Ymm, Beer!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Snowdrift Vanilla Porter-Leinenkugel Brewing

I am not a big Leinie fan but this was a surprisingly good trader from CameronBornAndBred at our last Brunchgate. This one really fooled me as the bottle smelled like gingerbread and I thought these folks had discovered a new technique of imparting a great smell onto an inert object but then I remembered that the sticky feeling to the bottle was a JuJu Ginger he had shattered in his cooler while traveling back from Virginia over the Thanksgiving holiday so I had to discount that in my initial impression of the actual bottled beverage.

Now for the beer review. Poured a clear, dark brown with a small tan head. Nose is coffee and cocoa but the tastes are moderately strong vanilla with a bit of cocoa and oak. No booze and no barrel aging. Low bitterness with no discernible hop presence (not a bad thing), guessing IBU around 30 and the ABV is 6% on the bottle. This would be fine with any chocolate or caramel desserts or bread pudding or by itself. Breckenridge Vanilla Porter sets the standard in this category but I would sip another one of these easily if offered again.

Agreed on the review. I hadn't seen this one before so I bought a sixer. I like Leine's for what they are, but I wouldn't usually include one in a trader..this is one that stood out well enough to make the selection. Bummer about that gingerbread brew...it wasn't a Ju Ju, it was a Bison Organic Gingerbread ale and it was mighty tasty. I bought 2..one to trade and one to drink. Instead, in the end, I bought one to drink and one to sacrifice to the "listen to your girlfriend" gods as she told me it looked like I was carrying to much stuff to the car.

[devildeac]

White (draft)-Allagash

Classic representation of a typical/traditional Belgian wheat ale. Straw colored and cloudy from the wheat malt, this light ale's citrus notes are enhanced by the added coriander and Curacao orange peel. Hints of black pepper from Belgian yeast add just a bit to the hop bitterness which is rather mild, guessing 20 IBU. The ABV is 5% so I was able to enjoy the musical we saw last Wednesday night after pint night at Tyler's AND drive home afterward. Plus, I got to keep the cool Allagash tulip glass, which is probably worth $5 by itself.

[devildeac]

Fade to Black Volume 4-Left Hand Brewing

They label it a Rocky Mountain Black Ale but I thought it more resembled a black IPA. The difference being the bitterness/hops, ABV and flavors. Poured a clean brown-black with a small tan head. Citrus nose (think burnt orange peel) with tastes of the same with a splash of bakers cocoa and chocolate caramel. IBU tip the scale at 64 with an ABV of 6.5%, right about in line with a standard IPA. This was a trader from CB&B and highly appreciated. I think I've had one other edition of Fade to Black a year or two ago. Good choice to serve with smoked winter meats, sausages or grilled pork/beef entrees.

[devildeac]

Stella Artois (can)-Stella Artois Brewery (d'oh!)

I think fuse may have mentioned several months ago that Stella was available canned and neither of us had ever seen it but here it is. Grocery store beer! Sold in a 10 pack of 14.9 ounce cans for about $13-14, I picked up a 'fridge pack of it tonight and couldn't wait to try one and then share/trade a few over the holidays. Far, far superior to the skunky stuff sold in green 12 ounce bottles. Poured a light straw color with a modest head, the aromas are of fresh flowers and light brown sugar/caramel. Low bitterness with an estimated IBU of 10 and I'd guess the ABV to be about 4% so a very easy drinking beer. This would pair nicely with some soft, mild cheeses pre-dinner and chicken or light seafood entrees with pineapple or mango salsa. Reminds me of the contrast between bottled Pilsner Urquell (skunky!) and the draft version (world class). Worlds of difference.

[devildeac]

Snow Day-New Belgium Brewing

An interesting twist to a winter brew. Part wheat, part IPA, part winter warmer. Poured a light mahogany with a creamy mocha head. A dash of grapefruit zest, a pinch of cocoa, a splash of caramel and a dash of coffee. Brewed with midnight wheat and pale malts with three hops, there is a bit of a bite with the IBU at 55, a bit of sweetness with the ABV at 6.2% and a dry finish. I had this with a couple German chocolate cake cookies and found the combination very pleasant. Worth a single, draft or 6er for the season to trade or share.

[devildeac]

Belgian Pale Ale-Saranac (Matt) Brewing Company

From the 12 Beers of Winter sampler comes this palatable offering. Poured a medium straw color with mild floral aromas and tastes of caramel and tart apples with a hint of pepper from the Belgian yeast. IBU at 28 and ABV clocks in at 5.4%. Best served with chicken or fish dishes or light to medium bodied cheeses. The Ommegang BPA is certainly a better brew but I got this 12 pack (2 each of 6 different brews) for $12 which was $6 off the original price, so it was difficult to resist. Six to drink and six to trade/share. The Caramel Porter is NOT included. You have to buy that 6er separately. This is another way to try several different styles of brews without serious damage to your wallet.

