2014 Black Damnation III Black Mes by De Struise Brouwers

December 31, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 1995 Caol Ila (MES) Bourbon Whisky Barrels, aged in Bourbon Barrels, Battleship-Symbiotic Hime, Belgian imperial Stout, Black Albert, Black Damnation III, Black Damnation Series, Black Mes, Caol Ila Bourbon Whiskey, De Struise, De Struise Brouwers, Imperial Stout, Kancolle/Kantai Collection, whisky barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5 *Last Rating/Review of 2014

2014 Black Damnation III Black Mes by De Struise Brouwers is a 13% ABV Belgian Imperial Stout aged for 3 months in 1995 Caol Ila (MES) Bourbon Whisky Barrels.

Label:
The Black Damnation series is a dark twist of Urban’s mind. His idea is to realize a dozen beers with the use of Black Albert, and over a period of two years, that are as black as hell, filthy rich in the nose and with a massive taste.

A massive Stout from Flanders
BD 666 Imperial Stout

==Introduction==

Time for another year to begin. It has been a great 2014 and more beers to come in 2015. This beer comes to me from www.craftshack.com which only had a very limited amount and I was only able to snag a single bottle. There a demand for the Black Damnation Series that I was never aware of and this is the first time I try it. The only thing is the price tag on this one (about $40-50 a bottle). I have seen this one in the past but I have never stooped to get it. Since it is the Holidays and I wanted to really see if this type of beer was worth the hype, I decided to splurge and bring it forth here so we can see if this bottle is truly its gold in price.

Thank you all for following me this far for almost 5 years since I started doing my own reviews for friends and then jumped to do them for the public and those who appreciate the true works of art and flavor experience. Cheers to you and your families, Have a Happy New Year and hope to bring more beers in the future to the site. Many thanks to my greats friends such as Aaron from Texas who has been hooking me up with great beers from his region, William and Richard who’s great home brews has sparked my motivation to start my own home brews soon and the beginning of NubisSanctum Ales. To you the readers, my family and friends, Bless you all and Hope to have a great 2015, cheers!!

Aromas:
Very Rich Dark Fruits and berries such as Raisins, Currants, Figs, Plums, Black Cherries, Raspberries, Pomegranite, Blackberries, Blueberries,Boysenberries,Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Strawberry Preserves, Toasted Rye Bread, Dulce De leche Caramel, Vanilla, Oak, Whiskey, Port Wine, Grapes, Bananas, Clove spice, Anise, Molasses, Licorice hints, Flan, Three Milks Cake, Blackberry Cheese Cake, Smokey Campfire hints, Marshmallow smores, Coconut hints, brown sugar, hazelnut, Black Cherry Yogurt, leather, tobacco and more.

Flavors:
Rich Dark Chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, Milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, White Chocolate, German Chocolate, Rich Dark Fruits like raisins, plums, figs, Dark currants, Dark Cherries, Black Cherry, Boysenberries, Pomegranite, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, currants, mango hints, dragon fruit, blackberry cheese cake, Rich Black Cherry Yogurt, prailines, raisin bread pudding,hazelnuts, bananas, clove hints, Port Wine, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, deep smokey oak, marshmallow smores, campfire smokey hints, strawberry preserves, rye bread, milk sugar, maple, molasses, anise, roasted coffee, mocha, Kahlua, whisky, subtle coconut hints, pecan pie, leather, tobacco, licorice hints, cookie dough, oreo cookies, Cherry Dr. Pepper hints, earthy notes, flan, 3 leches/3 milks cake, brown sugar and ambrosia.

Aftertaste:
Leaving Rich Dark fruits and berry flavors, roasted coffee, earthy notes, leather, tobacco, oak, caramel, dark chocolate, dark cherry yogurt and whiskey notes that linger for a very, very, very, VERY LONG TIME. Yeah, it is pretty damn rich no doubt. No alcohol in the taste, pitch black as night body, syrupy yet super smooth mouthfeel, scarily easy to drink despite the ABV.

Overall:
A damn phenomenal beer that Drinks like a Dark Lord Imperial Stout but maybe even more. One of the Best Belgian Imperial Stouts. So infused with so many complex fruity yet dark flavors and pretty much drinks like a special syrup that just taints the taste beds to no end leaving such a mark of sweetness and roasty complexity that keeps going. Maybe damnation isn’t too far off as you been damn with a complex level of sweetness that just keeps evolving. WOW…Is it worth the ridiculous price? No way, then again maybe worth a try once. I think the only justification is the fact that it is an import after all. Trying at least one of the bottles is worth just a try if you really want to. However, if you have tried a heavy Russian Imperial Stout like Darkness, Dark Lord, Black Hole Sun, Serpent’s Stout and others, just infuse it with rich dark fruits and great Belgian Dark Stout Arts and oh yeah, 20 year old super fancy whiskey, then you will likely have this one although I can’t get over how damn smooth this one was. It drank way to easy and was damn scary. For something this high quality, maybe there is a reason for the price. You be the judge really, all I can say, You Only Craft Beer Whale Once…

Anime Corner:
Battleship Symbiotic Hime from Kantai Collection/ KanColle was used in this pairing since I wanted to display many aspects of the beer. The Flavors of the beer can be expressed through the colors where she , the Symbiotic Hime stands on Skulls as she takes in a drink. She also represents the dark but also the fruity crimson of dark fruit complexity from this beer. She is damn sexy! It is hard to see which best represents the Black Damnation aspect as well as the aging process it took for this beer to come to fruition. The skulls and machinery pairs well with the label as the skull almost looks like it is part of a machine. The schematics and wiring of the label are almost as complex as the dark recesses of the human mind. They also look digital in a way like the matrix. Like drinking something like this may break the code of reality, or something like that. Pretty much sums up the complexity of the beer in almost every aspect of the experience. Regardless of what it is, Symbiotic Hime represents the damnation like that of hell or the Devil’s water which is fits the beer over all. The reason I chose all of this including this beer as the last for 2014 has to do mainly with the unknown. We don’t know how complex the future will be as the years come and even in the height of the the uncertain and complex unknown future, we can take our past experiences with us and embrace whatever comes. Don’t see is as being damn for 2015, see this as a window of unlimited opportunities, good and bad for all as we hurdle and waltz through this complex reality called Life…and as we go, we an have more beers, so… Cheers!

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/zPK1DVh.jpg
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2014/194/f/0/abysmal_area__3_by_flaurel-d7qjxjk.jpg

The Belly Rub collaboration by Project Co-op Brew and Sleepy Dog Brewing

December 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 101 Dalmatians, aged in Bourbon Barrels, Belgian Tripel, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Disney, Project Co-op brew, rye bread, Sleepy Dog Brewery, The Belly Rub, Tripel, white wine grapes | 2 Comments

Rating: 5.45/5

The Belly Rub collaboration by Project Co-op Brew and Sleepy Dog Brewing is a 10% ABV Belgian Tripel aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
You know that satisfying good feeling you get when your belly gets rubbed? Yeah… like that. So go ahead have a sip, sit back, paws up, and say, “hahh haahh haah.”

==Introduction==

I have over looked this beer many times and did not really bother to get although I really liked the label. There was always something else I wanted to try but recently I saw it again and I thought to myself, I have to get it now or miss the chance. I said screw it! So here we are with the little dalmatian on the label. Looks like Disney may have over looked this one as the little puppy resembles one of the 101 dalmatians. Disney selling beer? Nah, no way! Anyway, here you have it. This Belgian Triple is aged in Bourbon Barrels. I have not tried many Tripels aged in Bourbon so trying this I hope it is as awesome as some of the other great BBA beers I have tried in the past. Let’s try out this one shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Stone fruit apricots, peaches, plums, mango, white raisins, white wine grapes, peppercorn, biscuit bread, rye bread, butterscotch, Danish cookies, graham crackers, bourbon, marshmallow, brown sugar, pilloncillo sugar cone, sweeteened condensed milk and brettanomyces possibly from the oak.

Flavors:
Rich Stone fruit Apricots, Peaches, old mango, apples, pine apple, guava hints, Biscuit bread, Oak, Bourbon, vanilla, caramel, honey, phenolic notes, bananas, sour white wine grapes, orange preserves on rye bread, brettanomyces hints, waffle cone, graham crackers, brown sugar, pecan pie hints, sweetened condensed milk hints, butterscotch hints, buttery Danish cookies, White Raisins, floral notes, lemon peel, peppercorn hints, citrus, farm house hay hint, marshmallow, coconut hints, dried plums, Pilloncillo Sugar cone and cane sugar.

Aftertaste:
Apricots, White Wine grapes, caramel, waffle cone, bourbon hints, Danish cookies, honey, citrus and biscuit bread lingers. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden medium body, moderate and creamy body and moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A bit over the perfect mark. This beer is pretty pleasant allowing a good amount of honey and stone fruit sweetness along with the mild tart citrus and apricot notes and more. Something about the aging process or maybe the type of bourbon used here pairs it well to unleash the rich Stone fruit flavors. I would definitely recommend this as this thing oozes with a lot of Stone fruit flavors and oak. A great tripel and the bourbon barrel aging just does its wonders.

