Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Another Way to Rye (draft)-Turtle Anarchy Brewing Company

Drink local!

One of Nashville's more recent breweries, these folks really needs to be in Maryland.

A $5 pint of orange-straw colored IPA with the twist of some rye being added, making it a bit spicy and musty in addition to the resinous and piney aromas and tastes. Fairly well-balanced with an ABV of 6% and IBUs of 60. Made a nice pairing with a pulled pork sandwich and some seasoned fries.

[devildeac]

Finally, some Nashville brews.

Sorta (draft)-Tailgate Beer

Drink local!

This was a 4 ounce pour and part of a mini-sampler at a Jack Daniels bar in our hotel last PM. Golden-hued session IPA with a small head with citrus rind aromas and tastes. Checking in at 40 IBUs and 5% ABV, this was an average ale that paired reasonably well with our shared kinda late night BBQ beef brisket quesadilla.

[devildeac]

Bearwalker (draft)- Jackalope Brewing Company

More indigenous imbibing!

Recommended by the hostess and appreciated by the consumer. This was a brown ale with a mahogany appearance and a moderate, tan and creamy head. Nutty scents with roasted nuts, cocoa and dark maple syrup (added) coating the tongue. Stats: ABV 5.1% and ~30 IBUs. This made a much better pairing with our quesadilla and was a high quality brown ale that I'd have ordered another pint of if we weren't so tired and full.

[devildeac]

Hopry (draft)-Yazoo Brewing

Yet another clever brewer's name .

This was labeled a DIPA but really fell a bit short on the stats with IBUs of 60 and ABV at 7.2%. Gold-copper color with a small head and piney and resiny aromas and tastes. Good pairing with the quesadilla but only an average offering that is really an IPA.

[devildeac]

More local stuff:

Southern Wit (draft)-Tennessee Brew Works

Part of a 5 beer sampler tonight. Belgian-style white ale with a light straw color, creamy head, citrusy aromas and orange, tangerine, pear and honey flavors. Good representative of the style that was refreshing with an "educational" local raw and gently-cooked vegetable and fresh fruit tray. IBUs of 14.5 and ABV of 5.15%.

[devildeac]

Basil Ryeman (draft)-TBW

Another clever brewer's moniker, riffing on the Ryman Auditorium in Music City, USA. This was labeled as a Tennessee farmhouse ale/saison which was a bit full-bodied for the style but rather tasty. Golden color with herbal aromas and tastes of basil, rosemary and fennel accompanied by a bit of rye mustiness. IBUs of 28 and ABV at 6.25% and another good match with our veggie and fruit tray.

[devildeac]

Golden Sound (draft)-TBW

A golden stout?!?! WTH?!?!

Coffee-infused, too?!?! WTH?!?!

This was my first ever golden stout and I was well-prepared by our beertender about the color/style. Made with wheat malt in addition to the usual suspects except the heavily roasted grains, this was indeed a golden hue with some mildly toasty aromas and moderately roasted, grainy tastes and a pleasant and gentle coffee finish. I'll guess IBUs in the 30 range and the ABV around 5-6%. This was perhaps a bit strong with our vegetable and fruit tray but a solid offering.

[devildeac]

Sweet potato stout?!?! Who do these folks think they are, NC farmers and brewers ?

Seriously, this was a good brew but it over-powered our veggie and fruit tray. Dark brown pour with a small head and aromas of cocoa and coffee. Alas, if I didn't read the description at our table, I'm not sure I'd have guessed sweet potatoes had been brewed into this roasty ale. IBUs roll in at 30 and ABV at 5.5%.

[devildeac]

Cutaway Rye IPA (draft)-TBW

This was my 5th and final sample (5 ounces) at this moderate-sized brewhouse/pub with some pleasant outdoor seating on a warm and somewhat humid night about 1.5 miles from downtown Nashville this evening. Amber appearance with a moderate, creamy head and a mixed bag of aromas and tastes, including most of the usual suspects here with pine, resin, grapefruit, tangerine and orange with a bit of mustiness in the finish. Pretty well-balanced at 70 IBUs and 6% ABV and a good pairing with our nibblings.

