1111. John Harvard's Russian Imperial Stout
Published by Unknown on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 9:30 AM.
1111. John Harvard's Russian Imperial Stout
Jadyn and I had dinner at John Harvard's at some point in early to mid January. I had their Russian Imperial Stout with dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: John Harvard's Brew House
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
John Harvard's Russian Imperial Stout pours a deep, opaque black with slight ruby tints. It's topped by a sudsy, brown head that fades down to a persistent, sudsy ring. There's a deep, malty aroma with notes of chocolate, molasses, toffee, roast, a bit of dark fruit and alcohol.
There are sweet notes of chocolate upfront that move into a molasses character in the center, which carries into a spicy, sharp alcoholic finish that's sweet, and is cut by a roasted bitterness. This RIS is a full-bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation.
This beer is a tad sweet and spicy. It's a sipper.
Jadyn and I had dinner at John Harvard's at some point in early to mid January. I had their Russian Imperial Stout with dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: John Harvard's Brew House
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
John Harvard's Russian Imperial Stout pours a deep, opaque black with slight ruby tints. It's topped by a sudsy, brown head that fades down to a persistent, sudsy ring. There's a deep, malty aroma with notes of chocolate, molasses, toffee, roast, a bit of dark fruit and alcohol.
There are sweet notes of chocolate upfront that move into a molasses character in the center, which carries into a spicy, sharp alcoholic finish that's sweet, and is cut by a roasted bitterness. This RIS is a full-bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation.
This beer is a tad sweet and spicy. It's a sipper.
Labels: Russian Imperial Stout
This is the final set of beers that I tasted at the 2009 Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Fest.
Overall I thought the fest was fun. Going with friends from lab was a different experience, more focused on drunkeness than times I've been with David and Win.
981. Cuvee de Castleton
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. The aroma is acidic and sour with a light graininess and citric hints. There's a nice sour backbone running throughout the beer with notes of citrus and grape fruitiness. The finish has a nice dry character.
982. Tröegs Mad Elf
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, dark amber. Topped by fizzy, soda-like carbonation. Sweet malts in the aroma: toffee and candi sugar. The taste is much like the aroma with a spicy alcohol in the finish.
983. Magic Hat Wild Ginger
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Ginger was added to this beer once during primary fermentation and once after fermentation was complete. It poured a dark copper. The aroma was dominated by ginger. There were mild caramel malts before the spiciness of the ginger took over.
984. Rosso e Marrone
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: ?
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, reddish amber. The aroma is acidic and hints at the sourness to come. There's a nice tart acidity throughout over a backbone of fruity characters.
985. Plead the 5th
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque, dark black. The aroma is roast with notes of coffee. Dark roasted malts give a chocolate and fruity sweetness upfront, and a coffee bitterness in the finish.
986. Behemoth Blonde Barleywine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.50%
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. There are notes of citrus and fruit as well as caramel malts in the aroma. Caramel and raw sugar malt notes upfront, followed by a leafy and citric hop flavors in the finish. Overall the malts come through as only lightly sweet.
987. Samuel Adams Imperial White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden. Standard witbier aroma: coriander, orange peel, Belgian yeast. The flavor profile is much the same with a nice spiciness in the finish.
988. Scotty Karate Scottish Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.75%
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, dark amber-brown. The aroma is malty: caramel, molasses. Malty throughout the palate. Notes of caramel, toffee, hints of chocolate, and a lightly bitter finish.
989. Dry-Hopped 2008 Double Bastard Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Style: American Strong Ale
Double Bastard dry-hopped with Columbus and Amarillo hops. Pours a hazed copper. Sweet malts are evident in the aroma, as well as strong resiny hops. The flavors were similar. My notes were minimal because I was pretty drunk at that point.
Overall I thought the fest was fun. Going with friends from lab was a different experience, more focused on drunkeness than times I've been with David and Win.
981. Cuvee de Castleton
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. The aroma is acidic and sour with a light graininess and citric hints. There's a nice sour backbone running throughout the beer with notes of citrus and grape fruitiness. The finish has a nice dry character.
982. Tröegs Mad Elf
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, dark amber. Topped by fizzy, soda-like carbonation. Sweet malts in the aroma: toffee and candi sugar. The taste is much like the aroma with a spicy alcohol in the finish.
983. Magic Hat Wild Ginger
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Ginger was added to this beer once during primary fermentation and once after fermentation was complete. It poured a dark copper. The aroma was dominated by ginger. There were mild caramel malts before the spiciness of the ginger took over.
984. Rosso e Marrone
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: ?
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, reddish amber. The aroma is acidic and hints at the sourness to come. There's a nice tart acidity throughout over a backbone of fruity characters.
985. Plead the 5th
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque, dark black. The aroma is roast with notes of coffee. Dark roasted malts give a chocolate and fruity sweetness upfront, and a coffee bitterness in the finish.
986. Behemoth Blonde Barleywine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.50%
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. There are notes of citrus and fruit as well as caramel malts in the aroma. Caramel and raw sugar malt notes upfront, followed by a leafy and citric hop flavors in the finish. Overall the malts come through as only lightly sweet.
987. Samuel Adams Imperial White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden. Standard witbier aroma: coriander, orange peel, Belgian yeast. The flavor profile is much the same with a nice spiciness in the finish.
988. Scotty Karate Scottish Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.75%
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, dark amber-brown. The aroma is malty: caramel, molasses. Malty throughout the palate. Notes of caramel, toffee, hints of chocolate, and a lightly bitter finish.
989. Dry-Hopped 2008 Double Bastard Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Style: American Strong Ale
Double Bastard dry-hopped with Columbus and Amarillo hops. Pours a hazed copper. Sweet malts are evident in the aroma, as well as strong resiny hops. The flavors were similar. My notes were minimal because I was pretty drunk at that point.
Labels: American Barleywine, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Flanders Oud Bruin, Herbed/Spiced Beer, Russian Imperial Stout, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, Witbier
Our last stop of the night was Blind Tiger, a beer bar that I'd previously been to with David. I would have been content finishing off the night with some familiar beers, but David insisted that we have one more round of new beers. We finished the night with several bottles of Drie Fonteinen Oude Gueuze.
948. Obovoid
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boulder Beer
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque black. Topped by a beige head that retains well and leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is roasty with notes of chocolate and dark fruit.
Lightly roasty to start, but quickly moves into s strong malty sweetness: raisins, dates and chocolate. There's a roasty, coffee bitterness in the finish along with a few hop characters. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated.
949. BiFrost Winter Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. Topped by an off-white head that fades to a film, but that leaves good lacing. The aroma is strong. There are malty aromas of fruit and bread along with a good bit of spice.
Toasty upfront, moving into a sweet center with caramel and some fruitiness. The finish is lightly spicy with a mild bitterness. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated.
