For whatever reason, sometimes I drink a beer and don't have a chance to write anything about it. Generally this is either because I have had many other beers before it, or will then consume many other beers after it. However, I think these beers need to still be recognized, so perhaps from time to time I will do a small writeup of the ones that didn't get the royal treatment. And then I will have a hard list of beers that need to be consumed again, only with a clearer mind.
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale - If you enjoy the flavors of bourbon, then you'll probably enjoy this beer. It's a little thin in the mouth, but there's a big flavor of booze. It's 8.2%, but the bourbon tricks your brain into thinking it's even stronger. One bottle is nice, two is a good time, and three starts to get you into the danger zone. And not the one from Top Gun.
Olde 76 Strong Ale - This is, I believe, the flagship beer from Madison Brewing in VT. It's a pretty standard English-style beer, so it's malty and easy drinking. It pairs well with food, without any strong flavors to dominate the meal. I'd probably drink it again.
Wild Raspberry Ale - A fruit beer from Great Divide, this one is included in the category of "Fruit Beers I Enjoy." It's fruity enough to notice without being sticky, and that's what I'm in favor of when it comes to combining drinking and fruit. I don't know if I'd feel the same about drinking this one in the winter though, even if it is a year-round release. It feels summery to me.
Ruination - Stone does a lot of things well, and IPAs are probably at the top of that list. With a bunch of hops and a good maltiness to complement them, this beer is great. Unless you're a weenie who doesn't enjoy hops, in which case this beer will probably make you cry like a little baby. Expand your palette, weenie.
Audacious Apricot Ale - This beer should be getting its due soon, as I have a few in the fridge. It's ok, but there is a very noticeable sharpness or something to it. The apricot flavor works well, but something else is going on that I'm not a huge fan of. I'm going to experiment a little by letting it mellow for a bit with the next bottle and see if it makes any difference.
-Jon
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Union Jack
Beer Name: Union Jack
Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
ABV: 7.5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Something happened 3/20/12, probably bottled
I would have to guess that this is the standard version of Double Jack, which I enjoyed immensely. So there's that going for it.
Union Jack is a light amber beer with a hint of orange to it. It poured with just over a finger of thick fluffy head, which faded away very slowly and left a heavy, heavy, lacing pattern behind. The aroma is very interesting, with sweet citrus hops as the main event and piney hops and malt in the background. Further into the pint, the pine aromas come through a bit stronger as the citrus fades.
The flavor of this beer follows pretty closely to the aroma, with the bitterness from the hops starting off each sip and some malt balance in the finish. The carbonation is pretty light, and the finish is a little dry. There's an aftertaste of bitterness, but a little sweetness clings to the tongue as well.
Final thought - This is a very nice beer, enjoyable from start to finish. It's pretty much everything you could ask for in an IPA. It's just not quite as good as Double Jack. But it is more affordable, so that's good news.
-Jon
Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
ABV: 7.5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Something happened 3/20/12, probably bottled
I would have to guess that this is the standard version of Double Jack, which I enjoyed immensely. So there's that going for it.
Union Jack is a light amber beer with a hint of orange to it. It poured with just over a finger of thick fluffy head, which faded away very slowly and left a heavy, heavy, lacing pattern behind. The aroma is very interesting, with sweet citrus hops as the main event and piney hops and malt in the background. Further into the pint, the pine aromas come through a bit stronger as the citrus fades.
The flavor of this beer follows pretty closely to the aroma, with the bitterness from the hops starting off each sip and some malt balance in the finish. The carbonation is pretty light, and the finish is a little dry. There's an aftertaste of bitterness, but a little sweetness clings to the tongue as well.
Final thought - This is a very nice beer, enjoyable from start to finish. It's pretty much everything you could ask for in an IPA. It's just not quite as good as Double Jack. But it is more affordable, so that's good news.
-Jon
Friday, June 29, 2012
Crowtown Pale Ale
Beer Name: Crowtown Pale Ale
Brewery: Madison Brewing Company
ABV: ?
