Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Belgian White-Kirkland Brewing

A couple web sites I looked at said this was contract brewed by the Gordon Biersch folks and on this bottle and that of the IPA, I swear it listed some brewery in upstate NY that I did not recognize. This is Costco's house beer line and apparently is about $24 for an assortment of their brews. This was a bit too dark with not enough of the fizzy, wheaty, citrusy, peppery tastes to be a really good white ale. Not bad for a starter brew for Brunchgate to be shared but not good enough to seek out for a 6er. A trader from Ozzie's leftovers from his fraternity party from Homecoming weekend. IBU about 20 and the ABV about 5%.

[devildeac]

IPA-Kirkland Brewing

For the Kirkland explanation, please see prior post. This was a better brew than the white ale with hints of citrus and a modest malty spine. IBU about 60 and ABV about 6.5% so this was a nice, coppery pour with a modest head and a good pairing with the chicken or steak tacos we had Saturday. I just had a couple sips of this out of the kindness of Ozzie's bottle (in my own 2010 National Championship pint glass, of course ) and I'd gladly sip another of these.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Oktoberfest-Spaten

Do not buy beer in green bottles. Beer is meant to be sold in brown bottles, or in cans as a number of brewers are marketing now. The green glass does not protect your high-priced, hand-crafted ale from light as the brown bottles do. Light (and heat) are the mortal enemies of beer. Nearly every brew I have had from a green bottle tastes like Heineken-skunky and spoiled. That includes Yuengling, St. Pauli, Lowenbarf, Rolling Rock and yes, even one of the best pilsners in the world, Pilsner Urquell, which is an absolutely wonderful beer to enjoy on draft.

Sorry Oz and capt, I appreciate the trader but this beer was barely drinkable. I'd be happy to quaff one on draft with you anytime/anywhere, but stay away from beers in green bottles.

The "surplus" case I had, yes, all 24 bottles, went back to Costco today. I told them my beer aficionado told me it was skunky and they took it back, no questions asked. I knew they would!

[devildeac]

Oktoberfest-Spaten

Do not buy beer in green bottles. Beer is meant to be sold in brown bottles, or in cans as a number of brewers are marketing now. The green glass does not protect your high-priced, hand-crafted ale from light as the brown bottles do. Light (and heat) are the mortal enemies of beer. Nearly every brew I have had from a green bottle tastes like Heineken-skunky and spoiled. That includes Yuengling, St. Pauli, Lowenbarf, Rolling Rock and yes, even one of the best pilsners in the world, Pilsner Urquell, which is an absolutely wonderful beer to enjoy on draft.

Sorry Oz and capt, I appreciate the trader but this beer was barely drinkable. I'd be happy to quaff one on draft with you anytime/anywhere, but stay away from beers in green bottles.

The "surplus" case I had, yes, all 24 bottles, went back to Costco today. I told them my beer aficionado told me it was skunky and they took it back, no questions asked. I knew they would!

No surprise. I figured they would.

[devildeac]

#9-Magic Hat Brewing

"Not quite pale ale" as they add to the #9 name and an apt characterization. too. Low IBU at 20 and modest AVB at 5.1% make this papaya juice wannabe a highly sessionable ale. The malts are caramel-like and the hops slightly fruity and the head is modest. Amber in color, this pleasing ale was delicious with tacos and burritos on Saturday as I shared this trader from Ozzie's exchange mart with my future SIL.

[devildeac]

Storm King-Victory Brewing

This is a year round offering but I just can't drink any of these in the summers in NC. Fall, winter and spring, yes but not as a year rounder. Brickey, a lurker and rare poster OY, visited our tents with his young daughter in a stroller on Saturday and she's the one who actually offered me this brew. What a sweet, intelligent and tasteful child ! Seriously, she did hold up the bottle and I shared it with her dad and found it to be much as I have in years past. Almost pitch black and with a hop punch and even more of an alcohol punch. I'd guess IBU to be about 60-70 and the ABV is 9.1%. Glad I had less than a 1/2 bottle! Tons of espresso tastes with dark chocolate, too. I sipped on this slightly chilled with a couple coconut blondie bars but no chocolate chip cookies or brownies this Saturday . Throw in a scoop of coffee, butter pecan or almond ice cream and you'd have a very fine beer float.

[devildeac]

Forgot this:

[devildeac]

Letter of Marquee-Rye Porter-Clipper City Brewing

This was porter weekend. A fairly traditional dark brown, clean pour with lotsa dark malts, not too much bite and a bit of mustiness from the rye malt. Five us us shared a bomber of this way after dinner Friday. IBU about 30 and the ABV was 7.8%. Worth a try/sharing experience for a reasonable price, about $7 for the 22 ouncer. Part of their Heavy Seas or Mutiny series.

