Ymm, Beer

[OldPhiKap]

Enjoying a Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye as the sun sets below the pines, my kids are in the pool, and the Masters has come to town.

Other than the fact we're not playing tonight, a pretty damn good way to end a Monday under any circumstances.

[devildeac]

Enjoying a Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye as the sun sets below the pines, my kids are in the pool, and the Masters has come to town.

Other than the fact we're not playing tonight, a pretty damn good way to end a Monday under any circumstances.

I had one of these about 2 months ago. Really liked it. Here are some recent thoughts from that tasting:

Ruthless Rye IPA-Sierra Nevada

Brand new brew time! Quite a twist on your typical IPA with the addition of rye to the malted barley. The other brew I have had in the last year or two in which I recall rye being one of the grains is the Rye-Squared IPA by the folks at Terrapin Brewing. And, if my feeble memory is correct, I thought the rye imparted a bit of an earthy, musty taste. This one is different to me as the rye here appears peppery and spicy and not musty at all. All the other usual IPA characteristics are present including some malt sweetness, floral hop bitterness, all in a reddish-brown pour with a modest head. IBU are 55 and the ABV is 6.6%, both fairly typical for the style. Glad I bought my own 6er of this one as I traded two, drank one and now have to decide what to do with the other three.

[OldPhiKap]

I had one of these about 2 months ago. Really liked it. Here are some recent thoughts from that tasting:

Ruthless Rye IPA-Sierra Nevada

Brand new brew time! Quite a twist on your typical IPA with the addition of rye to the malted barley. The other brew I have had in the last year or two in which I recall rye being one of the grains is the Rye-Squared IPA by the folks at Terrapin Brewing. And, if my feeble memory is correct, I thought the rye imparted a bit of an earthy, musty taste. This one is different to me as the rye here appears peppery and spicy and not musty at all. All the other usual IPA characteristics are present including some malt sweetness, floral hop bitterness, all in a reddish-brown pour with a modest head. IBU are 55 and the ABV is 6.6%, both fairly typical for the style. Glad I bought my own 6er of this one as I traded two, drank one and now have to decide what to do with the other three.

Thanks, searched for your notes -- this thread came up, but no way to find the relevant post (at least that I could figure).

Good stuff. Switched to a wine I brought back from France years ago to go with steak on the grill. I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Damn near 90 degrees today.

[devildeac]

Thanks, searched for your notes -- this thread came up, but no way to find the relevant post (at least that I could figure).

Good stuff. Switched to a wine I brought back from France years ago to go with steak on the grill. I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Damn near 90 degrees today.

It must have been just crazietalk .

[devildeac]

I'm not sure if this was a 2011 or not, could be a 2010(slim chance). I don't think it's a 2012 as I don't think DFH has released it this year yet.

If you like chai tea, you simply must try this beer. The pour is very a very clear orange gold, a shade or two deeper than a pilsner.

The nose is like you are inhaling an iced chai tea. There is a bit of bitterness on the tongue followed by a sweetness that is not a pure malt sweet, almost a honey sweet, and the finish is all chai.

For those that had never had chai tea, hot or cold, it is a wonderful melange of flavours.

From the DFH website:
The wort for Sah'tea is caramelized over white-hot river rocks, and the beer is fermented with a German weizen yeast. In addition to juniper berries foraged from the Finnish countryside, Sah'tea is flavored with black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black pepper.

The spicing is subtle and balanced, and Sah'tea is a highly-quaffable, truly unique brew with a full mouthfeel.

This beer is perfect for a hot spring or summer day. What DFH means by highly quaffable is you'd never know this beer was 9% until its too late.

If you are looking for food pairings, think mild as the beer flavours here should be the star of the show.

Dogfish Head makes so many good beers and for me this is in their top ten.

If you are looking for a unique, enjoyable beer you should add SahTea to your list of brews to find.

From a Christmas tasting at the devildeac household on 12/24/10:

Sah'tea-DFH

Fascinating brew. Brewer's notes at the end but this is a light orange-yellow brew with little carbonation and lots of little white particles throughout. Brewed with rye malt, black chai tea and juniper berries and the other spices listed below. Tasted a bit like orange peel to me, too. Four of us sampled a 750 ml bottle of this last PM, probably at about 50-55 degrees from sherry glasses. This was fine as a night cap and would be good with pungent cheeses or a plate of apples and pears. IBU low and ABV high. Not sure I'd buy many of these at about $12/bottle but definitely worth a tasting.