[devildeac]

Final Nashville brew:

Belgian Blonde (draft)-Czann's Brewing

They had no sampler here so I finished our evening tastings and snacking with a slightly hazy, minimally foamy straw-colored Belgian-style "single" ale. There was a bit of citrus up top and my palate told me hints of orange and coriander with a slightly peppery finish from the Belgian yeast. Good effort on the style and a nice pairing with our chips, salsa and queso. IBUs were 30 and ABV hit the scale at 6%.

You may have noticed a trend in the Nashville samplings that no high gravity ales were tasted. There's a reason for that which will follow later today as it's the hour for a long morning walk and Mrs. dd has my leash and harness all ready to attach :o .

[Lavabe]

Madagascar's own Three Horses Beer (reviewed at some point in my life, but figured it was 210 plus pages ago on this thread, so why not mention it again)

A crisp Pilsener, served cold from a bomber. Very smooth, low hop content, clear, yellow, nice head in simple Malagasy glasses on a warm 80 degree night in a balcony, open-air restaurant in Antsiranana, Madagascar.

Strangely enough, it's a beer that both Ozzie and DevilDeac would appreciate. Served after dinner (steak au poivre verte with rice). Really cleanses the palate well. Mild alcohol content (it's a pilsener... what were you expecting).

Overall, it rates three out of four 9fs!!

[devildeac]

Hüpfenweizen (draft)-Green Man Brewing

Wheat ale meets IPA. Pint at the Green Mansion (that place is huuuuge) that was a clean/clear light orange-amber pour and a modest, creamy head. Tons of citrus on the nose and on the tongue from the Bavarian Mandarina hops and another I can't recall. There are tastes of tangerine, orange, pineapple with a bit of a honey/light brown sugar finish. I'll guess IBUs about 50 (not listed on their menu) and the ABV was 7.3% so it was fairly well-balanced. They don't serve food at the new Green Man facility so I sipped this with Mrs. dd, ricks68 and mattman, offering additional proof that beer is always better with friends.

[devildeac]

Trickster-Black Raven Brewing Company (Redmond, WA)

First, a tip of the tulip to mattman who carefully packed this 12 ounce can into his checked bag on his return from the Pacific NW last week. And yes, fuse, there is a twin waiting in your care package for a bit later this week/weekend .

Second, the review. I'm thinking this is is their flagship ale, an IPA with these grains: 2-Row Barley, Munich, Crystal. And these hops: Chinook, Magnum, Simcoe, Amarillo, Cascade. And these stats: ABV 6.9% and IBUs of 70. It's a bit of a hop bomb with resin and pine up front and the same finish with hints of tropical fruits, though I expected a bit more grapefruitiness with the Simcoe hops but it leans toward the resiny end of the hop chart. This is a very crowded field and this is a solid entry. Thanks again to mattman.

[devildeac]

Samichlaus (2010)-Castle Brewery Eggenberg

No typo. I really saved another beer 6 years (there aren't many left in the "cellar") and it was worth the wait. It was semi-intentional as I re-discovered this rotating/consolidating stock in the cellar, err, garage this spring. I did not think I had any left prior to 2011 but found this gem and "forced" myself to sip this over an hour in one sitting tonight. It is technically a double bock but really most resembles a sherry. Brown sugar and dark caramel sweet with dark cherry and very winey, sherry-like flavors. Tough to believe this is beer as it has little head but remained rather clear over the years. There was no sediment in this bottle, unlike others I've reviewed. Best served in a snifter or wine glass at cellar temperature and only as a dessert beer. Recommended to sip and savor over an hour or so as the ABV is 14% (no typo here either) and I'd guess the IBU 20-30 as it is technically a lager. I'll guess it is over $20 for a 4 pack now. The label states "The World's Most Extraordinary Beverage" which was quite a claim even 6 years ago and even more difficult to think/profess now with a lot more competitors in the very high gravity market but I still enjoy tasting one or two of these (on different nights, of course) every winter/spring, much as one enjoys seeing an old friend every year or two.

