Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Salted Cherry Plum Sorcery (draft)-Bond Brothers Beer Company

Drink fresh/drink local!

I *think* this is part of their ever-changing Sorcery gose series/line-up, but fuse can probably verify/confirm that supposition on my part.

Ten ounce portion in a BBBC snifter. Appearance was a cloudy pink-purple hue with a thin head. A bit of brine hits the nostrils first, followed by mild tartness/sourness along with cherries, berries (none added) and plum (d'oh!). The palate sensors tell me sour>sweet here with some tart cherries, mildly underripe plums, a splash of saline and some berries with minimal bitterness (IBUs are 2; no typo or missing digits) and the ABV at 4.8%. A very pleasant sour/gose that I'd order again. Fuse Cat 2. Part of the fuse repays devildeac for a recent beer delivery/debt. Many thanks!!

[devildeac]

Peasant Brawl (draft)-Bond Brothers Beer Company

More local! This time a Belgian Golden Strong brewed with Grains of Paradise, Coriander, and Chinese Ginger

Another 10 ounce serving, this time a brilliant gold with a bit of haze. Little head with a spicy nose and a slight zing on the palate with the above adjuncts along with some light candi sugar, a pinch of black pepper and oranges, including rind (not added). IBUs are 20 and the ABV was 8.5%. An excellent companion to the fine company at the table . Not quite a Cat 3 but would drink this again in a moment on tap or if cans were available for sale.

[devildeac]

From 1/1/19:

Sunday night's third beer:

Sunday Morning Stout-Weyerbacher Brewing Company

Another 12 ounce pour that was shared 3 ways. Appearance was inky black with a moderate, foamy tan head. About as expected smells of morning coffee and dark chocolate. Pretty potent java on the tongue preceding charred wood, vanilla (not added), chocolate caramels and a warming, bourbon-y finish. IBUs are 38 but "showed" more bitter than that. ABV was 12.7% and no alcohol was hidden here. This is a strong BBA imperial stout from all the tasting aspects but I would not call harsh. I think this was $14 for the 4 pack and it'll be interesting to trade 1 or 2 and cellar the remainder for a year.

From the last 2 nights:

Sunday Morning Stout-Weyerbacher Brewing Company

On neck of bottle:
01/30/18
01/30/23
696973B4

Well, none got traded and this 12 ounce bottle didn't make it a year but one remains so there's hope .

It's not Sunday morning but this was indeed quite stout from my five ounce snifter yesterday and today.

What's changed in 8+ months? Perhaps even more coffee flavors and aromas now, a thinner head and a bit less booze/bourbon. Another fine Weyerbacher beverage, not quite attaining the long-sought-after fuse Cat 3 but a high quality brew.

Anybody with any updates WRT Weyerbacher's re-organization/bankruptcy?

[devildeac]

And, then there were seven of these as one disappeared last PM after receiving two 4 packs of this Berliner Weisse after my Bond Brothers meet-up with fuse Monday night.

Many thanks!

Sakura Obscura-7th Sun Brewing Company

My only additions to the above comprehensive review would be mention the small amount of dark particulates floating around the beverage which *have* to be the remains of pomegranate seeds and the fine sediment in the last teaspoon or so I poured out after finishing the very slightly cloud first 11.5+ ounces of the concoction. I'll guess 5 IBUs to accompany the 4% ABV. A very fine beverage on a warm summer night in NC.

[devildeac]

Passion of the Heights-Brewed and canned by Brew Bus Brewing In for Florida Avenue Brewing

buncha smudged dots 06.18.19

Another tilt of the pint glass to fuse for including one of these in this week's trading session!

Looked like a pink zinfandel with a wispy head. The nose and palate really whisper cinnamon as fuse described above. I thought I was imagining that aroma and flavor. I'm not sure I could guess hibiscus for the flavor without reading the can but tastes were definitely floral with hints of orange. Likely IBUs in the 10-20 range with the ABV at 4.7% so a very easy sipper on a warm summer eve at the NC coast. Cat 2. Not worth a litter but quite pleasant.

Thanks!

[devildeac]

Pithy-Brewery Bhavana

07/24/19 stamped on bottom of pint can

Stolen from older daughter and son-in-law minutes ago for a nightcap.



It really does look like this.

Take several peeled oranges and tangerines and throw them in the blender with a cored/peeled pineapple, a mango and a papaya and blend on high for 30 seconds, pour into an oversized snifter, add some grain alcohol or vodka and you have Pithy. Oh, there's a drop or two of pine/resin and a moderate hop wallop (IBUs 65 on Untappd) with a moderate kick (ABV 7.4% on the can), but this is mostly tropical and citrus fruitiness from Vic Secret hops and would pair well with mildly spicy fare. High Cat 2. Worth a 4 pack, guessing the cost would be ~$16+ because high quality BB brews are worth the price.

