Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Three Philosophers is probably one of my favorite ales. A bit easier to review than the last one but still very complex with some additional explanation during the tasting I did not know before. It's a quadrupel ale, commonly just referred to as a "quad." I'm still not sure what this means whether it's four times the grains, fermentations, ABV level or all of the above. Poured a dark reddish-brown with a modest tan head. Fabulous bouquet of dark dried fruits, dark cherries, rum, brown sugar and maybe a bit of molasses. The palate tells me the same with a bit of vanilla and wood, too. This ale is 98% quad and blended with 2% Liefmans Kriek, a Belgian lambic which, at some point, has been aged in oak for 12-18 months. Low IBUs at 19 with perhaps a slightly low ABV for the style at 9.7%. Final product is exquisite and should be served slightly chilled in a chalice or goblet and would be perfect with any dark berry desserts, dark chocolate baked goodies or by itself.

[devildeac]

Two Women-New Glarus Brewing

A Wisconsin lager, and a solid one with some body and flavor, too. Named after the two ladies who run the malting company who provides grain for the brews and New Glarus itself, this slightly sweet and mildly hoppy brew is a nice session brew. I shared one of these with my daughter last PM, along with the next brew and we were surprised and pleased. I received this as a "special delivery from Wisconsin" from one of my patients who lives in Wisconsin now and it was just plenty warm enough here last PM to uncap a lighter beer. Pours a light amber with a modest head and aroma of floral hops and light caramel malts with tastes to match. I could not find IBU or ABV but would estimate 20 and 5% respectively so this beverage is fine for tasting/sharing in an afternoon or eveing or serving with almost any mild dishes. And what better way to conclude a review than to say "I tasted Two Women" last evening .

[devildeac]

Moon Man-New Glarus Brewing

No Coast Pale Ale. Hey, it says so on the bottle . This was in a mixed 12 pack with the above brew and the two I'll likely share tonight with my daughter. Poured an orange-yellow with a foamy head and had mild tastes of grapefruit and other tropical fruits created nicely from five hops and balanced well with caramel and pale malts. Modest IBU guessing 40-50 and an estimated ABV of under 6%. Good spring or cookout brew.

[devildeac]

Spotted Cow-New Glarus Brewing

"Only in Wisconsin"

This farmhouse ale made a nice starter beer before Bell's Oberon. It is a straw-colored and slightly hazy pour with fizz instead of foam and scents of flowers and tastes of crisp, slightly underripe apples and pears. I shared a 12 ounce bottle with our younger daughter and she thought oranges and grapes, too. No IBU or ABV stats to be found but there is little hop presence here so I'd guess 10-20 with an ABV of 5-6%. This would make a fine ale to sip on a warm/hot spring or summer day or with some fresh berries or any light fish or chicken dishes.

[devildeac]

Gnomegang-Ommegang Brewing

This one is a strong Belgian golden/blonde style ale. It pours a cloudy, yellow-orange and has a nose of apples and pears with tastes of the same, some orange zest (from the wheat malt) and hints of black pepper, fairly typical from the proprietary Belgian yeasts used from La Chouffe Brasserie. It is rather fizzy with well-retained Belgian lace and a smooth, crisp, dry finish, somewhat attributable to the oats as part of the grains used in the brewing. Very easy on the palate with an IBU of 19 but with a potent ABV of 9.5%. This would be a great aperitif with a plate of soft/light cheeses or fruits, a dinner beverage with grilled fish, chicken or mussels, or as a digestif, by itself, or with a freshly baked fruit tart. This was the last of my 3 beer sampler that accompanied lunch.

[devildeac]

Oberon-Bell's Beer

A spring/summer release, this is their wheat ale so it was a bit of a cloudy yellow-orange color with a mildly foamy head and aromas of orange and caramel and tastes to match. I'd guess IBUs in the 20 range and the ABV was 5.8%. There was a bit of sediment at the end of the pour so be careful decanting your 12 ounce bottle. Pleasant warm temperature offering that would accompany lighter grilled fare, salads or a fruit tray before your meal.

Another special thanks to duketaylor for including this with his home-brewed BBQ brews.

