Ymm, Beer

[theAlaskanBear]

Bottled tonight, I could definitely smell the bourbon as we were going through the bottling process, but could not detect any overpowering flavors when I tasted it, which is good. Came in around 6%ABV. Looking forward to tasting a full bottle in a few days; it's fun to see how the quality and characteristics alter, even in just a matter of days. I'll make sure I keep a few for March, too.
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How long have you been homebrewing? My pops has been doing it for a year or two, and makes a surprisingly tasty IPA, a nice smooth stout, and a way too cloying and sweet scottish ale. I think next batch I will try to help him out.

[CameronBornAndBred]

How long have you been homebrewing? My pops has been doing it for a year or two, and makes a surprisingly tasty IPA, a nice smooth stout, and a way too cloying and sweet scottish ale. I think next batch I will try to help him out.

I've been brewing pretty steadily for about 5 years. I'm lucky in that there are two supply shops close to me, so I can get grains and additives without needing anything shipped. My girlfriend, who doesn't like beer, helped me on this last batch. Not only did she have fun, she was able to ensure that I didn't make a gigantic mess in her house. She helped me clean all the equipment before bottling, and then capped all the bottles. If she wasn't capping, she was manning the stove or chasing after me with towels.

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[devildeac]

bluebeer wrote:Ommegang Adoration--One of two new offerings from Ommegang this fall (the other being a Tripel)..This one is a strong dark ale/winter warmer. Corked 750ml bottle. Pours a deep amber brown with a medium head. Taste is all malt. Lots of sweet carmel malts and candied fruit. A fairly substantial bready yeast taste..lots of spice. Some boozy alcohol taste but not overpowering given the 10% ABV. This is like drinking christmas dessert... A bit of a departure from the rest of the Ommegang lineup which seem to stick to more traditional belgian styles..but a nice ale that I would surely enjoy even more in December.


Adoration-Ommegang

After going back in this thread and seeing this ale at Bottle Revolution for $8 for the caged and corked 750 ml bottle, I simply could not resist. This is pretty traditional for a Belgian winter ale, considering it's from upstate New York. Spiced with above additives except for sweet orange peel (?) which replaces the cumin, this is quite the winter warmer. It's a dubble or Belgian brown ale which has been tweaked to an ABV of 10% (most dubbles are ~8%) and borders on being luscious with a creamy tan head and additional tastes of dark, dried fruits, typical of the style. Mild hop bitterness, probably not any more than an IBU of 20-30. Excellent by itself for dessert or with a thick slice of nutty, rummy high quality fruit cake. I have another one and we shall share it some time late next year.

[cato]

Adoration-Ommegang

After going back in this thread and seeing this ale at Bottle Revolution for $8 for the caged and corked 750 ml bottle, I simply could not resist. This is pretty traditional for a Belgian winter ale, considering it's from upstate New York. Spiced with above additives except for sweet orange peel (?) which replaces the cumin, this is quite the winter warmer. It's a dubble or Belgian brown ale which has been tweaked to an ABV of 10% (most dubbles are ~8%) and borders on being luscious with a creamy tan head and additional tastes of dark, dried fruits, typical of the style. Mild hop bitterness, probably not any more than an IBU of 20-30. Excellent by itself for dessert or with a thick slice of nutty, rummy high quality fruit cake. I have another one and we shall share it some time late next year.

Random rant: what is it with brewers coming out with seasonals earlier and earlier? I went to one of my go-to beer spots two weeks before Christmas to sample some nice Christmas offerings, and all of the local beers were sold out. The beer guy told me that they had sold out by Thanksgiving, when I was still wearing shorts and t-shirts and not even thinking about cold weather beers.

I suppose I'll have to think ahead next year and stock up long before the season, and then just store the beer until Christmas. (Although that poses another problem: if the beer has already been refrigerated, where can I find the space to keep it cold for a couple of months?)

[/rant]

ETA: all was not lost. They still had plenty of the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale.

[devildeac]

Random rant: what is it with brewers coming out with seasonals earlier and earlier? I went to one of my go-to beer spots two weeks before Christmas to sample some nice Christmas offerings, and all of the local beers were sold out. The beer guy told me that they had sold out by Thanksgiving, when I was still wearing shorts and t-shirts and not even thinking about cold weather beers.

I suppose I'll have to think ahead next year and stock up long before the season, and then just store the beer until Christmas. (Although that poses another problem: if the beer has already been refrigerated, where can I find the space to keep it cold for a couple of months?)

[/rant]

ETA: all was not lost. They still had plenty of the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale.