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
Kate and I took a trip out to Bennington to check out the Madison Brewing Company, resulting in an enjoyable meal and some new beer to drink.
Crowtown Pale Ale is an orange-brown beer, with a thick head of almost two fingers in width. It faded very slowly, leaving a bunch of lacing behind. The aroma is mainly citrus hops, and some other hops in the background.
This beer has a nice hop flavor, but it's not very bitter. The more it warms up, the more the maltiness comes through, and it becomes sweeter as the pint progresses. The finish is clean, without any noticeable aftertastes.
Final thought - This is an enjoyable beer, and a slightly above average pale ale. The logo also has a crow wearing a top hat, and that's pretty cool.
-Jon
Brewery: Madison Brewing Company
ABV: ?
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
Kate and I took a trip out to Bennington to check out the Madison Brewing Company, resulting in an enjoyable meal and some new beer to drink.
Crowtown Pale Ale is an orange-brown beer, with a thick head of almost two fingers in width. It faded very slowly, leaving a bunch of lacing behind. The aroma is mainly citrus hops, and some other hops in the background.
This beer has a nice hop flavor, but it's not very bitter. The more it warms up, the more the maltiness comes through, and it becomes sweeter as the pint progresses. The finish is clean, without any noticeable aftertastes.
Final thought - This is an enjoyable beer, and a slightly above average pale ale. The logo also has a crow wearing a top hat, and that's pretty cool.
-Jon
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale
Beer Name: Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
ABV: 9.8%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
Obviously there is a story behind the name of this beer, but you can go look it up for yourself. It's not overly interesting, but it's yet another example of having a bit too much government in our everyday lives.
Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale is a slightly orangey amber beer. It poured with a bit of head, but it faded away immediately, and despite its attempts to leave some lacing behind, it was unsuccessful. The aroma is hoppy, like grapefruits, and also surprisingly malty. The label makes claims of being quite bitter, but the IBUs are a manageable 66.6. Well, manageable for me. Your mileage may vary.
Depending on how cold you drink this one, the bitterness is going to vary. When it was fresh out of the fridge, it had a very sharp bite to it. However, as it warmed up, the flavor mellowed out. The hops are very present, with enough malt to avoid being overwhelmed by them. It's mildly carbonated, with a medium-to-big body. It finishes with a little bit of bitterness, but the aftertaste is actually pretty sweet.
Final thought - Like many of the beers from Lagunitas, this one packs a nice amount of hops into each sip. Unlike the others, this one isn't quite as sweet. So if you're looking for an enjoyable hoppy beer that isn't too sweet, this is the one for you. Plus it's pretty good, so you might as well give it a try.
-Jon
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
ABV: 9.8%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
Obviously there is a story behind the name of this beer, but you can go look it up for yourself. It's not overly interesting, but it's yet another example of having a bit too much government in our everyday lives.
Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale is a slightly orangey amber beer. It poured with a bit of head, but it faded away immediately, and despite its attempts to leave some lacing behind, it was unsuccessful. The aroma is hoppy, like grapefruits, and also surprisingly malty. The label makes claims of being quite bitter, but the IBUs are a manageable 66.6. Well, manageable for me. Your mileage may vary.
Depending on how cold you drink this one, the bitterness is going to vary. When it was fresh out of the fridge, it had a very sharp bite to it. However, as it warmed up, the flavor mellowed out. The hops are very present, with enough malt to avoid being overwhelmed by them. It's mildly carbonated, with a medium-to-big body. It finishes with a little bit of bitterness, but the aftertaste is actually pretty sweet.
Final thought - Like many of the beers from Lagunitas, this one packs a nice amount of hops into each sip. Unlike the others, this one isn't quite as sweet. So if you're looking for an enjoyable hoppy beer that isn't too sweet, this is the one for you. Plus it's pretty good, so you might as well give it a try.
-Jon
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Cerise
Beer Name: Founders Cerise
Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
ABV: 6.5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 5/15/12
For those of you that don't speak Russian, "cerise" is French for cherry. As such, I am expecting this beer to be filled with cherry goodness.
