HopTango by Smog City

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged dragon fruit, HopTango, HopTonic, india pale ale, IPA, mango, Milla Maxwell, passion fruit, Smog City, Smog City brewing, Tales of Xillia, Torrance California | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

HopTango by Smog City is a 7.3% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Mango.

Description:
HopTonic in Mango

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Got this beer on tap at the local brewery, Smog City in Torrance California near work. They only have this for a limited amount of time. I almost didn’t get a growler of this until I tried it and while going home I regretted not grabbing a growler. The next day, I went back to get one and left so I can definitely take my time with this one but also sharing this with my friends. Fruit IPAs seem to be something that is typically not released often. Especially for those that taste really awesome. There was something special about this one because it seems to have stuck around with me for a long time. So if you are definitely in town, you should take a visit to Torrance and pass by Smog City this labor day weekend!!

Aromas:
From the moment you take the first whiff is nothing but sweet sweet mango!! It then follows grapefruit, flora, grassy, herbal and piney hops, orange candy, mango candies, pineapple, tropical fruits like honey dew melon, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel hints, lemon peel, stone fruit peach and apricot hints, honey and dragon fruit.

Flavors:

Rich Mango forward but still balanced with the tropics and hops. Grapefrui, floral, grassy, piney and herbal hops, biscuit bread, lots of passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango candy, dragon fruit, papaya, prickly pears, vanilla, caramel, honey dew melon, stone fruit peach hints. Cherries, raspberries, mango tang, mango tampico juice, garlicky and oniony dankness and slight spiciness.

Aftertaste:

Ending with a linger of mango still, mild tropical fruit, herbal and piney hops and fading with bitter citrus. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, light to medium mouth feel, clear body as well as crisp and refreshing.

Overall:

Something about the way this beer is made with the mango makes this one just above perfect. There is a great balance of sweet and bitter and nothing overwhelmingly bitter which will definitely make an IPA lover of some people that don’t like bitter IPAs. This is extremely delicious and it is a damn shame they only have it for a limited time. This is one I think they should definitely continue to make. HopTonic on its own was a very good IPA and I might give a run down one of these days. I highly recommend this one if you are by the tap room this weekend or if they decide to bottle this some day.

Anime Corner:

Milla Maxwell from Tales of Xillia was used in this beer pairing because she is the embodiment of this beer. The colors of different fruits and flavors are what HopTango is all about. Smooth, easy to drink sweet, but still dangerous, is what it is all about. Her long flowing hair with the streaks of green represent the mango skins which run from reds, greens, yellows and oranges. You also get a glimpse of cherries here as well. Overall a great pairing.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/758572

Bourbon Coffee Porter by Smog City brewing

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, Bourbon Coffee Porter, Coffee Porter, dark chocolate, fancy coffee, Fate Night Stay, Fate Stay Night, Fate Zero, Four Rose Barrels, Heaven Hill, Jack Daniels, mocha coffee, Rin Tohsaka, Smog City, Smog City brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Bourbon Coffee Porter by Smog City brewing is a 7.5% ABV Imperial Coffee Porter Aged in Heaven Hill, Jack Daniels and Four Roses Barrels.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Coffee Porter aged in bourbon barrels.
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Got this beer on tap at the local brewery, Smog City in Torrance California near work. They only have this for a limited amount of time. The original beer was something very special. A coffee porter that straight out tasted like really fancy coffee was one of the first beers I tried from Smog City. It isn’t often I bring a growler home, but when I heard they were releasing this one to the public and growler even, I definitely had to sign up for sure. So if they ever release a bottle or you are ever in the Torrance area, stop by and try some of this before it is gone!! So for now, I will bring this forth and let you know how it is. Definitely support local breweries wherever you are from and cheers!!

Aromas:

Really fancy coffee, mocha, Kahlua, java, bourbon, oak, floral notes, marshmallows, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, fudge brownies, Irish cream, fudge cake, dark fruits like raisins, plums, dark cherries, currants, hazelnut, pecan pie, maple syrup, earthy notes, milk sugar, cinnamon, rye bread, brown sugar, hints of plantain, clove spice and banana.

Flavors:

Rich fancy mocha coffee, java, frappuccino, bourbon, oak notes, Floral notes, marshmallows, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, fudge brownies, marshmallow, vanilla, caramel, Irish cream, fudge cake, dark cherries, dark fruit raisins, plums, currants, hazelnut, banana hints, clove spice, plantain, pecan pie, earthy notes, maple syrup, molasses, whiskey hints, coconut hints, rye bread, toffee, flan hints, anise, mint and milk sugar.

Aftertaste:

Coffee, mocha, caramel, vanilla, banana hints, dark chocolate and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, smooth drinkability, full body appearance, velvety mouth feel.

Overall:

Loved this one a lot. Even more complex than the original fancy coffee porter. No joke, not only does their porter taste like a cup of Joe, this takes it to the next level of complexity. While it may not be the best coffee beer ever, this is definitely exceeding my expectations even if by a quarter. They did an exceptional job and just the fact that they had it in growler was definitely worth not missing this one. Oh YES!! this one was not worth missing. So like I said before, if you are in town, go get this one for sure, I highly recommend it!

Anime Corner:

Rin Tohsaka from Fate Stay Night/Zero was chosen for this review because I wanted to pair some of the coffee and bourbon flavors with the colors of the artwork. I have another version of Rin but I will most likely use that one for the original beer, which is very awesome. This beer is exceptional for what it is and the flavors like in the artwork like the red and brown for cherry and coffee and the brown for bourbon definitely are revealed in this one. Especially in the deep crimson eyes which show some complexity.

Sources:
http://i32.tinypic.com/24pyla0.jpg

Irie Pirate Ale / IPA by Alesmith

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Alesmith, alesmith brewing, Captain Harlock, india pale ale, IPA, Irie Pirate Ale, Kei Yuki, San Diego beers, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Irie Pirate Ale / IPA by Alesmith is a 7.25% ABV World Class India Pale Ale.

Label:

It’s Pretty Awesome. A San Diego classic, AleSmith IPA showcases the versatility of American hops. Aromas of grapefruit and tangerine lead into an abundance of fresh pine and tropical fruit notes followed by a crisp, resinous bitterness. The complex hop profile is supported by a firm malt presence to create an incredibly flavorful and well-balanced IPA.

The beer’s citrus and pine notes pair well with fresh, aromatic herbs, citrus-based dressings, and Asian-inspired flavors. IPA’s refreezing bitterness and dry finish also help temper the heat of spicy foods and contrast the tangerines of farmhouse cheddars and spicy blues.

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Alesmith IPA used to be called “Irie Pirate Ale” but they had to change the name due to some seize and desist letters. Here at brewerianimelogs.com, we love to pay tribute to the roots of beer and so I leave the title as such. This is also borderlining a double IPA too. It was about damn time I pick this one up. For one of the best breweries in the world and from San Diego, I should have at least had their IPA right? Apparently not. Shame on me for that, especially since they make some of the best beers in the world. Well, I finally got a bottle to bring forth. Wherever you see this one, it is damn highly acclaimed for sure. So, I bring this to the site as it is a classic beer as so said. So here we go, one of San Diego’s finest and their IPA! Cheers!

Aromas:

Grapefruit, citrus, grassy, piney, hops, pineapple, caramel, tropical fruits like mango, honey dew melon, papaya, toffee, biscuit bread, caramel vanilla, cherries, plums, rye bread, brown sugar, kiwi and guava notes.

Flavors:

Citrus, tangerine, gummy bears, citrus, grassy, piney grapefruit hops, biscuit bread, lemon peel, tropical fruit like mango, papaya, honey dew melon, prickly pear, toffee, plums, cherries, vanilla, kiwi, herbal spices, dragon fruit, guava, dank garlicky, oniony notes, herbal notes and orange preserves.

Aftertaste:

No bitterness left over and yet the hoppy flavors flow like no ones business. Caramel, hops, tropical fruits citrus linger but nothing bitter. No alcohol in the taste, smooth easy to drink, clear body, light mouth feel, crisp and very refreshing.

Overall:

Perfect IPA example of awesome! There was no doubt about it but what makes this one a winner is the balance and smoothness right off the bat. Cold or warm (Colder I prefer) it keeps its own. It is insane and while it is just an IPA, it definitely competes with the Double IPAs without the boozyness in there. The crazy thing about this one is this will age but hops will die. So drink it fresh or drink it later, your choice, this one isn’t going anywhere. Highly Recommended!!

Anime Corner:

Kei Yuki from Captain Harlock series was used in this pairing to pretty much sum up everything that has to do with Alesmith IPA in terms of the color of the beer, label, flavors, history, legal issues and the very soul that is, Irie Pirate Ale. Basically, with the label, it is the colors of the pirate flag, the color of the beer is blonde like Kei and the pink suit is the cherry notes and her eyes show a complexity of honey dew while the long flowing hair is everything the IPA is about. The fact that she is a pirate and like all pirates disobey the law, she represents what this IPA used to stand for before the name change. While she is just Alesmith IPA, in heart and in her roots, she will always be the Irie Pirate Ale and those who dare mock the fact that she moves into Double IPA territory will be dealt with swiftly and justly!

Sources:
http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/captain-harlock-pirate.jpg
http://gallery.minitokyo.net/view/310793

Pinchy Jeek Barl by Anderson Valley

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Anderson Valley Brewing, Bourbon Barrel Aged, ginger bread, Halloween, Halloween beer, Pinchy Jeek Barl, pumpkin ale, pumpkin pie, Spices, wild turkey bourbon, Wild Turkey bourbon barrels | 1 Comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Pinchy Jeek Barl by Anderson Valley is an 8.5% ABV Pumpkin Ale brewed with pumpkin and spices and aged in Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrels.

Description:

None!!

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So I bought this beer since I wanted to try some of the other Wild Turkey Whiskey/Bourbon beers from Anderson Valley. So far the best one is the stout but even then, a lot of the beers I have tried from them in this category are like gateway beers. Very good beers with very good amount of flavors but not as strong or deep complexity of some of the similar styles I have tried. We are almost approaching the Fall in September so I figured, why not start early on something light that is a pumpkin beer and at the same time, bourbon barrel aged. That and the fact that there aren’t many Pumpkin Bourbon Barrel Aged beers out there and the many I have tried are insanely awesome. Let us see how this one holds itself. Cheers!

Aromas:

Pumpkins, vanilla, caramel, hints of candy corn, pumpkin pie, brown sugar, butterscotch, mild chocolate, ginger bread, toffee, allspice, cinnamon, clove spice, bourbon and whiskey hints, marshmallows, coconut hints, mild banana hints, molasses and mild oak.

Flavors:

Cinnamon, pumpkins, caramel, vanilla, all spice, ginger bread, toffee, bourbon, marshmallows, coconut, note of flan, molasses, oak hints, toffee, rye bread, whiskey notes, candy corn, clove spice, ginger spice, mild chocolate, graham crackers, butterscotch, brown sugar, pumpkin pie and banana hints.

Aftertaste:

Pumpkin, allspice, cinnamon, earthy notes, caramel and ginger bread. No alcohol in the taste, medium drinkability, medium mouth feel, medium to full body.

Overall:

This one is very good for a bourbon pumpkin ale. It is not comparable to the crazy Jacked from Uinta. Now that beer is insane pumpkin goodness. However, this is still a pumpkin bourbon aged beer and gets better as it warms up. I think the fact that it doesn’t reach that full body and complexity has to do with what they are going here. This beer seems like a session bourbon pumpkin ale. Which works great but do not be expected to be blown away like some stronger potent beers. For the fact that this one holds its own in terms of maintaining some of the flavors you would expect from a bourbon barrel aged pumpkin beer, for it does awesome!. Meaning, that for those that are barely getting into craft beer and wanted a gateway into the pumpkin bourbon barrel aged beer, this is great for you. So I would only recommend it if you are just looking to try a lighter version of a pumpkin bourbon beer and not a full force in your face pumpkin bourbon barrel aged beer.

Anime Corner:

Original character was used in this pairing to pair with the the whole pumpkin beer aspect and different things made with pumpkin. I figured the whole cat feeding the girl with a lot of pumpkin is lie fattening up a turkey for thanksgiving. While it may seem mean, it surely isn’t stopping her from eating and super cat here surely has them Jack O Lantern powers of seduction. Either way, I figured it fit with the while Wild Turkey, fall eating and so forth.

Sources:

http://blog-imgs-46.fc2.com/j/i/n/jingaidaisuki/201211011300285a7s.jpg

Proprietor’s Reserve Double Jack (New Label) by Firestone Walker

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, double jack, Evangelion, Firestone Walker, Imperial Pale Ale, IPA, Neon Genesis Evangelion, proprietor's reserve, Rei Ayanami, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5 to 5.2/5* Better Fresher

Proprietor’s Reserve Double Jack (New Label) by Firestone Walker is a 9.5% ABV World Class Triple Dry Hopped Double/Imperial India Pale Ale

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
A dangerously drinkable Double IPA. Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas. Beautifully crafted undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity. Complex and aggressively hopped, and flawlessly balanced.

REMEMBER: Watch for bottled on dates located on the necks or bottom left corner of the label for each of our beers. Our beer is not pasteurized, so it is best when stored at 44F or below, out of light and within 120 days of the bottled on date…this ensures freshness and ultimately a great Firestone Walker beer!
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A revisit to my beginnings where my first time with a double IPA was when I first had this beer. Back then when it was on tap, I could only compare it to the double IPA gold standard which became ruination. However, unlike ruination, this beer was more tropical so in essence, this would become one of my first Tropical double IPA before I started buying actual bottles. This beer is such a great IPA that I honestly think it belongs with in the Triple or maybe borderline Triple IPA style as it seems to get there similar to El Segundo Power Plant. While it may not be as epic, it is still a gold standard in my book for tropical IPAs. I brought this one back since I wanted to show case the new label but also to just re-review this one. This beer is widely distributed wherever they sell Firestone Walker beers. Cheers!

Aromas:
Citrus, Piney, Grapefruit, grassy and floral hops, blue basil herbs, biscuit bread, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, mango, tangerine, pineapple, lemon peel, caramel, toffee, vanilla, peach, apricot hints, guava hints and apple.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, Citrus and tangerine forward followed the the complex piney, grassy floral and mildly earthy hops, lemon peel, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon hints, papaya, mango, papaya, caramel, biscuit bread, vanilla hints, toffee hints, peach, plum hints, guava, apricot hints, blue basil herbs, dank lychee fruit.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, grapefruit, tangerine, blue basil, some tropics and dry piney bitterness linger. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer despite the light body, medium mouthfeel, crisp and refreshing wins everywhere.

Overall:
A perfect Double IPA! If it wasn’t anymore tropical, it would surely be at that triple IPA level. Even with the perfect rating, I can definitely see the rating go even higher to a 5.2 at it’s freshest. This beer was pretty fresh bottled about 3 weeks ago. So I am pretty stuck deciding on the rating. This beer is one of the best IPAs out there bar none. It can definitely go toe to toe with some of the best the world has to offer, hell even against pliny the elder, this is pretty much Pliny the 3rd. Go get this bottle now!!

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Sohryu/Shikinami and Rei Ayanami were the original characters I chose for this beer in my original review. Now that there is a new label, so be it as in Eva 3.0 they got the new plugsuits. Bad Ass. Now the reason I chose them has to do with the fact that Asuka and Rei have been a team forever. They are some of my favorite Anime characters. The Citrus and tangerine aspect as well as tropical comes from Asuka as well as the bitterness as that is her attitude. The Blue Basil, herbs, floral and piney hop aspect of the beer fits great with Rei as she has the blue hair going on. So the combination makes up the Double Jack you see here. That and the label pairs well with them as well.

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=70397813128c0b70a5c2c131a0e4b6b1
http://i.imgur.com/xT8Mndi.jpg

Oude Tart with Cherries by The Bruery

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged cherries, Dark Cherries, Flanders, Flanders Red Ale, Flemish Red Brown Ale, Oak aged, Oak Aged Ale, oak barrels, Oude Tart, Oude Tart with Cherries, Ruby, Ruby Rose, Rwby, tart cherry juice, The Bruery, Yang Xiao Long | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Oude Tart with Cherries by The Bruery is an 8.4% ABV World Class Flanders/Flemish Red Ale aged in oak barrels with Cherries.

