Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Heelch O'Hops (draft)-Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Cool history story about the brewery from Wiki:

"Anderson Valley Brewing Company was founded in 1987 by David Norfleet and Kim and Ken Allen. At the time, it was one of just 20 craft breweries in the United States.[1]

The original 10-barrel brewhouse was designed and installed by owner and original brewer David Norfleet (and the 10 barrel brewey is still used for R&D brewing today). The original brewery was located in the lower level of the brewpub, The Buckhorn Saloon.

Early on the goal was to create outstanding ales, porters, and stouts. In its first year the company produced approximately 600 barrels of beer."

Chinook, Columbus and Cascade hops (in huge quantities) lend grapefruity and piney notes to this DIPA. It carries an IBU rating of 100 which is fortunately fairly well-balanced by the pale two row and Victory malts (also in huge quantities) with an ABV of 8.7%. Served in a tulip glass with a small, foamy head, the color was bronze with pleasant aromas to match the tastes. Paired nicely with a basket of wild Georgia shrimp, slaw and sweet potato fries. Even more flavorful as it warmed a bit. The $5 price ($2 off during Happy Hour) for 12 ounces at The Distillery in Savannah made it even more savory. Also available by the 4 pack and is another high quality brew from this fine brewery.

Their motto: "Bahl Hornin' " (Bahl Hornin’: good drinking)

[devildeac]

From 11/27/09 (the review, not the beer):

Ten Fidy-Oskar Blues-This is a viscous, smooth and mildly oily Russian imperial stout and a really, really good one. Nearly black and opaque that pours with a small dark tan one-fingered head. Lots of black and chocolate malts with flaked oats (I cheated and looked at their web site) with very modest bitterness despite an IBU of a monstrous 95. The ABV is 9.5% and it tastes like a shot of whiskey in a dark chocolate malted, reminding me very much of the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Even more amazingly, this marvelous brew comes in a 4 pack of cans. It reminds me an awful lot of the BBCS, one of my favorite all-time beers for the last 10+ years. Serve this in a pint glass at cellar temps and enjoy your sipping for an hour or so. Fabulous by itself, with some ordinary chocolate desserts like cookies or pound cake, or with something even more decadent like a chocolate torte or flourless death-by-chocolate type cake.

My original review still stands with a couple minor corrections. The IBU rating is now up to 98 (no significant difference) and the ABV has been raised to 10.5%, both fairly stunning numbers. This might be the best imperial stout on the market if you consider it in its purest form with no barrel aging and no additives. You'll pay the price though at about $14+ for each 4 pack of cans. Plus, this product was brewed in Colorado and not at their new NC brewing site as the brewed-on date stamped on the bottom of the can is 11-8-12, about a month before the NC site opened officially, IIRC. A classic.

[devildeac]

Sculpin-Ballast Point Brewing Company

Consistently listed as one of the best IPAs in the world, last nights 12 ounce bottle, my first ever, made me long for what I've been missing. I think I found a 6er of this in Lexington, Kentucky last fall and this was yet another garage discovery. I've had a couple other Ballast Point brews but don't think I had ever seen this in any of my beer hunting expeditions.

Poured a light orange-yellow with a small head, this had scents of citrus and stone fruits and tastes of mango, grapefruit, orange and a bit of bready, caramel-y sweetness, too. Extremely well-balanced beverage with IBUs of 70 and an ABV of 7%, this was fine for sipping and tasting and would also accompany any mild to moderately spicy foods such as curry or Szechuan dishes. I'm not sure I'd age this so I have 3 bottles remaining that I'm not quite sure what I'll do with yet, having already given my son the first two bottles from the collection. Hmm...

[OZZIE4DUKE]

This tasty ale wasn't bitter like most IPA's! Had it with fish and chips at Harry Ramsden's at Brighton Pier.

[devildeac]

This tasty ale wasn't bitter like most IPA's! Had it with fish and chips at Harry Ramsden's at Brighton Pier.

English IPAs tend to be a bit milder than the American ones, many of which become hop bombs with one brewer trying to outdo the other with dry hopping, wet hopping, fresh hopping, whole hopping, hop pelleting and hop hopping on the IBU scale.

[devildeac]

Black Chocolate Stout (08-09 version)-Brooklyn Brewing

Same old stuff, 5-6 years later. Poured nearly black with a 1-2 finger head, a bit surprising after this long in the bottle. Dark chocolate nose and taste with a shot of whiskey. No coffee perceived. This was a bit sour but did not appear spoiled. Mild to moderate bitterness with Willamette and American Fuggle hops leading to an IBU rating of 51. American two-row pale malt, caramel malt, malted wheat and a blend of American roasted malts and barleys in a heavy grain load with ABV at 10%. That's the first time I've ever seen ingredients on their web site and I'll assume that's for the 2013-14 version as well as its older sibling, too, as I don't believe this recipe changes much with each release. That'll be the last report for this edition as this closes out my supply for that season. Looks like it'll be the 09-10 tasting tonight or Wednesday.

