Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Brunchgate beers:

Seduction-Ommegang Brewing

I managed to procure a couple bottles of this at Total Wine last month with $1.50 off stickers on the labels, so each caged and corked 750 ml bottle was about $7. Good choice. Poured a dark, dark brown with a hint of ruby and a generous tan head. This is a Belgian style porter but I'm not sure it's really any different than one from the US. The generous amount of multiple, darkly roasted malts imparts olfactory notes of espresso, dark chocolate and dark, dried fruits and gustatory findings of the same with a slightly sour, tart cherry finish. Hops ride in the back seat here, guessing IBUs of 30 or so with the ABV stated at 6.8%. Tasted mighty fine with some French toast casserole and a blueberry muffin, even moreso as it warmed over 15-20 minutes. This opened the sampling session yesterday and was shared among 4-5 different "critics."

From the Ommegang website:

"Ommegang Seduction is lovingly brewed with six dark malts. Chocolatier Callebut provides the chocolate, while Liefmans brings the cherries. This international romance is consummated with a full body, alluring aromas and flavors of Belgian chocolate, and tart cherries. Seduction is an ale to be lovingly embraced.

Beautiful, rich and smooth, roasty and malty throughout, Seduction offers balanced chocolate-cherry notes, a bit of caramel sweetness, and a long, slow finish. Seduction is welcoming and warm-hearted, gently hopped and harbors no bitterness, leaving only a lingering glow."

[devildeac]

Grand Arbor-Southern Tier Brewing

August West made the next contribution, changing colors and flavors but not the influence with yet another NY state brewery with a Belgian style entry into the market, this time a farmhouse ale. Poured a fizzy, hazy straw color with herbal, woody and floral aromas and similar tastes, along with a bit of funk, a dash of black pepper, a splash of sour/tart apple and a hint of maple sweetness in the finish. No IBUs noted but I'd guess 30 based on the style. ABV is 8% and we paired this with some more fresh fruit and French toast and divided the bomber among 4-5 people.

[devildeac]

Taste test/comparison time:

90 Minute IPA-Dogfish Head Brewing

Labeling this as the "best IPA in America" is a bit misleading as it's really an imperial IPA, meaning more hops/bitterness and more ABV than the IPA category. Poured a yellow-golden with a modest head, the aromas are citrus and pine with a hint of apricots. Almost oily in mouthfeel, the tastes include a bit of resin and pineapple, too. This is not for the weak-tongued, checking in with 90 IBUs. It's quite the hop bomb but very well-balanced with copious amounts of light to medium roasted varieties and an ABV of 9%. Even my daughter, who doesn't like bitter beers, commented that this was not as hoppy as she thought it would be. This 12 ounce bottle, provided by August West was shared 4 ways. Serve with hot/spicy foods or by itself, sipped from a snifter.

[devildeac]

Taste test/comparison time:

90 Minute IPA-Dogfish Head Brewing

Labeling this as the "best IPA in America" is a bit misleading as it's really an imperial IPA, meaning more hops/bitterness and more ABV than the IPA category. Poured a yellow-golden with a modest head, the aromas are citrus and pine with a hint of apricots. Almost oily in mouthfeel, the tastes include a bit of resin and pineapple, too. This is not for the weak-tongued, checking in with 90 IBUs. It's quite the hop bomb but very well-balanced with copious amounts of light to medium roasted varieties and an ABV of 9%. Even my daughter, who doesn't like bitter beers, commented that this was not as hoppy as she thought it would be. This 12 ounce bottle, provided by August West was shared 4 ways. Serve with hot/spicy foods or by itself, sipped from a snifter.

The Oracle-Bell's Beers

This was the second and final () entrant in the AM tasting/comparison of DIPAs, again kindly supplied by August West. He purchased the last 12 ounce bottle in a specialty store in Derm several days before tasting and there was an 8/8/14 brewed on date on the back label. Poured a clear, golden color with a modest, fluffy head. Pungent citrus and pine on the nose with tropical fruits and resin on the palate. The mouthfeel here was oily/and resinous. And bitter. Bells doesn't include IBUs on their labels and I couldn't find the number anywhere so I'll guess in the 90 range, too. ABV is listed at a stunning 10% and it tasted boozy. My daughter didn't like this and all the remaining tasters agreed that the 90 Minute is still the gold standard, at least for the day. I think we had moved onto smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese and onions on plain bagels with homemade country ham bizkits from allenmurray by this time.

