Ymm, Beer!

[CathyCA]

From earlier episodes, this one 6/15/16:

Solstice-Pisgah Brewing Company

Pisgah (Black Mountain, NC) might be one of the better breweries not many folks know about. Thanks to mattman for this trader! This is the ale fka Tripel. Poured a hazy, orange-yellow with lots of fluffy, Belgian lacing and aromas of bananas, orange and spice and tastes of the same with some clove, light brown sugar and a few grains of black pepper. It's a bit on the sweet side with ABV of 9.5% and I'll estimated IBUs of 20 from small amounts of Euro hops, perhaps from the Saaz, Hallertau, Perle and Tettnanger varieties. Pair with fruity seafood dishes.

Here's a review of Tripel from 3/28/15:

Tripel-Pisgah Brewing Company

Another tip of the pint glass to ricks68 for procuring this as he celebrates in Houston today. This was a capped 750 ml bottle divided over 2 nights earlier this week. Pour was a cloudy straw-yellow color with a frothy, Belgian lace head that had to dissipate a few minutes before I could enjoy. Nose of flowers, light brown sugar and a bit of spice. Tastes were as expected for the style with underripe banana, a bit of clove, a hint of orange and a grain or two of black pepper, once again, all that I'd expect from the name and style. The orange flavor I think comes from some wheat malt and the peppery-ness from the Belgian yeast. Frighteningly pleasant on the palate with estimated IBUs of 10-20 and dangerously drinkable at 9% ABV. I'd like to have a tasting of this with Golden Monkey, Allagash Tripel/Triple and any other US produced Belgian golden ales. I think this would rank favorably.

From last PM:

Solstice-Pisgah Brewing

Ricks68's leftover from Matthewgate. Thanks for allowing me to save/cellar and select as our "appetizer" beer yesterday. Quite the "palate-cleanser" at 9.5% ABV but dangerously sippable at 16.6 IBUs (from their website). 750 ml bottle divided 4-5 ways. I'd drink this again and again.

I had a Pisgah Pale Ale when I was in Asheville in August. I can remember the name of it because the bartender said, "Pisgah pale ale" so quickly that I thought he'd said "Episcopalian." It's one of those word association things. ;)

[devildeac]

Haw River Farmhouse Ales: Newlin's Original Belgian Oatmeal Pale Ale

I had a glass of this ale at Hops Burger Bar restaurant in Greensboro a few weeks ago when we tookJon's 22 year old daughter out for her birthday. This ale was the perfect complement to my angus beef burger and homemade fries.

I ordered this ale because (1) the brewery is in Saxapahaw, NC, where my mom lived as a child; and (2) I once went out with a guy whose last name was Newlin, who also lived in Saxapahaw as a child. So, cheers to Saxapahaw!

This ale had an ABV of 5.2% and an IBU of 48. This was posted on the chalkboard above the bar, and it's also on Haw River Farmhouse Ale's website.

This was a very smooth drink with a fruity taste. "Grapefruit!" I exclaimed as I savored my first sip of this delightfully clear golden pour. And then, it just tasted like a very nice beer.

I would order this one again.

Haw River brews very good beers. Thanks for sharing this. I need to drink some of their products.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Road trip to Kinston shaping up nicely for Saturday.

Silent Night...

[devildeac]

Saffron IPA-Mantra Artisan Ales

Was this really an IPA? Pour was cloudy and orange. Thanks for the warning as I warily decanted the last ounce (not really chunky but looked like oatmeal) into a different glass. Not a pretty sight. Blindfolded, I'd have thought saison as I perceived an herbal potpourri of rosemary, basil, thyme and sage (no grouse). Tastes of the same. IBUs of 55 and ABV was 6%. Strange, puckery finish. I finished mine, except for the slurry part. Didn't think as bad as above but we're 0 for 3 on the Mantra brews and certainly couldn't recommend (except to avoid ) and obviously wouldn't seek out on our next trip to Nashville (area). I'm always interested in trying/trading/searching new brews so I don't chastise the messenger/beer mule here.

