1187. Cabin Fever Ale
In late May, Jadyn and I went to a friend's birthday party at Barleycorn's in Natick. Barleycorn's is a Brew on Premises establishment, meaning that they supply the ingredients, equipment, and expertise, and you do the brewing. I only wish Matt and I had steam jacketed kettles to brew in. This beer was a Winter Warmer that was up for grabs in the common beer fridge at Barleycorn's.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Berkshire Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Cabin Fever pours a hazy copper color, and is topped by a fluffy, orange-tinted head. The aroma is malty and sweet with notes of caramel, fruit and spice.
Toasty and caramel malts upfront move into a slight spiciness in the finish, and and a mild bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied, and mildly carbonated,
In late May, Jadyn and I went to a friend's birthday party at Barleycorn's in Natick. Barleycorn's is a Brew on Premises establishment, meaning that they supply the ingredients, equipment, and expertise, and you do the brewing. I only wish Matt and I had steam jacketed kettles to brew in. This beer was a Winter Warmer that was up for grabs in the common beer fridge at Barleycorn's.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Berkshire Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Cabin Fever pours a hazy copper color, and is topped by a fluffy, orange-tinted head. The aroma is malty and sweet with notes of caramel, fruit and spice.
Toasty and caramel malts upfront move into a slight spiciness in the finish, and and a mild bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied, and mildly carbonated,
Labels: Winter Warmer
1112. John Harvard's Twelfth Night Wassail
Published by Unknown on Monday, March 01, 2010 at 9:30 AM.
1112. John Harvard's Twelfth Night Wassail
A friend and I went to John Harvard's for a few beers on January 17th. We split a pitcher of their wassail.
On another note, this post auto-publishes on March 1st. If you're reading this it means I'm turning in my dissertation today.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: John Harvard's Brew House
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 3.4
This winter warmer pours a cloudy, copper-amber color. It's topped by a thick, dense, off-white head that fades to a film. The aroma has two layers, the spices, and the underlying malts. The spices are strongest, with notes of cinnamon and clove, along with a bit of orange peel. The underlying malts are at the border of caramel and chocolate, all over a faint graininess that seems characteristic of the house Belgian yeast strain, which fails to give off a lot of fruit.
The spice bites upfront, a little bit of heat. It moves into a sweet maltiness: candies flavored with a bit of cinnamon. The underlying coarse graininess hinted at in the aroma comes out next, and remains constant with a moderate sweetness, and a building spice, both from the alcohol and spices. The beer ends sweet with a slight kick of bitterness that seems more spice derived than hop derived. Not overly spiced for the style, but it doesn't pop either. This beer starts off smooth and moderately thick, but ends disappointingly thin.
This is a spiced beer, so not surprisingly it's not one to drink a lot of. The spicing isn't overdone, but the backbone seems a bit thin. So overall it averages out.
A friend and I went to John Harvard's for a few beers on January 17th. We split a pitcher of their wassail.
On another note, this post auto-publishes on March 1st. If you're reading this it means I'm turning in my dissertation today.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: John Harvard's Brew House
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 3.4
This winter warmer pours a cloudy, copper-amber color. It's topped by a thick, dense, off-white head that fades to a film. The aroma has two layers, the spices, and the underlying malts. The spices are strongest, with notes of cinnamon and clove, along with a bit of orange peel. The underlying malts are at the border of caramel and chocolate, all over a faint graininess that seems characteristic of the house Belgian yeast strain, which fails to give off a lot of fruit.
The spice bites upfront, a little bit of heat. It moves into a sweet maltiness: candies flavored with a bit of cinnamon. The underlying coarse graininess hinted at in the aroma comes out next, and remains constant with a moderate sweetness, and a building spice, both from the alcohol and spices. The beer ends sweet with a slight kick of bitterness that seems more spice derived than hop derived. Not overly spiced for the style, but it doesn't pop either. This beer starts off smooth and moderately thick, but ends disappointingly thin.