Cerise is a deep ruby red beer, sort of the color of cranberry juice. It poured with just over a finger of fluffy pink head, which faded away pretty quickly but still left a good amount of lacing behind. There is a nice cherry aroma, but it's not overdone. There's also a grainy aroma to it, and the combination makes it seem like the beer will be nice and light.
This beer has a whole lot of cherry flavor. However, it's more of a tart cherry flavor than a sweet one, which keeps it from being like a soda or juice. That's not to say it isn't sweet, as it still has a sweetness to it. There's also enough of a malt presence to remind you that this is, in fact, a beer. The carbonation is somewhere in the low to moderate range, and I think the whole experience might improve slightly if there was just a bit more. The finish is sweet, and sticks around just a little too long.
Final thought - This beer is pretty good. As with many fruit beers, there's probably a low limit to the amount you'll be able to drink in a single session. There's just a point where things get too sweet or sticky and it's time for something else. My overall impression is that this is like a cherry #9, with just a bit more happening. And there's nothing wrong with that.
-Jon
Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
ABV: 6.5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 5/15/12
For those of you that don't speak Russian, "cerise" is French for cherry. As such, I am expecting this beer to be filled with cherry goodness.
Cerise is a deep ruby red beer, sort of the color of cranberry juice. It poured with just over a finger of fluffy pink head, which faded away pretty quickly but still left a good amount of lacing behind. There is a nice cherry aroma, but it's not overdone. There's also a grainy aroma to it, and the combination makes it seem like the beer will be nice and light.
This beer has a whole lot of cherry flavor. However, it's more of a tart cherry flavor than a sweet one, which keeps it from being like a soda or juice. That's not to say it isn't sweet, as it still has a sweetness to it. There's also enough of a malt presence to remind you that this is, in fact, a beer. The carbonation is somewhere in the low to moderate range, and I think the whole experience might improve slightly if there was just a bit more. The finish is sweet, and sticks around just a little too long.
Final thought - This beer is pretty good. As with many fruit beers, there's probably a low limit to the amount you'll be able to drink in a single session. There's just a point where things get too sweet or sticky and it's time for something else. My overall impression is that this is like a cherry #9, with just a bit more happening. And there's nothing wrong with that.
-Jon
Friday, June 8, 2012
Creme Brulee
Beer Name: Crème Brûlée Stout
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 9.6%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: DOB was 5/10/12
I hope all the effort I put into throwing fancy accent marks on the name of this beer doesn't result in some kind of crazy internet formatting error where they are replaced with HTML code. That would be a terrible injustice. Plus it would mean that all of that effort was wasted, and having my effort wasted makes me very unhappy.
I've been looking for this beer for quite a while, since roughly December 2010. As it turns out, that was not a particularly good time to begin my search, as this beer is released in June. Unfortunately, June 2011 came and went with no bottles to be had, as they all sold out rather quickly. Today was a different story, and while picking up some other grownup juice, I spotted some Crème Brûlée bottles hanging out in the cooler, one of which quickly became mine.
Crème Brûlée is a very dark beer, practically solid black for most of the glass with some brownish-ruby highlights around the edges. It poured with a bit of head, although that faded away in a couple of minutes. It left a light lacing pattern behind, although it seemed like it was going to be heavier. This may be a reflection of my glassware, and as such I must be more careful to rinse these things out after they've finished their dishwasher experience. I am not exactly sure what the dessert crème brûlée smells like (since Kate usually orders it and I occasionally steal a bite from across the table), but this beer definitely smells like a dessert. There's a whole bunch of vanilla, caramel, and other sweet aromas, with something like a cream or custard as well. This should be an interesting drinking experience.
This beer is quite sweet. That's probably something to be expected going in based on the name alone, and it certainly does not disappoint in that regard. There's a creamy, custard flavor here at first, with the caramel maltiness also making an appearance. It also has just a hint of bitterness at the end of each sip to let you know that this is a beer and not some fancy French dessert. The alcohol is barely noticeable. There's a moderate amount of carbonation here, and the aftertaste is mildly sweet.
