Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Dig-New Belgium Brewing

What a pleasant pale ale to have for a spring seasonal with some interesting twists. There are a couple hops I have never heard of before that impart some lemony and fruity notes and some standard ones that lend floral scents and tastes and mild bitterness. They are all nicely balanced with lightly roasted malts that give your traditional caramel flavors. The pour is a clear yellow-orange with a modest head. IBU are 36 and the ABV is 5.6% so you could compare this with another pale ale in a session or drink a couple with your cook-out this weekend. I got this as a trader last week from a drug rep who calls on the office and this is worth a 6er from your favorite package goods store. I'd drink one or two and share/trade the rest.

From the brewer:

Unearth your bottle-opener because this Pale Ale is something you can Dig.

Sorachi Ace hops provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma. Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach.

American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale.

Dig in!
Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 5.6%
IBU - 36
Calories - 174
Hops - Target, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Nugget, Sorachi Ace
Malts - Pale, C-80
OG - 15
TG - 2.4

[devildeac]

Dry-Hopped Pale Ale-Founders Brewing

Another solid session brew from another fine brewer. A fresh floral bouquet can be found in the nose with very mild citrus notes in the taste along with flowers. Slightly sweet and malty. It pours a light orange-amber with a modest head and represents this style well with an IBU of 35, which is a bit low, and an ABV of 5.4%, so you can make this part of your pale ale tasting evening or sip it with standard grilled fare. I received this as a trader last week from the same rep who brought the Dig.

Looking forward again to a couple cool nights in Raleigh this week so I can dip into another high gravity ale or two.

[devildeac]

The (New) Belgians are coming!

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/06/ ... -east.html

[devildeac]

Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout-Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Mocha!! This is one of the best oatmeal stouts I have ever tasted. I do not think I have this brew in about 10 years and I had forgotten how rich, smooth and "oily" it is from the use of oats in the brewing process. I received this as a trader last week and enjoyed it last PM as "winter" returned to the area with temps dropping into the 40s. The pour is nearly black with a one inch mocha head. Aromas are all dark chocolate, coffee, milk and sugar, enhanced even more by allowing this to warm to nearly room temperature before sipping. Hop presence is minimal with an IBU of 13 (lower than I thought) and the ABV is 5.8% which made it easier to have a small sample of Happy Ending last evening, too . Have this for dessert or pair it with the usual suspects of chocolate cake/torte/cheesecake for a decadent finish to a meal. The only other oatmeal stout I can think of at this time that compares is Shakespeare Stout from Rogue Brewing which was voted one of the top 5 beers in the world about 15 years ago in a beer book I read.

[devildeac]

Happy Ending (the bomber edition)-Sweetwater Brewing

The bottled variety is a very interesting and somewhat different animal than the draft version I had at Tyler's a couple months ago. This was a trader from a drug rep and is a capped 22 ounce bottle with fake wax (aka plastic) "dripped" over the top of the bottle. Poured a midnight black with a small tan head. The nose is dark chocolate and expresso and the tastes are mainly black licorice and black strap molasses but neither are added AFAIK. There are slight flavors of dark, unsweetened cocoa and cofffee, too. Bitterness is mild to moderate at an IBU of 51 and it has a pretty typical ABV of 9%. I had about 2/3 of the bomber last PM after a small prelude on the night I sipped/reviewed the Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout. Best served at about 60 degrees and sipped over an hour or so, either by itself or with some decadent chocolate dessert.

I'll add my draft thoughts and some brewer's notes, too.

(from 1/24/12)

Imperial Stout-Sweetwater Brewing

This was a winter addition to Tyler's Taproom draft menu so I decided to enjoy a $5 pint of this pre-game on Saturday. I think this used to be called Happy Ending but Sweetwater must have run afoul of some Georgia ABC commissioners with the name so they changed it to something bland and unexciting. Yawn. Nonetheless, it is an almost black brew with a small tan head that has the nose of unsweetened dark chocolate with a hint of coffee. Very roasty and slightly bitter, guessing an IBU of 60 or so which would be typical of a RIS. IBU listed at 9% so I sipped this as it warmed to near room temperature with a carolina Cuban sammich and some non-garlic fries. Not a bad combo but it would be better as a dessert beer with a few chocolate chocolate chip cookies, brownies or chocolate pound cake. I would not hesitate to buy a 4 pack and trade one, taste one and save the others until next year.

(OK, they still call it Happy Ending on their web site but it was not on the menu at Tyler's that way.)


