Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

Saw it in Wegman’s today but couldn’t bring myself to drop the $25 for a 500ml bottle when they also had the 750ml format BBA GBS at half the price. They also had another goose island variant .

Good points. Our son bought two of the above, one other variant (coffee/orange/vanilla?) as splurges and to share with a buddy and his dear Old Curmudgeon Dad but he's not doing that with any regularity.

[accfanfrom1970]

They had the coffee one too. There’s one more day for Xmas shopping, maybe my kids will be as generous as yours

[fuse]

Passed up a 750ml of St Bernardus for $10 (what was I thinking?) as well as Stella Artois Midnight.

Never seen anything other than the original Stella.

[devildeac]

Passed up a 750ml of St Bernardus for $10 (what was I thinking?) as well as Stella Artois Midnight.

Never seen anything other than the original Stella.

That's a great price !

[fuse]

That's a great price !

I forgot to mention this was at Target.

[fuse]

Prairie Artisan Bourbon Paradise

Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Coconut and Vanilla
Apparently labeled as 13.7% ABV not 15.9 as discussed uphread.

Anyone have any idea why Prairie Artisan has a catfish bottlecap on all their beer?

No head, no visible carbonation.

Nose is bourbon and vanilla.

Not surprisingly, a bit sweet above all the booze.
Loads of vanilla and coconut, followed by coffee and chocolate, and a bourbon soaked oak finish.

A twelve ounce bottle may not nearly be enough to fully appreciate how good this beer truly is. Alas, I only bought one.

Would highly encourage seeking this one out.

Cheers! 🍻

[devildeac]

They had the coffee one too. There’s one more day for Xmas shopping, maybe my kids will be as generous as yours

Mama trained them well.

[devildeac]

I forgot to mention this was at Target.

Grocery store Belgian beer !

[fuse]

Christmas Bomb!-Prairie Artisan Ales

Not local.

Credit-devildeac2; thanks!!
Style-flavored imperial stout
Format-12 ounce bottle ($10, I think); divided among three tasters; I was allotted two ounces
Appearance-dark, dark brown; thin, tan head
Nose-lots of spices, mostly cinnamon
Mouthfeel-smoooooooth
Tastes-cinnamon, dark chocolate fudge; dark caramel; slight ginger zing
Adjuncts-cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
IBU-65
ABV-13% (good reason I was only *allowed* two ounces)
Overall impression-such a well done ale
Ymm, Beer rating-another cat 3; very, very happy to have tasted this

Oooh, spicy (heat) cinnamon nose!

The lead note on the tongue is ginger, quite heavy handed; the finish is a thick coating of cinnamon.

Prairie Artisan may have a contender in the ring to go toe to toe with Hardywood GBS.

It’s missing the “magic” that Hardywood captures gloriously. Beyond that, it really is an amazing seasonal beer.

I don’t have a Hardywood to do a side by side. It would be an intriguing comparison.

Another beer that is thick, rich and viscous. The heat the ginger and cinnamon provide as a foil to the chocolate and malt notes (and amplify the alcohol burn) is really a combination that works wonderfully.

Prairie Artisan’s reputation is well deserved.
A great beer.

Cheers! 🍻

[fuse]

Ardent Honey Ginger

Whew, when your “step down” is from 13%+ to 7.8% ABV, its an adventurous evening. 😂

Smells like Schweppes Ginger Ale.

Tastes like ginger beer in a fantastic way.

What a great beer.

Cheers! 🍻

[devildeac]

From last PM:

Bourbon Barrel Dire Wolf-Wolf's Ridge Brewing

Bought local, delivered local.

Credit-devildeac2; THANKS!!
Style-BBA imperial stout
Format-bomber
Packaged on-Sep/19/2019
Stemware-snifters
Appearance-inky; modest creamy tan head
Nose-dark chocolate fudge; dark caramel; burnt grains; bourbon
Mouthfeel-20W50
Tastes-liquid, dark chocolate fudge, espresso (not added), burnt caramel and grains and warming bourbon; all more pronounced once it hit about 55 degrees
Overall impression-decadent; the base beer is excellent and this version is superb
Ymm, Beer rating-easily cat 3; one of the better BBA imperial stouts I've had

[fuse]

Ardent Honey Ginger

Whew, when your “step down” is from 13%+ to 7.8% ABV, its an adventurous evening. 😂

Smells like Schweppes Ginger Ale.

Tastes like ginger beer in a fantastic way.

What a great beer.

Cheers! 🍻

Ruminating on whether or not I enjoyed this more than the BBA version. No side by side tonight.

[accfanfrom1970]

Origin of Darkness. BBA imperial stout brewed with chocolate & pistachio cannoli. Collective Arts out of Canada. Son loves cannolis so we picked this up. One of four collaborative beers they brewed in 2019, this one with a brewery from Italy.

