Passion of the Mango Saiyan by Nubis Sanctum Ales

12670524_10103153472178440_208368482966789237_n 12795293_10103153473031730_5232904621522431181_n 11416332_10103153474239310_5285692143008164167_oRating: 4.5/5

Passion of the Mango Saiyan by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 7% ABV Hard Apple Cider made with Mango and Passion Fruit.

==Introduction==
12043051_10103089759055050_5161831082288574054_n
Project# 19 came up as the eventual need to go back to something basic. The fact that I have not been making ciders in and while my ciders have all been Belgian inspired, this was my first opportunity to make cider with the basic cider yeast. Nothing too fancy but definitely something of experimenting with natural and organic flavorings. As many should know by now, some ciders made commercially are like this. I will be making more of an actual cider using real fruits but for now, my attempts to mimic the common came to question, How good of a cider can I make with just simple to get ingredients and little effort? Don’t get me wrong, it still enough work to make sure it is made correctly, but I wanted to contrast this versus what I have done with beer which is drastically different amount of workload. Regardless, I bring forth my new creation. Let’s see how this one came out, Cheers!

Aromas:
Apple cider, passion fruit, mango, peach, pineapple hints, vanilla hints, cane sugar and stone fruits.

Flavors:
Passion fruit, Mango, Pineapple, Apples, Stone fruit peach, apricot notes, honey, starburst candy, strawberry notes, honey dew melon, agave nectar, cane sugar, grapes, vanilla and guava hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with notes of the mango and the passion fruit. No alcohol in the flavor, clear light golden body, crisp, clean and super refreshing mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:
A very good cider. Not much to it really in terms of complexity but damn is this very drinkable, super delicious and great for the coming summer. Who would of thought just going to the basics can be rewarding. Even if it is not super complex or a lot of work like brewing it proves one thing, if you really want to make your own fermented beverage, ciders and wine are on the easier end. Next time, I’ll want to make this with the real fruits to see the difference.

Anime Corner:
Android 18/Lazuli, Trunks and Vegeta from the Dragon Ball series were used in this pairing to represent the Passion Fruit and the Mango. In the series, Vegeta and his son Trunks both get beat down by Android 18. While they still have the passion to keep going, in they still lose. The representation here is pretty much like punishment for making something so easy using basic ingredients. Many people may see it as cheating in some context but as long as you keep trying different things, you will eventually find great things. Plus, Vegeta’s hair as a super saiyan looks like a dried mango and the cider is all yellow like Android 18 and both Super saiyan’s hair.

Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Android.18.full.1561469.jpg
https://fingerbook.com/uploads/fingerbooks/3429/81125/preview_large_10806_dragon_ball_z.jpg?1427359660

Monarch’s Imperial Stout by Avila Ales

12672131_10103153468964880_93076147408653684_o 12593533_10103153468061690_4329677023538776097_oRating: 5/5

Monarch’s Imperial Stout by Avila Ales is a ~9% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Hawaiian Coffee.

==Introduction==

Brewed at my place, Nubis Sanctum, my friend Richard Avila of Avila Ales. A luscious imperial stout which was made back in November with rich Hawaiian Coffee and had aged for several months. Tribute for the beer comes with the addition of the Hawaiian coffee and the heritage of my friend’s wife, Megan Avila who is from Hawaii. The name originated from royalty as the Avila Ales label has a crown in the logo. The name of Monarch is in reference to King Kamehameha who ruled over the other islands. Overall, it was a well-fitting name for this Imperial Stout. Thanks to my friend Richard for sharing this brew and hope to try many more in the future. Cheers!

Aromas:
Roasted Coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, dark fruit currants, cherry hints, espresso notes, Kahlua coffee notes, toasted coconut and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark Chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, mocha, espresso hints, roasted coffee, marshmallows, graham crackers, dark fruit currants, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, Kahlua liquor, rocky road ice cream, pecan pie notes, hazelnut nectar, vanilla, caramel, toasted coconut, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, leather and tobacco notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with notes dark fruit, toasted coconut, fancy roasted coffee, earthy notes and dark chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, dark full body, creamy, smooth and silky mouthfeel with a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A perfect and well-made Imperial Stout. Like the Barleywine from before, this beer is one of my friend Richard’s best beers. It has everything I love from imperial stouts like the dark chocolate, dark fruits, vanilla caramel, coffee and more. It really hit home, especially I think due to the Hawaiian coffee influence on this brew, that it reminded me of my first imperial stout, Sangrileche. Granted, Sangrileche is oak aged, still, this beer has those notes I really liked and was a definite winner. I hope my friend makes this one again.

