Bourbon County Brand Stout 2007-2011

2007	Received in trade, "closet aged" thereafter (~1 year)
2008	Bought off the shelf at different times. Closeted/Refrigerated/Properly cellared for different periods of its life.
2009	Bought off the shelf in 2009. Refrigerated for a while, then closeted.
2010	Received in the beginning of 2011 in trade. Closeted thereafter.
2011	Bottled 11/11/11 :-) Had to trade although it made the shelves.

Enjoyed on 12/11/2011: 2011 → 2010 → 2009 → 2008 → 2007. Poured into a snifter.

Notes:

    Not much to write here --- BCBS is a great beer but quick to dominate and decimate the palate. 2011 (the freshest) was amazingly good and noticeably easier to drink fresh, compared to the past vintages. While it is a different beer, it clocks in an even higher ABV compared to past years' (14.5% as opposed to 13%). So either they improved the drinkability magically, or my palate has adjusted to high ABV beers so well that it doesn't "hurt anymore". Strong roasted notes were present that I generally do not associate with Bourbon County, but the beer was very very smooth.

    2010 was different, almost less intense. 2009 was also less intense but all of it might have to do with palate numbing. The beer kept getting chocolaty with age, I think. I read on the Internet that 2009 and 2011 are very similar beers because of similar weather conditions during the maturation. Can't say if I observed that myself.

    2008, that I have generally found to be very chocolaty, also exhibited very spicy and woody notes. At this point it was very viscous, smooth and devoid of roast, although the roast is still alive in this vintage (from another tasting done in the opposite order).

    2007 has not gone downhill. No signs of oxidation but stronger coffee and roast than 2008. These two adjacent years are very different. So are 2010 and 2011 in my opinion. It was a fun night, made even more fun by Abyss 2011, Dark Lord 2011, and some excellent homebrewed Old Ale and Imperial Stout.

Weyerbacher Sixteen

Weyerbacher Sixteen
Ale brewed with honey (dark braggot)
10.5% ABV
Poured into a Lucifer snifter.

    Pours the clear garnet color of a Quadrupel, with a moderate bubbly tan head. Good retention, medium lacing. Smells strongly of honey, and I like it. Drinks sweet with hints of dark bitterness. Definite notes of honey and yeast.

    The finish is mildly tannic, and the booze is present. Richness of dark fruit and dried peel --- frankly, this reminds me of Rochefort 10, say what you may! Either my palate is shit, or this beer is way underrated. I read some reviews and the major complaints are off-putting booziness and unwanted esters. Classic "fermentation gone wrong"? Well, I don't get any of it. In my very humble opinion, except for 6, 8, and 10, this is the only beer I have had that evokes similar feelings as Rochefort does!

4, 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5

Surly Five

That wax was a really really really dumb idea. Just a pain in the ass, nothing else. The bottles looks horrendous anyway, so there goes the "classy presentation" part.

Poured into a wine glass. The beer is deep garnet colored with a good clarity. Initially a light brown colored head of moderate size formed, but it fell soon into a persistent ring. The aroma is quite funky, if not sufficiently strong: street dog just back from the sewer, soft oak, and generally sour (acetic). Other notes? I'll put them under the red wine umbrella, about which I don't know anything!

The sour notes in the taste are stronger than I expected. The impression I got from the forums was that this beer was more about the Brettnomyces and not about the tartness. Having tasted it earlier and today, I think that it is sufficiently sour, but of course not intensely so. The mouthfeel, however, is flawed in my opinion. For a beer that tastes as tannic as this one when warm, the body has to be bigger. The red wine notes really come through with temperature. Generally dark and tart, Five delivers what it promises; but is it great? Hardly so.

For a brewery that makes beers like Furious and Darkness, yeah, Five is bit of a letdown. For a first effort, it's pretty good. I sincerely wish Surly the best with their next sour.

4, 4, 3, 2, 4

Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale

A DIPA on all counts. 7.85% ABV, intensely hoppy, deliciously malty!

On tap at Stub & Herb's

    Clear and almost sparkly amber colored with a small but creamy head. Good retention and lacing. Looks appealing. Extremely fruity aroma, not exactly my kind, but very very good. I wished it was more dank, but damn! this is very tropical (& good)!

    The taste follows the aroma --- tastes more like fruit juice than a DIPA. The malty sweetness gels very very well with the hops. The light body and the right carbonation work wonders; this is truly a great beer. I thought it would be all hype & fanboy reactions but I was very wrong. With Little Sumpin' Wild and now this, Lagunitas is killing it.

My only complaint is the ABV. Lagunitas is a little too much of a bang for the buck at times.

4, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4

Chocolate Abbey

Chocolate Abbey
New Glarus Brewing Company
Chocolate Dubbel

    12 oz poured into a Chimay chalice. Dark brown and clear, with a light khaki colored creamy head. Perhaps it was the rather vigorous pour but I haven't seen this good head retention with this glass. The aroma is pretty much creamy hot chocolate, with nothing else showing. Taste is more beer like, with the base malt and subtle hops registering their presence, and only hints of chocolate in the aftertaste.

    Only the looks and the mouthfeel of this beer resembled a dubbel at first. I did not get any esters or phenols whatsoever in the aroma or the taste and the beer tasted very clean. With some more sipping I find myself divided about the source of the bitterness: hops? Or phenols?

    Overall it's an enjoyable beer. Not the kind I would drink by the case but certainly I could drink a 4-pack of in an year. My friends who had it liked it too.

4.5, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 4

1809 Berliner Weisse

1809
Brewed in the traditional style of Berliner Weisse.
5% ABV
500 ml poured into a tall glass.

    Pours a light hazy color, very effervescent, with a small creamy white head. Aroma was all wheat initially, but there are strong Gueuze like notes. Per the label there is lactic acid bacteria in bit. That explains a lot.

    Nice taste too, fruity and tart with a little acid bite towards the end, complemented by the slight bitterness. Medium body, and I would have been content with a lighter. Good carbonation, very refreshing overall.

4,4,4,4,4

Steel Toe Size 7 IPA

Size 7
Steel Toe Brewing (TC local)
7% ABV
"Northwest style" IPA

    Undated bomber poured into a pint. Guys at the store said that they had just gotten a shipment in, so I will assume it's fresh.

    Pours a very clear amber color with a pillowy two finger off white head with good retention and lacing. Looks the part, although a tiny bit of haze = win. Maybe it's filtered.

    Aroma is... meh. Tastes clean and bitter. Seemed a little dull at first but I am warming up to it. Good bitterness all around supported by a medium-light body and touch of malts, with good citrusy notes. Carbonation is on the lower side that's generally good in my opinion.

    My nose might be off because I find it a little bit lacking in aroma and hop flavor. As if there were enough early additions (very very welcome) but not enough late additions/dry hopping. The brilliant clarity might be because of lack of dry hopping? Then again I believe no brewery would put out an IPA in this market w/o dry hopping it to the best of their judgment.

    Overall, I like it. A good local option, better than any IPA put out by Summit, Fulton, Schell's. Does it excel Furious or Mama? Probably not, but regardless, it's a good beer at a good price! Thanks Keith for the recommendation.

4.5, 2, 4, 4.5, 4

A few Dogfish Head ales

Thanks McNuts for the smooth trade with plenty of beers to look forward to!
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60 Minute IPA
6% ABV
12 oz bottled 10/21, sampled 10/04.

    Amber colored with moderate clarity and a nice and creamy, two finger off white head. Excellent retention and lacing. Perfect looks. Aroma is somewhat hoppy, slightly earthy/grassy, with lots of malts. Actually, the toasty-biscuity malt character is more prominent than the hops.

    Tastes rather dull for an IPA, slightly sweet and slightly bitter. Nothing to notice here. Very generic, and closer to APAs more than AIPAs. Medium body and good carbonation. Lingering sweetness is certainly not welcome. Thoroughly ordinary for an "IPA"

    I am sure back in 2003 it pushed the envelope on the East Coast, but right now it only comes off as a balanced American IPA, not meant in a good way.

4, 2, 3.5, 4, 3
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Faithfull Ale
7% ABV
A couple months old.

Poured a clear golden color with a nice and fluffy Belgian head. And that was the best feature of this beer. Smelled like nothing at first but generic fruitiness came about with warmth. It's the taste that was really empty: bland and flavorless; and the mouthfeel was terribly disappointing. Had it been crisp and clean, it would have passed off as a decent beer, but the mouthfeel only added to the dullness of this beer --- oddly creamy with low carbonation, very much opposite of what one would expect from a beer of a style similar to, say, Duvel.

Very disappointing, but not a terrible beer. Just very average and not worth paying $$$ or trading for.

4, 3, 3, 2, 3
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Burton Baton
10% ABV

A blend of oak aged and fresh DIPAs. A little over an year old at this point. 12 oz bottle poured into a generic pint.

    Pours a hazy amber color with a tiny head. Good head retention and lacing though, especially for the size of the head itself.