From DFH notes:

A modern update on a 9th century Finnish proto-beer.
Brewed with rye, we caramelize the wort with white hot river rocks, then ferment it with a German Weizen yeast. In addition to juniper berries foraged directly from the Finnish country-side we added a sort of tea made with black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper.

The spicing is subtle and balanced and Sahtea is a highly-quaffable, truly-unique brew with a full-mouth feel.

[fuse]

Enjoying a Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye as the sun sets below the pines, my kids are in the pool, and the Masters has come to town.

Other than the fact we're not playing tonight, a pretty damn good way to end a Monday under any circumstances.

I find myself rye averse as a beer flavour. That probably has a lot to do with aside from a world class Reuben, I'm not a fan of rye at all. Including rye as a brewing ingredient is the latest trend but one I'm not getting much out of.

The good news is there are plenty of beer styles I do like. I'm sure this is a fine beer, but as a rule, no rye for me.

[devildeac]

I find myself rye averse as a beer flavour. That probably has a lot to do with aside from a world class Reuben, I'm not a fan of rye at all. Including rye as a brewing ingredient is the latest trend but one I'm not getting much out of.

The good news is there are plenty of beer styles I do like. I'm sure this is a fine beer, but as a rule, no rye for me.

I found the first rye ale I had (I think Rye-squared IPA from Terrapin Brewing) to be a bit musty. I liked the Ruthless Rye better. Still a bit funky but more palatable. Still not a huge fan of rye as a brewing grain but I like DFH brews and they will put almost anything in their beverages so I can't complain too loudly.

[OldPhiKap]

I find myself rye averse as a beer flavour. That probably has a lot to do with aside from a world class Reuben, I'm not a fan of rye at all. Including rye as a brewing ingredient is the latest trend but one I'm not getting much out of.

The good news is there are plenty of beer styles I do like. I'm sure this is a fine beer, but as a rule, no rye for me.

May I suggest a good single barrel rye whiskey? Worth the cost.

[devildeac]

Mighty Oak Ale-Boston Beer Company

Another slightly different offering from Sam Adams, brewer and patriot. This was a trader from a 12 pack from CB&B from about 3 months ago and it was time to delve into the spring beers last week. It's an amber ale and sure sounds and tastes like it has been aged on oak for a while. No bourbon aromas or tastes, just notes of caramel malt, light brown sugar, oak (d'oh) and vanilla. Pours a clear light brown with a small, short-lived head and very mild hop presence. I'd guess the IBU about 30 and the ABV around 5.5% so a fine beer for a tasting session or a cook-out with grilled chicken, pork or beef. I rather like what SA has done with their 12 packs and some different brews they have concocted. Now, if they would only get rid of their Boston Lager from every $#@% sampler they produce and include an extra "project" or two, they'd be even better.


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[devildeac]

All Day IPA Session Ale-Founders Brewing

Another one of my favorite craft brewers. This was a trader from my drug rep buddy and one I had never seen/heard/read about. The IBU are a shade low at 42 and the ABV at 4.7%, especially for an IPA but this is not without flavor. In fact, it has nice grapefruity and piney hop aromas and tastes with a gentle malty balance. Pours a reddish-orange with a small, foamy head. Mild enough to have at a cook-out but enough body and flavor to stand up to hot and spicy Oriental/Indian foods. I would not hesitate a moment to tasting another one of these. It also makes me anticipate the dry-hopped Founders Pale Ale that I received as a trader last week in the same 6er.

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[fuse]

May I suggest a good single barrel rye whiskey? Worth the cost.

I'd be open minded and try a single barrel rye whiskey.

[OldPhiKap]

I'd be open minded and try a single barrel rye whiskey.

I should add, it should be tasted like a single malt scotch. I knew a guy who bought a pretty expensive bottle, and then just mixed it with coke. WTF?

