Matt Jeremy and I skiied at Keystone on Thursday, at Vail on Friday, and at Copper on Saturday. We spent most of our time at Vail and Copper skiing trees and bumps, and by the end of the day at Copper Jeremy and I had gotten the hang of bumps, and were skiing them pretty well. It's going to be hard to go back to skiing in the Northeast. After our day at Copper we went to Dillon Dam Brewery for our après-ski.


1771. Extra Pale Ale



Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dillon Dam Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0

Overall: 3.7

Extra Pale Ale pours a clear copper, and is topped by a sudsy, beige head that fades to film, leaving good lace. The aroma is dominated by piney, and citric hops, but has a base of mild, toasty malts.

This is a pretty standard APA flavor-wise. Toasty malts upfront move through to a slightly sweeter, bready finish, where leafy and grassy hops provide a firm bitterness for balance. This beer was light-bodied, crisp, and had a nice, prickly carbonation to it.

I thought that this beer was very refreshing, and was a great after ski beer.


1172. Pallavacini Porter



Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dillon Dam Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5

Overall: 3.75

This Porter pours a ruby-tinted, dark brown, and is topped by a thin, brown head that retains well. The aroma had a nice dose of roasty malts. There were nice chocolate notes, as well a dark roasted malts.

A rich, chocolate sweetness upfront, moves through to a slightly fruity, astringent center, with a mellow finish that has a bit of roasted bitterness, but not as much as I'd like to see. Pallavicini Porter is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and has a rough roasty character.

Overall this beer is a bit sweet, but was overall pretty good.


1173. Sweet George's Brown



Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dillon Dam Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: English Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 3.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5

Overall: 3.95

Sweet George's Brown pours a lightly hazy, reddish brown, and is topped by a light beige film of a head. The aroma is bready, and has a light fruitiness, and hints of roast. This smells like a very nice English Brown Ale.

There's a bready sweetness upfront that moves into a fruitiness in the center, that's balanced by a roasty, hoppy bitterness in the finish. This English Brown Ale is medium-bodied, highly carbonated, and has a bit of a coarseness that I associate with roasted malts.

I really liked this beer, it had a nice malt profile that was the focus of the beer, but it was nicely balanced by judicious use of roasted malts and hops.

Labels: American Pale Ale, American Porter, English Brown Ale

After dinner at Lord Hobo we went to Bukowski's and then to Cambridge Common for more drinks.

1152. McNeill's Pullman's Porter

Beer Stats:
Brewery: McNeill's Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5

Overall: 3.55

This porter pours a cloudy brown, and is topped by a fluffy, brown head. The aroma is mild overall. There are roasty notes of coffee and chocolate, as well as notes of herbal hops. What's there is nice, but it could be stronger.

A mild chocolate sweetness first greets the palate, followed by notes of dark fruit. The beer then moves into an herbal, hoppy finish with a good amount of bitterness. This porter is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.

1153. Narragansett Lager

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Narragansett Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Can
Style: American Adjunct Lager, BJCP Style Guide

I've seen Narragansett around in cans for awhile, but I've never actually given it a try. It pours a clear, straw-golden color, and is topped by a fluffy, white head that clings to the glass. It has a clean, malty aroma with some grassy and caramel hints to it.

This beer is mild, grassy, and slightly sweet upfront, and has a grassy finish with only a slight bitterenss. This beer is clean and crisp.

IT was a decent beer, but it could use a little bit more bitterness.

1154. Gordon Ale

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery
Alcohol: 8.70%
Serving: Can
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide

Gordon pours a clear, amber color, and is topped by an off-white head that leaves very nice lace. The aroma is has strong notes of resiny hops, as well as bready and toasty malt aromas.

Bready and caramel malts upfront move into a center with a slight fruitiness. The finish has a strong citric and resiny hop bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and has a hint of oiliness from the hops.

This is really an intensely hoppy beer, but I felt like something was missing.

1155. Quinn's Amber Ale

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Wachusett Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Quinn's Amber pours a clear amber color, and is topped by a shinny, off-white head. The aroma is malty with toasty, bready, and caramel notes.

A bready sweetness upfront continues through to the center, and is only cut my a mild leafy bitterness in the finish.

Labels: American Adjunct Lager, American Double IPA, American Porter, Irish Red Ale

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.

Labels: American Porter

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:

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.

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.

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

924. Stoudts Winter Ale

Jadyn and I had dinner at The Asgard on December 8th. They had quite a few beers on tap that I'd never tried. I ended up getting the Stoudts Winter Ale.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stoudts Brewing Co.
Year: 2008
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0

Overall: 3.8

Pours a deep black with garnet tints. Topped by a brown head that fades to a film. Roasty coffee, rich chocolate, and a bit of dried fruit in the aroma. A bit of citric, hop aroma is evident. Swirling brings out more chocolate.

Attenuated, roasted malts upfront with a tinge of chocolate sweetness. Dark fruit has a minor appearance in the center followed by a roasty and hoppy bitterness in the finish. Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a warming spice.

Nice on a cold day like today.

Labels: American Porter, Stoudts Brewing Co.