Label:
Cherry, OH!

Pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit, and toasty oak from extended aging in oak barrels along with plump cherries.

Oude Tart with Cherries is best enjoyed fresh for the full fruit flavor, but may develop pleasantly over time.
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Obtained this one as part of the Reserve Society membership. This variant of the Oude Tart adds cherries. I have done a review of the previous Oude Tart which I found very good. Now with the cherries, this may actually bring something awesome to the table. This beer is typical of the Flanders Red style which sometimes end up being like a sour beer but other times is mainly a tart fruit cherry beer. So without further a do, on with the review, cheers!

Aromas:
Caramel, rye bread, dark cherries, dark fruit raisins, plums, currants, raspberries, oak mustiness, lemon, leather, brown sugar, vanilla, funky wine grapes, tart cherry juice, sour apples, cherry pie, pecan pie hints, cinnamon, oak, hazelnut and cherry cheesecake notes.

Flavors:
Wine grapes, oak, dark cherry yogurt, dark cherries, dark fruit raisins, plums, brown sugar, oak, lemon peel, leather, tobacco, rye bread, hints of coconut, caramel, vanilla, toffee, red wine, cherry cobbler, pecan, cherry preserves on biscuit bread, vanilla cream hints, hints or tropical fruits like old mango, pineapple hints, cherry and strawberry cheesecake.

Aftertaste:
Ending with a dark cherry yogurt, caramel and vanilla sweetness with left over wine like acidity into like a cinnamon and fruity dry taste. No alcohol in the taste, medium to sipping drinkability, medium body and medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
Amazing! Way better than the original as it seems like the cherry sweetness cuts down the sour aspect and makes this one more tart and sweet. I am not sure how the cherry adds more complexity but it really does. The flavors seems to meld really nice creating some nice complexities. As it warms up, the sweeter aspects of the beer tend to come out and play on the palate. I wish they released variants out to the public as these beers would give more selections to the originals. Either way, really awesome beer.

Anime Corner:
Yang Xiao Long and her sister Ruby Rose from RWBY were used in this pairing since I used Yang in the last pairing. Because of the fact that they are sisters, putting them together is like adding the cherries to Oude Tart. Ruby Rose, ofcourse is the cherry here. They are an awesome team. I wanted to show how the beer tends to be a splash of fruity flavors as you can see Ruby jumping in to add that layer of complexity.

Sources:
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140429113205/rwby/images/4/47/Blake_belladonna_clouds_moon_pool_ruby_rose_rwby_signed_sky_swimsuit_weiss_schnee_yang_xiao_long.jpg
http://simg2.gelbooru.com/images/1797/0cb2c61ff14aaa9e73831fe2daceb3b3.jpeg?2008301

Abbey Normal by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged abbey ale, Abbey Normal, Belgian Abbey, Belgian Dubbel, Belgian Trappists, BJ's Brewhouse, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, Panty & Stocking, Panty and Stocking, PSG, Stocking, Trappist, Trappist beer, Trappist monks | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Abbey Normal by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is a 6.6% ABV Belgian Dubbel.

Label:
BJ’s Abbey Normal is a light brown ale with a sweet malty profile. The style is what the Belgians call Abbey Ale, molded after the famous ales brewed by Trappist Monks. BJ’s Abbey Normal is full-bodied and rich tasting, with a complex bouquet of fruit and spice derived from fermentation with an authentic Trappist yeast. Subtle aromas and flavors emerge as the beer warms up – caramel, plums, raisins, currants and figs. BJ’s Abbey Normal may not be brewed in an abbey but it sure tastes heavenly.

This ale is bottle-conditioned and flavorful enough to age in the bottle for several years. Like a fine wine, the balance of flavors will change over time. For optional aging, we recommend that you store BJ’s Abbey Normal at between 55 and 65°F. Or enjoy it now!
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Since 2010, when I first really started exploring beers, BJ’s brewhouse was a central theme to explore different beer styles as well as different beers. Abbey Normal was one of the first Belgian style beers and it was damn good back then. I never realized until a recent visit with my brother and my friend Alex that they started releasing these beers in bottles. I definitely had to bring one home for review as they ran out of the tap. So if you happen to visit BJ’s, this maybe something to try that is out of the ordinary there. Unless they have Westmalle which is more expensive but way more awesome. Either way, this is a very good Belgian dubbel even pre-review.

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dates, phenolic banana notes, clove spice, stone fruit apricots, peaches, apples biscuit bread, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, honey, rock candy, pecan hint, ginger bread, chocolate hints, cinnamon and hints of brown sugar.

Flavors:
Phenolic notes of bananas, clove spice, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, trappist yeast hints, rock candy, candi sugar, pecan notes, hazelnut hints, dark cherries, ginger bread, cinnamon, chocolate hints, coffee, nutmeg, biscuit bread, bubble gum and toffee.

Aftertaste:
Biscuit bread, rye, dulce de leche caramel hints, dark fruit and phenolic hints fade into a dry finish. No alcohol in the taste, medium drinkability, amber medium to full body, light to medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very good Dubbel for sure despite this comes from restaurant & brewhouse chain. I love sweet Belgian beers so even at the ABV presented, this drinks like champ. It nice in terms of balance providing you a very nice rich complexity of flavors while still not being over powering. Wish I had this more often but now I realize why I loved this one so much back then. This one I would definitely recommend if you are able to get it at BJ’s on tap or snag a bottle from them to take home and relax.

Anime Corner:
Stocking Anarchy from Panty & Stocking with Ganterbelt was used in this pairing in relation to how awesome this beer was back in the day. At my youth of craft beers, this presented me with something very distinct that I had never had on tap and really drove me to try out more beers. Now, how it relates to the Abbeys, the monks and heaven, well guess what, Stocking, along with her sister Panty are angels fighting for humanity vanquishing ghosts. She is lover of sweets to the point where she should be diabetic but she is not. The colors of the label fit her perfectly and in respects to heaven, she is just that. The flavors of dark fruits and dark sweet flavors are basically her whole embodiment. She is a sweet dark Gothic angel with a lot of heart and power.

Sources:
http://oi61.tinypic.com/2cgf23k.jpg

Smokey and The Bois collaboration by The Bruery and The Rare Beer Club

August 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 20th Anniversary, aged in Bourbon Barrels, anniversary ale, Ayeka Masaki Jurai, Black Tuesday, Black Tuesday Imperial Stout, bois, Bois Bourbon Barrel Aged, cacao nibs, Chocolate Rain, Grey Monday, Melange 3, Rare Beer Club, Rare Beers, Ryoko Hakubi, Smokey and The Bois, Smoking Wood, Tenchi Muyo, The Bruery, The Rare Beer Club, vanilla beans, Washu Hakubi, White Chocolate, Wineification, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5

Smokey and The Bois collaboration by The Bruery and The Rare Beer Club is a 16.2% ABV World Class American Strong Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with Vanilla Beans & Cacao Nibs.
Label:

I”ll Have it Rare…
This dark rich brew is a special creation made for our friends at the Rare Beer Club. Three cheers to your past, present & future!

Created and brewed exclusively for the Rare Beer Club to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of MonthlyClubs.com. Smokey And The Bois is a delightful melange of our favorite bourbon barrel aged beer flavors. Rich malt, burnt toffee, a hint of smoke and toasty oak along with fresh vanilla and raw cacao. This rarity will be a joy to drink now or many years down the road…at the next anniversary!

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The rare beer club and The Bruery collaborated to make this awesome and monstrous creation. Only way to get this was to be a member of the Rare Beer Club or the Bruery’s Reserve/Hoarders Society. Meaning you will have to trade to get this. That is why it is rare. This beer is a blend of Black Tuesday Imperial Stout, Bois Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Ale and Smoking Wood imperial rye porter brewed with beech- and cherrywood smoked malt and all that with Vanilla Beans and Ecuadorian Nacional Cacao Nibs. Basically, this would be an equivalent of Melange 3 except with Smoking Wood replacing White Oak/White Chocolate. Pretty damn insane… Well, if you happen to find it, hopefully my review here will help you figure out what to expect. Thank you for reading and cheers! 🙂

Aromas:

Rich dark chocolate, sweet, milk chocolate, Rich bananas, whiskey, vanilla bourbon, coconut, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, plums, dates, figs, BBQ, pecan pie, hazelnut, creme brulee, flan, candi sugar, graham crackers, marshmallow smores, wine grapes, tres leches/Three milks, Irish cream, brandy, rye bread, oak, apples, Leche Nestle sweetened condenced milk, molasses, port wine, campfire, bacon, burnt sugar, honey, toffee and brown sugar.

Flavors:

Rich Dark, sweet, bakers and milk chocolate syrup, campfire smoke, BBQ, Whiskey Bourbon, Vanilla, rocky road ice cream, Rich bananas, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, plums, dark cherries, choco flan, tres leches/three milks cake notes, leche nestle sweetened condenced milk, raisin bread pudding, hazelnut, pecan pie, chocolate marshmallow smores, candi sugars, oak, apples, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses, anise, wine grapes, brandy, rye bread, honey, toffee, port wine, almond joy chocolate, coconut, sherry, burnt sugar, macaroons and more!

Aftertaste:

Rich Smoked marshmallow, graham cracker with almond joy dipped in caramel, earthy notes, whiskey vanilla and BBQ hints linger. Alcohol is very subtle despite the ABV. Smooth yet you need to sip drinkability, pitch black appearance and rich full body with a syrupy mouth feel.

Overall:

This is not a beer, this a sugar bottle full of rich syrupy goodness ladies and gentlemen. This little bottle of Diabetes was able to ascend the level of favorite next to the Melange 3. Trying to figure out how this beer worked was a crazy task. As the beer warmed but the flavors kept evolving into a sweet Chocolate Oblivion. As much as I love Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Wineification and Black Tuesday or even Grey Monday, this beer seems to have it all. Its like a blend of all those beers plus smoked. Think of a liquid chocolate marshmallow smored, ambered in deep caramel and smoked to perfection. While I believe that each of those favorite beers are damn unique in their own way, this one combines it all to holy hell and back. This one is definitely out there and should be take with extreme caution. While extremely delicious, this can back fire if not taken lightly. Highly Recommended? How about add this to the bucket list.

Anime Corner:

Ryoko Hakubi, Ayeka Masaki Jurai, Washu Hakubi and the Rest of the Tenchi Muyo! Gang were used in this pairing to pair with everything that this beer is all about. Back in the 90s, this was one of my favorite shows and these 3 girls were my favorite characters in the show. While Melange 3 had 3 of the 4 of my favorite girls now, these 3 were freaking awesome. Since this is a melange of flavor complexity the whole gang of Tenchi Muyo was added and Ryoko represents Black Tuesday, Ayeka is the Bois and Washu the Smoking Wood blend. All of them representing a huge component that pair with everything this beer represents from the colors of the label, the beer flavors the aspect of team work, collaboration, love, passion, power and more! See you can find many distinctions here as there are so many I could break down but at this point the review would be tl;dr.

Sources:

http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2009-09-02-194405.jpeg
http://zargon-yokoshima.deviantart.com/art/Ryoko-the-Loner-343856058
http://tr3s-sss.deviantart.com/art/Ayeka-and-Ryo-okhi-428323055
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2007-06-05-57778.jpeg

Atomic Kangarue collaboration by The Bruery and Smog City

August 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Android 18, Atomic Kangarue, belgian golden ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Collaboration Beer, Dragon ball, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Z, dry hopped, grapes, Lazuli, Smog City brewing, The Bruery | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5

Atomic Kangarue collaboration by The Bruery and Smog City is a 9.5% ABV American Wild Ale dry hopped and brewed with grapes.
Label:

HOLY SMOGOLY!
This complex ale was brewed with 2 grape varieties, fermented with brett trois, blended with a sour ale, dry hopped with Amarillo hops & bottled just for you.

We’ve been friends with the folks at Smog City for many years and getting to brew a beer with them was a dream come true. Truly, only in the world of dreams could this remarkable beer have been manifested. A Belgian-style golden ale, brewed with Semillon and Viognier grapes plus three types of hops, fermented with Brettanomyces Trois as well as our house yeast strain, then blended with a sour blonde ale and finally dry-hopped with Amarillo hops. This beer couldn’t be more complex and we couldn’t be more proud of it.

___

This beer was a collaboration from Torrance local favorite, Smog City and The Bruery of Placentia. When I first heard they were doing a collaboration, I really wondered how it would turn out. As the Bruery is mainly experimental Belgian styles and Smog City IPA and variety styles. They bring forth a beer that actually uses Smog City’s best kept secret, the use of Amarillo hops which is what fan favorite, Amarilla Gorilla is based on. So since the Bruery rarely uses or plays with hops in their potent beers, a 9% doucey with hops I could only imagine how it would go. This beer was originally released to Reserve Society members and I believe will be hitting the public venues where the Bruery and Smog City beers are sold. Definitely can’t wait to try it, so let me break this caged beast for you, cheers!!

Aromas:

Oranges, citrus, lemon peel, peppercorn, vanilla, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, biscuit bread, honey, farmhouse hay, white grapes, white sage spice, coriander, basil, garlic notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, stone fruit like apricots, peaches, mango, herbs and spices.

Flavors:

Oranges, tangerine, white sage spice, floral notes, flowers, white grapes, brettanomyces, stone fruits like apricots, peaches, vanilla, caramel, lemon peel, citrus, grapefruit, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, rich biscuit bread, honey, farmhouse hay, basil, garlic notes, onion hints, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, farmhouse hay, herbs, honey, white wine grapes, musty funky notes, stone fruit apricots, peaches, old mango, coriander spice, clove spice and hints of allspice.

Aftertaste:

Tangy Oranges, Tropical fruit notes, floral hops, vanilla, herbs and spices linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to medium drinkability, light to moderate mouthfeel, medium to light body, very crisp and refreshing.

Overall:

A perfect collaboration! Drinking more along of the Belgian Strong Pale Ale or Golden Ale, this beer definitely takes its roots and reminds me a lot of the Eschatological Ale from Stillwater if it was more sweeter with grapes and a bit more tropical. This beer is not a complete sour at all. The balance with the bitter hops and the brettanomyces helps it blend to a sweet, bitter and sour/tart tri-force of flavors.

Anime Corner:

Android 18/Lazuli from Dragon Ball Z/GT was used in this pairing to pair with the Sour Blond aspect and the colors of the beer as well as several things. Lazuli was evil in her beginnings but it wasn’t until she was in danger and was cared for by the protagonist Krillin, in which she learned to care and love. She grew sweeter and softer which eventually showed her true powers. This is reflected in the beers tropical and sweet yet bitter and sour aspect. Hey just because 18/Lazuli is sweet and awesome she still has attitude. That ain’t going away. Her stance is that of like an animal style in Kung-Fu lore. I have no idea what it is but let us call that one “The Kanagarue” Style lol. While I added Trunks in the mix, I wanted to basically show that basically, the Bruery while all powerful, a brewery like Smog City, in this case Lazuli, can bring so much more to the table and together can take the world by storm. Awesome job guys!!

