crazietalk.net

St. Bernadus 12-Cellared for about a year-an Abbey ale, aka Belgian brown. I can't remember whether I read a review here or on DBR but it was highly recommended and justifiably so. Dark brown pour with a generous, light tan, fizzy and sustainable head, aka Belgian lace. All the dark fruit flavors you care to think about including the usual suspects of raisins, dates and figs. Brown sugar and maple are present, too. A sipper served at about 55 degrees and 10% ABV. Hops are very mild here. Smooth and almost creamy mouth feel. Could be a night cap, a dessert ale or accompany a dessert pastry such as a rum cake, dark pound cake or even a fruit cake. Seriously. This was a 750 ml bottle and I'm glad I corked it and enjoyed 1/2 Friday and 1/2 Saturday as the high gravity was pronounced but not overpowering. Damn good stuff. I appear to be on a Belgian journey here so my 1 year old Three Philosophers may be the next one.

Hey, Ozzie, check out my 2nd #6000 on the DBR "Ymm, beer" thread...

;)

Green Flash Barleywine--It'll be a Green Flash week for me as I picked up a barleywine, Imperial IPA, Le Freak (Tripel/IPA)...all new to me. Last night I started a bomber of the barleywine which is definitely in the same west coast style of Bigfoot. Huge bittter hops up front. It mellows a little in the middle with some sweeter malts but then finishes with a dry, bitter, grapefruit hoppy aftertaste. I generally prefer a maltier barleywine but really enjoyed this one. Very crisp and refreshig despite being ~10%...

Green Flash Imperial IPA--My second Green Flash in as many days and another very good beer. This is a very hoppy with just a hint of sweet malts for balance. Lots of pine and grapefruit. The finish is again dry and very bitter. If you like less balanced and hoppier double IPAs, definitely give this one try. Crisp and refreshing..

I returned from Fort Collins this evening. I brought back with me a 12 pack of Fat Tire in cans and a 12 pack of Sunshine in cans. I bought cans to make it easier to transport--these seemed to be the only New Belgium products in cans so far. While visiting the grand kids, I also found time to visit the brewery again (bought a bell for my new recumbent bike). My wife and I ate at Austin's Grill where I imbibed in the previously mentioned Skinny Dip. I enjoyed it--I had just driven 8 hours and needed something light to slack my thirst. The neatest thing I saw at the local beer store was a Fort Collins Brewery 12 pack labeled as a "Colorado Lunch Pail". It included two of the chocolate stout that I favor for beer floats.-Next time.

bluebear wrote:Green Flash Barleywine--It'll be a Green Flash week for me as I picked up a barleywine, Imperial IPA, Le Freak (Tripel/IPA)...all new to me. Last night I started a bomber of the barleywine which is definitely in the same west coast style of Bigfoot. Huge bittter hops up front. It mellows a little in the middle with some sweeter malts but then finishes with a dry, bitter, grapefruit hoppy aftertaste. I generally prefer a maltier barleywine but really enjoyed this one. Very crisp and refreshig despite being ~10%...

I have had the West Coast IPA and really liked it. No other Green Flash ales can be found here however. Miles promised to bring some with his move to NC last month but did not. I am calling you out, Miles. Bring some in your shoes/sweatshirts on your next trip back and forth from the left coast or I'll send the Shin Kickers after you.

I've definitely been impressed with Green Flash..I might have to pick up the IPA and also the imperial stout that I've seen around. Not as cheap as Lagnitas but pretty reasonable prices too for bombers compared to Stone, Great Divide, etc..

Stone 13th Anniversary---I've seen this called an imperial red and a strong ale..I'd consider it an super bold Double IPA...Pours dark brown (with mabe a bit of amber)..Huge pine hop taste. Fairly bitter though a little bit of toasted malt underneath. Could be the alcohol heat, but it has a boldness to it that I can't place. I liked it though I wasn't as blown away by it as I thought I would be..might be just a bit too hot. It says on the bottle not to cellar it but seems like it could use some mellowing..

