Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Are you a beer snob?

beersnob.jpg

I am surprised my photo is not in the lower right corner of that chart.

[devildeac]

Floral IPA-Beer Camp #53-Sierra Nevada Brewing

I think I bought a 12 pack of this last year and this is a trader I got this week from their 2012 series. Interestingly, this is labeled Long Stem IPA on their web site for their beer camp series dating back to about 2008, IIRC. The ingredients appear very similar so I'll go with their stats. Looks like 3 "hoppings" with bittering, aroma and torpedo hops that include Citra, Centennial, Crystal and Saphir (new breed) with rose petals and rose hips added. The blend imparts a bit of citrus and piney-resinous notes and the rose ingredients really do lend a prominent floral bouquet to the scent and tastes of this beer. Perhaps a bit low on the IBU and ABV for an IPA at 54 and 5.6% respectively but a very pleasant offering. Pair this with some curry or other mildly hot/spicy foods and you will have a nice combination.

[devildeac]

Imperial Red Ale-Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Series

Tasted just about as advertised with some grapefruit, peach and melon flavors in a sticky, hopped up red ale. This is labeled Red-Oric on the Beer Camp web page and claims 65 IBU which is believable and 8.5% ABV but is listed at 8.1% on the bottle. Poured a clear reddish-brown with citrus on the nose and a nice caramel-y balance. This would pair nicely with spicy or hot dishes. I really like what SN did with this series. My last one is the imperial oatmeal stout if I am recalling correctly but that's gonna wait until it gets a bit cooler in NC.

[devildeac]

St. Bernardus Abt 12-Brouwerij St. Bernard NV

A fabulous and classic Belgian trappist quad. Poured a hazy medium to dark brown from an 11.2 ounce bottle I received as a trader last week. Heavenly aromas and tastes of dark dried fruits, brown sugar and rum. Huge malty presence with minimal bitterness guessing IBU of 20-30 and the ABV is a sneaky 10%. Let this warm a bit and pour into a goblet and sip for dessert. I thought I had a 750 ml bottle of this at some point but can't find an old review.

[devildeac]

From May, 19, 2011:

G'Knight-Oskar Blues Brewing

More beer in a can. This is an imperial red ale. Their web site says imperial red/double IPA but the slightly reddish-orange color, the slight citrus notes and the somewhat lower IBU of 60 really don't qualify this as an IIPA. Mighty tasty however. It is a bit viscous, somewhat biscuity and sweet and pours with a 2-3 finger foamy head. This would make a nice beverage with soups, lighter stews, BBQ chicken or pulled pork. I have never seen this until this week and think the $9 or $9.50 for the 4 pack is a reasonable price for the quality, quantity and 8.7% ABV . A few brewer notes, too:

Our “Velvet M-80” is a hefty, dry hopped double-red ale with a nose full of aroma, a sticky mouthfeel, a malty middle and unctuous hop flavors. G’Knight sports a surprisingly sensuous finish for a beer of its size (8.7% ABV, 60 IBUs). It’s brewed in tribute to a fellow Colorado craft beer pioneer and Vietnam vet who died fighting a 2002 wild fire outside of our Lyons hometown. For all the details behind this tribute follow this link to http://www.N3978Y.com. G’Mornin’. G’Day. G’Knight.

From tonight:

G'Knight Special-Oskar Blues Brewing

What's the difference? This was on draft at the Bier Baron Hotel and Pub in DC and was aged in Zinfandel barrels. Not sure how/why this keg made it from Colorado to this small restaurant and bar in NW DC but I consider myself lucky to have discovered it. What made it even more special was being there for Happy Hour and getting a $12 burger and fries and this $12 goblet of brew for the all-inclusive fabulous price of $10. Served in a 10 ounce goblet, there was little to no head and it was a cloudy reddish-orange-brown. Aromas of Zinfandel wine were dominant and the taste of wine was also. I could not find this listed on their web site anywhere and I'll guess it was not like the DFH Red and White which I think was blended/brewed with Pinot Noir grapes. The bitterness/IBU of 60 from the imperial red ale "base" beverage was covered nicely with the sweetness of the winey tastes and the ABV of 8.7% was "enhanced" a bit by those same winey flavors. If my wife, who does not drink beer, had not "ordered" the Ommegang Heart of Darkness (which she "forced" me to consume), I would have ordered another one of these. Or, had another Happy Hour "one for the road" in a take out box for the burger and fries and cup for the next ale .

[devildeac]

Oatmeal Stout-Mendocino Brewing (Saratoga, NY)

OK, it's still summer and a bit early for stouts but it was a bit cooler the last couple days and I've had this sitting in the 'fridge for several weeks as part of a 6er trader and had the urge. Poured a silky, rich black color and had a full nose of mocha and a bit of molasses. The oatmeal in the brewing process imparts a smooth, creamy mouth texture and the darkly roasted barley provide the coffee and dark chocolate flavors. Little bitterness from the hops which are barely noticeable and I'd guess the IBU about 30. ABV noted at 6% on the bottle. This would make a nice match with spicy chili or BBQ fare or washing down a brownie or slice of chocolate cake.

