Ymm, Beer!

[August West]

I think I have it:




Sounds decadent. Can't wait.

As it says on the label, "dessert is best poured". AW.

[devildeac]

I have no idea what their current LoF brew/s are, just hoping it's not the collabeeration done with Cigar City that has peppers in it . My guess will be La Folie.

My bastard guess will Double Bastard, which is about 10% ABV, IIRC (but I won't be surprised if it's oaked Bastard). There are only some many bastards that I know ;) .

This is even a better Bastard:

There's also Dirty Bastard which is more readily available. AW.

But Backwoods Bastard is released in November...

[devildeac]

Bigfoot (2009 Expedition)-Sierra Nevada

Better than I expected as I've about given up on buying this beer. Just way too hoppy for too long to be really enjoyable. However, after 5 years in the cellar, this was somewhat smoother and more sippable. Poured a cloudy brown with an herbal, earthy nose and tastes of sherry, caramel and tobacco. Still rough on the palate at its traditional 90 IBU but the malty/booziness at 9.6% ABV has attained a reasonable balance. Allow it to warm for 15-30 minutes before decanting or serve with some spicy ribs or brisket. I've got two 2010 bottles and a 2012 but still don't intend to purchase this again.

[devildeac]

Wassail (2013)-Full Sail

Ahh, the time of year to change over from Oktoberfests and pumpkin fests to winterfests. I shared this with my younger daughter last PM, followed by a Hibernation Ale. This one poured a medium to dark brown with a modest head and had toffee, nutty and woody aromas followed by tastes that I would have imagined had one brewed a collabeeration with an ESB, a brown ale and a Scotch ale. There were some piney/resinous hoppiness (ESB) tastes combined with smoky (Scotch ale) almond (brown ale) characteristics. IBU at 56 and ABV of 7.2% and the balance was very pleasant. One of my favorite winter warmers over the last 10-15 years when I find it.

[devildeac]

Hibernation Ale (2013)-Great Divide Brewing

Shared my 12 ounce bottle with my younger daughter after the Wassail. Pretty similar review coming here but don't remind me of Bigfoot (see above). Mine was a bit less murky and had little head so I wonder if I was less kind to mine in storing for a year. Perhaps a bit of licorice but I thought more woody, toffee and not quite so boozey. Probably a bit less hoppy than the Wassail, guessing IBU around 40 and the ABV was 8.2%, so the sharing made for a pleasant evening. Their suggested pairings are aged cheeses, beef tenderloin and apple ice cream with a ginger sauce and I'd agree. Always glad to have a couple extras to share and/or age for a year.

[devildeac]

2XMas (2013)-Southern Tier

I'm not sure this aged/cured/matured much since its winter, 2013 release but, on a cool fall evening, it was a nice concoction to share with my younger daughter. Poured a medium brown-mahogany with a small head, the nose was Christmas punch/grog/glog with a shot of whiskey added. Multiple spices added in the brewing process along with 2 hops, 4 malts, orange peel and figs. Very mild hop presence, guessing 30-40, with ABV listed at 8%. Would be pleasant with a slice of fruitcake or pecan pie. Worth a 4/6 pack to share and trade.

[devildeac]

Cocoa Loco (2013)-Arcadia Brewing

Another leftover from last fall/winter that I shared with my younger daughter last PM. It's an imperial milk stout made with cocoa, molasses and lactose. The cocoa gives it a nice chocolate-y taste and aroma, the molasses renders it very smooth and helps the sweetness and the addition of lactose adds some more sweetness, and the additional sugars for the yeasts to turn into alcohol and boost the ABV. Poured almost pitch black with a small head. Pleasant aromas of dark chocolate semi-sweetness along with a bit of roastiness. Taste as above. I'll guess the IBUs about 40 and the ABV is listed at 7%. Liquid dessert by itself served near room temperature or, would welcome the addition of a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream for a beer float. A couple chocolate chunk/chip cookies or a fudge brownie would like to be included in the party, too.

[devildeac]

Florence-Hill Farmstead Brewery

Finally, I get to sip my 750 ml bottle of this from my Tour D'Northeast this summer and share with my younger daughter. Poured a yellow-straw color with a slightly creamy, but very fizzy head with pretty amazing Belgian lacing. Scents of wet straw, Granny Smith apples, pears, a bit of orange rind and a modest pucker. Tastes match the scents with a modest sour apple pucker and a slight black pepper bite from the Belgian yeast. My daughter thought pinot grigio/white grape juice, which are not bad thoughts either. I think fuse's idea of a wheat saison might be the best description. I'll guess IBUs of 20-30 and ABV 5-6%. This would make a great pairing with a parmesan/pecan crusted tilapia or a pineapple/mango salsa topping on some mahi-mahi. If you are in upstate Vermont not in winter, this out-of-the-way brewery about 60 miles northeast of Burlington is well worth the trip and wait to fill your growler, order a sampler and/or pick up a case of whatever they have for retail sale at the time.

