Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

From 1/27/17:

From 8/13/16

This week in beer:


Farking Wheaton w00tstout (draft)-Stone Brewing

The story-sort of:

http://www.stonebrewing.com/beer/sto...#ageGatePassed

The beer:


Style: flavored, bourbon barrel-aged Russian imperial stout
Appearance: almost pitch black
Pour: 10W30
Aroma: dark chocolate, dark caramel, espresso
Mouthfeel: 10W30-this stuff is viscous
Tastes: mirrored aromas with some licorice, black strap molasses and a bit of whiskey
IBU: 65
ABV: 13% (no typo)
Cost: $6 for a full pint-most places won't pour a full pint of this heavyweight

Idle chatter: After reading the description, I thought I might find nuances of orange flavors (from the wheat), a bit of nuttiness (D'oh!) from the pecans, some mustiness from the rye and a lot more bourbon. No disappointments, just the flavors didn't really match the labeling/my expectations, but I still found this to be an excellent sipper, especially the more it warmed during the 30-45 minutes I eventually decided not to buy any products from Crafty Beer Shop.

There are a couple $10 bombers waiting to be delivered by ricks68 on one of his football journeys and I've got one I purchased that is cellaring now so it'll be interesting to taste the bottle versions after several (many?) months of aging.

Tip of the snifter to ricks68 for notifying me of this beer's release last month and buying the couple mentioned above.

From Wednesday and Thursday nights:

Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout (bomber dated 7/2/16)-Stone Brewing

Chilled briefly from our 60 degree garage temperature and poured into a Founder's tulip and allowed to reach near room temperature over 30-45 minutes each night. Different from the draft but only subtly so with a little nutty flavor, no musty rye presence and pleasant warming, boozy and whiskey notes to accompany the strong semi-sweet chocolate, dark caramel and espresso flavors. I think this was my bottle from last summer and ricks68 delivered 2 more this week so I'll age one for another 6-12 months and make the other available to fuse this weekend or next.

From last PM:

Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout (bomber dated 7/2/16)-Stone Brewing

Bomber. Shared among three tasters, again and almost equally. Our daughter sips slowly .

I thought there was a bit of mustiness, minimal nuttiness and more booziness (ABV was 13%) but not really bourbon-y in the aromas and tastes after another nine months of "cellaring." Reminder: it's an imperial stout brewed with pecans, wheat, rye with 1/4 of it aged in bourbon barrels. This dark, dark beer paired well with the NCSU black uniforms during their big win over the cheatin' Cardinals from the Shoe-niversity of Loovill.

I'm not sure whether the shout out for this bottle goes to ricks68 for his delivery early this year or to me for finding it (after he alerted me it was being released) at Bottle Revolution, so, I'll applaud for both of us.

[devildeac]

Big Briar-Highland Brewing Company

A tart raspberry ale that accompanied Gaelic ale (reviewed 2013 and earlier this year and found in most water sources in Asheville ), Black Mocha Stout and a new session IPA, Daycation, that I'm sipping right now from their current sampler 12 pack for sipping, sharing and trading. .

Big Briar was likened to the raspberry lemonade at Olive Garden by our younger son-in-law and to the Simply Lemonade version of the blend by yours truly. Mildly fruity nose followed by tastes of berries and lemons from the El Dorado hops. Slightly sweet and mildly tart. IBUs of 15 and ABV of 5.4% so this would be nice with a sweet and sour entree or a slice of cheesecake, topped with your favorite berries.

Ingredients:
Hops-El Dorado®
Grist-2 Row Brewers Malt, White Wheat, Caramel 20 & Sauermaltz

[devildeac]

Daycation-Highland Brewing Company

A session IPA that competes pretty nicely with Founders All Day IPA.

Part of a sampler pack, this 12 ounce bottle poured a lemon-yellow color with a modest head. Attractive aromas of grapefruit juice lite and flavors of peach, mango, lemon and a bit more grapefruit with mild rind-y bitterness. IBUs roll in at 40 and ABV of 4.9%. I'd pair with dishes with a hint of heat or with summer/fall/tailgate sammiches.

[devildeac]

Happy 10th Anniversary to Ymm, Beer!

