Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

The Kimmie, the Yink and the Holy Gose-Anderson Valley Brewing

From their 128 series, this is less brash, less sour and salty and in your face than the Westbrook gose and probably a bit more drinkable. A bit lighter in color and foamy/fizzy, too. Malts are pale two-row and malted white wheat, guessing 50-70% of the grain bill is wheat so there are very slight citrus tastes. Bravo hops impart very slight bitterness, guessing IBUs here are also near negligible and in the 5-10 range with ABV at 4.2%. I liked both of these but, to the uninitiated or unsuspecting, both of these might appear too sour/salty/spicy to be palatable, though pairing with fried or smoked seafoods would be interesting combinations. Another 5 cans left in the beer 'fridge so our son will get 1-2 and I'll sip the rest during the hot, humid NC days and evenings will be made a bit more tolerable by one of these.

[devildeac]

Summer Ale-C*rolina Brewing Company

(See, my hatred even spills over into the Ymm, Beer thread.)

Free 12 ounce bottle during the Wednesday night's manager's reception at our hotel. Poured into a plastic cup with a small head and a golden-yellow color and my first thought was a style somewhere between a lager and a pale ale and, upon reviewing their web site, I wasn't too far off as they describe it as a hybrid of a kolsch and an extra pale ale. So, the body was on the light side with floral scents and tastes with a bit of lightly toasted wheat bread and a sprinkle of light brown sugar on the palate. I'll guess IBUs of 20-25 and the ABV was 4.8% so I also enjoyed about a half a glass of the Stella draft I described above. Not a style I'd buy a 6er of but if offered a bottle/draft for some porch-sipping and chatting, I'd certainly accept.

[devildeac]

6 pack sampler of 5 ounces each from the Yard House last PM:

From lightest color to darkest, also taking IBU and ABV into consideration:

Prima Pils-Victory Brewing

The way a Czech pilsner should be. Czech Saaz and Norther Brewer hops lend floral notes to the nose and palate and German malts impart a light breadiness to the taste. Yellow-straw color with a light, fluffy head that didn't linger long. Very mild bitterness, guessing 20 IBU with an ABV of 5.3% that paired nicely with our spinach cheese dip and flatbread appetizer.

[devildeac]

Pale Ale 2.0-Stone Brewing

Always trying something new. This time it's a combination of 3 hop varieties, the later two of which are new to me: Magnum, Herkules and Mandarina Bavaria. They give this not-quite-an-IPA some scents and aromas of citrus, peach and tangerine with tastes to match. Color was a light gold-yellow with a small, foamy head. I'll guess IBUs of 50 with the ABV at 6% so this helped finish the spinach cheese dip and start a ginormous plate of chicken nachos.

[devildeac]

Spring Bock-C*rolina Brewing Company

Drink local!

This'll finish the first half of the sampler. I reviewed the bottle version recently and think I compared it to an old draft review but, in case I didn't, I've freshened it up a bit. Arrived a straw-yellow hue with a small head and a nose of toasted croissants drizzled with a little brown sugar syrup. Perhaps a bit of herbal bitterness but the bready, malty tastes shine here. I'll guess IBUs of 20 as it's a lager and the ABV was 6.5%. Good beer but it wasn't a good pairing with the remainder of the nachos. A hoppy IPA would likely have worked better.

[devildeac]

Beer #4

Strawgator-Abita Brewing

(Disclaimer: This in no way is meant to be confused or associated with Stray Gator.)


This was my least favorite beer of the sampler. I generally like fruit beers, mostly in the summer. I really like doppel bocks, in fact, one of my favorite styles. I just didn't like this combination of their Strawberry Lager and Andygator, a Helles doppel bock. Maybe it's my perception of Abita as an ok but not good brewery. It arrived a slightly cloudy amber-yellow-pink color and smelled faintly of strawberry jam laden croissants and tasted the same. Minimal bitterness as expected of the bock/doppel/lager styles at 27 IBU. Standard ABV for double bocks at 8% ABV, but just not a pleasant taste/aftertaste. Not Ycch, Beer worthy but not one I'd visit again.

[devildeac]

Midnight Brett (draft)-Allagash Brewing

Excellent choice to save for a dessert starter and then the one to follow for the finish. Served as a 5 ounce sample, it was dark brown in color with a small head. Dark fruits initially with a bit of funk and mustiness on the nose. Tastes were very complex with dark, sour cherries, hints of chocolate covered orange marmalade jellied candies and Warhead dark berry candies. Hops were Perle, Glacier and Simcoe, grains were 2-Row malt, midnight wheat, raw wheat and rye and fermented with Brettanomyces in stainless steel tanks. No IBU stated so I'll guess 30 with an ABV of 7.3%. Liquid dessert but I could be convinced to try again with a slice of Black Forest cake or perhaps a raspberry chocolate torte.

