Monthly Archives: November 2012

Night Owl by Elysian Brewing

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Rating: 4.5/5

Night Owl by Elysian Brewing is a 6.7%ABV Pumpkin Ale. The over all batch is using 150 lbs. of pumpkin. They use some Pale, Munich and Crystal malts as well as green and roasted pumpkin seeds. They add the pumpkin in the mash, boil and ferment with the other ingredients and they bitter it with Horizon hops.

Label:

Ale brewed with pumpkin & pumpkin seeds & fermented with spices. Our original pumpkin ale is brewed with over 7 lbs. of pumpkin per barrel and spiced in conditioning with nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. 
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Another round at pumpkin beers. Each tasting different than the others. Some focusing one straight pumpkin while others on sugary candies or sugar boiled pumpkin like mom used to make :P. This one adds some new stuff. Aside from pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and the usual spices, there is also some licorice mint, earthy and grassy hops and caramel . The aftertaste of this beer is the winner for me. The sweet brown sugar brick with yam, sweet potato, cinnamon and pumpkin lingers on :P. I think the other ingredients that makes this beer stand in its own category, like the mint and hoppy flavor is what puts it in its own unique category. The sad part about pumpkin beers is that you only get to try them seasonally :(….But when you do, and if you find one like this or any of the other ones I reviewed, then you will surely love them 🙂

Elysian Maelstrom

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Rating: 4.5/5

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#8 (August) Maelstrom is a 7.25% ABV Blood Orange Pale Ale.

Maelstrom, or very powerful whirlpool, is mainly in reference to Black Holes. The possibility of a Black Hole’s Maelstrom encompassing the earth would give creed to the apocalyptic event of the earth and all it’s inhabitants being sucked into nothingness on 12-21-2012. Technically, no one has control as to how the heavenly stars guide their way through the sky. Nor do they have control over Sagittarius A* which is the Black Hole in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Nevertheless, the possibility of such an event could be possible… But this beer brings forth…what would you do if you even knew it was coming? LOL probably not much, it would be over and none would be the wiser.

So this beer is pretty tropical. I would almost say it was like in par with a Double India Pale Ale. Flavors of Orange and Orange peels, with grassy, piney and grapefruit hops but not too bitter but enough to let you know it was similar to an IPA or DIPA. Some other flowing flavors or pineapple, mango, caramel biscuit and lemon. This is pretty delicious. Second time I try a blood orange beer and I have to say, they are pretty in line with IPAs. IPA or APA people will like this one 😛

Grieskirchner Weisse by Brauerei Grieskirchen

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Rating: 3.5/5

Grieskirchner Weisse by Brauerei Grieskirchen is a 5.1% ABV Hefeweizen. This Heff is like a Franziskaner light. Heffs are another of my favorite styles along with Quads, IPAs and Stouts. Smells and taste like the German Heff but more light and leans more toward a flavorful lager. With Banana cloves, light vanilla, wheat bread, sugar brick or Piloncillo like they sell in Mexico, lem

on, apple cider, orange, coriander spice, pilsner malt and grassy notes. I have tried some better heffs, but this one sure beats all the common heffs or so called heffs out there. It is also refreshing for this hot weather were having and it is a definitely refreshing, crisp and over all cooling. If you see this one give it a taste run. At 5.1%ABV, that’s .1% higher than a bud and I would say 100x better too.

Avatar Jasmine by Elysian Brewing

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Rating: 3.8/5

Avatar Jasmine by Elysian Brewing is a 6.3%ABV India Pale Ale made with Jasmine Flowers.