    Goddamn! this is a good beer! Aroma is of an excellent barrel aged barleywine --- rich oak-vanilla and plenty of malts. There are no hops and nor did I expect any. Great taste with mute bitterness, plenty of wood, a very very tannic finish and lingering oak flavors. Although not very complex, this beer serves as a great vehicle for oak. Rich and mellow, simultaneously.

    Expectedly warming, with a medium body and soft carbonation. Amazingly clean finish for its magnitude, I find it no sweeter than 60 minute IPA. An excellent beer that I would drink again, and again.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4.5

Framboise for a Cure

Framboise for a Cure
Russian River Brewing Company
6.5% ABV
American Wild Ale

12.7 oz bottle from 2011 (base beer Temptation: Blonde Ale with Raspberries and Brettnomyces aged in French oak Chardonnay barrels) poured into a snifter. Thanks Ron!

A beautiful and sparkling clear rose color with a light pink, creamy, fluffy head. Good retention and lacing too. Funky notes with raspberry at the back jump out of the glass, this is a true Framboise. Rather light on the fruit, the base beer is strong in this one. Strong funk, some soft fruity notes (from the tame yeast), and then the berries. I think it is more complex than the bottle of Temptation that I had, and not only because of raspberries.

The sourness from the wild yeast and the tartness from the raspberries are felt distinctly in the taste. While the palate is not super funky, the oak and leather linger in the aftertaste. Finish is quite dry, and the mouthfeel light and crisp.

The sharpness, although not abrasive, begins to dominate as the beer warms up. Overall I was very impressed by the aroma of this beer, but the taste/feel left something to be desired... it seemed a tad empty. Perhaps there's a lot of room for development?

4.5, 4, 3.5, 4, 4.5

Assorted reviews

Bell's Best Brown Ale

Pours a hazy rust brown color with an off white creamy head. Good retention and lacing. Aroma is, well, browned malts ;-) Tastes slightly sweet with a good specialty malt character manifesting itself in caramel flavor and roast. Just a hint of hoppiness at the end with a long, comforting aftertaste. Good body, rather high carbonation. Plenty of residual sweetness. A good brown ale.
4, 3, 4, 3.5, 4
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Goose Island Winter Ale

Brown hued, good clarity, light tan head with medium retention and lacing. Smells malty-sweet and slightly earthy. A good beer for what is a boring style on its own. Fairly clean finish with medium carbonation. Not a bad beer and worth drinking again.
3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5
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Alaskan Winter Ale

"IPA colored", clear with ok head, retention and lacing. Not much of an aroma except cheap candy like notes that the taste also suffers from. Alright carbonation. Rather WTF of a beer, IMO.
3.5, 2, 2, 3.5, 2
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Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat

Dark enough to be a stout. Aroma is coffee and roast and taste is identical. Roast is the centerpiece of this beer. Straight up stout with bold flavors that complement each other. Body is rather thin but this just a stout with a low ABV, not imperial stout. I am very glad to have discovered this and I am going to seek it again and again. I like it a lot.
4, 4, 4, 4, 4
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Town Hall Smoked Hefe

Cloudy amber-gold colored beer with medium retention and no lacing. Strong smoked pepper notes in the aroma with no hints of the base beer. Taste, however, has more dimensions. Fruity sweet hefe to begin, followed by rather "green" chili flavors. Turns out it's actually brewed green! Definite heat at the back.
3, 4, 4, 4, 3
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Town Hall 900 English Ale

Clear amber colored, good retention and lacing. Aroma is certainly the hops from the other side. Earthy. Very very bitter with a quite dry finish. Low carbonation and clean finish. Too bitter to be called a bitter, but otherwise ok.
4, 3.5, 4, 4, 2
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Town Hall Raspberry Scotch

Pink brown, hazy, good retention and lacing. Lush, ripe raspberries in the aroma that dominate the base beer and I am not complaining!! Plenty of flavors without too much sweetness. The scotch ale component manifests itself only in the slight roast at the finish. I like this beer!
4, 4, 4, 4, 4

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He'Brew Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah (13)

Bottle from 10/2009 shared with friends on 11/2011 with 2 years on it.

Pours dark brown with a tiny brown head. Vanilla, fruit, caramel, sweet malts in the aroma. Drinks with plenty of dark fruit and chocolate with ample roast at the back.
    Good body and medium carbonation. The finish is quite sweet, but the 13% ABV is hardly felt. Overall it's very good and has closet aged very well.
4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

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TREAT (Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter)

Bottle from 2010 with an year on it.

Pours clear and dark brown with some bubbles but no real head. Smells very spicy, most notable nutmeg, followed by assorted spice and chocolate. Tastes sweet but chocolaty with strong spice, and perhaps pumpkin. I don't think it would have been any better or worse fresh. Mouthfeel is a bummer, thin and overcarbonated. While I wasn't impressed much by any individual component of this beer, I think it's overall a well crafted beer.

3, 3.5, 3.5, 2, 4
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Rodenbach 2007 Vintage Oak Aged Ale (Barrel No. 230)

Enjoyed late 2011 with friends.

Murky brown with a dirty off white head that leaves soon but leaves a persistent ring behind. The aroma is big on oak... very soft with notes of vanilla. Of course, the sourness is around, but the softness and roundedness was very welcome.

    Very mellow taste too, with notes of tart apples and dark fruit. Distinct oak in the finish and perhaps even vanilla. Rather lacking in intensity but very complex. Medium carbonation, smooth mouthfeel and a dry finish. I liked it a lot especially I got it about five bucks cheaper than the usual price at 11.99!

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

St. Louis Framboise

Bottled May 05, 2010. 12.7 oz bottle poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

    Framboise pours a deep red-brown color with a light pink head with very good retention and lacing. The aroma of raspberry preserves was noticeable even while pouring, so the strong raspberry sweetness in the aroma is hardly a surprise.

    I am drinking this right after their Gueuze and I find it surprising that the base beer is completely dominated by raspberries... well, not technically the base beer but say the beers that started the same at different points in time? All I detect beneath the raspberries is a strange, chalky note.

    The taste is way too sweet in an odd way, and that's when the sweetness should come as a pleasant change :/ I think it's sweeter than real raspberries, BUT the acidity is strong too. Anyway, I was curious and some googling yielded:

"This brew is made with fresh raspberry juice which is matured and blended with gueuze-lambic to produce a dry, sweet aperitif."

    Yeah, this is way too sweet for the real fruit. I suppose this travesty is done to enhance the popular appeal, but to repeat myself once more, this is just too sweet!

    The carbonation is ok but struggles to clean the sweetness off the palate. Eh, I am so disappointed, I don't even bother at this point.

4.5, 3, 2, 3, 2

St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition

Bottled Jan 20, 2010. 12.7 oz bottle poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

    This "ale" looked very clear in the bottle and poured a bright hay color with an off-white head made up of fine bubbles. I was almost certain that it was filtered given the clarity but it says unfiltered right on the bottle... after pouring I looked inside the bottle and there was a compact layer of settled yeast/stuff. Good news. Good head retention and lacing too.

    Funk, hay, spice and some softness in the aroma. Tastes quite sour and pleasantly so having spent some time conditioning in the bottle. Hay/earth and lemon rule the taste, with little funk making it to the palate. Generously carbonated and very very dry, but somehow not abrasive, yet. Just a bit of bitterness at the back, much like fruit peel.

    I have had the pleasure of sampling a few highly regarded and sought after Gueuze thanks to the fine folks I have met on BeerAdvocate. I suppose what separates, say Lente, from this one, is the intensity of the flavors layered on the sour.

    Regardless, very much of what I expected: tart, dry, reasonably if not immensely complex and all for a very decent price (6.99+tax), not to mention the easy availability. I am happy that I had this, and I will drink it again!

4, 3.5, 3, 4.5, 4

Parabola

Parabola (Batch # 1)
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Poured into a New Belgium balloon. Thanks Frank!

    Jet black with a sheet of dark brown bubbles for the head. Hardly any lacing but the beer itself clings to the glass sip upon sip. Certainly "strong" looking.

    Aroma is mostly vanilla and bourbon. Some alcohol here and there, nothing fusel though. Taste is signature -bal stout: slightly sweet with notes of vanilla, slightly acidic with a powerful roasty and woody finish and lingering roast on the palate. While not a coffee stout, the aftertaste is very close to chewing on a roasted coffee bean.

    Certainly warming in its strength with a medium body among similar examples. The carbonation is too high for my liking. Another flaw, in my opinion, is the excessive wood. Whisky sits in a barrel to get mellow; the effect of barrels on this beer seems to be the exact opposite. Not that I mind an intense beer but Parabola sometimes feels like wood and vanilla, and nothing more.

4, 3.5, 3.5, 2.5, 3

Schell's Stag # 4: Burton Ale

Burton Ale
8% ABV
60 IBUs
12 oz bottle with a best by date of 03/2012 poured into a Duvel tulip.