950. Brooklyn Blunderbuss Old Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 8.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Old Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a crystal clear brown. Topped by a beige head that fades to a thin ring. The aroma is boozy and malty with notes of caramel, molasses and a hint of roast. Very appealing.
Malty throughout: notes of toffee, molasses and dark fruit. The finish is roasty with a boozy kick. Thick and full-bodied with moderate carbonation.
948. Obovoid
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boulder Beer
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque black. Topped by a beige head that retains well and leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is roasty with notes of chocolate and dark fruit.
Lightly roasty to start, but quickly moves into s strong malty sweetness: raisins, dates and chocolate. There's a roasty, coffee bitterness in the finish along with a few hop characters. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated.
949. BiFrost Winter Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. Topped by an off-white head that fades to a film, but that leaves good lacing. The aroma is strong. There are malty aromas of fruit and bread along with a good bit of spice.
Toasty upfront, moving into a sweet center with caramel and some fruitiness. The finish is lightly spicy with a mild bitterness. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated.
950. Brooklyn Blunderbuss Old Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 8.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Old Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a crystal clear brown. Topped by a beige head that fades to a thin ring. The aroma is boozy and malty with notes of caramel, molasses and a hint of roast. Very appealing.
Malty throughout: notes of toffee, molasses and dark fruit. The finish is roasty with a boozy kick. Thick and full-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Labels: Old Ale, Russian Imperial Stout, Travel, Winter Warmer
926. Ten Fidy
Jadyn and I went to The Publick House on December 17th. I had an Allagash Interlude, a Haansens Oude Geueze, and a can of Ten Fidy. The food and beer were good, as usual.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Can, 12 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.05
Pours a viscous, deep, opaque black. Topped by a half-inch, dark brown head that fades to a film, leaving good lace. The aroma is fairly light overall. Roasted malt aromas, chocolate, dark fruit, and a hint of molasses.
Sweet and chocolate tinged malts upfront. The center is dominated by dark fruit, with notes of raisins and prunes, over a sharp molasses and boozy backbone. There's a nice roasted bitterness in the finish, as well as an alcoholic spiciness. Thick and full-bodied, with prickly carbonation.
Maybe it's been awhile since I had a RIS, but this seems a bit sweeter than most. Still a good beer, and a great dessert beer.
Jadyn and I went to The Publick House on December 17th. I had an Allagash Interlude, a Haansens Oude Geueze, and a can of Ten Fidy. The food and beer were good, as usual.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Can, 12 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.05
Pours a viscous, deep, opaque black. Topped by a half-inch, dark brown head that fades to a film, leaving good lace. The aroma is fairly light overall. Roasted malt aromas, chocolate, dark fruit, and a hint of molasses.
Sweet and chocolate tinged malts upfront. The center is dominated by dark fruit, with notes of raisins and prunes, over a sharp molasses and boozy backbone. There's a nice roasted bitterness in the finish, as well as an alcoholic spiciness. Thick and full-bodied, with prickly carbonation.
Maybe it's been awhile since I had a RIS, but this seems a bit sweeter than most. Still a good beer, and a great dessert beer.
Labels: Oskar Blues Grill and Brewery, Russian Imperial Stout
851. YouEnjoyMyStout
Jadyn and I had dinner and drinks at Cambridge Brewing Company on the 3rd of July. I had one glass of YouEnjoyMyStout, and then Jadyn and I split another glass.
The website says:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Year: Spring 2007
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.2
As with all of the high alcohol beers at the CBC, this one came in a sub-pint serving, specifically a snifter-style glass. The beer is deep, almost opaque black, and is topped by a thick, dark-brown head, which fades to a quarter-inch film, leaving patchy lace. The aroma is very malty: chocolate, coffee, dark fruit (prunes and raisins), and cherries. There's also a bourbon, booziness on swirling along with a woody aroma.
Malty upfront, caramel, chocolate and dark fruit, much like the aroma. A bourbon barrel booziness appears in the center and carries through to the finish, which is roasty with notes of coffee and chocolate. Smooth and thick on the palate, moderately carbonated. The woody, tannic finish lends a dry feeling to the finish.
Very tasty and well done, but it's definitely a sipping beer.
Jadyn and I had dinner and drinks at Cambridge Brewing Company on the 3rd of July. I had one glass of YouEnjoyMyStout, and then Jadyn and I split another glass.
The website says:
Imperial Stout is a variety of British stout brewed considerably richer and stronger than the norm. Originally crafted for export to czarist Russia, Catherine the Great, among others, was a known enthusiast. It is rich, roasty, srong, smooth, and dark, dark, dark. This expression of YouEnjoyMyStout was brewed in Spring 2007, and has since whiled away the days in a quintet of American bourbon barrels. The complexities added by tannins, oxidation, and oak character complement the malt notes of caramel, bitter chocolate, and espresso-roast, finishing with a long, alcohol-tinged palate.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Year: Spring 2007
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.2
As with all of the high alcohol beers at the CBC, this one came in a sub-pint serving, specifically a snifter-style glass. The beer is deep, almost opaque black, and is topped by a thick, dark-brown head, which fades to a quarter-inch film, leaving patchy lace. The aroma is very malty: chocolate, coffee, dark fruit (prunes and raisins), and cherries. There's also a bourbon, booziness on swirling along with a woody aroma.
Malty upfront, caramel, chocolate and dark fruit, much like the aroma. A bourbon barrel booziness appears in the center and carries through to the finish, which is roasty with notes of coffee and chocolate. Smooth and thick on the palate, moderately carbonated. The woody, tannic finish lends a dry feeling to the finish.
Very tasty and well done, but it's definitely a sipping beer.
Labels: Russian Imperial Stout
657. Dinner and Drinks at The Publick House
Published by Unknown on Monday, April 30, 2007 at 12:39 PM.
Last Friday night (April 20th) Jadyn and I went to the Publick House for dinner and drinks. The wait was estimated to be an hour when we got there, but we were seated before we'd finished our first beers, an Aprihop for her and a Foret for myself.
We started with an order of Publick House fries as an appetizer. For dinner Jadyn had the Mac and Cheese and I had the Arrogant Bastard meatloaf. The food was good as usual, especially the mashed potatoes that came with my meatloaf. She had a St. Bernardus ABT 12 with dinner and I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. The stout went well with the somewhat bitter Arrogant Bastard based sauce on the meatloaf.
After dinner we had a couple more drinks. I thought that fruit lambics would make a nice after dinner drink. I was hoping for a Cantillon, but they were all out. I ended up having the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Jadyn had a Lindeman's Framboise. Our last drinks were a La Fin Du Monde for Jadyn and a Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, which I found to be a nice, highly drinkable Belgian Pale Ale.
I enjoyed all of the beers that I ordered, especially Old Rasputin and the Gueuze, and Jadyn particularly enjoyed the Aprihop and Framboise.
657. Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a dense off white head that thins to a film, before disappearing.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity. There are notes of bananas and berries with toasty malts, light hops and a hint of spiciness.