Barrel-Aged Bigfoot (2015 Expedition)-Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

(well, OY, anyway as I think we have about 18 months to go here before we can celebrate CB&B starting Ymm, Beer 2.0 )

I pretty much abandoned barleywine style ales a couple years ago, tiring of the assault on my palate from the over-the-top IBU attack of piney, resin-y hops, far over-powering the gargantuan grain bills needed to attain those high gravity ABV. This one, a ~$20 large format bottle (750 ml) delivered by ricks68, likely over a year ago, has swayed me back to the fold.

Pour was a clear, dark amber with waves of dark fruits wafting from the small snifter from underneath a thin, light tan head. First tastes were burnt sugar and caramelized raisins, dates and figs. These were followed by coconut, wood, vanilla and bourbon, lots and lots of bourbon. There were hints of resin and pine but only minor ones. A bit of smoke and leather finished the bouquet of flavors. This was pretty warming with the ABV of 11.9%, especially with the whiskey-ish nature of this beast. I'll guess the IBUs at 90, like the regular Bigfoot, but oh-so-much smoother. Pairing? Maybe a sliver of turtle cheesecake? I'd much rather an eight ounce portion in a tulip or snifter and sharing a bottle with family and/or friends. We still have half a bottle remaining from last PM, so we'll finish tonight and will likely have another special ale to conclude the evening and another tribute to the 10 years of this thread and at least 10 more as Tripping William suggested.

Cheers!

[devildeac]

Fortification (2016)-Parkway Brewing Company

Late entry, barely making it in under the wire for the 10th anniversary of Ymm, Beer.

If this thread didn't exist, I'd have never visited this brewery, sampled a beer there or bought this bomber for cellaring and sipping/sharing tonight, so a loud shout-out to Tripping William for his notation of this brewery in Salem, VA.

Pour was a clear amber with a small head. Aromas of burnt sugar and caramelized dark fruits. Tastes were toasted coconut, vanilla, wood and booze and lots of it. There were also dark fruits, dark caramel and more bourbon. IBUs? Unknown but I'd guess 60. ABV on the bomber was 12.5%. We shared this three ways tonight. Fortunately. Forget pairings. I'd serve this in a snifter and divide the 22 ounces among three or four people and make it a nightcap or dessert.

Looking forward to another 10 years. Or more.

[devildeac]

Summer Basil-Fullsteam Brewing

QFE (a review by fuse OY) because this is a marvelous review and inspired me to order a draft pint tonight which I sipped with various apps but it made a superb pairing with some seared scallops, a creamed corn and leek "succotash" and grilled peaches. What could I possible add? Well, I'll guess the IBUs are about 10 (it was labeled as a farmhouse ale on the restaurant menu) and I thought there were faint notes of apples and pears. Quite a wonderful summer/early fall light-bodied ale that was loaded with flavors.

[devildeac]

Stone IPA-Stone Brewing

From the "painted" label: "The IPA That Launched Generations of Hop Fanatics"

I know I've tasted this but couldn't find a review anywhere so it may well be >10 years since my last sipping of this classic IPA.

And, a tip of the pint glass to Bob Green who delivered this to tailgate yesterday, trading one and sharing another with the tasters. Thanks!

Pour was a straw-yellow with a moderate, foamy head. Pretty pleasant combination of aromas, including citrus, tropical and piney scents. Tastes a bit more specific with grapefruit, mango, stone fruits (did I really type that?) and some resins, blending with some caramel and lightly toasted grains for a smooth but still only mildly bitter finish. IBUs stated at 71 and ABV of 6.9% so a nice "wake-up" ale.

[devildeac]

From 1/20/17:

Wig Splitter-3 Floyds Brewing

Needs more cream and sugar.

I'm surprised it took me this long to sample this oatmeal coffee stout after fuse labeled it "best of show" from his Naughty or Nice party last month but there are a lot of brews in my storage area . Pour from a bomber, divided over 2 nights, was a moderately thick, dark brown with a small, mocha head. Strong aromas of cold press, dark roast coffee greeted me from my pint glass each evening and they were followed by rich, strong espresso tastes and some semi-sweet chocolate. Coffee + heavily roasted malts of a stout= moderate bitterness, balanced by the soothing, silky mouthfeel from the oatmeal. I'll guess 50 IBUs here and the ABV is 7.7% so this is sitting on the edge of an imperial stout. After dinner drink/dessert style beer, perhaps accompanied by a couple chocolate chunk cookies or double chocolate brownie. Still wondering what mattman thought of this...