That is a bit irritating with the fall release of winter brews. Can't help with the storage issues but I have had some brews for 2-3 years or more in our garage which is a bit hot in the summer and have had next to no spoilage issues. We also have a 2nd 'fridge which I use to keep certain selections chilled. Most important thing is to keep brews away from the light (and no budlite references, please ;-(( )

[devildeac]

Winter Welcome Ale-Sam Smith

Fat Tire from Tadcaster, England. I am not sure I have ever tasted this before, and, if I have, it has been many years. Three of us shared the 12 ounce bottle one night this week and all of us found ourselves a bit disappointed. It is an amber ale with a toasted bread nose and buttery croissant taste which pours with a small head and also has tastes of light caramel and subtle floral notes. I'd guess the IBU low, around 30, and the ABV is on the bottle as 6% so we were able to divide another winter warmer the same evening. Not a bad beer but we have generally greatly enjoyed most of the other Sam Smith brewings more than this one. This would be fine with lighter grilled fare and sandwiches but might be overpowered by rich winter soups and stews.



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[devildeac]

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Winter Ale-Weyerbacher Brewing

This reminds me of several of the West Coast winter warmers I have sipped while visiting family out there over the last couple decades. I am referring to Ebenezer Ale by Bridgeport and Wassail Ale by Full Sail in particular. Jubelale by Deschutes is another excellent winter offering. All these are brewed with no special additives and derive their aromas and tastes form the unique and complex combinations of hops and malted barley they use and various degrees of roasting their grains. This pours a medium to dark brown with a light tan head and has hints of dark chocolate from malts of the same variety. It also has a crisp nuttiness to its flavor and I think this is generally from some English malts that are often used by U.S. brewers in their winter creations. IBU probably 30-40 and ABV is 5.6% so it was a nice second sampling after the Sam Smith's we had just prior. This would be fine by itself as we tasted it but would pair well with hearty winter soups, stews or stronger grilled fare.

[devildeac]

devildeac wrote:

CameronBornAndBred wrote:Most horrible review of the best beer ever...
"Damn this is good"
Samael from Avery. That's all I got for a review. "Damn this is good". I've saved this for a loooong time, too. I drank it out of need, not celebration. I brewed tonight, OG is 1.090. In brewers terms, this beer will be a monster. I needed a yeast that could hang with that, and Samael is bottle conditioned, so I poured the dregs in. I'll find out in a few days if I'm lucky enough to have gotten a winner from the yeast, but from the bottle I know I did. High octane, high pepper notes, suprisingly low sweetness. It's an ale with a LOT of spice. Flavors only though, the yeast is the source of the spicyness..I'm pretty sure none are added. TW marks it on their shelf at 14.5%, the bottle says 16%. Either way...it kicks yer I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.. Just like Duke! "Damn this is good!"


I found 4 of these at TW about a month ago. I'll have 1 each year for the next 4 years.


Samael's Oak-aged Ale (batch 5, April, 2009)-Avery Brewing

Ahh, where to begin with this fabulous brew. Not sure it "fits" into the English strong ale category as Avery describes it but I'd have difficulty with characterizing it as any other type brew either. Guess it has features that make it resemble an IIPA, barleywine, Belgian triple and strong ale. And a sherry. Pours a slightly cloudy golden-orange hue with little head. Most ales this strong have next to no carbonation due to the high ABV, in this case not the 14.5% as they list on their site but an astounding 16.45% so it is pretty boozey but not fiery. The IBU are 41 so it is not a hop bomb but has some citrus notes of grapefruit and orange. Significant amount of malty sweetness (with Turbinado sugar added in the brewing process) in the form of light caramel and tofffee but not overly cloying. I split a 12 ounce bottle ($8 or 9) with my son one night this week to celebrate the Christmas season and all the children being around for several days with their new spouses, and his fiancee. Served slightly chilled in wine glasses, this makes a great after dinner drink or nightcap. I have 2 of these left, enjoying 1 last year to celebrate the 2010 NC (but I can't find my review anywhere. Unless I traded one with CB&B.) and plan on keeping the other 2 for additional celebrations in the near or even distant future .



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[devildeac]

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Festive Ale-Dundee Brewing

New brew and brewery to me. This is another in a long line of spiced Christmas/seasonal ales populating shelves in your local specialty shops and grocery stores over the holiday. Today's entrant has nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and orange peel and I'm not sure I could have named all of them after sipping this brew this week, but the orange and cinnamon were leaders. Basically an amber or light brown ale, it had a modest head, minimal hop profile with an IBU of 30 and moderate ABV, discovering after the fact that the ABV is 6.2%. It would be nice to make a comparison among several of the flavored winter brews which, if any, would be a favorite. This was not but it was pleasant and worthy to be tasted and discussed.