Jadyn and I got up relatively early on Sunday morning and checked out of the hotel. We drove back into Burlington and stopped at the City Market Onion-River Co-op to buy a few groceries. I remember getting strawberries and some of their on-tap Kombucha.

Kombucha is an herbal tea fermented by a a mixed culture of bacteria, including Acetobacter, and yeast, including Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata and Schizosaccharomyces pombe among others. It has a pleasing tart flavor, and a bright, refreshing fizziness. If you're a fan of lambics you might enjoy Kombucha. Jadyn's been picking up G.T. Dave's Kombucha from Whole Foods occasionally. It's much tarter and more carbonated than some of the other brands that I've tried, very tasty and refreshing. Though, it has strands of the culture floating around which may put some people off (including myself somewhat). If you like lambics you might give Kombucha a try.

I do feel that i should give a disclaimer though. Kombucha is really fucking Granola. There are a lot of claims of its "natural" medicinal benefit, and as with other "natural remedies" it seems to be mostly horseshit. There are no actual quality studies backing any of this up. There was also a scare back in 1995 about the dangers of Kombucha, but most of these seemed to be related to contamination of home-brewed Kombucha. I don't believe for a second that it can cure cancer. I just think it's a tasty drink.

After we left Burlington, we drove to Stowe to have lunch at The Shed Restaurant & Brewery. I had a burger and fries for lunch and Jadyn had a spinach pastry item. After lunch we went to the Ben & Jerry's factory for a tour and ice cream.

858. Mountain Ale

Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Shed Restaurant & Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Old Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0

Overall: 3.7

I had a pint of their Mountain Ale with lunch. Pours a hazed, amber-brown. Topped by a thin, wispy, beige head. Lace clings to the side of the glass as the beer moves, but it only leaves sporadic patches. Toffee and caramel on the nose, notes of dates and prunes, and a hint of roastiness.

A malty, but not cloying, sweetness is predominant upfront. There are toffee and caramel flavors on top of a nice toasty flavor. Hints of dates and raisins in the center. The finosh is a mix of alcoholic spice and a light, but lingering, roasty bitterness. Medium-bodied, smooth, with moderate carbonation.

Tasty with a nice warming feel, definitely a good winter beer, but it was nice on this cool, overcast day.



859. Mocha Porter

Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Shed Restaurant & Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Jadyn had the Mocha Porter, which I drank a bit of. Black with a thick beige head that leaves trails of lace and retains well. The aroma is roasty with a light fruitiness, chocolate and coffee.

Lightly bready and toasty upfront. Moves into a fruity center with a nice, bitter, coffee finish. Light bodied, moderately carbonated, smooth.

Labels: American Porter, Old Ale

829. Samuel Adams Honey Porter

Matt brought this in when we brewed our oatmeal stout (post upcoming). I didn't take notes, and don't remember a lot.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 5.45%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style:American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

I remember being pleasantly surprised that the honey sweetness didn't overpower the roasty malts. That's about all I remember.

Labels: American Porter, Boston Beer Company

After leaving The Spotted Pig David and I went to a few galleries in the area, and then headed to The Blind Tiger for more beer.

809. Pleasantville Smoked Porter

I'd never had any Captain Lawrence beers before, so I tried two while at The Blind Tiger and was impressed with both of them.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Cask
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5

Overall: 3.85

Pours a dark black with a brown tint. The head is a light brown, sudsy film. The aroma has notes of alcoholic spice, intense chocolate, dark fruit, toffee and a hint of smoke.

The flavor is sweet, but not too sweet. The dark fruit flavors are subdued. The finish has strong notes of chocolate and roastiness. There's an undertone of smoke throughout that never overpowers. Full-bodied and smooth with light carbonation.

The flavors are tasty, but a bit much for multiple pints.

810. Xtra Gold Tripel

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.5

Overall: 4.1

Pours a lightly hazed golden with a white head that fades to a ring. The aroma is interesting: honey, strong floral aromas, and some spice.

There's an initial honey-like sweetness that's met by a mild spiciness in the center. The finish is floral, citric and lightly bitter. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated, but smooth despite the carbonation.

I thought this one was very tasty and refreshing, despite the high alcohol.

811. Green Flash Trippel

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.0

Overall: 2.95

Pours a cloudy, golden amber . A fizzy, off-white head fades quickly leaving a patchy film. he aroma is predominantly bananas and not much else, maybe a hint of graininess and a little bit of a floral element.

A honey and fruity banana sweetness dominates the taste of this beer. There's alcoholic spice in the center with peppery notes in the finish and a light bitterness. Medium-bodied with light carbonation.

Way too sweet in my opinion.

Labels: American Porter, Captain Lawrence, Green Flash, Tripel

755. Smuttynose Robust Porter

I bought a six-pack at Somerville Wine & Spirits a few nights ago.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a dark ruby-brown, almost opaque. Topped by a sudsy, fluffy, one-finger, brown head that thins to a film leaving patchy lace.

Smell (4.0): Rich and roasty. Chocolate is the predominant aroma with hints of coffee and a sweet fruitiness.

Taste (4.0): Slightly sweet upfront with some dark fruit elements. There's also chocolate, a bit of spiciness, and a coffee bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium to full-bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth.

Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, balanced.