From yesterday:

Wig Splitter- Three Floyds Brewing

Worth repeating.

Thanks to devildeac for his contribution here ( ). A bomber shared four ways.

Pretty similar to my thoughts almost nine months ago. Made a wonderful pairing with apple strudel, a gooey pecan sticky roll, a sausage and vegetable quiche and some roasted potatoes, peppers and onions from our delightful and lovely chefs yesterday AM ;) .

[devildeac]

From 12/19/15:

Milk and Cookies (draft)-Wicked Weed Brewing

Yesterday after work I had a 16 ounce serving of liquid oatmeal raisin chocolate chocolate chip cookies, no nuts. Bottle Revolution sold out of 10 cases of this in a couple days earlier this week. I can see/taste why. Pour was almost black with a small, tan, creamy head. Imagine the smell in the kitchen after Mom and/or Grandma finished baking this type of cookie and you've got the aromas and tastes to match. There are subtle spice hints of cinnamon and vanilla along with dark, dried fruit flavors, too. Or, imagine eating the cookies and washing them down with a dark chocolate malted. Technically, it's an imperial milk stout and I'll guess about 40 IBUs and the ABV is 8.5%, so if you left a 500 ml bottle for your favorite North Pole delivery fellow, it'd best come with a "Do Not Open Until After Christmas" warning, or, Rudolph will be guiding the sleigh home as Santa will be too Blitzen-ed to pilot the ship.

From yesterday AM:

Milk and Cookies (bottle dated 11/14/15)-InBev (fka Wicked Weed Brewing )

Many, many thanks to August West for climbing over heaps of bottles, cans and other cellar and beer fridge contents and bringing this to tailgate yesterday AM.

He was quick to point out that he purchased his 500 ml bottle well before the buy-out date occurred so he's forgiven ;) .

I think the fresh draft was better but the almost two year old bottled version was pretty damned good, too. I can't add anything to my review above so you'll just have to re-read it and savor from afar.

[devildeac]

From 5/20/15:

Bourbon County Stout (2015)-Goose Island Brewing

I actually bought this 500 ml bottle myself in November, 2015, even though GI had sold out to AB about 4 years earlier . A local store had a beer lottery and Mrs. dd, our younger daughter and I each had tickets but only their names were called so I got 2 bottles, one of which went to fuse as a return favor for his 2013 purchase. I think this was $16 for the 16.9 ounce bottle but included a gorgeous Goose Island snifter.

Pour was a bit thinner than the 2013 and had the same basic brief wisp of a head. Very similar nose but a bit thinner on the palate and a tad less smooth but still somewhat viscous and slightly more "rough." Same tastes of dark/unsweetened chocolate, charred wood, some vanilla, burnt caramel and dried fruits, along with a warming, booze-y finish. I'll guess the same IBU range with the ABV a bit lower at "only" 14.3% . Our 4 ounce portions were sipped slowly so I have about 8 ounces remaining for personal consumption this evening. Made a nice pairing with a slice of homemade lemon-vanilla pound cake (not low fat/calorie).

Little if any BCS made it to NC for 2016 as they apparently had to dump a bunch due to contamination, much as DFH did several years ago with about $250K worth of 120 Minute IPA.

Truly a sipping, celebration beverage.[/quote]

From yesterday AM at tailgate:

Bourbon County Stout (11/4/15 stamped on bottle label)-InBev (fka Goose Island Brewing)

Sincere and deep appreciation to August West again for sharing this 500 ml bottle among the four tasters.

Thick, black pour with minimal head. Dark chocolate and booze are the first olfactory perceptions, followed by almost chewy, dark caramel, more chocolate, wood, vanilla and more bourbon. I'll guess 40-50 IBUs. The ABV on the label was 13.8%, IIRC, so I have no clue where the idiot above got that 14.3% ABV. This made two of us liken this to some dark chocolate, fudge espresso cups one of our chefs occasionally prepares for a cool, fall tailgate. Yes, this beer and his dessert are that good. I'd even pair them or, of course, sip the Bourbon County Stout as a truly decadent liquid/beer dessert.

