Ymm, Beer!

[devildeac]

Windsor's vehicle was indeed well-stocked with a generous quantity of FL beers not-available-in-NC so many thanks to her for shopping and additional thanks to her passengers for sacrificing space/legroom and not consuming mass quantities of the selections before, during and after the journey to NC. I'll start tastings soon. Right after I go to work on the crap ton of fine Beer City beverages that ricks68 delivered on Thursday night .

[devildeac]

Black Ops (2013 version)-Brooklyn Brewery

August West knocks it out of the park by saving this 2 years and bringing it to the tailgate yesterday. Poured from a corked and caged 750 ml bottle, the aromas were dark chocolate and whiskey. Tastes were the same with a drop or two of heavily roasted coffee, a drizzle of black strap molasses with a bit of chocolate-covered caramel sweetness. I'll guess IBUs of 50-60 to balance the ABV of 11.5%. If you can find this (read my post above quoting the brewer-it doesn't exist), don't confuse your palate with anything else except a clean tulip/snifter and a 375 ml portion of this for dessert or a night cap. AW paid about $18 for it 2 years ago and fuse and I each have a bottle of the 2015 edition delivered by ricks68 last week. Cost to us: $24 each . I'll probably enjoy mine over 3 nights later this fall/winter dark beer season, or let it age until next year.

[devildeac]

From 10/18/11:

Pumking-Southern Tier Brewing

What a great name! A new brew store in Raleigh, Bottle Revolution, had a case of this one Friday night and it was gone the next day so I was happy to see dpslaw have a bomber of one of these to share at Saturday's Brunchgate. The base is an amber ale but more on the imperial basis as this brew is 9% ABV and the IBU appear to be low, guessing 20-30. There was not much of a head but it was clear and crisp. There are NO spices added to this ale so the malts, yeast and pumpkin provide all the flavors and the pumpkin is very prominent but certainly no overwhelming. This would have been great with some of allenmurray's pork loin or pulled pork from the TB'CC but it was fine with the tacos and burritos. Certainly one of the better fruit/vegetable brews I have ever tasted, along with Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale. An excellent selection by dpslaw placing 2nd IMO during our informal tasting Saturday. I would certainly be pleased to sip on another one of these.

From 10/26/14:

Pumking (draft)-Southern Tier

Finally got my seasonal taste of this imperial pumpkin ale with apologies to August West who dropped a bomber at the last tailgate before we could open it in the proper manner. This was a shared 10 ounce draft at Tyler's in Derm last pm prior to CTC. I coerced one of our friends into ordering it as I offered to divide my Jack O'Hammered with him and he graciously consented. Served in a snifter with a somewhat surprising clear, light yellow-orange color, it had a smallish head and had a very subtle spicy nose but there are no added spices, just two malts, two hops and pumpkin. I thought it tasted a wee bit like a carrot-pumpkin juice. The "base" ale most closely resembled a Belgian golden ale with low IBU, guessing 20-30 or less, and high ABV at 8.6%. The bomber would be good to share with 4-6 others before, during or after trick-or-treating or with Thanksgiving dinner next month, certainly pairing nicely with squash soup before dinner, the obligatory sweet potatoes/casserole with dinner or a slice of pumpkin or even pecan pie after dinner.

From tonight:

Pumking-Southern Tier

I caved. Tom offered a 12 ounce bottle (new for 2015) of this at tailgate yesterday and didn't want anything in return but I had an extra Pumpkin Spiced Edinbrue and twisted his tongue, err, arm, until he relented and added it to his cooler.

Overall, not much different that prior reviews but I'm calling pumpkin seed shenanigans on their "no added spices" meme because this sure as unc-ch tastes like a blend of vanilla, clove, allspice, mace and whatever else Grandma had on her pie recipe but I will admit that pumpkin is the primary taste here, a welcome and well-remembered factor in my affinity for this ale.

And, with that, I think I'm finally and thankfully done with my 2015 pumpkin ales.

