Ymm, Beer

[ricks68]

I have been assigned the task of choosing the beer for our ribbon cutting ceremony next week

Chocolatized or Red Devil or Skillet, as they are all out now.

ricks

[devildeac]

Chocolatized or Red Devil or Skillet, as they are all out now.

ricks

Or ?

[devildeac]

Monumental-Port City Brewing Company

Final beer from my January beer club 4 pack.

Meh. A rather average IPA. Pour was a light bronze with a small head. Nose of citrus and pine as printed on the label. Mild tastes of resin, orange, pineapple and some zest. IBUs 57 and ABV was 6.3%. Would be a nice pairing with a deli sammich. Not bad but wouldn't re-visit.

[devildeac]

I have recently had the High Roller as well, and really enjoyed it. Nice orange hue, and really juicy citrus on the palate. It's not a "hop monster" of an IPA, in my view, but does have a balanced hoppiness to it. Am glad I have a couple more 12-ounce bottles for imbibing over the holidays.

Yesiree, the search feature works. Sometimes.

I thought you and/or fuse had reviewed/mentioned this recently and I wasn't mis-remembering .

High Roller-Big Boss Brewing Company

Fuse states he doesn't think he's had this and I know I haven't but found this in our shared beach house fridge this weekend and decided to "confiscate" it for personal consumption .

I won't add much to Tripping William's excellent review except "my" bottle produced an overly foamy head so I was worried about spoilage (date on bottle was 11/18/17 but not sure if that was the brewing date or best by date). The aromas and tastes were fine, thankfully. Lots of orange (blood orange added) juicy and zesty tastes. I'll guess IBUs about 50 and the ABV was 6.75% (really? ). I think this would be really tasty with some sweet and sour shrimp.

[devildeac]

Lightning Strikes Thrice-Wilmington Brewing Company

Impressive. Very, very impressive. Worth having a draft or seeking out a single or 4 pack (guessing here as it was a pint can)

Gift from our next-door neighbor last PM for picking up their mail and newspapers (yes, they still print them ) for a couple days last week.

Pour was a light, golden-yellow with a small, foamy head. Luscious aromas of pineapple and grapefruit. Tastes of the same with some mango and papaya, too. Moderate bitterness (rind-y, pith-y) but not piney/resin-y, with an estimated IBUs of 80-90 (it's labeled a triple IPA) with the ABV at 10.2% so there's some alcohol burn and some light honey flavors here, too. Ingredients listed on the can:

Malts: Pale, Pilsner, Carapils, White Whe*t (trying to stay gluten-free, even on Ymm, Beer )
Hops (boil and double dry hopped): Warrior, Columbus, Simcoe, Mosaic, Centennial, Amarillo and Denali

I may have to visit this brewery on our next trip to the NC coast.

[devildeac]

Hoping the coffee-infused, BBA imperial stout during the second half was not a mistake.

[devildeac]

From 7/22/17:

From 3/13/17:



From last PM:

High West-fied Imperial Coffee Stout-Lagunitas Brewing Company

Same pour and appearance but, after 4 months of cellaring, I thought the coffee was much more pronounced and the bourbon more subdued. More of a dark chocolate-dipped coffee been this time. Yea, I know, strange beer to sip in the summer heat and humidity, but we've got a buncha guests in the house, so something a bit more "fortified" was necessary.

Three still available for sharing. Doubt I'll sample another one of these heavyweights until the fall. Ymm, tailgates...

From last PM:

High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout-Lagunitas Brewing Company

(or maybe winter)

Two traded in December and last one sipped last PM after the MBB victory. Pretty nicely balanced coffee (added), bourbon (barrel aging) and dark chocolate flavors (dark/heavily roasted grains) both on the nose and on the palate. Wish I had searched for the newer Lagunitas barrel-aged RIS, too. Oh, well. Time for some more beer shopping.

[Tripping William]

From 7/22/17:



From last PM:

High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout-Lagunitas Brewing Company

(or maybe winter)

Two traded in December and last one sipped last PM after the MBB victory. Pretty nicely balanced coffee (added), bourbon (barrel aging) and dark chocolate flavors (dark/heavily roasted grains) both on the nose and on the palate. Wish I had searched for the newer Lagunitas barrel-aged RIS, too. Oh, well. Time for some more beer shopping.

Does the “High West” refer to the Utah (Park City/Wanship) distillery? They make tasty hard stuff.

[devildeac]

Does the “High West” refer to the Utah (Park City/Wanship) distillery? They make tasty hard stuff.

Yes.

From beeradvocate:


"Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves. They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact." Cheers!

[Tripping William]

Yes.

From beeradvocate:


"Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves. They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact." Cheers!

And BOOM gose the dynamite! Do I know my wanker-for-saying-this or what??

[devildeac]

And BOOM gose the dynamite! Do I know my wanker-for-saying-this or what??

Never a doubt in my mind.

[devildeac]

Dad-Rheingeist Brewery

(Have your son) buy local (deliver) and drink at home (late, as usual) after the holiday .

Hoppy holiday ale.

It's a hoppy red ale, meaning it was a red-amber pour with a modest, light tan and foamy head. Nose of orange peel (not added) and toffee with tastes of the same, a bit of pine and cherry cola, C-O-L-A, cola. IBUs of 46 on the can (45 on the website ) with ABV at 6%. I think this would have paired nicely with our Christmas beef tenderloin. Fuse sent me a photo of this in early December, IIRC, as a hint-hint/nudge-nudge/wink-wink and our son delivered the goods a couple days before Christmas. They'll be 3 in his late Christmas delivery stocking, err, case in a week or two.

[devildeac]

From 1/9/17:

From 4/10/16



From last PM:

Well, I'm a little late for Christmas but we sampled plenty of other ales over the holidays so this was all mine.