[devildeac]

From 12-26-13:

11-11-11 Vertical Epic-Stone Brewing

This was probably the least favorite of the evening but still made for an interesting tasting and pairing. The best way to describe the base brew I guess would be an imperial amber ale. Brewed with Belgian yeasts, the color was a dark amber and slightly cloudy. The addition of Anaheim chilies gave a bit of heat which was muted by the spice of the whole cinnamon sticks used in the brewing process. We shared the 750 ml bottle with the main meal which was a chicken/rice/broccoli casserole with some Christmas leftovers of mashies, congealed cranberry salad and fresh cranberry sauce/compote. I'd guess IBUs around 30 and the ABV of this monster was 9.4%, so, by the time we were all stuffed, we were all also mildly buzzed and had absolutely no room or inclination for desserts, either liquid or solid.

From tonight:

Vertical Epic (11-11-11)-Stone Brewing

Hey, what did you expect on 11-11-14, a Brooklyn Monster?

I shared the last bottle of any Vertical Epic I've ever owned with my younger daughter this evening. This beer has kinda/sorta grown on me. My initial tasting/ sharing is re-posted above and I'd like to change my impression a bit. It really more resembles an imperial Belgian dubbel based on the ABV at 9.4% and the mildly sweet, dark, dried fruity tastes. As it warmed a bit in my large Ommegang tulip, the heat from the chilies became a bit more prominent but nothing at all like the fire from the habanero peppers in Mini Dingo, the almost undrinkable Evil Twin imperial stout. Cinnamon is certainly present and balances the heat nicely. In fact, the more I ponder this, the more it resembles mole sauce, including some chocolate/cocoa flavors. Therefore, I think a better pairing might be with some burritos or enchiladas. The bitterness is still rather mild and ABV is rather potent. Very enjoyable brew on a mild fall evening.

[devildeac]

Tailgate brews yesterday:

Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout-Foothills Brewing

From a mini growler, courtesy August West. Poured an inky black with a small tan head. Dark chocolate and boozey nose with perhaps a hint of coffee as it warmed. No additives AFAIK. Tastes matched the scents with the booze being very prominent but not overpowering. Modest bitterness, likely from the heavily roasted barley, black and crystal malts, along with the rated IBUs of 48. This falls just shy of the imperial territory at 7% ABV. We sipped this with assorted baked goods for short breakfast course before moving on to the lunch portion of the gathering. I think he said it was $12-13 for the 32 ounce container.

[devildeac]

Tailgate brews yesterday:

Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout-Foothills Brewing

From a mini growler, courtesy August West. Poured an inky black with a small tan head. Dark chocolate and boozey nose with perhaps a hint of coffee as it warmed. No additives AFAIK. Tastes matched the scents with the booze being very prominent but not overpowering. Modest bitterness, likely from the heavily roasted barley, black and crystal malts, along with the rated IBUs of 48. This falls just shy of the imperial territory at 7% ABV. We sipped this with assorted baked goods for short breakfast course before moving on to the lunch portion of the gathering. I think he said it was $12-13 for the 32 ounce container.

Take the above and blend it with some Pumking provided by dpslaw and you get our first Brunchgate colabeeration.

A few more details. At first, we poured 1:1 ratios and, somewhat surprisingly, the Pumking over-matched the BBA Stout. We each added another 1-2 ounces of stout and the blending was much more balanced. So, I guess we eventually ended up with a Southern Tier Warlock that had been aged in bourbon barrels. Pretty interesting thing to do-a beer cocktail. Maybe an idea for duketaylor when he opens his joints.

[devildeac]

Recycled post from August, 2014 just to add to the "flavors" of Brunchgate. So this is where the 2nd bottle of this was consumed.

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]

The crown jewel of Brunchgate yesterday, worth a repeat posting from March, 2010:

Backwoods Bastard (2014 version)-Founder's Brewing

This is a fascinating creation. My guess is that it is a variation of their Dirty Bastard which is a scotch type ale with a bit of peat and smoke. This blends nicely with the oak aging in whiskey barrels which gives it a bit of vanilla, a bit of oak and a moderate amount of boozey bourbon flavor. There are a ton of dark cherries in the brew with very mild bitterness and an IBU of 50. The ABV of 10.2% makes this quite a sipper so I'd serve it at cellar temperature in a snifter with a plate of fruit or some soft, mild cheeses for dessert. Might be heavenly with some chocolate covered strawberries. This was another August West contribution that 4 of us shared and tried to squeeze the last drop or two out of the 12 ounce bottle when we were done.

[devildeac]

Cold Mountain Winter Ale-Highland Brewing Company

Many thanks to ricks 68 for standing in line at the brewery on release date last week to procure 6 bottles of this for me, donating 3 more to the Saturday Brunchgate and finding any additional hour or three for consuming several samples of brewery-release only iterations of this. Poured a clear ruby-tinged dark brown with a somewhat small fizzy head. Aromas of vanilla and nuts with well-blended tastes of the same accompanied by a bit of brown sugar, toffee and baking spices. I couldn't place the other tastes as a shared a 12 ounce bottle with my younger daughter Wednesday night but the label also lists raspberry and cranberry extracts along with cinnamon. Grains are 2-Row Brewers Malt, Pilsen, Vienna, Chocolate, Wheat, Caramel 40, Caramel 60 with the hops being Cascade and Mount Hood, IBUs listed at 28 and ABV is 5.2%. The bitterness is minimal as I'd expect from this style but the ABV is a bit low for a winter warmer ale. A very flavorful concoction that should be sought out if known to be available in your area.

