Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Chimay Grande Reserve-Chimay Abbey Brewery/Monastery

A bit of history about Trappist brewing if anyone would care to read:

http://www.chimay.com/en/abbaye-trappiste.html?IDC=272

The ale:

Bottle/cork dated on 3/11, this poured a slightly cloudy, dark brown with a fair amount of Belgian lace coating the glasses. I shared this with my younger daughter and two sons-in-law as dessert drinks on Saturday night. Think of it as an imperial brown ale or dubbel style in the true Belgian tradition/style with lots of dark fruit, dark candi sugar and rummy flavors and scents. A bit thinner than a quad so a bit less sweet and syrup-y. I'd estimate IBUs about 30 and the ABV was 9% so a world classic ale to enjoy as an after dinner drink or dessert. I think I got this bottle about 2 years ago as a present from Ozzie so a tip of the mug to him for his choice.

[August West]

Dogfish Head, 75 minute IPA. Picked it up this PM for DD. Hopefully it will make it to the Pitt game tailgate. If not, I'll get him another one. ;) AW.

If you have any inclination to sample/finish it before the Pitt game, you had best head out tomorrow to buy another 4 pack or bomber as I'd bet whatever supply there is won't last long .

Available in 750 ml only. I'm tempted to get another just in case the first doesn't make it to tailgate time. ;) AW.

[devildeac]

Dogfish Head, 75 minute IPA. Picked it up this PM for DD. Hopefully it will make it to the Pitt game tailgate. If not, I'll get him another one. ;) AW.

If you have any inclination to sample/finish it before the Pitt game, you had best head out tomorrow to buy another 4 pack or bomber as I'd bet whatever supply there is won't last long .

Available in 750 ml only. I'm tempted to get another just in case the first doesn't make it to tailgate time. ;) AW.

I got the money, honey, err, sir, you got the time, err, beer. Thanks in advance. I've done this for a few folks in the past. Kinda fun to be a beer hunter/knurd/nerd.

[Bob Green]

Daryl,

The Old Chub Scotch Ale you provided me was very enjoyable. That Dogfish Festina Peche beer was too fruity for my palate.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Daryl,

The Old Chub Scotch Ale you provided me was very enjoyable. That Dogfish Festina Peche beer was too fruity for my palate.

I liked the peche very much. It was just fruity enough.

[devildeac]

Daryl,

The Old Chub Scotch Ale you provided me was very enjoyable. That Dogfish Festina Peche beer was too fruity for my palate.

You are welcome. Not many brewers produce a Scotch ale, let alone one that good. Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry about the Festina Peche. I'll drink fruit beers several times a year and really enjoy them in the warmer months and they generally pair nicely with fruit plates/salads and soft cheeses. They also match pretty well with fish dishes topped with fruity (mango, pineapple) salsas.

[devildeac]

Double IPA-Ass Kisser Brewing

I kid you not. I've seen this line of brews several times but just couldn't buy any. However, I was pleased to receive a 12 ounce bottle as a trader from CB&B at the NCCU tailgate. Poured a slightly cloudy yellow-orange with a two fingered head and shared with my son and compared to Hop Czar on Friday night. Citrus nose with a moderately bitter orange zest and pine resin taste. Probably could use a bit more grain for better balance, though the IBU of 62 (a tad low) and ABV of 7.75% (also a shade low) would suggest otherwise. There are several better DIPAs on the market than this but it was certainly nice to try one, especially in a comparison. Amusing concept/bottle notes but you just gotta question their marketing strategy a bit.

[devildeac]

Hop Czar-Bridgeport Brewing

Bomber "muled" back from our January trip to Portland, Oregon and shared with my son Friday night to compare with the As_ Kisser DIPA reviewed above. This won. Poured a bright, yellow-orange with a moderate foamy head. Aromas of flowers and citrus fruits and tastes of the same with a generous amount of good caramel malty palate and very little pine/resin presence. Chinook, Centennial, Cascade and Nugget hops in "irresponsible quantities" result in an IBU # of 87 and the ABV rolls in at 7.5%, a bit low for the style, but the balance is solid. Pair with spicy dishes-if you can find it on the east coast.

[devildeac]

Tripel 7-Scuttlebutt Brewing

From Bob Green's old stomping grounds in Washington state. This doesn't quite measure up to the Exit 4 I reviewed upthread. Poured a golden-amber with a faint nose of cloves and bananas and a smallish head. Light caramel malt and honey flavors. IBUs a bit lower than expected at 11 and ABV a healthy 9%. Not a bad beer but the Golden Monkey from Victory is a better brew, too. Kinda funny about beer tastings. I bought a 6er of this for myself, sharing and trading for $8 or $9 which is not a bad price but certainly thought the Exit 4 I received from CB&B was a superior brew than the one I traded. Wouldn't refuse one if offered and it is worth a single purchase if available but wouldn't seek out or buy again.