Smoke on the Water-Smoked Porter-Clipper City Brewing

Da-Da-Da, Da-Da-Da-Da, Da-Da-Da, Da-Da-Da

Or:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WX_4FNoto4



I believe all 5 tasters found this to be the better of the 2 porters. A bit darker brown than the rye porter and much more flavorful. There is no doubt how the barley was roasted for this ale. The smokiness is not over-powering and certainly more than a Scotch ale. Of course, it had nice mocha notes, too. IBU about 30 and the ABV was 8%. This would be great with any BBQ plates, game or chili. Well worth the $7 or $8 for the big boy and a brew aficionado would greatly appreciate/enjoy this creation

Smoke on the Water (2011 Edition)-Clipper City

See 2010 review. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it .

dpslaw brought this edition to Saturday's Brunchgate. Several of us divided 3 bombers. This was my 3rd favorite of the group but by no means was there much of a gap among the ones we tasted.

Next up:

Pumking

[devildeac]

Pumking-Southern Tier Brewing

What a great name! A new brew store in Raleigh, Bottle Revolution, had a case of this one Friday night and it was gone the next day so I was happy to see dpslaw have a bomber of one of these to share at Saturday's Brunchgate. The base is an amber ale but more on the imperial basis as this brew is 9% ABV and the IBU appear to be low, guessing 20-30. There was not much of a head but it was clear and crisp. There are NO spices added to this ale so the malts, yeast and pumpkin provide all the flavors and the pumpkin is very prominent but certainly no overwhelming. This would have been great with some of allenmurray's pork loin or pulled pork from the TB'CC but it was fine with the tacos and burritos. Certainly one of the better fruit/vegetable brews I have ever tasted, along with Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale. An excellent selection by dpslaw placing 2nd IMO during our informal tasting Saturday. I would certainly be pleased to sip on another one of these.

[devildeac]

A tip of the Blue Devil FB cap to bluebear for this recommendation: BORIS

Bodacious
Oatmeal
Russian
Imperial
Stout

As in BORIS, the Crusher-Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company-Akron, Ohio-This became my 2nd fav Imperial Stout tonight after the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. This is a deep, deep brown and nearly black beer with a bit of a tan head which does not linger. This SOOOO much reminds me of the BBCS with its dark chocolate flavors and its roasty, malty tastes with a small hop bite. There may be a hint of anise and a hint of cigar but it really is like a semi-sweet Hershey's drink with a stiff shot of aged bourbon. It is quite smooth and silky from the oatmeal and is deceptively potent at 9.4% ABV and 60 IBU. Highly drinkable and dangerous. I rarely do this but I finished a bomber tonight over about 90 minutes and I'll be at Total Wine tomorrow to buy another Mean Manalishi and a BORIS for future Brunchgate considerations and/or trading and/or aging.

And your winner for the Brunchgate this past Saturday is BORIS. A huge tip of the Duke cap to dpslaw for bringing this. I can't believe it has been 2 years since I had this. It is everything I described in my September, 2009 review above. The only thing missing was something chocolatey with which to enjoy this silky smooth and luscious oatmeal stout.



Winner GABF Gold Medal 2008, and 2011

[bluebeer]

Pumking-Southern Tier Brewing

What a great name! A new brew store in Raleigh, Bottle Revolution, had a case of this one Friday night and it was gone the next day so I was happy to see dpslaw have a bomber of one of these to share at Saturday's Brunchgate. The base is an amber ale but more on the imperial basis as this brew is 9% ABV and the IBU appear to be low, guessing 20-30. There was not much of a head but it was clear and crisp. There are NO spices added to this ale so the malts, yeast and pumpkin provide all the flavors and the pumpkin is very prominent but certainly no overwhelming. This would have been great with some of allenmurray's pork loin or pulled pork from the TB'CC but it was fine with the tacos and burritos. Certainly one of the better fruit/vegetable brews I have ever tasted, along with Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale. An excellent selection by dpslaw placing 2nd IMO during our informal tasting Saturday. I would certainly be pleased to sip on another one of these.

Every fall, I buy a bunch of pumpkin beers only to be disappointed and vow not to repeat the process the following year..This one, however, never disappoints..nice review..

[devildeac]

Dubhe-Uinta Brewing

I am not an admirer of Utah brews but think this company has done quite a good job since their 3.2% laws were changed. I reviewed Labyrinth recently and am still too tired mentally and physically to type something clever so I'll copy and past their own thoughts about this beer:



Toasted, chocolaty dark malts align with an astronomical amount of hops.
Story

Named Utah's Centennial Star in 1996, Dubhe (pronounced Doo-bee) illuminates the front of the big dipper from 124 light years away. Dubhe, also known as Alpha Ursae Majoris, is a red giant that appears orange in color and has a mass 4x that of the sun.

