American Beauty collaboration by Dogfish Head and the Grateful Dead

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1476440_10101529214369110_639428914_n 1477544_10101529214518810_1451901855_nRating: 4.35/5

American Beauty collaboration by Dogfish Head and the Grateful Dead band is a 9% ABV Imperial Pale Ale brewed with granola & all-American hops.

Label: 
Inside this bottle, your miracle ticket awaits. It’s called American Beauty, an Imperial Pale Ale inspired by the Grateful Dead. The best way to capture 30 years, more than 100 live albums, 2300 shows? Let the loyal fans drive the recipe. Among thousands of suggestions, granola was tops. It was the main course in millions of parking lot meals and is a sweet and toasty complement to the all-American hops and barley. There was something different about a Dead show. Whether you saw one or 100 you felt it. If only you could have bottled it…
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Another sweet awesome Musical collaboration brought by Dogfish Head. As requested by the, a tribute to the band, they let the fans come up with the ingredients for the beer. They came up with granola, which is very interesting as I have never tried a beer with granola. I love granola for in between meals, although this beer would probably be a meal within itself. Picked this up at Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights California.

Aromas:
Lots of biscuit bread, lots flowers, grassy notes, citrus honey, caramel, grapes, strawberries, dessert wine, lavender, grapefruit notes, herbs, rose notes, granola oats, mild coconut and tropical fragrances.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, grapes, strawberry, honey, lavender, flowers, cranberries, biscuit bread, citrus, granola oats, raspberry, mild tropics, mango, pineapple, coconut, pomegranate, rich red velvet cheese cake, apricot, pear, and almonds

Aftertaste:
After taste is like biting into a bitter flower with honey and grapes with some of the citrus to back it up. Hidden alcohol but a sipper for sure.

Overall:
Very good beer but more sweeter than IPA hoppy bitterness. Some people may like it as it does seem to work (at least for me) as it is pretty sweet, fruit and some tropics but yet it does not deliver lots of hop forward tropics as some of the other best IPAs. I will give it that, with the granola, it makes for a very interesting experience of a beer. Almost like it was granola and berries added. Maybe the whole point of this was to make your palette go through a weird trip of colorful and LSD flavor experiences lol. It sure did that for me. Ofcourse, it is only strictly with flavor experiences, there is NO LSD in this beer.

Anime Corner:
Frostfire Annie and Akali from League of Legends are used in this mainly to relate to the beer’s label and Grateful Dead. I don’t know much about the series but I did like the artwork. It can be seen by Annie’s bear Tibbers used but also the colors of their different albums. So obtaining artwork that fits was a challenge. Until I found something that may sort of fit. The conflict between Annie and Akali can be seen as the hops trying to take over the sweetness of the granola and fruit (Represented by Annie and her bear) Ofcourse, who wins in this beer? Well that should be obvious 

Bourbon Barrel Aged Kopi Luwak Speedway Stout by Alesmith

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1464687_10101529208266340_55161898_n 1450803_10101529208071730_433594671_n 1456662_10101529208066740_1669304208_n 936042_10101529208156560_551553138_nRating: 6/5*

Bourbon Barrel Aged Kopi Luwak Speedway Stout by Alesmith is a 12%ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with Kopi Luwak Coffee beans and aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label: 
Kopi Luwak is one of the world’s most expensive and rare coffee varieties. The beans are specifically selected for their ripeness and quality by the Civet, a small jungle marsupial that feeds off the fruit of the coffee cherry. They are then gathered by humans from the jungle floors of Indonesia, throughly cleaned, and sun-dried. A precise roasting by San Diego’s Ryan Bros. Coffee leads to extremely aromatic and exceptionally smooth final product that complements this barrel-aged imperial stout amazingly well. Good to the last dropping!
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So there you have it, to put it bluntly, it is basically an already world class stout made with coffee beans that have been pooped out by the Civet cat and then barrel aged the whole thing. Considering this was hard to get, the price of a cup of just the coffee by itself would put the price of this beer to shame. Yet, the flavors are most likely very unique to even the coffee by itself that the palette understanding of the complexity would cause a tongue would send signals to the brain causing a mind blow division by zero. Even if the concept of Civet poop coffee sounds disgusting, one must have an open mind. This is really clean beer too. Anyway, enough of that, on with the review

Aromas:
Straight out of the bottle, uniquely rich pecan pie, bakers chocolate, really fancy coffee, hazelnut, Irish cream, dark fruit, a type of boozyness that smells like cantaloupe, dark and milk chocolate, flan, mocha, java, espresso, Kahlua, dark cherries, floral notes, oak, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, bananas, rocky road ice cream notes

Flavors:
Chocolate covered cherries, really fancy coffee, Kahlua, pecan pie, rocky road ice cream, rich java, mocha, earthly bitter notes, flan notes, bananas, vanilla, caramel, marshmallows, bourbon, oak, floral notes, Irish cream notes, dark fruits, bakers chocolate, dark chocolate syrup, roasted coffee beans, black berries, herbal spicy notes, rum notes, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies and more flavors I cant make out.

Aftertaste:
Finishing off with layer of roasted fancy coffee, minor earthy possibly off flavor (LOL could be the poop ;)), caramel, chocolate, dark fruit, berries, bourbon, herbal cherry and spices as well as some bourbon. A big sipper with the booziness not detracting from the rich complex but more like it plays well

Overall:
*Bar none, the best coffee imperial stout ever!! I have tried the Mikkeller Beer Geek Weasel Cognac and this one beats it big time. Who knew Civet poop bean coffee could be so good. One of the reasons why this coffee is so great is because the process or digesting these beans causes the impurities and bitterness of coffee to be removed leaving beans that are more appealing, except for the poop part ofcourse.. That gets cleaned off thoroughly (I hope O_O). Definitely world class adding another depth of character that is hard to describe even with the barrel aging part itself for sure. Lots of extra credits here. 

Anime Corner:
Blake Belladonna from RWBY is one of the main characters from the show with a reserved and sometimes antisocial personality. She carries a lot of burden on her shoulders rom her past. She is a Faunus, which are humanoid people with some animal traits. In the show, people may be prejudice against the Fauni as they consider them thieves. While Blake is a good person, she believes the people may be misunderstood seeing how the actions of some of the bad Fauni may give the overall race a bad rap. This part of her history can reflect the cruelty from some of the people who may abuse the Civets they harvest the coffee beans from. It is wrong to abuse some of the animals, but I am hopeful that the beer this was made from did not abuse any of those animals. While fighting, Blake is perceived almost like a ninja, a fast paced ninja. In relation to this beer, she is black like a stout, fast enough to meet the name “speedway stout”. She looks like a black cat which some Civets, even though marsupials, kind look like cats. The red background in the pictures is used to explain some of those dark berry flavors. The bourbon is in her eyes which have seen many things but remain strong and determined.

In the last 2 pictures, Symphony City Kitty by petite-emi.deviantart.com I used to represent the Civet. In weird sort of way I sort of artistic way, I saw this picture as the Civet releasing the berries. The blue background of the Civet may represent the astonishment of the delicious flavors from the coffee beans, either that or the Bullshit of humanity represented by the cities that a small portion of places actually don’t obey animal rights. I really hope the coffee beans picked for this beer were harvested in respect to these creatures. Which leads to the last piece of work where Symphony flicks the cigarette to represent disgust at animal abuse, but also looking very classy as in saying “here is your fancy coffee made from my poop, while I stand here looking classy and awesome, you sick bastards!!” 

Anyways, if you can see any more artfulness in these pieces let me know. While I am against animal abuse, I really hope they harvested these beans with respecting the animals. Otherwise, I’d definitely feel like a hypocritical bastard for drinking this. It is an extremely good beer though. I do Thank you Civets of the world.

Dubbel Dare (Dubbel Coast) collaboration between Cigar City and Alesmith

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1459307_10101525490147480_1146607088_n 1422351_10101525489972830_1553672955_n 488015_10101525490002770_940875465_nRating: 4.56/5

Dubbel Dare (Dubbel Coast) collaboration between Cigar City and Alesmith is an 8.5% ABV Belgian Dubbel

Label: 
COLLAB

A tropical interpretation of a Belgian-Style Dubbel, Dubbel Dare is a collaboration created by AleSmith Brewing company and Cigar City Brewing. Keeping their local environments in mind, this dubbel was crafted implementing Coconut Palm Sugar instead of Candi Sugar. Coconut Palm Sugar adds caramel notes to the already complex malt flavor and has lower glycemic index than other simple sugars.

Deglet Noor dates and Black Mission Figs were added during active fermentation, adding another complementing sweetness to the grist bill and tying in beautifully with the spice & fruit aromas and flavors provided by fermentation with a traditional Abbey yeast strain.
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Inspired by the late 80’s / early 90’s TV game show, Double Dare, this beer was brewed as a throwback honor to the challenge of creating a beer that was both a Belgian Dubble yet tropical. 

Aromas:
A mix of dark fruit and tropical fruits, rich caramel, pineapple, raisins, figs, dates, plums, mango, flan, peppercorns, apricot, coriander spice, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, chocolate hints, slight coconut, brown sugar, pecan pie, fruit cake and brown sugar

Flavors:
Nutmeg, caramel, pineapple, mango notes, pineapple notes, apricot, peach, raisins, figs, dates, plums, flan, orange slices, coriander, pecan pie notes, mild coconut sugars, coconut hints, kiwi, strawberry notes, biscuit bread, banana notes, clove spice, chocolate, peppery spice notes, cinnamon and hints of fruit cake

Aftertaste:
The flavors of caramel, tropics, dark fruit, pecan pie and nutmeg linger. Moderate to sipping drinkability. Hidden alcohol as well

Overall:
It is a very good beer, but not a super duper dubbel. While it meets the challenge of diversity and tropics, it still not the best dubbel ever. Very good dubbel never the less and if you love Belgian Dubbels still up there with some of the greats. I would recommend a try from it but you may find others to be more inciting.

Anime Corner:
In this set of anime pairings, I have brought back Shiro and the gang from Deadman Wonderland into the mix. The relation to the beer has mainly to do with the whole aspect of audience entertainment and game shows. You see, Deadman Wonderland is a show about part of Japan being sunk into the ocean due to an earthquake and the main character, Ganta Igarashi, trying to save his hide as a prisoner by participating in prisoner games to gather points to save himself from a crime he did not commit. The whole setup earns money from the audience who watch inmates struggle through these twisted theme park games all for the purpose of rebuilding the cities. Shiro, the albino chick is Ganta’s child hood friend who helps him out. They find out that their blood posses some type of special power which helps them out through the ordeals. If we were to set who is who, Ganta is Cigar City and Shiro is Alesmith. These two are fighting the challenge which is Deadman Wonderland or Dubbel Dare to bring forth and awesome brew. The Red of the label represents the blood of their struggle. The artworks also fits with the beers as it shows Shiro eats a tropical dessert but also the fact that the beer uses coconut palm sugars. Sweet White sugar is a representative of Shiro, the albino girl as well as coconut being white on the inside. What other things can you find in this beer pairing?

Samael’s Oak Aged Ale (Batch #9) by Avery Brewing

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1460042_10101525488555670_969848465_nRating: 5.2/5

Samael’s Oak Aged Ale (Batch #9) by Avery Brewing is a 16.9% ABV English Barleywine aged in Oak Barrels

Label: 
Samael is the prince of demons, the angel of death, accuser and destroyer. Filled with enmity towards man, he planted the vine, the forbidden tree of paradise. Behold his venom and vengeance, both sweet and tempting, enticing you, his spellbound victim, within his wings.

Samael’s Ale is a super-caramelly, oak aged English-style strong ale. Perhaps the least hoppy (sacrilege here at Avery!!) beer we’ve brewed, to accentuate the malt. The oak is very apparent in this rich and high gravity ale, adding additional depth and complexity with a woody and cask-like nose and a pronounced vanilla flavor on the palate. This potent ale is the second installment, along with The Beast, of our “Demons of Ale Series”.

Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, turbinado sugar, hops, yeast, and American oak chips.
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The third and possibly the last of the Demons of Ale series from Avery that I have tried. I apparently missed out on this one some time early this year. I was able to find this at the Liquor Mart in Whittier California. While it is not often I find beers I want to try that may or may not be listed in my Wanted list, it was a reasonable price for a review. At 16.9%, that is one insane Barleywine

Aromas:
Lots or caramel, toffee, burnt sugars, brown sugar, raisin hints, black berry marmalade notes, herbs, oak, vanilla, orange notes, bourbon and rum notes.

Flavors:
Rich Oak wood, earthy notes, rich leather, rich caramel, orange and blackberry preserves, raisins, toffee, burnt sugars, flan, coconut, vanilla, maple, rich rye bread, butterscotch, cereal, french toast, flan, rum, light bourbon, brandy, rich fruit cake, chocolate cereal notes, brown sugar, and rich honey.

Aftertaste:
The finish wants to end dry but there is a maple, leather, dark fruit and rich oak aftertaste with this one. A definite sipper with some boozy notes but nothing detracting from the sweet flavors.

Overall:
Exceptionally delicious beer. Strong but full of flavor. The only thing about this beer that seems to be a strong consistent theme is the oak and partial dryness it comes with. I love that part but it is kind of dangerous as you want to keep sipping more. If you love oak aged beers and Barleywines, have at this master piece.

Anime Corner:
This is a Fallen Angel designed by cushart.deviatart.com To go along with the Samael or Samuel Archangel story, this was the perfect pairing. The hair, the wings fit the label. Also, bursting from the magma shows the oak aged and burnt wood part. The fact that the beer is sweet and ends partially dry, makes one try to drink the whole bottle. It is strong and evil, just like Samael.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Autumn Maple by the Bruery

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1463694_10101525485122550_811900833_nRating: 5.45/5 

Bourbon Barrel Aged Autumn Maple by the Bruery is a 13% ABV Belgian Brown Ale Brewed with Yams, Spices and Maple Syrup then aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label: 
TRICK OR TREAT

We don’t need pumpkins in out beer! Bog, bold, spicy and oh so yammy.

This decadent, barrel aged version of our spiced brown ale is suitable for aging up to five years when cellared properly.
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Available from the Bruery store directly. I have reviewed the original Autumn maple last year and I loved it!. Now in Bourbon? Well, I could easily give this one more credit as it was a perfect beer. 

Previous Review: https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/autumn-maple-by-the-bruery/ 

Aromas:
Maple Syrup, bananas, Belgian yeast, cloves spice, toast bread, rye, dark fruits, coconut, bourbon, yams, sweet potato pie, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, graham crackers, marshmallows and oak 

Flavors:
Rich Bananas, clove spice, Belgian yeast, Yams, sweet, buttery caramel popcorn, candy corn, toffee, maple syrup, pancakes, bourbon, toasted light coconut, marshmallows, graham crackers, vanilla, butterscotch, Nutella on toasted rye bread notes, dark fruits, raisins, fig notes, Mexican whole cane sugar cone, milk and cooked sugary pumpkin

Aftertaste:
Finishing with maple syrup, yam, milk, banana, bourbon and dark fruit notes. A sipper with the bourbon not detracting too much from the flavor and not being harsh. Heavy, yet drinkable and delicious

Overall:
Exceptionally awesome! While some bourbon barrel aged beers may take away a little bit from the flavor or may be too harsh, this one play very well with all the delicious flavors. If you loved the original Autumn Maple, this one will most likely blow you away. Perhaps, the second best pumpkin like offering this year with no doubt. Awesome!

Anime Corner:
Risty from the Queen’s Blade series is a busty and buff looking strong woman with a heart of Gold. She is Bandit like Robin Hood, stealing money from the Rich and using it to provide food and shelter for poor and starving war orphans. Like the last Autumn maple, I used Risty as her colors best represent the Fall and the beer label. If you notice the old review, she is very joyous and in this version, she looks like a war bad ass. I did this represent her true strength that sweetness that is released from those Bourbon Barrels. Even if she seems vicious, as in the strength of this beer but, just like the original, she is still kindhearted with a heart of gold. You can also associate yams and maple to her colors as well. Even dark fruit colors peek from the tips of her hair.