Sources:
http://cfile30.uf.tistory.com/image/2123114651D44B2806EEB0
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1561469

2009 Birra Artigianale Draco (5 year aged) by Birrificio Montegioco

August 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Barleywine, Beertilla, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Birra Artigianale Draco, Birrificio Montegioco, Blueberries, bourbon, Draco, dragon fruit, Dragons, Dragoon, Dragoons, Final Fantasy IX, Freya Crescent, Italian Beers, Italian Strong Dark Ale, magic potion, Mirtilla | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2009 Birra Artigianale Draco (5 year aged) by Birrificio Montegioco is an 11% ABV Beertilla/Mirtilla/ Italian Belgian Strong Dark Ale brewed with Blueberries.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Draco has a dark red color and a persistent head. It is full bodied and has a moderate level of carbonation. The nose shows a great complexity with aromas of honey, caramel and forest fruits. The hops brings out pepper and plum. The initial taste confirms the nose with notes of caramel and initial sweetness. The finish is a fine balance of hops and bitter notes. Draco is produced using a mix of select malts. The beer is fermented three times. During the second fermentation the blueberries are added along with the yeast and malt sugar. The alcoholic content obtained from the fermentation of the malt is of 8.5% by volume, while the final one is 11% by volume.
______

A tribute review to an old favorite which was brewed in 2009 and kept hidden in the dungeon of Nubisanctum never to see the light of day until now. Draco has awaken and wants revenge on my palate. This was the first beer I have tried from Italy back in 2011 which had a really awesome dragon label. The fact that the beer had blueberries and a Belgian Strong Dark Ale was enough for me to definitely go out of my way to find it. I had bought 2 bottles back in 2011 and decided to keep one hidden. Back then I did not know the beer had already been 2 years old but at that time it was damn good. Trying it again 5 years later is what is definitely worth the wait in gold. If you can somehow find this amazing bottle, that would be awesome as I am not sure if this is still brewed anymore. Good Luck and Cheers!…or at least I will need it to tame this beast!

Aromas:
Rich Dulce de leche caramel covered blueberry muffin, dark fruit raisins, plum, raspberry, dark cherries, figs, raisin bread pudding, flan, bananas, clove spice, bourbon, vanilla, marshmallow, port wine, pecan pie, hazelnut, crème brulee, toffee, rye bread, stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, peppercorn, rock candy, dark candi sugar, blueberry cheesecake, blueberry yogurt, wine grapes, tart currants, brown sugar, sour apples and honey.

Flavors:
Rich dulce de leche caramel, blueberry muffin, blueberry cheesecake, caramel sour apple, Danish cream, dark fruit raisins, tart currant skins, plums, raspberries, figs, raisin bread pudding, notes of bourbon, marshmallow, chocolate hints, graham crackers, brown sugar, flan, bananas, pecan pie, clove spice, port wine, peppercorn, toffee, rye bread, rock candy, dark candi sugar, biscuit bread, honey comb, hazelnut, wine grapes, honey, stone fruit peaches, apricots, dragon fruit, dark cherry yogurt, matured apples and dried blackberries.

Aftertaste:
Blueberries, pecan pie, caramel, earthy notes, rye bread, bananas and vanilla linger. No alcohol in the taste. Sipping yet smooth drinkability, Dark gold and amber full body, mildly syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
Aged has done this old reliable some great justice. Reminding me a lot of Trois Pistoles if Trois Pistoles had gone Gold and amber. The beer has become more smooth than the last time I remember it and a lot more dark fruit forward as well but creating a greater complexity of flavors as well. It is more dangerous as well since you need to take your time with it. This elusive beer is one that was rare top favorite of my and still holds its place as on of the best despite what other reviewers say. I think the problem is that not many people have tried this beer to get to really know it. Specially if they can find a vintage one like this one. Highly recommended for sure! Just like I mentioned in my original review:

“Dragons are legendary, stories of fairy tale, but trust me they do exist and the magic brew they make is friggin’ awesome!! If you ever spot one like this…take it…it really is a nice magic potion….”

Anime Corner:
Freya Crescent from Final Fantasy IX was used in this pairing as the last since I wanted to pair what goes great with Dragons and in this case, Dragoons. Freya is a lone Dragooness having to do many deeds for her kingdom harvesting the power of the dragons. Her story is a sad one but she lives to reclaim herself in a world with turmoil and has many friends to help her. While Freya herself is on an anthropomorphic rat and not a dragon per say, she fairs well with the dragons as awesome creatures of legend and lore. Or at least in the sense of final fantasy. She not only pairs well with the beer herself in terms of the colors of the label, the flavors being ingredients and their colors but also a rarity that is much more beautiful skin deep and aged than when the original beer came out. Freya is one of my favorite Dragooness’s, Lady of the Dragons!

Sources:
http://blog-imgs-27.fc2.com/s/i/z/sizurueuphoric/freija1.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/full/928329

Ride The Lion by Clown Shoes brewing

August 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Bourbon Barrel Aged Wee Heavy, Butterscotch, clown shoes, dark fruits, Fate Night, Fate Stay Night, Ride The Lion, Saber, Saber Alter/Dark, Scotch Ale, scotch whiskey, Wee Heavy | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

Ride The Lion by Clown Shoes brewing is an 11% ABV Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
Descended from a notorious clan of Scottish lore, head brewer Dan Lipke channeled the Tartan tapestry encoded in his DNA to create a formidable Wee Heavy. The beer has been aged 100% in fresh bourbon barrels. Ask yourself, “Who needs to ride the lion?”
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This beer is finally coming around this area. Clown Shoes has been making some crazy amazing beers not only in the artistic label fashion but the mind blowing flavor aspects too. Their beers are some of my favorites from the east coast. I am really glad they have been able to distribute some goodies in many places. The Wee Heavy/Scotish Ale style is one that has never let me down. I have yet to try a scotch ale that doesn’t disappoint. Therefore, I definitely look forward to this one.

Aromas:
Lots of good oaked bourbon, vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, marshmallows, graham crackers, earthy and smoked peat, blue berry cheese cake, flan, port wine hints, dark fruits like raisins, currants, plums, prunes, boysenberries, black berries, grapes, anise, licorice, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bananas, clove spice, mild coconut, butterscotch, brown sugar, cinnamon, scotch, stone fruit hints like peach and apricot.

Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, scotch whiskey, rich earthy and smoked peat, dark fruits like cherries, raisins, currants, plums, boysenberries, blackberies, anise, licorice, port wine hints, marshmallow, rye bread, wine and cheese party, flan hints, butterscotch, cinnamon, brown sugar, musty notes, clove spice, banana flavors when it warms up, tobacco, leather notes, flan, blueberry cheesecake, stone fruit peaches, apricots and lychee.

Aftertaste:
Smokey and earthy peat, rye bread, oak, bourbon, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit, tobacco and leather notes. Slight alcohol burn in the taste but nothing detracting from the flavor, smooth drinkability despite the ABV, medium mouth feel and medium to full body.

Overall:
Definitely exceeding expectations for sure. This beer reminds me more of how Stone Brewing does Bourbon Barrel aging with the whole wine and cheese party thing going on. Basically, that is the way I describe oak wine like and earthy cheese flavor. Definitely not in a bad way but I guess the way some beers pair great with certain cheeses, that is all. The beer has a lot of great complex flavors going on here. I would definitely recommend getting this one. Give it a shot, there really isn’t that many wee heavies out there and this one is bourbon barrel aged. Yes it works!

Anime Corner:
Saber Alter/Dark Saber and Arthur The Lion from Fate/Stay Night/Hollow Ataraxia was used in this pairing not just to pair the label with the lion and the warrior girl but the aspects of the lion is what not just represents awesomeness but the bourbon barrel aging itself. As you can see, if Saber is a bad ass Wee Heavy by herself, then the lion brings forth her ultimate strength which brings out the complexities of her. They represent the dark fruits and cherry notes as well as the other complex flavors. Ride the Lion is synonymous with how smooth both of them work together and go down damn well despite their united strength!

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show/8124

Decadence 2014 Anniversary Wheat Wine Ale by Alesmith

August 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 19th Anniversary, Alesmith, alesmith brewing, anniversary ale, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Barleywine, Decadence 2014, Neon Genesis Evangelion, wheat wine, Wheat-Wine Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Decadence 2014 Anniversary Wheat Wine Ale by Alesmith is a 10% ABV Blonde Barley/Wheat wine.

Label:
AleSmith Decadence Anniversary Ale was originally brewed in 2005 to celebrate our first decade in business. Our brewers had such a great time creating it that they decided to brew a new style each year to commemorate our anniversary.

Now, nineteen years after we started, we’re proud to present another great addition this ongoing series, AleSmith Decadence 2014 is our interpretation of a Wheat Wine Style Ale. The generous amounts of wheat used in the his beer impart a bready aroma with hints of honey, ripe fruit, and a spicy graininess. In the finish, a pleasant malty sweetness from the wheat is balanced by the addition of German and American hops. Enjoy this special brew now or age it at a cool temperature for a truly rewarding experience.
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Alesmith turns 19 and they release a wheat wine this year. Many of the past Decadence beers have been a different type of style each year. The last 2 years I have tried the anniversary beers they have been very awesome. This year is a wheat wine style. Not many breweries make this type of style. The Bruery makes one that is bourbon barrel aged and is a portion of the awesome White Chocolate. Alesmith is known for well above and beyond beers so I am curious to see how this one fares. Here’s to many more years in making really great beers, Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla, peppercorns, biscuit bread, rye, honey, stone fruits like peach, apricot, oranges, coriander spice, lemon peel, passion fruit, mango, vanilla and caramel.

Flavors:
Honey, grape, white raisins, biscuit bread, peppercorn, vanilla, caramel, toffee, stone fruit like peach apricot, orange peel, lemon peel, coriander spice, cinnamon, banana hints, melon, dragon fruit notes, pineapple, apples, marshmallow hints, graham crackers, brown sugar, floral hops, almonds and pecans.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, rye, biscuit bread, grape, clove and coriander spice as well as some earthy notes. Alcohol notes in the taste. Smooth drinkability despite the ABV, caramel to golden full body, medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
While this beer is very good, it is best drunk warmer to release more flavors. Despite the ABV, this one flows really well. I found myself liking this one but not as much as the previous versions Anniversary ones I have had from Alesmith mainly because it only starts to get more complex the warmer it gets so drinking it colder is not really the best thing to do. Then again it is the style too. This is a wheat wine at its prime with no alterations or aging. I would recommend a try or at least aging this one but some of the other Alesmith beers have definitely rocked harder for sure. This one is still very good though.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Sohryu/Shikinami Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen for this pairing since I wanted to show the color pairing of the beer and the way the beer flows. As you can see the beer sparkles like Asuka in the sun but be warned because the 10% creeps up behind you like the dark hands of the Eva as they try and embrace Asuka to a dark level of flavor. That and the fact that you really have to let it warm up to get the best experience.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/MeXZjDK.jpg

The Reverend by Avery Brewing

August 22, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Avery Brewing, Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgian Quadrupple Ale, dark fruits, jname, Quad, Quadrupel, Quadruppel, The Reverend | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

The Reverend by Avery Brewing is a 10% ABV Belgian Quadrupel

Label:
The Holy Trinity of Ales

The reverend is a divinely complex and beautifully layered creation with hints of dark cherries, currants, and molasses, complimented by an underlying spiciness and a sinfully smooth 10% ALC/VOL.

Brewed with Rocky Mountain Water, Malted Barley. Imported Belgian Specialty malted barley, dark Belgian candy sugar, hops and yeast.
___

So I finally promised myself to get a bottle of this as when I first tried it at Uncle Henry’s earlier in the year, I said I would. So, even after passing it up several times for other beers, I finally got it to bring it forward for a review here at the site. This is a great beer that is served year round. While I personally think, leave it to Belgium, this one is on top of the greatest representatives of the Belgian Quad Style. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruits like raisins, plums, rich dark cherries, figs, plums, currants, belgian candy sugar, phenolic notes, clove spice, banana hints, almonds, chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, hints of hazelnut, rich rye, citrus, tobacco hints, molasses and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Lots of dark fruits, raisins, figs, currants, rich dark cherries, plums, citrus, cinnamon, clove spice, rye bread, vanilla caramel, oats, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, Belgian candy sugar, Rock candy sugar, bananas, phenolic yeast, hazelnut, pecan notes, honey, tobacco hints, almonds, hints of chocolate, apples, toffee, grapes and raisin bread pudding.

Aftertaste:
Dark fruit, earthy spice, dulce de leche, almond, pecan, rye bread, earthy and clove spice notes.
Alcohol sweetness in the taste mainly but nothing detracting from the overall beer. Smooth and a bit syrupy mouth feel even for a sipping drink character with a medium to full body on an dark amber brown color. Dangerous beer.

Overall:
A perfect quad. This beer is a major reminiscent to the Surly Seviin. Definitely a lot of Belgian Candy sugar forward, with the dark fruits and rye bread mixing in but the bitterness comes from a mix of earthy and somewhat subtly citrusy notes. This quad is very enjoyable and it is a year round serving by Avery. I would definitely recommend this one for a try for sure.

Anime Corner:
Original character by jname was used in this pairing since I wanted to pair with the reverend. In the past, quads have always been paired with the like colors of dark fruits whether reds, purples or pinks. The power she holds in her hands is the power of the dark fruit reverend. Her dress signifies the complex Belgian flavors as well as rich candy sugars and caramels. The background is close to those of the Abbeys of Belgium paying a special tribute like that of the label, She is the Reverend possessing the power of God and will to do good in the beer world. Blessed be thy beers!

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/297943-931×1120-original-jname-long+hair-single-tall+image-red+eyes.jpg

Blue Moon Cinnamon Horchata Ale by Coors Brewing

August 22, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Blue Moon, Blue Moon Cinnamon Horchata Ale, Cinnamon, coors brewing, Herb beer, herbs and spices, Horchata, Megaman X, Rice, rice pudding, Spiced Beer, vanilla | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Blue Moon Cinnamon Horchata Ale by Coors Brewing is a 5.5% ABV Herbed/Spiced beer.

Label:
In the Street markets of Mexico, our founder and head brewmaster, Keith Villa, first experienced a refreshing, creamy drink known as Horchata. Our cinnamon-spiced ale is his interpretation of this delicious Latin treat.
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An Horchata beer? Well yes it is possible. I have actually tried 2 horchata beers in the past and both have been very exceptional. While I understand Blue Moon is considered ‘crafty’ by some, I am always open to try new beers. Especially those that catch my attention. Now I have only reviewed few blue moons that have caught my interest. Because there is a lack of Horchata beers, I definitely did not want to miss out on an opportunity to try this one. Expectations aside, I can only know that this may or may not be as good as what I have tried before. Regardless of this fact, I will do my best to break it down for ya and maybe see if you would like to try it.

Aromas:
Cinnamon toast crunch cereal, apple jacks, Citrus, coriander, biscuit bread, brown sugar hints, vanilla hints, caramel hints, apple jacks cereal, rice milk notes, honey, cereal grains, pilsner malt, apple cider notes, lemon peel and wheat.

Flavors:
Citrus, lemon peel, vanilla hints, caramel hints, cinnamon toast crunch cereal notes, biscuit hint, cereal grain, rice milk horchata, rice pudding, sweetened condescended milk, apple jacks cereal, honey, apple pie hints, earthy notes, graham cracker, wheat bread, milk sugar and flan hints.

Aftertaste:
Cinnamon lingers for a very long time. Like you just ate some cinnamon toast or apple jacks cereal other than that it has a dry finish. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink crisp and refreshing.This beer has a light body with a light mouth feel. Good for the summer or even what is left of it but mainly for Fall.

Overall:
This ended up being pretty good I was quite surprised. At first, the cold may give you more of a cinnamon and grainy cereal taste but as you let it warm up, the rice, sweetened milk sugar and more cinnamon come out to play to hide the grainy taste. Despite this, it keeps stuff balanced so nothing is too overwhelming. Possibly, the best Blue Moon variant I have ever had. This beer started to grow on me the more I had it. I would recommend at least a try if you are skeptical. It may change your mind.

Anime Corner:
Cinnamon from Megaman X Command Mission was used in this pairing not only to pair with the colors of the label but also the color of the beer and the ingredients. Cinnamon is the obvious reason and just the fact that she is blonde fits with the colors and the flan and vanilla hints as well as the other flavors of the beer. She is the healer in the game so by choosing her I wanted to imply the pleasantness of this beer. Makes you feel better as you give her a chance.

Sources:
http://31.media.tumblr.com/2a42f392c6413336905ad9eaa25aa508/tumblr_mrk1lmpm1x1rl0xtno1_500.jpg
http://liline.deviantart.com/art/Cinnamon-7474209

The Nothing by Smog City Brewing

August 22, 2014 by cloudx30 | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

The Nothing by Smog City Brewing is a 9.3% ABV Double Chocolate Imperial Stout.