[devildeac]

Blushing Monk (draft)-Founders Brewing

This is a repeat release from 2011 and the only ale they've brought back from their Backstage Series. It's a dark Belgian style ale that is a deep red-brown color with a very small head with an exquisite dark berry bouquet. Tastes are an explosion of dark red and black raspberries and semi-sweet chocolate. I'm thinking Imperial Rubaeus or an Imperial lambic here. Can't find any hops or grains listed so I'll estimate 20 IBUs but the ABV is listed at 9.2% so this is dangerously easy to sip but the sweetness (and likely price) will most likely limit consumption of large quantities of this. More liquid dessert but I could imagine a tulip of this with a slice of oreo cheesecake or a triple chocolate layer/pound cake.

[devildeac]

Puck the Beer-North Coast Brewing

Not to be confused with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puck_(mythology)

We talked about petite/small/table saisons upthread a bit so here's another to add to your lists. Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a wine glass and appeared a gold-straw color with a fizzy white head that lingered for a while. There's a bit of pepper in the nose along with some grass. Tastes are about as expected with some underripe apples and pears, a pinch of black pepper. Very easy sipping at IBUs of 27 and low ABV at 4% from Pils and wheat malts. Serve with some fruit before a meal or some light chicken or seafood entrees.

[devildeac]

Bad Penny-Big Boss Brewing

Not in the league with Pretty Polly but a very good brown ale. Malty, nutty, caramely and toffee-ish. Nice pairing with a couple grilled Italian sausages, onions, peppers and marinara sauce. I'll guess IBUs about 30 with the ABV at 5.2%. I'll be ready for another beverage later this evening.

[devildeac]

Not Your Father's Root Beer Float (NYFRB-see below)-Small Town Brewery

Maybe this belongs in the Ymm, Dessert thread.

I wasn't kidding folks. This is now my 3rd career beer float. The first was with Breyer's vanilla ice cream and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and the second was the same brand ice cream but with Fort Collins Double Chocolate Stout. This tasted like it was right out of a soda fountain from the corner store 50+ years ago, only with 5.5% ABV root beer this time. Poured about 3 ounces of NYFRB into a tall, wide mouth glass and then added 2 small scoops of ice cream and then filled to the top of the glass with about another 3 ounces of beverage. Nice creamy, foamy, frothy head topping the creation that I sipped with a straw and repeated the creation with another 2 small scoops and the remaining NYFRB. Could have drizzled it with some chocolate syrup and/or topped it with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry. Yummy!

[devildeac]

La Bonte-Wicked Weed Brewing

Sour blonde ale meets Brettanomyces fermented farmhouse ale, age gracefully together for a while with some plums and live happily ever after at the Funkatorium. Mattman91 gets huge props for including this in our May trading session. It was a 500 ml bottle I divided over 2 nights after a 12 ounce gose each night, making a very nice sequencing of beverages and styles. Poured a cloudy, lavender-tinged straw hue with a bit of funky, mustiness up front followed by some light berry, apple and pear aromas. Initial sourness upon tasting gave way to mild floral bitterness with a light plum, winey finish. This sounds rather complex and it really was. Makes me think of what an ale would taste like if Southern Tier and Catawba Brewing collaborated with their Plum Noir and Sour Zombie, respectively, with just a splash of Plum Noir (it was an imperial porter) being added to a generous aliquot of the Sour Zombie. Minimal bitterness, guessing IBUs of 20 with a very sessionable ABV of 6.5%. This was actually La Bonte 2.0 as the original was an apricot-based ale. Wouldn't hesitate for a moment having a draft of this or purchasing/trading for another bottle of yet another outstanding concoction from Asheville's South Slope.

[devildeac]

Pear Ginger Beer-New Belgium Brewing

Contains alcohol. No, really, that's printed on the bottle. This is another in their Lips of Faith series and poured a light golden with a moderately fizzy head that disappeared rather quickly. Aromas are pretty subtle and have a bit of lightly toasted bread, flowers, some underripe pear and a bit of ginger. The pear flavor is very mild and there's a bit of citrus, along with a moderate ginger bite and heat at the end. Target is the only hop listed and the 3 grains are Pale, White Wheat and Extra Special. Adjuncts include pear, ginger and lemon zest. Think Juicy Juice meets Canada Dry and ReaLemon walks by with a small squirt. Minimal bitterness with IBUs at 10 and the ABV is 7% so I divided my bomber over 2 nights. This would pair well with sweet and sour dishes or some mild Thai/Chinese food. Not one of my favorites of the LoF series but a pleasant ale for sipping on warm afternoons or evenings.

[devildeac]

Angry Angel-Big Boss Brewing

Drink local!

A very pleasant, light German kolsch-style ale. Poured a light straw color with floral scents and mildly bitter floral, apple and pear skin bitterness with hints of underripe apples and pears, too. Would match nicely with soft, creamy cheeses or even those with a bit of a bite. Also would pair well with lighter seafood fare. IBUs of 20 and ABV of 4.5% so I'll be ready for another variety beverage in a few more minutes.