Anime Corner:
Queen Nemor of Dragon ball Ultimate Crossover wiki was used in this pairing as I wanted to use a Dragon Ball reference. Goku’s Kamehameha was named from the King of Hawaii. In the Dragon Ball universe, the rulers of his home planet Vegeta are the most common royalty that I know of. So to go with the theme of royalty and Kamehameha, I used Queen Nemor. While Nemor is the ruler of the previous Planent before Vegeta’s planet (Planet Plant), it was the closest I could do to royalty but also a bad ass looking female royal. While I do think Nemor is merely fictional or created for the purpose of introducing who ruled the saiyans before Planet Vegeta, this seemed to fit well in my mind.

Sources:
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/ultimate-crossover/images/7/77/Queen_Ringo.png/revision/latest?cb=20140105074941
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/ultimate-crossover/images/7/7a/Nemor_Super_Saiyan.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140109071649

Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale by Small Town brewery

10649795_10103153466085650_4486676957507256294_nRating: 3.75/5

Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale by Small Town brewery is a 5.9% ABV Spiced Ale brewed with Ginger.

Label:
This is beer flavored with spices. We like to think of it as a refreshing ale with ginger, best served chilled or poured in a glass over ice. We know you’ll enjoy it, we do.

==Introduction==

I picked up a 6 pack at local Lucky’s grocery store near my house. Having enjoyed the rootbeer they first released, I wanted to try out their new creation and see how it fared. They will be releasing a vanilla cream one so I definitely want to check that out. I realize this is not beer so my rating is based not in terms of beer but just what I think of it. Let’s check this one out. Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla, honey, butterscotch, ginger spice, lemon, lime soda, apple notes and cane sugar.

Flavors:
Ginger spice up front, honey, butterscotch, vanilla, cane sugar, lemon, lime soda, apples, cane sugar, peach notes, peppercorns and green tea hints.

Aftertaste:
Ginger spice is present in the aftertaste finishing very dry with cane sugar hints.No alcohol in the taste. Clear golden light body, crisp, refreshing and effervescent mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:
A pretty good Ginger ale. It really just taste like a regular ginger ale soda. The flavors and spices mask the alcohol extremely well. For this being an alcoholic ginger ale, they nailed it pretty well. Although it is not in the regular beer or ale category for sure. Their root beer was the same although I liked that one more as a root beer. This one was enjoyable regardless and would recommend a try.

Anime Corner:
Terumi Mei from Naruto was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair a ginger with a ginger ale, simple as that. Since I have not used her in a beer pairing, I thought it be the perfect opportunity to do so. Also, her bathing suit pairs well with the beach scenery of the label.

Sources:
http://img03.deviantart.net/be24/i/2015/020/2/d/mei_in_bikini_by_abrem008-d8erhko.jpg

Ban-Anna’s Love Diablita De Leche Nectar by Nubis Sanctum Ales

10001197_10103117644756880_7627100034381002526_oRating: 6/6

Ban-Anna’s Love Diablita De Leche Nectar by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 10% ABV Doppel Weizenbock brewed with Bananas and Goat Milk Dulce De leche Caramel aged in White Grape Wine.

Label:
“They Say The Devil’s water it ain’t so sweet”…

Whoever said this has never tried it to begin with. Everyone has a sinful pleasure but none have ever made it a mission …

Until Anna came to bring these inner desires to manifestation the day she met with a mysterious woman who gave her a magic potion.

Since that time, Anna has had the magic touch. A simple drop or a touch from her would bring people’s most inner desires out. However, the more Anna shared, the more of her inner devil started to manifest.  She was a kind hearted devil though. Unlike the tales told.

Myth would have you believe that the root of all desserts stemmed from this very potion. Some say that what Anna drank was actually this ‘devil’s water’. Whether the mysterious lady from that day was an Angel or a Devil, the potion is enough to turn the holiest of man into a sinner.

