1066- 1067. Russian River Brewing Company
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
Jadyn and I spent a week in California visiting her family in early August. We made a side trip to Santa Rosa on the way to Lake Tahoe so I could finally try some of Russian River's sour beers. We made the mistake of driving through, rather than around, San Francisco, which tacked on an hour or so to our trip, but we did get to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge.
We arrived in Santa Rosa in time for a late lunch at the brewpub. I had a tasty meatball sub for lunch, but the real highlight was the beer. The bottles of Temptation were too expensive, especially since I wasn't planning on taking any beer back on the plane. Instead I got two bottles of Damnation, and one bottle of Pliny the Elder.
1066. Temptation
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.25%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
Appearance: 5.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 5.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.8
Temptation pours a slightly hazed, golden color. It's topped by a bright white head that fades to a thin layer leaving thick, frothy lace. The aroma has all of the elements of a good sour beer. There's a good amount of acidity, as well as bright citric notes. The characteristic "hop sack" aroma from the Brettanomyces used in fermentation is present, as well as an earthy, woody undertone.
Temptation is very gueuze-like. There's a coarse, grassy quality to the malts upfront, but these characters are quickly overshadowed by an escalating, citric and acidic sourness that's present through the finish. Earthy Brett flavors and a mild bitterness round things up in the finish. Temptation is crisply carbonated and light-bodied with an intense dryness in the finish.
Temptation is a very good beer. The sourness, Brett, and barrel-aging give it a distinclty Gueuze-like quality. It's mouth-puckeringly sour, and awesome.
1067. Sanctification
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.47%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 5.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.45
Sanctification pours a cloudy, straw-golden color. It's topped by a white head that fades to a thin layer leaving good lace. The aroma is intensely and wonderfully fruity. There are notes of banana, tropical fruit, and a hint of Brettanomyces. Swirling brings out an earthy aroma, and a slight funkiness.
Upfront, this beer is fruity with banana and tropical fruit flavors. A moderate tartness appears early on and is present through to the finish, which has earthy and funky Brett flavors, and a leafy bitterness in the finish. Prickly carbonation gives way to a creamy mouthfeel.
I thought this beer had a nice interplay between the fruitiness and earthy Brettanomyces characters.
We arrived in Santa Rosa in time for a late lunch at the brewpub. I had a tasty meatball sub for lunch, but the real highlight was the beer. The bottles of Temptation were too expensive, especially since I wasn't planning on taking any beer back on the plane. Instead I got two bottles of Damnation, and one bottle of Pliny the Elder.
1066. Temptation
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.25%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
Appearance: 5.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 5.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.8
Temptation pours a slightly hazed, golden color. It's topped by a bright white head that fades to a thin layer leaving thick, frothy lace. The aroma has all of the elements of a good sour beer. There's a good amount of acidity, as well as bright citric notes. The characteristic "hop sack" aroma from the Brettanomyces used in fermentation is present, as well as an earthy, woody undertone.
Temptation is very gueuze-like. There's a coarse, grassy quality to the malts upfront, but these characters are quickly overshadowed by an escalating, citric and acidic sourness that's present through the finish. Earthy Brett flavors and a mild bitterness round things up in the finish. Temptation is crisply carbonated and light-bodied with an intense dryness in the finish.
Temptation is a very good beer. The sourness, Brett, and barrel-aging give it a distinclty Gueuze-like quality. It's mouth-puckeringly sour, and awesome.
1067. Sanctification
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.47%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 5.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.45
Sanctification pours a cloudy, straw-golden color. It's topped by a white head that fades to a thin layer leaving good lace. The aroma is intensely and wonderfully fruity. There are notes of banana, tropical fruit, and a hint of Brettanomyces. Swirling brings out an earthy aroma, and a slight funkiness.
Upfront, this beer is fruity with banana and tropical fruit flavors. A moderate tartness appears early on and is present through to the finish, which has earthy and funky Brett flavors, and a leafy bitterness in the finish. Prickly carbonation gives way to a creamy mouthfeel.
I thought this beer had a nice interplay between the fruitiness and earthy Brettanomyces characters.
Labels: Russian River Brewing Company, Travel
1065. Jedi Mind Trick
I had my first interview for a post-doc on July 29th. Jadyn took me out for dinner at the CBC to celebrate getting a job offer.
Their description:
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Jedi Mind Trick
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.9
Jedi Mind Trick pours a very cloudy golden. It's topped by a white head that fades to a ring, and leaves patchy lace. There's a nice fruitiness in the aroma. There are notes of banana, citrus, yeast, and peppery spice. There are also more subtle notes of crisp, grassy hops.
