Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Saison Du Buff--Dogfish Head....but only sorta.
I bought this because the ingredients were intriguing...parsley, thyme, sage, and rosemary. But the story behind it is even more intriguing. Three breweries, each brewing the same recipe. Now I've got to find the other 2 (Victory and Stone are the other two.) This is something that is unique in business to craft brewing, the collaboration furthuring the experience of the beer. I doubt we'll see a Budweiser-Coors brew anytime soon.
The beer itself by the way is excellent, smooth tasting with lots of flavor. Different flavor, very unique. I don't really detect any of the herbs that went into it, but I'm guessing that's because they are slight and in unison...they work really well together. The overall quality is it's smoothness. I could sip on this all day long (as long as it were a weekend!). Very low bitterness, but lots of mild flavor to play on the taste buds. As I stated, I can't pin down any flavor in particular, it's unique. Buy it and try it! Or buy them and try them!
Here's the background of the beer....
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/th ... u-BUFF.htm

I shoulda bought you a bottle in September when I sampled it and reviewed it. I thought I had. Bad, dd, bad.

Saison du Buff-DFH

From the brewers' lips/fingers to your ears/eyes:

This beer is collaboration between Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA), and Victory Brewing Company (Downington, PA).

The idea for this beer germinated way back in 2003 when the three guys (Sam from Dogfish, Greg from Stone and Bill from Victory) formed the BUFF alliance (Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor) - a noble endeavor with the goal to highlight the passion and camaraderie of the American craft brew movement.

So, BUFF didn't really do anything (beyond talk a lot of talk) until 2010 when the three brewers finally got together to jointly brew at beer at the Stone Brewery. Saison du BUFF will first be brewed at Stone and then replicated at each of the other two breweries - same recipe, same ingredients, three different breweries throughout 2010.

Plans call for Saison du BUFF to be a 6% alc/vol Saison brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. This beer will be brewed three times, once at each brewery using the same recipe. The expected release dates for each brew are as follows:

Stone Brewing Co.- Late April 2010 (release date 5/3/2010, visit Stone Brewery for more information)

My thoughts:

Simon and Garfunkel. This is a saison style ale meaning it's a Belgian farmhouse type ale which is a bit funky, light, fruity (think apples and pears) and slightly cloudy, fizzy and light yellow. The Simon and Garfunkel reference is to the fact that this ale is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme ( ) and has those earthy aromas and also a nose of fir. This is one of the most unique smelling brews I have ever imbibed and is a fabulous summer/fall beverage and would be marvelous with grilled chicken or grouper or light fish with just a hint of lemon or pepper for the marinade/basting. IBU are estimated to be small at about 20 and the ABV is 6.8%. $3/12 ounces at Total Wine and not available as a 4 pack or 6er. Definitely worth a sample.

[devildeac]

Hop Karma Brown IPA-Terrapin Brewing

This is quite a unique brew with an almost wildly hoppy first bite of the IPA, followed by the creamy, caramel sweetness of the brown ale. A very pleasant battle of brews and flavors. The brew would be at home with ribs or a brisket or grilled tuna with a peppery, spicy chutney or salsa. I got this one as a trader from one of the drug reps who calls on the office and I think I have a 2nd bottle that CB&B will see in a 6er in the near future . Worth reading the brewer's notes, too:

The Terrapin Hop Karma IPA (formerly known as the India Style Brown Ale) is a head on collision between a hoppy, west coast IPA and a complex, malty brown ale. Brewed with 5 varieties of hops and 7 different malts, this hybrid style represents the best of both worlds.

ABV: 6.0%

IBU’s: 65

O.G.: 15.1

Malt: Pale, Dark Munich, Victory, Special Roast, Crystal 60, Crystal 77, Chocolate

Hops: Nugget, Chinook, Centennial, Willamette, Columbus (Dry Hop)

Food: BBQ or anything that’s hittin’ the grill – pairs with spice, lime and cilantro with the best of ’em.