[devildeac]

Tripel Overhead Bourbon Barrel Aged-Mother Earth Brewing

Drink local!

Poured with a modest head that disappeared quickly and was a cloudy orange-amber color with a lovely nose of orange zest, flowers, a pinch of black pepper from the Belgian yeast, and a bit of booze. Tastes match the aromas along with some vanilla, oak and lightly toasted coconut from the barrel aging and moderate sweetness from the likely addition of candi sugar to the brewing process. I'd guess the IBU in the 30 range as it is a tripel and the ABV was 9%. Outstanding brew whether sipped by itself or accompanying a plate of fresh fruit or a fruit tart dessert.

[devildeac]

Beerito (draft)-Oskar Blues Brewing

First 4-5 ounce sample this afternoon out of 4 with Beermeister fuse at World of Beer in Cary.

Advertised as a "Mexican lager," it was a medium amber pour with a small head. Nose of toasted wheat bread and tastes of light brown sugar and caramel with some earthy hop presence. More flavor and body than Negro Modelo or Dos Equis, even with low IBUs of 21 and ABV at 4%. Would pair nicely with burgers, ribs and brisket. Good starter brew.

[devildeac]

Nickelator-Nickelpoint Brewing

Drink local!

World of Beer in Cary has a local 4 item sampler and allowed any beer on the menu from NC to be chosen. This was sample #2 and is named in the German doppelbock beer tradition, ending in -or. Everything about the brew pretty much matches that brewing tradition except the ABV of 7.2% which makes it closer to bock territory than a doppel/double bock style which typically run over 8%. This falls into the lager category and hop presence is minimal, guessing 10-20 IBU. Dark brown pour with little head and aromas of toasted pumpernickel bread and dark brown sugar and tastes of dark caramel, cherries and cocoa. This would pair well with burgers, saucy ribs or brisket. I'd even consider this with a dark caramel or milk chocolate dessert.

[devildeac]

Thrilla in Vanilla (draft)-Double Barley Brewing (Smithfield, NC)

Drink local!

This was 3rd in line on the sampler paddle from World of Beer in Cary yesterday and again, beer always tastes better with friends.

Eerie coincidence with Ali's death yesterday.

Poured a dark mahogany with a small head. Wonderful nose of vanilla (added), chocolate (not added but a common "flavor"or scent in a porter) and root beer with tastes to match, perhaps with a splash of coffee. IBUs of 27.4 (listed, not estimated) and ABV of 8%. Would be fine for dessert or with a gooey brownie after dinner, too. Hmm, wonder if this might make a good base for a beer float...

[devildeac]

The Waldos' Special Ale-Lagunitas Brewing

You'd better like hops and high gravity if you open and pour this one.

A greatly appreciated trader from fuse on Friday that I'd have been very unlikely to purchase 1 or 4 or 6 on my own considering my recent (too numerous) acquisitions on our Indiana journey and from ricks68.

Poured a light orange-yellow with little head. Immediate presence in the nares of essences of orange and grapefruit rinds/oils. Tastes up front of more citrus rinds, especially orange and grapefruit with some pineapple and mango, too. Then, more bitterness. Then alcohol burn, more bitterness and a some caramel and honey sweetness. I previewed the beer from their website and, based on an ABV of 11.5% and IBUs listed at 100+, I sipped 4 ounces Saturday night in a small cordial glass and finished it last night over about 30-45 minutes from an Allagash snifter. Potent stuff. They claim it's their hoppiest beer and somehow, I believe them . Pairing? Perhaps with curry or Szechuan entrees. Believe me, this beer will fare well with hot and/or spicy stuff.

[devildeac]

Girls Gose Wild (draft)-NoDa Brewing

Two ounce sample. Light body with very mild sourness, salt and coriander and no other fruits/additives. Nowhere near as puckery as the Westbrook and more along the Boulevard Hibiscus Gose lines. No IBU listed on their chalkboard but I'd guess about 5-10 and the ABV was 4.2%. Solid summer ale and worthy of a pint if you're at 1 of their 2 locations on Tryon or N. Davidson in the Charlotte area.