Schell’s Burton Ale is a nod to a forgotten style of beer. It has a soothing blend of bready malt and hop bitterness.   A mild woodsy character is prevalent. A hint of dark pitted fruit and a trace of caramel give the beer a subtle sweetness. The pleasant hop bitterness at the end gives Schell’s Burton Ale a smooth, dry finish. 

    Poured a deep and clear orange-rust-brown hue with a medium light khaki colored creamy head. The head was rather small for the pour but the head retention and lacing look alright.

    Earthy, but weak hop aroma. Malty sweetness, hint of fruity esters, and a note of dessert. Certainly sweet in taste, with subtle breadiness as advertised, and characterful caramel and dessert. Hard to say if it's the malts or the candi sugars, but it seems to work alright. The bitterness appears only at the back and the finish is indeed dry for the medium body. I think it could have used lesser carbonation.

    Frankly, this beer at this point seems rather uninteresting to me, "revival" or not. It gives the impression of either old Arrogant Bastard et al., or of an old/strong/barleywine ale that's not ready yet... rather muddled if I may say so. Seems like a good candidate for aging, just to see if the malt character develops any more/optimal oxidation takes hold. Can't hurt to lay a couple down.

3.5, 3, 3, 3.5, 2.5

Hunaphu's

Hunaphu's Imperial Stout
11% ABV
80 IBUs
30 degrees Plato
80 SRM

An Imperial Stout Aged On Cacao Nibs, Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Ancho Chilis, Pasilla Chilis and Cinnamon.

750 ml bottle from the year 2011 poured into a snifter. Thanks Frank, Jason and Kan.

    Hunaphu's is by far the darkest beer I recall drinking. Unlike any other stout I remember, Hunaphu's seems to pour BLACK rather than dark brown! The head is moderate, very dark chocolate brown, with good retention but hardly any lacing. I do notice legs on the snifter. I don't think I can quite describe how awesome this beer looks... it's the devil in liquid form!

    The aroma is very heavy on vanilla with some chocolate coming in at the back. Initially I loved it but it got a tad tiring over the course of the beer. Something something juicy and spicy... could it be the hops? Or is the chilies? Tough to say.

    Unlike many other "specialty" stouts, the stout is not lost in Hunaphu's. Bitter and roasty with a burnt, charred finish, Hunaphu's is stout first. I can taste and smell the fire! On this delicious stout base, there's plenty of chocolate, coconut, malty sweetness, and perhaps a little too much vanilla. Not that I mind, but it's too strong for an entire 750. Hard to pick the chilies but that could either be the "age", or the fact that my palate doesn't pick anything hot until it's real hot ;-) Regardless I feel the telltale heat at the back. Good.

    Mouthfeel is spot on, thick and chewy although the carbonation could be dialed down a notch or two. Overall, Hunaphu's stands out in its complexity against straight up Imperial Stouts while avoiding the booziness of barrel aged stouts. I wish the vanilla notes were dialed down a bit, that's all!

4.5, 4, 4, 4.5, 4.5

Heady Topper

Heady Topper
Double IPA
16 oz can poured into a snifter. Thanks cavedave!

    Although the can warns it will be hazy, it is way beyond that: murky and dirty looking with plenty of floaties and barely any head in spite of a very vigorous pour, Heady Topper does look BAD.

    Fortunately appearance is the only unimpressive aspect of this beer. Smells dank and piney, with a freshness I have not encountered in any other DIPA. Some citrus-y fruitiness comes along later but this beer is seriously green, in the manner I like. Ok, finally some onion makes me reluctantly take half a point off.

    And the taste is something to die for, and kill: an IPA can only get so much bitter without getting unpleasant, and Heady manages to stay very very pleasant. Fruity without the sweetness (!), and almost like chewing on pine needles and rind with a bone dry finish and long lingering bitterness. This is the perfect Double IPA. I don't like to make "Pliny killer" statements but I can safely say that this can is better than the bottle of Pliny I reviewed, and I gave that one a 5 on taste... so is this a 5.5 or what?!

    Ah, Heady Topper is just what I need in my IPAs --- low alcohol (for a DIPA), clean and crisp character, mind blowing hoppiness, and palate killing bitterness. Looks aside, Heady is the perfect DIPA and the perfect beer.

    So glad to have tried it, and I will trade for it again and again and again. In past I have been let down by IPAs I have traded for but this?! A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Thanks Dave!

1, 4.5, 5, 5, 5

Laughing Fox

Laughing Fox
New Glarus Brewing
Kristalweizen (= filtered Hefeweizen)
4.5% ABV

    12 oz poured into a weizen glass. Pours with a nice and creamy head. Darker than what I expected, bordering the amber ale color. The head is also much darker than it should be. Brilliant clarity as expected. Good head retention and lacing.

    Spicy clove and some malty sweetness in the aroma. Perfumy wheat malt. Taste is slightly fruity sweet and overall subtle. Aftertaste has richer notes of perfume and spice. Light bodied with a refreshing crispness. Just a tiny bit of bitterness at the back. Dry finish.

Overall refreshing and easy drinking but it's thoroughly forgettable.

3.5, 3, 3, 4, 3

Cuvée René

Cuvée René
Gueuze

75 cl bottle poured into Lindeman's flute. Purchased at Surdyk's for 8.99 (a couple dollars below the usual)

    Bright hay colored and very effervescent, Cuvée René pours with a fluffy white head that departs rather soon and leaves no lacing. Certainly young but not as young as it claims on the bottle (bottled 18 August 2012!) --- I can detect the malty sweetness so there is a lot of room for development. Of course there is some funk but it's dominated by a lot of spicy, phenolic notes. The funk is musty, and storage like as opposed to Sarah Jessica Parker-ish.

    I like the taste much better: slightly tart, hints of malt in sweetness and in the body, with a bitter and slightly tannic finish akin to fruit peel. Phenolic. Funky notes here and there but very subtle. Prickly carbonation and dry finish. Very bubbly and refreshing. I will buy it again when I am feeling sour, but I wish it were more intense.

3, 3, 4, 4, 4

Founders Harvest Ale

Founders Harvest Ale
Fresh hop ale (APA - AIPA in my opinion)
6.5% ABV, 70 IBUs

    Must have been bottled a couple weeks ago but the date in unintelligible like most date stamps on Founders beers. Fail. Poured into a generic pint glass.

    Much lighter colored than other pale ales, the color of Harvest is somewhere between a pilsner and the usual pale: true amber color with a rather small but dense and creamy head. The head retention is fine; minimal lacing.

    Tropical fruit and mowed lawn in aroma, this one is late hopped and dry hopped. I suppose this hop profile is getting too pedestrian though and I really don't see the appeal of "wet" hopping. Fairly similar to your typical west coast pale/IPA I say.

    Taste is nice... restrained malts with plenty of hop flavor and bitterness. Drinks way thinner than an average pale ale but I am content. Reaffirms by belief in Upper Midwestern pale ales. Daisy Cutter, Zombie Dust, and now this. The bitterness, although not over the top, is certainly assertive and lingering and the finish is dry. A fine beer but too bad it cannot be sessioned. My yardstick might be biased but this is my opinion... if Town Hall can cram a boatload of hops in a 4-5% ABV beer, why not others?

3.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 3.5

Three Philosophers

Three Philosophers
98% Quadrupel, 2% Kriek?
9.8% ABV

    2011 bottle poured into a Duvel glass. Pours rust brown with a dark tan colored big, creamy head. Medium retention, medium lacing.

    The aroma is dominated by Kriek than anything else in my opinion. Some malty/caramel-y/candi sugar goodness dances in the background. Nowhere as massive as the best examples in its malts or spices though.

    I loathed the taste initially but it seems to be growing on me. I am still having a hard time deciding whether the addition of Kriek works or not and I am leaning more towards the idea that it does. Still not sure if I would want Kriek in my Rochefort. Sweet caramel, slightly tart, definitely too bitter and appropriately tannic. A bit boozy at times.

    The mouthfeel is certainly good with low carbonation and good presence on the palate, as one would expect from a bigger beer. All in all it's a pretty mediocre Quadrupel but then it's priced right. I doubt if I will drink it again.

4, 3, 3, 4.5, 3

Founders Centennial IPA

Founders Centennial IPA
7.2% ABV, 65 IBUs
An all centennial hop American IPA

    12 oz, bottled about 10 days ago, poured into a generic beer glass. Amber-copper hued, fairly clear, with a good and fluffy alabaster colored head. Good head retention and decent lacing.

    Aroma is initially all bready and malty but slowly transitions through candied fruit to intense citrus with notes of tropical fruit. I bet it had to do with the head and the head space in the glass.

    The taste is strong on citrus, specifically orange zest and grapefruit. Some alcohol here and there but never interfering. Not the driest IPA but fairly dry, with firm bitterness. Certainly not as big on tropical notes of mango-papaya-pineapple like Two Hearted, but definitely more earthy and perhaps marginally more bitter.

