Ymm, Beer!

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Black Chocolate Stout (winter 2011-12)-Brooklyn Brewing Company (Utica, NY )

Clearing out inventory .

Appearance: darn near black, wispy head
Nose: Dark chocolate, a little coffee, molasses and soy (uh-oh)
Tastes: the same as the aromas with a hint of licorice
IBU: Prolly about 60
ABV: 10%

Other impressions: They're not spoiled/turned (They as in "I'm having a vertical tonight and tomorrow of the '11/'12/'13, shortly before I become horizontal" .) but the soy-ness of imperial stouts is becoming more understandable. I still like this RIS and have for probably 20 years as it was the first brew I sampled at a very early World Beer Festival at the Omni (?) Hotel in Derm and really, really liked it. Times and tastes change and there are an incredible amount of imperial stouts on the market now with so many iterations that it's tough to keep returning to this one, even at about $8 for a 4 pack. They're now marketed in 6ers for about $15 and I got a winter 2016-17 in my January beer club 4 pack and will probably taste that by itself on Thursday night.

Black Chocolate Stout (winter 2012-13)-Brooklyn Brewing Company (Utica, NY-WTH?)

I'm not sure I can tell much difference between this and the '11-'12 version. Perhaps a bit smoother but basically the same RIS flavors. There are no additive to this and apparently never have been. I may use one of the '12/'13 I have left for beer floats later this month or in March.

Black Chocolate Stout (winter 2013-14)-Guess who brewed this?

More of the same. I'm not sure I could tell the "older" from the "younger" in a blind tasting, despite my highly sophisticated palate . Thinking back, these were still decent drops at $2/bottle several years ago.

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From 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 tonight:

Tripel (2014? 2015?)-Pisgah Brewing

The big label says Tripel. The partially-removed price label/bar code says Cosmos, which is incorrect as a bit of research teaches me that is a Baltic porter style brew. The 2016 review says Solstice. Who the hell knows how long this has been hidden in the ricks68 beer fridge? Nonetheless, as most high ABV Belgian (style) ales, I'm guessing this is bottle-conditioned and should be quaffable for 1-5 years or even more from its bottling date. Pretty similar nose and appearance to the 2 reviews above. There's a bit more black pepper/spiciness but not so much as to be unpleasant. I shared about 180-240 ml with our younger daughter who visited tonight so I'm sipping one for the team and finishing the remainder of the 750 ml bottle over about an hour or so and there's still an amazing amount of Belgian lacing and head coating my Ommegang tulip and topping my remaining few ml. Well worth the drop of about $10 for the bottle to which ricks68 was kind enough not to add (re)sales tax or a storage/cellaring fee .

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Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA-New Belgium Brewing Company

CameronBornAndBred inspired me to look for this with some recent texting and Total Wine tempted me to buy a 6er with by buck off coupon yesterday so I'm out $8. A very nice drop. Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass and appeared golden-yellow with a generous, foamy head. Enticing aromas of citrus and tropical fruits with a bit of pine. Mango, peach and grapefruit tastes with a bit of honey and a hint of resin. Pretty evenly balanced at 70 IBUs and 9% ABV. Serve with some mildly spicy Asian food or some grilled tuna or salmon with a fruited/peppery salsa. I'll save a couple more for myself and trade/gift the other 3 from the litter.

[devildeac]

From 4/23/14:

Chillwave Double IPA-Great Lakes Brewing

May not be the best beer I've ever had like one of fuse's friends claims but this is an excellent DIPA. I'd love to taste test this with DFH 90 Minute and Lake Erie Monster. Poured a golden-straw color with a modest head and upfront aromas of fresh grapefruit and honey and tastes to match. Three hops and three malts, both in massive quantities, as the IBUs are 80 and the ABV is 9.4%. There's a bit of mango and papaya both on the olfactory and gustatory scales which makes for a very well balanced brew. Serve with spicy fare as this brew will stand up to about anything, or, sip for a nightcap by itself or with some hard, aged cheeses. If I see a 4 pack, I'd buy it, or gladly accept one or two from my son next month if he doesn't drink his extras up before we see him again.

Read all about it here:

https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/up...eet%202014.pdf

From 2/20/17:

Well, finally found a 4 pack of this again at Total Wine for about $11 with my buck off coupon on Sunday. Tropical and citrus juice aromas and lots of sweet grapefruit, orange and tropical tastes to tickle the tongue. ABV down a bit at 9% and IBUs the same. Delicious IIPA.

