Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Third Coast Old Ale-Bell's Brewery

Old English ale meets American barleywine. Not quite the beer I remember from probably a decade or so ago when I last purchased this. I thought I'd be sipping a very malty, toffee-like strong ale with minimal hop presence. What I poured was a medium brown ale with a modest tan head and scents of herbal, earthy and piney hops and lots of them. There were the expected toffee/chocolate/dark caramel aromas, too, but not nearly a prominent as expected. The tastes were even more hop forward with a fairly heavy emphasis on pine and resin with some late tastes of the darker malts. I'd guess IBUs of 60 and the ABV was 10.2%. After perusing their website, this appears to be exactly what they intended with their description as follows: "Designed with vintage aging in mind, the malt aspect is matched to a heavy complement of hops. Sharply bitter at first, this will fold into the malt character over time and balance out the maltiness." I fully expect to cellar a bottle or two of this and return to it late next year with great anticipation.

[devildeac]

Worth re-visiting from 1/1/13:

Mad Elf Ale-Troegs Brewing

I guess this may be technically more of a braggot than an ale, depending on definitions and how much honey is used in the brewing process. Poured a light ruby with a small head, the aromas were honey, sweet and sour cherries and light caramel and the tasting added a hint of milk chocolate. This would also be known as liquid dessert or cherry pie in a glass. Three different malts in massive quantities to yield an ABV of 11%. Two varieties of lighter, "gentler" hops give way to an IBU of 15 and the Belgian yeast imparts a trace of pepperiness to the palate. I located four 12 ounce bottles of this at Crafty Beer Shop in Raleigh last week. Think cherry brandy here or perhaps IBC cherry vanilla soda. My son moved it into his top ten list of beers. I'm not convinced it would be in mine but certainly worth <$3/12 ounces.

[lawgrad91]

DD, do you by any chance have a Virginia-tagged car with a "Friends of Tibet" license plate?

And if not, do you know who might have BEER GOD as their personalized plate?

As a prosecutor, my first thought was, "I bet he should stay home on weekend nights...."

[devildeac]

DD, do you by any chance have a Virginia-tagged car with a "Friends of Tibet" license plate?

And if not, do you know who might have BEER GOD as their personalized plate?

As a prosecutor, my first thought was, "I bet he should stay home on weekend nights...."

Fortunately, we do not possess either of those plates.

[devildeac]

Pale 31-Firestone Walker Brewing

Found this on draft at the DoG Street Pub in Williamsburg while at a meeting so this 5 ounce taster began my sampler with dinner. Served in a cute little goblet, it appeared a yellow-straw in color with a small head. Light floral and citrus scents followed by light brown sugar, toasted croissant and more citrus tastes and only mild bitterness. Malts were Premium Two-Row, Maris Otter Pale, Munich and Crystal and resulted in ABV of 4.8%. Hops included Fuggles, Cascade, Centennial and Chinook in three different stages for IBUs of 38. Very smooth way to start a rack of 3 with some fried green tomatoes, goat cheese and wilted greens.

[devildeac]

Marley's Lament (draft)-Alewerks Brewing

Drink local!

Five ounce taster to pair with my Virginia sugar-cured ham and cheeseburger. This is the local brewery's winter warmer and was a clear mahogany with a small head. Just about all the winter spices made their way to the olfactory region and the same flavors tickled my palate, including cinnamon and ginger and some medium to dark brown sugar and dried, dark fruits. I'll guess IBU around 30 as it's a strong ale base and the ABV is 8%.

[devildeac]

Brown Shugga' (draft)-Lagunitas Brewing

They claim this was originally a failed attempt at their 1997 release of Olde GnarlyWine Ale. This was my third and final 5 ounce sample of the evening so I made it my dessert beer. Poured a medium brown with a small head, the nose was pancake syrup and dark rum and the tastes were dark, dried cherries, syrup, dark brown sugar (d'oh!) and some more rum. They really do add brown sugar to the grain bill which I'm sure helped the yeasts turn out some more ABV, reaching 9.99%. Bitterness is moderate and mostly herbal and piney and I'd guess 60-70 IBUs. Available in 12 ounce bottles for a limited time.

