Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier-I passed on this last month at Total Wine and could not resist this weekend at about $8 for the 6er. I'd kill for Oregon blackberries. Well, not really, but they are damned good, even in liquid form. Mixed with beer. This is a fairly typical wit , meaning very slightly cloudy from the wheat malt with a yellow-orange color. The orange zest is modest (even my beer-hating wife noticed the scent) and the coriander is very subtle. The blackberry aroma is minimal also but the flavor is not. The fruitiness does not overpower however. Very slight bitterness, I'd guess about 30 IBU, and the ABV is a tad high for a wit at 5.5%. This makes a fine lawnmower beer or one to start a cookout with a fruit salad or as part of a tasting session.

[CameronBornAndBred]

For an SA, I was hoping for more from the blackberry, but it was still decent enough and worth buying once. I think I would only get it again in their sampler pack (included in one of their brewmaster 6's I think). I've been jaded by their cherry wheat. IMO, that is one tough brew to top.

[devildeac]

For an SA, I was hoping for more from the blackberry, but it was still decent enough and worth buying once. I think I would only get it again in their sampler pack (included in one of their brewmaster 6's I think). I've been jaded by their cherry wheat. IMO, that is one tough brew to top.

I kinda like the fact the blackberry is somewhat subtle. If it were much more prominent, it would remind me of cough syrup. :roll: :lol:
I would agree that I would not buy another 6er of it but would love to trade or get 2 of them in a sampler perhaps next year.

[rockymtn devil]

For tonight I reached into the "cellar" and pulled out a bottle of Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron (a favorite of many on this board). This beer was bottled on 9/9/08, so this is a 9-month review. I have one last 2008 bottle of this which I'll save for quite a while.

The beer pours a fully opaque black with a lot of head for a beer of this gravity. The blackness of the beer is kind of intimidating and can only be matched, in my memory at least, by Oskar Blues' Ten Fiddy. The PSM has Strong notes of booze, vanilla and roasted malts on the nose. The flavor has less of the buttery richness that I remember from earlier tastings (some of the wood has mellowed for sure) and a lot more burnt malts. The beer is toasty and warming, which is nice on an unusually cool summer evening. It also has a nice dark chocolate bitterness that is my favorite part of the beer. Still a winner. Will look forward to a future tasting.

Looking in my cellar, I have a couple that I'm really looking forward to trying. One is a 2007 bottle of Great Divide's Yeti Imperial Stout. The other is a bottle of Avery's Fifteen Anniversary Ale (bottled once in April 2008) Wild Ale. The latter is one of my favorite beers and, given that it's no longer being produced, will be saved for a while.

[devildeac]

Dale's Pale Ale-Oskar Blues Brewery-Once again, this would be a non-purchase were it not for the reviews of rmd and bluebear. It's a canned beer, for crying out loud. Another good offering from these folks, though I might quibble a bit as it has more of a nose and taste of an IPA. There's some grapefruitiness and grassiness to the scent and taste. "A voluminously hopped mutha of a pale ale" or something like that on the can. True dat. Golden pour with a well-maintained head. I'd guess the IBU on this are in the 70 range and the ABV is 6.5%. Good summer brew with some mildly spicy grill fare. You guys keep suggesting all this good stuff and I can't get around to buying some of the Founders brews you have talked about.

[devildeac]

For tonight I reached into the "cellar" and pulled out a bottle of Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron (a favorite of many on this board). This beer was bottled on 9/9/08, so this is a 9-month review. I have one last 2008 bottle of this which I'll save for quite a while.

The beer pours a fully opaque black with a lot of head for a beer of this gravity. The blackness of the beer is kind of intimidating and can only be matched, in my memory at least, by Oskar Blues' Ten Fiddy. The PSM has Strong notes of booze, vanilla and roasted malts on the nose. The flavor has less of the buttery richness that I remember from earlier tastings (some of the wood has mellowed for sure) and a lot more burnt malts. The beer is toasty and warming, which is nice on an unusually cool summer evening. It also has a nice dark chocolate bitterness that is my favorite part of the beer. Still a winner. Will look forward to a future tasting.

Looking in my cellar, I have a couple that I'm really looking forward to trying. One is a 2007 bottle of Great Divide's Yeti Imperial Stout. The other is a bottle of Avery's Fifteen Anniversary Ale (bottled once in April 2008) Wild Ale. The latter is one of my favorite beers and, given that it's no longer being produced, will be saved for a while.