Anime Corner:
Original Dalmatian Girl by Hirano Katsuyuki was chosen for this pairing to go with the little cute dalmatian puppy. It really looks like a Disney character. Also, trying to find something that would pair with the label was hard to find. Not only could I hardly find a cute anime girl but a Dalmatian one at that. I only found it in one place but you can see how well it pairs especially as she approaches the beer. The beer gives a Belly rub from the inside and definitely please man’s best friends search for great beer. I am not sure if dogs drinking beer is good, but it seems to make them happy. Overall very cute

Sources:
http://boostfire.deca.jp/illust/illust48.jpg

Five Wee Heavy Bells by Karl Strauss

December 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 12 Beers of Christmas, Amy Mizuno, Five Wee Heavy Bells, Fruit Cake, Holiday Ale, Holiday Fruit Cake Ale, Karl Strauss, Makoto Kino, Minako Aino, Rei Hino, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor moon, Sailor Venus, Scotch Ale, Serina Usagi Tsukino, Twelve Beers of San Diego Christmas, Wee Heavy, Winter Warmer | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Five Wee Heavy Bells by Karl Strauss is a 9.5% ABV Holiday Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale.

Label:
The next pioneering release in our “Twelve days” series gets its name from the five famous bells of Mission San Diego de Alcala; whose “golden rings” can only be heard in unison once a year. Five Wee Heavy Bells is a smooth, malty scotch ale with rich caramel flavors and a warming finish. The beer’s malt sweetness is balanced by pronounced scotch characteristics; carefully developed by aging the beer on scotch-soaked American oak chips. Whether you enjoy your bottle now or let it age for celebrations to come, Five Wee Heavy Bells is perfect for the holidays.

==Introduction==

The 5th release if the 12 Christmas beers of San Diego is now available in time for the Holidays. I have finally had a chance to bring the 5th one forward while all the other ones have been awesome indeed. I have yet to find a bottle of Dos Tortugas Quadrupel but that is okay as I have had it on draft. This makes me wonder if I should ever find a pairing for that one. Oh well, one of these days I am sure. Anyways, they decided to bring forth a Wee Heavy Style. This is an awesome style that does not get enough praise due to it being an uncommon style. Still, I have tried many Wee Heavy Ales in the past but this one intrigues me as it says it is a Holiday spiced one. We shall see then. Join me this holiday to take a look at this one and see what we find. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich fruit cake notes, dark fruit raisins, sugar plums, figgy pudding, red velvet cake, cinnamon, Stotch hints, butterscotch, dulce de leche caramel, maple, flan hints, smoked peat, malty cereal, marshmallow smotes, graham crackers, all spice, nutmeg, bananas, hazelnut, coffee cake, mocha and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Rich Dark Fruit raisins, sugar plums, dark cherry, Rich Fruit cake, Red Velvet cake, pecan pie, figgy pudding, butterscotch, toffee, vanilla, caramel, maple, biscuit bread, malty cereal, Scotch, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, bananas, smoked peat, anise, dulce de leche caramel, flan hints, marshmallow smores, mocha hints, hazelnut, mocha, peaches and cream, coffee cake and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Rich toffee, butterscotch, rye bread, leather, maple, fruit cake, dark fruits raisins, dark cherries, biscuit bread, and coffee cake. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, silky and smooth mouthfeel, crimson amber clear body with a drinkability that is definitely moderate.

Overall:
Damn perfect Wee Heavy. It is like they took a Wee Heavy and pretty much added the holiday spices too it making like a Wee Heavy Winter Warmer, or so I think. The beer is great just like their other holiday beers. I enjoyed this one especially for the style. I will definitely recommend this one if you like nice holiday ales and especially Wee Heavy Scotch Ales.

Anime Corner:
All 5 Sailor Scouts from Sailor Moon were used in this pairing to pair with the 5 Wee Heavy Bells as each wears a pendant like wearing a bell. Their transformations depend on it. The different colors are the different variety of flavors but also the whole color aspect is primarily what makes Christmas. This beer is almost magical on its own.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/390164-1920×1200-bishoujo+senshi+sailor+moon-toei+animation-tsukino+usagi-sailor+moon-aino+minako-sailor+venus.jpg

2014 Preservation Series Oaked Old Richland by The Bruery

December 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Barleywine, barley wine, Barleywine, dragon fruit, Final Fantasy IX, Freya Crescent, Hoppy beer, Oak aged, Oaked Old Richland, passion fruit, Preservation Society, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

2014 Preservation Series Oaked Old Richland by The Bruery is an 11.1% ABV Hoppy American Barley Wine aged in Wine Oak Barrels.

Label:
Our version of an American Barleywine, Old Richland is quite hoppy with a caramel-like malt base that finishes with a hint of woodiness. Best when consumed fresh as the hop character will dimminish with age.

==Introduction==

Obtained through the Preservation Society membership which is the one that sends 3 beers quarterly. Now since this is the last one of the year and only one sent per membership, I wanted to bring this one forward as this was the last one they released for the year in general. This one is a hoppy barley wine so I assume it will be nothing like the MASH series and more of it’s own beer. The fact that they used a variety of hops (Simcoe, Centennial and Sterling) may make this one super hoppy. The aging in thw ine oak barrels may bring out some of that hidden fruitiness though. We will see, come follow me and let’s take a close look, cheers!

Aromas:
Strong herbal, floral, citrus, piney, grassy and grapefruit hops, vanilla, oak, toffee, caramel, roasted peanuts, peanut butter roast hints, smokey oak, brown sugar, old mango, pineapple, peppercorns, marshmallow smore hints, wine grape hints, almond, pecans, stone fruit apricots, rye bread, leather, passion fruit, honey dew melon and dragon fruit.

Flavors:
Citrus, Piney, Grassy, Grapefruit and floral hops, vanilla, caramel, oak, toffee, apples, smoke hints, graham cracker smores, old mango, pine apple, dragon fruit, honey, stone fruit apricots, rye bread, lemon peel, almond, pecans, earthy hops, marshmallow hints, peppercorn, floral notes, herbs, peanut butter hints, roasty peanuts, wine grapes, orange preserves, honey dew melon and passion fruit hints.

Aftertaste:
Such a bitter and hoppy finish definitive of the barley wines, caramel, oak, toffee, peanuts, vanilla, earthy, piney and citrus hops linger for a bit. No Alcohol in the taste, clear to medium amber brown body, moderate to sipping drinkability and slightly syrupy yet smooth mouthfeel.

Overall:
True to that west coast style Barley wine. Drinks almost like a malty IPA but with lots of hoppy goodness going for it. Quite frankly, I think this is the most hoppy I have ever had from the Bruery and typically, they say no to IPAs or bitter beers. Despite the fact that the wine oak is subtle due to the HOP Super Presence. You still get notes of it.. Such a great beer and best fresh too as this is possible the freshest I have had from them (hop wise). If you would like this beer, I am unsure if you need to trade for it or if they will have extras like they did with Ignis Fatuus which hopefully they will. I can definitively recommend this one if you love close to IPA hopped Barleywines.

Anime Corner:
Freya Crescent from Final Fantasy 9 was brought back for this pairing with the Bruery since she is a favorite character of mine from the series. I this pairing I tried to pair with the colors of the label but also the flavors of the beer. Freya has the perfect colors of the beer as well as the sweet caramel flavors. She is ready for battle to decimate the flavors of the palate with a barrage of sweet and Bitter hops. You can see this from the greens of her clothing which represents the hops and the reds the caramel. The Oak as seen in the armored purple version of Freya brings forth the flavors of the wine and dark fruit like characters while the floating javelins represent the onslaught of hop madness inducing the taste buds all at once and yet being alleviated by the malty sweetness which is poured in like rain.

Sources:
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g289/Aevitas7/Final%20Fantasy/freya_thief.png
http://oi59.tinypic.com/veci2g.jpg

2014 Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale by Unibroue

December 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 2014 Trader Joe's Vintage Ale, Belgian beer, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Style, Canada Beers, Fate Night Stay, Fate Stay Night, Fate Zero, Irisviel von Einzbern, Saber, Spices, Trader Joe's, Unibroue | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

2014 Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale by Unibroue is a 9% ABV Belgian Dark Strong Ale brewed with Spices and Natural Flavors.

Label:
Unique and limited edition, this Belgian style ale is crafted once a year as a special treat for those of you who appreciate flavorful, bottle-conditioned ale with character.

Our Vintage Ale is a rich, dark and full-bodied ale with a fine and generous coffee-colored, beige foam. It’s ready to enjoy right away and you may also wish to cellar a few bottles. It will evolve interestingly well, developing more complex flavors as the years go by. Keep the bottle upright in storage.

Brewed with a delicate balance of noble hops, Roasted malts and spices, this is a remarkably smooth ale with a wonderfully complex finish. It is best served slightly chilledaround 53 degrees Fahrenheit and pairs exceptionally well with grilled salmon steaks, curried lamb, beef or tuna au poivre. Crafted and bottled exclusively for Trader Joe’s

==Introduction==

Trader Joe’s is not a typical store I usually visit as it is nowhere near my home. That and the fact that I usually go to other shops to get special beers. My friend Richard told me about this beer at the Trader Joe’s and advised that this one would be good to try. Trader Joe’s has always had good selection according to Richard. I can definitely vouch for that as he used to work for them back when craft beer was hardly in the major stores but now see them more often. So since I really like Unibroue, I definitely had to see what this one was about. So here we go, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruits like raisins, figs plums, dark cherry, vanilla, coffee, phenolic notes, dark candi sugars, brown sugar, port wine notes, stone fruit hints like apricots, pears, apples, dulce de leche caramel, oats, molasses, anise, and cola notes.

Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, Coffee, Oats, molasses, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, dark cherries, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, port wine, cola notes, candi sugars, anise, raisin bread pudding, bananas, clove spice, pears, apricots, apples, grapes, pecan pie, phenolic notes, rum hints and wheat bread.