Double Bastard (2013 Release) by Stone Brewing

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1455978_10101525470945960_828458695_nRating: 5/5 

Double Bastard (2013 Release) by Stone Brewing is an 11.2% ABV World Class American Strong Ale

Label: 
“Ye Shall Know the Bastard, and the Bastard shall Set you Free”

Double Bastard Ale
Warning: Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the Worthy are invited, and then only at your own risk. If you have even a modicum of hesitation, DO NOT buy this bottle. Instead, leave it for a Worthy soul who has already matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those in the know refer to as “Liquid Arrogance.”

This is one lacerative muther of an ale. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory…and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slackjawed gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising ‘independent’ thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way ‘authentic’ or ‘original.’ It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy, and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall… NOW.

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Countless times have I specified the greatness that is the true king of beers, the arrogant bastard. It was only but a dream back in 2011 when I first tried the Double Bastard for the first time. I detail the story in my previous review. Back in my beginnings of craft beer drinking days when my buddy Rich told me about The Arrogant bastard, when I first heard of this of the original I was amazed. When I found out there was a double, nothing could stop me from trying it and thanks to my friend chino, it came to be. From then on, the successor of kings was this one. I have tried this beer countless times and I always find myself every year trying it again. In fact, I am cellaring one since 2012. That is how much I liked it. 

Aromas:
Barleywine-esque, lemons, citrus, dark fruits like raisins figs, caramel, toffee, buttery butterscotch, vanilla, biscuit bread, oak, grassy, floral, herbal and earthy hops, grapefruit, mango, brown sugar and rye bread

Flavors:
Lots of toffee, lots of caramel, Rich Orange juice, lemon hints, citrus, tangerine marmalade on toasted rye bread, grapefruit, dark fruits like raisins, dates and figs, dark cherry hints, caramel, Barleywine like flavors, hidden mango, vanilla, oak, earthy, floral, grassy, grapefruit hops mango, and butterscotch on sourdough bread

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste continues with orange, grapefruit, earthy hop bitterness with continued caramel, toffee and raisins. A sipper with no alcohol in the taste. The alcohol will hit you later don’t worry *Evil Grin*. It maintains the aggressiveness while still having a unique smoothness too it as well. 

Overall:
Bar none, Exceptionally great beer and one of my top favorites. Even if available only seasonally, it is still readily available so it is possible a lot of places in the United states now carry this magnificent piece of craftsmanship. The successor of the crown of the king of beers. No doubt you will always get a recommend from me on this one. The beers I can almost compare this too is also Surly Seviin, except not as hoppy. Stone Old Guardian is close but not as orange and grapefruit forward.

Anime Corner:
Lilith Aensland and Jedah Dohma. Lilith, the one with wings and Jedah the blond one. Long ago I used this picture for the first review because I wanted to explain double bastard as 2 separate entities. Sweet and Bitter. Sweet Lilith with the bat wings is a representative of the gargoyle of the label while emphasizing the sweetness trying to take over and soften up the arrogance which is Jedah. The bitter and dark Jedah which, while evil and super arrogant inside, has now transformed (due to Demitri’s Midnight Bliss) into a much sweeter, yet a bit bitter, delicate flower. Keep in mind, it seems, the tables have turned as Lilith with her sweet cunningness has now engulfed the frail Jedah into her own version of the dream that is now this beer, The Double Bastard. Even if she has to tear the layers of flavor, she will find the balance needed in this great beer.

Dragonhösen by Boulder Beer Company

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1463675_10101525463775330_1283158220_nRating: 4.89/5 

Dragonhösen by Boulder Beer Company is a 9% ABV Imperial Oktoberfest/Märzen lager

Label: 
Late at night in the dark cellar or among the rows of towering vessels at Boulder Beer, if you listen carefully you can hear the eerie sound of the Dragonhosen.
Brewed with generous amounts of Vienna and Munich malts for a rich, full-bodied malty flavor, Dragonhosen begins as a traditional Oktoberfest lager, then stealthily breathes fire with 9% alcohol by volume. Hallertau and Czech Saaz hops add balance with a mild earthy aroma and flavor with moderate bitterness.
If you find yourself at Boulder Beer, listen closely and beware… if you hear a scratching and scraping coming your way, the bite of the Dragonhosen is sure to follow.
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Dragonhösen or Dragon Trousers… Not sure what they meant by this. Unless it they meant, it is befitting dragon of a beer. Challenge Accepted! Even if it is not October anymore, that doesn’t stop anyone from trying special Oktoberfest beers. This sucker was hard to find in California. In fact, many stores online will not ship it. Until I found the craftkings.com. One of the reason I was attracted to this beer was the label but the style. German beers are delicious and sweet. The best part is that it comes in a 22oz.

Aromas: 
Caramel, toffee notes, biscuit notes, honey, butterscotch, caramel sugars, earthy spice, brown sugar, nutmeg and rye

Flavors: 
Rich caramel, toffee, rye bread, honey, hazelnut, biscuit bread, butterscotch, nutmeg, caramelized, toasted bread, mild earthy hop notes, brown sugar, sugar cone, graham crackers, fruit cake notes, hint of a dark fruits and dates 

Aftertaste:
The beer leaves a nice caramel and rye bread aftertaste with some earthy bitterness. Alcohol is not present in the taste and has moderate drinkability

Overall:
This beer is very good overall. It is a beer that seems to fall more along the lines of a doppel bock or even a Barleywine. I think this is the reason why I liked this one a lot. Malt forward and sweet! I think if you have tried some of the best German Doppel bocks out there, it may be close to this one. Love me some good German beers. 

Anime Corner:
Not sure what series this character is from. I could only find something about a Chinese series called “Scratch” and the character is Maid: Dragon King Ao Guang’s daughter. Anyways, the use of this piece of artwork in my mind could clearly be seen from the label’s art work. That and the fact that this woman is like a half woman half dragon. All to perfect and majestic, the Dragonhosen 

Rugbrød by The Bruery

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1450107_10101519284733180_1477069528_nRating: 4.45/5

Rugbrød by The Bruery is an 8% ABV JuleBryg style Dark Rye Ale.

Label: 
SAY WHAT?

A deep auburn colored robust Danish-style ale with spicy rye, and caramelly, bready malts.

Rugbrød Rye Ale is suitable for aging up to 2 years when cellared properly, around 55 F (13 C) in a dark place. Best served at 50 F (10 C). Pour carefully, leaving the yeast sediment behind in the bottle. Best served in a tulip or wine glass. For proper pronunciation, chef recommended food pairings and recipes, please visit our website.
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Rugbrød is Danish for Rye Bread. It is brewed in the Scandinavian Christmas beer tradition called Julebryg. This beer is actually available year round and is one that I have over looked for quite sometimes. I have not tried all the Bruery beers but I sure like the ones I have tried to far

Aromas:
Rich rye bread, caramel, maple, toffee, peanut butter, mild chocolate notes, some dark fruit character, light peppery spice, brown sugar, molasses, and light floral notes

Flavors:
Rye bread, peanut butter, roasted peanuts, some dark fruits like raisins, caramel, caramelized sugars, toffee, plums, cherries, sour dough bread, peppercorn notes, chocolate notes, brown sugar, molasses, coriander spice, floral notes and some hazelnut hints as well

Aftertaste:
Finishing off with some nice rye, caramel and dark fruit notes, this beer is a sipper but nothing hard in the alcohol

Overall:
The beer is very good and close as possible to the Autumn Maple but focusing more on the rich rye bread and nutty brown ale like qualities. Liquid Danish sour dough bread. Makes me wonder what a Danish Cookie beer would taste like. Surely a good idea for sure. A recommend if you like Belgian beers, brown ales and rye beers. 

Anime corner:
Shura Kirigakure is a character from the series Blue Exorcist. She works as a Upper First-Class Exorcist and Inspector for the Vatican. She has a laid back personality using slang and is blunt speaking what ever she wishes to say. She even would rather slack off and drink while letting others do her work. The part of this piece of artwork I applied for this beer is in the label with the Red, to orange and yellow to even the brown on her jacket. She works for the Vatican so in terms of Belgian type of beer it works. Brown also works in terms of the Rye Flavors but also in her laid back and blunt personality which is present in the hidden alcohol yet sourdough bread like flavors. She seems to be a little nutty with her words but that is just the way this beer is. Just the fact that she is laid back and likes to drink says something about just grabbing a nice beer for the Holidays and taking a step back and enjoy. Cheers!

Southern Charred by Stone Brewing

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1476646_10101519287123390_144164125_nRating: 5.45/5*

Southern Charred by Stone Brewing is a 12.6% ABV American Strong Ale which consists of 2012 Double Bastard Ale Aged in Charred Oak Barrels, Kentucky Bourbon Barrels and Kentucky Bourbon Barrels that used to contain “Stone Suitable for Cave Aging”

Label: 
Double Bastard brewed August 2nd & November 2nd, 2012
Arrogant Bastard Ale’s (really) big brother, this dark amber ale is brewed with a huge malt bill and a belligerent amount of hops. It’s a heavy, bitter beast of a beer and absolutely not for the timid.

In the Mash: CLASSIFIED
In the Boil: CLASSIFIED
In the Whirlpool: CLASSIFIED

Unfiltered and aged 10 months in 51% Kentucky Bourbon Barrels, 8% American Oak Barrels (charred)
13 Months in 41% Kentucky Bourbon Barrels second-use
IBUs:95
Bottled: October 2013

Cellar Notes:
The charred American oak barrels lend intense smoke and vanilla flavors, while the Kentucky bourbon barrels add nuances of butterscotch and caramel. These meld with rich dark chocolate notes produced by Kentucky bourbon barrels that once held “Stone Suitable for Cave Aging” – (An Imperial Smoked Porter Tribute to Danny Williams) to produce)a very complex, well-structured beer with intense flavor.
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I have tried the Double Bastard aged in Bourbon barrels in the past. This release is aged in 3 different barrels implying a very southern whiskey like experience to the already awesome Double Bastard. Limited time so if you can find this one, they recommended a cellar. At least a cellar on Crime and Punishment. Those will be beastly

Aromas:
Very rich vanilla, coconut, flan, caramel, bourbon, oak, smokey and roasty notes, chocolate notes, crème brulee, toffee, whiskey character, maple, honey, chocolate orange notes, campfire wood, chocolate smores, marshmallows, graham crackers, brown sugar and deep berry notes. Boozy nose feel

Flavors:
Definitely a variety of whiskey, scotch and bourbon notes but pleasant. Rich Toffee, vanilla, smokey wood, campfire, marshmallows, chocolate notes, graham crackers, caramel, coconut notes, orange notes, coriander, earthy hops (still present), burnt oak, maple, honey, flan, brown sugar, berry notes, cherry notes and raisins.

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste is definitely of the presence of Double Bastard. Rich vanilla Toffee with citrus bitterness, coconut, vanilla, whiskey, campfire oak and earthy hops. A sipper with the booziness only as present as it needs to be to get the different variables of bourbon, scotch and whiskey out but nothing to burn harshly.

Overall:
Exceptionally great and complex. This beer will definitely develop stronger oak and vanilla character with possibly more fruit and toffee characters as the years pass by. No telling what will happen. Except the 2009 version tasted like a wine and cheese party which was brilliant.. Price wise, it is a lot. I have to thank a person who hooked me up with this for doing a review. Although, 500ml bottle isn’t quite a lot of beer. Seeing the level of complexity it took to make this I would understand. Although, I would say it is better if you find it on tap if possible. It is only a few times I review these due to the price ($18-$23 per bottle) but I would recommend them if you like as sometimes, they are worth that much in experience.

*Extra credit for the exceptional complexity with the different use of oak barrels bringing out delicious dessert flavors.

Anime Corner:
Lilith Aensland and Jedah Dohma from Darkstalkers which I had chosen for this piece had to do mainly with why I chose them for the first Double Bastard I did a long time ago. The Double bastard portion had to do with my idea of 2 girls combining in higher flavor profiles. I will be redoing the original Double Bastard soon to recap on the epic beer to show what I mean. The Bat wings of Lilith and the dark Jedah (Midnight Bliss form) represent the gargoyle and the darkness of arrogance. So you have a sweet and bitter flavor profile from the Double Bastard. The fact that in this picture, Lilith is moving away from the bottle and into the arms of Jedah, symbolizes the repel effect of burning or charred effect the oak bourbon barrels have on the Double bastard beer. In the previous Double Bastard picture I used, it is Lilith who is embracing Jedah instead. So it seemed to fit in my mind somehow.

Black Tuesday (2013 Release) by the Bruery

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563717_10101500300847040_355562397_n 480354_10101500300208320_5775099_nRating: 6/5* This years is the same as previous years

Black Tuesday (2013 Release) by the Bruery is an 18.9% ABV Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label: 
NEW DEAL

I cannot help but raise a dissenting voice to statements that we are living in a fool’s paradise, and that prosperity in this country must necessarily diminish and recede in the near future.” – E.H.H. Simmons, President, NYSE, January 1928

Black Tuesday Will age gracefully for many decades of economic fluctuations. Best stored and cellared around 55 °F (13 °C) in a dark place. Ideal serving temperature is 55 ° F (13 °C). Best enjoyed in a tulip or wine glass
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Let’s not kid ourselves here, 18.9% ABV? Nope, I am calling it 19% ABV. One of the strongest but favorite beers that I have ever stumbled upon and one of the more coveted ones. This year, the Bruery has been a little more graceful in releasing more beers to the public than in the past. Even if their web page kept crashing just the like the Stock Exchange Crash of the 1920s. I was lucky to even get the bottle from them this year. Lucky for many though, through out October and parts of November, they had their Barrel Aged months so definitely offered them on tap to the public. Since I have done reviews for this beer several times, I 

Aromas:
Rich bananas, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, roasted coconut, oak, dark fruits like cherries raisins, sweet, dark and milk chocolate, strong hazelnut (but not as awesome as Grey Monday), pecan pie, very nice smokey sugar, like a roasted marshmallow on a graham cracker, chocolate then laced with dulce de leche caramel, some slight agave syrup, almost candi sugar, choco flan, creme brulee and a lot of sweet goodness that is hard to make out but its very appealing.

Flavors:
Lots of chocolate covered bananas, dulce de leche caramel, flan, bourbon sweet, dark, milk chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak, cherries, mocha, coffee, plums, raisins, burnt sugar, crème brulee, anise, chocolate cake, chocolate brownie batter, rum, chocolate smores, marshmallow, graham crackers, waffle cone, roasted coconuts, pecan pie, hazelnut cream, port wine, agave nectar, apple butter and many more complexities.

Aftertaste:
The rich banana, bourbon, chocolate, rich dark fruits, hazelnut, cherries, marshmallow, coconut, pecan pie, all of it! Stays on the palette like a rich dessert. Boozy, but damn smooth and damn dangerous. Sipping drinkability but because it is smooth, you made be tempted to drink it easily. Do not try to finish the bottle in a single sitting. Bad things happen 

Overall:
*There is nothing more I can say which I have not professed about this beer in past reviews other than get it if you must!! All I can do now is see about finding another bottle and cellaring it for maybe 20 years and see what happens. I hope to live long enough to enjoy but more than likely I will finish it. Maybe

Anime Corner: tl;dr 
KOS-MOS or (Kosmos Obey Strategical Multiple Operation Systems), from the series Xenosaga is one of my Three most favorite characters in anime. She was chosen for this particular beer in 2012 to go along with some of my most favorite beers of all time. In terms of who she is is representative of how bad ass this beer is. To me, Black Tuesday is representative of a crash which brings about chaos. Polar to chaos is order or cosmos. While there is is a mess among chaos, there is always a glimmer of hope that will restore the balance to the universe, and that is order or KOS-MOS. In other reviews I have reviewed her character when it comes to the divine and holy (The Lost Abbey Judgement Day, Mayan Judgment, Angel Share, Sede Vacante and even Sam Adams Tetravis). In the game, SPOILER ALERT She is Mary Magdalene’s vessel for which Kaos is Jesus Christ. SPOILER ENDS. Yeah, the spoiler may not make sense but there are many websites ready to explain. Anyways, Black Tuesday label, although hard to see holds some shiny blue but also some shiny brown. The blue part represents KOS-MOS for me and the brown is the sweet chocolate. Once you find out how sweet and understanding this character is, it makes a world of a difference which is why Black Tuesday makes a world of a difference to me. Although the cold harsh reality of her initial computational robotical android form is may seem a bit cold when the series first started. Not to mention the fact that she is a definitely over powered character, which may be the alcohol and the fact that this beer should not be consumed in one sitting. She should be enjoyed slowly. The artwork also represents Black Tuesday as the dark matter of space, the upper frontiers of awesomeness and good beer. Tuesday is just another cycle of the stars.