I just saw another release of this at Total Wine and I believe I will have to procure another 4 pack and cellar it until this winter/next spring or longer. I may have a leftover from last fall but this stuff was so damned good that it may all be gone.

[rockymtn devil]

Dale's Pale Ale-Oskar Blues Brewery-Once again, this would be a non-purchase were it not for the reviews of rmd and bluebear. It's a canned beer, for crying out loud. Another good offering from these folks, though I might quibble a bit as it has more of a nose and taste of an IPA. There's some grapefruitiness and grassiness to the scent and taste. "A voluminously hopped mutha of a pale ale" or something like that on the can. True dat. Golden pour with a well-maintained head. I'd guess the IBU on this are in the 70 range and the ABV is 6.5%. Good summer brew with some mildly spicy grill fare. You guys keep suggesting all this good stuff and I can't get around to buying some of the Founders brews you have talked about.

Absolutely an IPA. This is my staple-beer (I buy the 12 packs and keep them in the fridge) and I always have the "this really is an IPA and I need to email them" conversation with myself.

[rockymtn devil]

I just saw another release of this at Total Wine and I believe I will have to procure another 4 pack and cellar it until this winter/next spring or longer. I may have a leftover from last fall but this stuff was so damned good that it may all be gone.

I believe DFH has made this a year-round release.

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/th ... /index.htm

Good new for all involved

[devildeac]

I just saw another release of this at Total Wine and I believe I will have to procure another 4 pack and cellar it until this winter/next spring or longer. I may have a leftover from last fall but this stuff was so damned good that it may all be gone.

I believe DFH has made this a year-round release.

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/th ... /index.htm

Good new for all involved

Damn. More high octane, high quality, expensive ale for me to consume on a regular basis. :roll: :oops:

[bluebeer]

I just saw another release of this at Total Wine and I believe I will have to procure another 4 pack and cellar it until this winter/next spring or longer. I may have a leftover from last fall but this stuff was so damned good that it may all be gone.

I believe DFH has made this a year-round release.

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/th ... /index.htm

Good new for all involved

Damn. More high octane, high quality, expensive ale for me to consume on a regular basis. :roll: :oops:

Exactly..I stocked up on a bunch of this in the fall thinking that it may be a one time or seasonal offering and now I see it everywhere..which, of course, is a good thing given it's one of my favorites..not so good on the wallet though.

[bluebeer]

Speaking of bad on the wallet...I found an incredible store yesterday in the Boston area with a huge selection and guilt free mixed six packs..they actually have boxes of empty four and six packs waiting to be filled with all sorts of blends. Needless to say, I filled 2 six packs with a bunch of untried beers.

First up last night was North Coast Old Stock Ale. Was excited to try it given how much I like old ales/barleywines and this did not disappoint. Pours a dark amber brown with very little head. Lots of sweet malts but did not come off as syrupy..bit of a chocolate taste as it warmed. There is very little hops for balance though the sweetness of the malts were somewhat cut by a strong alcohol bite that seemed to work. Very strong beer at 12.5%. I've had a few founders curmudgeons over the past few weeks and these compare well. The alcohol is a bit more present in the North Coast while the Founders has a little more hop balance but is not as bold. Both are excellent. I'll probably try to grab a few more of these and stash them away as the are intended...

[devildeac]

Speaking of bad on the wallet...I found an incredible store yesterday in the Boston area with a huge selection and guilt free mixed six packs..they actually have boxes of empty four and six packs waiting to be filled with all sorts of blends. Needless to say, I filled 2 six packs with a bunch of untried beers.

First up last night was North Coast Old Stock Ale. Was excited to try it given how much I like old ales/barleywines and this did not disappoint. Pours a dark amber brown with very little head. Lots of sweet malts but did not come off as syrupy..bit of a chocolate taste as it warmed. There is very little hops for balance though the sweetness of the malts were somewhat cut by a strong alcohol bite that seemed to work. Very strong beer at 12.5%. I've had a few founders curmudgeons over the past few weeks and these compare well. The alcohol is a bit more present in the North Coast while the Founders has a little more hop balance but is not as bold. Both are excellent. I'll probably try to grab a few more of these and stash them away as the are intended...

