Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Harvest Pumpkin Ale-Sam Adams

The obligatory pumpkin ale review. Though this is on their web site as having a lot of pumpkins in the kettle, it's mostly the pumpkin pie spices that are tasted with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in the air and on the taste buds. Not a bad thing but nothing really distinctive. It is an amber ale with a very mild hop profile, guessing the IBU to be 20-30 and the ABV about 5%. Guess what this would be tasty with? Yep, ginger or sugar cookies, a hunka banananana bread or, you got it, a slice of pumpkin pie and a dollop of whipped cream.

[captmojo]

I have nothing more to add than a HAPPY OKTOBERFEST!

[YmoBeThere]

There is something going on today in downtown Cincy for Oktoberfest. I would go for the food rather than the beer.

[devildeac]

There is something going on today in downtown Cincy for Oktoberfest. I would go for the food rather than the beer.

Food would be a great reason, too.

[ArkieDukie]

Note to Arkie:
http://www.schlafly.com/beers/styles/ra ... fee-stout/
Available ONLY at Schnucks!!

I just returned from the Schnuck's in Ladue. They initially received 3 cases of this beer; they had maybe 2 (1 pt) bottles left. I bought 2: one for Lavabe, one for the Brunchgate crew to share.

Note to self: must not forget that this beer is in my fridge, along with the provel "cheese" that Lavabe requested for ILJ.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Note to Arkie:
http://www.schlafly.com/beers/styles/ra ... fee-stout/
Available ONLY at Schnucks!!

I just returned from the Schnuck's in Ladue. They initially received 3 cases of this beer; they had maybe 2 (1 pt) bottles left. I bought 2: one for Lavabe, one for the Brunchgate crew to share.

Note to self: must not forget that this beer is in my fridge, along with the provel "cheese" that Lavabe requested for ILJ.

Sounds like they had "bombers". Yup, we'll share that on Saturday!

[devildeac]

OK. Who will be the first to review/bring one of these to the event FKA Brunchgate:


http://www.rogue.com/beers/voodoo-bacon-maple.php

http://beerstreetjournal.com/a-maple-ba ... ld-record/

[devildeac]

Pike IPA-Pike Brewing
Nothing fancy here. And that is meant to be a positive comment as it is a sold offering. Straight forward golden, mildly foamy herbalicious/piney hop nose and taste with a hint of toasted bread. IBU 60, ABV 6.3%. This was about 2/3 of a bomber that I finished last PM. I'd have this with mildly spicy appetizers or a main course of curry, jerk spiced grilled fare or sitting on the porch on a hot summer eve. This was a $4 bomber and CB&B will see one of these in his next order.

Brunchgate Beer Tasting

This was # 4 on my list of the 4 beers we sampled yesterday and the review is from 2010 but I have nothing to add to it now except even though I ranked it 4th, it is a fine beer that I would have no problems sipping again. It was a $4 bomber from CB&B and matched well with our menu yesterday.

Third place:

Raspberry Coffee Stout-Schlafly Brewing

This was a special order/delivery from ArkieDukie to Brunchgate yesterday from St. Louis and I could trade it easily with #2. We sampled this 3rd though it should have been 2nd due to the slightly lower ABV at 7% comapared to #s 1 and 2. Poured a deep mahogany color with the tiniest hint of dark red raspberry. It was a bit thin for a stout. The fruit is barely perceptible which is not a bad comment, mainly because the coffee is the dominant flavor. The head is modest and the dark chocolate is also a minor flavor player here, too. Bitterness is modest with an IBU of 40. It was a bit strong/heavy with the Japanese Fruit Pie but a nice match with the delicious chocolate chip cookies and almost sinful brownies. It would be fine alone as it is truly a dessert beer. Thanks to AD for being our beer mule this weekend!

From the brewer:

Raspberry Coffee Stout
Available in late August, exclusively at Schnucks for their Culinaria line.
ABV: 7% | IBU: 40 Appearance: Black, hints of pink
Process: Real raspberries during fermentation, Kaldi's Columbia Monserrate coffee added with cold toddy method
Hops: Marynka (PL)
Malts: 2-row and caramel malted barley, roasted barley, oat flakes
Yeast: American ale
OG: 16
SRM: 40
We at Schlafly Beer, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Company and Culinaria, a Schnucks Market, are proud to share with you our latest collaborative effort: Oatmeal Stout brewed with raspberry puree and cold-toddy Colombia Monserrate Coffee. Since 2008, Kaldi’s has worked directly with a small community of fifty-nine producers in the Huila region of Colombia. This unique coffee comes from this collaboration of farmers, who are as proud to bring you this coffee as we are to bring you this beer.