[devildeac]

Pearl Necklace-Flying Dog Brewing

Brewed with Rappahannock River oysters, this oyster stout is rather tasty. Pours a typical black with a modest head and aromas of chocolate and coffee and surprisingly, no scents of shellfish or anything coastal. This was a trader a couple weeks ago and I doubt I would have tried this myself but I am almost always willing to try the unusual brews. I'd guess IBU about 30 as hop presence is minimal and the ABV is listed at 5.5% so highly sessionable with other stouts and a plate of roasted shellfish.

[devildeac]

Lion Stout-Lion Brewing Company

I have seen this a bunch of times, never bought it, thinking a stout from the Caribbean couldn't be any good. Well, it's not just any stout. It's an imperial stout. And it's not from the Caribbean, it's from Sri Lanka. So, I am . I received this as a trader a few weeks ago and shoved it to the bottom of the 'fridge to wait for the fall It's not quite fall yet but it was a bit cooler this week so I let this 330 ml can warm up a bit on the counter before decanting the rich mahogany beverage and sipping on it for about 30 minutes. It's not Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, one of my all time favorite brews, but it was quite respectable. Kinda viscous and chewy with roasted malt bitterness-almost burned-but nice aromas and tastes of mocha. This would be tasty with a rack of ribs or a dark chocolate dessert. Definitely worth a trade or purchase of a single to sample. The can is pretty cool looking, too.

[devildeac]

Red Chair-Deschutes Brewery

My son brought this back from Oregon about 7 months ago and I have been waiting to share with him but realized I had two, so I had one myself this afternoon for my own personal happy hour after a loong week of work. It is a NWPA, or Northwest pale ale and really almost borders on an IPA. I found the nose and tastes to be a bit piney and resinous but the brewer disagrees with me so what do I know. Poured an orange-yellow with a two fingered head, there were hints of citrus with a nice malt backbone. A bit hoppy for a PA at 60 IBU but a lot of west coast PA are like that with IPAs even hoppier. ABV of 6.2% make it very sessionable and a nice brew to enjoy with spicy fare. Named after a chair lift either at either Mt. Bachelor or Mt. Hood in Oregon, this pays tribute to the old style chair lifts.

[devildeac]

Worth re-posting with the note that August West brought it this year.
Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

[CathyCA]

Worth re-posting with the note that August West brought it this year.
Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

Is this the one that CB&B had me taste? I loved the way it smelled, but I was eating some of Allen Murray's OUTSTANDING HOLLIDAY fudge at the time. The fudge was better than the beer. The beer tasted bitter, compared to the chocolate fudge.

I would love to have candles around my house that are made from this beer. It was the best beer I have ever smelled. Ever.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Worth re-posting with the note that August West brought it this year.
Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

Is this the one that CB&B had me taste? I loved the way it smelled, but I was eating some of Allen Murray's OUTSTANDING HOLLIDAY fudge at the time. The fudge was better than the beer. The beer tasted bitter, compared to the chocolate fudge.

I would love to have candles around my house that are made from this beer. It was the best beer I have ever smelled. Ever.

Yup, same brew.

[lawgrad91]

Worth re-posting with the note that August West brought it this year.
Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

Is this the one that CB&B had me taste? I loved the way it smelled, but I was eating some of Allen Murray's OUTSTANDING HOLLIDAY fudge at the time. The fudge was better than the beer. The beer tasted bitter, compared to the chocolate fudge.

I would love to have candles around my house that are made from this beer. It was the best beer I have ever smelled. Ever.

The aftertaste was sheer creme brulee. I've never had an beer aftertaste that was rave-worthy, but this was.

I will PW somewhere else about Allen Murray's DIVINE fudge.

[devildeac]

Worth re-posting with the note that August West brought it this year.
Saturday's beer tasting winner was:

Creme Brulee-Southern Tier Brewing

This represents a style I have never tasted, heard of or thought of before and that is an imperial milk stout and we all have dpslaw to thank for this selection. Great choice!

Think of a black as night imperial stout, add vanilla beans and lactose sugar to the grains and you get a viscous, oily and smooth as silk pour with a small head and fabulous aromas of dark, dark chocolate and rich espresso. There is a small head, the roasty bitterness you'd expect with the coffee and cacao flavors that are smoothed by the sweetness of the mild stout style and vanilla. This is one of the darker beers I have ever had with a lovibond rating of 195 but they make several others with a rating of 220-245. The blackest beer I have ever tasted/seen is the Rogue XS Imperial Stout at about 250. I sipped this brew with a chocolate chip cookie, a sinful brownie and by itself and my taste buds were tickled with all three options. I might move this into one of my top 10 beers and would not hesitate to buy a bomber or two if I see it at Total Wine this fall. Outstanding concoction.