[devildeac]

From last PM-got lost in the Tasseography Project, which is far better than the Blair Witch Project:

Dank's Revenge (draft)-Salty Turtle Beer Company

An American IPA pint treat from our older son-in-law.

Pour was a fairly clear sunshine yellow with a faint orange tint and a modest, creamy head. I'm still tired of regular/traditional IPAs but this was a nicely balanced one with a resiny/citrusy nose that led to some pine on the palate with a pleasant grapefruity-rindy counterweight and mild, caramel-y sweetness. I'll guess the IBUs were 60-70 and the chalkboard claimed ABV at 7.4%. Fuse Cat 2 and would recommend/sip again.

Salty Turtle is however going to have to raise their game a bit as I had already tasted 6 of the 10 beers that were tapped yesterday with repeats going back to our first visit sometime in March, IIRC. They've all been good to very good, especially a couple of the high gravity ones I tried on two other visits.

[devildeac]

Another day gose by and I *finally* taste this beer:

Two of Tarts Gose-Upland Brewing Company

Ale with passion fruit and mango

I really tried to find fuse's review of this from Ymm, Beer Gose Day and quote him but all that showed up on "search" was his ranking.

Poured from a 12 ounce can into a standard pint glass showed a hazy, slightly orange-tinged yellow elixir with a moderate fizzy head that didn't last long. Enticing tropical fruit aromas of mango and passion fruit, lemon juice (not added) and brine. Mango appears first with a slight sweetness, followed by tart/mildly sour lemon juice, salt and passion fruit. Even if coriander, a typical ingredient of goses, was present, I'm not sure I'd perceive it. IBUs (from Untappd) are 5 and the ABV is 4.5%. I can't quite give this a fuse Cat 3, but it's certainly upper tier 2, especially as the 2018 GABF gold medal winner in the gose category.

Fuse traded this recently and I'm very grateful.

[devildeac]

From now because we all need a but more:

Hubris-Lynnwood Brewing Concern

Canned on
08/21/19

I bought it a day later after asking a bartender if any was available in 4 packs and he had to call the brewmaster to find out where it was "hidden."

I'm not sure they changed much from 2018 with the same hops, IBUs (IIRC) and ABV at 8.7% instead of 8.8% (again, IIRC). Like drinking a tropical/citrus fruit salad with grapefruit, pineapple, orange, mango and papaya along with assorted rinds/skins and hints of dank/pine/resin. This is easily comparable to Brewery Bhavana's IIPA/s whose name/s I can't recall. $22 for the 4 pack plus tax and I shoulda bought 2 (or three). Easily fuse Cat 3 and one I could drink several of in an evening if I wanted to sleep on the floor for 12-14 hours.

[devildeac]

Leading off for the TrueBlue'CueCrew yesterday:

Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel-Klosterbrauerei Andechs

Sponsor-August West (thanks!!)
Format-16.9 ounce bottle (or, 500 ml for those who like "metrics")
Pour-Dark brown (and dunkel auf Deutsch means...)
Head-creamy, moderate and off-white; persistent
Aromas-dark caramel and toasted wheat bread
Mouthfeel-smooth with minimal bitterness
Tastes-dark caramel, brown sugar, dark cherries, plums, toasted grains and cocoa
IBU-20 (estimated)
ABV-7.1%
Beeradvocate rating-95 (world class)
Overall impression-outstanding example of the style; ABV probably should be >8% for the doppelbock designation (nitpick; tough crowd); we had a DNP-CD on Aventinus, a world classic
weizenbock and it would have been nice to compare but our player had no wheat so they're somewhat different styles.

Note for all the tastings: we had 4-6 people tasting each beer so everyone got 3-5 ounces of each beverage

[devildeac]

Second batter:

Grande Réserve (aka Chimay Blue)-Bières de Chimay/Scourmont Abbey



Sponsor-buddy (thanks!!)
Style-strong, dark ale
Format-corked and caged 750 ml (aka 25.4 ounces)
Appearance-dark brown
Head-tan and fizzy; mild Belgian lacing
Aromas-dark dried fruit; slightly burnt dark caramel
Mouthfeel-tingly; bubbly; minimal bitterness
Tastes-plums, dark cherries, raisins, dates, figs, dark brown sugar, herbal hops
IBU-maybe 25
ABV-9% and dangerously easy to sip
Beeradvocate-96 (world class-holy @#$%, two in a row )
Overall-an absolute classic for the style and must try if you've never had it; worth the splurg
Ymm, Beer rating-Fuse Cat 3 (easy one here)

[devildeac]

Batting third:

Weyerbacher 22-Weyerbacher Brewing

I'm very glad they're still brewing despite bankruptcy/take-over, especially to brew this one for their 22nd anniversary.

