Velvet Merlin by Firestone Walker

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184485_10100950627002830_2109471633_nRating: 4.8/5

Velvet Merlin by Firestone Walker is a 5.5%ABV Oatmeal Stout. This is the second time I try this beer so I figure I give it another review.

Label:

A decadent Oatmeal Stout brimming with cocoa and espresso aromas. This beer features a rich, dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavor with a creamy mouth feel and wonderfully dry finish. The addition of U.S. grown fuggles hops contributes the perfect amount of bitterness to this exceptionally balanced beer.
—–

Velvet Merlin is a pretty good stout. The fragrances of this beers are anywhere from dark and milk chocolate to Espresso and coffee aromas. There is also some nice roasty notes as well. The flavors of this one are of sweet coffee, mocha, milk and dark chocolate, sweet biscuit, some caramel and toffee are strong along with of that malt o meal or oatmeal grain feel. The beer feels sorta buttery, smooth and creamy which is is nice. I guess hence the name, velvet. The after taste leaves dry but sweet. It is a different type of sweetness though. Still more like actual oatmeal with coffee and chocolate. Breakfast in a bottle. It is amazing as this is a 5.5%ABV beer. Very drinkable and quite delicious. People that like stouts will fin this one to be not as overwhelming or complex but yet still full of a lot of flavor. Definitely worth the second round.

2011 Review:
A nice stout that is not too overwhelming with flavor allowing more than one bottle…emphasis on coffee flavors as well as other magical flavors only merlin can provide…lol

Side Project Volume 18 Liquid Bliss by Terrapin Brewing

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479761_10100946381361130_1573686614_nRating: 4.95/5

Side Project Volume 18 Liquid Bliss by Terrapin Brewing is a 6.7% ABV Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter dry-hopped with Georgia peanuts. Been meaning to find this one as people keep saying it is like a Reese’s Peanut butter cup in a bottle.

Label:

Melt into another dimension with Terrapin’s newest Side Project
 “Liquid Bliss”. This chocolate, peanut-butter porter concoction flows like a river of self-indulgent righteousness deep into the depths of your innermost childhood memory. Turn on, tune in, and drop out of this world for a tongue tripping experience of flavors never before so eloquently combined in a liquid or solid form.
—–

The fragrance is of chocolate and coffee like normal porters. Some nutty roasted peanut smell but alittle bit. The flavors are of or roasted peanuts, milk chocolate, butterscotch, some caramel, vanilla, chocolate peanut butter cookies. The beer is not overwhelming and is very drinkable. Also because it is dry hopped, it balances out all the sweetness so you don’t get an overly sweet beer but also not too complex. Yet it is still buttery and the chocolate peanut butter notes are like that of a Reese’s peanut-butter cup but with mocha added :P. Simply on those type of notes its really good. Let it warm up and you will start to see more sweet notes. It would definitely pair up with some nice dessert :D.

Liquid Breadfruit collaboration by Dogfish Head and Maui Brewing

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18900_10100946427408850_986867253_nRating: 4.8/5

Liquid Breadfruit collaboration by Dogfish Head and Maui Brewing is a 8.2% ABV ale brewed with breadfruit and papaya seeds. 

Label:

Millions of Delaware natives lusting fro tropic climes cannot be wrong. We isolated a unique yeast strain on a peach farm near dogfish head brewery. We mapped its DNA, brewed with it, and instantly fell in love with the fruity aromatics the yeast threw down. It immediately reminded me of Hawaii and Hawaii immediately reminded me of my pal Garrett at Maui Brewing Co. A collaborative brew seemed like a fun way to use this tropical yeast. – Sam. 

Breadfruit has been a staple crop f0r 3000 years. It’s very versatile and extremely tasty. My buddy Sam and I thought it’d be fun to brew with. Why not push the limits of beer a bit further? After all, beer has been called “liquid bread” for centuries, right? So liquid breadfruit’s time has come – Garrett. 