[devildeac]

Worth repeating (from June, 2012 with a few modifications):

Lake Erie Monster-GLBC

This will be a few musings about one of the two bottles brought from Ohio last month from my son. It has some different characteristics from its draft cousin. Most notably are the softer, sweeter tropical fruit flavors of mango, papaya and pineapple with much less bitter grapefruity tastes and aromas. The other features are fairly similar with a pretty even balance between the hops and malts. I enjoyed this one chilled, but not cold, from a snifter and would easily place this in my top 2-3 IIPAs. Not sure this is available in NC. Yet.

[devildeac]

Hoppy Bunny ABA-Duck Rabbit Brewing

Black IPA meet stout. These folks from Farmville, NC, who brew some very good session ales and some excellent high gravity ales, seriously need to update their website. They have four session brews listed and described and none of their specialty beverages. Had to go snooping around ratebeer for some info. Apparently this has 8 hops and the Chinook variety are largest entry into the brew. Poured as black as a stout with a smallish tan head with a very roasty and piney nose. Tastes are a bit of citrus, a pinch of resin and a whole lot of cocoa and coffee. Very smooth mouthfeel and finish. I'd guess this is about 50 IBU and the ABV on the bottle is 7.3%, both of which are fairly standard for an IPA but on the hefty sides for a standard stout. I have one left from my 6er from 2-3 weeks ago and I'm putting fuse's name on it for a upcoming trading session.

[CathyCA]

Hoppy Bunny ABA-Duck Rabbit Brewing

Black IPA meet stout. These folks from Farmville, NC, who brew some very good session ales and some excellent high gravity ales, seriously need to update their website. They have four session brews listed and described and none of their specialty beverages. Had to go snooping around ratebeer for some info. Apparently this has 8 hops and the Chinook variety are largest entry into the brew. Poured as black as a stout with a smallish tan head with a very roasty and piney nose. Tastes are a bit of citrus, a pinch of resin and a whole lot of cocoa and coffee. Very smooth mouthfeel and finish. I'd guess this is about 50 IBU and the ABV on the bottle is 7.3%, both of which are fairly standard for an IPA but on the hefty sides for a standard stout. I have one left from my 6er from 2-3 weeks ago and I'm putting fuse's name on it for a upcoming trading session.

These people are my neighbors, sort of. They live in the next zip code. I adore the logo on their label:



Is it a duck, or is it a rabbit? It's a Duck Rabbit.

[devildeac]

Hoppy Bunny ABA-Duck Rabbit Brewing

Black IPA meet stout. These folks from Farmville, NC, who brew some very good session ales and some excellent high gravity ales, seriously need to update their website. They have four session brews listed and described and none of their specialty beverages. Had to go snooping around ratebeer for some info. Apparently this has 8 hops and the Chinook variety are largest entry into the brew. Poured as black as a stout with a smallish tan head with a very roasty and piney nose. Tastes are a bit of citrus, a pinch of resin and a whole lot of cocoa and coffee. Very smooth mouthfeel and finish. I'd guess this is about 50 IBU and the ABV on the bottle is 7.3%, both of which are fairly standard for an IPA but on the hefty sides for a standard stout. I have one left from my 6er from 2-3 weeks ago and I'm putting fuse's name on it for a upcoming trading session.

These people are my neighbors, sort of. They live in the next zip code. I adore the logo on their label:



Is it a duck, or is it a rabbit? It's a Duck Rabbit.

They like dressing up the Duck Rabbit, and, depending on the beer style, Mr. Duck Rabbit will wear a different hat. they brew good beers, too. Very good beers.

[August West]

Beer tastings from the 9/14 tailgate. The beers were tasted in the following order.

1. Three Heads Brewing, Skunk. A Black IPA. 6.5% ABV and 75 IBU's. This was provided by Killer Left.
2. Southern Tier, Compass. Bottle conditioned sparking ale with rose hips. 9% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by AW.
3. Founders, Doom. Imperial IPA, from their Backstage series, bourbon barrel aged. 10% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by dpslaw/Tom.

All three were good and enjoyed by all. The Founders was rated #1 closely followed by the Southern Tier Compass. Three Heads Brewing's Skunk was # 3.

Thanks to all for their selections. AW.

[lawgrad91]

Beer tastings from the 9/14 tailgate. The beers were tasted in the following order.

