Ymm, Beer

[duketaylor]

fuse, have you tried Redd's apple ale? I wonder how you'd compare that to Zombie Killer as your despcription of ZK is similar to my thought on Redd's sans the cherry.

[fuse]

fuse, have you tried Redd's apple ale? I wonder how you'd compare that to Zombie Killer as your despcription of ZK is similar to my thought on Redd's sans the cherry.

I've not yet tried Redd's.

Their marketing seems to be targeting the former Zima / Mike's hard lemonade crowd.

I did not realize it was a MillerCoors product until I googled it.

From what I have read, people seem to think it drinks like a mislabeled cider. I like cider, so that may not be a bad thing.

If it is an ale and not just another alcopop, is there any "beer" to Redd's? I'd try it but if you can tell me if it has any hop or malt to it that will help set my expectations.

[duketaylor]

I'll check tonight while consuming after work-about 45 minutes from now

[fuse]

A collaboration with New Belgium and Red Rock, the unusual tastings continue.

Paardebloem is an ale brewed with peach juice, grains of paradise and dandelion greens blended with wood aged beer.

Quite a mouthful of a description, I hope the flavour lives up to the label.

No real head to speak of, and a murky (chill haze?) golden pour.

Nose is sweet and woody, perhaps a bit of barnyard funk or earthiness.

A really sour bitterness up front, with a mild bitter effervescence in the middle and a mildly sweet oaky, boozy finish. There is maybe some smoothness of peach interwoven in the layers of flavour but it is subtle.

I'm not getting any strong fruit flavour or the spicy notes that grains of paradise tend to impart in hefes or summer ales. I don't know how dandelion greens should influence a beer's taste. I'd guess a grassiness or some bitterness.

The bottle says all the bitterness is from the dandelion greens and grains of paradise. Learned something new.

Not my favorite NB LoF beer, but a fun summer beer, and an interesting mix of flavours.
Worth trying and I would drink again, but I am glad I only bought one bottle.

[devildeac]

Summer Love-Victory Brewing

Characterized as a golden ale, it is not in the Belgian style of golden ale, just golden (yellow) in color. Modest, fluffy head, mild nose of grapefruit from the Simcoe hops, a bit of pine from the Citra variety and some floral scents from the German Tettnang hops. Light, caramel notes form the pale malts. No IBU listed but I'd guess 30 and the ABV is 5.2% so a nice summer porch sipping ale. A gift from my younger son-in-law along with the Hicu reviewed upthread. He redeemed himself with this selection so he remains in the family.

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[devildeac]

Chicory Stout-Dogfish Head

A gift/trader kindly provided by fuse a few weeks back. I intended to save this until the fall/winter but I split a bottle with a brother-in-law last PM who arrived for a visit and wanted some of my specialty beers. After all, what are family members for-to drink your alcohol and eat your food. I haven't had one of these in a decade or so and, even on a warm summer night, found it pleasant and distinctive. I'll allow the DFH PR department inform you what's in this one along with a bit of history:

"Chicory was one of the first beers we started brewing at our pub back when it opened in 1995. It's a dark beer made with a bunch of roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St. John's Wort and licorice root. We use whole-leaf Cascade and Fuggle hops, as well as pale, roasted and oatmeal grains."

Poured a near black with a tan head, the aromas were darkly roasted coffee and herbs and the tastes were the same with a modest amount of bitterness, mainly from the chicory I guess and not the hops, as the IBUs were only 21. ABV weighed in at 5.2% so this would be tasty with a splash of cream (kidding) and a cinnamon pastry or pound cake. Maybe even for/with breakfast.

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[devildeac]

I will make a trip over there in next few days and give a review. The Bourbon CRU beer is outta sight. Preparing to make a Belgian golden ale this week or at least soon. Will find a way to get it to Cary or have devildeac meet me at the lake Going trout fishing later this morning, then visiting Devil's Backbone, Wild Wolf and Blue Mountain Brewery on the way home. I get to drive so my Engineer friend will consume more samples. Lucky for him. My hops plant is now pushing 20 feet high and has formed cones (hops) so we'll harvest in about 6 weeks. I'll take some pics and try to learn how to post them in the next week. Finishing one of Ozzie's favorites right now before turning in. (On a non-off-topic note, could be some serious recruiting info in the next few days with Peach Jam going on and Rasheed just played with Okafor and Winslow. I'll leave it there fornow. Fingers crossed.) One more beer time

Will begin sampling/sharing your home brews this weekend.

