Heff By Black Cherries by Nubis Sanctum Ales

March 19, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged banana split, Black Cherries, Black Cherry, Dunkel, Dunkelweizen, German Hefeweizen, Heff By Black Cherries, Home brewing, Nubis Sanctum Ales, Organic Cherries, Ruby, Ruby Rose, Rwby | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Heff By Black Cherries by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 5% ABV Dunkelweizen brewed with Organic Black Cherry syrup.

==Introduction==

Project #3 was brewed right after brewing my Belgian Quadruple which will not be ready for a couple more weeks. Technically, this is the second homebrew of mines that I review. The idea came from the need to brew something sweet while I waited for the Quad to be ready. My friend Oscar told me about how he liked cherry heffs and I remember seeing a recipe for it. As a twist from that original recipe, I decided to use Organic Black Cherry syrup instead of typical Cherry Juice. The name of the beer came from the need to think of something that would be cool and fit with Heffweizens and Black Cherries. Heff By Black Cherries is a pun at Death By Black Cherries as I actually fit the name based on the artwork I chose for it which I will elaborate further as I go along. For now, let’s see how Project#3 turned out. Cheers!

Aromas:
Coriander, clove spice, oranges, vanilla, caramel, hints of black cherry, peppercorn hints, fruity pebbles hints, peach hints and honey.

Flavors:
Banana, clove spice, Black cherry notes, coriander spice, dark fruit raisin hints, vanilla, caramel, honey hints, orange peel, citrus, peach hints, toffee, banana split hints, rock candy and Danish cream.

Aftertaste:
Leaves with a bit of a minor tart aftertaste from the black cherries. The orange, bananas, clove spice, honey and a bit of peach lingers along with the earthy hop bitterness. No alcohol in the taste, dark caramel gold body, crisp and refreshing mouth feel and easy to drink.

Overall:
A very good heffeweizen. I was more impressed the more I tried it. I think it started off pretty tart but as I went along and the beer got warmer, the flavors started to get more balanced where the German heffeweizen side started to take over and cut some of the tartness. As a result, with a clear palate, some of that banana melded really well with the cherries giving hints of like a banana split but super subtle. I would like to brew this one again for sure.

Anime Corner:
Ruby Rose from RWBY was used in this pairing to mainly to represent the Black Cherries of the beer. 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”. The pool below her represents the German yeast as well as the Banana and Clove spices that it brings and infuses with the Black Cherries. You can also say it is the banana split flavors that are brought at ya as Ruby swings her scythe to take out your palate with a slight bit of that cherry tartness. Rose petals represent the cherries swirling as the beer is surrounded in cherry flavor. Lots of great things going with this beer!

Sources:
http://konachan.com/sample/93049be957a1232566517f0d74d508a4/Konachan.com%20-%20170085%20sample.jpg

A Deal With The Devil by Anchorage Brewing

March 17, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged A Deal With The Devil, Anchorage Brewing, Asmodeus, Astaroth, Beelzebub, cognac, Cognac Barrels, Devil's honey, Dulce de leche, Maple Syrup, Mephistopheles’, Panty & Stocking, passion fruit, rocky road ice cream, Scanty, Scanty and Kneesocks, Shinra Bansho, Shinra Banshou, Shinrabansho, World class, World Class American Strong Ale, World Class Barleywine, world class beers, world class style | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5

A Deal With The Devil by Anchorage Brewing is a 17.3% ABV World Class American Barleywine aged in Cognac Barrels

Label:
Batch#2
DEC/2014

Barleywine style ale brewed with Galaxy hops. A starting gravity of 37 Plato. Aged Eleven months in Cognac Barrels. The Devil is in the details…Enjoy.

Faustian pleasure has consequence, of this you must know
When you go down to the crossroads, expect more than a show
Robert Johnson paid dearly, for talent and fame
His deal with the devil, left only his name
Eternal damnation, no chance for retreat
Save only Mr. Daniels’, stunning cunning fiddle feat
This devil is in the details, diabolical pacts abound
Worldly riches and pleasures, but consequences come ’round
‘Twix barley and beer, there is liquid sublime’
But this devil is in the details, with consequence in time
Thirty-seven plato, a matter of some gravity
A Galaxy of hops, only adds to depravity
Eight months in wood, of Cognac in barrel
Mephistopheles you’re not, and the devil your peril
-Tom Dalidorf
Celebrator Beer News

Additional info:
1 hop, 1 malt, aged in giant freshly emptied Cognac Barrels.

==Introduction==

You can definitely say I was tempted so many times to try and find this to the point of madness. It wasn’t until I finally found it on mybeercollectibles.com with someone who was willing to make a “deal” on 2 of these demons. The bargain was set, and I finally received this crazy beer only to bring it to you and to see why this beer is such a great beer. According to this website here (http://www.anchoragepress.com/brew-review/20/devil’s-honey) this is all it took for me to just keep searching until I found it for a great price. Keep in mind, this was is going for a ridiculous price right now and me being of limited income but with a need to find something, there are ways to find these things, and you don’t have to sell yourself just to get it. So, with that being said, let’s see if the hype is true. Cheers!

Aromas:
Ridiculous amount of dulce de leche caramel, rye bread, oak, vanilla, rich honey, maple syrup, almond syrup, hazelnut nectar, cognac, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, prunes, dark cherries, blackberries, toffee, bourbon, marshmallows, chocolate smores, plantain hints, banana notes, crème brulee, graham crackers, rich pecan pie, cocada and macaroon coconut candy, dragon fruit, passion fruit, rich chocolate almond joy, rich rocky road ice cream and molasses.

Flavors:
Super rich dulce de leche Caramel, super rich Honey, Wild flower honey, maple syrup, toffee, french vanilla ice cream, vanilla beans, tres leches cake, sweetened condensed milk, dulce de leche from the wooden container, wood oak, cognac, coconut, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, rye bread, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, prunes, dark cherries, blackberries, toffee, bourbon, marshmallows, smores, graham crackers, coconut hints, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple hints, crème brulee, plantain, macadamia nuts, black cherry cheesecake, choco flan, almond joy chocolate, rocky road ice cream, cookie dough ice cream and more!

Aftertaste:
Rich residue lingers of rich honey, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cognac, oak, coconut, toffee, rock candy, dark fruits, dark cherries, three milks/tres leches cake, sweetened condensed milk tropical notes, pecan pie, rye bread and minor earthy hop hint. How can there be no alcohol in the taste at this ABV, why?!?!?! HOW!?? It drinks like so damn smooth, silky, velvety, with honey syrup mouth feel, easy to drink, and crimson brown medium to full body. Simply the most ridiculous beer in like forever!

Overall:
People were not kidding. Seriously, WTF is this?! It is way too fucking rich on some many aspects. I wanna compare it to the greats of the Bruery, cigar city or Three Floyds but I honestly can’t as the sugar levels are something beyond what I have ever had. This is more literal syrup than that of the Weekday Bruery greats or the Dark Lord and yet despite it’s alcohol, still drinks smooth. I cannot put my finger on it but drinking this is like I decided to make a blend of honey, caramel, sweetened condensed milk and just put it together without curdling the beer. I hope one day this is released in more than just “limited” batches but for now, if you can find it or trade, it really is a different experience.

Anime Corner:
Astaroth, Asmoedeus and Mephistopheles from Shinrabansho along with Scanty and Kneesocks from Panty & Stocking were all used in this pairing because for being one of the most hyped beers in a long time, I wanted to bring forth my favorite anime devils in a fashion where they are trying to bargain, be seductive and over all just plain playful to strike a crazy deal. Everything that has to do with the beer strikes gold with these girls.

Sources:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/35088274/images/1411599946809.png
http://static.zerochan.net/Mephisto.%28Shinrabansho%29.full.1579033.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mddihfPzld1rrsokso1_1280.jpg
http://blog-imgs-63.fc2.com/j/i/n/jingaidaisuki/cc6ade8ca3d4_0A32BEDC_aohada014_R_thumb.jpg

Jubel 2015 by Deschutes Brewery

March 17, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged american oak barrels, American Strong Ale, Deschutes Brewery, Deschutes Brewing, FF4, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy 4, Jubel, Jubel 2015, Jubelale, Jubelation, oak barrels, Oregon oak barrels, Pinot Noir wine barrels, Red Velvet Cake, Rydia, Rydia of the Mist, Super Jubel, wine grapes, Winter Warmer | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Jubel 2015 by Deschutes Brewery is a 10.4% ABV American Strong Winter Warmer with 50% aged in Pinot and Oregon oak barrels.

Label:
Affectionately referred to as “Super Jubel”, Jubel 2015 is an imperial take on our festive winter ale. Notes of toasted caramel, raisins, dates and figs are complemented by spicy and herbal hop aromas. Originally planned as a once-a-decade-ale; we just couldn’t wait another five years.

==Introduction==

This beer was supposed to be released in 2020 but it seems Deschutes wanted to release it earlier. The story behind this legend is that there was a thief who tried to steal a keg of Jubelale. When the thief realized he couldn’t carry it anymore, the beer froze over in the winter cold. When the owner found the keg, they saw half was frozen but the concentrated remains of what was left over was legend born by accident. As a result, they released this beer in 2010 but then would release it 5 years later and age it in pinot and Oregon oak barrels. This beer I was able to obtain at bringonthebeer.com I am uncertain if all stores that sell Deschutes will get this one as it is pretty damn limited. One thing is certain though, for this only out 5 years and the colors of the label speak magic and potions, I had to get this for sure.

Aromas:
Lots of dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, dates, black cherry yogurt, hazelnut, pecan pie, rich fruit cake, gingerbread, wine grapes, stone fruit apricot hints, candy sugar, toffee, vanilla, dulce de lecher, butterscotch, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, pears, apples, port wine, pinot noir, nutmeg, blackberry preserves on rye bread, concorde grapes and red velvet cake hints.

Flavors:
Rich Fruit cake, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, dates, black cherry yogurt, ginger bread, nutmeg, cinnamon, rock candy, candy sugar, figgy pudding, pinot wine, oak, port wine, dark chocolate, flan, toffee butterscotch, brandy, marshmallows, chocolate smores, molasses, anise, red velvet cake, stone fruit apricot, peaches, pecan pie, sangria, apples, blackberry preserves on toasted rye bread, sweetened condensed milk, pears, wine grapes, concorde grapes, toasted coconut hints and milk chocolate.

Aftertaste:
Fruit cake, dark fruits, hints of stone fruit peaches, caramel, vanilla, oak, pinot, port wine and chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, dark brown medium to full body, sipping drinkability and slightly syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
Damn exceptionally awesome winter warmer. The end of winter is pretty much near here and to end it perfectly as winter rolls trough St. Patrick’s, all green in color, this winter ends with a bang! On to the spring. The beer has so much damn complexity. I know it is not sour nor it is just a plain winter warmer but all the elements combined make for one ridiculously exceptional brew that is only out every 5 years. Do yourself a favor and if you can find this one for yourself, please do. You may not see nothing like it til 2020.

Anime Corner:
Rydia of the Mist from Final Fantasy IV was used in this pairin to pair with the colors of the label but also the magic of aging. In the story, Rydia was young but then was swallowed by a monster (Leviathan) only to come back a full fledged adult with very power magic and summoning spells. While the monster/esper world seems to go much faster than the normal world, she had spent many years in training while it was only a few days/weeks/months in the current timeline of the game. Her development from a young joyous girl (Jubelale) to a more powerful woman (Super Jubel aged in pinot and Oregon Oak barrels). The transformation into a much more complex beer/person is what really makes this one pair the best. Such Magic, Much Power, Wow Fancy.

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/…/160c9d8233c1cf271e0a…
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2012-02-23-478344.jpeg

Funk-N-Delicious series Bleuet by Oceanside Ale Works

March 11, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged balanced sour beer, Belgian Sour Blonde, Bleuet, Blueberries, Blueberry, blueberry cheese cake, Brett, Brettanomyces, Funk-N-Delicious series, Gwerztremainer barrels, Johannesburg Riesling barrels, Lambic, Luka Megurine, Oak, Ocean, Oceanside Ale Works, Pajottenland, Velo de Flor, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Funk-N-Delicious series Bleuet by Oceanside Ale Works is a 6% ABV Lambic/Belgian Sour Blonde aged in oak barrels with blueberries.

Label:
Barrel Aged Bueberry
Pajottenland style Blebet

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Funk-n-Delicious Bleuet is a blonde ale, spontaneously fermented with wild airborne yeast. It is then transferred into Gwerztremainer barrels for a secondary fermentation, of which Brettanomyces is the majority. This “Brett” gives the beer its distinct “funky” characteristic. Once the “Velo de Flor”of yeast drops into suspension, it is transferred into Johannesburg Riesling barrels with fresh blueberries to age, until the desired balance of “funk” fruit and filigree is achieved. Enjoy!

==Introduction==

Mark Purciel, owner at Oceanside Ale Works graces his presence to the site with a new creation that will be hitting stores soon as part of his Funk-N-Delicious series. Previously on tap only, this bottle has only seen a few hands and today, thanks to Mark’s generosity, we present to you, the Bleuet, a blueberry sour lambic.

I have tried a variety of different blueberry beers, some more complex than others, some sweet and one time, a blueberry sour. Today, I get to try a blueberry sour lambic. It isn’t the same as a blueberry sour as lambics tend to have fruit flavors give a helping hand with an amount of sweetness making the drink more of a tart instead. With that being said, let’s take a look at we have here.

Aromas:
Very rich fragrances of blueberries, flowers like lavender, hibiscus, peppercorn, white grapes, tart raspberries, strawberry cheesecake, vanilla, oak, grapefruit, sugar cane, Belgian phenolic notes, banana hints, green apples, lemon peels and some stone fruit peaches.

Flavors:
Rich lemon peel, citrus, sour white grapes, concorde wine grapes, blueberry yogurt, strawberry cheese cake, tart fresh raspberries, black currants, vanilla, oak, sugar cane hints, farmhouse hay, bretty funk, tart green apples, stone fruit peaches, coriander spice, grapefruit, Belgian phenolic notes, banana and flowers like lavender and hibiscus.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with the sweet blueberries lingering, tart raspberry, vanilla, stone fruit and oak. No alcohol in the taste, easy to moderate drinkability, light clear golden body and a smooth, crisp and refrshing mouthfeel.

Overall:
Another great example of the lambic style. This one came out to be very good. Drinking this one cold engages the sour blond characteristics but as it warms up, the blueberries and rich fruit and flowers take over melding with the existing flavors showing that this is really just a tart drink and not a head on sour. It is light and drinkable with a lot of complexity going on. Something that can be drunk in several sittings as you definitely want to enjoy this. I highly recommend this one if you like mild sours with nice fruity flavors and especially if you love bluberries! This lambic has not come out yet but will see the public sometime soon. Keep an eye out at https://www.facebook.com/OAWBREW or https://www.facebook.com/dudewheresmyoawbeer to see the release date.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Luka Megurine was used in this pairing as I wanted to do something with blueberries. After looking at so many different pictures, they were not clicking with me. It wasn’t until I found this one and looked at it and said, this is the one. Luka presenting the blueberries represents the love that goes into making this lambic. By not being hidable, it goes to show that they made a lambic that truly is blueberries and you don’t need to find them as they are already there. This is not a typical sour, it is a fruit forward tart. Her colors represent the complexity of the lambic inviting the other fruity flavors like the strawberries, raspberries, the flowers and other awesome complexities.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/106614

2011 Daliesque by Oceanside Ale Works

March 9, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged 2011 Daliesque, american oak barrels, Belgian Sour Blonde, Daliesque, Duality, Lambic, Mark Purciel, Oak, Oak aged, oak barrels, Oceanside Ale Works, Oceanside California, passion fruit, sour beer funk, Sour Blonde Ale, The Dude, tincek-marincek | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

2011 Daliesque by Oceanside Ale Works is a 6.2% ABV Lambic/Belgian Sour Blonde aged in oak barrels.

Label:
A Barrel Aged “Lambic Style” Sour Blonde. Daliesque: Conscientiously affecting the ostentatious, weird, or bizarre.

==Introduction==

I have been doing reviews for a while and have definitely loved doing what I do for a long time. I have also been fortunate enough to be able to find good friends who have helped me with trading beers like my friend Aaron Mendiola of beermetaldude.com so I can inform the public about great beer treasures.

As of recently, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mark Purciel, owner of Oceanside Ale Works in Oceanside California. After doing a review of the “Dude” Double IPA some time last year, Mark reached out to me asking if I would like to review Daliesque. In the back of my mind I was like, “Dude!!!!” Needless to say, I was awe struck and very excited. This is actually the first time I have been asked personally by a brewery, especially the owner, to try and review some beers. Usually, I try different beers and beers I have heard about. Some breweries like my work but this was an awesome opportunity to bring something for the public to take note. Daliesque has been rated the best lambic in the world (ratebeer.com) and also one of the best brews of 2014 according to (DraftMag.com).

I have been doing this since 2011, and well, for being an awesome request, I humbly give you my review on the 2011 Daliesque. Cheers!

Aromas:
Tart lemon peel, citrus, grapefruit peels, white wine grapes, musty oak, vanilla, farmhouse hay, peppercorn hints, field of flowers like lavender, hibiscus hints, tropical hints like passion fruit, dragon fruit, strawberries, white raisins, stone fruit apricots, peach notes, phenolic notes and sour green apples.

Flavors:
Citrus, orange peel, tart grapefruit, Stone fruit like peaches, apricots, mango hints, white wine grapes, farmhouse hints, lemon peel, lemon candy, tart peach, pineapple, lychee fruit, sour green apples, dragon fruit hints, passion fruit, vanilla, oak, biscuit bread, white raisins, ripened strawberries, tart raspberries, sugar cane hints, Belgian phenolic notes, banana, clove spice hints, coriander hints, floral notes like lavender and hibiscus.

Aftertaste:
Leaving off with some stone fruit note and very mild tropical hints, oak, vanilla, sour white grapes, oak and biscuit bread before going into a dry finish. No alcohol in the taste, smooth mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability. and light to hazy golden body. The hardly any carbonation but with these styles, its welcome.

Overall:
An exceptional lambic. While The base beer is supposed to be sour and the oak barrel lends a hand with the funkiness, the overall lambic through and through is actually more of a tart and sweet than it is sour giving way to some of the fruity notes but still maintaining composure as a sour lambic. Age has definitely done wonders to this one. When it comes to how I like my sours, I generally look past the sour aspect to find complexities during cold and warm temperatures. I think what makes this one an exceptional lambic has to do with balance of how you get the best of both worlds (Sweet/Sour) without the sourness getting the best of the lambic. That and the time aging has definitely had a great effect on it. As I have mentioned in my rating system, when I find something that goes beyond the base beer (typically aging can do this), I feel these beers deserve that extra credit push as not many perfect base beers can show their true potential unless it is take to a new level. In this case, it definitely exceeds it a bit. I highly recommend this one if you can find it and if you like tart and sweet beers.

I extend my thanks to Mark Purciel at Oceanside Ale Works for the opportunity of letting me try this awesome lambic, Cheers! Check out this interview with Mark on some of the origins of the Dude IPA and Oceanside Ale Works: http://www.thehopshighway.com/video/

Anime Corner:
Duality by tincek-marincek was used in this pairing as I wanted to find something that worked with the “Daliesque” artwork as made famous by Salvador Dali. While searching for many anime related artworks that would fit the ostentatious, weird, or bizarre. I found this artwork. This artwork represents the struggle of the beer as it tries to balance itself out. The beer itself is pretty balance giving great flavors of tart, sour and sweet. The lighter side of the duality represents the blonde and sweet flavor base of the lambic while the dark one represents the complexities brought on by the sour notes and the oak. As I mentioned before there is an aspect of this lambic that consist of a struggle for balance but eventually finding the middle ground (especially when the lambic warms up). Synonymous with human nature, everyone has a good and a bad side and we have to work together to balance ourselves out.

