Better Drinking

Some friends of mine recently took a trip to Hawaii, and all I got was...well, I actually was quite pleased to receive a liquid gift from Hawaii. Even the logistics of this must have been a Herculean task, given the TSA's propensity for suspicion in all of the wrong places. Nevertheless, the beer (and my friends who may have risked life and limb to transport it) survived the trip, and I am quite happy to write a review for my first Hawaiian beer.

The Pipeline Porter comes advertised as a limited released, made with 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee. For the beer and coffee drinker, this would seem like a great match. The bottle is also decorated with an "island fashion", complete with palm trees and surfer on the beach. Surfing must be thirsty work...

Pipeline pours a very dark brown, but not quite black, with a small, quickly dissipating head. This was a fairly "hard" pour, but head retention is not there. I suspect that oils from the infused coffee contributed to this.

The nose is an underlying malt sweetness, but predominately a mild roasty coffee aroma.

Mouthfeel is medium, with low carbonation. I would almost call this beer thin due to the lack of effervescence.

The taste is dominated by a strong coffee backbone, placed in a mild malt body. Not quite pure coffee in taste, I was reminded more of raw coffee beans or freshly ground coffee, as opposed to freshly roasted coffee. There are also some tobacco flavors, though they are very vague. There is no discernable hop character or flavor at all. As the beer warms, the coffee flavor becomes much more pronounced and the malt takes a back seat.

I liked this beer at first, but it became less enjoyable as it warmed. Not to say it was bad, but the total experience was lacking in a kind of fullness that I hoped for. Somewhat thin, the flavors are not contained within the form well. Especially towards the end, I was reminded much more of a coffee stout than a porter, the hop character and rich malt flavor being the distinguishing factor for the style. It is a limited release, and therefore more a novelty beer, so I can accept it as such. It would have made a good compliment to Tiramisu no doubt.

Pipeline was good, but not worth making a trip to Hawaii for. But a very special thanks to MR and SR for their generosity and kindness to think of me, especially when they thought of beer...;)

Labels: beer reviews

Our family recently took a bit of a vacation out west, and went to see some of Michelle's family in Arizona and Texas. After roughly 4500 miles of driving, I am happy to report that we're still sane and I'm not afraid to do it again...but the next road trip will be at least a year or more from now. I'll spare the details of the vacation, but we all had a good time and visiting with family was a blessing.

As in all things, I tend to see beer in the most mundane of things. So having the opportunity to find a few things not normally available in GA, I present the following review.

The Alaskan Amber Ale is actually an alt, which from the German means "old". Categorically an ale, the alt is a distant cousin the the English Brown ale, though cleaner in character (being fermented at slightly cooler than cellar temps) and usually has a more discernable hop character. American Brown ales, in contrast to both, tend to be maltier and hoppier.

But needless to say, the alt is not uncommon beer, yet neither is it overly common in the US, craft-drinkers tending to prefer a bigger flavor profile. This should not be so, since the "plain" should be as enjoyable as the "extreme".

The Alaskan Amber pours a very light brown color, crystal clear, with a soapy-looking 2 finger white head. The head did not stick around for long, but left an adequate lacing on the empty glass.

The nose is almost non-existent, revealing a very mild toasty malt aroma after warming up a bit.

A thin, but effervescent, mouthfeel seems appropriate.

Mild malt, toasty and somewhat biscuity, is the predominate flavor with very little hop character. The hops do come out later, as the beer warms, but nothing profound. It is somewhat sweet, and reminded me a little bit of tea. I actually kept looking for more, attempting to pull out what I thought was a plain and somewhat unadorned beer. But the next thing I knew, the glass was empty. All that time trying to geek out over flavors, and the glass was drained. Refreshed and now disappointed that the glass was empty. In fact, the 5.3% ABV makes it even more "regular".

And frankly...this is the Alaskan's unique charm. Unassuming, this is an excellent session beer, one that does not require great thought or concentration to enjoy. If you have access, buy a six-pack or two and share with a friend.