I’m down with the idea of adding Hawaii’s native breadfruit into the mix. To amplify the tropic thunderstorm that’s brewing in the recipe let’s hop this puppy with calypso hops which throw a lot of pear and apple notes adding bitterness and aroma – SAM

Sounds great, Let’s use some toasted papaya seeds, it’s a great spice to balance the breadfruit and compliment the fruitiness of Calypso hops and tropical notes lent by the philandering Delawarians, it was no small task to harvest all these seeds and fruit by hand…. But it sure beats chewing purple corn for weeks on end… -Garrett

It certainly does, Garrett, Let’s do this! – Sam
————–

I have had papaya before and to be honest it is a bit of an off fruit. A bit pungent lol. I can smell alittle bit of it in this beer bit what really comes out is some peach, mango, orange, bready grains, some what floral like a saison with a bit of botanical notes. The flavors are of that, papaya, mango, orange, peach, pear, some apple cider, sweet biscuits, caramel, bit of coconut and some peppercorns like that of Allagash Fluxus. I have never had bread fruit but this is pretty tropical type of beer. So I would think it definitely goes along with those tropical fruits I tried before. I would almost say that this also feels like a Tropical Tripel for those that love Belgian beers. Pretty awesome beer in a can :P.

Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12

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531830_10100945227872730_1355826940_n 537715_10100945228366740_800225002_n 222227_10100945226934610_1338416443_nRating: 4.85/5

Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12 is a 9% ABV Belgian Strong Ale brewed with Spices. It is the Final release of Stone’s Epic Series. I have only had a chance to try 10, 11 and 12 but that is still cool to be part of something. Today is 12.12.12 so I figured this would be the right time.

Label:

The Final Chapter in an “Epic” Series

As with any good epic, herein lies the promise of larger-than-life experiences, heroics, and twists and turns as the adventure unfolds. This bottle-conditioned ale is chapter eleven. Now is the time to enjoy it in a “vertical” tasting side by side with its ten Stone Vertival Epic Ale brethren! Each one unique to its year of release. Each with its own “twist & turn” in the plot line. Each one released one year, one month and one day from the previous year’s edition.

This year’s Stone Vertical Epic Ale is the very last one. Yep, this is it. The final chapter. Or as they say on the last slide in some old films: “Fin.” No worries though: this edition is particularly well-suited for prolonging the experience, as it’s as cellarable as any in the series, or more. In this, the final edition, you can expect a perfectly balance *womp* of spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, sweet orange peel, clove (only a little!) and rosehips, all in the context of a dark Belgian style abbey-ish beer
but not as sweet. Dry even. Stone style. Thanks for coming on this Epic Stone-style journey with us! You can rest assured there will be new adventures to come

—

The fragrances of this beer are pretty phenomenal. Starting with some banana, raisin and plum notes, mint, coffee, licorice, almost like a Black Saison smoke, sugar and cinnamon cookies, flowers, chocolate, caramel biscuit and toffee. The taste of this goes into different places. Flavors of chocolate, coffee, banana, caramel, cinnamon, dark fruit, smokey flavors almost like a BBQ ribs so its smokey but sugary, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, flowers like roses, biscuit bread and ginger bread, herbs and other spices. The after taste is of chocolate, banana, mint and some earthy and citrus bitterness with some more graham cracker, sugar or ginger cookies. Not sure if they tried to combine all the beers together or something but they try to hit on many flavor aspects here. Belgian and somewhat Porter or Stout like blend with a lot of what seem to be some holiday spices. It is quite good and I think specifically brewed for the holidays and the last week before the so called end of the world. Anyways, for being the last beer it surely fits and I am sure a year from now, this will probably taste very wonderful so I will leave it room for some improvement and save one for 13 13 13…lol well 12.12.2013 🙂

Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11

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77040_10100945064719690_1558588846_nRating: 5/5 (Aged since 2011 to be drank 12.12.12)Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11 is a 9.4% ABV Belgian Strong Ale Brewed with Anaheim Chiles & Cinnamon. This is the second to last series of the Stone’s long run Vertical Epic Series started in 2002. I aged this in the dark for exactly one year to be drunk on 12-12-12. I also included my last year’s review for comparison so we can see how it has mat

ured 😛Label:
“As with any good epic, herein lies the promise of larger-than-life experiences, heroics and twists & turns as the adventure unfolds. This bottle-conditioned ale is chapter ten, and is specifically designed to be aged until sometime after December 12th, 2012. Provided you can wait that long. At that time, enjoy it in a “vertical” tasting along with its ten Stone Vertical Epic Ale brethren. Each one unique to its year of release. Each with its own “twist & turn” in the plot line. Each one release one year, one month, and one day from the previous year’s edition.