[devildeac]

KBS-Founder's Brewing

Espresso cups (credit to TNTDevil) and KBS for our Brunchgate dessert/s. Heavenly. This was my next to last 12 ounce bottle of this imperial stout from about 5 years ago (no date on the bottle) and I'm not sure I've seen it since. Poured an inky black with a moderate mocha head and shared 4 ways. Gorgeous bouquet of dark chocolate, espresso and bourbon (barrel/cave-aged for a year) with identical tastes. Thick/viscous/oily on the palate so the flavors lingered tantalizingly. Rich, roasty and boozey with IBUs of 70 and ABV an amazing 11.2%. Fabulous combination with about an ounce of decadent, gooey dark chocolate and coffee-flavored fudge with a dark chocolate-covered coffee bean on top. I think this was about $20 for the 4 pack and that was a few years ago. Well worth the cost if you ever find this April release anywhere.

[devildeac]

PranQster-North Coast Brewing

This is another ale I haven't sampled for a number of years so I just couldn't resist a 12 ounce bottle when August West offered it as a trader a couple tailgates ago. Another wise decision. Poured a yellow-gold color with a generous, fizzy head. Aromas of stone fruits and slightly underripe apples tantalized while a bit of brown sugar added to those tastes along with a hint of black pepper. So easy to sip with IBUs of 20 and ABV at 7.6%, the latter being a bit "light" for the category. It's a Belgian style golden ale but not quite in the same class as Duvel or Chimay but still quite a flavorful and tasty beverage, especially at about $9 for a 4 pack.

[devildeac]

Little Sumpin' Extra-Lagunitas Brewing

Another variation of their Little Sumpin' series, this is probably best described as a wheat IIPA. Poured a light straw color with an initial scent of freshly squeezed Tropicana grapefruit juice with a bit of zest added and a splash of orange juice stirred into the glass. The tastes mirrored the aromas with a very pleasant light brown sugar sweetness and perhaps a bit of mango and papaya. This is a malt-dominated DIPA with the ABV of 8.5% and IBUs at 64, IIRC, so the hop bite is a bit less prominent. August West suggested/insisted/demanded I take one of these at the last tailgate and I'm pretty darned happy he "talked" me into the exchange. This would pair well with spicy foods as most IPAs/IIPAs would but this was also quite enjoyable sipped over 30-45 minutes earlier this week by itself.

[devildeac]

Back to camp!

Beer Camp brew #9.

Maillard's Odyssey-Sierra Nevada and Bell's Breweries

After a brief hiatus, the advent of autumn and a bit cooler weather prompted me to try this tonight. Aromas of a latte heavy on the coffee with tastes that were part Heath Bar, part coffee with a shot of dark rum and some figs and dates. Poured a dark brown color with a creamy, tan head and a soft, smooth silky finish, this had little bitterness outside the heavily roasted malts. IBUs listed at 40. Flavors improved as my 12 ounce portion warmed over about 30 minutes. This was excellent by itself and would be one of the selections from the 12 pack that should be brewed as a seasonal every fall/winter by one of these breweries.

[devildeac]

Electric Ray-Sierra Nevada and Ballast Point Brewing Companies

Beer Camp is almost over. This is #10 and I find myself sipping another somewhat unusual brew, this time labeled an India pale lager but it's really an imperial IPL. Brewed with all the hops of an IIPA with a blonde lager base so the nose is a fairly pungent citrus bouquet and the tastes match that pretty consistently but with a lot of sweetness in the middle and a dry, hoppy finish. The label announces a massive grapefruit presence but I didn't perceive that. I tasted more of a blend, including pineapple and mango. The mouthfeel was a bit oily and the sweetness was honey-like and balanced the hoppiness nicely. It was a light golden-yellow color with a moderate, fluffy head and tipped the scales with 70 IBUs and 8.5% ABV, both well into the imperial territory. Because of those numbers, I'd pair it with spicy fare, but, likely a one time offering, I guess I missed my opportunity. I've had IIPAs and imperial pilsners before but never a collaboration like this. Very interesting effort.