Sources:
http://tincek-marincek.deviantart.com/art/D-U-A-L-I-T-Y-312951498

2015 Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery

March 8, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged agua fresca, Belgian Blonde, blonde, blonde ale, Bruery, caramel brown, churros, Cinnamon, Dulce de leche, dulce leche, Eureka, Fuu, Horchata, mexican cuisine, Naruto, Or Xata, OrXata, Que Rico, Rice, rice pudding, The Bruery, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2015 Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery is a 7.2% ABV Blonde ale brewed with Rice, Cinnamon and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
¡Que Rico!

This ale is our spin on horchata, a sweet & creamy drink originating in Latin America, now quite popular in Southern California.

Horchata is one of our favorite drinks, refreshing alongside a spicy dish or just for sipping on a lazy afternoon. Our take on the traditional agua fresca incorporates rice and lactose along with spices for that sweet, creamy character that we’ve come to love. Or Xata is best enjoyed fresh. The ideal serving temperature is 45° Fahrenheit (7° Celsius). Best served in a tulip or wine glass.

==Introduction==

It’s finally back! The one beer that I enjoyed so much I had to drive far away just to try and get a sample of back in 2013. This beer was so damn good that it became limited right away with only an exclusive few to try it. Now the Bruery has brought it back and hopefully it is here to stay as a seasonal for many to try. I remember how close Horchata or liquid churros this tasted and now I bring forth the 2015 version. Hopefully it has not changed and is still as good as I remember. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rice pudding, cinnamon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, liquid churros, bananas, coconut candy hints, Danish cookies, cookie dough, butterscotch, toffee, biscuit bread, stone fruits like peaches and apricot hints, cane sugar, agave hints, mint hints, milk sugar, coriander and citrus.

Flavors:
Rich cinnamon, Rice pudding, flan, banana hints, liquid churros, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, pan dulce, leche nestle(sweetened condensed milk), coconut candy, clove spice, Danish cookies, cookie dough ice cream, Churro Ice cream,butterscotch, stone fruits like apricot hints, peach hints, cherry hints, English cream, piloncillo sugar cone, cane sugar, agave nectar, mint hints, whipped cream, milk sugar, Mexican Custard/Jericalla, Mochi ball ice cream, nutmeg, coriander spice, citrus hints, toffee and mangoes.

Aftertaste:
Vanilla, rice pudding, caramel, banana hints, rich churros, cinnamon and flan. No alcohol in the taste, refreshing, creamy and silky mouthfeel, easy to drink, and a gold haze of a light to medium body.

Overall:
What can I say that I have not been said before about this beer. This taste exactly like it should. It may not be the most complex beer, well, it kinda is but it hits exactly on the flavor profiles from what they were going for. An Horchata dessert beer. This is too damn delicious to pass up. I highly recommend you try this one since it is one of the closest to an Horchata beer than most likely any non porter/stout Horchata beer.

Anime Corner:
Fuu from Naruto has returned from the last time I tried Or Xata. I never really explained why I used her in the last pairing but the last label had a green, red and gold colors which worked perfectly with the label. This time around, since we have a more artistic and Aztec pattern in the label, I find that it works with her still. You see, for Fuu, her eyes and the 7 tailed beast she holds inside her has similar colors and the wings had complex patterns like the design in the font of the name.

Sources:
http://alexpetrow.deviantart.com/art/Fuu-320430770
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/300/b/0/fu___edo_tensei_by_nextgfx-d5j2spf.jpg

2015 Preservation Series Freckle by The Bruery

March 8, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Bleach, cacao nibs, Champurrado, chocolate abuelita, dark chocolate, Dia de los Muertos, Freckle, Hiyori Sarugaki, HOLY MOLÉ, Hueco Mundo, Imperial Stout, mole, Mole beer, Preservation Society, Spices, The Bruery, Vaizards | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

2015 Preservation Series Freckle by The Bruery is a 10.8% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Cacao Nibs and spices.

Label:
“HOLY MOLÉ”
Freckle is a robust stout that has been infused with the essence of an elegant Mexican molé. Freckle is best enjoyed fresh for peak spice character.

==Introduction==

This time, the Bruery has released their own take at a Molé beer. Unlike some of the other mole beers I have had, this one does not use actual chiles but spices. Will that take away from the beer? Maybe. Yet, I have not had a bad Bruery beer yet, well actually I have a while back but that is very rarely since the Bruery makes some super damn world class experimental treasures. This beer will be released to the preservation society and reserve societies this month so if you signed up, most likely you will get this one. You can also go to the tasting room and try this one. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate abuelita, champurrado, pipian mole sauce hints, chile hints, pepper hints, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, cinnamon, apple pie, brown sugar, dark fruit raisins, plums, black berries, cherry notes, coffee notes, Khalua notes, capirotada raisin bread pudding, banana hints, flan hints, molasses hazelnut nectar and piloncillo sugar cone.

Flavors:
Chocolate abuelita, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cinnamon, champurrado, pipian mole sauce, chile hints, peppery hints, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, apple pie, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, cola notes, molasses, anise, mint ice cream, candi sugar, piloncillo sugar cone, flan hints, banana notes, dark fruit raisins, plums, black berries, cherry notes, coffee notes, Khalua notes and capirotada raisin bread pudding.

Aftertaste:
Rich chocolate abuelita lingers, cinnamon, clove spice, nutmeg, earthy notes, vanilla, caramel, molasses, spices and minty hints. No alcohol in the taste, smooth, rich and creamy mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability, and dark full body.

Overall:
This is pretty damn perfect for an overall delicious molé stout. One thing my friend told me about this beer though, that if you don’t like spices in beers, you may not like this one. For me its like, bring em on. It is not hot like a chile beer but it is spicy and very very damn chocolatey. I think the cocoa nibs are what really account for the major chocolate push into the perfect stout category. I am rather fond of that part. So yeah, I highly recommend this one as you will like the chocolatey flavors of this molé beer.

Anime Corner:
Hiyori Sarugaki from Bleach was chosen in this pairing since she is the only character I know that has freckles and is a bad ass. More importantly, her vaizard form with the skeletal skull is a representative of dia de los muertos aspects which many of the beers I have tried that are Mexican molé related are also sometimes related to dia de los muertos. Good Game Bruery, Good Game on this this to make a beer that fits an anime pairing perfectly.

Sources:
http://m3.img.srcdd.com/farm4/d/2012/1202/15/66A180B02DCB640E844091490EB977CE_B1280_1280_1280_1877.JPEG

2015 Mocha Wednesday by The Bruery

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Imperial Stout, Black Tuesday, Bourbon Barrel Aged, brown sugar, chocolate chip cookies, Chocolate Rain, coffee, Coffee Beans, Grey Monday, Kahlua, Konan, Konan of Amegakure, Kopi Luwak, Kopi Luwak Coffee, Melange 3, Mocha, mocha coffee, Mocha Wednesday, Naruto, Portola Coffee Lab, TCHO Cacao nibs, The Bruery, White Chocolate | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2015 Mocha Wednesday by The Bruery is a 18.6% ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with Portola Labs Coffee beans and TCHO Cacao Nibs aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
MORNING AFTER

This exquisite version of Black Tuesday is brewed with TCHO cacao nibs and coffee beans from Portola Coffee Lab.

Mocha Wednesday is a perfect follow up to a Black Tuesday. This invigorationg ale will age gracefully if cellared properly, but the both chocolate and freshly ground coffee flavors will be most prominent when consumed fresh.
___

So this year, because I had reviewed this one last year, I will bre pretty much referring to the same stuff I talked about in the last review. This time though, this beer was part of the Reserve Society and it was about freaking time too. Black Tuesday, Grey Monday, White Chocolate, Chocolate Rain and Melange #3 have been my top favorite Bruery beers and now, Mocha Wednesday is here again this year. Cheers!!

Aromas:
Similar ridiculous aromas like last years. Alesmith Kopi Luwak coffee aroma complexity, rich mocha coffee, espresso, roasted coffee beans, Kahlua, dark, Belgian, German, sweet, bitter, milk, fudge and baker’s chocolates, bourbon, Dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, flan, hazel nuts, pecan pie, Bailey’s Irish cream, dark fruits, raisins, figs, plums, raspberries, cherries, almond joy, rocky road ice cream, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, molasses, oak, earthy notes, brown sugar, mint, anise and toasted coconut.

Flavors:
This time the Mocha and chocolate move much more forward than last years. Toasted coconut, Kahlua, mocha, java, espresso beans, Kopi luwak coffee, dark, Belgian, German, sweet, bitter, milk, fudge and baker’s chocolates as in the aromas, dark fruits like currants, cherries, raspberries, raisins, figs, plums, raspberries, cherries, almond joy chocolate, See’s coffee candy, brown sugar, chocolate mocha flan, coffee cake, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla beans, oak, bourbon, rum, Bailey’s Irish cream, cookies and cream ice cream, anise, mint chocolate ice cream, pecan pie, hazelnuts, maple syrup, earthy chocolate sugar notes, tobacco, roasted cashews, mocha syrup and more chocolate, damn!

Aftertaste:
Lots of Kahlua coffee. You know the alcohol is there but all you taste is sugary sweet Frappucino and coffee to the point where you can’t sense it until it is too late. A major sipping chocolate mocha syrupy mouth feel beer, but scarily, a smooth beer as well. This beer is no joke.

Overall:
Holy Shit, this kicks a lot of the best coffee beers right in the nuts. I think this is really the best damn coffee beer I have ever had with Alesmith Barrel Aged Kopi Luwak Speedway Stout being the second runner up. This definitely is a warming welcome to the already great line up of Bruery beers specifically the ones I had mentioned earlier in my post. This time, the mesh of chocolate and coffee come forth like no other, chocolate rain style. Even so, like the previous review of this, the consistency and the coffee to give it a complex coffee-mocha flavor makes it extremely unique. Something like this is what meets the highest expectation exceeding criteria that I look for in some of the best beers in the world. A rarity, but a lovely beer just the same as last years beer. It may not be the 19.2% ABV that it used to be but damn still strong and leading the pact of beers into the future.

Anime Corner:
Konan of Amegakure from the Naruto has returned like in last years review and she is looking mighty gorgeous as the beer has allowed to give way to stronger and richer sweet mocha flavors. They got that right. The alcohol shows her unique strength. The perfect pairing idea came from the label and a need to find one of my favorite characters to fit. Her blue hair and hazelnut eyes fit perfect with the beer label colors. Her strength is not the only thing that matters, but the rich sweet aspects of her flavors characterizes the deep love she has for her friends Nagato and Yahiko (Also known as Pain). The rarity of this beer is the rarity of her discipline. For the smallest times you do get to see her fight, she is a bad ass ninja. Hence the reason her smoothness and seduction will make you pay greatly later on if you try to consume her in one sitting. Patience is virtue!! Aside from these aspects, if you know this character or can even guess, what other aspects of this pairing compliment each other?

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1168065
http://kriscounette.k.r.pic.centerblog.net/vbjyttlo.jpg
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/3e/06/2b/3e062b8799a391d6b3439578726d3dce.jpg

Jardinier by The Bruery

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Pale Ale, blooming flowers, BPA, C'EST SI BON!, Flowers, Gardener, Jardinier, Juri, Peppercorns, Street Fighter, sun flowers, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Jardinier by The Bruery is a 4.9% ABV Belgian Pale Ale.

Label:
C’EST SI BON!
A bright and flavorful table beer with an assertive hop character.

Jardinier, which is French for “Gardener”, was inspired by the fresh thirst quenching beers onf the Belgian dinner table. A perfect beer for any occasion, casual or ornate. Jardinier is best enjoyed fresh.

==Introduction==

A new seasonal from the Bruery has been released. Essentially, it is their session ale but a Belgian Pale Ale session. I wanted to check it to show it here and see what to expect from it. Next to Hottenroth, it is possibly the lightest beer they have released. It is available this spring so let us see if it is good, cheers!

Aromas:
Lots of blooming flowers, herbal, citrus and piney hops, hibiscus, lavender, sun flowers, farmhouse hay, peppercorns, honey, Belgian phenolic notes, hints of bubblegum and minor banana hints, lemon peel, and some stone fruit hints.

Flavors:
Floral, herbal and citrus hops, lavender, hibiscus roses, sun flowers, peppercorns, farmhouse hay hints, rich honey, biscuit, honeysuckle, Belgian phenolic notes, orange peel, lemon peel, Stone fruit hints like apricot, peaches as well as minor tropics like pineapple and dragon fruit.

Aftertaste:
Finishing pretty dry with only some notes peppercorns, honey, flowers and herbal hop character. No alcohol in the taste, crisp, smooth and refreshing mouthfeel, easy to drink and clear golden body.

Overall:
A very good and very drinkable session Belgian Pale Ale. It is really light but flavorful. Unlike Hottenroth, which of all the Bruery beers, is possible the one that is most average to me, this one is way better than that one. I guess it is the reason why I have yet to do a review on Hottenroth. I might bring it one day to dissect it. If you aren’t into strong full beers, get this one as it is in the perfect time for spring.

Anime Corner:
Juri from Street Fighter was used in this beer to pair with the colors of the beer label mainly. She is like flower but she stings like a bee. An evil member of S.I.N from the series with crazy powers. She is swift and fast which represents the beer’s drinkability but also deadly which represents its rich Belgian flavors. There are other things that can be said about this pairing but really the colors were the one for me.

Sources:
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/057/0/d/feng_shui_activate_by_robaato-d6h3m5q.png

2015 Lips of Faith Series Cocoa Molé by New Belgium

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged ancho chiles, Backstreet Billiards, Chipotle Peppers, chocolate abuelita, Cinnamon, Cocoa Molé, guajillo chiles, Lips of Faith, May, new belgium, Olé for molé, Spiced Chocolate Porter | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

2015 Lips of Faith Series Cocoa Molé by New Belgium is a 9% ABV Spiced Chocolate Porter brewed with Ancho, Guajillo and chipotle peppers.

Label:
Say Hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor to our Cocoa Molé. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have you saying, “¡Olé for molé!”

==Introduction==

Back in 2012, this beer made a big scene. So much so, that people who tried the beer wanted to bring it back for another go, including me. This beer had me reminiscing of champurrado (maize flour drink), which I was definitely blown away by. In terms of chile beers, it was the second chile beer I had ever had next to the Dogfish Head Theobroma. I really liked that one but this one was more toward a mole chocolate beer and I remember it was something I definitely wanted to try again. Thanks to New Belgum, it is back! Let us see if it still stands with its 2012 companion.

Aromas:
Champurrado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Abuelita, brown sugar, cane sugar, piloncillo sugar cone, ancho, guajillo, chipotle pepper spices, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, Pan Dulce, apple pie, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, Danish cream cookies, marshmallow smores, flan, jericalla Mexican custard, molé spices, dark fruit raisins, capirotada raisin bread pudding, Burnt sugar and candi sugar.

Flavors:
Chocolate Abuelita, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Piloncillo sugar cone, ancho, guajillo, chipotle pepper spices, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, flan, jericalla Mexican custard, molé spices, dark fruit raisins, capirotada raisin bread pudding, champurrado hot drink, Pan Dulce, apple pie, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, Danish cream cookies, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, waffle cone, banana notes, clove spice, Burnt sugar and candi sugar.

Aftertaste:
Lots of cinnamon, chile spices, chocolate abuelita, dark fruit, earthy notes and hints of flan linger for a little bit. No alcohol in the taste, creamy and smooth mouthfeel, dark crimson medium body and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Perfect example of a Molé beer. I loved this one back in 2012, I love this one 3 years later.
The heat is only slightly there but enough to say it is a spiced chile beer. I really hope this one is here to stay in the Lips of Faith line up because it is one of my favorites. They might distribute this regularly but only one can hope. I highly recommend it if you like spiced chile beer but with the heat burned out immediately but sweet chocolate desserts.

Anime Corner:
May from Backstreet Billiards was used in this pairing since I used her in the previous pairing with 2012 Cocoa Molé. She represents the beer in the sense that it is about Mexican heritage and the indigenous ways which brings the culture and food into what is this beer. The flavors, the label and the art all complement each other.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/hX5loxr.jpg

Chronology:6 by The Bruery

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Strong Ale, Barrel Aged, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Chrono Crusade, Chronology 6, Chronology:6, coconut macaroons, Dulce de leche, milk Chocolate, Rossette Christopher, The Bruery, tick tock | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

Chronology:6 by The Bruery is a 16.5% ABV American Strong Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels for 6 months.

Label:
TICK TOCK
6 Months Oak-Aged Ale
This bourbon barrel aged ale is the first in a chronologically aged series that will be released at six month intervals for a fascinating view of evolution.

Our Chronology series is an experiment with time. A single beer will aged in bourbon barrels and be released 6, 12, 18 and 24 month periods. Delicious while fresh, but existing to taste side by side upon each subsequent released as time moves forward.

==Introduction==

The Bruery released the series as stated above to the Reserve Society. They will release one every six months accordingly and people can figure out how it changes over time. This will be an interesting challenge as it will require me to go back and compare what I reviewed in the past and see what has changed, what has been added. I have done something similar with regular beers and then barrel aged in different spirits. This will be different though. So let’s take a look at how this one is shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, coconut, oak bourbon, milk chocolate, almond joy chocolate, chocolate truffle ice cream, wine grapes, raspberry chambord, piloncillo sugar cone, apples, peaches, waffle cone dark fruit cherries, raspberries, plums, figs, raisins, honey, bananas, clove spice, Danish cookies, cookie dough ice cream, maple, crème brulee, capirotada bread pudding, sweet potato, pecan pie, coconut macaroons, marshmallows, flan, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, pecan pie, and maple syrup.

Flavors:
Rich coconut, Rich dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak, bourbon, coconut macaroons, marshmallows, flan, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, pecan pie, dark fruit cherries, raspberries, plums, figs, raisins, honey, bananas, clove spice, Danish cookies, cookie dough ice cream, maple, crème brulee, capirotada bread pudding, sweet potato, milk chocolate, almond joy chocolate, chocolate truffle ice cream, wine grapes, raspberry chambord, piloncillo sugar cone, apples, peaches, waffle cone and Belgian waffles on maple syrup.

Aftertaste:
Rich vanilla, bourbon, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruits, piloncillo sugar cone, dulce de leche caramel, coconut hints, rich oak and earthy notes. Mild alcohol in the taste, dark crimson full body, sipping drinkability, creamy and syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
This is obviously top notch stuff and exceptional. The fact that they are releasing every 6 months is pretty insane. I almost wish I did not only get one was a vertical of this would have been awesome. Even if they make barrel aged beers with different recipes, even their new stuff is supremely exceptional. If you can find this one and you love barrel aged beers, get it as you can’t go wrong.

Anime Corner:
Rossette Christopher from Chrono Crusade is used in this pairing since I wanted to represent a character that is a bad ass and is involved with time itself. Fortunately, a lot of the colors used in the beer label work well with Rossette’s colors. A match made in anime beer heaven. This beer is like that for sure. I will have to figure the rest of the beers as they come in the series as they may or may not have the same colors.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/22268-1024×768-chrono+crusade-rosette+christopher-long+hair-single-blonde+hair-twintails.jpg

Ken Schmidt Aloha Brews Chocolate Mint Stout by Iron Fist Brewing

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged chocolate mint, Chocolate Mint Stout, cocoa nibs, Hatsune Miku, Imperial Stout, Iron Fist brewing, Ken Schmidt, Ken Schmidt Aloha Brews, mint, Mint Chocolate, Russian Imperial Stout, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Ken Schmidt Aloha Brews Chocolate Mint Stout by Iron Fist Brewing is a 9.2% ABV Russian Imperial Stout brewed with mint and cocoa nibs.