Taste (3.5): Toasty malts upfront move into a sweet fruity center with notes of bananas and apples. The finish has a light residual sweetness with a mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mild but flavorful. Definitely something I could have a few of.
Overall (3.85): I thought this was a spot on attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale. I'd definitely have it again.
We started with an order of Publick House fries as an appetizer. For dinner Jadyn had the Mac and Cheese and I had the Arrogant Bastard meatloaf. The food was good as usual, especially the mashed potatoes that came with my meatloaf. She had a St. Bernardus ABT 12 with dinner and I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. The stout went well with the somewhat bitter Arrogant Bastard based sauce on the meatloaf.
After dinner we had a couple more drinks. I thought that fruit lambics would make a nice after dinner drink. I was hoping for a Cantillon, but they were all out. I ended up having the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Jadyn had a Lindeman's Framboise. Our last drinks were a La Fin Du Monde for Jadyn and a Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, which I found to be a nice, highly drinkable Belgian Pale Ale.
I enjoyed all of the beers that I ordered, especially Old Rasputin and the Gueuze, and Jadyn particularly enjoyed the Aprihop and Framboise.
657. Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a dense off white head that thins to a film, before disappearing.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity. There are notes of bananas and berries with toasty malts, light hops and a hint of spiciness.
Taste (3.5): Toasty malts upfront move into a sweet fruity center with notes of bananas and apples. The finish has a light residual sweetness with a mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mild but flavorful. Definitely something I could have a few of.
Overall (3.85): I thought this was a spot on attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale. I'd definitely have it again.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Fruit Lambic, Fruit/Vegatable Beer, Gueuze, Lambic, Quadrupel, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Sour Beer
There's not much to say in this post. These are my tasting notes for the middle 10 beers that I had at the Extreme Beer Fest. My handwriting remains legible for all 10 of these beers, but does start to deteriorate a little towards the last few. There are no beers that I have marked down as standouts from these 10, though it was nice to finally get to try a Berlinerweiss.
621. Allagash Bacchus Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.20%
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazy golden. The aroma is sour apples, vinous and a little buttery. There are tart apple flavors, as well as some wine like qualities. An interesting tripel. I'd like to have it again and take proper notes.
622. Iron Hill Hopzilla
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Alcohol: ?
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. The aroma has some berry fruitiness, malts and citric hops. The flavor is toasty malts, citric fruitiness and a hoppy bitterness in the finish.
623. The Tap Erebus
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Eisbock, BJCP Style Guide
The style I'm not sure of here, it's listed as an Eisbock on ratebeer, but the Tap's website only describes it as a "very strong lager," which may or may not be an Eisbock. It xertainly didn't look like an Eisbock. Pours a clear golden. There's a strange, savory aroma, with a bit of a medicinal tinge. Upfront there's a mix of sour and sweet apple flavors, and a mild bitterness in the finish.
624. The Tap Berlinerweiss
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 2.80%
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
This was my first Berlinerweiss, I drank this without the available syrups. It pours a hazy, pale, straw color. The aroma is grainy with a definite lactic, bacterial edge. The beer was lightly grainy, with a pronounced lactic sourness.
625. Captain Swain's "Big Woody" Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cisco Brewers Inc.
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a dark black. The aroma is very light, some fruitiness and roasted malts. The flavor is fruity and sweet with a strong roasted bitterness in the finish.
626. Weekapaug Gruit Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
I've never been to the CBC when they have this on tap, so I decided to give it a shot. This was a tall pour, maybe a sample and a half. It pours a hazy brown. Notes for this one were tough since I haven't had any other Gruits. The aroma, like the flavor, was predominantly herbal/floral.
627. Tröegs Nugget Nectar
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.50%
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear amber/copper. The aroma is fruity with some floral, citric and resiny hops. The flavor is fruity and peppery with a citric hop bitterness in the finish.
628. Dogfish Head Festina Peche
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 4.50%
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
According to the fest program: "A Neo-Berliner Weiss brewed with fresh peaches. The beer is comprised of half wheat malt and half Pilsner malt, with an addition of lactic acid." This one pours a pale, hazy, straw color with a thick white head. I didn't catch peaches specifically, but I did notice fruitiness in both the aroma and flavors, which were predomiantly lactic acid sourness.
629. Samuel Adams Baltic Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Style: Baltic Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a dark black with a fizzy brown head. The aroma is mostly fruity with some roasty chocolate notes. The flavor is much the same with more prominent chocolate flavors and a light roasted bitterness.
630. Avery Samael's (2006)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Avery Breweing Company
Alcohol: 14.50%
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a copper orange. The aroma is fruity and malty, with a light citric hop hint. The beer is very sweet and fruity with a bit of pepper and vanilla.
I have one more Extreme Beer Fest post to get done, hopefully I'll get that done in the next few days and get caught up with the blog.
621. Allagash Bacchus Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.20%
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazy golden. The aroma is sour apples, vinous and a little buttery. There are tart apple flavors, as well as some wine like qualities. An interesting tripel. I'd like to have it again and take proper notes.
622. Iron Hill Hopzilla
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Alcohol: ?
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. The aroma has some berry fruitiness, malts and citric hops. The flavor is toasty malts, citric fruitiness and a hoppy bitterness in the finish.
623. The Tap Erebus
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Eisbock, BJCP Style Guide
The style I'm not sure of here, it's listed as an Eisbock on ratebeer, but the Tap's website only describes it as a "very strong lager," which may or may not be an Eisbock. It xertainly didn't look like an Eisbock. Pours a clear golden. There's a strange, savory aroma, with a bit of a medicinal tinge. Upfront there's a mix of sour and sweet apple flavors, and a mild bitterness in the finish.
624. The Tap Berlinerweiss
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 2.80%
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
This was my first Berlinerweiss, I drank this without the available syrups. It pours a hazy, pale, straw color. The aroma is grainy with a definite lactic, bacterial edge. The beer was lightly grainy, with a pronounced lactic sourness.
625. Captain Swain's "Big Woody" Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cisco Brewers Inc.
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a dark black. The aroma is very light, some fruitiness and roasted malts. The flavor is fruity and sweet with a strong roasted bitterness in the finish.
626. Weekapaug Gruit Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
I've never been to the CBC when they have this on tap, so I decided to give it a shot. This was a tall pour, maybe a sample and a half. It pours a hazy brown. Notes for this one were tough since I haven't had any other Gruits. The aroma, like the flavor, was predominantly herbal/floral.
627. Tröegs Nugget Nectar
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.50%
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear amber/copper. The aroma is fruity with some floral, citric and resiny hops. The flavor is fruity and peppery with a citric hop bitterness in the finish.