[devildeac]

Samichlaus (2006 edition)-Castle Brewery Eggenberg

No typo. I really saved another beer 8 years and it was worth the wait. It was semi-intentional as I re-discovered this rotating/consolidating stock in the cellar, err, garage this fall. I did not think I had any prior to 2007 but found this gem and "forced" myself to sip this over an hour in one sitting tonight. It is technically a double bock but really most resembles a sherry. Brown sugar and dark caramel sweet with dark cherry and very winey, sherry-like flavors. Tough to believe this is beer as it has little head but remained rather clear over eight years. Best served in a snifter or wine glass at cellar temperature and only as a dessert beer. Recommended to sip and savor over an hour or so as the ABV is 14% (no typo here either) and I'd guess the IBU 20-30 as it is technically a lager. I don't think they brewed this in 2005 as the Hurlichman (sp?) sold out to Eggenberg, IIRC, and almost stopped producing this. It is about $20 for a 4 pack now I think and truly one of the better "beers" in the world. There are a lot more competitors in the very high gravity market now but I still enjoy tasting one or two of these (on different nights, of course) every winter/spring, much as one enjoys seeing an old friend every year or two.

[devildeac]

Chocolate Stout (nitro/cask-conditioned draft/brewery only)-Alewerks Brewing

A very innocent, common beer name turned into a gem of a taster at the brewery as we returned from Williamsburg today. Hand-drawn from their beer engine, this 6 ounce sample had a creamy, frothy mocha-colored head that lingered throughout the savory experience. It's an imperial milk stout so it has lactose added and is brewed with local coffee and dark chocolate. Think about equal parts espresso, vanilla ice cream, a chocolate malted, hot fudge sauce and a shot of whiskey served at room temperature. I'll guess IBUs about 50-60 and the ABV was stated at 8.5%. I could have sipped a couple pints of this and bought a growler, too, it was that good. Instead, it'll be a very pleasant memory of an exquisite concoction that my dear wife allowed me to taste as she took the keys for the first leg of the journey home.

[devildeac]

Deviant Dale's-Oskar Blues Brewing (Brevard edition)

Ok folks, no matter what you put on the can or your website, this is not an IPA at 8% ABV and 85 IBUs. It's a 16 ounce DIPA in a tall boy can filled with pungent pine and resin-y Columbus hops on decanting and grapefruit zest, papaya and medium caramel-y tastes upon sipping. Poured a very slightly cloudy and almost oily bronze color with a small head into a pint glass. They'd serve with southern chicken-fried steak. I think it'd be great with spicy Thai or Chinese food or a big plate of nachos topped with generous amounts of pulled pork or chicken and a buncha jalapenos. I'll credit one of our son's friends who left two of these after their hot tub meeting a couple weeks ago at our house. Good choice in ales, ladies and gentlemen.

[devildeac]

Dark Penance-Founders Brewing

Many thanks to August West for trading this a couple weeks ago. This is really a specialty brew as I don't think many brewers release an imperial black IPA. Poured an almost opaque dark brown/black with a small tan head. Aromas of dark chocolate, pine/resin and coffee with tastes that follow of slightly burnt coffee, licorice, semi-sweet chocolate, citrus peel and pine. Pretty hop forward ale at 100 IBUs but a reasonable balance as the ABV is 8.9%. This would pair nicely with smoked meats/game. I don't think I'd re-visit this but would certainly encourage anyone who saw it to share a 12 ounce bottle or include it in a tasting session as it is a well brewed beverage.

[YmoBeThere]

I had a Dos Equis last week.

[devildeac]

From 11/2/12:

Fifteen-Weyerbacher Brewing

I saw four packs of these on the front display tables at Total Wine last week and there was a sign for $3.99 and I decided to pass as that computes to $16 for the 4 pack. I like this beer a lot and think it will age well but that's spendy as I think I shelled out about $12-13 for my purchase early this year. As I checked out, the clerk asked if I had seen the "specials" and I told her I thought the single price of $4 was too high but she told me it was the entire four pack, not a single. So she stopped ringing up my order as I hurried over to the table to procure two of the four packs. So, now I have eight to trade or cellar for another year or three. Made my enjoyment of this weeks brew even sweeter.

