Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

The folks at Magic Hat have decided to sue the Lexington, KY based West Sixth brewery:
http://www.kentucky.com/2013/05/25/2653 ... magic.html
Seriously...

The obvious answer, at least on CTN, would be get both parties/logos together in some manner or another ;) .

69

The obvious question: do you remember the last time you had a Magic Hat? ;)

It has been several years.

[Bob Green]

I'm ready for the Lacrosse Championship Game. I've three Miller High Lifes left over from yesterday's neighborhood block party and my daughter just came home from 7-11 with a 4-pack of PBR Tall Boys.

Ymm, Beer!

Is this post going to get me banned?

[devildeac]

I'm ready for the Lacrosse Championship Game. I've three Miller High Lifes left over from yesterday's neighborhood block party and my daughter just came home from 7-11 with a 4-pack of PBR Tall Boys.

Ymm, Beer!

Is this post going to get me banned?

Hmm, I'll have to PM one of the mods (wait-we have mods here?) or the administrator for clarification .

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I'm ready for the Lacrosse Championship Game. I've three Miller High Lifes left over from yesterday's neighborhood block party and my daughter just came home from 7-11 with a 4-pack of PBR Tall Boys.

Ymm, Beer!

Is this post going to get me banned?

Hmm, I'll have to PM one of the mods (wait-we have mods here?) or the administrator for clarification .

No Bud Lights, so he's cool!

Let's go DUKE! Beat 'cuse!

[devildeac]

I'm ready for the Lacrosse Championship Game. I've three Miller High Lifes left over from yesterday's neighborhood block party and my daughter just came home from 7-11 with a 4-pack of PBR Tall Boys.

Ymm, Beer!

Is this post going to get me banned?

Hmm, I'll have to PM one of the mods (wait-we have mods here?) or the administrator for clarification .

No Bud Lights, so he's cool!

Let's go DUKE! Beat 'cuse!

Bob gets all the calls!

[Lavabe]

If Bob had chosen Magic Hat, he'd have received a warning.
;)

[devildeac]

If Bob had chosen Magic Hat, he'd have received a warning.
;)

So, sue him!

(ya gotta read up-thread to understand that comment)

[devildeac]

Kashmir IPA-Highland Brewing

Drink local #3!

This won't make anybody's top 10 list as we have discussed above but it is a solid "local" brew and a nice one for the style. Five grains (including wheat-more below) and five hop varieties make this a pretty well-balanced brew. Once again, shared with a son-in-law, this poured a clear/clean golden color with the obligatory aromas of citrus and pine and tastes to match, along with the expected light to medium caramel grainy sweetness. The wheat tilts the scale slightly form the piney/resiney side to the citrus ledger with hints of orange/zest. At 60 IBU and 6% ABV, it paired well with our Hawaiian teriyaki chicken and burgers off the grill.

[devildeac]

Rolle Bolle-New Belgium Brewing

I've had a tough time with this one. Eagerly anticipated and a potential replacement for Dig (I think), I find myself on both sides of the fence with its tastes. I had also been on antibiotics (with a funny taste in my mouth) for several days while sampling this twice. Poured a light straw color with scents of lemon grass and slightly underripe melons with tastes of the same along with peach, mango and unoaked white wine. Made me think there were Nelson Sauvin hops in the brew, too, but they are not. The really interesting thing about this seasonal ale is the use of Monk fruit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siraitia_grosvenorii) and soursop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soursop) in the brewing process. Who do these folks think they are, Dogfish Head Brewing who will put almost anything in their brews ? There were also very interesting sweet and sour tastes competing here and not in a bad way either. Refreshing, with low bitterness (IBU=30), and not overpowering (ABV=5.2%), this is worth a 12 ounce bottle or pint to try with some lighter summer entrees, but I don't think it will become their staple beer or one of your favorite warm weather brews.

[devildeac]

Oatmeal Porter-Highland Brewing

Local ale #4!

Poured a deep mahogany with a creamy tan head. Very nice cocoa with a hint of coffee in the nose with the same tastes and a slight bite of hops at the end. The flaked oatmeal as one of the grains gives this brew a rather smooth, silky feel on your tongue. IBU of 35 so we are going down in the IBU as the evening progressed with an ABV of 5.9%. The bitterness went down but the color intensified so this was my burger brew.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

If Bob had chosen Magic Hat, he'd have received a warning.
;)

No, he wouldn't have. I happen to like Magic Hat #9. It's a great breakfast beer, especially at Brunchgates! I have one in my fridge that dd gave me in trade a few months ago. I need to drink it soon!