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Magella (draft)-Parkway Brewing Company


Medium to dark brown draft of a Belgian-style dark, strong ale without a head into a 13 ounce snifter for $5. IBUs at 48 (I'd have guessed 20) with the ABV at 11.1%. That's a nice price/bargain. Banana, clove, dark brown sugar aromas with dried, dark fruity and rummy tastes. I was driving or else I'd have likely started with a For Lovers Only RIS at 9.5% ABV and finished with the Magella. I did however pick up a 6er of Get Bent (I'm looking at you, mattman ) and 2 bombers of Fortification, a whiskey barrel aged barleywine (I'm looking at fuse now )

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New beer night-Charleston, WVA:

Fine N Dandy (draft)-Blacksheep Burrito and Brew (aka Bad Shepherd Brewing)

Last year, Charleston Brewing Company sold out to Blacksheep and the companies were separated as above.

The first 5 ounce sample was a Belgian-style blonde ale. Pour was a light amber with a small head and some light, bready aromas and a bit of honey on the palate with some toasted grains and a hint of spiciness. IBUs were 20 and ABV was 5.3%. Not a bad pairing with the first of 3 tacos (beef, chicken and pulled pork) from my plate. Not my favorite of the sampler but not a bad beer.

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The Guard Llama (draft)-Blacksheep Burrito and Brews

Pour was a slightly cloudy, light gold with a small head. Scents typical of the hefeweizen style with banana and clove and hints of watermelon on the palate from the addition of El Dorado hops, making this kind of a wheat/IPA hybrid. No IBUs listed so I'll guess 20 and the ABV was on the menu at 5.1%. A good pairing with the tacos plate.

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Saison (draft)-Blacksheep Burrito and Brews

A very pleasant light amber pour with a small head. Some hints of apples and pears initially, followed by some black pepper notes from aging on black peppercorns. German Tettnanger hops give a bit more spice to the tastes and made it a nice match with the moderately spicy chicken taco. IBUs were 25 and ABV was 6.5%.

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The LOUD! (draft)-Blacksheep Burritos and Brews

A highly-hopped IPA that finished the sampler. No IBUs listed but I'll guess 70 to accompany and balance the 6.8% ABV and make a very nice beverage with the pulled pork and slaw taco. Orange-yellow color, mild foamy head and nose of wet grains/flowers (aka dank) and varied tastes of grapefruit, orange and mango with a bit of zest and resin. American and British 2-row barley accompany Summit, Apollo, CTZ, Cascade, Mosaic and Simcoe hops.

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Ovis Aries (small draft sample)-Blacksheep Burrito and Brews

Our waiter was more than happy to provide about a 2 ounce taster of this for "dessert" which we weren't having anyway and because I was driving and wanted no part of 8 ounces of this 11.8% ABV Belgian-style quad ale . Pour was a medium brown. Smelled and tasted like table syrup, but a bit thin. There were a lot of raisins, dates and figs in the tasting along with some pretty boozy, dark rummy flavors, too. I'll guess 20 IBUs here. This would have been fine to sip throughout the meal or with a slice of German chocolate cake or pecan pie. Overall, I liked the Magella from Parkway better last night as it was a bit more viscous, had a tad more flavor and was a shade less boozy to me.

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Get Bent-Parkway Brewing Company

Light gold pour from a 12 ounce bottle. Thin head with tropical fruit aromas and tastes, accompanying a bit of oiliness, a drop of honey and pineapple. Labeled as a light-bodied West Coast IPA, this is an apt description as the bitterness (guessing IBUs of 60) doesn't assault your taste buds and the ABV of 7.2% might be a shade thin for the style but still in the ballpark. I could see some sesame or General Tso's chicken with this. I got a 6er and promised three of them to mattman (he really did say he wanted to Get Bent if I found some cans or bottles ), so there'll be one for our son tomorrow and might include the last one in a trading package with fuse next weekend.

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Bodhi (draft)-Columbus Brewing Company

Limited availability IIPA with apparent ticketed bottle sales only at the brewery. Our son and I shared pints of this and Head Hunter, the best IPA in Ohio from Tripping William's link above. Interesting that he liked the Bodhi better and I preferred the Head Hunter, but not by much.

There was a bit of a chill haze to the gold-yellow pint of ale with a small, meringue-like head. Pungent tropical fruits up front, followed by mango, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit and a drop of pine on the palate. Somewhat surprisingly, really well-balanced with IBUs of 90 (can't remember where I read this but their website is a bit difficult to negotiate), with ABV at 8%. Very nice pairing with some Cajun chicken, dirty rice with sausage and bacon and a side of fire-roasted corn at Winking Lizard Tavern. If I find a 4 pack of this over the weekend, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

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Head Hunter (draft)-Fat Head's Brewery

From Tripping William's link above to the best IPA by state in the USA. This was the winner in Ohio.