[devildeac]

From last last PM:

Aunt Sally-Lagunitas (cough, Heineken, cough) Brewing

Thanks to CameronBornAndBred for gifting this yesterday! It won't be a gift after the Pitt game when I return the favor with one of my recent purchases .

Here's the Lagunitas description:

"We soured the wort on the Hot Side with Lactobacillus for a few days and then brewed up this smooth and hoppy sour. It tastes like a big bowl of fruity candy or some chewable flavored vitamins, but what's the difference? It's sweet, tart, and sassy, just like the tasty cherry pie that your favorite aunt makes. For all the Aunt Sally's out there, You know who you are..."

Here's what I thought/tasted:

Pour was a pale straw color with saison-like aromas of pears, apples and some funk. Head was small, short-lived and fizzy. Tastes were somewhat like mentioned above but I thought most of the fruity candy was Warheads and Sour Patch Kids with apples, oranges, pears, grapefruit and, for a bit of sweetness, some pineapple. I didn't get any cherry flavors. IBUs are 33 and the ABV was 5.7%. Pairing? Maybe some sweet and sour shrimp or chicken. I really enjoyed tasting this and wouldn't hesitate savoring another 12 ounces.

[devildeac]

Pacific Wonderland Lager-Deschutes Brewery

They're here!

This was a 12 ounce bottle from my Deschutes 12 pack purchased Friday to trade and share at tailgate. There are four styles, including two old standards and two new brewings.

Pour was a yellow-straw with a modest, foamy head. Floral nose with hints of citrus. Wait, a citrus-y lager? Yep, and the flavors were more citrus than floral, specifically, oranges and tangerines and you'll understand why from the ingredients I'll list at the end. There is a moderate floral bite, more than expected from a lager as the IBUs are 40 and the ABV is 5.5%. A very pleasant late summer/early fall pilsner that'd pair nicely with BLT or roasted turkey and cheddar or american cheese sammiches.

[devildeac]

Hop Hash Easy IPA-Sweetwater Brewing Company

Quite the tasty surprise trader from August West's sampler 12 pack on Saturday. Thanks!

I still find it difficult to type IPA and an ABV<5% in the same sentence. This one was 4.2% . Pour was a light, yellow-orange with a modest head. Oh, my, there are orange and grapefruit scents. again. And Tropicana-Light grapefruity and orange tastes, too, along with some lemon and some zest/rind. IBUs are 55 so it's a bit unbalanced but not an unpleasantly bitter hop monster. Sip one of these along with some jerk chicken or spiced beef/pork tacos/nachos. Ingredients:

Malt Bill: Maris Otter, Pilsner, Wheat, Midnight Wheat
Hops: Bravo, Amarillo Hop Hash
Dry Hop: Ahtanum, El Dorado, Crystal

Hop hash-an explanation (I did not know this.):

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articl...pa-trends.html

[devildeac]

420-Sweetwater Brewing Company

Another 12 ounce bottle from the fall Catch and Release fall sampler pack, IIRC. From AW. Thanks!

And yes, I will thank anyone who trades/shares/gives me beer, even if I didn't like the beer which is the case here . I don't know if it was a bad bottle but the (assumed) best by date of 11/12/17 stamped on the label shouldn't make it "stale," nor should "storage" be an issue as it came from a 12 pack carrier, so I'll guess it was the combination of Cascade and Centennial I didn't like as it smelled and tasted like orange PineSol. Pour was a slightly cloudy orange-yellow with a modest head, not a mountain of foam that I've seen before with a "turned" beer. The nose wasn't pleasant but wasn't "skunked," nor did it smell like old, wet cardboard. It didn't taste like wet cardboard either. The grains (2 Row, Munich, Wheat, Midnight Wheat) weren't a "strange brew," nor were there any adjuncts. IBUs right in line with the pale ale style at 39 and the ABV was pretty standard at 5.7%, so it was not a "balance" issue either. I hadn't had one of these in 10+ years and can't say I'd re-visit but I am looking forward to the other two varieties from the litter, both fruity or fruited IPAs.