Label:
Vintage 2014

You hold in your hand a beer so dark, so rich you may love yourself as you fall into the never ending depths of temptation. The Nothing exists to be the most decadent dark Chocolate Imperial Stout. You have met your greatest fore. Now defeat it.

Darkly toasted chocolate malts are combined with 2 types of cacao nibs creating a balance between subtle chocolate cake decadence and residual malt sweetness to pull you deeper into the complexity of The Nothing

Don’t be afraid of the dark.
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Smog City of Torrance California is a one of the local brewing companies near where I work and live. They have recently started releasing their beers onto the masses and some people in so-cal or even online can go ahead and get this one. Smog City works to makes some pretty damn amazing beers. For being the first, that is not a growler release, I will do my best to bring forth The Never Ending Story named beer from my childhood and bring it to light!!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, roasted coffee grounds, smokey notes, hazelnut caramel, mild peppery spices, dark cherry hints, vanilla, brown sugar, graham crackers, dark fruit hints and molasses.

Flavors:
Dark Chocolate, Bakers chocolate, milk chocolate, dark cherry hints, caramel, vanilla, cocoa powder, roasted coffee, cinnamon, graham crackers, tobacco hints, earthy coffee grounds, peppery spices, hazelnut, dark fruit notes, molasses, plum sauce hints and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Roasted coffee, earthy hop bitterness and dark chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer with a creamy medium mouthfeel and pitch black eternal body.

Overall:
This one is very good reminding me of the chocolate Yeti but a little more earthy. While still being a good stout with lots a rich flavors, this one has a certain level of smoothness. Not to big but just enough to engulf the taste but with darkness and chocolate. The difference in chocolate releases some aspects of sweet and bitter but also rich and spicy. This beer is definitely worth a try if you can find it online or at a local Southern California, or even then, just go visit the brewery and see what they have to offer. Smog City is definitely making some great stuff!

Anime Corner:
Original Character by Wen-Jr was used in this pairing to embody The Nothing! While The Nothing in the Never Ending Story is never given a body, just the existence to take everything back to absolutely nothing, this brings forth something to work with. If The Nothing represents the vastness of space with the exception of existence then The Nothing is more than the emptiness or the absences of existence or light. Either way, She is pretty delicious that is for sure!

Sources:
http://wen-jr.deviantart.com/art/Darkness-again-335535900

Stone 18th Anniversary IPA by Stone Brewing

August 21, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 18th Anniversary Ale, anniversary ale, arrogant bastard, Brown India Pale Ale, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Golden Brown IPA, Imperial India Pale Ale, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, IPA, lemon candy, Rock Candy, Sengoku Saga, Stone 18th Anniversary, Stone Brewing, tropical flavors, Yoshihime | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Stone 18th Anniversary IPA by Stone Brewing is an 8.5% ABV Golden Brown Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
The Hoppiest Golden-Brown IPA on Earth
The 18-year milestone is a significant one, affording us a brilliant apex from which to employ crystal clear hindsight. Looking back to who we were when we embarked on this humble yet noble journey to the craft the finest of ales, we see a company that, while much , much smaller, was every bit the sincere, bullish, determined entity it remains today. Since Day one, we’ve fostered grand-scale aspirations while stalwartly maintaining long-sightedness firmly fixed on a bevy of goals. From brews extending the idea and definition of what beer can be through their intensity , outlandishness, decadence and refinement; to venues and facilities harnessing and celebrating Earth’s elemental resources; to helping awaken collective consciousness to the great worth of authentically, consciously well-crafted artisanal items; to playing a major tole in bringing together and cementing the bonds of peers within our industry; we have accomplished a great many objectives. But we’re far from done!

As we compose the text for this celebratory beer—a golden-brown India pale ale dry-hopped exclusively and abundantly with El Dorado hops—we stand ready to leap from the precipice of all we know into a new era for our company, our beers and, most importantly, our fans. It’s one that will see us exploring new territory, both geographically and creatively, as we evolve from pacesetters for the American craft brewing movement to cross-planetary champions of the worldwide cause of craft, hoisting our banner to proclaim artisanal beers’ vast superiority over stripped-down, business-driven, industrialized, fizzy, yellow mediocrity. We thank you for shadowing us for the first 18 years of our journey, and welcome you to join us for next leg and all that follows.
___

Congratulations to Stone on their 18 year success making a difference and sticking it to the man (tasteless macro beers) and just basically making some really great beers over the years. While some beers have been more unique than others, Stone has bee one of those breweries that is a favorite of mine. Arrogant bastard was one of my first strong gate way ales that lead me to try stronger and stronger beers. While other craft beers like Fat Tire form New Belgium were my gateway, Stone showed me what true beers can really taste like when they are truly potent. Nevertheless, thanks for making the craft community a powerful force that it is today. You along with many others have paved the way to the Beerevolution and the consistent drive to find more rare, lost treasures of taste and experience. Cheers!!

Aromas:
Peaches in pilloncillo sugar cone, Tangerine candy, Cotton candy, mandarin herbal spices, flan hints, dulce de leche caramel, citrus, grassy, piney, floral, herbal and earthy hops, lemon peel, lemon heads,pecan pie, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, mango, stone fruits like apricots, chocolate hints, rock candy, mint, coffee notes, brown sugar and toffee hints.

Flavors:
Peaches in pilloncillo sugar cone, Citrus, grapefruit, grassy, floral, herbal, piney and mild earthy hops, dulce de leche caramel hints, cotton candy, pecan pie, hazelnut hints, Tangerine candy, mandarin herbal spice, orange, strawberry, rock candy, tropical fruits like mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, hints of papaya, pineapple, stone fruits like plum, apricot, clove spice, garlic, onion, lemon, rye bread, mint, flan hints, chocolate notes, lemon heads, honey, coffee, butterscotch hints, brown sugar hints and toffee hints.

Aftertaste:
Cotton candy, Tangerine and lemon candy, strawberry,hazelnut, citrus, grapefruit and lots of herbal dank notes linger. No alcohol in the aftertaste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing, and light to medium golden-brown to amber body.

Overall:
A perfectly delicious and unique IPA. Seems like stone keeps pushing the way toward IPA and hop monsters that truly can be unique in many aspects aside from just being bitter and Arrogant. This is still an IPA while still introducing some sweet unique flavors that are not just tropical or citrus caramel but more nutty, chocolatey, coffee and other fruity varieties. You definitively cannot age this and recommend getting this one for sure. I highly recommend it!

Anime Corner:
Yoshihime from Sengoku Saga by Yamada Rokkaku was used for the Stone 18th Anniversary since I wanted to show several aspects of stone. Let’s start with the label. You have the blue and grey colors that pair well with the the artwork. Second, the gargoyle has always been represented by either a devil like creature or demon but in this case not evil but mainly used to ward off bad flavors of beer. The third is the shogun/general attire. While I have shown Arrogant bastard as being a bushido code samurai and the fact that Stone is a revolutionary, I have given the general attire to many pictures in the past. If you look closely, Asmodeus and Astoroth have similar general attire. While although revealing, the sexyness is only a distraction because what lies within the sweetness is pretty deadly but awesome while taken responsibly of course. This Iron Maiden can be a formidable ally to fighting the war of great flavors but she can also be a double edge sword if taken lightly and not responsibly. Remember that….

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/mohWL.jpg

Shock Top Honey Bourbon Cask Wheat by Anheuser-Busch

August 21, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Anheiser busch, Belgian Wheat Ale, Bourbon Barrel Aged, honey, honey bourbon cask wheat, Shock top | Leave a comment

Rating: 1.75/5

Shock Top Honey Bourbon Cask Wheat by Anheuser-Busch is a 5.5% ABV Belgian-Style Wheat Ale brewed with honey spices and aged in bourbon cask staves.Label:
Ale brewed with Honey and Spices, aged on bourbon cask staves, with natural flavor.
___

Got this at a party and I wanted to give it a shot as I have tried the other shock tops before. The name was intriguing so I really wanted to see what this one was about. Some ‘Crafty’ beers are not that bad and I am always willing to try something new. If something sounds like it might be good I will give it a try. While Shock Top mainly falls between, well, mostly average, there are some that are really good like last winters Vanilla bean and Cocoa nib one. Either way, I pretty much like to take one for the team and basically show you if the crafty beer is worth your money and time or even just worth your time which in my case, I get freebies from friends. Cheers!

Aromas:
Lots of honey, definitely not artificial at least, maybe too overwhelming, caramel, wheat, grains, burnt sugar, very tiny hints of bourbon and cough syrup.

Flavors:
Honey comb, honey syrup, card board grains, coriander spice, cough syrup, wheat, caramel hints, hardly any to zero bourbon.

Aftertaste:
Honey, cardboard graininess but mostly dry. No alcohol in the taste, syrupy mouthfeel, easy to medium drinkability.

Overall:
Well, I should have expected this, but even all the other shocktops weren’t like this. This one I honestly think is the worst in the shocktop line so far. I really tried to give this one a shot and I really had hopes this would taste as good as the bourbon vanilla Project 12 they had which I had at a Super Bowl party earlier this year. Unfortunately this was not to be. The beer is no balanced. The honey is overwhelming and then quickly bait and switches for graininess. What surprises me most is that their Chocolate one from last winter was the best one of their series but this one truly is the worst. Although one good thing is that at least it is not Miller Fortune. Think about it before you actually try this, the sweetness might be too overwhelming. I won’t drain pour, at least I got to try it, but I will definitely not be getting this again.

Anime Corner:
Original bee girl was used in this pairing to basically represent the aspect of honey and the colors of the label. I wish the beer was better to do it more justice but the concept of bourbon honey beer is what really drives it.

Sources:
http://blog-imgs-42.fc2.com/a/y/u/ayutube/news4vip_1390037407_101s.png

Smore’s Chocolate Ale by Avila Ales

August 21, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Brown ale, Avila Ales, Chocolate, chocolate smores, cocoa nibs, Full Metal Alchemist, Lawndale, Mr & Mrs. Richard Avila, Riza Hawkeye, Smore's Chocolate Ale, Winry Rockbell | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Smore’s Chocolate Ale by Avila Ales is a 6.5% ABV American Brown Ale brewed with Cocoa Nibs.

This special recipe was brewed by my friends, Mr. Richard & Mrs. Megan Avila of Lawndale California. It was their very first brew which yielded 5 gallons. A lot of careful preparation was made to get the beer just the way they wanted it and I was honored to be the first one to do a review for them. Home brewing is a very special skill that takes time and practice like all other arts. I plan to make my own home brew soon but it is always a pleasure to review and share some of my friends creations. The lost treasure of taste and experience may not have to be so lost if you can find that your treasure is what you make it to be. Cheers!

Aromas:
Roasted coffee hints, caramel, dark chocolate, smokey notes, anise, peanut butter cup hints, clove spice, and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, marshmallow, graham cracker notes, molasses, smokey notes and coffee. The flavors becomes stronger as the beer warms up giving ways to more milk chocolate than earthy bitterness as well as notes of bananas, clove spice hints, vanilla, pecans, caramel, brown sugar, peanut butter, mocha coffee notes, cocoa krispies and fudge cake hint.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate and milk chocolate lingers as it warms up along with subtle earthy and coffee notes notes. No alcohol in the taste, dark brown full body, easy to drink with a creamy mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very good first batch of beer. I really dig how well made it is. The cocoa nibs really compliment the other ingredients bringing forth some nice sugary and spicy flavors that typically go with when people think of smores. At the 6.5% ABV, there is a good amount of complexity and it goes to show you don’t always have to have a high ABV beer to still show some good complex flavors. While in the beginning you taste some roastiness to give it some bitterness, it is best to drink as it warms ups because that’s where you will really get the more sweeter flavors. Hope to have this dessert again the future and Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Avila for sharing this awesome beer with me.

Anime Corner:
Riza Hawkeye and Winry Rockbell from Full Metal Alchemist were used in this pairing because I wanted to capture not only the chocolate and smore characteristics of a beer as represented by the chocolate cake but also the team effort in working hard to make something very delicious. Brewing is like cooking and when you know how to cook right, brewing such delicious beers is like making a delicious cake. This may have been my friend’s first beer but to get a nice level of complexity right off the bat was pretty damn amazing. Also the colors of the label do compliment some of the background and characters.

Sources:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/AoiSora/hagaren_misc/clear-card-valentines-day.jpg

Glazed Imperial Doughnut Break by Evil Twin Brewing

August 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged BakemonoGatari, coffee, Evil Twin Brewing, Glazed Imperial Doughnut Break, Hanekawa Tsubasa, Imperial Biscotti Break, Imperial Porter, Monster Story, Oshino Shinobu | 1 Comment

Rating: 6/5

Glazed Imperial Doughnut Break by Evil Twin Brewing is an 11.5% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Coffee and flavors added.

Label:
Did Imperial Biscotti Break also make your sugar levels rise and the bitter sweet flavors of coffee, almonds and chocolate very sentimental – now we topped it off with the insane amounts of doughnuts. This all timeAmerican favorite is making it’s way back into the spotlight and we at Evil Twin Brewing are not letting a tasty trend pass by without taking it to the next level. Drink it with great gusto – Forza Doughnuts.
___

Now I have not tried the Imperial Biscotti Break and am unsure if I would be able to try it as it may be sold out. This beer I was unfortunately able to get at limit 1 per customer at www.craftshack.com. If you are able to find this beer again, please advise as this might be one of those limited awesome releases that may not be brewed again. It is not often I try Evil Twin beers but all of the ones I have tried have been phenomenal and definitely worth mention.

Aromas:
Like a rich dark chocolate glazed doughnut with sprinkles, milk, Belgian, Bakers, German, Fudge and milk shake chocolate, loads of dark fruits like raisins, figs, plum, dark cherries, raspberries, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, rum hints, molasses, anise, flan, rye bread, cookie dough, cinnamon, brown sugar, really fancy roasted coffee, mocha, Irish cream, blueberries, currants, milk sugar, tobacco and peanut butter hints.

Flavors:
Almost as rich as Dark Lord, really fancy coffee, mocha, consistency of chocolate glazed doughnut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dark fruit cherries, raspberries, blueberrries, currants, rye and biscuit bread, cookie dough, brown sugar, Irish cream coffee, tobacco, milk sugar, almond joy, pecan pie, coconut, rum hints, anise, molasses, Snickers chocolate, hazelnut nectar, vanilla and peanut butter.

Aftertaste:
Rich dark fruits, caramel, cherry, raspberry, roasted coffee notes, vanilla, tobacco and dry doughnut sugar. No alcohol in the taste and very dangerous. A sipping drinkability yet smooth and creamy mouth feel beer with a pitch black body and hardly any lacing or head.

Overall:
An actual liquid Doughnut beer. Even it the coffee is added it only works to compliment the already complex sweet chocolate fruity doughnut flavors with the sprinkles. Even Voodoo doughnut was not this complex. This truly captures what a liquid doughnut would be. Extremely rich, velvet, silky and syrupy like the hell that is Dark Lord. Although, Dark Lord from Three Floyds was a much more complex and sweeter beer. Either, this reaches the levels of Dark Lord for sure though. Highly recommended.

Anime Corner:
Oshino Shinobu and Hanekawa Tsubasa from BakemonoGatari/Monster Story was used in this pairing to pair with the colors of the label but mainly the strength, sweet and delicious glory of the doughnut. Oshino as you can see from the pictures loves doughnuts but she is also a samurai sword wielding bad ass. Her kicking back and enjoying her self a doughnut compliments the name of having a break and relaxing which is primarily what this beer is all about as you can see. It is a rich doughnut in a bottle and as sweet as Oshino is, she is also deadly just like this beer because I would definitely want to drink a lot of this beer and several but you absolutely cannot as this is a very powerful beer.