Aftertaste:
Dark fruits linger along with port wine notes, stone fruit hints, candi sugar and coffee. No alcohol in the taste, smooth and creamy mouthfeel, moderate drinkability and pitch black body.

Overall:
This is a very good Belgian Dark Strong reminding me of some of Unibroue’s best, like Trois Pistoles. This taste similar to Trois Pistoles but not as through as that one. I still think it is a great ale and you should try it if you happen to stop by a Trader Joe’s. However, if you don’t get the chance, just go with Unibroue’s other beers as those are more widely common and just as great if not way better. A great Belgian beer none the less.

Anime Corner:
Irisviel von Einzbern and Saber from Fate Zero were used in this pairing to represent the collaboration of Trader Joe’s and Unibroue. Unibroue is Irisviel and Trader Joe’s is Saber. Together bring about an awesome Belgian style that reminds me a lot of Trois Pistoles. As you can see this fits since they are inside what appears to be an abbey or a church or even monastery. The darkness in their eyes and colors represents the Belgian arts of great Dark Strong Ales with the fruity complex. Not too bad for some bad ass collaborations.

Sources:
http://tp.hellodm.cn/data/attachment/forum/201301/10/210543bvvvhvvyvlhw0vmy.jpg

2014 Bourbon Barrel Aged Magnificat by Monkish brewing

December 24, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, belgian ales, Belgian beer, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Christmas ale, Bourbon Barrel Aged, California Beers, christmas beer, dark chocolate, Holiday Ale, Holiday Fruit Cake Ale, Magnificat, Metroid, monkish, monkish brewing, Nintendo, Samus | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2014 Bourbon Barrel Aged Magnificat by Monkish brewing is a 12.6% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Holiday/Christmas Ale brewed with holiday spices and aged in bourbon barrels.

Description:
Following the traditions of Belgian Noel beers, Magnificat is our first offering of a Christmas beer. Like a Belgian-style strong dark or quadruple ale, this dark beer has a rich, silky malt profile of caramel and roasted malts, rye, and oats, and reveals complementary accents of dark stone fruits and spices from our Belgain yeast. And to create that liquid-Christmas experience, the beer is spiced with clover honey, sweet and orange peels, coriander seed, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Aged in bourbon barrels for 10 months.

==Introduction==

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all in the world. Another year is almost done and more beers to come for next year. Monkish Brewing in Torrance has released it’s, what I believe is, first bourbon barrel aged beer for Christmas. Only 50 cases of this was released to the public so if you want to get your hands on this winter warmer of a quad like dessert, visit them for sure. For being one of those breweries that is specifically inspired by the awesome works of Belgian beers, this is an awesome brewery. Cheers to another year of beers and have a Merry Christmas. Here is to you and your loved ones, Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Dulce de leche caramel, fruit cake, vanilla, hazelnut, pecan pie, coconut cream, toffee, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dark cherries, chocolate cherry cordials, brown sugar, molasses, anise hints, banana, clove spice, coriander spice, pumpkin spice, ginger spice, ginger bread, all spice, nutmeg, stone fruit peaches, applies, red velvet cake, Danish cream cookies, port wine hints, marshmallow chocolate smores, almond joys and dark chocolate.

Flavors:
Rich dulce de leche caramel,oak barrel forward, bourbon, vanilla, flan, cinnamon, rich fruit cake, chocolate cherry cordials, rye bread, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dark cherries, almond joy chocolate, maple syrup, coconut, marshmallow, dark chocolate smores, hazelnut, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, bananas, clove spice, allspice, nutmeg, red velvet cake, Danish cream cookies, waffle cone, milk sugars, rock candy, candi sugar, burnt sugars, key lime pie, stone fruit peaches, apricot, apples, coriander spice, ginger bread, molasses, anise hints, brown sugar, toffee, port wine hints, leather notes and tobacco hints.

Aftertaste:
Holiday spices like allspice, nutmeg, bananas, bourbon, pecan pie, dark fruit, fruit cake, gionger bread and bourbon. Some alcohol in the taste but not detracting from the flavors, sipping drinkability, syrupy and creamy mouthfeel and dark crimson full body.

Overall:
Holy cow! This almost feels like drinking a Bruery Barrel Aged beer, like the Black Tuesday. This beer was quite unexpected as I was not sure how much bourbon and oak barrel character I would get and even enough to see if it would have a dramatic effect on the original magnificat. Damn, was I surprised. The richness I would expect from drinking some very epic bourbon barrel beers is right here but the fact that this one is a holiday beer and a Belgian one at that changes the direction this one goes to. IT goes into an awesome holiday direction. It is understandable that this one is limited but this one is one that would do extremely well with age. This is their strongest beer yet at Monkish and is one I truly enjoyed. If you can somehow find this one or if they still have it by the time you read this, get it. Even at 20$ I think it was all the while worth it.

Anime Corner:
Samus Aran from Nintendo’s Metroid series was chosen in this pairing since I wanted to show a Christmas time anime character. However, due to the fact that this was bourbon barrel beer, I had to bring forth a bad ass yet sexy bounty hunter santa. Samus pairs well with the colors since this beer’s label is very bright and colorful pairing with the colors of her original Zero suit but also the background. The light reds and colors of the Christmas lights also pairs with her and the Metroid hiding behind the Christmas bag. The beer is as strong as complex as her character in the variety of Metroid games but she was also one I used with Founder’s KBS. A great pairing to end the 2014 Christmas year.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/237404-1000×1200-metroid-samus+aran-kuroma+%28atapi%29-long+hair-tall+image-light+erotic.jpg

Rosabi by Dogfish Head brewing

December 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Amber Ale, American Imperial Pale Ale, Dogfish Head, Flandre Scarlet, Hops, Imperial American Pale Ale, Imperial Pale Ale, Japanese Beers, Julianna Barwick, Pale Ale, peanut brittle, Rosabi, Touhou, Touhou Project, Wasabi, Wasabi beer | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Rosabi by Dogfish Head brewing is an 8% ABV Imperial American Pale Ale brewed with Wasabi.

Label:
The vivid rose hue of this imperial Pale Ale comes from a combination of Munich and Caramel malts and a touch of red rice from Louisiana, birthplace of musician and collaborator Julianna Barwick. Citrusy Simcoe and Centennial feed Julianna’s love of hops, and the star of the show is her go-to ingredient: wasabi. What’s hoppy? … Wasabi. The Japanese root adds bittering and herbal notes similar to hops, with its subtle heat creeping in after the kick of carbonation. It’s expansive from start to finish. So go ahead, take a sip, toss your head back, and howl at the red Rosabi moon.

==Introduction==

Now this is a Dogfish Head beer that really intrigued me. After seeing this one at Luekensliquor.com, and the fact that I am a Sushi and Wasabi fanatic, It didn’t take me long to just go on ahead and get this beer. The only unfortunate part is, they only allow you to purchase 1 bottle from the site. This was devastating since I know some good friends who would probably enjoy this beer. I really hope they release this one to all states that sell Dogfish Head. Not sure if this is a gimmick or not but I have never tried a Wasabi beer and this is definitely a great way to explore the vast world of the Lost treasure of beer experience. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich caramel malt forward, wasabi notes, citrus and grapefruit hops, mango, grapes, hazelnut, rye bread, butterscotch, toffee, dragon fruit, brown sugar, cherries, chocolate hints, coriander spice, toffee, peanut brittle, hibiscus flowers, pineapple and rice cakes.

Flavors:
Subtle but not burning green Wasabi, citrus and grapefruit hops, caramel, grapes, hazelnut, rye bread, peanut brittle, toffee, oranges, mango, peaches, pineapple, chocolate notes, dragon fruit, coriander spice, mild wasabi spice as the beer warms up, apples, brown sugar, rice, cherries, hibiscus flowers, biscuit bread, toasted coconut and vanilla.

Aftertaste:
Lots of Caramel, citrus and grapefruit hops, wasabi notes in the backbone, sweet toffee rye, peanut brittle, hazelnut and mainly malty finish. No alcohol in the taste, crimson ruby rose medium body, moderate drinkability with a silky mouthfeel.

Overall:
Drinking more like an Amber Ale, this beer is really very good. There is no heat but if you know the subtle taste of wasabi, it is there but mild enough to be very enjoyable. It starts with the Wasabi flavor and then moves into a world of sweetness and hoppy goodness. There seems to be more sweetness than hoppy though which could be attributed to the malty sweetness cutting the Wasabi extreme heat. I can only hope that this beer and Sushi would be the ultimate combination which makes me want to have another bottle. I can only recommend this one if you would like a more maltier Pale Ale. There isn’t nothing wrong with that and I generally enjoy sweeter beers more, but I love me some super bitter hops too. So there you have it, Wasabi with some hop bitterness and drinks more like an Amber. Maybe not quite what you’d expect but still a very good beer.