Label:
This brew is from my award winning base beer “Black Sand Beach, a Russian Imperial Stout with a twist. I love the mints they put on the pillows in posh hotels, so mint chocolate was added to this intensely flavored dark ale. Rich flavors of chocolate, cocoa, coffee, fruits, and malty grains mingle with the chocolate mint to give a refreshing cooling flavor that persists from beginning to finish. Watch for future releases. Mahalo!

==Introduction==

The last time I tried the Chocolate Mint Stout was when Ken Schmidt collaborated with Stone Brewery. I was unaware, but Iron Fist worked to brew his recipe and make the beer again. This time, the beer is closer to what Ken Schmidt’s home brew was. With that being said, I can only assume if the beer will be the same as the Stone collaboration or if it will actually be different. I already know the Stone one was very delicious so I can think that this one will be very delicious as well. Here is to representing homebrews, cheers!

Aromas:
Rich chocolate mint chip ice cream, molasses, anise, licorice, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, steamed milk, fudge cake,dark fruit raisins, flan, sweetened condensed milk, pistachio ice cream, hazelnut, pecan pie, rye bread, brown sugar, Irish cream coffee hints, tobacco hints, chocolate abuelita, espresso coffee, coconut, mocha and spearmint.

Flavors:
Rich Chocolate mints, anise, mint chocolate chip ice cream, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, steamed milk, fudge cake, earthy notes, licorice, roasted espresso notes, molasses, coconut notes, mocha, spearmint, dark fruit raisins, flan, sweetened condensed milk, pistachio ice cream, hazelnut, pecan pie, rye bread, brown sugar, Irish cream coffee hints, tobacco hints and chocolate abuelita.

Aftertaste:
Rich chocolate, dark fruits, mint chocolate ice cream, earthy notes, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, Irish cream and chocolate abuelita. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, syrupy and smooth mouthfeel, pitch black body, easy to drink despite the ABV.

Overall:
Damn, better than the collaboration. This one’s primary focus is definitely rich velvety chocolate and mints and further bringing those rich flavors out more. I need to get another bottle of this as this was like a rich chocolate mint liquid bottle. So damn drinkable and rich! I really love this one and truly recommend it. Don’t judge a book by its cover, research the beers and know if you are going to like them. You will love this one.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku was used in this pairing since I wanted to pair with the colors in the label but also the colors of rich mint and chocolate. I had used Miku in the collaboration beer as well as the demon sisters Scanty and Kneesocks which worked well in that pairing. For this one, the art to me represents the complex explosion of the variety of flavors being released from the beer. So much going on here and it truly is awesome.

Sources:
http://top1walls.com/walls/people/hatsune-miku-vocaloid-aqua-eyes-1647811-1920×1080.jpg

Blueberry Smoking Wood by The Bruery

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Blueberries, Blueberry, Blueberry Smoking Wood, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Maple Syrup, Rera, Samurai Shodown, Samurai Spirits, Shikuru, Smoked Imperial Rye Porter, Smoking Wood, TCHO Cacao nibs, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Blueberry Smoking Wood by The Bruery is a 12.8% ABV Smoked Imperial Rye Porter Aged in Bourbon barrels with Blueberries, Cacao Nibs and Maple Syrup.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Bourbon Smoking Wood aged on Blueberries and cacao nibs with maple syrup.

==Introduction==

Only at the Bruery for a limited time growler fill. Thanks to my friend Richard Avila for hooking me up with this one. We tried it at our visit to the Bruery and thought this beer was pretty damn delicious. I was glad I agreed to take a small growler home with me so I could bring this one forth to the site. I don’t know if this variant will ever see a bottle release but for now, if you are in the area and visit the brewery, here is what you can expect. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, whiskey, rye bread, blueberries, oak, smokey notes, campfire marshmallow smores, graham crackers, anise, bacon, toasted coconut hints, Milk chocolate, German Chocolate, Bakers chocolate, dark fruit raisins, blackberries, cherries, currants, figs, molasses, cinnamon, crème brulee, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, brown sugar, BBQ honey glazed jerky and blueberry fudge cake.

Flavors:
Rich Dark fruits forward of blueberries, blackberries, currants, raisins, figs, raspberries, dark cherries, dulce de lechec carame, vanilla, oak, campfire smoke, bourbon, maple syrup, molasses, anise, bacon, toasted coconut, marshmallow smores, burnt sugar, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, bakers chocolate, cinnamon, flan, Mexican Custard/Jericalla, beachwood oak, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, rye and sourdough bread, BBQ honey glazed ribs, crème brulee, Blueberry fudge cake, coffee cake and Irish cream.

Aftertaste:
Rich dark fruit blueberries, maple, vanilla caramel, dark chocolate, smoked oak, BBQ hints, marshmallow sugars, flan and bourbon. No alcohol in the taste, A sipping beer with a full mouthfeel, Pitch black body and yet very smooth. Syrupy and creamy mouthfeel.

Overall:
Raising the original to a newer level of flavor, the Blueberries, chocolate and maple really raise the levels of awesomeness of the beer. You still get the same flavors of the Smoking Wood Bourbon Barrel Aged, but the blueberries drag it into some rich dark fruit world of sweet goodness. So much going on here but like I said before, if you are around the area, surely, give this a try. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Rera from Samurai Showdown/Spirits was used in this pairing since I wanted to get an aspect of the smoking wood and the forest or campfire smoke like I have done in the Whiskey Rye and the Bourbon barrel version of these beers. Essentially that covers the smoking wood part but the blueberries are all her with the colors she wears of the blue and the red pendant she wears being a cherry. Rera is a ninja, she is pretty damn sweet looking which represents the sweet and smooth flavors but her attack comes from the alcohol she brings along with her wolf Shikuru.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/wFSvW9E.jpg
http://blog-imgs-61.fc2.com/a/d/a/adasokuniji/3VfCdydp0oh6HPc7e23be79.jpg

Seek & Destroy by Black Market Brewing

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Black Market, Black Market Brewing, Dark Cherries, Double IPA, dragon fruit, IPA, Kagami Sumika, Megaman, Metallica, metallica song, Muv-Luv Alternative, QIPA, Quadruple IPA, Seek & Destroy, smoked beers, Smoked Quadruple India Pale Ale, teriyaki sauce, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Seek & Destroy by Black Market Brewing is a 12.7% ABV Smoked Quadruple India Pale Ale.

Label:
Our Black Market brewers were in need of an amazing and unique brew to break up the winter doldrums. We think that this quadruple, smoked IPA is just the ticket to do the job. The smokey flavor and aromatics are from American hardwood smoked malts, adding just the right qualities to stand up to our piney and resinous experimental hops. Try pouring into a brandy snifter and slowly enjoying it as it warms.

==Introduction==

A Quadruple IPA?!?! Yes, it happened and a smoked one at that. Not to mention the fact that it has the song from Metallica, Seek and Destroy. Released by Black Market brewing which is making a lot of great beers. So far, almost everything I have had from them is delicious and amazing. Now they were able to break the boundaries of the Triple IPA and went into the Quadruple IPA. Which technically I could say Dogfish Head 120 or the BrewDog Sink The Bismarck are more quadruple IPAs than anything. This one is smoked so from there, it changes the path that the typical citrucy, herbal and tropical IPAs take. It is not a black IPA so that makes this one much more interesting. Let us see what this one is all about.

Aromas:
Citrus, Italian herbal, floral, piney, grapefruit, grassy and dank oniony hops, smoked oak, campfire notes, BBQ notes, dark fruit raisins, plum sauce, teriyaki sauce, molasses, rich dark cherries, black berries, toffee, biscuit bread, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, prickly pears, mild sweetened condensed milk, marshmallow, graham crackers, blood oranges, butterscotch, cinnamon and brown sugar

Flavors:
Grapefruit, citrus, piney and grassy hops, Smoked bacon, smoked jerky, BBQ sauce, chocolate, teriyaki sauce, honey, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, rich dark cherries, black berries, toffee, biscuit bread, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, prickly pears, mild sweetened condensed milk, smoked oak, campfire, marshmallow, graham crackers, blood oranges, butterscotch, molasses hints, Italian herbs and spices, dank oniony and garlicky hop notes.

Aftertaste:
Smokey notes, caramel, BBQ, smoked jerky, Honey, tropical notes, toffee, dark cherries, Italian herbs, piney, grassy, grapefruit, dank onion, garlicky and earthy hops notes. Slight alcohol in the taste but not detracting from the flavors, mildly syrupy mouthfeel, sipping drinkability, crimson light to moderate body.

Overall:
The merit of being its own smoked IPA style, this one is probably the best in that class. Judging it as a regular IPA it is great as well, but the merit is given on it being a smoked IPA is more. Quite the unique style as it does not seem to fall into the black IPA or regular IPA category but regardless is damn delicious. It is its own perfect style. I really enjoyed this one but if you do not like smokey beers or IPAS, maybe this will not be a beer for you. If you like IPAs but not smokey beers, maybe it will be to much too. I base my rating on its uniqueness overall.

Anime Corner:
Kagami Sumika from Muv-Luv alternative was used in this pairing as I wanted to do something with the label and seek and destroy. Kagami in this picture looks hurt like her vehicle was taken down as someone was seeking to destroy her. She isn’t done yet; she can get up and fight as the look on her face states that she’s ready for that counter attack. She also reminds me of Megaman in the sense that the song, Seek & Destroy was used in the Flash Man Theme or at least inspired by it. So there is the other connection there. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTNpKZs_Sao

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2011-03-12-383061.jpeg

Blood Orange Wit by Refuge Brewery

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Wheat Ale, Blood Orange, Blood Orange Wit, Blood Oranges, Blue Exorcist, Refuge Brewery, Shura Kirigakure, Witbier | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Blood Orange Wit by Refuge Brewery is a 5%ABV Witbier brewed with Blood Oranges.

Label:
Without any doubt, the best things in life happen spontaneously, and this beer is no exception. Not having much experience with fresh blood oranges, we weren’t entirely sure what to do when one of our tasting room locals dropped off a couple of sacks from their harvest. We cut into them and discovered an orange unlike any variety we’d seen. They were dark in color, with huge aroma, and a semi-sweet yet slightly tart taste. So we took the fruit, peel and all, and threw it into a batch of Belgian Style Wit Ale. The Result is a bright and refreshing brew, perfect for any occasion, any time of the year.

==Introduction==

I obtained a single can of this from www.craftshack.com. It seems this beer sold out quick and maybe there is a reason. It is made with Blood Oranges after all, but maybe there is more to it. I have tried other Blood Orange beers like the Essence from Hangar 24 or the Dude’s Juice Box Series Blood Orange and those were damn awesome. I hope to review the Dude’s one soon but let us check this one out. I have had a minor fascination with blood oranges as unlike regular oranges, have a red pulp and juice that looks like blood but the skin is of a regular orange. The flavors are similar to oranges but there is a slight sweetness that is greater. So let us see how this one is. Cheers!

Aromas:
Belgian phenolic hints, honey, biscuit bread, rich blood oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemon peel, Banana cloves, honey, waffle cone, cane sugar, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, white grapes, Curacao, peppercorns, floral, piney, herbal, and grassy hop notes, coriander spice, stone fruit peach and apricots, orange zest, and lemon candy.

Flavors:
Oranges, Blood Oranges, citrus, lemon candy, tangerines, Banana cloves, honey, waffle cone, cane sugar, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, phenolic notes, orange zest, lemon peel, grapefruit, peppercorns, floral, piney, herbal, and grassy hop notes, coriander spice, white grape notes, Curacao citrus, lavender notes, apricot, peach notes and mild tart brettanomyces hints.

Aftertaste:
Rich citrus, Honey, biscuit bread, orange zest, blood orange juice, grassy, grapefruit and piney hint hops. No alcohol in the taste, crisp, refreshing, effervescent and bubbly mouthfeel, easy to drink, Hazy white pale honey medium body.

Overall:
A very delicious Witbier. For being pretty light, it is very flavorful and rich. I wish I had the opportunity to buy a pack of cans instead of just one can as this was very good. Unfortunately, craftshack only had one left. You get what you can I guess. I highly recommend this one since I will go back and get it if I can find it again. This is one of the truest summer beers out there. Very awesome indeed!

Anime Corner:
Shura Kirigakure from Blue Exorcist was used in this pairing since I wanted something that has to do with the colors of oranges and blood oranges. Essentially the reds and oranges coming from the fruit. Shura is an exorcist and by the definition of refuge, she is basically keeping your soul from harm by her need to fight off possessive demons. She is light and easy drink and best part, she loves beer just like many people do. Cheers!

Sources:
http://static.skynetblogs.be/media/37519/e13917771681edac3ce16baa5146b66d-thumb.jpg

Macchiato Espresso Milk Stout by Abita brewing

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Abita Brewing, Blake Belladona, coffee, Coffee Beans, dark chocolate, espresso coffee, Espresso Dolce Beans, Macchiato Espresso Milk Stout, milk Chocolate, Milk Stout, roasted coffee, Rwby, Sweet Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Macchiato Espresso Milk Stout by Abita brewing is a 6% ABV Milk/Sweet Stout brewed with Espresso Dolce Beans.

Label:
Abita Macchiato Espresso Milk Stout combines the rich flavor of roasted coffee with a full-bodied stout. Pale, caramel, chocolate and roasted malts create a dark color and intense flavor. Willamette hops balance the malt flavors, while natural milk sugar and oats add sweetness. During the cold brewing process, espresso dolce beans from PJ’s Coffee are added for a natural coffee flavor.

==Introduction==

Obtained this beer from Ramirez liquor in Boyle Heights California. I think this beer reached many Abita distributions. It was something interesting that caught my eye so I decided to give it a shot and see what it has to offer. I don’t think I have ever reviewed an Abita beer before even though have always wanted to try purple haze. I might give that a shot some time soon. For now let’s take a look a this one.

Aromas:
Rich coffee, espresso, mocha, fancy coffee, milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, vanilla, dulce de caramel,toasted rye bread, dark raisin notes, lactose milk sugar, oatmeal cookies, cookie dough ice cream hints, frappuccino, flan hints, Irish cream, toffee, fancy coffee, whipped cream, steamed milk and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Espresso coffee, roasted coffee, mocha, Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, vanilla, dulce de caramel, coconut hints, toasted rye bread, dark raisin notes, lactose milk sugar, oatmeal cookies, cookie dough ice cream hints, frappuccino, flan hints, Irish cream, toffee, fancy coffee, whipped cream, steamed milk, peanut butter hints, pecan pie, brown sugar, cinnamon, hazelnut nectar, molasses and vanilla cream.

Aftertaste:
roasted Coffee, espresso, caramel, vanilla, milk sugar, dark chocolate and Earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, smooth and creamy mouthfeel, easy to drink and pitch black body.

Overall:
This one is a perfect milk stout. Lots of coffee and milk complex flavors. I was not sure what to expect from this and honestly I have not had a Macchiato before to say this is a true Macchiato beer but in terms of being a coffee milk stout, this one is pretty damn outstanding and would highly recommend this if you are able to find it.

Anime Corner:
Blake Belladonna from RWBY has made a return to the coffee beer scene as she did an epic representation of a certain BBA Kopi Luwak coffee beer before. She represents the super complex aspect of the coffee but as she relaxes drinking her Macchiato coffee, she has not much to worry about. This beer represents just leaning back having your breakfast and getting ready for the day.

Sources:
http://41.media.tumblr.com/0536ce008aaf98de0d4e90e001d51f49/tumblr_njk5wglKuv1qfb777o1_1280.jpg

Winter Slayer by Arcade Brewery

March 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Barleywine, Arcade Brewery, Fire Emblem, Lucina, Nintendo, Oatwine, wheatwine, Winter Slayer | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Winter Slayer by Arcade Brewery is a 9.1% ABV Oat Wine Style Ale

Label:
An Oat Ale That’s Got Your Back.

==Introduction==

I found this one along with the Mega Milk at www.wineandcheeseplace.com . This one intrigued me as well as the Mega Milk as they relate to video games in the craft beer world. The knight is reminiscent of fantasy and futuristic NES games or even Atari games. It seems more like a label for a video game. It is damn awesome so in this case, I chose it more because of the exclusivity since we don’t get any of their brews in California but also since it was a limited release. Let’s check out this bad ass beer, cheers!

Aromas:
Peppercorns, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, white grapes, wheat bread, biscuit bread, coriander, honey, vanilla, minor tropical hints of pineapple, dragon fruit notes, apples, marshmallows, graham crackers, herbal and floral hops, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange and lemon peels, butterscotch hints and banana hints.

Flavors:
White grapes, wheat, coriander notes, honey, vanilla, biscuit bread, raspberries, cherries, white raisins, stone fruit peaches, apricots, orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon hints, banana hints, butterscotch, pineapple, dragon fruit notes, apples, marshmallows, graham crackers, almonds, floral and herbal hop hints, brown sugar, peppercorn spices, chardonay, caramel, toffee, butterscotch and melons.

Aftertaste:
Honey, grapes, granola bar, berries, orange peel, stone fruits, earthy notes and flowers. Slight alcohol in the taste, Light to medium golden body, moderate mouthfeel and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very good oat Wine reminiscent of the Blonde Barley wine or the Wheat wine ales I have had before. It interesting with quite the different complex flavors that you typically do not find in other beers but a special set of lighter Barleywines. Of the style, I like other ones, like oh I don’t know, The Bruery White Chocolate!! However, since it is a rare style, this one I enjoyed a lot and I highly recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Lucina from Fire Emblem was used in this pairing since I wanted a character that would pair well with the knight. The knight reminds me of several different things. Dragon Warrior for NES, the helmet reminds me of Vile from Megaman X but I get this feeling like Wizards and Warriors from NES too. Either way, the colors of the artwork fit this one perfectly. Lucina is the knight in this picture and she is a slayer. Also to go along with the left eye shining, she has a shining eye on her left eye that is in the game called the mark of Naga also known as the brand of Exalt.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1315296
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/283/7/9/ceroxide_s_commission_a_by_gashi_gashi-d6pknt8.png

Mega Milk by Arcade Brewery

March 5, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Alia, Arcade Brewery, dark chocolate, Mega Man X, Mega Milk, Mega Milk Stout, Megaman, Megaman X, milk Chocolate, Milk Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Rockman X, Sweet Stout, Wily | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Mega Milk by Arcade Brewery is a 5.3% ABV Oatmeal Stout.

Label:
Batch #10
A Sessionable All-Season Stout for Any Wily Situation.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
From the depths of space arrives the Mega Milk Stout. An oatmeal milk stout, brewed with debittered black malt, delivers a wonderfully light and sessionable beer with outstanding mouthfeel. Even the most devout pale ale drinkers should take a trip to the dark-side with this one. The Mega Milk Stout will be one of Arcade Brewery’s initial offerings Coming 2014!

==Introduction==

Holy crap, this is freaking awesome and I immediately had to get it as soon as I saw the label for it. It is freaking Mega Man X. I got this one at www.wineandcheeseplace.com and I was surprised. I had never heard of Arcade Brewery but judging by their label’s art work, they are really video game inspired. The fact that they brought Mega Man X into the beer world takes me back to my child hood days of playing lots of video games and all the Mega Man games especially. Maybe my love for the character could make me enjoy the beer better, maybe not, but still, THIS EXISTS! Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, chocolate milk shake, Duvalin chocolate, Nutella, vanilla, caramel, coffee hints, espresso hints, cookie dough hints, hints of dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, cherry hints, chocolate brownies, hints of tobacco, milk sugar and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, coffee hints, espresso hints, bakers chocolate, milk chocolate, milk sugar, duvalin chocolate, nutella chocolate, oatmeal cookies, mild cookie dought, mild smokey notes, vanilla, caramel, mild dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, chocolate brownies, chocolate turtle truffles, molasses, anise hints, toffee, tobacco hints, pecan pie hints, rye bread, brown sugar and hints of tres leches/three milks cake.