[fuse]

In vino veritas...er, um, wait- that's not right.
In zytha veritas doesn't ring true, though (pardon the pun).

Carpe diem? Maybe closer.
I already put a separate thread honoring my Latin teacher, but its not nearly enough.

I tried to think of a special beer with which I could commemorate my mentor.

I came across an Allagash FV13. It'll do.

Pours a deep reddish gold, almost brown - lots of sediment in the bottom of the small corked and caged bottle.

Smells cherry, sour, and a mild hint of Brett.

Ooh, it is sour, and woody.

An initial face puckering tartness blends into bitterness that slowly fades into a oaky finish.

New Belgium Le Terroir or La Folie (favorites of mine) are the closest analogs.

Allagash's website says this is a foudre beer, fermented with wild yeast and bacteria.

I guess there is a certain wry symbolism (purely unintentional) in choosing a sour beer with which to mourn.

I expected to like this beer when I bought it earlier this year. I'd been saving it for a special occasion, and the beer matches the man - unique. I only had the one bottle, and it is my honor to raise my glass in the memory of Dr. Tom Heslin.

[devildeac]

Saw a 6er of Dale's Pale Ale in cans at Harris Teeter yesterday with Brevard, North Carolina stamped on the bottom. Next up: Sierra Nevada sometime this year, IIRC.

[fuse]

Sneaky Pete-Laughing Dog Brewing

Sneaky is a pretty good moniker for this brew as it is deceptively strong at 10% ABV which balances well with the very high IBU of 89, both fairly typical for the imperial IPA style. Five hop varieties are used with about 30% of the Simcoe type which explains the grapefruit nose and tastes. Three grains are part of the brewing with the somewhat surprising addition of a rye malt but with no musty tastes or aromas. It is finished with wild clover honey which also lends to the sweetness of the grain load and high ABV. Poured a yellow-orange with a small head. I have enjoyed most, if not all of the brews I've sampled from this Idaho brewery, including Dogfather and the bourbon barrel Dogfather.

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My turn :-)

Poured an amber with thick, rich head.
Nose is grapefruit and mown grass.

Shame I did not have an audience to share this with, as a side by side with Hopslam might prove interesting.
Don't get me wrong- this is not quite in the same league, but they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
However, where Hopslam is easy drinking and hides the alcohol with a honey sweetness, Sneaky Pete has a rye finish that isn't harsh enough to shock, but enough to get your attention.

Sneaky Pete's honey seems to sweeten the mid-palate, with the bitter hop and rye ending.
Starts smooth but the rye does linger- rye is not my favorite grain. Lagunitas "Opposite of Blows" is one of the few beers with rye that is high on my list.

Received this from devildeac. Probably would never have tried it otherwise. Really enjoyable, and I would drink it again and recommend that others try it. Good stuff!

[August West]

fuse, have you tried Redd's apple ale? I wonder how you'd compare that to Zombie Killer as your despcription of ZK is similar to my thought on Redd's sans the cherry.

I had one at an afters hours office meeting a month or so ago. It was nasty. AW.

PS. I'm looking forward to sampling some of your brews when they become available. Maybe at a tailgate in football season. Take care. AW.

[OldPhiKap]

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Terrapin Rye Pale Ale

Probably te best brewer in Georgia (Athens), and this is another winner. Not quite as round as a typical IPA (my usual fall-back), more top of mouth. Dry. Great with ribs, and listening to albums with "Terrapin" in the title. Would also go well with watching UMd lose.

Lighter than the typical IPA, good summer beer.

[OldPhiKap]

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Neil Young and Willie Nelson.

Anything that doesn't pair with this ain't worth sampling.

[devildeac]

Duketaylor's Amber-Duketaylor home brewing

The last of the samples Chuck was kind enough to send about 3 months ago. I'd guess this would be about the expected shelf/cellar/'fridge life for this brew. I still found it very solid with no spoilage or bad tastes/aromas. Poured a clear/clean amber with a two-fingered head accompanied by toasted bread aromas and tastes. Hints of piney hops and lots of malty/caramel-y on the palate. Very nice beer on a warm summer eve last PM. Looking forward to sampling the latest 6er tonight that he sent a couple weeks ago.

