1098. Southampton Porter
This was on The Muddy's rotating tap. I had it on Thursday November 19th.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Opa Opa Steakhouse and Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Southampton Porter pours a dark, opaque black. It's topped by a beige head that fades to ring. The aroma is quite nice. There are notes of roasted malts, coffee, a mild chocolate sweetness, and slight dark fruit.
Initially this porter is sweet. Chocolate notes greet the palate, and move into a roasted, coffee bitterness in the finish. The chocolate notes are good, but the roasted bitterness could be upped.
This Porter is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and has a roasty roughness.
I though this was a fairly tasty porter.
This was on The Muddy's rotating tap. I had it on Thursday November 19th.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Opa Opa Steakhouse and Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Southampton Porter pours a dark, opaque black. It's topped by a beige head that fades to ring. The aroma is quite nice. There are notes of roasted malts, coffee, a mild chocolate sweetness, and slight dark fruit.
Initially this porter is sweet. Chocolate notes greet the palate, and move into a roasted, coffee bitterness in the finish. The chocolate notes are good, but the roasted bitterness could be upped.
This Porter is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and has a roasty roughness.
I though this was a fairly tasty porter.
Labels: American Porter
On November 8th Jadyn and I had dinner and drinks at the Publick House with some of her labmates. I had two new beers while there, one before dinner, and one after dinner. In between were Cuvee de Trolls, and Orval. We started with a mix of appetizers: Monk's Frites, Moules Frites, and the Publick Plate. My entree was the Waterzooi aux Poissons.
1096. Cane & Ebel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Two Brothers Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Rye Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.3
Cane & Ebel is a Rye Beer from Two Brothers Brewing Company, a brewery in Illinois that I hadn't heard of. It pours a clear, reddish color, and is topped by a dense, foamy, one-finger, beige head that retains well. Initial notes of spicy, rye grains meld well with an herbal, slightly resiny hop character. Swirling brings out a sweet, bready malt undertone, which opens up into notes of molasses upon warming.
There are moderately sweet malty characters upfront. There are notes of bready malts, caramel, light toffee, and chocolate. This moves into a slight spiciness that's part rye, part hops, and part carbonation. The spiciness quickly gives way to a strident, leafy, hop bitterness. Overall very tasty. This Rye Beer is medium-bodied, yet still crisp, and has a nice dose of prickly carbonation.
This beer had great balance. A good, flavorful malt backbone stood up well to a strong hop bitterness.
1097. Triple Exultation
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Eel River Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 9.70%
Serving: Tap
Style: Old Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.05
Triple Exultation pours a cloudy, brownish-red. It's topped by a thin, sudsy, off-white head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is rich and fruity. Notes of dark fruit are dominant: rasins and dates. A slight acidity and woodiness make up the second layer of aromas that give this a nice complexity.
Initial malt flavors are fruity (dates and raisins) with a mild chocolate character. This moves through to a mild citric acidity in the center, which moves into a hoppy, and woody(?) finish. This beer is full-bodied, but has a dry astringency, and mild carbonation.
I thought this was a very tasty Old Ale, not quite to style, but very tasty.
1096. Cane & Ebel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Two Brothers Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Rye Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.3
Cane & Ebel is a Rye Beer from Two Brothers Brewing Company, a brewery in Illinois that I hadn't heard of. It pours a clear, reddish color, and is topped by a dense, foamy, one-finger, beige head that retains well. Initial notes of spicy, rye grains meld well with an herbal, slightly resiny hop character. Swirling brings out a sweet, bready malt undertone, which opens up into notes of molasses upon warming.
There are moderately sweet malty characters upfront. There are notes of bready malts, caramel, light toffee, and chocolate. This moves into a slight spiciness that's part rye, part hops, and part carbonation. The spiciness quickly gives way to a strident, leafy, hop bitterness. Overall very tasty. This Rye Beer is medium-bodied, yet still crisp, and has a nice dose of prickly carbonation.
This beer had great balance. A good, flavorful malt backbone stood up well to a strong hop bitterness.
