Ymm, Beer!

[Lavabe]

Which Schlafly should I buy:

Winter ESB or
Irish Extra Stout?

[devildeac]

Which Schlafly should I buy:

Winter ESB or
Irish Extra Stout?

Both.

[bluebeer]

Russian River Pliny the Elder--Very excited to give this a try as my first Russian River beer..Nice plain 500ml bottle. Pours a pale amber with a thin but frothy head. Fairly thick in body with an initial taste like biting into a grapefruit. Some slightly sweet light malts but they are really an afterthought. Bitter but not overpowering with a crisp and dry finish. There are only a few other IPAs/IIPAs that I would consider as well balanced and smooth. I would be drinking this all summer if RR distributed around here. 8% ABV. Great beer..

[devildeac]

Russian River Pliny the Elder--Very excited to give this a try as my first Russian River beer..Nice plain 500ml bottle. Pours a pale amber with a thin but frothy head. Fairly thick in body with an initial taste like biting into a grapefruit. Some slightly sweet light malts but they are really an afterthought. Bitter but not overpowering with a crisp and dry finish. There are only a few other IPAs/IIPAs that I would consider as well balanced and smooth. I would be drinking this all summer if RR distributed around here. 8% ABV. Great beer..

You are lucky to get a bottle. I'd love to taste that beer. I think rmd really likes that, too. They don't distribute much outside California. I have a caged and corked 750 ml bottle of Damnation I picked up on our ski trip, err, medical meeting at Vail last March. You may have inspired me to sip that over the weekend.

[devildeac]

Butt Head-Tommyknocker Brewing


This is a double bock lager, or doppelbock. Twice the malt, twice the caramel sweetness and twice the toasty biscuit flavor. Low IBU, probably 20-30 and the ABV is 8% but it's Friday night and I'm gonna have a few sips of a high gravity ale tonight, too. This really tastes best if allowed to warm for about 15 minutes before tasting. It would make a burger or a BBQ grilled chicken sandwich mighty tasty. Another trader from one of the office drug reps.

[devildeac]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing

A grand slam brew or hitting for the cycle. This imperial stout has become somewhat legendary in its several year existence and the pint yesterday afternoon at Tyler's Taproom prior to the NCSU game lived up to its reputation and more. The pour is nearly black and the small head which does not linger long is a medium tan. The nose is dark, semisweet chocolate and espresso and the tastes are the same with black strap molasses and dark aged rum. As is standard for imperial stouts, the IBU are high at 85 but the massive amounts of chocolate and black patent malts smooth the high IBU very nicely along with the ABV of about 10%. It was served cold but I sipped it about 30 minutes and the warming released all the above flavors. I actually drank water with my meal and savored this as a dessert beer. The pint was $7, which I thought was very reasonably priced. My drug rep buddy had a friend standing in line at the brewery on release date on 1/29 and he waited an hour in a line that was 3 blocks long and had to leave to take a child to swim practice so I ended up with zero bottles . I'd have another pint of this in a New York minute if we go out to dinner next week and it would be worthwhile for anyone living in NC to call around to your local beer emporiums to see if they have any left on draft. This was a stunning brew and easily makes my top 5 list along with the BBCS, the DFH Palo Santo Marron, Bridgeport's Old Knucklehead and the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

Oh, yea, I forgot:

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing

Damn good beer! I'll be in Winston Salem this week and plan to look up the brewery and see if I can find any left over bottles of it ;)

[devildeac]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing

Damn good beer! I'll be in Winston Salem this week and plan to look up the brewery and see if I can find any left over bottles of it ;)

I'd bet they don't have any left but if you find a 6er or two, I'm good for it. Hell, I'll take a case of it. I called about a week before its release and they told me brewery only sales. Almost forgot again:

[captmojo]

Glad it was better than that Stupor Bowl halftime extravaganza.

