Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

Union Jack-Firestone Walker Brewing

I've read several reviews here but have never tasted a Firestone brew until I bought this at a small wine/cheese/specialty shop in Williamsburg in December. Thought it had spoiled when I had a big, foamy pour last PM but, after the fluffy, light yellow head had mostly dissipated, I was left with a pungent, yellow-orange IPA with all the hop flavors and aromas you could imagine with the 6 varieties of hops used for bittering, aroma and flavoring. I tasted/sniffed citrus/pine/cannabis and tasted light caramel sweetness. Pretty standard #s with IBU of 70 and ABV at 7.5%. As with most IPAs, this would match nicely with hot/spicy dishes. This is an excellent IPA.

beer_76883.jpg

[fuse]

Union Jack-Firestone Walker Brewing

I've read several reviews here but have never tasted a Firestone brew until I bought this at a small wine/cheese/specialty shop in Williamsburg in December. Thought it had spoiled when I had a big, foamy pour last PM but, after the fluffy, light yellow head had mostly dissipated, I was left with a pungent, yellow-orange IPA with all the hop flavors and aromas you could imagine with the 6 varieties of hops used for bittering, aroma and flavoring. I tasted/sniffed citrus/pine/cannabis and tasted light caramel sweetness. Pretty standard #s with IBU of 70 and ABV at 7.5%. As with most IPAs, this would match nicely with hot/spicy dishes. This is an excellent IPA.

beer_76883.jpg

Heard a lot about Firestone Walker beers, never been somewhere to try one yet.

[fuse]

Green Flash Cedar Plank Pale Ale

Nose is sawdust and pepper with a good head.
Clear gold in the glass.
Essence of cedar mid palate through a looong finish.
A fairly delicate beer that I think the cedar way overpowers.

Not recommended, although with the right food pairing this could be a special beer.

[bluebear]

Heard a lot about Firestone Walker beers, never been somewhere to try one yet.

Union Jack is excellent as is their DIPA, double jack, which I will be enjoying tonight. Their barrel aged barleywine, sucaba, and stout, parabola, are second to none. Definitely give them a try if you see them

[devildeac]

Green Flash Cedar Plank Pale Ale

Nose is sawdust and pepper with a good head.
Clear gold in the glass.
Essence of cedar mid palate through a looong finish.
A fairly delicate beer that I think the cedar way overpowers.

Not recommended, although with the right food pairing this could be a special beer.

Here's a review of the only "planked" brew I've ever tasted:

Plank II-Clipper City Brewing

Dopplebocks are one of my favorite beer styles. I really enjoy the darkly toasted bready tastes along with the toffee/caramel and milk chocolate flavors that are present and this bomber from Clipper City was no exception. Another winner in their Heavy Seas/Mutiny Fleet series, this pours a clean and clear dark brown with a modest head and little hop presence in the aroma or tastes. It is a lager after all. The name has the obvious pirate reference but also means this beer is brewed with the addition of poplar and eucalyptus chips or planks which impart vanilla and woody flavors to the mix. This beer is sweet and would make a fine dessert beverage. Should be low IBU (I'd guess 20-30) and the ABV is 8.5% so I sipped 1/2 the bomber the first night at nearly room temperature and shared the second 1/2 with my son last PM along with a tasting of Cardinal Sin. Reasonably priced, too, at about $7 for the big boy, IIRC.

[devildeac]

Green Flash Cedar Plank Pale Ale

Nose is sawdust and pepper with a good head.
Clear gold in the glass.
Essence of cedar mid palate through a looong finish.
A fairly delicate beer that I think the cedar way overpowers.

Not recommended, although with the right food pairing this could be a special beer.

Ever tasted this Green Flash brew?

beer_158976.jpg

[duketaylor]

Any of y'all going to the game tomorrow? We're getting there a little early to watch some baseball if anyone's interested.

Next brew for me will be a Belgian Saison I picked up a few days ago. Will likely brew it Thursday and be ready for sampling in about two weeks

[fuse]

Ever tasted this Green Flash brew?

beer_158976.jpg

Heard of it, not seen it to try yet.

[devildeac]

Brainless-Epic Brewing

This is a Belgian style golden ale, much like Duvel, the standard bearer for this category. It's not Duvel but I'd consider it a highly worthy rival. Poured a flocculent, light gold color with a typical Belgian lace head which clung to the chalice as I shared a bomber of this with a son-in-law last evening. Nose of straw and lemon grass with tastes of under-ripe crisp apples and pears and a bit of a black pepper bite from the Belgian yeast used for fermentation. I'd guess IBU low, perhaps 30ish. ABV on the bottle at 8.7%. No aging to this one as I bought it about a month ago for about $8, IIRC, and no date on the bottle. Sipped nicely by itself but would pair nicely with a fruit plate pre-dinner, with a light fish/chicken entree or as a dessert beverage, with or without a fruit tart or assortment of soft cheeses. Headed to Utah next week so it will be an adventure to see what Epic brews my son and I might find out there that are not available in NC.