Aftertaste:
Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, charred notes, earthy notes, dark fruit hints and hints of Nutella. No alcohol in the taste, creamy smooth body, easy to drink and pitch black body.

Overall:
This milk stout is very good and really solid with a pretty good deal of complexity, not too overly sweet but just enough to keep stuff balanced. It is not the best milk stout I have ever had but that does not matter as it is still awesome and it represent Mega Man in the beer world. I saw that they have a Bourbon Barrel Aged one but on tap at their brewery. One day, I hope to try it. For now, if you can find this one and love the Mega Man series, definitely pick this up.

Anime Corner:
Megaman X and Alia from the Megaman X series were used in this pairing for the obvious reasons ofcourse, the label art work that is basically Megaman X. I used alia since she is a bad ass and has the same move set as Megaman X in the 8th installment. Megaman also has a pose like Pancho Pantera from the Choco Milk chocolate milk I used to drink as a kid. Oh yeah and the one here, I did for the lulzs. You see, there is this manga where this girl is wearking a shirt that says Mega Milk, like the name of the beer so yeah you can see, its anime related. Anyways, this beer kicks ass!

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/d4/a3/c3/d4a3c3c667c665333f92bd364be6a530.jpg
http://eroc2277.deviantart.com/art/Alia-317289381
http://i.imgur.com/PmewDfi.jpg

Barrel Aged Bomb! Collaboration by Prairie Artisan Ales and Balcones Distilling

March 5, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Balcones Distilling, Barrel Aged Bomb!, Bourbon Barrel Aged, cacao nibs, Chile beer, coffee, Prairie Artisan Ales, Texas, vanilla beans, whiskey barrels, World class, World Class Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Barrel Aged Bomb! Collaboration by Prairie Artisan Ales and Balcones Distilling is an 11.2% ABV World Class Imperial Stout aged in whiskey barrels with coffee, cacao, and vanilla beans and chilies added.

Label:
Welcome To… TEXAS
Made By People Who Truly Care From Oklahoma With Love.
Welcome To… Oklahoma

==Introduction==

Thanks to my great friend Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com for providing me another barrel aged goodness from Prairie Artisanal Ales. These beers are really hard to come by but the fact that this one is made with collaboration with Texas’s Balcones Distilling, this is even harder to get. So plenty of thanks to my good friend as many of the beers I have here on the site I could have not obtained without his help. This version is the Bourbon Barrel Aged version of BOMB. I previously did a review for the Rum Barrel aged and chile one which was freaking awesome. Let’s take a look at this one and see how it goes. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich whiskey and fancy coffee, vanilla, caramel, oak, smokey notes, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, , campfire marshmallows, waffle cone, French vanilla icecream, almond joy chocolates, dark fruits like raisins, cherries, currants, ancho and guajillo chile pepper hints, oreo cookies, molasses, brown sugar, khalua coffee liqueur, piloncillo, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate abuelita, toasted coconut and mint chocolate.

Flavors:
Rich chocolate, rich flan, whiskey notes, vanilla, bourbon, rich oak, smokey notes, really fancy coffee, mocha, campfire marshmallow smores, chocolate abuelita, sweetened condensed milk, toasted coconut, crème brulee, almond joy chocolate, dark fruit raisins, cherries, currant, anise, mint chocolate, hints of mole sauce, hints of ancho and guajillo chile peppers, oreo cookies, brown sugar, khalua liquor hints, rock candy, candi sugar, piloncillo, chocolate truffles, German chocolate, bakers chocolate, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar and toffee.

Aftertaste:
Rich fancy coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit, vanilla, caramel, almond joy ice cream, earthy notes, smokey notes, toffee, tobacco and whiskey linger. No alcohol in the taste despite the 11.2% ABV, super smooth and creamy mouthfeel, Easy to moderate drinkability despite the strong ABV and pitch dark body.

Overall:
The other spectrum of the Barrel Aged BOMB series, this was super damn amazing. Just like the Pirate BOMB, so much complex flavors going on here and is almost easy to drink which is dangerous since you want to savor this one for a while. The chiles are not too hot but they are there and the heat quenched by the complex sweet flavors. I am not sure if this one was exclusive to Texas, but if you can find it, definitely pick this one up, it truly is awesome. Lots of magic is such a little bottle.

Anime Corner:
Original artwork by aplibot was used in this pairing since I wanted to find an anime girl that would pair with the colors of the label but also pair with the summer time aspect of either being at the beach or in this case, river rafting. I really like how the blues and greens in both pair really well.

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2015-01-29-706798.jpeg

2015 Power Plant by El Segundo brewing

March 5, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged El Segundo Brewery, El Segundo Brewing, El Segundo California, fruit cocktail, india pale ale, IPA, passion fruit, Pliny the Younger, Power Plant, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Tripel India Pale Ale, Triple India Pale Ale, Triple IPA, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2015 Power Plant by El Segundo brewing is an 11.1% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.

Label:
This behemoth of a “Triple” India Pale Ale gets a dose of Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo in the kettle and in the dry hop. Up front on the nose is straight fruit cocktail with such a complexity it is impossible to distinguish just one note. Monstrous, yet deceptive in the same breath. Don’t let this one sneak up on you, lest you’ll be ‪#‎PowerPlanted‬.

Description:
We know it’s not exactly something new to brew big giant IPA’s, but we really love this opportunity to be able to compete with the likes of Pliny the Younger, Green Bullet, Hopocalypse Black Label, etc from the best breweries in the game. And what a challenge! To brew a beer so big (it fermented all the way to 11.1%), but have it drink light and easy. We are busting out all the big guns for this monster, a hop punch of Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra, Nelson, and friends will all be making an appearance in at least one of the several rounds of dry hopping.

==Introduction==

The 2015 version is here and in limited quantities. This time, they are selling it to the public so definitely get this one while it last. While I was unable to get a growler fill like I did the first time I tried it, I settled for the bottle. This is the first Triple IPA I had ever tried, or I mean second, as Dogfish Head 120 at 18% ABV is considered much more, however, that is another beast all together. So in terms of the Triple IPAs that can compete with the best beers in the world, this one grew with its satisfying and rich tropical flavors that are so rich that it is literally a dessert of an IPA. I would definitely recommend this one but let us see how the 2015 version is.

Aromas:
Rich bouquet of tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, prickly pear, passion fruit, dragon fruit, tuna fruit, papaya, honeydew melon, apples, pears, stone fruits like peaches apricot, raspberry cream, whipped cream, Danish cookies, strawberry shortcake, strawberry cheesecake, lychee fruit, raspberries, cherries, piney, grassy, floral, herbal, oniony and citrus hops, wild flower honey, coconut, almond milk and sweetened condensed milk.

Flavors:
Sweetened condensed milk, biscuit bread, Rich tropical fruits of mango, prickly pear, honey dew melon, grapefruit, papaya, kiwi, oranges, tangerines, passion fruit, dragon fruit, apples, pears, stone fruit peaches, apricot, raspberry cream, whipped cream, Danish cookies, strawberry short cake, strawberry cheese cake, lychee fruit, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel, lemon drop, orange gummy bears, tangerines, cherries raspberries, herbal, floral, grassy, piney and dank oniony hops, honey, coconut, almonds, macadamia nuts and three milks cake hints.

Aftertaste:
Rich tropical fruit cocktail lingers with grapefruit, floral, piney and herbal hops, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and rich stone fruits. No alcohol in the taste, silky, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability despite the ABV.

Overall:
Not sure if the recipe was done way better than before, but the sweetness of this hits tropical atmospheres of taste that not many IPAs can ever see. The crazy part is that unlike Surebet which uses Mango and Honey, this beer somehow hits tropical nirvana without any added ingredients which is totally insane. The rightful name of Pliny the Younger Killer is well deserved and I think for that it deserves the highest rating and a super high recommendation.

Anime Corner:
Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill was the right pairing for this beer because I wanted to show that the height of power plant smokestacks (in this case a tower) represents the height of evil corporations (hype in the craft beer community) as well as how power plants pollute the earth and cause acid rain to fall (Beer Snobery). Ryuko is there to represent this Triple IPA and to show that even at the height of all the IPA hype out there (Pliny the Younger, I am looking at you), one will stand up to it to bring it down. Like in Final Fantasy VII where Cloud Strife helped to take down the Mako power plants, Ryuko would do the same and bring the level of “IPA Hype” away from the overly hyped brews and back into the roots of the local community microbreweries. YES! And this is why I chose this one.

Sources:
http://waaaghork.deviantart.com/art/Ryuko-Matoi-408238193
http://i.imgur.com/bwYViCj.jpg

Box Set Track #10 (Bat Out Of Hell) by The Lost Abbey

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Imperial Stout, Asmodeus, Bat Out Of Hell, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Imperial Stout, Meat Loaf, New York Sentinel, Ryan Bros. Coffee, Ryan Brothers Coffee, Shinra Bansho, Shinra Banshou, Shinrabansho, TCHO Cacao nibs, The Lost Abbey, Track #10 | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Box Set Track #10 (Bat Out Of Hell) by The Lost Abbey is a 13.5% ABV Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Ryan Brothers Coffee And TCHO Cacao Nibs Added.

Label:
The morning headlines hit the streets with apocalyptic alliterations describing the offensive odor that sprang from the underbelly of New York’s sewers. The Times splashed “Rancid Reckoning” as the Daily countered with “Fetid Funk.” The New York Sentinel doubled up stating “Phillip’s Putrid Petulant Problem.”

Each paper speculated on the arrival of thousands of bats. Tree Huggers ascribed it to global warming. The noxious gasses emanating from the sewers had stymied the City Engineers leaving the clergy to invoke worldly moral decay and the book of Revelations. A live press conference was convened to coincide with the start of the 5 O’clock news as Mayor Phillip Paulson attempted to allay his citizen’s concerns.

As the mayor took to the podium, a cyclone of evil emerged as the bats formed into one large satanic storm of hate. Heathens and heretics held hands in the ensuing panic. Some dropped to their knees and prayed. Chaos reigned supreme in the streets and as quickly as the whirlwind emerged, it was gone. To this day, no one is sure what happened that night. But to a man, everyone prays that Phillip’s Fetid Funk never returns…

==Introduction==

Formerly known as “Serpent’s Stout – Bourbon Barrel Aged With Cocoa Nibs & Coffee”, this beer was released back in 2012 as part of the 13 tracks of rock and roll for the lost abbey. It was renamed as Track#10 “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf. These 13 beers were hard to get since once needed to purchase a lottery ticket and then if they won, they would get the option to but the whole thing for about $300. Yes, that set of 13 beers is pricey and it was definitely something I did not bother to invest in. I don’t like hyped stuff when it comes to jumping through hoops or “Black Friday” style of overnight camping and standing in line. I have usually obtained beers either online or through trades. This set was pretty ridiculous to get but I figured one that one day they would release them one at time. I figure I would get the ones that intrigued me the most. Well, this one was one of those and I am glad they have it for the public. You should be able to find this wherever they sell Lost Abbey beers or in most places. I am here to see if this beer is worth what I was hoping for. Serpent’s Stout is one of my favorite Lost Abbey beers and now this being barrel aged, I know it can only be way better . Let’s take a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Rich oak, vanilla, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, fancy coffee, whiskey, bourbon, Dark chocolate, Milk chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian chocolate, Fancy coffee, Khalua Coffee, Marshmallow smores, oreo cookies, choco flan, Irish cream, almond joy chocolates, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, coffee cake, tobacco and tons of dark fruits.

Flavors:
Rich Dark chocolate, Milk chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian chocolate, roasted coffee, fancy coffee, Whiskey, Bourbon, oak, khalua coffee liqueur, vanilla, marshmallow smores, oreo cookies, choco flan, Irish cream, coffee cake, tobacco, leather, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, currants, black berries, cherries, almond joy chocolate, pecan pie, toasted coconut, coffee grounds, espresso, java, bananas, clove spice, cinnamon, rocky road icecream, butterscotch, hazelnut, raisin bread pudding, macadamia nuts, anise and molasses.

Aftertaste:
Rich fancy coffee, chocolate, marshmallow smores, vanilla, caramel, crème brulee, whiskey, toasted coconut, almond joy, frapppuccino, dark fruits and tobacco. No alcohol in the taste the despite the ABV, sipping drinkability, rich, smooth and creamy mouthfeel and pitch black abyss body.

Overall:
Serpent’s Stout never tasted this great. Holy crap this beer is freaking awesome. There are so much rich flavors going on here with a lot of complexity. I wish they released this in a 750ml bottle but even then, that is just danger waiting to happen. I really enjoyed this one a lot that I will get it again. I can only speak for the other beers, but at $300$ for the set, well $1000, I say get this one but unless you have money, buy the whole set. I will only invest my time on the more intriguing ones. Serpent’s Stout rules!

Anime Corner:
Asmodeus from ShinraBansho was used to represent the “Bat Out Of Hell” in the label. I also chose her since she pairs really well with the colors. While Rukia and Ichigo were used in the previous review of Serpent Stout to go with Rukia seduced by the snake and becoming evil, Asmodeus represent that bat that is in full frontal rage. Asmodeus can be really sweet and nice representing the smoothness of the beer and rich flavor, but this is when she is pissed off. So luckily you only have 370ml bottle otherwise her rage would really consume your soul!

Sources:
http://www.liliah.info/img/Other%20Backgrounds/pissed.jpg
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2011-08-30-435143.jpeg

2014 La Muerta by Freetail Brewing

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged dark chocolate, Dia de los Muertos, Freetail Brewing, Imperial Stout, La Muerta | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.85/5

2014 La Muerta by Freetail Brewing is a 10.2% ABV Imperial Stout.

Label:
A growing South Texas tradition, La Muerta is brewed each year for Día de los Muertos in honor of our departed friends and family. A big, lush Imperial Stout, La Muerta is full of roast, smoke and chocolate flavors from an array of specialty malts that go into this garnetblack ale. Perfect for sharing with your closest compadres, La Muerta will age wonderfully for years to come – we recommend enjoying one now and save some for the future, if you can. ¡Salud!

==Introduction==

A very special thanks to my great friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com for providing me this beer. This is the 2014 version of the beer I had last year which was the 2013 version. As I recall the beer from 2013 was very extraordinary and delicious. I was able to share one of these with my friends here in California and they loved it. You want to know how this one was? Well, join me as we take a look at the beer and see what new special flavors it has. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Dark fruit raisins, prunes plums, caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, licorice, anise, caramel, oak, coffee, pretzels, rye, toffee, banana notes, clove spice, Chocolate abuelita, smores chocolate, marshmallows, ginger bread, piloncillo sugar cone, raisin bread pudding, tobacco, leather, brown sugar, mocha, molasses, and flan

Flavors:
Rich Dark fruit raisins, currants, prunes, plums, dark cherries, caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, earthy notes, mocha, molasses, rye bread, pretzels, bananas, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, bakers chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, marshmallows, smores chocolate, chocolate abuelita hints, tobacco, leather, campfire smoke, pecan pie, flan, cinnamon, ginger bread, piloncillo sugar cone, brown sugar, candi sugar, rock candy, raisin bread pudding and pralines.

Aftertaste:
Dark fruit raisins, currants, dark chocolate, mocha, mild smokey notes, banana hints and caramel.
No alcohol in the taste, smooth, creamy and syrupy mouth feel, easy to moderate drinkability and pitch black body.

Overall:
I love this beer! This is top notch stuff and the 2014 version has more dark fruit forward than 2013’s version so I definitely enjoyed it even more. I really have to thank Aaron for getting me this one as he was able to provide me 2 of them to share with more friends here in California who really have to say that Freetail truly rules over in Texas. So much great stuff in Texas I hope we can see here someday. Please Texas legal system, open the flood gates for beer freedom!! Highly Recommended!

Anime Corner:
Original Dia De lost Muertos girl by MagicNaanavi was used in this pairing to go with the beer label as well as the whole theme of beer flavors an characteristics. I used something similar in the past for the 2013 version. Also, the one in red is basically to go with the name La Muerta or “The Dead”. Interesting stuff for sure.

Sources:
http://cdn.awwni.me/nj7h.jpg
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/333/6/9/dia_de_los_muertos_by_magicnaanavi-d883fj9.jpg

Christmas Bomb! By Prairie Artisan Ales

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Christmas, christmas beer, Christmas Bomb!, dark chocolate, Holiday Ale, Home Alone, Jibril, Macauly Culkin, milk Chocolate, No Game no Life, Prairie Artisan Ales, Spices | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Christmas Bomb! By Prairie Artisan Ales is an 11% ABV. Imperial Stout brewed with Spices.

Label:
Made By People Who Truly Care… From Oklahoma With Love…
I Made My Family Disappear…

==Introduction==

Thanks to Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com for providing this rarity for me. Prairie Artisan Ales is hard to find especially around California. Even harder to find is this Christmas Home Alone Liquid Gold. This label is awesome. I really like the Home Alone Parody on this. As this beer goes, it is the Holiday version of their Bomb! series. I have tried the awesome Pirate Bomb which was pretty damn amazing. Let’s see how this one compares. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, chocolate abuelita, milk chocolate, oak, mocha, fancy coffee, espresso, roasted coffee grains, earthy bitterness, dark fruits like prunes, raisins, dark cherries, molasses, fruit cake, cinnamon, anise, raisin bread pudding, smokey notes, marshmallow smores, and graham crackers.

Flavors:
Dark Chocolate, Milk chocolate, Chocolate Abuelita, Espresso notes, oak, mocha chocolate, roasted coffee grains, earthy bitterness, dark fruits like raisins, prunes, dark cherries, molasses, anise, cinnamon, fruit cake, raisins bread, caramel, vanilla, smoked wood, marshmallow hints, flan, ginger bread, hazelnut, pecan pie, tobacco and leather notes.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, earthy notes, caramel, vanilla, smokey notes, ginger bread and fruit cake. No alcohol in the taste, smooth and creamy mouthfeel, Easy to drink despite the strong ABV and pitch dark body.

Overall:
While this one does exceed my expectations a bit as it is a great and amazing beer, the other variants that are Barrel Aged give it the higher complexity. For this one, the Christmas spices make this one that amazing. As I said to, the label is freaking awesome. Takes me back to the times I would watch Home Alone for Christmas. I definitely recommend this one.

Anime Corner:
Original character and Jibril from No Game No Life were used in this pairing to go along with the label and the whole Home Alone theme and the old cover of Macauly Culkin yelling. It fits great Probably not much to do with Christmas but I did this for lulz.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/0Ykt3oI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/On5KYBb.jpg

Limited Edition Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat by Anheuser-Busch

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Anheiser busch, Belgian Style, caramel malt, caramel popcorn, Pretzel, pretzel beer, Pretzels, Shock top, Shock Top beer, Twisted Pretzel Wheat | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.6/5

Limited Edition Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat by Anheuser-Busch is a 5.2% ABV Belgian-Style Wheat Ale brewed with spices and Caramel Malt and With Artificial Flavor added.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Just in time for National Pretzel Day on April 26, Shock Top has united the classic taste of a crisp, cold beer and warm, bakery-fresh pretzels in its newest brew, Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat. The brewer today announced the limited-edition beer, a Belgian-style unfiltered wheat ale that delivers the delicious taste and aroma of fresh pretzels, will be served up at beer festivals nationwide—and available on draught at select locations.