    Good body, great feel, and more alcohol by volume than I like. Underrated in my opinion because it'll always be compared to Two Hearted; the latter is more "flamboyant and outgoing" but both are equally good in my opinion.

4, 4, 4.5, 5, 4

Gale's Conquest Ale

Gale's Conquest Ale
English Barleywine
9% ABV

2001 "vintage" poured into an NB globe in Fall 2011.

    More than a review, this is a lesson. Many beers can withstand years, yeah; but! (a) Not all can withstand aging and (b) even among those that can, not all can withstand equal amount of time!

    Gale's pours cloudy amber with hardly any head at all. And in spite of the cork to prevent oxidation (I suppose), laid on top of wonderful notes of sherry, there's a dirty, ugly layer of wet cardboard, yeah.

    You know that something's very very wrong when an English Barleywine tastes sour and I will tell you what it is: it has turned sour. Way past it's prime, and yet reminiscent of its sweet spot, Conquest has notes of dried figs and raisins and some fruit peel tannins but a fuckin' boatload of yucky tartness to go with it.

    Thin, watery, and most of all, un-beerly, this beer that could have been borderline awesome 4 years ago has turned into an abomination. Disappointed in my purchase, I brand this one a failure!

Avoid!

Matt

Matt (Bottleworks X)
Strong Ale
Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.
11.5% ABV

    12 oz. bottle from 2010 poured into a snifter. Thanks Kan. Since I am on a Strong Ale/Old Ale/Barleywine kick for the past few months and this is the coldest day this far into Fall, it's the perfect occasion to drink the only bottle I have. Matt pours dark brown and looks almost black; the looks are in the Imperial Stout territory. There's no head whatsoever  but there is a tiny ring holding promise of carbonation. I hear it's a crap shoot with HotD, and I think I am lucky.

    Matt boasts a very complex aroma, with distinct notes of roast, smoke, dark fruit, port, caramel/toffee and dark liqueur. And ripe apples! I can't wait to taste it, but I can't stop smelling it either.

    The base beer for Matt is Adam, which was a disappointment to me. However, the barrels have changed the beer massively, into something much better. My complaint against Adam was too much roast and too much bitterness. The roast is mellow in Matt, and the bitterness very restrained, along with the added sweetness and complexity.

    Sticky caramel sweetness, accompanied by still bold, roasty and chocolaty bitterness leading towards a slightly astringent finish. There is a lot of fruity-vinous character and ripe, sweet apple notes from eau-de-vie de pomme. I am loving it so much! This beer is one of the testimonials to the fact that American brewing today can stand up to Europe. Reminiscent of two of my favorite beers, Cuvee Van de Keizer Blauw and JW, and yet so different. And what restrained use of barrels, that have added so much character without the typical booze.

    While I am convinced that this beer will only improve with age, it hardly tastes young. In fact, had I not known the age, I would place it at 3 years, at least. A great beer, and perfect for this moment. It's beers like this that make trading worthwhile. I don't think I have anything in my stash that can excel Matt significantly. I won't be drinking anything else tonight.

3, 4, 5, 4, 4.5

Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock
Old Ale/Barleywine/Eisbock
6.3 oz bottle from 2007 poured into a snifter. Thanks jrallen34 for this huge Want!

    Pours clear rust brown with pink highlights with some bubbles, but hardly a head. A solid oz of dark dregs at the bottom. Great malty notes in the aroma, akin to a fine barleywine with some oxidation. Dark fruit, toasted coconut, dessert wine. And raspberry.

    The raspberries, initially mute really open up with time and warmth. Still, the fruit has died down quite a bit, assuming it was strong to begin with. Tastes very fruity: figs, dates, prunes and raspberries. The taste is sharp and tannic, with a slightly bittering and amazingly dry finish. The alcohol warmth and raspberry dessert linger.

    Medium body and very low carbonation. The 13.50% ABV is hardly felt. Haters might call it cough syrup like but this is right up my alley. A tremendous beer! I have no doubt that Kuhnhenn has it down when it comes to strong ales and lagers (?).

3, 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5

Homebrew # 5: Bavarian Hefeweizen

Bavarian Hefeweizen (Northern Brewer kit)
6 lbs Wheat LME, 1 lb Wheat DME
1 oz Tettnang (60 min)
Weihenstephaner yeast (Wyeast 3068)
OG ~1.050
FG ~1.014
Estimated ABV ~4.6%

    Pours in a golden stream but looks clearly darker than a good commercial hefeweizen. The high carbonation (intended!) is evidenced by the loud pop and huge head. The head retention is good, although it could have been better. Little lacing. Also, the head is more bubbly for the style.

    Great aroma on this one. Bread, banana, and mild lemony tartness. However, the extract twang is still very much present. The taste is very fruity with light tartness and weaker, but present, notes of "house character". Spice is low because of the warmer fermentation but some phenolic notes appear alongside the bitterness at the end.

    I am really digging the way it tastes for the most part. A simple style to brew, I can clearly see that the yeast has done its job very well. Problems were at our end... needs polishing, but delightful nonetheless.

    Carbonation is just as high as we shot for. Body is medium and the finish medium dry with fruitiness lingering. I am quite pleased, but still unhappy about the twang :-(

Raspberry Treatment

    Pureed ~9 oz of raspberries and added to ~1/2 gallon beer in a growler. Let it sit for 2 weeks and bottled with some sugar. Perhaps too little. The bottles did get a lot stiffer (I used plastic coke bottles) but the carbonation was nowhere near the desired level :/

    Pours clear and deep pinkish brown with no head at all. Aroma is big on raspberries, very scented. The base beer is pretty much dominated by raspberry flavors. Light sweet tartness with plenty of raspberry taste and a slightly bittering finish. Medium bodied like the base beer, but only hints of the much needed prickly carbonation.

Homebrew # 4: Patersbier

Patersbier (Northern Brewer kit)
All pils malt (6 lbs Pilsen LME; 0.5 lbs carapils steeped at the beginning of the boil)

Hop additions:

   - 1 oz Hallertau (60 min)
   - 0.5 oz Saaz (60 min)
   - 0.5 oz Saaz (10 min)
Westmalle yeast (Wyeast 3787)
OG ~1.040
FG ~1.008
Estimated ABV ~4%

    Pours a light shade of hay with brilliant clarity and a massive creamy, rocky head with excellent retention and equally good looking lacing.

    The aroma is very complex and definitely displaying its pedigree: phenolic, fruity (pear, apples), and a spicy bite that (perhaps) derives its sharpness from CO₂ bubbling out. Some bottles sampled about a week earlier had a banana note that could be attributable to warm fermentation, and seems to have cleared away.

    Tastes lightly fruity, with notes similar to aroma but quite low in their strength. A very mild hop bite at the end, that is noticeably tamer and more desirable this way. The "homebrew" (amateur) note is still there that I often refer to as "house character" :/

    Overall clean, light bodied, very crisp and very refreshing. Bonus is lower alcohol, certainly very low for its complexity and flavors, and truly sessionable.

Galactic Double Daisy Cutter

Galactic Double Daisy Cutter
Half Acre Brewing Co.
Double IPA
8% ABV

Bomber courtesy Dan poured into a New Belgium globe.

    Pours a very milky mango color with barely any head. Reminded me immediately of Mango Mama. I can understand that it's heavily hopped and dry hopped and what not but looks pretty fuckin' far from an IPA!

    Complex hop profile to say the least: initially it was mangoes but I can definitely smell the spice and slightly dank notes. Brief suggestion of malt melds really well with the fruit. Off to taste: thankfully bitter! Maybe I have an acute case of LTS or it's just the spicy food but I am having a hard time tasting bitterness in beers these days. Galactic has definitely broken that dry spell for me!!

    Fruity, flavorful and bitter to the bone, this is a straight up DIPA. Some alcohol warmth along with the medium finish. The carbonation is medium and the texture oily, almost viscous. Aside from the looks, it's a good DIPA and a good beer, not to mention that it's thankfully on the lower side of ABV for DIPAs!

2, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Captain Fantasy

Captain Fantasy
Half Acre and Shorts collaboration
Saison
7% ABV

Bomber poured into a Duvel tulip. Thanks AgentZero.

    Clear and golden with a medium sized creamy alabaster head. While the head itself wasn't too impressive, the retention and lacing certainly are.

    Smells more like a BSPA than a saison to me. No saison smells good enough after Fantome I suppose :/ There's a good fruitiness present and it's no surprise that it actually has pears. Also, knowing that Sorachi Ace hops are present, I smell a hint of lemons; but that could be the "power of suggestion". Eventually the saison yeast profile appears but not assertively.

    Taste is fruity and sharp with a bittering finish. Quite inoffensive except for the fusel notes, which are really out of place in a 7% ABV beer. The body is medium but the crisp carbonation keeps everything nice and clean.

    Pretty run of the mill for a saison with entirely missing tartness and spice. Not as bad as the local Honeymoon saison but not as good as a good saison either.