[devildeac]

Hop Notch IPA-Uinta Brewing

This brewery's offerings are growing on me. There are not many breweries in Utah (AFAIK) and for years, this really has been the only one with which I have been acquainted and unimpressed. Since "beer laws" appear to have changed there, these folks have assembled quite an assortment of session and specialty ales and lagers. The first thought/taste/aroma here is grapefruit juice, fresh and pungent. After all, an IBU of 82 will quickly grab your palate's attention. Somewhat higher than I would have guessed but not too bitter or unpleasant as the toffee-ish, malty balance is well done. The ABV is 7.3% and the overall character of the brew would make it a fine IPA to enjoy and pair with spicy Asian dishes. Definitely worth a trader and a taste. Part of my traded 6er from the week before Christmas.


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[CameronBornAndBred]

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Festive Ale-Dundee Brewing

It would be nice to make a comparison among several of the flavored winter brews which, if any, would be a favorite. This was not but it was pleasant and worthy to be tasted and discussed.

Dundee is one of those lower tier brewers that I will never mind buying when I'm pinching pennies. The 12 pack samplers are usually 11-12 bucks, and offer a solid variety of what they offer. I don't like any one beer enough of theirs to justify buying only one kind, but if you are looking to please a crowd at once, or yourself over a few days, then the sampler is worth the purchase. Looking forward to trying this one.

[devildeac]

Immort Ale-Dogfish Head Brewing

Welcome back to my palate, old friend. I have not sipped one of these in quite a while which is rather sad as this is one of my top 10, maybe even top 5 brews of all time. Its release is limited and I never seem to find it on the shelves, either due to its quick disappearance or bad timing on my part. Best characterized as a barleywine with a bit low IBU for the style at 50 but a potent 11% ABV, this sweet, dee-luscious brew is so easy to enjoy. Dark amber in color with next to no head, its initial impressions on your senses are maple syrup (added to the brew), oak and vanilla (also added). Juniper berries are also added but not sure I could identify that flavor. I had forgotten they age it in oak barrels and that imparts the "woodiness" to the flavors. Serve slightly chilled in a snifter for a nightcap or dessert and savor its complex nature. I bought a 4 pack last week (about $16) and it ages very well so I will add the other 3 to the cellar and embrace them as the special occasions arise over the next year or three.

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Note worth reading from the brewer, too:

Pour this over pancakes. Vast in character, luscious and complex, Immort Ale was born at our brewpub in 1995 and made its way into bottles in 1997.

For this beer, we use maple syrup from Red Brook Farm -- Sam's family farm in Western Massachusetts, peat-smoked barley, juniper berries and vanilla.

Immort is fermented with a blend of English and Belgian yeasts, then aged in the big oak tanks at the brewery.

The sweet and earthy flavors meld magnificently in the Immort Ale. But be warned, the ABV is 11%, so after one or two you may start feeling immortal (even though we promise you won't be).

For more on the Immort Ale (including a bit about the artist who did our 4-pack artwork), watch Sam's Quick Sip Clip.

.

Original Release Date:
07/1997
Food Pairing Recommendations:
Spicy meatballs, meatloaf, corn, dried fruit, balsamic vinaigrette
Wine Comparable:
Red wine with dried fruit, zinfandel
ABV
11.0
IBU
50

[devildeac]

Schlafly Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (2009 edition)-Schlafly Brewing

This is a 2+ year old capped 750 ml bottle that I am enjoying solo over 2 nights and savoring every drop. AD brought a bottle (I think) on her great adventure this fall but I believe this bottle is one Lavabe bequeathed on me 2 Christmases ago during a family visit. I am sipping this slightly chilled from a wine glass as a nightcap as I post this and find it to be a rather complex brew. The aromas are dark chocolate and caramel with vanilla and oak with a hint of the bourbon. The booziness come through more during the tasting at the end, along with the aforementioned aromas also appearing on the palate. Not quite as black as most imperial stouts, this has very mild bitterness (IBU=40), a small tan head and hints of vanilla, too. I found it to be a nice match with some Moravian cranberry orange Christmas cookies but would be very satisfied to enjoy by itself for dessert, too. I'll have to rummage through the cellar later this week to see if I have one more that I can save for another occasion or perhaps next year.

Some brewer's notes and history, too:

ABV: 10.5% | IBU: 40

Appearance: Deep black
Process: Aged in Bourbon barrels for several months after primary fermentation and conditioning
Hops: Marynka (PL), Northdown (UK)
Malts: 2-row malted barley, Caravienne, roasted barley, black malt, chocolate malt, caramel malt, flaked oats, biscuit malt
Yeast: American Ale
OG: 23
SRM: 75

Our Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is complex and strong, with rich chocolate and roasty flavors. The beer is brewed to have big malt flavor and hop bitterness to balance the sweetness of the high alcohol content. After primary fermentation and conditioning, the beer is transferred to freshly-emptied bourbon barrels and aged for several months before being carbonated and bottled.

