Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Maibock-Smuttynose Brewing

Make Mine a Smutty! (from their bottle caps)

The April 2011 release in the Smuttynose Big Beer series is Maibock, which is a twist on the typical bock beer recipe. This is lighter and a bit more fruity than the traditional style with hints of crisp, fresh apples and pears but with some classic notes of medium toasted croissants. Hops are very mild and flora and the malts are slightly buttery. I'll guess the IBU to be 20-30 and the ABV 8-8.5% as their prior 3 releases were in the strangely varied 6.2-8.7% range. Pair this with light appetizers, even fruits or with lighter grilled items. I liked this enough to buy a 6er of their Summer Weizen at 30% off from Total Wine this week during their moving sale so that will be a review this weekend most likely. Any of their Big Beers would be worth a sample/trade too as they have been very good to excellent and reasonably priced, usually from $6-8 for a bomber.

Upon further review, inspection, I am not so sure I drank the 2011 release as I just looked at the bomber (which I divided over 3 nights) and, unless my tired, blurry eyes are deceiving me, I noticed that this is a bottle conditioned beer brewed in 2010. So, that makes it even better if it was the April, 2010 release .

What the heck, just padding my post #s, too.

[Lavabe]

You might want to check a good article about the science behind the Dogfish Head archaeological beers. The story appears in the July/August issue of Smithsonian. It's a nice read.

[ArkieDukie]

O'Fallon Pumpkin Ale is out, as is Schlafly Oktoberfest.

[captmojo]

Spaten Oktoberfest, under $25/case, at Sam's club. I bought one yesterday! I'm drinkin' tonite!

Last year, this shit made me hallucinate about a fictitious neighbor, his wife and an episode involving a call to law enforcement. Some dude named Dmitri Sonofabitch. Slavic bastard!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Spaten Oktoberfest, under $25/case, at Sam's club. I bought one yesterday! I'm drinkin' tonite!

Last year, this shit made me hallucinate about a fictitious neighbor, his wife and an episode involving a call to law enforcement. Some dude named Dmitri Sonofabitch. Slavic bastard!

I saw this yesterday! I was wondering if I'd like it... DD, what do you think?

[captmojo]

Spaten Oktoberfest, under $25/case, at Sam's club. I bought one yesterday! I'm drinkin' tonite!

Last year, this shit made me hallucinate about a fictitious neighbor, his wife and an episode involving a call to law enforcement. Some dude named Dmitri Sonofabitch. Slavic bastard!

I saw this yesterday! I was wondering if I'd like it... DD, what do you think?

Very, very drinkable. Quite tasty and refreshing. I'll have another. Thank you.

[devildeac]

Spaten Oktoberfest, under $25/case, at Sam's club. I bought one yesterday! I'm drinkin' tonite!

Last year, this shit made me hallucinate about a fictitious neighbor, his wife and an episode involving a call to law enforcement. Some dude named Dmitri Sonofabitch. Slavic bastard!

I saw this yesterday! I was wondering if I'd like it... DD, what do you think?

I'm not sure I'd buy a whole case. Could you split it with somebody? I'd be interested in 1 or 2 bottles to try it. I'd bet you'd like it. Oktoberfest brews are usually amber colored and relatively low bitterness, taste like toasted biscuits and have an ABV 5-6% range.

[captmojo]

5.9% Ymmm
I'll be glad to take what you may not want. Yeah...me...and Dmitri.

[rockymtn devil]

I'll spare the dramatic return (and excuses for not being here in a LONG while) and simply say that life caught up with me in a wonderful way and that has, unfortunately, kept me from posting here at CT. I do hope to be in here more often than the past 18 months, especially to read Ymm, Beer!

