Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

And, the final sample for me on the night:

Symzonia-Omnipollo Brewing Company (Denmark) or is it Crazy Mountain Brewing Company (Edwards, CO)?

Flourless, chocolate spiced/winter cake with a large, stiff cup of cappuchino!

A potent, thick, chewy, viscous pour with seductive scents and alluring tastes of Ethiopian coffee, Madagascar vanilla, Brazilian cocoa nibs and cinnamon (no country of origin listed). I'll guess IBUs about 70 and the ABV was a stunning 13%. The only thing this concoction was missing was 90-180 days in an old bourbon barrel but honestly, was incredibly smooth and sippable without any barrel aging. Round up the usual suspects for dessert pairings or, serve alone, near room temperature in a snifter.

[devildeac]

Bonfire Blonde-The Boston Beer Company

Another leftover in the fridge from some guests. This is actually part of the SA Winter Sampler 12 pack that I considered buying.

Like drinking gouda cheese or a smoked turkey sandwich .

This is a smoked blonde ale, not a smokin' hot blonde however. Pour was a light, sunshine hue with a small head. Aromas reminiscent of standing next to the grill a bit too long at a tailgate while the TrueBlue'CueCrew finished off their smoking of several turkeys this past season. Tastes like described above. I'll guess IBUs around 10 and the ABV on the bottle is 5.5%. Pair with some deli meat and cheese sammiches or a Philly roast pork special on a Kaiser roll and some spicy brown mustard. An interesting side-by-side would be this and the classic German smoke bier, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier. Not one I'd re-visit but happy to have tasted it.

[devildeac]

From 11/21/14:

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.

From 2/12/16:

Cold Mountain Winter Ale (filled 11/5/14):

Ricks68 was kind enough to save one of these from last year to accompany the delivery of the 2015 version last weekend so I could side-by-side them last PM.

I liked this one better than the current edition. I thought the hazelnut flavor was a bit more prominent last PM followed closely by cinnamon and dark berries. The vanilla was less pronounced to me after 15 months of storage and the beer was still quite quaffable.

From tonight:

Cold Mountain Winter Ale-Highland Brewing Company

I think this one "turned." Lighter brown that 10 months ago and a somewhat "off" taste. Still hazelnutty with some vanilla and cinnamon but the berries are pretty much all gone. There was a bit of chunk in the last 10-15 ml, too.

I'm still grateful to August West for saving/finding this bottle for me (I think fuse got one, too.) but a year of aging for this beer is probably the limit.

[devildeac]

From 4/2/12:

All Day IPA Session Ale-Founders Brewing

Another one of my favorite craft brewers. This was a trader from my drug rep buddy and one I had never seen/heard/read about. The IBU are a shade low at 42 and the ABV at 4.7%, especially for an IPA but this is not without flavor. In fact, it has nice grapefruity and piney hop aromas and tastes with a gentle malty balance. Pours a reddish-orange with a small, foamy head. Mild enough to have at a cook-out but enough body and flavor to stand up to hot and spicy Oriental/Indian foods. I would not hesitate a moment to tasting another one of these. It also makes me anticipate the dry-hopped Founders Pale Ale that I received as a trader last week in the same 6er.

From tonight:

Well, I only hesitated 4 years, 8 months and 11 days .

This 12 ounce can was a leftover from friends and family and I'm quite happy to be the beneficiary. Very pleasantly light on the grapefruit but still quite noticeable, along with a little caramel and butterscotch. I have 2 left so I'll likely keep one and pass the final one on to younger daughter and son-in-law, neither of whom are IPA fans but might like this one.

[devildeac]

From 6/8/12:

West Coast IPA-Green Flash Brewing

The second of my short IPA series from last week. What a hop bomb this is! Cascade, Centennial, Columbus and Simcoe lend all their piney, herbal, resinous and grapefruity characteristics to this fairly well balanced, orange-yellow elixir. The caramel/malty balance is a bit overpowered by the prominent bitterness and an IBU of 93. The ABV is fairly standard at 7.3% and I did NOT have this in conjunction with the Indica. This was a trader also and would likewise pair nicely with hot/spicy fare. This brewery has a great selection of specialty brews with an emphasis on hops. And more hops. Certainly worth a 12 ounce or bomber trader or to be included in a tasting session.