Parrot in a Palm Tree by Karl Strauss

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484752_10101494937505220_223810333_n 1468748_10101494937719790_1711247771_nRating: 5.45/5

Parrot in a Palm Tree by Karl Strauss is an 8.5% ABV Holiday Baltic Porter aged in Port Wine Barrels

Label: 
In San Diego, we’re not known for our partridges or pears but we can all relate to those noisy parrots and their relentless “caroling”. Parrot in a Palm Tree is a robust Baltic Porter brewed especially for the Holidays. Aged two months in San Pasqual Tawny Port barrels, the resulting brew isn’t for the birds. This winter warmer boasts a complex bouquet of dark fruits, espresso and chocolate, with hints of oak in its warming finish. Raise a glass to 2010 or save a bottle as this limited release will age with the best of them.
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A rare beer that I was only able to find online. This beer is the first in the Twelve Days of San Diego Christmas beers. Aged 3 years so far as the beer came out in 2010. Just the fact that it is aged in port wine gives me that reminiscence of Troise Pistoles. I have been looking for the previous versions of the Karl Strauss Christmas beers. Last year I had the third installment, Mouette à Trois (Three Seagulls) which I reviewed and though the world of that beer. The fact that it aged since 2010 and in Port Wine? I can only think the world of this beer. 

Aromas:
Just like the Bruery’s Partridge in a Pear tree, very rich dark fruit raisins, figs, plukms, dark cherries, raspberries, sweet port wine, grapes, chocolate, pecan pie, brown sugar, fruit cake, light coffee, caramel, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, strawberry marmalade and raisin bread pudding 

Flavors:
Good amount of rich port wine but nothing that burns, pleasant raisins, chocolate, mocha, coffee, java, hazelnut, pecan pie, fruit cake, molasses, Blackberries, currant marmalade, vanilla, dulce de leche, raisin bread pudding, rich figs, coconut, and brownies.

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste leaves off rich as well, with nice figs, raisins, port wine, chocolate, coffee and fruit cake breadiness. Hard to detect the alcohol in the taste, but if anything it brings a great splash of flavors. Easy to moderate drinkability with hardly any harshness. Kinda smooth really

Overall:
Freaking great and very delicious. Exceeding expectation but expected from a beer that is aged in port wine barrels and tasting like Trios pistoles, but also close to the initial flavors of the Bruery’s Partridge in a Pear Tree (except the pear). That and I love parrots. Sue me, I just do. Each flavor I had mentioned earlier is not only notes, but actual nice rich flavors coming through Highly recommended if you can find it. It is aging very well and hopefully by the 12th Christmas of San Diego release will be just at peak.

Anime Corner:
Dizzy is one of the characters from the Guilty Gear series. In the Art work, it matches the beer label as she is with the parrots. The colors are representative of the label as well. In terms of the complex flavors, it brings forth one of her ultimate features, which is complexity of power and emotions. The sweetness of this beer and complexity only shows you part of her true potential. If this beer is mean to age until the 12th release of the Christmas of San Diego beers, her true potential will reach its peak. 

Vocaloid Hatsune Miku in the second picture represents the same color as the parrot thus complimenting the label. That is about it for my visual comparison. She is also sweet like this beer.

2013 (Brewcifer) Darkness by Surly Brewing

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1456584_10101489612296980_2120143065_n 1441207_10101489613913740_1383984554_n 1392964_10101489614223120_164624249_n 1451618_10101489612756060_1145465204_nRating: 5.55/5 *

Darkness by Surly Brewing is a 10.3% ABV World Class Russian Imperial Stout

Label:
Brewcifer Lord of Darkness

From the depths of the Brewhouse he arises! Enveloped in raging flames, his shadowy visage commands submission to the dark nectar in his goblet. Brewcifer holds before you a massively opaque black brew with notes of chocolate, coffee, dried tart cherries and raisins. The thick body of this Russian Imperial Stout finishes sweet, with a piney resinous hop character.

Brewcifer commands that you enjoy this creation in a tulip glass, to capture the complex aromas and flavors. Brewcifer would suggest that you share with a friend. Brewcifer doesn’t want you to be a jerk.

Each year, we select a different artist to create a Darkness-inspired monstrosity. This year’s fiery creature is from the dark imagination of local artist Josh “Jawsh” Lemke.

Omar Ansari Todd Haug
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Happy National Stout Day 😀 !! I Was able to find this one online, special thanks to Ben for hooking me up with this one. A contribution that is well appreciated here at brewerianimelogs. This evil brew comes all the way from Minnesota. The beer is a response to 3 Floyds Dark Lord RIS. Surly has made some of the best Midwest beers ever. I have tried several of their special releases and the majority have been very outstanding. This is the first time I try this and may consider picking this one up for future reviews if I like it.

Aromas:
Deep rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate, , earthy hops, roasted coffee, dark fruit notes, vanilla, toffee, caramel, that special sweet raisin bread pudding, surly yeast, dark cherries, hints of spices, anise, currants, chocolate cake, walnuts, hazelnut, some tropical essence like a hint of grapefruit and piney hops, chocolate covered mango notes, brown sugar and molasses.

Flavors:
Very good dark chocolate, piney, earthy hops, chocolate covered mango, vanilla, caramel, toffee, delicious rye bread, dark fruits raisins, dark cherries, currants, coffee, mocha, Kahlua notes, molasses, raisin bread pudding, tart raspberry skins, anise, pecan pie notes, brown sugar, cherry Dr. Pepper syrup notes, maple syrup, molasses, peaches and cream

Aftertaste:
Sweet,bakers dark chocolate, mild tropical and earthy hop aftertaste with lots of berries, dark fruits and syrupy mango linger. No alcohol what so ever in the taste, dangerously smooth and easy to moderate drinkability. Scary stuff

Overall:
Exceptionally epic and delicious example of the style. Goes to show that not all great beers have to be bourbon barrel aged to exceed expectations. This one does its own, with no extra help. The interesting part is how the hop flavors come to play along exceedingly nice with the stout flavors. Almost saying, I am just as important as the rest of you sweet chocolate goodness. Lends a very hefty hand. You get more sweeter tropical notes as the beer gets warmer. That is where it becomes it’s best. Highly recommend it if you can get this one online or lucky enough to know where to get it or have someone who can hook it up. This devil’s water is insanely sweet and I honestly wish they would sell this year round. Would definitely be one of my favorite Russian Imperial stouts that were not Barrel aged. Definitely meets that World Class qualification.

*This beer gets the extra credit for exceeding my expectations and it did it without the help of barrel aging

Anime Corner:
Ryuoko Matoi is a character from the Kill-La-Kill series. A fierce and ruthless character who shows no fear when it comes to finding her father’s killer. Her outfit and and personality best fits the label as well as the name, Darkness, although since the beer is pretty sweet, it is a part of her personality that makes her self conscious of her body while fighting.

Second character is Satan from the series The Seven Deadly Sins from Nitro Plus. She obviously fits the brewcifer label for her being and her colors. While she is passionate about war against good, she has a weakness for cute animals which is best represented by Darkness flavors being so sweet, mysterious, smooth and appealing.

The Third character is a demonic form of Sakura Haruno from the Naruto series. While she never has this form, canonically, it is a fan art that best fit the beer in terms of the label, demon look, pink hair for the dark cherry flavors and the sharp green eyes which reflect the out-pour of the tropical hops notes within the stout

Firestone XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale (1 year later) by Firestone Walker

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1424553_10101488277137650_1745197429_n 1451454_10101488276239450_930836238_n 1459304_10101488277496930_1457209677_nRating: 5.8/5 * This version has been aged for 1 year since it’s release

Firestone XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker is a 13% ABV American Strong Ale combining several blends of beers all into this fine master piece. I had saved an extra bottle from last year to present during the time that the 17th anniversary was to be released. It was stowed away for the entire year. I will not go into much detail about the label or the strategy guide as I literally wrote a book on reviewing this beer last year. This year the 17th anniversary is around the corner and will be heading to many stores all over. Therefore, I will try and pick up a bottle to bring forth a review. Hopefully better or as good as last year’s review which you can check out on the link below. 

Link the last year’s Review: https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/firestone-xvi-sixteenth-anniversary-ale-by-firestone-walker/

Today, I want to go over the evolution and differences that I will try and pick up from last year to see what may have changed or reviewed from last years. First thing I can already tell is that it feels boozier from last year. Could have possibly grown to a 14 or 15% ABV. The difficulty in this review is trying to get the development from last years and how the strategy guide is useless here as I cannot tell which of the individual blends has developed more as the complexity has gone beyond my understanding. Either way, cheers and wish me luck.

Developed Aromas are of more dark fruits, more chocolate covered raisins, dulce de leche caramel, rich vanilla, coffee, smokey undertone, dark cherries, agave nectar, rocky road ice cream, ferro rocher chocolate pecan pie, bigger amounts of oak, bourbon, tequila, coconut, a wine grape character, chunky munky banana and cherry ice cream and kahlua coffee

Flavors have developed into more of rich rock road icecream with pecans, coconut, marshmallows, whiskey, agave tequila, wine hints, agave nectar, dark cherry yogurt undertone, raisins, dark and lighter fruits like peach and mango, caramel, kahlua chocolate, almond joy chocolate, banana chunky munky, smokey oak, vanilla, mocha frappuccino notes, more danish cookies, more leche nestle, maple, pecan pie and other complex flavors. 

Aftertaste is of dark fruit, chocolate, roasted coffee beans and distinct liquor booziness. Nothing that is overwhelming or burning. In fact, it almost feels like the beer has mellowed out and gotten a bit smoother too. A definite sipper still though, this is a heavy ABV beer.

Overall:
More spectacular than before. You will get more enhanced flavors like stronger dark fruit and chocolate flavors along with a bigger booziness that plays well with others. You can tell there is a difference in the liquors as well, like the tequila and bourbon. I would definitely recommend it if you missed out on last years as this one was made with PNC. This year’s is made with Velvet Merkin, so I will definitely try my best to bring that beer forward here. Definitely a pick up if you can get it.

Anime Corner:
This is Shiba’i Chuutatsu from the Battle Vixens Series is the main Spoiler Alert Villain, goes by Kentei Spoiler Ends. This character, while deceiving others to be handicap, has no remorse towards others, much less her own comrades in the series. The dragon tatoos on her arms glow as she powers up her chi. She is actually very powerful when she unleashes her dragon stage. Oh yeah, she can play guitar too, go figure.

In the last beer review, I posted most of the cast of Battle Vixens “Ikki Tousen” but I also posted one of Sonsaku Hakufu, the protagonist of the series who also has the spirit of the Dragon. I have only seen he first half of the series but I understand it is her destiny to stop the villain. In both pictures here I wanted to show 2 abstracts. In the first picture I wanted to show how some of the colors of the label fit Hakufu in the picture. The cast of the series is supposed to represent the different beer blends that go into making this beer. In this beer review, we can see how they have “developed” or most of them. The colors of Shiba’i’s outfit were perfect for the label but in contrast with the development of the beer’s dark fruit, chocolate and dark cherry flavors, I wanted to show how the powerful this character was. Also, her hair is pink so that’s another fruit like cherry. You be the judge

Top Shelf Series Tart Attack by NoDa Brewing

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1255475_10101484477387380_616502460_nRating: 3.75/5

Top Shelf Series Tart Attack by NoDa Brewing is a 4.3% ABV Berliner Weissebier brewed with Blackberries.

Label: 
This Berliner Weisse style sour ale is full of character and flavor at only 4.3% alcohol by volume. We sour mashed this ale to create a lovely tart and bright flavor. To further the tart character, we rested it on blackberries after its fermentation was complete. The result is a bright and complex tart ale with both semisweet and dry notes throughout. This ale was brewed to honor Pints for Prostates and all their work in bringing awareness to prostate cancer. So men… get tested, live longer and enjoy more craft beer!

For more information, please visit PintsForProstates.org
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Pink against Prostate Cancer goes many ways too. This beer is a light bodied rosy pink. This beer was released by the Rare Beer Club for the Pints for Prostates campaign where the money that they get from selling these beers goes to a good cause. 

Aromas:
Wheat bread, lemon, citrus, tart black berries, funky wine grapes, grain, minerals and yogurt notes

Flavors:
Lemon,citrus, tart cherries, tart blackberries skins, coriander, wheat bread, grains, yogurt notes, wine grapes, light funky hay notes and mild herbal hints

Aftertaste:
Leaves with a hints of bread, yogurt notes, grains and lemon but then quickly becomes dry. Very refreshing, easy to drink, crisp and light. 

Overall:
This is a pretty good beer. While the ABV makes it light, the its a good enough amount of tart to go around. Nothing extremely sour neither. One of the reasons I believe is the top shelf or table series is because it is the type of light beer that is served at a fancy dinner. It would work wonders with some nice meat, cheeses or even a very nice salad

Anime Corner:
Mio Akiyama from the K-ON! Series. I do not know a lot about the series other than the character is shy and likes to play Bass. She tends to freak out over things that make her scared or embarrassed. In this picture, the other characters are making fun of her to see what she would look like in a Maid outfit. While they laugh it off she mutters MOE MOE KYUN! and does a heart with her hands. While MOE MOE KYUN in Japan is used to describe something cute and sexy, it was taken as a cross reference in this picture to also refer to KAME HAME HA! In the same reference where Goku from Dragon Ball Z does a wave. Basically in this picture she’s is charging a pink heart beam to blast the other girls for making fun of her. 

The beer reference comes into play in many aspects. The beer is pink and is Tart. The name tart attack in the context of the picture refers to the pink attack she is powering up to launch. Just like the beer has some nice fruity and easy going flavors, the tart part of it will attack the taste buds. Also, her outfit is of a maid. Since the label shows like a waiter serving the beer, I wanted to show it is similar as in this maid here is serving you a Tart Attack!

Malheur Zestig by Brouwerij De Landtsheer

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1380507_10101484476918320_823335324_nRating: 4.8/5

Malheur Zestig by Brouwerij De Landtsheer is a 10% ABV Strong Golden Belgian IPA

Label: 
Aromatic hops of European origin. Malheur Zestig has a high level of bitter units and a balanced hop flavor.
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Get this from the Rarebeerclub.com While trying to order, Jolly Pumpkin’s Los Vivos y Muertos Saison, they had to replace that beer with this one due to the Government shut down in early October 2013. While I was a bit disappointed, great talks about this beer made me think otherwise. Since I had ordered previously to get the JP beer, I was sent this one instead. Not a bad choice at all considering that it is made by the brewery who has ties to De Halve Maan Brewery. I was pleasantly surprised.

Aromas are of white peppercorns, cloves, peach, floral and herbal hops, apricot, biscuit bread, herbs, coriander spice, citrus, vanilla, slight oak hints and pears

Flavors are of the awesome Belgian IPA goodness I like but with more fruit and herbs. White peppercorns, peach, phenolic spices, cloves, coriander, flowers, honey, herbal hops, apricot, biscuits, vanilla bread, waffle cone, citrus, lemon, pear, apples,

Aftertaste is mildly hoppy but floral, herbal, fruity and honey sweet. This is one good Belgian beer. Very nice, smooth and refreshing. Hidden alcohol and moderate drinkability.