[devildeac]

Dig-New Belgium Brewing

What a pleasant pale ale to have for a spring seasonal with some interesting twists. There are a couple hops I have never heard of before that impart some lemony and fruity notes and some standard ones that lend floral scents and tastes and mild bitterness. They are all nicely balanced with lightly roasted malts that give your traditional caramel flavors. The pour is a clear yellow-orange with a modest head. IBU are 36 and the ABV is 5.6% so you could compare this with another pale ale in a session or drink a couple with your cook-out this weekend. I got this as a trader last week from a drug rep who calls on the office and this is worth a 6er from your favorite package goods store. I'd drink one or two and share/trade the rest.

From the brewer:

Unearth your bottle-opener because this Pale Ale is something you can Dig.

Sorachi Ace hops provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma. Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach.

American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale.

Dig in!
Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 5.6%
IBU - 36
Calories - 174
Hops - Target, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Nugget, Sorachi Ace
Malts - Pale, C-80
OG - 15
TG - 2.4

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(no rye)

[fuse]

Dig-New Belgium Brewing

What a pleasant pale ale to have for a spring seasonal with some interesting twists. There are a couple hops I have never heard of before that impart some lemony and fruity notes and some standard ones that lend floral scents and tastes and mild bitterness. They are all nicely balanced with lightly roasted malts that give your traditional caramel flavors. The pour is a clear yellow-orange with a modest head. IBU are 36 and the ABV is 5.6% so you could compare this with another pale ale in a session or drink a couple with your cook-out this weekend. I got this as a trader last week from a drug rep who calls on the office and this is worth a 6er from your favorite package goods store. I'd drink one or two and share/trade the rest.

From the brewer:

Unearth your bottle-opener because this Pale Ale is something you can Dig.

Sorachi Ace hops provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma. Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach.

American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale.

Dig in!
Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 5.6%
IBU - 36
Calories - 174
Hops - Target, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Nugget, Sorachi Ace
Malts - Pale, C-80
OG - 15
TG - 2.4

163698.jpg

(no rye)

I'm looking forward to both Dig and Shift from New Belgium. Its also awesome that they might, along with Sierra Nevada, build breweries near Asheville.

I don't have notes handy but Soriachi Ace is a great saison style brew from Brooklyn. From your description of Dig, you might enjoy Brooklyn's Soriachi Ace. Supposedly it now comes in a six pack of bottles but I've only ever seen it in 750ml bottles.

[devildeac]

I'm looking forward to both Dig and Shift from New Belgium. Its also awesome that they might, along with Sierra Nevada, build breweries near Asheville.

I don't have notes handy but Soriachi Ace is a great saison style brew from Brooklyn. From your description of Dig, you might enjoy Brooklyn's Soriachi Ace. Supposedly it now comes in a six pack of bottles but I've only ever seen it in 750ml bottles.

I have seen the Soriachi Ace but never pulled the trigger. Sounds intriguing. I have had the Brooklyn 1 and 2 but will certainly buy a 6er of the Soriachi if I see it. Just got waaayyy too many bombers/750 ml bottles in cases for cellaring. Brooklyn is another really good brewery that I have liked for many years. Haven't had many of their session beers for a while but have fond memories of their East India IPA, Pennant Pale Ale and brown ale.

I also like the idea of SN and NB coming to Asheville. That is a rapidly growing area for micros now.

[fuse]

I have seen the Soriachi Ace but never pulled the trigger. Sounds intriguing. I have had the Brooklyn 1 and 2 but will certainly buy a 6er of the Soriachi if I see it. Just got waaayyy too many bombers/750 ml bottles in cases for cellaring. Brooklyn is another really good brewery that I have liked for many years. Haven't had many of their session beers for a while but have fond memories of their East India IPA, Pennant Pale Ale and brown ale.

I also like the idea of SN and NB coming to Asheville. That is a rapidly growing area for micros now.

Brooklyn Local 1 and 2 are also awesome beers. Brooklyn is a great brewery.

[devildeac]

Dry-Hopped Pale Ale-Founders Brewing

Another solid session brew from another fine brewer. A fresh floral bouquet can be found in the nose with very mild citrus notes in the taste along with flowers. Slightly sweet and malty. It pours a light orange-amber with a modest head and represents this style well with an IBU of 35, which is a bit low, and an ABV of 5.4%, so you can make this part of your pale ale tasting evening or sip it with standard grilled fare. I received this as a trader last week from the same rep who brought the Dig.

