Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Great Divide Denver Pale Ale (DPA)
This is a pretty good English pale ale..actually it's really good for being an English ale. Both malty and hoppy..the malts are that "earthiness" I detect in some brews...like the Sierra Nevada Tumbler. Moderate bitterness, pleasant "earthy" aroma...I'd love to know if that is coming from the malt or the hops. I'm guessing the hops, since it is sort of floral. Classic pale yellow color, nice white head with good retention. Mild flavor, this is a good one for really any time of year.
DD got this in his trader pack, so I'm curious to see what he thinks. We both think highly of Great Divide, and neither of us remember trying (or seeing) this one in the past.

Damn. I was gonna make this post #8000. I guess I still will .

That's a solid review and I have little to add except I'd guess the IBU to be about 50-60 and the ABV is 5.4%, pretty standard for a PA and it gave me the chance to enjoy this and the Backfin PA a couple nights ago and compare. This is a very good brewery and they have a very nice selection of session brews and very wide choices of high gravity products. I'd agree that the 'earthiness" comes from the hops which have more floral and herbal character than citrus. I'm on call tonight so no more sampling until tomorrow but I will have a few more minutes to PW some responses to some posts from earlier today as I was contemplating a post worthy of #8000.

Respectfully submitted,

devildeac

#8000.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Congrats on #8000 DD! X 1000!

[devildeac]

Bell Ringer Ale-RJ Rockers Brewing-Spartanburg, SC

Don't laugh. Hand-crafted beer from SC? WTH? This was a trader from CB&B and this one was untasted/unknown and unheard of before our meeting. It's a winner/keeper. Unique brew. Reminds me of something Green Flash would brew. Why? Tastes like a merging of styles between a Belgian dubbel/brown ale and an IPA. What's that mean? It's a pale brown-golden color with a smallish head, floral hops and flavors of light brown sugar, golden raisins and figs. I'd guess the IBU about 50 and the ABV is 8.5% so a couple of these would sneak up on you and kick your arse. I like the traditional dubbels and the Ommegang better but this was quite enjoyable and would be a nice beverage with BBQ chicken/ribs with a sweet BBQ sauce instead of a tangy/spicy one. Wouldn't hesitate to buy a 6er and share/trade with folks and keep a couple of the leftovers for myself.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Bell Ringer Ale-RJ Rockers Brewing-Spartanburg, SC

Don't laugh. Hand-crafted beer from SC? WTH? This was a trader from CB&B and this one was untasted/unknown and unheard of before our meeting. It's a winner/keeper. Unique brew. Reminds me of something Green Flash would brew. Why? Tastes like a merging of styles between a Belgian dubbel/brown ale and an IPA. What's that mean? It's a pale brown-golden color with a smallish head, floral hops and flavors of light brown sugar, golden raisins and figs. I'd guess the IBU about 50 and the ABV is 8.5% so a couple of these would sneak up on you and kick your arse. I like the traditional dubbels and the Ommegang better but this was quite enjoyable and would be a nice beverage with BBQ chicken/ribs with a sweet BBQ sauce instead of a tangy/spicy one. Wouldn't hesitate to buy a 6er and share/trade with folks and keep a couple of the leftovers for myself.

Agree on all of that. Interesting that it's brewed in SC, I found it in VA, and we haven't seen it here in NC. I picked up two for myself, on the chance that it might actually be good..and I was happy to find out that it was better than I expected.

[devildeac]

Bell Ringer Ale-RJ Rockers Brewing-Spartanburg, SC

Don't laugh. Hand-crafted beer from SC? WTH? This was a trader from CB&B and this one was untasted/unknown and unheard of before our meeting. It's a winner/keeper. Unique brew. Reminds me of something Green Flash would brew. Why? Tastes like a merging of styles between a Belgian dubbel/brown ale and an IPA. What's that mean? It's a pale brown-golden color with a smallish head, floral hops and flavors of light brown sugar, golden raisins and figs. I'd guess the IBU about 50 and the ABV is 8.5% so a couple of these would sneak up on you and kick your arse. I like the traditional dubbels and the Ommegang better but this was quite enjoyable and would be a nice beverage with BBQ chicken/ribs with a sweet BBQ sauce instead of a tangy/spicy one. Wouldn't hesitate to buy a 6er and share/trade with folks and keep a couple of the leftovers for myself.

Agree on all of that. Interesting that it's brewed in SC, I found it in VA, and we haven't seen it here in NC. I picked up two for myself, on the chance that it might actually be good..and I was happy to find out that it was better than I expected.

I found it odd also while reading their home page that their distribution area is SC, Georgia, Virginia, DC and Maryland but not NC.

[devildeac]

FYI:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/27/ ... k=misearch

[CameronBornAndBred]

FYI:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/27/ ... k=misearch

Cool! Have you tried any of theirs? We should contact them about sponsoring a Brunchgate.

[devildeac]

FYI:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/27/ ... k=misearch

Cool! Have you tried any of theirs? We should contact them about sponsoring a Brunchgate.