With that aside, I'll jump right in:

Tonight I'm drinking Great Divide Rumble. This is GD's summer seasonal and is an oak aged IPA--and the beer is exactly that. Nice piney hop nose that gives way to subtle richness of the oak. The flavor leans much more towards the oak with strong notes of butter and vanilla being tempered by the bite of hops on the back of the tongue. As the beer warms, the nose loses some of the bitterness and the oak becomes much more pronounced. In the end, this is a solid GD offering, but is far behind Hoss and Colette (and, while we're at it, Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti) on their list of wonderful beers.

Cheers!

[rockymtn devil]

And DD--love the Curmudgeon icon! Have one of those in the fridge as we speak from my midwest source.

[devildeac]

Quad-Harpoon Brewing

This is part of their Leviathan series. I have never seen this in a bottle but was highly fortunate to find it on tap at Draft Restaurant in downtown Raleigh this week. We had a BOGO free coupon for entrees and, on Monday nights, all pints are $3. This ended up being "only" a 10 ounce serving in a goblet but most high gravity brews end up being 8-10 ounce portions due to the higher ABV.

It was served a bit too cold but after warming a bit, I found this to be a fascinating and complex brew. There was a small head topping a deep mahogany colored brew that smelled and tasted of dried raisins, figs, dates and dark rum. The dark Belgian candi sugar added confers a bit of sweetness to the already very malty flavor. The texture is almost silky. I'd guess the IBU to be rather low, perhaps 20-30 and the ABV is a potent 11.75%. I sipped this a bit before my gourmet burger arrived and finished it after dinner for my "dessert." Brews this complex and potent make very fine "after dinner drinks." I'd love to find a 4 pack of this to compare with the draft variety, in addition to storing a bottle or two for a while (2-3 years even) and then tasting what "cellaring" or "aging" has done for its complexity.



Some brewer's notes, too:

Leviathan Quad was fermented with a blend of two traditional Trappist yeasts. A mixture of two-row pale malts, caramel malts, and special aromatic malts gives the Quad its richness and texture. The subtle hop flavor imparted from Brewer’s Gold hops lingers in the background and provides just enough bitterness to balance the malt sweetness. The addition of imported Belgian Dark Candi Syrup rounds out the beer, giving the Quad its full body and deep auburn color. Expect notes of honeyed dry fruit with peppery phenols in the aroma, a velvet-like mouthfeel, and a superbly drinkable beer.

Original Released: March 2009

Re-released: February 2011


BEER SPECIFICATIONS
Style:
Belgian Strong Ale
Original Gravity:
26.2
Alcohol by Volume:
11.75%
IBU’S:
44
Recommended Serving Temperature 50-55° F
Color:
74 EBC

[devildeac]

I'll spare the dramatic return (and excuses for not being here in a LONG while) and simply say that life caught up with me in a wonderful way and that has, unfortunately, kept me from posting here at CT. I do hope to be in here more often than the past 18 months, especially to read Ymm, Beer!

With that aside, I'll jump right in:

Tonight I'm drinking Great Divide Rumble. This is GD's summer seasonal and is an oak aged IPA--and the beer is exactly that. Nice piney hop nose that gives way to subtle richness of the oak. The flavor leans much more towards the oak with strong notes of butter and vanilla being tempered by the bite of hops on the back of the tongue. As the beer warms, the nose loses some of the bitterness and the oak becomes much more pronounced. In the end, this is a solid GD offering, but is far behind Hoss and Colette (and, while we're at it, Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti) on their list of wonderful beers.

Cheers!

Great Ghost of Lavabe, he's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Welcome back to the family!

Nice re-entry post ;) .

I think I saw this on their web site but not sure I have seen it in any stores back east, though a very nice assortment of GD brews can be found at Total Wine now. I think my next purchases will be a Belgian Style Yeti and the Smoked Baltic Porter which I saw last week.

[devildeac]

And DD--love the Curmudgeon icon! Have one of those in the fridge as we speak from my midwest source.

Thanks! Yea, I kinda like that one, too, especially since I am becoming one .

[rockymtn devil]

Great Ghost of Lavabe, he's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Welcome back to the family!

Nice re-entry post ;) .