Labels: beer reviews

I enjoy giving away homebrew to friends, family, and fellow-imbibers. First off, to truly enjoy any hobby one must share it with someone. It's really hard to explain my fascination with, and pursuit of, beer to the non-drinker. So I share with all who will partake and usually do not visit other homes without bringing some liquid gift, unless I know them to be abstainers.

But more importantly for me personally, fellowship always seems a little better and the conversations a little longer over a beer or three. Needless to say, many of my friends also drink beer and usually show up at the house with all sorts of good beverages, familiar or new. (To those of you reading this, who usually bring us wine...keep it coming...we'll drink that too...)

Last week an old friend of mine (he's not that old, but we've known each other for something like 16 years) came over for dinner, along with several other newer (and younger) mutual friends, and brought me a "random" six pack from his fridge, none of which were consumed that evening, due to the homebrew I insisted they drink. In return, he insisted that I keep his offerings and as one of them was new to me, decided to write a review.

From Bell's Brewery, the Two Hearted Ale is an American IPA. It sports a fish on it's label, along with a 7% ABV invitation and the following blurb..."an IPA well-suited for Hemingway-esqe trips to the Upper Peninsula..." Never been to the UP and never met Hemingway...but I'll drink the beer regardless.

An orangeish, somewhat cloudy pour, caused by what seemed like a significant amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. For a commercial beer, anyway. A generous white head forms quickly and slowly dissolves to a fine lacing on the edges of the glass and the surface of the beer.

The nose is an extremely aromatic floral hop with hints of a citric sharpness. As the beer warmed, the wonderful aroma of hops continued to waft from the glass, with little help from the carbonation. (see below)

Mouthfeel is surprising full, on the moderate side, with low carbonation, slick and creamy.

The mouth's full malt body is non-existent in terms of taste, but is quickly bathed in a strong citric and piney hop flavor that dominates each mouthful, start to swallow. But it is not unbalanced or astringent, leaving the palate thirsty after each sip. The 7% ABV is noticeable relatively quickly, and brings a pleasant and complimentary addition to an already excellent beer. It was gone in no time, and found myself wishing for another. Refreshing and enjoyable, hop-heads who like balance to their beers should seek this one out.

And special thanks to BH for sharing this treat with me.

Labels: beer reviews

One of my brothers recently chided me for buying somewhat exotic, at least non-standard, beers for evaluation instead of the tried-and-true session beers that are the usual fare for beer drinkers of all palates. The comment was made in jest, though it is undoubtedly true in my case. In another context, I told someone, in light of a sermon recently heard, that my tastes ran to the Epicurean while my budget was much more Stoic in nature. Nevertheless, I am still not averse to getting less, though better, beer for the money simply to try something new. Which leads me to the review here.

Last week I had some training classes close to the city, which led me past Green's package store everyday, a place with one of the best overall selections of beer in the metro-Atlanta area. Needless to say, I resisted going all but one day since a trip to Green's is like a trip to the candy store. Which I lament more, the Stoic budget or the Epicurean palate, is not quite clear to me, though both are a part of my sanctification and for my good. Trying to balance these things is always tricky but fortunately, as is my habit, I checked the "bargain" rack and found 2 bottles of Unibroue's Chambly Noire, which I readily purchased.

The Chambly Noire bottle, like most Unibroue products, is a collaboration of utility packaging and attractive art. The ABV is listed at 6.2%, a Belgian dark ale. I also noticed the "best before" date was 3/21/08, which might explain it's bargain status. But a beer of Unibroue's stature should not degenerate that quickly, so I felt confident the product would be suitable for consumption and review.

The beer pours a dark, tea-like brown with touches of ruby at the edges of the glass. A fizzy white head quickly disappears to a thin lacing that adorns the surface of the beer and the glass throughout the session.

The nose is similar to many Unibroue products; sweet, slightly yeasty, with hints of raisins definitely and other undefined fruit, though not citric or cloying.

Mouthfeel was surprisingly thin, though the carbonation kept the mouth "full" and acted to keep much of the flavors alive in the nose and on the palate.

The taste was an almost dry, sweet, malt, prickly carbonation bringing out plum, raisin, and subtle undefined spices. There is a familiar Unibroue yeastiness, though it is considerably subdued in the Noire.