So, after about 10 months more aging, I found Fifteen to be a bit richer and smoother than first tasting during the winter of 2011-12. Perhaps a tad more smokiness and coffee-like aromas and tastes but not significantly different than the above review. Very good brew at $3-3.50 each. Outstanding brew/bargain at $1 each.

From 11(PM)/12/13/14:

Fifteen (2010 Anniversary beer)-Weyerbacher Brewing

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier meets Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Starbucks stops by very briefly and says hello.

Somewhat different that my review from 2 years ago. I guess that's what another 2 years of aging can do to some beers. Poured a nearly black hue with about a half inch, creamy head. Wonderful smokiness with semi-sweet chocolate morsels aromas and tastes to match along with some whiskey-soaked raisins, dates and figs. There was only a hint of espresso. Silky smooth and minimal hop perception despite the IBUs of 80 I found listed somewhere. The ABV was 10.8% and quite deceptive but I still sipped this concoction at cellar temperature over nearly an hour. I can't believe I still had two of these left from my 2011 purchase. Hmmm, wonder what I'll do with the single 12 ounce bottle that remains...

[devildeac]

Speaking of Samichlaus (ho, ho, ho):

Samichlaus Helles (2007)-Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg

Where/how do I keep finding this stuff? Yet another vintage Christmas beer from the cellar after almost 11.5 months of "drinking down the inventory."

Poured a medium amber, which is a bit lighter than the regular Samichlaus in color only, with scents of a toasted croissant that has been generously drizzled with dark honey. There were a few particulates as I fairly gently decanted the 330 ml bottle. Tastes of maple and Karo syrups with a moderate alcohol burn and I'm surprised it's not more of one with the ABV at 14% (no typo). It's a dopplebock, therefore fitting into the lager category, but it really drinks like a sherry with additional tastes of cherries, golden raisins and rum. I'd estimate IBUs at 10-20. Best served at cellar temperature and sipped slowly over 30-45 minutes as an after dinner or fireside drink.

[devildeac]

Anadromous (first batch, March, 2013)-Anchorage Brewing Company

Rodenbach (Grand Cru) meets (Old) Rasputin (Russian Imperial Stout)! Incredibly complex beer advertised on the label as a "black sour ale." The Summit hops are here as bystanders. Poured slightly chilled from a bomber into a shaker pint with a half inch mocha head. Aromas? Am I drinking wine here or an imperial stout? The first fermentation is in stainless steel tanks with a Belgian yeast. This imparts a bit of peppery spiciness. The second fermentation in French oak Pinot Noir barrels with Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus is where/when the complexity begins. The third fermentation is bottle conditioning. Scents are vinous, blackberries and raspberries and the tastes serve up vanilla, wood, sour cherries, dark chocolate, currants, tannins and nuances of licorice and molasses. IBUs are 30 and the ABV is 8.5%. I finished this over two nights and enjoyed every drop of it. This was purchased at the Liquor Barn in Lexington, Kentucky last spring on the recommendation of their beer steward as he jaunted upstairs to their (odd/strange) beer storage area after he ascertained my (occasional) fondness for unusual and esoteric malted beverages. I think fuse got my second bottle as a trader earlier this year.

[devildeac]

Our Special Ale (38th anniversary/2012 edition)-Anchor Brewing

Original review 12/1/12:

After 38 years of brewing, this is still one of the better winter brews. It's basically a porter with a dark brown color and slightly cloudy appearance with aromas of cocoa and "spices." Each year is a different "secret" recipe and the varieties of hops, malts and spices are never revealed and I rarely can discern what the special additive/s are. This year, I think it's a blend of allspice and nutmeg but that's just a guess. I sniffed the usual suspects from our spice rack at home and still can't pinpoint the smells and tastes. Thick foamy head with the flavor becoming even more enjoyable as the beer warms. This would be good with fruit or spiced cakes or by itself. I'd guess the IBU about 30 and the ABV is listed at 5.5%. A classic certainly worth a 6er to savor a couple, trade a couple and save a couple for next winter to compare with the 39th edition. I received two of these as traders and thank dpslaw and my drug rep buddy for the bottles.