1097. Triple Exultation
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Eel River Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 9.70%
Serving: Tap
Style: Old Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.05
Triple Exultation pours a cloudy, brownish-red. It's topped by a thin, sudsy, off-white head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is rich and fruity. Notes of dark fruit are dominant: rasins and dates. A slight acidity and woodiness make up the second layer of aromas that give this a nice complexity.
Initial malt flavors are fruity (dates and raisins) with a mild chocolate character. This moves through to a mild citric acidity in the center, which moves into a hoppy, and woody(?) finish. This beer is full-bodied, but has a dry astringency, and mild carbonation.
I thought this was a very tasty Old Ale, not quite to style, but very tasty.
1095. Frye's Leap India Pale Ale
This is one of the bottle that David brought down from New Hampshire when he visited in October. I let this warm a bit and served it in my CBC Great Pumpkin Festival glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sebago Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 2.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
Frye's Leap pours a hazy, copper color. It's topped by a meringue-like, off-white, two-finger head that retains well, leaving plentiful lace. The aroma is predominantly hoppy with floral notes, and mild hints of resin. There's also a mild undertone of toasty malts.
The initial toastiness gives way to a mild, bready sweetness with mild hints of caramel. This mild maltiness persists through the center. A prickly spiciness precedes the finish, which has herbal and resiny hop flavors, and a strong hop bitterness that lingers well into the aftertaste. I thought the malt backing was a bit weak, and could be increased just a bit. Despite a good dose of carbonation, I thought this beer felt a bit watery on the palate.
Overall I thought this was an average IPA. There were things to like (strong dose of hops), and things to dislike (weak malts, and thinness).
This is one of the bottle that David brought down from New Hampshire when he visited in October. I let this warm a bit and served it in my CBC Great Pumpkin Festival glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sebago Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 2.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
Frye's Leap pours a hazy, copper color. It's topped by a meringue-like, off-white, two-finger head that retains well, leaving plentiful lace. The aroma is predominantly hoppy with floral notes, and mild hints of resin. There's also a mild undertone of toasty malts.
The initial toastiness gives way to a mild, bready sweetness with mild hints of caramel. This mild maltiness persists through the center. A prickly spiciness precedes the finish, which has herbal and resiny hop flavors, and a strong hop bitterness that lingers well into the aftertaste. I thought the malt backing was a bit weak, and could be increased just a bit. Despite a good dose of carbonation, I thought this beer felt a bit watery on the palate.
Overall I thought this was an average IPA. There were things to like (strong dose of hops), and things to dislike (weak malts, and thinness).
Labels: American IPA
1094. Balto MärzHon
Jadyn and I had dinner at Christopher's on the evening of November 2nd. I had a pint of Clipper City's Oktoberfest with my dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.6
Balto MärzHon pours a crystal-clear copper. It's topped by an off-white head that fades to a film, leaving speckles of lace. The aroma is fairly mild overall. Initially toasty notes are predominant, but swirling brings out aromas of caramel and toffee.
Toasty, and bready malts move into a moderately sweet, caramel character in the center, which then fades into a mild, but firm hop bitterness. This beer is moderately carbonated, and light-bodied.
I thought that this was a decent Märzen. It wasn't as malty as mast other examples of the style, which could be good or bad, depending on your preference.
Jadyn and I had dinner at Christopher's on the evening of November 2nd. I had a pint of Clipper City's Oktoberfest with my dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.6
Balto MärzHon pours a crystal-clear copper. It's topped by an off-white head that fades to a film, leaving speckles of lace. The aroma is fairly mild overall. Initially toasty notes are predominant, but swirling brings out aromas of caramel and toffee.
Toasty, and bready malts move into a moderately sweet, caramel character in the center, which then fades into a mild, but firm hop bitterness. This beer is moderately carbonated, and light-bodied.
I thought that this was a decent Märzen. It wasn't as malty as mast other examples of the style, which could be good or bad, depending on your preference.
Labels: Märzen / Oktoberfest
1086-1093. The CBC's Great Pumpkin Festival
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
Jadyn and I went to Cambridge Brewing Company's 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Festival on Halloween. After dinner at home, we took the T back to Kendall Square and arrived at around 10 PM. There was a fairly sizable line, but turnover was brisk, and we got in about 15 or 20 minutes later.