Anime Corner:
Flandre Scarlet from Touhou Project was used in this pairing since I wanted to pair the label of the ruby red moon as well as the green colors of wasabi which you can see by the diamonds. Since this beer is more on the sweeter side than what I had expected, the apple Scarlet is chewing on represent this as well as the fact that this beer is more of an Amber ale than a Pale Ale. However, despite the fact that Wasabi is extreme, maybe how it worked with this beer, it cut all the other bitter hops and cancelled its own spiciness to get to this. This is why Scarlet looks innocent but her burning eyes state another story.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/361397-2560×1440-touhou-flandre+scarlet-ankh+%28ankh+05%29-single-short+hair-wide+image.jpg

Persimmon Ship collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Upland brewing

December 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Aircraft Carrier-hime, American Wild Ale, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Double Dragonfly, dragon fruit, jolly pumpkin, Kancolle/Kantai Collection, Marvel Vs. Capcom, passion fruit, persimmon, Persimmon Ship, Persimmons, Ruby Heart, sour dough bread, Sour Persimmon Ale, Upland Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Persimmon Ship collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Upland brewing is a 5% ABV American Wild Ale brewed with Persimmons and Dragon Fruit

Label:
Combining Indiana Persimmons and Dragon fruit from Thailand? Who would concoct such a divinely subtle concoction of joy and delight? Only the spookily twisted folks at Jolly Pumpkin and Upland Brewing, that’s who. From the rolling hills of Indiana, to the twisted wrought iron gates and graveyards of Dexter, comes this wonderful blending of oak aged sour ale.

Our First Collaborative Release of 2014!

==Introduction==

I obtained this bottle at Luekensliquor.com which sells many Florida beers. While I wanted more, 1 was all I can obtain. It makes me believe they will have more soon. The fact that this was a Jolly Pumpkin beer collaborating with Upland, I had to have it. The last time I had an Upland beer was their Double Dragonfly DIPA which they are so weird with this. It shows a weird combination of Humanoid Dragonflies in their mating season. A great beer, but certainly hard to come by and hopefully is something that we get to see here in California as we typically get these beers. So if you do find it, hopefully my review will help you, Cheers!

Aromas:
Pink dragon fruit, honey dew melon, persimmons, sourdough bread, white wine grapes, funky old oranges, farmhouse hay, vegetable notes, hints of vanilla and caramel, good amount of oak, brettanomyces, plums, passion fruit, tangerines, coriander spice, flowers and lavender.

Flavors:
Persimmons, Grapefruit, Dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango, Lemons, lemon peel, white wine grapes, tart apricots, funky old oranges, plums, peaches, coriander spice, peppercorns, farmhouse hay, sour dough bread, vanilla, oak, caramel, grapefruit peel, tangerine peel, honey, pineapple, lavender, flowers, lemon grass, sour apples, herbs and old banana hints.

Aftertaste:
Dry Persimmons, Dragon fruit sweet hints, apricots, peaches, grapefruit and mango peel finishing dry.
No alcohol in the taste, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, light to medium cloudy yellow body and easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A perfect collaboration with a fair amount of fruit and sour complexity despite only being 5% ABV. There isn’t many beers using actual persimmons or dragon fruit this definitely was a winner. I have not seen this one anywhere in California and hope I can get this again but online is the best bet for this crazy beer. Jolly Pumpkin knows their sours and I would love to definitely try more Upland beers if I can find them. If you love tarts sours and Jolly Pumpkin sours, go find this lost pirates treasure!

Anime Corner:
Ruby Heart from Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 and Aircraft Carrier-hime from Kantai Collection were used to represent the label and its colors. Ruby Heart, the captain of the ship in search for treasure (Upland) and it’s Ghost matie first class (Jolly Pumpkin) set sail the briny sour deep of the taste buds. We can also see the similarities in Aircraft carrier-hime where she commands above a skull sending out a barrage of what look to be pumpkins in tribute to the Jolly Pumpkins. There is so much going on here that pairs well with the beer, you are just going to have to figure it out.

Sources:
http://blogs.c.yimg.jp/res/blog-6b-a3/nikujikun/folder/136358/42/39147142/img_0?1376727320
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/369961-1500×1250-kantai+collection-aircraft+carrier+hime-kouji+%28astral+reverie%29-single-light+erotic-looking+at+viewer.jpg

(Brewerianimelogs On The Road) Caffè Della Vita (The Coffee of Life) by Monkish Brewing

December 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Anemone, anime artwork, Belgian Tripel, Brewerianimelogs On The Road, Caffè Della Vita, chocolate mocha coffee, Cinnamon, Coffee of Life, creamy vanilla, Etheopian Coffee beans, Ethiopian coffee, Eureka 7, flan, Kochere Coffee, Mocha, mocha coffee, monkish, monkish brewing, peaches and cream, Pistachio, Pistachio beer, pistachio nuts, Pistachio Seme Della Vita, Pistachios, Portola Coffee Lab, Seed of Life, Seme Della Vita, Tres Leches, Tripel, vanilla beans | 1 Comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Caffè Della Vita (The Coffee of Life) by Monkish Brewing is a 9.8% ABV Belgian Tripel brewed with Pistachios, Vanilla Beans and Portola Labs Ethiopian Kochere Coffee

==Introduction==

Recently on tap, Monkish created a variant of their Seme Della Vita which I had reviewed long ago. Seme Della Vita itself is probably my favorite beer yet from Monkish and is pretty much my goto when I am at their brewery. So you can only imagine how much I wanted to try their Coffee Variant and possibly bring it forth to the site. Now to this day, Seme Della Vita is the only Pistachio Belgian beer I have ever tried and has yet to see a bottle release. I am sure the day it does, people will definitelywant to get their hands on this. So this particular variant may or may not even see the light of public day but at least you know such existed. Either way, if you happen to be in the Torrance area, you have to try this one and try some of Monkish Belgian beers, they are pretty damn phenomenal. Thanks to my friend Oscar for joining me on a Friday (12/12/2014) to be able to get this picture of the beer.

Aromas:
Rich coffee, mocha, espresso, java coffee, Khalua cream, vanilla, pistachio ice cream hints, peppercorns, cinnamon, White chocolate notes, chocolate hints, biscuit bread, butterscotch, stone fruit apricots, peaches and cream, apples, flan, tres leches cake, hazelnut nectar, underlying citrus, coriander spice, clove spice and bananas.

Flavors:
Rich Vanilla, mocha coffee, roasted coffee, Java coffee, dulce de leche caramel, biscuit bread, maple syrup, frappuccino, almonds, pecan pie, hazelnut, stone fruit apricot, peaches, apples, butterscotch, Khalua hints, peppercorns, pistachio ice cream, Irish cream, tootsie rolls, strawberry hints, grape, white chocolate, Danish cookies, cake batter, Twinkies, Tres Leches cake notes, citrus, orange peel, coriander spice, phenolic notes, candi sugar, rock candy, flan, crème brulee hints, bananas and clove spice.

Aftertaste:
Coffee lingers along with rich nuttiness of pistachios, cinnamon, vanilla, and candi sugar hints then leavings dry. No alcohol in the taste, clear as day yet golden amber body, syrupy and creamy mouthfeel and sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Perfect and more! With the original Seme plus the introduction of the complex Ethiopian coffee brings out some extra richer notes that were typically not found in the original Seme. The fact that this is a light clear beer but drinks like dark Belgian coffee, is simply crazy. Almost reminds me of those golden stouts, but I digress. All I can say is that I am an even greater fan of this one for sure. If you love the original Pistachio Seme Della Vita and love coffee, well let’s just say this is damn bliss!

Anime Corner:
Anemone from Eureka 7 was used in this pairing as she resembles Eureka which I used in the first Seme Della Vita Pairing. As you can see, the darker colors and pinks represent the change of the beer into the strong dark coffee and more fruity like version of the original Seme Della Vita. This is a coffee dream indeed…

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/93656

Mash & Grind by the Bruery

December 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Aqua, Barleywine, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, chocolate cake, chocolate mocha coffee, coffee, Coffee Beans, coffee cake, English Barley Wine, English Barleywine, Kingdom Hearts, Lucio Delgado (Columbia) Coffee beans, MASH, Mash & Grind, Portola Coffee Lab, Portola Lab's Lucio Delgado (Columbia) Coffee beans, rocky road ice cream, rye bread, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Mash & Grind by the Bruery is a 13.7% ABV English Barley Wine aged in Bourbon Barrels with Portola Lab’s Lucio Delgado (Columbia) Coffee beans.

Label:
TO HAVE

An English-style classic with rich flavors from time spent aging in bourbon barrels, plus fresh roasted coffee from Portola Coffee Lab.

Mash & Grind is best enjoyed fresh for bold coffee notes, but may develop pleasantly with time if cellared properly.

==Introduction==

After reviewing the other MASH variations, I am unsure how the Coffee variant could top the coconut, but we definitely have to focus on this one now. This was also released to Reserve Society members only and you may have to trade to get this variant. MASH by the Bruery is in itself an insanely rich and delicious beer that really shoots up to the top of the best Barleywines in the world in my opinion especially of the English style. This coffee variant is something I have been meaning to try and is one that I passed off a taster as I was too exited to the coconut and the fact that I was willing to wait to focus on this one. So let’s dive and see how this one differs from the regular MASH. By the way, Portola labs is one of the best I have seen for brewing some of the best coffee beers out there. Well, except for the rarities of Kopi Luwak, Intelligentsia, Jamaican Blue, Jobella and Dark Matter and their variants such as Unicorn’s Blood, but I digress. Check out my other reviews on those if you want. As for this one, let’s take close look shall we? Cheers!!

Aromas:
Rich milk chocolate coffee, rich roasted coffee grounds, java coffee, espresso, frappuccino cream, coffee cake, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, bourbon, oak, banana split, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, banana clove spices, rich mocha, coconut hints, marshmallow, chocolate smores, custard, sweetened condensed milk (Leche Nestle), rocky road icecream, pecan pie, tobacco, brownies, chocolate bread, toffee, butterscotch, raisin bread pudding and maple.