(from the experts/brewers)

This seasonal “Catch and Release” Imperial Stout is a dry hopped stiffy, leading to an explosive finish at 9% ABV that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Available late December thru early March, in six packs, 22oz. bombers, 15.5 and 5.2 gallon kegs. Line priced with our Festive Ale, slightly higher than SweetWater’s year round lip smackin core styles.

Grains: 2 Row, Roasted Barley, Black, 70/80, Chocolate
Hops: Centennial, Williamette
Dry Hopped: Cascade and Simcoe
ABV: 9%, IBUs: 51

[Very Duke Blue]

I'm enjoying a Kirkland brand "Belgan White. Not bad. Better than some I have tried.

[devildeac]

I did not know this:

http://www.northjersey.com/food_dining/ ... r_Day.html

[CathyCA]

I did not know this:

http://www.northjersey.com/food_dining/ ... r_Day.html

That article is from ExLax's hometown newspaper.

[devildeac]

Koko Brown-Kona Brewing

Almond Joy alert! I must say that I have never had a coconut flavored beer and leave it to my drug rep buddy to provide this brown ale made with toasted coconut. It started with a clear, light brown pour and a rather small head. The scent of coconut is barely perceptible but becomes very prominent with the first sip. That, along with milk chocolate and hints of caramel and toffee, left me alternately thinking that I was drinking my Almond Joy for the week. There is slight hop bitterness, typical for most brown ales, and the IBU is 28. Good beer to have with sweet BBQ sauce basted ribs or chicken or as part of a dessert session as the ABV is 5.5%. Heck I'd love to find one of these in my trick or treat bag on Halloween this year .

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Koko Brown-Kona Brewing

Almond Joy alert! I must say that I have never had a coconut flavored beer and leave it to my drug rep buddy to provide this brown ale made with toasted coconut. It started with a clear, light brown pour and a rather small head. The scent of coconut is barely perceptible but becomes very prominent with the first sip. That, along with milk chocolate and hints of caramel and toffee, left me alternately thinking that I was drinking my Almond Joy for the week. There is slight hop bitterness, typical for most brown ales, and the IBU is 28. Good beer to have with sweet BBQ sauce basted ribs or chicken or as part of a dessert session as the ABV is 5.5%. Heck I'd love to find one of these in my trick or treat bag on Halloween this year .

I like Almond Joy, but absolutely love Mounds! Gotta be the dark chocolate. I recently tried the Almond Joy coffee flavoring from International Flavors - the local Kangaroo has them (little single serve containers) at their coffee station. They have really good coffee, by the way. Eh. I prefer French Vanilla, Hazelnut or Peppermint Mocha (the Coffeemate/Carnation version) in my coffee over the Almond Joy.

[captmojo]

I don't care for coconut. Never have. Never will.
When accidentally injested, I spit the pulp for hours upon hours.

I enjoy a nice papaya.

[devildeac]

I don't care for coconut. Never have. Never will.
When accidentally injested, I spit the pulp for hours upon hours.

I enjoy a nice papaya.

You should like Magic Hat #9 then as Ozzie thinks it tastes like papaya juice and that's a pretty good assessment.

[captmojo]

I don't care for coconut. Never have. Never will.
When accidentally injested, I spit the pulp for hours upon hours.

I enjoy a nice papaya.

You should like Magic Hat #9 then as Ozzie thinks it tastes like papaya juice and that's a pretty good assessment.

Alrighty then.

[devildeac]

Belgian Session-Boston Brewing Company

I received this as a trader from a drug rep a couple weeks ago and, with the advent of warm weather last week, decided to sip one and was pleasantly surprised. I believe it was from a mixed Sam Adams spring 12 pack. Poured a light golden yellow with a small head and a bouquet of fresh flowers. There are mild tastes of citrus, apples and pears with a dash of black pepper from the Belgian yeasts used. Bitterness is quite subdued, guessing an ABV of 20 and the minor toffee and caramel flavors from the lighter malted grains clock this in at a bit anemic ABV of 4.25%. The benefit of the low ABV is that it is truly a session brew and could double (or triple ) as a lawn mower brew. As fuse suggests with the Little Yellow Pils and another one of his reviews, some of these lighter brews with real flavor might change the minds of some lite beer fans.

