Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

Another from my Friday afternoon Stella run. Here's what's on the can:



Pours a very hazy gold color, small'ish off-white head. Lots of citrus and some dank on the nose. Carries over to the palate, where I get a lot of super-ripe pineapple flavors. The citrus is very well balanced against the hops, and it's dangerously quaffable for an 8% ABV beer. I'd guess IBUs in the mid to high 50's. A very solid offering in a crowded field. Very high Cat 2, at minimum. Maybe Cat 3.

I knew Reserved Parking sounded familiar. From yesterday's draft list at Bottle Rev:

"Reserved Parking NE IIPA

8% ABV Casita Cervecería Fountain, NC"

It is indeed time to pick up my November beer club 4 pack after work today...

I think you'll like it. Hopefully a lot.

You were correct. Again.

Reserved Parking (draft)-Casita Cerveceria

Drink local!

I probably don't buy this without a gentle nudge from TW.

Credit-my VISA and TW's review
Style-NEIPA, well, it's really a NEIIPA
Appearance-cloudy, pineapple yellow; modest foamy head
Nose-overripe pineapple
Mouthfeel-juicy, almost pulpy
Tastes-exactly as TW promised with dank superripe pineapple; mango and papaya, too; maybe some pith/pulp/rind
IBU-I'd agree with 50ish
ABV-8% which is IIPA territory
Overall impression-an excellent entry in that crowded field
Ymm Beer rating-I'm nudging my half pint into low tier cat 3; worth another serving or pint can

[devildeac]

Do I have to wait until Saturday to admit I like blondes, even if they're stout...

Bill told me so...

[Tripping William]

You were correct. Again.

Reserved Parking (draft)-Casita Cerveceria

Drink local!

I probably don't buy this without a gentle nudge from TW.

Credit-my VISA and TW's review
Style-NEIPA, well, it's really a NEIIPA
Appearance-cloudy, pineapple yellow; modest foamy head
Nose-overripe pineapple
Mouthfeel-juicy, almost pulpy
Tastes-exactly as TW promised with dank superripe pineapple; mango and papaya, too; maybe some pith/pulp/rind
IBU-I'd agree with 50ish
ABV-8% which is IIPA territory
Overall impression-an excellent entry in that crowded field
Ymm Beer rating-I'm nudging my half pint into low tier cat 3; worth another serving or pint can

Glad you liked. And glad I have a can or three more ....

[devildeac]

Glad you liked. And glad I have a can or three more ...

...and I'll have some never-before-tasted Ohio beers from son of devildeac as traders in about 13 days...

What a coincidence!

[Tripping William]

...and I'll have some never-before-tasted Ohio beers from son of devildeac as traders in about 13 days...

What a coincidence!

Sounds right up my alley ....

[fuse]

Sounds right up my alley ...

Hope devildeac’s selections don’t bowl you over 🤣

[devildeac]

Hope devildeac’s selections don’t bowl you over 🤣

I feel like I'm getting framed.

[Tripping William]

I feel like I'm getting framed.

Then go on strike.

[devildeac]

Then go on strike.

Spare me.

[fuse]

Had a Foothills Thousand Smiles tonight.

Perhaps not aptly named, a tasty beverage nonetheless.

[fuse]

Beer me.

Fixed it for you...🤣

[devildeac]

Fixed it for you...🤣

That works, too!!

[Tripping William]

A bomber acquired from Stella, this is (for the uninitiated) a Belgian dubbel brewed with (you guessed it!) figs & raisins, and then aged for three months in apple brandy barrels. When I purchased this, the woman at the counter commented that it this really is an underrated, fly-beneath-the-radar beer. I agreed, and said, "Especially with all the hype for Silent Night," at which point she started into a story about her family's recent vertical tasting of several years' worth of Silent Night offerings.

Anyway, back to F&R, it pours a cloudy mahogany. Abundant dark fruit flavors on the nose, and one the palate. A little bit of leather, and then a nice bit of tartness from the brandy barrel aging. The fig and raisin flavors are understated, but this is a really balanced and complex beer. 8.7% ABV. Easily Cat 3 for me; definitely worth seeking out.

[devildeac]

From 6/14/14, 10/30/16 and 11/11/16:

Windowpane Fig and Raisin 2013-Mother Earth

This Belgian dubbel style ale was served from a corked and caged 750 ml bottle between our first and second courses. Poured a light to medium mildly opaque brown with a nose of dark brown sugar and dark, dried fruits. The tastes matched the scents as expected with the North Carolina figs and raisins included in the brew. I didn't know North Carolina produced those fruits. Booze perception was moderately prominent as this was aged in North Carolina apple brandy barrels and was also 9% ABV. I'd guess the IBUs in the 30 range, typical for the style. It made a nice starter for our burgers off the grill, broccoli salad, fruit salad and chips. Would also pair nicely with ribs and brisket. This was my personal favorite of the evening but was less well received by the others. I thought the Windowpane Peaches was also very good.