Flavors:
Rich mocha coffee, Java, espresso, Khalua, dark chocolate abuelita, roasted coffee notes, coffee grounds, dulce de leche caramel, frappuccino, mocha latte, flan, plantain hints, almond joy, dark chocolate pecan pie, danish cookies, cinnamon, bananas, hazelnut, tocacco, rocky road icecream, bourbon, toasted coconut hints, butterscotch, macadamia nuts, dark fruit, plums raisins, dark cherry, sweetened condensed milk, tapioca pudding, custard, chocolate cake, coffee cake, crème brulee and maple.

Aftertaste:
Roasted coffee, vanilla, caramel, crème brulee, rye bread, marshmallows, coconut hints, almonds and frappuccino cream lingers. No alcohol in the taste, moderate drinkability, creamy mouthfeel and a dark brown full body.

Overall:
Hot Damn, if you love coffee, this one is like Coffee Central! The coffee is strong in this one. The colder the sharper coffee strength. You get more coffee roast as it is cold, but when it warms up, that is when you get the best out the beer. I definitely suggest trying it a variant temperatures as it will vary as the temperature gets warmer. Aging this will let more coffee and other flavors go through but as it is right now as it warms up is definitely pure coffee beer Nirvana. I do think this reaches the heights of best coffee beers in the world and the best coffee Barleywine ever and I highly recommend if you can get some bottles to age too.

Anime Corner:
Aqua from Kingdom Hearts makes a triumphant return in the beer scene with this pairing. The last couple of times I used her were in pairings such as 1556 Ale from New Belgium, Rochefort 10 and Jamaican Blue Coffee Speedway Stout from Alesmith. She relates to this beer in the sense of the deep and by that I mean deep darkness. Darkness which is presented by the rich coffee roast but mainly because even with the strongest of the Dark, she can battle it with light as she is a Key Blade Master which are very few from the series. You see, Mash & Grind is not a dark beer. It retains its barleywine caramel colors, super strength and complexity and yet presents the darkness. Aqua has been locked in the darkness for a long time but her light is always brimming never to extinguish!

Sources:
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/002/1/d/dark_aqua_by_annria2002-d4l2k63.jpg

Bourbon Barrel 6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery

December 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 12 Beers of Christmas, 6 Geese A Laying, aged in Bourbon Barrels, Annie Leonhardt, attack on titan, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Bourbon Barrel 6 Geese A Laying, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Cape Gooseberries, Christa Renz, Christmas, Dark Cherries, Hanji Zoe, Historia Reiss, Mikasa Ackerman, nightmare before Christmas, Sasha Braus, The Bruery, Twelve Beers of Christmas, Ymir | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Bourbon Barrel 6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery is a 12.9% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale brewed with Cape Gooseberries and aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
WÆS HÆIL!

The Sixth verse of our “Twelve Beers of Christmas” Saga incorporates tangy cape gooseberries into a subtle Belgian-style dark ale. Happy Holidays!

6 Geese-A-Laying is suitable for aging up to 6 years (soon after the release of “Twelve Drummers Drumming”)

==Introduction==

Released a year later while aged in bourbon barrel providing a double whammy of a beer. This beer was released for the Bruery’s reserve society in November. Coming up to the ending of the year and the holiday, I wanted to bring this one forth. Now this is sure to age even farther into the future but for now, after a whole year and in bourbon barrels, I can only imagine that this is going to be something super special. So let’s hop into it, cheers!

Aromas:
Super Dark Fruits like cherries, boysenberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, plums, raisins, figs, blueberries, dulce de leche Caramel and banana complexity up front followed by clove spice, stone fruit peaches, apricots, pears, apples, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, ginger bread cookies, dark candy sugar, rock candy, coriander mild spice, raisin bread pudding, marshmallows, coconut, bourbon, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, brown sugar and chocolate smores.

Flavors:
Banana and dulce de leche covered with dark fruits like cherries, plums, raisins, black berries, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, candi sugar, rock candy, figs, vanilla, figgy pudding, bourbon, brown sugar, rich dark cherries, marshmallow, chocolate smores, ginger bread cookies, cinnamon, stone fruits like apricot, peaches, melon hints, toffee, peppercorns, rye bread, leather, clove spice, coffee cake, capirotada raisin bread pudding, toasted coconut, all spice, nutmeg, rocky road icecream, salted caramel, fruit cake, port wine and dark berry cheesecake hints.

Aftertaste:
Rich dark fruits like cherries, raisins, caramel, stone fruit, fruit cake, gooseberries, vanilla, marshmallows, toasted coconut hints, mild mango and mild bourbon. No alcohol in the taste, syrupy mouthfeel, dark brown full body and moderate drinkability despite being aged.

Overall:
Exceeding the expectations even more than the original. This is basically like a fruit cake syrup loaded with a ton of dark fruits, caramel and and some super complex Dark Strong flavors. Alot of the tangyness from the original is now more subtle. This beer aged for another year since its release now with bourbon barrels, yeah that would be the reason for the increase in complexity 2 fold. This one was an exclusive to Reserve members but I have notice that more and more Bruery beers are making their way to the public. So maybe someday this one will be available. If not, definitely trade for this one if you tried last years 6 Geese-A-Laying.

Anime Corner:
Sasha Blouse as well as the main Attack on Titan girls were used in this pairing to connect the 6 Geese-A-Laying from last year. I wanted to focus on Sasha for this one since she has not gotten a chance to step into the light with her own beer pairing much and the fact that when it comes to food, she is awesome and funny. The rest of the girls not in their uniforms and out and about represent the 6 geese-a-laying including Sasha with the cheeseburger. Bourbon barrel aged beers do certainly bring about the complexity and inner most works of a beer 🙂

Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Sasha.Braus.full.1487134.jpg
http://yayaftw.deviantart.com/art/Shingeki-no-Kyojin-Girls-460903442

Mash & Coconut by The Bruery

December 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, almond joy, best beers in the world, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, coconut, Dulce de leche, English Barley Wine, English Barleywine, Knives Chau, macaroons, MASH, Mash & Coconut, Ramona Flowers, rocky road ice cream, Scott Pilgrim, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, The Bruery, Toasted Coconut, World class, World Class Barleywine, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 6.2/5

Mash & Coconut by The Bruery is a 12.8% ABV World Class English Barleywine aged in Bourbon Barrels with coconut.

Label (Proposed):
TO HAVE…

An English-style classic with rich flavors added by aging in bourbon barrels with tropical coconut.

==Introduction==

So this beer was supposed to be released for the Reserve Society but due to time restraints and quality control, this one was not released in bottles this year. Hopefully next year will be different. Same thing happened with So Happens It’s Tuesday as well. So when I found out they had this on tap and for growler fill, it didn’t take long for me to bring one home. When I went for a taster set, I had several greats from the Bruery but this one just blew everything away. That’s when I realized, I gotta get a growler. The original MASH was phenomenal, but this certainly took the cake and I had to review it so people can go try this at the Bruery before it is gone but also in hopes that a future release will be available for everyone. This is on tap for the public too, no membership needed so that works out great! Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich macaroon and cocada coconut candy forward, rich toasted coconut, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, plums, banana split ice cream, hazelnuts, almonds, almond joy candy, pecan pie, milk chocolate, sweetened condensed milk (Leche Nestle), custard, rocky road ice cream, macadamia nuts, flan, coconut cream pie, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnamon, brownies, rye bread, plantains, mocha, clove spice and toffee.

Flavors:
Rich Macaroon and Almond joy chocolate flavors forward, rich toasted coconut, milk chocolate, rich bananas, flan, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, plums, dark cherries, capirotada raisin bread pudding, custard, cinnamon, rocky road ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, banana split, brownies, chocolate cake, rye bread, mocha, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, dark chocolate, crème brulee, clove spice, marshmallow smores, oak, bourbon, maple, butterscotch, plantains, toffee, brown sugar, Danish cream and oatmeal raisin cookies.

Aftertaste:
Toasted Coconut, bananas, almond joy, milkchocolate, marshmallow, dark fruit, butterscotch and macaroons linger. No alcohol in the taste, way too easy to drink, silky and creamy mouthfeel and a dark brown full body.

Overall:
Possibly the best toasted coconut/banana nut/almond joy beer ever! This is liquid coconut macaroon heaven. This beer is super toasted coconut forward. The only sad part was that I do not think this will be coming out in bottles anytime soon but if you are ever at the Bruery this month, see if you can have a reserve society member get you a growler fill. They really need to bottle this one as this one was the one that stood out when I tasted it the other day. This beer is way too good for it’s own good. At the height of the 12.8-13%ABV, it is way too drinkable that you would be in big trouble finishing a growler in one sitting. Savor this if you can find it as it won’t last…

Anime Corner:
Ramona Flowers and Knives Chau from Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World were used in this pairing since I wanted to compare them to the name MASH & COCONUT. Ramona always has a hammer ready to MASH up her opponents and Knives is a smooth ninja representing the coconut flavors and the over all smoothness of the beer. This is way too easy to drink. They are both hot but super damn deadly. Some of the colors of the label also pair with the artwork. Scott is there for the other complex flavors of the beer as well as the other characters from the series.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1250828

Sourrento by the Bruery

December 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Blond Ale, brown sugar, Chrono Cross, Chrono Cross Kid, citrus lemon, green tea ice cream, Italy, key lime pie, Kid, lemon candy, lemon liqueur, lemon tart, lemon zest, Limoncello, oranges lemons, passion fruit, Sorrento, Sour Blonde Ale, Sourrento, tangy lemon, The Bruery, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Sourrento by the Bruery is a 7.7% ABV Sour Blonde Ale aged in oak barrels with Lemon Zest and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
MOLTO BENE

The flavors of this bright tart ale are inspired by limoncello, the famous lemon liqueur of Sorrento, Italy.