From tonight:

They've tinkered with this over the last 4 years. Since that time:

1. Citra hops added.
2. IBU increased to 95. No big deal.
3. ABV increased to 8.1%.
4. Now designated an IIPA.

This was a solo leftover by aforementioned friends/family from the weekend.

It's still a hop monster with more pine/resin presence than citrus and a pretty classic example of a west coast IPA, or now, a west coast IIPA. If you like hop bombs, you'll enjoy this. If you don't like high IBU ales, take a sip to say you tried it, make your worst bitter beer face and move on to a smoother example of the style or maybe an imperial stout.

[devildeac]

Blonde Moment-Lynnwood Brewing Concern

Looks like they've been in bizness since 2004 and I think this is my first tasting of any of their products . A single 12 ounce can was included in my December beer club 4 packer. WTH? A Belgian style blonde ale? In mid-December? On a 25 degree night? A pleasant surprise indeed.

Pour was a very slightly cloudy pale yellow with a small, disappearing head. There's lemon and pear emanating from my glass! There's some orange, a bit of wheat, a pinch of white pepper and some more lemon and maybe a splash of pinot grigio. Pretty smooth on the palate at 22 IBUs and easy on the waistline at 6.2% ABV. This was quite enjoyable with a small Gala apple. However, I hear a Ninja approaching to save me on this chilly night...

[devildeac]

Ninjabread Man-Asheville Brewing Company

Tastes like a liquid one of these swirled with milk chocolate:



Poured half a bomber of this last PM, courtesy of ricks68's most recent delivery. Thanks! Appearance was a medium to dark brown with the expected gingerbread cookie/cake aromas. Modest tan head lingered a bit and the tastes were more than ginger with generous amounts of vanilla and cinnamon appearing almost immediately. A bit of research yielded the discovery that raisins and molasses were also used in the spicing. The porter base accounts for the milk chocolate-y-ness of this highly tasty winter concoction. IBUs of 26 and ABV a very sippable 5.6%. I can't decide whether I'll finish this after dinner tonight for dessert or as a nightcap after date night with Mrs. dd.

[devildeac]

Coffee Stout-Sierra Nevada Brewing

A mini-coffee stout night last PM shared with our younger daughter and her husband.

First up, a 12 ounce bottle of the above, courtesy of August West from SN's winter 12 pack. Thanks! And yes, he did include a bottle of their (always good) ubiquitous Pale Ale .

Pour was mahogany with a small, beige head. Cold press java aromas wafted immediately through the kitchen. Tastes were (almost) burned pumpernickel toast along with a little milk chocolate and a lot of coffee. A tad more bitter than I thought at 53 IBUs but some of this comes from the coffee and some from the heavily roasted grains in addition to the hops. ABV was 6.2%. Made a rather nice match with a hot bowl of Mrs. dd's special homemade vegetable beef soup. This would be nice with ribs, a beef brisket or some ribeye steaks (or porterhouse, or filets...). Here's an ingredient list:

YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Nugget
FINISHING HOPS Nugget
MALTS Two-row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Wheat, Brown
OTHER Cold brewed coffee

[devildeac]

Cafe Ink-Rheingeist Brewing

Bomber split 3 ways. A big coffee imperial stout. Pour was almost black with a thin, tan head. Espresso aromas and tastes. Mouthfeel was darn near chewy but no chunks. Dark chocolate (not added) was rather prominent on the palate. Perhaps a bit of molasses and dark fruit, too. IBUs 57 and ABV was 10%. Another nice pairing with the above mentioned vegetable beef soup. No ingredient list could be located. Even our younger son-in-law, not a big coffee-flavored stout fan, was more impressed with this selection than the SN Coffee Stout. This was about an 8 month leftover from a stopover around Covington, KY on our trip to Columbus, IN, in April this year.

[devildeac]

Event Horizon (2015)-Olde Hickory Brewery

Mattman's short/concise summary is a good one with a tip of the tulip to ricks68 for including this in one of his deliveries early in 2016.

This'll be an Olde Hickory Night with a bomber of Event Horizon divided over the last couple nights (all for me!) and looking forward to a snifter of Irish Walker shortly.