Entry to the event was $10, but this included a GPF pint glass. They were out of them when we arrived, so we got two CBC pint glasses instead. Luckily Jadyn has good eyes, and on our way back to the T, spotted an abandoned GPF glass on a table in the courtyard of the Kendall Marriott.
Beers were purchased with tickets, which were sold at two locations at the event. Tickets were available in increments of four, and we ended up buying two sets of twelve tickets totaling $30. For most beers one ticket equaled a four ounce pour, but for stronger beers or rarer beers two tickets equaled a four ounce pour. For us it worked out to about $5.50 per pint, about standard for a pint of quality beer in the area.
The CBC had six of their pumpkin beers on tap, Great Pumpkin Ale, Olde Pumpkin Porter, Biere de Gourde, Spinal Pumpkin, Black Magic, and Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse. They also had their standard house beers on tap, as well as another non-pumpkin beer. There were also fifteen pumpkin beers available from other breweries such as Allagash, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, and Elysian to name a few. I was pleased with the variety of different styles of "pumpkin beer." In general I tried to taste the beers that weren't the standard spiced, pumpkin ale.
Jadyn and I were lame, and didn't wear costumes. However, all of the staff and the majority of the patrons were dressed up, and the bar was heavily decorated for Halloween. I thought this was a great beer event. The variety of different interpretations of pumpkin ale kept things interesting, and the food menu looked great. I'll definitely want to go next year.
I've included the description on the beer list before my tasting notes for each beer.
1086. Mr. Yuck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
"Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150º Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months wwith second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle."
Mr. Yuck pours a hazy, copper golden. The aroma is pleasingly acidic with notes of funk, wet blanket, and characteristic Brett hopsack. The acidity is moderate, and the finish has Brett flavors. Nicely crisp and dry. I liked this beer, but thought it could have been a bit more sour.
1087. Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
"From our Heavy Seas line of extreme beers, our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumkin and spice. The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you'll ever have!"
Pours a clear copper color with an off-white head. There are mild pumpkin notes and strong notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma. Sweet, sugary pumpkin up front move into a cinnamon and clove spiciness in the center and finish. There's a moderate hop bitterness in the finish.
1088. Olde Pumpkin Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
"Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occuring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. It was then blended with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, and finished with new oak. It's tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston"
Pours a dark black, and is topped by a brown head. The aroma has notes of bourbon, roast and a light acidity. Initially this porter is mildly sweet with roasted undertones, but moves into a boozy center, and a roasted bitterness in the finish. There are also hints of tartness and Brett earthiness in the finish. I thought this was an interesting beer, I'm always interested in attempts to make beers in a somewhat historic context.
1089. Black Magic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.75%
Serving: Cask
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
"Our Irish Dry Stout, Blackout, has been infused with fresh pumpkin, ancho and chipotle peppers, cacao nibs, and whole cinnamon sticks. No beer is safe from the pumpkin! Going one step further, this little beauty is served on cask for this event!"
BLack Magic pours an opaque black, and is topped by a thin, brown head. The aroma is a peculiar mixture of maltiness and cinnamon that gives the distinct impression of Graham Crackers. There are more subtle aromas of peppery spice and roast, but the Graham Cracker aroma was what really stuck out at me. There's a bit of chocolatey, and pumpkin sweetness upfront, but this is quickly eclipsed by the spiciness of the cinnamon, ancho, and chipotles. This spiciness finishes out the beer, leaving a strong, lingering heat. I thought this was a great beer. I really liked the heat, and thought that the slightly sweetened (pumpkin infusion) Irish Dry Stout backbone provided the perfect base for the spiciness. I wonder if this was inspired by Mayan and Aztec chocolate drinks. This was probably my favorite beer of the evening.
1090. Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
"Possibly the world's first pumpkin Berliner Weisse! Infused with autumn spices and fresh sugar pumpkin and, well, a secret ingredient to turn this beer a bright orange. Sweet upfront, tart in the finish, pumpkin-spicy in the middle."
Pours a cloudy, golden, orange color, and is topped by a light, white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy with mild spice aromatics, and a sour apple undertone. The initial maltiness leans towards sweet with hints of grassiness. The finish is pleasingly tart with a dry, and earthy character. The pumpkin pie spice is mild, but present throughout. This was another favorite of the evening.