Up next:

Labyrinth

[devildeac]

Labyrinth Black Ale-Uinta Brewing

My 2nd place beer of the day, edging out the Raspberry Coffee Stout by a few % ABV. This is not a black ale. It is clearly an imperial stout as it was almost black with very little head and was also almost oily in appearance (My wife guessed 5W20 ). Strong nose of espresso and dark chocolate with tastes of the same plus black molasses, black licorice (made with licorice sticks), vanilla, oak and a hint of whiskey. This is aged in oak barrels according to the bottle and another source said bourbon barrels but I detected very little whiskey/bourbon taste but it was rather boozey at 13.2% ABV. I'll guess the IBU were 70-80 but little hop character here. There are all the typical tastes and smells of a heavyweight imperial stout. I downgraded it a bit due to the licorice presence but respect the variety of brewing techniques and additives incorporated into this concoction. Utah beer really sucked for years due to the 3.2 and 6.0 laws but this brewery has stepped way outside the old habits and I'd certainly try some of their other products. Taste it with any thing that has chocolate as its first 2 or 3 ingredients or by itself slightly chilled and in small quantities.

And the winner is.......

[devildeac]

Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

[CameronBornAndBred]

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Mmmmm, it was liquid candy.

[devildeac]

Wheach (c. 2009)-O'Fallon Brewing (St. Louis)

This was a 2 year old bottle from AD's storage facility via Lavabe. (Hint: This beer is not bottle-conditioned and shoulda been consumed in the year brewed ) However, despite its advanced age, it was still palatable and the only real complaint I had was the head went rather flat, rather quickly. But, another bottle was saved from the 6er Lavabe brought a couple weekends ago and that bottle was better with a longer retained fizzy head. The pour is a cloudy yellow and the aroma is a bit grassy with a hint of citrus (pretty typical for the style) and the obvious peach. Not over-powering but definitely ripe to over-ripe peaches. Little bitterness, guessing an IBU of 20. ABV is also low, guessing about 5% here, again, pretty typical for the style. Fresh peaches are the dominant flavor but not overwhelming but not subtle either. This is your appetizer brew or even a dessert beer if served with assorted fruits and/or lighter cheeses after a meal.

I have some fresh stuff (2011 ) delivered by AD to Brunchgate on Saturday that managed to survive the day and I will have a bottle tonight or tomorrow and let y'all know how this year's batch compares.

[Turk]

Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

Yep, "concoction" is definitely the right word, although "elixir" or even "potion" could do in a pinch... I might have to go back to the local place and see if it's still there after ball tonight..

[devildeac]

Wheach (c. 2009)-O'Fallon Brewing (St. Louis)

This was a 2 year old bottle from AD's storage facility via Lavabe. (Hint: This beer is not bottle-conditioned and shoulda been consumed in the year brewed ) However, despite its advanced age, it was still palatable and the only real complaint I had was the head went rather flat, rather quickly. But, another bottle was saved from the 6er Lavabe brought a couple weekends ago and that bottle was better with a longer retained fizzy head. The pour is a cloudy yellow and the aroma is a bit grassy with a hint of citrus (pretty typical for the style) and the obvious peach. Not over-powering but definitely ripe to over-ripe peaches. Little bitterness, guessing an IBU of 20. ABV is also low, guessing about 5% here, again, pretty typical for the style. Fresh peaches are the dominant flavor but not overwhelming but not subtle either. This is your appetizer brew or even a dessert beer if served with assorted fruits and/or lighter cheeses after a meal.

I have some fresh stuff (2011 ) delivered by AD to Brunchgate on Saturday that managed to survive the day and I will have a bottle tonight or tomorrow and let y'all know how this year's batch compares.

Wheach 2011-O' Fallon Brewing (Wisconsin-I'll bet contract brewed)

This sample was a bit fresher ( ), had a bit less peachiness and the fizziness was retained a bit longer.

[devildeac]

Pecan Harvest Ale-Abita Brewing

Nuts to you! I had this brew several years ago and received a trader last week and found it to be very pleasant. It is an amber ale base with pale, caramel, biscuit (it really says that on the label but I have never heard of that kind of malt) and crystal malts and Willamette hops. It pours and clear amber with a modest head, little hop aroma or taste and a roasted, nutty bite. Low IBU at 20 and ABV at 5% so a fine session brew that would be tasty with grilled fare or medium to sharp cheeses for an appetizer. Worth a taste/try/trader.