Funny you should ask:

For those of you in the Triangle are:

Triangle Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale

This strong golden ale measures in at 8% & showcases a variety of the ingredients and brewing methods that help differentiate Triangle beers. The Strong Golden is fermented at a higher temperature than our other beers adding an undercurrent of fruitiness (although there is no fruit in the beer). Very lightly filtered, the Golden exhibits complex mouthfeel, strong malt flavors, a spicy hop presence and soothing alcohol warmth, followed by a clean, dry finish. It is excellent with food as well as served by itself. Bronze Medal Winner at 2009 Carolina Championship of Beer.

Food pairings: Richer dishes, meats, cheeses, stews, smoked foods. As an after-dinner drink.


Enjoyed on draft for $4.50 for a full pint at the Mellow Mushroom on Saturday after attending a Beauty and the Beast performance at the DPAC. Slightly hazy with a yellow-orange hue and a buttery, estery nose and tastes of bananas and cloves and a hint of pepper. This was great with an everything pizza. I'd guess the IBU to be low in the 20-30 range and the ABV of 8% was not boozey at all. I have not seen any bottled products from this new brewing company in Derm but would not hesitate a moment to buy a 4 pack or 6er of this stuff of a variety 12 pack. You Derm folks might keep this brewery in mind in the fall for a Brunchgate and pick up a growler to share on a fall afternoon or evening. ;)

Am I prescient or what...

(from June 16th, 2010, 6:20 pm )

[CameronBornAndBred]

Am I prescient or what...

(from June 16th, 2010, 6:20 pm )

Nostradevildeacus

[devildeac]

Am I prescient or what...

(from June 16th, 2010, 6:20 pm )

Nostradevildeacus

[CameronBornAndBred]

From a FB and college friend in Colorado...

Hanging at the Fort Collins Brewery's grand opening...YAY BEER!
17 minutes ago via Facebook for iPhone · Comment ·LikeUnlikeMichelle Sandagata likes this.
Chris Wagner Why the grand opening? They've been around for awhile? BTW...I'm jealous..lol.
16 minutes ago · LikeUnlike · Chris Wagner PS...you better have your camera.
16 minutes ago · LikeUnlike · Ray Tollison They just opened a new brewery! Couple new beers and chocolate stout ice cream to celebrate!!
7 minutes ago · LikeUnlikeChris Wagner Enjoy! Post updates...I have some friends that will be interested..ymmm, beer!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Kilt Lifter-Pike Brewing Company

And no, Ozzie, I am not talking about some Scottish peeping Tom. This is a Scotch style ale, which means typically medium brown, clear and lotsa toffee, milk chocolate and brown sugar flavors from the 4 or 5 different types of malts used, including a smoked malt which gives this style of brew just a bit of a peat-y taste. IBU low at 27 and the ABV was 6.5% so I just found myself sipping on this bomber for almost 2 hours before not posting in the Official Good Night thread . This would be tasty with stews, Miles' chili or ribs. I think I'll add this $4 bomber to the list for CB&B for next month's travel and trade trip to the coast.

Yay! He did trade one too, and I've been enjoying it today while barbecuing a brisket. Low IBU's like DD said (he didn't guess at the 27..it's stamped right on the bottle ) so the malts do most of the work here. Only 6.5% (also stamped on the bottle), but it tastes a bit boozier than that. Nice caramel color, and sweet flavors as DD mentioned..plus a bit of tanginess. (Hops are there, just enough to add a bit of bite.) $4 for a bomber? Hell yeah, that makes this a big time bargain..it's well worth picking up a couple at that price. Plus, one of the best names given to a beer. Makes me think of Mike Cross.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF0agmxv ... re=related

[CameronBornAndBred]

Dominion Ale
This is just a flat out solid "can't miss for any occasion" beer. Moderately hopped, moderate flavor, a slight crisp bite, medium body. Nothing really stands out, but that's not bad. It's not a weak ale by any description, so if you want just a good session beer this would be a decent choice. It's an english style ale, no citrus or fruity flavors, but it's still well crafted. Perfect for a public gathering around the grill, even has a twist off top so you don't have to scramble for a bottle opener. (Usually I pick on the twist offs, but it fits for this beer.) Just a solid ale to satsify your thirst.

[devildeac]

Evil 8-Blue Mountain Brewing

From their web page:

19.3° Plato, 50 IBUs and 7.7% alcohol by volume*
A truly spiritual ale, Evil 8° will blur the lines of what you think you know about American beer. Brewed in the Belgian Abbey style using caramelized Biscuit malt, Goldings hops and a unique strain of brewers' yeast.

I don't know about spiritual but true to the Belgian style of a dubbel, or brown ale. There is a bit of a twist as I think the IBU are a bit higher than normal from the Goldings hops. A bit light for an Abbey style brew but certainly toasty/bready and some hints of light brown sugar and dark fruits. Fine with hard cheeses or lightly smokey appetizers or slightly sweet or grilled pork or beef. Wouldn't be bad with some caramel or butterscotch cookies for dessert. Or, by itself, of course. I had heard of this brewery on our recent trip to Richmond, sampling their wheat ale, IIRC. Solid impression from my first two tastings. This was a trader from CB&B from his recent jaunt to Hokieland.