[devildeac]

Plum Noir (2013)-Southern Tier Brewing Company

Purchased as a bomber last fall in Lexington, Kentucky, this is part of their Blackwater series that appears to be discontinued. The base ale is an imperial porter comprised of 5 grains/malts (2-row, caramel, barley flakes, chocolate and debittered black) along with 2 hops, Chinook and Willamette, and pureed dark Italian plums. Poured a purple-brown hue (rather pretty color) with a modest light tan head. Aromas are coffee and dark chocolate and the tastes are a medium to dark roast coffee with a generous splash of plum juice with perhaps a hint of semi-sweet Nestle's morsels. IBUs are not available so I'll guess about 30-40 with most of the perception of bitterness coming from the heavily roasted malts. ABV is 8%. I can imagine sipping this with a blackberry or blueberry glazed pork tenderloin, with any chocolate (or caramel) truffle or dessert or, by itself like I did last PM with my younger daughter, at (near) room temperature like you'd serve a merlot or syrah. I've got a 2nd bottle. Anyone interested?

[devildeac]

Hop Burglar (draft)-Wicked Weed Brewing

My first WW beer! Which was, of course, made better with friends like fuse at Bottle Revolution just before our beer for cash exchange. Pint "glass" (well, plastic) filled to the top with and orange-amber elixir. We both got fooled on this one. I sniffed and tasted pineapple and mango and fuse kinda/sorta agreed. Bzzzzttt!!!! This was created with the addition of blood orange puree and grapefruit zest to one of their IPA recipes. Ton of hops (varieties not known) with just enough grains to add a bit of sweetness. We both estimated about 70 IBUs for this IPA and it was on the chalkboard as 6.5% which is probably a shade low for the style. Would pair nicely with spicy grilled fare or curry.

[devildeac]

Yonder Bock-Beer Camp collaboration with Sierra Nevada and Cigar City

This was my first beer from this summer's Beer Camp 12 pack which was assembled with 6 beers from Chico, CA and 6 from their new brewery in Mills River, NC, about 20 mile south of Asheville. Named for Sierra Nevada's reference to their friends "down yonder" in Tampa, this is a variation of a traditional maibock. The hops, Calypso, Azacca and experimental 366 hops are varieties I've never heard of and used "as a nod to Cigar City's tropical locale." They lend tropical fruit aromas and tastes of mango, papaya, guava to the traditional flavors of caramel and toasted bread that are usually experienced with this style. This was almost a fusion style brew with IBUs of 45 which gave it the mild resin bitterness of a pale ale, along with the ABV of 7.7% which is most in line with a double bock. Poured a reddish-amber with a small head, this would accompany deli sammiches or mild grilled fare very nicely.

[devildeac]

Yonder Bock-Beer Camp collaboration with Sierra Nevada and Cigar City

This was my first beer from this summer's Beer Camp 12 pack which was assembled with 6 beers from Chico, CA and 6 from their new brewery in Mills River, NC, about 20 mile south of Asheville. Named for Sierra Nevada's reference to their friends "down yonder" in Tampa, this is a variation of a traditional maibock. The hops, Calypso, Azacca and experimental 366 hops are varieties I've never heard of and used "as a nod to Cigar City's tropical locale." They lend tropical fruit aromas and tastes of mango, papaya, guava to the traditional flavors of caramel and toasted bread that are usually experienced with this style. This was almost a fusion style brew with IBUs of 45 which gave it the mild resin bitterness of a pale ale, along with the ABV of 7.7% which is most in line with a double bock. Poured a reddish-amber with a small head, this would accompany deli sammiches or mild grilled fare very nicely.

[devildeac]

Canfusion-Beer Camp collaboration with Sierra Nevada and their neighbors, Oskar Blues brewing in Buncombe County, NC.

I did not like this. I think the dry hopped rye component of this brew ruins the taste/style. It injects musty, barnyard aromas and tastes to a style beer that is usually one of my favorites. Poured a bit lighter than the Yonder Bock, the sweet caramel and toasted croissant flavors were masked and marred with the rye and, even a bit of wheat, which also does not belong in this style beer, doesn't help much either. The IBUs are too high at 45, making this bock taste like a pale ale. The ABV at 7.2% is in line but not much else is with this lager. Glad they only put one in the 12 pack as I would not re-visit this one. If you are adventurous, it's worth tasting/sharing with another beer knurd, but otherwise, it's not a creation I'd suggest they market on a regular basis.