1091. Jack O' Bite
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with pale, 77º Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks, inoculated with yeast from Rodenbach."
Pours a hazed, amber-red. It's topped by an off-white head with good lace. The aroma is boozy with woody, acidic and funky notes. A pumpkin and malty sweetness upfront moves into a tart bite. The finish is dry. I thought this was an interesting blend of pumpkin, Scotch Ale, and sour.
1092. St. Alphonso
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This was the one non-pumpkin beer I had all night. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a hoppy APA. Their description:
1093. Hansel and Gretel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Czech Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed gresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional)."
Pours a clear, golden color. Ginger and pumpkin notes beat out the Saaz in the aroma. The pumpkin contributes a distinct sweetness to the style. This sweetness moves into a ginger-spice center, and through to a nice, hoppy bitterness in the finish.
Entry to the event was $10, but this included a GPF pint glass. They were out of them when we arrived, so we got two CBC pint glasses instead. Luckily Jadyn has good eyes, and on our way back to the T, spotted an abandoned GPF glass on a table in the courtyard of the Kendall Marriott.
Beers were purchased with tickets, which were sold at two locations at the event. Tickets were available in increments of four, and we ended up buying two sets of twelve tickets totaling $30. For most beers one ticket equaled a four ounce pour, but for stronger beers or rarer beers two tickets equaled a four ounce pour. For us it worked out to about $5.50 per pint, about standard for a pint of quality beer in the area.
The CBC had six of their pumpkin beers on tap, Great Pumpkin Ale, Olde Pumpkin Porter, Biere de Gourde, Spinal Pumpkin, Black Magic, and Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse. They also had their standard house beers on tap, as well as another non-pumpkin beer. There were also fifteen pumpkin beers available from other breweries such as Allagash, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, and Elysian to name a few. I was pleased with the variety of different styles of "pumpkin beer." In general I tried to taste the beers that weren't the standard spiced, pumpkin ale.
Jadyn and I were lame, and didn't wear costumes. However, all of the staff and the majority of the patrons were dressed up, and the bar was heavily decorated for Halloween. I thought this was a great beer event. The variety of different interpretations of pumpkin ale kept things interesting, and the food menu looked great. I'll definitely want to go next year.
I've included the description on the beer list before my tasting notes for each beer.
1086. Mr. Yuck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
"Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150º Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months wwith second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle."
Mr. Yuck pours a hazy, copper golden. The aroma is pleasingly acidic with notes of funk, wet blanket, and characteristic Brett hopsack. The acidity is moderate, and the finish has Brett flavors. Nicely crisp and dry. I liked this beer, but thought it could have been a bit more sour.
1087. Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
"From our Heavy Seas line of extreme beers, our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumkin and spice. The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you'll ever have!"
Pours a clear copper color with an off-white head. There are mild pumpkin notes and strong notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma. Sweet, sugary pumpkin up front move into a cinnamon and clove spiciness in the center and finish. There's a moderate hop bitterness in the finish.
1088. Olde Pumpkin Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
"Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occuring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. It was then blended with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, and finished with new oak. It's tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston"
Pours a dark black, and is topped by a brown head. The aroma has notes of bourbon, roast and a light acidity. Initially this porter is mildly sweet with roasted undertones, but moves into a boozy center, and a roasted bitterness in the finish. There are also hints of tartness and Brett earthiness in the finish. I thought this was an interesting beer, I'm always interested in attempts to make beers in a somewhat historic context.
1089. Black Magic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.75%
Serving: Cask
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
"Our Irish Dry Stout, Blackout, has been infused with fresh pumpkin, ancho and chipotle peppers, cacao nibs, and whole cinnamon sticks. No beer is safe from the pumpkin! Going one step further, this little beauty is served on cask for this event!"