The initial burst of banana fruitiness is quickly met by an intense dryness that moves through to the finish where peppery spice blends with resiny and grassy hops flavors, and a strong bitterness in the finish. The carbonation lends a nice crispness to the beer that complements the dryness nicely.
I thought this was a nice beer, though the hops slightly overpower much of the fruitiness contributed by the yeast.
I had my first interview for a post-doc on July 29th. Jadyn took me out for dinner at the CBC to celebrate getting a job offer.
Their description:
Cambridge Brewing Company, at One Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA,
will not be releasing a beer called Jedi Mind Trick on Friday July 24.
The brewers at CBC have not created any such beer.
It is not a hoppy expression of Belgian tripel.
Nor is it a Belgian strong golden with plenty of American hops.
It does not have a balanced, clean malty palate,
floral-spicy hop aroma, subtle fruitiness
from their proprietary yeast strain.
No crisp carbonation or creamy head.
This isn't the beer you're looking for.
There is nothing to see here.
You can go about your business.
Move along.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Jedi Mind Trick
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.9
Jedi Mind Trick pours a very cloudy golden. It's topped by a white head that fades to a ring, and leaves patchy lace. There's a nice fruitiness in the aroma. There are notes of banana, citrus, yeast, and peppery spice. There are also more subtle notes of crisp, grassy hops.
The initial burst of banana fruitiness is quickly met by an intense dryness that moves through to the finish where peppery spice blends with resiny and grassy hops flavors, and a strong bitterness in the finish. The carbonation lends a nice crispness to the beer that complements the dryness nicely.
I thought this was a nice beer, though the hops slightly overpower much of the fruitiness contributed by the yeast.
Labels: Cambridge Brewing Company
1064. Haver Ale
Jadyn and I went to the Tavern in Central Square for some reason on the 24th of July. I had a couple of these while there.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.4
Haver Ale pours a slightly-hazed copper color. It's topped by a sudsy, off-white head that fades to a thin film. The aroma is mild, but what's there is malty. There are notes of toffee and caramel. There's also a mild hop aroma.
This beer is pretty light on flavor when it first hits the palate, but a nice mix of toasty, bready, caramel and toffee malts come through in the center. There's a mild hop bitterness in the finish. This beer is smooth and medium-bodied.
Ah, Cream Ale, a style that doesn't excite, doesn't impress, but somehow still satisfies. That's how I felt about this beer, and generally it's how I feel about the style.
Jadyn and I went to the Tavern in Central Square for some reason on the 24th of July. I had a couple of these while there.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.4
Haver Ale pours a slightly-hazed copper color. It's topped by a sudsy, off-white head that fades to a thin film. The aroma is mild, but what's there is malty. There are notes of toffee and caramel. There's also a mild hop aroma.
This beer is pretty light on flavor when it first hits the palate, but a nice mix of toasty, bready, caramel and toffee malts come through in the center. There's a mild hop bitterness in the finish. This beer is smooth and medium-bodied.
Ah, Cream Ale, a style that doesn't excite, doesn't impress, but somehow still satisfies. That's how I felt about this beer, and generally it's how I feel about the style.
Labels: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery
1063. John Harvard's Houblon Saison
Sometime in mid-July Jadyn and I were in Harvard Square. We stopped in to John Harvard's for a beer or two.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: John Harvard's Brew House
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.65
This saison pours a hazy, peach-infused, straw-golden color. It's topped by a fluffy, sudsy head that fades, but leaves lacing as it goes. The aroma is fairly mild. There's a bit of grassy, grainy malts, a hint of yeast, and bananas and citrus that appear on swirling. For a beer called Houblon Saison, you would expect to detect some hops in the aroma, but none are evident.
There's a fruity, banana sweetness upfront, along with some clove spiciness also contributed by the yeast strain used to brew this beer. The finish is slightly grainy, has notes of citric hops, and has a coda of herbal hops. Houblon Saison is medium-bodied, and is highly carbonated.
Aside from the lack of hops in aroma, this was a fine beer. There's a nice balance between Belgian yeasty flavors and the herbal hops.
Sometime in mid-July Jadyn and I were in Harvard Square. We stopped in to John Harvard's for a beer or two.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: John Harvard's Brew House
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.65
This saison pours a hazy, peach-infused, straw-golden color. It's topped by a fluffy, sudsy head that fades, but leaves lacing as it goes. The aroma is fairly mild. There's a bit of grassy, grainy malts, a hint of yeast, and bananas and citrus that appear on swirling. For a beer called Houblon Saison, you would expect to detect some hops in the aroma, but none are evident.