Final thought - After waiting such a long time to get my hands on a bottle of this beer, I was slightly worried that I might have built it up too much in my mind. Luckily that was not the case. This beer was delicious, and will be making an annual appearance on my list of beers to purchase. I've already added it to my newly produced Beer Availability spreadsheet, and will be eagerly anticipating its arrival next spring. Hell, if the dessert is as good as this beer, maybe I'll start ordering it instead of cheesecake. Although I do love cheesecake... Maybe someone should make a cheesecake beer! Souther Tier, get on that.
-Jon
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 9.6%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: DOB was 5/10/12
I hope all the effort I put into throwing fancy accent marks on the name of this beer doesn't result in some kind of crazy internet formatting error where they are replaced with HTML code. That would be a terrible injustice. Plus it would mean that all of that effort was wasted, and having my effort wasted makes me very unhappy.
I've been looking for this beer for quite a while, since roughly December 2010. As it turns out, that was not a particularly good time to begin my search, as this beer is released in June. Unfortunately, June 2011 came and went with no bottles to be had, as they all sold out rather quickly. Today was a different story, and while picking up some other grownup juice, I spotted some Crème Brûlée bottles hanging out in the cooler, one of which quickly became mine.
Crème Brûlée is a very dark beer, practically solid black for most of the glass with some brownish-ruby highlights around the edges. It poured with a bit of head, although that faded away in a couple of minutes. It left a light lacing pattern behind, although it seemed like it was going to be heavier. This may be a reflection of my glassware, and as such I must be more careful to rinse these things out after they've finished their dishwasher experience. I am not exactly sure what the dessert crème brûlée smells like (since Kate usually orders it and I occasionally steal a bite from across the table), but this beer definitely smells like a dessert. There's a whole bunch of vanilla, caramel, and other sweet aromas, with something like a cream or custard as well. This should be an interesting drinking experience.
This beer is quite sweet. That's probably something to be expected going in based on the name alone, and it certainly does not disappoint in that regard. There's a creamy, custard flavor here at first, with the caramel maltiness also making an appearance. It also has just a hint of bitterness at the end of each sip to let you know that this is a beer and not some fancy French dessert. The alcohol is barely noticeable. There's a moderate amount of carbonation here, and the aftertaste is mildly sweet.
Final thought - After waiting such a long time to get my hands on a bottle of this beer, I was slightly worried that I might have built it up too much in my mind. Luckily that was not the case. This beer was delicious, and will be making an annual appearance on my list of beers to purchase. I've already added it to my newly produced Beer Availability spreadsheet, and will be eagerly anticipating its arrival next spring. Hell, if the dessert is as good as this beer, maybe I'll start ordering it instead of cheesecake. Although I do love cheesecake... Maybe someone should make a cheesecake beer! Souther Tier, get on that.
-Jon
Friday, June 1, 2012
Imperial Russian Stout
Beer Name: Imperial Russian Stout
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
ABV: 10.5%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: I'm not exactly sure, but it was released this year on April 16th
Happy 200th Post everyone!
Spoiler alert - I already know that I like this beer quite a bit, so this review is probably going to be a bit anticlimactic. Especially now that I told you the ending. But I warned you that there was a spoiler ahead, so it's pretty much 100% your fault if you decided to read it anyway. Way to ruin the post for yourself.
Since there's not a whole lot of drama here, I'll tell you a story about beer. Beers that have a location in their title, such as imperial Russian stouts or India pale ales, originally were not allowed by the government to have words that suggested a place of origin as part of their name. Apparently the government felt that this would confuse consumers. Once the style became widespread enough (as India pale ale did way back in the first half of the 1900s), this was no longer an issue, but for Russian stouts, this was not the case until 2005. Before that, the government suggested calling them Russian-style, which is even worse since imperial Russian stouts were originally brewed in England and shipped off to Russia. Luckily, it all finally got worked out, mostly due to a whole lot of work by the folks at Stone, and now we can all drink imperial Russian stouts brewed anywhere in the United States. Thanks guys! And for both of my readers, hopefully you learned something today.