BLack Magic pours an opaque black, and is topped by a thin, brown head. The aroma is a peculiar mixture of maltiness and cinnamon that gives the distinct impression of Graham Crackers. There are more subtle aromas of peppery spice and roast, but the Graham Cracker aroma was what really stuck out at me. There's a bit of chocolatey, and pumpkin sweetness upfront, but this is quickly eclipsed by the spiciness of the cinnamon, ancho, and chipotles. This spiciness finishes out the beer, leaving a strong, lingering heat. I thought this was a great beer. I really liked the heat, and thought that the slightly sweetened (pumpkin infusion) Irish Dry Stout backbone provided the perfect base for the spiciness. I wonder if this was inspired by Mayan and Aztec chocolate drinks. This was probably my favorite beer of the evening.
1090. Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
"Possibly the world's first pumpkin Berliner Weisse! Infused with autumn spices and fresh sugar pumpkin and, well, a secret ingredient to turn this beer a bright orange. Sweet upfront, tart in the finish, pumpkin-spicy in the middle."
Pours a cloudy, golden, orange color, and is topped by a light, white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy with mild spice aromatics, and a sour apple undertone. The initial maltiness leans towards sweet with hints of grassiness. The finish is pleasingly tart with a dry, and earthy character. The pumpkin pie spice is mild, but present throughout. This was another favorite of the evening.
1091. Jack O' Bite
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with pale, 77º Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks, inoculated with yeast from Rodenbach."
Pours a hazed, amber-red. It's topped by an off-white head with good lace. The aroma is boozy with woody, acidic and funky notes. A pumpkin and malty sweetness upfront moves into a tart bite. The finish is dry. I thought this was an interesting blend of pumpkin, Scotch Ale, and sour.
1092. St. Alphonso
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This was the one non-pumpkin beer I had all night. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a hoppy APA. Their description:
St. Alphonso pours a pale, straw color, and is topped by a white head. The aroma is primarily hoppy: lots of resin and grassy hops, and a bit of citrus. A distinct citric flavor accompanies a light, grainy maltiness upfront. This moves into resiny and leafy hop flavors in the finish, which contribute more to flavor than to bitterness. This one seems insanely drinkable.Brewers have long held a tradition of naming beers after patron saints. We wanted to do the same, but which saint to choose?
All of the good ones being taken – St. Arnold, St. Bridgette, St. Augustine, etc., etc. – we were left with old Saint Alphonso, patron saint of church pancake breakfasts.
What’s he got to do with our newest beer? Nothing, really. Like I said, all of the good saints were taken.Inspired once again to abuse our position and mess up the mainstream, we’ve created an “American” take on the Belgian single, or table beer. Created for consumption on a daily basis while at the meal table, as opposed to the richer and stronger doubles and triples reserved for festival times, bière de table in Belgium is a lower alcohol beer with plenty of spicy, yeasty, malty flavors.
Our spin involves our house Belgian yeast strain and bucketloads of American hops. Brewed with pale and aromatic malts, its primary flavors and aromas are big, floral, grassy and citrusy thanks to Glacier, Amarillo, and Centennial hops. Glacier hops were added at first wort, and combined with Amarillo and Centennial at the end of the boil and in the whirlpool. Additionally nearly 1.5 pounds per barrel of dryhops were added for that bit of something we call “extra.” No bittering hops were used, but the flavors and residual dryness from the hops, combined with a very well-attenuated, super-dry, light-bodied beer, create a perfect balance on the palate.
Call it a hoppy Belgian session beer if you like.
We call it St. Alphonso.
1093. Hansel and Gretel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Czech Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed gresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional)."
Pours a clear, golden color. Ginger and pumpkin notes beat out the Saaz in the aroma. The pumpkin contributes a distinct sweetness to the style. This sweetness moves into a ginger-spice center, and through to a nice, hoppy bitterness in the finish.
Labels: American Porter, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Berliner Weissbier, Czech Pilsener, Irish Dry Stout, Pumpkin Ale, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy
1085. Founders Breakfast Stout
Jadyn and I had dinner at The Publick House on October 24th. I started with a Delirium Tremens while we waited for a table, and had an Atomium Grand Cru with my meal, Waterzooi aux Poissons, a stew of mussels, cod, scallops, shrimp and potatoes. I'm not normally a seafood fan, but as part of my ongoing efforts to expand my pallate I decided to give a seafood heavy dish a go. I was very pleased with my decision. The broth was creamy and delicious, and the seafood was fresh and tasty, though I'm still not a huge fan of the texture of scallops. My final beer of the evening was Founders Breakfast Stout, which I had as an after dinner beverage.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: : Founder's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.30%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Double Stout
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.05
Founders Breakfast Stout pours an opaque black, and is topped by a dark brown head that fades to a bubbly ring, and leaves good lacing. This stout has a wonderful, rich, roasty aroma. Strong notes of coffee beans are dominant, with subordinate notes of chocolate and hints of dark fruit. Swirling the beer enhances the dark fruit aromas.