There's a fruity, banana sweetness upfront, along with some clove spiciness also contributed by the yeast strain used to brew this beer. The finish is slightly grainy, has notes of citric hops, and has a coda of herbal hops. Houblon Saison is medium-bodied, and is highly carbonated.
Aside from the lack of hops in aroma, this was a fine beer. There's a nice balance between Belgian yeasty flavors and the herbal hops.
Labels: John Harvard's
1062. Trade Winds Tripel
Jadyn and I had dinner at Christopher's on July 8th. I had the Bruery's Trade Winds Tripel with dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 8.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Trade Winds Tripel pours a cloudy golden color, and is topped by a bright white head that fades to a film. The head leaves sheets of lace as it fades. The aroma is classic Belgian. The spicy notes of pepper are the strongest. Secondary are the fruity aromas of bananas and apples. Swirling the beer brings out grainy and yeasty notes and a bit more spiciness.
The prickliness of the carbonation gives an initial impression of spiciness. As the carbonation mellows a grainy, malt backbone makes a brief appearance. Fruitiness in the center quickly takes hold with notes of banana, apples and citrus. The finish has an intense peppery spice. This Tripel is on the light side of medium-bodied. The spiciness of the initial carbonation provides a nice bookend to the peppery finish.
I thought this was a good Tripel. The spiciness was strong, but I thought it was a net positive.
Jadyn and I had dinner at Christopher's on July 8th. I had the Bruery's Trade Winds Tripel with dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 8.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Trade Winds Tripel pours a cloudy golden color, and is topped by a bright white head that fades to a film. The head leaves sheets of lace as it fades. The aroma is classic Belgian. The spicy notes of pepper are the strongest. Secondary are the fruity aromas of bananas and apples. Swirling the beer brings out grainy and yeasty notes and a bit more spiciness.
The prickliness of the carbonation gives an initial impression of spiciness. As the carbonation mellows a grainy, malt backbone makes a brief appearance. Fruitiness in the center quickly takes hold with notes of banana, apples and citrus. The finish has an intense peppery spice. This Tripel is on the light side of medium-bodied. The spiciness of the initial carbonation provides a nice bookend to the peppery finish.
I thought this was a good Tripel. The spiciness was strong, but I thought it was a net positive.
Labels: Tripel
1051-1061. The American Craft Beer Fest Part III
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
This is the third set of write-ups from the American Craft Beer Fest. At this point my reviews are briefer and the handwriting is much worse, so take them with a grain of salt.
1051. Blue Hills IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Blue Hills Brewery
Alcohol: 6.60%
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear golden color, seems pretty light for an IPA. The aroma has notes of leafy hops. There are mildly sweet, bready malts upfront, and a leafy hop bitterness in the finish.
1052. Southbridge Ordinary Bitter (S.O.B.)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Honest Town Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, golden straw color. The aroma is disappointingly mild. This seems like a session beer: crisp maltiness, and a mild bitterness.
1053. 30th Anniversary Flashback Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boulder Beer
Alcohol: 6.88%
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear brown color. There's a bit of roastiness in the aroma that complements hints of hops, and offsets the notes of fruit. There's a fruity, chocolaty sweetness upfront that move into a roasty finish with a good hop character.
1054. The Cambridge House IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Cambridge House
Alcohol: 6.70%
Style: English India Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This is described on the website as a "New England Style IPA brewed with all English Malt and Hopped with a blend of English and American Hops. High in Strength, Bitterness and Aroma." So I've listed it as an "English IPA." Pours a hazed copper color. The aroma is wonderfully hoppy (wish I'd described it more in my notes). Toasty malts upfront with a citric hoppiness in the finish.
1055. Ipswich (Crane's) Castle Hell Summer Barleywine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mercury Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
This was a tip from one of the volunteers. It was in the program, but not listed at the booth. You had to ask. Pours a hazed amber. The aroma is rich with notes of yeast, fruit and toffee. The flavors were similar with a strong, alcoholic spice in the finish.
1056. Mayflower IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mayflower Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, copper color. The aroma has notes of apricot, and a nice hop backing. There's the same apricot fruitiness in the flavors with a nice hop bitterness in the finish.
1057. Prohibition Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Alcohol: 6.10%
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an amber-copper color. The aroma is pleasantly hoppy: grassy and resiny. There's a nice maltiness to start things, and a pleasant hoppiness in the finish (great description on my part...).
1058. Belgica
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.20%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a pale, straw golden. The aroma hints more at Belgian than at IPA. There are notes of yeast, hints of graininess and a slight fruitiness. The flavors are also more Belgian than IPA. There's the typical Belgian yeast fruitiness, consisting of banana and citrus. The finish has peppery spice, alcoholic heat and a mild bitterness.