Stone's Imperial Russian Stout is a solidly dark beer. So dark, in fact, that there aren't even any highlights around the edges. Now that's dark. It seemed like it was going to have a thin layer of head as I poured it, but I couldn't get anything to last. Perhaps it was my lack of appropriate glassware. Whatever it was, there was just the faintest amount of head that faded away pretty quickly but in no way will be impacting my enjoyment of this beer. The aroma here is fantastic, with some coffee, dark and sweet chocolate, roasted malts and some lightly noticeable alcohol. Every sip should be proceeded by a deep inhalation to make sure you are appreciating the beer properly.
This beer definitely has some big roasted flavors, with some bitter coffee and chocolate as the main players. The alcohol isn't quite as strong as the aroma suggested, which I actually prefer as I don't want my beers tasting like my booze. The beer has a little bit of a creamy mouthfeel, and there is a decent amount of carbonation for a stout. It's a nice combination for easy drinkability. This beer also hits that sweet spot of being very flavorful straight from the fridge and also after warming up. You can't go wrong!
Final thought - You should pick up at least one of these every year. It's great. Mark your calendars for mid-April so that you won't miss it. As a matter of fact, I'm going to make a spreadsheet right now so that I don't miss it next year. I feel like I might have stated my intentions to create a spreadsheet in the past, but I probably kept drinking beers that night and forgot. Regardless, you need to go hit the packie and grab yourself a bottle of this. Then maybe invite me over and we'll quaff together.
-Jon
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
ABV: 10.5%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: I'm not exactly sure, but it was released this year on April 16th
Happy 200th Post everyone!
Spoiler alert - I already know that I like this beer quite a bit, so this review is probably going to be a bit anticlimactic. Especially now that I told you the ending. But I warned you that there was a spoiler ahead, so it's pretty much 100% your fault if you decided to read it anyway. Way to ruin the post for yourself.
Since there's not a whole lot of drama here, I'll tell you a story about beer. Beers that have a location in their title, such as imperial Russian stouts or India pale ales, originally were not allowed by the government to have words that suggested a place of origin as part of their name. Apparently the government felt that this would confuse consumers. Once the style became widespread enough (as India pale ale did way back in the first half of the 1900s), this was no longer an issue, but for Russian stouts, this was not the case until 2005. Before that, the government suggested calling them Russian-style, which is even worse since imperial Russian stouts were originally brewed in England and shipped off to Russia. Luckily, it all finally got worked out, mostly due to a whole lot of work by the folks at Stone, and now we can all drink imperial Russian stouts brewed anywhere in the United States. Thanks guys! And for both of my readers, hopefully you learned something today.
Stone's Imperial Russian Stout is a solidly dark beer. So dark, in fact, that there aren't even any highlights around the edges. Now that's dark. It seemed like it was going to have a thin layer of head as I poured it, but I couldn't get anything to last. Perhaps it was my lack of appropriate glassware. Whatever it was, there was just the faintest amount of head that faded away pretty quickly but in no way will be impacting my enjoyment of this beer. The aroma here is fantastic, with some coffee, dark and sweet chocolate, roasted malts and some lightly noticeable alcohol. Every sip should be proceeded by a deep inhalation to make sure you are appreciating the beer properly.
This beer definitely has some big roasted flavors, with some bitter coffee and chocolate as the main players. The alcohol isn't quite as strong as the aroma suggested, which I actually prefer as I don't want my beers tasting like my booze. The beer has a little bit of a creamy mouthfeel, and there is a decent amount of carbonation for a stout. It's a nice combination for easy drinkability. This beer also hits that sweet spot of being very flavorful straight from the fridge and also after warming up. You can't go wrong!