628. Dogfish Head Festina Peche
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 4.50%
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
According to the fest program: "A Neo-Berliner Weiss brewed with fresh peaches. The beer is comprised of half wheat malt and half Pilsner malt, with an addition of lactic acid." This one pours a pale, hazy, straw color with a thick white head. I didn't catch peaches specifically, but I did notice fruitiness in both the aroma and flavors, which were predomiantly lactic acid sourness.
629. Samuel Adams Baltic Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Style: Baltic Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a dark black with a fizzy brown head. The aroma is mostly fruity with some roasty chocolate notes. The flavor is much the same with more prominent chocolate flavors and a light roasted bitterness.
630. Avery Samael's (2006)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Avery Breweing Company
Alcohol: 14.50%
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a copper orange. The aroma is fruity and malty, with a light citric hop hint. The beer is very sweet and fruity with a bit of pepper and vanilla.
I have one more Extreme Beer Fest post to get done, hopefully I'll get that done in the next few days and get caught up with the blog.
Labels: American Barleywine, American IPA, Baltic Porter, Beer Fests, Berliner Weissbier, EisAmerican Amber/Red Alebock, Russian Imperial Stout, Scottish Gruit, 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)
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.
455. Big Bear Black Stout
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits recently. I let it warm to around 50º F and served it in a New Belgium glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.10%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque black, with a fluffy, light-brown head that thins to a patchy film leaving light lace on the glass.
Smell (4.0): Rich aromas of dried fruit and chocolate, with light aromas of roasted coffee.
Taste (4.0): Notes of sweet chocolate and fruit are followed by a cherry tartness in the center, and a strong roasted coffee bitterness in the finish, with a light alcoholic bite.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied with low to moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): The alcohol is well hidden, it's a very pleasant beer to drink.
Overall (4.0): A nice RIS, this one was a bit on the sweet side, though it was still very good.
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits recently. I let it warm to around 50º F and served it in a New Belgium glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.10%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque black, with a fluffy, light-brown head that thins to a patchy film leaving light lace on the glass.
Smell (4.0): Rich aromas of dried fruit and chocolate, with light aromas of roasted coffee.
Taste (4.0): Notes of sweet chocolate and fruit are followed by a cherry tartness in the center, and a strong roasted coffee bitterness in the finish, with a light alcoholic bite.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied with low to moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): The alcohol is well hidden, it's a very pleasant beer to drink.
Overall (4.0): A nice RIS, this one was a bit on the sweet side, though it was still very good.
Labels: Bear Republic Brewing Co., Reviews, Russian Imperial Stout
440. Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
I found Yeti Imperial Stout to be quite enjoyable, so when I saw this at Downtown Wine & Spirits I had to pick it up. I let this warm to around 50º F before serving it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
The bottle says:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours an opaque black with ruby tints. It's topped by a thick, creamy, dark brown head that fades to a thin persistent layer leaving thick lace around the inside of the glass.
Smell (5.0): Predominant notes of fruit and chocolate. Notes of wood and vanilla move the more roasted and hoppy aromas of Yeti to the back.
Taste (4.5): Chocolate and coffee dominate upfront. Sweet notes of dark fruit appear in the center along with lingering, warming alcohol. The finish is heavy roasted coffee and hop bitterness that melds with the alcohol.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Moderate carbonation, creamy, and full-bodied.
Drinkability (4.0): Nicely balanced, but still a sipper.
Overall (4.7): Similar to Yeti. The aroma is the only category where I think it is improved, though there are definite differences in the flavors. The hops are mellowed as compared to the non-oaked version, for example.
I found Yeti Imperial Stout to be quite enjoyable, so when I saw this at Downtown Wine & Spirits I had to pick it up. I let this warm to around 50º F before serving it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
The bottle says:
Crack open Yeti Imperial Stout's sophisticated sibling - Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. They may be from the same clan, but they have entirely different personalities. Oak aging gives a subtle vanilla character, rounding out Yeti's intense roastiness and huge hoppy nature. Who says you can't tame a Yeti? 75 IBUs.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours an opaque black with ruby tints. It's topped by a thick, creamy, dark brown head that fades to a thin persistent layer leaving thick lace around the inside of the glass.
Smell (5.0): Predominant notes of fruit and chocolate. Notes of wood and vanilla move the more roasted and hoppy aromas of Yeti to the back.
Taste (4.5): Chocolate and coffee dominate upfront. Sweet notes of dark fruit appear in the center along with lingering, warming alcohol. The finish is heavy roasted coffee and hop bitterness that melds with the alcohol.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Moderate carbonation, creamy, and full-bodied.
Drinkability (4.0): Nicely balanced, but still a sipper.
Overall (4.7): Similar to Yeti. The aroma is the only category where I think it is improved, though there are definite differences in the flavors. The hops are mellowed as compared to the non-oaked version, for example.
Labels: Great Divide Brewing Company, Oak Aged, Reviews, Russian Imperial Stout
433. Yeti Imperial Stout
The cap says "Great Minds Drink Alike".
I've heard good things about Great Divide's beers, but I've never tried one. Downtown Wine & Spirits has a pretty good selection of their beers, so I decided to pick one up. I let this warm to around 50º and served it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
The bottle says:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours an opaque black with slight ruby tints against the light. It's topped by a thick, dark, brown head that fades to a persistent layer that leaves heavy lace on the glass.
Smell (4.5): The aroma is predominantly roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. There are hints of fruit and hops.
Taste (4.5): The flavors are very rich. Dominant roasted malt flavors: chocolate and coffee. There are also sweet dark fruit flavors. The finish is roasted and hoppy bitterness, with a warming alcoholic spiciness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Rich, full-bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): The alcohol is strong and evident, but is balanced well by the rich flavors.
Overall (4.6): Rich, bold and strong, but incredibly mellow and smooth in some respects. The flavors blend very well creating a nice balance.
The cap says "Great Minds Drink Alike".
I've heard good things about Great Divide's beers, but I've never tried one. Downtown Wine & Spirits has a pretty good selection of their beers, so I decided to pick one up. I let this warm to around 50º and served it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
The bottle says:
Yeti Imperial Stout is an onslaught of the senses. It starts with big, roasty malt flavor then gives way to rich caramel and toffee notes. Yeti Imperial Stout gets its bold hop character from an enormous quantity of hops. It weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours an opaque black with slight ruby tints against the light. It's topped by a thick, dark, brown head that fades to a persistent layer that leaves heavy lace on the glass.
Smell (4.5): The aroma is predominantly roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. There are hints of fruit and hops.
Taste (4.5): The flavors are very rich. Dominant roasted malt flavors: chocolate and coffee. There are also sweet dark fruit flavors. The finish is roasted and hoppy bitterness, with a warming alcoholic spiciness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Rich, full-bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): The alcohol is strong and evident, but is balanced well by the rich flavors.
Overall (4.6): Rich, bold and strong, but incredibly mellow and smooth in some respects. The flavors blend very well creating a nice balance.