Sponsor: dpslaw (thanks!)

Format-12 ounce bottle
Appearance-dark brown
Head-mildly foamy
Aromas-baking spices, all added, including vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange peel
Mouthfeel-a bit thin but smooth
Tastes-most tasters got 3 outta 4 spices without looking with pretty much a different "leader" for each palate; also some dried fruits and dark brown sugar
IBUs-maybe 30?
ABV-11.1% (whoa!)
Overall-another excellent offering from Weyerbacher with a different anniversary style/flavor each year
Beeradvocate-87 (very good)
Ymm, Beer rating-Fuse Cat 2-absolutely worth a bottle or draft; a 4 pack to trade/share would be good, too

[devildeac]

Clean-up batter:

Liger's Blood-Hardywood Park Craft Ales

Listed as a blood sour ale.

Sponsor-accfanfrom1970 (thanks!!)
Format-16 ounce can
Appearance-pink-amber and cloudy
Head-tan, foamy
Nose-despite all the alleged "experts" sniffing and guessing grapefruit, orange along with some other WAGs, no one "got it" (keep reading)
Mouthfeel-mildly sour/tart; bubble
Tastes-nobody named melon (from the Huell Melon hops), strawberry or watermelon purees (both added) with coconut conditioning; some lemon-y notes, too
IBUs-30ish (?)
ABV-8%, making it an imperial sour
Beeradvocate-no rating
Overall impression-unique tastes and style; refreshing; embarrassing that no one got any guesses right-pathetic showing
Ymm, Beer rating-Fuse Cat 2

[devildeac]

Hitting fifth:

Grape and Grain 2016-Raleigh Brewing Company

"A saison aged in barrels of chardonnay"

Sponsor-devildeac
Format-wax sealed/capped 750 ml bottle
Appearance-hazy pear juice
Head-foamy; generous
Aromas-vinous (d'oh), wet hay, apples and pears
Mouthfeel-effervescent, mildly fruit skin bitter
Tastes-immediate white wine (whine if you're a "u"nc fan), followed by some funk, pears, apples, hay and a pinch of black pepper
IBU-maybe 20?
ABV-9%
Beeradvocate-didn't check
Overall-a light-bodied, well done barrel-aged saison/farmhouse ale; I don't think RBC releases many of these
Ymm, Beer rating-Fuse Cat 3 because if you can get a wine drinker to ask for a second pour of this, it really was excellent; will save bottle 2 for 2020 sometime

[devildeac]

Pinch-hitting for Cold Press, in the sixth spot:

Curieux-Allagash Brewing Company

Brewed on 05/05/2019 printed on neck label

Sponsor-August West (thanks!)
Format-12 ounce bottle
Appearance-clear, yellow-gold
Head-small, fizzy
Nose-floral, orange, spice, bourbon
Mouthfeel-minimal bitterness; smooth
Tastes-classic Belgian-style tripel (the base beer) with hints of orange and peel, candi sugar, floral, maybe coriander and mild bourbon mid-palate and at the finish
IBU-30ish, maybe
ABV-10.4% and sneaky
Beeradvocate-96 (world class)
Overall-Still outstanding but, as we've discussed before and last PM, at least 3 of us like the large format blend better as it has a bit more bourbon flavor
Ymm, Beer rating-Fuse Cat 3 but could use less of a "blend" with the base beer and more time then 7 weeks in the bourbon barrels

[devildeac]

Only 7 players got "run" tonight. Best of show up next:

Knob Creek Barrel Aged Barleywine-Hardywood Park Craft Ales

Sponsor-accdfanfrom1970 (thanks, thanks and thanks!!)
Format-corked and caged 750 ml bottle
Appearance-dark, dark brown
Head-thin and tan
Aromas-dark chocolate and booze
Mouthfeel-silky smooth
Tastes-dark chocolate (if blindfolded, I'd have called this an imperial stout), molasses, burnt caramel, dark fruit and lots and lots of bourbon
IBU-WAG here of 70 but minimally bitter
ABV-14% (that's fourteen percent); very strong bourbon but not overwhelming
Beeradvocate-didn't check
Overall impression-I'd abandoned the style until I tasted a SN Trip in the Woods BBA Barleywine, IIRC. This was amazingly smooth and sippable
Ymm, Beer rating-Fuse Cat 3; best of show yesterday; I'd buy a case if they ever brew this again

[devildeac]

From late, late last PM:

Oakspire-New Belgium and Knob Creek collaboration

Enjoy by:
25270 03MAR19
181002051T0124

A trader yesterday from accfanfrom1970-thanks!