[devildeac]

Raspberry Belgian Blonde-Burial Beer

Hmm, raspberry lemonade is a pretty accurate analogy here. Maybe a raspberry lemon soda given the bubbliness of this concoction would be a bit better. Not much else to contribute to fuse's fine summary above. I'd guess IBUs of 10-20 and the ABV is listed at 6.1% so this would be nice with a fruit/soft cheese plate for your first course or a mixed fruit/berry tart for your dessert. I found very little sediment but I only had about 250 ml from my Allagash tulip last PM and hope the remainder tonight decants relatively "cleanly." A very flavorful, delicate golden/blonde ale. Many thanks to ricks68 for including this in his recent delivery.

[devildeac]

Great Dismal-O'Connor Brewing

Bob Green was kind enough to trade this black IPA from Norfolk, VA (we don't drink, we don't smoke...) at our last tailgate and I was made even happier (hoppier?) last PM after sipping this medium to dark brown pour with a creamy beige head. Smelled a little grapefruit, pine, coffee and dark chocolate up front, followed by much of the same on the palate. Moderately bitter with IBUs of 65 but fairly evenly balanced with the ABV rolling in at 7.5%, both stats putting it on the edge of a double black IPA, or would that be a black double IPA. This would match well with oysters, beef roast, stews or standard grilled tailgate items. Thanks, Bob!

[devildeac]

Hey, windsor, no worries, I haven't forgotten about your delivery. I'll start sipping your cache over Thanksgiving weekend.

[windsor]

Hey, windsor, no worries, I haven't forgotten about your delivery. I'll start sipping your cache over Thanksgiving weekend.

No worries! So many beers...so little time!

[devildeac]

Strongman-Hi Wire Brewing, no, wait, Three Ring Brewing Company

Pass the cream and sugar, please! Billed as a coffee milk stout, it poured a dark brown with a small, tan head. Heavily roasted beans up front, followed by some more heavily roasted beans with a squirt of chocolate syrup, but not much. I'll guess IBUs 30-40 range with ABV at 5.3% so I was able to enjoy this during the 2nd half of the Duke-Yale game tonight and follow it later with a Brooklyn Sorachi Ace, reviewed somewhere up thread already. Pair with anything chocolate and/or caramel. Thanks to ricks68 for including in his recent delivery.

[devildeac]

Bourbon County (draft)-Goose Island Brewing

Words fail me. But, I'll try. Black as night with no discernible head in a 10 ounce tulip for $10 and worth every cent. Semi-sweet chocolate and booze up top and tastes of 70-80% liquid cocoa with a shot of Jack Daniels or Jim Bean, a splash of espresso and a drizzle of dark caramel syrup and sipped with dried figs and dates.
Who cares how many IBUs (it was 60)? ABV? Potent at 14.2%. Pairing? You can't be serious? Well, maybe a sliver of flourless chocolate torte or some truffles. I'm glad Mrs. dd and our youngest daughter met me at the lottery for the bottles as they each had their number selected for a 500 ml bottle and snifter for $16. My number went in the trash can. But, as Mr. Loaf sang several decades ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5hWWe-ts2s

[devildeac]

Strawberry Leaf Tripel-Burial Beer Company

I feel like I'm in DBR chat and fuse is listening to radio and I'm getting the delayed espnu satellite feed as he's reviewing all the Asheville brews from ricks68 far before I get to sample.

Poured a clean (no dregs, but I'm only drinking 250 ml tonight from my 750 ml wax-dipped bottle in my Allagash tulip) yellow with a hint of pink. Very light fruity, floral nose with a similar degree of tastes and a slightly sweet, grassy, minty finish and a grain or two of white pepper. Minimal bitterness, guessing IBU of 20 and a sneaky ABV of 8.1%. Would pair nicely with a fruit/soft cheese plate, a light (creamy or salsa-topped) seafood entree or a fruit tart/cobbler for dessert. I'll re-visit if my 2nd or 3rd serving contains the dregs. Thanks again to ricks68!