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=a39cc833c2aad6ac937dc5cb6045d9a3
http://img0.joyreactor.com/pics/post/full/art-ecchi-anime-Bakemonogatari-1258211.jpeg

Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point

August 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Bakuretsu Tenshi, Ballast Point, Burst Angel, grapefruit, Grapefruit Sculpin, india pale ale, IPA, JO, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point is a 7% ABV World Class India Pale Ale brewed with Grapefruit.

Commercial Description: (BallastPoint.com)
Our Award-winning IPA, with a citrus twist.
Our Grapefruit Sculpin is the latest take on our signature IPA. Some may say there are few ways to improve Sculpin’s unique flavor, but the tart freshness of grapefruit perfectly complements our IPA’s citrusy hop character. Grapefruit’s a winter fruit, but this easy-drinking ale tastes like summer.
___

Picked this one up at the www.craftshack.com website. This is the next variant to the Sculpin IPA. I have tried the other variants such as the Habanero Sculpin and the regular one. This time, Ballast Point brings the sweet grapefruit infusion to the mix. I am not sure if this has been done locally at their brewery before but this is rather intriguing for being a world class beer. Let us see if it is just as good as the regular or if it is amped up just a notch. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Grapefruit, Grapefruit peel, grapefruit hops, floral, piney, grassy and herbal hops, mango, dragon fruit, orange preserves on rye bread, cucumber, biscuit bread, caramel, vanilla, honey, pineapple, stone fruits like apricots and peaches.

Flavors:
Lots of rich grapefruit, grapefruit peel, grapefruit hops, grassy, piney, floral and herbal hops, citrus, apricot, mango peach, orange preserves on rye bread, cucumber, biscuit bread, caramel hints, tangerine, honey, pineapple, dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit, prickly pear and vanilla hints.

Aftertaste:
Grapefruit still lingers sweet along with the tropical flavors, floral, grassy and herbal hops at the finish. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel along with a light gold to orange body.

Overall:
Debating on which one I like better will definitely depend on the day and the situation. I love this one just as much as the regular sculpin but I find this one a tad more appealing because of the sweet tropics it provides. It is a winning beer and even if others have taken its title of the best in the world, It won’t change my mind about the fact that this is should be a staple standard for IPAs. Well at least the regular Sculpin. This one is just an awesome bonus. I really enjoy the grapefruit forward that this version of the gold winning sculpin has to offer. You should definitely pick up a 6 pack of this for sure, I highly recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Jo from Bakuretsu Tenshi/Burst Angel was paired with this beer because I wanted to go with the whole white shirt hair bad ass look as I showed with the previous sculpins. While Sculpin fish are supposed to be venomous, Habanero was plain evil while Sculpin was somewhat evil, Jo is quite the opposite. While understanding where she comes from, she has surpassed the previous Sculpins in the sense that she is not evil. She is a better person and wants to protect her friends. While her past shows that she was made for other purposes, the fact that she was able to establish herself as an awesome individual makes for one hell of a beer here. The colors of her pair well with the unleashing of tropical fruit flavors and the unleashing of a grapefruit barrage. Jo is a bad ass femme fatale and that is just about all you need to know about her. So check her out in her series and go get this beer now. Also, the bitterness she represents sometimes only shows her cold side. She is a very sweet person once she opens up though.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/1712610#full

Stone Coffee Milk Stout by Stone brewing

August 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Coffee Beans, Maya Natsume, Milk Stout, roasted coffee beans, Session beer, Stone Brewing, Stone Coffee Milk Stout, Tenjho Tenge | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Stone Coffee Milk Stout by Stone brewing is a 4.2% ABV Milk Stout brewed with roasted coffee beans.

Label:
There’s no shortage of talented people at Stone and each makes their presence known in their own unique way. Brian Gallagher, a brewer who learned the art of fermentation in the UK, used the beer you now hold, a New World take on a traditional English milk stout, as his vehicle for personal expression. Originally brewed as a limited-edition offering at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, this coffee-laced milk stout quickly became a favorite among Gallagher’s peers. Made bittersweet and creamy while remaining smooth and easy-drinking thanks to the addition of milk sugar, it’s clear why this is a brew we needed to share with fans everywhere.
___

This is the first time I try a sessioned coffee milk stout. Session beers are typically those with a low ABV about 5% and under to even 2% ABV. Session Stone beers like Levitation and GoToIPA which I may review at a later time, are those that are generally low in ABV. Well, to make things interesting this one is lower than that. This is about the ABV of a bud light and if this has way more flavor than that, makes you wonder why not make the switch to craft. Either way, this beer needs a review so here you go and cheers!

Aromas:
Roasted coffee, dark fruit hints like raisins, marshmallow hints, earthy hops, dark chocolate, smoky notes, milk shake hints, brown sugar, very light oak hints, peated malts and graham cracker.

Flavors:
Roasted coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit hints, caramel, hints of mocha, smokey notes, marshmallow hints, earthy hops, graham cracker, light oak hints, milk chocolate shake hints, vanilla hints, smoked peat hints graham cracker notes, brown sugar and molasses.

Aftertaste:
Roasted coffee, earthy hop bitterness, dark chocolate, caramel and vanilla hints. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, full body, medium creamy mouthfeel.

Overall:
This session stout is pretty good despite low ABV. I was quite surprised because unlike the smoked porter, this one is sweeter. It definitely drinks more like a porter but the smokey and roasted notes definitely remind you of course, this is a stout. Nevertheless, this one is worth a try if you like sessionable ales with rich flavor but not overly complex.

Anime Corner:
Maya Natsume from Tenjho Tenge was used in this pairing to show the colors of the label as well as the flavors of the beer. While the colors of the label pair well with the Venom Symbiote she is wearing, the flavors of the dark fruit and sweetness come from a combination of the suit and her eye and hair colors. Venom is typically black but in this case it is blue showing lighter colors to correspond with the low ABV percentage of the beer. Not much too it and I really wanted to pair her with this beer.

Sources:
http://symbiotewriter.deviantart.com/art/Maya-Natsume-with-symbiote-144830679

Raven’s Eye (New Label) by Eel River Brewing

August 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged bakers chocolate, black currants, Chocolate, chocolate pecans, dark fruits, Eeel River, Eel River Brewing, Emeralda, Emeralda Kasim, espresso coffee, Imperial Stout, Organic Beer, Raven's Eye, Russian Imperial Stout, Xenogears | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Raven’s Eye (New Label) by Eel River Brewing is a 9.5% ABV Organic Russian Imperial Stout.

Label:
A bold creamy Stout with hints of dark chocolate and espresso balanced by an aroma reminiscent of chocolate, molasses, and plums.

If you think Raven’s Eye Stout is good now, we recommend aging it. Its characteristics become more complex over time, meaning it only gets better with age.
___

Raven’s Eye Stout has a special place in my heart next to Black Xantus. Back in 2010, when I started to try some craft beers and started to get appreciation for labels, I decided to get this one along with some other beers I had not tried before. This stout stuck out to me even before I started trying the Lost Abbey stuff back then. After several times of trying it, I realize why it was the cousin of the Black Xantus. IT was because while it was not bourbon barrel aged like that one was, it offered similar flavors of the Russian Imperial Stout but with dark fruit flavors. I grew very fond of this one. While it is not sold as often as I like, it is a treat to find it. I picked this one up at Ramirez Liquor when I saw the new label finally came out. So definitely I said to myself, I have to bring this one back! So here it is, once again with the new label. Cheers!

Previous 2012 Review:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/ravens-eye-redux-by-eel-river-brewing/

Aromas:
Roasted Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Mocha, dark fruits, pecans, hazelnut nectar, rich currants, dark cherry, caramel, anise, earthy roasted notes, molasses, brown sugar and hints vanilla.

Flavors:
Rich dark fruits like raisins, currants, dark cherry, mocha, coffee, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, pecans, Irish cream, bakers chocolate, fudge cake, molasses, anise, hints of oak, earthy roasted notes, sweet toffee, marshmallow smores and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Roasted coffee bitterness, dark fruits, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel and earthy hints. No alcohol in the taste, moderate to sipping drinkability, creamy mouth feel but smooth and full pitch black body.

Overall:
Still the greatly awesome beer that I remember. Definitely more dark fruit forward this time around with a good balance. The same beer I had since 2011 still great and in some cases better than the previous times I tried it. The dessert beer next to the Black Xantus and not so barrel aged but yet still up there with great complex flavors for a Russian Stout.

Anime Corner:
Emeralda Kasim from Xenogears was used in this pairing as I used her in many of the Raven’s eye pairing in the past. Her colors seemed to work well with the label of the beer and the green organic aspect of the beer. The colors of her were representative of the taste in terms of the chocolate flavors and more. While her eyes are like the sun and hazel, they show a glimmer of crimson like the eye of the raven as well. She is this beer and the solitude that it represents. Forevermore….

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/334009#full
http://www.zerochan.net/1143296#full

Delirium Red by Brouwerij Huyghe

August 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Kriek, Brouwerij Huyghe, cherries, cherry mazapan, chibi usa, Dark Cherries, Dark Lady, Delirium Red, marzipan, Mini Moon, Rini Moon, Sailor moon, Stevia | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Delirium Red by Brouwerij Huyghe is a 8% ABV Belgian Kriek brewed with Stevia and cherries.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Colour and sight: Deep dark red colour, with a light pink, compact and lacing head. Scent: Soft fruity aroma, with hints of almond and mildly sour cherries. Flavour: Sweet and fruity, with a nice balance between sweet and sour. An excellent dessert beer.
___

Delirium Tremmens series has been a Belgian series that typically only specializes in 3 beers, the Tremmens, Nocturn and Noel on Christmas. I have tried all 3 of them but this year, they released the Red. A new addition to the series which I really didn’t pay much attention to until I saw I could get one to try it out. I picked up a bottle at Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights, California but this is typically sold where ever they sell Delirium beers. The series ranges from very good to great but the price of the beer is something a little too much. Then again, other breweries do the same with their prices so I figured why not. Especially since I didn’t have to buy the 4 pack. So here it is, for your reading pleasure, the Delirium Red, Cheers!

Aromas:
Almonds, cherries, biscuit bread, citrus grapefruit, dark cherry yogurt, raspberries, cranberries, dark fruit raisin hints, strawberry candy, cherry syrup, cherry marzipan, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, coriander spice and pecan pie.

Flavors:
Sweet pink grapefruit, Dark Cherry yogurt, almonds, biscuit bread, tart cherries, cherry marzipan, almond milk, apples, pears, peach,coriander spice, strawberry candy, cherry syrup, rice paper wafers with dulce de leche, Cherry maple log, pecan pie hints.

Aftertaste:
Dark Cherry yogurt, cherry marzipan, vanilla, citrus bitterness and caramel. No alcohol in the taste, easy drinkability, Dark Crimson Abyss body with Rosey Pink head and light mouthfeel.

Overall:
Yet another very unique beer. It’s literally like drinking a dark cherry yogurt. I do not know if this would qualify as beer but the yeasty breadyness reminds you otherwise. It is not bad at all and I really enjoyed it but many may find it different. It is important though not to forget as this brewed in the Belgian Kriek style which is mainly a lambic or a type of fruit beer. In its own aspect of being a kriek I was blown away by its uniqueness and really is perfect fitting to the style if this was ever blended with a stout or quad, it would be the key to forging a path to flavor heaven. You are damn right I recommend this one! I have a new fave.

Anime Corner:
Dark Lady/Chibi Usa/Evil Mini Moon/Rini from Sailor Moon series was used in this pairing because I wanted to grasp the aspect of the Red and pink for the flavors but also the evil aspect of her to pair with the Delirium Tremmens meaning. Long behold, this beer was so damn good and paired so well with the colors of the label, the pink elephant, the cherry flavors, the crimson pink color of the beer and so much more that it was a damn perfect pairing with not much explanation. This was so great I had to find the second picture of her to pair and I loved it!

Sources:
http://data3.whicdn.com/images/126981141/large.jpg
http://zimmay.deviantart.com/art/Wicked-Lady-368794593

Blackwater Series Crème Brûlée by Southern Tier

August 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged blackwater series, creme brulee, flan, Imperial Milk Stout, Konoko, Mai Hasegawa, Milk Stout, Oni, Southern Tier, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Blackwater Series Crème Brûlée by Southern Tier is a 9.5% ABV Imperial Milk Stout brewed with Vanilla Beans.

Label:
The British founders of burnt cream & from Spain, crema catalana, both stand byt heir creative originality & we respect that. But it was the French crème brulee that survived history.

A Stout of Great Contention

How would a brewery determine a likeness to hard-coated custard? Our response is simple resilience & finesse. Pour Creme Brulee into a glass. The incredibly dark & opaque beer reveals a thick head. Aroma leaps forward; sweet, creamy & uncannily true to the namesake dessert. Enjoy with – or as – your favorite after-dinner treat.
___

This one is a rare treat in these parts of Southern California. I was lucky to find a bottle of this magical treasure at Ramirez Liquor Warehouse in Boyle Heights. I have seen this beer in many reviews like my friend Aaron’s page www.beermetaldude.com and some other sites but I never seen it around here before. So yeah, I definitely decided to get it. I figured, Chocoklat was one of the best chocolate beers out there, this one must be just as delicious. In fact, many of the Southern Tier beers are just phenomenal for sure. So here we go, I finally bring this beer to a review at the place where anime and beer meet up. Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla syrup, Dark chocolate, maple syrup, super rich butterscotch, crème brulee, custard, dulce de leche caramel flan, Jericalla Mexican custard, Tapioca pudding, Milk chocolate shake, hints of anise, dark fruit raisin bread pudding, pecan pie,Tres Leches, sweetened condensed milk, hazelnut nectar, vanilla pudding chocolate pudding, mocha coffee, Kahlua coffee and Irish cream.

Flavors:
Tres Leches, sweetened condensed milk, Vanilla syrup, Irish Cream, Creme Brulee, Dark chocolate, Dark fruit raisins and figs, marshmallows, coconut, maple syrup, rich butterscotch, toffee, pecan pie, Tapioca pudding, Vanilla and chocolate pudding, Jericalla Mexican custard, dulce de leche caramel from the wooden box, anise hints, earthy dark roast coffee notes, pecan and raisin bread pudding, walnuts, peanut butter hints, honey bourbon hints, Kahlua coffee, mocha frappuccino, Chocolate Milk shake, Mild all spice, nutmeg and burnt sugar caramel flan.

Aftertaste:
Butterscotch, pecan pie, vanilla, flan, crème brulee, dark fruit, Irish cream,Mild earthy and roasted bitterness. No alcohol in the taste, syrupy and creamy mouth feel, Pitch Black sludgy full body, moderate to sipping drinkability. Despite the ABV, there is a level of smoothness that simply works way too well at hiding that alcohol that you probably start to think you can drink several of these.

Overall:
Oh My God!! This is way different of a dessert beer. Unlike many of the beers that are generally complex due to some form of aging in certain spirits, this is just added with vanilla beans and lactose and it totally changes the whole aspect of the beer. This proves that aide from the awesome love of chocolate and caramel, there is a level of vanilla that is on a league of its own. This beer is so ridiculously good I have to add it to that bucket list of beers that people should definitely try if you are lucky to find it for sure. Just like their Chokolat, an absolute favorite for me now.

Anime Corner:
Mai Hasegawa (Konoko) from Oni was used in this pairing because I wanted to show the potency of this beer with respects to flavor complexity, ABV strength, colors and cow of the label. To start, the dark purple hair on Motoko as well as her being represent the dark fruit aspects, flan, caramel, maple syrup and crème brullee of the flavors as well as other complexities. Her sexyness and artillery represent her strength in keeping everything hidden in terms of ABV, smooth and delicious but then dangerous since you would want to drink several of these beers. The tattered clothes in different sections of the body are like the spots of a cow. Yes, she gives the milk . Sorry… what was I saying? Yes, and finally, colors of her gear and her pair well with the colors of the label. So yeah I think in my crazy crazy mind, I made it work some how. Still though, get this beer!!