Sourrento ale is a play on a classic liqueur from Italy. Perfect as an after dinner digestif, but just as great as any time of day. Sourrento is best enjoyed fresh, but may develop pleasantly if cellared properly.
==Introduction==

This beer was released for the Reserve and Preservation Societies this December. According to the information, they were trying to make it close to limoncello, an Italian liquer which I never had. So going into this, I can only assume it would taste something like that. Nevertheless, with all reviews I do, I take it for what it is and dissect it as best I can for you. Cheers!

Aromas:
Lemon drop candy, rich vanilla, oak, biscuit bread, white wine grapes, green tea ice cream, tart lemons, lime, salt, grapefruit, passion fruit, Danish cream cookies, sweetened condensed milk hints, tamarind, brown sugar, piloncillo, peppercorns, herbs and spearmint.

Flavors:
Vanilla, Oak, Lemon, Lime, Salt, tart grapefruit, biscuit bread, passion fruit, white wine grapes, sugar cane, lemon drops, sweetened condensed sugar hints, brown sugar, tejuino, tamarind, hibiscus, piloncillo, peppercorn spices, herbs, green tea, lemonade, green tea ice cream hints, mint, spearmint, key lime pie notes and Danish cream cookies.

Aftertaste:
Vanilla, key lime pie, lemon tart, brown sugar notes, No alcohol in the taste, medium drinkability, light to medium body and moderate mouthfeel.

Overall:
Very good and unique. Best if you love sours, otherwise the sweet sour aspect may not really be your thing. I have never had limoncello but if it tastes anything like this, then awesome. I would like to compare this to a sour lemon or keylime pie in a bottle. Like I said, the whole, sweet and sour thing may not be for everyone so if you really like sours then definitely try this.

Anime Corner:
Kid from Chrono Cross was used in this beer pairing to pair with the colors of the label. In the game, Kid has a hard attitude even thought she looks sweet and innocent. She is a great fighter as well which is represented by the ABV of the beer. This coincides with the fact that this beer is sour but the sweetness and complexity go deep as you can see from the picture where dives into the deep. I have not done a Kid pairing in long time and the fact that her hair is also a lemon yellow works well too.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/993410
http://www.zerochan.net/full/428212

Sriracha Hot Stout Beer by Rogue brewing

December 10, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Stout, Chili Beer, chili pepper, dark chocolate, Huy Fong, Inubashiri Momiji, Rogue, Rogue Ales, rogue brewing, Rogue Farms, Sriracha, Sriracha Beer, Sriracha Hot Stout, Sriracha Huy Fong, Sriracha sauce, SrirachaStout, Touhou Project | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.85/5

Sriracha Hot Stout Beer by Rogue brewing is a 5.7% ABV American Stout brewed with Sriracha Huy Fong hot chili sauce and ripened Rogue Farms ingredients.

Label:
Rogue Rooster Sauce
#SrirachaStout

I Put Sriracha in my Rogue
Dedicated to the Rooster

Rogue Sriracha Hot Stout Beer, made from Huy Fong hot chili sauce and ripened Rogue Farms ingredients, is ready to drink with soup, sauces, pasta, pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, chow mein, or anything you’d like to wash down with a spicy kick.

15° Plato
55 IBU
77AA
118°L

==Introduction==

Yes, another weird beer. AS if the last beer (99 Scorpions) wasn’t already taking it to the upper most limits of just plain damn weird. This beer will be seeing distribution soon but I could not wait and got this from Rogue’s main site. Just like the time I tried the Beard yeast beer or the Chocolate Raspberry Pretzel. Although beard yeast beer was delicious for as weird as it was and so was 99 Scorpions. People love Sriracha and I think bringing the review out just in the nick of time to the masses so they can see if this is good or not was just the right occasion. So get your best Chinese plate out or any food you love this Sriracha on and see if the beer works better with or without food.

Aromas:
Sriracha, garlic, clove spice, dark chocolate, coffee, herbs, soy sauce, tomato sauce, szechuan peppercorns, biscuit bread, clove spice, red tree dried chilies, red bean paste and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Sriracha chili, dark chocolate, roasted coffee notes, herbs, spices, red tree dried chilies, red bean paste, garlic, clove spice, rye bread, tomato sauce, biscuit bread, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, soy sauce, dark fruit hints, szechuan peppercorns, guajillo peppers, tobacco, roasted peanuts and toffee.

Aftertaste:
Rye, Sriracha sauce, earthy notes, vanilla, coffee, and dark chocolate hints. No alcohol in the taste, creamy mouth feel, sipping drinkiability due to the delicious yet overwhelming flavors and a dark crimson full body.

Overall:
As a Stout, this is very good. With the Sriracha, it is an interesting experiment but nothing too mind blowing. I gave it props on the stout flavors and the fact that this really tastes like a Sriracha bottle. While I love Sriracha, this beer is better drank as a food pairing. The heat is not as intense as other chili beers but after a while, the Sriracha heat will get to you and linger in the back of the throat. The balance of the beer is very good as the stout flavors tries its best to compliment the spiciness of the Sriracha. I think this is worth a try but if you have had Sriracha with food and drank and rich delicious stout, then you pretty much have had this beer. Whether gimmick or not, it really seems more of a novelty item than anything. I would only recommend this if you like Sriracha and Stouts.

Anime Corner:
Inubashiri Momiji from Touhou Series was used in this pairing to pair with the Sriracha beer in many aspects. When I think of heat, I think of fire and dragons. Inubashiri here looks like she has the sauce splattered all over. The heat is represented by her rage. I am not sure what she is possibly killing here but you can assume it is like the heat she spends trying to take down the your tastebuds. Her outfit and the Chinese symbols represents the origin of the great Hot Sauces of China and all their awesome glory. There are so many awesome sauces that some ferment for years and are very expensive. I am sure the basic Sriracha from China is way better than what we typically get everywhere here, but I digress. AS the dragons in the background drip from their mouths looks like blood is like Sriracha dripping as the sauce is HOT! Just like the beer after a while.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1369493

La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto (99 Scorpions) (The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra) by The Unknown Brewing

December 5, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 99 Scorpions, Agave Nectar, Chupacabra, Chupacabras, Dia de los Muertos, Evelynn, goat sucker, Imperial Mexican Lager, Imperial Pale Ale, La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto, league of legends, Mexican Agave, Mezcal, Mezcal Tequila, Ninety Nine Scorpions, Oak, Serrano Peppers, Tequila, Tequila Barrel Aged, Tequila Barrels, The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra, The Unknown Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto (99 Scorpions) (The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra) by The Unknown Brewing is a 10.1% ABV Imperial Mexican Lager aged on Tequila Oak Staves, Brewed with Agave Nectar, Serrano Peppers & (99) Ninety Nine Scorpions.

Label:
UBC Bottle No. 2
Warning: Contains Crustaceans

Online Descriptions and Blurbs:
(http://beerstreetjournal.com/unknown-brewing-escorpion-en-fuego/)
When asked if these scorpions would affect the flavor, head brewer and owner Brad Shell responded “I’m not sure, that’s not the point. The point is this beer needs scorpions. Some things just have to happen”.

==Introduction==

Released for El Dia De Los Muertos in November, this beer is pretty damn ridiculous. Even for the name and the ingredients this was made from. This is my first beer from The Unknown brewing and is one that . All hope was lost last month when there was no way I could get this beer due to it being extremely limited. I pondered about how nice it would have been to have it here on the site. Long behold, I wake up on Black Friday at 4am to a message from my good friend Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com only to find that he found a website called www.bruisin-ales.com which had exactly what we were looking for. He sent me that Mexican wrestler pic where the dude is asking for a tag in as he needed some assistance to get these and I was like…oh shit!! I jumped out of bed, placed the order and the rest is history. A sort of victory for the Beer Pairing Duo and a review you will soon see on my friends page. I didn’t really care at that time when I saw the beer on the site, I really wanted to get this beer despite the ingredients. Despite what anyone thinks about gimmicks or nasty and gross ingredients for beer, this was something I was super open minded to have. I have had crickets before and those have like a grassy and earthy taste. Some people say Scorpions are tasty like eating shrimp. That and the fact that scorpions are high in protein and good for you. So let’s take a sip at this one and hope you are able to get your own scorpion beer. Saludito!

Aromas:
Honey, Toffee, Agave, caramel, coriander spice, peppercorns, chile pepper spices, tequila hints, pineapple, stone fruit peaches, Serrano pepper spices, mild oak, tequila hints, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, biscuit bread and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Rich Agave Nectar, Tequila, Mezcal, sangria, grapes, oak, citrus, honey, lemon, caramel, vanilla, oak, graham cracker, herbs, coriander, oranges, grassy earthy taste (scorpions?), toffee, salt, mild seafood hints, Serrano chile spice hints, peppercorns, pineapple, grapefruit, basil, lime peel, lemon zest, mild coffee, green tea, dragon fruit, stone fruit peaches, mild jerky notes, biscuit bread, rye bread, butterscotch and piloncillo.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with a honey and agave aftertaste that lingers and finishing with like a musty, herbal, grassy, earthy and bitter aftertaste. Must be the scorpions. No alcohol in the taste yet feels stronger than what it is. Syrupy and creamy mouthfeel, Clear Golden Body, moderate to sipping drinkabaility.