Label:

East meets West Coast with a unique floral aroma and smooth dose of hops. Avatar is an excellent beer for pairing with food.
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Low on bitterness, higher on floral sweetness is what mainly composes this IPA. The flavors of overwhelming honey, (The way flowers smell), green grapes and grassy hop notes. Not sure what Jasmine taste like but that is similar to what I can get from this beer . There is some citrus and toast and biscuit flavor in the aftertaste. This beer Reminds me of that DogFish Head Noble Rot which was sort of like a wine beer hybrid. There is nothing too bitter about this beer but it taste pretty good regardless. However IPA fans, if you are strict to the HOP, this is not for you. If you are open minded for sweeter yet hoppy beers, then give this a try 🙂

Avant Garde by The Lost Abbey

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Rating: 3.8/5

Avant Garde by The Lost Abbey is a 7.0%ABV Bière de Garde style ale. I have had many Lost Abbey beers in the past but I have never tried this one. This one is a pretty good beer. Not the best beer in their selection but a very good one. 

Wikipedia shows something awesome about the word: Avant-garde represents a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo, primarily in the cultural realm. 

So yeah it is pretty cool. If something mean something important, go for it regardless of what others think.

Label:
From the French word “Garde” meaning something worth keeping, this Farmhouse Styled Ale is a most delicious companion to a loaf of freshly baked bread from the oven. Grab a seat on the porch, some soft cheese and a tree ripened apple from your grandmother’s old orchard. Relax and watch the evening arrive as the afternoon sun is consumed by the illuminating moon over the gardens. We brewed Avant Garde for you, our friends and families. Here’s to things worth guarding over.http://www.lostabbey.com/ 

So this beer is tries to be in the Farmhouse categories but it is not quite like a Saison. It smells like honey, pilsner, sweet bread and apples.Flavors are of caramel, honey, buttered up toast, apples, apricots, pears, some minor banana clove and spices. Like I said not a bad beer. Since the the flavors are not overwhelming and, well it hides the alcohol, I would recommend to even the people the drink the yellow fizzys. You may like this one 😛

Elysian Torrent

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Rating: 3.5/5

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#7 (July) Torrent is a 7% ABV Pale Beet Bock 

Torrent is in reference to Apocalyptic event where all land on earth will flood inundating all cities and life on earth. Earth as a big ocean. If it is true that land only composes 1/3 of the earth, then it would probably be possible to cover the earth in pure water (Assuming the depth of water can actually flood the land completely) by 12-21-2012 if, however, this is one of the outcomes of doomsday.

Never had a beer made with Beets..lol although the color of this beer is crimson red. You can definitely smell the caramel as well as the vegetable side of the beets. The flavors are of beets, earthy notes, rye bread, caramel, vanilla, pine, grapefruit, lemon and cherries. This beer isn’t for everyone. IF you hate beets…lol this may certainly not be for you. I try to keep an open mind about beers and flavors. It is a good thing that it is not dominated by beets, well, not too much. So if you do find it…well.. you decide if you wanna pick it up 😛

Anubis by Laughing Dog Brewing

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Rating: 4/5

Anubis by Laughing Dog Brewing is a 9.2%ABV Imperial Coffee Porter. Delicious yet bitter little beer. Smells like a usual porter. Not as bitter as a stout though. Smells like a cup of fresh coffee Flavors or roasted coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, toffee, citrus and earthy and smokey notes. What makes this beer pretty good is that it is well balanced….not too bitter, not too sweet, just right…Did I mention it hides the alcohol oh too well? This is surely a creamy dessert beer. May go good as a beer float. A Porter fit for Kings or Gods :P… Porter and Stout people will like this one.

Elysian Wasteland

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Rating: 4.75/5

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#6 (June) Wasteland is a 6.8% ABV Saison/Farmhouse ale made with dried Elderflowers and French Saison yeast

Wasteland, in reference to the apocalyptic event, is what will the result of a nuclear winter during the end of the world if caused by wars. The sun will not shin through killing everything on earth making it well..a wasteland…will there be survivors after 12-21-2012? If so, will there be anyone that will help each other out or will it just be survival of the fittest. Such would be the cruelty of fate for man’s true corruption bloom…ElderFlower Saison speaks…

This is pretty damn good sweet saison. Saisons have been some very good mystical, herbal, bread and sweet beers made with all sorts of botanicals at times. This one made with Elderflowers. The stuff that makes blue, black, and red berries. Hence forth, a brew that taste like flowers, bitter blue or black berries, apples, pineapple, raw peppers, coriander, lots of farmhouse herbal sweet bread, jasmine tea, biscuit, bubble gum, brown sugar and the way roses smell this tastes. Quite the floral little beer and a damn good saison. People that enjoy saisons will like this one..