4, 3.5, 3, 4, 3

Maduro

Maduro Brown Ale
Cigar City
5.5% ABV

12 oz poured into a pint.

Rust brown hued with good clarity and a small tan head with sub par retention. Sweet and malty, but very moderately so. Good on the specialty malt character: I can definitely smell chocolate.

Nutty and chocolaty with a slightly roasted profile. Finishes clean and dry with a charred aftertaste. I quite like it. The carbonation is not too high; the body rather watery.

Overall, I can see myself drinking this beer every once in a while if it were available to me. The local favorite Bender does an equally good job though, if not better.

3.5, 3.5, 4, 3, 3.5

ABR, Tasting reviews

Barrel Aged Blackout Stout

Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Shared generously by Andrew, thanks! Poured into a tasting snifter.

    Thin and brown as opposed to viscous black: not-so-stout-y looking. Aroma is bourbon, coal/smoke/roast, and some, umm... tartness? Taste has strong presence of roast and coffee, and the associated acidity. Not as big on bourbon in taste as in the aroma. Some chocolate notes. Very thin body with low carbonation. Seems like something is wrong with this beer/bottle.

Overall pretty pedestrian for a sought after barrel aged stout.

Bourbon Darkness 2011

Surly Brewing Co.
Poured into ABR 2011 glass by the brewer himself!

    Dark, rich black with a nice dark brown head. Good retention too... definitely inherits its looks from the base beer.

    Aside from the looks and the raisin character of Darkness, this beer seems different on so many levels! The smoothness of regular Darkness is entirely missing, and so are the hops, obviously. The latter is not a bad thing in my opinion. However, this beer is still very sweet without being well integrated, and somewhat boozy, and yet the bourbon character is mute. Odd :/

Three

Surly Brewing Co.
Poured into ABR 2011 glass by Todd Haug.

    Clear and dark brown with medium head that fell into a nice collar. Aroma is honey and ginger; sweet and spicy. Tastes sweet at front with plenty of honey flavor with malts in the background and little hops. Finishes very clean. Well carbonated with a medium body.

Two

Surly Brewing Co.
Poured into ABR 2011 glass.

    Very dark and rich brown with a good head and good retention. Aroma is some berry and sweetness. Tastes a little too tart for me but that should be expected for a cranberry stout! As others have reported, the cranberries are alive although I have no idea how it was fresh.

    Not quite chewy but still good on the mouthfeel. I am glad to tried it although there's no way I am going after it.

Westvleteren 8

Westvleteren 8
Quadrupel

    Big thanks to jrallen34 for this 11.2 oz bottle. Date on the cap is August 2013. Poured into a snifter. Pours chestnut brown with good clarity and a light cappuccino colored huge creamy head. The head retention is good, and so is the lacing.

    The aroma is very sharp and almost pungent at times! More phenolic and yeasty, and less sweet smelling than 12; there is ample toasty caramel goodness from the dark sugars, and hints of fruit and chocolate, but there's a strong phenolic character too.  A note or two of alcohol that I don't mind one bit.

    Fruity sweet with dark fruit on the palate with the yeast/byproducts present all along. Not quite as tannic as the bigger Quads, but still bitter and cleansing at the end. Very clean finish with some warmth lingering. The body is medium and the carbonation rather low. It's good, actually very good, but I doubt I'll have it by myself again. Considering it's tougher to come by, more so than 12, I think it'll be best shared. There are equally good or better off the shelf Quads for regular drinking.

4.5, 4, 3.5, 4, 4

Iron Works Alt

Iron Works Alt
Altbier
Metropolitan Brewing, Chicago

    12 oz poured into a pint glass. Thanks AgentZero. Pours deep and clear copper with only a small-medium head in spite of a regular pour. The head retention is alright in that the bubbles manage to stay on the surface and lace the glass as it gets emptier.

    A very strong malt aroma without the sweetness: quite rare in most beers that I have had. Smells like the inside of a homebrew shop. Very biscuity, and dry. A wee bit of fruitiness at the end. Crisp and biting with a slightly sweet taste profile balanced by light bitterness. The finish is way too sweet for a beer that tastes otherwise clean.

    More lager-y feel than an "old-style" beer but it seems to be the norm for Alts. The body is light and the carbonation very high. Overall nothing too impressive going on here... tastes like lagered Fat Tire.

Disclaimer: This is my second Alt ever and the first one was aged in barrels, so I don't know anything about Alts from direct experience.

3, 3, 3, 4, 3

Guava Groove

Guava Groove
Saison
8% ABV
Cigar City Brewing

750 ml split with Apu, poured into New Belgium globes. Thanks Dan.

    Hazy amber, with very hazy dregs; off-white dense and thick pillow-y head with medium retention and, oddly, no lacing.

    The lemony tart and yeasty aroma profile is signature saison. There's some stronger acidity that suggests a light sour character. Lots of fruit, specifically white grape. But... guava? I don't get any until the very end.

    Taste is bit of a let down from the aroma: the tartness is missing; and the hop bitterness is a little too strong. Finally, the beer tastes harsh at times... like leftover fruit pulp after getting juiced.

    Mouthfeel is bigger than many other saisons but apt carbonation keeps everything in check. Overall just an average beer.

4, 3.5, 2.5, 4, 3

Non-saisons at Saison tasting

    Ben from BA recently organized a rarer Fantômes' tasting that I attended. While I had every intention of reviewing, I was so overwhelmed by the beers that I didn't find anything meaningful to write. This is the list of Fantômes had:

• Brise-BonBons
• Blanche (my favorite)
• La Piétrain Blonde
• Magic Ghost (pretty good, and very unique)
• Santé-15
• Saint-Roch
• Hiver

However, there were other very different beers at the tasting that I thought I could review:

Lou Pepe Framboise (2002 Vintage)

Thanks Andrew! For this one and for Gratitude.

    Pours burnt orange-pink with a dirty collar for head. Aroma is massive funk, sulfur, leather and maybe some fruit lurking somewhere. Smells abrasive!

    Tart, dry, pungent. Did I already say dry? I don't think I have ever had a monster comparable to this beer in its dryness and sour character except the Beatification that I don't remember having at Darkness Day 2010 :/

Excellent mouthfeel with loads of crisp carbonation.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Lente

    Thanks Kevin for hosting and sharing this awesome (and rare ;-) beer! Not to mention the excellent homebrewed Berliner Weisse.

    Pours light golden with a medium white colored dense head. Signature Gueuze. A very very interesting aroma: I usually expect Gueuze to be all about acid and such but I got a lot of coal and tobacco like notes over the massive funk and of course, acidic notes. It is noteworthy that the said coal/tobacco notes seemed more related to a damp warehouse than the perfectly oxidized strong ale.

    Taste contains everything in aroma and more: the tart character is more intense and the light body/crisp carbonation make things more interesting. A very intense and complex, and yet easy drinking beer.

    I am not a very discerning Lambic drinker but I noted a lot of similarities in Zomer that Frank and Pasta shared at another later tasting. Thanks again guys!

4, 4.5, 4, 4, 4

Event Horizon (2010)

I don't quite remember who shared it but I think it was Kevin again. Thanks!

    Fairly standard -bal Imperial Stout with a dark, smooth body and tiny head. The aroma is full of chocolate notes and vanilla, and of course bourbon. Tastes chocolaty and is reminiscent of BCBS without the booze. Mouthfeel is good for an ~8% beer. An achievement in the sense that so much flavor is packed into this beer without being too strong. Very very good.

3.5, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Zombie Dust

Zombie Dust
American Pale Ale
3 Floyds
6.2% ABV, 50 IBUs

    12 oz bottle, courtesy Chicago BAs, poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint. Pours hazy golden with a thick off white head. Good retention and lacing.

    One of the better smelling APAs out there, this one has me convinced that Chicagoland brews the best APAs, with the possible exception of Alpine. Never had Hoppy Birthday. Grassy and weedy as promised with some malt sugars coming forth in the aroma.

    Taste is fairly simple with both, flavor and bitterness, on a decent malt backbone. More dry hopped than bittered methinks. Initially it seemed very easy drinking and quenching but the body is pretty decent, with good, but not crisp carbonation. I like it, but I still think that the ABV could have been lower.

4.5, 4, 3.5, 4, 4

MAUI CoCoNut PorTeR

CoCoNut PorTeR
Maui Brewing Co.
Robust Porter
6% ABV
30 IBUs

    12 oz can poured into a Surly pint. Thanks Ross. Dark brown and clear with a brown head that left fast. No lacing either. Very very good aroma with plenty of roast, toast, coffee, malt, and coconut.

    The taste is a notch down from aroma but not all that much: malt and coconut, with coffee-roast finish. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Plenty of coconut aftertaste after a medium dry finish.

Overall awesome!

2.5, 4.5, 4, 4, 4

Citra

Citra
Double IPA
Kern River Brewing Company
8% ABV

    Pours clear and golden with a moderate alabaster head that formed in cascades atop the amber mass. The head is more bubbly than creamy with medium retention and good lacing.