This is a pure dessert beer. Pours jet black no foam. Bourbon and chocolate on the nose. Taste the chocolate up front with the bourbon. A bit of vanilla and a nuttiness I couldn’t discern as pistachio, but nutty. Delicious, and the vanilla and nuttiness make you think cannoli.

8.4% so not as boozy as some, so very drinkable. This is one beer I might have with vanilla ice cream. But it’s not too sweet. Rich, smooth mouth feel. Cat. 3 but you have to be in the mood for dessert. Small 500ml perfect for splitting.

[devildeac]

Ruminating on whether or not I enjoyed this more than the BBA version. No side by side tonight.

Quite the words of praise. I liked the BBA version better but was highly impressed when I finally got to taste the original this fall.

[devildeac]

From last PM:

Bourbon County Brand Mon Cheri Stout-Goose Island Beer Company

Ain't local

Credit-devildeac2; thank you falls far short of the level of appreciation for sharing this
Style-BBA flavored imperial stout
Format-500 ml bottle
Drink by-26AUG24
Appearance-dark, dark mahogany with ruby edges; small tan head
Nose-dark chocolate fudge, sweet cherries, bourbon
Mouthfeel-beyond smooth
Tastes-dark chocolate fudge, kirschwasser, Amaretto, lots of bourbon; hints of molasses and dark caramel
Adjuncts-cherries, granola, oats, brown sugar and "100% natural flavors"
IBU-maybe 50
ABV-14.1% and really, really dangerous
Overall impression-world class; worth the splurge at $25
Ymm, Beer rating-top, front and center cat 3; a stunning concoction

[devildeac]

Blink-New Anthem Beer Project

Nearby

Credit-beer #4 in my December beer club 4 pack
Style-pale ale (read on)
Format-half quart can
Freshness-????
Appearance-looks like a hazy IPA or NEIPA
Nose-smells like a hazy IPA or NEIPA
Mouthfeel-citrusy
Tastes-light pineapple/grapefruit juicy; some guava, mango pith and rind
Grains-pale malt; oats; rye
Hops-DDH Mosaic
IBU-40something
ABV-5.7%; drinks like a 7%+ brew
Overall impression-impressive pale ale that drinks like a session NEIPA
Ymm, Beer rating-midrange cat 2; quality stuff from New Anthem

[devildeac]

Boy, you’d better like rye (and I mean *really* like rye) to dig this beer. I do, but even for me it was borderline overpowering in the flavor profile of this one. It get to almost a black strap molasses flavor. A very good beer, but I can see it being jarring to some. Come prepared. Solid Cat 2.

Dark Rye - Ardent - 9.8% - 45 IBU

I must really like Rye. I loved this beer, and I don't think mine needed any more aging (though I admit I don't appreciate at all what that would do.). But this is probably my favorite beer tried so far from Ardent.

There is a lot going on with the flavor. But I think it's quite well-balanced.

It's a black pour with almost no-head. I probably drink these beers too cold right out of my fridge to smell as much as I should. I do smell dark chocolate, and it's good.

The taste is outstanding. I think I just got a different bottle contents than Tripping William. The Rye was not overpowering at all in mine. It was good! I taste light roasted malts, delicious dark chocolate, raisins, figs, and delicious Rye coming through with a bitter, but outstanding finish. This beer went down fast and was easy to drink.

Outstanding imperial stout. High Category 2 for me. I'd love to hear what others think. I have had lots of Rye's in traditional Manhattans, and for me Rye can often be pretty harsh. This beer wasn't harsh at all for me. I think you'll love it if your bottle tastes like mine. Thanks Devildeac!

Dark Rye-Ardent Craft Ales

It appears I got a bottle blended from the two reviewed above . Burnt rye toast was the first impression, then chocolate followed by some molasses, dark fruits and hints of coffee as the beer warmed over about 45 minutes of sipping. IBUs were 60 and the ABV was 9.8%. The BBA version I had last year (or was it 2017 ) was easier/smoother on the palate than this version, not surprisingly. This falls in the middle of the cat 2 range for me.

[Tripping William]

Smuttynose 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Collab DIPA

This looked interesting in the “Hoppy” section at Barrel Chest on Saturday, so I grabbed a can & had it last night. Looks like part of a collaboration with a bunch of breweries. Bright gold pour. Slightly hazy, but only slightly. A down-the-middle balance of some citrus and some pine/resin. About 8% ABV. Guessing IBU’s in the mid-60’s. A good beer, easily mid Cat2, but not a standout in a crowded field.

[accfanfrom1970]

Dark Rye
. The BBA version I had last year (or was it 2017 ) was easier/smoother on the palate than this version, not surprisingly. This falls in the middle of the cat 2 range for me.

It was 2017, but I think you reviewed it 2018. They no longer do the “black paper series” it was a part of.

[devildeac]

It was 2017, but I think you reviewed it 2018. They no longer do the “black paper series” it was a part of.

Thanks for clarifying! I often let a beer like that "cellar" for 6-12 months or more.