There's a strong, roasty character present from start to finish in this beer. Upfront it serves as a counterpoint to chocolate sweetness, in the center it mellows allowing the chocolate flavors to blend with notes of dark fruit for a sweet kick, and in the finish the coffee used in this stout emerges and melds with the roasted flavors giving a lingering bitterness. This stout is full-bodied, moderately carbonated, and smooth and creamy.
I thought that this was a good, strong stout. There's a lot going on, and a nice interplay between the chocolate and coffee.
Jadyn and I had dinner at The Publick House on October 24th. I started with a Delirium Tremens while we waited for a table, and had an Atomium Grand Cru with my meal, Waterzooi aux Poissons, a stew of mussels, cod, scallops, shrimp and potatoes. I'm not normally a seafood fan, but as part of my ongoing efforts to expand my pallate I decided to give a seafood heavy dish a go. I was very pleased with my decision. The broth was creamy and delicious, and the seafood was fresh and tasty, though I'm still not a huge fan of the texture of scallops. My final beer of the evening was Founders Breakfast Stout, which I had as an after dinner beverage.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: : Founder's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.30%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Double Stout
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.05
Founders Breakfast Stout pours an opaque black, and is topped by a dark brown head that fades to a bubbly ring, and leaves good lacing. This stout has a wonderful, rich, roasty aroma. Strong notes of coffee beans are dominant, with subordinate notes of chocolate and hints of dark fruit. Swirling the beer enhances the dark fruit aromas.
There's a strong, roasty character present from start to finish in this beer. Upfront it serves as a counterpoint to chocolate sweetness, in the center it mellows allowing the chocolate flavors to blend with notes of dark fruit for a sweet kick, and in the finish the coffee used in this stout emerges and melds with the roasted flavors giving a lingering bitterness. This stout is full-bodied, moderately carbonated, and smooth and creamy.
I thought that this was a good, strong stout. There's a lot going on, and a nice interplay between the chocolate and coffee.
Labels: American Double Stout
David and his wife Megan stayed at our place on their way back to New York on the night of Ocotober 9th. We started the evening with the latest batch of home brew, an IPA that Matt and I brewed. We followed up with dinner and wine at Gran Gusto, an excellent Italian restaurant in our neighborhood. After dinner David and I broke into some of the beer that he'd brought from New Hampshire, as well as some of the beer that I had in the fridge.
1081. 6288 Stout
This is one of the beers that David brought down from New Hampshire.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tuckerman Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
6288 Stout, named for the elevation of Mt. Washington, pours an opaque black color. It's topped by a brown, half-inch head that fades to a sudsy layer. The aroma is roasty with notes of chocolate and coffee, as well as hints of dates.
The flavor profile is similar to the aroma. A chocolate sweetness greets the palate, moves into a center with notes of dark fruit and a mild sharpness, and finishes with a roasty bitterness. 6288 stout is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
I thought that this was a decent stout. The balance between sweet malts and roasted malts was good.
1082. Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale
We had this in the fridge. Jadyn and I picked it up at Trader Joe's.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Federal Jack's Brewpub
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very pale orange. It's topped by a thick, off-white head. The aroma is pretty one-dimensional: pumpkin-pie spice overwhelming any hints of pumpkin. The flavor is much the same: heavy spicing, with a mild pumpkin undertone. This Pumpkin Ale is light-bodied. I thought this beer was disappointing. There was way too much spice, completely overwhelming any other characters.
1083. Boathouse Brown
David brought this one down from New Hampshire.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sebago Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Boathouse Brown pours a clear brown, and is topped by a sudsy, brown head. The aroma is malty with notes of caramel, chocolate, and roasty accents.