Final thought - You should pick up at least one of these every year. It's great. Mark your calendars for mid-April so that you won't miss it. As a matter of fact, I'm going to make a spreadsheet right now so that I don't miss it next year. I feel like I might have stated my intentions to create a spreadsheet in the past, but I probably kept drinking beers that night and forgot. Regardless, you need to go hit the packie and grab yourself a bottle of this. Then maybe invite me over and we'll quaff together.
-Jon
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Double Trouble
Beer Name: Double Trouble
Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
ABV: 9.4%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
Editor's note - I actually wrote this a couple weeks ago, but accidentally clicked to save the draft instead of publishing it. I'm sure that everything I wrote back then remains true. Otherwise I wouldn't have written it.
I have had good luck thus far with beer from Founders, so I'm hoping that continues with this hoppy offering. And if not, I've got a variety of other things in the fridge to take the sting away. I've learned that you never want to have no more beers in the house. It's a very sad state of affairs.
Double Trouble is a golden beer, much lighter than most other IPAs that I've encountered. It poured with about a finger and a half of fluffy white head that faded away very slowly leaving a heavy lacing pattern down most of the glass. As a double IPA, the aroma is packing a good amount of hops (citrusy ones if my nose is to be believed), but there's also some grainy malt sweetness. It's a nice aroma, which is a good sign.
The flavor of this beer follows very closely from the aroma. There is a whole lot of hops going on here, but there's also a good amount of bready caramel to help balance it out. The hops are pretty bitter, with a grapefruity quality to them. Each sip has some sweetness at the beginning, and the middle and end are where the hops shine through. There is some lingering bitterness in the aftertaste, but also a bit of sweet malt. There is a low carbonation, and the finish is a bit dry.
Final thought - This was a great beer. I imagine it would pair well with food, but it is enjoyable on its own as well. I'll have to check out Founders' other IPAs, just to have something a little less strong. If they're as good as this one, things will be good.
-Jon
Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
ABV: 9.4%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
Editor's note - I actually wrote this a couple weeks ago, but accidentally clicked to save the draft instead of publishing it. I'm sure that everything I wrote back then remains true. Otherwise I wouldn't have written it.
I have had good luck thus far with beer from Founders, so I'm hoping that continues with this hoppy offering. And if not, I've got a variety of other things in the fridge to take the sting away. I've learned that you never want to have no more beers in the house. It's a very sad state of affairs.
Double Trouble is a golden beer, much lighter than most other IPAs that I've encountered. It poured with about a finger and a half of fluffy white head that faded away very slowly leaving a heavy lacing pattern down most of the glass. As a double IPA, the aroma is packing a good amount of hops (citrusy ones if my nose is to be believed), but there's also some grainy malt sweetness. It's a nice aroma, which is a good sign.
The flavor of this beer follows very closely from the aroma. There is a whole lot of hops going on here, but there's also a good amount of bready caramel to help balance it out. The hops are pretty bitter, with a grapefruity quality to them. Each sip has some sweetness at the beginning, and the middle and end are where the hops shine through. There is some lingering bitterness in the aftertaste, but also a bit of sweet malt. There is a low carbonation, and the finish is a bit dry.
Final thought - This was a great beer. I imagine it would pair well with food, but it is enjoyable on its own as well. I'll have to check out Founders' other IPAs, just to have something a little less strong. If they're as good as this one, things will be good.
-Jon
Monday, May 28, 2012
Mokah
Beer Name: Mokah
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 11.2%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: DOB was 4/12/12
Southern Tier likes to spell the names of their Blackwater beers in silly ways. They also like to ramp up the ABVs to extreme levels. Mokah is no exception to either of these rules.
Mokah is a very dark beer, pretty much solid black except for some dark red highlights around the edge of the glass when held up to a light. It had just a little bit of head, which surprised me. Maybe it has something to do with the extreme humidity or the way I poured it. Either way, there was only a minimal amount of head, although it lasted for a while. There is a very pleasant aroma of both chocolate and coffee, and no strong alcohol aromas despite the 11.2% this beer is packing.
