Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

From 6/16/17:

From last PM as an early birthday celebration:

Trophy Wife (draft)-Trophy Brewing Company

Drink local!

This was just listed "IPA" on the beverage menu but I didn't think Trophy had any "plain" monikers so the bartender told me the real story/name as I left the restaurant last PM. It's actually a session IPA. Pint pour was a light, orange-amber with a smallish, foamy head. Light citrus aromas, mostly grapefruit with mildly floral bitterness/hoppiness, followed by Tropicana Light grapefruit-orange juice flavors, no pulp . I'll guess 40 IBUs and the ABV was 4.9% making it a nice pairing with some delicious shrimp and grits.

From last PM:

Trophy Wife (12 ounce can-didn't check date on bottom of can)-Trophy Brewing Company

Reviewed again because one trophy wife is not enough .

Yea, I cheated (not that way) as I was on call but didn't think I'd tasted one of these before so had about four ounces with dinner from younger son-in-law's can.

Pretty similar thoughts to the draft review above with perhaps a bit of pineapple on the nose and palate. Very pleasant session IPA.

[devildeac]

Park Day (canned on 7/31/18)-Mother Earth Brewing

Drink almost local!

First brew from my October 4 pack that I didn't pick up until last week .

A Bohemian-style pilsner from down east NC.

Pouring vigorously from the 12 ounce revealed a slightly cloudy, straw-colored brew with a moderate, frothy head. The 100% German hops (guessing Tettnang and Mittlefruh) and malts (Carapils? Pale?) produce attractive floral scents and flowery, garden-like and mildly honey-ish tastes. I'll guess IBUs in the 20-30 range with the ABV at 4.9% so this would be a nice porch pounder in warmer weather to accompany turkey/chicken and Havarti/Muenster sandwiches and a pasta salad.

[devildeac]

From last PM:

Winter White Ale (10/10/18 stamped on bottom of can)-Bell's Brewery

Belgian-inspired wheat ale

An interesting choice for the season as most wheat ales are spring/summer brews. Beer #2 from my late October beer club 4 pack.

Poured from a pint can into a tall Sam Adams white ale glass. Moderately cloudy yellow hue with a generous head. Aromas as expected: banana and clove. Tastes the same with some orange and rind flavors, too, with some spiciness, likely coriander, another wheat ale standard. I'll guess IBUs around 20 and the ABV was 5%. A pleasant brew that'd be happy with some sweet and sour shrimp or chicken.

[devildeac]

From 10/10/16:

Man of Law-Southern Pines Brewing Company

Drink kinda local!

My first ever brew from this brewery and first of my 4 pack September beer club litter from Bottle Revolution. Not a bad start, but not really a palate grabber either. Pour was light gold with a small head. Nose over the glass tells me a little pine/resin and a bit of rind. Tastes mirror the scents. IBUs of 60 and ABV at 6.4% so a reasonable balance, just like the scales of Justise (had to work a reference to the beer's name and some MBB into the post somehow ). I'd pair this with grilled bovine fare or some deli sammiches and spicy brown mustard. But, then again, it's an average brew and I doubt I'd partake of it again, so forget the pairings . Worth a single to try a new brew but not a 6er.

With dinner tonight:

Man of Law-Southern Pines Brewing Company

No date on 12 ounce can. Beer #3 from October's beer club 4 pack.

I liked it better this time. Perhaps a recipe change/tweak?

Poured an orange-amber with a moderate, creamy head. More orange, grapefruit and pineapple up front and very similar flavors with only hints of pine/resin. Amarillo, Zythos, and Cascade hops share the spotlight. Stats the same as above. Made a very nice friend tonight with some mildly spicy, home-made southwest chicken tortilla soup which really ate like a stew.

[devildeac]

Milk Stout-Left Hand Brewing Company

Sipped last PM for Zion and RJ. I'm on call tonight so no tasting and got no reason to celebrate anyway tonight.

Last beer from my October beer club 4 pack. I'm skipping November's due to Lone Rider's strong presence in the litter.