Cheese: Aged Gouda or Dry Jack

Awards: 92 June issue of Draft Silver Medal- 2010 Atlantic City Beer Festival (American Brown Ale) Gold- 2009 U.S Open Beer Championships (American Brown Ale) Bronze Medal – 2009 Carolina Championship of Beers Silver Medal Best Specialty – 2008 Bramwell Oktoberfest Gold Medal – 2008 Carolina Championship of Beers

Beef and Carrot Karma Stew • 2 tablespoons peanut oil • 1 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks • 2 cups chopped onions • 4 garlic cloves, smashed • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage and/or rosemary • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour • 1 12-ounce bottle Hop Karma Brown IPA • 1 14-ounce can low-salt beef broth • 1 pound baby carrots with some green tops attached, peeled Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add to pot and sauté until browned, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to bowl. Add onions, garlic, and herbs to pot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and flour; stir 1 minute. Add beer; stir until thick and smooth, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Add broth, then beef with any juices; bring to simmer. Cover partially, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes. Add carrots; simmer partially covered until beef and carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

[devildeac]

Dogfish Head Bitches Brew--An imperial stout brewed with honey and gesho root. Pours black from capped 750ml bottle..A thick creamy head that took a while to dissipate. Lots of chocolate and coffee with some more roasted notes. Any bitterness is offset by a fairly strong and sweet honey taste. A bit of sourness in the finish. Overall, this is a very smooth and easy drinking imperial stout. A very complex blend of flavors that come together nicely. I really like the addition of the honey. Very little booziness for 9% ABV..

I'm pretty sure I've never had that, not sure I've seen it. Sounds great.

Bought a bottle of it in DC this weekend...


Too big for one person to drink in one sitting...

[bluebeer]

Dogfish Head Bitches Brew--An imperial stout brewed with honey and gesho root. Pours black from capped 750ml bottle..A thick creamy head that took a while to dissipate. Lots of chocolate and coffee with some more roasted notes. Any bitterness is offset by a fairly strong and sweet honey taste. A bit of sourness in the finish. Overall, this is a very smooth and easy drinking imperial stout. A very complex blend of flavors that come together nicely. I really like the addition of the honey. Very little booziness for 9% ABV..

I'm pretty sure I've never had that, not sure I've seen it. Sounds great.

Bought a bottle of it in DC this weekend...


Too big for one person to drink in one sitting...

It was definitely a 2 night beer for me..looking forward to reading what you think..

[Lavabe]

Tonight's episode of Brewmasters focuses on DFH's attempts to make a cedar wood based brew (with raisin d'etre), and a bad batch of 120 (they may have to dump about half a million dollars worth of the stuff).

Interesting how they do quality control.

DD, if you ever need a new job, quality control at DFH has to be a good job!

[devildeac]

Tonight's episode of Brewmasters focuses on DFH's attempts to make a cedar wood based brew (with raisin d'etre), and a bad batch of 120 (they may have to dump about half a million dollars worth of the stuff).

Interesting how they do quality control.

DD, if you ever need a new job, quality control at DFH has to be a good job!

Half a million bucks worth of bad 120?!

[Lavabe]

Tonight's episode of Brewmasters focuses on DFH's attempts to make a cedar wood based brew (with raisin d'etre), and a bad batch of 120 (they may have to dump about half a million dollars worth of the stuff).

Interesting how they do quality control.

DD, if you ever need a new job, quality control at DFH has to be a good job!

Half a million bucks worth of bad 120?!

Yep, they dumped the whole container. They tried everything in their power to correct the problem, but they just couldn't correct it. It was too sweet, which suggests some yeast that just isn't doing its job. 120 takes a long time to rest in the vat. The brewmasters felt that they could get almost two whole batches of other brews in that vat during the time that would otherwise be taken up by the bad 120.

Seriously AWESOME show!!

FWIW, they also explained why the brew company is named DFH.

[devildeac]

Tonight's episode of Brewmasters focuses on DFH's attempts to make a cedar wood based brew (with raisin d'etre), and a bad batch of 120 (they may have to dump about half a million dollars worth of the stuff).

Interesting how they do quality control.

DD, if you ever need a new job, quality control at DFH has to be a good job!

Half a million bucks worth of bad 120?!

Yep, they dumped the whole container. They tried everything in their power to correct the problem, but they just couldn't correct it. It was too sweet, which suggests some yeast that just isn't doing its job. 120 takes a long time to rest in the vat. The brewmasters felt that they could get almost two whole batches of other brews in that vat during the time that would otherwise be taken up by the bad 120.

Seriously AWESOME show!!

FWIW, they also explained why the brew company is named DFH.

If it was too sweet, they shoulda just put it in 16 or 24 ounce plastic containers and put Log Cabin on it .

I always thought it was the name of a fish but I will go research it.

[Lavabe]

FWIW, they also explained why the brew company is named DFH.

If it was too sweet, they shoulda just put it in 16 or 24 ounce plastic containers and put Log Cabin on it .

I always thought it was the name of a fish but I will go research it.