Hoppy Bitch IPA by Northwest brewing

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Rating: 2.75/5

Hoppy Bitch IPA by Northwest brewing in Pacific Washington is a 6.3%ABV IPA brewed with Columbus Hops. This IPA is well, not really so much an IPA. Maybe it is better on tap. It is not the fact that is bad, it is just that the style and color seems more like an amber ale. Something even the worst IPA haters may actually enjoy…well….maybe….

Label: 

This northwest IPA is bold and balanced, with a rich malty flavor and a strong hop presence. We use premium 2-Row, Crystal, Munich and Victory malts to create the perfect base for showcasing Yakima-grown Columbus hops. After one sip you’ll agree, this is one hoppy bitch of a beer. 6.3% ABV 80 IBU 

As stated before. There is some good amount of hops but it is mainly covered by a stronger malt presence. This means you do not get as much as the piney, tropical, bitter grapefruit and grassy flavors as you would with a normal IPA. You only get them but they are cover up by the caramel, biscuit, vanilla, butterscotch like flavors of the malts. There are some citrus, lemon and orange peel flavor here. There are some rubbery aftertaste to it that is kinda weird :/. It is really really more of an amber ale trying to be an IPA but just doesn’t make it far. While it doesn’t fit the style of an IPA I would only recommend to those that like amber lagers. This is kinda bitter sweet. Then again I would recommend Fat Tire better to those who like ambers. This is good but kinda iffy to find some one in the amber/IPA midpoint really :/

Fat Jack By Samuel Adams

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Rating: 4.45/5

Fat Jack By Samuel Adams is an 8.5% ABV Double Pumpkin Ale brewed with Pumpkins and spices. Another nice pumpkin beer to rake in the season. Probably as easy to get as Smashed Pumpkins by Shipyard.

Label:

This rich and luscious brew indulges in flavor with over 28Ibs of pumpkin per barrel, for a full bodied sweetness and deep russet color. Classic pumpkin pie spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice ignite a warmth and spark that’s deepened by an undercurrent of roasty smoked malts. The result is a delectable brew full of enveloping layers of flavor and spice. At Samuel Adams we love experimenting. This series of limited edition brews represents some of our favorite small batch creations. Style: Pumpkin Beer Hops: East Kent Goldings, Fuggle Malts: Samuel Adams Two-Row Pale Malt Blend, Caramel 60, Special B, Smoked Malt Extras: Real Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice

Initially released on tap as “Double Pumpkin” in 2011, it was bottled as “Fat Jack Double Pumpkin” in 2012. 
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So this is the next pumpkin beer I have tried in the line of pumpkin beers this year. Last were some really good ones. So far each one I have tried has something special about them. The Smashed pumpkins by shipyard tasted like real squash, pumpkins and sweet potatoes while Southern Tier was awesome because it tasted like pumpkin spices with candy corn or caramelized popcorn. This one has its own things to offer. Aside from delicious pumpkin and sweet potato, there is some bready caramel flavor. That bready flavor almost reminds me of the yeast used when they made 13th hour stout. This is pretty good in it’s own way for sure. There are some flavors of the nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice that reminds me of their Oktoberfest beer. So while it is sweet, it is also bitter and in a way, pilsnery reminiscence of their Boston Lager. Some other sweet flavors of nuts, almonds and raisins. While the pumpkin and sweet squash isn’t as dominant, the other flavors do shine through pretty well. Almost like a pumpkin brown English ale with its many caramelized malts and well brewed with pumpkins :P. I have yet to try a really bad or subpar pumpkin ale. This is pretty good and is definitely up there with good pumpkin beers. I will see what happens when Shocktop comes out with it’s pumpkin beer. Never had it and well some people say it is not that great… I guess we will see 😛

Elysian Peste

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Rating: 4.25/5

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#4 (April) Peste is a 7.5% ABV Chocolate Chile Ale brewed with cocoa, cinnamon and a blend of chipotle cayenne, ancho, guajillo and pasilla peppers.

