Ymm, Beer!

[lawgrad91]

Hummer?

I thought Hummers had something to do with BimHo's and Tesla convertibles with lots of head room...

I actually had to explain "hummer" to a fellow attorney that (at the time) I had a SERIOUS crush on.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Spoiler: This was the first sampler-Devils Tramping Ground Tripel- 9.2% alc/vol. 21IBU A hearty Tripel Belgian ale.

My thoughts tomorrow.

Now where have I heard of this before? Oh, yeah! The brewery/pub in Fuquay we discussed last week!

[devildeac]

Devils' Tramping Ground Tripel-Aviator Brewing

Local beer alert. This one is apparently brewed in a small old airplane hanger in Fuquay-Varina in southern Wake County, right here in North Cackalackey. IIRC, a couple guys got together with a few grand, bought some old equipment and started brewing their own ales. On to the beer.

This is a fairly typical and pretty dang good triple characterized by a yellow-golden color, a small fizzy head and notes of crisp apples, pears and slight hints of citrus and black pepper. The pour is slightly cloudy and the IBU low at 21 and the ABV high at 9.2%. There is little alcohol burn so this one will subtly and quickly kick your keister. Very, very quaffable. This was on draft from, d'oh, Draft, the new restaurant Mrs. Devildeac and I visited last PM in the Glenwood South section of Raleighwood. Beer #1 of my 4 brew/$6 sampler, all enjoyed with a pear/gorgonzola salad with candied pee-cans, dried cranberries and a sage ranch dressing. We had a BOGO free coupon, Mrs. D was not in the dinner preparation mode, I was thirsty and hungry so off we went. First at bat and this one reaches the left field stands. Home run #1.

AviatorBrew.com is their web site. Entertaining read. Not sure they bottle any of their brews yet.

[devildeac]

Seeing Double IPA-Foothills Brewing Company (WInston-Salem)

In my 2nd at bat last PM, I faced off against this hop monster from the taps at Draft and also hit it out of the park. Now this is an imperial IPA at 126 IBU (WTH?) an 9.5% ABV. No lightweight on either count. A slight citrus note emerges as the winner in this hop blend bomb with a ton of malts for balance. The pour is a golden-orange, the head is modest (gotta remember it was a 4 ounce serving/sample) and it was a bit strong for the aforementioned pear/gorgonzola salad. It would be great with spicy/hot dishes or any good BBQ meats, too.

2-2 so far with both hits being long balls. The Devils Tramping Ground and this one were obviously local brews. Tonight's descriptions will both be from the New Belgium Brewery and will not be Fat Tire and Mothership Wit .

[devildeac]

Abbey Grand Cru-New Belgium Brewing

In my 3rd plate appearance of the evening, I sampled this gem and took it deep over the right center field wall for another 4 bagger. This is the "top shelf" version of their long-standing Abbey ale that I have enjoyed for years in Colorado apres ski or back in Raleigh after smuggling in various ski equipment. More malts but not many more hops give this brown, creamy ale wonderful aromas and tastes of ripe bananas and freshly ground cloves which is typical for an abbey or Belgian style brown ale. Dark brown sugar and mild chocolate are other flavors that I perceived in addition to dried, dark fruits. IBU are a bit lower than I would have thought at 20 and the ABV is a hefty 9.5%, perfect for a dessert beer served in a goblet. Once again, this was a 4 ounce sampler sipped with a salad but I'd prefer it alone. I am now 3-3 with one more brew sitting before me to complete a perfect evening at the plate . Here is some background from the brewer:



Before there was New Belgium Brewing, there was Abbey Ale. It was the first beer of home brewer and New Belgium co-founder, Jeff Lebesch. So the love brews deep for Abbey Grand Cru.

To date, Abbey Ale has garnered no less than 16 medals at the Great American Beer Festival 7 of those being Gold. Take that award-winning recipe, precisely increase the hops, malt and fermentation time, and the result is a Grand Cru worth collecting. And that s exactly what many of us at New Belgium, as well as a growing number of fans, have done.