This year’s Stone Vertical Epic Ale might justifiably be considered the non-sequitor edition. We somehow came to the conclusion that adding Anaheim chilies from New Mexico’s Hatch Valley, plus whole cinnamon sticks, to an amber-hued brew fermented with Belgian Flanders Golden Ale yeast (which provides fairly invest character, with lots of clove & banana overtones) would create a very tasty result. And we believe it does! The Anaheim chili is known for its rich flavor more than endorphin-inducing heat, and the cinnamon adds a nice twist
 part of the promise behind the Vertical Epic Ale series itself. As with any epic, remember that it is not just the destination, but the journey!”
—-

When I first had this beer back then I enjoyed it a lot since it was a blend of a Belgian bread and carmel beer with Chile spices. After opening the bottle, you can definitely tell it has fermented well. There are dark plum and raisin notes in the aroma which are stronger than before with more sweet caramel and bread. I can kinda smell the chiles in there but it probably is not as heat spicy as last year. This is nice because you can get a sense of how well beers age that it feels like maybe the ABV shot up but the fermentation is way more complex. Upon tasting this beer, I can feel that the chiles somehow gave way to like a caramelized pumpkin and tamarind taste. You definitely do not get anymore heat but the pepper is there in small notes. This is very good. It is so complex with its rich sweet bread and caramel flavor like that of like St. Bernardus as well. There are some sweet matured citrus like a orange candy . There are some notes of bananas, cloves and cinnamon. Some herbs and spices are in the after taste along with tamarind. Even after warming up into room temperature, there is a lot of sweet Belgian beer goodness and some tamarind.

A couple of sips and the beer starts to kick in. This thing had to have increase from a 9.4 to like maybe a 11 or 12. In it’s prime, this beer tasted a lot like I explained it below. If you were more into the pepper spice you won’t find it here unfortunately. But if you were looking for the Belgian beer experience here than this is the beer for sure.

2011 Review:
Banana and Chile Bitterness beer. Damn it Stone…Y you gotta be so good every year and surprising :P. Last years was manzanilla sweetness (10.10.10) lol . This is this years release of the Stone Vertical Epic (11.11.11). Yeah crazy number and crazy time to release such a beer. What if…JUST….what if they ever released a Belgian type of beer that could be made with chiles…Mexico meets Belgium kinda thing. Well here you have it. Breath taking and delicious. HELL even when I first took the first whiff off the bottle I’m like this is gonna be DAMN GOOD!!!. Damn….haven’t been stoked since the last time I found the best beer in the world. LOL well.. yeah… I know good beer when I smell it, taste and see it. Although there is not a lot of intriguing art to this beer, seeing is not always believing when it comes to stone beers and other beers with less appealing labels. Yes, even the best beers in the world don’t have a label at all (Ahem…Westy12)… Anyways…how to I begin to commemorate this beer. I have tried some chile beers but not one that told me hey…dude….capsaicin…chile flavor…here!!…It is not that its super spicy but for those that enjoy good chile not for the heat and know the flavors of chiles they know it anywhere they taste it. Hell even me and my dad who are super big fans of heat and chiles know how the flavors tastes. No doubt it is definitely in here. But also banana. Ahh yes that sweet banana flavor from the Belgian yeast, but this is specifically Belgian Golden Flanders yeast. Also the other thing that adds to the beer is the cinnamon…great compliment to tone the chile flavor. AHHH its so damn goods this beer,.. recommended…for sure..maybe its just the weird number 11.11.11 but they hit it dead on. LOL also the thing with chiles when you lick your lips you usually get a great heat. I never had a beer that reactivates the chile when you lick your lips…Surely they knew what they were doing with this masterpiece. Thanks again stone for an awesome brew and hope to have more …until 12.12.12 my friends 😛

The Abyss 2009 Vintage Reserve by Deschutes Brewing

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537623_10100942762423510_1398929182_nRating: 5.55/5

The Abyss 2009 Vintage Reserve by Deschutes Brewing is an 11% Imperial Stout brewed with Licorice and Molases with 33% aged in French oak and Bourbon Barrels. This version has been cellared for at least 3 years and now it is time to unleash it’s fury…of flavor ofcourse…I assume that the ABV is probably higher as it has risen over time. Like a 12 or 13% maybe higher. 