1059. Duck-Rabbit Barrel Aged Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 5.75%
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
This porter is aged in 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle barrels. My notes get really bad on this page of my notebook. I'll quote directly here. "Amber-black. Whiskey aroma. Porter sour with whiskey flavors." Not super descriptive, but accurate.
1060. St. Lupulin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Odell Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
The handwriting is worse on this one. "Clear copper. Hoppy, resiny, citric aroma. Malty, caramel, toasty, citric, resiny hop finish."
1061. Odell IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Odell Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
These notes are more of a scrawl. " Intense hoppy aroma. Resin citrus aroma & taste. Clear copper."
1051. Blue Hills IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Blue Hills Brewery
Alcohol: 6.60%
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear golden color, seems pretty light for an IPA. The aroma has notes of leafy hops. There are mildly sweet, bready malts upfront, and a leafy hop bitterness in the finish.
1052. Southbridge Ordinary Bitter (S.O.B.)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Honest Town Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, golden straw color. The aroma is disappointingly mild. This seems like a session beer: crisp maltiness, and a mild bitterness.
1053. 30th Anniversary Flashback Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boulder Beer
Alcohol: 6.88%
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear brown color. There's a bit of roastiness in the aroma that complements hints of hops, and offsets the notes of fruit. There's a fruity, chocolaty sweetness upfront that move into a roasty finish with a good hop character.
1054. The Cambridge House IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Cambridge House
Alcohol: 6.70%
Style: English India Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This is described on the website as a "New England Style IPA brewed with all English Malt and Hopped with a blend of English and American Hops. High in Strength, Bitterness and Aroma." So I've listed it as an "English IPA." Pours a hazed copper color. The aroma is wonderfully hoppy (wish I'd described it more in my notes). Toasty malts upfront with a citric hoppiness in the finish.
1055. Ipswich (Crane's) Castle Hell Summer Barleywine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mercury Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
This was a tip from one of the volunteers. It was in the program, but not listed at the booth. You had to ask. Pours a hazed amber. The aroma is rich with notes of yeast, fruit and toffee. The flavors were similar with a strong, alcoholic spice in the finish.
1056. Mayflower IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mayflower Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, copper color. The aroma has notes of apricot, and a nice hop backing. There's the same apricot fruitiness in the flavors with a nice hop bitterness in the finish.
1057. Prohibition Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Alcohol: 6.10%
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an amber-copper color. The aroma is pleasantly hoppy: grassy and resiny. There's a nice maltiness to start things, and a pleasant hoppiness in the finish (great description on my part...).
1058. Belgica
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.20%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a pale, straw golden. The aroma hints more at Belgian than at IPA. There are notes of yeast, hints of graininess and a slight fruitiness. The flavors are also more Belgian than IPA. There's the typical Belgian yeast fruitiness, consisting of banana and citrus. The finish has peppery spice, alcoholic heat and a mild bitterness.
1059. Duck-Rabbit Barrel Aged Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 5.75%
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
This porter is aged in 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle barrels. My notes get really bad on this page of my notebook. I'll quote directly here. "Amber-black. Whiskey aroma. Porter sour with whiskey flavors." Not super descriptive, but accurate.
1060. St. Lupulin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Odell Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
The handwriting is worse on this one. "Clear copper. Hoppy, resiny, citric aroma. Malty, caramel, toasty, citric, resiny hop finish."
1061. Odell IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Odell Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
These notes are more of a scrawl. " Intense hoppy aroma. Resin citrus aroma & taste. Clear copper."
Labels: Beer Fests
1041-1050. The American Craft Beer Fest Part II
Published by Unknown on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
This is the second set of write-ups from the American Craft Beer Fest. I apologize for the huge delay in getting these posted, but applying for jobs takes priority over beer blogging. Hopefully I'll get caught up fairly soon.
1041. Ipswich Pre-Prohibition Lager
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mercury Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Style: American All-Malt Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear golden. There's a mildly fruity aroma. This beer is clean and crisp. There's a crisp graininess, with a grassy bitterness in the finish.
1042. Existential: Hopwine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Holland Brewing Company
Alcohol: 10.50%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. The aroma is sweet and malty with notes of caramel, but not a lot of hops that I detected. There's an intense malty, caramel sweetness upfront that moves into a strong, hop finish.
1043. Duck-Rabbit Paul's Day Off
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: American Strong Ale
This is a "Farmville Black Ale aged in 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle barrels." It pours a hazed brown. There are strong notes of whiskey in the aroma along with a good bit of maltiness. There are caramel and toffee malts upfront and a boozy character that ends with an oaky, whiskey tinged finish. I thought this was a good barrel aged beer.
