Ymm, Beer

[duketaylor]

Looks like I'm a definite maybe (or stronger) for the tailgate tomorrow. Will have some interesting bevs in-tow, plus a surprise

[devildeac]

Looks like I'm a definite maybe (or stronger) for the tailgate tomorrow. Will have some interesting bevs in-tow, plus a surprise

It's Raleigh beer week so I'll have 6 pairs of local brews for you (don't worry, no IPAs) to repay some/most/all of the ones you have provided to me over the last year (or more). Come join us on Blue Devil Alley. We'll be in (about) tent #7. Our chefs will be there before noon most likely. Mrs DD and I will arrive about 3PM or shortly thereafter. The brews will be in the car in Blue Lot #5, IIRC. More exercise to walk off some of the too many liquid and solid calories we'll consume Saturday.

Surprise, oooohhhh. Something from Strip and Brew or Brew and Bare It from up thread? Wait, never mind. Too suggestive.

[devildeac]

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Tripel Karmeliet-Brouwerij Bosteels

We returned to the blonde color but not the blonde style here but I'm not sure I can really explain it well. There are 3 grains in this light golden colored ale: oats, barley and wheat. The oats impart a bit of smoothness, the barley the color and typical light, bready tastes and the wheat chips in with a bit of citrus flavor. The Styrian hops are listed. I suspect there's Belgian candi sugar here because of the very mild sweetness. And, of course there's always the (suspected) triple fermentation, including final bottle conditioning with the fine layer of yeast adding to the exquisite, delicate and bubbly Belgian lace carbonation. There are tastes of vanilla, lemon and ripe pears and apples with floral scents emanating from the tulip glass from which we sampled. I'll guess 20 EBUs and the ABV is 8,4%. I almost wish one of us had brought a 330 ml bottle of Duvel with which we could compare this because now, in my mind, Duvel has a serious competitor for "world's best" tripel.

[devildeac]

DeuS (Brut des Flanders)-Brouwerij Bosteels


This can't possibly be beer. But, astoundingly, it is. From the brewery's web site: "DeuS, Brut des Flandres , the sparkling gran wine, based on barley, brewed, fermented and aged in Belgium, secondary fermentation in the bottle, followed by the traditional "remuage" and "dégorgement "in France."

Delicate. Exquisite. Floral. Deceptive. Seductive. These are all words that come to mind after sampling about 5-6 ounces of this last week. Served at 2-4 degrees Celsius in fluted champagne glasses, this is probably one of the most amazing ales I've ever tasted. Light straw in color with a fizzy, copious, almost meringue-like head, the aromas are fresh flowers and slightly underripe pears and apples with a splash of lemon. The tastes are nearly identical with grapes/wine sweetness and a hint of tannins. I'll guess EBUs of 20 or less and the ABV is a stunning 11,5%. You could pair this with light seafood entrees, fruit or, it would be tremendously delicious sipped by itself for an after dinner drink or dessert, which is the way we tasted it. Our host last week must really, really like us as this 750 ml bottle had a price on it of $35 (no typo)! This would be a very, very special occasion ale or gift for a milestone event for someone. Phenomenal sampling and finish.










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(please ignore photo below-couldn't figure out how to get rid of it)

[devildeac]

Beer Camp #4 (I think)

Myron's Walk-Sierra Nevada and Allagash Brewing collabeeration

Brewed to honor Myron Avery, who they claim as a founder of the Appalachian Trail, which reaches from (near) the Allagash Brewery in Maine to (near) the new SN brewery in Mills River, NC, this Belgian pale ale combines as the niceties of a SN product with the characteristics of an Allagash Flanders-inspired beverage. Poured a pale yellow-orange with a mildly creamy head, the palate tells me slightly herbal and citrusy and mildly spicy and peppery form the Belgian type yeast. The nose is tickled with a bit of pine and a bit of fruitiness. With IBUs of 38 and ABV of 5.3%, this would be a good cookout beverage with grilled chicken or fish.