Ingredients: Water, Malts, Hops, Bananas, Vanilla, Coronado Dulce de Leche Cajeta Caramel aged in White Grape Wine and Yeast.
12513960_10103011330775950_1825598058966416032_o (1)==Introduction==
Project #17 pays tribute to my need of making a beer similar to the Bananas Foster’s beer from Buffalo Bayou which was given to me a couple months ago by my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. I had always wanted to make a Weizenbock for a long time ago since the style pays tribute to the Doppel Bocks and Dunkelweizens which are some of my favorite styles from Germany. Lucky for me, the Bananas Foster was a Weizenbock. Hence where I got a crazy idea of making something similar but taking my own experimentation into consideration. Essentially, I wanted to implement Coronado Dulce De Leche Cajeta de Cabra into the mix. It is a Mexican Dulce de Leche with Caramel which was aged in White Grape Wine or what they call, Envinado. Also, since I wanted to make a beer that would go well into a beer float. The more the better to make a delicious style such as this. I don’t think the implementation of Goat Milk Caramel has ever been done in a beer so it was definitely a chance to make something unique and special. Aside from the base weizenbock extract recipe I researched, I added a lot of Crystal 40 malts which made my partial mash even bigger. With all the ingredients in place I had something very special to work with. So after a long time, basically 10 weeks of waiting and racking done, here is the brew! Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Bananas, dulce de leche caramel, goat milk, vanilla, dark fruit raisins, plums, cherries, currants, piloncillo sugar one, bubble gum, stone fruit peaches, pecan pie, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Chunky Munkey ice cream, walnuts, plantains, tres leches cake, coffee cake, banana nut bread and flan hints
12801160_10103117646154080_5105050279066731204_n
Flavors:
Mexican Dulce de leche Goat Milk Caramel, vanilla, grilled bananas, clove spice, banana bread, coffee cake, pecan pie, sweetened condensed milk, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, coriander, wheat bread, rye bread, toasted rye bread, hazelnut nectar, stone fruit apricot and peach notes, leather hints, bubble gum, capirotada raisin bread pudding, piloncillo sugar cone, plantains, cinnamon hints, fruit cake, Chunky Munkey ice cream, grape wine notes, tres leches cake, flan, banana cream pie, toffee, cane sugar, rum hints, walnuts and Nutella hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishing up with bananas, goat milk dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, bubble gum, earthy notes, dark fruit, flan, tres leches cake, stone fruits, coriander spice, plantains, clove spice hints, and dark cherry notes. No alcohol in the taste, Crimson Blood and Dark medium Body, smooth, creamy, syrupy and chewy mouthfeel along with moderate drinkability.
12829404_10103117647017350_7862658038835570667_oOverall:
Yet another crazy experiment done successful. This came out to be such a very delicious brew that it truly is orgasmic! I was concerned about this project big time since I got some sediment left over since there was so much banana in the brew (About 25 bananas!!) When it came to the caramel, I was concerned about how to add it to the brew in secondary since caramel the caramel is made with Goat’s milk and you could really smell it when I boiled the caramel with water. I stuck to my guns and said fuck it, all in the name of good beer and experimentation. I am so thankful that the people that have tried it so far have really liked it and even though it was a one off batch of brew, I definitely would like to make this again and proceed with other experiments as well. Hope to some day make enough for some beer enthusiasts like yourself to try some day. Cheers!
12829343_10103105966470260_6006963412419146236_o
Anime Corner: (tl;dr)
Anna Nishikinomiya from Shimoneta, Asmodeus and Astaroth from Shinrabansho were used in this beer for many many reasons. During the research to make this beer, my friend Steven Blackburn from Iowa and I joked about the scene in Shimoneta where the girl Anna infused her “love nectar” into her cookies. So we basically discussed, if this beer is to be a true dessert, it has to be so damn good like a true nectar of gods. A beer that will basically make you orgasm since it would be so rich and ddelicious Essentially, all the sweetness from the bananas and caramel would become love nectar. The fact that I combined Anna on the label with Asmodeus is a play at the beer style, a DoppelWeizenbock or Double Buck/Goat Wheat beer. It is almost like a duality, Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hide kind of thing. Also, since goats have been used in some cultures to represent devils, I think it was fitting to put both Asmodeus and Astaroth on the label as well. This and the back that I literally used a Goat’s milk caramel into the beer, just adds to how much more the ingredients paired so well with the Weizenbock. The Doppel aspect also notes the fact that the beer is a stronger or Double/Imperial beer at 10%. In this beer, the Banana aspect, you can see Anna’s name is in Banana, and the whole Diablita de Leche is a play on the words Devil’s Milk. So you can see how I related Goat and Devil there. So then the whole thing with Astaroh and Asmodeus together is the Doppel Bock. Also, Since the grain bag burned a tiny bit at the bottom, the bitter earthiness of the brew can be seen as the burning of hell fire. Oh and Anna becomes Asmodeus after too much Love Nectar. Hope I covered everything.