Overall, I found this good...but it suffers by comparison. The experience was similar when I had the Blanche de Chambly; not a bad beer, but nowhere near the excellence I enjoy in La Fin Du Monde, Maudite, Don Dieu, or Trois Pistoles.

A good offering from Unibroue, but very tame if you're familiar with the products that made their namesake legendary.

Labels: beer reviews

Reviewing a session beer is not as much fun as something a bit more exotic. Being what they are, a great deal of thought should not expended into the flavors or aromas on experiences; one just drinks and enjoys. A liquid companion to any number of tasks where two things can be done at once and our attention is on that other thing, not the liquid that compliments it.

That is, unless we mentally start cataloging other beers in similar categories, perhaps ranking the one we're currently enjoying against any number of historical drinks, measuring all relevant data points against BCJP standards and deciding how this one stacks up against the competition. At this point, "session" beer is just another meaningless beer geek term, where everything is analysis, consideration, and contemplation. Welcome to my world. So...regardless of their broader definitions, especially for this blog, a beer is still a beer in need of review.

Duck-Rabbit Brewery bills themselves as the "dark beer specialists". They appear to be a small-scale operation out of NC, and been here in GA for several months, though this is first time I've tried their beers. Part of my delay was in which style to choose, not seeing a sample pack available, but I eventually settled on what is probably my favorite beer from our English brethren, the porter. Granddaddy to English and Irish stouts, the porter is the first mass-produced beer of Industrial England, the preferred drink of the working class. Porter production went to near-extinction after WWII, only to be revived by American home and craft brewers in an attempt to taste a bit of history.

Duck-Rabbit's version pours a very dark brown, nearly black with a relatively small off-white, one-finger head that seemed to dissipate rather quickly, leaving a soapy lacing that accompanied the rest of the session.

The nose is full of roasty, slightly burnt malt, with vague vapors of chocolate and coffee.

Mouthfeel was medium, not overly carbonated but creamy with some "rough" edges. I later found out that the creaminess probably comes from the oats added to the mash.

The same roasted malt presence in the nose dominates the taste, accompanied by a slightly burnt character. There is also a very vague notion of wood and tobacco that may have been the hops coming underneath the malt. My glass was empty in no time, and a very nice aftertaste of burnt malt lingered as a reminder.

I found this to somewhat rough and raw, and thoroughly enjoyable. A true session beer in any season and an excellent porter.

Labels: beer reviews

While I can be a traditional, draw-within-the-lines kind-of-guy, I can and do appreciate the occasional modern art masterpiece (translation: big and ugly) or atonal musical composition when the mood strikes. My taste in art has no discernable name or standard, but I like what I like. Not an original statement, but a truthful one.

Taste itself is not neutral, so I'm not arguing for the absence of standards altogether. But I am arguing that a truly objective standard in things "indifferent" (as opposed to clear Scriptural teaching) is all but humanly impossible, making our judgments in such matters a combination of personality, providence, and culture.

The same goes for food and beer, both of which I consider to be art forms, so when breweries like Dogfish Head continually crank out great beers that do not conform to established standards, my conservative notion of "rules" is left floundering, while my palate is expanded, creating the desire for more of the same rule-breaking.

Alas, being a food and beer anarchist is not such a bad thing sometimes.

Dogfish Head's latest (at least to be released here in GA) is their Palo Santo Marron, which advertised as an American Brown Ale. The bottle claims the beer was aged in gigantic wooden barrels (10K gallons), the largest built in the country since Prohibition. Surely a unique entrepreneurial endeavor...but does all the hype measure up?

The Palo Santo pours a very dark brown, as close to black without being so. The pour produces an attractive 2-finger brown head, that slowly dissipates into 1-finger, but leaving a creamy residue in the glass.

The nose is a strong and rich malt, with a solid dose of wood, vanilla, and a tinge of alcohol.

A thick creamy mouthfeel coats the tongue, and is nearly devoid of carbonation.

Powerful brown malts dominate the flavor, initially, only to be mixed and complemented by wood, vanilla, various dark fruits, and a slight alcohol burn. No discernable hop presence, not even in bitterness. This is extremely complex and trying to nail it all down would be difficult for my palate, but as the glass drains and the beer warms, the complexity increases, especially the woody character. The alcohol also becomes more prevalent, though not annoyingly so like in some beers I've had.