[devildeac]

Slam Dunkel-Weyerbacher Brewing

Some of the guys in marketing earn their salaries in hops and malts by thinking of these names. As the name suggests, this is a dunkel, but not just any dunkel but a double dunkelweizen which means it is a dark wheat ale with probably twice the amount of malts with a significant amount of darkly roasted wheat in addition to the usual suspects of pale, caramel and chocolate malts (from their web site). The wheat malt here lends the typical flavors of banana and cloves with hints or orange and milk chocolate. Hop presence is subdued and I'd guess the IBU to be about 20 and the ABV on the bottle is 7% so you can enjoy more than one relatively safely or taste another Weyerbacher brew like we did tonight before dinner with another couple. This made a nice sipper with some homemade pimento cheese spread and boiled shrimp with a spicy cocktail sauce. Certainly worth the $9 for the 4 pack as I have a couple to share/trade and another to enjoy by myself later this spring.

[devildeac]

Fireside Ale-Weyerbacher Brewing

This was a pleasant match with dinner tonight which consisted of grilled/spiced chicken, ensalata caprese, grilled asparagus and pan roasted/fried/grilled potatoes. Poured a clear brown with a small head and slight aromas of dark caramel and toffee and distinctive smokey tastes. Basically a brown ale which has had the malts smoked before brewing. I'd guess the IBU to be about 30 with minimal hop presence and also some nutty flavors, too. ABV is 7.5% so I split this and the Slam Dunkel with as friend before dinner. This 4 pack was also worth the $9 so I have 3 leftovers to share/trade later this spring.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Abita Turbo Dog. Had it last night at Tyler's after they ran out of Newcastle Brown Ale on tap. As several of you know, at Tyler's they have NBA on tap only on the bar side, not the restaurant side where they provide it in cans, and the waiters have always said that they can't cross over to get the draft version for diners, and I knew that and expected to have a can of it. Our waiter last night said he COULD get me a draft if I preferred it (he has "special" privileges), so I took him up on his offer! Yeah, it's even smoother on tap than out of the can! But when I ordered a second one, he returned with a glass 1/4 full and a long look on his face. He said that this was the end of the keg and they didn't think they had another one in the cooler, but this was "on the house". Nice! He then suggested another brown ale, the Turbo Dog, and brought me a sample. The chocolate notes are very strong, and the bitterness was slightly, make that considerably more than the Newcastle, but very drinkable. I commented that Turbo Dog was no Sensual Chocolate, and the waiter said "nothing else is!" So I ordered a pint and enjoyed it with my Old West Burger! I liked it more as I got closer to the bottom of the glass, I guess getting used to the bitterness!

[captmojo]

Dinner last night was preceded by a bottle of this...http://www.starrhill.com/brews/brew_item/festie

Not bad. Much like an Oktoberfest without much fizz. Tasty.

I'm not much on descriptions.

[devildeac]

Hellhound on My Ale-Dogfish Head

Yet another iteration of an imperial IPA. This was brewed as a tribute to Robert Johnson who would have been 100 years old last year (see brewer's notes below), just as they did a couple years ago as a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Bitches Brew, Miles Davis' legendary recording. Pours a cloudy orange yellow with a moderate head. They tried to get just about everything to "100" as the brewer's notes also describe but missed it on the IBU with a final number of 58 which is somewhat less than you would expect from a typical IIPA. This actually makes it a bit more drinkable as the mild grapefruity/citrus notes blend very nicely with the added lemon zest and flesh (again, from brewer's notes). There is a solid malt backbone for balance with medium caramel and toffee tones and a final ABV of 10.0% relegating this 750 ml capped bottle to a two night tasting. This would be fine with hot, spicy foods (Chinese, Indian) or as an after dinner drink from a snifter and served at about 50-60 degrees. I actually bought this myself but couldn't find anyone to share it with so I twisted my own arms to divide it over a couple evenings.

From the DFH writers:

2011 would have marked the 100th birthday of Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, who according to legend, sold his soul down at the crossroads in a midnight bargain and changed music forever.

Working again with our friends at Sony Legacy (yup, the same folks we did our Miles Davis-inspired Bitches Brew with), Dogfish Head paid tribute to this blues legend by gettin' the hellhounds off his trail and into this finely-crafted ale.

Hellhound is a super-hoppy ale that hits 100 IBUs in the brewhouse and 10% ABV. It's dry-hopped with 100% Centennial hops at a rate of 100 kilos per 100 barrel brew-length. Can you tell we're stoked for this mighty musical centennial?

To accentuate and magnify the citrusy notes of the Centennial hops (and as a shoutout to Robert Johnson's mentor Blind Lemon Jefferson), we add dried lemon peel and flesh to the whirlpool.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Mmmm...the Hellhound looks way tasty.