Overall (4.0)

Labels: American Porter, Smuttynose Brewing Company

Win had mentioned that one of his coworkers was also a bartender at a new beer bar/brewpub in Waco called The Dancing Bear Pub. This was exciting because Cricket's, Waco's other beer bar, focuses more on imports than on craft beer (though there are some good craft options). Waco is already "Chain Restaurant Hell" so it's nice to see something -anything- open that isn't a chain. That's not to say there aren't good non-chain restaurants in Waco , there are (Bangkok Royal has some of the best Thai food I've had anywhere), but the most popular restaurants seem to be chains, and the citizenry only seems to be clamoring for more chains. Enough bitching about Waco though.

The Dancing Bear opened recently, and as a consequence doesn't yet have the permits from the TABC for brewing. According to the menu there will be 5 beers: Dancing Bear Pale, an American Pale Ale; Black Bear Stout, an Irish Dry Stout; 12th Street Wheat, an American Pale Wheat Ale; Barron Estates IPA; and 76 Magnum IPA, a Double IPA. I was a little disappointed the brewery wasn't up and running yet, because I don't know when I'll be back to Waco. Unless something comes up between now and then it won't be until next Christmas.

The Dancing Bear is near the intersection of 12th St. and Speight Avenue near the Baylor campus. The outside isn't much, it's half of a small building with two retail spaces. The other half is a restaurant called "Food for Thought." I've never been, but you can order their food at the bar.



The inside is much nicer. There was a long bench along the left side of the bar with tables and chairs next to it. There were booths along the right side of the bar and taller tables and chairs on the right side at the rear. The walls were half wood-paneled with greenish-beige paint on the top half. The bar was lit by hanging lights, that were somewhat dim, but could have been dimmer. The walls were a little bare. They had some stuff up, but it definitely looked a bit sparse. There was an L-shaped bar with shelving against the wall displaying a variety of bottles. It was raining, but there was a large fenced in patio with tables and a space for a band (live jazz on Thursdays) out back.







The inside is nicer. The night I went it wasn't crowded, a few people at the bar and a few at a table. I think Win said that the other times he's been it's been busier, but this was the first day it was open after Christmas. Maybe it's sampling error, but it seemed to attract the Waco hipster crowd.


Click for a larger image:

There were about 18 taps and about 50 or 60 bottles available, with a lot of good, craft breweries represented like Real Ale, Great Divide, Avery, Left Hand, Sierra Nevada, Anchor, Victory, New Belgium, Chimay, Unibroue, Allagash, Bear Republic, Ommegang, Dogfish Head, Rogue and Stone.

I didn't have much interaction with the bartenders, but on previous trips Win was given samples to help him decide on what to order, so the service seems pretty good.

750. Sisyphus



I like to try Texas beers that I haven't had before when I'm back home so I started out the evening with a pint of Real Ale Sisyphus, a barleywine.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazed amber-copper with a beige head that thins to a film leaving patches of lace.

Smell (3.5): Light overall, dark fruit, a nice caramel maltiness, and hints of alcohol.

Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, vague notes of dark fruit. The finish has a bit of citrus character, with notes of earth and a moderate bitterness. The alcohol is well hidden.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, creamy.

Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, and a little strong. Could have used a little more hops.

Overall (3.65): I really liked the maltiness in this beer, but I thought it could have used a bit more hop bitterness.

751. Mothership Wit

New Belgium doesn't distribute to Massachusetts, so I always try to have any new offerings that I see.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.5): This beer might seem a bit pale for some, but this is exactly how I think a witbier hould look. Pours a pale, hazy straw-golden. The head thins to a film leaving wispy lace.

Smell (4.0): Banana, clove, coriander. A bit of grain as well.

Taste (3.5): Upfront graininess. Light sweet fruitiness, banana, clove, coriander, citrus, and powdery yeast.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodies and powdery.

Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, but very drinkable.

Overall (3.9): I thought this was a good witbier. It could have used a bit more boldness in the flavor department, but it was still quite tasty.

294. Shade Grown Coffee Porter

Another great beer that I only get in when I'm in Texas.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.5): Pours black with amber tints at the edges. The beige head thins to a film leaving no lace.

Smell (4.0): The nose is predominantly coffee, with some chocolate.

Taste (4.5): Sweet chocolate and dark fruit flavors. The finish is a nice roasted, coffee bitterness with a bit of lingering fruitiness.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderately high carbonation. Some graininess.

Drinkability (4.5): Very tasty.

Overall (4.35): One of my favorite coffee porters, it has a nice coffee flavors without beating you over the head with it.

Labels: American Barleywine, American Porter, New Belgium Brewing, Real Ale Brewing Company, Witbier

My Uncle gave me two six-packs from Wasatch for Christmas (along with a few other things), because he'd recently gone to Park City, Utah for skiing. I had a beer from each sixer at his house.

748. Wasatch Evolution Amber Ale




Beer Stats:
Brewery: Utah Brewers Cooperative
Alcohol: 4.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear amber with a beige head that thins to a sudsy film.

Smell (3.5): Malty. Toasty and bready with maybe a hint of caramel

Taste (3.0): Toasty malts, a hint of caramel sweetness, with a grassy quality and light bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, high-carbonation.