Overall, an amazing great Belgian IPA. It hits the right places. Nice Flowers and hop character and releasing some very nice bread, yeast, spicy and fruity flavors. Definitely recommended if you love Belgian beers for sure.

Anime Corner:
Alkaid from the Dothack series. A character with a fiery and pride driven personality defending herself at any moments notice (Hop and white peppercorn influence of the beer). While maybe hot headed, she is a very loyal friend and a protector to those she trusts and respects. She would defend their honor as well (fruit and vanilla sweetness). This beer not only matches some of this characters personality but also her colors, red hair with the yellow and black outfit. If you see any other pairings to this art piece let me know

Reunion Ale ’13 A Beer For Hope collaboration by Shmaltz and Terrapin

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1385580_10101484472462250_1979555791_nRating: 4.25/5

Reunion Ale ’13 A Beer For Hope collaboration by Shmaltz and Terrapin is an 8% ABV Brown Ale brewed with Cocoa Nibs, Vanilla, cinnamon and Coffee

Label: 
Benefiting the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research

Teaming up with Terrapin Beer Co. for the third time, Shmaltz Brewing returns as a production partner for Reunion ’13. We brew Reunion each year in memory of our dear friend and partner in this venture – Virginia MacLean. Virginia lost her battle with Multiple Myeloma in 2007. It was her wish that we continue to raise finds and awareness on behalf of The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org). 

This year’s beer is a dark ale brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla, cinnamon and coffee from NYC and Upstate NY. It was inspired by a fantastic dessert that we used to share with Virginia at our favorite restaurant. 

Many thanks to all who have supported this project and have helped us honor Virginia’s Memory.

Cheers – Pete & Alan
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This is the first time I try the Reunion series. A beer with cocoa nibs, vanilla, cinnamon and coffee? Yes Please. The good thing about the beer as well is that it is for a good cause. My mother died of cancer so anything that works toward fighting the dreaded disease is a definite win in my book.

Aromas are of coffee, hints of chocolate, mocha, hints of vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, caramel, biscuit bread, clove hints and nutmeg

Flavors are of coffee mainly, roasted coffee grounds, nutty mocha, vanilla notes, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread and clove spice

Aftertaste leaves with cinnamon, dark chocolate notes, coffee roast and a little bit of vanilla and close to dry finish. Alcohol hidden but moderate drinkability.

Overall, the beer is really good although, just be cause it says cocoa nibs and vanilla, you gotta be a little picky. The chocolate and vanilla though comes in subtle being taken over by cinnamon and coffee flavors near the end. It is one that you may want to be careful though because if you do not like cinnamon and coffee, this beer might not be for you I personally like this combination but I think I like chocolate and vanilla better. It is more on the spicy side than the sweet side. Recommended especially since it is really good and for a good cause.

Anime Corner:
Tifa Lockhart and Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII are paired with this beer for a couple of reasons. Besides the fact that Reunion is important in the series when it comes to Jenova and Sephiroth form the same series. However, reunion of Cloud and Tifa in this sense because they come together to thwart off the evil. The colors in the label represent mako energy from the series which you can see is greenish. Fighting for a good cause to save the world, this beer fights for the battle against cancer, therefore, fight on!!

El Mole Ocho Vintage 2013 (High Gravity Series) by New Holland Brewing

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536939_10101477015022020_1845921661_n 602103_10101477025945130_1597653307_n 1452035_10101477026618780_148683817_nRating: 4.65/5

El Mole Ocho Vintage 2013 (High Gravity Series) by New Holland Brewing is a 10.5% ABV Herbed/Spiced ale

Label: 
Our exploration into the flavors of mole, the legendary sauce of central Mexico. Malty aroma and rich, cocoa-laden body laced with an invigorating tinge of dried chilies and coffee. Pairings poultry, red meat, dark chocolate.
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Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in my tradition is a time when we pray for our loved ones who are no longer with us. It is a day in celebration and remembrance. This day, I offer a review for a beer which came to me, just in time, online. So I figured it be the perfect occasion to let you in on a special beer that is made with flavors of mole and spices.

Aromas of this of mole, chocolate abuelita (Mexican Dark chocolate), cinnamon, champurrado (Mexican Chocolate and Atole drin), chile de arbol (red dried chiles), raisins, brown sugar, dark fruit notes, clove spice and pecans

Flavors are of dark Chocolate, chocolate abuelita, bananas, cloves, cinnamon, champurrado, notes of chile, molasses, brown sugar, dark fruit notes, pecan notes, caramel, berries and toffee.

Aftertaste continues with nice cinnamon, cocoa, chile notes, clove spice and dark fruit. Seriously hidden alcohol. No where to be found here. Moderate to sipping drinkability. It goes down kinda smooth

Overall, very good and a good pairing for Dia de los Muertos. A great amount of good sweets and spices. Not enough of the heat which is good, because some people prefer not to have a lot of heat. This beer reminds me of the New Belgium’s Mole Ale, however, the one that truly takes it in terms of mole beers, is Dark Lord De Muerte. That is intense stuff. This one is a definite recommend though for sure.

Anime Corner:
In the theme of the label and the day, it is easy to see what I was going with Orihime and Ulquiorra from Bleach, Lydia from Beetlejuice (Always speaking and fooling around with Ghoul Beetlejuice) and also Konan from Naruto. For Konan, this is not canon to the series but the way she looks is a special technique called Jashin in which the host does a ritual with a sample of the victim’s blood. By committing sepukku, the host unleashes the same death onto the victim. The host survives the ritual impaling and the victim dies in its place. Pretty crazy stuff coming from the Naruto Universe. Aside from that though, Jashin style looks like a skeleton and Konan, always wearing a flower on her head, seems to fit right in with the label and theme. Cheers!!

White Chocolate (2013 Release) by The Bruery

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1392755_10101469956028300_1900644049_n 65615_10101469955993370_1841643671_nRating: 6/5* This years is same score as the last

White Chocolate (2013 Release) by The Bruery is a 14.75% ABV Wheat Wine Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cacao Nibs and Vanilla Beans. 

Label: 
OAKALATE
This sumptuous version of our barrel-aged wheat wine style ale has an addition of fresh vanilla beans and TCHO cacao nibs.
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Last year, I reviewed white chocolate, essentially the Polar opposite of the Chocolate Rain which can be aged up to 5 years. This year, I wanted to give it another shot as it was released more frequently but to California. If you are able to get your hands on this one, definitely give it a shot. One of my top favorites

Aromas are of vanilla, milk chocolate, white chocolate, oak, dulce de leche caramel, oak, coconut. Citrus, banana, orange, bourbon, tropical fruit, hazelnut, pecans, cinnamon, marzipan, almond, butterscotch, wine grapes, pears, raisins and apricots

The flavors are of white chocolate, vanilla, chocolate, orange, coriander, bourbon , coconut, pears, peaches, wine grapes, cinnamon, pecans, hazelnut, brown sugar, oak, marzipan, almonds, raisins, tart apples, pineapple, tropical fruit, dulce de leche caramel and butterscotch

The aftertaste leaves off with that nice oak and white chocolate goodness with some nice tart and citrus flavors. Definitely a sipper who’s alcohol becomes more and more hidden as it warms up

Overall, still one of my most favorite top Bruery beers. This year’s though, definitely shines more on the white oak and citrus side, at first. Temari plays hard to get second round (2013), so let it warm up and as it goes, you bet damn right you get the white chocolate. Highly recommended if you love Barrel aged beers no doubt.

Anime Corner: Temari Sabakuno from the Naruto series is one bad ass female ninja. One of my favorite all time Anime characters. She is from the Sand Clan of the ninja world, sister to their leader Gaara, Naruto’s close friend. Temari can seem rude and tomboyish on the outside and very cold hearted at times. Sometimes without a care in the world except when it comes to her family and friends. She takes charge and doesn’t hesitate to risk it all. This beer is a representative of her, not just in the colors of the label, the even if she may be harsh in the beginning (tart flavors) she has been known to open up and show her true side of compassion for others (White Chocolate, Vanilla, Cacao) especially her friend Shikamaru, the smart ninja from the Leaf Village (Naruto’s Clan). The part of the tropical and sunny citrus flavors are in terms of her hair (Pineapple, Tropical, wheat wine) and the dessert (Orange, Sunny, citrus, oak). So if you experience her sharp and tart at first, let her warm up to you, you will find the true White Chocolate you’ve been waiting for.

Vanilla Oatis by Ninkasi Brewing

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558547_10101465093652540_795564566_nRating: 4.45/5

Vanilla Oatis by Ninkasi Brewing is a 7.2% ABV Oatmeal Stout brewed with Vanilla Beans

Label: 
A delicious Oatmeal Stout with just enough hops to balance the copious quantities of dark roasted malts, oatmeal for a creamy smooth drinkability, and whole vanilla beans for a rich complexity. To achieve this higher level of decadence, we added whole vanilla beans to the final stage of fermentation – the same process we use to dry hop a beer.
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Ninkasi brewing has been popping up in California really recently. They have been releasing some nice beers worth trying. So far, this is the second beer I try. I will pick up more as I can but so far everything is going pretty good.

Aromas are of Milk Chocolate, caramel, mocha, hints or raisins and dark fruits, earthy hops, oatmeal cookie notes, coffee, roasted barley and oats, pecans, dark cherry notes and walnuts

Flavors are of Vanilla, roasted oats, milk and dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, earthy hops, hints if dark cherry and raisins, notes of nutty pecans and and walnuts, caramel, mocha, roasted oats and notes of oatmeal cookies

The after taste is roasty and bitter with just enough vanilla beans to maintain and balanced finish. Moderate drinkability with no alcohol presence

Overall, the beer is very good. Without the Vanilla beans to keep everything in check, the roasted notes and earthy hops would most likely over power the beer. If not for the Vanilla, it be a decent stout but the vanilla beans just make it way more delicious. Worth trying once.

Anime Corner: This is Nia Teppelin from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan. In the show, she had not revealed her this true form to her friends and this was because this form (Anti-Spiral) of hers was hidden dormant until the second half of the series. In this form, she was brainwashed and had to do everything the anti-spiral threat told her to do including lead the world to destruction. The beer comparison is complemented not just the label to her colors in the artwork, but the Vanilla it self. Just like the vanilla is used to keep stuff in check for the rest of the roasted character of the beer, Her will and love (Vanilla) for the main character Simon, allowed her to break control of the anti-Spirals hold and regain her consciousness back keeping her self balanced and in full control. At that point, she went back to her friends to help fight off the anti-Spiral threat

Optímator by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

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1383015_10101459463086240_901127990_nRating: 5/5

Optímator by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu is a 7.6% ABV German DoppelBock

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
The classic German dark beer, bottom fermented ’Doppel Bock’. Full bodied with a deep dark color and rich roasted malt flavor. 

Supposedly only available in USA, at least not in Germany.
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First had this beer with several coworkers on draft at the Red Lion in Downtown LA after visiting a brewery, which I will not name here because they were good in their own awesome way (Love that Sunny-D beer). As I remember it, it was so impacting that I had to try it again. From the makers of the delicious Franziskaner Dunkel which to me is the best dark heff in the world, aside from Weistephaner dunkel. Spaten makes an awesome doppelbock that attempts to take on what to me is one of the best Doppelbocks, Celebrator Doppelbock. They did a damn good job of it too as I remember. I was able to pick up a bottle locally and wanted to do a review. This is a common beer and can be picked up in many craft beer or specialty liquor shops. Even Downey Liquor in Downey California has it and they seem like a generic liquor store

Aromas are of rich figs, caramel, cinnamon, milk, sweet potatoes and yams boiled with piloncillo (Mexican sugar cone), vanilla and cinnamon sticks, rich toffee, raisins, hazelnut, cherries, oak, molasses, and chocolate

Flavors are of figs, raisins, caramel, cloves, raisin bread, cherries, rich molasses, cinnamon, sweet potato pie, yams, piloncillo, vanilla, cinnamon, toffee, hazelnut, chocolate, pecans, biscuit bread, brown sugar, whiskey notes, maple and oak

Aftertaste is of raisins, yams, cherries, vanilla, earthiness and piloncillo. Easy to moderate drinking on this one and has intense flavors even where the 7.6% ABV is nowhere to be found. 

Overall it is a damn great beer! Surely close to Celebrator in my opinion but greater to the sweeter yams than celebrator though. I will never forget how awesome it was on draft nor will I forget how much I liked this one. In terms of the style, this one is right next to my favorite Doppelbocks followed by the La Trappe Doppelbock and the Alesmith Decadence 2013 Doppelbock. Freaking unbelievable how the European beers always pull me in. Just so you know, My top 2 best common beers in the world are not even from the United States, leave that to Belgium and Canada for starting me up. Optimator is a definite try multiple times not doubt. Should be an “Octoberfest beer” requirement for sure

6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery

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1393959_10101459462148120_775351026_nRating: 4.85/5

6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery is an 11.5% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale brewed with Cape Gooseberries

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

6 Geese-A-Laying is suitable for aging up to 6 years (soon after the release of “Twelve Drummers Drumming”)
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The only way, so far, to get this beer is to buy it from the Bruery directly (online or locally) before they hit the distribution line as we approach Christmas. I wanted to do a review, a nightmare before Christmas and before the nightmare, Halloween. Any time is a good time to do a review. Christmas just rolled in early this year.

Aromas are of dark fruits, plums, caramel, pineapple, boysenberries, deep dark cherries, bananas, clove spice, raisin bread pudding, figs, citrus, cantaloupe, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla

Flavors are of Dark cherries, plums, raisins, brown sugar, rich dark cherries, blackberries, blue berries, oranges, pineapple, apricot, peach, cantaloupe melon, peppercorns, vanilla, caramel, toffee, rye bread, raisin bread pudding, cinnamon, gooseberries, bananas, clove spice, coriander spice, fruit cake, ginger, all spice, and nutmeg

Aftertaste leaves a nice clovey spiced, tangy berry, cinnamon, dark fruits, berries and fruit cake taste. It is surely a sipper but close to moderate drinkability. Especially since you cannot find the alcohol

Overall a very good and awesome Christmas offering from the Bruery. There is a lot going on and the tangy flavors are only like a push so that the beer is not overly sweet. Very delicious. Nice way to end the year. Next year will be another year for craft beer and the everlasting expansion of breweries that bring us such great beers. This beer is a very nice beer to have, it has so much good Christmasy stuff going here.