==Introduction==

I was able to get this beer when I went to visit my friend at a party. I would have liked to get this if they had it on a 6 pack but for now they only sell this in 12 pack. While many may see these beers as the “crafty” kind, I personally think that if it tastes good then it should be a good beer. I have tried several Shock Top varieties and the majority of them are average at best but every now and again there are some gold ones. There are some that are just plain no good which I have stated before. So regardless of where the beer comes from, if I like it, I will review it. Cheers!

Aromas:
Salted Buttery Pretzel, Caramel popcorn, sourdough bread, biscuit bread, cereal grain, hints of apple, brown sugar and maple hints.

Flavors:
Caramel, Vanilla, salted pretzel notes, buttery caramel popcorn, sourdough bread, cola hints, biscuit bread, apples, cinnamon toast cereal hints, maple hints, banana notes, hazelnut hints and clove spice hints.

Aftertaste:
Cinnamon Cereal grains, pretzel hints, buttery caramel and hazelnut hints. No alcohol in the taste, light mouth feel, easy to drink and medium brown body.

Overall:
A Pretty decent beer. They nailed some aspects of the pretzels as well as other flavors relating to the pretzels such as the caramel. Shock Tops is not my favorite type of beer, but so far this one, the Shocklate and the Applecrisps are my favorite. This one is worth a try but not worth having to buy a whole 12 pack just to get it. Unless you have a party, then maybe it will work.

Anime Corner:
Embodiment of Pretzel and beer original art work was the obvious reason I chose the pairing. Nothing too complex as the colors and the representation of the pretzel and the beer are there to compliment the beer flavors, the label and so forth.

Sources:
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/349/b/d/pretzel_and_beer_by_classicnightmare-d6y0py9.jpg

Endymion by Freetail Brewing

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Endymion, eternal sleep, Freetail Brewing, hibiscus flowers, oak wine barrels, Remilia Scarlet, sour beer, Texas, Touhou, Touhou Project, Wine Barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.35/5

Endymion by Freetail Brewing is an 8.2% ABV American Wild Ale aged in Wine Barrels.

Label:
In Greek mythology, Endymion was an astronomer who Pliney the Elder (the man, not the beer) credits as the first human to observe the movements of the moon. As the lover and companion of Selene, the goddess of the moon. Endymion was granted eternal sleep as to never age or die. In the same spirit we have created this wild ale, made from a pseudo-Solera process in which a barrel is never completely emptied, but rather topped off with fresh base beer whenever aged beer is extracted. While constantly evolving, the resulting blend is one that is granted in its own eternal sleep so it may live forever.

==Introduction==

Sent to me thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. This is the second Wine barrel aged beer that I received from my friend along with Makaria. This one is not so much evil but emphasizes the ale to live forever. Freetail makes some really good beers from the many I have tried. Makaria was a similar beer to what this may turn out be. So let us see how different this one is. Cheers!

Aromas:
Lots of Dark fruits like dark cherries, raisins, prunes, strawberries, raspberries, musty wine grape notes, oak, hibiscus flowers, lavender, yogurt, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, blueberry muffins, flan hints, grape jelly, Guava hints, mango hints, molasses, leather and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Tart Dark Cherries, Rich Dark fruits like raisins, prunes, currants, dark chocolate notes, strawberries, slight wine grape notes, raspberries, vanilla, raspberry yogurt, oak, funky must hints, farmhouse hints, lemon peel, orange, hibiscus flowers, lavender, molasses, pecan pie, blueberry muffins, flan notes, guava notes, mango notes, grape jelly on rye bread, sourdough bread, concorde grapes, raspberry cheesecake, strawberry preserves, leather, brown sugar and candi sugar.

Aftertaste:
Lots of dark cherry, tart raspberries, earthy notes, flowers, oak, musty notes, wine grapes and tropical fruit hints. No alcohol in the taste, a dark body, moderate drinkability and moderate mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very delicious sour like Makaria but I think a slight nudge better since this one had more fruity flavors that worked well with the tart sour. While Makaria had a great amount of other complexities, this one has a fruitier complexity. They both have their own differences and the best part is trying to find out which one is better. You might like this one or the other better but either way, they are both great!

Anime Corner:
Remilia Scarlet from the Touhou Project was used in this pairing just like Makaria but as you can see, she is not the same person. Like the story of Endymion, Scarlet represents here the movement of the stars and moon (Seen on the wingd and the skeleton represents the death that never took place which granted Emdymion life eternal. The colors work well with the label and the representation of the dark fruits as well.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/344783-1983×1000-touhou-remilia+scarlet-stari+%28artist%29-single-short+hair-wide+image.jpg

Pirate Bomb by Prairie Artisan Ales

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Imperial Stout, brown sugar, Chiles, chocolate abuelita, cocoa nibs, coffee, dark chocolate, fancy coffee, graham crackers, Pirate Bomb, Prairie Artisan Ales, Rum Barrels, vanilla beans, World class, world class beers, World Class Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Pirate Bomb by Prairie Artisan Ales is a 14% ABV World Class Imperial Stout aged in Rum Barrels with coffee,cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chilies added.

Label:
Made By People Who Truly Care From Oklahoma With Love.

==Introduction==

An awesome exclusive hard to get beer which was only possible thanks to Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com . Prairie has come a long way to become many whale hunters’ favorite beers. They have been producing some magical bottles that we don’t see here much in California. Mainly since they are sold out quick but even at these tiny bottles, they are very coveted. I can only say I am thankful for my friend who has access to these living in Texas. So let’s see what the fuss is all about and walk the plank with this one.

Aromas:
Extremely fancy coffee, vanilla, mocha, dulce de leche caramel, Khalua Liqueur, sweetened condensed milk, Rum notes, bourbon notes, Crème brulee, marshmallows, graham crackers, oreo cookies and cream, banana notes, toasted coconut hints, ancho and guajillo chile spices, bakers chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate abuelita, brown sugar, Mexican Mole Spices, dark fruit raisins, cherries, and pineapple hints.

Flavors:
Rich flan, crème brulee, rich mocha, rich frappuccino, really fancy coffee, Khalua coffee liqueur, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, sweetened condensed milk, marshmallows, graham crackers, oreo cookies and cream, rum, bourbon notes, bananas, plantains, toasted coconut, ancho and guajillo chiles, cantaloupe hints, rocky road ice cream, chai tea, dragon fruit hints,old mango, hazelnut nectar, pumpkin spice hints, brown sugar, chocolate abuelita, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, chocolate truffles, dark fruit raisins, currants, figs, prunes, anise, mint chocolate, dark cherries, pineapple hints, Mexican mole sauce, rock candy and candi sugar.

Aftertaste:
Rich fancy coffee, mole sauce, dark fruit, vanilla, caramel, rum, tropical fruit notes, bananas, plantains, almond joy, flan and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste despite the 14% ABV, Ridiculously smooth and creamy mouthfeel, Easy to drink despite the strong ABV and super pitch dark body.

Overall:
This is truly an awesome and super exceptional brew. There is a tremendous amount of complexity for such a little magic bottle. The label with the crystal ball just hinting at possible pirate Deep 7 seas magic. It surely looks like it came from the darks part of the sea. Also, this is not hot but the spiciness works well with this one. There is only enough to let you know its partially a chile beer. This is definitely outstanding and I highly recommend it if you can find this one.

Anime Corner:
Original Pirate girl character was used in this pairing to pair with the beer was the best choice as I wanted to show the colors of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, dark fruits and other flavors. She is also a pirate so it fit perfectly. The fact that this one is more of a guilty pleasure and smooth fits with how she stares into your soul! This beer goes into your soul too. It is damn good.

Sources:
http://i183.photobucket.com/…/Samur…/1548717967.jpg~original

Charlie Foxtrot by Texian Brewing

March 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Berliner Weisse, Charlie Foxtrot, Cluster Fuck, German style, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, Mexican army, sour, sourdough bread, Tart, Texian army, Texian Brewing, Tomoe Mami | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.75/5

Charlie Foxtrot by Texian Brewing is a 7.5% ABV Imperial Berliner Weissebier.

Label:
The Texian army, at Bexar, was informed that a Mexican supply train loaded with silver, was approaching in order to fund the Mexican army. The Texians attacked and, after the Mexican army retreated, they found that the wagons only contained hay. History refers it as the “Grass Fight”. We call it a cluster… Charlie Foxtrot.

==Introduction==

What a Cluster Fuck… LMAO! Or atleast that is what I thought they were going with on this beer. Thanks to Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com for donating this one the site. The Berliner Weisse style is pretty tart and refreshing. Each one has its own character profile ranging from sour to tart and sweet and in some cases spicy. I don’t see this style very often and while it is not my favorite of styles, it is still worth drinking.

Aromas:
Vanilla, honey, citrus honey blossom, oranges, wheat crackers, wet hay, cereal grains, coriander spice, wheat bread, sourdough bread, flowers, minor hints of tropical fruits, lemon candy and lemon peel.

Flavors:
Vanilla, lemon peel, tomato, vegetable hints, honey, lemon candy, oranges, banana hints, stone fruit apricot hints, old mango hints, crackers, sour white grapes, wet hay, cereal grains, oats, coriander spice, wheat bread, sourdough bread, oak hints, lavender and hibiscus.

Aftertaste:
Ends pretty dry with hints of lemon, vanilla, vegetable hints, tejuino, salt notes, sour apples and farmhouse hay. No alcohol in the taste, hazy honey colored body, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A pretty good beer. Tart mainly, sweet and spicy notes about but for the most part refreshing. While this does have a moderate drinkable feel, it borderlines the drink several on a hot summer day but also at a slow pace kind of beer. I would recommend this one if you like tart Berliner Weisse beers and if you can find it as it is only in Texas. The Texas pride in this one is very cool though.

Anime Corner:
Tomoe Mami from Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica was used in this pairing since I wanted something that would pair with the label with the rifles but also with the fact that this is a German style of beer. Her clothing look similar to Oktoberfest attire so I thought this was an awesome fit.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/367286-1060×1500-mahou+shoujo+madoka+magica-shaft+%28studio%29-tomoe+mami-nostra-long+hair-single.jpg

Ambrée by Jester King

February 25, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Amber Ale, Ambrée, american farmhouse, Eri Kasamoto, Farmhouse Ale, Fio Germni, jester king, Metal Slug, Saison, Texas, Texas Hill Country | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Ambrée by Jester King is a 7.4% ABV Farmhouse Amber Ale.

Label:
There’s no secret to making farmhouse ale; just take some malt and hops, throw in a bunch of spices, add farmhouse yeast from your favorite yeast lab, let it ferment for a couple of weeks, and stick a picture of a barn or tractor on the label. Unfortunately, our brewers have yet to master these skills. They keep forgetting to add the spices, letting wild yeast into the mix, and allowing the fermentation to go on for months until the sweet sugar is gone. Oh well, at least there’s a barn on our label. Wait, is that even a barn?

Jester King is an authentic farmhouse brewery in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, on the outskirts of Austin. We brew what we like, drink what we want and offer the rest to those who share our tastes.

ALC/VOL 7.1% FG 1.005 IBU 29

Ingredients Hill Country Well Water, Malted Barley, Roasted Barley, Hops, Farmhouse Yeast, Wild Yeast from the Texas Hill Country, Native Souring Bacteria.

Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans

Notes: A dry, tart, unspiced amber beer inspired by the rustic farmhouse ales of French Flanders, particularly those brewed by Brasserie Thiriez in Esquelbecq – one of our favorite breweries in the world. Naturally occurring wild yeasts from the Texas Hill Country impart a sense of place to this unfiltered, unpasteurized, 100% bottle conditioned beer.

==Introduction==

Special thanks to Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com for hooking me up with this great beer from Jester King. If it was not for my friend Aaron, I would not have the opportunity to present Jester King beers to the site as well as I do. It is all thanks to him and for that, I am grateful to have such a great friend and a connection into the Texas beer scene!! So let’s take a look at this beer. It looks like they were going for the farmhouse look so I can definitely tell it is all about that Belgian style Saisons. Let us explore the farm shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Stone fruits like plums, apricots peaches, mango, dark fruits like raisins, cherries, strawberries, malty biscuit bread hints, peppercorn, grapefruit and grassy hops, honey, farmhouse hay, grape wine must.

Flavors:
Rich Stone fruit plum, apricot, peach preserves, mild mango, peach cobbler, peppercorns, vanilla caramel, biscuit bread, farmhouse hay, wine grape funk, honey on sourdough bread, brown sugar, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, oak, butterscotch, leather, tamarind, strawberries, white grapes, celery, grassy, floral and grapefruit hops, clove spice, ginger, hibiscus flowers, lychee, mild chocolate notes, sour green apples, lemon peel and coriander spice.

Aftertaste:
Variety of tangy and sour hint stone fruits and dark fruit, vanilla, tamarind, peppercorn, grassy hops, hibiscus flowers, leather notes, lemon peel and brown sugar. No alcohol in the taste, clear yet dark crimson body, moderate mouthfeel, and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
I love this beer’s fruity and funky complexity. They definitely got it perfect with the style even without the spices. It is amazing how they can pull off such complexity when it comes to their beers. When it comes to best beers in Texas, Jester King is simply one of the best and is at that level of super complext awesomeness like the Bruery is to us here. If you live in Texas, you are very lucky to get these beers. I would highly recommend this one.

Anime Corner:
Fio Germni and Eri Kasamoto from the Metal Slug series, art by Knockworst @Deviantart.com were used in this pairing since I wanted to find something similar to the label. I think Fio and Eri fit the bill in this beer. Namely for the description a they were going for the farmhouse look but it wasn’t what they expected. As far as Fio and Eri go, looks like a day at the beach wasn’t what they expected either. Either way. Their careless and worry free look pairs with how surprising this beer came out to be as well as the fact that they have nothing to worry about but just relax and enjoy the view.

Sources:
http://knockwurst.deviantart.com/art/Metal-Slug-Beach-Party-128954341

Kentucky Streetwalker by Naughty Brewing

February 25, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Porter, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shitai!, Kentucky Streetwalker, Naughty Brewing, Naughty Girl, Nibutani Shinka, Oak aged, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.95/5

Kentucky Streetwalker by Naughty Brewing is a 10.2% ABV American Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels with Vanilla beans.

Label:
Brewed dark and aged for months in wood. Copious amounts of vanilla present themselves from both the beans and barrel. Kentucky Streetwalker is an Imperial Vanilla Porter aged until it was ready in premium bourbon barrels. It is dark, seductive and passionate… like your wildest dreams.

==Introduction==

This awesome beer I received thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com. This is the second beer I have tried from Naughty brewing and the theme they have going on I really like. It seems to go nicely with the beers I review here at the site. This time, we bring forth a Kentucky barrel aged porter brewed with vanilla beans. If that alone isn’t enough to get the sweet tooth aroused, maybe you can try something else. However, we like to try all sorts of beers and so let’s go and pick up this beer and see where the night takes us. Cheers!

Aromas:
Lots of oak, bourbon notes, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, wine grapes, musty funk hints, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, smokey notes, earthy notes. Dark fruits like currants, raisins, plums, figs, pecan pie hints, licorice, honey and marshmallow smores.

Flavors:
Lots of oak, funky wine notes, wine grapes, vanilla, whiskey bourbon, smokey notes, caramel, dark chocolate, marshmallow, graham cracker smores, smores, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, currants, blackberry skins, raspberry skins, pecan pie hints, earthy notes, leather, pipe tobacco, brown sugar campfire hints, molasses, honey, licorice, anise and oatmeal cookies.

Aftertaste:
Lots of oak, funky wood and musty wine grape notes, bourbon hints, vanilla, caramel, dark fruit, molasses, anise and smokey notes. Mild booziness in the taste, very dark body, slightly creamy and robust mouthfeel and sipping drinkability.

Overall:
This beer was very good. The most prominent aspect of this beer was definitely the oak. I am unsure if they were going with just a sweet beer or oaky but also tart hints. Which for this style, is very unique and welcomed to those that like a little bit of sour notes in their barrel aged. I liked it for sure and while it was not the best BBA beer I have ever had, it was still very good and worth the try.

Anime Corner:
Nibutani Shinka from Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shitai! Was used in this pairing as I wanted to mainly pair with the label. It was a somewhat of a challenge as I wanted to get the girl with a vehicle just like it was on the car. I think this one was the best choice and while I am unable to say much about how this relates to the flavors of the beer, it definitely pairs with the theme and the label. Don’t Drink and Drive but if you do drive careful if you find an unsuspecting person that might seduce you like this beer.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/393236-2600×3280-chuunibyou+demo+koi+ga+shitai%21-nissan-nibutani+shinka-asm-long+hair-single.jpg

Hey, Careful Man, There’s A Beverage Here by Pipeworks brewing

February 25, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Arcana Heart, Bowling, cacao beans, Careful Man, coffee, dark chocolate, Donny., Dudeness, Duderino, Fuck, Golden Stout, Hey, Imperial White Milk Stout, Lebowski beer, milk Chocolate, Nobody fucks with the Jesus, Parace L'sia, Pipeworks Brewing, Shut the fuck up, The Big LAbowski, The big Lebowski, The Dude, There's A Beverage Here, vanilla beans, White Chocolate, White Russian, White Russian Imperial Milk Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Hey, Careful Man, There’s A Beverage Here by Pipeworks brewing is a 10.5% ABV White Russian Imperial Milk (Golden) Stout brewed with lactose sugar with cacao, coffee and vanilla.

Label:
Way out west there’s this beer . . . beer I wanna tell ya’ about. Beer by the name Hey, Careful Man, There’s a Beverage Here. Beer inspired by a certain Dude’s favorite potable. This Imperial White Milk Stout is brewed with vanilla beans, an abideable amount of cacao nibs and cold-pressed coffee that really tied the beer together, did it not? It is the perfect oat soda for those days when you’re out of your element and all you can do is say, “F it, Dude, let’s go bowling.”

==Introduction==

This is it, the liquid ambrosia of the Big Lebowski. There are already a couple of breweries who emphasize stuff from the movie to even naming their brewery, “The Dudes”. Now Pipeworks has come out with the official lebowski drink, the White Russian in beer form. There isn’t much I have to say further but get on to the review for this one dude. The drink is getting cold, so cheers!

Aromas:
Rich caramel, Rich vanilla, Rich coffee, White chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Milk chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian chocolate notes, tres leches/3 milks cake, maple syrup, stone fruits like peaches and apricot, Mocha Khalua coffee liqueur, waffle cone, marshmallow smores, coconut hints, flan, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, Danish cookies, honey berry preserves, butterscotch and tootsie rolls.

Flavors:
Rich vanilla, Rich dulce de leche caramel, White chocolate, Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, Khalua coffee liqueur notes, buttery toast, Belgian waffle notes, tootsie rolls, toffee, butterscotch, mocha, java coffee, espresso notes, flan, White Russian Chocolate, Capirotada raisins bread pudding, Irish cream, buttery pecan ice cream, mocha frappuccino Jericalla Mexican Custard, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, rye bread, walnuts, Danish cookies, honey, berry preserves, tres leches/3 milks cake, maple syrup, stone fruit peaches and mild apricot notes.

Aftertaste:
White chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, fancy roasted coffee, dark fruit, honey, and earthy notes. Mild alcohol in the taste, light to medium golden body, syrupy, creamy yet smooth mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Top of the Top, this beer is exactly what the Dude ordered. This is pretty damn full forward white Russian but as a beer it employs a great amount of complexity that can only be found in beer. This was so damn good. I wish I had a secondary one. Pipeworks is pretty crazy brewery always innovating and seems to be more and more my favorite brewery in the Midwest next to the Three Floyds, Surly, Half Acre and others. It is a damn shame we can’t get this so easily here in California, but I would gladly buy more of the Pipeworks if I can see them more often. Highly recommended.