[devildeac]

I'll do a Belgian style pale ale for my next batch in the next week or two. Still have some brew to get down to you guys, perhaps I can sneak down there next weekend whilst at the lake

Duketaylor's BPA-Duketaylor Brewing

I had a bit of trouble placing the homebrew I sampled last PM. Was it a pale ale due to the hints of caramel sweetness and floral tones or was it a saison with the faintest of apple and sour fruit notes? So, I gotta admit, I had to go back to what Chuck said he was brewing next and now it makes sense. Arrived in an unlabeled brown bottle with an American flag cap with a splotch of royal blue on it. Poured a very light amber with a one finger head. Scents and tastes as I have mentioned already. I'd guess the ABV about 5.5% and the IBU around 30. Would pair nicely with burgers, ribs or chicken off the grill. I've got five left and assume they are all from the same brew session so I'll save a couple for August (the month, not August West the seldom heard from DBR poster) and September and make sure fuse gets a couple when we trade again and the final one for my son. Don't get to see Ozzie and/or CB&B much anymore without FB and BB season so no trading there.

[fuse]

Ok, a pale (ba da bum ching!) reference to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure to start.

I've been anticipating Dogfish Head 61 since it was announced.
It took my trip up to Maryland to get some since it sold out in NC so fast.

The neat story is apparently Sam Caligione would meet with close friends and mix some DFH 60 minute and Pinot Noir as a toast.
The beer that evolved into 61 was made as a blend of DFH 60 minute and Syrah, as Pinot and other red grapes were too tannic.

Pours like a cherry ale or lambic, a neat amber tone flush with a ruby redness and a white head.

The nose is hard to grasp if you are expecting a fruit beer. There is a definite grapey-ness to the nose, but underlying the grape is mown grass and almost a caramel note.

Really not at all what I expected, but a hit nonetheless.
Smooth, mildly bitter, with a caramel finish.
I'm pretty sure the caramel is what the Syrah is contributing, but I expected a much more wine grapey aspect to 61.
My wife says 61 is pretty hoppy. I think the hop notes are there but relatively subdued.
This is a brilliant concoction- I struggle with a food this wouldn't pair with. It is a poor comparison but 61 is almost like a very versatile amber ale.

As more becomes available, I'll buy more. I had the opportunity to buy about 5 cases of 61 in Maryland- a tough sell for something you've never tried.
There are very few DFH beers I don't care for.
61 definitely makes the list of outstanding DFH beers.
Find it, try it, love it!

[duketaylor]

devildeac, the brews with the Am flag on them are from my brewbuddy here in Richmond. In looking at the cao I thionk one has a green ink mark and the others may have none. The one loner I believe is a cream ale. The others are the brew he did with Nelson Sauvin hops which was several pages ago on this thread when you and fuse were discussing that strain of hop. I will find the other ingredients and fill you in. DT

[devildeac]

devildeac, the brews with the Am flag on them are from my brewbuddy here in Richmond. In looking at the cao I thionk one has a green ink mark and the others may have none. The one loner I believe is a cream ale. The others are the brew he did with Nelson Sauvin hops which was several pages ago on this thread when you and fuse were discussing that strain of hop. I will find the other ingredients and fill you in. DT

Some brews have the green/blue mark and others have none. I have not checked them all yet. I knew there was something different about the one I reviewed yesterday as I thought it a cross between a Belgian pale ale and a saison. The Nelson Sauvin hops explain that. I'll look at them all tomorrow or this weekend and pay closer attention to my next sampling. Thanks again for sharing.

[fuse]

What in the h@&$ is a Pluot?

Apparently a Pluot is a cross between a plum and an apricot- who knew?
New Belgium did, and Pluot is, naturally, an ale brewed with pluots.

At 10%, I am expecting this to be a shocker.

Poured pretty flat, no head, looks very still and an orange gold colour.
Nose is sweet alcohol.

Sweet up front, mild bitterness followed by more sweet, and a dry subtle wood finish. Interesting because there is no note about wood aging on the bottle.

A good dessert? Maybe. Might be offset some by a nice cigar.
It would be tough to finish a full bottle, so if you buy one, open it with a friend.

If you like sweet, fruity beers, this may be worth a try. Pluot is not a bad beer, but it occupies a pretty narrow niche. I don't have any more, but an interesting comparison might have been Mother Earth Windowpane Peaches.

Cheers!

[duketaylor]

devildeac, blue mark on the cap was an English pub ale and green is a West Coast APA.