The licorice/anise was more prominent after another 9 months in the "cellar." Perhaps a bit too prominent as I tasted it from mid-sip to the finish of each swallow. Mouthfeel was very smooth but not oily. The fruitcake analogy continues to be very relevant here. I'm still unable to ascertain what those other 2 spices might be. In Euro tradition: 10,5% ABV and EBU of 11. I'll probably have one of these again for a Christmas in July and then finish off the 4 pack sometime during the 2017 Christmas season.

From tonight:

Gouden Carolus Noel (bottled on 9/9/15)-Brouwerij Het Anker

From my Gouden Carolus tulip glass which I chose when I renewed my beer club membership in August. What a coincidence !

Smoother, more mellow, less licorice and more fruits, spices and nuts that just over one year ago. This 4 pack was a steal.

I've got one left as I never had my Christmas in July, nor did I share any with family over their Christmas/New Year's holiday visits. Guess the last one will be Christmas, 2018, if I'm able to remember .

[devildeac]

It's back:

https://www.bellsbeer.com/beer/specialty/hopslam-ale

[Tripping William]

I had to make a quick, somewhat impromptu trip to Richmond this week. Because it was within walking distance, I spent a little spare time at Champion Brewing's downtown location on Grace Street. Neat space, with a bunch of pinball machines, a nice bar, a handful of tables, and an area for live music.

Small-sampled eight of their offerings. The Dunkel (5.2% ABV, IBU 21) and the Schwarzbier (5% and 25) were meh. The Not Your Pater's patersbier (5% and 25) and the Shower Beer czech pilsner (4.5% and 35) were okay, and the Coniferous black IPA (7% and 65) and the Missile IPA (also 7% and 65) were decent as well. What I most liked, though, were the Ken's Amber Bier de Garde (7.6% and 23) and the Saint Vitus imperial IPA (8% and 60). The Ken's was interesting, as it had the sorta of bubble-gum undertones that you often get with a hefeweizen, but in a much darker, richer beer. And the Saint Vitus had really good balance of citrus and hops, and was much more flavorful than the other IPAs. I probably should have snagged a crowler of the Saint Vitus, but didn't.

[accfanfrom1970]

Somewhat related - local Richmond distillery "Reservoir " only makes 100 proof whiskey, rye and bourbon. They have a "mash up" series with Hardywood brewery. An IPA whiskey and a gingerbread bourbon. Not cheap at $80 a bottle. Bought the bourbon. Waiting for the right time with my son available to celebrate with it.

[devildeac]

Saison Brett (2016)-Boulevard Brewing Company

From their Smokestack Series

They took their very popular Tank 7 offering and dry-hopped it and then bottle-conditioned it with several yeasts including one of the classic Brettanomyces variants (info gleaned from their website).

Poured from a corked and caged 750 ml bottle that was gifted by a patient last month from her son who owned Bombers Beverage Company, a craft beer store in Wilmington, NC, who has since gone to work for New Anthem Brewing nearby. I had ~375 ml with a spinach and chicken quiche for dinner and drained the bottle as a night cap, both times in a sexy little Allagash tulip glass. Pour was fizzy and foamy with a long-lingering head. Appearance was slightly hazy with an orange-tinged, yellow hue. Nose of wet straw and funk with tastes of the same along with not-quite-ripe Granny Smith apples and underripe pears. There are hints of lemon and lemon zest, too. IBUs listed at 38 (higher than I would have guessed based on the style and tasting) with the ABV at 8.5%, so really an imperial saison. Very happy to divide this into 2 servings several hours apart. Not sure of the cost but I think I saw a 2017 version somewhere on line so it'd be worth finding and aging for 6-12 months, especially given the reputation of Brett beers to age well.

[devildeac]

Truth-Rheingeist Brewery

(Get your son to) buy local (then deliver) and drink local!

Six pack of cans delivered just before Christmas.

This is really a good IPA in a rather crowded field. Pour into a standard pint glass was slightly hazy with a modest, foamy head Color was yellow with a hint of orange. Fresh aromas of citrus and tropical nectars. Juicy tastes of pineapple, grapefruit, mango and a drop or two of orange. There's a bit of zestiness, too. Solid IPA stats of 75 on the IBUs and 7.2% for the ABV and it's nicely balanced. Would pair nicely with mild to moderately spicy fare. Three have been set aside for fuse and I'll trade and/or enjoy my remaining two. Soon.

Edit: Forgot ingredients

MALTS: Pale Ale, Vienna, CaraRed
HOPS: Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe, Centennial

[devildeac]

Cold Snap White Ale-Boston Beer Company

Sam Adams version of Blue Moon?

A 12 ounce bottle leftover from out of town.

Pour was a cloudy yellow with a medium-sized foamy head. Faint scents of spice up front, likely coriander, with a bit of an orange finish as it warmed a bit. IBUs of 10 and ABV was 5.3%. A decent pairing with some leftover spinach and chicken quiche, a small ramekin of creamed spinach and a side of strawberries. Decent offering and worth the grouping likely included in one of their 12 pack winter samplers.

[devildeac]

Knowledge-Rheingeist Brewery

After Truth, comes Knowledge, or something like that (^^^^)

This is their IIPA, and a very good one, too.

Poured from a 12 ounce can into a standard pint glass with a foamy, creamy head. Color was yellow-straw with a grapefruity and pineapple-y nose. There are subtle piney tastes but overall, it's mostly juicy with a bit of light caramel sweetness and some citrus rind/zest. Stunning IBUs of 98 but it didn't drink that bitter and was very nicely balanced with the ABV at 8.5%. Pairings would be with your usual spicy entrees.