Peste/Pestilence a.k.a La Peste or the Plague is in reference to the theory that the world will end through an epidemic of diseases that will wipe out the human race. Either that or an infection that will turn people into zombies…lol…regardless, this has been a debated theorized event that may happen in 12-21-2012 or whenever the world ends. The plague can come from anything either biological warfare, a mass amounts of insects, poisoned food or water, you name it.What a fitting name to a beer that not many people will like. A poison to unworthy palettes, but an ambrosia to the Heros of Heat. This beer reminds me a lot of the Cocoa Mole Ale of New Belgium. The dark chocolate flavors, with the cinnamon, coffee, vanilla, and the variety of chiles makes this taste like a really hot champurrado (Mexican Atole made with Flour) and I don’t mean the temperature. The spicy heat provided by this beer is sort of immense to a mild to medium heat. Let me honest, if you DO NOT LIKE SPICY FOOD STAY AWAY. My level of mild to medium could be your medium to hot or even very hot!!! It is hotter than some of the other chile beers I have tried but because it embraces the cinnamon and the dark chocolate coffee, it balances out all the heat. It is a nice beer but I’ll be honest, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the water. Now the day they brew a beer that is very hot like habanero, LOL I would probably drink it in shots or cook with it for sure :P. A good beer if you can find it though and …only if you like really spicy beers… 😛

Swordfish by Fish Brewing

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Rating: 3.6/5

Swordfish by Fish Brewing company is a 7.5%ABV Double Cascadian Dark Ale or Black DIPA. This style is similar to that of the Self-Righteous Ale and the Escondidian Black IPA from Stone. This beer has a nice fragrance of hops and malts giving it aromas of black coffee and earthy grassy smell. The The flavors of this one range from minor coffee and chocolate with alittle bit of herbs and spices. Some caramel, vanilla, grapefruit, coconut, raisins, . However, the grassy hops do not dominate in this beer nor are the malts too intense. It’s almost like drinking a pepsi :/…with less sugar and more bitterness. Not to say it is a bad beer, it is actually quite refreshing and smooth for this style. More balance here but it is still not in the same balance of flavors that would make an amber ale. Drinks more like a stout but with enough hops to make it semi sweet and semi bitter. Overall it was a different beer. Strange enough to make me like it bit. Although it could have had more hoppy bitterness but then again it wouldn’t be a BDIPA now would it? Although, Escondidian BIPA from Stone got damn right…I would recommend it just so you can try it out. You may get something different.

Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Triple by Brasserie d’Achouffe

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Rating: 4.95/5

Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Triple by Brasserie d’Achouffe is a 9% ABV Belgian IPA. 

Label:

On its journey across the globe the little Chouffe wandered through beautiful hopfields. The overwhelming aroma of these little hop flowers such as Tomahawk, Amarillo and Saaz mesmerized him.

Back at home in the Ardennes he crafted a new recipe combining this dizzying array of hops with the depth and body of his favorite style “Tripel”. Thus, our little Chouffe’s new inspiration Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel was born. 
Houblon Chouffe: 
A unique marriage between the English tradition of IPAs, the new American revolution of Imperial IPAs and the classic Belgian way of brewing.

Houblon Chouffe, although very much hopped as it is, showcases the unique balance between a very strong IPA and a very special Belgian Tripel exclusively created for this ale (Big malty body, distinct dryness, expressive estery fruitiness). 
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Upon opening this ale, it reminded me right away, of the As Follows Eschatological Ale, but more bitter. This beer as stated is more of a Double/Imperial IPA Tripel Hybrid. You definitely get the marriage of a range of flavors from the Tripel and a DPA. Sweet biscuit bread, banana cloves, vanilla, grapefruit and pineapple are more dominant. There is also flavors if pine, grass, minor mango notes, orange peels, lemon, apricots, coriander, honey, pepper, earth hops and herbal tea. Overall it is an interesting hybrid of a beer. Both Belgian lovers and IPA lovers will lake. This great beer was recommended by my friend Rich…thanks bro

