Ymm, Beer

[duketaylor]

or something like that.

http://vsga.org/news/follow-vsga-sen...-qualifying-2/

After very limited golf this year I got hot at a good time; was 5-under thru 13, then woke up. Scroll down a bit.

Brief break coming up for my brewery ambitions-gotta enjoy life on the non-work side sometime.

[fuse]

or something like that.

http://vsga.org/news/follow-vsga-sen...-qualifying-2/

After very limited golf this year I got hot at a good time; was 5-under thru 13, then woke up. Scroll down a bit.

Brief break coming up for my brewery ambitions-gotta enjoy life on the non-work side sometime.

Congratulations- I've never shot a 72 unless you look at my score through the front nine. My game is the highest score/most swings for the dollar kind. Like to play, not enough time to practice.

[devildeac]

Nemesis 2009 edition-Founders Brewing

Highly enjoyable barleywine style ale enjoyed after a 13.5 hour trip from Raleigh to Hartford on Friday. Shoulda been about 12.5 hours but we turned lunch into dinner and had some construction delays in central/eastern Pennsylvania.

This was a maple bourbon barrel aged brew that poured a dark brown with a small head and had rich scents of syrup, dark fruits and tobacco. Tastes were maple, whiskey, dark fruits and dark brown sugar. No stats on the bottle neck label as Founders products usually have but I'd guess 80-90 IBUs that are very well hidden/balanced with an estimated 12% ABV that was rather cloying. There was a bit of sediment at the end of the pour but not chunky or alarming. Worth a 4 pack if you can find it with one for now, one to share and two for aging. Sadly, this is the last of any Nemesis that I have stored.

[August West]

Nemesis 2009 edition-Founders Brewing

Highly enjoyable barleywine style ale enjoyed after a 13.5 hour trip from Raleigh to Hartford on Friday. Shoulda been about 12.5 hours but we turned lunch into dinner and had some construction delays in central/eastern Pennsylvania.

This was a maple bourbon barrel aged brew that poured a dark brown with a small head and had rich scents of syrup, dark fruits and tobacco. Tastes were maple, whiskey, dark fruits and dark brown sugar. No stats on the bottle neck label as Founders products usually have but I'd guess 80-90 IBUs that are very well hidden/balanced with an estimated 12% ABV that was rather cloying. There was a bit of sediment at the end of the pour but not chunky or alarming. Worth a 4 pack if you can find it with one for now, one to share and two for aging. Sadly, this is the last of any Nemesis that I have stored.

Hey DD, since you're in the land of high ABV's, if you run across a DFH 120 I'll pay/trade you at the first tailgate. I picked 3 bombers from Southern Tier at the HV bottle shop summer sale yesterday. They should be yummy. AW.

[duketaylor]

I'll keep my eyes open for DFH 120 as well.

[OldPhiKap]

I'll keep my eyes open for DFH 120 as well.

For me, 60 > 90 > 120.

[devildeac]

Hey DD, since you're in the land of high ABV's, if you run across a DFH 120 I'll pay/trade you at the first tailgate. I picked 3 bombers from Southern Tier at the HV bottle shop summer sale yesterday. They should be yummy. AW.

I've got 3 aging in the "cellar" from 2007, 2008 and 2009. We can discuss on August (West) 30 over a few other brews that afternoon/evening. I seriously doubt you will ever find one for sale in NC as that brew is typically 18-20% ABV and NC law prohibits the sale of beer >15% in the state, though I have seen Samael, The Beast or Mephistopheles at TW a couple years ago and they usually are about 16% ABV.

[devildeac]

For me, 60 > 90 > 120.

What is that, unc math?

[devildeac]

Beer-cation time. Finally arrived in Freeport, Maine after a wonderful day and a half in Boston for some extended walking, attending a wedding of a onderful friend of the family for almost 28 years and visiting an old Duke friend. Celebrated the nuptials with a Maker's Mark and a couple glasses of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011. The beer selection sucked.

Five beer sampler from the Maine Beer Company. First up:

Zoe, their hoppy amber ale. Served in a mini-goblet with a small, tan head, it was a medium amber color with a nose of resin and pine and tastes of the same with a bit of caramel flavor to help, but not completely balance the hop bitterness. No IBU rating to be found anywhere and the beertender said they don't discuss/publish/measure that. I'd guess 60-70 as this was rather pungent for an amber. The ABV was 7.2% so not a lightweight for the style and you could probably call it an imperial amber.

[devildeac]

Red Wheelbarrow, their hoppy red ale. You should be getting a hint here of their beer theme. This was a reddish-brown color with a creamy, tan head. More pine and resin than the amber with probably even less maltiness but with a hint of red velvet cake on the palate. Once again, no IBU #s available but I'd guess 60-70 with the ABV at 7%. You could call this an imperial red ale. This ain't your decade ago Killians.

