David and I had already sobered up a bit by the time we got back from Salem. Jadyn had to do some lab work, so David and I decided to burn time at the CBC before our dinner reservations at Hungry Mother.
Since David is an enabler, he insisted that I get a sampler with all of the beers on the menu that I hadn't had. Shockingly I hadn't had two of their standard offerings. Now I've had the complete house beer lineup.
908. Regatta Golden
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Kölsch, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, pale, golden yellow. Topped by a thick, fluffy, white head that clings to the side of the glass. Subtle grassy and peppery notes in the aroma, leaves a crisp impression. Clean and crisp with a nice grassy quality. The finish has a nice peppery quality and a nice hop bitterness.
909. Tall Tale Pale Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper. Topped by a thin, white head that fades to a ring. There are aromas of caramel malts, a juicy apricot fruitiness, and pungent resiny hops. Bready and caramel malts upfront move into an apricot fruitiness before a dry, grassy, herbal hop bitterness in the finish. This one is very tasty. I'm surprised I haven't tried it before. Very good.
910. 21 Bones Salute
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
This beer is a tribute to 21 years of Red Bones BBQ in Davis Square. Pours a deep amber-copper. A thin beige head fades to a thin ring. The aroma is fairly mild, but is toasty and bready with a tinge of resiny hops. Mild bready and caramel sweetness upfront moves into a resiny hop finish with some citric character.
911. Blackout Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Blackout Stout is a very dark brown with garnet tints. A dense, brown head thins to a film leaving huge patches of lace. The aroma is a typical Irish Stout aroma: hints of dark fruit under a roasted malt aroma that's neither chocolate or coffee. Roasty backbone, with a light sweetness throughout. Notes of chocolate and coffee with a roasted bitterness in the finish.
912. Arquebus
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 10.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: English Barley Wine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper with no visible head. The aroma is very malty. Sharp cherries, general fruitiness. Swirling brings out caramel malts. Upfront there are notes of caramel and raw sugar. There's a tart fruitiness in the center. The finish is lightly bitter with a warming alcoholic spice.
Since David is an enabler, he insisted that I get a sampler with all of the beers on the menu that I hadn't had. Shockingly I hadn't had two of their standard offerings. Now I've had the complete house beer lineup.
908. Regatta Golden
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Kölsch, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, pale, golden yellow. Topped by a thick, fluffy, white head that clings to the side of the glass. Subtle grassy and peppery notes in the aroma, leaves a crisp impression. Clean and crisp with a nice grassy quality. The finish has a nice peppery quality and a nice hop bitterness.
909. Tall Tale Pale Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper. Topped by a thin, white head that fades to a ring. There are aromas of caramel malts, a juicy apricot fruitiness, and pungent resiny hops. Bready and caramel malts upfront move into an apricot fruitiness before a dry, grassy, herbal hop bitterness in the finish. This one is very tasty. I'm surprised I haven't tried it before. Very good.
910. 21 Bones Salute
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
This beer is a tribute to 21 years of Red Bones BBQ in Davis Square. Pours a deep amber-copper. A thin beige head fades to a thin ring. The aroma is fairly mild, but is toasty and bready with a tinge of resiny hops. Mild bready and caramel sweetness upfront moves into a resiny hop finish with some citric character.
911. Blackout Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Blackout Stout is a very dark brown with garnet tints. A dense, brown head thins to a film leaving huge patches of lace. The aroma is a typical Irish Stout aroma: hints of dark fruit under a roasted malt aroma that's neither chocolate or coffee. Roasty backbone, with a light sweetness throughout. Notes of chocolate and coffee with a roasted bitterness in the finish.
912. Arquebus
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 10.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: English Barley Wine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper with no visible head. The aroma is very malty. Sharp cherries, general fruitiness. Swirling brings out caramel malts. Upfront there are notes of caramel and raw sugar. There's a tart fruitiness in the center. The finish is lightly bitter with a warming alcoholic spice.
Labels: American Pale Ale, Cambridge Brewing Company, English Barley Wine, Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), Irish Dry Stout, Kölsch
445. J.W. Lees Vintage Harvest Ale 2004
Published by Unknown on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 2:17 AM.