Dude (Sam Calagione, DFH Founder) was in college, getting into brewing, and returned home to dad. Dad asked him how was school. Dude responded that it was okay, but that he was going to be a brewmaster. Dad approved, and said that he should call it DOGFISHHEAD brewing. They showed the street (DOGFISHHEAD Lane) that they passed, that inspired his dad.

As Dude said, not only did his dad approve his career decision, but he gave him the name of the company.

Here's the link to the show:
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/brew-masters/

This is SERIOUSLY a COOL show!! You should check the video link for PUNKIN DISASTER!!

[devildeac]

Never Summer Ale-Boulder Brewing

A trader from my 2nd favorite trading partner ;) . This is their version of a winter ale with 3 malts and 3 hops and the "brewer's special spice" that I have no idea what it is. Pours a dark reddish-brown with a small head and tastes like a fairly typical winter warmer with dark caramel and some floral notes. Nothing really distinguished this from the plethora of other winter ales on the market but it's always nice to try another brewer's effort. I'd guess the IBU about 30 and the ABV is 5.94% but I coulda sworn it was closer to 6% . It would make a nice combo with chili, beef stew or ribs.

[bluebeer]

Victory Dark Intrigue--This is bourbon barrel aged Victory Storm King. Pours a dense black brown from a nice corked and caged bottle. It's been a few years since I've had Storm King but I remember it being on the harsher (in a good way) end of the imperial stout spectrum with lots of roasted malts and espresso bitterness. Dark Intrigue retains a lot of the same taste but the aging and the bourbon smooth it out nicely. Lots of toasted malts with hints of coffee and a nice chocolatey sweetness. The bourbon doesn't come off quite a boozy as some other bourbon barrel stouts that I've tried but it's definitely there. A bit of a sharp alcohol burn in the finish. A really nice barrel aged stout which I liked a lot more than I remember liking Storm King. Perfect sipper for the bitter cold nights that we've had up here the past 2 days. I had half the bottle last night and plan to finish it off as a night cap tonight..ABV about 9%

[CameronBornAndBred]

Victory Dark Intrigue--This is bourbon barrel aged Victory Storm King.

[devildeac]

Winter Hook-Red Hook

A trader from my drug rep buddy. It's one of his new favorite winter ales. It won't be one of mine. Typical Red Hook stuff. Not a bad effort and better that bud winter attempts but there are quite a few others I'd order before this. Not worthy of the Ycch, Beer thread, just nothing distinctive. A lighter mahogany than most winter warmers and a bit less malt and little hops. A bit less toasty and caramel-like. It's worth a taste or a single but not a 6er. IBU about 30 and the ABV is 5.9%

[devildeac]

Ranger IPA-draft-New Belgium Brewing

Even tastier and more pungent from the tap instead of the bottle. More citrusy/hoppier and aromatic. Mild caramel/malty sweetness for balance. Golden-yellow color and small head. I'd guess an IBU 0f 60-70 and, IIRC, the ABV is about 6.5%. Highly tasty at Charlies' yesterday with my cheese steak with peppers and onions and provolone, the company of CTN friends and a wet t-shirt or two ;) .

[devildeac]

http://www.terrapinbeer.com/beers/55-Re ... cotch-Ale-

A seriously good variation from the Terrapin Brewing gang of your usual Scotch ale with a bit of funk/sourness from the Belgian yeast and very little, if any, of the smokiness you'd expect from this style. Nice dark caramel tastes with not much floral hop tones in a very palate-pleasing dark brown ale. Good dinner brew with brisket, ribs or chili or as a sipper/warmer by the fire. I had 1/2 a bomber Friday and Saturday nights. Worth a trader or to share. Reasonably priced, as beer/bombers go these days at $7-8.

[devildeac]

Adoration-Ommegang

I'd love to taste this brew but, at $14 ( ) for the 750 ml bottle yesterday, I decided to pass.

Ommegang announces our first Strong Winter Ale, named Adoration, becoming available from mid-October through December, all across the US.


Ommegang Adoration, brewed in the authentic style of Belgian winter, or noel beer, is dark, strong, malty and assertively spiced.


At 10% abv Adoration is not a lightweight beer, and is best sipped before a roaring fire, or on a sleigh ride over the hills to Grandma’s house. (But let someone else drive.) It would also be a tasty accompaniment to dark roasts and wild game. Even at the strong abv, the beer is well-balanced and not at all hot or fiery. The dark malts give it lush, malty flavors and aromas, strongly complemented by the five spices, including coriander, cumin, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise. Hopping is modest, as befits such a beer.


Ommegang Adoration is the first in a series of special beers to be released every two months through the end of 2010. Look for Chocolate Indulgence in January-February and then an entirely new group of beers throughout 2010.