Drinkability (4.0): Light and easy to drink.

Overall (3.35): Solidly drinkable.

749. Wasatch Polygamy Porter



Beer Stats:
Brewery: Utah Brewers Cooperative
Alcohol: 4.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a dark black-brown with hints of ruby at the edges. A thick brown head fades to a layer with a speckling of lace.

Smell (3.0): Fairly light overall. Roasty with a hint of fruitiness.

Taste (3.5): A vague roasty character predominates. There are hints of chocolate and lightly sweet fruit. The finish has a light roasted bitterness.

Mouthfeel (2.5): Light-bodied, and overly carbonated. Thin for a porter.

Drinkability (3.5): Seemed a bit thin, but it was decently balanced.

Overall (3.4)

Labels: American Amber/Red Ale, American Porter

I went to the New England Real Ale Exhibition on Wednesday the 2nd. NERAX is an annual real ale event held in Somerville, MA. All beers at NERAX are cask conditioned, and are served by gravity or hand pump. I'd been the previous year, and it had slipped my mind that it was coming up. Fortunately, I passed by the Dilboy VFW Post on my way home to do laundry and noticed the sign. It's only about three blocks from my apartment so I walked over at 5:45, but wasn't able to get in until 7:15 because of limited admissions.


The Dilboy Post


The firkins

I stuck to half-pints this year, except the last beer I had which was a pint. Overall it was a pretty good fest, a little expensive, but the beer was good. I wore my Cantillon shirt and counted eight comments from other people.

661. Portsmouth American Mild

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Portsmouth Brewery
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: English Pale Mild Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a hazy copper with a thin sudsy head. The aroma is nicely hoppy and citric with toasted malts and a heavy fruitiness. Malty upfront with toasty, bready and caramel flavors. The finish has a lingering resiny and citric hop bitterness. Light-bodied with low carbonation, and a touch oily.

662. Martha's Smoked Porter

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Martha's Exchange
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a dark black with a thin, dense, brown head that fades quickly. The aroma is dominated by smoke, with some evident coffee and chocolate notes, swirling brings out fruity and hoppy aromas. Mildly sweet upfront that is a mix of fruit and chocolate. The finish is smoky with a nice roasted bitterness.

663. Hop Back Crop Circle

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hop Back Brewery
Alcohol: 4.20%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thin, white film for a head. The aroma is grainy with a bit of sulfur, as well as yeastiness and a hint of sour apple. Grainy with some sour apple fruitiness as well as a nice grassy bitterness in the finish. Light-bodied, moderate carbonation with a dry finish.

664. Hop Back G.F.B.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hop Back Brewery
Alcohol: 3.50%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: English Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Pours an almost clear copper with a sudsy white head. The aroma is much the same as the Crop Circle, with a hint of sulfur and some grassy aromas. The taste is also similar to Crop Circle, but a bit more bitter. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation and dry in the finish.

665. Hop Back Summer Lightning

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hop Back Brewery
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a clear golden-copper with a relatively dense, sudsy, white head. The same hint of sulfur gives this beer a characteristic "Hop Back" aroma, but the graininess is diminished and a hint of caramel takes its place. Sweet and fruity upfront followed by a significant grassy bitterness. Medium-bodied, low carbonation and smooth with a grassy dryness in the finish.

666. Hop Back Odyssey

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hop Back Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a hazy amber with a sudsy, off-white head. The aroma is yeasty grassy and hoppy. Toasty malts upfront that become lightly sweet in the center. The finish is a nice mild herbal bitterness. Low-carbonation, light-to-medium-bodied.

667. Dark Star HopHead

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Star Brewing
Alcohol: 3.80%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a lightly hazy golden with a sudsy white head. Piney, resiny hops dominate the aroma with some graininess that appears upon swirling. Malty upfront, only lightly sweet, with a nice resiny hop bitterness in the finish. Light-bodied with low carbonation.

668. Harpoon Brown Session Ale

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Cask, Half-Pint
Style: American Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a hazy, amber-brown with a beige head. The aroma is malty with notes of caramel as well as a nice dose of hops. The flavors are malty with notes of caramel, fruit and nuttiness. The finish is nicely hoppy. Light-bodied, low carbonation.

669. Moat Mountain Brown Spruce

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Cask, Pint
Style:Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide

Pours a dark brown with a half-inch, beige head. The aroma is malty with nutty and caramel aromas. The taste is much the same with a lightly bitter finish. The spruce is evident, but becomes much more noticeable towards the end of the pint. Light-to-medium-bodied, low carbonation.

Labels: American Brown Ale, American Porter, Beer Fests, Cask Ale, English Bitter, English Pale Ale, English Pale Mild Ale, Herbed/Spiced Beer, NERAX, Real Ale

651. Samuel Adams Holiday Porter



This is another beer that I snagged from CCR beer hour. I let this warm a bit and served it in my NERAX pint glass.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark, ruby brown with a thick, sudsy, brown head that fades slowly leaving thick lace and persisting as a substantial film.

Smell (3.5): Roasty aromas are dominant, there are some nice coffee and chocolate notes. There are also some nice caramel and dark fruit malty notes as well.