    The aroma is all over the hop spectrum: from fruity to dank to spice. Reminds me of my local Abrasive at times. As it gets warm the sweetness comes through: hard to say whether it's exclusively from malts or there's some contribution from the alcohol. I think it's fairly standard for a DIPA and nothing exceptional, especially because it's all over the place and not showcasing a particular hop character.

    Mildly sweet, hints of fruit, quite crisp as opposed to creamy-viscous, with moderately bittering finish. Everything about the profile of this beer seems "moderate", or shall I say ordinary?

    As remarked, mouthfeel is crisp and clean on a lighter-than-your-usual-DIPA body; and I like the mouthfeel on this one.

Overall, ok. I can't taste the hype :/

4, 3, 3, 4, 3

Gouden Carolus Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw

Gouden Carolus Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw
Het Anker
Quadrupel

One of my favorite beers that I believe doesn't get enough press. Classy looking 750 ml cork & caged bottle (2009 vintage) poured into a snifter at approximately two and a half years of age. Some details from the brewer:

Every year on the 24th of February, we celebrate the birth of Charles Quint. Therefore we brew a special beer in limited edition called Cuvée of the Emperor. This exceptional beer is a special version of the Golden Carolus Classic, with an enriched taste pallet and mysterious aromas added. The caramelised malts and its 11% Alc. Vol. give the Cuvée of the Emperor the warm roundness of wine together with the refreshing taste of beer. It is imperially crowned with a special cork so it can be preserved for a long period of time with a constant cellar temperature of 12° C. An imperial beer to cherish and enjoy in moderation.

Type of beer: Dark special beer
Colour: Ruby red

Alcohol: 11% VOL

Hops: Exclusively Belgian hops
Wort extract: 24° Plato
Fermentation: High fermentation
Lagering: 2 weeks
Packaging: Bottle 75 cl and 1,5 l
Tenability: At least 10 years

    Pours caramel brown with moderate clarity and a medium light brown head. Medium retention, good lacing. Smells dark and sweet from the Belgian candi sugar used I suppose. Dark fruits, prominently raisins, hint of figs, prunes and dried cherries. Touch of spice, and perhaps some oxidation.

    The taste is decadent with a great balance of sweet and dark: very fruity (raisins, dates, figs), slightly chocolaty, with a moderately tannic finish very reminiscent of the said fruits. Very vinous, with some sherry like notes. The sweetness lingers.

    The body is bigger than most Belgian ales, but still in the Belgian territory; the carbonation is alive and kickin'. As noted, there's a tannic note in finish but it's still sweet, and the beer damn smooth.

    Overall, a very unique and great beer. Stands out from other Quads in its heightened sweetness and proximity to English Barleywines.

Appearance 4/5; Aroma 4/5; Taste 4.5/5; Mouthfeel 4.5/5; Overall 4.5/5

Baltika #6

Baltika #6
Porter
Baltika Breweries
7% ABV

    500 ml bottle with a best before date of April 14, 2012 (brewed April 14, 2011) poured into a Surly pint. Poured clear and dark brown with a medium tan colored head with average retention and some lacing.

    Smells slightly malty with some caramel and toast lurking underneath. Hint of roast.  Off to taste. Starts on an average, maybe even good, note displaying plenty of dark malt character and robustness; but off flavors are soon felt, especially a strongly metallic taste and stale, icky bitterness. I expected this to be a Baltic Porter but it is just a bad attempt at the British/American examples it seems.

    The carbonation and the body are alright, but that's about it. Overall I am not impressed.

Appearance 3.5/5; Aroma 3/5; Taste 2/5; Mouthfeel 3.5/5; Overall 2/5

Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Young's Double Chocolate Stout

    Very clear, medium brown-garnet, with a nice cascading mocha head with good lacing and retention. Not as dark as I expected but no worries. The aroma is strongly chocolate, dark malts, brown sugar and molasses.

    Tastes moderately sweet and lightly tart with a charry, bitter chocolaty medium dry finish. Low-medium body, good carbonation... very easy drinking. Overall, a very good low abv option. Hard to pass in this format although I hated the nitro cans.

4, 4, 4, 3.5, 4

Taddy Porter

The Famous Taddy Porter
Samuel Smith, U.K.
Porter
5% ABV
32 IBUs
OG 1.050

550 ml (bought for 2.99 at Zipp's Liquors!) poured into a Surly pint glass.

    Dark brown with garnet highlights and a medium tan head with creamy texture. Good retention and great lacing. The aroma is classic British dark ale: caramel, toast, coconut and toffee; even more than dark malts that should be the highlight of this beer. Decent frutiness.

    Taste is heavier on the dark and fruity side of things than, say, toast and coconut. I don't get any coffee but certainly some chocolaty notes are present. The finish is quite sweet, with hints of roast, but not enough to make it too dry. The body is medium and carbonation a little high for the taste profile.

    If it indeed is an example of Old World porter, then the American versions are much better on the characteristics this beer boasts to be its highlights viz. roast, dryness etc. On the other hand I am loving the maltiness of this porter. Tough choice, but if I were aching for a porter as I know it, I'd rather grab an Edmund Fitzgerald.

Appearance 4/5; Aroma 4/5; Taste 3/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 4/5

Adam

Adam
Barleywine
Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
10% ABV
50 IBUs

This is my first review of any HotD beer and 100^th unique brewer. 12 oz. (Batch 80) sent by cb462 as an extra. Thanks! Poured into a snifter.

    Deep, dark mahogany with a good and creamy textured khaki-brown head. Medium head retention and ok lacing. Good for its kind. Aroma is sweet malts, hint of smoke, some dried fruit. Certainly leather. No booze. Very generic, however, especially because it's so mute.

    Tastes disappointing :/ I had high hopes and I am feeling let down. I can see the potential but it seems too rough. Some sweetness with a biting earthy bitterness, roast, and over the top astringent character. Medium finish with a lingering bitterness.

    Mouthfeel is above average with understated carbonation and a medium body. Overall though, it drinks more like a blend of a barleywine and Old Rasputin, than a barleywine on its own. I don't like it.

Appearance 4/5; Aroma 3/5; Taste 2.5/5; Mouthfeel 3.5/5; Overall 3/5

Pannepot (Old Fisherman's Ale)

33 cl bottle, 2007 vintage, sent as an extra by Romulux. Thanks a lot! Poured into a 25 oz snifter.

A darker hue than most Belgian Strong Ales, Pannepot pours the dark brown color of an Imperial Stout with good clarity, and yet little transparency. The head is creamy and dark khaki-brown; the retention good and the lacing beautiful.

The aroma is earthy, spicy, caramel and candy sweet, with sweet alcohol. The fresh dessert notes that only quality Quadrupels have. Maybe not as good as I remember the Reserva to be.

There is certainly a powerful chocolate note, but dark fruit and toasted coconut dominate the taste. On a second thought, Pannepot tastes like a seamless marriage of the three. I am digging the play between sticky sweetness and the tannins. And the mild carbonation somewhere in between. Among the dark fruit notes, plums stand out the most in my opinion.

Overall, De Struise has done an excellent job with this, and with Reserva. The only non-Trappist beers to come close to the Trappist examples, with the exception of Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw. I love it.

Appearance 4.5/5; Aroma 4/5; Taste 4.5/5; Mouthfeel 4.5/5; Overall 4/5

Exponential Hoppiness

Exponential Hoppiness
"Triple" IPA
Alpine Brewing
11% ABV
Theoretical IBUs are off the charts, actual should be less than 75.

    Bomber from the most recent release poured into a Duvel tulip. 'bout a month old give or take. Thanks Casey!

    Falls in a brilliant golden stream with a medium alabaster head atop the orange "body". The head retention is medium and the lacing insane. Looks hoppy, doesn't it?! I have had this before and know that it's juicy. And it fucking looks juicy.

    There are fruity IPAs, weedy/dank IPAs, and this is both. Signature Alpine. Very juicy, ripe tangerine, pineapple, mango; and pine and marijuana. Ample amount of malt. Damn, it smells fruity and sweet! THE best smelling IPA I ever had.

    Tastes bitter, but not nearly enough. That has been my complaint against Alpine. I'd rather have sex with Paris Hilton than watch Audrey Hepburn strip. Very flavorful nonetheless. Pineapple and even more mango, but not enough weed. Oak adds another dimension and at times, especially when warm, the sticky sweetness combined with oak lends almost a barrel aged strong ale note. Nice! Almost chocolate with orange peel.

Mouthfeel is perfect. Just perfect for its magnitude. Creamy, yet crisp. I know.

    Overall good but not that good... aroma is the high point of this beer, unrivaled by anything else that I have had. But the taste leaves something to be desired. A brewing achievement in the sense of masking the stronger notes and letting the delicate come across, but still not the hops-in-yo-face-with-bitterness-turned-max that I crave.