Anime Corner:
Parace L’sia from Arcana Heart is used in this pairing since I wanted to show something in relation the big lebowski and the white Russian. The colors of Parace are in relation to white and chocolate and coffee from the white Russian. Also, the bath robe and the way she has her drink about goes with the name of the beer to be careful not to spill it but as you can see in the background, this is no ordinary drink and is something more magical….Not a drop as spilled that day.

Sources:
http://blog-imgs-72.fc2.com/n/i/j/nijigenizumi/1501141037.jpg

Makaria by Freetail Brewing

February 25, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Ananke, Hades, Makaria, Oak aged, oak wine barrels, Remilia Scarlet, sour beer, Texas, Touhou, Touhou Project, Wine Barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Makaria by Freetail Brewing is a 5.7% ABV American Wild Ale aged in Wine Barrels.

Label:
Makaria is the daughter of Hades and represents a merciful death as opposed to one of misery and utter destruction. This black wild ale shares its genesis with#Ananke, a sour-mashed witbier left to evolve in a wooden tomb. This batch was brewed on Christmas Eve 2013 for release the following spring on Ananke Day 2014. Thank you all for your support of over the years and we look forward to the next step in our barrel program’s evolution at the new brewery.

==Introduction==

An awesome thank you for my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com for providing this my way for the site. Many of the Freetail beers I have had before have been super awesome an wonderful. From La Muerta to Old Bat Rastard. They are some of the best beers out there in Texas. This one along with Endymion were given to me to show on the website for review. Specifically for Makaria, I will later see how it compares to Endymion. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, plums, currants, tart raspberries, wine grapes, coffee, black tea, brettanomyces, stone fruit apricots, peach skins, tart cherries, funky must, rye bread, strawberry notes, oak, flowers, earthy notes, berry yogurt, vinegary notes, lemon peel, farmhouse hints, coriander, brown sugar, chocolate notes and lavender.

Flavors:
Tart raspberries, tart dark cherry skins, Dark fruit raisins, currants, plums, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, tart wine grapes, funky must, coriander, farmhouse, lots of the oak barrel, lemon peel, berry yogurt, rye bread, strawberry cheese cake, earthy notes, flowers, concorde grapes, lavender, port wine, molasses, dark chocolate, milk chocolate hints, strawberry notes, blueberry muffins and pecan pie hints.

Aftertaste:
Good amount of dark tart fruits, oak, musty notes, floral hints, hibiscus flowers and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, a dark body, moderate mouth feel and a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very deliciously awesome sour having a lot of tart notes and complexity than overall sweetness. This beer reminds me of a sour with lots of complexity like tart of darkness or in some cases, some of the Jolly Pumpkin beers. This one is definitely for the sour beer lovers for sure. If you like sours, this one is great!

Anime Corner:
Remilia Scarlet from the Touhou Project was used in this pairing since I wanted to fit something that defines the description in the label. Evil and tart, sour but delicious. The aspect of Hades, swift and merciful death instead of agonizing is one that is delivered in this case. The art pairs great with the bats, the colors of the flavor profiles and complexity of the beer. An in your face tart experience that is sweet and forgiving.

Sources:
http://media.animevice.com/uploads/3/39328/764098-touhou_remilia_scarlet_anime_wide.jpg

Space Cake by Clown Shoes brewing

February 25, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Bionic, clown shoes, Clown Shoes Brewing, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, india pale ale, IPA, layer cake, Metroid, Miracle Mike, Nintendo, passion fruit, Samus, Space Cake | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Space Cake by Clown Shoes brewing is a 9% ABV Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
Why are Miracle Mike and his dog, Bionic, being chased by many evil laser beam shooting cupcakes and two giant layer cake mother ships? Because we’re straight lunatic fools? Well, maybe, but with a few brains cells remaining we managed to craft Space Cake double IPA, utilizing citrusy Mosaic hops and an immaculate West Coast style malt backbone. Dude… Chill out. Enjoy some Space Cake.

==Introduction==

I finally got around to bringing this one for a review. I had tried this one on draft last year but did not get a chance to get a bottle of this one until recently. From what I can remember, this IPA was very good introducing fair amounts of tropics. Later this year, they will be released a California exclusive one of this which will be like a session (lower alcohol) version. There is also the Lemon one but that is unfortunately out of my reach. Maybe in a future released. So why space cake? Maybe it is due to the fruity flavors that made it like a dessert. It is hard to remember as I did not get a chance to analyze this one all the way, until today. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich citrus, grapefruit, piney, grassy, floral, herbal hops, tropical fruits like mango,pine apple, papaya, oranges, lemon peel, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, cherries, citrus and tangerine preserves on rye.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, citrus, piney, grassy, floral and mild herbal hops, old mango, pineapple, papaya, dragonfruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, oranges, cocoa nib hints, cherries, Strawberries, raspberries, Sweetened condensed milk, biscuit bread, toffee, caramel, vanilla, Tangerine preserves on toasted buttery rye bread, orange gummy bears, stone fruit apricots, peaches, lychees and faint hint of cherry chocolate cake?

Aftertaste:
Citrus, tropical fruits, stone fruits, vanilla, caramel biscuit bread, toffee, cocoa nib hints, hoppy, grapefruit and herbal hops. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, orange amber light to medium body and easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
There is some crazy malty component to this beer that reminds me of a dessert for some reason. After trying over and over, I can only conclude so much but still wonder if the name Space Cake wasn’t just a pun and they managed to make an IPA who’s sweetness starts to transcend into a dessert like chocolate cherry cake…nah! Well… maybe. I really don’t know. Maybe it is up to you to decide this one but I can definitely agree, this one is kind of unique and definitely recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Samus Aran from Nintendo’s Metroid series was used in this pairing to pair with the label of space and the space cake aspect. Samus is with the metroid hatchling which is the one from Super Metroid that considered her a mother. Maybe the bond they had is similar to the dude on the label and his dog. Either way, I tried to get it as close to space related as possible. Samus strength is represented by the ABV and hop character but the sweetness of cake is who she is inside the suit and as a person. Very sweet and caring but when it comes to hunting evil aliens trying to eradicate civilizations, well someone has to be the word of justice in the universe.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/309859
http://luigiix.deviantart.com/art/Zero-Suit-Samus-505527148

2014 The Off Label Series – Perpetual Peace by No Label Brewing

February 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Ghost in the Shell, GITS, Motoko Kusinagi, No Label Brewing, Perpetual Peace, Scotch Ale, scotch whiskey, The Off Label Series, Wee Heavy | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.85/5

2014 The Off Label Series – Perpetual Peace by No Label Brewing is an 11.62% ABV Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
Wee-Heavy
Aged in Bourbon Barres, The Tannins complement the malty sweetness of the beer, while adding vanilla notes. Fans of Bourbon will love this beer.

==Introduction==

Straight out of Katy Texas, a special thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com who sends me this awesome little gem, a bourbon barrel aged wee-heavy. The Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy is a style of beer that is not common but the many I have tried, there is yet to be one that I don’t like. It is an uncommon style but very delicious and one that is bourbon barrel aged is even more uncommon. So when I saw this, I was super stoked to try it. This is my first label from No Label Brewing and hope it is not the last as this one seems super promising. So let us see what some of Texas finest have to offer. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, banana notes, clove spice, bourbon, oak, marshmallows, smores, flan, smoked peat, dark fruit raisins, figs, dark cherries, raisin bread pudding, pecan pie, molasses, scotch whiskey, anise, almond joy, cookie dough, cookies and cream, brown sugar, toasted coconut and macaroons.

Flavors:
Bananas, clove spice, dark fruits like raisins, figs, plums, cherries, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, espresso, raisin bread pudding, scotch whiskey, bourbon, oak, hazelnut nectar, macadamia nuts, pecan pie, rocky road ice cream, toasted coconuts, macaroons, cookies and cream, vanilla, fudge brownies, earthy notes, smoked peat, butterscotch, molasses, anise, licorice hints, choco flan, brown sugare, marshmallows smores, rye bread, espresso hints, graham crackers, cinnamon hints and almond joy chocolate.

Aftertaste:
Banana notes, scotch whiskey, marshmallows, caramel, vanilla, anise, clove spice, dark fruits, toasted coconut, oak and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, easy to drink despite the ABV and a dark coffee full body.

Overall:
I enjoyed the hell out of this one. This beer to me was ridiculously drinkable and very complex. Lots of the bourbon and oak along with the chocolate and all the sweet dark fruit and scotch flavors. I would probably drink this all the time if I could find it but then I wouldn’t be very sober now would I. Totally worth the find and recommendation if you can find it.

Anime Corner:
Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex was used in this pairing to go with the label colors as well as the different colors of the flavors and ingredients I could detect in this beer. No label brewing works with Motoko Kusanagi as she is an augmented-cybernetic human and most likely didn’t have a name in the beginning. Also, the perpetual peace has to do with the struggle not only to keep the peace as a member of the Public Security Section 9 but also to come to terms with who and what she is. The beer is strong and smooth which represents her abilities as a tactician and intelligence but also the sweet flavors represents how much of a sweet heart she is even is she seems like a cold robot mainly.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/PGP6Ptk.jpg
http://superherowallpapers10.net/wp-content/uploads/images/2c/ghost-in-the-shell-4.jpg

Friek by Odell brewing

February 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Belgian Kriek, cherries, Framboise, Friek, Ibara, Kriek, Oak aged, oak barrels, Odell, Odell Brewing, Raspberries, Schroyer Family Farms, sour, sour ale, sour beer, Teresa Rose, wine grapes | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Friek by Odell brewing is a 6.9% ABV American Wild Ale brewed with cherries and raspberries aged in oak barrels.

Label:
FRIEK is an evolution, an imaginative amalgamation invented by our brewers. Multiple KRIEK Lambic style ales are fermented with WILD yeast and TART cherries and then moved into OAK BARRELS to age and sour taking on the CHERRY flavors. As the beer matures, FRAMBOISES (raspberries) from Schroyer Family Farms in Fort Collins are handpicked and readied for the beer. The fresh RASPBERRIES are added immediately prior to the final blending. The sweet and tart flavors MINGLE on the tongue with a sparkling dry finish.

==Introduction==

A special thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com for sending me this one. We do not see much of Odell brewing here on the west coast so to see this one for a review here on the site is an awesome opportunity. Odell makes some really delicious beers such as the Lugene, Fifty niner or tree shaker. I can definitely feel confident that this one was going to be great. Especially with raspberries and cherries. Yes Please!

Aromas:
Dark cherries, raspberries, vanilla, oak, wine grapes, dark fruit raisins, plums, prunes, currants, caramel, brown sugar, musty notes, rose petals, lavender, Jamaica hibiscus flower drink, sweetened condensed milk notes, molasses, chocolate notes, apricots, apples and cinnamon hints.

Flavors:
Tart Dark cherries, tart raspberries, vanilla, oak, wine grapes, dark fruit plums, prunes, currants, jamaica/hibiscus flower drink, concord grapes, cranberries, funky notes, red wine grapes, sangria, apples, apricots, brown sugar, caramel, musty notes, rose petals, lavender, molasses, chocolate hints, chardonnay, champagne and sweetened condensed milk hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishes sour with tart fruits of cherry, raspberries, dark fruit, wine grapes, oak, earthy notes, vanilla and caramel. No alcohol in the taste, sipping drinkability, clear crimson red body, silky and moderate mouthfeel.

Overall:
This one turned out to be a good tart and sour yet very sweet beer. Reminds me of tart of darkness with its sweet and sour notes fighting each other for balance but ultimately being a sweet tart. I would definitely like a sweeter than tart and sour but this one really does deliver not only the sweeter part but also complexity. The beer itself is recommendable if you are able to get Odell in your area and especially if you like tart and sour beers.

Anime Corner:
Ibara sisters and their mother Teresa Rose were used in this pairing to go with the colors or the label, the cherries, the raspberries and the sour tart aspect of the beer. In the game, Ibara, the sisters are actually bosses where their mother Teresa is the last boss. They may looks really sweet but they are sour evil. Sometimes, it’s not bad to dabble in the sour and evil side of beers as well.

Sources:
http://www.pelaajalehti.com/wordpress/wp-content/2009/04/ibaraiso.jpg

5th Anniversary Celebration Populist XL by Eagle Rock Brewery

February 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged 5th Anniversary, 5th anniversary ale, canadian beers, Double Black India Pale Ale, Double India Pale Ale, Eagle Rock, Eagle Rock Brewery, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VI, IPA, Populist, Populist XL, Terra, Terra Brandford, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

5th Anniversary Celebration Populist XL by Eagle Rock Brewery is an 11% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.

Label:
Populist XL commemorates our 5-year anniversary and is brewed in homage to our incredible supporters. These supporters first asked us many years ago to make a delicious local IPA, helped us come up with the name “Populist”, and then helped turn it into our best-selling beer! Beyond sharing the name of our regular IPA, Populist XL takes it to the next level with huge hop aromas of citrus peel, pine needles, and subtle undertones of sweet, biscuit-y malt. Cheers to 5 years and many more to come!

==Introduction==

I obtained this one while visiting my friend Carlos in Whittier at the Liquor Mart in Whittier California. I have tried the original Populist long ago and have not had it since. Knowing that they made a triple IPA from the original, I had to bring this one to the site and see how it compares to the other Double and Triple IPAs I have tried before. While I enjoy more citrus and tropical IPA ones, I enjoy the herbal and grassy hop forward ones from time to time. This one is pricey but it may be worth it. Let’s see how this one is, cheers!

Aromas:
Herbs, spices, flowers, piney, grassy citrusy and grapefruit hops, Italian herbs, onion and garlic dankness, caramel, vanilla, biscuit bread, yerbabuena, green tea, black tea, toffee, lemon grass, lemon zest, grapefruit peel, old mangoes, tangerine, marzipan, sweetened condensed milk hints, hibiscus and lavender hints and mint icecream.

Flavors:
Herbal, floral, piney, citrusy, grassy, earthy and grapefruit hops, blue basil, Italian herbs, oniony, garlicky and oily hop dankness, orange notes, caramel, biscuit, rye, yerbabuena, black tea, green tea, mint icecream hints, caramel, vanilla, toffee, lemon grass, lemon zest, grapefruit peel, sugar cane, hibiscus flower hints, rose petal hints, old mango, sweetened condensed milk hints, lychee and tangerine marzipan.

Aftertaste:
Dank oniony and oily hop resin lingers for a bit is balances out by this sugary and minty tea icecream like notes that eventually finishes dry. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, crimson and Gold clear body, syrup, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and a sipping Drinkability.

Overall:
Of the few Triple IPAs that I have tried, this one is one damn herbal dank perfection. I lean more towards the more tropical or citrus malty IPAs but this one awesome and pleasantly surprising providing an alcoholic sugary sweetness. The flavor leans toward the Pliny Elder/Younger area in dankness and is very enjoyable for sure. If you do find this one, it is worth getting it for sure.

Anime Corner:
Terra/Tina Branford from Final Fantasy VI was used in this pairing since I paired her with the original Populist. In her return, I wanted to emphasize her colors as being that of hop strength, herbal and like a magician, damn mysterious and botanical. Terra is my favorite character from that game and to me works well with this pairing.

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2012-07-04-512088.jpeg
http://www.zerochan.net/full/109860

Habanero Cider by Finnriver

February 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Apple Cider, brown sugar, cane sugar, Finnriver, Habanero chillies, Habanero Cider, Habanero heat, Habanero Peppers, Hard Cider, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Habanero, sugar cane, Washington Organic Apples | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5* Cider Rating

Habanero Cider by Finnriver is a 6.5% ABV Apple cider made with Washington Organic Apples, Organic Habanero chillies and Organic Cane sugar.

Label:
Batch 814
Finnriver’s Habanero Cider release was inspired by the quest for something strange and a hankering for heat. In the winter of 2013, cold days on the farm coincided with the annual Strange Brew Festival in Port Townsend, WA. This gave our crew the inspiration to take the hottest thing we could get our hands on and blend it into out had cider. The combination of chili he4arr and tart apple, mellowed by a dash of sweet, makes for a memorable fermented adventure. Enjoy in any latitude with rice and beans, fish tacos burritos of all kinds, or just a crackling bowl of chips & salsa.

==Introduction==

My friend Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com provided me with this special cider from Washington. I have never really seen this one. Aaron advised he has not tried this one and I do feel the honor to bring it to the site to see how it is. Seeing as I love spicy foods, habanero and apple cider seem like a very awesome combination. Let us see what this one is all about.

Aromas:
A whiff and you can tell the habanero is there, apples, vanilla, caramel, honey, sugar cane, brown sugar, biscuit bread, orange hints and bubble gum.

Flavors:
Fruity yet peppery notes of Habanero heat, apples, chardonay, mild vanilla, caramel, honey, sugar cane, biscuit notes, orange hints and bubble gum hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with notes of apple, and habanero spice. No alcohol in the taste. Clear light golden body, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, but moderate drinkability due to the Habanero attack.

Overall:
As soon as you drink it the heat flows up into the nostrils through the nasal cavity in the back of the throat. I eat chilis all the time and this one is not too hot, but its almost like habanero fruitiness does travel to mess with the your breathing a bit. So basically the heat does not stay on the tongue for long and you do get to enjoy it, but make sure you sip this one as to not choke while drinking this. I think trying to get a good flavor profile was the challenge here. Even so, get this one if you love hot stuff. It is a well made cider for being one with habeneros.

Anime Corner:
Original Vampire Girl character was used in this pairing since I wanted to show something sweet and at the same time evil. While the cider is sweet, the habanero could be seen as evil. This is why I included both. The colors also compliment the label and the vampire girl eating the apple is like the habanero infusing itself into the apples of this cider.

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/43/77/f1/4377f160042c68362fb27edd4dda22b3.jpg

Frederick Berg by Five Stones

February 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Cibolo Texas, Five Stones, Five Stones of Cibolo Texas, Frederick Berg, Fruit Beer, Hinanawi Tenshi, Peaches, stone fruit, Texas, Touhou Project | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Frederick Berg by Five Stones is a 6% ABV Fruit Ale handcrafted with fresh peaches.

Description:
Ale handcrafted with peaches.

==Introduction==

Thanks to Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com for providing this awesome brew to the site. I have been fortunate to try a good variety of 5 Stones brews thanks to Aaron as well as other Texas goodies. This one is made with peaches. Definitely love me some peaches and peach beers are pretty damn awesome! Some peach beers I have tried in the past are tart or sweet. While there may not be much information about how this one is supposed to be, we can take a look at this one and see what can be found. Cheers!

Aromas:
Biscuit bread, Floral, herbal and citrus hops, Stone fruit peaches, apricot, Honey, peppercorn, banana hints, honey, peach preserves on toasted rye bread, bubble gum, phenolic bready notes, clove spice, farmhouse hay, floral, herbal, citrus and piney hops, vanilla, apples, brettanomyces hints and graham crackers.

Flavors:
Peach preserves, biscuit bread, honey, stone fruit peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums mango hints, peppercorn, clove spice, banana notes, bubble gum, phenolic hints, grapes, brettanomyces hints, farmhouse hay, floral, herbal and citrus hops, apples, lemon peel, vanilla and graham crackers.

Aftertaste:
Tart peach notes, biscuit bread, flowers, peppercorns, phenolic notes, bananas and clove spice with some citrus hop hints finishing dry. No alcohol in the taste, light to medium body, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Very good and very peachy ale. Having a lot of bready and Belgian like character to it. The peaches and fruitiness are very present in this one. The tartness is calmed by the breadiness of the beer and sweet flavors. I highly recommend this one if you like a sweeter peach yet tart ale. This one is only in Texas though, so hope to see more of this in the future. 5 Stones really is an awesome brewery.