1044. Ommegang Adoration Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an amber-copper color. The aroma has notes of banana, yeast and a mild roasted character. I written "Fruit, strong, sharp." as my description of the taste. So make of that what you will.
1045. Bitter Brewer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Surly Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, copper color. There are herbal and peppery hop notes in the aroma. Toasty with a mild, bready sweetness upfront. The finish has a mild, herbal hop bittterness.
1046. WildDevil
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.70%
Style: Belgian IPA
This is an interesting take on the "Belgian IPA" style. It's an IPA fermented with Brettanomyces. It pours a hazed copper in color. There's a strong Bretty, hop-sack aroma. The funky, Bretty flavors are present from start to finish in this beer. There's a caramel sweetness upfront that moves into a hoppy finish.
1047. Schmutzig Hopfen Weisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.80%
Style: Hefeweizen, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw-golden. The aroma has notes of graininess from the wheat, but the hops cover most of the fruity esters. There's a rough, grainy start to the beer, a citric center, and a good, hoppy finish. I thought that this was a good wheat-hop hybrid.
1048. Steelhead Double IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mad River Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.60%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper color. The aroma has a strong, resiny, hop presence. There's a good bit of caramel, malty sweetness upfront that moves into a strong, hoppy finish.
1049. Obsidian Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
Alcohol: 6.40%
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a deep, dark black in color. The aroma is dominated by roasty malts, with a good dose of coffee aromatics. Upfront, sweet malts with notes of dark fruit are dominant. In the finish roasted malts and coffee flavors are dominant.
1050. Purity of Essence
Beer Stats:
Brewery: High and Mighty Beer Co.
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Pale Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a copper color. There are herbal, spicy hop notes in the aroma. There's a nice, mild, malty sweetness upfront, and a crisp, mildly hoppy finish.
1041. Ipswich Pre-Prohibition Lager
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mercury Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Style: American All-Malt Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear golden. There's a mildly fruity aroma. This beer is clean and crisp. There's a crisp graininess, with a grassy bitterness in the finish.
1042. Existential: Hopwine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Holland Brewing Company
Alcohol: 10.50%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. The aroma is sweet and malty with notes of caramel, but not a lot of hops that I detected. There's an intense malty, caramel sweetness upfront that moves into a strong, hop finish.
1043. Duck-Rabbit Paul's Day Off
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: American Strong Ale
This is a "Farmville Black Ale aged in 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle barrels." It pours a hazed brown. There are strong notes of whiskey in the aroma along with a good bit of maltiness. There are caramel and toffee malts upfront and a boozy character that ends with an oaky, whiskey tinged finish. I thought this was a good barrel aged beer.
1044. Ommegang Adoration Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an amber-copper color. The aroma has notes of banana, yeast and a mild roasted character. I written "Fruit, strong, sharp." as my description of the taste. So make of that what you will.
1045. Bitter Brewer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Surly Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, copper color. There are herbal and peppery hop notes in the aroma. Toasty with a mild, bready sweetness upfront. The finish has a mild, herbal hop bittterness.
1046. WildDevil
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.70%
Style: Belgian IPA
This is an interesting take on the "Belgian IPA" style. It's an IPA fermented with Brettanomyces. It pours a hazed copper in color. There's a strong Bretty, hop-sack aroma. The funky, Bretty flavors are present from start to finish in this beer. There's a caramel sweetness upfront that moves into a hoppy finish.
1047. Schmutzig Hopfen Weisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.80%
Style: Hefeweizen, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw-golden. The aroma has notes of graininess from the wheat, but the hops cover most of the fruity esters. There's a rough, grainy start to the beer, a citric center, and a good, hoppy finish. I thought that this was a good wheat-hop hybrid.
1048. Steelhead Double IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mad River Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.60%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper color. The aroma has a strong, resiny, hop presence. There's a good bit of caramel, malty sweetness upfront that moves into a strong, hoppy finish.
1049. Obsidian Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
Alcohol: 6.40%
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a deep, dark black in color. The aroma is dominated by roasty malts, with a good dose of coffee aromatics. Upfront, sweet malts with notes of dark fruit are dominant. In the finish roasted malts and coffee flavors are dominant.
1050. Purity of Essence
Beer Stats:
Brewery: High and Mighty Beer Co.
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Pale Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a copper color. There are herbal, spicy hop notes in the aroma. There's a nice, mild, malty sweetness upfront, and a crisp, mildly hoppy finish.
Labels: Beer Fests