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a standard pint glass. Looked a bit more amber than a Fat Tire. Head was modest and creamy. Lots of wood and booze upfront, followed by toffee, vanilla, smooth booze, mild earthy hops and wood. I'll guess IBUs of 30 (see below), thinking it's a base amber ale. The ABV is hefty at 9%. True BBA is better and this was a bit thin but still very good, earning a Cat 2. Certainly worth a try as a single or as a 4 or 6 member package. Some other info:

"HOPS-Nugget, HBC 472

MALTS-Pale, Munich, Caramel 80, Rye, Roasted Barley

Special Processing-Bourbon soaked oak spirals and char from more than 4,000 used Knob Creek bourbon barrels" ()

[devildeac]

From 6/10/17:

Sea Quench-Dogfish Head

I'm just going to copy/paste how this ale was created:

"SeaQuench Ale is our session sour quencher made with lime peel, black lime and sea salt. It’s a citrusy-tart union of three German styles of beer blissfully brewed into one. We begin by brewing a straightforward Kolsch with lots of wheat and Munich Malt, then we brew a salty Gose with black limes, coriander and our sea salt. We follow it all up with a citrusy-tart Berlinerweiss made with lime juice and lime peel. All three beers are then blended together in the fermentation tank to create this German hybrid."

Exercising no restraint yesterday, I picked up a 6er of this last PM and shared a can with younger daughter and her husband with our Chinese entrees last PM. Mrs. dd was quite content with a large glass of water. Pour was a pale straw color with a fizzy head reminiscent of Rick Pitino restaurant stories. Smells like unsweetened limeade and tasted like a spiced, puckery, salty and peppery Daquiri-light. IBUs of 10 and ABV was 4.9%. Quite enjoyable and refreshing beer "cocktail" given the blending of 3 different styles of brews.

I also chortled at another paragraph describing the beer:

"And, releasing just in time for the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot - aka the “German Beer Purity Law” that says it’s illegal to brew with anything other than water, barley, and hops - SeaQuench Ale both commemorates (and disintegrates) this art-censorship law."

From last PM;

Sea Quench-Dogfish Head Craft Ales

On bottom of 12 ounce can (from memory):
Brewed on
03/24/19

Trader from August West at tailgate from his mixed 12 pack of DFH brews. Thanks!!

I don't think anything has changed in 2 years. Still a very easy-drinking summer sipper and thirst quencher that has suffered little if any during its almost 6 months of captivity in its aluminum prison.

[devildeac]

Tropic Thunder-Hidden Springs Ale Works

Pint can from same litter as tbyers11's can/review above and included in recent multi-player deal from fuse. Thanks!

Not much to add to the above except I believe I'm the odd man out here as my sniffing and sipping impressions were more subdued/subtle than the 2 gentlemen above. Strawberry was first on the nose and palate, followed by pineapple and some tropical fruits and more tart/sour than fruity. I'm not sure I'd have guessed mango and papaya if a blind tasting were done. I'll blame the Sea Quench I sipped an hour earlier for some palate distortion. Guessing IBUs about 10 and the ABV was 5.5%. Still a very good Berliner Weisse that I'd certainly sip again and recommend to visitors to Florida and certainly grateful for its inclusion in my package a couple weeks ago. Based on DBR "recency bias," I enjoyed Mother Earth's Lemon Blueberry and Mojito Berliner Weisses a bit more than this one. Sounds like fuse and tbyers11 would put this high Cat 2 and I'd put more middle of the tier.

[devildeac]

Better late than never as I *think* fuse and Tripping William have both reviewed this but I'm not reading the 430 posts that came up with the fabulous () "search thread" feature using "super eight."

SuperEIGHT-Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Traded 12 ounce can from August West on Saturday from his DFH mixed 12 pack. Thanks!!

A couple quotes from their web page:

"That same spirit can be found in our latest collaboration with the analog creators at Kodak."

and

"This sessionable super gose is brewed with eight heroic ingredients: prickly pear, mango, boysenberry, blackberry, raspberry, elderberry, kiwi juices, toasted quinoa and an ample addition of red Hawaiian sea salt! Okay, so technically that's nine, but it 'gose' without say that there's going to be salt."

Pour was a mildly cloudy cranberry hue with a modest fizzy, off-white head that dissipated quickly. Nose was sour/tart berry candies with a tingly tart/sour mouthfeel and tastes of Sour Patch berry kids (if such a flavor exists) along with some lemon-lime and hints of salt. If blind tasted, I *might* have guessed raspberries and blackberries (or blueberries) and papaya but even a WAG wouldn't had thought any other berries, kiwi and, never in a million guessed would I have thought toasted quinoa (WTH?). I'll guess 5 IBUs and the ABV is stated at 5.3%. Cat 2 which would have placed it mid-range on Ymm, Beer Gose Day. Solid, creative example of the style.