About 3/4 of the way through, the alcohol pleasantly reminds you of it's presence (12% ABV) and the warming sensation is akin to port, but without any real sweetness. Or rather, the sweetness of the rich malt is offset by the other flavors making an exquisite drink to both imbibe and savor.

Much, much bigger than a traditional brown ale, though not as harsh as a barleywine, and more mellow than an old ale, the Palo Santo is a fabulous beer that should be reserved for special occasions, a digestif to wrap up your day. For those who are less alcohol tolerant, I would recommend sharing with an appreciative friend. I have no doubt these will age well, and though I drank 2 (1 was shared) out of the 4-pack, my intention is to purchase some more and age for upcoming Christmas festivities.

Hats off to Dogfish Head for this wonderful beer, and thanks to JN for telling me to go and seek this out. I would have found this eventually, but in this case, sooner is better than later.

Labels: beer reviews

Back in December, we had our Winter Tasting and one the selected beers was Mendocino's Imperial IPA. This beer was not amongst my favorites, being very astringent and unbalanced in this reviewers opinion. Since no one bought the extra 2 bottles (apparently the other participants agreed with me), I resolved to age them to what would become of the flavor. After 7 months of aging and a week of refrigeration, it was time to review.

This Imperial IPA comes in a decorative bottle and is only available in winter as their seasonal offering. It is listed as 9% ABV, and this bottle was a 2005/6 vintage.

The appearance is a lovely gold-orange hue, but cloudy, nominal indications of carbonation, topped off by a sufficient brownish-white head.

A rather vague, sweetish malt aroma lingers in the back of the nose, while a big floral hoppiness dominates aroma. The smell comes across as a big beer, balanced in favor of late hopping.

Mouthfeel is a medium-full thickness, smooth and almost creamy. Definitely a big beer.

The taste had significantly changed, as the astringent hop flavor was much subdued, though it definitely rules the overall flavor. The malt is evident, not so much in flavor, but more in a thick mouthfeel, making this beer still somewhat unbalanced. It is definitely a "big" beer, but many of the I2PA's I've had, tend to juggle a large hop character with a underlying sweet malt, which makes the beer all the more drinkable, even at 9% ABV. A good example of this is Rogue's I2PA. One interesting characteristic was that the ABV was not manifest in either an alcohol "slickness", nor even in effect. Usually I can tell when I've drank a high gravity beer, but this one's impact was minimal.

Overall, the aging process made the Mendocino much more drinkable, but still not balanced enough. And since this is my blog, I'll go on record as saying that too many American brewers are trying to make the "big beer", but end up making something that is not representative of the style, nor is it enjoyable as a 12oz experience. Ultimately, with human limitations in mind, drinking beer is about enjoyment and refreshment. While the experience of individual beers and drinkers ends up being a largely subjective experience, the BJCP standards exist for a purpose and "beer without rules" may be fun to experiment with, but often fall short of enjoyment.

There is one more Mendocino which I plan to consume in December, so we'll see what one year does.

Labels: beer reviews

I'm doing some prep work for a German tasting in a few months, and came across a fairly rare style of German lager. Beer Advocate describes the style as such:

A rather old, rare, and unique German beer style, Kellerbiers are unfiltered and unpasteurized lagers that date back to at least the Middle Ages. The beer is matured, unbunged (beer is exposed), in deep vaults. The final product is a smooth, naturally cloudy beer that's rich in vitamins (from the yeast). Hop bitterness can be high and alcohol will vary.

Review as follows:

Bottle is a 500ml work of art, lovely dark brown with it's own rubber-sealed ceramic cap. All the important information is printed on the label, including things the government thinks you should know but likely the drinker could care less about.

The appearance is an opaque brown, quite clear and almost sparkling with carbonation. Whatever the style originally was, this was not a cloudy beer and there was little to no sediment in the bottle. My guess is if this was keg or barrel conditioned, the sediment stayed there.