This is a spiced beer, so not surprisingly it's not one to drink a lot of. The spicing isn't overdone, but the backbone seems a bit thin. So overall it averages out.
Labels: Winter Warmer
Jadyn and I stopped in at the CBC for beers in early January. I had a couple new ones that I hadn't seen before.
1109. Darkest Night
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Darkest night pours a dark brown with reddish tints. It's almost opaque. It's topped by a fluffy brown head that fades. There are cinnamon spice aromas, woody notes, and slightly roasty. My nose is stuffed, so it's hard to say.
There are mild sweet malts upfront that tread between caramel and fruitiness. It moves into a slightly spicy center with cinnamon, and slight roasty chocolate. The finish is dry and woody with a mild lingering bitterness. This winter warmer is surprisingly light feeling with mild carbonation, and pleasing dryness in the finish.
I don't tend to enjoy winter warmers as they tend to be overly spiced. This one however was well balanced and has a nice interplay of sweetness and woodiness
1110. Sledgehammer Imperial Red Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Sledgehammer pours a cloudy red, and is topped by a beige head that fades to a ring. The nose is dominated by caramel malts and a citric hop aroma.
There's a strong caramel sweetness initially, and then quickly moves into a fruitiness tempered by hops. Towards the finish strong resiny and citric hop flavors appear along with a bit of peppery spice and strong bitterness. This amber ale is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, and a slighltly rough finish.
I thought the balance was surprisingly high for such a hoppy beer.
1109. Darkest Night
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Darkest night pours a dark brown with reddish tints. It's almost opaque. It's topped by a fluffy brown head that fades. There are cinnamon spice aromas, woody notes, and slightly roasty. My nose is stuffed, so it's hard to say.
There are mild sweet malts upfront that tread between caramel and fruitiness. It moves into a slightly spicy center with cinnamon, and slight roasty chocolate. The finish is dry and woody with a mild lingering bitterness. This winter warmer is surprisingly light feeling with mild carbonation, and pleasing dryness in the finish.
I don't tend to enjoy winter warmers as they tend to be overly spiced. This one however was well balanced and has a nice interplay of sweetness and woodiness
1110. Sledgehammer Imperial Red Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Amber/Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Sledgehammer pours a cloudy red, and is topped by a beige head that fades to a ring. The nose is dominated by caramel malts and a citric hop aroma.
There's a strong caramel sweetness initially, and then quickly moves into a fruitiness tempered by hops. Towards the finish strong resiny and citric hop flavors appear along with a bit of peppery spice and strong bitterness. This amber ale is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, and a slighltly rough finish.
I thought the balance was surprisingly high for such a hoppy beer.
Labels: American Amber/Red Ale, Winter Warmer
971-980. The Extreme Beer Fest Part II
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
This is the second set of beers that I tried at the Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Fest 2009.
971. OatGoop
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.40%
Style: Wheat Wine (Oat Wine)
Pours a hazed copper. Floral hops and sugary malts are the strongest component of the aroma. Sweet and fruity upfront and through the center. The finish has some floral hop bitterness and a bit of sweetness.
972. Dwarven Hammer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Altbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden-copper. The aroma is light, but predominantly malty. Sweet and malty throughout with nice notes of caramel. The finish had a sugary character tat complemented the coffee flavors well.
973. Phunky Duck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is the base lambic for a Gueuze project that Lost Abbey is working on. It's nice to see American brewers trying for authentic lambics. Pours a hazed-straw golden. The aroma is classic lambic: acidic, earthy and funky. Very sour throughout: nice bright and acidic. There are nice grassy and citric notes as well a good, funky earthiness. An excellent rendition of the style. Another fest favorite (yes, they all tend to be sour beers).