Label:

The Abyss: Stout brewed with licorice and molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasureable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.
====Upon getting the first aromatic notes of this ale I immediately thought of Madrugada Obscura a.k.a Dark Dawn from Jolly Pumpkin. The fragrance is like a funky sour wine mixed in with an imperial stout like Madrugada Obscura was but less sour. Although a sour Imperial Stout is pretty awesome. Lots of rich dark chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, grapes, molasses, licorice, milk chocolate, barley wine caramel, graham crackers, almonds and some other spicy aromas that are just nice but not sure I can name 😛 . What a challenge :D. The flavors are going all over the place. As I figured, just because it smells as good as Madrugada Obscura, doesn’t mean it taste like it. The flavors are much much more complex. We have sweetness of dark and milk chocolate, espresso and mocha, raisins, cherry and plums but still allowing some roasted and smokey notes from the coffee to develop. The sweetness bitters up into a earthy hops with notes of citrus and pine. Some tangy wine and oaky wood flavor follow and are complemented by the vanilla, bourbon, almond, coconut and caramel on the way out. The beer actually gets better in flavor as it warms up. This beer is crazy as the alcohol notes are still pushed back to let the flavors go through so it finishes smooth and dry which many may find nice as it may not be too overwhelming. Yes, even if it does have a lot to offer, the flavors don’t stay forever and the alcohol will have it’s wrath simply because you don’t really feel that it is there. It will creep into your soul O.O. The beer is definitely setup for you to keep exploring more and more. A rollercoaster of flavor in a bottle.

Crazy how one beer can do a lot in one. I have had several of the best beers in the world and to some that have exceeded my expectations usually fly because of their caramel or chocolate sweetness or just some crazy flavor that is so awesome and overwhelming. This one exceeds my expectations because you get a variety of many aspects of beer(bitter, sweet, sour, smokey, tangy, fruity and hoppy) and they are all balanced, delicious not too overwhelming. No wonder for people, this is once of the best Imperial stouts in the world and well, damn hard to find. It is definitely up there with the Founders KBS, Bourbon County Stout and others. Although Chocolate Rain is the major bad ass for me simply because it is pure chocolate in a bottle. But this definitely in great world class league and can still compete. As it warms ups it goes up to more chocolate covered raisins and vanilla flavors 😉

Johnny Cask/75 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head

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302859_10100940997590250_1777288784_nRating: 4.75/5

Johnny Cask/75 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head is a 7.5% ABV India Pale Ale made with maple syrup. So here’s the thing, the original intention of DFH was to put Johnny Cash in the label for their 75 minute IPA but due to legal reason they had to “slightly modify” the original label. Either way, that is still Johnny Cash as you can see from their website here: (http://www.dogfish.com/community/news/press-releases/dogfish-announces-75-minute-ipa-simul-cask.htm) Also, it is the same beer too just one from a cask and the other bottled. 

Label (Johnny Cask): 
Johnny Cask has entered the building! We’ve retrofitted a 15 barrel tank to perfectly produce a very special cask conditioned ale (so, we have a little time to play around during winters at the Delaware coast). This beer, known as Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA is a blend of 60 and 90 Minute IPAs with a special whole leaf cascade dry-hopping session. Post-hopping the beer gest transferred into firkins and dosed with fresh yeast and maple syrup from the ole family homestead (actually the first batch will be re-fermented with maple syrup from the farm up the road from ours since ours won’t be ready until late March. 

New label:
There are some situations when 90 is too much. There are other situations when 60 is too little. There are many situations when 75is juuuust riight. Bottle-Conditioned with pure maple syrup for complexity and dry-hopped out the bejeezum boards.
—-
The fragrance of the Johnny Cash/Cask beer is kind of piney and hoppy but there is some biscuit bread and caramel notes in the smell. Some orange and roasted peanut aromas as well. The flavors are pretty good. Biscuit bread, caramel, minor herbs and spices, grassy, floral hops, grapefruit, orange (but slight, not like the 90 minute gummy bears orange), slight tangerine, some maple, oak wood and grape. Not at the lowest of bitterness as 90 minute IPA, yet still alittle bit bitter. The truth is when it comes to how bitter and sweet this beer is, it is quite balanced. Not too extreme like the 90 minute or the 120 minute which is not for unprepared palates, but just right in the middle. Sweet and bitter still get along so you still get a bit of both flavors. Not quite a double IPA and not quite an IPA but an IPA and a half. Still pretty awesome stuff.

Artisanal Reserve The Saint by Crispin Cider

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577986_10100941019471400_1378749172_nRating: 5/5 *Cider wise, cant really compare to a beer rating other wise it would be lower, yet, delicious and actually bit of complexity to it 😀

Artisanal Reserve The Saint by Crispin Cider Company is a 6.9%ABV Natural Hard Apple Cider made with Belgian Trappist Yeast and Organic Maple Syrup.