Pour of the EH was a dark mahogany with a thin, mocha head that was even smaller the second night. Dark chocolate and a bit of coffee first, followed by more semi-sweet chocolate, some dark fruits and a bit of bourbon the first night which was a bit more noticeable with the second serving, especially as I let it warm over 30-45 minutes. I'll guess the IBUs about 60 with more roastiness than hop bitterness. The ABV was a bit lacking for the style (imperial stout) at 8.5%. Round up the usual suspects for pairings: a snifter and a slice of triple chocolate cake or, as I nibbled the last 2 nights, some chocolate-cherry-covered dark cherries.

[devildeac]

Irish Walker (bottle dating 2/2/16)-Olde Hickory Brewery

WTH? A barleywine-style ale? I thought I'd given up on these .

Well, perhaps not, with many thanks to ricks68 again for this delivery sometime in the spring (I think) of this year.

Pour of half a bomber into an Alewerks snifter tonight with the obligatory warming and sipping over the last 30-45 minutes. Appearance was a dark, clear amber with a thin, light tan head. Nose of dark caramel, leather and tobacco. Tastes were earthy, herbal and cloyingly sweet and syrupy with plenty of cherries and dark fruits and other flavors to match the aromas. They list Fuggles and UK Golding hops, so more of an English-influenced barleywine and less of a hop monster than many American versions are. IBUs at 60, significantly less than the 90+ of Bigfoot, for example, with the ABV at 10%. It's almost time for some plum/figgy pudding.

[devildeac]

From 2/19/15:

Wiggo-Carolina Brewing Company

Drink local!

Their version of a winter IPA brewed with Nugget, Cascade and Amarillo hops and balanced with generous amounts of dark caramel malts. Poured a slightly cloudy, peach-amber color with aromas of citrus and pine and tastes of the same with a little butterscotch, cantaloupe and peach, all a bit unusual for a winter IPA but a pleasant combination. I bought 4 of these 12 ounce bottles and our son got one, one went to mattman91, I sipped one and I think there's one left. IBUs are 59 and ABV is 6.3%. Would pair well with some pulled pork and perhaps some spicy fare.

From tonight:

They've substituted Mosaic hops for the Amarillo for 2016 and I like this better as I think there's very little pine presence on the nose and on the palate and the pineapple, grapefruit and above tastes are more pleasant to me. IBUs down a bit at 54 and the ABV is the same. This was a single in my December beer club 4 pack.

[devildeac]

Gramps-Rheingeist Brewing

No, this is not the Matt Jones of barleywine style ales but a Cincinnati made American style brew. Poured from a bomber divided over 2 nights into an Alewerks snifter, its appearance was a somewhat cloudy, dark amber with a modest, fluffy, tan head. Smelled like cured tobacco, well-oiled leather and slightly over-cooked caramel. Tastes mirrored the scents along with a moderate amount of piney bitterness and a bit of smoke. A bit unbalanced at 72 IBUs and a lowish ABV for the style at 8.2% so not as bitter or as potent as ales like Bigfoot but not quite as smooth as the Irish Walker I sipped several days ago. I think this would be at home next to some smoked brisket/ribs. I've got a bomber of the BBA version of this at 11.9% ABV that may be sipped very soon, but not tonight .

[devildeac]

Bifrost Winter Ale-Elysian Brewing

Interesting stuff-a winter pale ale with the stats of an IIPA (more below). Pour was an amber-orange with a small, foamy head. Smelled of stone fruits and tasted the same with a splash of tropical fruit juices, namely pineapple and papaya. There's some caramel sweetness and some earthy bitterness, too. IBUs of 58 and ABV of 8.3%. WTH? In a pale ale? This was a 12 ounce single in my December beer club 4 pack. I'd serve with some grilled salmon topped with a fruity, spicy salsa.

[devildeac]

Mountain County Stout-Pisgah Brewing

Simple name. Amazing beer. Labeled as a bourbon barrel aged breakfast stout. Yep, I'd sip this for a couple hours before a noon kickoff in Devils's Alley.

Pour was a dark, dark mahogany with a 1/2" head into a couple snifters as I shared the bomber (well, sort of) with our younger daughter tonight. Nose of Nestle's morsels and bourbon. Tantalizing tastes of dark, dark chocolate, booze and a very mild coffee finish. There's maybe a hint of black strap molasses and licorice here but they are really minor players. No IBUs listed but I'll guess 40-50. The ABV is 11.8% and after about 2/3 of this bomber, it's pretty apparent . We both enjoyed some homemade caramel corn and roasted/glazed mixed nuts with this.