It's over 80 degrees right now, so this beer warmed up in a hurry. Luckily, that was not an issue as the flavor remained pleasant throughout the entire glass. Most of each sip is a nice mix of lightly roasted chocolate and coffee flavors, with just a hint of bitterness at the finish. There is only a light carbonation to the beer, and there are no overpowering flavors, making it very easy to drink. The beer has a big mouthfeel, almost creamy, with some coffee flavors in the aftertaste that linger for a bit.
Final thought - This beer is quite delicious. It's also the strongest of the Blackwater beers, so keep that in mind if you're enjoying it. The chocolate and coffee combination works nicely, so it's actually like a dessert. Great stuff.
-Jon
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 11.2%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: DOB was 4/12/12
Southern Tier likes to spell the names of their Blackwater beers in silly ways. They also like to ramp up the ABVs to extreme levels. Mokah is no exception to either of these rules.
Mokah is a very dark beer, pretty much solid black except for some dark red highlights around the edge of the glass when held up to a light. It had just a little bit of head, which surprised me. Maybe it has something to do with the extreme humidity or the way I poured it. Either way, there was only a minimal amount of head, although it lasted for a while. There is a very pleasant aroma of both chocolate and coffee, and no strong alcohol aromas despite the 11.2% this beer is packing.
It's over 80 degrees right now, so this beer warmed up in a hurry. Luckily, that was not an issue as the flavor remained pleasant throughout the entire glass. Most of each sip is a nice mix of lightly roasted chocolate and coffee flavors, with just a hint of bitterness at the finish. There is only a light carbonation to the beer, and there are no overpowering flavors, making it very easy to drink. The beer has a big mouthfeel, almost creamy, with some coffee flavors in the aftertaste that linger for a bit.
Final thought - This beer is quite delicious. It's also the strongest of the Blackwater beers, so keep that in mind if you're enjoying it. The chocolate and coffee combination works nicely, so it's actually like a dessert. Great stuff.
-Jon
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Imperial Biscotti Break
Beer Name: Imperial Biscotti Break
Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing
ABV: 11.5%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
This beer was shamefully expensive, so it's probably a good thing that I had just returned a bunch of bottles and cans to help defray expenses. It had better be goddam delicious though.
Biscotti Break is a deep black beer with a caramel colored head that left a nice lacing pattern on my completely inappropriate glass. I've decided that if Kate lets me participate in our wedding registry, beer glassware is all I'm going to be looking for. There is a fantastic aroma of coffee, chocolate, a sweetness like caramel or something similar, and maybe some vanilla. It's quite nice.
There's a whole bunch of sweet flavors to this beer, with some very lightly bitter coffee to keep it from being too much. There's some dark chocolate and light chocolate, and some generally sweet malt as well. It was so flavorful that I had to slow myself down to keep from running out of beer too quickly. The beer has a nice roasted quality, but not too much as to seem burnt. It feels very thick and creamy, almost like a dessert, and there's just a hint of carbonation. The high alcohol is not really noticeable in the flavor in case you were worried.
Final thought - This beer was excellent! Sadly, it's also probably not going to be a frequent flier strictly due to the price. Otherwise I'd drink a bottle every week, and I would love each and every one of them.
-Jon
Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing
ABV: 11.5%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
This beer was shamefully expensive, so it's probably a good thing that I had just returned a bunch of bottles and cans to help defray expenses. It had better be goddam delicious though.
Biscotti Break is a deep black beer with a caramel colored head that left a nice lacing pattern on my completely inappropriate glass. I've decided that if Kate lets me participate in our wedding registry, beer glassware is all I'm going to be looking for. There is a fantastic aroma of coffee, chocolate, a sweetness like caramel or something similar, and maybe some vanilla. It's quite nice.
There's a whole bunch of sweet flavors to this beer, with some very lightly bitter coffee to keep it from being too much. There's some dark chocolate and light chocolate, and some generally sweet malt as well. It was so flavorful that I had to slow myself down to keep from running out of beer too quickly. The beer has a nice roasted quality, but not too much as to seem burnt. It feels very thick and creamy, almost like a dessert, and there's just a hint of carbonation. The high alcohol is not really noticeable in the flavor in case you were worried.