Overall:
I got 99 Scorpions while other beers have none! Way too unique for words really. I think the previous blurbs have done this one justice. I do recall my experience with the crickets back then so there is a minor hints of that grassy, musty and earthy like flavor that I remember from long ago. Not bad at all. The Serrano heat is there for the flavor but masked by the sweetness so it’s not a ‘Stone Punishment’. I really love it but don’t worry since the other ingredients do mask that extremely well providing it’s own array of complexity. This one was made in Tequila barrels so there’s yet another reason why it is extremely unique as well. As a lager, possibly the best and possible the most unique I have ever had. It is a great beer despite the fact that it could be off putting to others and if you really want to find it, get it before it truly disappears for good!

Anime Corner:
Evelynn from League of Legends and Dia De Los Muertos by SanctusDesign of Deviant art were pretty much the best pairings I could find for this beer. Almost everything about the beer including Dia De Los Muertos and Even the very name of the beer pairs way too well that it even surprised me. Using Evelynn as she chases the reptile beast, we look at the name of the beer, La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto. In English this means ‘The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra’. As you can clearly see, Evelynn is the fiery scorpion and is chasing the dead Chupacabra(which back then people thought it was a lizard creature). Even the cloak the lizard beast wears along with the skeleton hands signifies it is death, so a Chupacabra of death or dead Chupacabra. The journey is basically Evelynn’s journey to catch that beast as fire spews from her finger tips. Think of this as a Scorpion trying to catch its prey and sting it to death. She also looks like the dead chick in the dia de los muertos. That’s where the next pairing comes in. Visually, the dia de los muertos chick looks very damn close to the label. What is surrounding her face is curvy plants that with the colors and shapes, kind of represents the 99 scorpions found in this great beer.

Sources:
http://stuffpoint.com/league-of-legends/image/190512-league-of-legends-eve-dia-de-los-muertos-halloween.jpg
http://sanctusdesign.deviantart.com/art/Dia-De-Los-Muertos-Da-368996612

Pliny The Elder by Russian River brewing

December 2, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged best beers in the world, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Heady Topper, Hop Heads, Pliny, Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Power Plant, Russian River, Ryoko Hakubi, Tenchi, Tenchi Muyo, Washu Hakubi, World class | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.2/5 (Date of Tasting: 11/29/2014)

Pliny The Elder by Russian River brewing is an 8% ABV World Class Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
Bottled on 11/12/2014

RESPECT YOUR ELDER: KEEP COLD, DRINK FRESH DO NOT AGE! PLINY THE ELDER IS A HISTORICAL FIGURE, DONT’T MAKE THE BEER INSIDE THIS BOTTLE ONE! NOT A BARLEY WINE, DO NOT AGE! AGE YOUR CHEESE, NOT YOUR PLINY! RESPECT HOPS, CONSUME FRESH. IF YOU MUST, SIT ON EGGS, NOT ON PLINY! DO NOT SAVE FOR A RAINY DAY!PLINY IS FOR SAVORING, NOT FOR SAVING,! CONSUME PLINY FRESH, OR NOT AT ALL! DOES NOT IMPROVE WITH AGE! HOPPY BEERS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE AGED! KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT!

Pliny the Elder, born in 23 A.D., was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Pliny, and his contemporaries, created the original botanical name for hops, “Lupus Salictarius,” meaning “world among scrubs.” Hop vines at that time, grew wild among willows. Pliny the Elder died in 79 A.D. while saving people during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle’s legacy by documenting much of what his uncle experienced during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This beer is a homage to the man who discovered hops and perished while being a humanitarian.

Unlike many of the Russian River Brewing Company beers which are ageable, the beer inside this bottle is meant to be consumed fresh. Keep Pliny the Elder refrigerated and consume fresh to experience the explosive hop character.

==Introduction==

It has been at least 2 years since I first tried Pliny the Elder. Back then this beer was a little easier to get. Today, it is pretty seldom if you can really find this one. If there are places that have this one, they get so little of them that they sell out within the first couple of hours. So I thought to myself, after trying so many IPAs for so many years, including the so called Pliny killers like Heady Topper and Power Plant from El Segundo, what makes this beer as well as Pliny the Younger, so legendary. Well, the story really has to be that this beer was one of the original inventions of the Double India Pale Ale Style. This beer is what started a lot of the hop craze of adding more and more hops to a beer to make it a hop supreme beer. With the evolution of hops and methods of growing them to have different flavor varieties like more citrus, more tropical notes, this is what I think really changed the way people like their IPAs. While I respect this beer and would one day like to try the younger, it seems that today, this beer may be going the way side due the more variety of IPAs and Double IPAs with a variety of hop profiles. Nevertheless, this is really what started it all and I think is the reason why the hop heads truly enjoy this one at the freshest possible. At least I tried to do the review as fresh as I could get it due to its limited availability. Without further ado, here is the review and thanks for reading. Cheers!

2012 First public review by me:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/pliny-the-elder-by-russian-river/

Aromas:
Rich Grassy Grapefruit, floral, herbal, citrus and piney hops, Cannabis, Oregano, Italian herbs, blue basil, honey on biscuit bread, rye bread, super dank garlic and onion notes, tropical fruits like pineapple, honey dew melon, lychee, passion fruit, dragon fruit, stone fruit peaches, cherries, plum hints, hop oils, lemon and orange peels, vanilla, caramel and tangerines.

Flavors:
Rich Grassy, floral, Piney, citrus, grassy, herbal and grapefruit hops, basil, super garlicy and rich oniony dank herbs, Oregano, tropical pineapple, honey dew melon, papaya, prickly pear, strawberry, mango hints, dragon fruit, lychee, passion fruit, stone fruit apricot, peaches, cherries, fig notes, plum hints, cannabis or dank Italian spices, lemon peel, orange peel, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel, tangerines, hop oils, forest pine needles, honey and rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Super hoppy grassy herbal yet fruity, malty and tropical underlining sweetness but mainly super hopped dry to oblivion lingers on the tongue. No alcohol in the taste, clear gold body, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, almost easy to drink.

Overall:
A hop heads dream. Really, if you love super well balanced and refreshing Double IPA with lots of grassy and herbal hops, then this is the definition of its style. There is a reason people like it so much and despite the fact that I still think that it may be too hyped and I cringe at those that drain pour just because the beer is not “fresh” enough. Beer like this should be respected at least but not hyped. Take this one for what the origins stood for but not because it is the best out there. Does this one get beaten by the upcoming El Segundo Power Plant Triple IPA? Yes but only because that one is a different monster all together. Heady Topper is more on the citrus absolutes for its world class. We have to choose absolute tropics or absolute herbal hop dankness or absolute citrus or a massive variety. While I love all the variety, I love sweet beers so I feel I get more from the tropical fruit IPAs. Not to say this isn’t World Class. It truly is. Is it the best Double IPA? Not quite, but you have to give it respect where it belongs as this is one of the few that started the Double IPA style. I highly recommend it, even if it is elusive as all hell, and I hope to someday try Pliny The Younger.

Anime Corner:
Ryoko and Washuu Hakubi from the Tenchi Muyo series were used in this pairing since I had used Ryoko before for Pliny the Elder. Washu will someday be used for the Younger although the funny part is that Ryoko is the daughter and Washu is the mother even if she looks younger. Conundrum yes, but if you knew about Washu, she is 20,000 years old. Either way, you can see the colors pair up well with the artwork and the label. Ryoko’s light teal hair color represents the super hops but as well as the whole aspect of the ‘Elder’. Ryoko is young but I love how she sits contemplating or wondering. Like an elder thinking about the future or just simply day dreaming like a kid. Regardless, this beer is the kind that you take your time with and relax. You may not have another chance to try it, so might as well enjoy it since you can’t age it either.

Sources:
http://www.homemademech.com/Uploads/Areview/1501085314817.jpg
http://objection06.deviantart.com/art/Washu-and-Ryoko-472156179

John Paul Jones Stout White Chocolate And Raspberry by Brew Rebellion

December 2, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Imperial Stout, Amy Rose, Blue Raspberries, Brew Rebellion, cherries, Dark Cherries, dark chocolate, Imperial Stout, John Paul Jones Stout, John Paul Jones Stout White Chocolate And Raspberry, Kirin, monster hunter, Raspberry, Sonic The Hedgehog, White Chocolate, White Chocolate Moo-Hoo | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

John Paul Jones Stout White Chocolate And Raspberry by Brew Rebellion is a 10.9% ABV Imperial Stout with White Chocolate and Raspberry flavors.

Descrition:
None

==Introduction==

This beer came as a surprise. I have never seen a white chocolate and raspberry stout before. The closest I have had to white chocolate were the White Chocolate from The Bruery and White Chocolate Moo-Hoo. This is the first time I try a beer from Brew Rebellion and the fact that they had it all nice and waxed, well, let’s just say it appealed to me a lot. So let us check this one out and see how it goes. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, mocha, roasted , raspberry cheesecake, dark cherries, blue raspberry jolly ranchers, brown sugar, dark fruit raisins, currants, blue berries, molasses, grape jelly on toasted bread, flan hints, crème brulee and marshmallows.