The palate is malt heavy as well, though surprisingly well attenuated. Dark chocolate notes upfront move into dark fruit in the center, followed by a roasty bitterness in the finish.
I thought this was a very nice brown ale. It's malty, but not too sweet.
1084. De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2005
I'd had this beer in my fridge for at least two years, perhaps longer. I originally picked this up at Downtown Wine & Spirits, but I don't remember when.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Year: 2005
Alcohol: 13.00%
Serving: Bottle, 330 mL
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.3
De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva pours a cloudy, brown color with orange tints at the edges. It's topped by a full, light-brown head that fades to a continuous film, leaving moderate lace. The aroma is dominated by two characters, acidity and a boozy, aged maltiness. The acidity is the more dominant of the two caracters, but when combined with the aged out malts give the impression of sour fruit. All overtly sweet, malty aromas have been aged out. There are notes of orange peel, alcohol, and a slight woody aroma.
This beer greets the tongue with a strong, acidic sourness, which mellows, but never disappears. All malt sweetness is attenuated and aged out, leaving the malt flavors, but none of their sweetness. This results in a mildly boozy impression, which melds well with the earthy and woody notes in the finish. This Oud Bruin feels surprisingly light on the palate. The mild carbonation, and relatively light body really accentuate the dryness of this beer.
I was very happy with this beer. I was expecting an aged, malt heavy brew, but instead got a nicely acidic and dry beer. Fantastic. I'll definitely pick up some more of these vintages if I see them.
1081. 6288 Stout
This is one of the beers that David brought down from New Hampshire.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tuckerman Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
6288 Stout, named for the elevation of Mt. Washington, pours an opaque black color. It's topped by a brown, half-inch head that fades to a sudsy layer. The aroma is roasty with notes of chocolate and coffee, as well as hints of dates.
The flavor profile is similar to the aroma. A chocolate sweetness greets the palate, moves into a center with notes of dark fruit and a mild sharpness, and finishes with a roasty bitterness. 6288 stout is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
I thought that this was a decent stout. The balance between sweet malts and roasted malts was good.
1082. Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale
We had this in the fridge. Jadyn and I picked it up at Trader Joe's.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Federal Jack's Brewpub
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very pale orange. It's topped by a thick, off-white head. The aroma is pretty one-dimensional: pumpkin-pie spice overwhelming any hints of pumpkin. The flavor is much the same: heavy spicing, with a mild pumpkin undertone. This Pumpkin Ale is light-bodied. I thought this beer was disappointing. There was way too much spice, completely overwhelming any other characters.
1083. Boathouse Brown
David brought this one down from New Hampshire.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sebago Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Boathouse Brown pours a clear brown, and is topped by a sudsy, brown head. The aroma is malty with notes of caramel, chocolate, and roasty accents.
The palate is malt heavy as well, though surprisingly well attenuated. Dark chocolate notes upfront move into dark fruit in the center, followed by a roasty bitterness in the finish.
I thought this was a very nice brown ale. It's malty, but not too sweet.
1084. De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2005
I'd had this beer in my fridge for at least two years, perhaps longer. I originally picked this up at Downtown Wine & Spirits, but I don't remember when.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Year: 2005
Alcohol: 13.00%
Serving: Bottle, 330 mL
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.3
De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva pours a cloudy, brown color with orange tints at the edges. It's topped by a full, light-brown head that fades to a continuous film, leaving moderate lace. The aroma is dominated by two characters, acidity and a boozy, aged maltiness. The acidity is the more dominant of the two caracters, but when combined with the aged out malts give the impression of sour fruit. All overtly sweet, malty aromas have been aged out. There are notes of orange peel, alcohol, and a slight woody aroma.
This beer greets the tongue with a strong, acidic sourness, which mellows, but never disappears. All malt sweetness is attenuated and aged out, leaving the malt flavors, but none of their sweetness. This results in a mildly boozy impression, which melds well with the earthy and woody notes in the finish. This Oud Bruin feels surprisingly light on the palate. The mild carbonation, and relatively light body really accentuate the dryness of this beer.
I was very happy with this beer. I was expecting an aged, malt heavy brew, but instead got a nicely acidic and dry beer. Fantastic. I'll definitely pick up some more of these vintages if I see them.