Old Stock Ale-fine, fine brew. Haven't had one in a couple years I guess. Perhaps I need to drink this and Old Horzontal instead of Bigfoot every fall/winter.

[bluebeer]

Speaking of bad on the wallet...I found an incredible store yesterday in the Boston area with a huge selection and guilt free mixed six packs..they actually have boxes of empty four and six packs waiting to be filled with all sorts of blends. Needless to say, I filled 2 six packs with a bunch of untried beers.

First up last night was North Coast Old Stock Ale. Was excited to try it given how much I like old ales/barleywines and this did not disappoint. Pours a dark amber brown with very little head. Lots of sweet malts but did not come off as syrupy..bit of a chocolate taste as it warmed. There is very little hops for balance though the sweetness of the malts were somewhat cut by a strong alcohol bite that seemed to work. Very strong beer at 12.5%. I've had a few founders curmudgeons over the past few weeks and these compare well. The alcohol is a bit more present in the North Coast while the Founders has a little more hop balance but is not as bold. Both are excellent. I'll probably try to grab a few more of these and stash them away as the are intended...

Old Stock Ale-fine, fine brew. Haven't had one in a couple years I guess. Perhaps I need to drink this and Old Horzontal instead of Bigfoot every fall/winter.

Why not all 3

[devildeac]

Speaking of bad on the wallet...I found an incredible store yesterday in the Boston area with a huge selection and guilt free mixed six packs..they actually have boxes of empty four and six packs waiting to be filled with all sorts of blends. Needless to say, I filled 2 six packs with a bunch of untried beers.

First up last night was North Coast Old Stock Ale. Was excited to try it given how much I like old ales/barleywines and this did not disappoint. Pours a dark amber brown with very little head. Lots of sweet malts but did not come off as syrupy..bit of a chocolate taste as it warmed. There is very little hops for balance though the sweetness of the malts were somewhat cut by a strong alcohol bite that seemed to work. Very strong beer at 12.5%. I've had a few founders curmudgeons over the past few weeks and these compare well. The alcohol is a bit more present in the North Coast while the Founders has a little more hop balance but is not as bold. Both are excellent. I'll probably try to grab a few more of these and stash them away as the are intended...

Old Stock Ale-fine, fine brew. Haven't had one in a couple years I guess. Perhaps I need to drink this and Old Horzontal instead of Bigfoot every fall/winter.

Why not all 3

Each year that I sample new barleywines, I like Bigfoot less. I'd rather have Old Horizontal, Monster, Old Foghorn, Blithering Idiot and Old Boardhead. And the next group, which would not be too far behind, would be Hog Heaven, Old Knucklehead, Olde School, Duck-Rabbit and Schlafly's. I'm sure I left a couple or three off the list, too. Your point is well taken though.

[bluebeer]

Each year that I sample new barleywines, I like Bigfoot less. I'd rather have Old Horizontal, Monster, Old Foghorn, Blithering Idiot and Old Boardhead. And the next group, which would not be too far behind, would be Hog Heaven, Old Knucklehead, Olde School, Duck-Rabbit and Schlafly's. I'm sure I left a couple or three off the list, too. Your point is well taken though.

I find Bigfoot to be a little bitter for a barleywine but I haven't had the patience to let one sit for a few years and ripen. I like your list. If we are including old ales, Old Horizontal, Curmudgeon, and Old Stock would be at the top of my list with Monster, Hog Heaven, and Gnarleywine just behind. I've yet to try Olde School (can't seem to find it each winter). My latest buying binge was a little barleywine heavy with old stock, a bigfoot, blithering idiot, and 2 that I've yet to try (speakeasy old godfather and clipper city below decks). Has anyone had Lost Abbey Angel Share? A generous friend gave me a bottle as gift nearly a year ago and given the cost/reputation, i've been waiting for just the right opportunity to pop it open..

[devildeac]

Each year that I sample new barleywines, I like Bigfoot less. I'd rather have Old Horizontal, Monster, Old Foghorn, Blithering Idiot and Old Boardhead. And the next group, which would not be too far behind, would be Hog Heaven, Old Knucklehead, Olde School, Duck-Rabbit and Schlafly's. I'm sure I left a couple or three off the list, too. Your point is well taken though.