[devildeac]

Three-Eyed Raven-Brewery Ommegang

No, this is not a beer honoring the Kelly boys from the MBB team but it is a dark saison ale honoring the Game of Thrones. It's sort of a hybrid ale where a lighter bodied porter meets a saison, they fall in love and a medium brown liquid is born and poured forth that smells and tastes like a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Granny Smith apple that has been generously dipped in lightly sweetened cocoa and dusted gently with black pepper and adorned with gummi pear bits. No spices or additives are used, which is a bit unusual for the Ommegang brewers, except for dark Belgian candi sugar. Hops include the stretch Euro 4 style Hallertau Spalt Select, Tettenang and American Bravo varieties. I'll guess IBU around 20-30 and the ABV is listed at 7.2% so I divided this corked and caged 750 ml bottle that I purchased at World Market earlier this month for about $7 which was when they had 20% off their large format beers. I'm pleased with it and would buy again. I've got an extra bottle so one never knows where/when that might appear...

[devildeac]

Delirium Red (2014)-Brewery Huyghe

Take a can of Dr. Brown's black cherry soda, swirl with a generous amount of Rodenbach and add a couple tablespoons of Robitussin CF and Delirium Red is created. Poured a dark ruby with a generous, fizzy head that dissipated fairly quickly. Nose of dark, sour cherries and simple syrup. Immediate tastes of sweet, non-diet, black cherry soda, followed quickly by a sour cherry Warhead and, unfortunately, a rather astringent, medicinal finish. Three-fourths or more of each tulip glassful I sipped each night from this corked and caged 750 ml painted ceramic bottle would be an outstanding liquid dessert, by itself or with a slice of triple chocolate cake (Black Forest Cake anyone?). The last aliquot was just atypical of any of the Delirium series I've ever had, including Tremens, Noel and Nocturnum. Reasonably priced at about $8 from my World Market large format bottle purchase a couple weeks ago at 20% off. More sour than bitter, guessing 20 IBU, to accompany an ABV of 8%. Worth a bottle to share at a tasting to experience a Belgian fruited sour lambic but not one I'd revisit regularly.

[devildeac]

Deliria-Brouwerij Huyghe

A limited edition brewed once a year for International Women's Day by women, this heavy blonde ale (I did "borrow" this last phrase from ratebeer and still can't believe they described it this way) probably is best described as a hybrid between a Belgian strong/golden ale and a Belgian IPA/IIPA. Poured from a painted, ceramic 750 ml caged and corked bottle, it was a pale straw color with a typical foamy, fizzy, lacy Belgian ale head that lingered to the bottom of my 250 ml Allagash tulip (twice as a matter of fact). Nose was a bit of straw and bouquet of garden flowers with tastes of light Belgian candi sugar, Granny Smith apples, pears and Pinot Grigio. Imagine what a dry-ish beer champagne might taste like. There's a pinch of white pepper in the finish from the Belgian yeasts. It's not quite as delicate as DeuS but reminds me a bit of that ale. Bitterness is on the low end, guessing 20 IBUs. It's deceptively easy sipping at 8.5% ABV. I think the other Delirium series ales are better but I'm quite glad to have found this for about $8 at World Market a few weeks ago at their 20% off large format beer sale. It'd pair nicely with some warm brie and a fruit or nut compote topping.

[devildeac]

Pomegranate Ale-Railhouse Brewery

Indigenously consumed!

Founded by a couple Navy and Army vets and located in Aberdeen, NC, I was able to sample this at Crafty Beer Shop last PM while contemplating additional summer refreshment purchases. Their beer rep thought it was a pale ale but it tasted more like a hybrid wheat/pale ale. Poured a reddish-light amber with a moderate head with the nose that was biscuity and herbal. The first taste was tart but not quite sour, followed by some orange and toasted wheat bread. This would accompany grilled fare nicely, especially if it was a bit on the sweet side. I'll guess IBUs of 20-30 and I found the ABV at 5.5% on their website as the bottles he poured from were actually unlabeled brewery samples. A good product, along with their Ka-Bar brown ale I had several months ago and their FCA IPA that I also sampled last PM, prompted me to purchase 4 more of those and will have me looking out for some new products as their current brews are somewhat limited.

[YmoBeThere]

I had a beer tonight, second one of the month.

[devildeac]

X pat-Fortnight Brewing Company

More indigenous imbibing!

Twelve ounce can purchased for about $1.45 after a 10% case discount at Crafty Beer Shop this week. Poured a medium amber which is a bit dark for an IPA, but this is not your regular IPA, but kind of a hybrid English-US type with UK malts and US hops (no grain or hops names could be found). Herbal and dark, bready scents up front, followed by some pine and resin tastes with a toasted multi-grain finish. IBUs listed at 56 and ABV is 6.1%. This would match almost any grilled entrees.