Sources:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/35088274/images/1411600424581.png

2015 Wreck Alley by Karl Strauss

10547156_10103117642177050_901989524375048358_o 10272606_10103117642980440_6738868236092388163_o 10392305_10103117643858680_3243286541705481776_nRating: 4.75/5

2015 Wreck Alley by Karl Strauss is a 9% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with cocoa nibs and Ethiopian coffee beans from Bird Rock Coffee Roasters.

Label:
Beneath the tides off Mission Beach rests Wreck Alley – a dark and mysterious seascape of forgotten ships. Amidst the rusted wreckage is a marine ecosystem, an artificial reef teeming with life. Our Wreck Alley is as dark as the depths of its namesake, an Imperial Stout of uncharted complexity. Brewed with darkly kilned malts, cocoa nibs, and Ethiopian coffee beans sourced by our friends at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, Wreck Alley boasts rich layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and espresso-like roast.

==Introduction==

Got this one off one of my local markets. It has been a long time since I tried this beer and I wanted to bring it back for a re-review as I saw they are using a different brand of coffee with this brew. That and I do recall how much I liked this one back then so I figure, why not bring it back to the website for good ol’ time sakes. This time, Karl Strauss collabs with Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in San Diego. So it is good to see what new flavors might come about with this blending. Time for the beer, Cheers!

Aromas:
Coffee, Mocha, Kahlua liqueur hints , Dark Chocolate, milk chocolate, vanilla, caramel, toffee, dark fruits, coconut hints, tobacco notes, brown sugar, marshmallow smores, rocky road ice cream hints and toffee.

Flavors:
Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, German chocolate, Baker’s chocolate, earthy hop hints, espresso, mocha, roasted coffee, toffee, tobacco notes, licorice, anise, molasses, brownie batter, vanilla, caramel, toasted coconut, marshmallows, smores, rocky road notes, dark fruit raisins, cherries, Coffee cake, Chocolate cake, crème brulee hints, steamed milk, Irish cream and Kahlua liqueur notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with notes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, dark fruit, earthy notes, vanilla and caramel notes. No alcohol in the taste, pitch black dark body, smooth, creamy, and mildly chewy mouthfeel with a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious stout just like I remember it. While I have had many stouts in the past, this one brings back memories of how well it was made. It is still well made and delicious. A common go to beer for sure especially since it is readily available. Now that I see it often near me, I will be getting this one often. I recommend this one.

Anime Corner:
Etna from Disgaea was chosen to return to the brew like I did with the original review of the Wreck Alley Stout. At the time, one of the reasons I had chosen her to do the pairing was due to the dark and evil face which would make up the dark water this is but also her surrounding of rubble seeming like she brings death and destruction. Although she may seem like that on the outside. She really is a sweet heart in reality and in the series. I just like how well she paired back then with the idea so I added some new pictures that would fit with that aspect of wrecks, destructions and corruption but really is sweet like the taste of the beer is. Don’t judge books by their covers!

Sources:
http://i26.ltalk.ru/99/22/42299/6/2768406/16.jpeg
https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/2b352-disgaeaportable12.jpg
http://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/characters/11/33671.jpg

Kum Together by El Borracho Homebrewing

1150873_10103117638559300_3886264520300131288_nRating: 4.75/5

Kum Together by El Borracho Homebrewing is a 4.3% ABV American wheat ale brewed with kumquats, lemon zest and coriander.

==Introduction==

Another brew that I was able to get from my friend and fellow homebrewer, William Carranza. This brew idea came up as he had received several Kumquats as a gift and the idea of experimenting with different ingredients. Coming up with the name was based on using words that related to the work Kumquats. Yeah it would have been so easy to just give it an innuendoes name but something not to offend the weak, he got another name. So The Beatles song “Come Together” came to mind and so he named it, Kum Together. A wheat ale in the style of the Americas which already likes to add citrus to their beers enhanced the style since no additional fruit would be needed to make this one good. Let’s take a look, Cheers!

