DFH 120-Minute IPA
I had let this last 12-ounce bottle lay down for about a year. That seemed to mellow it out from a five-alarm fire to a four-alarm one. More roundness and, actually, caramel flavors than I had remembered. Still a really big beer, but a bit more sessionable with the aging. Cat 3, and I wish I had a couple more to age for a couple more years.
"Amazing what a minute can do."
Getting an early start on next Saturday’s Virtual Pub. I picked this up at Stella yesterday (16-ounce can). Controversial, as it is brewed with chocolate, raspberries, and (wait for it) habanero peppers. The raspberry and heat play well with one another, though. Reminds me a bit of Mexican coffee, kind of like Stone’s Xocoveza. I liked it a lot, although I think I like spicy more than most here. Very high Cat 2 for me.
"Amazing what a minute can do."
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
From Fullsteam last PM:
Full Stem-Fullsteam Brewery in collaboration with Stem Cider in Denver, CO
Drink local! Nice name .
Credit-my VISA card
Style-a graf (I linked this somewhere upthread yesterday) which is a beer/cider hybrid
Format-5 ounce sample
Appearance-crystal clear; yellowish light amberish; no head
Nose-grapefruit infused cider
Mouthfeel-bubbly with a hint of bitter
Tastes-light grapefruit (see hops below); strong, tart apples; slight pucker
IBU-maybe 20
IBU-6%
Grains-Locally malted wheat, Locally malted barley (Munich), Flaked wheat, Two-row brewer's malt, Locally malted Appalachian wheat
Hops-Mosaic, Citra, Magnum
Adjuncts-Local apple juice
Overall impression-totally new "hybrid" to me; very well done, especially given I'm not a big cider fan
Ymm, Beer rating-cat 2, high tier; maybe a beverage for those who like ciders but not beers; would certainly order again
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
Farm's Edge: Fox Knob-Fullsteam Brewery
Lots of local!
Credit-another hit on my VISA card
Format-5 ounce sample
Style-rum barrel aged wild black saison
(can I stop the review now? )
Appearance-almost onyx; no head
Nose-dark fruit; wet hay/barnyard funk; dark rum
Mouthfeel-mild to moderately tart/sour
Tastes-match the nose; sour cherries?; molasses; earthy
Hops-Crystal
Yeast-Lochristi Brettanomyces Blend, Belgian Wit Ale (scratches head )
Grains-Local sorghum, Locally malted barley (Foundation), Midnight Wheat, Two-row brewer's malt, Locally malted Appalachian wheat
Adjuncts-Local natural fig concentrate, Sinamar, Locally foraged figs, Tennessee sorghum syrup, Mixed culture
IBU-10ish
ABV-7%
Overall impression-extremely well done concoction, reminding me of Lagunitas' Dark Swan and Aunt Sally w/Black Currants I had this summer at the brewery
Ymm, Beer rating-solid cat 3; worth a trip to Fullsteam as it's a brewery only beverage
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
At New River and it’s great! I prefer the Scotch Ale. Wish I didn’t have to drive to Greensboro. Pigs Fly lady is cooking here now. The stout is great. Too many choices. I’ll have to return. Thank you for telling me about it.
The other beer I purchased at Stella. Absolutely terrific. Maybe my favorite pumpkin ale. Utterly mouthwatering, and the spices are to die for. Easy Cat 3.
"Amazing what a minute can do."
Dead & Berried 2019 - Foothills - 10.5 % ABV
The pour is jet black with a thin, tan film. This beer is very complex and amazing. I've never had an imperial stout like it. It's bourbon barrel-aged forward with oak, and a dark chocolate base along with molasses & malt running through. But the lightly tart blackberry pops out, and compliments everything so perfectly that it tastes like a dark-chocolate covered blackberry out of a Valentine's candy box. Beergoddess liked it too. Her review is that it tasted similar to the dark-chocolate cherry ganache pie I won if that pie was a beer. But this beer is balanced, not sweet IMO. There are other dark fruit notes and some light vanilla. The mouthfeel is full and viscous, but more lightly carbonated which works here to let you taste everything going on. The finish lasts a while and still has that dark-chocolate, very slight good coffee, and barrel flavor. Your mouth is still happy and smiling 30 minutes after finishing. If you like a good BBA imperial stout, dark chocolate, and blackberries, you will love this beer. Foothills just killed it with this one.
Thanks to Tripping William! Strong Fuse Category 3 for me. The dark chocolate covered blackberries in an outstanding and complex perfectly balanced BBA stout. (I haven't tried the earlier versions.) I was drinking this with the football game on the radio. Maybe that's why I wasn't as upset about the game as everybody else.
Last edited by richardjackson199; 11-09-2019 at 11:58 PM.
Dan posted upthread that he'd be attending and would bring a beer from The Answer and from Veil. OMG, he brought a bottomless shopping bag full of beers, too many to name at this time, and then went to another tailgate. I'll review and credit those to his account over the next couple weeks.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
The beer, company and food at tailgate today were outstanding. The football after the tailgate was _ _ _ _.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
Delicious choices is right. You had lots of Veil and Founders CBS.
Staying with the blackberry theme, next beer was:
Medora - Wicked Weed - 6.6 %
Beautiful pour - ruby pink with thin white head that fades fast. Strong, funky nose - Brett & oak is all I get.
Beeradvocate says this is world-class, but I disagree. And it kills me, because I want to love Wicked Weed and I don't care about InBev. It's a decent sour, but I've had much better. The blackberry here isn't on the same level as the blackberry in the Foothills. The sour isn't on the same level as offerings from New Glarus, Allagash, Bhavana, or Oxbow. I've had better from Wicked Weed too - their Black Angel, Ferme de Chien (cherry), and Garcon de Ferme (Peach) were all better.
And this is a good, Fuse Category 2 sour wild ale. There's lactic acid, vinegar, subtle red wine notes, some mouth-puckering sour, and it's flavored like a raspberry-blackberry soda pop from the convenience store. Whereas the foothills tasted like good dark chocolate covering a ripe blackberry that teased you and popped out when it wanted while other dark BBA stout flavors were enticing you. Maybe it's not fair to compare a stout to a sour, but I just mean even the blackberry flavor was on a different level with the Foothills. I might be being unfair after recently tasting what New Glarus did with fruits in a sour. The finish here is dry and very tart, but meh. Thin feel with lots of carbonation.
Years ago this was probably the shiznit, but what I'm hearing from beer enthusiasts who visit Asheville is that breweries like Burial are evolving while Wicked Weed is not. And Wicked Weed is trying to just do the exact same thing with the same beers.
Last edited by richardjackson199; 11-10-2019 at 01:28 AM.