Appearance 4/5; Aroma 5/5; Taste 4/5; Mouthfeel 4.5/5; Overall 4/5

Abacus

Abacus
Barrel aged Barleywine
Firestone Walker Brewing Company

    Poured from a bomber (Spring 2011) into a Darkness tulip on August 13, 2011. Thanks drDogBeer! Dark wood to rust colored with good clarity. A small light tan head formed but left rather fast.

    Aroma is signature barleywine - dark fruit, specifically raisins and figs with notes of chocolate and toast. Very restrained booze. Tastes flavorful with notes of dark, dried fruit; some chocolate and vanilla, but as with the aroma, the bourbon is very restrained. The finish is very clean and the feel of the beer in general is closer to a Quadrupel than a barleywine - light body (for the style!), cleaner flavors and high carbonation. I am not digging it all that much.

    Overall it's certainly a good beer but it's not the ultimate barleywine. It's a shame that Mirror Mirror 2009 got infected, otherwise that would have been a much superior alternative. Well, I can always cough a few bucks more and go for J.W.

Appearance 3/5; Aroma 3.5/5; Taste 3.5/5; Mouthfeel 3.5/5; Overall 4/5

Maharaja

Maharaja
Imperial IPA
Avery Brewing Co.
10.46% ABV
102 IBUs
OG 1.090

    22 oz. bomber from batch # 14 (bottled June, 2011) poured into a 25 oz. snifter on 08/11/2011. Pours a deep shade of amber-red with a big off white head. The head retention is good, the lacing very very good. Looks like there's plenty of hops in here. Signature DIPA.

    There is no doubt in my mind that Avery wasn't stingy with hops for this one: the moment I pried the bottle open, hoppy fruitiness hit my nose, and that's what this beer is about. Fruity hops --- mango, papaya, pineapple. Sweet alcohol follows soon after.

    Tastes just as sweet as its bitter, Maharaja is one of the sweeter and fruiter beers I have had. Strange as it might sound, this seems like a beer that could convert non beer drinkers. That or mine is an acute case of LTS. The caramel backbone is solid but the finish clean and the beer not one bit cloying. It's funny that I thought I'd hate Maharaja because of how folks keep saying how malty it is, and malty it INDEED is. But, it's well done. Very very well done. Can't but think of pineapples, damn!

    One of the silkier beers of its genre, Maharaja's feel and texture is more into Strong Ale territory. Makes me wonder if DIPAs should be further classified into sweet DIPAs and dry DIPAs, much like wine. Coming back to this one, everything seems fitting. Yes there's alcohol, but ya know, what the hell. It complements the beer.

    It's strong, reasonably intense, quite warming and very flavorful. A good DIPA even if not exactly my type.

Appearance 4.5/5; Aroma 4/5; Taste 4/5; Mouthfeel 4.5/5; Overall 4/5

Odell IPA

Odell IPA
American IPA
Odell Brewing Co.
7% ABV
60 IBUs

    12 oz. bottle with kickass artwork (signature Odell!) and a best by date of 11/02/11 poured into a New Belgium globe on 08/09/11. Pours hay golden, slightly hazy, with a nice and big alabaster head; great head retention and excellent lacing!

    Smells very fruity with dominantly tropical fruit notes and some grassy-weedy undertones. Very balanced and complex hop profile. Tastes smooth and slightly fruity, and while the malt backbone is felt on palate, I don't really taste the malts much. The bitterness appears most towards the back and in the finish.

    Carbonation is appropriately high and the finish really dry. As remarked, goes down easy and smooth without too much bitterness. All good, except that the alcohol is rather high for this easy drinking a beer.

Appearance 5/5; Aroma 4/5; Taste 3.5/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 4/5

Cran-bic Ale

Cran-bic Ale
Fruit "lambic"
New Glarus Brewing Co.
4.8% ABV

    A part of what was known as the Unplugged series earlier, Cranbic belongs to the Thumbprint series of New Glarus' experimental and specialty beers. 2011 release poured into a Surly pint glass.

    Pink hued, and brilliantly clear, Cranbic pours with a light rosy head that is pedestrian for Lambics, and that minuscule head leaves soon too leaving some patchy lace. Aroma hints at the sourness to come, along with some funk that I didn't notice at earlier tastings. Lots of spice (clove and cinnamon).

    Tastes fruity tart with strong notes of spice, and surprisingly only a hint of cranberries. Maintains its beer roots instead of tasting like cranberry soda. The finish is tart and long with some funk at the back. Quite acidic overall, and more so than many a Gueuze in my opinion!

    Well carbonated, very crisp and very very refreshing. And yet it doesn't settle as well as a similar beer would sit with this weather because of the spicy notes that remind me of a Winter Warmer/Christmas beer :/

Overall a beer that is above average for fruit beers and at an unbeatable price! (~$10/4-pack)

Appearance 2/5; Aroma 3/5; Taste 3.5/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 3.5/5

4D

    I had been wanting to try the Kuhnhenn Brewing Company's Bourbon Barrel 4^th Dementia and its base beer for a while now and scored them in a recent trade. Thanks Ron (Romulux), finally!

    4^th Dementia poured a deep murky brown color, incidentally very close to fig flesh, with a medium khaki colored head. The head retention was average, basically a firm ring of foam and a small sheet of bubbles on the surface. The barrel aged version was the same color, but noticeably cloudier and there was no head, nada, none.

    The aroma of 4^th Dementia was figs, other dried fruits, caramel, and mild sweet alcohol. The 13.5% alcohol by volume is well masked. Good, but not nearly as rich as what's next! The barrel aged 4^th Dementia is an onslaught of vanilla, coconut, and strong strong dark fruit. Very very delicious, although the alcohol is rather in-your-face. Not on the level of bourbon, but more on the level of stronger wine.

    4^th Dementia, a great tasting ale, is a very very balanced blend of rich, flavorful sweetness, understated bitterness, and a moderate to low astringent character derived from what I assume are roasted grains. Exceptionally clean finish with a medium-long aftertaste. The carbonation keeps the beer alive, bubbly and amazingly easy to drink. The body is medium, and not all that viscous. I assume it's the extended secondary/bottle conditioning that achieves so much flavor while not letting the beer get tiring.

    And just when you think it's not getting any better, the barrel aged version delivers everything good about the regular version in twice the amount, and with some bonus notes of its own: exceptionally silky, amazingly balanced, very sweet, yet quite bitter, and still so clean in its finish, this one can stand up against J.W. Lees! The flavors are primarily dark fruit, chocolate, leather and tobacco. While there was no head, the carbonation is just right; the body is no thinner or heavier than it should be. The roast is much more mellow than the regular version, but still present, and very welcome.

    Overall, great beers, and so much better than most others in their class. Thanks Ron for introducing me to this fine pair.

	4th Dementia (2010 Vintage)	Barrel Aged 4th Dementia (2010 Vintage)
Appearance	4	3
Aroma	4	4.5
Taste	4	4.5
Mouthfeel	4.5	5
Overall	4.5	4.5

Sierra Nevada Porter

Sierra Nevada Porter
Porter
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
5.6% ABV
32 IBUs
OG 13.8 Plato
FG 3.5 Plato

12 oz poured into a shaker pint.

    Coffee colored, and noticeably lighter than other examples, but with a beautiful frothy coffee head. Good head retention too and excellent lacing. Smells very generic, and closer to a nut brown or dark ale than a porter: the roast is really not there.

    Clean, slightly sweet with a lightly roasty finish. Medium body and medium carbonation. Easy drinking beer, but nothing too great.

Appearance 4/5; Aroma 3/5; Taste 3/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 3/5

Silva Stout

Silva Stout
Barrel aged Imperial Stout
Green Flash Brewing Co.
10.1% ABV

    A limited, one time release from Fall 2010, sampled with almost an year on it courtesy of ever generous Ron (Romulux). What an extra! Thank you very much. Poured into a 25 oz snifter.

    Pours in a very dark brown, borderline black, velvety stream and a surprisingly robust dark khaki head forms atop the beer. The head retention and lacing are more than good for a barrel aged stout.

    Smells... sweaty?! Aside from this off aroma that disappeared soon, and might as well have been my imagination, the smell is strong vanilla and laid back chocolate. Rich and dessert like. Maybe with a side of coffee. Sweet booze creeps in with warmth, but is never ever fusel/hot.

    The taste is very very chocolaty with ample vanilla, accentuated by the silky and luxurious texture of the beer. Dollops of bitterness come at the back of the palate leaving behind plenty of dark chocolate and coffee aftertaste. Notes of alcohol ring in the nose along with the long and relatively clean finish.

    The texture, as pointed out, is luxurious with a very balanced body that is not cloying but carries the flavors with ease and the understated carbonation that gives the beer life without making it too bubbly.

    Hands down the best beer I have had in a month or two, and certainly one of the better ones of an year that saw BCS Rare and Kate! A gem not so talked about, but a great stout with something that lacks among many beers of its kind --- balance! This beer, named after the brewmaster Chuck Silva, is a testament to his skill. Great job!