[fuse]

DeuS (Brut des Flanders)-Brouwerij Bosteels


This can't possibly be beer. But, astoundingly, it is. From the brewery's web site: "DeuS, Brut des Flandres , the sparkling gran wine, based on barley, brewed, fermented and aged in Belgium, secondary fermentation in the bottle, followed by the traditional "remuage" and "dégorgement "in France."

Delicate. Exquisite. Floral. Deceptive. Seductive. These are all words that come to mind after sampling about 5-6 ounces of this last week. Served at 2-4 degrees Celsius in fluted champagne glasses, this is probably one of the most amazing ales I've ever tasted. Light straw in color with a fizzy, copious, almost meringue-like head, the aromas are fresh flowers and slightly underripe pears and apples with a splash of lemon. The tastes are nearly identical with grapes/wine sweetness and a hint of tannins. I'll guess EBUs of 20 or less and the ABV is a stunning 11,5%. You could pair this with light seafood entrees, fruit or, it would be tremendously delicious sipped by itself for an after dinner drink or dessert, which is the way we tasted it. Our host last week must really, really like us as this 750 ml bottle had a price on it of $35 (no typo)! This would be a very, very special occasion ale or gift for a milestone event for someone. Phenomenal sampling and finish.

I've never given myself permission to pull the trigger on buying this beer because of cost.
You have me considering changing my mind.

Based on your example, this is why delicate beers can be so spectacular- you can hide almost any flaws with a pound or two of hops.

[devildeac]

I've never given myself permission to pull the trigger on buying this beer because of cost.
You have me considering changing my mind.

Based on your example, this is why delicate beers can be so spectacular- you can hide almost any flaws with a pound or two of hops.

We'll split a bottle sometime. High school graduation for your children? Your 20th wedding anniversary? Our 40th wedding anniversary? Med school graduation for my children? Duke national championship? All of the above?

[devildeac]

Beer Camp #5

Torpedo Pilsner-Sierra Nevada and Firestone Walker Brewing

Described on the label as a "hoppy pilsner," it certainly fulfills its advertisement. Poured a light straw color with an almost white, foamy head. Apparently both brewers like New Zealand hops (which ones are not specified but you can read more here: http://nzhops.co.nz/varieties/organic_hops.html) and they were generous with their inclusion in this brew to the tune of IBUs of 45. Typical pilsners have #s in the 10-20 range. ABV is 5.2%, about as expected. Tastes are slightly floral, a little piney with a bit of unoaked chardonnay, making me think Nelson Sauvin might be one of the NZ hops they used. A pleasant, nicely flavored and light-bodied beverage for a warm summer night.

[fuse]

How do you even approach a critique of a beer made by a brewery generally acknowledged as making some of the best beer available today?

Frankly it's a bit intimidating.

I used my Allagash glasses and spilt the 750ml with my better half.

The pour was pretty amazing- super clarity, pale yellow, no chill haze.
Decent head in the first glass (about an inch) and minimal head in the second.

The nose was sharply, cleanly sour.

I let it sit for about 15 minutes and it was still too cold.

Calling a saison fresh and clean doesn't sit well stylistically with me, and that is where the first sip started.
There is a pervasive non-hoppy bitterness that I believe has to come from the dandelion.
Even as the beer warmed up, I never really got any hint of honey sweetness.

There was no barnyard funk, or mustiness- a surgically precise single sour note wove it's way through the beer.
I did not note any barrel aging, and there was a dry woody finish to Vera Mae.
I think if someone figured out a way to sour something like Pilsner Urquell, the outcome might be similar to Vera Mae.
I am glad I have a second bottle to try again. I couldn't make up my mind whether I liked this beer or not.
I desperately wanted to like it, and I can recognize it is a beer of outstanding quality.

I'm not sure I've ever had anything like it.
I'm eager to try it again.

Thanks devildeac!

[devildeac]

How do you even approach a critique of a beer made by a brewery generally acknowledged as making some of the best beer available today?