1. Three Heads Brewing, Skunk. A Black IPA. 6.5% ABV and 75 IBU's. This was provided by Killer Left.
2. Southern Tier, Compass. Bottle conditioned sparking ale with rose hips. 9% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by AW.
3. Founders, Doom. Imperial IPA, from their Backstage series, bourbon barrel aged. 10% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by dpslaw/Tom.

All three were good and enjoyed by all. The Founders was rated #1 closely followed by the Southern Tier Compass. Three Heads Brewing's Skunk was # 3.

Thanks to all for their selections. AW.

I am curious as to why a brewery would name something, even a black IPA, SKUNK.

[devildeac]

Beer tastings from the 9/14 tailgate. The beers were tasted in the following order.

1. Three Heads Brewing, Skunk. A Black IPA. 6.5% ABV and 75 IBU's. This was provided by Killer Left.
2. Southern Tier, Compass. Bottle conditioned sparking ale with rose hips. 9% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by AW.
3. Founders, Doom. Imperial IPA, from their Backstage series, bourbon barrel aged. 10% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by dpslaw/Tom.

All three were good and enjoyed by all. The Founders was rated #1 closely followed by the Southern Tier Compass. Three Heads Brewing's Skunk was # 3.

Thanks to all for their selections. AW.

I am curious as to why a brewery would name something, even a black IPA, SKUNK.

I can't answer that. Maybe for the same reason some breweries use Brettanomyces yeast which yields the funky/barn yard/horse blanket aromas that originate from the sour beers.

[devildeac]

Beer tastings from the 9/14 tailgate. The beers were tasted in the following order.

1. Three Heads Brewing, Skunk. A Black IPA. 6.5% ABV and 75 IBU's. This was provided by Killer Left.
2. Southern Tier, Compass. Bottle conditioned sparking ale with rose hips. 9% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by AW.
3. Founders, Doom. Imperial IPA, from their Backstage series, bourbon barrel aged. 10% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by dpslaw/Tom.

All three were good and enjoyed by all. The Founders was rated #1 closely followed by the Southern Tier Compass. Three Heads Brewing's Skunk was # 3.

Thanks to all for their selections. AW.

Sorry I missed Compass and Doom. Never had either of those. No comment on the Skunk though I generally like black IPAs.

[lawgrad91]

Hoppy Bunny ABA-Duck Rabbit Brewing

Black IPA meet stout. These folks from Farmville, NC, who brew some very good session ales and some excellent high gravity ales, seriously need to update their website. They have four session brews listed and described and none of their specialty beverages. Had to go snooping around ratebeer for some info. Apparently this has 8 hops and the Chinook variety are largest entry into the brew. Poured as black as a stout with a smallish tan head with a very roasty and piney nose. Tastes are a bit of citrus, a pinch of resin and a whole lot of cocoa and coffee. Very smooth mouthfeel and finish. I'd guess this is about 50 IBU and the ABV on the bottle is 7.3%, both of which are fairly standard for an IPA but on the hefty sides for a standard stout. I have one left from my 6er from 2-3 weeks ago and I'm putting fuse's name on it for a upcoming trading session.

These people are my neighbors, sort of. They live in the next zip code. I adore the logo on their label:



Is it a duck, or is it a rabbit? It's a Duck Rabbit.

They like dressing up the Duck Rabbit, and, depending on the beer style, Mr. Duck Rabbit will wear a different hat. they brew good beers, too. Very good beers.

How does he wear his hat? Does the location of the hat determine whether Mr. Duck Rabbit is a duck or a rabbit? Or when he wears a hat, is it still anyone's guess?

(The judges are out of town and I am bored, hence my hanging out on the beer thread.)

[CathyCA]

Here are some examples of the Duck Rabbit hats.

[August West]

Beer tastings from the 9/14 tailgate. The beers were tasted in the following order.

1. Three Heads Brewing, Skunk. A Black IPA. 6.5% ABV and 75 IBU's. This was provided by Killer Left.
2. Southern Tier, Compass. Bottle conditioned sparking ale with rose hips. 9% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by AW.
3. Founders, Doom. Imperial IPA, from their Backstage series, bourbon barrel aged. 10% ABV. No IBU's listed. Provided by dpslaw/Tom.

All three were good and enjoyed by all. The Founders was rated #1 closely followed by the Southern Tier Compass. Three Heads Brewing's Skunk was # 3.

Thanks to all for their selections. AW.

I am curious as to why a brewery would name something, even a black IPA, SKUNK.

Or Santa's Butt. One we tasted last year. AW.