Credit goes to ricks68 for this choice and delivery this spring. Thanks!

[devildeac]

On the 23rd day of Christmas/Advent/Hanukkah:

Jingle Brüe-Brüeprint Brewing Company

A pint treat from my older brother-in-law as we dined last PM. The base ale is a dark amber that has been spiced for winter with (guessing while sniffing and tasting) cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice (no pumpkin!) and a "hint of chocolate" according to their website. There was a small, tan head that lingered a bit. The ingredients became a bit more prominent as it warmed, also evoking some toffee-ish flavors, too. My BIL thought it was more bitter than his Bond Brothers O'Ranger (?) Stout but I thought not as the IBUs were only 31 and ABV was a non-threatening 5.1%. It paired OK with my jabalaya dish.

Ho-Ho-Ho!

[devildeac]

Victory at Sea-Ballast Point Brewing Company

Part 1-The original

This is their base recipe and it's an imperial porter infused with vanilla and Caffe Calabria coffee beans and they used a lot of coffee. Strong espresso aromas immediately upon decanting our 3 (fairly) equal shares from a single snatched from a 6er that set me back $14 after a buck off coupon at Total Wine yesterday. Heavily roasted grains, milk chocolate, alcohol and more espresso bathed my palate and the finish was vanilla extract. Served a bit too chilled but I have 5 leftovers to gift/trade. IBUs are 60 and ABV is 10%. We had no snacks/treats/food pairings though some cream and sugar would have been nice (). The usual chocolate/caramel suspects would have been tasty with this.

[devildeac]

Peppermint Victory at Sea-Ballast Point Brewing Company

Part 2-The flavored

Supposedly the same recipe as the original except with a generous dosing of peppermint. After all, it's Christmas time . Take a cup of dark roast Colombian (or your favorite single origin), drop in a couple (not just one) Andes mints (nibbling on several Thin Mints may be substituted for the candy), a 1/4 tsp of vanilla and a shot of whiskey and you have our second tasting of the night, an $8 bomber with a buck off voucher from Total Wine that we divided (almost) evenly though by this time, our younger son-in-law was taking an extra pour for himself and shorting his wife from the distribution cycle . Same IBUs and ABV. I thought the mint presence was a bit much and a tad "oily" but still a well done flavored imperial porter.

[devildeac]

Coconut Victory at Sea-Ballast Point Brewing Company

Part 3-The flavored

Liquid Seriously.

Or maybe coconut liqueur meets creme de cacao with a demitasse of espresso as a sidecar.

Well, the coconut actually tasted like it had been toasted and not freshly grated/processed .

Coconut aromas and flavors very prominent but not overdone and I thought the coffee and vanilla were a bit more subtle with this version. Prominent alcohol burn, too.

This was our favorite of the series ($7 bomber from Total Wine-almost a steal compared to some of the $15-20+ bombers I looked at yesterday). And, once again, after my initial (somewhat) equal pours, I found our son-in-law adding more to his glass instead of his wife's as we sipped our way into the wee hours this AM.

I could easily see how folks might prefer the "original" without any peppermint or coconut flavors but we found the comparisons quite interesting to sip and discuss. Alas, there were no samples left for the jovial, fat, bearded, oddly-dressed fellow with his airborne transportation powered by 8 llamas, err, reindeer who was bearing gifts for those (minimally) naughty and (mostly) nice members of the devildeac household on this wonderful Christmas morn.

[devildeac]

We divided 8 bottles among 7 of us tasting over our hour long meal. Give or take 15 minutes.

Citradelic-New Belgium Brewing

An IPA for folks who really don't like IPAs much (well, our younger son-in-law but our younger daughter, not so much )

Light orange-yellow pour with a mildly foamy head. Nose of citrus and tastes of orange, light brown sugar and tangerine with some tropical hop bitterness. Very pleasant and refreshing fruited IPA. Here are the ingredients/stats:

ABV
6.0
IBU
50
YEAST
Ale yeast
CALORIES
170
HOPS
Nugget, Crystal, Centennial, Azzaca, Cascade, Citra, Chinook, Galaxy, Mandarina Bavaria, Simcoe
MALTS
Pale, Caramel 120
FRUITS/SPICES
Tangerine infused orange peel

I wouldn't buy a 6er of this but would be happy to have another serving or two.