[devildeac]

A generous pour of Knob Creek helped ease the misery after I ran out of beer .

[devildeac]

Day #11-Beer Camp

Tater Ridge-Sierra Nevada and the Asheville Brewers Alliance

I'm not sure who/where/when/why/what the representation was for the ABA but they collabeerated well with the SN brewers and concocted a Scottish style ale brewed with North Carolina sweet potatoes. I yam what I yam. (I know they're different but it was too easy to resist.) Poured a medium brown with a hint of orange color, the head was moderate and creamy and the aromas were medium to dark caramel, a whiff of smoke/peat with some earthy, woody hops. Sweetness from the malts dominated the taste sensations with very mild sweet potato flavors. There was no spicing like you might expect from a sweet potato pie, just some extra earthy, starchy perceptions. The stats fit the billing as a Scottish style ale with an ABV of 7% and IBUs of 36. I'd like to read what mattman91 thought about his draft sampling of this. If it's ever bottled, it'd pair nicely with ribs or brisket. Probably one of the more likeable, tasty bottles from the sampler.

[devildeac]

All good things must come to an end.

Twelfth and final day of beer camp was a winner.

Double Latte-Sierra Nevada and Ninkasi Brewing

Everyone knows SN but Ninkasi is a brewery from Eugene, Oregon that I became acquainted with about 18 months ago during a visit to Portland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninkasi_Brewing_Company). This is a coffee milk stout with beans from the (apparently) legendary Stumptown Coffee Roasters and the addition of mild sugar, or lactose. By the numbers, it's really closer to an imperial milk stout as it checks in at 7.6% ABV and IBUs of 70, both well above the standard stats for a regular stout. Poured a dark, dark brown with a creamy, tan head, my first thought after that was to look for the cream and sugar (just kidding). Seductive aromas of fresh brewed coffee and dark chocolate were the initial impression and the tasting revealed the same with the sweetness already there. Bitterness arrived from two sources: generous amounts of earthy hops and fairly equally balanced quantities of heavily roasted malts. If ever encountered again, this could be splashed over vanilla ice cream or turned into a beer float, paired with any caramel or chocolate dessert or fly solo at nearly room temperature as a liquid dessert.

I'll be rather curious to see if SN or any of their partners in this cross country adventure of brewing will step out and produce any significant quantities of the ales they created.

[devildeac]

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (winter 2009-10)-Brooklyn Brewing Company

From the cellar arises the beginning of a welcome-to-fall vertical week of BBCS. This one is the oldest and I sipped this over an hour on Sunday night as last night was a work night. Poured its usual inky black with a 1-2 fingered mocha head. I'm not sure I change my review of this much from year to year and this 5 year old bottle is probably little different. Liquid Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels with a bit of booze are the aromas escaping from the glass with tastes of a dark chocolate malted with a half a shot of whiskey at the finish. Kind of oily and modestly bitter on the palate, too, with the heavily roasted malts used to concoct this. It's an imperial stout so I'll guess IBUs in the 60-70 range but it's tough to tell with all the roasted flavors here. ABV has always been listed at 10% and it's not hidden much. I think the price has not changed in several years since they moved to 4 packs that sell for $8 so I buy one or two litters each fall.

[devildeac]

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (winter 2010-11)-Guess Who?

This one is in celebration of Mattman's birthday tonight;). I'll celebrate it again tomorrow with the 2011-12 versionD. I don't think there's much different in the 4 and 5 year old versions except the prior year may have been a bit smoother. Same roastiness and dark chocolate aromas and tastes in a viscous, onyx pour. No additives, no barrel aging. Still one of my favorites.

[devildeac]

Edinbrue-Brueprint Brewing Company (Apex, NC)

Their version of a Scotch ale poured a clear, medium-to-dark amber with a one finger head that rapidly faded. The nose was a bit weak but had the requisite scents of caramel, toffee and a bit of smoke. The tastes and body were a bit thin, too, but matched the aromas with perhaps hints of chocolate and coffee. Hops take a back seat here with IBUs of 19 with the ABV weighing in at 8.2%, both expected numbers. Pair this with just about any BBQ fare. This is worth a single or a trader but not sure I'd visit a 4 pack or 6er of this again and I like Scotch ales in general. Two of my all-time favorites are McEwan's and Sam Adams and I'm not sure I've seen either of them for years. Perhaps the best one I've ever had is Traquair House Ale but that's also about $6-7 for a 33 cl bottle.