[devildeac]

Big Moose Ale-Saranac/Matt Brewing

An American pale ale. Poured a pale yellow-orange with very light citrus and pine notes and a modest caramel malty spine. Centennial, Cascade and Amarillo hops with pale and caramel malts for a nicely balanced brew. I'd guess IBU about 30 and ABV listed at 5.3% so a good pairing with steaks, pork loin, chicken or turkey. I like Schlafly's APA better but for $1 a bottle, this 12 bottle sampler is a fine way to sample 6 different styles of brews and enjoy a second one if you like the style or trade it if not to your liking. No "drool" either.

[devildeac]

Red IPA-Saranac/Matt Brewing

Just as the name implies, this merges a couple styles with moderate amounts of 2 row, dark crystal and Munich malts with Chinook, Calypso, Palisade and Delta hops, three of which I am not familiar with. Moderate bitterness with an IBU of 63 so on target for the IPA criteria and mild caramel sweetness with an ABV of 6%, which is also pretty much in line for an IPA but a bit high for a red ale. Pair with curry, spicy Chinese food or grilled fare. There are better IPAs, but again, this sampler is a nice way to try some brews with a bit of a different twist.

[devildeac]

4059' Porter-Saranac/Matt Brewing

Porter Mountain stands 4059' above sea level in the Adirondacks and this brews earns its name from that peak. Poured a dark, clear brown with a small tan head and aromas of mild chocolate and coffee. The tastes were the same with a slightly burned finish and mild bitterness. This was the 5th brew from the sampler and would match nicely with chocolate desserts and grilled beef or pork entrees. IBU at 42 and ABV of 5.2% so reasonable for the style. Anchor and Sam Smith's porters are the classics, but, once again, this was a fairly good beer and a great way, at $1/bottle, to sample various styles.

[devildeac]

From 11/19/2011 and also the 4th beer from the Saranac 12 Beers of Winter sampler:

Chocolate Lager-Saranac Brewing (well, it's really Matt Brewing contract stuff for Saranac)

This is really quite a good beer. Of course, I think they stole the idea from Sam Adams and their chocolate bock from several years ago, now available in 12 ounce bottles instead of 750 ml big boys. This is an amber colored lager with some mild caramel malt flavors, floral and very mildly bitter German hops and cocoa nibs from Belize. I'd guess the IBU about 20 and the ABV is listed at 6%.

[devildeac]

Breakfast Stout-Founder's Brewing

Pass the cream and sugar and go heavy on the whipped cream, please. I split a bottle of this with my son today for dessert after lunch. Poured a clean, almost black color with a light mocha head and smelled and tasted of just about everything you'd expect. Two kinds of chocolate, oatmeal and darkly roasted malts combined with the bitterness of two different kinds of coffee made this smooth and sweet with a bit of a bite. IBU at 60 and ABV of 8.3%. Liquid dessert or as a beverage to accompany almost any type of chocolate after dinner indulgence. Can't believe I didn't review this after one of our Brunchgates, but maybe I did and forgot or overlooked it doing a search.

[devildeac]

Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin-Uinta Brewing

This is another for fuse to add to his "great pumpkin " list along with Punk'n, Pumpking and the Weyerbacher brew. I split a caged and corked 750 ml bottle of this with my son this afternoon during a lunch of half a mixed green/raisin/craisin/feta/walnut/pumpkin seed salad, butternut squash soup and 1/2 a club sandwich and it was a very nice combination. Poured a clear, medium brown with a burst of nutmeg on first scent and taste, followed by a bit of cinnamon, clove and vanilla, most likely from the oak aging. I swear I tasted hints of bourbon, too, but no mention made on the bottle or on the web site about this. Somewhat sweet brew but not surprising given the pumpkin and high gravity with an ABV of a stunning 10.31%. Little hop presence with an IBU of 39. Could be a breakfast brew on Christmas day with some pastries or served with your lunch or dinner or as a dessert beer. Not sure of the cost as this was his treat but I'd guess at least $10 and perhaps closer to $15 considering the ABV and oak aging. Worth a splurge/tasting and certainly one I'd add to my list of top tier pumpkin brews.

[devildeac]

Pipeline-Kona Brewery

Pass the cream and sugar, please! I first had this 2-3 years ago around Christmas time and got this as a trader about 3 weeks ago and had a coffee porter tasting tonight with daughter and son-in-law as we divided a bottle of this and the Highlands product. Poured a dark, dark brown with aromas and tastes of chocolate and heavily roasted coffee. Medium tan head with just a bit of a bite from the coffee and hops. I'd guess the IBU about 30 and the ABV around 5%. Makes a nice after dinner drink and might even be real tasty with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as part of a beer float.

[devildeac]

Thunderstruck Coffee Porter-Highlands Brewing

Pretty similar to the Pipeline I just reviewed. My SIL liked Pipeline a tad better and I found this one to be a bit "cleaner" and smoother but would have either one again. Same dark brown pour and modest head with prominent coffee and medium to dark chocolate overtones. Serve at about 60 degrees for more smoothness and flavor with ribs, brisket, after dinner or for/with dessert. I'll guess very similar IBU and ABV.