This was a pretty classic beer for the style with a large, creamy head atop an almost black elixir. Lots of heavily roasted grains and some dark chocolate and coffee aromas followed by a slick/smooth mouthfeel and dark malted milk and latte tastes. Bitterness from the roasting and not the hops with IBUs only 25 (WTH? That's lager territory.). ABV at 6%, about as expected. Ingredients:

Malts: Pale 2-row, Crystal, Munich, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats, Flaked Barley and Chocolate
Hops: Magnum and US Goldings
Other: Lactose

[devildeac]

From 1/20/18:

From 9/3/17:

DKML-Founders Brewing Company

Booze bomb alert.

This is their 4th barrel-aged beer of 2017 with Backwoods Bastard to follow in October and a TBA in November or December. The Founders sales rep I chatted with a couple months ago is hoping #6 will be CBS. (Day-umm, I just looked this up and it will indeed be their 6th BA release for 2017, representing a re-release of the 2011 version in bombers and a keg-only release in 2014. Sign me up! http://tenemu.com/news/founders-rere...series/08/2017)

A bourbon barrel-aged malt liquor? WTH? Not sure I've ever heard of that before and I can't recall the last time I had a malt liquor, though I think some states require that on the labels of beers that exceed a certain ABV, likely varying from state to state.

August West kindly contributed this capped bomber as the "finishing" beer of the tailgate, and, at 14.2% (no typo), we were indeed finished. Pour was a honey-straw color with a small head. Nose? Booze, specifically, corn liquor. Tastes? Vanilla, butterscotch, wood, caramel and more liquor. I'll estimate IBUs in the 20 range and didn't I mention the ABV is a stunning 14.2%? I <think> I did already. They're marketing this in 4 packs and bombers and, if you pick up a 22 ounce bottle, be prepared to cork the bottle tightly if you can't finish it in a single sitting (say, 1-2 hours) or share with friends. I got a litter of 4 from Total Wine yesterday AM rather coincidentally and will sure lay 2 of them down for a year or two in order to see what the alcohol burn will be like after some cellaring.

From the wee hours this am:

DKML-Founders Brewing Company

Still a booze bomb, even after another 4 months in the "cellar."

Same appearance and aromas. Perhaps a bit "softer" on the palate than in September but it still has quite an alcohol "burn." I think the bourbon barrel aging/tastes are a bit more prominent now. Flavors became even more "intense" as it warmed. This took over an hour to sip from a snifter after we finished a drive to the NC coast for the weekend. Two bottles remain. I think one makes a tailgate appearance this year and the other ages until January, 2019. Very potent stuff.

From Friday night:

DKML (brewed on: 7/27/17 stamped on back label)-Founder's Brewing Company

I'm a bit sheepish to review this after fuse's link upthread.

Well, almost made it to 2019 , or, and then there was one. I poured a 50 degree ("cellar" temperature) 12 ounce bottle into a Founder's snifter after a long drive home on Friday and sipped for about an hour.

Clear/clean, medium amber color with a thin, off-white head. This one is a bit more palate friendly than the above review. There's still a lot of booze on the nose and on the taste buds but it's a pleasant warming sensation with perhaps some oak, vanilla and toasted coconut now, too, even moreso as it warmed to room temperature. Guessing about 20 IBUs and the ABV was 12.7%, IIRC. Very happy to have waited on this an look forward to the final bottle in another 6-12 months.

[devildeac]

Goon (draft)-Land Grant Brewing Company

More local!

One of their seasonal beers. Which season, you ask? Why, hockey season, of course.

This two ounce sample before making some purchases was golden-yellow in color with a small head. Piney and dank aromas, followed by some citrus and resin on the tongue. It's an American/Strong Pale Ale at 65 IBUs () and 6.1% ABV. Quality brew but chose not to buy a 6er of this, choosing instead the brew in the following review. Here's what their marketing department says:

"Goon is an assertive Strong American Pale Ale that scoffs at fruity hop trends and brings a dank and piney aggression to the ice. With Magnum, Northern Brewer, Chinook, and Green Bullet hops in tow, Goon lives up to its reputation as a hard hitter. Drop your gloves and take a swig."

The players:

HOPS: MAGNUM, NORTHERN BREWER, CHINOOK, GREEN BULLET
MALTS: PALE, MUNICH, CARAPILS, HONEY, CRYSTAL RYE

(all caps theirs and I'm too lazy to replace)

[devildeac]

Stiff Arm (draft)-Land Grant Brewing Company

Local! Again!