By saving it for a few years, Abbey Grand Cru will continue to improve and age deliciously. Optimal storage is a cool (40-55°), dark place where the bottles can remain undisturbed. But lest we forget, it is a great beer and great beers deserve to be enjoyed. Best served at cellar temperature in a wide-mouthed glass. Toast to the monk s virtue and have a heavenly experience.
Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 9.5%
IBU - 20
Calories - 270
Hops - Willamette, Target, Liberty
Malts - Pale, Chocolate, Carapils, C-80, Munich
OG - 16.2
TG - 2.6

[CameronBornAndBred]

Abbey Grand Cru-

I finally drank my Grand Cru from Great Divide last night. I woke up an hour and a half late and totally slept through my alarm clock.

[devildeac]

Abbey Grand Cru-

I finally drank my Grand Cru from Great Divide last night. I woke up an hour and a half late and totally slept through my alarm clock.

With 22 ounces at 11% ABV in one evening, I'm surprised you didn't wake up Wednesday.

[Lavabe]

My friend from Wisconsin is passing through the Land of the Lost. What should I have him bring me?

Wisconsin Belgian Red and ...

2 or more of those plus:
1. Raspberry Tart (2 or more)
2. A mixed 6er or 12 pack of seasonals from New Glarus.
3. Any limited release bombers or 750 ml bottles.

I'd offer to trade him 1 for 1 of the Sisters of the Moon stuff you bought here last month. I'll send more if he wants some additional NC brews he can't get in Kin-tucky. That would include some Duck Rabbit selections, in addition to Big Boss stuff or Carolina Brewing Company. I'm thinking he'd have ready access to the Highland Brewing Company ales from Asheville. I may have him confused with the beer manager at Liquor Barn but I'd still make him the same offer.

BUMPing this for Arkie.

[devildeac]

Super Cru-New Belgium Brewing

Fourth time at bat Sunday evening and this one went deep over the center field wall for my 4th long ball of the night. This is Fat Tire that has made a visit to Roger Clemens' "gift bag." Double the malt and double the hops of their trademark brew for an IBU of about 30-40 and a base-clearing ABV of 10% ABV. This was also a 4 ounce sample that was a clear, medium brown that tasted like dark toasted biscuits and dried fruits, in addition to dark brown sugar. They added Asian pears (barely perceptible) and a Saison yeast for just a bit of funk. Immensely quaffable and dangerous high gravity brew that would be a fine dessert brew but was a nice beverage to sip with a salad entree also. One of the best beer tasting evenings I have had along with the one around Christmas 2009 with my son and Lavabe when we had a couple aged Samichlauses, Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) and a Bourbon County Stout, IIRC.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Super Cru-New Brew

I thought this might be a new name for a CB&B home brew... ;)

[devildeac]

Super Cru-New Brew

I thought this might be a new name for a CB&B home brew... ;)

I thought it sounded more like a very large truck with a very large engine.

[devildeac]

Abbey Ale-New Belgium Brewing

OK, back to reality now after my career night on Sunday. This is still a really fine session beer, assuming your session is not too long. I have had this ale several times over the last decade or so as I smuggled it back from Colorado after ski trips. It is now available at Total Wine and may even be a grocery store brew by now. Typical Belgian brown ale with a medium brown, clear pour and a wonderful nose of bananas and cloves and the tastes to match. Dried raisins, dates and figs, dark rum and brown sugar are also on the palate. Bitterness is low, guessing an IBU of 30 and the ABV is 7%. This would wash down ribs, chicken, pork and other BBQ dishes very well. Don't hesitate to pick up a single or 6er if you see it.

[ohioguy2]

Somersault Ale-New Belgium Brewing

This was another trader from my long-lost drug rep buddy. I am not sure I have ever seen this before this summer and hesitated buying a 6er as I am still trying to finish off the brews Lavabe brought almost 2 months ago. Fortunately, there was a single in my 6er last week. I don't have much to add to the brewer's notes except it is more of a very light brunette than a blonde ( ;) ) and the oats imparted a bit of silky smoothness to the texture. The apricot and ginger are very subtle. Quite the pleasant surprise.