I think I saw this on their web site but not sure I have seen it in any stores back east, though a very nice assortment of GD brews can be found at Total Wine now. I think my next purchases will be a Belgian Style Yeti and the Smoked Baltic Porter which I saw last week.

Thanks! Glad to be back. Belgian Yeti is interesting and I'm not quite sure I've made up my mind on it. It is VERY soft and subtle, especially as the Yeti's go. Smoked Porter is a very good beer but one that, I fear, won't be long for this world because it doesn't sell very well. I have not been told that it will be pulled, but in my many sessions at the GD taproom (I'm there far too often) I've heard whispers that it might get the ax. Shame because it is a good beer and that would make two GD porters that have been pulled in the last two years (St. Bridget's being the other.)

I recently did a tasting of Port Old Viscosity and Older Viscosity and before that did a week of eating and drinking my way through the state of Oregon. I hope to pose some thoughts on that stuff soon. Quick preview: Older Viscosity is incredible, Cascade Brewing is the best brewery currently producing in Oregon, and Ninkasi Oatis Stout with raw oysters is like heaven.

[devildeac]

Great Ghost of Lavabe, he's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Welcome back to the family!

Nice re-entry post ;) .

I think I saw this on their web site but not sure I have seen it in any stores back east, though a very nice assortment of GD brews can be found at Total Wine now. I think my next purchases will be a Belgian Style Yeti and the Smoked Baltic Porter which I saw last week.

Thanks! Glad to be back. Belgian Yeti is interesting and I'm not quite sure I've made up my mind on it. It is VERY soft and subtle, especially as the Yeti's go. Smoked Porter is a very good beer but one that, I fear, won't be long for this world because it doesn't sell very well. I have not been told that it will be pulled, but in my many sessions at the GD taproom (I'm there far too often) I've heard whispers that it might get the ax. Shame because it is a good beer and that would make two GD porters that have been pulled in the last two years (St. Bridget's being the other.)

I recently did a tasting of Port Old Viscosity and Older Viscosity and before that did a week of eating and drinking my way through the state of Oregon. I hope to pose some thoughts on that stuff soon. Quick preview: Older Viscosity is incredible, Cascade Brewing is the best brewery currently producing in Oregon, and Ninkasi Oatis Stout with raw oysters is like heaven.

I found many a fine brew while visiting my parents and brother in Oregon regularly from about 1990 to 2001. Rivals Colorado for their craft beer industry. Were you able to attend the Oregon Brewer's Festival in July? Great way to taste (or try to, anyway) 72 brews from some really fine breweries from across the US. I think Bridgeport, Rogue and Deschutes are among the best craft brewers in the US but don't think I have ever had any Cascade products.

[devildeac]

Golden Monkey-Victory Brewing

Victory's answer to Duvel. This is a triple style Belgian ale with a yellow, cloudy pour, a bit of white pepper on the palate and a bit of orange peel and coriander, too. IBU are low, guessing 20-30 and the ABV is 9.5%. Serve chilled in a goblet and enjoy with a fruity salsa topping on your chicken or lighter body seafood. I had not enjoyed one of these is a while and bought a 6er for trading purposes and was pleasantly surprised to sample one of these again.

[devildeac]

Cattail Peak-Highland Brewing

This was quite the pleasant summer session ale. It is an organic wheat ale (certified by DPI, Clemson University-I swear. It's on the bottle) that I bought at 30% off as Total Wine at North Hills was moving to a new, larger location around the corner from their current joint. The slightly cloudy pour with a modest head gives forth a floral aroma and the slightest scent of citrus. The hint of rye malt imparts just a bit of mustiness but not unpleasantly so. Serve with mild fare as spicy/peppery/hot dishes would overpower this brew. I'm trading several of these from the 6er and drinking a couple myself.

From the brewer:



Cattail Peak Wheat

An invigorating wheat beer with 100% organic grains, a hint of rye and the tang and hue of organic hibiscus, this refreshing brew is as cool as the breeze that blows down from Mount Mitchell to Cattail Peak. Enjoy this delicious creation when the hottest summer day demands the best of the Blue Ridge.