Flavors:
Rich raspberry, Dark Chocolate, Milk chocolate, White chocolate, vanilla, caramel, raspberry cream, coffee, mocha, rye bread, dark fruit raisins, currants, blue berries, grape jelly on toasted bread, dark cherries, raspberry cheesecake, blue raspberry jolly ranchers, cinnamon, molasses, flan, cherry cola notes, blue raspberry jolly ranchers, dragon fruit, toasted coconut, marshmallows, brown sugar, hazelnut, toffee, crème brulee hints and earthy notes.

Aftertaste:
Raspberry, white and dark chocolate hints, caramel, vanilla, mild Earthy notes and mainly dry finish.
No Alcohol in the taste, pitch black body, light yet creamy mouthfeel, Way too easy to drink that it is dangerous.

Overall:
I agree it to be a perfect stout. I really wish it had more body and complexity to it, but just as is, the flavors it does have are full frontal. Meaning that you do get a very direct raspberry and dark chocolate flavor with some white chocolate suggested. While the white chocolate is in there but kind of hidden at first, let the beer warm up to released it better. Afterward, that is what I base my rating on. This beer could be drunk all day which is dangerous as it is way too easy to drink. I highly recommend trying this one, This beer definitely fits as the “Chocolate Gift” category and might be good for a valentines gift too.

Anime Corner:
Kirin and Amy Rose from Monster Hunter and the Sonic Franchise were used in this pairing because I wanted to bring about the aspect of how the colors relate to the flavors of White Chocolate and Raspberry creating like pink milky color. While the beer itself is dark, like the dark chocolate, this is only one of the flavors. Since it is easy to drink, and a sweet dessert, it is just like giving chocolate as a gift for valentines. I liked the idea for sure.

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2011-11-24-454433.jpeg
http://www.zerochan.net/1366995
http://yukisisren.deviantart.com/art/Lollipop-459452933

Arctic Sun Stone collaboration by Amager Bryghus and Three Floyds

December 1, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 3 Floyds, Amager Bryghus, American Pale Ale, APA, Arctic Sun Stone, Denmark, Leina Vance, Pale Ale, Queen's Blade, Risty, Three Floyds, Three Floyds Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Arctic Sun Stone collaboration by Amager Bryghus and Three Floyds is a 6% ABV Denmark/American Pale Ale

Label:
The sunstone – much disputed among scholars. Did the Viking navigators really have such a tool that would help them point out what was east and what was west – even on a less than sunny day? We certainly believe so. Many years later no sunstone was needed when Amager Bryghus was invaded by what very much looked like Viking ancestors of American descent. Hailing from Munster, Indiana, Chris Boggess and Barnaby Struve of Three Floyds Brewing arrived not with a vengeance but with very loud King Diamond on their portable mp3 player. This was not a day for slaughter but for brewing. And brew we did. The mellow and dangerously quaffable Arctic SunStone is proof that even Viking warriors can have a more subtle side to them. All hail to Three Floyds.

==Introduction==
Three Floyds beers are hard to find. Amager Bryghus was even hard too. The fact that I was able to find this one, even if it was a good online store, means that they are getting out there and being distributed more. Since it was a Three Floyds and Amager Bryghus beer, I had to get it. So without further ado, here is the beer treasure, Arctic Sun Stone. Cheers!

Aromas:
Grapefruit, citrus, mild piney and mild grassy hops, caramel, vanilla toffee, tropical fruits like pineapple, honey dew melon, guava hints, mango, apples, tangerines, orange peel, kumquats, lycheefruit roasted peanuts, banana hints and stone fruit apricot.

Flavors:
Citrus,grapefruit, grassy and piney hops, toffee, caramel, biscuit breads, tropical fruit like mango, guava, pine apples, honey dew melon, apples, tangerines, lychee fruit, orange peel, kumquats, strawberries, coriander spice, stone fruit apricot, peach notes, roasted peanuts, bananas and some herbal hop notes.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, biscuit bread, vanilla, citrus, roasted peanuts, toffee, grapefruit and piney hops linger. No Alcohol in the taste, Bold, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, Hazy medium body and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very good Pale Ale. Drinks almost like an IPA but mainly sticking to the more malty sides and yet releasing a lot of the orange citrus and tropical flavors of some of the best pale ales out there. Pale Ales especially American ones, always have their own story to share trying to border line the IPA’s while stil offering more of a balance and not just pure hop bitterness like some west coast styles. Never the less, this one was pretty tasty and worth a try if you can get it.

Anime Corner:
Risty and Leina Vance from Queen’s Blade were used in this pairing since I wanted something to pair with the colors of the label, the beer and the Viking. While Risty covers that aspect and the picture with the loud roar, Leina is added to represent the collaboration of the 2 giants, Three Floyds and Amager respectively.

Sources:
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120329014534/queensblade/images/9/97/Risty_and_Leina_3.jpg
http://danbooru.donmai.us/data/40d37bcd1dca070608a1a478e206087a.jpg

Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise by Stone Brewing

December 1, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Akali, BrewDog, cocoa nibs, Coffee Beans, espresso beans, Golden Stout, Imperial Stout, league of legends, Luciferin, Master Of Disguise, ninja, Stochasticity, Stochasticity Project, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, White Chocolate | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise by Stone Brewing is 9.7% ABV Imperial Golden Stout brewed with Coffee Beans and Cocoa Nibs.

Label:
STOCHASTICITY
STO-KAESTI-CITY
There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

All The Deep, Roasty Essence of A Stout, Presented in a brilliant Golden Ale.
Things aren’t always what they seem, but not all deception is devious. Some illusions and misnomers lead to life’s most delightful surprises. Case in point—this beer, the yang to the yin that is the black India pale ale. Once revolutionary for its onyx appearance, it is now an accepted and beloved member of the India pale ale family.

Thus we took the spirit of a dark beer—the time-honored stout—and applied a similar science of thought, brewing it to be golden-hued. Cocoa and coffee beans impart roastiness sans darkening to this brew, while flaked oats provide an enveloping mouthfeel. The result is a stout that looks more like a blonde, but is a raven beauty at heart.

HOP VARIETIES: Nugget & Liberty

MALT VARIETIES: 2-Row Pale, Carapils, amber,and flaked oats

SPECIAL INGREDIENT: Cocoa

SPECIAL INGREDIENT: Coffee

==Introduction==
I have always wanted Stone to bring back an old style they once did with Brewdog called the Luciferin which was a Golden Stout as well. While they may not brew that one ever again (here’s hoping they do), the fact that they brought this one forth was just what I needed since I really did not want to miss this one. I can only assume this is the successor from that lost beer from years ago. The style of Golden Styles is a rarity and not often brewed. However, so far of the many I have tried, all have been unique and awesome in their own way. I think when they add the coffee beans in others I have tried, it really makes a difference to really fool you into thinking you are drinking stout but you are not. Hence the name master of disguise. Regardless, I am glad I was able to bring this one forth to the site. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Coffee, Espresso notes, mocha, white chocolate, dark chocolate, biscuit bread, rye bread, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, mild smoke, butterscotch, toffee, dark fruit cherries, milk chocolate, oatmeal cookies, cookie dough, sweet bread and peanut butter.

Flavors:
Roasted coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, caramel, vanilla, citrus, grapefruit hints, mild smokey notes, cinnamon, brown sugar flan hints, biscuit bread, earthy hops, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, peaches and cream hints, butterscotch, dark fruit raisins, cranberry hints, dark cherries, apples, toffee, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter and milk sugar.

Aftertaste:
White chocolate, caramel, vanilla, Citrus, roasted coffee, Earthy and mild piney hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, clear golden body, smooth and creamy mouthfeel, medium to sipping beer.

Overall:
If you love roasty bitter Stout and yet some hop variety to the flavors, then this is the perfect stout. It is kind of strange since the creamy levels are like that of a stout yet it is not. This style is something that does not typically happen quite often and it is one that needs to be brewed right. While I did get some medium levels of hops, this only added to the complexity. The coffee beans and cocoa actually meld well keeping some of the bitterness at bay to bring forth that rich stout goodness. Reminiscent of some of the other Golden Stouts I have had before but this one is more on the White chocolate variety. I would definitely recommend a try on this one.

Anime Corner:
Akali from League of Legends was used in this pairing to represent the colors of the label, the name “Master of Disguise” as she is a ninja with mask looking partially like a demon mouth of in this case the Stone Gargoyle. The glimmering moonlight is what is lights up the night and on this beer, is what makes a dark stout look like a bright IPA. This is a really great beers and I would definitely recommend you try it as this one is for the ninjas!

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

Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore)

Monthly Archives: December 2014

2014 Black Damnation III Black Mes by De Struise Brouwers

The Belly Rub collaboration by Project Co-op Brew and Sleepy Dog Brewing

Five Wee Heavy Bells by Karl Strauss

2014 Preservation Series Oaked Old Richland by The Bruery

2014 Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale by Unibroue

2014 Bourbon Barrel Aged Magnificat by Monkish brewing

Rosabi by Dogfish Head brewing

Persimmon Ship collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Upland brewing

(Brewerianimelogs On The Road) Caffè Della Vita (The Coffee of Life) by Monkish Brewing

Mash & Grind by the Bruery

Bourbon Barrel 6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery

Mash & Coconut by The Bruery

Sourrento by the Bruery

Sriracha Hot Stout Beer by Rogue brewing

La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto (99 Scorpions) (The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra) by The Unknown Brewing

Pliny The Elder by Russian River brewing

John Paul Jones Stout White Chocolate And Raspberry by Brew Rebellion

Arctic Sun Stone collaboration by Amager Bryghus and Three Floyds

Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise by Stone Brewing