Aromas:
Coriander spice, Kumquats, lemon hints, strawberry hints, Grapefruit, citrus and piney hop notes, cane sugar, stone fruits, vanilla hints and tropical fruits.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, citrus and piney hop notes, Oranges, Kumquats, Orange preserves on wheat, tangerine gummies, kumquat peels, lemon peels, coriander spice, mild fruity pebbles notes, strawberry notes, raspberry jelly on rye bread, vanilla, caramel, stone fruit peaches, apple hints, mango hints, lychee candies, guava notes, prickly pear tuna, dragon fruit notes, passion fruit hints and cane sugar.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with notes of coriander, tangerine gummies, grapefruit hops, stone fruit, citrus, lemon peel, Kumquat notes and tropical fruit hints. No alcohol in the taste, Golden honey colored light body, crisp, clean, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel and easy to drink.

Overall:
A very delicious brew. Tasted so good like orange and tropical candies that it was difficult for me to see which ingredient or combination thereof imparted the greatest contribution to these sweet flavors. It was definitely enjoyable and close to a Pale Ale but definitely and American Wheat. Very refreshing and hope to enjoy this one again. Cheers Will!

Anime Corner:
Claire “Lightning” Farron, Kain, Jecht, Vaan from the Final Fantasy series were used in this pairing as I wanted to go with a band theme similar to what my friend chose for the name of the brew, a Beatles Tribute. Other than the colors of the characters representing the flavors, ingredients and colors of the brew, I couldn’t think of anything else that would pair with the brew other than this being awesome artwork and how the brew flows well like the music.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/CYS3I9a.jpg

2015 Bourbon County Brand Stout by Goose Island Beer Co.

12140855_10103117611278970_7204452091605499196_o 12240936_10103117612217090_3592700960305929144_o 12794815_10103117613240040_7854546282142908487_oRating: 6/6

2015 Bourbon County Brand Stout by Goose Island Beer Co. is a 14.2% ABV Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
Intense Aromas of charred oak, oak, vanilla, caramel & smoke

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
“I really wanted to do something special for our 1000th batch at the original brewpub. Goose Island could have thrown a party. But we did something better. We brewed a beer. A really big batch of stout-so big the malt was coming out of the top of the mash tun. After fermentation we brought in some bourbon barrels to age the stout. One hundred and fifty days later, Bourbon County Stout was born-A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with a thick foam the color of bourbon barrels. The nose is a mix of charred oak, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. It overpowers anything in the room. People have even said that it’s a great cigar beer, but I haven’t yet tried a cigar that would stand up to it.” Brewmaster Greg Hall;
IBU’s 60-High Color – Midnight

==Introduction==

I received this one as a gift by my new friend Joseph Taitano whom I was introduced by my friend Augie Escobedo, both of BeerBumz on Facebook. After making the impression with my homebrews at the beer session, I was humbled with this gift and I gracefully accepted. I haven’t tried Bourbon County in a while and this being the 2015 version, I decided to bring it to the site for old time sakes and since I had it on hand. One of the beers along with others that started the trend of being able to barrel age brews to raise them into new flavor experiences. A level up if you will. Definitely something that has been well and consistent over the years despite being owned by InBev, Goose Island makes some very coveted brews. Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla, oak, toasted coconut, bourbon, dulce de leche caramel, rocky road ice cream, bananas, flan, Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, German Chocolate, Bakers chocolate, fudge chocolate, dark fruit currants, raisins, blackberries, raspberries, dark cherries, marshmallow smores, pecan pie, almond milk, molasses, anise, tobacco, coffee cake and crème brulee.

Flavors:
Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, German Chocolate, Bakers chocolate, fudge chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, oak, bourbon, dark fruit currants, raisins, blackberries, raspberries, dark cherries, plums, chocolate cake, brownie batter, molasses, anise, tobacco, leather hints, flan, Sweetened condensed milk, bananas, clove spice, rocky road ice cream, almond joys, Khalua coffee liqueur, crème brulee, marshmallow smores, rum hints, mocha chocolate, chocolate mousse, Pancho pantera chocolate milk shake, port wine hints, pecan pie, almond milk and fondue.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with a lot of lingering flavors of bourbon, oak, vanilla, toasted coconut, rocky road ice cream, dark chocolate, dark fruit, crème brulee, flan, tobacco and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste despite ABV, Dark supreme full body, smooth, creamy, velvety and syrupy mouthfeel and sipping drinkability.