Pumpking by Southern Tier

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Rating: 4.5/5

Pumpking by Southern Tier is an 8.6% ABV Pumpkin Ale. It is made with the following ingredients as stated on the label:
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19 Degrees Plato 

8.8 Degrees L 
2-row Pale Malt 
Caramel Malt 
Pureed Pumpkin Kettle Hops: Magnum 
Aroma Hops: Sterling 

Bewitched and Brewed with Pagan Spirit Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed. Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let it’s deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape the Pumking. 
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Fall is coming and so it means it time to get ready for Halloween and all lol. Now this is the second time I try a pumpkin beer this year (over all a 4th pumpkin beer this year) since last years La Parcela which was wickedly awesome as well as the Kick which was a mix of pumpkin and cherries. Now, before I continue on with this review, so far I notice out the the 3 beers, each has something to offer. While la parcela is more of a real bitter pumpkin with spices and smashed pumpkin ale is actually real sweet yams, pumpkin and sweet potato natural flavors, this is different to. The smell is like candy sweet pumpkin with buttery caramel corn or candy corn smell. 
The Flavors is actually much of the same. While pumpkin, caramel, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar and pumpkin pie is in this awesome beer, there are these flavors of buttered candy corn or buttered sweet caramel corn as well as graham crackers. It is definitely a very delicious pumpkin beer at that. Although they sell it more in the east coast, it is still does not quite beat the Shipyard Smashed pumpkins one. It is easier to find here in the west coast during the fall and it reminds me more of the delicious camotes/sweet potatoes or yams with milk my mom used to make. So to each his own, I recommend this beer if you can find it because it is hard to find, but I personally would recommend the Smashed Pumpkin one. La Parcela I would recommend too but it is hard to find 😛 and Kick is no longer brewed

Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti by Great Divide

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Rating: 4.9/5

Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti by Great Divide is a 9.5% ABV Decadent Imperial Stout brewed with oak chips, cocoa nibs and spices like cayenne and aged in oak barrels. But not a lot, just a dash cayenne. This beer is made with lowered amount of hops in order to let the dark chocolate add its own bitterness. It is supposed to be like having a gourmet chocolate bar. You can definitely smell a lot of the chocolate and the spices from just the smell. Flavors are really what they say they are. A lot of vanilla, burnt oak wood, dark milk chocolate, alittle bit of coffee but the chocolate takes over, pepper spiciness just to make things interesting but not to deter away from the bitter chocolate. There is some minor dark fruits like raisins but not alot. While this is is a somewhat heavy beer, it really doesn’t stop you from drinking more of it. It has to do with the fact that it is very smooth going down. It is quite good. Leaves some earthy bitter grass in the aftertaste but goes away. The more I try it the more I want to keep drinking this one. Stout lovers will love this beer for sure :P. Pick this up if you can find it D:..

The Sixth Glass by Boulevard Brewing

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Rating: 5/5

The Sixth Glass by Boulevard Brewing, part of their smokestack series is a 10.5%ABV Quadrupple Ale. Considered a world class beer, brewed year round.

Label:

“Do you know what dwells in a glass?” asks Ole, in Hans Christian Andersen’s The Watchman of the Tower. Better known for stories such as The Little Mermaid, Andersen wrote this short, cautionary tale for a somewhat older audience. Our quadrupel ale, also meant for the mature connoisseur, is a deep and mysterious libation, dark auburn and full-bodied, its sweetness deceptive. As Ole describes the glasses in turn, their contents become more ominous until, in the sixth glass… 

Ah yes….an awesome Belgium quad. What can I say I am a sucker for this beer style. Bread, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs….wtf? Coffee notes? Oh :O….this is new…and pleasant I should add. Maybe there is something more ominous about this beer and why it is considered connoisseur world class :P. Some orange, cocoa, vanilla, candied sugars, cherries, bananas, roasted marshmallow, and graham crackers wow. LOL Belgian Smores anyone??