IBU: 17
Alcohol Content: 4.7% by volume
Hops: Palisade, German Hersbrucker

[Turk]

Golden Monkey-Victory Brewing

Victory's answer to Duvel. This is a triple style Belgian ale with a yellow, cloudy pour, a bit of white pepper on the palate and a bit of orange peel and coriander, too. IBU are low, guessing 20-30 and the ABV is 9.5%. Serve chilled in a goblet and enjoy with a fruity salsa topping on your chicken or lighter body seafood. I had not enjoyed one of these is a while and bought a 6er for trading purposes and was pleasantly surprised to sample one of these again.

Heartily endorse this beer and just about all of Victory's efforts. In my experience, you cannot go wrong with Victory or Dogfish Head, and many pubs around the greater metro Philthy area will have at least one of them on tap. Flying Fish (Cherry Hill, NJ) is more hit or miss, but I am a big fan of their Farmhouse Summer Ale this time of year... (Although I suppose one should be also careful about that wacko who runs Dogfish - he is liable to throw gravel, dirty socks, potato peels, and Reese's Pieces into the pot and see what comes out, but those tend to be limited edition stuff mostly unavailable to civilians outside of Slower Delaware...)

In the Turk roost, we often stock the Victory sampler cases, and the Monkey is standard in those. DDeac is spot on with his assessment about pairing with chicken or seafood (Chinese take-out works for me, too), although as a pepperhead, I prefer my salsa with more kick and less fruit. Gotta be careful with that ABV though - if you go pulling three or four of the bottles out of the fridge one evening and carelessly knocking them back, you will be at risk of acting like a not-so-golden Monkey... (not that there's anything wrong with that...)

[Turk]

Had some time to kill between shuttling young Turks the other day, so I popped into our local beergeek place the other night. I do not have the vocabulary down pat, but I tripped over this really weird beer and thought I'd have a go at writing it up...

Southern Tier crème brûlée Imperial Milk Stout

You see that on the chalkboard, channel your inner McEnroe disbelief and try not to exclaim, "You cannot be serious!!" The beer lady is indeed serious, and as she pours, it looks like an ordinary black stout with thin tan head, served in a goblet. As she's halfway down the bar bringing the beer, you catch a whiff of vanilla and warmed butterscotch, you think to yourself, "What an interesting perfume..." And then when she goes back to the other end of the bar and the fragrance is still there, you then think to yourself, "Self, it's the beer that smells like that, not her!!" [emit Tim Allen "puzzled" grunt and scratch head]. (And you may ask yourself, "Am I right, or am I wrong?" And you may say to yourself, "My God, what have I done?") You poke at the glass with a perplexed pinkie, sniff at it one more time, confirm this is not a joke, and take a sip or two. Front flavor is classic stout, hint of coffee, but then the finish is all sugar and custard, and you consider asking the beer lady for a spoon to see if it will stand up by itself if you put it in the glass. The finish is pucker-your-mouth sweet, caramel and vanilla, and in what is possibly a Turk first for something this tasty, I only drank one... I would have this at the end of a special-occasion meal, maybe with a small slice of plain cheesecake, or some strawberries or similar fruit. And philistine that I am, I would consider dumping the beverage into a soda glass and plopping a big ol scoop of vanilla ice cream in there. If you were going to make a real beer float, this would be the beer to use. (And I also think I could talk Mrs. Turk into one or two, her sweet tooth overriding her disdain for anything darker than Corona... ooooh baby, we gotta go now...)

Stats from the website: 9.6% abv • 195º L • 25º plato • 22 oz / 1/6 keg
2-row pale malt / dark caramel malt / vanilla bean / lactose sugar / kettle hops: columbus / aroma hops: horizon

[captmojo]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Original-RedN ... B004HZR94O

Not bad when full o'beer!
Yes. I own one.