[devildeac]

Black Mocha Stout-Highland Brewing

Ok, I promise this is the last of the locals (until I finish my Bad Penny tonight) to review for a while. I only had about four ounces of this bottle last PM as I shared it with my daughter and a son-in-law as our dessert beer. Poured an almost black color with a small beige head. Very nice aromas of dark chocolate and coffee with no added java. All the flavors are derived from the darkly roasted eight grains (including flaked wheat) and just two hop varieties. This ended up being the lowest IBU of the litter at 25 and also the lowest ABV at 5%. I found it rather enjoyable with the small squares of chocolate cake with chocolate icing that we had (along with our icebox lemon pie-no beer paired with that one) to finish our cookout.

[Turk]

Too bad Philly Beer Week didn't coincide with the lax Final Four...

http://www.phillybeerweek.org/

I love that the one of the Philly papers has a beer writer who goes by the nom de plume (French for "eat the feather") of "Joe Sixpack."

http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-30/n ... rial-stout

[devildeac]

Too bad Philly Beer Week didn't coincide with the lax Final Four...

http://www.phillybeerweek.org/

I love that the one of the Philly papers has a beer writer who goes by the nom de plume (French for "eat the feather") of "Joe Sixpack."

http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-30/n ... rial-stout

And, as in a reply elsewhere ;) , I humbly ask you to petition the organizers to extend their celebration another week as we will be in the area from June 13-16.

[devildeac]

Quad (2013 version)-Weyerbacher Brewing

I am not sure why this is a quadruple. Could be 4 malts, 4 yeasts, 4 hops or 4 fermentations. Or all of the preceding. The style is really similar to a Belgian dubbel but it is a bit lighter in color (medium-light brown) with a small head and a nose rich with dark, dried fruits like raisins, dates and figs and tastes to match. Most ales of this style have candi sugar and this tastes no different with the presence of light brown sugar and rummy notes, too. I'd guess the IBU to be about 30 and the ABV is higher than a dubbel or tripel (but not for a quad) at a stunning 11.8%, so pull out your snifter, let it the brew warm a few minutes on the counter and enjoy as your dessert. I found this as a 4 pack at Total Wine a couple weeks ago for about $3.96, not the usual $14 and even had the price checked at the register and, when verified, returned and added a second 4 pack to my cart. A very good ale to age and quite cheap at $0.99 each so very well worth the purchase.

[devildeac]

Rabbator-Duck Rabbit Brewing

I'm actually not quite sure of the proper name for this beer but on the label in small letters it's Duck Rabbator Lager and in larger letters it's Doppelbock. It's tradition to name your bocks and double bocks/doppelbocks with names that end in -or (Salvator, Celebrator, etc) and the folks in Farmville, NC are no exception, except their web page is so old it doesn't even list this or any of their big beers. Enough rambling. On to the brew. Poured a clear, dark brown with a modest head with all the expected aromas of the style: milk chocolate, toffee, dark caramel and perhaps some dried cherries. Little bitterness, guessing 20 IBU with quite a punch at 8.5% ABV, again, expected for the style. This should be served lightly chilled and in a mug. Good for sipping, good with roasted meats and for a dessert beverage, maybe even with a slice of apple streusel/cinnamon/caramel pound cake. Pretty spendy at about $15 for the 6er. Nice label, too.

[devildeac]

Hoppy Bock-New Belgium

IPA meet bock. Bock meet IPA. The name says bock but the hoppy is the hint that you are not opening/tasting your traditional spring bock beer/lager. This is from the New Belgium Hop Kitchen series and (from their web site), "The Hop Kitchen is here to cook up four beers per year for the most daring of palates. Only the boldest and hoppiest beers make it to the bomber." So, beer nerds/knurds be warned! Poured a light straw color with a fizzy, egg white hued head. The four hop blend (a couple typical lager varieties and a couple IPA type selections) imparts a grassy and slightly citrusy nose and lends the same tastes upon quaffing. The four grains (including rye) lend very light, sweet caramel tastes (typical for bocks) to accompany the usual IPA flavors with perhaps a bit o' pine/resin. After pondering for a bit, the IBU of 70 is not surprising, considering their intent, but quite high for a bock beer. The bite on the palate confirms this. The ABV of 6.9% is also more typical of an IPA as most bocks are 5-6% with double bocks clocking in at >7% usually. So, the name and color suggests pairing with lighter entrees but the stats and tastes suggest this would stand up well with BBQ items or even spicy Middle/Far East selections. I had 1/2 of this $5 bomber last PM and will finish it tonight. Well worth a trial or a pint if you find it on draft at a local tavern.