Labels: Great Divide Brewing Company, Reviews, Russian Imperial Stout
428. Smuttynose Imperial Stout
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits several weeks ago. I let this warm to 45-50º F and served it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours an opaque black with only the faintest hints of red at the edges. A thick brown head tops the beer. The head slowly fades to a quarter-inch layer before disappearing completely.
Smell (4.0): On first sniff, piney hops dominate the aroma. As the beer warms roasted aromas like coffee and chocolate appear. There are also hints of fruit an alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Chocolate and tart fruit upfront, the finish is a combination of roasted coffee and dark chocolate bitterness, as well as a juicy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied, creamy, with tingly moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Hindered by the strong flavors and high alcohol.
Overall (4.15): A nice, strong RIS. I may buy a bottle to age for a year or so to see how this changes.
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits several weeks ago. I let this warm to 45-50º F and served it in one of my New Belgium glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours an opaque black with only the faintest hints of red at the edges. A thick brown head tops the beer. The head slowly fades to a quarter-inch layer before disappearing completely.
Smell (4.0): On first sniff, piney hops dominate the aroma. As the beer warms roasted aromas like coffee and chocolate appear. There are also hints of fruit an alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Chocolate and tart fruit upfront, the finish is a combination of roasted coffee and dark chocolate bitterness, as well as a juicy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied, creamy, with tingly moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Hindered by the strong flavors and high alcohol.
Overall (4.15): A nice, strong RIS. I may buy a bottle to age for a year or so to see how this changes.
Labels: Reviews, Russian Imperial Stout, Smuttynose Brewing Company
Last night Ali and I went to Beer Advocate's 3rd annual Extreme Beer Fest at the Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama. The EBF focuses on "extreme" beers, which "push the boundaries of brewing and the palates of beer lovers." This includes beers that are insanely hoppy, very high in alcohol, and brewed with odd spices or fruits. The tickets were $20 each, and came with a 4 oz. sample cup, and five beer tickets. At the Art of Beer Festival you got ten tickets. I'm not sure if the reduction was due to the strength of the beers or due to an expense issue. Either way single beer tickets were $1 each so Ali and I bought six more. Food was provided by Sunset Grill and Tap. I had a pretty good sausage with sauteed peppers and onions served on a bun with sweet mustard.
I was feeling some palate fatigue by the end, but I think I managed to rate for smell and taste pretty well throughout. Mouthfeel and drinkability were the first criteria to suffer.
329. Brooklyn Winter Ale
Our first stop was the Brooklyn Brewery booth. Garrett Oliver wasn't at this fest, like he was at the 2004 Art of Beer Festival. I decided to try the Winter Ale. This Winter Warmer was brewed for Brooklyn's European importers to match Christmas food in Denmark. Served on tap in my 4 oz. sample cup.
Appearance: This beer pours a hazy dark amber.
Smell: This beer smells very sweet, with floral notes, fruity raisins, and a spicy cinnamon aroma.
Taste: Sweet malts dominate the front of the palate. Spices are present in the center, most notably nutmeg. There's a very low bitterness, and dryness in the finish.
Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth and light bodied. The carbonation was very tingly.
Drinkability: Nicely spiced, and smooth. Very tasty.
Overall: After waiting outside in the cold this was a great beer to start off with.
330. Allagash 10th Anniversary Ale
Next Ali and I went to the Allagash booth. I had the 10th Anniversary Ale, which is a blended Witbier, made by blending two high gravity Witbiers and aging in oak barrels. This was poured from a 750 mL bottle into my sample cup.
Appearance: This beer is a hazy golden, with a low white head.
Smell: Aromas of pepper, spices, banana, and bubblegum predominate. Upon swirling the pepper aromas become stronger, and an earthy aroma emerges.
Taste: Pepper and citrus flavors are evident in the front of the palate. Cloves and spices emerge in the center. The finish is sweet with a light bitterness and alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel: The beer is medium-bodied and smooth, with tingly carbonation.
Drinkability: I typically find this style to be very refreshing. This was less so than others, and is higher in alcohol.
Overall: This was a nice beer, it reminded me more of a Belgian Strong Pale Ale than a Witbier though.
Me holding the 10th Anniversary Ale.
331. Sam Adams Utopias
Given the high price and scarceness of this beer it was a must try. This beer is a monster at 25% abv. This is an American Strong Ale, which is a catch all category.
Appearance: This beer is a crystal clear orange-ruby, with no head. Appears thick and syrupy when swirled.
Smell: Very evident alcohol in the nose, smells like port. There are also strong caramel aromas. Ali described this as like a Brazil nut.
Taste: Very warm alcohol throughout. Flavors of grapes, like wine. Caramel sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and syrupy, with no carbonation.
Drinkability: Whoa! This is very strong, it's a nice sipping beer, but it's too strong to have more than a few ounces.
Overall: This was a very interesting beer. It definitely stretches the limits of what beer is.
332. Avery Twelve - Saison Ale
Next up was a Saison from Avery brewing in Colorado. According to the EBF description Twelve was brewed with "Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, imported Belgian malted wheat, sweet orange peel, lemon peel, grains of paradise, chamomile, lavender, hops, and Belgian yeast."
Appearance: This pours a slightly hazy blonde with foamy white head that diminishes to a thin layer.
Smell: I get notes of black pepper, sweet fruits like melon. This is a very nice, complex aroma.
Taste: Peppers and light malts up front, not overly sweet. Hop bitterness appears in the finish along with sweet fruits.
Mouthfeel: This is smooth and light to medium-bodied with light carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and refreshing.
Overall: I liked this Saison a lot, more complex than some of the others that I've tried.
333. Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
This beer was brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to the EBF page:
Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy amberish-gold with a creamy white head.
Smell: Bananas, bubblegum and a slight sourness are obvious, with a light floral hop aroma.
Taste: There's an assertive but balanced hop bitterness throughout. I get pepper, bready malts, and banana and bubblegum. There is bitterness in the aftertaste from the hops.
Mouthfeel: Light and tingly.
Drinkability: Refreshing with a nice hoppiness.
Overall: This reminded me of a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, or a Tripel, but it was much hoppier than any of the other examples of those styles that I've had, very interesting.
334. Ommegeddon
Stopping by the Ommegang booth was a must. I decided to try Ommegeddon, an American Wild Ale. Ommegeddon is brewed with Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that gives a distinctive flavor. My experience with beers brewed with Brettanomyces is minimal, so I'm not sure what elements are distinctly "Brett".
Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thin white head.
Smell: I got sweet aromas of bubblegum and cotton candy. I also caught a slight sourness, as well as a peculiar phenolic medicinal aroma (is this from the Brett?).
Taste: The beer is mildly bitter with sweet candy flavors, an acidic citrusy tartness, and a dry finish.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied with medium carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and refreshing.
Overall: This is another good beer from Ommegang, I wish I had more experience with Brettanomyces fermented beers so I could be more objective.
335. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Having stayed with beers that weren't hugely hoppy I decided to move on to some hoppier selections. I started with Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA, an American Double IPA. This was the first beer that I had after Ali stopped drinking.
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a thin light white head.
Smell: Floral hops and light fruit.
Taste: Hoppy throughout, though sweet and bready malts emerge in the center to provide a nice balance.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth and creamy.
Drinkability: I actually found this beer really drinkable despite the massive hop character.
Overall: I was particularly impressed with how well the malts balanced the hops in this beer; it was surprisingly drinkable.
336. Double Bastard Ale
I went to the Stone Booth next, hoping to get a sample of Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard, but they had run out. Instead I got Double Bastard, an American Strong Ale.
Appearance: Pours a dark, clear ruby-amber with a beige head that thins out quickly.
Smell: Floral hops and sweet caramel malts.
Taste: There are very assertive hops throughout. There's a bready and caramel sweetness in the center, with a bitter aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth and creamy. Not overly carbonated.
Drinkability: This beer is pretty hoppy and isn't as well balanced as the 90 Minute IPA, so it's a little tough to drink.
Overall: The assertive hop character makes this beer a little hard to drink, but it is pretty damn tasty.
337. Berkshire Imperial Stout
Ali was hoping to try one of the Raspberry Strong Ales at the fest. Dogfish Head was out of Fort, so I went to Berkshire Brewing to try to get the Raspberry Strong Ale, but they were out as well. I decided to try their Russian Imperial Stout instead. Ali was a little disappointed when I got back.
Appearance: Pours an opaque black with a creamy brown head that diminishes to a ring.
Smell: Dark roasted coffee with notes of bittersweet chocolate.
Taste: Espresso flavors appear upfront with a nice sweetness in the center. There's bitterness from the roasted malts in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied, smooth and creamy, with high carbonation for a stout.
Drinkability: This beer is pretty heavy, but I could have a pint or two.
Overall: A nice Imperial Stout, not the best, but pretty good.
338. Jalapeño Sunsplash Golden Ale
I saw this Chile Beer on the EBF beer list and had to try it. It has half a slice of fresh jalapeño in every can. I had intended for this to be my last beer, but the Stone Coast guy told me to keep my ticket.
Appearance: Pours a clear light golden, with a thin white head.
Smell: The only thing I can detect is jalapeño.
Taste: There are sweet malts and a light bitterness up front and in the center, with jalapeño spiciness in the center and aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, light-bodied, and a little watery.
Drinkability: Very drinkable if you can handle the heat.
Overall: I've never had a Chile Beer before. The spiciness isn't overwhelming, it's a nice focal point of the beer, but underneath there could have been some more complex malts and hops.
339. Ommegang Winter Witte
I had an unexpected ticket left after I had the Jalapeño Sunsplash so I went back to the Ommegang booth. I can't find this Witbier listed on Beer Advocate, so it may be the same as Ommegang Witte, though I'm not sure. I might send an e-mail to the brewery to see if anyone there can give me an answer.
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden, with a thick white head that falls to a thin layer.
Smell: Fruity and spicy aromas of bananas, bubblegum and cloves.
Taste: This beer is peppery up front, with bananas and cloves in the center. The finish is dry with a low bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, with fairly high carbonation.
Drinkability: Nice flavors, refreshing and easy to drink.
Overall: I was a little too drunk to remember overall impressions of this beer.
As we were leaving I noticed that the booth for The Tap was covered with dry hops flowers, so I grabbed a few:
When we switched to the Red Line at Downtown Crossing we sat across from a man who Ali described as "an overgrown leprechaun...with huge long feet and yellow socks... and long fingernails." As we sat he gave me the slow middle finger when I looked at him. I spent the remainder of the ride trying to get a good picture of him with my cell phone. We got off at Porter and I gave him the finger; he smiled and laughed in response.
I was feeling some palate fatigue by the end, but I think I managed to rate for smell and taste pretty well throughout. Mouthfeel and drinkability were the first criteria to suffer.
329. Brooklyn Winter Ale
Our first stop was the Brooklyn Brewery booth. Garrett Oliver wasn't at this fest, like he was at the 2004 Art of Beer Festival. I decided to try the Winter Ale. This Winter Warmer was brewed for Brooklyn's European importers to match Christmas food in Denmark. Served on tap in my 4 oz. sample cup.
Appearance: This beer pours a hazy dark amber.
Smell: This beer smells very sweet, with floral notes, fruity raisins, and a spicy cinnamon aroma.
Taste: Sweet malts dominate the front of the palate. Spices are present in the center, most notably nutmeg. There's a very low bitterness, and dryness in the finish.
Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth and light bodied. The carbonation was very tingly.
Drinkability: Nicely spiced, and smooth. Very tasty.
Overall: After waiting outside in the cold this was a great beer to start off with.
330. Allagash 10th Anniversary Ale
Next Ali and I went to the Allagash booth. I had the 10th Anniversary Ale, which is a blended Witbier, made by blending two high gravity Witbiers and aging in oak barrels. This was poured from a 750 mL bottle into my sample cup.
Appearance: This beer is a hazy golden, with a low white head.
Smell: Aromas of pepper, spices, banana, and bubblegum predominate. Upon swirling the pepper aromas become stronger, and an earthy aroma emerges.
Taste: Pepper and citrus flavors are evident in the front of the palate. Cloves and spices emerge in the center. The finish is sweet with a light bitterness and alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel: The beer is medium-bodied and smooth, with tingly carbonation.
Drinkability: I typically find this style to be very refreshing. This was less so than others, and is higher in alcohol.
Overall: This was a nice beer, it reminded me more of a Belgian Strong Pale Ale than a Witbier though.
Me holding the 10th Anniversary Ale.
331. Sam Adams Utopias
Given the high price and scarceness of this beer it was a must try. This beer is a monster at 25% abv. This is an American Strong Ale, which is a catch all category.
Appearance: This beer is a crystal clear orange-ruby, with no head. Appears thick and syrupy when swirled.
Smell: Very evident alcohol in the nose, smells like port. There are also strong caramel aromas. Ali described this as like a Brazil nut.
Taste: Very warm alcohol throughout. Flavors of grapes, like wine. Caramel sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and syrupy, with no carbonation.
Drinkability: Whoa! This is very strong, it's a nice sipping beer, but it's too strong to have more than a few ounces.
Overall: This was a very interesting beer. It definitely stretches the limits of what beer is.
332. Avery Twelve - Saison Ale
Next up was a Saison from Avery brewing in Colorado. According to the EBF description Twelve was brewed with "Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, imported Belgian malted wheat, sweet orange peel, lemon peel, grains of paradise, chamomile, lavender, hops, and Belgian yeast."
Appearance: This pours a slightly hazy blonde with foamy white head that diminishes to a thin layer.
Smell: I get notes of black pepper, sweet fruits like melon. This is a very nice, complex aroma.