Frankly it's a bit intimidating.

I used my Allagash glasses and spilt the 750ml with my better half.

The pour was pretty amazing- super clarity, pale yellow, no chill haze.
Decent head in the first glass (about an inch) and minimal head in the second.

The nose was sharply, cleanly sour.

I let it sit for about 15 minutes and it was still too cold.

Calling a saison fresh and clean doesn't sit well stylistically with me, and that is where the first sip started.
There is a pervasive non-hoppy bitterness that I believe has to come from the dandelion.
Even as the beer warmed up, I never really got any hint of honey sweetness.

There was no barnyard funk, or mustiness- a surgically precise single sour note wove it's way through the beer.
I did not note any barrel aging, and there was a dry woody finish to Vera Mae.
I think if someone figured out a way to sour something like Pilsner Urquell, the outcome might be similar to Vera Mae.
I am glad I have a second bottle to try again. I couldn't make up my mind whether I liked this beer or not.
I desperately wanted to like it, and I can recognize it is a beer of outstanding quality.

I'm not sure I've ever had anything like it.
I'm eager to try it again.

Thanks devildeac!

The pleasure and journey to procure it was all mine (and my wife's, though she had her doubts driving > 2 miles on a dirt road at the end of our trip in the rain to a farm/barn in upstate Vermont and using a PortaPotty while I figured out what the heck to do with an hour wait for samples [none], growlers [none] and actual bottle purchases).

I'm trying to figure out when to sample my first bottle. I think Heady Topper is on the menu tonight.

[devildeac]

Duke vs Elon tailgate beer sampling-4 brews of about 6 ounces each

#1

American Common Lager-Fullsteam Brewing

You can't get much more local than this bomber from downtown Derm unless folks in the Bryan Center and/or students in their dorm rooms were brewing it themselves. Poured a light amber with a modest head, even well-chilled out of August West's beer cooler. Lightly toasted bread and light caramel were the aromas and the tastes were the same with very minimal herbal bitterness. IBUs listed at 30 on the bottle. I would have guessed 10-20 range. ABV at 5.5% so this was a fine brew to start with to accompany some vegetable crudites, potato salad and some spicy baked beans for the first course. Thanks again to August West for sharing.

[devildeac]

#2

Grätzer-New Belgium and 3 Floyds collabeeration


Huge thanks to August West for discovering, pre-tasting and bringing a mini-growler (32 ounces) to tailgate yesterday. This was a brand new style to me but a very old style to the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%A4tzer). Poured with a generous, foamy tan head with the olfactory lobes sensing dark caramel, espresso and roasted nuts. Flavors of sour, dark cherries, dark fruits and some semi-sweet chocolate headed to the gustatory regions of my cerebral cortex in addition to the caramel, coffee and nuts. Bitterness I think was from the heavily roasted malts, including smoked wheat, and not much from heavy hopping as the IBUs were only 30. With the ABV at 4.5%, this paired very well with some spicy baked beans and the molasses-brined smoked turkey that comprised our 2nd course. My only regret is that he gets to finish the 6-8 ounces tonight that were left in his growler.

This is part of their Lips of Faith series:


http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detai...e-9fa40938b877

[devildeac]

#3

Fire and Blood-Brewery Ommegang

Just about the only Ommegang brew currently available that I didn't sample during our brewery tour two weeks ago. I have to admit, when duketatylor showed up with this as his contribution to the tasting yesterday, I had serious reservations about opening the bottle and whether we'd finish it or not. I am very glad he did. Not so much because it was a great beer but because it was a good, intriguing and educational beer. Labeled as a red ale brewed with Ancho chiles gave rise to the hesitation. Poured a mildly foamy reddish-brown hue, the introduction was earthy and herbal aromas that were followed by piney hops, a bit of chocolate-covered oranges and raisins and a very faint warmth. Grains/malts are pilsner, Cara-60, Midnight wheat, flaked rye and spelt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelt), the last one being another beer education item for me as I've never heard of it. There's a very slight mustiness from the rye and the chiles lend very little heat to the brew, unlike habaneros which made Mini Dingo and Mango Magnifico almost unpalatable. At an estimated 40-50 IBUs and ABV of 6.8%, it was a good pairing with some more spicy baked beans and smoked turkey but not a beer I'd suggest with/for dessert. Thanks Chuck for an intriguing, challenging and enlightening beverage. That's meant as a compliment.