In the 18th Century, Imperial Stout was first brewed in London for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia. The beer had to have a higher alcohol content to prevent freezing during transport. The process of aging beer in liquor barrels, however, is new; there is no tradition for this process, as beer and liquor production have traditionally been kept separate. We hand-select bourbon barrels from a micro-distillery in Bardstown, KY and transport the barrels immediately to St. Louis to ensure the barrels do not dry out before being filled with Imperial Stout.

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[devildeac]

Bigfoot (2007 edition)-Sierra Nevada Brewing

Ahh, the advantages of beer aging are manifest in a smoother ale that is more drinkable after a year or more. I gotta admit, I stopped buying Bigfoot in 2011 as it was just such an overwhelming hop bomb and just tough to drink the first year and I can only store so much beer in my garage. The 5 year old product is a bit cloudy now with a 1/2 finger head and has notes of tobacco and toffee and still heavy on the piney, resinous hops. Dark, sherry-like tastes sneak through also. I don't think they have changed the recipe for many years and IIRC, the IBU are about 90 (or perhaps a bit higher) and the ABV has been 9.6% for quite a long time. Chill it slightly, pour into a snifter or pint glass and plan on sipping for an hour or so while curled up with a book by the fire. I'm waiting on my 2008 (25th anniversary for the brew) edition to chill a few more minutes and I'll enjoy that one tonight.


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[devildeac]

Bigfoot (25th Expedition: 2008)-Sierra Nevada

I think they might have changed the formulation just a bit for this brewing as it was a bit more reddish-brown in color and had a bit thicker, foamier head. Still pretty similar tastes of tobacco, toffee and piney/resinous hops, high bitterness with the same ABV of 9.6% as in many years past. Perhaps not quite as smooth as the 2007 but certainly more palatable than on its first sampling.

[devildeac]

Bigfoot-2010 edition-Sierra Nevada

Still kind of rough/bitter with not enough time to mature/age yet. It was a bit more drinkable now than when first purchased in 2010 but I'd expect a bit smoother by now after waiting 2 years. Oh well, I have 2-3 more, IIRC, that I can allow to age another year or three. This is not as clear a pour as when first bought and has a bit more foamy head but the IBU of 90+ just does not have enough malt/toffee/caramel balance, even at 9.6% ABV. I did not procure any of the 2011 variety and glad I never really searched for it as I am pretty tired of Bigfoot after about 15 years of trying to enjoy it. There are smoother, sweeter barleywine style ales that I'd rather sip than this one so I believe I'll skip the 2012 entry also. I don't believe I have ever had a draft Bigfoot so I'd be willing to taste one of those this year if we find it at Tyler's Taproom before a Duke game this season.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I don't believe I have ever had a draft Bigfoot so I'd be willing to taste one of those this year if we find it at Tyler's Taproom before a Duke game this season.

The refs thought they had their hands full with K...just wait until DD gets at 'em after a pint of a high octane barleywine.

[devildeac]

The refs thought they had their hands full with K...just wait until DD gets at 'em after a pint of a high octane barleywine.

Don't forget Ozzie, too.

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[OldPhiKap]

Alright, this was my assistant's Christmas gift to me. Let me know if I should keep her or not. One of each:

Sweetwater Festive Ale
Bison Gingerbread Ale
Sweetwater 420
Bridgeport IPA
ShinerBock
DeliriumNoel
Black Chocolate Stout
Peg Leg Imperial Stout
Stone IPA (yum)
Brother Thelonious Belgium style abbey ale
Victory Prima Pils
Stone Pale Ale


I'm more of a wine and single malt guy these days, although when i drink beer it is usually an IPA (Sierra Nevada) or Sam Adams.

[devildeac]

Alright, this was my assistant's Christmas gift to me. Let me know if I should keep her or not. One of each:

Sweetwater Festive Ale
Bison Gingerbread Ale
Sweetwater 420
Bridgeport IPA
ShinerBock
DeliriumNoel
Black Chocolate Stout
Peg Leg Imperial Stout
Stone IPA (yum)
Brother Thelonious Belgium style abbey ale
Victory Prima Pils
Stone Pale Ale



I'm more of a wine and single malt guy these days, although when i drink beer it is usually an IPA (Sierra Nevada) or Sam Adams.

Sweetwater-very good
Bison-very good
Sweetwater 420-very good
Bridgeport-excellent
Shiner-not a fan (I think other folks like it)
Delirium-outstanding
Black Chocolate Stout-which brewery?
Peg Leg-very good if it is the Clipper City product, o/w IDK
Stone-excellent
Brother-very good (Anderson Valley Brewing)
Victory-very good
Stone-never had it

I'd keep the assistant AND give her a raise. Or, if you'd rather return to the wine and/or single malts, save the beer and bring it to Derm if you get to a game this season or to a Brunchgate this fall.