Ymm, Beer

[duketaylor]

From the brewer: "A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, brown sugar and spices. As the season cools, this is the perfect beer to warm up with."

IBU:28 ABV: 7%

I can see why fuse and others have recommended this very smooth, easy-drinking seasonal beverage. Too many pumpkin brews I've tried are overly spiced, but not this one. Good stuff!!

[fuse]

Smells like pumpkin pie.

Tastes like a sweet pumpkin pie, must be the honey.
Quite nice. Reasonably mild.
Not as forceful as DFH or Weyerbacher.

For those that don't like pumpkin beer, this might be worth a shot.

I don't know that I'd go out of my way for Thirsty Dog Pumpkin, but there are far worse pumpkin beers on the market. Worth trying.

[devildeac]

Monk's Blood-21st Amendment Brewing Company

Good enough to buy and taste again. Poured a ruby-brown color with a small head. It's a Belgian dark ale so the expected aromas of dark dried fruits are there but so are the spices/flavors/fruits that are used to create this elixir, including cinnamon, vanilla and the dried Black Mission figs. It's oak aged so that enhances the vanilla scents. Tastes match the above with perhaps a bit of woodiness/earthiness. Amarillo, Magnum and Centennial hops are responsible for the IBUs of 34, making this quite easy on the palate. Malts include European Pilsner, Vienna, Caramunich, Aromatic, Special B, Flaked Oats and Flaked Wheat. Dark Belgian candi sugar completes the list of adjuncts added, helping it achieve the ABV of 8.3%. This was just under $6 for the 4 pack of 12 ounce cans which is a great deal considering I paid about $9 for my last 4 pack over 2 years ago. I wonder if it was scanned correctly but I'm not going back to inquire.

[devildeac]

For some reason, the love of my life picked up a four pack of 2011 Dogfish Head Olde School.

I have an indeterminate ( or at least I have not looked ) older Olde School from circa 2007, but the mood struck me to try one of the recent vintage.

While it may only be a 12oz bottle, strap yourself in and throw away the car keys, as Olde School clocks in at a whopping 15%. Better yet, find a friend and split the bottle in a couple of snifters.

This outstanding barleywine pours a thick opaque amber. The nose is very boozy, with a syrupy sweetness.

The mouthfeel is very dense, no hop profile to speak of at all beyond an ever so slight bitterness on the tongue. What starts an an alcoholicly cloying sweetness finishes with alcohol heat and a earthy woodiness.

Temperature is important in serving a barleywine, and I am certain when I started drinking it, it was too cold.
There is a maple syrup / birch beer aspect of the flavour profile that is quite nice.

This was a rather silly choice on a warm day, but it actually paired quite nicely with some barbeque chicken and strawberries.

This is definitely a "winter warmer" and would be fun in front of a fire, cozy under a blanket after a long day of skiing. It would also definitely pair well with a fine cigar.

It has been a while since I've wandered into barleywine territory. I have a few nice Anchor Old Foghorns, Sierra Nevada Bigfoots (feet?), and this was a beer style I used to actively pursue.

Highly recommended for a special occasion.

Always worth re-visiting:

Olde School Barleywine (2009 bottling)-Dogfish Head

I divided this five year old, 12 ounce bottle over 3 cooler nights last week and sipped from a cordial glass. Poured an almost syrup-y, medium amber with basically no head. Nose is booze, syrup and dried fruit, which is no surprise as it's fermented with dates and figs. It really tastes like a dark fruit syrup with a bit of caramel or brown sugar added. The ABV of 15% (no typo ) masks the high IBUs of 85, which I would have never guessed. Should be served slightly chilled. I wonder what this would be like with a small slice of Black Forest Cake or Turtle Cheesecake (scratched chin). I think I have one bottle left which I'll try to forget about until next fall...

[fuse]

I was tempted to cross post in the Walking Dead thread.

What do you enjoy with the season premiere?

Why, Zombie Killer Cherry Cyser of course!

Eagerly anticipating both in 20 minutes.

[mattman91]

Although fall is my favorite season, I never really enjoy pumpkin beers. Generally just too sweet, and I hate the taste of pumpkin.

[devildeac]

Moon Glow-Victory Brewing

An unfiltered, Bavarian-style wheat ale, this is a pretty traditional weizenbock brewed with 50% wheat as one of the grains and also includes 2 row German malts. Nose of bananas, cloves and oranges with the same tastes to accompany the aromas but no additives. Poured a hazy. medium amber with a fluffy, tan head with very little bitterness, guessing IBUs of 20, perhaps less. ABV is a hefty 8.7% so this is really a double bock style. There may be even hints of a dark cider here. Think Aventinus, probably the world classic weizenbock. This makes a fine competitor and was delectable by itself tonight but I could also sip this with a slice of deep dish apple pie with a generous drizzle of caramel syrup on it or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Might even be good with a fried Bananas Foster (http://www.wral.com/deep-fried-bbq-r...oods/14073243/). See NC State Fair thread for a cross reference.