Not unlike many German lagers, generally speaking, the nose is dominated by a clean malt aroma sprinkled by a subtle hop. There was also a distinctly nutty aroma, and perhaps even a vague notion of tobacco. It was inviting.

Mouthfeel was medium, with moderate to heavy carbonation, refreshing and smooth.

A toasty, sweet malt is prominent, not unlike a brown ale, with a much more German character. That nut and tobacco evidence in the nose also develops in the palate, though very subtlety. There is also a mild hop character that is less pronounced than many German lagers I've had, but added a pleasant dimension to the whole experience. The carbonation, as mentioned earlier, made the whole beer enjoyable.

Too rare and not cost efficient enough to be a session beer, this was a good German lager that had character and flavor that, in my opinion, was a step above many of the other bottom fermented offerings from that country. I recommend that you try this one, even if only once.

Labels: beer reviews

I saw this at Green's the other night while shopping for the Belgian tasting and since I enjoyed the Left Hand Milk Stout so much, thought I'd give it a whirl.

Left Hand pours a dark brown, opaque around the edges. Small head that dissolves into a fine lacing over the top.

Smells like chocolate, coffee, and a vague sweetness, nothing terribly defined but inviting.

Mouthfeel is full - thick and rich with only moderate carbonation.

The taste is all malt; chocolate and coffee dominating with a slight hop in the aftertaste. Not super sweet but not very well-balanced in terms of a bitterness and fruit flavor that an imperial stout should have. The 10% ABV is noticeable only a slight slickness that the mouth gets used to by glass-end.

Overall, a good beer though a bit one-dimensional in terms of presentation. The big exception to this one would be price - Left Hand is expensive and if you're going to spend the money on an Imperial Stout, buy Sam Smith's. But try Left Hand at least once. It's new the Atlanta market and perhaps the price will drop soon.

Labels: beer reviews

About two weeks ago, in anticipation of our upcoming Belgian tasting event, I went and bought several unique beers so that I would be taste-educated for my attendees. This beer is a Flanders Oud Bruin, which translated is "old brown". Even more translated, this would be somewhat akin to an old ale, though in the sour Belgian style. Not as a sour as a Lambic and not as funky as a Flanders Red, this is a really interesting style that I found personally quite good.

The Goudenbond is lovely to look at, hand-wrapped in tissue paper, printed with the brewery and beer name. The bottle itself is reminiscent of a wine bottle, purple label with all the usual information, including a 8% ABV warning. Mine was a 375ml bottle (12oz is 355ml) and I now know why there is an extra 20 ml in the bottle (see appearance).

Pours a dirty-looking reddish-brown color with a decent head that dissipates quickly. Before I knew what I was doing, the bottom of the bottle yielded an amazing amount of sludge that quickly clouded up the beer even more. The large chunks of scum (that's really the best way to describe them) did not sink to the bottom, but hovered in suspension. For the uninitiated, it might seem like a bad thing, but it did not affect the taste and that gunk contains all kinds of good vitamins and yeast. So, here's to the health of the drinker!

A sweet, funky, and undefined fruitiness arises from the glass. Perhaps a bit of woody, but definitely fruity and definitely funky, though not as strong as a Lambic or Flanders Red.

The mouthfeel was right in the middle of thick and thin, with only wisps of carbonation. Not flat mind you, but definitely only minimal effervescence.

A very complex taste - sweet and fruity, cherries and grapes coming through, balanced with a mild sourness and a woody flavor. The alcohol is completely hidden and never manifested itself in flavor, though the effects were felt by bottle-end.

Refreshing without being airy or light, complex without being unapproachable. A great Belgian beer and one of my new picks for special occasion beers. Drink, enjoy, repeat.

Labels: beer reviews

This excellent beer comes in a gigantic bottle, one liter I think, that was mutually shared with Josh, Sarah his wife, and of course, the reviewer. I had heard about this one from Beer Advocate, especially since it was the number one rated American Porter in their numerous reviews. It is now number four. I had seen several other Thomas Hooker products on the shelf here in GA recently, but the Imperial Porter is a new one for local shops. Mine was bought at Pop's, Hwy 141.

