Details: Maudite brewed by Unibroue
Serving Conditions: Served directly from the uncalibrated fridge into my 'Duvel' tulip glass.
Appearance: A foggy amber
Scent: yeast, very similar to a good hefeweizen (Franziskaner being my favorite so far)
Taste: Smooth and rich with a deep warming flavor well balanced with the alcohol content (not overpowering).
Mouthfeel: Lots of carbonation with a subtle and inviting aftertaste.
Drinkability: Definitely ready for another one, just not tonight. This could be the beer for the evening and I would not be disappointed.

This is my highest tested ranking so far, I'm giving this one a 9. I guess it just reminds me of my favorite hefeweizen too much, but with more boldness. So far both drinks I have had by Unibroue are amazing; the other drink being La Fin du Monde. Unibroue has now made my list of favorite breweries, I will be looking for more of their beverages very soon.

Next stop, Orval Trappist Ale...

broma theon

"food of the gods"

-Charles

A Belgian Beauty... don't tell my wife!

2010-08-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

My wife loves the Belgian ales, so I hope she's not too disappointed that I opened this one without her...

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Trappist Achel
Brew: 8° Brune
Style: Belgian Dubbel
Source: 11.2 oz Bottle
Glass: Large Wine Glass
Temp: 50 deg.

Appearance: True to form, the Trappist ale poured with an enormous head that lingered for an eternity. The color is a deep, murky amber.
Scent: Right off the bat, I notice that estery Belgian yeast. The aroma is warm and inviting with notes of plum and grape. In many ways it is more reminiscent of a glass of wine than a glass of beer.
Taste: I have waited very impatiently for the head to dissipate, but its still lingering. I guess I'm just going to have to dive in. The taste is very much like the scent: smooth, sweet and fruity. I can taste the grape quite well and note some more wine-like characteristics. In my experience that is quite common with many of the Trappist ales. There is a barely noticeable slightly bitter aftertaste that lasts for only a moment.
Drinkability: The mouthfeel is smooth and watery with small, punishing bubbles of carbonation. This ale is very, very drinkable which is good and bad. The satisfaction to the senses is good, but the 8% alcohol and the price tag could prove quite bad.
Notes: Time was no challenge to the head of this beer. Even when my glass was almost empty, a 1/4-inch head boldly persisted. The lacing was almost ridiculous as it lined almost half my glass. Warmth brought little change in the flavor. This beer tasted just as good at room temperature as it did at 50 degrees.

This is my favorite Dubbel so far. Awesome taste, inviting aroma, beautifully hidden alcohol, what more could I ask for?

For now, I give Achel 8° Brune a 9 out of 10. This may change as I try other Dubbels. I really wonder if there is a better example of the style, for my tastes anyway.

Eis Igian,
Randall