From the brewer:

Pecan Harvest Ale is made with real Louisiana pecans that have been toasted to perfection. That makes it something really special, because most beers with a nutty flavor or aroma aren’t made with real nuts. The natural oils from the Louisiana pecans give the ale a light pecan finish and aroma.

This ale is excellent served with both red meat, seafood, and no surprise here, it’s also great with nuts! Try Pecan Harvest with Gouda cheese

[August West]

I will be on the lookout for this one next trip to the store. It was fantastic. AW

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Mmmmm, it was liquid candy.

[devildeac]

Wildflower Witbier-Natty Greene's Brewing Company

This is a Greensboro brewery with a brewpub in Raleigh but I got this as a trader last week and sipped it a couple nights ago during a warm, humid fall evening. Pretty typical style for a Belgian white beer with a modest fizz, minimal floral hop presence and a cloudy light yellow color. There is a hint of coriander and your obligatory orange peel with a surprise addition of chamomile flower. I'd guess the IBU around 20 and the ABV about 5%. Worth a draft or a trader but not a 6er but a good warm weather thirst quencher.

[devildeac]

Blowing Rock Ale-Boone Brewing Company

What a misnomer! Not only is it not from the High Country or Blowing Rock as the label states, it is not even from Boone as it is brewed in Wilkes-Barre, PA. It is however an average American pale ale with modest amounts of herbal hops and caramel and pale malts yielding an estimated IBU of 30-40 and and ABV of 5-6%. Adequate for a cook-out with chicken or burgers off the grill and the usual accompaniments. Buy a single or trade for 1 so you can say you had a beer from eastern Pennsylvania masquerading as a local NC brew .

[ArkieDukie]

Wheach (c. 2009)-O'Fallon Brewing (St. Louis)

This was a 2 year old bottle from AD's storage facility via Lavabe. (Hint: This beer is not bottle-conditioned and shoulda been consumed in the year brewed ) However, despite its advanced age, it was still palatable and the only real complaint I had was the head went rather flat, rather quickly. But, another bottle was saved from the 6er Lavabe brought a couple weekends ago and that bottle was better with a longer retained fizzy head. The pour is a cloudy yellow and the aroma is a bit grassy with a hint of citrus (pretty typical for the style) and the obvious peach. Not over-powering but definitely ripe to over-ripe peaches. Little bitterness, guessing an IBU of 20. ABV is also low, guessing about 5% here, again, pretty typical for the style. Fresh peaches are the dominant flavor but not overwhelming but not subtle either. This is your appetizer brew or even a dessert beer if served with assorted fruits and/or lighter cheeses after a meal.

I have some fresh stuff (2011 ) delivered by AD to Brunchgate on Saturday that managed to survive the day and I will have a bottle tonight or tomorrow and let y'all know how this year's batch compares.

Wheach 2011-O' Fallon Brewing (Wisconsin-I'll bet contract brewed)

This sample was a bit fresher ( ), had a bit less peachiness and the fizziness was retained a bit longer.

What, you mean the fresh bottle was better than the bottle that had been in my basement for the last year, after living for almost another year in my fridge? Who'da thunk it?!

[Lavabe]

Wheach (c. 2009)-O'Fallon Brewing (St. Louis)

This was a 2 year old bottle from AD's storage facility via Lavabe. (Hint: This beer is not bottle-conditioned and shoulda been consumed in the year brewed ) However, despite its advanced age, it was still palatable and the only real complaint I had was the head went rather flat, rather quickly. But, another bottle was saved from the 6er Lavabe brought a couple weekends ago and that bottle was better with a longer retained fizzy head. The pour is a cloudy yellow and the aroma is a bit grassy with a hint of citrus (pretty typical for the style) and the obvious peach. Not over-powering but definitely ripe to over-ripe peaches. Little bitterness, guessing an IBU of 20. ABV is also low, guessing about 5% here, again, pretty typical for the style. Fresh peaches are the dominant flavor but not overwhelming but not subtle either. This is your appetizer brew or even a dessert beer if served with assorted fruits and/or lighter cheeses after a meal.

I have some fresh stuff (2011 ) delivered by AD to Brunchgate on Saturday that managed to survive the day and I will have a bottle tonight or tomorrow and let y'all know how this year's batch compares.

Wheach 2011-O' Fallon Brewing (Wisconsin-I'll bet contract brewed)

This sample was a bit fresher ( ), had a bit less peachiness and the fizziness was retained a bit longer.

Yes, the 2011 Wheach I bought at the Kroger was nicer than the 2009's, but not nearly as good as the draft I had at Blueberry Hill.