One of the interesting things that Josh and I discussed on Saturday night whilst drinking this beer, was the concept of the bomber size bottles (16, 18, or 22oz) and 12oz bottles. Sure, we mused, one could drink three beers in a single setting, but sometimes one would suffice. Or maybe, three different beers. Anyway, the point was that the larger bottles are not like wine after opened and really need to be drank in one sitting. So, the moral of the story was if you buy big bottles of beer, be prepared to drink it all or plan on sharing with an appreciative friend. If you're the one buying, your friend will be even more appreciative.

This beer pours a lovely dark brown, with a decent off-white head. Very dark with a full glass, somewhat opaque towards the bottom. Head rentention was decent, and it mellowed into a foam film leaving good lacing to the bottom.

The nose is a rich maltiness, combined with hints of coffee, chocolate, and hops. There is something vaguely burnt in the character, but nothing overly pronounced.

The mouthfeel is full and filling, but not quite chewy. Not rough, but not smooth either.

Taste is the nose duplicated, big malt character with chocolate and coffee flavors filling the mouth completely. The swallow and aftertaste reveal a well-balanced hoppiness that is both unexpected and pleasant. About 1/3 of the way through the glass, a familiar tinge of alcohol starts to press forward and the 7.8% ABV is uncovered.

An excellent beer, and as I understand, a seasonal, so pick some up and enjoy it while it lasts.

Labels: beer reviews

Here's an old review I did back in August 2004 and only slightly edited - enjoy:

There comes a time in the life of a beer drinker when he re-assesses what good beer is and the standard by which certain styles should be judged. Stouts, or rather the dry variants, are inevitably compared to with Guinness. IMO, the draught (can and bottle) versions of Guinness fall significantly short in the taste department, something very metallic and processed in the palate. The bottled extra stout version is an improvement, though in this reviewers opinion, Rogue's Shakespeare Stout and O'Hara's Celtic Stout are far better representatives of the style, without diminishing the value of Beamish and Murphy's either.

Though I prefer the sweet stouts (Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout, St.Peter's Cream Stout, Sam Adam's Cream Stout), my personal standard of stout, as a total class, was significantly raised with my tasting of Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout last night. Samples purchased by FM for me (thank you brother!!) at Sonny's in Braselton (corner of 211 and 124) have thus far proved to be the only supply I've seen in Georgia.*

The beer pours an intimidating darkness and thickness that oozes with malt aroma, as well as undefined fruit smell that even my 15 year old daughter discerned. The head was not too dark, but solid, and left some nice lacing; the 550ml bottle would not quite fit into my stout glass at once. Taste was unbelievable; malty, creamy, dry, a little bit of hop, licorice, coffee, and bitter chocolate. The 7% ABV was subdued and added just the right touch without overwhelming the palate. Didn't take long to finish and was disappointed when the glass was empty. A top-notch brew definitely suited for an after-dinner or a dessert accompaniment, though a stout lover would enjoy it anytime. Though I did not eat anything with this bottle, a food pairing would have to be something strong because the powerful flavors would just simply overpower any mild flavors.

I should also mention that on Saturday night I enjoyed a 12oz bottle of Old Rasputin Imperial Stout which comes across more like a barleywine with its thick, chewy flavors, lower carbonation, and much larger roasted malt presence. In the opinion of this reviewer, Old Rasputin is a good beer, but in a class of stouts, does not match the sheer enjoyment of Sam's Smith's version.

Remind the beer shops you frequent to start carrying this gem of a beer.

* - the current GA beer laws took effect in July 2004, and at time of writing, not many of the higher gravity beers were available.

Labels: beer reviews

I served this at the winter beer tasting, but a good friend bought me a whole bottle, afterwards whose consumption provided fodder for this review. A special thanks to F.M. for the beer; this review is for you.

The Scaldis is a quadrupel, a special category of Belgian usually characterized by a darker color and higher gravity. This one in particular is brewed with the holiday season in mind, a very festive 8.48oz bottle, complete with blue foil wrapping and what appears to be the brewery covered in snow. The 12.5% ABV is clearly advertised, either a warning or invitation, depending on your penchant for such beers. This is no session beer, but an evening “sipping” beverage meant to close the day well. As this review is being written in the presence of a recently emptied glass, my day has closed particularly well.