I find Bigfoot to be a little bitter for a barleywine but I haven't had the patience to let one sit for a few years and ripen. I like your list. If we are including old ales, Old Horizontal, Curmudgeon, and Old Stock would be at the top of my list with Monster, Hog Heaven, and Gnarleywine just behind. I've yet to try Olde School (can't seem to find it each winter). My latest buying binge was a little barleywine heavy with old stock, a bigfoot, blithering idiot, and 2 that I've yet to try (speakeasy old godfather and clipper city below decks). Has anyone had Lost Abbey Angel Share? A generous friend gave me a bottle as gift nearly a year ago and given the cost/reputation, i've been waiting for just the right opportunity to pop it open..

Great stuff. I find the Bigfoot to be quite bitter or rough, even for a barleywine. I do have some from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and this year that I am cellaring and it becomes a bit more whiskey-ish and smoother over several years. I don't think I have any others that old. I like them too much the 1st and 2nd years. I do have some Samichlaus that I am saving from those years though. Never had the Curmudgeon, Gnarleywine, Godfather or Below Deck, though the other Heavy Seas have been available here. Never heard of the Lost Abbey. See if you can find the Old Foghorn and buy a 6er, drinking a couple this year and then cellaring it for another 2-3 years. You might like that one so much that you drink all 6 the 1st year. :lol: Old Crustacean from Rogue is quite good, also, but they only market now in their fancy ass ceramic 750 ml bottle and it's about $15 or more.

I still think someone needs to name their barleywine Old Dick in the Dirt, which some company (I can't remember which one) said was one of their "nominated" names but did not make the final cut. :roll: :oops:

[devildeac]

CB&B's Oatmeal Stout-About a 90 day review, perhaps longer :oops: . I had my doubts about this one as the master brewer (as opposed to the master baiter :oops: :roll: ) chose to use a dreaded green bottle for this single. I actually think I may have kept it too long as it was a tad stale, but not skunky as expected. Still had some coffe and milk chocolate notes and the smoothness expected from the addition of oatmeal as part the grain mix. Motto: enjoy your beers by the "best by" date or within about 90 days of the bottling date, unless, of course, you know you are dealing with a high gravity brew or a bottle-conditioned one.

[CameronBornAndBred]

CB&B's Oatmeal Stout-About a 90 day review, perhaps longer :oops: . I had my doubts about this one as the master brewer (as opposed to the master baiter :oops: :roll: ) chose to use a dreaded green bottle for this single. I actually think I may have kept it too long as it was a tad stale, but not skunky as expected. Still had some coffe and milk chocolate notes and the smoothness expected from the addition of oatmeal as part the grain mix. Motto: enjoy your beers by the "best by" date or within about 90 days of the bottling date, unless, of course, you know you are dealing with a high gravity brew or a bottle-conditioned one.

Hehe.. I've found that 60 days is a good limit. I've even uncovered some honey pales that I didn't realize I had (obviously, they would have been gone long ago) that I still like a lot, but not as much as within the first month of drinking them.

[bluebeer]

Speakeasy Old Godfather--This is a pretty average barleywine. Fairly sweet and malty but also a decent hop presence. Definitely more in the Bigfoot style of barleywines though a bit less bitter. The one negative was the alcohol burn which was too present compared to other high alcohol brews that hide it better. I'd probably buy again though wouldn't go out of my way to find it...

Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball--stong ale..Pretty big fan of lagunitas which makes some very good beers (Gnarleywine and Hop Stoopid especially) at reasonable prices. This is not among my favorites by them but its still very good. An extremely sweet tasting beer. Malts mixed with brown sugar and caramel. There is a just enough of a hop kick to balance out the sweetness. The beer is on the verge of being a barleywine but comes off a little on the thin side.

[rockymtn devil]

Avery Sixteen--This year's Avery Anniversary Ale has finally hit the stores. The style is a saison brewed with jasmine, peach and honey. I poured into a white wine glass, but after doing so regret it. This should go into a champagne flute. It pours a nice straw yellow and has a very light, fizzy carbonation. The nose is sweet and grassy, with honey, flowers and wheat dominating. The beer has a nice bite up front and then moves into a spicy, orange zest and finishes with more honey. I get lots of black pepper and coriander. The peach lingers around the edges of both the nose and the flavor, especially when the glass is swirled. This is as light and refreshing a beer as you're likely to have. Because of that, it's a bit dangerous at just under 8%. Very drinkable.