(no pumpkins were harmed/consumed in the production/consumption of this brew)

[fuse]

Although fall is my favorite season, I never really enjoy pumpkin beers. Generally just too sweet, and I hate the taste of pumpkin.

Thankfully for all of us, fall brings more than just pumpkin beer.
Octoberfests and wet/fresh hop beers abound as well.

I wonder if Sierra Nevada will feature a western NC Harvest beer in the future?

Some notables:

The Bruery Autumn Maple
Ommegang Scythe & Sickle
Southern Tier Harvest
Anchor Big Maple Red

I'm sure I am forgetting a ton of others.

[fuse]

Best way to enjoy DAfH Punkin is alongside a homemade pumpkin bar - delicious!

On a related note, avoid Starr Hill Pumpkin Porter.

Not fair to have it follow after DFH.
Starr Hill tastes more like Bison Gingerbread Stout. I'm not a fan of either.

There is a strange mix of spices and maybe even sme smokiness that is off putting.

Maybe worth trying if you have the opportunity, I don't plan on giving Starr Hill pumpkin porter a second chance.

[devildeac]

Detour-Uinta Brewing

I believe this is their second entrant into the IIPA sweepstakes with Dubhe, an imperial black IPA, being their first. Poured a copper color with a frothy head, the first scents are earthy, herbal hops (perhaps a bit of cannabis), followed by tastes of the same with some caramel/butterscotch and mango notes showing up late. This is a hop monster at 95 IBUs. You might think it would be well balanced with a correspondingly high ABV at 9.5% but I didn't perceive it to be all that balanced. I'll repeat, it's a hop monster. It would pair well with hot/spicy fare and was worth the $1.40/12 ounce bottle I shelled out for the 4 pack as I'll include one in our son's 30 beers for 30 years gift this weekend and most likely trade the other two.

[duketaylor]

Perhaps we can get Sagegrouse to join the Brunchgate Saturday, I've never met him. Picking out a few traders and tasters

[duketaylor]

Also, as I've been given permission to attend said game I'll be looking for one ticket, not concerned about sitting, just want in. Also looking for a possible ride into a lot as I have no parking privs. Could meet someone most anywhere. GO DEVILS!!

[fuse]

Also, as I've been given permission to attend said game I'll be looking for one ticket, not concerned about sitting, just want in. Also looking for a possible ride into a lot as I have no parking privs. Could meet someone most anywhere. GO DEVILS!!

If I make it (big if) I'll bring you a GA ticket.

[devildeac]

"You can't handle the truth."

I'll bet I can. More later.

[devildeac]

"You can't handle the truth."

I'll bet I can. More later.

Dark Truth-Boulevard Brewing

Worth revisiting.

The players:

Malt: Pale Malt, Amber 50, Cara 120, Cara 300, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Chocolate Rye, Malted Rye, Malted Wheat, Honey Naked Oats, Flaked Oats
Adjuncts: Brown Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar
Hops: Magnum, Zeus, Citra, Perle

I gotta admit, a few of those fooled me, especially the ryes and the sugars, as I really didn't perceive any funkiness to the scents or the tastes, which is what rye usually imparts. I'm vaguely familiar with Zeus hops and not sure I've ever heard/tasted the Perle variety.

The stats:

IBUs-60
ABV-9.7%
Color (EBC-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Brewery_Convention-)-225 (aka SRM-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Reference_Method)-Suffice it to say, 225 is dark. Real, real dark.

The thoughts:

Poured an almost inky black with a splash of ruby with a latte-like head. Nose of dark plums and semi-sweet chocolate with the same tastes and a small splash of espresso. The oats make this almost silky and oily on the tongue and the finish is boozy without barrel aging. A couple years ago, I spent $10 for a 4 pack and earlier this month I spent about $9 for the litter of 4. Worth every penny. Serve lightly chilled in a snifter with or without a chocolate dessert. I've got 3 left and suspect they'll have the same fate as the others I've reviewed in the last couple weeks.