Nice haul tonight.

Odell St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale
Great Divide 15 Wood Aged IIPA (finally)
Lefthand St. Vrain Trippel

Thoughts to follow (although I'll probably only get to the St. Lupulin tonight).

Holy Hops! I just looked on our wine rack and found not one, but TWO bottles of World Wide Stout that our oldest daughter found today while she was cleaning out her room. I forget how old that stuff is as I didn't date my bottles that long ago and DFH does not put years on any of their brews. I'd bet at least 5 years old, but probably more like 7-8 years. Hmm, when should that be consumed? Fall Brunchgate? Trip to Colorado? Decisions, decisions...

devildeac wrote:Holy Hops! I just looked on our wine rack and found not one, but TWO bottles of World Wide Stout that our oldest daughter found today while she was cleaning out her room. I forget how old that stuff is as I didn't date my bottles that long ago and DFH does not put years on any of their brews. I'd bet at least 5 years old, but probably more like 7-8 years. Hmm, when should that be consumed? Fall Brunchgate? Trip to Colorado? Decisions, decisions...

Yes and yes.

Actually, DFH does date their bottles, it's just hard to find. It isn't on the label but, instead, stamped onto the actual bottle in green letters/numbers.

I bet that beer is extremely mellow and drinkable. WWS can be like a strong bourbon when fresh, so I bet it's incredibly smooth and flavorful now.

devildeac wrote:Holy Hops! I just looked on our wine rack and found not one, but TWO bottles of World Wide Stout that our oldest daughter found today while she was cleaning out her room. I forget how old that stuff is as I didn't date my bottles that long ago and DFH does not put years on any of their brews. I'd bet at least 5 years old, but probably more like 7-8 years. Hmm, when should that be consumed? Fall Brunchgate? Trip to Colorado? Decisions, decisions...

What was it doing in her room to begin with :roll: One of her old carolina boy friends "accidentally" hide it years ago?

OZZIE4DUKE wrote:

devildeac wrote:Holy Hops! I just looked on our wine rack and found not one, but TWO bottles of World Wide Stout that our oldest daughter found today while she was cleaning out her room. I forget how old that stuff is as I didn't date my bottles that long ago and DFH does not put years on any of their brews. I'd bet at least 5 years old, but probably more like 7-8 years. Hmm, when should that be consumed? Fall Brunchgate? Trip to Colorado? Decisions, decisions...

What was it doing in her room to begin with :roll: One of her old carolina boy friends "accidentally" hide it years ago?

I bought a case of it whilst at a meeting in DC 5-6-7-8 years ago or so and buried it in her closet and consumed about 2 bottles a year with the intent of making the case last about 5 years. I thought I had finished it but she found the last 2 bottles in the original case in her closet while she was cleaning out a bunch of her junk in the last couple days.

kerlina boyfriends? you don't know my daughter very well... :roll:

rockymtn devil wrote:

devildeac wrote:Holy Hops! I just looked on our wine rack and found not one, but TWO bottles of World Wide Stout that our oldest daughter found today while she was cleaning out her room. I forget how old that stuff is as I didn't date my bottles that long ago and DFH does not put years on any of their brews. I'd bet at least 5 years old, but probably more like 7-8 years. Hmm, when should that be consumed? Fall Brunchgate? Trip to Colorado? Decisions, decisions...

Yes and yes.

Actually, DFH does date their bottles, it's just hard to find. It isn't on the label but, instead, stamped onto the actual bottle in green letters/numbers.

I bet that beer is extremely mellow and drinkable. WWS can be like a strong bourbon when fresh, so I bet it's incredibly smooth and flavorful now.

Done.