974. Brute
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Wild Ale
I couldn't pass up either of Ithaca's sour beers. The Brute pours a cloudy, straw color. The aroma has a nice grainy, wheat component, fruit, mild acidity and hint of Brettanmyces. Well attenuated so there's a good amount of wheat character without a lot of malty sweetness. Sourness builds through the center, followed by a nice earthy finish. I liked this one a lot. I'll have to give it another try if I see any bottles in the area.
975. "Sour" Flower Power Bretted IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company
Alcohol: 7.50%
Style: American Wild Ale
This is Ithaca's Flower Power IPA fermented for an additional three months with Brettanomyces. Pours a cloudy golden. The aroma is a nice combination of citric hops and mild Brettanomyces. The malts are attenuated to the faintest of sugary hints. The hops remain unscathed, leaving nice hop flavors and bitterness that really relegate the usually dominant Brett to a minor role in the finish.
976. Special Holiday Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
This is a collaborative Winter Warmer brewed by Stone, Jolly Pumpkin and Nøgne-Ø. Pours a cloudy, dark amber color. Spices domiate the aroma: sage and juniper, but there are also malty aromas. Sweet upfront: malty and fruity. The finish is herbal and spicy with a nice bitterness.
977. Hottenroth Berliner Weisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 3.10%
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a pale straw color. Notes of sour apples, hay and an earthiness in the aroma. There's a mild graininess in the backbone underneath fruity notes of apple, and a nice lactic sourness.
978. Magic Hat Bergamot Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
This is Magic Hat's Ordinary Bitter with bergamot added during conditioning. Pours a pale copper color. The aroma is dominated by the bergamot: peppery notes, reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. Lightly malty with some good breadiness and a finish that's peppery and lightly bitter.
979. Apex
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.10%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper with a frothy head. The aroma is hoppy with notes of citrus and resin. The malt backbone is mildly sweet and provides a good counterpoint to the strong resiny and citric hop flavors.
980. Founders Double Trouble
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Founder's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.40%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear golden, with a huge, white head. The aroma is resiny and herbal hops over a backbone of caramel and sugary malts. Resiny and leafy hops are evident throughout the beer over a mildly sweet malt backbone.
971. OatGoop
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.40%
Style: Wheat Wine (Oat Wine)
Pours a hazed copper. Floral hops and sugary malts are the strongest component of the aroma. Sweet and fruity upfront and through the center. The finish has some floral hop bitterness and a bit of sweetness.
972. Dwarven Hammer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Altbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden-copper. The aroma is light, but predominantly malty. Sweet and malty throughout with nice notes of caramel. The finish had a sugary character tat complemented the coffee flavors well.
973. Phunky Duck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is the base lambic for a Gueuze project that Lost Abbey is working on. It's nice to see American brewers trying for authentic lambics. Pours a hazed-straw golden. The aroma is classic lambic: acidic, earthy and funky. Very sour throughout: nice bright and acidic. There are nice grassy and citric notes as well a good, funky earthiness. An excellent rendition of the style. Another fest favorite (yes, they all tend to be sour beers).
974. Brute
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Wild Ale
I couldn't pass up either of Ithaca's sour beers. The Brute pours a cloudy, straw color. The aroma has a nice grainy, wheat component, fruit, mild acidity and hint of Brettanmyces. Well attenuated so there's a good amount of wheat character without a lot of malty sweetness. Sourness builds through the center, followed by a nice earthy finish. I liked this one a lot. I'll have to give it another try if I see any bottles in the area.
975. "Sour" Flower Power Bretted IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company
Alcohol: 7.50%
Style: American Wild Ale
This is Ithaca's Flower Power IPA fermented for an additional three months with Brettanomyces. Pours a cloudy golden. The aroma is a nice combination of citric hops and mild Brettanomyces. The malts are attenuated to the faintest of sugary hints. The hops remain unscathed, leaving nice hop flavors and bitterness that really relegate the usually dominant Brett to a minor role in the finish.