Final thought - This beer was excellent! Sadly, it's also probably not going to be a frequent flier strictly due to the price. Otherwise I'd drink a bottle every week, and I would love each and every one of them.
-Jon
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Graduation Ale
Beer Name: Graduation Ale
Brewery: Northampton Brewery
ABV: 5.6% (I think...)
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
A beer brewed with raspberries and strawberries? Sure, sign me up. From the name, I'm assuming this beer is brewed in late April or early May to coincide with college graduation.
Graduation Ale is an orange colored beer with a very thin head and almost no lacing. I find that to be par for the course for fruit beers, so I'm not going to stress about it. The raspberries and strawberries are both very noticeable in the aroma, which is very nice.
I think this is the first beer I've had that uses strawberries, and they are pleasantly surprising. The beer is very drinkable, with just enough carbonation to keep it from seeming like a juice and fruit flavors that are present but not overly sweet or sticky. There's also just a little bit of a bitterness in each sip that works as a nice balance. Very easy drinking from the first sip until the last.
Final thought - This was a good beer, and it is one I'll have to keep in mind in future trips to the Northampton Brewery. At least future trips that occur in the spring.
-Jon
Brewery: Northampton Brewery
ABV: 5.6% (I think...)
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
A beer brewed with raspberries and strawberries? Sure, sign me up. From the name, I'm assuming this beer is brewed in late April or early May to coincide with college graduation.
Graduation Ale is an orange colored beer with a very thin head and almost no lacing. I find that to be par for the course for fruit beers, so I'm not going to stress about it. The raspberries and strawberries are both very noticeable in the aroma, which is very nice.
I think this is the first beer I've had that uses strawberries, and they are pleasantly surprising. The beer is very drinkable, with just enough carbonation to keep it from seeming like a juice and fruit flavors that are present but not overly sweet or sticky. There's also just a little bit of a bitterness in each sip that works as a nice balance. Very easy drinking from the first sip until the last.
Final thought - This was a good beer, and it is one I'll have to keep in mind in future trips to the Northampton Brewery. At least future trips that occur in the spring.
-Jon
Friday, May 18, 2012
Black Mamba
Beer Name: Black Mamba
Brewery: Northampton Brewery
ABV: 3.8%
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
This beer seemed like a nice choice to accompany my lunch, and I'm always down for a stout.
Black Mamba was a very dark beer that arrived with only a light head. This was gone in a few moments, leaving just a faint lacing pattern behind. There was a nice aroma of malty chocolate and bitter coffee. The aroma persisted for the whole glass, and it was very pleasant.
This beer felt very light with each sip, with a mouthfeel to match. It had some faint chocolate flavors, but for the most part the main taste was a bitter coffee. Not too bitter though. The beer was very lightly carbonated, and had a bitter finish without much aftertaste.
Final thought - This was a nice, enjoyable beer to drink with a nice meal. Too bad it's not listed on the brewery's website, which makes me think it's not going to be around for the long haul.
-Jon
Brewery: Northampton Brewery
ABV: 3.8%
Serving method: 16-oz draft in a tumbler
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown
This beer seemed like a nice choice to accompany my lunch, and I'm always down for a stout.
Black Mamba was a very dark beer that arrived with only a light head. This was gone in a few moments, leaving just a faint lacing pattern behind. There was a nice aroma of malty chocolate and bitter coffee. The aroma persisted for the whole glass, and it was very pleasant.
This beer felt very light with each sip, with a mouthfeel to match. It had some faint chocolate flavors, but for the most part the main taste was a bitter coffee. Not too bitter though. The beer was very lightly carbonated, and had a bitter finish without much aftertaste.
Final thought - This was a nice, enjoyable beer to drink with a nice meal. Too bad it's not listed on the brewery's website, which makes me think it's not going to be around for the long haul.
-Jon
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