One of their core beers, I guess because there are two seasons in Columbus, OH: football season and spring/summer practice season .

This two ounce pour was a light bronze with a small head. More citrusy and tropical aromas and tastes than Goon which swayed my decision to purchase a 6er of this one. IBUs 50 from the website but 60 claimed at the brewery with ABV at 6.4%. A nicely done IPA. Their marketing ploy:


"Like a palm to your jaw, our American IPA delivers a jolt of hoppy goodness. An ale as well-rounded as any All-Timer, our Stiff-Arm IPA combines all of its talents: All American hops, fragrant aromas of citrus and pine, a clean finish, and an uncanny sense of balance provided by a nice malt backing. It’s a classic American beer that will have you striking the pose year-round."

The roster:

HOPS: SUMMIT, CASCADE, CENTENNIAL, SIMCOE, CITRA
MALTS: 2 ROW, GOLDPILS VIENNA, CARAMEL, CARAMEL VIENNE

(not responsible for all caps or incorrect spelling)

[devildeac]

Bandwagon (draft)-Land Grant Brewing Company

Guess what? Local!!

My third and final two ounce sample before buying arrived with a golden-yellow hue and less hazy than I imagined given its designation as a "hazy IPA." It was as good as the beertender guaranteed with a tropical juice blend assortment of scents and pineapple-grapefruit-orange flavors with a twist of zest and short blast of rind bitterness. IBUs were 44 at the brewery but 27 on the website, about as expected for the style-it's their NEIPA offering. ABV was 7.2%, in line with the style. I purchased a 6er of this one to share/trade. Their description:

"For those forever seeking fruit-hop satisfaction, Bandwagon Hazy IPA provides instant gratification. Building a roster around the finest G.O.A.T.-Status hops available (Simcoe, Rakau, and Centennial), this peerless stone fruit-forward beer is a slam dunk. With a cloudy complexion and low bitterness, you may be skeptical, but hop on board and this beer will take you to the promised land."

The scholarship participants:

HOPS: SIMCO, RAKAU, CENTENNIAL
MALTS: 2 ROW, FLAKED OATS, RED WHEAT

(never heard of Rakau hops and Simcoe spelled wrong above-they put all the caps there )

[devildeac]

From 5/12/17:

Cran-bic (2016)-New Glarus Brewing Company

Next of the last of the litter from our September Duke football and midwest beer-cation. I believe I have one Oud Bruin I'm reserving for its one year anniversary this fall.

Perfect beer to share with the return of our daughter and her husband to Raleigh after their 10 day vacation.

Poured three (almost) equal servings into recently purchased champagne flutes. Pink, cloudy and effervescent. Fruity nose with mildly sour/tart, cranberry tastes tickling the taste buds. There's some woody/oaky presence along with a flash of acid/vinegar. Cranberry champagne. I'll guess IBUs of 20 and ABV of 5-6%. Very nice celebration beer. Would be nice with a plate of fruit. New Glarus fruit beer-never a disappointment.

From tonight:

Cran-bic (2018)-New Glarus Brewing Company

Last one from the June pick-up/delivery.

I have nothing to add to the 2017 review of the 2016 version above. What a delightful beer!

Mrs. dd and I each had a 2.5 ounce portion in champagne flutes and we're using the rest for beer cocktails. She actually liked the mild tartness of this oak-aged, wild sour ale.

[devildeac]

From 8/10/17:

From 11/27/16:

Serendipity-New Glarus Brewing



I'll not often "steal" someone's review, but, in this case, everything fits. Perfectly. There was almost a fight at the dd household Friday night as the 3 original tasters added a 4th during the consumption of our 750 ml bottle of this as I found Mrs. dd pouring herself about 4-5 ounces of this and that's never done while fine, hand-crafted ales are being tasted. I think she's sipped 4 ounces of beer in our blessed 38+ year marriage and, yes, it was the Raspberry Tart fuse mentioned above, which she referred to as "raspberry champagne." Serendipity was "not beer" in her words and tasted like a sweet, organic 100% juice blend of cherries and apples with a slight pucker from the Wisconsin cranberries. The Apple Ale (ratebeer 98) was a tough act to follow but this readily and easily surpassed it (ratebeer 100). There's one more bottle remaining and that'll be a Christmas tasting, if I can hide it from her that long .