Adoration is available on draft and in 750ml bottles only. You’ll need to look for it in your local retailers or taverns, as we have released it all to meet huge demand, and we none left to sell through our stores, either online or at the brewery. Let us know what you think.

[bluebeer]

Adoration-Ommegang

I'd love to taste this brew but, at $14 ( ) for the 750 ml bottle yesterday, I decided to pass.

Ommegang announces our first Strong Winter Ale, named Adoration, becoming available from mid-October through December, all across the US.


Ommegang Adoration, brewed in the authentic style of Belgian winter, or noel beer, is dark, strong, malty and assertively spiced.


At 10% abv Adoration is not a lightweight beer, and is best sipped before a roaring fire, or on a sleigh ride over the hills to Grandma’s house. (But let someone else drive.) It would also be a tasty accompaniment to dark roasts and wild game. Even at the strong abv, the beer is well-balanced and not at all hot or fiery. The dark malts give it lush, malty flavors and aromas, strongly complemented by the five spices, including coriander, cumin, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise. Hopping is modest, as befits such a beer.


Ommegang Adoration is the first in a series of special beers to be released every two months through the end of 2010. Look for Chocolate Indulgence in January-February and then an entirely new group of beers throughout 2010.


Adoration is available on draft and in 750ml bottles only. You’ll need to look for it in your local retailers or taverns, as we have released it all to meet huge demand, and we none left to sell through our stores, either online or at the brewery. Let us know what you think.

I did enjoy this beer but it's not worth $14 for a 750ml...Surprisingly enough its cheaper up here in Boston though still fairly high at $10-11..It's a very nice belgian style christmas beer though a notch below some more authentic ones like St. Bernardus Noel or Corsendonk Christmas..I wish I could get a bottle down to you to sample..

[devildeac]

Adoration-Ommegang

I'd love to taste this brew but, at $14 ( ) for the 750 ml bottle yesterday, I decided to pass.

Ommegang announces our first Strong Winter Ale, named Adoration, becoming available from mid-October through December, all across the US.


Ommegang Adoration, brewed in the authentic style of Belgian winter, or noel beer, is dark, strong, malty and assertively spiced.


At 10% abv Adoration is not a lightweight beer, and is best sipped before a roaring fire, or on a sleigh ride over the hills to Grandma’s house. (But let someone else drive.) It would also be a tasty accompaniment to dark roasts and wild game. Even at the strong abv, the beer is well-balanced and not at all hot or fiery. The dark malts give it lush, malty flavors and aromas, strongly complemented by the five spices, including coriander, cumin, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise. Hopping is modest, as befits such a beer.


Ommegang Adoration is the first in a series of special beers to be released every two months through the end of 2010. Look for Chocolate Indulgence in January-February and then an entirely new group of beers throughout 2010.


Adoration is available on draft and in 750ml bottles only. You’ll need to look for it in your local retailers or taverns, as we have released it all to meet huge demand, and we none left to sell through our stores, either online or at the brewery. Let us know what you think.

I did enjoy this beer but it's not worth $14 for a 750ml...Surprisingly enough its cheaper up here in Boston though still fairly high at $10-11..It's a very nice belgian style christmas beer though a notch below some more authentic ones like St. Bernardus Noel or Corsendonk Christmas..I wish I could get a bottle down to you to sample..

I haven't had any of the Belgian Christmas ales in several years. Maybe this year...
I think they are about $10 for the 750 ml bottles.

Buy a bottle. Stick it in your closet. Travel to a Brunchgate next season. I promise I'll pay you for it and have an extra bratwurst or two on the grill for you. Plus, a couple Duck-Rabbit products for your enjoyment that day.

Deal ;) ?

[devildeac]

Frambozen-New Belgium

One of their traditional winter offerings I have enjoyed almost annually for about a decade now. This is a brown ale brewed with Pacific NW raspberries (hand-picked by DA from what I understand ) and is a gorgeous ruby-brown color with a 2 fingered reddish-tan head and faint aromas of medium to dark caramel and raspberries. The raspberry taste is more prominent than the aroma and is quite pleasant and not over-powering. I'd guess the IBU to be about 30 and the ABV is a very manageable 6.5%. Fine as a stand alone brew or with a dessert like Black Forest cake or a raspberry chocolate torte. Guess who's gonna find one of these in his next trading 6er.

[devildeac]

Couple of Christmas brews on the horizon: Bad Elf and Criminally Bad Elf (great names). CB&B will be getting 1 of each of these next week as he passes gas, err, passes through Raleigh next week. I have never had either brew.