976. Special Holiday Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
This is a collaborative Winter Warmer brewed by Stone, Jolly Pumpkin and Nøgne-Ø. Pours a cloudy, dark amber color. Spices domiate the aroma: sage and juniper, but there are also malty aromas. Sweet upfront: malty and fruity. The finish is herbal and spicy with a nice bitterness.
977. Hottenroth Berliner Weisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 3.10%
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a pale straw color. Notes of sour apples, hay and an earthiness in the aroma. There's a mild graininess in the backbone underneath fruity notes of apple, and a nice lactic sourness.
978. Magic Hat Bergamot Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
This is Magic Hat's Ordinary Bitter with bergamot added during conditioning. Pours a pale copper color. The aroma is dominated by the bergamot: peppery notes, reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. Lightly malty with some good breadiness and a finish that's peppery and lightly bitter.
979. Apex
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.10%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed copper with a frothy head. The aroma is hoppy with notes of citrus and resin. The malt backbone is mildly sweet and provides a good counterpoint to the strong resiny and citric hop flavors.
980. Founders Double Trouble
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Founder's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.40%
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear golden, with a huge, white head. The aroma is resiny and herbal hops over a backbone of caramel and sugary malts. Resiny and leafy hops are evident throughout the beer over a mildly sweet malt backbone.
Labels: Altbier, American Double IPA, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Berliner Weissbier, English Bitter, Unblended Lambic, Wheat Wine, Winter Warmer
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
683. Rahr's Winter Warmer
This is from another six-pack of Rahr & Sons beer that I got in a trade with Bryan. I know this is out of season, but it's been refrigerated and seems to have held up pretty well. I have a couple more winter beers that hopefully haven't gone bad. I'll be blogging about them soon should they be in good condition. I served this chilled in one of my NERAX pint glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rahr & Sons Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.95%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy, ruby-tinted brown with a thick, fluffy, beige head that fades to a thin film leaving sheets of lace on the side of the glass.
Smell (3.5): The smell is predominantly malty: toasty malts, raisins, and maybe a hint of holiday spices.
Taste (3.5): Toasty and bready malts upfront. Moves into rasiny dark fruit flavors in the center, which are maintained through to the finish where they're cut by a clean graininess and a faint bitterness. There's a nice alcoholic spice in the swallow.
Mouthfeel (3.0): Medium-bodied, light carbonation, but still fells a little bit thin.
Drinkability (3.5): Flavorful, but not overly strong.
Overall (3.65)
This is from another six-pack of Rahr & Sons beer that I got in a trade with Bryan. I know this is out of season, but it's been refrigerated and seems to have held up pretty well. I have a couple more winter beers that hopefully haven't gone bad. I'll be blogging about them soon should they be in good condition. I served this chilled in one of my NERAX pint glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rahr & Sons Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.95%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy, ruby-tinted brown with a thick, fluffy, beige head that fades to a thin film leaving sheets of lace on the side of the glass.
Smell (3.5): The smell is predominantly malty: toasty malts, raisins, and maybe a hint of holiday spices.
Taste (3.5): Toasty and bready malts upfront. Moves into rasiny dark fruit flavors in the center, which are maintained through to the finish where they're cut by a clean graininess and a faint bitterness. There's a nice alcoholic spice in the swallow.
Mouthfeel (3.0): Medium-bodied, light carbonation, but still fells a little bit thin.
Drinkability (3.5): Flavorful, but not overly strong.
Overall (3.65)
650. Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale
They had a few beers left from a Sam Adams Holiday pack at beer hour a few weeks ago. I grabbed a bottle of Old Fezziwig Ale and the Holiday Porter. I served this one at around 40º F in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 5.60%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear, reddish brown with a thick, fluffy, beige head that thins to a patchy film.
Smell (4.0): Malty and spicy. There are notes of cinnamon, caramel and strong dark fruit.