From last PM and now:

Serendipity-New Glarus Brewing

(Sub-titled as Happy Accident Fruit Ale. Really.)

From the label:

"Severe Drought, we shared the farmer’s horror as Wisconsin’s cherry crop failed! Dan bought what cherries he could. The Apple crop fared better. Then joy! A grand Wisconsin cranberry harvest. What will Dan brew with Apples, Cranberries and Cherries? Oh my! You hold the happy accident of Wisconsin’s favorite fruit aged in oak with an almost magical wild fermentation. Serendipity is a wondrous celebration that sparkles your senses and dances across your palate. A kaleidoscope of flavor discovered by accident in a sour ale!"

Well, they really oughtta stop this take as they've brewed this for years and I doubt there's been a drought every year in Wisconsin, unless we're talking early April, 2015 .

Pour was a hazy, ruby-amber with a fizzy, short-lived head. This really smells like a fruit juice blend and tastes like fruited champagne. There's apple and cherry sweetness and cranberry tartness, along with a bit of oaky/woody funk/sour. I'll guess IBUs around 10 and ABV about 5%. Mrs. dd got a full champagne flute tonight after a half serving last PM to be sure she still liked it but this time around. She did but preferred the Raspberry Tart slightly more. I have a new beer buddy ! A generous quantity of this will be delivered in early October by the devildeac midwest package service.

From tonight:

Serendipity (2018)-New Glarus Brewing Company

What Ocean Spray Cran-Apple juice might taste like if blended with their Cran-Cherry version and added a bit of wood-aged grain alcohol to it. Once again, a 2.5 ounce portion for each of us, saving the remainder for another beer cocktail. Mrs. dd liked this a bit more then the Cran-bic as this was a bit sweeter with the apples and cherries being added. NG fruit beers continue to amaze me since I discovered Wisconsin Belgian Red and Raspberry Tart over 20 years ago at an Oregon's Brewer's Festival.

[devildeac]

Raspberry Tart (2018)-New Glarus Brewing Company

Finally, we had Thanksgiving dinner tonight and this was our third liquid dessert (again, 2.5 ounces each with the "leftovers" being used for more beer cocktails as I type ), following Cran-bic and Serendipity. So far, Mrs. dd's favorite of the three. Tastes like raspberry champagne aged in oak barrels.

[lawgrad91]

Raspberry Tart (2018)-New Glarus Brewing Company

Finally, we had Thanksgiving dinner tonight and this was our third liquid dessert (again, 2.5 ounces each with the "leftovers" being used for more beer cocktails as I type ), following Cran-bic and Serendipity. So far, Mrs. dd's favorite of the three. Tastes like raspberry champagne aged in oak barrels.

Raspberry Tart is the best of some really good beers. I have a buddy from Wisconsin whose boyfriend has agreed to bring New Glarus to us when he comes to visit.

[devildeac]

Beer cocktails from last PM.

Cran-bic/Raspberry Tart-New Glarus Brewing Company

This was not an approved use I could find anywhere on their website .

Each of us had 4 ounce servings of this with 2 ounces of each making up the "cocktail.

The sweetness of the raspberries nicely balanced the mild tartness of the cranberries with some oakiness from the aging and a very mild sourness from the styles. The bitterness/IBUs of each component are fairly low, guessing 10-20, as are the ABVs with both in the ~5% range. A very interesting blending that received a nod of approval from Mrs. dd, who really doesn't like beer and reminds me often of that fact.

[devildeac]

Second beer cocktail from yesterday:

Serendipity/Raspberry Tart-New Glarus Brewing Company

Mrs. dd highly approved of this one, liking it even more than the cranberry-raspberry combo and more than either the Raspberry Tart or Serendipity by themselves .
She thought the very mild tartness from the cranberries in the Serendipity was nicely foiled by the apples and cherries already in that beer but the addition of the raspberries made it just a bit sweeter and more pleasing to her tender palate. Either combo would pair nicely with fresh fruit or a fruit pie, wheter it was won from a DBR bet or prepared fresh during the holiday season .

[devildeac]

French Toast-Funky Buddha (cough, Constellation, cough) Brewing Company

"Oui monsieur bonjour coquette,
Uh huh croissant e chevy corvette,
Maurice chevalier effeil tower,
Oh oui maria bagette bon soir,

FRENCH TOAST! FRENCH TOAST!"