Taste (3.5): A nicely balanced porter. Upfront there's sweet malts: bitter chocolate and dark fruit. These move into a roasted bitterness with nice coffee and chocolate notes. There are also some nice hop flavors in the finish.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation, but smooth.

Drinkability (4.5): Very nicely balanced. Neither the sweetness or the bitterness ever dominates.

Overall (3.75)

Labels: American Porter, Boston Beer Company

David and Dave came up to Boston this past weekend to visit. They arrived at my place after spending 8 hours on a bus from NYC to Boston. Perhaps taking the bus on the day it snowed heavily wasn't such a good idea. Since they got into Boston at 1 AM Friday night was a bust, but we had some beer at my place before turning in.

Saturday morning we had breakfast at Mr. Crepe. After Mr. Crepe we stopped by lab because I had about an hour's worth of work to do. After leaving lab we headed towards the Institute of Contemporary Art, but got off out South Station to have a drink first. We ended up at a depressing hole in the wall called Bernie's Pub where Dave and I had PBRs and David had a Bud.

We then returned to South Station, and took the Silver Line to the ICA. The exhibit was called "Super Vision," which explored how technology has expanded the scope of what we can see in the context of contemporary art. I could definitely see the connection with certain pieces, but others seemed like a bit of a stretch. Overall there were some really cool pieces, and the new ICA building was really nice.

After the ICA we went to Bukowski's for lunch/beer (644-647). We arrived at around three, ordered a round and burgers and stayed on for a few more beers before heading out.

After leaving Bukowski's we were tipsy enough to think it was appropriate enough to pelt each other with snow. At this point David stopped taking notes on what we did for the night, so it just gets hazier. We had planned on going to a few bars that Dave or David had picked out in Allston/Brighton, so we headed in that direction. We got off of the B line where Comm Ave. splits from Beacon, and started walking. Quickly, public urination was agreed upon as a reasonable course of action.

Proceeding down Comm Ave, we were distracted by Sunset Grill and Tap before we could get to one of the chosen bars, however we ended up going next door to play pool. We played several games and had a couple beers (#648 and a DFH 60 Minute). I believe I was $6 up by the time we left.

The next few bars are somewhat fuzzy. I remember David and Dave playing pool in a bar where we had at least one Guinness and a shot of Jameson each. I think this was immediately after pool at the other bar, though there might have been another bar in between. The next bar I remember is where we ended our night. We ordered a round or two of something, which I can't remember. When David tried to get another round he was refused service, so we left (~9:30).

David then laid down in the snow in someones front yard and lost his glasses. We looked for quite awhile before giving up and going to the KFC across the street. Our visit to KFC was brief, shortly after I received our food David puked on the floor, which necessitated a quick departure. After a cab ride back to my place David fell face first over some bushes into the snow in my front yard and laid there for a few seconds before he puked again. We got him upstairs and into bed, and then Dave, Susan (a roommate) and I went to the Sligo. We ordered a round of Stella and then left because it was too crowded. Back at my place we drank some more beer (Ommegang, Hop Devil and Brooklyn East India Pale Ale). Dave challenged me to a wrestling match, so we went out into the back yard and fought in the snow. After that we turned in.

The next morning we had brunch at Rosebud, and then Dave and David caught the bus back to NYC.

644. Sebago Lake Trout Stout

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sebago Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (3.0): Pours an opaque black with brown edges and a small head that quickly fades to a ring.

Smell (3.5): Strong notes of coffee dominate, with lighter notes of coffee and fruit.

Taste (3.5): Light roastiness upfront, with some sweet malts that come through in the center. The finish is roasty with a chocolate sweetness.

Mouthfeel (2.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, a bit thin.

Drinkability (3.5): The thinness is a little off-putting, but the flavors are nice.

Overall (3.3)

645. Harpoon Refsvinginge Private Stock (100 Barrel Series #18)

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 7.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Danish Farmhouse Ale

Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear copper with a thin head that fades to a film leaving patchy lace.

Smell (4.0): Overall the aroma is light, but there are nice malty, caramel notes with a soft fruitiness that reminded me of berries. Swirling enhances the maltiness and brings out some alcoholic aroma.

Taste (4.5): Lightly toasty malts upfront, which is followed closely by some flavors reminiscent of a liquor like brandy or cognac. The finish has a light alcoholic spice, pepper and a light but persistent bitterness.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, smooth.

Drinkability (3.5): Strong flavors and evident alcohol, but overall very enjoyable.

Overall (4.05)

646. Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a very hazy dark-brown with a moderate beige head that persists as a significant film and leaves heavy lace on the side of the glass.

Smell (3.0): Overwhelming coffee aromas mask anything else, except for perhaps a very faint aroma of chocolate.

Taste (3.5): Light chocolate sweetness upfront with some dried fruit. The fruitiness becomes more noticeable in the center before it's eclipsed (though not completely) by some roasted coffee flavors.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, very smooth.

Drinkability (4.0): Flavorful and balanced.

Overall (3.6)

647. Hercules Double IPA

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy copper with dense but thin, off-white head that leaves sheets of lace.