Looking forward again to a couple cool nights in Raleigh this week so I can dip into another high gravity ale or two.



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[devildeac]

I'm looking forward to both Dig and Shift from New Belgium. Its also awesome that they might, along with Sierra Nevada, build breweries near Asheville.

I don't have notes handy but Soriachi Ace is a great saison style brew from Brooklyn. From your description of Dig, you might enjoy Brooklyn's Soriachi Ace. Supposedly it now comes in a six pack of bottles but I've only ever seen it in 750ml bottles.

Looks like both brewers will proceed with their plans:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/...uild-east.html

[devildeac]

Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout-Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Mocha!! This is one of the best oatmeal stouts I have ever tasted. I do not think I have this brew in about 10 years and I had forgotten how rich, smooth and "oily" it is from the use of oats in the brewing process. I received this as a trader last week and enjoyed it last PM as "winter" returned to the area with temps dropping into the 40s. The pour is nearly black with a one inch mocha head. Aromas are all dark chocolate, coffee, milk and sugar, enhanced even more by allowing this to warm to nearly room temperature before sipping. Hop presence is minimal with an IBU of 13 (lower than I thought) and the ABV is 5.8% which made it easier to have a small sample of Happy Ending last evening, too. Have this for dessert or pair it with the usual suspects of chocolate cake/torte/cheesecake for a decadent finish to a meal. The only other oatmeal stout I can think of at this time that compares is Shakespeare Stout from Rogue Brewing which was voted one of the top 5 beers in the world about 15 years ago in a beer book I read.

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[devildeac]

Happy Ending (the bomber edition)-Sweetwater Brewing

The bottled variety is a very interesting and somewhat different animal than the draft version I had at Tyler's a couple months ago. This was a trader from a drug rep and is a capped 22 ounce bottle with fake wax (aka plastic) "dripped" over the top of the bottle. Poured a midnight black with a small tan head. The nose is dark chocolate and expresso and the tastes are mainly black licorice and black strap molasses but neither are added AFAIK. There are slight flavors of dark, unsweetened cocoa and cofffee, too. Bitterness is mild to moderate at an IBU of 51 and it has a pretty typical ABV of 9%. I had about 2/3 of the bomber last PM after a small prelude on the night I sipped/reviewed the Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout. Best served at about 60 degrees and sipped over an hour or so, either by itself or with some decadent chocolate dessert.

I'll add my draft thoughts and some brewer's notes, too.

(from 1/24/12)

Imperial Stout-Sweetwater Brewing

This was a winter addition to Tyler's Taproom draft menu so I decided to enjoy a $5 pint of this pre-game on Saturday. I think this used to be called Happy Ending but Sweetwater must have run afoul of some Georgia ABC commissioners with the name so they changed it to something bland and unexciting. Yawn. Nonetheless, it is an almost black brew with a small tan head that has the nose of unsweetened dark chocolate with a hint of coffee. Very roasty and slightly bitter, guessing an IBU of 60 or so which would be typical of a RIS. IBU listed at 9% so I sipped this as it warmed to near room temperature with a carolina Cuban sammich and some non-garlic fries. Not a bad combo but it would be better as a dessert beer with a few chocolate chocolate chip cookies, brownies or chocolate pound cake. I would not hesitate to buy a 4 pack and trade one, taste one and save the others until next year.

(OK, they still call it Happy Ending on their web site but it was not on the menu at Tyler's that way.)


(from the experts/brewers)

This seasonal “Catch and Release” Imperial Stout is a dry hopped stiffy, leading to an explosive finish at 9% ABV that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Available late December thru early March, in six packs, 22oz. bombers, 15.5 and 5.2 gallon kegs. Line priced with our Festive Ale, slightly higher than SweetWater’s year round lip smackin core styles.

Grains: 2 Row, Roasted Barley, Black, 70/80, Chocolate
Hops: Centennial, Williamette
Dry Hopped: Cascade and Simcoe
ABV: 9%, IBUs: 51