Alcohol

9.2% ABV
IBU 109
SRM 110(this is Standard reference Measurement which replaces Lovibond as the way the color of the beer is evaluated. 110 is pretty damned opaque. Stout-like in its appearance)

I really liked this unique brew. About $9 and change for a 4 pack, pretty standard for a high gravity ale. Think of the offspring of a marriage between an IIPA and an imperial stout.

[devildeac]

Honey Basil Ale-Bison Brewing

A wedding beverage especially for the father of the bride, hand selected by the bride and groom as advised by Lavabe. I sipped one of these as I enjoyed the entree last evening of orange-pomegranate chicken, poached salmon with mango-raisin salsa and roasted vegetables, Harry Cot's verts and Al Fredo's pasta with roasted red peppers and Italian sausage. This ale is an amber with added honey, making it smooth and sweet, and basil making it very slightly bitter and spicy. Hops were herbal which made a nice match with the basil and the pale and caramel malts imparted added sweetness to the honey. I'd guess IBU about 20 and the ABV was listed at 6% making it a fine dinner or session brew. Thanks to the CTN advisor and the new couple for their FotB beverage.

[devildeac]

Weeping Willow Wit-Mother Earth Brewing

This completes my run through the menu from these folks from Kinston. Well, actually, I have not sampled their barrel-aged tripel but I suspect this is a brewery only offering. Pretty traditional stuff here with a light straw-colored wheat beer with a slightly cloudy pour, as expected. It is flavored with orange peel and coriander and the tastes are noticeable, but subdued. Light on the IBU, guessing about 10 with an ABV estimated to be about 5%. We had this as a tasting tonight with marinated and grilled pork tenderloin, smashed potatoes, fresh green beans and a pineapple casserole. This would better during warmer months with light chicken or fish entrees but is a very pleasant brew.

Ahh...

This was the 1st FotB beverage of the evening and amazingly ( ) was enjoyed with the appetizers and the chicken and salmon entrees of the evening. The bride and groom and Lavabe must have read this review months ago and carefully selected this ale to pair very well with the reception meal .

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Honey Basil Ale-Bison Brewing

A wedding beverage especially for the father of the bride, hand selected by the bride and groom as advised by Lavabe. I sipped one of these as I enjoyed the entree last evening of orange-pomegranate chicken, poached salmon with mango-raisin salsa and roasted vegetables, Harry Cot's verts and Al Fredo's pasta with roasted red peppers and Italian sausage. This ale is an amber with added honey, making it smooth and sweet, and basil making it very slightly bitter and spicy. Hops were herbal which made a nice match with the basil and the pale and caramel malts imparted added sweetness to the honey. I'd guess IBU about 20 and the ABV was listed at 6% making it a fine dinner or session brew. Thanks to the CTN advisor and the new couple for their FotB beverage.

Sitting next to the FotB at dinner has it's advantages! An interesting brew. The honey was definitely noticeable and pleasant. I loved the chicken, I don't like/eat salmon.

[devildeac]

Holy @#$% ! Someone has to find me one or two of these from the Sweetwater Brewing Company Dank Tank series. 167 IBU! Are you kidding me? I won't have any taste buds left but it will be worth it. I think I have had 1 other brew with an IBU higher than this at a mouth-boggling 168 and that was the Mean Manalishi Double IPA by the Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company, IIRC.

Brewer's notes:

Dank Tank Series – A series of rarely release beers from the dark side of our brewers souls. These one hitters are only released a few times are year and are in very short supply so get em while the getting is good.
Ghoulash – Early Oct 2011

Warning: We don’t know what style
it is either. Enjoy and Good Luck!
Alone and cold on a frigid fall night, the evil Dr. Dank’s stomach rumbled. It had been days since devouring the last of his trannies and platypuseses. Desperate, he wandered into his kitchen only to find a 3-eyed rat, yellow toenails, and an old bean burrito. Always resourceful, Dr. Dank remembered his great, great, bouffalata, granny goose’s Ghoulash recipe. Try as he might, he couldn’t get it right, so he dumped everything he could find from the fridge and cupboard into one giant boiling brew, resulting in this stew of 2-row, black wheat, munich malt and a 14-hop variety asplifidation of Willamette, Galena, Mt. Hood, Nugget, Perle, Aroma, Bobek, Aurora, Styrian, Golding, Magnum, Columbus, Summit, Millennium, and Crystal. Sloppy seconds never tasted so ghood!
Malts: 2-row, Munich, & Midnight Wheat
Hops: Willamette, Galena, Mt. Hood, Nugget, Perle,
Aroma, Bobek, Aurora, Styrian Golding, Magnum,
Columbus, Summit, Millenium, Crystal (14 total)
Beginning Gravity: 21 Plato
Final Gravity: 5 Plato ABV: 8.5% IBU’s: 167