Fig and Raisin (draft)-Mother Earth Brewing

Drink (fairly) local!

I'm guessing this is a re-issue of their 2013 (?) 3rd member of their Windowpane Series. The base ale is a Belgian-style dubbel with the addition of NC-foraged figs and raisins. I chose this over the coffee-infused Southern Tier Pumpking and Epic's Big Bad Baptist and quite happy I did. Crafty Beer Shop was serving their brews last PM in orange plastic Halloween cups as there was a fall festival at Lafayette Village in north Raleigh so most beverages were consumed on the lawn. Pour was a medium brown with a small head. Nose was earthy with dark, dried fruits (no surprise there). Tastes were the expected Belgian dubbel with toffee, dark caramel, raisins and figs (D'oh!), with a warming, boozey, brandy finish from the 3 months this concoction spent in old brandy barrels. The local crepery (?) allowed me to bring my half-finished pint inside to accompany my Philly steak and cheese crepe with sauteed, carmelized onions, 'shrooms and provolone cheese with home-fried potatoes. I'll guess IBUs about 20 and the ABV was 9% on their electronic chalkboard but 10% on their corked and caged 750 ml bottle. Pleased to have spent $6 for the pint but wouldn't spend the $19 for the large format bottle.

Fig and Raisin (750 ml)-Mother Earth Brewing

Speaking of...

August West was kind/generous to bring one last evening. Many thanks again!

The draft was better-almost always is-but this bottle was excellent. Nice pairing with our fare at the tailgate. ABV was indeed 10% so we're now 3/5 through our high gravity tasting. Well worth another tasting.

A bomber acquired from Stella, this is (for the uninitiated) a Belgian dubbel brewed with (you guessed it!) figs & raisins, and then aged for three months in apple brandy barrels. When I purchased this, the woman at the counter commented that it this really is an underrated, fly-beneath-the-radar beer. I agreed, and said, "Especially with all the hype for Silent Night," at which point she started into a story about her family's recent vertical tasting of several years' worth of Silent Night offerings.

Anyway, back to F&R, it pours a cloudy mahogany. Abundant dark fruit flavors on the nose, and one the palate. A little bit of leather, and then a nice bit of tartness from the brandy barrel aging. The fig and raisin flavors are understated, but this is a really balanced and complex beer. 8.7% ABV. Easily Cat 3 for me; definitely worth seeking out.

Having tasted this three times, one *might* be able to discern that I really liked this beer and am quite happy it's available again.

[devildeac]

Will be sequestering two more stout reviews tonight to submit shortly after accfanfrom1970 opens the Virtual Pub doors on Saturday. I'm thinking he may open early as he'll be traveling to tailgate late AM...

[fuse]

https://twitter.com/sugarcreekbrew/s...156379659?s=21

Apparently Sugar Creek sees technology as a way to improve their beer quality.

[devildeac]

https://twitter.com/sugarcreekbrew/s...156379659?s=21

Apparently Sugar Creek sees technology as a way to improve their beer quality.

Interesting. Not sure I've had any of their products.

[budwom]

are there any intentionally warm beers for occasions like the Syracuse game, or do I have to go to a London pub to find that?

[devildeac]

are there any intentionally warm beers for occasions like the Syracuse game, or do I have to go to a London pub to find that?

Stouts and porters are generally/better served at "cellar" temperatures but, with ambient temps in the mid 40s for an early/mid/late afternoon tailgate and KO, and plummeting after that, the best you'll see/taste will be beers at those temps. Our group has no bottle warmers .

[fuse]

Brewery Bhavana Cellar Door #4

First beer ever brewed on their pilot system.
Blend of American and bourbon barrel aged English barleywines.

10.5% ABV

Great pour, dense head that stuck around for the fifteen minutes I waited to take a first sip.

Smells like maple syrup, malt, and a bit of smoky pine.

Deep red brown in the glass.
Rich, luxurious mouthfeel, almost creamy.

Loads of brown sugar with some boozy heat and a dry oak finish.

I recall when I was getting into microbrews (before it was craft) and chasing high ABV beer, which led straight to barleywines.

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot was probably the most accessible, and when young, packs quite a hop wallop.

Where am I going with this train of thought? At some point on my beer journey, I equated booziness/high ABV with complexity.

In and of itself, a barleywine doesn’t offer much to appreciate. Barrel aging any beer makes a significant difference, and barleywine holds up really well to barrel aging.

Brewery Bhavana Cellar Door Number Four is likely as perfect as a barleywine comes.

Cheers! 🍻