[devildeac]

Citrus IPA-Second Self Brewing Company

Second half brew. Bill Self was not harmed in the brewing/drinking of this ale. This was a host/hostess gift from a cousin of my wife who visited a couple weeks ago. Very nice/kind gesture as she brought 3 pairs of Georgia beers, two of which are not distributed to NC according to her beer steward. Thankfully. Pour was cloudy orange. Scents were pine/resin and orange. Tastes were Tropicana OJ and PineSol. Not good. Hops: Columbus, Amarillo, Citra. Adjuncts: lemon, orange and grapefruit peels with piths. Not good. IBUs 50 and ABV 6.2%. I think I traded one of these at the VT tailgate. My apologies to the recipient. Not quite Ycch, Beer, but close.

[lawgrad91]

Citrus IPA-Second Self Brewing Company

Second half brew. Bill Self was not harmed in the brewing/drinking of this ale. This was a host/hostess gift from a cousin of my wife who visited a couple weeks ago. Very nice/kind gesture as she brought 3 pairs of Georgia beers, two of which are not distributed to NC according to her beer steward. Thankfully. Pour was cloudy orange. Scents were pine/resin and orange. Tastes were Tropicana OJ and PineSol. Not good. Hops: Columbus, Amarillo, Citra. Adjuncts: lemon, orange and grapefruit peels with piths. Not good. IBUs 50 and ABV 6.2%. I think I traded one of these at the VT tailgate. My apologies to the recipient. Not quite Ycch, Beer, but close.

[devildeac]

Soulvation-Innovation Brewing

Interesting collaboration between Soul Infusion Tea House and Bistro and Innovation Brewing. I'm splitting the bomber over 2 nights but comparing to another IPA for my second beverage of the evening. It's a combination of pineapple papaya green tea and an IPA. This stuff smells like Tropicana pineapple-mango-OJ. No PineSol! The pour is a cloudy yellow-orange with a small head. Tastes are as expected with a potpourri of citrus and tropical flavors with a mild rindy/zesty finishing bite. IBUs are 60 and ABV is 6.5%, both standard for the style, if a tea-IPA is a "style." Stir fry me some sweet and sour shrimp or chicken with this or grill me a light seafood entree with a mildly spicy, fruited salsa on the side. After the last couple mediocre (or worse) IPAs I've have, this is such a tasty delight.

Many thanks to ricks68 for this selection which I think he said was about $6 for the 22 ounce bottle.

[devildeac]

Single Hop Cascade IPA-Sierra Nevada Brewing

August West was kind enough to include this in a 4 way trader after the VT tailgate from the SN Snowpack 12 pack. More on the other 3 this weekend or next week. Well, maybe I'll skip a review of their Pale Ale . Thanks!


Pour was a light gold-copper with a quickly disappearing head. There are some orange and sourdough bread aromas as a prelude to mild piney, citrusy and light caramel tastes. IBUs a bit low for an IPA at 45 with the ABV at 6.5%. I'd pair this with a mildly spicy/hot curry or a heaping mound of chicken nachos with a few jalapenos.

[devildeac]

PC Pils-Founders Brewing

American hopped pilsner. A leftover from my October beer club 4 pack. This is not yo mama's pilsner.

Pleasantly crisp.

Perfectly clean.

Profoundly crushable.

Pretty cool.

I didn't make up those PCs-they're on the 12 ounce can I drank tonight .

No noble/Euro hops in this one as they took traditional American hops, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial and blended them together to the tune of 45 IBUs (WTH? You can't be serious?!?! In a pilsner?!?!) and (suspected) carapils, two-row and lighter malts/grains to an ABV of 5.5%. Pour was sunshine with a modest head. There's a little piney nose with a bit of grapefruit in the nose with some light brown sugar and citrus on the tongue with a mild hoppy bite at the finish. This would be tasty with some chicken or shrimp kabobs and some 3 bean salad.

If you don't like/drink pilsners for lack of flavor/body, pour a can of this. It might change your mind.

[devildeac]

Roundhouse-Bell's Beer

Tastes like this:



Or this:





Well, it should dummy as it's an India red ale.

What's that?

It's Killians with a ton of juicy, wet, oily hops and some toffee candy and sourdough bread.