445. J.W. Lees Vintage Harvest Ale 2004
This was purchased several weeks ago at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I was debating whether to cellar this or not, but in the end I decided to drink it now and buy another bottle or two for cellaring if I enjoyed it. I let this warm to around 45º F before serving it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd
Year: 2004
Alcohol: 11.50%
Serving: Bottle, 275 mL
Style: English Barley Wine, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy ruby-brown, with a faint, wispy, beige head that forms a thin ring around the glass.
Smell (5.0): Very rich, malty and sweet. There are notes of burnt sugar, maple syrup, molasses, raisins, figs and a tart alcoholic aroma.
Taste (4.5): Multi-layered. Sweet all the way through. Upfront are notes of brown sugar and fruit. There's a little bit of tartness that makes me think cherries. The finish is sweet with some burnt sugar bitterness, notes of fig and a light alcoholic spice.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Low-carbonation, thick and full-bodied, with a thick syrupy feel, though not unpleasant.
Drinkability (4.5): Alcohol is very well-hidden, rich flavors make this a nice sipping beer.
Overall (4.55): Very good, malty and rich. I'll buy a couple more bottles to cellar for a few years.
This was purchased several weeks ago at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I was debating whether to cellar this or not, but in the end I decided to drink it now and buy another bottle or two for cellaring if I enjoyed it. I let this warm to around 45º F before serving it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd
Year: 2004
Alcohol: 11.50%
Serving: Bottle, 275 mL
Style: English Barley Wine, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy ruby-brown, with a faint, wispy, beige head that forms a thin ring around the glass.
Smell (5.0): Very rich, malty and sweet. There are notes of burnt sugar, maple syrup, molasses, raisins, figs and a tart alcoholic aroma.
Taste (4.5): Multi-layered. Sweet all the way through. Upfront are notes of brown sugar and fruit. There's a little bit of tartness that makes me think cherries. The finish is sweet with some burnt sugar bitterness, notes of fig and a light alcoholic spice.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Low-carbonation, thick and full-bodied, with a thick syrupy feel, though not unpleasant.
Drinkability (4.5): Alcohol is very well-hidden, rich flavors make this a nice sipping beer.
Overall (4.55): Very good, malty and rich. I'll buy a couple more bottles to cellar for a few years.
Labels: English Barley Wine, J.W. Lees, Reviews
342. Brooklyn Monster Ale
I purchased two bottles of this at Downtown Wine and Spirits. This came in a brown 12 oz. bottle that said "This Monster Ale Was Born in 2005." I let this warm to 55ºF and served it in one of my new Ommegang chalices.
Monster Ale is an English Barley Wine. Barley Wines are one of the strongest varieties of beer. Monster Ale weighs in at 11% abv. Their flavors can range from fruity to hoppy.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-orange, with a thick beige head. The head thins to a ring, with sporadic lacing.
Smell (3.5): Sweet fruity malts, piney hops, and noticeable alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts are evident first, followed by rich fruity flavors in the center. The finish is lightly bitter, dry and tart with alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and silky.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors aren't too strong to drink a few of these, but the high alcohol may prevent you from doing so.
Overall (3.9): This is a nice strong sipping beer.
I purchased two bottles of this at Downtown Wine and Spirits. This came in a brown 12 oz. bottle that said "This Monster Ale Was Born in 2005." I let this warm to 55ºF and served it in one of my new Ommegang chalices.
Monster Ale is an English Barley Wine. Barley Wines are one of the strongest varieties of beer. Monster Ale weighs in at 11% abv. Their flavors can range from fruity to hoppy.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-orange, with a thick beige head. The head thins to a ring, with sporadic lacing.
Smell (3.5): Sweet fruity malts, piney hops, and noticeable alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts are evident first, followed by rich fruity flavors in the center. The finish is lightly bitter, dry and tart with alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and silky.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors aren't too strong to drink a few of these, but the high alcohol may prevent you from doing so.
Overall (3.9): This is a nice strong sipping beer.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, English Barley Wine, 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:
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!
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 AleAppearance: Thick creamy head reduces to nothing. Clear dark golden.
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.
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