Pour was a light gold in a pint glass. Modest, fluffy head with citrusy aromas and piney, Juicyfruit tastes of grapefruit, orange, peach and mango with a bit of honey. It's toeing the line of IPA/IIPA with IBUs of 87 and ABV of 7.5%. Paired very well with a plate of Cajun chicken, dirty rice with sausage and bacon and a side of fire-roasted corn. I'd definitely buy a 4 pack of these for sipping, sharing and trading. Here's the ingredients:

HOPS: Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial
MALT: Pale, CaraMalt, C-15, Cara-Pils

It won some awards, too:

SILVER AWARD 2012 • 2014
WORLD BEER CUP® AMERICAN-STYLE IPA
SILVER MEDAL 2010 • BRONZE MEDAL 2011
GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL®
AMERICAN STYLE IPA

Quite the IPA/IIPA night with dinner.

[devildeac]

From March 1, 2014:

Sexual Chocolate (draft)-Foothills Brewing

Annual review here. Still love this beer. I wouldn't drive to Winston-Salem to stand in line for 10-12 hours to buy it at $15/bomber, but it made a marvelous beverage to pair with the Cuban sandwich and Moravian Slaw on a Sunday afternoon a couple weeks ago at the brewery with my wife, son and his wife. Poured an almost pitch black with a small head and served a bit too cold but they gotta keep if fresh. Much richer and more flavorful as it warmed over our 60 minute meal, so it was an appetizer, main course and dessert. Nose of dark, unsweetened chocolate with tastes to match, along with a splash of whiskey (not a barrel aged brew). Large quantities of heavily roasted dark malts impart a mild bitterness but the ABV wins here at about 10% with an estimated IBU rating of 50-60. This was a 10-12 ounce draft for $5 and it will have to keep me satisfied until early February, 2015.

Guess what? It's February, 2015.

Today's tasting was a 10 ounce draft at the brewpub for $6. I'm pretty sure if I purchased a mini-growler, I could finish it in 60-120 minutes and wake up on the floor the next AM. Pretty similar thoughts this year except, when allowed to warm to near room temperature, some black strap molasses and a few drops of espresso and a bit of dark, dried fruits came through. My hop detector last year was miscalibrated and the IBUs are indeed 85 as devil84 stated above. It drinks nowhere near this bitter as the ABV of 9.75% totally balanced the hop load. If I hear of any verticals this year, with or without barrel-aging, I might have to make the journey for that tasting.

From last PM:

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing Company

Many thanks to Tripping William for securing 2 bombers of this recently, one of which made it to Ohio and was shared with our son last night.

Pour was slightly chilled and (almost) equally divided between 2 snifters. Nearly black appearance with a creamy, mocha head. Nose of dark chocolate (added) and heavily roasted grains. Very smooth mouthfeel with tastes of dark toffee and caramel, unsweetened chocolate, dark fruits and a splash of espresso. IBUs listed on the bottle at 75 and the ABV is 9.6%. Dessert beer. One bottle remains for next winter, at which time I'll likely have a vertical with the 2010 and 2013 versions, also credited to Tripping William.

[devildeac]

Java the Stout-Jackie O's Pub and Brewery

A two by four coffee whack up side yo' head. Poured from a 12 ounce can into two snifters and shared with our son tonight. Almost black color with a cup of joe nose and heavy coffee presence from start to finish. There's some baker's cocoa and a bit of molasses on the palate, too. There are no IBUs listed on the can or website but I'l guess 50 and the ABV is 6.5% so a bit on the high end for a regular stout. Recommended as "better in the can than from the tap" from one of the beer guys after several years of sampling he said. Website does state "contains approximately a half a cup of coffee caffeine per pint," so I'm hoping I get some sleep tonight after the 50 point showing at Miami this afternoon . Better find another/different canned brew to share before lights out tonight .

(note to fuse: there are 5 of these left, so...)

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Rubus Cacao-Madtree Brewing Company

Dark chocolate covered raspberry jelly candy.