Smell (4.0): Hops, hops, hops! Citric and resiny and strong. There's also some sweet maltiness, but mostly the hops dominate.

Taste (4.5): Again, lots of hops. Toasty and caramel malts make a brief appearance upfront, but are quickly met by resiny, citric and grassy hops. Not too sweet, which is a fault of many DIPAs.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, a tad oily.

Drinkability (4.0): Great for a DIPA. I actually find the DIPAs that are hoppier to be more drinkable than the overly malty ones.

Overall (4.15)

648. Golden Monkey

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (3.5): Pours a golden-amber with a sudsy white head that quickly fades to a patchy film.

Smell (3.5): Spicy and peppery with a bit of banana fruitiness and some sweet tropical notes.

Taste (4.0): Bananas upfront, peppery spice in the center, followed by a mildly bitter taste that mingles with lingering fruitiness and alcohol.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation, smooth.

Drinkability (3.5): Flavorful and nice though the alcohol is noticeable.

Overall (3.75)

Labels: American Double IPA, American Porter, American Stout, Danish Farmhouse Ale, Tripel

I flew into Dallas on Friday the 15th and stayed at my sister's apartment Friday night. We went to the Flying Saucer in Addison with two of her friends, none of whom are into beer. I was able to successfully recommend some quality beers that my sister and her friends liked (Lindemans Framboise, Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse and Chimay Grande Réserve).

584. Foret

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dupont sprl
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy, amber-golden with a thick white head.

Smell (4.0): Sweet malt and fruit aromas are dominant, there are notes of raw sugar and citrus. There's also a little alcoholic spice and a hint of earthiness.

Taste (4.5): High carbonation upfront masks initial flavors, but the initial flavors are sweet, but quickly become lemony and tart. The finish is grassy with a nice light, but lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied with a mild dryness.

Drinkability (4.0): Tasty and balanced with a nice bitterness.

Overall (4.2)

585. Sierra Nevada Porter

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 5.60%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.5): Pours a dark black with ruby tints. A one-inch, creamy, brown head tops the beer, but fades to a film leaving patchy lace.

Smell (4.5): Roasty with a bit of fruitiness, nice chocolate aromas.

Taste (4.5): A little bit of tart fruitiness, chocolate, roasted bitterness and juicy hops.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation, creamy.

Drinkability (5.0): Delicious.

Overall (4.5)

586. Dogtown Pale Ale

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear copper with a fluffy, one-inch, off-white head that thins to a film leaving patchy lace.

Smell (4.0): Hops dominate the aroma, predominantly grapefruit/citrus. There are some malty caramel notes.

Taste (4.0): Toasty malts, high citric tartness, with a nice grassy and citric hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, some hop oiliness.

Drinkability (4.0): Definitely tasty and sessionable.

Overall (3.95)

587. Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Beer Stats:
Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (5.0): Black as night with a thick, creamy, brown head that retains as a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.

Smell (4.5): Strong roasted aromas of chocolate and coffee as well as some hops.

Taste (5.0): There are nice flavors of chocolate throughout, as well as some tart fruitiness. The finish is roasted with notes of coffee as well as some hops.

Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied and creamy with low to moderate carbonation.

Drinkability (4.0): It's a high alcohol RIS, but I definitely wanted more when I finished the bottle.

Overall (4.8)

Labels: American Pale Ale, American Porter, Brasserie Dupont, Lagunitas Brewing Company, North Coast Brewing, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

A few Fridays ago I went to the CBC to have dinner and some beer.

120. Charles River Porter

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque black with a thin beige head.

Smell (4.0): Roasted coffee and chocolate in the nose.

Taste (4.5): There's a nice roasted bitterness that dominates. There's also some dark fruit sweetness and a mild sourness. The aftertaste is roasted and hoppy bitterness.

Mouthfeel (4): Medium-bodied with mild carbonation.

Drinkability (4.5): Nice and roasty and very drinkable.

Overall (4.25)

581. Pisser Mauvais

I had two or three glasses of this. From the website:

Inspired by the famous Mannekin Pis, Brussels’ fountain statue of a young boy urinating. The name translates very loosely as “Wicked Pissah.” Brewed in Autumn, 2004, this black beer was aged in oak barrels which previously held the funky-yet-famous Benevolence. Fermentation ensued spontaneously in the barrel from the various wild yeast and other organisms residing in the porous wood, and after fermentation it rested for twenty-four months. Following this extended quiescence, the beer was racked and blended, conditioned, and chilled for your pleasure today. The nose features an obvious lactic tartness, notes of hay and horse blankets, and an underlying maltiness with hints of chocolate and burnt oak (in a good way). The palate has a nascent sharp sourness leading to flavors reminiscent of a lambic beer, finishing dry with plenty of oak and a clean roasty finale. Initially challenging, this beer becomes quite accessible, and opens up considerably as it warms in the glass.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale

Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque brown-black with a two-finger, brown head that fades to a film leaving patchy lace.

Smell (4.5): Lambic-like tart aroma, medicinal phenols and a mild earthiness.

Taste (5.0): Tart with a light cherry like sweetness, though the tartness is still eveident. There's a medicinal character with a light, woody roastiness that contributes character, but not bitterness.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied. Low but prickly carbonation.