Pour from a 12 ounce can from my November beer club 4 pack was red amber with a modest head that lingered for a while. Grapefruit with zest and pineapple appear with some sweetness from lots of caramel malts and smoothed with the added honey (wonder where they thought of that-hmm, Hopslam maybe). Bell's doesn't believe in listing IBUs thinking bitterness is in the eye of/on the tongue of the beholder so I'll estimate 60-70 here and the ABV is listed at 7.5% so almost an imperial India red ale. Pair this with some spicy ribs or chicken nachos. Or, a side-by-side-by-side with Toaster Pastry and G'Knight from Oskar Blues.

[devildeac]

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout-Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company

Those are quite the names for a beer and a brewing/distilling outfit!

Pour was a somewhat thin, dark brown with a modest mocha head. Coffee nose and flavors-a lot of coffee-along with some dark chocolate and a very slight bourbon finish. I'll guess IBUs about 50 and the ABV is 8% so I'm on the fence about this one. The ABV is imperial range but the body/mouthfeel and flavors aren't and it's not labeled an imperial stout. So, final impression is a good regular coffee stout but thin and a tad disappointing if they're thinking imperial and putting "bourbon" in the name.

This was included in a recent Tennessee "trader" from fuse so a "stout" thank you for the delivery of a local/regional product!

[devildeac]

Export Stout-Ponysaurus Brewing

Drink local!

This was a 16 ounce can from my November beer club 4 pack. Poured a nearly black hue with a small tan head. Moderate viscosity but not nearly 10W30. No additives but strong coffee aromas and tastes that accompanied some dark chocolate and burnt toffee. A dry (liquid?) stout along the lines of a Guinness, which would have made a nice side-by-side tasting. I'll guess IBUs of 50 and the ABV is 6.2% on the can with pretty much no additional info from their website. I'd have a Reuben or pastrami sammich on pumpernickel with this. I'd buy some other Ponysaurus brews after tasting this or have a mini pub crawl in Derm sometime as they have an interesting draft list and it's a 1.2 mile walk to Fullsteam .

[devildeac]

Maple Scotch Ale-Sierra Nevada Brewing

Another tip of the pint glass to August West for this trader!

Pour was a clean and clear medium brown, even with its bottle-conditioned nature. Small, quickly disappearing head. Enticing aromas of caramel, faint smoke/peat and herbal hops, followed by tastes of pumpernickel bread, maple, toffee and milk chocolate. A bit more of a bite than expected for the style with IBUs of 43 to accompany the fairly standard ABV of 7.3%. Pair this with almost anything from the grill/smoker, including burgers, brisket or ribs. I'd buy a litter of these if they were available by the 4 pack or 6er. Here's the ingredient list:

YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Aurora
FINISHING HOPS Aurora
MALTS Two-row Pale, Caramel, Munich, Chocolate
OTHER Maple Syrup

[devildeac]

From 11/18/09:

Sierra Nevada Porter-a trader from Brunchgate-pretty standard stuff here, and that is in the good sense. Medium to dark brown pour with a modest head. All the usual tastes with a bit of chocolate and a bit of dark caramel with a bit of roastiness. Mild bitterness. IBU probably 40 and the ABV is 5.6%. You can drink this with BBQ stuff or cook chili/stew with it. Thanks again to August West . Or was it CB&B? It's tough enough remembering the brews sometimes.

From tonight:

Porter-Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

A classic porter that was part of a package of traders (liquids for currency ) from ricks68 before the cheaters game. Thanks!

I don't think much has changed in 7 years. Part of a porter starter session tonight with younger daughter and her husband. All of us gave this a thumbs up. Here are some of the facts:

YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Aurora
FINISHING HOPS Yakima Golding
MALTS Two-row Pale, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Black & Carafa

IBUs were 32 so I was only off by 8 in my guessing 7 years ago.

[devildeac]

Sue-Yazoo Brewing Company

A bomber (divided 3 ways tonight) from fuse's recent beer hunting expedition in Nashville. Thanks!