Anime Corner:
Tenshi Hinanawi from the Touhou project series was used to represent the peaches as well as the label in this brew. Tenshi has been used for a lot of the peach beers I used but this one with her laying back and relaxing was the perfect one. Laying back, relaxing and having a beer is an awesome pass time. This is what this one was made for. Enjoying!

Sources:
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a77589_fc872376b5174627ba8e9a9b673de33c.jpg_srz_1000_707_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz

Sure Bet by Pipeworks brewing

February 23, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged citra and mosaic hops, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, dragon fruit, honey, IIPA, india pale ale, IPA, mango, mango puree, MLP, passion fruit, Pipeworks Brewing, rainbow dash, Sure Bet, tropical fruit, tropical fruits, tropical IPA, Twilight Sparkle, Unicorn, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Sure Bet by Pipeworks brewing is a 9.5% ABV World Class Double India Pale Ale brewed with honey and mango puree.

Label:
Just the mere thought of the talk of a Citra and Mosaic hopped IIIPA brewed with honey and mango fills the Unicorn with too much joy and happiness for one horn to handle. The closest The Unicorn has come to this level of joy was when once, while skipping over rainbows, he encountered a cloud shaped like a rainbow! The Unicorns #1 favorite food is sunlight, but his #2 and #3 are honey and mangos respectively, and this brew has ’em both! The only thing that The Unicorn loves more than keeing something for himself, is sharing! So pour yourself a glass, because this beer’s a SURE BET!

==Introduction==

I obtained this beer through my online resources. I was unable to find this at any online shop. Seeing as this was a rarity and a highly rated beer, I really wanted to try it and bring it to the site. This is an IPA that can compare with some of the best IPAs out there and the fact that it has mango puree and honey. Well that just speaks tropical heaven to me. Let us see what this beer has to offer and see if this one is worth the buzz. Cheers!

Aromas:
A bouquet of rich tropical fruit fills the nose reminiscent of Power Plant and other awesome Tropical IPAs I have had before. Mango, Guava, Passion Fruit, Dragon Fruit Lychee, Papaya, Pineapples, Apricots, Strawberries, Prickly pears, raspberries, cherries, tangerines, tuna fruit, peaches, creamy vanilla, agave nectar, piney grassy, grapefruit, floral, herbal and dank garlicky hops, Sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, flan, caramel, gummy bears, citrus, orange and mango preserves, coconut hints and marshmallows.

Flavors:
Ridiculous amount of tropical fruits from all over the spectrum such as oranges, grapefruit, lychee, apricots, mangos, guava, papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, strawberries, prickly pear, tuna fruit, raspberries, cherries tangerines, apples, peaches and cream, agave nectar, piney, grassy, herbal, floral, earthy, dank oniony, garlicky and grapefruit hops, sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, mango flan, caramel, gummy bears, citrus and mango preserves and orange preserves on rye bread, toffee, butterscotch, blue basil, peppercorn hints, lemon candy, coconut hints and marshmallows.

Aftertaste:
Very rich tropical fruits, variety of citrus fruit, rich mango, honey, dank piney, garlicky oniony, grassy, floral, earthy and herbal hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, golden medium body, creamy, crips, refreshing and silky mouthfeel and an easy to drink beer despite the ABV.

Overall:
Talk about rare GEMS no one knows about. Supremely righteous of tropical gods! This Double IPA blew me away into the stratosphere. I have to agree that addition of mango and honey dynamically changes the beer from its highest potential on its own. This is why Power Plant by El Segundo brewing can be the best triple IPA in the world to me, but this one is beyond that with the addition of the ingredients that take it to the next level. Holy Shit! This beer is like the absolute Trifecta of the IPAs. Meaning, you get a huge balance of the herbal, the orange malty and the rich tropical aspect found in many IPAs. If I find the right recipe for this, I will have to make this one for sure! For now, you better make DAMN SURE BET that I will recommend this to the masses! The Pliny and Heady killer of the midwest.

Anime Corner:
Twighlight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash from MLP were used in this pairing to pair two of the best sides of an IPA. The malty sweet side represented by Twilight sparkle and the citrus and tropical fruit flavors represented by Rainbow Dash. Since this beer has a unicorn and has so many colors representing the flavor spectrum of the delights that is this beer, the ponies were the right choice to compliment the beer and label. That and this is the most bad ass I could find these characters.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/EW4mNmZ.jpg
http://nyuuchandiannepie.deviantart.com/art/Rainbow-Auditore-da-Firenze-303474835
http://nyuuchandiannepie.deviantart.com/art/Diablo-3-Twilight-304708395

The Three Dragons of Thanksgiving series Blueberry Pie Scraper by Pipeworks Brewing

February 23, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Amari, Asmodeus, Blueberries, Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Pie Scraper, Fruit Beer, Godzilla, Pipeworks Brewing, Shinra Bansho, Shinrabansho, Spices, Thanksgiving, The Three Dragons of Thanksgiving | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

The Three Dragons of Thanksgiving series Blueberry Pie Scraper by Pipeworks Brewing is an 8.5% ABV is a Dark fruit ale brewed with Blueberries and Spices.

Label:
Batch#564
The mysterious and curious presence of large dragons. The lack of blueberry pie. And a city that can’t make sense of either when giant dragons descend upon Chicago, and only one slice of blueberry pie remains, this dragon will stop at nothing to have his dessert and drink it too. Don’t be alarmed, those chains are made of chrome steel…or are they? This season, enjoy the 3 Dragons of Thanksgiving, the strangest story ever conceived by man. “You’ll see it wasn’t airplanes that killed the dragon, it was beauty beautiful blueberry pie that killed the beast *Spoiler Alert

==Introduction==

Pipeworks brewing beers are so far away yet, thankfully, to online resources, I am able to bring this one forward. Blueberry beers are something of a rare commodity and when done right, they can be spectacular. I have only had a chance to try the Ninjas vs. Unicorn from Pipeworks and believe me, I wish I had more. They seem to be making some great beers out in the mid west and is something I hope we can see here in California. For now, I plan on doing this beer review since the blueberry beers I have tried in the past are freaking awesome. So let’s take a look at this limited release one, cheers!

Aromas:
Banana, clove spice, bubble gum, ginger spice, cinnamon, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla , carmel, dark fruits like raisins, plums, toffee, rich blueberry pie, blueberry cheesecake, tart raspberries, currants, Concorde grapes, flan, brown sugar, dark chocolate, Mexican chocolate, piloncillo and raisins bread pudding.

Flavors:
Rich Bananas, clove spice, Blueberry pie, hazelnut, pecan pie, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, piloncillo, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, currants, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, raisin bread pudding, bubblegum, flan hints, ginger bread, fruit cake notes, pumpkin spice, Mexican Chocolate notes, dark chocolate, chocolate covered blueberries, marshmallows, coconut hints, brown sugar, Danish cookies, toffee, strawberry shortcake and blueberry cheesecake.

Aftertaste:
Dark fruits, clove spice, ginger spice, cinnamon, blueberry muffins, earthy notes and caramel. No alcohol in the taste, creamy and smooth mouthfeel, pitch dark crimson and purple full body and a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Damn good and complex blueberry ale. Aside from being being nice and fruit, the spices of fall are laid it out very well in front. This beer is my second favorite next to the Draco from Montegioco (which was also a dragon beer with blueberries) and the Smashed Blueberry beer from Shipyard. This beer has definitely hit many of those dark fruit notes not just blue berry and what a true blueberry pie with crust and icecream is supposed to be like. A total crazy dessert. I highly recommended especially since it has a dragon on the label!

Anime Corner:
Asmodeus from Shinra Bansho, Amari by luigiix and Godzilla personification by gamerag3 were chosen as the three dragons of Thanksgiving. I am not sure if I will get a chance to find the other beers but to go with the aspect of 3 blueberry dragons or dragon like characters, I chose them Asmodeus to represent the fierceness yet smoothness of the alcohol, Amari with the pie crust, vanilla, caramel and other sweet pie flavors of blueberries and Godzilla female personification as the dark fruits and the true drive of this beer especially how the dragon hugs the skyscraper like Zilla Jr. wrapped around the empire state building in the American Godzilla cartoon intro.

Sources:
http://i4.pixiv.net/img42/img/duelforce/21820231.png
http://fc06.deviantart.net/…/13finals_by_luigiix-d80hvu8.png
http://gamerag3.deviantart.com/art/Godzilla-458348844

A Dive Into The Pale by Nubis†Sanctum Ales

February 22, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged A Dive Into The Pale, Anubis, Cloud Strife, cloudx30, English Pale Ale, Fairy Tail, Final Fantasy VII, Juvia, Nubis Sanctum Ales, Ronin Warriors | 1 Comment

Rating: 3.85/5

A Dive Into The Pale by Nubis†Sanctum Ales is a ~5.6% ABV English Pale Ale.

==Introduction==

The time has finally come, behold, A Dive Into The Pale is my very own homebrew made with cascadian hops and pale ale malt. It was about time to finally made a beer and the first time I review my own creation. The name is a pun at the style English Pale Ale, but also a pun at the name Pail or Bucket. The brew was made in a fermenting bucket and the quote that states when you try something new is like “Dipping your Feet”, my first attempt is more of a Dive, A Dive into the bucket or a Dive into the Pail. I took a big chance at something new and it came out great. I intend to brew more beers as I go along, so expect to see many reviews for them here. Who knows, one day if I make it big brewing my own beers, you might even try some.

So why Nubis†Sanctum Ales?
Being a fan of the Final Fantasy games, especially Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife, there was a time long ago when the internet was barely getting big and I had to come up with a user ID for my email address. The username I came up with was cloudx30 since at the time X was used to emphasize eXtreme and 30 was generated since I couldn’t just use CloudX. The name withstood time and I liked it. During this time as well, there was a show called Ronin Warriors with this bad ass samurai called “Anubis” who was a bad guy but then repented and became a good guy. I will never forget how he had to sacrifice himself for a greater cause in the show and truly showed the importance of protecting something important. The word for Cloud in Spanish is Nubes but because it sounded so much like Anubis, the name Nubis came out. Since I relate so much to Cloud and Anubis, Nubis would be the name I chose. Sanctum is just the establishment, my house basically. So basically you have in a way, Nubis Homebrews or Nubis Sanctum Ales. Anyways, on with the review, cheers!

Aromas:
Malty, grapefruit, citrus, grassy and piney hops, lemon peel, mango hints, biscuit bread, honey and cereal grain.

Flavors:
Citrus, piney, grassy and mild grapefruit hop hints, biscuit bread, caramel, mild mango, butterscotch hints, pecan notes, honey dew melon and papaya hints.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, grapefruit, lemon peel, earthy, piney and grassy hops linger but then finishes dry. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and light to medium golden body.

Overall:
For being my first brew, many including myself thought this was a very good brew. It is very light and way too easy to drink. The fact that it was pretty damn sessionable, I appeals to many who do not typically drink craft beer and is essentially, a gateway into the craft beer scene. I will definitely make this again and if some day I make it big, you could get a chance to try. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Juvia from Fairy Tail was used to be my flagship of this beer creation. Her submerged in the tub represents several things. The first is she represents the beer I made and is being born into the world. The surrounding flowers and items represent the ingredients I used to make this beer. You can almost say the little stuffed doll on the bottom right is me watching from a distance. The Second thing this beer represents is the name. A Dive Into the Pale represents her after taking a dive into the pail/bucket (in this case, the tub) and staying submerged really embracing what this beer truly represents, taking a chance, being born and a new beginning to something very special. Essentially, she is representative of my first baby, this beer I created.

Sources:
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/128/4/8/juvia_bath___sunset_dream_by_bakaxero-d3fxlue.jpg

Lightning Bug by Five Stones of Cibolo, Texas

February 22, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Cascadian Dark India Pale Ale, dark chocolate, Five Stones, Five Stones of Cibolo Texas, lemon candy, lemon peel, lemon zest, lemons, Lightning Bug, limes, mandarin oranges, milk Chocolate, oranges, Texas | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Lightning Bug by Five Stones of Cibolo, Texas is a 6.6% ABV Cascadian Dark Ale handcrafted with fresh lemons, limes and oranges.

Description:
Cascadian Dark Ale brewed hand zested and juiced Lemon, Lime and Mandarine Orange.

==Introduction==

Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com brings us forth another awesome release from Five Stones. This time a Cascadian Dark Ale with lots of citrus. I can only assume that this would be something on par with some of the awesome black IPAs that are closer to the IPAs than the dark malty IPAs. Let us seek this one forth and see what this one has to offer. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla, caramel, lemon peel, oranges, tropical fruit notes of pineapple, mango, tangerines, dragon fruit, lemon candy, lemon zest, grassy, grapefruit piney, herbal, floral and earthy hops, roasted barley, honey, hazelnut nectar and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, vanilla, caramel, coffee, lemon peel, oranges, pineapple hints, mango hints, dragon fruit, roasted barley, dark fruit raisins, molasses, anise, hazelnut nectar, honey, herbal, grassy, piney and earthy hop notes, citrus, coriander, lemon candy, oatmeal, raisin bread, cookies, smokey notes, tangerines, lemon zest, orange zest and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Orange peel, lemon peel, Earthy notes linger, smokey notes, roasted coffee, milk chocolate and dark chocolate in the finish. No alcohol in the taste, dark full body, moderate drinkability, smooth and silky mouth feel.

Overall:
A very good Cascadian Ale. Pretty much on the lines of American Black Ale or Black IPA. This ale is pretty damn good with a very solid Black IPA and then pushes it’s boundaries to relish in the true citrus. Think of the light in the dark or the lightning bug on a summer night. The beers focuses on both the dark toasty malty flavors as well as the tropical and citrus flavors like that of an IPA. This beer has good balance and is fairly smooth. A well done and recommendable beer.

Anime Corner:
Original Insect girl by Elsevilla was used in this pairing to show the flavors of the beer in terms of the colors like the honey, citrus, hops, dark as well as pair with the label colors. The dark yet tropical aspects of this beer can be seen in the girls psychotic stare and appearance. This beer is dark but has lots of rich tropical flavors.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/121785-1696×1000-elsevilla-short+hair-wide+image-blue+eyes-green+eyes-blue+hair.jpg

2011 Grand Cru by North Coast brewing

February 20, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Agave Nectar, aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Strong Ale, Bakuretsu Tenshi, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Burst Angel, Grand Cru, JO, North Coast Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2011 Grand Cru by North Coast brewing is a 12.9% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Agave Nectar and aged in Bourbon Barrels.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
67% ale brewed with agave nectar and aged in oak barrels, 33% ale brewed with agave nectar. (Released in 500ml cork/cage bottles at brewpub, on May 10, 2009, later rebranded as Grand Cru

==Introduction==
This is one of those beers I had back in 2011 that was technically the strongest ale I have had at the time. I was able to hold on to another for the last 4 years and now I bring out to see how it has matured. The grand cru here is something that my friend Julio told me about so long ago about a 12% ABV beer that totally blew his mind. At the time, 12% ABV was an amazing feat and it was in a realm of beer that I really had not seen before back in 2011. So to me it was a moment where I really had to try it out. Today 12%ABV is amazing as always but there are many different beers that can reach this and higher into the 20% ABV category even. Anyway, I really wanted to try this again and bring it to the site as an amazing beer as this was so damn long ago.

Aromas:
Bourbon, rich stone fruits like mango, peaches, apricots, dark fruits raisins, plums, figs, cherries, raspberries, caramel, vanilla, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, rye bread, old oranges, brown sugar, white raisins, passion fruit, marshmallows, guava preserves/membrillo, mezcal hints, tequila notes, butterscotch, danish cookies, dragon fruit and oak.

Flavors:
A punch of fruits like apples, stone fruit peaches, apricots, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, agave nectar, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, strawberries, leather, rye bread, old oranges, mango, lychee fruit, guava preserves/membrillo, vanilla, hazelnut nectar, dulce de leche caramel, butterscotch, bourbon, whiskey, marshmallow, graham crackers, oak, mezcal hints, tequila hints, toffee, biscuit bread, honey, dragon fruit, passion fruit hints, white raisins, flan, sweetened condensed milk, danish cookies, cookie dough ice cream and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Agave nectar, stone fruits, dark fruits, vanilla, caramel, oak, bourbon, leather, raspberries, cherries, biscuit bread and rye notes, and sugary hints. Hints of alcohol in the taste but mainly sugary, medium crimson gold body, sipping drinkability and creamy and syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
What can I say but the maturity of this beer speak is many tremendous ways to me. This is a lot more delicious than when I last tried it years ago. Grand Cru beers are some of my favorite kinds of beers but when you have one that is actually bourbon barrel aged or for any matter or liquor barrel aged, it just brings about something very important about that beer that cannot be compared to many. This is quite the unique beer and many have forgotten about it being left in the underrated section of the beer self. Well, do yourself a favor and pic this amazing beer up. It is awesome!

Anime Corner:
Jo from Burst Angel was used in this beer pairing long ago to represent the colors of the beer, the label and the bad assery of this beer. Her crimson eyes tell the story of many shared and cold hardships that represent her strength and complexity, just like the complexity of this beer. This beer was something I had never seen before, a Grand Cru that was barrel aged. A Belgian style with agave and aged in bourbon. Really brings about that old western side with the whole gunslinger and holsters she wears. Jo maybe gold but the more you try this beer, you take a peek into how sweet this cowgirl can really be. There is much that can be said about this beer and how it can relate to Jo but I can only leave it up to you to make your own decisions about this one.

Sources:
http://www.freewallpapersbase.com/anime/wallpapers1/anime-wallpaper200963020454951577803.jpg
http://www.wallcoo.net/anime/Artbook_Flamboyant/wallpapers/1024×768/Artbook_Flamboyant_Burst_Angel_16_19.jpg

On the Wings of Armageddon by DC Brau Brewing

February 20, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged DC Brau Brewing, DIPA, Double IPA, IIPA, Imperial India Pale Ale, On the Wings of Armageddon, succubus, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

On the Wings of Armageddon by DC Brau Brewing is a 9.2% ABV World Class Imperial India Pale Ale.

Label:
And so it was written…….
According to Mayan and Hopi calendars the “transition from one world age to another” will happen on December 21, 2012. As an homage to the “transition” DC Brau has concocted an Imperial IPA named “On the Wings of Armageddon”.

==Introduction==

An awesome donation to the site, Aaron Mediola from www.beermetaldude.com came through for me by bringing this awesome piece forward. This is my first beer by DC Brau and it is one that I have been searching for a long time and kind of just let it slide me by. You can’t really find this beer in the west coast. Seeing as this was a very coveted beer, I was glad I finally had a chance to try this magnificent IPA and with a chance to bring it to the site, I am going all out!

Aromas:
Rich Citrus notes, piney, floral, herbal, grapefruit, piney, grassy and dank hops, orange and peels, rich tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, strawberry, tangerine candy, papaya, honey dew melon, prickly pears, kiwi, raspberries, stone fruit peaches, sugar cane and floral notes.

Flavors:
Very rich Citrus, grapefruit, piney, floral, herbal, grassy and dank hops, sweetened condensed milk, oranges, orange peel, dragon fruit, passion fruit, strawberry, banana hints, honey dew melon, tropical flavors like pineapples, honey dew melon, papaya, tangerine candy, gummy bears, guava, plums, apples, raspberries, stone fruit peaches, apricots, mango, prickly pear, herbs, caramel, biscuit bread, sugar cane, rye bread with orange and tangerine preserves, kiwi, flower notes and cantaloupe.