[devildeac]

Beer tasting with dinner last PM.

Cost-$0

Beer costs 2014-still at about $112.

Cocktail hour beverage:

KA-BAR Brown Ale-Railhouse Brewing

Their story:

http://www.railhousebrew.com/about-us/

Pretty cool.

This beer:

Twelve ounce bottle poured a medium to almost dark brown. Single finger head and a nose of brown sugar, a floral bouquet and mixed nuts. Taste were caramel and almonds with a bit of a bite for a finish. Grains are traditional brewers, crystal and chocolate malts with Mt. Hood and Cascade hops. IBUs 29.5 and ABV 5.75%. Good starter beer and matched well with some small plates of cucumber and dip, brie and jam on crackers and mini quiches.

Good beer story, too:

http://www.railhousebrew.com/beers/

Completely new brewery to me and would definitely try their other offerings. There was a brewery in Southern Pines a decade or so ago whose name I can't recall and I wonder whether these folks took over their old building.

[devildeac]

Beer sampling with dinner from two days ago. They were all local beers poured in about 2 ounce aliquots. Cost $0 so I'm still at $112 for the year.

In order of sampling:

Mad Beach-Aviator Brewing

This is a wheat beer with half barley and half white wheat for the grains. Poured a slightly cloudy pale orange-yellow with a small head. Floral and orange aromas from the wheat and orange peel added in the brewing process. Tastes of the same. Low bitterness with 23 IBUs and an ABV of 4.8%. Nice summer sipper.

[devildeac]

Second brew:

Peacemaker-Lonerider Brewing

Labeled as a west coast pale ale, this was a light golden-amber with grassy and floral aromas and very mild citrus tastes and a bit of caramel. Grains and hops not listed. I'll guess the IBUs about 30-50 and the ABV is 5.7% so perhaps a bit high for the style but a nice pairing with some of the mixed greens I stole from my wife's salad and the asparagus vichyssoise I had for my appetizer.

Not sure I've had either of these two before.

[devildeac]

Batting third:

Pale Ale-c*rolina Brewing Company

Nice explanation given before sampling this. Our host did a bit of research and found out this brewery originally opened in Seattle and closed in a year or two and moved to NC and produced their first ales in about 1995, making them one of the early NC craft breweries. I haven't verified that story.

Three American hops (not listed) for mild piney and resinous aromas and an estimated IBU rating of about 30 was balanced pretty well with a somewhat small grain bill (also not listed) for light caramel flavors and an ABV of 5.1%. Light amber color, small head. I'll call it a tie between the two PAs. Also snuck this one in with the first course.

[devildeac]

In the clean-up slot:

Hogwild-Aviator

Pale and Vienna malts for the grains with 6 hops, including Chinook, Columbus, Cascade, Magnum, Willamette and Amarillo. This is a highly hopped IPA with the IBUs listed as a "targeted: 202." I'm not sure I believe that one but, if your bitterness taste buds "cut-off" at about 100, who cares how high this number is. This was the best beer sampled of the evening as the balance is reasonable (well, maybe a little too hoppy), the aromas and tastes are all over the place with so many different hop varieties ranging from pine/resin to light to intense tropical fruits sweetened with a bit of light brown sugar. ABV is 6.7%. Pour was golden with a modest head. Entrees had arrived by this point and I had a fabulous 6 ounce portion of grilled Scottish salmon over a sauté of spring onion and wheat berries with wilted kale, pickled Cherry tomatoes and warm Manila clams vinaigrette. Also stole an ounce or so (I did share my fish with my wife) of my wife's Sterling Silver New York Strip over grilled Radicchio and Romaine hearts with roasted cauliflower, salsa verde and crumbled Goat Lady Dairy chèvre. She thought the salmon was outrageously good and I agreed. The steak was excellent but I liked my fish better.

I'm gonna stop here for today. I'm hungry and on call and dinner will be a leftover cheeseburger from our grill and a salad with a glass of tea and no adult beverage due to work duties.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Here's a new "Drink In" craft beer store in Greensboro. Some of you might want to check it out next time you're out this way. I hope to stop by in the next week or so!
http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/blog/2 ... 1401036085

[devildeac]

Here's a new "Drink In" craft beer store in Greensboro. Some of you might want to check it out next time you're out this way. I hope to stop by in the next week or so!
http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/blog/2 ... 1401036085

Any other craft beer stores in Greensboro (aka competition)? The several that have opened in Raleigh in the last 5 years or so appear to be doing well. They need to add several rotating taps so folks can sample before they buy . Bottle Revolution added about 4 a year ago and now has 10. Bottle Mixx has about that many, too.