beer_122437.jpg

[devildeac]

Brainless-Epic Brewing

This is a Belgian style golden ale, much like Duvel, the standard bearer for this category. It's not Duvel but I'd consider it a highly worthy rival. Poured a flocculent, light gold color with a typical Belgian lace head which clung to the chalice as I shared a bomber of this with a son-in-law last evening. Nose of straw and lemon grass with tastes of under-ripe crisp apples and pears and a bit of a black pepper bite from the Belgian yeast used for fermentation. I'd guess IBU low, perhaps 30ish. ABV on the bottle at 8.7%. No aging to this one as I bought it about a month ago for about $8, IIRC, and no date on the bottle. Sipped nicely by itself but would pair nicely with a fruit plate pre-dinner, with a light fish/chicken entree or as a dessert beverage, with or without a fruit tart or assortment of soft cheeses. Headed to Utah next week so it will be an adventure to see what Epic brews my son and I might find out there that are not available in NC.

beer_122437.jpg

Also looking forward to trying the Brainless on Cherries and Brainless on Peaches that I have stored in the cellar and that I think fuse reviewed a month of two ago.

[fuse]

Brainless-Epic Brewing

This is a Belgian style golden ale, much like Duvel, the standard bearer for this category. It's not Duvel but I'd consider it a highly worthy rival. Poured a flocculent, light gold color with a typical Belgian lace head which clung to the chalice as I shared a bomber of this with a son-in-law last evening. Nose of straw and lemon grass with tastes of under-ripe crisp apples and pears and a bit of a black pepper bite from the Belgian yeast used for fermentation. I'd guess IBU low, perhaps 30ish. ABV on the bottle at 8.7%. No aging to this one as I bought it about a month ago for about $8, IIRC, and no date on the bottle. Sipped nicely by itself but would pair nicely with a fruit plate pre-dinner, with a light fish/chicken entree or as a dessert beverage, with or without a fruit tart or assortment of soft cheeses. Headed to Utah next week so it will be an adventure to see what Epic brews my son and I might find out there that are not available in NC.

beer_122437.jpg

Never had "plain" brainless. I generally like fruit beers but I found the one Brainless on Cherries pretty weak/watery. I thought Brainless on Peaches was better executed and a better beer.

[devildeac]

Never had "plain" brainless. I generally like fruit beers but I found the one Brainless on Cherries pretty weak/watery. I thought Brainless on Peaches was better executed and a better beer.

You may have never had the "plain" brainless but I have been called that a few times.

[OldPhiKap]

You may have never had the "plain" brainless but I have been called that a few times.

But I hear that you're all heart.

[fuse]

You may have never had the "plain" brainless but I have been called that a few times.

I tried really hard to avoid the easy puns but I am glad you stepped in and finished strong :-)

[fuse]

I've never had their beers, but Hill Farmstead's reputation seems to be becoming legendary.

Their collected works lottery is very drool-worthy:
http://www.hillfarmstead.com/collected-works/

I would take a chance but I'd like to have at least tried one of their beers before scheduling vacation time and $350.

Anyone had Hill Farmstead beers and want to share their experience?

[fuse]

This is a thing? I admit I like my local grass fed organic beef as much as the next guy, but wow, you learn something new everyday.

Who knew farms were dangerous for salmon? Or hops?
I think in celebration of this newfound knowledge I may have wild caught salmon and a beer this evening.
Well, a beer at least :-)

http://www.salmonsafe.org/

[devildeac]

But I hear that you're all heart.

You set me all a-flutter.

[devildeac]

I tried really hard to avoid the easy puns but I am glad you stepped in and finished strong :-)

Ahh, finishing strong. Kinda like an imperial stout.

[devildeac]

I've never had their beers, but Hill Farmstead's reputation seems to be becoming legendary.

Their collected works lottery is very drool-worthy:
http://www.hillfarmstead.com/collected-works/

I would take a chance but I'd like to have at least tried one of their beers before scheduling vacation time and $350.

Anyone had Hill Farmstead beers and want to share their experience?

Budwom may have mentioned this brewery a few pages back. I was kinda counting on him to visit NC this month and bring an assortment of these brews (for a fee, of course) so we could sample them. Doesn't look like this month but I know he has season FB tix so maybe he can make a delivery late this summer or in the fall...

[devildeac]

This is a thing? I admit I like my local grass fed organic beef as much as the next guy, but wow, you learn something new everyday.

Who knew farms were dangerous for salmon? Or hops?
I think in celebration of this newfound knowledge I may have wild caught salmon and a beer this evening.
Well, a beer at least :-)

http://www.salmonsafe.org/

I think Harris Teeter advertises wild caught salmon every few weeks or so...