Bombay Berserker by Clown Shoes Brewing

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1378366_10101459458091250_1244609620_n 1394467_10101459457966500_2016632879_n 1378509_10101459458061310_1318389965_n 1384270_10101459458081270_1580768352_n 1380249_10101459458131170_383120147_nRating: 4.75/5

Bombay Berserker by Clown Shoes Brewing is a 10% ABV Indian-Style Chocolate Imperial Stout

Label: 
This exotic stout is a relative of Chocolate Sombrero, with the Mexican spices replaced by the flavors of chai tea, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla. Dear head banging craft beer drinkers, please remember, “Our love for you is like a truck… BERSERKER!”
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Recently releases in many markets. You can get this one online but if you live in California, it may come out soon as clown shoes beers are becoming more famous here. I was able to get this one online though. Clown shoes has many series. This one is the next follow up to the Chocolate Sombrero and Luchador en Fuego

Aromas are of ginger, chocolate abuelita hot chocolate, caramel, vanilla, chai tea, non spicy curry, dark chocolate, cinnamon, cardamom, bakers chocolate and molasses

Flavors are of Bakers chocolate, caramel, vanilla, roasted malts, mocha, chait tea, hints of curry but nothing overwhelming, cinnamon, chocolate abuelita, molasses and brown sugar

The aftertaste leaves with minor spiciness, hints chocolate, vanilla, mocha and roasty notes. A moderate to sipping drinkability beer with alcohol well hidden. Pretty balanced and nothing too overwhelming

Overall it is a very good beer in it’s own unique way. While I started to taste some of the spices from Chocolate sombrero, it turned the other way around. In good way of course. It it is nothing overwhelming like the other Curry beers I have had like Indra Kunindra or the coconut curry from New Belgium. It definitely has its spices under control. I think it is not a full flavor bashing beer but the offering of variety of these flavors and balance is well hit. Very solid beer and yes, worth the try for damn sure. Especially since you cannot feel the 10% ABV. If this was Barrel Aged, well it would definitely heighten this to a new level of Rock Stardom!!

the GreatER Pumpkin Heavy Seas Uncharted Waters series 2013 by Clipper City Brewing

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1378490_10101457429661240_425507774_n

Rating: 5.2/5

the GreatER Pumpkin Heavy Seas Uncharted Waters series 2013 by Clipper City Brewing is a 10% ABV Imperial Pumpkin ale brewed with spices and aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
As fall approaches and thoughts turn to Halloween, we roll out the Great’ER Pumpkin. A coppery ale with forward notes of vanilla oak and flavors of Autumnal spice, the ale is brewed with actual pumpkin and imported English malts. Pairs well with turkey legs, sweet potatoes, and an evening looking at the stars…

Uncharted Waters explores the unique changes that happen to beer when exposed to wood. Each beer showcases a robust style, carefully matched with a wood treatment to showcase a range of complex flavors. Vintage dating encourages further exploration on the aging process. As much about the voyage as the destination we hope you enjoy these beers in the spirit in which they were brewed.
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Available this season in certain places. Online, if you live in California. This is the 3rd beer I try in the Uncharted Waters series and the 3rd Clipper Brewing beer overall. All have been pleasantly awesome. This is their Bourbon pumpkin beer. I have tried many pumpkin beers with ranges of many different flavors. When they start to get into the Barrel Aged category, they become very awesome and generally, something very awesome and different. Some key BBA pumpkin beers have been able to surpass my expectations while the regular ones are still the best at what they do individually.

Aromas of this beer are loaded with oak, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie, pumpkin flesh, coconut, chocolate, bourbon, coriander spice, ginger bread, fruit cake, flan, brown sugar and cloves

The flavors are of pumpkin flesh, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, vanilla, oak, caramel, nutmeg cinnamon, bourbon, coconut, light matured banana, clove spice, milk, chocolate notes, rice pudding, piloncillo (Mexican hard sugar cone), raisin ginger bread, flan, brown sugar, butterscotch, graham crackers, pumpkin flavored almond joy and pumpkin rocky road ice cream.

After taste leaves very nice pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, banana, clove spice, chocolate hints and bourbon notes. Good luck finding the alcohol in this one. The beer is not full bodied yet it is a sipper.

Overall, an awesome Barrel aged pumpkin serving. Almost on par with Uinta Oak Jacked, although this one has less mature banana notes white this one takes the pumpkin and bourbon and plays with them extremely well. Heavy Seas series makes some damn good beers. Need to get me some more. Although online. If you can get this beer, have at it. If not, take Oak Jacked. These beers are similar, except while one focuses on banana notes, this one got the coconut and chocolate going for it. The extra credit well deserved here. Something about their brewing process gives some delicious chocolate. So far the 3 beers I have had from this series has shown me this. Why? Could be my senses playing tricks. Regardless, very awesome beer.

 

Shift by New Belgium Brewing

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1374294_10101457377316140_1084098931_nRating: 3.95/5

Shift by New Belgium Brewing is a 5% ABV American Pale Lager

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (ratebeer.com)
New Belgium employee-owners work in shifts to brew to life world-class beers. Those efforts are rewarded daily with a shared end-of-shift beer. We’re passing that welcomed occasion onto consumers in this lightly-hopped Shift Pale Lager. From work to play, from bottle to can, from bold and heavy to refreshing and sessionable; Shift salutes the shift in occasion, package and beer. So, go ahead and get your Shift beer, you’ve earned it! 
ABV – 5.0; IBU – 29; Calories – 160 (per can); Hops – Target, Nelson Sauvin, Liberty, Cascade; Malts – Pale, Munich, C-80; OG – 14.3; TG – 2.3
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A present from my friend Carlos Garcia along with the New Belgium Chalice. If you are reading this my friend, thank you so much for the gift. I have not tried this beer before. I like New Belgium beers but for some reason I had skipped this one for a while. Nowhere to run now. Well, according to the description it is definitely for the end-of-shift beer to drink as a treat from all the stresses of a hard days job. Let’s check it out.

Aromas are hoppy, malty and biscuity. Grassy and floral hops, citrus, biscuit bread, honey, guava notes, cereal, crackers and peach notes

The flavors are pretty malty as well with hoppy bitternesss in the back. Grassy and piney hops, honey, rich biscuit bread, peach and pineapple notes, cereal grains and a guava hint

The aftertaste is close to dry but still leaves a nice biscuity residue with light hop bitterness. Refreshing and easy to drink. 

Overall this is pretty good. Quite the surprising little beer from New Belgium. I would drink this 100 times over Budweiser. I like how it falls into that malty pale ale category but is brewed with lager yeast so it is not an ale per say. Definitely surprising stuff and quite the enjoyable stuff. It is also not as hoppy as a pale ale or IPA so they got you covered there. Definitely an after work beer. Take a break from pushing papers.

Forgotten Island by Cigar City brewing

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1374901_10101457321912170_1203501524_nRating: 6/5

Forgotten Island by Cigar City brewing is a 15% ABV Belgian Quadruple aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels

Label: 
This dark complex style of ale originated in the Trappist monasteries of Belgium. It was sipped by monks during fasting and winter months. Forgotten Island adds a tropical twist via aging in Jamaican rum barrels. The barrel lends notes of vanilla, molasses, orange peel, cocoa, brown sugar, nutmeg, hazelnut, apricot and peach. This plethora of flavors and aromas from the rum barrel intermingles with banana, clove, cinnamon,fig, plum and brown sugar aromatics and flavors from the quadruple, creating a contemplative ale perfect for introspective moments far from the cares of the world beyond. 
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Released exclusively for the Cigar City Catador club. A hard to get beer unless you know some one who is in the club or can trade/buy from someone online. This is the first time I try a rum barrel aged quad. I have tried a good number of Bourbon barrel ones but never a rum one. Good luck in getting this one

Aromas are very sweet. Velvety dark fruits, currants, plums, raisins, chocolate notes, dulce de leche caramel, figs, raisin bread pudding, oak, rum, rich coconut, vanilla, pecans, bananas, cloves, cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, blackberry marmalade, brown sugar, cinnamon, hazelnut, oranges, apricot, peach, piña colada, tropical fruits like papaya, melon, dragon fruit and other fruit and spices

The flavors are freaking amazing! This would be a great response to the Bruery’s Cacaonut, except it is rum and quad and has more dark fruits than Cacaonut. Yet each is freaking amazing and I can tell you this beer has already exceeded my expectations once again. Rich plums, rich curtants, figs, cotton candy, raisin bread pudding, pecans, peaches and cream, apricot, boysenberry marmalade, toasted coconut, oranges, dragon fruit, melon, papaya, piña colada, nutmeg, hazelnut, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, blackberries, bananas, clove spice, cherries, molasses and other complex flavors. Diabetes in a bottle!

The aftertaste leaves with very nice caramel, dark fruit and tropical fruit flavors with oak rum and spices lingering. Good Luck finding the alcohol. Even at 15% ABV, it is one dangerously smooth and tempting Siren. Does not drink like a 15% ABV, holy crap. Take it easy with this one. Even if you want more, save some for later and share.

Overall, it is exceptionally wonderful and delicious. Think of a Quad that is tropical with rum flavors, coconut and piña colada. Let me put this in comparison with Cacaonut from the Bruery. Cacaonut from the Bruery is liquid Almond Joy with tropical fruits. This is a Dark Fruit Coconut Rum Piña Colada raisin bread pudding. Combining the fact that it is barrel aged, chocolate, quad and exotic is what make this one qualify for the top score which I give to either my best favorite beers or beers that have met the eligibility to be my favorites, even if rare. If I could, I would probably drink this everyday. That would be good, but would not be good for me, but would definitely be good. Cigar City is definitely the East Coast’s Bruery. As far as recommendation, HELL YES!! If you happen to find this parable paradise of an ale, set sail!! You will not regret this one.

Trickster by Midnight Sun Brewing

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1378043_10101456510238770_808445350_n 1380009_10101456509595060_1522225064_n 1391845_10101456510333580_1177106462_nRating: 4.23/5

Trickster by Midnight Sun Brewing is a 7% ABV Belgian Ale brewed with Pumpkins and Spices

Label: 
OK, what do you get when we toss pale malted barley, pumpkin and spices into a stainless steel cauldron then stir in some magic? Trickster! 

The “magic” is actually mischievous Belgian yeast at play. This spooky cool brew will make your glass glow bright despite the gloominess of the season. So… U wanna fool around?
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Trick or Treat? Which one is the better beer? The Belgian Pumpkin or the Pumpkin stout? Never heard of a second pumpkin release from Midnight Sun, especially a pumpkin beer made with Belgian yeast. This I definitely had to try. 

Aromas are a lot like Tripel, peach, candy sugars, plums, herbal notes, floral notes, biscuit bread, dulce de leche caramel, cloves and pepper. It also has some of the nice pumpkin notes in there, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger bread, all spice, rye and barley

The flavors are definitely along the lines of a Tripel but with pumpkin and spices. Pumpkin, rich peppercorns, rye bread, caramel, apricot, plum, cinnamon, apples, pear, clove spice, coriander, nutmeg and ginger bread

Aftertaste is malty, spicy, earthy, peppery and sweet. A moderate sipping beer. Balance is average to below average.

Overall it is a pretty good beer but not at being a pumpkin beer. This seems to do well in the beginning but the balance of pumpkin and Tripel only work for a short period of time. It leans more towards a tripel than anything and the pumpkin fades. Better than other pumpkin beers but still not a pumpkin beer and the flavors only for for an instant and fade into something else. I would recommend giving this a try once as it works as a Belgian Tripel a little better than pumpkin. Although it does get better as it warms up. I liked Midnight Sun over this one, so much that I had it twice. This one should be a one timer though just to say you had a Belgian Pumpkin beer.

Duck-Duck-Gooze edition 2013 by The Lost Abbey

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1000496_10101456505613040_1491869114_n 1375226_10101456505707850_1816375210_n 1385557_10101456505702860_534572643_n 1376508_10101456505637990_319582315_nRating: 5/5

Duck-Duck-Gooze by The Lost Abbey is a 7% ABV World Class American Wild Ale

Label: 
There’s an art to corralling a bunch of ducklings A nip to turn Suzy this way or a nudge to launch little Johnny towards the water and suddenly they are all lined up ready to follow along. Or are they? This isn’t something they teach you at Mother Gooze School. You see, there always seems to be that one duckling (or two) who has an agenda all their own. At that point, all bets are of. Then mama goose loses control and her inner Devil comes out. 

Blending Oak Barrels can be a lot like corralling little ducklings. Each barrel has its own personality. Some, like good little ducklings, get in line from the very beginning. Others are quite more problematic and need more nurturing. Duck Duck Gooze is made from all sorts of barrels. Some were great from the beginning while others needed more attention. Duck Duck Gooze was three years in the making. We hope you find it worth the wait
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Only released exclusively at the Lost Abbey every 3 years since 2009, this beer ha made a return this year. Last year They could not do it as they had to make way for the Ultimate Box set which was released in 2012. This beer will be slated to release in 2016 again. The beer is made with 3 sets of barrels each aging 1, 2 and 3 years apart and then blended together. I was only lucky enough to get a single bottle eligible for review here at the site. Being probably the best sour ale ever released, I will do my best to review in as much detail as my ability will allow. 

Aromas are very citrusy, lemon, lime, biscuit bread, funky bitter grapes, oak, peach, pears, hints of dragon fruit, earthy must, barnyard hay, floral notes, chamomile and roses

The flavors are musty, and citrusy but some very nice sweetness and oakiness lurks. Lemon, oranges, roses, hay, biscuit bread, chamomile, sour apple, apricot, sour lemon candy, teguacan (Mexican Lime and seltzer water with spices), pineapple, musty grapes and spices.

The aftertaste leaves like lemon on a sour fruit with oak. Basically, it leaves sour but then fades into like a fruity and hay finish. Clear body, but you definitely have to take your time with it

Overall this is puckeringly Awesome. It starts off sour but as you go on and it warms up, it gets good giving some really nice fruity, citrusy and oaky taste. You really have to enjoy sours to like this one, otherwise this beer may not be for you. I think this is one of the reasons it was made this way. Having an open taste to sour helps finding good flavors in them. Jolly Pumpkin helped out for many years to find it. The good thing is that this one is more tart than pure sour. Clearly some sours may be pure vinegar taste but some beers when done very well, are exceptionally awesome, like this one.

Heirloom Pumpkin Barleywine by Almanac Brewing

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IMAG5181Rating: 5.4/5

Heirloom Pumpkin Barleywine by Almanac Brewing is a 12% ABV Barleywine brewed 50% with pumpkins aged in Brandy Barrels and 50% brewed with spices.

Label: 
This is a beer made with real pumpkins. We hand-roasted over 500lbs of heirloom pumpkins from La Tercera Farms in Bodega Bay. The caramelized gourds were then added to our velvety American Barleywine and aged in brandy barrels for a year. Finally, we blended the barrel-aged beer with freshly brewed ale and added a delicate hint of pumpkin pie spices to round out this decadent autumn sipper.
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Another fine pick up from Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights. This came out recently but it may not last long. This is quite the conundrum of a beer. I have had pumpkin ale hybrids, like pumpkin porters, stouts, barrel aged pumpkin beers and even a pumpkin lambic. Never, have I seen a pumpkin barley wine. The should make this in a 22oz bottle instead. Oh well.

Aromas are of pumpkin in a lot of rye bread, candied sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, toffee, pumpkin pie, brandy, toasted barley, ginger bread, caramel, banana, cloves, oak, apricot, coriander, orange, honey, molasses and oatmeal. It smells very good. Almost like the Surly Seviin.

Flavors are of pumpkin, pumpkin flesh, pumpkin seeds, ginger, brandy, candied sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, toffee, pumpkin pie, rye bread, toasted barley, banana, phenol yeast, cloves, ginger bread, coriander, Candied oranges, dried apricots, oak, oatmeal, maple, pecans, molasses, sweet yams, apples, apple pie, brown sugar, pecan pie and Tamed Bastard (Arrogant Bastard with Apple Cider)

Aftertaste is of rye bread, caramel, maple, pumpkin pie and pecans. A sipping bear with the alcohol present but not too crazy harsh.

Overall, it was definitely an unexpectedly very delicious beer. It is definitely like if they took Seviin and brewed it with pumpkins. Freaking delicious rye, caramel, brandy, spicy pumpkin tasting beer. A definite second place to Rumpkin so far this year. While I do believe the barrel aging or hybridism of the styles with pumpkin may outclass the average pumpkin beer, let us not forget, the reason they are higher than the average pumpkin beer is because of that help. If we take a look at regular pumpkin beers, I still think, Good Gourd, La Parcela, Smashed Pumpkins and Pumpkins are still the winners of originality. Anyways, this incredibly delicious Pumpkin Barleywine is a must get an a very delicious one at that.