[devildeac]

Out of Bounds Stout-Avery Brewing

This rich, almost black pour was a bit of a surprise with its piney, resinous taste from a larger hop presence that I would have suspected as it rolled in with an IBU of 51, a bit high for a standard stout. Six malts, including wheat, are listed and are intensely roasted yielding modest coffee and dark chocolate notes on the palate, too. ABV fairly standard at 6.3%. The wheat was also a surprise and I think gets lost in this flavorful brew. We split a 12 ounce bottle three ways last PM with our next to last delicacy from Dream Puffz, which was a milk chocolate cream-filled S'mores cream puff. Decadent combination. Thanks to CB&B for this trader last month.

[devildeac]

Blue Star-North Coast Brewing

A gift from a friend of the family, this poured a cloudy straw color with a moderate amount of fizz. Subtle notes of citrus from the wheat malt blend with light and grassy hops to yield a low IBU (17) and low ABV (4.5%) brew that would match nicely with soft cheeses or fruits as pre-dinner nibblings/sippings or with simple seafood or chicken dishes. Would also be pleasant to enjoy with a fresh fruit tart for dessert.

[devildeac]

Black Chocolate Stout (2008-09 edition)-Brooklyn Brewing

I never tire of this beer, whether I have it the first day or two within purchase or several years later. This tasting is no different. Fuse and I had chatted about doing a vertical with his Triple Overhead Bourbon Barrel, Vertical Epic or this brew. I ended up sharing this with my daughter and son-in-law as a nightcap several nights ago. It still had the usual tastes of dark chocolate with a shot of whiskey but I thought this particular year (?bottle) had nuances of black licorice and black strap molasses. Not overly fond of licorice but really liked how this beer had aged. Just wish we weren't so tired that we had to quit after only a single bottle. Poured like 10W-30 with aromas to match the flavors. It's an imperial stout so bitterness was fairly high, guessing 60-70 IBU but the huge amount of darkly roasted malts marched in with an ABV of 10% so the balance was superb. Buy a four pack now for about $8 and drink one, trade one and put two away to sip during the next two winters. Still one of my favorite brews.

[devildeac]

Mad Elf Ale-Troegs Brewing

I guess this may be technically more of a braggot than an ale, depending on definitions and how much honey is used in the brewing process. Poured a light ruby with a small head, the aromas were honey, sweet and sour cherries and light caramel and the tasting added a hint of milk chocolate. This would also be known as liquid dessert or cherry pie in a glass. Three different malts in massive quantities to yield an ABV of 11%. Two varieties of lighter, "gentler" hops give way to an IBU of 15 and the Belgian yeast imparts a trace of pepperiness to the palate. I located three 12 ounce bottles of this in a wine shop in Willliamsburg last month and gave one to each of the gentlemen in the family and one son-in-law was kind enough to share four ounces last week as an after dinner drink and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Think cherry brandy here. My son moved it into his top ten list of beers. I'm not convinced it would be in mine but certainly worth $4/12 ounces.

[devildeac]

Mad Elf Ale-Troegs Brewing

I guess this may be technically more of a braggot than an ale, depending on definitions and how much honey is used in the brewing process. Poured a light ruby with a small head, the aromas were honey, sweet and sour cherries and light caramel and the tasting added a hint of milk chocolate. This would also be known as liquid dessert or cherry pie in a glass. Three different malts in massive quantities to yield an ABV of 11%. Two varieties of lighter, "gentler" hops give way to an IBU of 15 and the Belgian yeast imparts a trace of pepperiness to the palate. I located three 12 ounce bottles of this in a wine shop in Willliamsburg last month and gave one to each of the gentlemen in the family and one son-in-law was kind enough to share four ounces last week as an after dinner drink and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Think cherry brandy here. My son moved it into his top ten list of beers. I'm not convinced it would be in mine but certainly worth $4/12 ounces.

Not to be confused with:



or any of his co-workers, Very Bad Elf, Seriously Bad Elf, Criminally Bad Elf or Insanely Bad Elf.

[devildeac]

Festive Ale (draft)-Sweetwater Brewing

A nice variation on the winter ale theme. Dark brown pour and a small head with a ton of chocolate and black malts and a faint taste of cinnamon. I have no clue what mace should taste like but they say it's in the brew. IBU probably about 40 and the ABV is 8.5% so it's a sipper. Probably would be good with a soft pretzel and some dark brown mustard or some aged cheddar and wheat crackers. I shared this at the Atlanta airport on Wednesday with my daughter and son, accompanied by a cheese steak. Here are some brewer's facts:

Winter Coat Season – A strong ale brewed with generous amounts of rich malt, coupled with a taint of cinnamon and mace to keep you warm and toasted all winter long We Double Dog Dare You
Specs- 8.5% ABV and available in six packs, Liter bottles, 15.5 Gallon ½ bbl kegs (US Sankey) and 5 gallon torpedo kegs
Grain – 2 Row, Munich, 40L, 70/80, Carapils, Chocolate, and Black – Hops Centennial, US & UK Golding