[bluebeer]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing

A grand slam brew or hitting for the cycle. This imperial stout has become somewhat legendary in its several year existence and the pint yesterday afternoon at Tyler's Taproom prior to the NCSU game lived up to its reputation and more. The pour is nearly black and the small head which does not linger long is a medium tan. The nose is dark, semisweet chocolate and espresso and the tastes are the same with black strap molasses and dark aged rum. As is standard for imperial stouts, the IBU are high at 85 but the massive amounts of chocolate and black patent malts smooth the high IBU very nicely along with the ABV of about 10%. It was served cold but I sipped it about 30 minutes and the warming released all the above flavors. I actually drank water with my meal and savored this as a dessert beer. The pint was $7, which I thought was very reasonably priced. My drug rep buddy had a friend standing in line at the brewery on release date on 1/29 and he waited an hour in a line that was 3 blocks long and had to leave to take a child to swim practice so I ended up with zero bottles . I'd have another pint of this in a New York minute if we go out to dinner next week and it would be worthwhile for anyone living in NC to call around to your local beer emporiums to see if they have any left on draft. This was a stunning brew and easily makes my top 5 list along with the BBCS, the DFH Palo Santo Marron, Bridgeport's Old Knucklehead and the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

Oh, yea, I forgot:

[bluebeer]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing

A grand slam brew or hitting for the cycle. This imperial stout has become somewhat legendary in its several year existence and the pint yesterday afternoon at Tyler's Taproom prior to the NCSU game lived up to its reputation and more. The pour is nearly black and the small head which does not linger long is a medium tan. The nose is dark, semisweet chocolate and espresso and the tastes are the same with black strap molasses and dark aged rum. As is standard for imperial stouts, the IBU are high at 85 but the massive amounts of chocolate and black patent malts smooth the high IBU very nicely along with the ABV of about 10%. It was served cold but I sipped it about 30 minutes and the warming released all the above flavors. I actually drank water with my meal and savored this as a dessert beer. The pint was $7, which I thought was very reasonably priced. My drug rep buddy had a friend standing in line at the brewery on release date on 1/29 and he waited an hour in a line that was 3 blocks long and had to leave to take a child to swim practice so I ended up with zero bottles . I'd have another pint of this in a New York minute if we go out to dinner next week and it would be worthwhile for anyone living in NC to call around to your local beer emporiums to see if they have any left on draft. This was a stunning brew and easily makes my top 5 list along with the BBCS, the DFH Palo Santo Marron, Bridgeport's Old Knucklehead and the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

Oh, yea, I forgot:

BTW..great top 5. I've never had the Old Knucklehead but Palo Santo and GI Bourbon Stout would be in my top 5 as well..

[devildeac]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing

A grand slam brew or hitting for the cycle. This imperial stout has become somewhat legendary in its several year existence and the pint yesterday afternoon at Tyler's Taproom prior to the NCSU game lived up to its reputation and more. The pour is nearly black and the small head which does not linger long is a medium tan. The nose is dark, semisweet chocolate and espresso and the tastes are the same with black strap molasses and dark aged rum. As is standard for imperial stouts, the IBU are high at 85 but the massive amounts of chocolate and black patent malts smooth the high IBU very nicely along with the ABV of about 10%. It was served cold but I sipped it about 30 minutes and the warming released all the above flavors. I actually drank water with my meal and savored this as a dessert beer. The pint was $7, which I thought was very reasonably priced. My drug rep buddy had a friend standing in line at the brewery on release date on 1/29 and he waited an hour in a line that was 3 blocks long and had to leave to take a child to swim practice so I ended up with zero bottles . I'd have another pint of this in a New York minute if we go out to dinner next week and it would be worthwhile for anyone living in NC to call around to your local beer emporiums to see if they have any left on draft. This was a stunning brew and easily makes my top 5 list along with the BBCS, the DFH Palo Santo Marron, Bridgeport's Old Knucklehead and the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

Oh, yea, I forgot:

BTW..great top 5. I've never had the Old Knucklehead but Palo Santo and GI Bourbon Stout would be in my top 5 as well..