Last night's tasting:

I'm not sure I perceived much different after aging this a couple years. Generally, it's not good to age low ABV brews that are not bottle conditioned but I've had reasonable success keeping Our Special Ale drinkable for a year or two on a semi-regular basis. I still can't figure out which spice/spices were used in this version but it makes a nice classic winter ale every year.

[devildeac]

From 1/1/14:

Our Special Ale-Anchor Brewing

The 39th brewing of this fine holiday offering met (or surprised) all taste expectations. I think this is a porter by tradition and once again, none of us could identify the spice/s in the brew. We went to the spice rack and sniffed ginger, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg and could not come to an agreement on whether it was a single addition or several additives, but we all agreed that this slightly cloudy, medium to dark brown pour would make a nice pairing with any sort of spice cake, cookie or pie. I'd guess the IBUs were 30-40 and the ABV was 5.5%. There should be a 6er of this on every beer aficionado's wish list for the holidays with 1 or 2 for the current holiday season, a couple or 3 to share/trade and 1-2 for sequestering to compare with next year's offering.

From last night:

It's always interesting to re-visit this ale a year or two later. This time, I didn't think spices but thought this sure smells and tastes like the tree on the label that I couldn't identify but I'll call it of the evergreen or spruce variety because that was my perception when sipping this beverage, however wrong it may be. Otherwise, appearance and stats remain the same and no hints of spoilage (excess foaminess, wet cardboard tastes, etc). Worth a single or a 6er every year to sip, share and/or trade. Credit again goes to dpslaw for trading at a tailgate during the 2013 FB campaign.

[devildeac]

I think I found another Rogue Ale to avoid:

VOODOO DOUGHNUT LEMON CHIFFON CRUELLER ALE
TASTING NOTES AWARDS & HISTORY
STYLE: Doughnut Ale FOOD PAIRING: Dessert,Doughnuts
TASTING NOTES:
13 INGREDIENTS: 2-Row, Munich, & Rogue Farms Dare™ and Risk™ Malts; Perle and Sterling Hops; Lemon Juice, Lemon Extract, Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Extract, Marshmallows; Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water
DEDICATED TO TRES & CAT DADDY, ROGUES OF VOODOO DOUGHNUTS.
750ml painted bottle / 16° Plato / 20 IBU / 78 AA / 7° Lovibond

They're brewing some weird stuff.

[devildeac]

Tango-Weyerbacher Brewing

Cherry Christmas. Labeled as a dark, strong Belgian ale brewed with a ton of cherries (well, not quite-they only claim 1200 pounds) and poured from a corked and caged 750 ml bottle as a substitute beverage 2 nights ago because my (no longer favorite) craft beer store ran out of mini-growlers and French Toast Stout. Appeared with a mildly frothy light red/tan head and a gorgeous light ruby-brown color in our Allagash tulip glasses. (Rudolph) bright red cherry nose along with some medium brown sugar and caramel aromas to accompany somewhat tart cherry, figgy, date-like tastes and very slight orange-citrus bitterness. Grains and hops listed as Pilsner Malt with Honey Malt, Special B, Aromatic Malt and a touch of Chocolate Malt paired with Apollo hops to balance the bottle-conditioned, warm, boozy ABV of 10.6% with a modest 35 IBUs. This is quite a different beer than the New Glarus Wisconsin Red and more resembles the Ommegang Three Philosophers but falls a tad short in terms of smoothness, creativity and tastes, but a reasonably priced (under $10), very pleasant winter ale from an excellent brewery.

[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."

From 9/21/14:

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."


From tonight:

Even better after 3 more months of aging and sipped with my younger daughter and son-in-law as liquid dessert after Christmas dessert. I thought the chocolates were more prominent up front with the beverage a bit too cool. The cherry flavors were more pronounced as the ale warmed to cellar temperatures. Of course, fine ales are even better with family and/or friends. Kind of like a chocolate cherry cola.