I'll post OY and give you credit ;) .

[devildeac]

The bottom half of the order:

#5

IPA-c*rolina Brewing Company

Tasted a lot like their PA but with a bit more citrus and piney on the olfactory lobe and palate. Pale, caramel and carapils malts with Cascade and Crystal hops. Poured a light to medium orange-yellow hue with a small head I'd guess IBUs in the 40-50 range with an ABv at 5.4%. Hogwild was certainly better but this might be a better comparison to the All Session IPA from Founders Brewing than your traditional IPA. Paired nicely with my entree.

[devildeac]

#6

Shotgun Betty-Lonerider

Pretty representative of the style which is a German hefeweizen. Cloudy, yellow-straw appearance with pleasant scents of orange, banana and clove and it tasted like it smelled. I'd guess the IBUs around 20 so it was very gentle on the taste buds. The 5.8% ABV is a tad high for the style but makes a very nice balance. This was also a good beverage with my salmon and would make an enjoyable sipper by itself or with soft cheeses and/or a fruit cup/salad.

[devildeac]

#7

Saison de Aviator-Aviator (d'oh)

This was more of a hybrid beer with some aspects of a Belgian single or blonde ale and other features of a saison. Light golden color and a small, fizzy head, the aromas were light citrus, mostly orange, and spice (coriander) and flavors were orange zest, a bit of apple and pear, light brown sugar, spice and a hint of pepper from the Belgian yeast. IBUs low, as expected, at 22 and the ABV was 6.5%. There was a can of this leftover after the tasting and I still had a bit of my entree remaining so I enjoyed a full 12 ounce serving as I finished the last morsels of the salmon. Very refreshing and would be a nice choice with lighter fare, soft cheeses and fruits before, during or after dinner.

[devildeac]

#8

Spring Bock-c*rolina Brewing

It has been at least 5 years since I sipped one of these and it may have to become a regular spring purchase. I like bocks and my last tasting of this was a draft at the Q Shack with a pulled pig sammich, slaw and fries and I still remember what a great combination that was. It's a lager and was a light amber color and had a small head. Think of a toasted croissant with a bit of medium to dark honey drizzled all over it. The pilsner, Munich, carapils and caramel malts are the winners and the European Hallertau hops impart a very mild bitterness. The ABV is 6.5%, so just a bit warming, and the IBUs are an estimated 20. I almost made this my 12 ounce finishing beverage but preferred the saison just a bit more.

The 9th one in the order was pulled for a pinch hitter which ended up being the can of the saison. I wish a porter or stout had been available as I selected an individual dark German chocolate cake with toasted pecans, coconut and whipped cream for dessert and an ounce or two of the Aviator bourbon barrel aged Black Mamba stout would have paired perfectly with it.

[devildeac]

Can't believe I forgot this old trader from fuse from last week:

Organic Chocolate Stout-Bison Brewing

I'm going to guess this was 2-3 years old but was pretty well preserved considering it was a stout and not an imperial stout. Poured a dark, dark brown with a mocha head, this was all about the cocoa with chocolate in the presentation and on the tongue. It was mostly creamy, mild chocolate with a hint of bitterness and really no coffee presence. I'd guess the IBUs were about 30 and the ABV was 5.6%. Would be good with chocolate (d'oh), cinnamon, nutty or caramel desserts

[devildeac]

Saison de Wench-Bison Brewing

I'm on a fuse roll here. This was part of a trading package this weekend and I think he reviewed already but not sure if it was his brew or his wife's and whether it was draft or bottle. Poured a light gold color with a small head. Very pleasant nose of flowers with tastes of the same with a hint of sweetness. It's an organic ale brewed with rose petals, hibiscus flowers and lemongrass and lighter malts and minimal hop presence. I'd guess IBUs in the 20 range and the ABV is 6%. A very enjoyable "starter' beer from his 6er.

[devildeac]

Running through my recent trader with fuse:

Hop, Drop and Roll-NoDa Brewing

This was a really good west coast style IPA, though with IBUs of 81 and an ABV of 7.2%, it's almost in the IIPA category. Poured from a 16 ounce can into a pint glass, the appearance was pale golden with a frothy head. Nose was a mixed citrus blend with grapefruit at the front and mango, papaya and pineapple included. They use Citra, Amarillo, Centennial, Warrior and Chinook varieties in 10 separate additions according to their can. Web site says American and English malts with Vienna and wheat which I see occasional with IPAs. Taste is citrus forward, too, but the balance is reasonable with some light caramel and bread. It would stand up well to any spicy dishes.

Another tip of the mug to fuse for including this one.

http://nodabrewing.com/wp-content/up...p5-530x630.png