Finally got my Christmas presents from our son and this 6er was one of them. Poured slightly chilled from a 12 ounce can into a snifter. Dark, dark brown hue with ruby edges. Moderate tan head. Cocoa and darkly roasted grains on the nose with dark chocolate and raspberry jam tastes, finishing with a bit of espresso. IBUs surprisingly low for a stout at 12 and the ABV a bit potent at 7%. Another dessert beer. Five of these remain...

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Mystic Mama-Jackie O's Pub and Brewery

Another IPA that sits on the IPA/IIPA fence at 7% ABV and 80 IBUs. Poured from a 12 ounce can tonight into a pint glass. Appearance was gold-yellow with a generous meringue-like head. Moderate amount of pine/resin on the nose then a lot of tropical rind-y/zest-y flavors of grapefruit and tangerine from its 5 hop list with most of the flavors/aromas coming from the Citra and Simcoe varieties. There's also a fair amount of pine/resin. It'd pair well with come curry or a medium-hot Thai/Chinese entree. This was a remnant of a 6er I traded with our son over the weekend after he had consumed a couple so there are now 3 left and I think a couple will be included in a trader with fuse in a meet-up sometime soon.

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Wolf's Ridge Brewing

Well, maybe it's really Pi .

A late Christmas bomber present from our son from our Ohio weekend so I divided this imperial pumpkin ale (Pi, pie ) over a couple nights. Pour was a dark amber with a thin, wispy head. Just about every imaginable Thanksgiving/Christmas gourd spice you can imagine up front. I think what brings this near the top of my pumpkin beer list is the combination they use: cinnamon, ginger root, nutmeg and vanilla along with Ancho chile peppers and finished off with pecan wood (all ingredients listed are "borrowed" from the label on the bottle )). They also used roasted and smoked pumpkins from a local farm. There's got to be a pinch of brown sugar in the brew, too, unless it's the 9.5% ABV lending a bit of syrup-y-ness to the mouthfeel. I'll guess about 20 IBUs. The peppers impart a very slight heat at the finish and it's not unpleasant at all. I'd serve this during and/or after a Thanksgiving and/or Christmas feast. Mama raised the boy right!

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Spiced Imperial Dark Ale-New Belgium Brewing Company and Brasserie d'Orval

This is too complicated to explain so I'll copy/paste:

"Va D'Or, the valley of gold. It's in this pastoral corner of Belgium that elegant stone buttresses and sun-kissed statues mark Orval Abbey, producers of one of the finest golden beers in the world, Orval. Valley of gold, indeed. For our final Lips of Faith collaboration this year, we teamed up with Orval brewmaster Anne-Françoise Pypaert to craft a counterpart to the classic golden ale: Spiced Imperial Dark Ale."

Yet another entry from their ever-growing Lips of Faith series, this dark amber ale is a rather unique concoction starting with a strong ale to which herbal hops, grains of paradise and spruce tips are added and then aged on white oak spirals, making a rather complex cornucopia of aromas and flavors. Up top, I smell toasted wood, cloves and cardamom. Tastes include vanilla, sherry, black pepper, chocolate, dark caramel, sour cherries and some resin. Flavors intensify as my 12 ounce serving warms a bit over 30 minutes. IBUs are 30 and the ABV is a very warming 9.5%. I think this would be nice with a beef brisket, peppered ribeye or blackened salmon. I could also imagine this with a small chunk of sea salt caramel fudge. I'll likely trade 1-2 of this 4 pack that cost me about $10 last week with my buck off Total Wine coupon. I'll let the last one or two age for 6-12 months and re-visit.

[devildeac]

From 12/25/16:

Victory at Sea-Ballast Point Brewing Company

Part 1-The original

This is their base recipe and it's an imperial porter infused with vanilla and Caffe Calabria coffee beans and they used a lot of coffee. Strong espresso aromas immediately upon decanting our 3 (fairly) equal shares from a single snatched from a 6er that set me back $14 after a buck off coupon at Total Wine yesterday. Heavily roasted grains, milk chocolate, alcohol and more espresso bathed my palate and the finish was vanilla extract. Served a bit too chilled but I have 5 leftovers to gift/trade. IBUs are 60 and ABV is 10%. We had no snacks/treats/food pairings though some cream and sugar would have been nice (). The usual chocolate/caramel suspects would have been tasty with this.

Worth re-visiting with 6 ounces tonight and the remainder tomorrow:

Victory at Sea-Ballast Point Brewing Company

Tripping William (not Total Wine) is correct-this imperial porter brewed with (a ton of) coffee and vanilla is dangerously drinkable. There's still a lot of coffee here and even less vanilla at the finish. I might pour an ounce or two over a bowl of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream tomorrow night.