Aftertaste:
Lots of orange peel, grapefruit juice, complex tropics with citrus leading the pack, variety of hops and a variety of sweet goods. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Orange amber full body, creamy, refreshing and crisp mouthfeel, and easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A Damn great IPA just as great as it’s east coast companion, the Heady Topper. I think in some aspects, I really was missing out on a great IPA. This one was a great amount of tropical notes but coscuing on the citrus malty aspects and then trying to balance everything. Of the many IPAs I have had, I would highly recommend this one and gladly get it again!

Anime Corner:
Succubus character was used in this pairing to represent the Wings of Armageddon in terms of the label colors with the silver but also what Armageddon represents which is the end of times. That was basically what I was going for. There isn’t much to the label and it s pretty bare like the girl in this pairing but the thing is, there is so much inside. Some great flavors, you basically have to pick this one up for yourself to find out.

Sources:
https://i.warosu.org/data/tg/img/0356/25/1413736858944.jpg

Brunch Money by Armadillo Ale Works of Dallas Texas

February 16, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Armadillo Ale Works, Armadillo Ale Works of Dallas Texas, breakfast, Breakfast Stout, Brunch Money, cacao nibs, Coffee Beans, Dallas Texas beers, dark chocolate, Imperial Golden Stout, Lactose, Maple Syrup, pancake beer, vanilla beans, White Chocolate | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Brunch Money by Armadillo Ale Works of Dallas Texas is a 10% ABV Imperial Golden Stout brewed with coffee beans, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, lactose and maple syrup.

Label:
Rise and shine, over-sleepers. Breakfast has come and gone and it’s time to get your brunch on with this stout-inspired golden ale. This hearty brew, with sweet flavors of coffee, vanilla, and chocolate, will awaken your taste buds and make your late start a great start.

==Introduction==

Provided to me from my Texan friend, Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. This beer was something I really wanted to try out from the moment he showed me the bottle. I did not know what it entailed aside from the name it looked really good. Now that I have it, I was kind of blown away by how much goes into this one. I have never had anything from Armadillo Ale Works but I can only hope this is as awesome as it sounds. Let’s give it a try and see how it goes. Cheers!

Aromas:
Fancy coffee, mocha, Java coffee, frappuccino, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, maple syrup, white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, three milks, flan, Irish Cream, Crème brulee, milk sugar, butterscotch, butter pecan ice cream, coconut hints, tapioca pudding, brown sugar, peanut butter hints, honey, all spice, bourbon notes, nut meg, raisin bread pudding, Danish cookies and marshmallow cream.

Flavors:
Maple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, mocha coffee, tres leche/3 milks, vanilla syrup, dulce de leche caramel, Irish cream, Creme brulee, toffee, milk sugar, white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, butterscotch, butter pecan ice cream, pancakes, mocha frappuccino, anise hints, wooden box caramel, marshmallows, coconut hints, tapioca pudding, Jericalla Mexican custard, delicious choco flan, walnuts, buttery french toast, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, rye bread with strawberry marmalade, Kahlua coffee liqueur, peanut butter hints, honey, all spice, bourbon notes, nutmeg, earthy notes, capirotada raisin bread pudding and Danish cookies.

Aftertaste:
Lots of sweet maple syrup, milk sugar, vanilla, caramel, dark fruit, white chocolate, fancy coffee, toffee, flan, chocolate notes, pancake bread, flan, and other rich sweets linger for a bit. No alcohol in the taste, syrupy, silky and creamy mouthfeel, moderate to sipping drinkability and an amber to golden honey body.

Overall:
This beer is a literal breakfast in a bottle. There is so much rich goodness going on with this white stout. Many of the White Stouts I have tried have been some of the best beers and I have yet to find one that I did not like. This one was on par with some of the best dessert beers I have ever had and really wish I could have it again. Texas has liquid gold with this one and is one of the best I have had from there. Definitely would like to try other Armadillow Alework beers.

Anime Corner:
Original character by Ninomoto was paired with this beer to go with the label as well as the variety of flavors that this beer has to provide. It goes with the description of waking up to have the morning breakfast. There is so much going on in this beer that the delicious dessert/breakfast artwork would go great with this one. It is so good that you can sleep on it and wake up the next morning to have it again.

Sources:
http://41.media.tumblr.com/510bb7576dbf811212ce4663f491b59f/tumblr_nf7tckoexZ1qz53a8o1_500.jpg

Pretzel Stout by Martin House Brewing

February 16, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, Martin House Brewing, Original Pretzel Stout, pretzel beer, Pretzel Stout, sourdough pretzels, Texas, Tomoe Mami | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.55/5

Pretzel Stout by Martin House Brewing is a 6.5% ABV American Stout brewed with sourdough pretzels.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Formerly known as Martin House There Will Be Stout
That’s right, The Original Pretzel Stout. This 6.5% abv stout is as black as West Texas Intermediate and is brewed with over six pounds of crushed sourdough pretzels per barrel. Guess what? There’s no style guideline for this one. The salty fingerprint of the pretzels works with the sweet and roasty flavors of the chocolate malted & roasted barley to give this beer a flavor that is much greater than the sum of its parts.

==Introduction==

Imagine that! A Pretzel Stout? Yes it was made! This is my first time trying Martin House Brewing from Texas. This beer was sent to me by my good friend, Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com. Being from Texas and pretzel ale, I can only imagine how awesome it would be as I really never had a pretzel beer before. Today, many breweries are pushing the limits as to what is possible and make new styles and flavor profiles with beers that could not be imaginable in the past. For being a pretzel beer, I think this might be a really great treat. Let’s take a look at what this one involves. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, hazelnut spread, hints of salted pretzel bread, sourdough, Notes of Dark fruit raisins, plums, currants black berries, rye, flan, grapes, graham crackers, earthy notes, wine grape hints and toffee hints.

Flavors:
Pretzel bread, salted caramel, hazelnut spread, roasted coffee, Dark fruit raisins, plums, currants, black berries, peanut butter, toffee, caramel, dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha hints, earthy notes, graham crackers, sourdough bread, rye, nutella on toasted bread, flan, wine grape hints, funky mild hints, milk sugar hints and a slight mango dessert hint.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with caramel, sourdough pretzel notes, roasted coffee, milk sugar, vanilla, dark chocolate and dark fruit notes. No alcohol in the taste, creamy mouth feel, moderate drinkability and pitch black dark body.

Overall:
A very good stout with a variety of flavors. The flavors of the pretzel show up but overall this is a rich a robust Stout. The flavors lean more to a good stout flavor so if nice coffee stouts are your thing, I would recommend this one if you can find it.

Anime Corner:
Tomoe Mami from Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica was used in this pairing to go with aspect of pretzels in the beers as well as to pair with the colors of the label. The candles in the background also pair with the lantern being used in the label as well.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/489038

Colour Five by Jester King

February 8, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Blueberries, blueberry cheese cake, Colour Five, Gu Jian Qi Tan, hiliuyun, jester king, Oak aged, oak barrels, Texas, World Class American Wild Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Colour Five by Jester King is a 7.1% ABV World Class American Wild Ale aged in oak barrels and refermented with blueberries.

Label:
Texas blueberries were added to mature, barrel-aged sour beer and refermented to dryness. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% bottle-conditioned.

==Introduction==

Jester King in Texas is like the Bruery of Texas when it comes to pushing the limitations of experimentation in making some of the best beers in the country. While it is difficult to get beers like this one here in California, especially the more rare and exclusive hard to get ones, I am glad I have great friend like Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com who has been hooking me up with some great brews for the last year and a half or so. The story about this one has to do with Jester King’s attempt at making a blueberry beer in 2013 but had difficulty as the batches had failed their quality control. It wasn’t until 2014 when they were finally able to able to make the blend they wanted and perfect it so that it wasn’t so sour but mainly fruity and tart. With that said, Let’s check this one out and see how it goes. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Blueberries, tart raspberries, wine grapes, dark fruit raisins, currants, plums, strawberries, lemon peel, biscuit bread, brown sugar, rye, rose petals, blueberry yogurt, rose petals, hibiscus flowers, farmhouse hay, banana hints, musty funk and peppercorn.

Flavors:
Rich Blueberries, Raspberries, tart cherry skins, wine grapes, strawberries, dark fruit currants, raisin, plum skins, oak, vanilla, lemon peel, biscuit bread, rye, graham cracker hints, sweetened condensed milk hints, flowers, peppercorn, hibiscus, rose petals, blueberry yogurt, cheesecake hints, farmhouse hay, banana notes, musty funk, mushroom hints, sea salt and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Finishes mildly dry with some nice tart dark fruits, oak, sweet vanilla, flowers and mild funky notes
No alcohol in the taste, magenta light to medium body, creamy and crisp mouthfeel and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very awesome beer they got here. This one was more tart than sour. There was a lot of elements of funkiness along with some rich fruity flavors to balance out the tartness. While I love sweeter beers, this one had a balanced that worked really well. Unless you don’t like sours or even tart beers, this may not be for you but I can definitely say I enjoyed this one a lot and recommend it!

Anime Corner:
Gu Jian Qi Tan by hiliuyun was used in this pairing since I wanted something that resembled the geometric shape that almost looks like a pentagram in the label. Since the beer took specific calculations and a lot of trial and error to get it just the way they wanted, it was fitting that the art pairing fit. The character here on top of the pentagram represents the aging process as the blue berry beer lays waiting to become perfect.

Sources:
http://www.deviantart.com/art/gu-jian-qi-tan-2-196966428

The Temptress by Lakewood Brewing

February 8, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Alucard, Hellsing, Imperial Milk Stout, Lactose, Lakewood Brewing, milk Chocolate, Milk Stout, Milk Stouts, Seras Victoria, sinful pleasure, The Temptress, vanilla | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

The Temptress by Lakewood Brewing is a 9.1% ABV Imperial Milk Stout brewed with lactose sugar and vanilla.

Label:
Va-va-voom! Our Temptress is seduction in a glass. Curvy in all the right places, this Imperial Milk Stout pours with a thick, milk chocolate head. Chocolate and caramel malt give it a rich and complex body while the lower carbonation gives the beer a silky mouth feel. She’s voluptuous, with a soft alcohol warmth that grows deeper with every sip. Take your time with her and she’ll reward you.

==Introduction==

Up next is the Temptress which was given to me by my great friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. Milk Stouts can be some of the best beers ever when done right. I have had many Milk stouts and many like Smoglifter are really guilty pleasures as they are a dessert in a bottle. For being 9% ABV, this could get messy but delicious, so come join me as we take a look at the Temptress. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, chocolate milk shake, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, milk sugar, whipped cream, crème brulee, marshmallows, smores chocolate, oreo cookies, Danish cream, flan, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, rocky road ice cream and oatmeal cookies.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, bakers chocolate, chocolate milk shake, milk sugar, vanilla, caramel, crème brulee, marshmallow, roasted coffee notes, mocha, dark fruit raisins, cherry, currants, Irish cream, Danish cream cookies, oreo cookies, cookies and cream, oatmeal, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, flan, sweetened condensed milk, molasses, rocky road ice cream hints, chocolate and cherry cake.

Aftertaste:
Finishing sweet with mocha, vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, milk sugar and earthy roasted notes. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, silky and smooth mouthfeel, easy to drink despite the ABV and pitch black body.

Overall:
One of the perfect examples of a milk stout that is so damn good, it truly is a guilty pleasure!! The balance, complex flavors and drinkability is ridiculous. Texas has really brought out some of the best craft beers the industry has to offer and having a great friend like Aaron to hook me up with something like this is amazing. I hope to some day see some of these beers in California. I highly recommend this one and would get several if I had the chance.

Anime Corner:
Seras Victoria and Alucard from Hellsing were chosen for this pairing since I wanted to pair the name of the beer, the temptress and the fact that this beer is a guilty and sinful pleasure. So it works with the whole seduction by Seras onto Alucard. This beer is also evil as it is smooth and easy to drink despite the ABV. Finishing several of these 12 ouncers will do you in and mess you up like a succubus/incubus. It is like saying Leading into Temptation and Delivering into Evil.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/770330

077XX by Carton brewing

February 4, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged 077XX, Carton brewing, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, dragon fruit, india pale ale, IPA, New Jersey Beer, passion fruit, tropical flavors | 1 Comment

Rating: 4.95/5

077XX by Carton brewing is a 7.8% ABV East Coast Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
Like all things truly Jersey, 077XX makes the most in balancing through its accentuation of extremes. Inspired by the west coast IPA’s we love, we added a thump of hops to a dynamic malt profile and chose a yeast to drive these two further than they wanted to go. Throw our water into this mix and you will find dank green resinous hops popping over orange, mango and papaya aromas, with just enough sweetness of body to make the long finish a pleasure to have around. A double IPA perfect for adding fuel to the fire of a dinner, a game, or an idea, drink it when your night matters.

==Introduction==

Another beer that would be very difficult to find here in California, this one is from New Jersey. This beer comes to us from my good friend Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com . A special thanks for the donation. An east coast style IPA. The best thing in terms that I have had in IPA standards was Heady Topper, but I definitely want to see what this one is about. How do east coast and west coast styles differ? Well, I think it mainly falls in the hoppier versus more complex or in some cases malty. While all IPAs strive for balance, it is some that can be more complex and tropical are the ones that I like. Let us see where this one fits. Cheers!

Aromas:
Tropical fruit notes like pineapple, papaya, mango, prickly pear, apricot, honey dew melon, citrus, grapefruit, floral, piney and herbal hops, honey, oranges, lemon peel, coriander apples, stone fruit hints like peaches and apricot.

Flavors:
Citrus, floral, grapefruit, piney and herbal hops, Honey, Oranges, Dragon fruit, biscuit bread, apple, apricot, prickly pear, honey dew melon, passion fruit, caramel, vanilla, caramel, coriander spice, papaya, peaches, subtle sweetened condensed milk, mild coconut hints, sugar cane, caramel, rye hints, orange gummy bears and tangerines.

Aftertaste:
Honey, vanilla, citrus, floral and citrus hops, honey dew melon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, stone fruit and pickly pear. No alcohol in the taste, honey gold hazy medium body, creamy, crisp, and refreshing mouthfeel and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Definitely a very good Double IPA. Their use of different yeast definitely helps with bringing about some of those extra complex flavors. The beer ends with a good amount of honey and tropical fruit notes balancing with the hops. I enjoyed this one a lot too and would pick it up again if I could find it in the west coast. Definite recommendation.

Anime Corner:
This original character was used in this beer pairing to pair with the colors of the beer as well as the use of the ZIP code in the name. It reminds me of the mail which this character and her colors pairs well with. It is nice to receive beer in the mail and nicer one that beer happens to be from somewhere in the country where they take pride where they are from.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/49BwMh6.jpg

Hop Drop ‘N Roll by NoDa brewing

February 4, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Hatsune Miku, Hop Drop 'N Roll, india pale ale, Miku, NoDa Brewing, vocaloid, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Hop Drop ‘N Roll by NoDa brewing is a 7.2% ABV World Class India Pale Ale.

Label:
Our West Coast style IPA hits you with a ton of juicy hop flavor that shines out from a substantial and complex malt backbone. We use Citra, amarillo, Centenial, warrior and chinook in 10 separate additions to provide the intense hop blast found within this can.

==Introduction==

It has been a while since I traded with my good friend Aaron Mendiola from www.beermetaldude.com but recently he has brought me a great number of beers to put on the site for your viewing and reading pleasure. Give my friend Aaron a like and read on his site as he has had a lot of experience in the Metal and Beer fusion category.

This beer is not from Texas but the last beer I tried from NoDa was the Tart Attack. This one is considered a very good IPA. Even for just an IPA, I really want to find out what this one is all about. So if you join me, we can take a look at this one. Hop Drop ‘N Roll into this IPA. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich orange, grapefruit, citrus, piney, grassy and herbal hops, tangerine preserves, mango, biscuit bread, guava notes, papaya, pineapple, vanilla, caramel, dank onion and garlic hints, honey dew melon, tangerine candy an sugar cane.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, citrus, piney and grassy hops, Oranges, mango, tangerine preserves, passion fruit, guava, papaya, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel, pineapple, strawberry hints, hazelnut hints, sweet grapes, sugar cane, tangerine candy, herbs, dank onion and garlic hints, honey dew melon and cantaloupe.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with Tangerine, piney, grassy and grapefruit hops, citrus oranges, honey dew melon notes and biscuit bread. No alcohol in the taste, very drinkable, crisp, refreshing and almost creamy mouth feel and hazy orange full body.

Overall:
This one is a perfect example of a great citrusy IPA with good balance. A beer like this has its place to be one of the best in the style. While I mainly prefer the more tropical forward IPAs, this one is very enjoyable and is one I would love to try and drink all the time. I would highly recommend it and thank Aaron for the share. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku was used in this pairing to pair with the name and the label as well as the colors of the label. Hop Drop ‘N Roll sounds like taking off in a hurry or speeding in a race. While the beer is very drinkable at that it flows super well which corresponds with the speed of how fast you want to drink this one. The car may not be the same as the label but you kind of get the idea.

Sources:
http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2014/04/22/340454/9345badb3fea5ad0146dd06bcc09831d.jpg

Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale by Oskar Blues

February 3, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American IPA, Battleship-Symbiotic Hime, Deviant Dale's India Pale Ale, india pale ale, IPA, Kancolle/Kantai Collection, Oskar Blues | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.95/5

Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale by Oskar Blues is an 8% ABV India Pale Ale.

Label:
Sippin’ On A Tall Boy
Pack it in, Pack it out

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
This beer is intended to be a sensory assault for hop lovers. At 8.0% ABV, four hop additions during the brew process, and a final wallop of excessive Columbus dry-hopping, this beer is meant to say one thing: MORE HOPS! Perfect for these cool winter nights, The Deviant is a returning favorite from the little brewery in Lyons, Colorado that started the Canned Revolution!

==Introduction==

First tried at my friend Richard’s house, I had not tried this one since then. Oskar Blues makes some really great beers and this one was one that was definitely awesome so I had to pick it up for a review. I may include their Dale’s Pale Ale here as well but we will see when. For the meantime, you can find this one just about anywhere they sell craft beer and Oskar Blues products. Let’s see where this IPA category this one falls under. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dank and garlicky notes, piney, grapefruit, floral, herbal, citrus and grassy hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, mango hints, strawberry hints, rye bread, tangerine candy, orange peel, dragon fruit, toffee, biscuit bread and sweetened condensed milk hints.

Flavors:
Citrus, grapefruit, piney, grassy, herbal and floral hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, oranges, orange peel, butterscotch, rye bread, tangerine candy, orange preserves, dragon fruit, mango hints, dank and garlicky notes, strawberry hints, toffee, hop oils, lemon candy, sweetened condensed milk hints and pineapple.

Aftertaste:
Rye, tangerine candy, caramel, biscuit bread, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, grassy and herbal hops.
No alcohol in the aftertaste, Crimson Gold light body, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel an easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very good example of an India Pale Ale with it’s strongest characteristics on being balanced with malt versus grassy and piney hops. This one falls under the malty, citrusy and fruity aspects of IPA and less into the herbal but still carrying its weight in hop complexity. I would recommend this one if the citrusy IPAs are your favorite.

Anime Corner:
Battleship Symbiotic Hime from Kantai Collection/ KanColle was used in this pairing as I wanted to bring about the name of the beer being Deviant Dale. Essentially not only does this character look like she’s up to no good, she looks like a little devil. To summarize the colors of the beer as well as the colors of the label from the can, this art compliments these items well. She is one smooth criminal that steals at your taste buds and emotions with a hoppy burn but pleasurable sweet bliss!

Sources:
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/280/6/d/battleship_princess_by_asuka111-d81yehg.jpg