From the New Belgium web site:

Somersault Ale was designed to be a fun roll around on the tongue while requiring only the minimum of palate gymnastics. In other words, this perfect summer lounge around beer is ridiculously fun and easy to drink. Even though the second Somersault goes down as effortlessly the first, our brewer Grady actually has quite a few remarkable notes at play in the nose, flavor and mouthfeel. There is an opening brace of citrus aroma from Centennial hops, a soft apricot fruitiness tucked into the flavor, a fresh snap from a sliver of ginger root, finished with oats in a long cool mash. Color is blonde with a suggestion of cloudiness. Somersaults all around!
Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 5.2%
IBU - 28
Calories - 130
Hops - Centennial- Medium intensity with floral and citrus tones. Very balanced hop, sometimes called a super Cascade.
Malts - Pale, Caramel + Oats
OG - 14.7
TG - 2.03
Fruits/Spice - Ginger and Apricot

I brought a case of this back to Ohio after visiting the girl child and family a few weeks ago. The apricot really stood out for me. My wife and I really enjoy this beer, esp. with the temperatures seemingly stuck in the mid nineties here in our corner of the state.

[devildeac]

Colette-Great Divide-A Belgian farmhouse/saison style ale and very well done. This has 3 malts, barley, wheat and rice. Barley is standard, the wheat gives ales a lemon-orange flavor and slight cloudiness and the rice is usually reserved for the cheap crap like budstuff for "filler" grains. I am not sure what it adds to this brew but it does not detract from its flavor. As a side note, I have seen beer festivals which list the buds and millers as "adjunct ales" which means they are brewed with the "filler " grains . This reminds me of Hooegarden (sp?) and Ommegang Witte and is a very refreshing beverage with a hint of coriander, too. The IBU are low I would bet in the 20-30 range and the ABV is a hefty 7.3%. This would be highly enjoyable with a fruit plate or light cheeses as an appetizer brew or with some lighter fish/seafood/chicken off the grill with some mango or pineapple salsa topping. Another and to rmd for a selection yet to be found in NC from our recent Rocky Mountain high .

Colette-2011 edition-Great Divide

I saw this as a close-out at Total Wine today at 30% off and couldn't remember whether I had this before, so at the discounted price, I simply caved and bought the 6er for about $8. A good grab. It was bottled in March, 2011 so it was a bit of a chance but I am enjoying a very fresh tasting but slightly aged ale as I type. Not a whole lot different impression after 5 months of bottle conditioning but not sure I'll keep the last 5 much longer. I'll have one or two set aside for CB&B if we can get together again sometime soon and the remainder for trading with my drug rep buddy and as a summer ale gift to my son later this month.

[devildeac]

Panic Attack-Holy Mackeral Brewing

This gets a bit convoluted. The label says brewed under the supervision of the Gordash Brewing Company at the Thomas Creek Brewery in SC . It is a very interesting brew as the others have been from this brewery that started in Florida. described on the bottle as a Belgian style ale, it fits fairly well, but under several categories. First, it most closely resembles a tripel as it is golden-orange in appearance with a 1 finger foamy, fizzy head. Orange and clove are very prominent on first scent and continue with the tasting, therefore giving it some characteristics of a Belgian golden ale, too. Lastly, the web site adds saison to its bill of fare and I guess the bit of spice and funk/sourness it has makes it squeeze into that category, too. Six ounces tonight to be followed by 6-8 ounces of a one year old Great Divide Tripel I bought for 30% off at Total Wine yesterday, too. The Panic Attack (great name, BTW) at an IBU of 30 or so and an ABV of 10% would pair well with light, fruit pre-courses or fruity-spicy sauces with Chinese or grilled fish/chicken entrees.

Some brewer's notes:
Belgian style ale with a subtle hint of spice clocking in at 10%
Eye popping flavor from a blend of Canadian malted barley, Goldings hops, and a unique flavorful Belgian yeast strain. Serve it up in a goblet or wine glass and remember try and relax!!
Unfiltered, unpastuerized and with just a hint of spice this beer is meant to be savored slowly so as to enjoy the aroma as well as the taste. Vintage dated, excellent now but even finer with 2 years age.