Udder Love by Beachwood Brewing

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1374718_10101453180676240_512568738_n 1385761_10101453180132330_529720014_nRating: 4.45/5

Udder Love by Beachwood Brewing is a 5.9% ABV Milk/Sweet Stout

Label: 
Udder Love is a traditional milk stout that’s packed with rich flavors. We begin with British Maris Otter malt for a toasty foundation, then layer on three different types of British roasted malts for coffee and bittersweet chocolate flavors. The beer is finished with milk sugar from the heart of America’s dairyland, Wisconsin, adding a silky mouthfeel. Enjoy this smooth and luscious milk stout and fall utterly in love.
DRINK FRESH!
Do not Age!
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Always an honor and a pleasure to support my local brewery community. This one comes from Long Beach California which is actually close to where I live. A couple of suburbs north though. The first time I visited the brewery, they still had not bottled yet. I have tried several selections of theirs from the source directly like System of a Stout, Full Metal Wee Heavy and Tart Simpson. They have several other awesome ones but this one was one that when released, it really caught my attention. I love sweet stouts, especially if they a very chocolate driven

Aromas are of milk, chocolate milk, sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, espresso, coffee, mocha, creamy vanilla and hazelnut.

The flavors are of coffee roast, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, mocha, vanilla cream, hints of strawberry milk, hazelnut, lactose sugar and brown sugar

Aftertaste leaves a bit of milky sweetness with nice dark chocolate hints and roasted coffee notes. Moderately easy to drink

Overall, it is a rich and creamy and very delicious beer. I have had better ones with a lot more chocolate but this one is just as awesome and sweet. Great offering from Beachwood and an awesome first review here at my site. Definitely give this a shot.

Annual Barrel Series Batch No. 3 Rumpkin by Avery Brewing

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1395365_10101453179433730_175450723_nRating: 5.75/5 *New title for an exceeding expectations pumpkin ale

Annual Barrel Series Batch No. 3 Rumpkin by Avery Brewing is an 18.53% ABV Imperial Pumpkin Ale brewed with pumpkin and spices aged in Rum Barrels. The strongest ABV pumpkin ale I have tried.

Label: 
We wondered what would happen if a monstrous pumpkin ale, plump full of spicy gourdiness, were aged in fine fresh rum barrels to add suggestions of delicate oak and candied molasses. Rumpkin is what happened!
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A limited released that can be found online now or in some limited places. I found this at Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights California, but hell if I know if they have anymore. May or may not be the best pumpkin beer ever surpassing all the awesome barrel aged beers I have ever tried, all I know though is this one is Strong!! When beer starts to get into the 18% ABV or hell even past 13% ABV which is like the point of no return, then trying the beer alittle bit at a time to savor it is when it matters. This beer has no carbonation, nada!!

Aromas upon opening this one, there some very nice fragrances of pumpkin, ginger bread, bananas, cloves, cinnamon, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cinnamon, coconut notes, macaroons, rum, pumpkin seeds, nutmeg, sweet yams in maple, piloncillo sugar cone, waffle cone in coconut icecream, molasses, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, bourbon notes, brown sugar and some dark fruits. The aromas are rich as in I don’t have to look super hard to guess an aroma. This is very good.

Flavors are very rich like the aromas. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin flesh and yams in cinnamon and maple, pecan pie, rum, ginger bread, old bananas, cloves, cinnamon, coconut cream pie, flan, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak, waffle cone, chocolate notes, raisins, plums, pineapple, cherries, coconut icecream, pumpkin pie ice cream and other spices

Aftertaste stays consistent with the pumpkin, caramel, brown sugar, banana, pecan pie and rum. The alcohol has a major presence here. Not detracting from the already super complex awesomeness but it definitely is meant to be sipped, and enjoyed a little at a time.

Overall, this is probably one of the best, if not, the best pumpkin beer I have ever had. It has pretty much everything all the best pumpkin beers I have ever had have. Everything from the nose to taste is very consistent. The only thing about this one though, it is a major kicker. It warms you up like no other. I have had many 18% ABV caliber beers and even some don’t manage to warm you up this good. Not at all in a harsh way, but in a very very pleasant way. This is the type of pumpkin beer you would best enjoy right at the end of the fall nearing the winter when it starts to get a lot colder. If you can still find it, I would recommend you get this but if you cannot get it, there are other super awesome pumpkin beers out there. All it takes is a look

Life is Like… collaboration by Cigar City and Mikkeller

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1385491_10101445792577050_719922253_n 1377590_10101445792557090_145495964_n 1381631_10101445792696810_661862072_nRating: 6+/5 *My new second most favorite chocolate flavored beer ever. Why be limited 😦 ????

Life is Like… collaboration by Cigar City and Mikkeller is a 15% ABV Imperial Milk / Sweet Stout brewed with cherries & cacao nibs & aged in bourbon barrels

Label: 
An imperial sweet stout brewed with cherries and cacao nibs, which is then aged in bourbon barrels. This beer is brewed in collaboration with Mikkeller our generous friend from Copenhagen, Denmark. What you have here is a modest attempt to emulate the experience of biting into a chocolate-covered cherry candy. We hope you enjoy it but you never know what you’re gonna get.
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Released exclusively at the Cigar City Brewing tap room, this one had become a quickly coveted beer. I was only able to grab a bottle by pure luck as now a days you either have to get them through trading or online sites that cater to rare beers. If you somehow stumble upon this treasure, the choice to drink now or save for later will be completely up to you. I have taken the brevity to do a review now but check several years later and see if the brew has completely changed into something, possibly extraordinary.

Aromas of this is exactly what I had expected and more!! Cordial Cherries, Chocolate covered cherry notes, vanilla dulce de leche caramel, milk chocolate, cherry rye bread, flan, bourbon, hazelnut, dark cherry notes, roasted coffee, Kahlua, mocha, banana, cloves and cake

The flavors are basically, Chocolate Rain brewed with cherries. The flavors are very awesome, on point and rich. Lots of rich cherries in the taste, Cordial Chocolate-covered cherries, raspberries, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Kahlua, bourbon, mocha, banana notes, hazel nut, vanilla, cherry flan, dulce de leche caramel, cherry rye bread, dark fruits like raisins, figs, blueberry and raspberry jam notes, cherry skin and rich cherry cake

The aftertaste leaves like a combination of chocolate, cherry and vanilla syrup with some very nice bourbon notes. The alcohol is mildly present and really almost hidden. A very syrupy sipper. Almost like drinking liquid gourmet Cordial Chocolate cherries. As the beer warms up, more cherries start to come out. Give it some time and enjoy

Overall, just plug it into my veins!! Freaking awesomely delicious Chocolate Rain, basically with real cherries. Cigar City is The Bruery of the east coast for me. Now you add the awesome gypsy Mikkeller into the mash and you have a beer that is so rich and sweet, it really does make me wonder if the meaning of Life is like… enjoying it and making the best of it. A symbolic representation of life is most likely represented in this bottle or anything you love. Either that or this is Diabetes in a bottle (Willford Brimly voice). And in several years, if you are alive to enjoy it, take it and share it with the lucky ones. You most important ones because they are what make life worth living. This is true to what they say it is. To me, this is actually better than the than the Cherry Rye Bourbon County in the chocolate and cherry department.

Suede collaboration between 10 Barrel, Stone and Blue Jacket Breweries

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1381783_10101447276428400_669711275_n 1380276_10101447276488280_1337927881_n 1383718_10101447276558140_1166499879_nRating: 4.5/5

Suede collaboration between 10 Barrel, Stone and Blue Jacket Breweries is a 9.6% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Calendula Flowers, Jasmine and Honey

Label: 
Due to our participation in at least a half a dozen collaborations each year, one might perceive Stone as the craft beer equivalent of a bee flitting indiscriminately from one brewery to the next, all the while drawing precious nectar-the expertise and creativity of those institution’ brewmasters. Another buzzy operation that gets the same rap is Bluejacket, a new, Washington, D.C.-based operation headed by industry veteran and constant collaborator Megan O’Leary Parisi. But make no mistake, Stone and Bluejacket are intensely selective about the contemporaries we invite into our brewhouses. We look for the same high level of passion and daringness to flip a beer style on its head that we employ on a baily basis. So, when Parisi and Stone brewmaster Mitch Steele decided to collaborate, it was essential that they tap a special individual to complete their triad of fermentation domination, and they found just that in Tonya Cornett, the brewmaster at Bend, Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing Company. Together, they decided on a sturdy yet velvety base of imperial porter and developed a plan to celebrate the bounty of the environs in which it was produced by harvesting avocado honey, jasmine and calendula flowers (some from our very own Stone Farms)and infusing them into the beer to create something complex and uniquely Southern Californian. Consider it craft cross-pollination at its finest.

“Suede evokes thoughts of richness, color and, most of all, a soft, seductive texture-everything we wanted for this beer.”
Tonya Cornett//Brewmaster, 10 Barrel Brewing Company

“There’s always something to learn from someone and vice versa. You can talk about brewing all the time, but it’s not until brewers put their heads together that they really learn how the other thinks.”
Megan O’Leary Parisi//Brewmaster, Bluejacket

“I normally don’t think of brewing imperial porters outside of the winter season, but the addition of local honey and jasmine will make this beer an all-season wonder.”
Mitch Steele//Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
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Recently released and soon to hit all Stone Brewery markets, this is the latest collaboration beer release from Stone brewing. This years releases have beer some of the best. Coffee IPA and Wheaton Woot Stout being some of best ever. Let us check this one out and see how it goes. Looking at the ingredients, this one will probably be another porter, or something completely different.

Aromas are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, black and blue berries, honey, vanilla, caramel, flowery notes, molasses, jasmine, perfume and anise

Flavors are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, blueberries, blackberries, grape preserves, honey, flowers, raisins, plum notes, vanilla, molasses, earthy hops, espresso, marshmallows, mocha, caramel, chocolate cake with raisins and pecans

The aftertaste is of bitter espresso, dark chocolate, berries and and some earthy flowery notes. The mouthfeel is silky. Little alcohol presence but definitely a sipper

Overall it a very good beer. Lots of sweetness but also decent bitterness. Although the bitterness started to leave as the beer got warmer. This made the beer super pleasant. It was very enjoyable after I let it warm up. Definitely recommend this one and definitely take your time with it.

Saison Blanc by The Lost Abbey

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1391713_10101447275899460_1663932238_nRating: 4.25/5

Saison Blanc by The Lost Abbey is a 5.5% ABV American Farmhouse Ale/ Saison brewed with Golden raisins and white pepper

Label: 
It’s honest brutal work out there in the fields. There’s no shade between you and the land needing to be farmed. Harvest time brings longer days spent toiling under the fiery sun as sweat and dust bake mud cakes on your face. All day every day, it’s always the same. Been that way for years and it’s not changing anytime soon.

Your family has been turning this soil since your daddy was knee high to the grasshoppers and your son will soon learn the important of this earthen existence as well. Someday, he’ll pass your work ethic on to his son. And the pulse of this land will continue beating. Without families and farms there would be no crops. Without barley, there would be no beer. Neither is a world we want to live in. So as you CAREFULLY pop this cork, please pause to reflect on those who reap what they sow enabling us to have amazing bottles of beer at the end of each day…
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Picked this one up at Ramirez Liquors. A Lost Abbey beer doesn’t go by that I don’t review. Unless it is a super exclusive box set that offsets you a grand just to get. While that idea was awesome I would have loved to review the box set, I will leave that story for another day. Anyways, they are known for awesome raisins they use to make their beers, like judgment day ale for example. This offering is made with Golden Raisins and white pepper, so it should be good I hope.

Aromas start with the nice floral, spice and fruity notes. Definitely sweet golden raisins, white grapes, peach, pear, apples, biscuit bread, pepper corns, champagne, white wine, flowers, hibiscus, citrus, lime, grassy and piney hop notes.

The flavors are or golden grapes, banana, phenol, cloves, bread, grassy, floral and piney hop presence, white peppercorns, coriander spice, brettanomyces, green apples, apricot, white wine, flowers, hibiscus, waffle cone, Belgian sweet bread yeast and hay.

The aftertaste leaves like bready, buttery, hoppy with flowers and fruity sweetness. It is a full bodied beer even at 5.5%ABV. It is pretty refreshing but with moderate drinkability

Overvall, it was a very good beer with very good flavors. However, in terms of distinguishing itself from others I have tried in the past, well it doesn’t do it for me. Worth a try but even for the $5 price tag, you can definitely get yourself a different saison that may be just as awesome or even better. I am looking at Stillwater Artisanal. A great job none the less, it delivers a pretty awesome and solid offering of a saison but nothing too overwhelming or unexpected.

Happy 1st Brewerinanimelogs Anniversary!

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205379_10100698959765990_1738326347_nHappy 1st Brewerinanimelogs Anniversary!

 

Today I celebrate the one year anniversary of my blog which started going public last year October 17th, 2012. Back then, I posted my first review here (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/black-xantus-imperial-stout-by-nectar-alesfirestone-walker-2/ ).

 

A lot of people do not know but I started reviewing beers for friends in facebook in 2011. Hence the reason why when I first started the blog, I had decided to add all my previous Anime Pairings in this blog. I have to give major thanks to my friend, Flor (Celeste) Gonzalez who encouraged me to take my reviews and share them with the world. Right now, my friend is going through some difficult times as she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Please keep my friend in your prayers. Flor if you are reading this, I definitely plan to bring you some nice beers my friend.

 

I also wanted to give a little back story as to when I truly started doing reviews and when my love for Craft Beer all began.  In 2010, after my mom had passed, I was a very active person. Exercising and doing personal competitions with my friend Sal. I still do my exercise but I definitely do it on a self motivating terms. After jogging our first 5k run, we decided to get together with my friend Jorge and Carlos. We had visited the Bevmo liquor store which had many craft beers. Keep in mind, I had already had a thing for craft beer label art since my first introduction to the Lost Abbey ales when I visited my friend Adrian in West Covina California. So this gave me a chance to basically, try something off and different. Even more different than 2002 when my friends introduced me to New Belgium’s Fat Tire.

 

Anyways, so we tried the beers and they were very strong. I remember back then I got the Lost Abbey Serpent’s Stout for everyone to try. My friend Natalie said, this was so thick, making a religious joke saying, like the blood of Christ. I had spent a lot of time looking at different labels. Beer labels and other beer things to the point where I wanted to get some of those beers to try myself.

 

While my tasting was very limited and I wanted beers based on labels, it wasn’t until 2011 when my friends Jose, Johan and I formed Beer Tuesday meetings to try different  beers. I had a collection of beer labels at the time but we also started to add our findings on Facebook posts, or atleast I did. I had spent a long time trying to gather beer information to see which beers were good and which would fit the meetings. Bevmo was my friend. At some point, my friend Jose a.ka Chino got married that year and moved away with his wife. Johan had also lived far away and started to do his own thing. Jorge got a house, Carlos had his house with his wife, Jorge’s sister Lissette, and Sal had moved into an apartment with his girl Marisella around October 2011. I was pretty much stuck in the hobby by myself. My passion for beer and labels grew greater.

 

At this point I decided to find my own beers and do my own reviews as I had seen many people were doing them. I started doing a lot of research on beer tasted and findings. At some point, my hobby had shifted from basic beer label collection to beer tastes. It wasn’t until sometime in October 2011 when I took a picture of Black Xantus. Keeping in mind, Black Xantus and Lost Abbey were some of the very first craft beers that I enjoy and to this day are always in my top 10, that I decided to take a picture and do a special review. Unfortunately the picture is not in this blog but I will post it here because it meant something. It meant the beginning of the Brewerianimelogs.

 388841_10100332372030750_1853120287_n

I used to take pictures of beers and did small reviews here and there for my friends, trying to introduce something they had never seen or something they would like to try. One time I had grabbed a picture with an anime picture in the background from my Television set. I had looked at the picture and stopped. Listening to my father’s “Recuerdos, Mexican Oldies” Something hit me. Something hit me to take my favorite hobbies which is anime and video games and pair them together. My first work was not great. However, I kept taking pictures and writing. Pairing my favorite anime characters, and even trying to relate them to the beer. I felt like I struck an artist gold mine. I started to call it, “Brewerina Artisan Logs” on facebook albums. It was basically, Breweriana as in collecting beer paraphernalia, Artisan, in artistic ways and logs, writing about them. I had done many pics and reviews on facebook and I kept it personal really. It wasn’t until my friend Flor, which had mentioned earlier, encouraged me to do a blog. An actual site, on wordpress to share my idea with the world. On that faithful day on the 17th of October 2012, I added my first post. I started adding the many “Anime and beer” related posts I could think of that I had on face book and put them here as well as  newer ones. Before long, I had the website going. I noticed many people started to like the posts. Many people started to see the artwork and see how it related with each other. Brewerianimelogs, the collection of beer and anime artwork pairings and reviews had begun!!!