[fuse]

Triple C (Charlotte) brewed an Imperial IPA in honour of their 100th batch.

Aged in bourbon barrels, 105 IBU and 10.5%.
Wildflower honey in addition to malt.
Centennial hops in the boil (listed as 4 massive additions) and "continuously dry hopped" with Citra, Centennial and Amarillo.

Looks like amber honey or maple syrup in the glass. Very little head.

Nose is piney, and maybe a bit fruity/citrusy. A bit of alcohol burn in the nose similar to a barleywine that high gravity beers often have.

Been a while since I've had a fresh Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, and that is what comes to mind on the first sip.
Dry, bitter finish.

Starts bitter, with the slightest bit of malt in the middle.

The alcohol is actually well hidden by the hops. I might have guessed 7%, at 10.5% that's a dangerous gap.

Pretty good mouthfeel, the barrel aging flavours of oak and bourbon struggle against the hops, and are subtly present.

This 22oz bomber is enough to share with two hardcore hopheads. I'd have been fine with half the bottle.

Triple C is a solid competitor in the Charlotte market. I'm not a fan of their Smoked Amber (it's ok). Triple C IPA and Baby Maker DIPA are their best offerings, and Coming in Hops is in the same vein, playing to Triple C's strengths.

Well executed limited edition beer, worth trying if you can find it and enjoy a big, hoppy beer.

[devildeac]

Goat Boy (draft)-Southern Tier Brewing

New for 2014, this imperial weizenbock is classic for this rather limited style. Think Aventinus. Poured a cloudy, medium brown with a medium head. Nose of orange, banana and clove from the wheat malt. Tastes were very complex and included the aforementioned plus some caramel and cherries and dried fruits. Bocks are lagers so the IBUs are low, guessing 20-30 here. Imperial means high ABV and this checks in at 7.5%, a bit lower than expected. I'd serve this with almost any grilled avian, bovine or porcine creatures or with cinnamon/chocolate/pecan desserts. This would make a wonderful brew to sample/share at a tailgate this fall if it's still available as most bocks are traditionally released in the winter/spring months. I think this was $2.50 for a 6 ounce sample.

http://www.stbcbeer.com/goatboy/

#4


Worthy of a repeat post, this time the bottled version. Props to August West (again) for finding this and bringing it to the tailgate yesterday. Am I prescient or what? Not only did AW cart this to the tent, we enjoyed it with a blueberry/raspberry cobble, as our chef referred to his unusual kinda upside-down version of the traditional cobbler, and we sippied it with double chocolate nut brownies and deep dish apple pie.

[devildeac]

Here's the list:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/top/


The long-awaited/anticipated tasting of the #1 rated beer begins in 30 minutes. I've tortured budwom, who kindly and graciously procured this for me, for over two weeks now since we returned from our Tour De Northeast with my bobbing, weaving, shucking, jiving and procrastinating as to when I'd finally get around to sampling this. I hope it meets my expectations (and fuse's, too, as he has a couple cans) of this hard-to come-by brew.