[devildeac]

Our son's 30th birthday party is coming up in a little over two weeks. Any guesses what he might be getting?

Hint: There will be leftovers for the Virginia and possibly later tailgates for comparison and trading purposes ;) .

[devildeac]

Oktober Beast-Aviator Brewing Company

Drink local!

Well, we were almost in Fuquay-Varina tonight for a wedding and this is about as close to local as you can get as it's brewed in Fuquay-Varina. probably less than 5 miles from the celebration. This was a 12 ounce can that poured a slightly cloudy dark amber with a generous, foamy head. Toasted croissants and herbs in the aroma category and the same for the tastes with a bit of caramel drizzled into the mix. I'll quote the can and the website here:

"Our version of an Oktoberfest or Marzen style beer. This is a beer that was usually brewed in March and aged cold over the summer months to serve in the fall. It was usually a high gravity beer (strong in alcohol) to survive the long aging period. The beer has a higher hopping rate than most oktoberfest beers (cause we like hops). It will make you want to wear lederhosen and listen to polka music."


It was less hoppy than advertised/expected with IBUs of 22, with the ABV higher than expected for the style, but not for the name, at 7.2%. No lederhosen were donned and there wasn't a single polka played the entire evening by the DJ at the wedding reception. Certainly worth a can or pint to sample a variant of the traditional Octoberfest style.

[lawgrad91]

We went to a wedding tonight, and the groom and his best man micro-brew, but I don't have a clue the name of their operation. I can say I liked the Ball and Chain Chocolate Cherry, and the Happy Ever After IPA was better than I expected.

The groomsmen had corsages that contained hops instead of flowers, and the father of the groom had hops leaves as part of his corsage. Hops leaves look for all the world like small . Apparently he and the groom's mother live in Colorado. Coincidence????

[devildeac]

Oktober Beast-Aviator Brewing Company

Drink local!

Well, we were almost in Fuquay-Varina tonight for a wedding and this is about as close to local as you can get as it's brewed in Fuquay-Varina. probably less than 5 miles from the celebration. This was a 12 ounce can that poured a slightly cloudy dark amber with a generous, foamy head. Toasted croissants and herbs in the aroma category and the same for the tastes with a bit of caramel drizzled into the mix. I'll quote the can and the website here:

"Our version of an Oktoberfest or Marzen style beer. This is a beer that was usually brewed in March and aged cold over the summer months to serve in the fall. It was usually a high gravity beer (strong in alcohol) to survive the long aging period. The beer has a higher hopping rate than most oktoberfest beers (cause we like hops). It will make you want to wear lederhosen and listen to polka music."


It was less hoppy than advertised/expected with IBUs of 22, with the ABV higher than expected for the style, but not for the name, at 7.2%. No lederhosen were donned and there wasn't a single polka played the entire evening by the DJ at the wedding reception. Certainly worth a can or pint to sample a variant of the traditional Octoberfest style.

Forgot the star players:

Malts: Pilsner, Munich, Carapils, Caramunich, roasted barley (again, I don't know how to 'splain barley being listed again/separately)

Hops: Hallertau, Mittelfruh and Perle (I think all traditional Euro varieties)

[devildeac]

We went to a wedding tonight, and the groom and his best man micro-brew, but I don't have a clue the name of their operation. I can say I liked the Ball and Chain Chocolate Cherry, and the Happy Ever After IPA was better than I expected.

The groomsmen had corsages that contained hops instead of flowers, and the father of the groom had hops leaves as part of his corsage. Hops leaves look for all the world like small . Apparently he and the groom's mother live in Colorado. Coincidence????

Awesome about the home brew served at the wedding, the hop "flowers" for corsages and that you liked an IPA . Seriously.

Hops and cannabis are related plants/flowers. I'm not a botanist so I don't know how close this phylum or family realationship is.