I have never seen Old Knucklehead outside Oregon, except when I have smuggled it in ski boots and socks ( ) after visiting my brother outside Portland or my parents when they lived there.

[wilson]

GO TO HELL, carolina, GO TO HELL!

[devildeac]

Happy Ending-Sweetwater Brewing
79
73

Beer review tomorrow. My legs are still shaking and my fingers and arms still trembling.

[wilson]

I have consumed a rather large quantity of beer this evening.

[wilson]

I have consumed a rather large quantity of beer this evening.

And also,
GO TO HELL, carolina, GO TO HELL!

[bluebeer]

Happy Ending-Sweetwater Brewing
79
73

Beer review tomorrow. My legs are still shaking and my fingers and arms still trembling.

What a perfect name for last night..I was nowhere that creative though I did crack open a bottle of Sierra/DFH Life and Limb that has been sitting patiently in my cellar for the right occasion..and last night was the right occasion..

[devildeac]

Happy Ending-Sweetwater Brewing
79
73

Beer review tomorrow. My legs are still shaking and my fingers and arms still trembling.

What a perfect name for last night..I was nowhere that creative though I did crack open a bottle of Sierra/DFH Life and Limb that has been sitting patiently in my cellar for the right occasion..and last night was the right occasion..

I found a 6er of it in Asheville about 3 weeks ago having never seen it before. I thought about rummaging around in the "storage facility" (aka our garage) and remembered I had several of those. It was very satisfying and I will post some thoughts tonight. I am exhausted, a bit under the weather and sleep-deprived after attending the game last PM. It was well worth it.

[devildeac]

Happy Ending-Sweetwater Brewing
79
73

Beer review tomorrow. My legs are still shaking and my fingers and arms still trembling.

What a perfect name for last night..I was nowhere that creative though I did crack open a bottle of Sierra/DFH Life and Limb that has been sitting patiently in my cellar for the right occasion..and last night was the right occasion..

Happy Ending-Sweetwater Brewing

I still like the 79-73 Happy Ending better but this was a fine after midnight drink to celebrate the victory. This is one of their Catch and Release series and is an imperial stout. Fairly heavily hopped to balance out the ton of dark malts and high ABV. I'd estimate the IBU to be about 70 and the ABV is 9%. Flavors are mainly black strap molasses and black licorice with hints of espresso and dark, semi-sweet chocolate. A fine sipping ale for a nightcap, dessert or with some triple chocolate cake or cookies. Here are the brewer's notes:


White Legs Season – Silver Medal winner 08 World Beer Cup – A huge dry humped hopped stiffy of an Imperial Stout is a full-figured beer results in an explosive finish. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face
Specs – Our imperial Stout weighing in at a little over 9% ABV is available in Six Packs, kegs and Liter bottles.
Grain – 2 Row, Roasted Barley, Black, 70/80, Chocolate
Hops – Centennial, Williamette Dry Hopped – Cascade and Simcoe
Awards – 08 Silver Medal World Beer Cup


Certainly worth a 6er, a single trader or a pint if you can find it on draft.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Sexual Chocolate - Foothills Brewery, Winston Salem, NC. www.foothillsbrewing.com Right from the Brewery's tap in their restaurant. I liked it better at Tyler's, perhaps because it was served colder (?). Was a bit too bitter this time for my taste, and not as chocolaty. I finished it anyway as I got a tour of the brewery. I also had samples of several of their other brews on tap.
Jade IPA - served only there - very VERY citrusy. Reminded my of a morning grapefruit half.
Hoppyum IPA - very nice! I liked this. DD and CB&B got bombers
Seeing Double IPA - too bitter for my taste, but I did finish it.
I didn't get to sample their gold and silver medal winning Ballentyne (?) Porter, but DD and CB&B will with bombers of that, too.

Oh, their house chili it dynamite! Excellent! I figured I better eat something if I was going to drive back to Durham for the game and not swerve all over the road after all this sampling!