And, a brewing history:


The Brewer’s History …
As a Fort Lauderdale area native I began brewing at home in 1993. What began as a simple system on the kitchen stove yielding 5 gallons of beer soon led to a much more sophisticated brewing system welded together by a friend (paid in beer). With a 20 gallon fire brewed system in place I was definitely getting carried away with my passion. Brewing on my back patio, sometimes double batches (40 gallons), I studied every book available on the subject. In my travels I toured hundreds of breweries and developed lasting friendships with other brewers who like me, shared in the enjoyment of their craft.
After winning quite a number of local contests and even brewing my recipes at a local brewpub on a larger scale, I decided to enter the Samuel Adams sponsored World Homebrew Contest with my "extra special bitter". Out of 800 plus contestants I was one of 10 chosen as semifinalists and flown to Boston to brew my beer on their system. In the end I was one of three selected winners with a free trip to Europe, a cash prize and my recipe being bottled and distributed in the marketplace under the "Longshot" label. It was a great feeling of accomplishment personally, but beyond that I was also proud to be the second brewer in a row from Florida to win this prize. In my brewing journey I have met so many talented brewers from Florida.
Fast forward some 10 years and after encouragement from my friends (taste testers) Holy Mackerel Beers was born. At Holy Mackerel Beers we love beer whether drinking it, brewing it or simply talking about it. We are not just another marketing company. We test brew every beer we produce many times over on a small pilot system, at an undisclosed location, before it goes into full scale production at two small batch breweries in the southeast. Only then is it brewed under our strict supervision and according to our specifications.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

DD - Please comment on these beers. Which might I like? Ignore the prices - it's NYC... Potential dinner venue after the Duke game at MSG in December.

Beers on Tap
Gösser
Leoben, Austria, Lager 5,2% ABV
S~4 L~7 1L~12

Bitburger Premium Pils
Bitburg, Germany, Pilsner 4,8% ABV
S~4 L~6 1L~10

Hofbräu Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany, Märzen 6% ABV
S~5 L~7 1L~12

Paulaner Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany, Märzen 6.9% ABV
S~5 L~7 1L~12

Ayinger Bräu Weisse
Aying, Germany, Hefe Weizen 5.1% ABV
S~5 L~8

Franziskaner Hefeweissbier
Munich, Germany, Hefe Weizen 5.0% ABV
S~5 L~7

Köstritzer Bad
Köstritz, Germany, Schwarzbier 4,8% ABV
S~5 L~7

Gaffel Kölsch
Köln, Germany, Kölsch 4,8% ABV
S~3 L~6 Tray of Kölsch~28

Radler
Mixture of Almdudler and Gösser
S~4 L~7

[Lavabe]

Think the Wheach that Arkie/Throaty have been saving for me for a year+ is still any good?

[devildeac]

DD - Please comment on these beers. Which might I like? Ignore the prices - it's NYC... Potential dinner venue after the Duke game at MSG in December.

Beers on Tap
Gösser
Leoben, Austria, Lager 5,2% ABV
S~4 L~7 1L~12

Bitburger Premium Pils
Bitburg, Germany, Pilsner 4,8% ABV
S~4 L~6 1L~10

Hofbräu Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany, Märzen 6% ABV
S~5 L~7 1L~12

Paulaner Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany, Märzen 6.9% ABV
S~5 L~7 1L~12

Ayinger Bräu Weisse
Aying, Germany, Hefe Weizen 5.1% ABV
S~5 L~8

Franziskaner Hefeweissbier
Munich, Germany, Hefe Weizen 5.0% ABV
S~5 L~7

Köstritzer Bad
Köstritz, Germany, Schwarzbier 4,8% ABV
S~5 L~7

Gaffel Kölsch
Köln, Germany, Kölsch 4,8% ABV
S~3 L~6 Tray of Kölsch~28

Radler
Mixture of Almdudler and Gösser
S~4 L~7

I'd ask TNT about that list as he is the German heavyweight, err, hefeweizen guy. I don't drink many German biers. The Oktoberfest brews should be good and most wheats on tap are pretty citrusy and lighter body brews but not your typical tasteless imitation beers.

[devildeac]

Think the Wheach that Arkie/Throaty have been saving for me for a year+ is still any good?

I wouldn't count on that being the case. A more likely scenario is that they consumed it and processed it for you already.

[Lavabe]

Think the Wheach that Arkie/Throaty have been saving for me for a year+ is still any good?

I wouldn't count on that being the case. A more likely scenario is that they consumed it and processed it for you already.

As Arkie is my witness, the waitress at Blueberry Hill asked if I'd like anything to drink. I asked what was on draught. The first item she mentioned was...
WHEACH!!
The waitress never got to beer #2 on her list.