Sources:
http://i2.imageban.ru/out/2013/10/25/aa432aef7c3b9e72c7b2fa7cf33e6d72.jpg

St. Bernardus Extra 4 by Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

August 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Single, Brouwerij St. Bernardus, Golden Ale, Kill-LA-Kill, Ryuko Matoi, Single, St. Bernardus, St. Bernardus Extra 4 | 2 Comments

Rating: 4.5/5

St. Bernardus Extra 4 by Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV is a 4.8% ABV Belgian Pale Ale/Belgian Single.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Extra 4 is a classic Belgian “Single” style, light golden in color, full of flavor and character and brewed with more hops and bitterness in comparison to the other well known St Bernardus abbey ales. Extra 4 will be brewed with high fermentation and bottled conditioned with an ABV of 4.8%. Extra 4 will be a unique, tasty and refreshing spring and summer quencher with a lower alcohol content than such other popular St Bernardus products as Abt 12, Tripel and Prior 8.
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I never knew the Single style was actually Belgian pale ale. Dubbels are brow, Tripels can be light or hazy and Quads Dark and Strong. But Belgian Pale Ales are closer to the Golden Ales or Golden Blondes. I feel like I learn something with every beer I try and I am glad I can bring this knowledge to you. St. Bernardus beers are typically world class and some of the best beers out there and the number 12 is simply the best! Cheers and hope you enjoy my review!

Aromas:
Biscuit Bread, grains, vanilla, honey, caramel, peppercorns, sage spice, floral, grassy and herbal hops, citrus, lemon zest, lemon peel, clove spice, banana hints, honey comb, waffle cone, stone fruit and coriander spice.

Flavors:
Honey, bananas, clove spice, peppercorns, citrus, lemon peel, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel hints from the yeast they use, grassy and herbal hops, stone fruits hints of peaches, apricots and plums, sage spice, coriander spice and waffle cone.

Aftertaste:
Honey, biscuit bread, herbal and grassy hop linger for only a little bit before they dry. No alcohol in the taste whatsoever, easy to moderate drinkability, hazy medium body, light to moderate mouth feel, crisp and refreshing. Definitely for the summer.

Overall:
Very good indeed and not as heavy as other Belgian beers in terms of the full mouth feel or higher ABV. This is supposed to be lighter on purpose and is possibly the first time I try a Belgian ‘Single’, that is, if the Golden Ale, Belgian Pale or Belgian Blonde style were not the style referred here. Even though the flavors do math similarly to that of those styles. Either way, this is something I can definitely see myself drinking several on a summer day for sure. Still getting those nice Belgian flavors at a lower ABV. I would definitely recommend you try this out and see how you like this one.

Anime Corner:
Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill in her Super Saiyan/Fashion Week Mode was used in this pairing because I wanted to one of my four favorite anime characters in a St. Bernardus beer. If you look at my other St. Bernardus beers, you will find that I paired 1 of the 4 with one of the beers, except Tokyo since that one is unique. Anyways, when I heard this beer was coming out and I heard it was a beer style I had not heard before, I figured, this version of Ryuko is perfect for that golden ale. While she is more powerful than the ABV this beer carriers, the flavor is where the strength lies in.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/feUANQf.jpg

Chocolate Stout by Guadalupe Brewing of New Braunfel, Texas

August 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Book of Bantorra, bourbon barrel aged Chocolate Stout, Chocolate Stout, cocoa nibs, Guadalupe Brewing, New Braunfel Texas, Noloty Maruchie, Texas | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Chocolate Stout by Guadalupe Brewing of New Braunfel, Texas is 7.22% ABV American Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with cocoa nibs.

Label:
Our Chocolate Stout has a smooth drinkable appeal. Aged on cocoa nibs and American Oak with Bourbon, the complexity makes this a truly great Stout.
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Chocolate Bourbon aged Stouts?! Yes please! This one seems like a definite treat. Bourbon Barrel Aged beers are awesome. So are Chocolate beers. Mix the two correctly and you have a very special beer. This beer comes to me as a donation by Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. This is the last beer in the package that Aaron sent me so I figured since I like these type of beers, I would save it for last. This the first time I try a Guadalupe Brewing beer so I look forward to this one for sure. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Milk and dark chocolate, bourbon hints, vanilla, caramel,pecan pie, peanut butter hints. Cocoa crispies, earthy notes, mocha, coffee, hazelnut, dark fruit raisins, peanut butter cup, bananas, coconut hints, marshmallow, bourbon hints and dark cherry hints.

Flavors:
Rich Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate milk shake, marshmallow, caramel, bourbon, oak, hints of coconut, vanilla, peanut butter cup, earthy coffee notes, flan hints, dark fruit raisins, figs, bananas, clove spice, hints of almond joy, pecans, campfire smoke, ashy hints, burnt oak, cinnamon, dark cherries, fudge cake and flan hints.

Aftertaste:
Dark and milk chocolate, earthy notes, caramel, bourbon vanilla, cherry and smokey notes linger. No alcohol in the taste while maintaining a smooth yet moderate drinkability, pitch black body and moderate mouthfeel.

Overall:
This one does exceed some expectations a bit and I would definitely try it again. While it is not as potent as some of the other stronger ABV beers out there, this one still is able to deliver some nice complex chocolate flavors. This goes to show you don’t always need a high ABV to make it taste nice and rich or complex. It can do better with balance in terms of the smokey and sweet flavors. It is best drunk at warmer temperatures since that is where you can really tell the complexity. This one is worth the try for sure.

Anime Corner:
Noloty Maruchie of the Book of Bantorra was used in this paring to show some of the colors and chocolate flavors. Notoly is by water representing the person on the barrel rowing. The design of Notoly and her fashion pair with the design of the label as well. She represents the mixture of bourbon barrel aging with chocolate cocoa nibs. Sweet and delicious!

Sources:
http://omo.serenana.info/AGP/noloty.jpg

20th Anniversary by Saint Arnold Brewery

August 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 20th Anniversary, 20th Anniversary Ale, American Barleywine, Dizzy, English Barleywine, Guilty Gear, Saint Arnold, Saint Arnold Brewing of Texas | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.35/5

20th Anniversary by Saint Arnold Brewery is an 11.2% ABV English Barleywine.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Our 20th Anniversary Ale is pure, with no additives or preservatives. In order to maintain the freshest flavor possible, we do not pasteurize our beer. Many of its subtle flavors are delicate and would not stand up to the heat of pasteurization. We recommend that this product be stored cold to avoid any degradation in flavor. Malt: This beer is brewed with Maris Otter, pale two row, Munich and Chocolate malted barley. Maris Otter accounts for 60% of the grist. Hops: We bittered the beer with Centennials, finished it in the kettle with Cascades and dry hopped with Simcoe. Yeast: We use our house Saint Arnold yeast.
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An awesome thanks to Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com for obtaining this beer for me. This beer is the main aspect of celebration for the good people at Saint Arnold Brewery in their 20 years of making awesome craft beer. From the few beers I have tried from Saint Arnold, thanks to Aaron, I have come to realize how delicious their work is. I know definitely have more to try from them but they also have even more new projects as the years go buy ever increasing the greatness that is Saint Arnold. Hopefully one day we get to see their beers in California. Until then, Cheers to the anniversary, cheers to my friend Aaron and cheers to you, the readers!!

Aromas:
Citrus, mild grapefruit, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, pecan pie, raisin bread pudding, hints of oak, hazelnut, oak, cherry, earthy hop notes, bananas, dragon fruit, pineapple, old mango, butterscotch, rye bread, green tea, honey, clove spice, peach, guava hints and papaya.

Flavors:
Grapefuit sugar, mild citrus, tangerine, orange gummy bears, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit, crème brulee, tropical fruit notes like pineapple, dragon fruit, mango, papaya, butterscotch, leather, green tea, rye bread, clove spice, banana hints, peach, guava, raisin bread hints, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, chocolate hints, brown sugar, earthy and floral hops, oak, hazelnut, pecan pie, honey and pears .

Aftertaste:
Grapefruit hops linger in the end but are faded by the sweet caramel, raisins and rye bread with sweet tropical fruit cake notes. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, full mouth feel with a medium body.

Overall:
Damn, goes to prove why I like this style so much. Not everyone makes a barleywine so good, but this one is definitely formidable. The balance of hops and sweetness comes together really awesome exposing a good variety of hoppy citrus flavors moving toward exotic fruits and getting into the caramel and dark fruit goodness. It seems well in tact and well maintained. At 11.2%, this is definitely ageable and I really wanna see what happens after another 20 years. Either way, great work on the anniversary beer to Saint Arnold and for sure, this beer should not be missed if you can get it.

Anime Corner:
Dizzy from Guilty Gear was used in this beer to represent not only the colors but the whole aspect of saint. Even if Dizzy is an artificial magical creature, she well looks like an angel which fits with the whole aspect of the saint. The green wing is your hoppy side, Dizzy in the center is the tropical flavors while the white lady wing is the utter bliss and seduction into the realm of sugar. They pretty much are a part of her and how balanced and complex and almost heavenly this barleywine is, so is Dizzy. She is the representative of the Saint in Saint Arnold.

Sources:
http://www.fightersgeneration.com/characters/dizzy-wallpp.jpg

Pike XXXXX Stout by Pike Brewing

August 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Buddy, Export Stout, Foreign Stout, Irish Dry Stout, Kimi Ga Yobu Megiddo No Oka De, Pike brewing, Pike XXXXX Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Pike XXXXX Stout by Pike Brewing is a 7% ABV Foreign/Export Stout.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
A full-bodied beer with deep chocolate color, velvety malt texture, and a dark-roasted flavor, with hints of smokiness and coffee. It combines the dryness of traditional Dublin-style stout with the strength and character of Imperial Stout.
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Thanks to Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com for hooking me up with this beer. Pike brewing comes from Seattle,Washington. There aren’t that many Pike brewing beers that we see in California and this is actually the first time I try this beer. Foreign/Export stouts are typically the ones that are similar to Guinness with the dryness and chocolatey taste but in many cases better than Guinness. Either way, this one seems intriguing and if it was recommended by Aaron, I will definitely try it. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit prunes, raisins, molasses, licorice and anise hints, roasted coffee, tobacco, dark cherry, dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, vanilla hints, soy sauce, pecan, hazelnut, plum sauce and brown sugar.

Flavors:
dark fruit prunes, raisins, figs, smokey notes, roasted coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, tobacco, dark cherry, dark chocolate, hints of pecan, hazelnut, earthy bitterness, caramel, vanilla, soy sauce, molasses, plum sauce, brown sugar, and campfire hints.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, coffee, prune hints, dry earthy notes and caramel. No alcohol in the taste, easy to moderate drinkability, pitch black body and medium and somewhat syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
If Guinness was something like this, I’d drink it all the time. This is one of the best foreign/export extra stouts out there. It wasn’t as dry in the finish as I though and it really had some good complex flavors to it. I really think that if Guinness were to ever be like this, it be one of the best Irish Stouts out there. For now, you definitely know this Dublin-style stout will not disappoint. I would definitely get this again if I can find it.

Anime Corner:
Buddy from Kimi Ga Yobu Megiddo No Oka De was used in this pairing since I wanted to not only describe some of the flavors of the beer and the label, but also the whole Pike aspect as well. The weapon mainly not the fish. While Buddy does seem to carry more of a scythe, in the picture I took, the handle part is very long, almost like pike or a spear. The dry but sweet aspect of the style of beer here is shown through her cold shoulder expression as she is not looking towards the audience but still standing like a total bad ass.

Sources:
http://files.sharenator.com/karen_artist_kimi_ga_yobu_megiddo_no_oka_de-s1024x768-352659.jpg

Camo by Five Stones brewing of Cibolo Texas

August 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Banana cloves, Cammy White, Camo, camoflauge, cocoa nibs, espresso beans, Five Stones, Five Stones of Cibolo Texas, Golden Stout, Pale Stout, Stout, Street Fighter, White Chocolate | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Camo by Five Stones brewing of Cibolo Texas is a 7.8% ABV Golden/Pale Stout brewed with Cocoa Nibs and Espresso Beans.

Label:
Sometimes the best surprises hide in plain sight. Like the hunter searching out a deer that doesn’t seem to notice that his hunting buddy is strangely quiet… and has antlers. We brewed this stout that hides in plain sight as a pale-colored ale. This is accomplished by utilizing stout malt from Ireland along with flaked barley, wheat, and oats for mouthfeel and body. Williamette hops and cacao nibs a mildly spicy and slightly chocolatey flavor. Lastly, whole espresso beans round out the flavor for a pleasant stout-like surprise in pale, plain sight. Cheers and thanks for sharing our beer!
___

Five Stones Brewing of Cibolo Texas is a special gem in the craft brewing world for making some very awesome beers. As recommended and donated by my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com, the beers I have tried from them have been really unique and delicious. Today, I review the third beer donated by Aaron from the good people at Five Stones. This one is a Golden/Pale Stout. There really isn’t many beers of this style and for the few that I have tried have been really delicious. This one adds Cocoa Nibs and Espresso beans, so right off the bat, I know I am dealing with something very special. Thanks again to Aaron and Five Stones for making this one, Cheers!!

Aromas:
Frappuccino white chocolate coffee, plantain bananas, milk chocolate yoo hoo, dark chocolate, bananas and cream, coconut, peach, white raisins, plums, figs, cinnamon, brown sugar hints, nutmeg, marshmallow, hazelnut nectar, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, steamed milk, cookie dough, oatmeal cookies, coffee cake, hints of Kahlua and Irish cream hints.

Flavors:
Mocha coffee, White Chocolate, Dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, Plantain Bananas, grilled banana hints, white raisins, peach, dark fruit plums, fig hints, cinnamon, nutmeg, marshmallow, hazelnut nectar, hints of oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, steamed milk, coconut, cookie dough, oatmeal cookies, coffee cake, brown sugar, Irish cream, hints of Kahlua, chocolate Yoohoo hints, coriander hints, wheat and rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Lingering roasted and earthy Coffee grounds, caramel, Irish cream, caramel, vanilla and hints of plantain bananas. No alcohol in the taste, very damn smooth even for a sipping beer, very creamy mouthfeel, clear light body and refreshing.

Overall:
I don’t care what anyone says, this beer was definitely a mind blow! This was way too exceptional. Very few beers do this and this one was just over the top for me. This beer is not aged in any spirit but the flavors it provides were as if they were aged in some special spirit barrel and the specialization of making such a rich and creamy pale golden stout is a style that is done extremely rarely. Five Stones did a great job on this and I definitely cannot wait to try their next creation. Highly recommend this one if you can find it. One of Texas finest for sure!

Anime Corner:
Cammy White from Street Fighter was used in this pairing for several reasons. Let’s start by the name, which is Camo which means to hide. While Cammy is in the military, she doesn’t really hide much from view but that is her camouflage. She is a highly trained and deadly agent from British Special Forces. What does this have to do with the beer? Alot, while the apperance of the beer is pale in color, it drinks just like a stout and is rich and creamy. Cammy has the colors of the label and the gold of the beer color. She is sweet as hell like the beer but you never know that until you try it. So it may actually come to you as a surprise and by the time you are done analyzing what happened in your palate, its too late. The gear she wears is similar and colored like the deer in the label. She used to work for shadaloo, a criminal organization and she is swift and fast like the smoothness of the beer. So in a way, this beer is like being struck by a Smooth Criminal…

Sources:
http://okazuwa-shake.deviantart.com/art/Rapeling-Cammy-209664818
http://www.cammyfan.com/Cammy/collected11/pixiv133.jpg

Devil’s Ale by SanTan Brewing

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Pale Ale, Arizona beer, Devil's Ale, flagship beer, Pale Ale, Santan Brewing, Tamaki Kousaka | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.95/5

Devil’s Ale by SanTan Brewing is a 5.5% ABV American Pale Ale.