Appearance 4.5/5; Aroma 3.5/5; Taste 4.5/5; Mouthfeel 5/5; Overall 4.5/5

Racer 5

Racer 5
American IPA
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
7% ABV
75+ IBUs

12 oz., undated, poured into a shaker pint glass.

    Pours amber-golden and relatively clear with a small bubbly head. Head retention can't really be commented upon with this head but some lacing is seen. Average looks, especially for an AIPA.

    It's funny how the nose picks different notes at different samplings. When I had Racer 5 for the first time about an year ago, I picked strong tropical fruit notes typical to Centennial hops (Two Hearted Ale); now I pick a spicier note that is even stronger than the faint tropical fruit. The spice is nice and appealing, instead of borderline garlic. But, aroma is not the strong suit of this bottle (or beer?)

    Taste is delicious in one word. Light, sweet frutiness and plenty of spicy to weedy character on a medium-low body with crisp carbonation and a clean finish. Let's nitpick now: the taste is slightly sweet for the body and the bitterness lacking at times: I expect IPAs to be bitter at the back of the palate and this one goes down without that "kick". However, there's bitter aftertaste aplenty to compensate.

    I am really digging the clear, clean flavors; the crispness; and the dry finish that is not quite Duvel-like, but approaches it. Overall it's a good beer that doesn't wreck the wallet or the palate.

Appearance 3/5; Aroma 3/5; Taste 4/5; Mouthfeel 4/5; Overall 4.5/5

Will it keep? And how long?

Too much beer is certainly one of the better problems to have, but once in a while I find myself in a situation in which I have to risk a hangover or dump beer owing to a large format bottle of a high ABV beer, and no one to share it with.

    Not sure where I got this idea except that it is not my own: swing-top bottles to store excess beer in short term. I bought a German dark-ish lager, whose name I don't remember, for about two bucks (tax included) precisely towards the purpose of acquiring a swing-top bottle.

    All I needed now for the experiment was a beer that's considered robust and is drinkable at low carbonation, and is CHEAP. And my palate should know the beer well enough. Old Rasputin fit the bill on all counts.

Side by side: Left one is fresh, right has been in the swing top for 3 days

    Immediately after I pried off the 12 oz. bottle open, I poured half of it into the swing-top in a gentle, but not too gentle of a pour, and clamped the top shut. The reason my pour was not the most gentle one was to release some CO₂ to form a layer on the surface of the beer, that would keep oxidation in check... not sure if it makes sense, but my understanding is that some CO₂ in the headsapce is good for freshness.

    About 72 hours (7/24/2011) later I poured the hand bottled sample and a fresh sample to try them side by side. The swing top opened with a loud pop hinting that the carbonation was still around. The head that formed settled into a thin ring that lasted forever. The freshly poured sample was typical Old Rasputin, big head with very good retention and lacing.

    I didn't smell anything foul in the older sample, and the smell of the beer was actually stronger, most likely because of the lack of a huge head. Both samples tasted the same with the older one having a better feel (to me) because I find Old Rasputin a little too heavy on the carbonation anyway.

    The differences evened out with time and temperature and both samples smelled/tasted/felt pretty close eventually = Good news. The experiment was successful in short term (that is actually the time horizon of interest) and now I have a container to store surplus beer that I cannot enjoy! In fact, half of the bottle from which I poured the fresh sample is now stored in my swing-top for another tasting that will test the ability of the swing-top to keep the beer "alive" for a couple of weeks :-)

At 2 weeks (8/7/2011):

I poured half of a fresh bottle for tasting against the 3 day old sample, and poured the remaining half of that fresh bottle into the swing top to repeat this tasting at 2 weeks.

The swing top opened with a pop, meaning the beer was not entirely flat. Good.

Side by side: Left one is fresh, right has been in the swing top for 14 days

    Perhaps my hand-bottling was not-so-prompt the last time as this sample because this one poured with an even better head after staying in the swing top for two weeks! The quality of the head is readily seen from the picture, and the head retention and lacing were not bad either!

    As to aroma, there's not much change I can pick between the two samples. However, the aroma of the "AGED" sample is certainly richer, and the differences are huge in the taste. The famous leather note makes an appearance, adding nothing but good. The oxygen exposed beer is certainly mellow and lacks the bite of Old Rasputin, thankfully! It seems sweeter perhaps because the hops haven't held up, but the roast is mellower too.

    However, the key point is that different as the fresh and old samples are, they are not that different: meaning storing surplus beer in a swing top should work on the scale of a couple weeks.

    Half of the freshly opened bottle went into the swing top again for another tasting that will evaluate the differences at a month or so. Cheers!

At ONE month (9/7/2011):

Same procedure this time. Half of the fresh bottle went into the swing top that contained a month old sample prior to the pour. The old sample opened with a loud pop again! Almost like opening a C&C beer. Encouraging!

    The head on the fresh sample was predictably excellent, typical Old Rasputin; but the head on the old sample wasn't bad either. In fact, it was very good, but different --- not as creamy.

Side by side: Left one is fresh, right has been in the swing top for 32 days

    The retention of both samples was good and so was the lacing. The aroma of both samples was similar: dark and malty, but the older sample was certainly richer. The samples were so similar that I had to ask for my girlfriend's blind opinion. She is not a big beer drinker and hates stouts. She had the opinion that the older sample's smell was more abrasive to her and had more powerful coffee notes. She also remarked after a while that the new one "kinda stinks". She and myself picked that the carbonation was higher in the new one.

    The taste is again similar, BUT the older one stays longer on the palate precisely because of lower carbonation. Assuming that that the reader already knows how Old Rasputin tastes freshly poured, I will say that the older sample has developed/heightened flavor that almost tastes of proper aging. However, it should be noted that the carbonation is still higher than your usual Imperial Stout.

    Bottomline being that a month in the swing top hasn't done the beer any bad, and perhaps some good. At the same time, the two samples were so close that I had to ask for a different opinion. Good news.

At 3+ months (12/11/2011):

I am down to my last sample and there's no fresh bottle to compare it with. Although at this point I am fully convinced that beer is not that delicate, here it is for completeness.

    Opened with a pop and the CO₂ pushed the cap out, encouraging. The head formed in cascades like a typical Imperial Stout. Good head size, retention and lacing. Had I not known, I wouldn't be able to tell based on the looks that this sample wasn't fresh and had sat in a swing top for 3 months. Like the previous sample, the head was more bubbly and less creamy in comparison to the fresh bottles I have had. In absolute terms it was mighty creamy.

The sample has been in the swing top for 95 days

    Good aroma too: standard Imperial Stout, malty, dark fruity. No off flavors either. But the beer has changed, it's not the fresh out of the bottle Old Rasputin. Stronger coffee, slightly mellow roast. Perfect carbonation and a silky feel. Overall much more chocolaty and contrary to what one would think, a better beer than fresh Old Rasputin. Your mileage may vary :/

    In summary, using a swing top promptly seems like a great way to save beer for later. All my samples were refrigerated at all times. All the notes are from my palate unless noted. I have tried my best to be consistent, but it is impossible to eliminate all variations.

Why not try it with a hop forward beer?!

    I fully understand that Imperial Stouts and such are often heavily hopped, and that it's necessary to balance the beer. However, it cannot be denied that Imperial Stouts showcase their malt/adjunct/barrel character while other hoppy beers like DIPAs flaunt their hops. And hops are delicate, especially the late additions.

    But the fact remains that DIPAs often match the big stouts and Quads in their alcohol content, which makes the problem of having too much beer pertinent. To probe this, I repeated the experiment of storing excess beer on a very tasty DIPA, Galactic Double Daisy Cutter. Since I did not want to push it, I kept it in a storage bottle for only 24 hours but the results were encouraging and I might try this on a longer timescale. But then I have seen the bitterness go down in as less as 72 hours (for Old Rasputin) so I won't keep my hopes too high.

Below are the pictures of the fresh and the stored sample:

Left one (w/ bottle in picture) is fresh while the right one is a day old.

    As my original review indicates, and also evidenced in the picture, this beer did not have a massive head to begin with. However, I did not notice any difference in carbonation/head size over 24 hours.

    The tropical fruit and dank notes of fresh sample were present equally in the both samples to the best of my memory of the fresh sample. The day old sample is just as bitter and crisp as the fresh one and doesn't even remotely resemble a beer left open overnight. Of course, the old sample was capped immediately and kept refrigerated at all times.

    My palate cannot detect any signs of deterioration whatsoever in the beer, and that is a reason good enough to justify this experiment. After all, all I wanted was a little more time to finish my beer ;-)

    So, if you're hating an otherwise coveted beer that your friends would totally drink, or you think that you can't/shouldn't/mustn't man up and kill it right f'in now, get a swing top and put the darn thing in. More likely than not, it will be okay. Cheers to responsible and moderate drinking!