[devildeac]

Carver-Fullsteam Brewing

Part of their Beautiful South selections and a tribute to George Washington Carver, this carries on their plow-to-pint efforts, using 200 pounds of NC sweet potatoes per batch. Poured an yellow-orange out of a 16 ounce can, this lager had little head, a mild, earthy aroma and tastes of carrots, squash and sweet potatoes, but I'm not sure if I blind-tasted it that I'd be able to discern a particular flavor :o . Minimal bitterness at 18 IBUs and highly sessionable at 5.3% ABV, it paired well with a plateful of Thanksgiving leftovers tonight. I'll break out the remaining 3 cans from my 4 pack over the Christmas holidays.

[devildeac]

Anno Domini XXMV-Burial Beer Company


Poured from my capped 750 ml bottle as a clean yellow elixir with a hint of orange color and generous Belgian laciness that lingered in my 250 ml Allagash tulip. Nose of fresh apricots and white wine with fairly typical saison flavors of underrripe apples and pears with some fresh apricot slices soaked in champagne with a dry, oaky finish. Nothing really surprising here as the esteemed reviewers above have already described. Brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Calypso hops along with apricots and then aged in chardonnay barrels and I'll guess a Belgian yeast which imparts a very slight peppery taste, too. IBUs likely in the 10-20 range and the ABV listed is 5.2%. Pair with a fresh fruit salad or a lighter seafood entree. Excellent beverage and a tip of the glass to ricks68 for including in his recent delivery.

[devildeac]

WnB (2014)-Terrapin Beer Company

More commonly known as Wake-n-Bake (or Why Not Breakfast as queried on their web site), this coffee oatmeal imperial stout is part of their Monster Beer Tour series. Poured an almost black hue and brewed with a variety of international coffee beans from Jittery Joe's Coffee in Athens, GA. My first thought is pass the cream and sugar but it really needs neither. Heavy aromas upfront of dark roasted coffee and some semi-sweet chocolate. Moderate, tan, foamy head with tastes pretty much the same as the scents with some slightly burned notes and booze. Moderate bitterness at 50 IBUs and potent at 9.4% ABV. Nugget hops are the only variety listed and there are a lot of grains as expected, including 2-Row Pale, Crystal 85, flaked barley, flaked oats, Chocolate, Black, roasted barley. The oats lend a smooth, almost silky mouthfeel. Outstanding liquid dessert or as a beverage to be sipped slightly chilled with a decadent double or triple chocolate dessert. This was a trader from our last tailgate but I can't recall who traded it, so many thanks and a embarrassed apology for not remembering who was kind enough to include this in our session.

Pretty typical Terrapin Beer Company label/artwork:

[devildeac]

Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout (draft)-Goose Island Brewing

The beer wars escalate. As if the Bourbon County Stout series over the last several years wasn't enough, this version takes their imperial stout and ages it in rye whiskey barrels with the addition of blackberries, candied and sour cherries and sea salt. The final product was about as anticipated: decadent. I bought ticket #34 last evening out of the 55 they were anticipating selling (with a final tally of about 63) for a $10 tulip of this very limited release of 1/6 kegs and the unavailable-in-our-store 500 ml bottles. Pour was inky black with a very small head. Aromas were bakers chocolate, berries and booze. Tongue-tantalizing flavors improved noticeably as I nursed my aliquot for about 30 minutes without succumbing to the temptation of purchasing other bottled products in their store. Tastes were semi-sweet chocolate (dark, dark chocolate), dark berries, currants, figs, dates, vanilla, wood and whiskey, again, as expected, improving dramatically as it warmed. Forget any food pairing as this was dessert. (Ok, a slice of Black Forest cake or a molten chocolate fudge bomb cake might be nice matches.) Brewed with Willamette hops and grains including 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, Debittered Black yield IBUs of 60, standard for the imperial stout product, and a stunning ABV of 13.5%. If your local area bottle/draft store taps this weekend and/or has a lottery for purchase, I'd strongly encourage you to stand in line for a few minutes, with or without a friend/family member, and partake of a draft and/or bottled version of this truly outstanding product.