Taste (4.0): Malty. Toasty, caramel and dark fruit upfront. Some spiciness emerges in the center with some cinnamon and orange. The finish is lightly bitter.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate to high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very drinkable, not overly spiced and not too sweet.
Overall (3.85): This is a very well balanced and drinkable beer. The spices are noticeable and
add a nice flavor element to the beer, but don't overpower the nice malty notes.
They had a few beers left from a Sam Adams Holiday pack at beer hour a few weeks ago. I grabbed a bottle of Old Fezziwig Ale and the Holiday Porter. I served this one at around 40º F in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 5.60%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Winter Warmer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear, reddish brown with a thick, fluffy, beige head that thins to a patchy film.
Smell (4.0): Malty and spicy. There are notes of cinnamon, caramel and strong dark fruit.
Taste (4.0): Malty. Toasty, caramel and dark fruit upfront. Some spiciness emerges in the center with some cinnamon and orange. The finish is lightly bitter.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate to high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very drinkable, not overly spiced and not too sweet.
Overall (3.85): This is a very well balanced and drinkable beer. The spices are noticeable and
add a nice flavor element to the beer, but don't overpower the nice malty notes.
Labels: Boston Beer Company, Winter Warmer
344. Hitachino Nest Celebration Ale 2004
I decided to try this beer because Ali liked it (blog entry coming soon). I picked up a 12 oz. bottle at Downtown Wine and Spirits. The label says "Ale Brewed With Spices: coriander, orange peel, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla beans". Although not technically the proper glassware I served this in one of my new Duvel Tulips because I really wanted to use one.
Celebration Ale is a Winter Warmer. Many, but not all, winter warmers are brewed with spices though these spices will vary depending on the brewer. The spices used in those that are tend to be evocative of the holiday season. English winter warmers are unspiced. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy almost opaque amber-brown with a massive fluffy beige head. Spices used in brewing can be seen as clumps floating in the beer. Some of these get caught in the head giving the appearance that spices have been sprinkled on top.
Smell (4.0): Spices are very noticable. There are notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, vanilla and alcohol.
Taste (3.0): This beer is very spicy with a sweet base. I can taste vanilla, citrus, orange, and cinnamon. Bitterness is low. Alcoholic warmth is evident in the finish. The sweetness in this beer isn't well balanced. Maybe increasing the bitterness would improve things.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Celebration Ale is full-bodied, smooth and creamy.
Drinkability (3.0): If this beer wasn't so sweet it would be much more drinkable.
Overall (3.6): This is a decent beer. The spices add some nice flavors, but in the end the beer is too damn sweet.
I decided to try this beer because Ali liked it (blog entry coming soon). I picked up a 12 oz. bottle at Downtown Wine and Spirits. The label says "Ale Brewed With Spices: coriander, orange peel, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla beans". Although not technically the proper glassware I served this in one of my new Duvel Tulips because I really wanted to use one.
Celebration Ale is a Winter Warmer. Many, but not all, winter warmers are brewed with spices though these spices will vary depending on the brewer. The spices used in those that are tend to be evocative of the holiday season. English winter warmers are unspiced. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy almost opaque amber-brown with a massive fluffy beige head. Spices used in brewing can be seen as clumps floating in the beer. Some of these get caught in the head giving the appearance that spices have been sprinkled on top.
Smell (4.0): Spices are very noticable. There are notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, vanilla and alcohol.
Taste (3.0): This beer is very spicy with a sweet base. I can taste vanilla, citrus, orange, and cinnamon. Bitterness is low. Alcoholic warmth is evident in the finish. The sweetness in this beer isn't well balanced. Maybe increasing the bitterness would improve things.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Celebration Ale is full-bodied, smooth and creamy.
Drinkability (3.0): If this beer wasn't so sweet it would be much more drinkable.
Overall (3.6): This is a decent beer. The spices add some nice flavors, but in the end the beer is too damn sweet.
Labels: Kiuchi Brewery, Reviews, Winter Warmer
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