Pour was a dark, dark brown with a small head. It's an imperial smoked porter that measured up to its name and reputation (from our older son-in-law's father). Smoky nose and smoky tastes to accompany some dark caramel, chocolate and coffee notes. Almost like liquid brisket/ribs without the bones or fat! Assertive hopping with Galena and Perle varieties result in a rather high IBU measurement of 93 which is very nicely balanced with a regal ABV of 9%. Surprisingly, our daughter, who a dark beer fan, was turned off by the smokiness of the brew, but, our younger son-in-law, not a dark beer fan or lover of many things of high IBU, really found this to be quite the palate pleaser. I also greatly enjoyed the brew and would sip another if/when the opportunity presented itself again.

[devildeac]

Kentucky Old Fashioned Barrel Ale-Alltech's Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company

I'm not sure I've ever had an Old Fashioned cocktail either, but, after reading various recipes while sharing this 12 ounce ale last PM, I've got to think that Alltech nailed it quite nicely, as did fuse with his review above . I'll guess the IBUs around 30, ASSuming the base beverage is an amber ale. The ABV is 10% and we all thought it was boozy from the bourbon barrel aging and the alcohol content. But still, very crushable, to borrow/steal a phrase .

I'm trying to talk younger daughter into making rounds with me late AM today and then treating her to a Which Wich and sharing a half pint (coincidentally, of Wicked Weed's version of a beer Old Fashioned, cough, cough) or two at Bottle Revolution with her whilst we nibble on our 'wiches.

[devildeac]

Here ya go:

Chocolate Lobster (draft)-Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

The beer fka Choc Lobster, no relation to Rock Lobster .

On a whim, because it was there, I got a 2 ounce sample before sharing half pints of WW Old Fashiohed and Stillwater's On Fleek.

Pour was a medium to dark brown with a little head. Nose of milk chocolate and tastes of the same with a bit of garden/herbal spicing. I perceived no shellfish/seawater/Old Bay tastes to this, even after reading about its origin/making. IBUs of 40 and ABV was 5.6%. I guess this would be good with a seafood gumbo, some chocolate covered scallops/shrimp or a flounder/lump crab cheesecake with an oreo crust (testing to see if anybody actually reads some of my drivel).

[devildeac]

On Fleek (draft)-Stillwater Artisanal and Casita Cerveceria

Don't ask me, I just sample the stuff.

This was a half pint pour shared with our younger daughter along with a Wicked Weed Old Fashioned as we nibbled on a couple Which Wiches this afternoon. Appearance was onyx with a thin, mocha head. Aromas of dark, dark chocolate, burnt toffee and dark roast coffee. Mouthfeel was 30W, almost chewy. What a coating left on my cup and tongue! Tastes of dark chocolate fudge, swirled with molasses and dark caramel with a few coffee beans scattered throughout. I'll guess IBUs of 40-50 and it was boozy at 13% ABV without any liquor barrel aging. Nightcap beverage or sip with a chocolate/caramel dessert. Hell, pour a couple ounces of it over some vanilla ice cream instead of your favorite ice cream syrup.

[devildeac]

Cranberry Pumpkinfest-Terrapin Beer Company

Just enough cranberry juice added to balance the melange of pumpkin pie spices and flavors. Poured a reddish-orangish-amberish hue with a small head. The 12 ounce can I received from my wife's Atlanta cousin was distributed equally among 3 tasters tonight during leftoverfest at the dd household tonight. Aromas were the expected spices and the tartness on the tongue from the berries was a pleasant complement to the other adjuncts. IBUs at 20 with the ABV at 5.5%. Certainly worth a can to try or a small litter to share the love with friends and family.

[devildeac]

Old Fashioned (draft)-Wicked Weed

The "other" half pint shared with younger daughter this afternoon with our sammiches.

Pour was a dark brown, certainly lighter than the On Fleek, with little head. Quite the bourbon nose followed by a cherry cola taste with a twist of orange and a generous amount of bourbon in the middle and at the finish. A different interpretation/rendition of the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. The base was somewhere between a brown ale and a porter without the nuttiness of a brown ale or the chocolatey and/or coffee flavors of a porter. I'll guess IBUs of about 30 and the ABV was on the Bottle Revolution electronic draft board at 10%. If fuse hadn't tasted and reviewed it, I might never have tried it either so another +1 for Ymm, Beer. If given a choice, I'd also choose this over the Alltech version, but, they're pretty different ales and I wouldn't hesitate trying a side-by-side or ordering either one again.