[devildeac]

Beer Camp brew #3

Yvan the Great-Sierra Nevada and Russian River

These two brewmasters took a typical recipe for a Belgian blonde ale and twisted it in a tribute to Yvan De Baets, a famous Belgian brewologist with an obsession with yeast, with their own humulus lupulus love and created a hoppy Belgian style blonde ale. Poured a pale straw color with a fizzy head that disappeared rather quickly. The nose is lemon juice and fresh cut flowers and the tastes are lemon zest, underripe peaches/nectarines and a bit herbal with a dry finish. The IBUs of 50 are quite high for this style but the ABV is in line at 6.3% and provide a nice balance. This would match well with grilled chicken with rosemary or sage, or lighter fish with a pineapple or mango salsa.

[CathyCA]

Canfusion-Beer Camp collaboration with Sierra Nevada and their neighbors, Oskar Blues brewing in Buncombe County, NC.

I did not like this. I think the dry hopped rye component of this brew ruins the taste/style. It injects musty, barnyard aromas and tastes to a style beer that is usually one of my favorites. Poured a bit lighter than the Yonder Bock, the sweet caramel and toasted croissant flavors were masked and marred with the rye and, even a bit of wheat, which also does not belong in this style beer, doesn't help much either. The IBUs are too high at 45, making this bock taste like a pale ale. The ABV at 7.2% is in line but not much else is with this lager. Glad they only put one in the 12 pack as I would not re-visit this one. If you are adventurous, it's worth tasting/sharing with another beer knurd, but otherwise, it's not a creation I'd suggest they market on a regular basis.

Canfusion. What a great name!

[CameronBornAndBred]

[devildeac]

pumpkin.jpg

The only three of the ales that I really like are DFH Punk'n, Souther Tier Pumking and Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin. Warlock by Southern Tier is not bad either,

[August West]

pumpkin.jpg

The only three of the ales that I really like are DFH Punk'n, Souther Tier Pumking and Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin. Warlock by Southern Tier is not bad either,

I have the Southern Tier version in my cellar, er basement. Probably wait until the weather is a little cooler before I bring that one. I'm thinking about bringing a growler from "www.growlergrlz.com". Take a look at their current offerings and see if anything tickles your tastebuds and I'll try and stop by Saturday and bring something to the tailgate. AW.

PS. One day I'll learn how to do a link.

[devildeac]

Beer sampler from Trophy Brewing, a somewhat new nano brewery in the Boylan Heights are of downtown Raleigh.

#1

Rose Gose was a cloudy, light straw colored beer with an herbal nose from the generous amount of rosemary used in the brewing process, along with a seashore smell of salt water. Tastes of both were on the money with the aromas when sipped. I'll guess an IBU of 20 and the ABV is stated at 3.8%, making it a light bodied thirst quencher. Sort of. This is the second gose I've sipped this summer but the style is just not growing on me as a favorite.

[devildeac]

#2

Big Day IPA was listed on their blackboard as a "session" IPA and I think that is an apt description. Pour was an orange-yellow with a modest head, and flavors were light pine, resin with a drop or two of orange juice. I'll guess the IBUs about 50 and the ABV was approaching the regular n 7/5/2014.

[devildeac]

pumpkin.jpg

The only three of the ales that I really like are DFH Punk'n, Souther Tier Pumking and Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin. Warlock by Southern Tier is not bad either,

I have the Southern Tier version in my cellar, er basement. Probably wait until the weather is a little cooler before I bring that one. I'm thinking about bringing a growler from "www.growlergrlz.com". Take a look at their current offerings and see if anything tickles your tastebuds and I'll try and stop by Saturday and bring something to the tailgate. AW.

PS. One day I'll learn how to do a link.

This might be a very interesting collaboration:

New Belgium Brewing 3 Floyds Gratzer

As might this one, though it's a stout:

The Bruery Tart of Darkness Sour/Stout

Here's the link (I hope):

http://www.growlergrlz.com/

[devildeac]

Beer sampler from Trophy Brewing, a somewhat new nano brewery in the Boylan Heights are of downtown Raleigh.

#1

Rose Gose was a cloudy, light straw colored beer with an herbal nose from the generous amount of rosemary used in the brewing process, along with a seashore smell of salt water. Tastes of both were on the money with the aromas when sipped. I'll guess an IBU of 20 and the ABV is stated at 3.8%, making it a light bodied thirst quencher. Sort of. This is the second gose I've sipped this summer but the style is just not growing on me as a favorite.