Overall it is a damn fine Belgian quad. Seems like it is definitely hyped for a beer coming from the Midwest. Saw this one when I was in Iowa visiting my friend Steve earlier in the Summer. Worth the try if you can find it 😛

Fuego del Otoño (Autumn Fire) by Jolly Pumpkin

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Rating: 4.5/5

Fuego del Otoño (Autumn Fire) by Jolly Pumpkin is 6.10%ABV Bière de Garde brewed with Chestnuts and spices. This is the second time I try this beer. The fall is coming in and setting fast. First of all, for many who do not like sour beers, this may not be for you. For those that like somewhat sour and like to explore, this is one delicious.

Label: 

Ale brewed with chestnut and spices To catch a bit of soft radiance in each special bottle, we wait for fall colors to begin their bright and fleeting glow before brewing this wonderful ale under their autumn fire. Gentle amber malts lead smooth caramel notes, gently lapping against a shore of distant forgotten spice. A beer to contemplate and enjoy! Fragrance of tangy grape, campfire, trees in the fall and orange. Flavors of caramel, roasted chestnuts, pecans, smokey glazed ham notes, oak wood (like campfire wood), herbs, orange but not to the level of Maracaibo sweet, cherries, lemon, cinnamon, apples, wine grapes, grapefruit, tea leaves and llerba buena. Definitely grasps what fall would be like as it would taste. As you go deeper into the beer, the less the sourness is there and you begin to appreciate what this beer is truly all about. Fan of sours or somewhat sours would definitely get a major kick of this.

2011 Review:
If camping in the fall and doing a campfire had a taste, this would probably be it. The beer has a nice sour and tangy taste to it (Jolly Pumpkin Style). A beer brewed in chestnuts and all sorts of spices. A smooth caramel flavor exist from the malts and has a nice oak finish to it. 6.1% ABV but this one is sure meant to be enjoyed slowly

Black Butte XXIV by Deschutes

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Rating: 4.85/5

Black Butte XXIV by Deschutes of Bend Oregon is their 24th Birthday, 11%ABV, Reserve Imperial Porter. This beer is quite a good beer

Label: XXIV. 24 years after Black Butte Porter’s debut, our potent, layered, imperial tribute returns. As usual, it’s a jazz riff, guided by the brewer’s muse and the lure of exotic ingredients. Artisanal dark chocolate nibs. Daglet dates. Mission figs. It may, possibly, hopefully, be the best edition yet. But, as it should be, you’ll be the judge of that. 

Upon opening it had a sweet chocolate and coffee cake like smell as well as some nutty hoppy smell like an amber but not quite as fragrant. Taste is pretty delicious. Taste of dark chocolate expresso, coffee cake with brown sugar (Like the one the School used to make :P), caramel mocha, vanilla, bourbon, cherries, slight rapberry, biscuit bread, dark fruits like figs and plums like with some earthy hop bitterness. The aftertaste is like almonds, hazelnut or peanuts but bitter chocolate and coffee in the background. I give this beer a lot of credit. It does good to hide the alcohol all too well but also has a great balance with bitter and sweets. Overall a damn good beer if you can find it. A recommended for Porters or Stout lovers 😛

Elysian Rapture

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Rating: 4.25/5 

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#2 (February) Rapture is a 7% ABV Heather Ale or Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale.

The Rapture or “being caught up/taken away” is in reference to the Christian belief that the end of times will start when those in Christ (living or dead) will raise into the clouds to meet with Christ and those who are not worthy of Salvation will remain on earth to be damned forever when the Devil takes over. Pretty interesting stuff and a good theory for a what if 2012 scenario.

Does this explanation tells us about the beer? Well, Scottish Gruit or Ancient Herbed beer goes way back to continental Europe in the middle ages where beer was made with gale, yarrow, and wild rosemary as well as spices and berries. I guess the fact that this style is as ancient as the biblical times coincides with the theory of something from the past brought forth into the future. 