[devildeac]

Maple Collaboration-Peak Brewing

Portland, Maine is the home for these organic ales. This sounds like a re-formulation for a prior ale they produced and the bomber was a CB&B contribution to the 1st true Brunchgate of the year. It starts as an amber ale so is has the characteristic biscuit or bready taste to it which is smoothed even more by the use of oats. The maple flavor was rather understated but I was still tempted to pour an ounce or two of this on the outrageously baked French Toast casserole contributed by our culinary master, TNTDevil. A fine breakfast ale or as a beverage with lunch sandwiches or grillings. I guessed the IBU to be about 20 and the ABV on the bottle was 6%. The brewer's notes are slightly different as below:

Peak Maple Collaboration is a truly local project. It’s a new twist on our previously brewed Maple Oat Ale. We worked with local farmers and small businesses to craft this beer with Maine-grown organic oats from GrandyOats and Vermont-produced organic maple syrup from Butternut Mountain Farms. The Maple Collaboration is a copper-colored brew with a dynamic mouth feel from the organic oats and a subtle richness in the finish from the organic maple syrup. The beer is in support of Chefs Collaborative, the nation’s leading environmentally conscious culinary organization. Read more here.

ABV: 6.7% IBUs: 26



A fine choice.

[devildeac]

Up next:

Sweetwater-Motor Boat

Leaf Season – Silver medal winner “08 & 09 Great American Beer Festival! Our titillating version of an ESB. Dry Hopped for a face full of flavor.
Specs – 5.6% ABV and available in six packs, 15.5 Gallon ½Bbl Kegs (US Sankey) and 5 Gallon torpedo kegs
Grain – 2 Row, Carapils, Vienna Malt, 70/80, 13/17, 40L
Hops – Cascade, Sterling US Golding Dry Hopped with Cascade
Awards - Silver medal winner “08 & 09 Great American Beer

Part of their Catch and Release series.

As advertised. A clear, medium brown pour with fairly balanced grains and flowers and a modest head. This would be fine as a fall beer with some bangers and mash or shepherd's pie and even some fish and chips. Burgers would work well, too, with some sharp cheddar. I'd guess the IBU to be 30-40. I got 2 of these this week so one will appear in a trader soon. Army game?

Motorrrrrrrrr Bbbbbbbbboat (2011 edition)-Sweetwater

Same as last year. A faceful of excitement . Part of my Father of the Bride assortment I'll enjoy over the next week or so.

[Lavabe]

Honey Basil Ale-Bison Brewing

A wedding beverage especially for the father of the bride, hand selected by the bride and groom as advised by Lavabe. I sipped one of these as I enjoyed the entree last evening of orange-pomegranate chicken, poached salmon with mango-raisin salsa and roasted vegetables, Harry Cot's verts and Al Fredo's pasta with roasted red peppers and Italian sausage. This ale is an amber with added honey, making it smooth and sweet, and basil making it very slightly bitter and spicy. Hops were herbal which made a nice match with the basil and the pale and caramel malts imparted added sweetness to the honey. I'd guess IBU about 20 and the ABV was listed at 6% making it a fine dinner or session brew. Thanks to the CTN advisor and the new couple for their FotB beverage.

The honey-basil is one of those weird combinations that you have to try. I had it with some fruit-poached chicken once, and knew it would go well with the wedding dinner. It's not great with beef, but either fowl or fish make for a great pairing.

[Lavabe]

Weeping Willow Wit-Mother Earth Brewing

This completes my run through the menu from these folks from Kinston. Well, actually, I have not sampled their barrel-aged tripel but I suspect this is a brewery only offering. Pretty traditional stuff here with a light straw-colored wheat beer with a slightly cloudy pour, as expected. It is flavored with orange peel and coriander and the tastes are noticeable, but subdued. Light on the IBU, guessing about 10 with an ABV estimated to be about 5%. We had this as a tasting tonight with marinated and grilled pork tenderloin, smashed potatoes, fresh green beans and a pineapple casserole. This would better during warmer months with light chicken or fish entrees but is a very pleasant brew.

Ahh...

This was the 1st FotB beverage of the evening and amazingly ( ) was enjoyed with the appetizers and the chicken and salmon entrees of the evening. The bride and groom and Lavabe must have read this review months ago and carefully selected this ale to pair very well with the reception meal .

We discussed this way back when I stocked up on Mother Earth Brewing. It came down to this vs. the honey basil as the dinner pairing... I opted for both when it came to selections.