Label:

Experience a sweetly floral to herbal aromatic bouquet and an elegant yeasty flavor with a sustained mouth-feel that develops complexity on the palate. Naturally fermented with Belgian Trappist yeasts using a premium apple juice blend, not from concentrate, with no added malt, spirit or grape alcohol. The Saint’s artisanal Cloudy Filtration style uses racked unfiltered apple wine smoothed with pure organic maple syrup, a touch of apple juice, no added sugar, colorants or sorbate or benzoate preservatives, and is filtered cold for bold, crisp refreshment.
—

So, I don’t often review ciders. The last time I did it was by the same company. Which was fantastic!! Even if it was made under registration Tenth and Blake Beer Co. – MillerCoors. I guess when it comes to ciders, it is in a whole different category. I have had some pretty awesome ciders in the past and got to review maybe 2. This is the third although the first one I need to pick it up agai to pair it with some nice anime artwork :). One of the best ciders I had long ago was the Black Currant Cider by Fox Barrel Ciders although they don’t make that anymore. They make a cinnamon and black currant once so I’ll probably review that one. Anyway, on to the review :). Fragrance coming off the cider is that of champagne or like a warm sake, some bread, cinnamon apple crisp and honey. The flavors are pretty good. Craft beers use basic ingredients to create flavors that make you guess. This actually uses the apple cider with the Belgian yeast to do something similar and extravagant. The immediate flavor I get is apple pie full of brown sugar crisp, caramel, raisin, alittle bit of banana esters (yes, that’s the Heavenly hand of God here [Trappist yeast at work]), maple, wood, candi sugars and overall just a apple pie aftertaste. Damn, this must be what it’s like to have an apple pie in a bottle. Just really good. You won’t have to look for awesome flavors here, it is easier to find them, although, complexity in other flavors will show up as you go along…lol not really craft beer but a craft cider to make it just that more enjoyable for the overall population. Belgian Trappist yeast inspired…hard to go wrong there.

Quadrophenia by Black Market Brewing

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556706_10100940989097270_1345948295_nRating: 4.75/5

Quadrophenia by Black Market Brewing is a 11% ABV Quadrupel ale.

Label:

Quadrophenia is a Belgian style quadruple ale. Trappist ale yeast adds the spicy , phenolic flavors sometimes mistaken for added spices. The caramel come from the Coconut Palm Sugar added to the brew to lighten the body. The smoothness of Quadrophenia is deceptive, but make no mistake, it’s 11%ABV. Enjoy Quadrophenia in a chalice or tulip style glass.
—

Quadrupels are some of my favorite beers in the world. Each one more sweet than others. This is the first beer I try from this brewery so I’ll see how it is. Fragrance of the beer starts off with a nice scent ot that banana esters, caramel, dulce de leche bread, candi sugars and dark fruits. Some slight citrus off fragrance as well. The flavors are just like that of the quadrupel ales that I enjoy. Banana and raisin bread, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, plums, candi sugar, slight chocolate, toffee and spices. Some oakyness in there is in the aftertaste but the sugar is still dominant. It is not like some of the other Belgian Quads that have that Mexican cajeta (caramel) flavors but minor oak is there . The most interesting part about this beer is its drink ability. It goes down pretty smooth. The alcohol is not harsh for being 11% ABV. Well done with the balance of flavors as well. Quadrupel and Belgian beer lovers may like this one. It is delicious but it still missing that authenticity of Belgian that could only be produce with the strictest of ingredients. Having sugar added might not make it as authentic although the Trappist yeast does. Regardless, it is still a great beer worthy of the try. It goes down so well and not too overwhelming. It hits those quad notes for me for sure. LOL Although it is harder to find than let’s say..oh St. Bernadus 12 abt 😉

Pumpkin Patch Ale by Rogue brewing

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526732_10100937582194730_518164744_nRating: 4.8/5

Pumpkin Patch Ale by Rogue brewing is part of their Chatoe Rogue series. It is a 5.6% ABV ale brewed with Rogue Farms Pumpkins.

Label:

Created with pumpkins grown on Rogue’s Micro hop and pumpkin yard in Independence Oregon. Fresh pumpkins are picked, loaded into our truck, driven immediately 77 miles to our brewery in Newport, Oregon, quickly roasted, and pitched into the brew kettle.