 

Today, I still keep adding more and more beers as I can. I have even started visiting different breweries with my friends Alex Alcaraz, Richard and his wife Megan, Jose (a.k.a Chino), his wife Cynthia and his brother Juan, Jorge and his girl Emily, both Julio and his girlfriend Janette, Oscar, Alex Bahamaca, Hugo and papa Rick as well as tried many beers with everybody. To this day however, the only thing I have to admit that is holding this idea back is the fact that the artwork is not mine. I have no ownership to any artwork but my own written reviews. I make not money nor am I sponsored by any one. I have a very strong passion for this idea which may one day bring people that love beer and anime together. I will take no credit over the art, just the idea and the written work. As you have seen with many of my posts, there is no modification to the original artwork and is simply used in a creative way. What I do hope in the future though, is possible using my written work to launch something different. Possibly a Youtube channel on beer and if I do decided to add artwork, it will be with original artists consent. Regardless of what happens, I will continue to do this blog because it has become a great hobby and a great passion of mine. To all that have managed to read this far, please like my post and to you fellow craft beer fan, Thank you for reading and thank you for loving this little anime and beer website!!

 

Cheers to All and Cheers to another year of Brewerianimelogs!!

 

Flor’s Blog: http://theliterarypinup.wordpress.com/

Artwork Source: http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2008-09-20-116009.jpeg

Isabelle Proximus (Allaverdogportrush) collaboration between Allagash, Avery, Dogfish Head, Port Brewing’s The Lost Abbey and Russian River Breweries

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1383150_10101445803435290_828107755_n 316047_10100288110635940_826948610_n 393050_10100312481960610_850996889_nIsabelle Proximus (Allaverdogportrush) collaboration between Allagash, Avery, Dogfish Head, Port Brewing’s The Lost Abbey and Russian River Breweries is a 7% ABV American Wild Ale. This beers is retired and no longer brewed. This information is from an old review. It is merely a reminiscent of a time when 5 brewers did a large collaboration.

Description:
AKA Belle Proximus, a collaborative effort between Tomme Arthur, Vinnie Cilurzo, Lorenzo Dabove, Rob Tod, Adam Avery and Sam Calagione. 

Label: 
In March of 2006 five guys-Adam Avery, Vinnie Cilurzo, Rob Todd, Tomme Arthur accompanied Sam Calagione and Lorenzo Dabove The Prince of Pajottenland through a tour a tour of Belgium’s finiest Gueze producers. Many of the mysteries of Lambic production were answered along the way. They vowed to return to the states to brew a sour beer celebrating their experiences. In November of 2006 the reunited at Port Brewing to brew Isabelle Proximus. 

In this bottle, you’ll find the answers to many of the questions that were first posed along their journey near the river Senne. However, like the mysteries of lambic beers, there remains one lingering question that was left unresolved. we hope like us, the next time you’re on a pilgrimage to Brussels you’ll drop by the Empire Club and let us know whether you prefer Green or Orange….
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As a toast to the Anniversary of my blog, I take a step back and show you an old review. Back then I never had the idea of anime and beer pairings as I do now. However, I found a picture that I think would have fit perfectly with that beer from yore. Not to mention the fact, that I may have give this one a high rating as well since this beer was made with a great collaboration effort of 5 breweries. It was one awesome beer, it was drunk at its best aging state as any longer and it would have gone bad. But here it is for your reading pleasure, my review of the Isabelle Proximus.

2011 Review:
How prestigious the occasion to try a beer such as this. I never thought it be possible. A retired beer that is extremely hard to find. Where do I begin to describe this world class oddity of beerdom. The Isabelle Proximus Wild Ale is a massive collaboration of Allaverdogportrush (better known as Allagash, Avery, Dogfish Head, Port Brewing’s Lost Abbey and Russian River Breweries….wooh thats a lot. Put it simply, this beer came out in like 2006 and was only meant to age for some time. In fact it was recommended that this be consumed by this year to get the best freshness out of it. Since I will be taking a vacation soon on beer tasting to focus working out better and eating better, I decided to celebrate my new routine with this cellar treasure. Hey you only live once, so here’s to a long life and to the memories of trying awesome beers. I will be back soon, but what I will do is beer taste in moderation as well. A hobby break but not forgotten….love this hobby …Anyways…about the beer itself. This beer is made with Wild yeast. If you read any of my other postings, wild yeast is used to make these delicious beers have a more sour, winey, like flavor which compliments its already existing ingredients such as malts and hops and other awesome things. Like the Jolly Pumpkin ales . This beer however is a little more special an magical. The balance comes from tart, refreshing and citrus taste. There is some malty sweetness (Dogfish Head) to compliment and some slight bitterness (possibly from Avery or Allagash) as well as the bready goodness (Port and Russian). Story goes that owners of the breweries took a trip to Brussels in Belgium to answer the mysteries of Lambic brews. And so in this bottle that’s what is is. Truly one of the best and most collaborated brews I have ever had and a great way to try my new routine…CHEERS GUYS !!!!!

Pumpkin Ale by Bootlegger’s Brewery

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1377274_10101445794632930_1687386444_nRating: 4.5/5

Pumpkin Ale by Bootlegger’s Brewery is a 6.1% ABV Pumpkin ale brewed with Spices & Molasses

Label: 
Bootlegger’s Pumpkin Ale is our Fall Seasonal release. We combine cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, brown sugar, and real pumpkin to create this special beer. A Beer that reminds us of coming home to family and getting the fresh pumpkin pies out of the over. A perfect beer to sit back and relax with while watching the leaves change color in the fall
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Bootlegger’s brewery in Fullerton California has been an up and coming favorite of mine. Right next door to The Bruery, they have been releasing some very nice and incredible beers. As with all pumpkin beers, I had to get theirs to give it a run and review for this is the time of the fall and time for some good pumpkin beers. There have been many pumpkin beers reigning champions in their own unique ways for me. Let us see how this one ranks

Aromas are of pumpkin, apples, plums peach, cinnamon, nutmeg, piloncillo (Mexican sugar cone), pumpkin pie, maple, ginger bread, sweet potatoes, brown sugar and yams

Flavors are of pumpkin, sweet potato pie, maple, apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, pilloncillo, pumpkin flesh, molasses, caramel, rye bread, vanilla, anise, mint, clove spice, apples and apricot

Aftertaste is like sweet potatoes, cinnamon, pumpkin flesh, pumpkin seeds and nutmeg. Easy to moderate drinkability. Not too overwhelming and moderately refreshing. Good stuff

Overall, it is a very good beer. It may not be Pumpking or Smashed Pumpkins but it is definitely above average. No artificial pumpkin spice but true good ingredients. Definitely worth a try if you can find it. If you are able to find other good ones, so be it as well but if this is all you find you definitely cannot go wrong here.

Smokestack Series Bourbon Barrel Quad (BBQ) by Boulevard Brewing

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1379780_10101445795780630_1913651140_nRating: 5.35/5

Smokestack Series Bourbon Barrel Quad (BBQ) by Boulevard Brewing is an 11.8% ABV Belgian Quadrupel divided into 16% ale and 84% aged in bourbon barrels with cherries

Label: 
Based loosely on the Smokestack Series’ The Sixth Glass, this abbey-style quadrupel is separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time, some for up to three years. Cherries are added to make up for the “angel’s share” of beer lost during barrel aging. Selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor. The resulting beer retains only very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore.
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Limited release of this beer and I was able to find this one online on many of the supporters beerpulse.com has. I heard great things about this beer. Not only is it a quad, which is one of my favorite styles of beer, but also bourbon barrel aged. It is essentially the Sixth Glass in bourbon barrels with cherries

Aromas cherries, rich vanilla, bourbon, dulce de leche caramel, pecans, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, oak, wine grapes, port wine, good cheese and wine, flan, cinnamon, rye bread, earthiness, bananas, clove, funky notes and brandy

Flavors are of cherries, bourbon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, wine grapes, oak, dark fruits, raisins, figs, bananas, flan, brandy, good wine and cheese, cinnamon, brown sugar, candied sugar, dark cherries, pecan pie, walnuts and tart raspberry

Aftertaste is like a wine and fancy cheese glazed with dark fruit spread on rye bread. Oh yeah, and bourbon too. A definite sipper with alcohol presence but not present in the flavor.

Overall, the beer is freaking great. Fancy and delicious. It does not taste like BBQ but I am absolutely certain it sure pairs marvelously with a BBQ Chicken or Pork dinner. This is delicious as hell. Boulevard makes some awesome beers and I have only had the privilege to try few as they are from Colorado. Many will come soon. As far as this beer goes, it is definitely recommended. Yes it passes the extra credit course!!

Decadence 2013 Anniversary Lager by Alesmith

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1383115_10101443952504570_492062793_n 1374914_10101443950588410_605639162_n 1378691_10101443952828920_1707280061_nRating: 5/5

Decadence 2013 Anniversary Lager by Alesmith is a 10% ABV German Doppelbock Lager

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

Now in our eighteenth year, we bring you yet another addition to this legendary series. AleSmith Decadence 2013 is a classic German-style Doppelbock that follows the ancient brewing tradition of Bavarian monks. Originally called “Liquid Bread,” this style is characterized by a rich malt backbone that showcases notes of bread crusts and subtle hints of chocolate . A German lager yeast balances these flavors with a clean, full-bodied finish. Drink this meal in a glass now or cellar it for years to come.
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Another glorious year for Alesmith and their over the top great ales. Cheers to you guys!! There has not been any review that I have had from them that has been bad. Everything I have had so far is either great or exceptionally exceeding expectations. Now to their 18th anniversary they release the German Doppelbock. A style of dark German beer which already, I have yet to get a bad review from. This style is simply remarkable. Now made by Alesmith? Well, we shall see

Aromas to start give a very nice toffee, caramel, biscuit, dark fruit raisins, banana, clove spice, figs, earthy notes, chocolate, rye bread, blackberry marmalade hints and hazelnut.

The flavors are very rich in toffee, dark raisins, cherries, plums, dulce de leche caramel, dates, figs, bananas, clove spice, rye bread, hazelnut, chocolate notes, boysenberry marmalade, cinnamon, gingerbread, fruit cake, apricots, earthy bitterness, pecans, grapes, anise and molasses.

The aftertaste is fruity, nutty and minor spicy. Almost like trail mix in a bottle, without the salt. Where is the Alcohol? Wow this is drinkable for a 10% ABV. Holy shit smooth!!

Overall I was very impressed. This is a great beer. It is very close to the quadruple beer style. It’s supposed to be made as a lager but in the German style. This is very befitting of the season, you know, Oktoberfest and the Fall and what not. People have to get this, it is a must try. Especially since it taste like trail mix!. If I would drink this at Oktoberfest, I would definitely need to carried home as I would not be able to taste the alcohol and this would cause me to get drunk quick. I am still waiting to taste the alcohol and well, feel it, but I know it will creep up very soon here.

Proprietor’s Reserve Series No. 001 Velvet Merkin by Firestone Walker

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994600_10101439809452280_289346014_n 1383987_10101439809497190_924111021_nRating: 5.2/5

Proprietor’s Reserve Series No. 001 Velvet Merkin by Firestone Walker is a 8.6% ABV World Class Oatmeal Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label: 
Velvet Merkin is the beer that almost wasn’t; at least in name… After all, it’s not your style to conceive monikers that are confounding scandalous or comical. But in this instance, we inadvertently achieved all three of these things with “Velvet Merkin.” And so the name went off the grid for several years, but now it’s back due to popular demand. If we get asked we’ll say it’s all your fault.

Once in the glass, however, Velvet Merkin is dead serious – The 2013 vintage outpaces its predecessors. Aged for a gull year in seasoned Bourbon Barrels, this decadent oatmeal stout holds your nose hostage with chocolate and vanilla-bourbon aromas. Rich flavors of dark chocolate truffle, Bourbon and espresso ultimately yield a beer that is dangerously smooth and increadibly drinkable. 

Velvet Merkin is one-of-a-kind sipping stout that is built to last, and that will reward careful aging for years to come. Hoarding tendencies may occur. 
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One of the last bottles I was able to get at Ramirez Liquor stores in Boyle Heights California near down town Los Angeles, this is a coveted beer and a first time bottle release for Firestone Walker. There many stores online that are still carrying this and will ship it to you. Get this one before it is gone for good. While you wait, read this review and let me know what you think of the beer once you get a chance to try it.

Aromas are of oatmeal cookies, oreo cookies, dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, milk chocolate, marshmallows, vanilla, bourbon, graham crackers, caramel, mocha, espresso, roasted barley, oak, hazelnut and ferrero rocher chocolates

The flavors are awesome! Dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, oreo and oatmeal cookies, vanilla, caramel, bourbon, marshmallows, rocher chocolate notes, espresso coffee, oak, hazelnut, pecans, cookies and cream and coconut.

The aftertaste leaves with some flavors of vanilla, bourbon, oak, oatmeal, chocolate and. Hidden alcohol and the drinkability is easy to moderate but it goes down very smooth

Overall, this is an awesome beer exceeding a few points of expectation and note. If you love cookies and cream and oatmeal, you will like this one. Not to mention the fact that it is very smooth and close to easy drinking for an 8.5. An outstanding example that a beer need to be over the 10% ABV range to bring about some of the best flavors out there. Simply put, a must get and extraordinarily delicious. Release the Merkin unto thy palate for its magic, the bloodstream of the universe, will take you to some really sweet places.

Pumpkick by New Belgium

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546930_10101439808184820_403516156_nRating: 2.8/5

Pumpkick by New Belgium is a 6% ABV Pumpkin ale brewed with pumpkin juice, cranberry juice and spices

Label: 
What’s that bite of tartness doing in a pumpkin beer? Adding the unexpected kick of cranberry juice to brighten this traditionally spiced seasonal ale. PUMPKICK is brewed with plenty of pumpkin juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but it’s the cranberries and touch of lemongrass that send your tastebuds sailing.
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Pumpkick is a beer that was made as a rerelease of Lips of Faith Kick which I had a couple of years ago. Back then the beer was a collaboration with Elysian and possibly the recipe has changed a lot since the the last time I tried it. I will review and see if this pumpkin beer is as good as the Kick I used to remember

Aromas are of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, biscuit malts, caramel, hints of cranberries, cherry candy hints and a bit of brown sugar

The flavors are of pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, light cranberry notes, biscuit, caramel, brown sugar and pecan notes.

The aftertaste is pretty dry. Very refreshing and easy to drink.

Overall it is an okay beer. The original kick was way better from what I remember. That one actually had distinct flavors of pumpkin and cranberry which worked pretty well for it. New Blegium unfortunately no longer makes it. If this was their replacement, I think they need to kick it up a notch with more awesome flavors or just bring back kick!! Either way, it is not a bad beer for a 6 pack and it has good merit in its own way, especially for the season. Worth trying once but I would recommend getting a stronger pumpkin beer.

Cacaonut by The Bruery

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1377129_10101439803763680_855321709_n 1374855_10101439804107990_2042561779_n 1377960_10101439804058090_1123003662_n 1378644_10101439803988230_1993895123_nRating: 6/5*

Cacaonut by The Bruery is a 15.6% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Coconut, Vanilla Beans & Cacao Nibs and aged in Oak Barrels.

Label: 
Nuttin’ Better
A Unique blend of several of our barrel aged ales with toasted coconut, cacao nibs and vanilla beans. Cacaonut is bursting with flavors of spice, cocoa, rich toffee, and tropical notes. 