Overall:
There’s a reason why this is one of the original brews that started using bourbon barrels to age their beers. Essentially, a staple in the bourbon barrel aged beer scene. A supremely exceptional brew that ranges with the most balanced and best examples of what makes the Bourbon Barrel Aged Beers I love so damn great. With the release of several to more markets, it is nice knowing that some of the brews that inspired the great barrel aging process can now let people be part of history and something special. A must have beer!

Anime Corner:
Franco il Nero from Tre Donne Crudelli “Outlaw Django” is used in this pairing since I had used her in the 2008 Bourbon County pairing to show this one will get you nice a buzzed but also warm you up inside. Also, the whole them of Cowboys and Cowgirls I used in this pairing with the beer because whenever I think of Bourbon and County, I think of the Old west. This beer should have won the west. Since it was the original Bourbon County pairing, it stuck. Also, this year, I added a more of a “County Fair” aspect to it (Yes, since County is in the name). You can see this as “Lily Salvatanna” helps out that girl and you see Franco above the tent with some Ruffians up to no good. Trying to steal some county fair ground goods I’m sure!

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/136314
https://files.yande.re/image/c186f9f8d3ef6e89e82e9c019d4c4b8c/yande.re%2062163%20franco_il_nero%20nitroplus%20niθ%20pantsu%20tre_donne_crudeli.jpg
https://files.yande.re/sample/c0c4fad7d568e10ca2ac663271b557b2/yande.re%20134757%20sample%20alfie%20chibi%20crossover%20elf%20garnet%20himuro_kane%20megane%20mira%20nitroplus%20overfiltered%20pointy_ears%20seifuku%20spica%20sumaga%20type-moon%20underboob%20witch.jpg

Heff By Black Cherries – Chapter 2: And In The Darkness of Cherries Bind them by Nubis Sanctum Ales

12771879_10103105918785820_7745577341913906682_o 12819187_10103105919619150_3897216335759083062_oRating: 4.5/5

Heff By Black Cherries – Chapter 2: And In The Darkness of Cherries Bind them by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 5.6% ABV German Hefeweizen brewed with Organic Black Cherry juice.

==Introduction==

12471520_10103011321304930_52753629154939362142_o
Project # 16 pays tribute and the return of an old favorite from last year. I brewed this recipe last year as a Dunkelweizen and this year I brought it back making some slight adjustments to the recipe and using the Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast strain as well as different malt and hops. This is the results. In an attempt to make this beer, as it was dubbed a winner among many of my family and friends who typically drink light beer, I had to bring it back. In this project, now coming from several batches in, I hope it is still as great as what I remember. It is still dark heff like before but I think falls more towards the regular heff style. Let’s see what I find, cheers!

Aromas:
Bananas, dark cherry notes, stone fruits, honey, citrus, fruity pebbles hints, coriander spice, clove spice, brown sugar, vanilla and caramel.

Flavors:
Dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, figs, dates, Bananas, banana cream pie, clove spice, tart raspberry hints, coriander spice, clove spice, candi sugar, vanilla, honey, orange peels, citrus, toffee, caramel, stone fruit peach, apricots, earthy hop notes, crème brulee, dark cherry preserves on rye toast and flan.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with a minor tart yet citrusy hop finish with the notes of dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, bananas, clove spice, peach hints, earthy hops and honey. No alcohol in the taste, honey colored hazy full body, crisp, refreshing, smooth and an easy drinkability.

Overall:
A very good hefeweizen and definitely better than the one I made last yeast. I think by slightly adjusting the recipe, it did pay off as there seems to be more of a balance between the sweet, bitter and tartyness. Right off the bat, the brew is sweet and tart and balanced. As it warms up, that’s where it gets much better with in regards to the banana split like flavors. I think the flavors of the cherry really blended well with the banana clove spices of the yeast making a beer that I could definitely call a flash ship for sure.