Drinkability (4.5): A delicious sour ale.

Overall (4.55)

122. Great Pumpkin Ale

I'm not ashamed to say that I like pumpkin ales to be sweeter, rather than balanced and to have spicing that really reminds me of a pumpkin pie. CBC's Great Pumpkin Ale fits the bill.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with a thin head that fades to a ring.

Smell (4.5): Very strong aromas of pumpkin with secondary nutmeg and cinnamon aromas.

Taste (4.5): Sweet pumpkins upfront, with nutmeg and cinnamon spices. The finish is lightly bitter.

Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, smooth.

Drinkability (4.0): Sweet, but not overly so, though my opinions on the style may differ from others.

Overall (4.35): A great pumpkin ale!

Labels: American Porter, American Wild Ale, Cambridge Brewing Company, Pumpkin Ale

404. Stone Smoked Porter



I purchased this a few days ago at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I've only tried Arrogant Bastard and Double Bastard. Both excellent beers, though I'll admit that I didn't appreciate Arrogant Bastard the first few times I had it. I chilled this in the fridge and served it in my NERAX pint glass.

Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide

Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque black with garnet tints around the edges. A fluffy beige head tops the beer, eventually fading to a quarter-inch layer, persisting and then disappearing altogether.

Smell (4.5): Dark fruit, coffee, dark chocolate and a nice smokiness.

Taste (4.0): Fruity sweetness and mild tartness upfront. A roasted coffee bitterness in the finish gives way to a nice smoky flavor that lingers in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel (5.0): Tingly carbonation, with a smooth and thick rich texture.

Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink and flavorful, though it may be a little strong for some.

Overall (4.20): This is an excellent flavorful porter. The smoky flavor is noticable, but not overpowering.

Labels: American Porter, Reviews, Stone Brewing Co.

49. Anchor Porter

I picked up a six-pack of Anchor Porter at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I felt like having a stout or porter tonight, and this looked the most enticing. This is an American Porter, or a Robust Porter. These porters tend to have stronger roasted characteristics than traditional porters, and may be hoppier.

Appearance (4.5): Pours a dark opaque brown, with ruby edges. A two finger fluffy brown head diminishes to a thin layer.

Smell (4.0): There are sweet, slightly tart fruity aromas, and roasted aromas of caramel, coffee and chocolate.

Taste (4.5): Sweet and bready upfront with fruity tartness in the center. Nice roasted flavors in the finish, including chocolate and coffee. The aftertaste is both bitter from the roasted flavors and sweet.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Moderate to light carbonation, smooth and medium-bodied.

Drinkability (5.0): Well-balanced and amazingly easy to drink.

Overall (4.35): This is a nice flavorful porter, easily one of my favorites.

Labels: American Porter, Anchor Brewing, Reviews

Thom and I attended the Extreme Beer Fest last night at the Cyclorama in Boston's Back Bay. Upon arriving at the building, we joined a huge line towards the entrance, but only had to wait about 20 minutes, with annoying slut girl behind us and ridiculous middle-aged men in front of us, before being allowed entrance. We got our IDs checked, our wrists braceleted, and our official 4 oz. plastic cups and 5 drink tickets (we bought 5 more for a dollar each). The place was packed, but it was a friendly crowd.


For food, Sunset Grill and Tap had a small setup in the back. After Beer #2, Thom bought a Sausage and I had a Chicken Fajita Wrap, both delicious. Later on, after the buzz set in, we bought a very tasty Belgian waffle from Waffle Haus.




Beer 1: Brooklyn Monster Ale, English Barleywine

Unfortunately Garrett Oliver was not present at this booth, but the pourer was friendly and smiled at me.

Appearance: Beer was a hazy orange-red. It had a thin, beige, bubbly head.

Smell: No surprise here, the beer smelled like a wine, grapey and sweet.

Taste: Very sweet and vinuous with some tingle up front. Ended with a wonderful malty, but not bitter warming alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Lightbodied, with carbonation at the beginning, but not at the end.

Drinkability: This was delicious! I could drink a lot of it.


Beer 2: Allagash Curieux, Tripel

Served on draught, from a cooler.

Appearance: Pours a hazy dark golden with a creamy head that slowly diminishes.

Smell: I smelled a pretzely sweetness. After Thom suggested dill, I smelled that too.

Taste: I tasted dill and green bell peppers in the middle, then some sourdough, and a little bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Light- to mediumbodied with not too much carbonation.

Drinkability: Light and tasty, easy to drink a lot of, but the dill flavor?

Final Notes: Beer Advocate reviews find this Tripel to have vanilla and woody notes; most remark on tasting the whiskey from being aged in bourbon casks. I couldn't taste any of this, but I have a pretty undeveloped palate, so take my notes with a grain of salt!


Beer 3: Boston Beerworks Peanut Butter Porter, American Porter

Appearance: This beer is dark dark dark with a thin head that disappears except around the edges of the cup.

Smell: Peanut butter!

Taste: The peanut butter taste in the middle faded to a sweet nuttiness. There was both some roasted as well as hoppy bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel: Lightbodied with mild carbonation.