First tasting from tailgate Saturday was a 12 ounce bottle August West was kind enough to share. Thanks!!

Poured a dark, dark brown with a moderate mocha head. Aromas as expected with maple and cinnamon, followed by grilled, custard-y bread and even more maple and cinnamon. Mouthfeel was sweet/syrupy. At this point, I'm not sure if I should be drinking this or asking our chefs why they didn't make their almost famous French Toast casserole so I could pour this all over and under it . IBUs were 35 and ABV was 8.8%, living up to the label as a double brown ale which one could also call an imperial brown ale. A delicious starter beer, best shared among several friends. Darn shame the game wasn't this delicious.

[devildeac]

What could be of higher quality than me, an Old Curmudgeon?

Easy. Take that Old Curmudgeon, cover him with molasses then drop him in an old bourbon barrel that previously held maple syrup, allow him to age for several months and he'd likely end up looking and tasting something like this:

https://foundersbrewing.com/wp-content/ ... 4x1024.jpg


Curmudgeon's Better Half (8-22-18 bottling date)-Founders Brewing Company

This hasn't been brewed since 2012 and I'd never seen or tasted before.

This 12 ounce bottle was shared by August West on Saturday so he deserves a loud shout out for his selection and kindness!

Pour was a medium amber brown with a small, tan head. Luscious aromas of dark brown sugar and caramel, Vermont's finest maple syrup and some bourbon. Raisins, dates and figs on the palate with more syrup, medium brown molasses and warming bourbon sensations tantalize the tongue. IBUs of 35 and ABV claimed at a dangerous 12.7%. I'm fortunate enough that AW also purchased a 4 pack of this for me when he saw it a month or two ago and started my tab at $18 for the fall season so I have a nice litter to sip, cellar and trade over the next 12-24 months.

Mrs. dd is also far more alluring than the woman pictured on the label, too.

[devildeac]

From 8/8/17:

Doom (bottled on 4/25/17)-Founders Brewing Company

From the weekend.

A tip of the snifter to dpslaw if he's still reading here for this suggestion.

Pour was a 12 ounce bottle into a Founders snifter. Darn near perfect I might add . Two-fingered head and a slightly hazy golden-yellow color. Smells like a barleywine with some orange, zest, leather and a bit of tobacco. Tastes a bit like a barleywine, too, but it's not. There's grapefruit, more orange, oil, and wait, what else is coming through now? Is that vanilla and oak and bourbon? Why, yes, it is! It's not a barleywine. This is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial IPA. In fact, according to the Founder's rep last month at a Bottle Rev tasting, it's the old Double Trouble recipe, which I haven't had since 1/18/10, that's been sitting in booze barrels for a year or so. I'll guess 80 IBUs, superbly balanced with an ABV of 12.4%. Not cheap at about $4/12 ounce bottle but reasonably priced. I've got 3 more from my 4 pack awaiting decisions: aging? trading? tailgating? Hmmm...

From last PM:

Doom (bottled on 4/25/17)-Founders Brewing Company

Last of the litter as I believe I traded the other two. I think it became a bit softer and more mellow than the review above from 16 months ago seems to indicate with a lot more wood, vanilla, perhaps some toasted coconut and a bit smoother bourbon flavors. Very happy to have tasted but also very happy to move on to the other members of Founders' Barrel Series that they've released since early 2017.

[devildeac]

From 4/28/16:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15) -Deschutes Brewery

Fuse mentioned a while ago that he felt intimidated by reviewing a legendary beer and that's how I feel about this one. I've heard about it for 5 years, maybe more, but never had the chance to purchase until this month, getting a nice shipment from a store in the midwest and I divided a bomber over the last 3 nights and sipped each sampling at cellar temperatures over 30-45 minutes each, thereby allowing them to warm a bit more during the tasting.