Beer Fragrance is is like that of flowers, blueberries and honey. A light Rogue Dead Guy Ale in a way without bitterness. Caramel, biscuit bread, orange, light berry, rose petals or lavender, honey, green tea, dry grassy hops and sugar. I want to say maybe like a sweetened and less alcoholic Barley wine. The crazy part about this beer is that it is quite drinkable. If you find this then raise that cup…it may be your last…:P

Elysian Nibiru

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Rating: 3.75/5 

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#1 (January) Nibiru is a 7.6% ABV Yerba Mate Tripel.

Nibiru a.k.a “Planet X” is in reference to the theory of a cataclysmic event where there is an encounter with this large planetary body that will either collide or nearly miss the Earth. Many believers in the 1990’s believed that it would take place some time in 2003. It never did so many who still believe in the theory do so believing it could happen as an apocalyptic theory for what could happen on 12-21-2012

This beer reminds me of the Sahti by DFH. It is bready sweet with banana cloves, herbs and spices, floral notes, yerba mate tea bitterness, oranges, pears, candy fruits, lemon some grains. The beer is a decent tripel. Not as full flavored as Belgians go but this one is different for sure. Sahti has more flavor intense but this one still had a lot to over. Give this a try, you may like it 🙂

10² Highly-Hopped Barley Wine Ale by Fish Brewing

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Rating: 4/5

10² Highly-Hopped Barley Wine Ale by Fish Brewing Company is their 10th anniversary 10ABV% Barley wine. It is made with 10 types of hops and brewed at 100IBU’s.

Label:

The Mighty Fish Brewers first produced 10² Barley Wine Ale to celebrate Fish Brewing Company’s tenth anniversary. The ale was so good and the response to it so overwhelmingly positive that it has become the crown jewel of our new RELEASES line. Ten different hops – Horizon, Chinook, Columbus, Willamette, Tradition, Northern Brewer, Santiam, Tettmanger, Cascade and Golding, in the order of their use – give Ten Squared a unique hop character which has to be tasted to be believed.

Even with 100 IBUs, this brew sports a strong malt backbone. Two-row Pale, Caramel 40, Caramel 75, Special B and Aromatic malts impart remarkable balance for such a hop monster. This is smooth ale with surprising similarities to ten year old malt whiskey. Produced for the Holidays 10² Highly-Hopped Barley Wine Ale is usually available into late spring.

Major hop and malty beer. Bitter but not too bitter. The mix of hops and malts are well balanced where you can tell that there is some other flavors like earthy grass with strong pine, grapefruit, caramel, lemon, maple oak, brown sugar notes, and orange peels. Reminds me of being in the woods camping :). Barley wine people will enjoy this. Those that enjoy super bitter and malty beers like arrogant bastard will like this, although Arrogant bastard is king.

Fantôme Chocolat by Brasserie Fantôme of Belgium

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Rating: 3.75/5

Fantôme Chocolat by Brasserie Fantôme of Belgium is an 8% ABV Saison/Farmhouse Ale brewed with Belgium Chocolate from chocolate Factory Defroimont as well as bitter cacao.

Label:

A Belgian ’saison-style’ ale brewed with cocoa powder and chili pepper? Ay, Caramba! Score another first for the unpredictable brewery that was the first — and so far the only – brewery to make ales out of dandelions and mushrooms, among other things.

Chocolate and chile spice is not the only thing this beer has to offer. There is a lot of saison tartness to it that over powers it which is not bad, but the chocolate is hard to find. The chocolate and chile seems to be more in the after taste than in front and is more bitter than sweet. The beer tastes of lemon, pepper, herbs, earthy must like that of the mushrooms, green tea, cherry, biscuit bread and orange peels. Saison people will love this one. If you are expecting chocolate, lol good luck, it is in there but it is faint. So go for this beer if you really want the nice saison experience.