Thanks again to dpslaw for taking a chance and bringing this to the tailgate on Saturday.

Is this the one that CB&B had me taste? I loved the way it smelled, but I was eating some of Allen Murray's OUTSTANDING HOLLIDAY fudge at the time. The fudge was better than the beer. The beer tasted bitter, compared to the chocolate fudge.

I would love to have candles around my house that are made from this beer. It was the best beer I have ever smelled. Ever.

The aftertaste was sheer creme brulee. I've never had an beer aftertaste that was rave-worthy, but this was.

I will PW somewhere else about Allen Murray's DIVINE fudge.

I had this beer along with the Holliday fudge, brownies and the CC cookies. It was chocolate heaven.

[devildeac]

True Blonde Ale-Ska Brewing

A light, very pleasant yellow pour with a small amount of foam which rapidly disappeared, this brew has a small amount of wheat malt which lends a bit of citrus to the nose and taste. There is also local honey, making a nice combination of sweetness with the mild floral hop bite. IBU of 39 and an ABV of 5.3% allow this to be paired with entrees of lighter fish and shellfish or soft cheeses and fruit pre-dinner. I actually purchased this myself as part of a mixed 12 pack of cans from this Colorado brewer but did trade one along with the ESB and Modus Hoperandi to CB&B at tailgate last weekend and share the ESB with Bob Green as a trader for one of his Red Hoptobers.

[devildeac]

Let's see how many of these I can complete tonight and let fuse know what he missed ;) :

Octoberfest-Saranac Brewing

Lawgrad/merlindevildog9192 contribution for the day. Poured a light amber with some toasted bread/biscuit flavors and light floral hops. A bit thin but a nice starter beer for the afternoon/evening. I'd guess 30 IBU and about 5% ABV. If you have a choice of two Octoberfest brews, go with the Sam Adams that has a bit more body and flavor but this was still a solid brew.

[devildeac]

Fest-Weeping Radish Brewing

This was my contribution to the liquid refreshment. It was a one litre swing top growler that I got as a trader a couple months ago from a drug rep and poured a slightly cloudy light amber with the ingredients to match the German Laws of Purity of 1516 (or thereabouts). Not sure which fest this is supposed to celebrate or represent as I think he got it direct from the brewery this summer. Notes of toasted bread and faintly floral hops with a somewhat astringent/sour/lemon-y finish, I'd guess about 30 on the IBU scale and it is labeled as 5.2% ABV on the bottle. Made a decent beverage to have with pasta salad, fruit, corn salad/relish, potato salad and pulled pork but not a beer I'd seek out. I never was impressed with the brewery when they were in Derm in the Brightleaf Square area and I'm not sure their move to the Manteo area improved their product any.

[devildeac]

OK, I'm going to recycle this one from 4/7/12 with the caveat that dpslaw brought this one and it might be from 2011 but you'll have to ask him to verify that .

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

[devildeac]

I'm bringing this one back, too. From April, 2011 but AW gets the credit here as he was true to his word and bought yesterday's bomber in December, 2011 and let the sleeping dog lie for about 9 months and it aged pretty well.

The Dogfather-Laughing Dog Brewing

http://www.laughingdogbrewing.com/ldb/brews/dogfather



On to the brew review. Licorice, blackstrap molasses, cappucino and mocha all in a nearly black imperial stout with a modest head. 7 malts, 4 hops as the linky will tell you with an ABV of 11% (only 10.85% on the bottle ) and the IBU are 71 which is a bit low for the style but still well hopped. Serve this at about 55-60 degrees and sip for a while. You could enjoy this with a savory brisket, a spicy bowl of chili or as dessert, with or without a scoop of vanila ice cream. Certainly worth a try at $8 for the bomber but AW's bottle was $9 from a small beer and wine shop in Derm not named Sam's. This was the better of the two RIS brews we sampled yesterday but the Happy Ending was still a keeper.

I still love the label on the bottle:

[devildeac]

Brother Thelonious-North Coast Brewing

This ended up being my person favorite of the afternoon/evening because as it warmed a bit, the flavors became richer and more complex. Brought to you by August West (posting name, not real name), this caged and corked 750 ml delicacy poured a slightly cloudy medium brown with aromas of dark raisins, dates and figs. When tasted, I could add dark brown sugar and aged dark Caribbean rum to my description. Very smooth despite its ABV of 9.4%, typical for a Belgian dark strong ale. Not a stout but more like an imperial dubbel style ale. IBU were 32 so hop presence was rather light which it should be for this style. The two stouts and this one were dessert beers/beverages and were sampled with plain brownies (good), blackberry cobbler (very good), deep dish caramel apple pie (excellent) and peanut butter chocolate chip brownies, my person favorite and prepared by my older daughter . I particularly liked the combination of Brother Thelonious with the apple pie.