The unique blend was inspired by a favorite dessert of ours, the chocolate dipped coconut macaroon. Cacaonut is suitable for aging for up to three years. Best stored and cellared around 55F (13C) in a dark place.
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Secret recipe huh? Well, I did some research and found the blends may be White Oak Sap, Barrel Aged 5 Golden Rings and some of the Anniversary Ales. The Bruery has made some of the most exceedingly unexpected delicious barrel aged dessert beers I have ever tried. After trying several ones like Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Melange 3 and others, I was not expecting such beers to exceed my expectations this much. In fact, this is the reason I started to give greater than 5/5 ratings for beers that I feel truly deserve that “exceeding expectations” category. Not to mention the fact that anything that taste closest to chocolate is where I go bonkers over the beer. Just to be fair though, I will try to brake this complex monster as best I can. All I will say now before I start is this…. Almond Joy Chocolate while drinking blended tropical juices

Aromas are of rich milk chocolate, dark chocolate, super rich vanilla, rich coconut, dulce de leche caramel, sweetened condensed milk (Lechera), coconut milk, vanilla, bourbon, oak, flan, crème brulee, tootsie roll, almond joy chocolate, brown sugar, maple, dark fruits, plums, raisins, boozy sweet aromas, port wine, pecans, hazelnut and much more.

The Flavors are epic chocolate coconut bliss. I’m done!! That’s its. Just kidding. There a very distinct rich toasted coconut flavor coming from this. This is super close to what the had in mind of chocolate macaroons. Dark Chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, flan, bourbon, plums raisins, almond joy chocolate, toffee, brown sugar, pecans, hazelnut and walnuts. There are also tropical flavors here as well of hidden citrus, coriander, pineapple, caramelized mango, chocolate bananas, dragon fruit, dark cherries, blue berries and clove spice. 

The aftertaste is very toasty coconut milk, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon and almost like a Queso Fresco quezadilla toasted note taste. Pretty interesting but I really think it is the bready coconut in action here. A definite sipper, boozy but nothing to get in the way of ultimate complexity. 

*Overall, this one is exquisitely delicious and amazing. These are the beers I wish I could drink everyday. It is beers like these that defy what beers are and what beers truly be!! (At least the dessert ones). I am fanatic of chocolate beers and pairing the coconut here gives it some very complex flavors to the already complex barrel aged blend selection as I mentioned above. I apologize if this sounds too snobby, it is not my intention. But I would like for you to take this with a grain of salt and if you get a chance to try it (and you love coconut, chocolate and tropical fruits) you will most likely love it. Unless you do not like complexity and strength in beers then you best off with something lighter. Also, as with all “Diabetes in a bottle” beers, drink and enjoy in small amounts please!!

Yoko Littner For the Win!!

Lips of Faith series Yuzu by New Belgium

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1383393_10101439800495230_2109199200_nRating: 4.39/5

Lips of Faith series Yuzu by New Belgium is an 8% Berliner Weissebier brewed with Yuzu Juice

Label: 
Who zu Yuzu? It’s a friendly fruit with grapefruit-meets-orange flavor that got involved with the souring side of New Belgium in this bottle conditioned wheat beer. They got on well enough to make this imperial berliner weisse style ale a smooth, delightfully tart sipper with a dry finish. 
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The next release under the Lips of Faith line for New Belgium is Yuzu. I think I have ever had Yuzu before but it seems similar to an orange. Well, Ill give it a shot and see how it goes

Aromas are very citrusy. Orange, lemon, lime, biscuit bread, honey, coriander, wheat, tangerine, grapefruit, apricot, mango, melon and lemon candy

Flavors are of orange, sour lemon, biscuit bread, peppercorn notes, lime, honey, hints of funk and tart fruit, wheat bread, coriander spice, herbs, grapefruit, mango, lemon candy, tangerine, lemon peel, lemon grass, sour apple and sour dough.

The aftertaste leaves alittle dry but still carrying notes of the funky fruit, wheat, orange and lemon flavors. It is very refreshing and quite the easy to moderate drinkability. For being a clear beer, it almost feels like a Belgian Pale Ale.

Overall the beer is very good. This is some kind of Wheat, fruit, Belgian Pale and wild ale all put together. You get funky, tart and sour hints, tropical fruit and wheat notes.

Take the Black Stout collaboration by Game of Thrones and Ommegang

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1382812_10101435699803050_1709517878_n 1375745_10101435699798060_796599398_n 1381171_10101435699823010_1410032006_nRating: 4.5/5

Take the Black Stout collaboration by Game of Thrones and Ommegang is a 7% ABV Belgian Dark Ale brewed with licorice root and star anise.

Label:
A stout as dark at the winters that once engulfed Westeros, as robust as the men who swear their oaths at the weir wood tree. Chocolate and caramel sweetness are balanced by hop bitterness. Roasty, woodsy notes, and an earthy finish.

Pour slowly so as to not disturb the yeast sediment, but with enough vigor to create a luxurious head and release the rich bouquet.
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The second release of Game of Throne series of beers is one that is a Belgian Stout. One of my favorite styles. Ommegang decided to brew many of these so make sure to pick this one up before it is gone. Also, even if this could be a gimmick, similarly like the last beer, you can never go wrong with Ommegang beers.

Aromas are similar to a Black Ale, with fragrances of chocolate, licorice, chocolate, caramel, dark fruit, roasted malt, peppercorns, earthy hops, fudge brownie, incense, oak and brown sugar.

The flavors are of roasty and lightly smoked malts, dark chocolate, anise, mint, licorice notes, cola, dark fruit, raisins, plums, clove spice, caramel, earthy hops, pepper, oak, plums, espresso and mocha

The aftertaste is of sweet chocolate, earthy bitterness, dark fruit, and brownie notes. This is a full bodied beer so it is best enjoyed sipping. As it warms up, the beer becomes more balanced. Initially it was pretty roasty but as it warmed up, stuff started to fit together.

Overall this is a very good beer. If you watch the show this may be more enjoyable. I actually do not watch it, but I like good beers and this one is good stuff. Looking at the label with the tree, all dark, woodsy and deep roots in the earth, the flavors make a lot of sense. Might go with Lord of the Rings movies too, who knows. Belgian beer lovers and even those that don’t like licorice will like this one.

Artwork:
Mohshinobi: http://mohshinobi.deviantart.com/

Evil Dead Red by Alesmith Brewing

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1385216_10101434256680080_432426697_n 1379708_10101434256675090_1434306946_n 1384064_10101434256555330_501628676_nRating: 5.2/5

Evil Dead Red by Alesmith brewing is a 6.66%ABV Amber/Red Ale. First limited bottle release.

Label: 
Each Halloween we release this special concoction to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Deep blood-red in color an intense aroma of pine and citrus from an abundance of American Hops balances the sweetness and rich, bready flavors of this bee’s caramel malts. The result is a fiendishly smooth brew that will make your taste buds scream with delight.

This beer pairs Excellent with Toffee, Caramel, Apples or your favorite Horror flick.
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After a long wait, 3 years to be exact, Alesmith finally releases their coveted Evil Dead Red Ale. I remember as far back as 2010 when the clerk at the local BevMo told my friend that they sold this in bottles but were out of stock, I remember looking it up only to find that it was never in stock. This is because it was never bottled until 2013. I remember its cousin the “My Bloody Valentine” and this is supposed to be way better. Well let’s see.

Aromas are of rich orange, grapefruit, pineapple, biscuit bread, caramel, piney and grassy hops, cherries, toffee, kiwi, strawberry, cinnamon, herbs, spice notes, earthy hops,nutmeg and raspberry candy notes

The flavors are herbs, spices, basil, oregano, caramel, grapefruit, orange, pineapple, grapefruit, apricot, strawberries, mango, pecans, honey, biscuit bread, toasted wheat bread, peanuts, cinnamon notes, rye bread, raspberries, walnuts, vanilla, butterscotch, kiwi dragon fruit, coconut, pecans, vanilla and toffee 

The aftertaste is of caramel, herbal hops, citrus and nutty. The beer is perfectly balanced. Not to sweet not too bitter. Easy to moderate drinkability

Overall this is an awesome beer bringing forth some of the best flavors of what true ambers should be. Extremely delicious and extremely flavorful. Beeradvocate.com rates it 7th best in the world. In 2010, it used to be number one. Now that is is available more, it may turns those odds. This is very equivalent to the nugget nectar or pretty damn close to it.

Alaska’s Most Wanted Series: Berserker by Midnight Sun Brewing

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1377988_10101434254040370_1178468085_n 1385898_10101434255527390_442576642_nRating: 5.35/5

Alaska’s Most Wanted Series: Berserker by Midnight Sun Brewing is a 12.7% ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with maple syrup & molasses all aged in oak bourbon barrels

Label: 
Vicious and viscous, this menacing brew pours opaque black with a creamy maduro-colored head. Its aroma offers seductive whiskey, chewy red wine, dark fruit and lavish tobacco. Berserker Imperial Stout invades your taste buds with in-your-face flavor. Weighing in at almost 13% alcohol by volume, Berserker is completely out-of-control. Give it a good fight.
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This is the first time I try this very epic beer. I heard great things about this beer and long behold, Ramirez Liquor had this in stock for review. Depending as to how this turns out, I think I will grab another bottle although I doubt there will be anymore left. Regardless, if you are able to find this beer just get it.

Aromas are of strong dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, dark fruits, raisins, plums, strong with pecan and hazelnut notes, marshmallow, almonds, toasted coconut hints, flan, forward bourbon, rich caramel, toffee, maple syrup, oak, vanilla, molasses, licorice, anise, fudge cake and brownies

Flavors are of rich velvety maple syrup oak, bourbon, vanilla, dark chocolate, molasses, raisins, dark cherries, black berries, wine grapes, port wine, caramel, marshmallows, toasted coconut, roasted coffee notes, pecans, hazel nut, campfire oak and a banana notes.

The after taste leaves with a bit of bourbon, roasted notes, berry notes, maple sweetness and roasted coffee bitterness. Definite sipper and has a moderately boozy alcohol presence but does not detract from the flavors. In fact it seems to be what adds the extra complexity to this beer. Although the bitterness may also take a little bit from it.

Over this is pretty kick ass and awesome. This beer is lovely and syrupy focusing a lot on the bourbon, oak, maple and berry flavors but also focuses on roasted bitterness. It is not bad but some people that may want more sweetness or super duper complexity will be left wanting more as the bitterness may get in the way. I like bitterness on this though. It surely does not disappoint. It does exceed my expectation points and gets some extra credit, but not the chocolate level of supreme that I enjoy in these types of beers. Still a freaking great beer.

2013 Barrel Roll No. 1 Immelmann by Hangar 24

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1378233_10101428786197970_827203505_nRating: 5.75/5

2013 Barrel Roll No. 1 Immelmann by Hangar 24 is a 11.4% ABV Imperial Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label: 
IMMELMANN: An ascending half loop followed by a half roll resulting in level flight in the opposite direction at a higher altitude

Just as it takes consummate skill to perform the Immelmann maneuver in the air, it takes the choicest ingredients, patience and consummate skill to bring you our IMMELMANN, a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter. This hand crafted beer is brewed with 2-Row, Munich, Cara-Munich, Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Malts, Oats and Cocoa Nibs, along with whole Vanilla Beans. Aged in Bourbon Barrels for six months and blended with twenty percent fresh Porter to produce enticing aromas of chocolate, coffee, tobacco, bourbon and sweet malt along with a complex pallet of dark roast chocolate, oak and maple followed by a subtle vanilla finish. This is an intense, yet refined flavor experience to be savored today or aged to be enjoyed at your leisure.
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Do a Barrel Roll!! This was the first beer in Hangar 24’s Barrel Aged “Barrel Roll” program which was first released back in 2010. They released it again in 2013 and have decided to keep it California limited. I was lucky to barely get a bottle of this one to review. This one I got at Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights, one of the best rare treasure beer shops in Los Angeles since I first started looking for rare beers. It sold out within the first couple of hours of it being posted on the internet. If you are lucky to find this one and enjoy the barrel roll series, definitely pick this on up.

Aromas are of milk chocolate, hazelnut nectar, pecans, rocky road ice cream, dulce de leche caramel, coconut, bourbon, oak, vanilla, molasses, mocha, coffee, flan, brown sugar, campfire smoke hints, tobacco and almond joy

The flavors are of bourbon, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, pecan pie, caramel flan, dulce de leche, toasted coconut, vanilla, oak, mocha, molasses, brown sugar, rocky road ice cream, marshmallows, tobacco, almond joy chocolate, cherry notes and some smokey notes

The aftertaste is of rich chocolate, hazelnut, almonds, caramel and bourbon. This is a sipper and meant to be enjoyed. The alcohol is barely noticeable and does not interfere with the rich flavors.

Overall it exceeds expectations, mainly due to the rich chocolate, caramel, mocha and bourbon flavors. This does not seems like a porter but more like a stout or strong ale yet the porter flavors are there in some aspect as it is pretty freaking sweet (Both is flavor and awesomeness of course) It is close to Pugachev’s cobra but still missing some more richer flavors. Yet, still flies the beer treasure skies of space and beyond. Definitely do this barrel roll!!

Oude Tart by the Bruery

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1378644_10101428781257870_622054171_nRating: 4.5/5

Oude Tart by the Bruery is a 7% ABV Flanders/Flemish Red ale aged in oak barrels.

Label: 
Oude Tart is a Flemish-Style Red Ale aged in red wine barrels for 18 months. Pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit and toasty oak. Oude Tart is suitable for aging up to five years when cellared properly
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Of the many sour releases by the Bruery, I have not tried this one. This is readily available around the Fall season. There are a few Flanders Red ales that I have tried. The ones that I like are La Roja by Jolly Pumpkin and the Rodenbach Grand Cru. Let us give this one a shot and see how it goes.

Aromas are of caramel, funky wine grapes, tart cherries, red wine, raisins, lots of wood oak, leather, lemon, cellar mustiness, brown sugar and vanilla bread

The flavors are of toffee, caramel, vanilla, oak, wine grapes, tart cherries, cranberries, red wine, leather, raisins, lemons, raspberries, sour apples, tart raspberries and slight biscuit bread flavors

The aftertaste leaves with a tart cherry, leather and caramel flavors. The drinkability is definitely sipping and alcohol is hidden

Overall the beer is very good. More tart than sour. I think what allows for such is the fact that it is aged for a while in the oak but also the rich ingredients also counter some of the sourness. So while it is still a sour, it is more of a tart beer. This beer reminds me of La Roja by Jolly pumpkin but with more oak and less wine flavors. Definitely a good try if you love sours.

Pumpkin Lambicus by Timmermans Lambic Brewery

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1379530_10101428780244900_1828523104_nRating: 3.5/5

Pumpkin Lambicus by Timmermans Lambic Brewery is a 4% ABV Pumpkin Lambic

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (Ratebeer.com)
Two traditions are brought together here in a unique complacency, namely an original succulence never tempted before. The result is sublime, liberating a graceful taste tinted by a controlled acidity on the lambic confused with the dry fruity of the pumpkin and the discreet sugar added. By crossing the middle of the mouth appears a taste of brown sugar remembering and accentuating the convivial touch of Halloween.
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I have tried different lambics in the pat. However, I have not really sat down and reviewed any. His year I wanted to add a pumpkin lambic to this year’s pumpkin beer trip. 

Aromas are of cinnamon, pumpkin, apples and apple cider, pear, nutmeg, cereal grains, brown sugar, all spice, wheat and coriander notes.

The flavors are of pumpkin, gingerbread, apple cider, apple pie, pumpkin pie notes, tart berries, cinnamon, nutmeg, wheat, cereal grains, candied apples, caramel, brown sugar, pepper and coriander spice.

The aftertaste leaves with like cinnamon, tart green apple and pumpkin spice notes. Drinks easy and is refreshing.

Overall a pretty good lambic. It has a good amount going for it, but not a rich amount of pumpkin. Still delicious as it reminds me of apple pie with some pumpkin pie notes. It is worth trying atleast once. However, if you are looking for a pumpkin beer, you can definitely find something more awesome