St. Bernardus Tokyo by Brouwerij St. Bernardus in Watou Belgium

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Rating: 4.25/5

St. Bernardus Tokyo by Brouwerij St. Bernardus in Watou Belgium is a 6% ABV Witbier. It was made in honor of their new pub in Tokyo. Spreading the awesomeness all over the world 🙂

Label:

This beer has been created for the opening of the St Bernardus Tokyo pub in Kanda, Tokyo Japan, that will be run in partnership with out good friend Ryohei Sugawara-San.
It is a unique , single batch brewed on February 3rd and 4th 2012
Intensely cloudy, unspiced wheat ale brewed with the use of malted wheat . The specific yeast strain of St. Bernardus and the Golding and Magnum Hops from our own hop field next to the brewery give the St. Bernardus Tokyo a citrusy aroma, a solid mouth feel , a touch of acidity with very smooth and clean finish.

The beer is somewhat lighter than most of the St. Bernardus Beers I am used to in terms of flavor and alcohol. With flavors of sweet biscuit bread with orange zest, banana cloves, peaches, apricots, apples and apple cider is noticeable. It also has some floral grassy hops in the back end but taste more lemony that bitter grapefruit and pine. This is more of session Belgium. Could be drunk with ease as it is not too over powering but still holds its own pretty good 😛

2012 Barrel Aged Dark Lord De Muerte Russian Imperial Stout aged in Cognac Barrels with Ancho-Guajillo Chiles by Three Floyds

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Rating: 5/5

2012 Barrel Aged Dark Lord De Muerte by Three Floyds is a 15%ABV Russian Imperial Stout aged in Cognac Barrels with Ancho-Guajillo Chiles. The same potent bad ass of the acclaimed Dark Lord Imperial Stout but aged and with a massive kick!! This used to be a big hit on eBay until they banned beer sales about a month ago. Good luck finding this demon. Not only do you have to watch out for the alcohol, but the delicious chiles as well. Definitely not for the alcohol or the chile spice faint of hearts. For those that can handle this hijo de puta, then you may find some deeper flavors. The original ketchup like syrupy dark chocolate, Kahlua liquor, coffee, Mexican vanilla beans, caramel, raisins, cherries, currants and port wine flavors are there like the previous Dark Lord, but with flavors the cognac alcohol in the background with full force of what seems like clamato con chile peppers. You definitely get the vegetable peppers and spices in the beer. It is not too hot for me as I usually eat hot peppers, but this is no Theobroma or Chipotle chile or Anaheim Chile beers. Ancho Guajillos are somewhat hot (at least to me) but to others, it may be too much. The balance of chiles and sweetness is what keeps everything in balance. In a way, I like this a little better than the regular Dark Lord because it is not diabetes in a bottle sweet and the other flavors just keep it where it should be. VERY CAREFUL with this one…..it is a sipper….If you ever do find it, and you love hot stuff, find this one. It probably goes good with some Chicharonnes 😛

St. Bernardus Tripel by Brouwerij St. Bernardus of Watou Belgium

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Rating: 5/5

St. Bernardus Tripel by Brouwerij St. Bernardus of Watou Belgium is a 8.0% Belgium Triple fermented Ale. Makers of the abt 12 quadrupple, this is the step down fermentation of the great ale. A world class Belgium beer

LABEL:

Tripel Abbey Ale
Brewery St. Bernardus was founded in 1946 in Watou, Province of West Flanders in Belgium. These exceptional quality ales are brewed by using only the finest malts, local grown hops, yeast and artesian water pumped from a depth of 500 feet. After the brewing process these traditional ales are matured in tanks for three months, before being bottle conditioned. The result is a naturally carbonated ‘living ale,’ which can be aged for up to 5 years and will satisfy the taste of even the most discriminating connoisseurs. 
“Bringing heavenly nectar within reach”
Tripel – abbey ale brewed in the classic “triple” style of belgium’s best abbey ales. 

This tripel stands at 3rd best tripel in the world right next to Westmalle Trappist Tripel and La Fin Du Monde Tripel. Delicious beers with fragrances of orange, honey, sweet bread, lemon, The flavors are so delicious of the classic Belgium style with flavors of bread, honey, biscuit, vanilla, herbs, candy sugar, bananas, oranges, apples, lemon zest, bubble gum, black pepper, dried apricot and pineapple fruit juice. Easy to find and one of the Worlds best. Go find this Tripel 🙂