[devildeac]

Pale ale night tonight with 2 on the schedule .

[devildeac]

Ya gotta look at this brewery's web site and be sure to click on all the animated areas:

http://www.butternutsbeerandale.com/

I had the Porkslap pale ale tonight. Scores points just for the name alone for starters but the tasting was fair. I wondered what the unusual taste was but could name it until clicking on the barn door and finding that this brew contains a bit of ginger. Poured a nice golden color with 1-2 fingers of foam with some biscuit nose and taste and a bit of floral in the smell, too. I think the IBU are a bit low for a PA, guessing about 40 or so. The ABV is a bit thin also 4.3% but that means I can enjoy another PA right about now . This was a trader with CB&B and is worth a single/taste/trade but not a 6er. But, that's why we trade so we can taste a number of different brewers/styles.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Ya gotta look at this brewery's web site and be sure to click on all the animated areas:

http://www.butternutsbeerandale.com/

I had the Porkslap pale ale tonight. Scores points just for the name alone for starters but the tasting was fair. I wondered what the unusual taste was but could name it until clicking on the barn door and finding that this brew contains a bit of ginger. Poured a nice golden color with 1-2 fingers of foam with some biscuit nose and taste and a bit of floral in the smell, too. I think the IBU are a bit low for a PA, guessing about 40 or so. The ABV is a bit thin also 4.3% but that means I can enjoy another PA right about now . This was a trader with CB&B and is worth a single/taste/trade but not a 6er. But, that's why we trade so we can taste a number of different brewers/styles.

I agree on the review..I've had the Porkslap (gotta love the name if nothing else) and the Snapperhead..neither was a ribbon winner. Bit of a bummer, but I'm holding out hope for the Moo Thunder stout..it's hard to screw up a stout so we'll see..and it's a milk stout to boot, which I like especially.

[devildeac]

American Pale Ale-Bluegrass Brewing

Solid brew from the folks in L'ville, Kin-tucky, very near the Land of the Lost. Pale and crystal malts, American and English hops impart herbal and piney note (I don't taste much citrus) to this hoppy > malty ale that is similar to an English IPA. The IBU are 55.2 and the ABV is 5.79%. Yea, that's what they really say on their web page. This would be fine with hotter/spicier foods, including curry and Tex-Mex. These folks have a solid line-up of brews.

[devildeac]

Oskar Blues-Gubna IIPA

Full disclosure, this beer was supposed to end up in DD's trader but I wasn't sure how the can would handle the flight back to NC. So I decided against it and am now (as I'm trying the beer for the first time) regretting it. I should have given you one and told you to drink while in Vail.

A quick backstory: for the past few years OB has released The Gordon as its IIPA offering but, as anyone who has sampled that beer can attest, it simply isn't an IPA. It's Imperial red ale, and a fine one at that. So the fine folks at OB relabeled The Gordon as an "ale" and introduced a true IIPA in the Gubna.

High ABV? Check (10%). Serious IBUs? Check (100+). Awesome flavor? Double check. The beer uses only one hop variety (Summit hops, from the website), and shows that an extremely tasty brew can arise from simplicity. On the nose the beer smells like a fresh mix of grapefruit and cannabis. The flavor continues with a fresh citrus burst that perfectly mixes sweetness with bitterness. In the end the beer doesn't represent anything I haven't had before. It's a IIPA and has all of the tasting points you'd expect from that style. But it does everything about that style better and cleaner than I've ever had. Very tasty beer.

Finally got my hands on some of this and was not disappointed. The use of just (and a lot of) summit hops definitely makes for a unique tasting IIPA. I picked up a lot of pine and far less of the citrusy hop bite of many other similar beers. There was also a sweetness that I couldn't quite place but was definitely different from the maltiness of some more balanced IIPAs like 90 Minute. Price is a bit steep at $16 for a 4 pack but I would definitely buy again..

Gubna-Oskar Blues

Both you beerknurds nailed it with this one. CB&B finally found a 4 pack in Hokietown in his recent beer hunting expedition and was kind enough to include one in our recent trading session. I have yet to see it in Raleigh. Awesome brew. I didn't note much cannabis, nor did I catch any pine/resin either. I thought this was all grapefruit and zest. The sweetness must come from massive amounts of malt, probably crystal, pale and caramel varieties, to balance the ton of the Summit hops.
Pours a golden-yellow with a 1-2 finger head which does linger. I talked him into the entire 4 pack in exchange for another high-priced trader from my supply as it was only another couple bucks more for the 4 pack over buying 3 singles. I think he said it was about $15 or 16 for the whole litter. Well, well worth it. Not any everyday or session beer but something I would buy every time I saw it.

[Johnboy]

Review of Bitches' Brew