I'll share one bottle at a Brunchgate late in the fall and cellar the last one until we get to Denver next winter to ski the Rockies somewhere...

devildeac wrote:Holy Hops! I just looked on our wine rack and found not one, but TWO bottles of World Wide Stout that our oldest daughter found today while she was cleaning out her room. I forget how old that stuff is as I didn't date my bottles that long ago and DFH does not put years on any of their brews. I'd bet at least 5 years old, but probably more like 7-8 years. Hmm, when should that be consumed? Fall Brunchgate? Trip to Colorado? Decisions, decisions...

Can't wait to hear how those taste after 7-8 years of mellowing...Might have to pick up a WWS and lose it for awhile..

Stone Old Crustacean--Ceramic growler--I love barleywines and this is no exception. Pours a thick dark reddish brown. It's very hoppy and bitter like other west coast barleywines but also has strong smoke and chocolate tastes. Almost no sweet malts. A big bold sipper and a bit like drinking whiskey. It's pretty hot with alcohol but this was only an 08 and I imagine it would mellow with age. Perfect beer for sleety day but still nice on a summer night...

bluebear wrote:Great Divide 15--Really enjoyed this beer. Pours a deep amber. Its listed as a double IPA but has a huge caramel malt taste up front. The hops come in next and although the bitterness is there, its fairly subtle. The whole thing is wrapped up in a very noticeable oaky blanket. Very easy drinking. The beer has a lot going on but it all comes together in a smooth way. The beer reminds me a bit of DFH Burton Baton though a bit less sweet. I'm glad a picked up a second though I still have part of the first waiting for tonight..

Finally tried this beer, and this review is spot on. I think the IIPA label is a bit misleading. This is a batch of their Denver Pale Ale (and standard English style Pale Ale) aged in oak. Bluebear is especially right about the sweet maltiness. There is a hint of floral hops on the nose and the normal IPA bite at the front of the taste, but it quickly cedes to a malt sweetness and vanilla, butter, bourbon finish.

This is a beer that I would drink often if it were made more often.

Review from last weekend...

Great Divide Double Wit--I was really looking forward to this beer because Double/Imperial Wits are somewhat of a rarity. Unfortunately, this beer was not as great as I had hoped. It had a nice spicy nose and taste, with dominant black pepper and coriander flavor, but it lacked the grassiness that I like in a wheat beer. Although not directly on point, it reminded me of a winter ale that has been overly spiced (and that Lavabe and I have adequately critiqued over at the DBR) in that it was all spice. Great Divide doesn't make a standard white ale (the only other they make is a dunkel weis) and perhaps that's the problem. How do you make a Double Wit if you haven't perfected a Wit?

Final review of the night.

Odell Brewing Co. (the other Ft. Collins brewery) St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale: Bear with me for a second, but I'm not sure if this beer is meant to be an (Extra Pale) Ale or an (Extra) Pale Ale. My guess is the intent is the former, but the result is the latter. Nonetheless, I LOVED this beer. The nose is straight IPA floral and citrus. Lovely. The flavor is a bit more subtle, with a nice clean, bright and simple hop bite and a lot of fresh grapefruit. It's dry-hopped and you can tell immediately. Ohioguy probably should've brought some of this home from Colorado. Unfortunately they only distribute to eight states, none of which is east of Missouri. This is the most exciting beer I've had in a long time, and it isn't a $12 12oz

bluebear wrote:Stone Old Crustacean--Ceramic growler--I love barleywines and this is no exception. Pours a thick dark reddish brown. It's very hoppy and bitter like other west coast barleywines but also has strong smoke and chocolate tastes. Almost no sweet malts. A big bold sipper and a bit like drinking whiskey. It's pretty hot with alcohol but this was only an 08 and I imagine it would mellow with age. Perfect beer for sleety day but still nice on a summer night...

Stone Old Crustacean? I did not verify it but I thought their barleywine was Old Guardian, or something like that. Rogue makes Old Crustacean. :? I haven't had an Old Crusty for several years-since they started putting it in the highly priced 750 ml bottle .