This beer pours a cloudy, though somewhat opaque brown, with a small head but generous lacing. Doesn’t look all that different from many quadrupels or Belgian darks I’ve had.

The nose is a mix of sweet malt and spices, mostly peppery though very a complex mix of many undefinable aromas, at least to this reviewer.

Mouthfeel is medium-full and very carbonated, much more so than expected since this one does not pour with a large head.

The taste, initially, is dominated by a malty sweetness, with a complex mix of spice and hop in the background. As it warms, the alcohol character becomes evident and the malt and spice/hop flavors change in their prominence, the spices becoming more dominant and the maltiness becoming slightly more subdued. The alcohol character is also mild, lending only a slight slickness to the mouth.

Overall, well-balanced and quite enjoyable. This might make a good one to lay down for a spring or summer session to see what complexities arise from aging. Expensive, but definitely worth a bottle for the serious geek. Enjoy.

Labels: beer reviews

Two days before Thanksgiving I went to the beer store in search of something to enjoy whilst on parole from work. You would think that alcohol sales were getting ready to be outlawed and people were buying up the last barrels; the place was a zoo. Anyway, I happened to notice that Brooklyn Brewery has a holiday gift pack. Since their winter ale only available in said gift pack, and I happen to like Brooklyn beers, I bought one.

The winter warmer style is actually pretty broad; the BJCP allows for a broad range of interpretations but they are generally darker and thicker than usual. That is, whatever "usual" might mean, especially if you're as much as a beer geek as I am. I also decided to drink this instead of coffee on Thanksgiving morning, just after breakfast. Hey at 10am in Georgia, it really was 5pm in England.

This winter ale pours an opaque brown with a one-finger, off-white head. By mid-glass, the head was gone but did leave a decent lacing and "ring" on the beer's surface.

Nose is mildly malty with a very subtle spice background. Nothing terribly pronounced, but nothing overwhelming either. The spice aroma grows as the beer warms.

A medium mouthfeel with relatively low carbonation. It is not thick, but definitely a bit chewier, consistent with the winter warmer style.

Taste is very complex - toasty malt, accented by anise and ginger. There is definitely some hop in the aftertaste, making this somewhat unusual since by style, the spices come through much clearer than hops. As it warms up the flavors are much more pronounced and complex, the hops and spices clearer mid-mouth through swallow. Finishes with an interesting mix of full and dry, the malt and hops pretty well balanced. The 6.9% ABV is pretty well hidden, but comes through with a warmer beer.

Overall, a sturdy beer, but not the best holiday brew I've had. It's a good compliment to the Brooklyn gift pack, since it's a seasonal, but nothing I'd miss during the year. But don't let that deter the reader since you probably need to expand your palate, and the gift pack also includes the Black Chocolate Stout. It'll be a win-win situation.

Enjoy!!

Labels: beer reviews

I did a review earlier this year of the Monk's Cafe, and recently have been sampling a few of that style. What follows are brief reviews of two more from the same brewery, Brouwerij Verhaeghe, in Belgium.



Verhaeghe Echt Kriekbier

Pours a clear red, a quickly dissipating head, leaving only wispy lacing that does not stick. The nose is a fruity, lactic sourness. Mouthfeel is relatively thin and moderately carbonated. Taste is rather funky and fruity, sour and slightly alcoholic. The beer is flavored with cherries, which gives it a rather medicinial flavor to the overall taste.









Vichtenaar

Pours a redish brown, darker than the Kriek, and generated no head or lacing at all. The nose was similar, except the fruit and funk is balanced by a woody aroma not present in the Kriek. The mouthfeel was a bit fuller and reasonably carbonated, which surprised me since it poured so "flat". The taste was similar to the Kriek with it's fruity sourness, but was sweeter and not medicinal. The wood aroma comes though on the tongue, which seems to cut through the whole beer, making it smoother and almost wine-like.

Overall, both very interesting, though not what I would call session beers. Refreshing and crisp, these beers are not for everyone. But learn to appreciate all styles of beer, so don't be afraid to give one of these a shot.

