Thursday, August 9, 2012

Ticking Top 100 (Beers of fame)

Currently at 98/100 on this list.


Allagash White


Thanks Steasy66 for bringing this from SC. Pours a cloudy hay color with medium head and poorer retention than I expected. Smells awesome... the spiciness reminds me of Saison Dupont, stat, although the two are quite different. Still, I get the lemon and pepper, and then some more... coriander if you will.

Off to tasting... sweet-ish and spicy, this is actually quite close to Saison Dupont in its profile but significant differences exist. Most notable is the estery character as opposed to phenolic, the fact that this one is more dirty and less sharp.

As I drink more, it appears more and more complex... I am thinking tulsi. For sure. And there's a certain "herb" character if you know what I mean.

Medium body, bursting with spritzy carbonation. A bready but relatively clean finish with a lingering yeast-y-ness (I think).

I thought this beer wouldn't be any good, just an overpriced "craft" version of Blue Moon, but damn, this is one sexy beer! Highly recommended. A++, would drink again!

PS: I am well aware that this is not a Saison. Just find it very similar in some of the notes it has.

look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5


Chimay Première (Red)


Dark brown with good clarity and a big, dirty head.

Toasty, yeasty and slightly phenolic aroma; fruit and spice (coriander I think).

Tastes fruity with notes of pears and ripe apples, slightly tart, slightly caramel-y, and somewhat tannic at the end.

Very effervescent, mildly warming, generally clean and dry with a light body.

look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4


Fuller's London Porter


Dark brown, quite clear with a good tan colored head. Roasty and fruity aroma. Tart, dark fruit taste (I am thinking prune like) with a kick of roast at the end and a lingering charred character.

Medium body, medium-high carbonation. Not stellar but very good and certainly worth revisiting. Also, better on cask if you can find it.

look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4


Ommegang (Abbey Ale)


Dark amber with a light rusty colored creamy head. Medium retention. Somewhat fruity, somewhat yeasty and somewhat rotting fruit notes in the aroma. Taste is certainly darker than the color suggested. Tastes more like a hoppy brown ale to me than a Belgian dubbel although the texture is spot on (light, effervescent body etc.). Only similarity is the slightly yeasty-estery finish. Not a bad beer but different* from what I expected.

* That's just a nice way of saying that don't purchase it if you want a Belgian dubbel.

4, 3, 3, 4, 3


Founders Porter


Darker than most within its style and ABV range with a medium head etc. Smells faintly of chocolate and roast. Tastes chocolaty and roasty with a long charred and somewhat nutty finish. There is some acidity as well. Mouthfeel is medium with carbonation a little higher than my preferred level.

Overall a great beer that's tough to beat at its price point. Founders has a really good regular lineup with this one, Dirty Bastard, Centennial and Red's Rye. This reminds me why it is one of my favorite breweries.

look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Victory Hop Wallop


Clear golden with generally good looks. Smells like sweaty socks at times. Tastes good but not as Double IPA-ish as Saison like. Go figure. Not the most bitter I have had but the bitterness lingers and sometimes borders on unpleasant. Also, what's the deal with the solvent character? Good mouthfeel on this one though, they got the FG and the carbonation spot on. Overall this seems like a beer that'll give me a hangover but it is not a bad beer!

4, 2, 4, 4.5, 4

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