[devildeac]

Heady Topper-The Alchemist

This is going to be a difficult one to review as it certainly met/exceeded expectations from reading/hearing about this a year or two ago and then discussing with fuse and budwom, who was exceedingly kind (and a bit lucky, I think) in procuring this about 3 weeks ago. I'll start off simply and state that this is indeed the best DIPA I've ever tasted. So pure and fresh in its aromas and tastes. First, I sipped the initial 8 ounces from the 16 ounce can, as instructed by the not-so-subtle labeling. Aroma is freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice with a bit of the rind included in the squeezing. I also thought there were hints of mango, peach and apricot. The second 8 ounces were decanted into a small Allagash tulip for the visuals. Poured a hazy peach color with a moderate, foamy head. Tastes matched the aromas with just a bit of oiliness and resin in the finish. There are hints of honey and light caramel to partially offset this incredibly hop-forward IIPA. Beeradvocate claims IBUs at 75 but I can't access The Alchemist website to verify. I'd have guessed 80-90. ABV is on the can at 8%. No food pairings needed. This was $14 for the 4 pack of 16 ounce cans. Fuse and I discussed reports of this being sold on ebay or craig's list for $100/can or more. I wouldn't pay that but I am considering our next auto trip to the northeast already. I'm really anticipating reading what fuse thinks about this offering. If my son doesn't claim his can soon, it's going to disappear.

Best part about the writing on the can was the statement on the back, "Don't be a D-bag. Recycle this can."

[budwom]

Heady Topper-The Alchemist

This is going to be a difficult one to review as it certainly met/exceeded expectations from reading/hearing about this a year or two ago and then discussing with fuse and budwom, who was exceedingly kind (and a bit lucky, I think) in procuring this about 3 weeks ago. I'll start off simply and state that this is indeed the best DIPA I've ever tasted. So pure and fresh in its aromas and tastes. First, I sipped the initial 8 ounces from the 16 ounce can, as instructed by the not-so-subtle labeling. Aroma is freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice with a bit of the rind included in the squeezing. I also thought there were hints of mango, peach and apricot. The second 8 ounces were decanted into a small Allagash tulip for the visuals. Poured a hazy peach color with a moderate, foamy head. Tastes matched the aromas with just a bit of oiliness and resin in the finish. There are hints of honey and light caramel to partially offset this incredibly hop-forward IIPA. Beeradvocate claims IBUs at 75 but I can't access The Alchemist website to verify. I'd have guessed 80-90. ABV is on the can at 8%. No food pairings needed. This was $14 for the 4 pack of 16 ounce cans. Fuse and I discussed reports of this being sold on ebay or craig's list for $100/can or more. I wouldn't pay that but I am considering our next auto trip to the northeast already. I'm really anticipating reading what fuse thinks about this offering. If my son doesn't claim his can soon, it's going to disappear.

Best part about the writing on the can was the statement on the back, "Don't be a D-bag. Recycle this can."

The pleasure of procurement was all mine, DD. It's not that hard to get IF you know when the few stores which carry it get their weekly delivery. But the state has been filled with tourists this summer who drive around looking for
Heady, and odds of finding it that way are minimal. Very much enjoyed your review. As I mentioned to you when you visited, when I first heard the hype, I very much wanted to not like the beer. But alas, I really love it.

Returning from the football game yesterday, I sat next to a lobbyist from NC who was going to VT for a funeral, one day trip. And he plans on putting a few four packs in his (checked) luggage for the trip back to Rolly.

I also look forward to hearing fuse's opinion.

[devildeac]

The pleasure of procurement was all mine, DD. It's not that hard to get IF you know when the few stores which carry it get their weekly delivery. But the state has been filled with tourists this summer who drive around looking for
Heady, and odds of finding it that way are minimal. Very much enjoyed your review. As I mentioned to you when you visited, when I first heard the hype, I very much wanted to not like the beer. But alas, I really love it.

Returning from the football game yesterday, I sat next to a lobbyist from NC who was going to VT for a funeral, one day trip. And he plans on putting a few four packs in his (checked) luggage for the trip back to Rolly.

I also look forward to hearing fuse's opinion.

If you were to place a can or three in any checked bags on your next trip to Derm for the 9/20 game, I would be more than eternally grateful and compensate you accordingly, along with a chilled Aviator saison or perhaps a Fullsteam Cackalacky from our tailgate.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I collected DT's hops that were decorating at our tailgate tent at the end of the night. They are in my freezer now, and will be making a showing in my next brew.