[devildeac]

Transatlantique Kriek-New Belgium

Another concoction from their Lips of Faith (LoF) series. I'll let their marketing department 'splain this brew to you and then add my tasting comments:

"In a never-ending quest to create new beers and defy category, New Belgium Brewing and Brewerij Boon of Belgium have partnered together again to create Transatlantique Kriek - a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with Polish cherries.

This authentic kriek beer began life in the oaken vessels at Frank Boon's brewery in the Lembeek region of Belgium. After more than two years aging, Boon's offering shipped across the Atlantic and found its way to the intuitive palate of New Belgium's Brewmaster Peter Bouckaert. After much sampling and internal consultation, Peter and his brew staff created a full-bodied golden lager to round out the light-bodied kriek.

The cherry nose gives way to a pleasingly sour flash across the palate that rolls gently into a slightly sweet finish. Crisp, effervescent carbonation keeps the mouthfeel bright and delightfully tingly."

My thoughts:

Cherry champagne! Poured a clear, bright cherry soda (not black cherry) red with a small pink head. Very attractive appearance. Immediate olfactory sensations of kids cough syrup with a light garden bouquet. No medicinal tastes though as the sour cherry flavors came forward prominently with floral and very light honey-like qualities, too. I was surprised at its light body and effervescence, but, after reading the description of its origin/creation with the lager "base," the easy drinkability is not that surprising. IBU is a stunningly low 8 (no digits omitted) and the ABV of 8% is very sneaky and, a bit high for this style, and hidden well. I split this ~$8 bomber over two nights and would find it very pleasant as a pre-dinner ale with a plate of fresh fruit.

[devildeac]

Holy Sheet-Clipper City Brewing

OK, take this from a couple years ago:

Holy Sheet-Clipper City Brewing


This is also called über abbey ale. So, this makes it kind of an imperial Belgian brown ale. Medium brown in color and nice and foamy, the tastes are raisins, figs and dates with dark rum and brown sugar. It hits the scale at 9% ABV which is a bit high for a typical Belgian brow/abbey ale and I'd guess the IBU about 30 so low on the hops and bitterness scales. Highly quaffable. Nice brew to enjoy with stews, steaks, briskets and even from a snifter for dessert. About $6 for the bomber, IIRC, so good for a couple nights. Another great name from their Mutiny Fleet series. ExtrAARGHdinary as they print on their bottles.

Throw it in some brandy barrels for a while and you have this:

It's now about $8 for the bomber and part of their Heavy Seas series with an Uncharted Waters designation, too. Same tastes as above with faint brandy aromas and tastes that pick up about halfway through a mouthful. IBU weigh in at 38 and the ABV is 9% so it's a sipper/sharer that would be best served in a snifter at a few degrees below room temperature. Make it your dessert beer this weekend. Wouldn't hesitate buying this again.

[devildeac]

Watermelon Wheat-Huske Hardware House

I swear I am not creating this stuff outta thin air. With fuse as my witness, I really did taste this last PM. Granted, it was only about a 1.5 ounce sample but I couldn't resist before I actually coughed up the $2.50 for a pint of another beer to accompany dinner. This was a pale straw color with little head with a hint of citrus from the wheat and rather subtle watermelon flavor. It was listed as 7.2% ABV but that would be hard to believe for a wheat ale as they are commonly 4-5% ABV. I'd guess the IBU about 10. This would make a nice porch sipper with some fresh fruit on a hot summer day. It did not quite have the Jolly Rancher candy-like tastes of the Hell or High Watermelon ale from 21st Amendment but certainly worth a taste.

From the heart of downtown Fayetteville, NC:

http://www.huskehardware.com/craft_beer/menu.aspx