[duketaylor]

Perle is a German hop which was bred from English Northern Brewer. It's an aroma hop with delicate floral, fruit, spice and mint tones. They may have used US Perle. It is used in ales, altbiers, helles' as well as Kolsch, lager, pale ale, pilsner, porter, stout and weizen. The most popular German-grown hop variety. (All info per my handbook)

They do not include Zeus, but here's from the net (I grew Zeus this year and may bring some to Brunchgate):

Zeus 13-17% (Alpha acid) Columbus (substitute) Aromatic and pleasant.

If Zeus has 13-17% Alpha acid, then it can be used as a bittering hop as well as an aroma hop. It's part of "CTZ" as in Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus.

Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus (CTZ)
These three varieties are often grouped together and labeled as CTZ. They are referred to as Super High Alpha varieties, having alpha acid content of between 14.5-16.5%. Together they make up approximately a quarter of the entire U.S. hop acreage.

Yield (kilos per hectare)
2800 - 3249
Yield (lbs per acre)
2500 - 2900
Alpha Acids
14.5 - 16.5%
Beta Acids
4.0 - 5.0%
Alpha-Beta Ratio
3.3 - 3.6
Cohumulone (% of alpha acids):
28 - 32%
Total Oils (Mls. per 100 grams dried hops)
2.0 - 3.0
Myrcene (as % of total oils)
40 - 50%
Caryophyllene (as % of total oils)
9 - 11%
Humulene (as % of total oils)
12 - 18%
Farnesene (as % of total oils)
<1%
Storage (% alpha acids remaining after 6 months storage at 20° C)
52%
Possible Substitutions
Galena, Chinook, Nugget

More info than anyone needs, but there it is anyway.

[fuse]

Started with Triple C Babymaker... I don't care what devildeac says, this is a good DIPA. :-)

Dinner interlude with Cherry Pie Pinot (Ymm, wine anyone?).

Birdsong St Tuber Belgian Abbey was next, a bit hefty and dessert-y. Nice. Probably difficult to drink more than one.

NoDa Ramble on Red- too much rye for me, nice nonetheless.

Three non-review reviews. Each beer was worth sampling and would be improved with a proper food pairing.

[devildeac]

Perle is a German hop which was bred from English Northern Brewer. It's an aroma hop with delicate floral, fruit, spice and mint tones. They may have used US Perle. It is used in ales, altbiers, helles' as well as Kolsch, lager, pale ale, pilsner, porter, stout and weizen. The most popular German-grown hop variety. (All info per my handbook)

They do not include Zeus, but here's from the net (I grew Zeus this year and may bring some to Brunchgate):

Zeus 13-17% (Alpha acid) Columbus (substitute) Aromatic and pleasant.

If Zeus has 13-17% Alpha acid, then it can be used as a bittering hop as well as an aroma hop. It's part of "CTZ" as in Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus.

Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus (CTZ)
These three varieties are often grouped together and labeled as CTZ. They are referred to as Super High Alpha varieties, having alpha acid content of between 14.5-16.5%. Together they make up approximately a quarter of the entire U.S. hop acreage.

Yield (kilos per hectare)
2800 - 3249
Yield (lbs per acre)
2500 - 2900
Alpha Acids
14.5 - 16.5%
Beta Acids
4.0 - 5.0%
Alpha-Beta Ratio
3.3 - 3.6
Cohumulone (% of alpha acids):
28 - 32%
Total Oils (Mls. per 100 grams dried hops)
2.0 - 3.0
Myrcene (as % of total oils)
40 - 50%
Caryophyllene (as % of total oils)
9 - 11%
Humulene (as % of total oils)
12 - 18%
Farnesene (as % of total oils)
<1%
Storage (% alpha acids remaining after 6 months storage at 20° C)
52%
Possible Substitutions
Galena, Chinook, Nugget

More info than anyone needs, but there it is anyway.

Thanks for researching. I'd spork you if I could for this much info but not allowed yet. Maybe fuse or mattman91 has an extra utensil or two they could bestow.

[devildeac]

Started with Triple C Babymaker... I don't care what devildeac says, this is a good DIPA. :-)

Dinner interlude with Cherry Pie Pinot (Ymm, wine anyone?).

Birdsong St Tuber Belgian Abbey was next, a bit hefty and dessert-y. Nice. Probably difficult to drink more than one.

NoDa Ramble on Red- too much rye for me, nice nonetheless.

Three non-review reviews. Each beer was worth sampling and would be improved with a proper food pairing.

Triple C Babymaker. Hmm, might have to re-visit.

[mattman91]

Thanks for researching. I'd spork you if I could for this much info but not allowed yet. Maybe fuse or mattman91 has an extra utensil or two they could bestow.

Sporked on behalf of the great Devildeac.