Highlands Starchaser White
A new to me Highlands beer.
Good fluffy white head, thick and persistent.
Smells like wheat and some faint citrus.
I am sure the Highlands folks might not take kindly to the comparison, evokes memories of Blue Moon.
Light, easy drinking. 🍻
Reporting this AM (and last PM) from the land of the missing "D" and "E," in Lexington, KY:
Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale-Alltech's Lexington Brewing Company
Ok, I had my reservations about this one given the name, style and not much familiarity with the brewer but it ended up surprisingly good.
First, it was free () as our BIL had selected this to serve with dinner last PM.
Two, it accompanied dinner, also free .
Three, I was thirsty and quite po'ed after a 10.75 hour car trip that should have only been 8.5 hours .
Pour was a light amber with a modest, off-white head. Nose was mostly vanilla. I could almost, wait for it fuse, taste the cream in the ale . Seriously, vanilla was rather prominent again along with some medium Karo syrup, lightly toasted wheat bread and hints of oak and yes, it's from Lexington so it was bourbon barrel aged, but not nearly long enough at only 6 weeks. IBUs were 18, about what I'd expect for a cream ale. ABV was 5.5%, a pleasant pairing with what I called "an American variant" of a Shepherd's Pie, with meat loaf, cubed/roasted potatoes, corn, peas and carrots, covered with melted, white cheddar cheese.
I was in a much more mellow mood after dinner.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
I remember that now and I was the happy recipient of one or two of those . One was their original bourbon barrel ale and I *think* the other was the Old Fashioned because I think we both posted side-by-sides with the InBev version of Old Fashioned. I had sipped the original one several years ago and now see the have the one I reviewed above plus a Coffee Barrel Stout and a Coffee Barrel Cream Ale. They no longer list the barleywine and I see no other variants listed here:
https://www.lexingtonbrewingco.com/
I did not look at beeradvocate.
You're right that you can find them almost everywhere now.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
Fullsteam was jamming this afternoon, hosting an event for the bees.
Secured 2 cans of Beer on Points as a bonus.
Fullsteam Warmest Color Purple IPA
Has to be seen to be believed (and I picked up a 4 pack).
Looks like Nehi Grape in the taster glass - a pure, glorious purple.
Looks can be deceiving.
This purple kool aid concoction tastes like a great modern IPA.
It is not hazy in the least, yet evokes the best of the fruit hoppy IPAs.
All five beers sampled in the flight were top notch.
This was easily in the top three.
Fullsteam Wine Barrel Aged Ava
Listed as a barrel aged sour saison, at 7.4% this was a subtley big beer.
Had I Uber’d/Lyft’d, might have had a pint of this.
Sour vinegar and wood nose complemented by a matching taste.
Fullsteam Steak Knives
Probably a bit awkward to admit how much I have wanted to try Coffee is for Closers big brother.
So, so amazing and at 12.2%, a flight sized sample was enough.
Rich, thick and chocolately with a robust coffee finish.
I exercised a bit of restraint and did not bring a crowler of Steak Knives home.
This was a mistake.
Fullsteam Durhama Brut IPA
It is fantastic when you can be so spoiled to have such a grand beer and overlook it compared to the rest.
This would have been a fine beer to just sit and enjoy a pint.
Fullsteam Big Tent and Big Tent Razz
1/5 of my flight, and the pint the Love Ninja chose.
The base beer made a great palate cleanser in between the other four, and yet as a low ABV golden ale, stood apart for how crisp, clean and fresh it tasted.
Add enough raspberries to have a truly clear raspberry colored ale, and that is Big tent razz. Great fruity nose that tells you exactly what to expect, a really nice tart, sweet and crisp ale. Really enjoyable. Took home a six pack of “Razz”.
This trip to Fullsteam has me wishing I lived in one of the new apartments hardly a block away.
A great Saturday afternoon beer tasting. 🍻
Ponysaurus Scottish Ale
A style I am either not fond of, or extremely picky about.
Good malty nose.
Kind of a New Belgium Fat Tire sharpness.
Malty. Meh.
Cold and wet. If you like this style, a good example.
I’ve had much better.
Cheers! 🍻
ATTN: davec
As agreed upon, I will be singing your praises for a while on Ymm, Beer for your selections from 450 North Brewing Company. Many thanks!!
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
You're welcome! My turn:
Golden Parachute (spring, 2018?)-Taxman Brewing Company
I should have read this review before sharing with devildeac2 this evening but vaguely remembered it.
Poured quickly from a capped 750 ml bottle into a couple goblets after noting the intense foaming but still "saving" 2 good servings. It's a Brettanomyces Belgian style blonde ale (yes, I like blondes and thankfully Mrs. dd does not read DBR) so the nose is funky and wet straw and the tastes are underripe strawberries, wet blanket, barnyard after a rain, cantaloupe, apples, pears and a pinch of black pepper. IBUs are 10 and the ABV was 6.2%. Paired very well with an assortment of Indian take-out. If they had the Imperial Golden Parachute when visiting Taxman today and I had tasted this previously, I'd have bought three 500 ml bottles, dropping one off in Columbus as a trader with our son and returning the other 2 to Raleigh with one for fuse and one for personal cellaring. Very happy to have waited about a year before sharing this Brett ale.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
I hope we get a report about this from one of our Ymm, Beer denizens:
https://www.festivalcountryindiana.c...-and-taxes-day
Sadly, we left Bargersville this AM, but *not* empty-handed...
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
Cherry Picker (draft)-Taxman Brewing Company
Two ounce taster whilst trying to make to-go selections from their extensive tap list.
Pour was a gorgeous ruby brown with a small, tan head. Nose of dark cherries and dark brown sugar. Tastes were a blend of dark, dried fruit juices, fresh Bing cherries and some dark, rummy sweetness. It's a Belgian style dubbel, one of my favorites, and exceeded all expectations. I'll guess the IBUs were 20 and the ABV was 8%. This would pair well with some bread pudding or a DBR fruit pie. Sadly, they had no bottles/cans available to go .
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
Hopefully the picture does the beer justice.
1FE7C955-7BD2-4ED5-A4C2-4BBDCB071DD9.jpg
Looks like grape kool aid.
Tastes like a world class IPA.