Drinkability: I could drink 1 or 2, my typical max for porters. I liked this because the PB was a fine replacement for the usual bitter chocolates I taste in Porters.


Beer 4: The Reverend, Quadrupel

This is where my notes start to get illegible, ie this is where I start to get drunk



Appearance: Clear orange-bronze, no head.

Smell: My most complex nose so far, I smelled fried plantains, caramel, maple syrup, and iced tea.

Taste: Tasted sweet like candy and maple syrup.

Mouthfeel: This was lightbodied but also choppy with carbonation.

Drinkability: My notes say "Could drink a lot. Don't love it."


Beer 5: Harpoon Varius Strong Ale

Brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to BA.com:

Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
Named "Harpoon Varius" because many different Harpoon brewers contributed to making this beer, which is brewed exclusively for the BeerAdvocate Extreme Beer Fest. Brewed in 10 10-gallon batches, Harpoon Varius is an experimental strong ale. Unfiltered, slightly cloudy, DANGEROUS! Rich alcohol notes mixing with earthy floral hop, thick malty sweetness in the nose. It starts off with a slight honey sweetness and transitions to a pronounced higher alcohol warmth and complex ester character. Finishes with a distinct smooth, bitter finish. Brewing with Pale Ale malt (90%), Caramel, and Victory. Hopped with Northern Brewer, East Kent Goldings, Fuggle, and Magnum. Dry-hopped with Willamette. Fermented with a Dry English Ale yeast.

Appearance: Thick creamy head reduces to nothing. Clear dark golden.

Smell: Sweet, with pineapple and berries.

Taste: Tropical fruit sweetness, then bready malts. Finishes with a slight bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Lightbodied and quite carbonated.

Drinkability: Very refreshing, but couldn't drink too much because of the hoppy bitterness.


Beer 6: Three Philosophers, Quadrupel

I went to Ommegang to get their Rodenbach, a Flemish Sour Ale, but they were out! I tried this since I know Thom really likes it. This is my last beer, I had to cut myself off due to extreme tipsyness! Thom had to take my notes for me.

Appearance: Hazy, orange-red-brown. Thin beige ring of head.

Smell: Sweet raisins, cherries.

Taste: Sour-bitter fruit with mild carbonation. Thom transcribed my words which were the following: "Tarty-tart-tart in the middle, fig. Chomp chomp chomp, raisin."

Mouthfeel: Tingly and mediumbodied.

Drinkability: "I can't drink so much of this. It's so high in alcohol!"


Overall
I had a great time at this Beer Fest and got to try some awesome beers. I really like the beer fests because it brings so many beer lovers together, and also we scored some freebies, like my weeklydig.com bottle opener, plenty of coasters, a red devil glass ornament, and some hops!

Labels: Allagash Brewing Company, American Porter, Avery Brewing Company, Beer Fests, Beer Works, Brewery Ommegang, Brooklyn Brewery, English Barley Wine, Harpoon Brewery, Quadrupel, Reviews, Tripel

As Thom explained already at length, we went to teh Publick House tonight. Since my main purpose here is as cheese-master/gourmand, I must mention my delicious meal, a Publick House burger with Cheddar cheese with Dogfish Head Indian Brown BBQ Sauce and home cut fries.

Tonight was my first semi-learned tasting experience, as Thom and I discussed beer styles last night while discussing our potential beer samplings at Extreme Beer Fest (this Saturday). I decided ahead of time to try a Belgian Quadrupel (low on the hops) and a Porter or Stout.

Beer 1: St. Bernardus ABT 12, Quadrupel

Appearance: Served in an oversized wine glass, when the beer was brought to our table it had a thick beige head that had good retention but eventually reduced to about a quarter of an inch. The brew was an opaque dark brown.

Smell: Sweet, malty, and spicy, very much like other Belgian beers I've smelled.

Taste: Tingly up front with a very sweet center, maybe a biscuity finish?

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with light carbonation. I've written in my notes "munchy." I think I mean chewy.

Drinkablity: Very tasty, but high alcohol content means it's not a session beer.

Overall: I really like the malty flavor of this but it still has that crazy taste that's specific to Belgian beers that I'm not a fan of.

Dave on this beer: "This is the best beer I've ever tasted."

Beer 2: Rogue Mocha Porter, American Porter

Appearance: Beer was served in a Newcastle pint glass. It was totally opaque and a deep dark brown. The head was thin.

Smell: As expected, this beer smelled heavy and smoky.

Taste: Much more carbonated than what I've been drinking lately, it was tingly on the tongue at first, then intense espresso and subtle bittersweet chocolate flavors busted out. Pretty bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light-bodied, but heavy in my tummy, especially after that huge burger!!

Drinkability: After that high ABV Bernardus and the burger, I was down for the count and needed Thom to help me finish, but not for lack of enjoyment. It does have a very strong, complex taste, so I probably wouldn't have more than one.

Overall: I tend to like more chocolatey than coffee-tasting porters, but this one wasn't bad.

Stay tuned for the X-treme Beer Fest

Labels: American Porter, Brouwerij St. Bernardus, Quadrupel, Rogue Ales Brewery, The Publick House