Anime Corner:
Ruby Rose from RWBY was used in this pairing to mainly to represent the Black Cherries of the beer. She was used similarly in chapter one but since the beer became so delicious, by making a return, it would entice the drinker into wanting even more since the recipe would be better this time around. You see, the name of And Through the Darkness of Cherries Bind Them, goes so well with the second picture where she is about to decapitate the wolf as the wolf is so bound by her, “Heff” is inevitable. The name Heff By Black Cherries is a pun at Death By Black Cherries as since Ruby carries around a scythe, I thought it was perfect as she is the “Black Cherry Death that causes the Heff to be Heffed.” So for those that drink this beer, they are immediately enticed and cannot escape Heff!! Rose petals represent the cherries swirling as the beer is surrounded in cherry flavor. Lots of great things going with this beer!

Sources:
http://img.walls321.com/images3/wnavws40omf.jpg
http://wallpapershacker.com/wallpaper/boots_snow_cross_scythe_redheads_moon_hd-wallpaper-3031955.jpg

2016 Les Ronces by the Bruery Terreux

12495948_10103105916056290_9091630439669193902_o 6786_10103105918206980_6221779709844546912_nRating: 5/5

2016 Les Ronces by the Bruery Terreux is a 6.0% ABV is an American Wild ale with Boysenberries aged in Oak Barrels.

Label:
JAMMY – PUCKERING – QUAFFABLE

Commercial description:
Loosely translated as “The Brambles”, Les Ronces is rooted in Southern California charm. The juicy fruit was commercially brought to life near Bruery Terreux at Knott’s farm in Buena Park, California in the early 1930s. Since their peak in popularity, the berries have become more scarce and elusive, and at the same time, an ideal cohort for our wildly traditional bière. In Les Ronces, the boysenberries impart a reddish-purple hue to the oak-aged ale, with their sweet-tart flavor profile complementing the sour blonde base in a light jammy, puckering and refreshing fashion.
==Introduction==

Released to 2016 Reserve and Hoarders, this sour was made with the Bruery trying to use a different variety of fruits for making their sours and beers. All in the name of experimentation. This one though, reminded me of the time I tried the Bramble Rye from Goose Island’s Bourbon County series. If they ever make something like that, I would definitely want to try it. So with this sour, you can say I was intrigued to give it a shot for sure and is the reason I got it and brought it to the site. Some sours are a hit or miss for me from the Bruery. While I like sours, I like maltier beers more. So when it is done right, I definitely enjoy them. Like Jolly Pumpkin for example. So let’s see about this one. Cheers!

Aromas:
Wine grapes, earthy funk, oak, stone fruit peaches, apricots, peppercorn hints, Dark fruit raspberries, boysenberries, toasted rye bread, strawberry jam, lemon peel, honey and caramel notes.

Flavors:
Dark fruit raspberries, boysenberries, raisin hints, tart berry skins, Concorde grapes, wine grapes, Boysenberry preserves on Toasted Rye bread, Strawberry Jam, citrus, lemon peel, cranberries, honey, caramel hints, guava hints, pineapple hints, fruit cake hints, stone fruit peaches, apricots, hibiscus flowers, lavender, brown sugar hints pecan pie hints, funky hay notes, earthy funk, oak and strawberry shortcake.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with hints of dark fruit, earthy funk, oak, wine grapes, lemons, citrus and toasted rye bread. No alcohol in the taste, Ruby Hot Pink clear body, effervescent, puckering, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel with a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious and perfect sour showcasing the many tarty and sweet delicious fruits. While it is a sour, the body of the brew and characters of boysenberry preserves on toast do come out. Similarly, this reminds me similarly of what they did with Ruebarb/Windowsill and Gypsy Tart. Essentially, a dessert sour. While the sour and tart flavors are there to balance out the brew as a whole, it makes for one delicious brew if you are into sours. Definitely recommended.

Anime Corner:
Julie-su the Echidna from Sonic the Hedgehog Comics was used in this pairing to go with the label colors, the color of the beer as well as the boysenberries mainly. I have not used her in a Bruery or beer review in general and so I figured with all the colors following close to her colors I thought that this would be a very good fit for the pairing.

Sources:
http://img01.deviantart.net/4ea8/i/2011/338/2/f/julie_su_commission_by_one_dimensional_man-d4i62h1.jpg
http://img09.deviantart.net/ba38/i/2005/364/1/b/julie_su_coloured_by_tazi_san.jpg