[August West]

Only 6 more days until "Black Tuesday". I wish I could be in California next week. 19.5% this year. Wow! AW.

[devildeac]

Triple Tail-Sweetwater Brewing Company

August West redeems himself! Thanks! ;)

This was bottle #3 from their summer sampler pack and is labeled a tropical IPA and a tasty one, too.

Pour was an orange-tinged sunshine hue with a moderate head. This smells like a tropical fruit punch with pineapple most apparent, followed by some mango, papaya and hints of grapefruit and there are no adjuncts! Tastes line up with the aromas pretty closely. It's a bit "light" for an IPA with IBUs of 57 and the ABV at 5.5% but the bitterness is quite mild and the balance is pretty smooth. Sip on a warm fall afternoon or with a sweet and sour chicken or shrimp entree. Ingredients include some hops that are totally new to me:

Malt Bill: 2Row, Pilsner, Carapils
Hops: Bravo, Mosaic, Denali
Dry Hop: Mosaic, Denali, Citra, Waimea

[devildeac]

Goin' Coastal-Sweetwater Brewing Company

The last bottle of the tailgate trading session. Thanks, AW!

Pour was a slightly cloudy, orange-copper color with a modest head. Yep, they added pineapple to this one as I can sniff and taste it. There's a whiff or two of grapefruit and citrus rind on the nose and on the palate. The pineapple tastes are more core and "rind" than straight-up pineapple juice. There's a bit of brown sugary sweetness and a hint of pine. ABV is 6.1%, a bit higher than the Triple Tail, with the IBUs a bit lower at 45. Gimme a tropical fruit salad with this IPA or maybe a turkey and Havarti sammich. Ingredients:

Malt Bill: 2-Row, Munich, Wheat, Premium English, Crystal Malts
Hops: Columbus, Cascade, Simcoe, Golding, Centennial
Dry Hop: Cascade, Simcoe, Golding, Centennial

Overall, I liked the Triple Tail the best from the sampler, probably preferring the use of different hop varieties for the tropical and/or citrus flavors as opposed to using adjuncts. (I recall liking the Grapefruit Sculpin from Ballast Point more than the Pineapple Sculpin. Why? Beats the heck out of me. ) The Hop Hash was a close second, with the Goin' Coastal finishing third, but not far behind. Disappointed by the 420 (musta been the Cascade and/or Centennial hops ) but overall, quite satisfied and appreciative of AW's selections/traders. Fun times.

[devildeac]

Mirror Pond Pale Ale-Deschutes Brewing

I'll guess it's been 10, maybe 15 years since I had one of these when we regularly visited my parents outside of Portland, OR. Oh, such good memories.

Copper hue out of a 12 ounce bottle that was part of a sampler 12 pack. Modest, foamy head with mixed tropical and citrus scents. Stone fruits along with mild pineapple, grapefruit, rind and hints of pine. I must admit, I was a bit hesitant when I read the label and learned it was a single hop pale ale made with Cascade hops but I was pleasantly surprised. Best by 11/22/17 stamped on the label and the bottle conditioning helps. The Pacific Wonderland Lager I drank earlier in the week was also bottle conditioned, unusual for a lager. The Black Butte Porter I'm sipping now is also bottle conditioned. More on that one later as a tribute to Devil Alumna, the Ymm, Beer thread starter.

[devildeac]

Black Butte Porter-Deschutes Brewing Company

Dark brown pour with a creamy, tan head. Tempting aromas of mild chocolate and a bit of java. Tastes to match with some dark caramel, earthy/herbal bitterness and a trace of a smoky finish. IBUs of 30 and ABV of 5.2%. An excellent porter that is also bottle conditioned. DevilAlumna's pairing with brownies would be nice as would sipping with any BBQ/grilled/smokey fare. Ingredients:

Malts: Pale, Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal, Wheat
Hops: Cascade, Bravo, Tettnang

[devildeac]

Serendipity-New Glarus Brewing

Always worth another review.

750 ml bottle shared about 5 ways. A cherry, cranberry, apple fruit juice blend, err, spontaneously/wildly fermented, oak-aged brown ale/lambic. A wonderful breakfast beverage with a slice of Reese's Peanut Butter Oreo cheesecake. Yes, desserts first.