It's an imperial stout that is 21% aged in oak bourbon barrels, 8% in oak barrels and 21% in oak wine (pinot noir) barrels. Poured almost pitch black into an Allagash 250 ml tulip with a creamy, tan head that lingered longer than I would have expected. Rich aromas of heavily roasted malts, espresso, dark chocolate, dried dark fruits, red wine and a whiff of whiskey. Tastes as complex as the aromas, if not more so, with oak/wood, less espresso than expected (none added), black strap molasses (added), black licorice (added), blackberries, tannins, prominent vinous notes with a very subtle bourbon finish. Vanilla is also an ingredient but I missed that taste. No way I'd have thought 86 IBUs but their website states this and the ABV is a dangerous 12.2%. I'm not a licorice fan but this was extremely well done and balanced and not over-powering as I recall Uinta's Labyrinth was 2-3 years ago. Another very decadent concoction. The stamp on the label states "Best After: 12/08/16" but I couldn't wait another 7-8 months on this one. Luckily, I still have 11 more bombers...

From tonight:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15)-Deschutes Brewing Company

See above.

Bottle count down to four now.

Even more complex at 2+ years after release. I think there's a bit more molasses and bourbon now, perhaps a bit more red wine and dark chocolate with a tolerable amount of licorice. This is a really, really big beer, so much so that I'm dividing my 750 ml bottle over 3 nights this week. Dessert? Yes! Pairing with a six ounce filet or a ribeye steak? That'd work well, too.

From 11/24/18 at tailgate:

The Abyss (released 12/17/15 with "best after 12/17/16" stamped on label)-Deschutes Brewing Company

Three bottles remain.

I'm very glad 3 of us were sharing this () before the Duke football collapse on the field .

More molasses, oak/wood and red wine, almost like port, than the first two tastings with less licorice and bourbon were the general impressions this weekend. I still like the idea above of a pairing with a ribeye or filet, or perhaps a mini-vertical with the 2017 bottle I think I have, too.

[devildeac]

From 11/12/16:

So Happens It's Tuesday-The Bruery

Stunning beer. It's not often I have that reaction to a hand-crafted ale but Thursday night was one of those times. First off, August West deserves an immense amount of credit for seeking this foil-wrapped/capped 750 ml bottle out (Sam's Quick Shop, IIRC) and shelling out $20 (I'm guessing) to purchase this and then deciding to share it with us. Foresight, knowledge, generosity and kindness. Many, many thanks. On to the beer (really difficult to just call this beer.)

Seductive and alluring immediately after opening with bourbon and dark chocolate. We divided this among of us. Pour was onyx and totally opaque as an imperial stout should be. AW or ricks68 held it up to our spotlight and no light was transmitted. Why? The SRM (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Reference_Method) was 100 and imperial stouts are on this scale with a 40+ number. Pour was 10W30. No head. Mouthfeel was incredibly smooth and silky but also thick and chewy. Think Riesen candy and homemade bourbon balls. No nuts. Tastes were the expected dark chocolate, bourbon, some dark fruits and black molasses. And a bit more warming bourbon at the end. IBUs of 22 were surprisingly low given the style as most Russian imperial stouts are 50-60 or higher. ABV was a massive 14.7%, just shy of the NC limit for sale in the state. Flavors became even more pronounced and complex as it warmed a bit and we sipped over 15-20 minutes. Forget any pairings (but we just had to try it with some coffee bean-topped espresso fudge cups). Truly amazing concoction. The only other beverage that stands out to me in recent years is the BBA Old Stock Ale 2009 that I brought to the Duke-cheaters tailgate in 2014. August West noted that So Happens It's Tuesday (I'd like to abbreviate it or put it in acronym form but I'm not even gonna try with the board filters ( ) has a big brother called Black Tuesday which rolls in at 20% (or more) ABV, so, if someone would like to leave it under our Christmas tree this year, let me know and I'll leave the chimney open ;) .

We had some excellent beverages Thursday night but this was extraordinary.

I'm almost ready to abandon liquid contributions to our tastings and just bring some currency to each game and ask August West how much I owe him for a place at our tasting table.

From 11/24/18:

So Happens It's Tuesday (2016)-The Bruery

During the tailgate, this was once again a superb 750 ml concoction that we shared 3 ways. After the score got to be 0-21 and 7-28, the acronym for this beer described the play on the field much better:

So
Happens
It's
Tuesday



I won't try to describe it again but the ophthalmic, olfactory and gustatory sensations were duplicated pretty much precisely as they were experienced 2 years ago.

Many, many thanks again to August West for cellaring this for a couple years and sharing again!!