[devildeac]

Scythe Rye (rye whiskey barrel aged)-Burial Beer Company

A unique twist to an IPA, both with the addition of rye to the grain bill and then aging in rye barrels. Another winner from ricks68. Thanks!

Poured a slightly cloudy, foamy, lacy yellow-amber from a capped 750 ml bottle, with a bit of a musty, barnyard nose into a 250 ml Allagash tulip. First couple sips were rye-sourdough bready with cut grass and not all that enjoyable. But, as I sipped over about 30 minutes and it warmed, the piney, fruity hops ("C" hops so not sure if Cascade, Citra, Centennial, Cascade or Chinook or some combo of those) along with Summit and Mosaic, turned this into a burst of mango, pineapple and papaya juice along with a bit of resin and finished with tasty whiskey notes. Same IBUs of 66 and ABV of 7% as their non-barrel aged version but the Bulliet rye barrel aging makes this a real winner. Pair with grilled stuff or pulled pork/chicken for a tailgate gathering. I'm looking forward to the last 500 ml tonight or stretching it out to 3 nights along with some other recent acquisitions.

[devildeac]

From 11/18/09:

Allagash Hugh Malone-I'm glad CB&B resisted the temptation to consume this at home and brought it back to Brunchgate. Tough to characterize this one. Allagash pretty much brews only Belgian style ales and I'd probably say this is a hybrid between an IPA and a triple with lots of Simcoe and Warrior hops at 4 different times in the brewing process (from their web site) and 2 types of malt. It is a bit cloudy and rather fizzy, though I was real careful pouring this into our 1/2 ounce sampler cups . Others wised up pretty quickly and started handing me a 16 ounce cup for their pours . Moderate amount of candy sweetness to this but a good balance with some piney and citrus tastes, too. I'd guess the IBU to be 50-60 and the ABV was a healthy (and dangerous) 9.5%. This would be great with 'cue, sammiches or as a nightcap but I did enjoy it with the Brunchgate fare. Be worth it for bluebear to try a 750 caged and corked bottle of this some cold fall/winter evening .

From last week:

Hugh Malone-Allagash Brewing

Different beer/different decade.

Labeled as a Belgian style IPA, they combine Pilsner malt and raw wheat for the grains and a wide assortment of hops including Chinook, Warrior, Centennial, Cascade, Ahtanum, Galaxy and Azacca hops at several different stages in the brewing process for quite a variety of aromas and tastes. Scents and flavors are all over the charts here with pine, citrus and tropical delighting both senses with mildly spicy notes from their house Belgian yeast strain. I'll estimate IBUs of 50 and the ABV is lower than its older brother/cousin at 7.3%. I bought a 4 pack last month at Total Wine for about $10-11 with my buck off coupon. Three remain and are available for trading or sharing over the holidays.

[devildeac]

Tasting/review from 11/7/13:

Beer from 11/2012:

Narwhal-Sierra Nevada Brewing

A shot of whiskey in a dark chocolate malted with a splash of espresso. Quite a brew. I have never seen this before but I think bluebeer, err, bluebear mentioned this several days ago and I found this in Harris Teeter tonight of all places as I assembled a 6er trader for tomorrow. Poured a thick, oily pitch black with a small, tan head. Nose is all chocolate and coffee and the tastes the same with a mild bite from the IBU of 60. This imperial stout packs a wallop at 10.2% ABV and the booziness is not hidden at all. It was $9.50 for the four pack and reasonably priced as I'll have one now, one in the spring, trade/gift one and keep another until next winter. I'd even consider another four pack to age for 2-4 years along with the Black Chocolate Stout collection I've assembled.

From last PM:

Narwhal (2012 edition)

Aged well.