[devildeac]

Imperial Stout (2013)-Founders Brewing

My younger daughter's first thought was coffee. Mine was dark chocolate. Great aromas accompanied smooth, roasty, espresso tastes with a generous addition of Hershey's chocolate syrup and some booze. I also thought a dab of black strap molasses with a twist of licorice. The youngest devildeac hates most bitter beers, especially IPAs and DIPAs, but liked 90 Minute at a Brunchgate this fall. This brew has similar numbers with 90 on the IBUs and 10.5% for ABV. Yet, she found little unpleasantness on her bitter taste buds and a tickling of fudge on her sweet ones. Best served at cellar temps, this is dessert in a glass or would pair well with any chocolate desserts. This was a graciously received trader from August West last Saturday.

[devildeac]

Hellhound on My Ale(2013)-Dogfish Head Brewing



From the brewers/label:


"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."

Tens and powers thereof are wild in this IIPA. Poured a cloudy orange-yellow from the 750 ml bottle shared by August West last PM, the immediate nose was freshly grated lemon zest and citrus aromas. First tasting impression was also citrusy with some brown sugar, caramel and again, lemon. Interesting IBU rating with the statement above but on their website listing 58. This accompanied first courses last PM of slaw, wings and early choppings of our pig. It aged nicely.

[devildeac]

Top Sail (2012)-Full Sail Brewing


It went downhill from the opening snap, err cap, at tailgate last PM, too. Well, in terms of ABV at least. This is a bourbon barrel aged imperial porter I've cellared for 2-2.5 years now and we shared it yesterday. Poured a deep, dark brown with a mildly foamy, light mocha head. Immediate aromas of booze, followed by figs, chocolate and dark brown sugar. Tastes were even more figgy, dark chocolatey, oaky, vanilla-like and perhaps a bit less boozey. Somewhat surprisingly, none of us appreciated much coffee, a flavor typical "present" in porters. IBUs at 40 and ABV printed as 9.5%, so just a shade lower than our "appetizer" ale. This was paired with some more chopped 'cue, corn casserole/pudding and TNTDevil's spicy/hot baked beans. It would be equally at home in a snifter being sipped for dessert or with your favorite chocolate cake/pie/pastry.

[devildeac]

Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout-New Belgium Brewing and Perennial Artisan Ale

Another step down here, but only by ABV. Poured a dark, semi-sweet chocolate color with a moderate, light tan head and gorgeous aromas of cocoa, dark chocolate and dried, dark fruits. Hints of salt were present at the finish with a very smooth mouthfeel up front. Roasted bitterness only as the IBUs are 35, a tad low for this style, with the expected ABV of an imperial stout at 9%. Nugget hops with lots of grains including Pale, Munich, Special W/ Caramel 220, Carafa II/Roasted Chocolate Malt. Chocolate, calcium and sodium chloride salts conclude the additives. As expected, this paired well with double chocolate brownies and a thin slice of Reese's Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate cheesecake. August West gets huge applause for bringing this collaboration bomber to share.

[devildeac]

Gingerbread Stout-Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Well worth the time of anticipation. Duketaylor was kind enough to bring 2-750 ml bottles of this last PM, one to share and one for me. I'm accumulating my tab again, Chuck. Thanks! Poured an inky black with a tinge of brown and an almost medium tan head. It's an imperial milk stout brewed with local Virginia wildflower honey and ginger, further enhanced with the addition of Madagascar vanilla beans and Vietnamese cinnamon. The aromas are pleasant winter spices and all have their place in the concoction. Milk sugar (lactose) and oats are part of the grain bill but no others are listed. No hop names are included either and the IBUs are 55 with a potent ABV of 9.2%. Once again, I've described dessert in a glass or it could be served with pumpkin cheesecake as it was last night, or peanut butter sandwich cookies or any of the other decadent desserts that were prepared for us last PM. As one might be able to tell, our tailgate was far more tasty and enjoyable than the product on the field yesterday.

[devildeac]

Monster (2008)-Brooklyn Brewing

I'm really running low on these vintages and this may be my last 2008. Poured during the Duke win over Temple on Friday, it was a slightly cloudy dark amber with a small amount of sediment from a 12 ounce bottle. Pretty complex aromas and tastes as expected with notes of sherry, caramel and tobacco upon decanting and some dark brown sugar, rum and dark cherry notes after sipping. The head was small and there were no indications of spoilage. Very smooth, cloying mouthfeel with mild bitterness perception in spite of its suspected high IBUs based on the style, guessing 70-80. ABV weighing in at 10.3% which is just a bit lower than earlier editions. This is not listed as one of their seasonals so I fear that they have stopped production of this as fuse stated a couple years ago. Sad. I enjoyed a 2009 last PM during the Duke-Stanford tussle and that review is at the scorer's table.