Labels: American Brown Ale, American Stout, Flanders Oud Bruin, Pumpkin Ale
It seems like I've been somewhat behind on the blog since late May, but as of tonight I'm caught up on writing posts. I have four posts that are scheduled for this week and next week. Perhaps now I'll get to some of the bottles in the fridge.
1080. Simply Red IPA
I had this beer on tap at the CBC on September 23rd. Unfortunately I have very little info about it. The only description on the website says it was dry-hopped with amarillo hops. I do remember that this beer was brewed for the 40th birthday of a CBC regular. I apologize for the horrible quality of the photo.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Simply Red pours a very cloudy, amber-copper color. It's topped by a thin, white head that fades to a ring, and leaves a good smattering of lace. The aroma is bursting with hops. Resiny, and earthy hops blend with grainy and caramel malts to create a sweet, yet hoppy aroma. There are grassy and citric notes on the tale end of the nose.
Toasty malts move into a bready sweetness that's mildly sweet, and serves as the backbone. Peppery, herbal, and floral hop flavors come into play, before the finish which is moderately bitter. This IPA is moderately carbonated, medium-bodied, and slightly oily.
I though this beer had good balance, and nice flavors.
I had this beer on tap at the CBC on September 23rd. Unfortunately I have very little info about it. The only description on the website says it was dry-hopped with amarillo hops. I do remember that this beer was brewed for the 40th birthday of a CBC regular. I apologize for the horrible quality of the photo.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Simply Red pours a very cloudy, amber-copper color. It's topped by a thin, white head that fades to a ring, and leaves a good smattering of lace. The aroma is bursting with hops. Resiny, and earthy hops blend with grainy and caramel malts to create a sweet, yet hoppy aroma. There are grassy and citric notes on the tale end of the nose.
Toasty malts move into a bready sweetness that's mildly sweet, and serves as the backbone. Peppery, herbal, and floral hop flavors come into play, before the finish which is moderately bitter. This IPA is moderately carbonated, medium-bodied, and slightly oily.
I though this beer had good balance, and nice flavors.
Labels: American IPA
1079. Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale
I'm not sure where I got this bottle, but I had this beer on September 13th. I served it in my CBC pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Year: 2009
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5| Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.85
This beer pours a slightly hazed, copper color. It's topped by a two-finger, cream colored head that rises quickly, and quickly fades to a quarter-inch layer, leaving sheets and patches of lace. The aroma is malty with toasty and bready notes, along with a caramel sweetness on swirling. The hop aroma is more subtle. There are mild grassy notes, and a bit of peppery spice.
The malty backbone of this beer is the first character to greet the palate. There are toasty notes with an underlying, bready sweetness, which moves into a sweeter caramel character. A peppery bite becomes evident in the center, and moves into a resiny hop flavor with a lingering bitterness. The sweet, malty backbone underlies the finish. This IPA is medium-bodied, has mildly prickly carbonation, and has a bit of roughness in the finish.
I thought this was a balanced IPA. There's a good deal of malty sweetness to off-set a strong bitterness in the finish. A good, but not great IPA.
I'm not sure where I got this bottle, but I had this beer on September 13th. I served it in my CBC pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Year: 2009
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5| Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.85
This beer pours a slightly hazed, copper color. It's topped by a two-finger, cream colored head that rises quickly, and quickly fades to a quarter-inch layer, leaving sheets and patches of lace. The aroma is malty with toasty and bready notes, along with a caramel sweetness on swirling. The hop aroma is more subtle. There are mild grassy notes, and a bit of peppery spice.
The malty backbone of this beer is the first character to greet the palate. There are toasty notes with an underlying, bready sweetness, which moves into a sweeter caramel character. A peppery bite becomes evident in the center, and moves into a resiny hop flavor with a lingering bitterness. The sweet, malty backbone underlies the finish. This IPA is medium-bodied, has mildly prickly carbonation, and has a bit of roughness in the finish.
I thought this was a balanced IPA. There's a good deal of malty sweetness to off-set a strong bitterness in the finish. A good, but not great IPA.
Labels: American IPA