Taste: Peppers and light malts up front, not overly sweet. Hop bitterness appears in the finish along with sweet fruits.
Mouthfeel: This is smooth and light to medium-bodied with light carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and refreshing.
Overall: I liked this Saison a lot, more complex than some of the others that I've tried.
333. Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
This beer was brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to the EBF page:
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: Pours a lightly hazy amberish-gold with a creamy white head.
Smell: Bananas, bubblegum and a slight sourness are obvious, with a light floral hop aroma.
Taste: There's an assertive but balanced hop bitterness throughout. I get pepper, bready malts, and banana and bubblegum. There is bitterness in the aftertaste from the hops.
Mouthfeel: Light and tingly.
Drinkability: Refreshing with a nice hoppiness.
Overall: This reminded me of a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, or a Tripel, but it was much hoppier than any of the other examples of those styles that I've had, very interesting.
334. Ommegeddon
Stopping by the Ommegang booth was a must. I decided to try Ommegeddon, an American Wild Ale. Ommegeddon is brewed with Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that gives a distinctive flavor. My experience with beers brewed with Brettanomyces is minimal, so I'm not sure what elements are distinctly "Brett".
Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thin white head.
Smell: I got sweet aromas of bubblegum and cotton candy. I also caught a slight sourness, as well as a peculiar phenolic medicinal aroma (is this from the Brett?).
Taste: The beer is mildly bitter with sweet candy flavors, an acidic citrusy tartness, and a dry finish.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied with medium carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and refreshing.
Overall: This is another good beer from Ommegang, I wish I had more experience with Brettanomyces fermented beers so I could be more objective.
335. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Having stayed with beers that weren't hugely hoppy I decided to move on to some hoppier selections. I started with Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA, an American Double IPA. This was the first beer that I had after Ali stopped drinking.
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a thin light white head.
Smell: Floral hops and light fruit.
Taste: Hoppy throughout, though sweet and bready malts emerge in the center to provide a nice balance.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth and creamy.
Drinkability: I actually found this beer really drinkable despite the massive hop character.
Overall: I was particularly impressed with how well the malts balanced the hops in this beer; it was surprisingly drinkable.
336. Double Bastard Ale
I went to the Stone Booth next, hoping to get a sample of Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard, but they had run out. Instead I got Double Bastard, an American Strong Ale.
Appearance: Pours a dark, clear ruby-amber with a beige head that thins out quickly.
Smell: Floral hops and sweet caramel malts.
Taste: There are very assertive hops throughout. There's a bready and caramel sweetness in the center, with a bitter aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth and creamy. Not overly carbonated.
Drinkability: This beer is pretty hoppy and isn't as well balanced as the 90 Minute IPA, so it's a little tough to drink.
Overall: The assertive hop character makes this beer a little hard to drink, but it is pretty damn tasty.
337. Berkshire Imperial Stout
Ali was hoping to try one of the Raspberry Strong Ales at the fest. Dogfish Head was out of Fort, so I went to Berkshire Brewing to try to get the Raspberry Strong Ale, but they were out as well. I decided to try their Russian Imperial Stout instead. Ali was a little disappointed when I got back.
Appearance: Pours an opaque black with a creamy brown head that diminishes to a ring.
Smell: Dark roasted coffee with notes of bittersweet chocolate.
Taste: Espresso flavors appear upfront with a nice sweetness in the center. There's bitterness from the roasted malts in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied, smooth and creamy, with high carbonation for a stout.
Drinkability: This beer is pretty heavy, but I could have a pint or two.
Overall: A nice Imperial Stout, not the best, but pretty good.
338. Jalapeño Sunsplash Golden Ale
I saw this Chile Beer on the EBF beer list and had to try it. It has half a slice of fresh jalapeño in every can. I had intended for this to be my last beer, but the Stone Coast guy told me to keep my ticket.
Appearance: Pours a clear light golden, with a thin white head.
Smell: The only thing I can detect is jalapeño.
Taste: There are sweet malts and a light bitterness up front and in the center, with jalapeño spiciness in the center and aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, light-bodied, and a little watery.
Drinkability: Very drinkable if you can handle the heat.
Overall: I've never had a Chile Beer before. The spiciness isn't overwhelming, it's a nice focal point of the beer, but underneath there could have been some more complex malts and hops.
339. Ommegang Winter Witte
I had an unexpected ticket left after I had the Jalapeño Sunsplash so I went back to the Ommegang booth. I can't find this Witbier listed on Beer Advocate, so it may be the same as Ommegang Witte, though I'm not sure. I might send an e-mail to the brewery to see if anyone there can give me an answer.
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden, with a thick white head that falls to a thin layer.
Smell: Fruity and spicy aromas of bananas, bubblegum and cloves.
Taste: This beer is peppery up front, with bananas and cloves in the center. The finish is dry with a low bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, with fairly high carbonation.
Drinkability: Nice flavors, refreshing and easy to drink.
Overall: I was a little too drunk to remember overall impressions of this beer.
As we were leaving I noticed that the booth for The Tap was covered with dry hops flowers, so I grabbed a few:
When we switched to the Red Line at Downtown Crossing we sat across from a man who Ali described as "an overgrown leprechaun...with huge long feet and yellow socks... and long fingernails." As we sat he gave me the slow middle finger when I looked at him. I spent the remainder of the ride trying to get a good picture of him with my cell phone. We got off at Porter and I gave him the finger; he smiled and laughed in response.
Labels: American Double IPA, American Strong Ale, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Brewery Ommegang, Chile Beer, Harpoon Brewery, Reviews, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Winter Warmer, Witbier
321-324. New York City: Brooklyn Brewery Tour
Published by Unknown on Sunday, February 05, 2006 at 11:49 PM.
On Saturday we went to the Brooklyn Brewery for a tour. The tours are free and occur hourly beginning at 1 PM on Saturdays. The tour lasts about half an hour, and is one-half history of the brewery and one-half about how beer is brewed. The entire tour takes place in a single room where the wort is made and where the fermenters are. I was surprised how open the access was. None of the equipment is roped off or behind glass. There was a tub of iodine solution for sterilizing equipment in the middle of where the tour group stood.
Brooklyn Brewery Logo
The tour setup was surprisingly focused on drinking beer. There is an open access bar area with a large amount of seating, art on the walls, and fairly 'hip' music playing. You can get full-sized beers at the bar by purchasing tokens for $3 each. The brewery opens at 12 PM and closes at around 5 PM. There is no limit to how long you can drink there, they just kick everyone out when it closes. There's also a happy hour from 6-11 PM on Fridays. There were 8 beers on tap: Brooklyner Weisse, Brooklyn Lager, Saison de Brooklyn, Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55, Brooklyn Pilsner, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Brooklyn Smoked Porter.
Brooklyn Smoked Porter, Brooklyner Weisse & Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
A cat that seems to be a brewery resident.