[devildeac]

Mean Old Tom, a standard grade stout aged with vanilla beans. Guess what? This was pretty hoppy, too, once again with the IBUs estimated at 60-70, rather high for a stout but this was nicely balanced with French vanilla and coffee flavors and aromas. ABV was 6.5%. A nice beer to have with/for dessert or to make a beer float with some vanilla, coffee or butter pecan ice cream.

[devildeac]

Another One, their good IPA. Pour was a pale yellow with a melange of citrus aromas and tastes along with a bit of pine and resin. Fairly good balance with some light caramel flavors up front but with the moderate bitter hop finish. I'll wildly estimate the IBUs at 60-70 and the ABV was 7%.

[devildeac]

Lunch, their world class IPA. Poured a golden-yellow with grapefruit, citrus zest and other tropical fruits up front like mango and papaya for olfactory and gustatory stimulants. This was exceptionally well-balanced with the IBU from Simcoe, Warrior and Centennial hops in the same range as the others with ABV also at 7%, This prompted the purchase of four 500 ml bottles for the journey back to NC next weekend.

[fuse]

For me, 60 > 90 > 120.

I like both 60 and 90. The few occasions I've had 120 my impression was hoppy gasoline- not pleasant.
Great thing about beer, to each their own! :-)

[duketaylor]

"Great thing about beer, to each their own! :-)"

Thank goodness for that!! There are so many variations/styles plus maturation processes it's just mind-boggling.

Went to Mekong today: http://mekongisforbeerlovers.com/

Had a Hardywood pale ale today, can't find the exact name of it on their website, it was about 40 IBU (a bit hoppy for me, certainly not for them) with ABV of just 3.7% (I was driving) and it was quite good, had good mouthfeel and finish. I'm not too good at describing nasal notes (bad sinuses), but was rather malty and full-bodied for a low ABV beer. I'd have more in the future. May bring some down for football in the coming weeks.

They (Mekong) should have their own brewery operational by mid-Fall. It's called "The Answer," which is An Bui's saying ,"Beer is the Answer." Smart man

I did try a mead two weeks back and my notes are in the car, so will review later.

[duketaylor]

Regarding DFH, which of their beers are available in the Raleigh area, or points south, for that matter? I know we get 60 and 90 and maybe even 120. I'll check.

Did a quick check on DFH's site and I can get all 3 easily it appears, so someone down there wants me to I can load up.

[devildeac]

Regarding DFH, which of their beers are available in the Raleigh area, or points south, for that matter? I know we get 60 and 90 and maybe even 120. I'll check.

Did a quick check on DFH's site and I can get all 3 easily it appears, so someone down there wants me to I can load up.

You probably want to PM August West, an occasional poster here and a dedicated attendee at our tent for the last several years. He made a request for the DFH 120 and I replied that it was highly unlikely to be available in NC due to very high ABV, generally 18-20%. The 60 and 90 are almost always available here.

[devildeac]

Blue Paw Wild Blueberry Ale (draft)-Sea Dog Brewing

This was served in a pint glass and was a clear, light gold color with no head and a faint citrus nose which was rapidly overcome with blueberry. There was a hint of orange flavor which was again dominated by the blueberry. No discernible bitterness as it's a wheat ale so I'd guess IBUs about 10. Modest ABV at 4.6%, also about expected from a wheat ale. This made a nice pairing with my lobster roll and a taste or two that I stole of my wife's planked salmon as we dined last PM at the Sea Dog brewpub on their deck overlooking the Penobscot River in downtown Bangor.

This ale was not great, but, as I think fuse mentioned once in a review, sometimes it's not just the beer that you are tasting/sampling. Sometimes, it's the setting. So, in this case, it our first visit to the gorgeous state of Maine, with my bride of 36+ years on the first real week-long vacation I've taken in about 18 months, this was a wonderful evening beverage to enjoy in a great environment.

[fuse]

Regarding DFH, which of their beers are available in the Raleigh area, or points south, for that matter? I know we get 60 and 90 and maybe even 120. I'll check.

Did a quick check on DFH's site and I can get all 3 easily it appears, so someone down there wants me to I can load up.

No 120 in NC due to ABV limit. There may be one or two others, but vast majority of DFH available in NC.

[devildeac]

No 120 in NC due to ABV limit. There may be one or two others, but vast majority of DFH available in NC.

Worldwide Stout is also likely not available in NC due to ABV typically in the 18-20% range. If they still brew it, that is.

Not much of a celebratory post for #6000 here, but, hey, someone had to grab that #.