Commercial Description:
Devil’s Ale – Our flagship brew! Devil’s Ale is a new breed of West Coast American Ales. Deep golden maroon in color, Devil’s Ale is defined by as delicious citrus hop character derived from Cascade and Centennial hops grown in the Pacific Northwest and balanced firm caramel malt flavor. Devil’s Ale pairs wonderfully with salmon and pork (i.e. BACON!!) and goes best with sharp cheeses such as Cheddar and Colby. Arizona’s highest rated pale ale! 96 Points- Draft Magazine. 13.5°
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This is the second SanTan brewing beer I try. I see they are mainly from Arizona but also distribute to Texas. I have not seen any of their beers here in California but maybe we will start to see them soon. This beer was donated by my friend Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com. I can already see how this beer is the flagship as the name of the brewery is similarly named after the unholy one except for that extra ‘n’ in the middle of the name. Anyways, I wanna see what this Pale Ale is about so let us check it out and Cheers to you Aaron and the readers of my page, thank you for your support!!

Aromas:
Grassy, piney, grapefruit hops, oranges, papaya hints, caramel, biscuit bread, toffee, lychee fruit, floral notes, apples, pear, herbal notes, tangerine and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Orange citrus, grassy, herbal, and grapefruit hops, caramel, biscuit bread, hints of tropical fruit like papaya and mango, guava notes, tangerine, lychee, floral notes, apples, brown sugar, toffee, pears, gummy bears and lemon peel.

Aftertaste:
Dry finish with a little bit of citrus, caramel and grassy hops lingering. No alcohol in the taste, very crisp and refreshing, easy to drink, light to medium body and light to medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
This pale is pretty good. Devil’s ale is hoppy enough and sessionable to the point where one can drink this one all day. I can definitely see myself buying this one as a summer beer and just relaxing with several of these cans. While its complexity is mainly noted and overwhelming, it may not be up there with the crazy double IPAs but for what it is, as delicious as it is, you should definitely give this one a try.

Anime Corner:
Devil girl chracter by Tamaki Kousaka was paired for the obvious reasons. Devil girl for a Devil ale. The moon and the color of her hair and the background pair really well with the colors of the label on the can and the color of the beer. Like I said before, this beer works day and night on a summer day just kicking back and drinking a cold one, just like the Devil chick in this picture is relaxing too.

Sources:
http://i48.tinypic.com/2ep6a14.jpg

Coffee Noir by Prairie Artisan Ales

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged american whiskey, Barrel Aged, Coffee Beans, Coffee Noir, Devil Girl, Imperial Stout, oak barrels, Prairie Artisan Ales, whiskey barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

Coffee Noir by Prairie Artisan Ales is a 11.5% ABV Imperial Stout aged in oak whiskey barrels with Coffee beans.Label:
Made by people who truly care from Oklahoma with love.
___

The second beer, in the Prairie Noir series I try. The previous one was the Vanilla Noir. This beer was a donation from Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. The previous beer was definitely something way different than what I have had before. Which makes me more curious to try this one and see where this one goes to and see how it compares to the Vanilla one. I will try and break it down as best I can as that beer was awesome, let us see what this one is all about. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich dark coffee, Dark chocolate, dark fruit raisins, campfire smoke, mocha, espresso, whiskey, marshmallow smores, sour wine grape hints, strong oak, pecan pie, vanilla, caramel, toffee, flan hints, brown sugar, molasses, oatmeal cookies, BBQ glazed ham, leather and tobacco.

Flavors:
Campfire smoke, dark coffee, mocha, espresso beans, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, rich oak, BBQ hone glazed ham, ashes, sour wine grape hints, marshmallow hints, graham cracker smores, dark fruit raisins, rye bread, tobacco, leather, molasses, licorice, anise, brown sugar, flan, caramel, pecan pie, roasted coffee grain hints, oatmeal cookies.

Aftertaste:
Rich oak, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, earthy notes, vanilla, whiskey and campfire smoke. No alcohol in the taste. Sipping yet some what drinkability, pitch black appearance, full mouth feel almost syrupy.

Overall:
Like the Vanilla Noir smokey and oaky with hints of sourness that are mainly covered by the oak and coffee. Close to the Madrugada Obscura that I really like. The coffee really works well with the smokey oak and whiskey keeping everything in check in this one. More in check than the vanilla one. The oak used in this or the brewing process makes this unique. The oak flavors are unique from other oak or spirit aged beers. We don’t get these beers here in California so this one is definitely an honor.

Anime Corner:
Devil girl character from the Chinese Scratch series (從零開始) was used in this pairing because like the Vanilla one, it was damn evil as hell with the label and the beer itself. This one is just as evil but the coffee has a more ‘adult theme’ to it. Not to say that beer is for kids but coffee seems to be the beverage more adults drink and so with the colors of the label and the coffee aspect as well as evil, I chose this awesome and sexy devil girl for the pairing. She covers the colors of the label, the evil intention, seduction, strength and flavor complexity similar to the previous beer.

Sources:
http://www.theanimegallery.com/data/thumbs/790px/0165/tAG_165268.jpg

Chicken Killer by Santa Fe Brewing

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Barleywine, Carmen Serdan, Chicken Killer, Craft Beer Revolution, English Barleywine, Genzoman, Mexican Revolution, New Mexico first microbrewery, Santa Fe Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Chicken Killer by Santa Fe Brewing is a 10% ABV American BarleyWine.

Label:
Chicken Killer Barley Wine is the revolutionary beer that will someday define America’s unique Barley Wine style. Chicken Killer is brewed with twice the ingredients of the Santa Fe Brewing Company’s other products, and only half the usual amount of liquid is extracted from these ingredients. This makes one serious ale. At ten percent alcohol, Chicken Killer is actually as substantial as wine, but this is not to say that it is difficult to drink. On the contrary; be careful with this one. The flavors of the ale are at first as overwhelming as the intense Santa Fe sun. But in the same way our sun gives us the unrivaled brilliant colors of Santa Fe, the potency of Chicken Killer gives us the remarkable spectrum of flavors that can be found in no other ale, in no other city. Check out out website: www.santafebrewing.com
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Chicken Killer comes from New Mexico’s oldest microbrewery. A first time try for me which was provided to the site thanks to Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. This American style barleywine plans on changing the way people view barleywines and maybe unique to how it’s done in New Mexico. With this review, I hope I can showcase what their vision is. It is always nice to put great beers on the map or in this case, the internet for others to know about such beer treasures. Cheers!

Aromas:
Pecan pie flavors, dark fruit raisins, leather, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, plums, figs, capirotada raisin bread pudding, citrus, biscuit bread, butterscotch, cinnamon, hints of oak, dark cherry, earthy notes, clove spice, banana, old mango and hazelnut nectar.

Flavors:
Pecan pie, dulce de leche caramel, cinnamon, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, rye bread, capirotada raisin bread pudding, earthy notes, leather, dark cherries, hints of oak, citrus, tangerine, mandarin preserves on biscuit bread, honey, green tea, peppery spices, bananas, clove spice, piloncillo sugar cone, old mango, strawberry, pitaya (Dragon fruit) and hints of chocolate.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, vanilla, dulce de leche, citrus, earthy hops and some tropic hints. No taste of alcohol in the flavor, a sipping drinkability yet you want to keep drinking, hazy to medium body and full mouth feel.

Overall:
This is a perfect barley wine. It is outstanding! It drinks more along the English Barley wine style so it is definitely sweeter and to some degree, the old ale style. While still maintaining the hop like flavors found in American Barleywines, it finds a way to mesh in the nice flavors I like from sweeter old ales and English Barleywines. Yes, give this one a try, it is great!

Anime Corner:
Carmen Serdan by Genzoman was chosen for this pairing because I wanted to pair the Mexican Revolution attire that was worn in those days as well as the label which shows the similar attire. Also, the fact that the beer tries to show that certain beers can be unique, in this case, barleywines, it goes to show hard the craft beer revolution is working to bring great flavors to the masses as well as inform them that beer can be more than just bitter yellow water. So, synonymously this beer is important to the brewery and so is the meaning. Cheers!

Sources:
Definietely check out Genzoman’s art and description about the artwork about the Mexican Revolution.
http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Carmen-Serdan-103601296

MechaHopzilla by Nola brewing

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Akane Yashiro, Citra Hops, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Godzilla, Hop Monster, Imperial India Pale Ale, IPA, Kaiju, Mecha Godzilla, MechaHopzilla, Nola Brewing, Titanosaurus, Toho | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

MechaHopzilla by Nola brewing is an 8.8% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale.

Label:
This “Hop Monster” is an American Imperial IPA boasting Bravo, Columbus, Centennial and Citra Hops. Beware of MechaHopzilla’s powerful flavor and it’s attack of half pound per barrel dry-hop aroma. Not for the faint of heart or palate. Hop heads, this one’s for you! Brewed with love, brewed in New Orleans.
___

I love Godzilla and all the other Kaiju monsters! This one is probably my favorite label from the beers I have received thus far in this package from my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. I have heard of a Hopzilla beer and even tried the Dogzilla beer long ago. However, a MechaHopzilla beer, this is freaking awesome! I have no idea what to expect from this beer but since it is an IPA, I can only hope it is a monster of a hoppy beer. Thanks again Aaron and cheers brother!

Aromas:
Grassy, Piney, floral and grapefruit hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine, oranges, lemon peel, tropical fruit hints like mango, papaya, prickly pears, dragon fruit, brown sugar, toffee, orange gummy bears and rye bread.

Flavors:
Grassy, piney, grapefruit, floral and citrus hops, caramel, tangerine, orange preserves on biscuit bread, tropical fruits like guava, papaya, dragon fruit, prickly pear, mango, brown sugar, toffee, orange gummy bears, bubble gum hints, lemon peel, rye bread, peach, apricot and butterscotch hints.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, grassy, pine, grapefruit and tropical hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, a moderate to sipping drinkability, medium body, medium mouth feel as well as crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
This IPA is very good. Aside from the Godzilla and Mecha Godzilla reference, this one truly does work with the caramel and malty aspect of IPAs. The balance of this works while still maintaining a caramel sweetness, the hop complexities definitely make for one really good and hoppy IPA. If you do not like malty and hoppy IPAs, then this one may not be for you. Personally, I enjoy these myself so I recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Akane Yashiro, Titanosaurus and Mecha Godzilla were used in this pairing for the obvious Mecha Godzilla reference. I tried to find something that also pairs with MechaHopzilla’s colors and in this case, it was the Mecha Gozilla III’s shoulder cannons. The fact that it comes in can also helps the pairing out so well. The bitterness is definitely represented by Mecha Gozilla’s onslaught.

Speaking of which, it turns out that Toho had sued Nola over this beer. I hope they can still use the reference because honestly, this is one bad ass monster of a beer!
http://www.fox8live.com/story/23392839/toho-sues-nola-brewing-over-mechahopzilla-beer

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/CLTMzsY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bVrKySg.jpg

Vanilla Noir by Prairie Artisan Ales

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged american whiskey, Barrel Aged, Imperial Stout, oak barrels, Omoto Mitsuki, Prairie Artisan Ales, Tsukumo no Kanade, vanilla beans, Vanilla Noir, whiskey barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Vanilla Noir by Prairie Artisan Ales is a 11.5% ABV Imperial Stout aged in oak whiskey barrels with vanilla beans.

Label:
Made by people who truly care from Oklahoma with love.
___

This is the first ever, Prairie beer I have ever had. To top off the greatness too, my friend Aaron from www.beermetaldude.com, was kind enough to donate for us a nice batch of their special beer for the site. Oak aged Whiskey with Vanilla beans will be the first I try and the Noir will be the next in line for sure. For now, let us check this one out!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, campfire smoke, whiskey, marshmallow smores, sour wine grapes, strong oak, pecan pie, dark fruit raisins, vanilla, caramel, toffee, flan hints, brown sugar, BBQ glazed ham, leather, tobacco and oatmeal cookies.

Flavors:
Campfire smoke, dark chocolate, vanilla, rich oak, sour wine grape hints, marshmallow, graham cracker smores, dark fruit raisins, rye bread, tobacco, leather, brown sugar, BBQ hone glazed ham, flan, caramel, pecan pie, hazelnut hint, roasted coffee grain hints, oatmeal cookies, molasses, licorice and anise.

Aftertaste:
Rich oak, vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, earthy notes, bourbon character, campfire smoke
Partial amount of alcohol in the taste but does not detract from the flavor. Sipping drinkability, pitch black appearance, full mouth feel almost syrupy.

Overall:
A truly smokey exceptional take on the style. Lots of oak and smokey goodness border-lining an sour stout like the great Madrugada Obscura. The Whiskey and vanilla beans keep everything in place so it doesn’t feel like a rauchbier and still maintaining a whiskey barrel character. In fact, the flavors actually compliment the whiskey very well. Feels right at home for this one. I am not sure what kind of oak was used in this but the oak was very different in flavor. Really complex and delicious stuff and highly recommended find.

Anime Corner:
Omoto Mitsuki from Tsukumo no Kanade was paired with Vanilla Noir because I wanted to showcase the monster in the label attacking the chicken. In this case, Omoto is the monster and her unleashing the demons is the vanilla, oak and dark fruit flavors onto your palate. The sourness and oak that comes from the beer is represented by her evil twisted gaze but the sweet side of the beer is how innocent she looks. Looks can be deceiving though as her power are at 11% ABV. Take care with this one.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/lGZmMxX.jpg

Hopitoulas IPA by Nola brewing

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Hatsune Miku, Hopitoulas, Hopzilla, india pale ale, IPA, Nola Brewing, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Hopitoulas IPA by Nola brewing is a 6.5% ABV India Pale Ale.

Label:
Houpitoulas is the product of our Brewmaster Peter ‘Hopzilla’ Caddoo’ 30 plus years of brewing experience and overall love for IPA’s. Created at our Tchoupitoulas Street brewery, our dry-hopped India Pale Ale was hand crafted with six malts and six hops to accentuate aromas of citrus and pine. We think you’ll taste the passion and dedication that has gone into this brew. Brewed with love, brewed in New Orleans.
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A sweet an awesome offering from my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com. This beer is the first I try from Nola brewing. I was was honored with this one and the MechaHopzilla which I will review at a later time. I wanted to start early with this one since I had not had a regular IPA since I received the awesome goods from Aaron. This is a basic IPA and from the many IPAs I have always had, I always try to put them in a category of more tropical, caramel maltiness, grassy dank or just floral and herbal. Let us see where this one goes to. Cheers!

Aromas:
Floral, grassy, pine, and grapefruit hops, sweet caramel, vanilla, honey, biscuit bread, apples, toffee, tangerine, rye bread, toffee, caramel, gummy bears, mango and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Floral, grassy, piney and grapefruit hops, caramel, tropical fruit mango, rye bread, honey, vanilla, citrus, tangerine, toffee, biscuit bread, mango, pecans and mandarin spread.

Aftertaste:
Tropical fruits, caramel, mango, rye bread, grassy and grapefruit hop lingers. No alcohol in the taste, light to medium body, easy to medium drinkability, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
A very good IPA. This one goes along the more maltier side of IPAs. In terms of the caramel maltiness is stronger with this one than the hops yet the hoppy goodness is still there. If you love stronger dank hoppy IPAs, this may not be yours but there may be a level of appreciation if you are a not a comple hop head. Hops aren’t everything and hence the reason I love to be open minded about beers.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku was used to pair with the label and the name of the beer. The beer almost sounds like the name of a city. In pairing with the label, I chose this one as it pairs with the city on her helmet like the bridge on the label and the name. The oval shapes and colors basically. You can also say that some of the brews tropical hints are represented in the colors of her little red friend there. Her eyes also pair well with the colors of the label too.

Sources:
http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2014/07/01/383234/9819a15fd51da96f55cc8378eb8cc509.jpg

Canebrake by Parish Brewing

August 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Pale Wheat Ale, Broussard, Canebrake, Louisiana, Louisiana Sugar Cane, Louisiana Wheat Ale, Naruto, Parish Brewing, sugar cane, Yugito | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.35/5

Canebrake by Parish Brewing is a 4.9% ABV American Pale Wheat Ale brewed with Louisiana sugar cane.

Label:
This delicious beer was brewed and bottled in small batches with great care and passion for our craft, by Parish Brewing Co, in Broussard, Louisiana.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Brewed with Louisiana sugarcane! A new Louisiana tradition in the works. Crisp and easy to drink, this sparingly hopped American wheat focuses attention on the understated sweet remnants of sugarcane.