Labels: beer reviews

I bought this beer at the same time as the Dupont Saison and finally got around to drinking it. I have come to appreciate this style of beer, though too late this year for the appropriate season. That is the traditionalist side of me; drink the right beer in the right season, with the right meal, and so on. However, there is also that "buck the system" side of me that says drink beer in whatever season you want to, and don't sweat the formalities. There is merit in both, and since I drink stouts in the summer, I can certainly drink saisons in the fall.

As I did not mention in the aforementioned review, the saison is a Belgian farmhouse ale, brewed in the winter, consumed in the summer. It is meant to be "sturdy", meaning full-flavored, complex, and capable of refreshing the spirit without being simplistic or dull. A picnic brew if you will. It can be higher gravity (over 8% ABV), but oftentimes runs in what I call the normal range, 5-7% ABV. OK, enough of that.

The Fantome pours a hazy golden, effervescent, with a frothy white head. A nice lace is produced as the glass is drained, and on the second pour (I was drinking a 750ml bottle), sediment from the bottom of the bottle adds to the haze.

The nose is a rather subdued peppery aroma, mixed with the sweetness of a Belgian. There is vague notion of sourness, though it is obvious there is a high level of complexity here.

Mouthfeel is medium-thin to medium; smooth, not slick, and well-balanced with carbonation. This just screams for warmer weather and outdoor drinking under the sun.

Taste is very reminiscent of the nose; a very smooth malt sweetness, sprinkled with a peppery spiciness, while a tinge of sourness floats in the background. There is also a kind of flat or sour floral flavor that must be the hops, intentionally low profile in a beer like this. The flavor from taste to swallow is very consistent throughout. No surprises here. The 8% ABV is mostly absent from taste, though it makes itself known about halfway through the bottle very quietly. A nap would have been nice, but my notes would have been incomplete.

Overall a great beer, and better than the Dupont in this reviewer's opinion. And while I certainly recommend this beer, for a price accessible saison more as a session beer, try Ommegang's Hennepin, a great representation of what American brewers can achieve through patience and skill.

Drink better and certainly drink good saisons!!

Labels: beer reviews

Lion Stout comes with a serious pedigree - it's recommended and endorsed by Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter. The exact relationship between Jackson and the Ceylon Brewing Company is not known to me, though the web has some interesting articles about this beer. My own wonderings are primarily limited to why he would endorse a beer from Sri Lanka, rather than his home country of England. But, does it really matter? Aren't you just interested in whether this is good beer or not? Indeed, good questions. But less geeking and more drinking...

One line I did really appreciate from Jackson was this one:

"Tea was not enough to quench the thirst of the Scottish tea-planters, who established what became the Ceylon Brewery Ltd., possibly as early as 1860 (it was certainly in operation by 1881)."

Leave it to my Scottish kinsman...

The Lion pours jet black with a generous tan head, which slowly dissipates into a nice lacing that sticks to the glass throughout the session. As the glass drains, the blackness seems to fade into a dark brown, still beautiful to behold.

The nose is an interesting mix of fruity malt, vague notions of chocolate, and an extremely vague notion of smokiness, all blended nicely to suggest something complex. As it warms, a subtle wood aroma develops but this is not as noticeable as the sweet malt profile that grows with temperature increases.

The mouthfeel is nicely full without being chewy. Creamy, smooth, and not overly carbonated. I would say right on target for a stout.

Taste is dominated by a sweet malt fullness, complemented by a mix of chocolate, prunes, and coffee. There is just a slight tinge of bitterness, maybe sourness. But only "just". Taste is primarily the same from beginning to end, from first touch of the tongue through the swallow. Not overly complex, but straight-forward without being simplistic. This is a very nice sweet stout, well-balanced and delicious. There is an 8% ABV attached to this beer, which one feels mid-beer and afterwards, but well hidden in the taste. Warmth enhances these flavors somewhat, but I drained my glass rather quickly so there wasn't much time to full appreciate it. Maybe next time, I'll have two in a row.

Lovers of sweet stouts should enjoy this one. Reasonably priced, this is available lots of places. Keep some on-hand for all occasions.

Labels: beer reviews