Perhaps a bit smoother and more chocolate-y but darned glad I saved one from last year. Well worth the initial purchase and patience.

From tonight:

2015 Narwhal-Sierra Nevada Brewing

Drink local/regional!

Thar she blows! Oops, wrong whale/movie.

Poured a dark brownish-mahogany-ruby from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass with an almost latte-colored, foamy head. Aromas of baker's cocoa, dark chocolate and espresso with matching tastes, perhaps a touch too much coffee presence to make my top 10 RIS stout list but a really solid entry into the field. I think I got this for about $11 with my buck off coupon at Total Wine several weeks ago and wouldn't hesitate buying again. IBUs still listed at 60 and ABV at 10.2%. I've got 3 more for sharing/trading over the holiday season. Pairs with the usual suspects or wonderful alone. I'm really anxious to taste the BBA edition of this that ricks68 picked up earlier this fall and delivered at the Pitt tailgate. Here are the ingredients:

YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Magnum, Challenger
FINISHING HOPS Challenger
MALTS Two-row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Honey, Carafa, Roasted Barley

[devildeac]

Bolo Coconut Brown-Burial Beer Company

Smells and tastes like a liquid , but obviously not as sweet as a candy bar and with some earthy hop aromas and flavors, too.

Poured a medium brown with a smallish, light tan head from a 16 ounce can also lovingly delivered by ricks68 at the Pitt tailgate. IBUs of 27 on the can (30 on the website-like I can really tell the difference) with an ABV of 5.6%, I could have used a snickerdoodle or oatmeal raisin cookie with this beer. The flavors were richer and more perceptible as this warmed over 30 minutes from 'fridge temps of 40 degrees which is the suggested serving temperature. Worth a single or 4 pack.

[devildeac]

The Shroud-Burial Beer Company

Not just any old shroud but a malbec barrel-aged Shroud on Mejool dates. This was their 3rd (and final?) release in their Tryptic series this summer where they aged 3 of their regular ales in various oak vessels that previously housed other spirits. This is a Belgian style dubbel ale packaged in a capped (not dipped) 750 ml bottle which I divided over 3 nights and the final serving last PM from my 250 ml Allagash tulip was still very palatable. Poured a dark, cloudy amber with a generous tan head the first night and scents of dark caramels, brown sugar and dried dark fruits along with prominent vinous aromas. Tastes were dark candi sugar, currants, figs, raisins, cocoa and (d'oh) dates and became more prominent as my nightly aliquot warmed a bit. I'm not sure "stewing" the brew on the dates had much added effect as most ales of this style typically have those dark, dried fruits flavors and aromas. This is another of my favorite styles and it was quite interesting to have the combination of malbec barrel aging with a fairly traditional Belgian style brown/dubbel ale. I think it'd pair nicely with stews, lamb dishes and perhaps sweet/mildly spicy grilled fare. Many thanks again to ricks68 for searching out this summer/fall and delivering a few weeks ago.

[devildeac]

Collaboration No. 5-Boulevard Brewing Company and Cigar City Brewing

AKA Tropical Pale Ale, but I'm already calling shenanigans on this one as an ABV of 7.2% and IBUs of 55 are not in the pale ale category but solidly in the IPA camp.

Poured a yellow-gold from a 12 ounce bottle I bought about 1 month ago for about $10-11 with my buck off coupon at Total Wine. Small, egg-white head with moderate lacing. Citrusy and stone fruity aromas and prominent sliced grapefruit, peach and tangerine tastes from the grapefruit and passion fruit used in the brewing process. Malts included pilsner, Marris Otter, Munich and caramel. Hops are Mosaic, Citra, Lemondrop and Azacca, the latter two of which were new ones to me. I've got 3 left from my 4 pack and they may find their way into Christmas stockings or trader packages. A very pleasant, easy to drink ale that would pair well with light seafood entrees or perhaps some mango-pineapple salsa-fied grilled chicken.