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A beer brewed with sweet cane stalks? Yes, Please!! Growing up in Mexico I use to enjoy fresh sugar cane stalk. Now there is such a thing in beer. Wow, what won’t brewers do to make such awesome little beers like this. I gotta give special thanks to my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com for hooking me up with this brewsky from Louisiana. One that we do not here in California. Hopefully one day we will see it here. If you find it, let me know what you think, cheers!

Aromas:
Sugar cane stalk juice, agave syrup hints, peach, guava hints, honey comb, peppercorn, coriander spice, biscuit bread, stone fruit, tropical hints, citrus and mango tang.

Flavors:
Orange, lemon zest, peppercorn, farmhouse hay, guava, stone fruit peach, mango hints, sugar cane stalk juice, agave hints, prickly pear, passion fruit, dragon fruit hints, coriander spice, wheat bread, pear, apple, biscuit bread, caramel, vanilla hints, grassy notes and honey comb.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, biscuit bread, peppercorn, farmhouse hints, floral hop notes, sugarcane stalk juice and tropical fruits. No alcohol in the taste. Easy to drink, crisp, refreshing, medium body, light mouthfeel and a great summer beer.

Overall:
Very good wheat ale. This is the first Sugar cane beer I have ever had. As a young kid, I used to love the Mexican vendors growing up that would sell the sugar cane stalk. You would munch on the stalk to extract the sweet nectar and get rid of the grassy remains. This beer reminds me of that and it does had some flavors reminiscent of those days for me.

Anime Corner:
Yugito from Naruto was chosen to pair in this beer because not only was it the first time I try a beer from Parish brewing but the first time I bring Yugito into the beer world here on the site. She is the host of the Two Tailed Cat beast from the series. Her golden hair represents the threads of cane stalk while the green in some instances reminds me of the tropical fruits and sugar that are brought from this beer. The bead necklace she wears on her arm represents like that of religion which the name of the brewery, Parish, is what is represents. The demon cat represents the complexity of flavors that even such a beer at a low ABV can hold. So basically, it is like her unleashing that fury out,

Sources:
http://fidjera.deviantart.com/art/Comiss-Nii-Yugito-288008332
http://www.hcomicbook.com/imglink/gallery/ecb90476404ee97e93e88c7beba6ffbc9a59dcb1.jpg

Black Crack by Southern Star Brewing

August 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Imperial Stout, Black Crack, Bourbon Barrel Stout, Buried Hatchet, Southern Star Brewing, Stout | 1 Comment

Rating: 5.35/5

Black Crack by Southern Star Brewing is an 8.25% ABV Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
Bourbon barrel aged Buried Hatchet Stout
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Wonder why they call it Black Crack? Could it possibly be because this beer is so good that it is like a pitch black drug? Not sure, but thanks to my friend Aaron from www.beermetaldude.com, we can now bring this as a review to the site. Coming from Conroe Texas, their Buried Hatchet Stout is aged for a year and a half in Bourbon Barrels giving way to some sweet complex flavors. Can’t wait to try this, so let’s check this one out shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hazelnut, flan, dark fruit raisins, figs, vanilla, marshmallow, oak bourbon, almond joy chocolate, smokey notes, chocolate milkshake, pecan pie, molasses, toffee, brown sugar, crème brulee hints and mocha hints.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bourbon, oak, vanilla, marshmallows, graham cracker smores, almond joy chocolate, rocky road ice cream, pecan pie, molasses, crème brulee, mocha frappuccino, smokey notes, roasted coffee bitterness, earthy notes, dark fruit raisins and figs.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, earthy notes, smokey hints and marshmallow linger for a bit. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink suprisingly with a light to moderate mouthfeel but pitch black body. This make is dangerous as you definitely want to keep drinking it or have a few.

Overall:
I’m a sucker for bourbon barrel aged beers, especially those that taste pretty close to chocolate. This one exceeds my expectations with the help of the barrel aging but also the complexity and the fact that it drinks super smooth. If I had several of these in one sitting, it would be lights out for sure. So in the sense of overwhelming character, this one does great as it will not detract the unready palate. Highly recommended but careful now.

Anime Corner:
Original Character by artist Yuyu was used in this pairing to pair with Black Crack because I wanted to show some of the colors of the label but also what this sweet, evil and dark little beer entails. As you can see, the beers is very delicious, so much that you really want it. The dark hands that come out from the character are like the smokey notes of the beer and the evil sweetness that it represent. Do not be fooled by her sweet stare. She also doesn’t have a long rifle for no reason. Like a good beer that is hard to spot, if you are somehow seduced by this one, just try not to finish the whole bottle or several. Awesomely great beer but very dangerous.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/view_post/363141?lang=en

Blood & Honey by Revolver brewing

August 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Pale Wheat Ale, Black Lagoon, Blood & Honey, Blood Orange, Blood Oranges, Honey comb, Revolver Brewing, Revy, Texas | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Blood & Honey by Revolver brewing is a 7% ABV American Pale Wheat Ale brewed with Blood Orange peel, honey and spices.

Label:
An unfiltered deep-golden ale made with malted two-row barley and wheat. Finished with Blood Orange peel, Texas honey and a blend of spices.
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Straight out of Texas, this dual gunner beer was a generous donation by my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. The name alone is enough to make me want to try it. Blood Oranges or beers with Blood Orange are a treat that doesn’t really come out often. While Blood Oranges themselves taste just like Oranges but look like bloody pulp, it is still intriguing as the mind tends to believe there is a possibility that it taste like something more. Like when giving a blind test people vanilla pudding with brown food coloring, they will say it taste like chocolate. The mind tends to add things. Anyway, aside from that, I am looking for to try this one and to see how it fares. Cheers!

Aromas:
Honey comb, caramel, toffee, grapefruit hints, citrus, biscuit bread, piloncillo sugar cone, maple hints, wheat, peach, mango, blood oranges, lemon zest, coriander spice, strawberry hints, banana yogurt and clove spice.

Flavors:
Honey comb, caramel, biscuit bread, bananas, clove spice, piloncillo, peach, mango hints, cinnamon, maple hints, grapefruit, blood oranges, lemon zest, coriander spice, herbal hop bitterness, wheat bread, strawberry hints and pumpkin hints.

Aftertaste:
Honey comb, peach, strawberry hints, lemon zest, blood orange peel, wheat bread and herbal hop bitterness. No alcohol in the taste. Crisp and refreshing. Medium drinkability, medium mouth feel with a hazy full body.

Overall:
This beer is very good. There is an underlying sweetness in the that is moderately complex which I really believe is attributed to the ingredients used in the beer. This is not the typical wheat ale and has a lot of interesting things going on here. While beer itself is not red, there is nothing left but the taste and aromas to decipher what it is truly like. I can definitively say I like this one and it is worth trying.

Anime Corner:
Revy from Black Lagoon was used in this pairing to go with the brewery’s dual wield label. The blood orange aspect of the beer pays tribute to the deadly but sweet aspect of who Revy. While cold hearted and ruthless as she is for killing, the honey comes into play to show that sweet side of her that is typically not a part of her. It more likely balances her character out in a way. The moon in the background picture also pairs with the name of the beer because Blood and Honey have been 2 different types of descriptions given to some of the moons colors depending on the year season. Revy’s orange aura also compliments the blood oranges as well.

Sources:
http://hdw.datawallpaper.com/anime/revy-two-hs-hd-wallpaper-333012.jpg
http://konachan.com/image/b8018a13b685954f4641036e1e4ff011/Konachan.com%20-%2053635%20ass%20black%20black_lagoon%20hiroe_rei%20revy%20vector.jpg

Black Forest by Harpoon Brewery

August 9, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Black Forest, Boston Beer, cherry juice, cocoa nibs, Dark Cherries, dark chocolate, Fate Night Stay, Fate Stay Night, Harpoon Brewery, Harpoon brewing, Harpoon Distributing Company, Imperial Porter, Saber, Saber Alter/Dark, sakura matou | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Black Forest by Harpoon Brewery of Boston Massachusetts is a 9.8% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Cherry Juice and Cocoa Nibs.

Label:
Black Forest
When the drivers of Harpoon Distributing Company are finished delivering brewery-fresh beer throughout the neighborhoods of Boston, they spend time moonlighting with Harpoon’s brewers. In 2012, they developed a version of a cherry chocolate porter that was a favorite at our annual home-brew competition. It didn’t take long for the brewing staff to work up a 10-barrel test batch and we knew we had to make more.

A hearty malt base is complemented by sweet cherry juice and cocoa nibs added during fermentation in this decadent take on a traditional porter.

Notes of rich chocolate and a hint of cherry sweetness make this full bodied porter the perfect treat to share now or to cellar until next Valentine’s Day.
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Thanks once again to Aaron Mendiola at beermetaldude.com for the hookup of this sweet beer. Yet another brewery we don’t see here in California. This one is from Boston Massachusetts and apparently ended up being really good and sweet as I read about it. This I had to see for myself so I was glad to get the opportunity to give it a shot. So here it goes, the Harpoon Black Forest, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark Chocolate, rich dark cherries, cherry cola, mocha coffee, cherry cordial, hazelnut, earthy hop notes, brown sugar, dark fruit raisins, caramel, Dr. Pepper hints, maple, mint, molasses, licorice, raspberry hints and flan hints.

Flavors:
Burst of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, dark cherries, cherry yogurt, mocha coffee, dark fruit raisins, earthy hops, flan, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, cherry cola, maple, mint, chocolate chip cookies, molasses, licorice, brown sugar, maple, molasses, raspberry, nutmeg, pumpkin spice hints and hazelnut.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, dark cherry, vanilla, caramel, earthy hops, coffee and molasses. No alcohol in the taste, a moderate to sipping drinking characteristic, full body, syrupy mouthfeel yet smooth. Nice and deadly!!

Overall:
If you love sweet beers, especially chocolate and cherry ones, then this one is just an example of a beer that definitely exceeds my expectations in that department by a few notches. The Chocolate and Cherry are a complete win here with some additional complexity while it still reminds you that you are drinking a porter. A porter with no head retention and very delicious. I really wish we could get this one here in California, I would definitely drink this one all the time. Thanks again Aaron!

Anime Corner:
Saber Alter and Matou Sakura from Fatestay Night were used in this pairing because as the name goes, black forest, I wanted to show not only the pairing of the name but the flavors. As you can see from the colors in these pictures, they pretty much represent all the nice complexities that the beer has to offer and prominently the dark cherries and chocolate flavors. This beer is so damn good and the fact that these characters are evil, it represents the seductive qualities such that the beer is so smooth and yet strong at the same time.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/360781-1040×1477-fate+%28series%29-fateextra-saber-saber+alter-tyappygain-single.jpg
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/92024-1325×1800-fate+%28series%29-fatestay+night-saber-matou+sakura-saber+alter-stu+dts+%28pixiv%29.jpg

Devil Dancer by Founders brewing

August 9, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Devil Dancer, Founders Brewing, india pale ale, IPA, Panty & Stocking, PSG, Scanty, Scanty and Kneesocks, Tripel India Pale Ale, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Devil Dancer by Founders brewing is a 12% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Founders most complex, most innovative, most feared and yet most revered ale produced. Massive in complexity the huge malt character balances the insane amount of alpha’s used to create this monster. More IBU’s than any brewery has documented, more than you would believe and dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties. Dangerously drinkable and deliciously evil. We dare you to dance with the Devil. 112 IBUs.
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There is no way we here at California can get Founders beers regularly as well as the central states in the U.S. They pop up very far few and between. Thanks to Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com, we bring you a doozey of an IPA. This one from Founder brewing is probably their arsenal at the plinys and headys of the world. At a really heavy, 12% ABV, this is probably the strongest IPAs I have had right next to the 18% 120 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head. Well, without further ado, here is the review, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark cherries, grapefruit, piney, herbal and floral hops, caramel, toffee, dark fruit hints, some tropics such as passion fruit, dragon fruit, papaya, peach, biscuit bread, rye bread, vanilla, lemon zest, blood oranges, dank hop oils and maple syrup.

Flavors:
Dark Cherries, dark fruit raisins, figs, rye bread, grapefruit, floral and earthy hops, toffee, caramel, vanilla, biscuit bread, honey, blood oranges, old mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, papaya, peach hints, lemons, maple syrup and hop oils.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, dark cherries, citrus, honeygrapefruit, piney and earthy hops. No alcohol in the taste. Sipping drinkability but yet smooth and easy at the same time. Syrupy mouth feel, full body, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
One of the strongest Triple IPAs I have ever tried for sure. This one is mainly on the malty and yet hoppy side showing a good amount of uncommon fruity complexities which make this one pretty unique. The potency of the beer makes it like you are drinking tropical hop and caramel oils. I really enjoyed this one and I do think this takes its place well up there with the plinys and Headys for sure. I definitely recommend this one for sure. Thanks Again Aaron.

Anime Corner:
Scanty from Panty & Stocking was used in this pairing because I wanted to pair with the colors and the devil dancer name. Scanty is a demon that fights with her sister Kneesocks against the angels Panty and Stocking. During their transformation sequence from formal attire, they pretty much strip like exotic dancers. Therefore, the name and the pairing stuck. Also, the fact that Scanty is obviously awesome.

Sources:
http://chitanime.3bb.ru/uploads/0000/0a/4a/33891-3-f.jpg

Mr Pineapple by SanTan Brewing

August 9, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Pale Wheat Ale, Happoubi Jin, Mr Pineapple, pineapple, pineapple juice, Santan Brewing, wheat beer | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.25/5

Mr Pineapple by SanTan Brewing is a 5% ABV is an American Pale Wheat Ale brewed with Natural Pineapple Juice.

Label:
Mr Pineapple was conceived for SanTan Brewing Company’s annual Luau day. Fresh pineapple juice is added to a traditional Wheat beer during fermentation to add a refreshing tropical flavor this fruity ale! The pineapple is balanced with a firm malt character and a slightly spiced hint of clove. Mr. Pineapple is the perfect way way to beat the heat on a warm summer day!
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A special thanks for the hook up to the lord of beermetaldude.com, Aaron Mendiola. This beer comes from Arizona and is brewed by SanTan. Being so close to California, I have yet to try an Arizona brew. This is my first and this awesome. I was able to get a second can to do a review later one but just the honor of bringing a SanTan beer to the reviews is awesome. This one is a pineapple wheat beer. I have tried a Watermelon wheat beer before which really was not that great unfortunately. You be the judge on that one though. I really hope this one does better but I will only be able to tell once we do the review. So let’s go and cheers!

Aromas:
Banana, clove spice, peppercorns, biscuit bread, citrus, pineapple hints, vanilla, caramel, floral notes, honey, honey dew melon, herbal spices and old mango.

Flavors:
Bananas, clove spice, Pineapple hints, tangerine, citrus, honey, passion fruit, old mango, honey dew melon, Orange, peppercorns, biscuit bread, ,mango, vanilla, caramel, floral notes, lemon peel and honeycomb.

Aftertaste:
Pineapple, banana, citrus, biscuit bread, clove spice and lemon peel linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink refreshing and crisp. Light to medium mouth feel, and clear body.

Overall:
This is very good. It is like the Belgian wit meets German heff but on the tropical fruitier side. I can easily see my self buy several of these for a nice summer day as it is pretty refreshing. The addition of the pineapple gives it some nice tropical character without taking too much from the Belgian wit goodness. In fact it does compliment it a bit. A very nice beer if you can find it.

Anime Corner:
Original character by artist Happoubi Jin was chosen for this pairing to show case some of the label art work as well as the beer flavors. While the pineapple up in the corner is represents the pineapple flavor of the beer, the lady in the picture is representative of Mr./Miss Pineapple. Her colors are those that compliment the label well. The green of the stem and the blonde hair of the skin of pineapple. Her eyes give way to the Belgian aspect as in their use of special yeast gives nice fruity flavors and in some Belgians, the dark fruits.

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2010-02-25-249907.jpeg