321. Saison de Brooklyn
I had this on tap, obviously at the brewery, in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Saison, which is a farmhouse ale typically brewed in the winter for summer consumption.
Appearance: Pours a hazy pale golden, with persistent carbonation. The white head diminishes to a thin layer, and leaves nice lacing.
Smell: Major notes of bananas and cloves, with an earthy aroma as well.
Taste: There are flavors of pepper, cloves and bananas at the front of the palate. The center has acidic tartness with some malts. The finish is slightly sweet, with bitterness in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: This beer is light-bodied with some tingly carbonation.
Drinkability: This beer is light and refreshing and pleasantly flavored.
Overall: This reminds me of a dry Hefe Weisse.
322. Brooklyn Smoked Porter
I had this on tap in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is an American Porter that uses smoked malts to achieve a smoky flavor.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a dark brown, bordering on opaque. There's a yellowish-brown tint through the light. A thin beige head fades into a thin layer.
Smell (4.0): Aromas include smoky roasted malts, coffee and chocolate.
Taste (4.5): The front of the palate is sweet followed by coffee and dark chocolate flavors from the roasted malts in the center. There is a smoky aftertaste. There is bitterness from hops and roasted malts, which is balanced by sweetness and some acidic tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Carbonation is mild. The beer is very thick and creamy.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer drinks like a meal.
Overall (TC: 4.05, BA: 4.1): This is an exceptionally well balanced porter. Very nice.
323. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Once again, served on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Russian Imperial Stout.
Appearance: This pours a dark black, with some ruby tints when held to the light. There's a one-half inch brown head that sticks to the glass nicely.
Smell: There's a sweet almost berry-like aroma.
Taste: The beer is sweet upfront. Dark chocolate flavors fade into bitterness from roasted malts and hops. The 8.5% abv is very evident in this beer.
Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth and full-bodied, with light carbonation.
Drinkability: This would go nice with a meal, but is way to heavy to drink several of.
324. Brooklyner Weisse
Had on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Bavarian style Hefe Weizen. I had some water between the Black Chocolate Stout and this to cleanse the palate.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden, with moderate carbonation. A creamy white head persists as a quarter-inch layer, with nice lacing.
Smell (3.5): There are light clove and banana notes, though not as pronounced as the Saison. The most obvious aroma is a yeast, musty smell.
Taste (3.0): This is lightly sweet at the beginning, with cloves and bananas at the center. There isn't much bitterness or flavor in the finish.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Strong carbonation up front. Other than carbonation this beer is very light-bodied, almost watery.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer is light and easy to drink, what flavors there are, are pleasant.
Overall (TC: 2.975, BA: 3.2): This was a pretty disappointing beer. The fruity and spicy flavors and aromas of German Hefes are present, but the flavors just fall flat. Look to Live Oak Hefe Weizen for one of the best American made German style Hefes.
"For a relaxing time, make it Santori Time"
The following pictures were taken while saying the above phrase.
David
Dave
Thom (note: definitely the worst picture of the three)
Next entry, two more beers that I had elsewhere in NYC.
Brooklyn Brewery Logo
The tour setup was surprisingly focused on drinking beer. There is an open access bar area with a large amount of seating, art on the walls, and fairly 'hip' music playing. You can get full-sized beers at the bar by purchasing tokens for $3 each. The brewery opens at 12 PM and closes at around 5 PM. There is no limit to how long you can drink there, they just kick everyone out when it closes. There's also a happy hour from 6-11 PM on Fridays. There were 8 beers on tap: Brooklyner Weisse, Brooklyn Lager, Saison de Brooklyn, Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55, Brooklyn Pilsner, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Brooklyn Smoked Porter.
Brooklyn Smoked Porter, Brooklyner Weisse & Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
A cat that seems to be a brewery resident.
321. Saison de Brooklyn
I had this on tap, obviously at the brewery, in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Saison, which is a farmhouse ale typically brewed in the winter for summer consumption.
Appearance: Pours a hazy pale golden, with persistent carbonation. The white head diminishes to a thin layer, and leaves nice lacing.
Smell: Major notes of bananas and cloves, with an earthy aroma as well.
Taste: There are flavors of pepper, cloves and bananas at the front of the palate. The center has acidic tartness with some malts. The finish is slightly sweet, with bitterness in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: This beer is light-bodied with some tingly carbonation.
Drinkability: This beer is light and refreshing and pleasantly flavored.
Overall: This reminds me of a dry Hefe Weisse.
322. Brooklyn Smoked Porter
I had this on tap in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is an American Porter that uses smoked malts to achieve a smoky flavor.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a dark brown, bordering on opaque. There's a yellowish-brown tint through the light. A thin beige head fades into a thin layer.
Smell (4.0): Aromas include smoky roasted malts, coffee and chocolate.
Taste (4.5): The front of the palate is sweet followed by coffee and dark chocolate flavors from the roasted malts in the center. There is a smoky aftertaste. There is bitterness from hops and roasted malts, which is balanced by sweetness and some acidic tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Carbonation is mild. The beer is very thick and creamy.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer drinks like a meal.
Overall (TC: 4.05, BA: 4.1): This is an exceptionally well balanced porter. Very nice.
323. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Once again, served on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Russian Imperial Stout.
Appearance: This pours a dark black, with some ruby tints when held to the light. There's a one-half inch brown head that sticks to the glass nicely.
Smell: There's a sweet almost berry-like aroma.
Taste: The beer is sweet upfront. Dark chocolate flavors fade into bitterness from roasted malts and hops. The 8.5% abv is very evident in this beer.
Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth and full-bodied, with light carbonation.
Drinkability: This would go nice with a meal, but is way to heavy to drink several of.
324. Brooklyner Weisse
Had on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Bavarian style Hefe Weizen. I had some water between the Black Chocolate Stout and this to cleanse the palate.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden, with moderate carbonation. A creamy white head persists as a quarter-inch layer, with nice lacing.
Smell (3.5): There are light clove and banana notes, though not as pronounced as the Saison. The most obvious aroma is a yeast, musty smell.
Taste (3.0): This is lightly sweet at the beginning, with cloves and bananas at the center. There isn't much bitterness or flavor in the finish.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Strong carbonation up front. Other than carbonation this beer is very light-bodied, almost watery.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer is light and easy to drink, what flavors there are, are pleasant.
Overall (TC: 2.975, BA: 3.2): This was a pretty disappointing beer. The fruity and spicy flavors and aromas of German Hefes are present, but the flavors just fall flat. Look to Live Oak Hefe Weizen for one of the best American made German style Hefes.
"For a relaxing time, make it Santori Time"
The following pictures were taken while saying the above phrase.
David
Dave
Thom (note: definitely the worst picture of the three)
Next entry, two more beers that I had elsewhere in NYC.
Labels: American Porter, Brewery Tours, Brooklyn Brewery, Hefe Weizen, NYC, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Travel