13 Ingredients:
Rogue Farms Pumpkins, Great Western 2-Row, Carawheat, Weyermann Carafe Malts, Rogue Micro Hopyard Rebel Hops, Ginger, Cloves, Vanilla bean, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, Free range coastal water and Pacman Yeast.
—

Never too late to try another pumpkin ale. This one is by Rogue. They make some of the best ales ..well pretty much ever lol. This ale is quite the nice beer. The fragrance of this beer is like caramel, actual pumpkin gourd and spices. The flavors of this beer are of true pumpkin flesh, cinnamon, caramel, rich pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, whipped cream, vanilla, capirotada (sweet mexican raisin bread), almonds, raisins, nuts, bread, nutmeg and cloves. If I had not known any better, I would say this would be the exact way a pumpkin would taste like if it was boiled in pilloncillo (Mexican sugar cone) and cinnamon like my mom used to make. Like the Smashed pumpkin beer except for the fact that it actually tasted like pumpkin flesh. Just simply amazing beer by Rogue 😀

19th Birthday Suit by Uinta Brewing

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487041_10100937574624900_1936739112_nRating: 3.5/5

19th Birthday Suit by Uinta Brewing is a 5.7% ABV Wild Sour Ale brewed with Cherries. 

Label:

In the beginning, cherry trees shaded the beer garden. Resisting temptation no longer, we picked the fruit and let it ferment into a pleasingly sour and subtly sweet ale to mark Uinta’s 19th Birthday. A sinful pleasure for the experienced and adventurous palate.
—

This bottle was bottled on 3/20/2012, only 2 days before my birthday. What a coincidence ;). This pours pink, orange, red and purple. Quite interesting for a beer like this. The fragrance of this ale is quite pilsnery with notes of cherry and grape. Hmm.. I thought it would be mind blowing sour ale like Jolly Pumpkin. The sourness is quite mild. The bitterness is like a lager at best. Yet the flavors are like that of cherry tart, pilsner, cereal grain, wine grapes, citrus, ginger ale spice, vanilla hints and raspberries. It is crisp and refreshing. Craft beginners and lovers of the yellow fizzy beers might actually like this if they don’t mind sweet beers a la raspberry shocktop for example. Yet the only thing that would be a bother would be the sourness yet this is quite mild in comparison to other beers *ahem true craft beer drinkers ahem*

Robert Johnson’s Hellhound on my Ale by Dogfish Head

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556710_10100937538113070_1163956106_nRating: 4.75/5

Robert Johnson’s Hellhound on my Ale by Dogfish Head is 10% ABV Double India Pale Ale Brewed with Lemons

Label:

2011 marks the 100th birthday of Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson who, according to legend, sold his soul down at the crossroads in a midnight bargain and changed music forever. Dogfish Head pays tribute to this blues legend by gettin’ the hellhounds off his trail and into this finely-crafted ale.

Hellhound is a super-hoppy ale that hits 100 IBUs in the brewhouse, 10.0 ABV, 10.0 SRM in color, and dry-hopped with 100% centennial hops at a rate of 100 kilos per 100 barrel brew-length. To accentuate and magnify the citrusy notes of the centennial hops (and as a shout out to Robert Johnson’s mentor Blind Lemon Jefferson) we add dried lemon peel and flesh to the whirlpool. To read more about Robert Johnson go to www.robertjohnsonhellhoundale.com
—-

Been searching far and wide for this one. I gave up on the search a while back until I had happened to find a bottle of this bottle recently. The fragrance of the beer is more floral and maltier than super hoppy and piney. Citrus is there but it is quite light. More caramel and breadiness in the smell . The flavors of this beer are of caramel, lemon, grape, orange, mango, bready, oak wood, some earthy and piney notes which provide the bitterness. Although it seems like the malts hide the bitterness of the 100 IBU flavors. While this is still a great ale, do not expect a lot of bitterness and hoppy flavors.

XX Bitch Creek 2012 Edition by Grand Teton Brewing

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59616_10100937535692920_2058746042_nRating: 4.8/5

XX Bitch Creek 2012 Edition by Grand Teton Brewing is a 7.5% ABV Double Extra Special/Strong Bitter Ale.

Label:

Bitch Creek ESB was first brewed in 2003, and perfectly balances big malt sweetness and robust hop flavor for a full-bodied mahogany ale. It has quickly become our best-selling beer, as well as our most-critically acclaimed, having won medals-including two golds— at four out of the past five Great American Beer Festivals. 

XX Bitch Creek Double ESB is all that and more. We took the Bitch Creek recipe and doubled everything: double the malt, double the hops, twice the flavor. 
–

ESB ales are made to create a very balanced style of beer where the flavors are not too over powering specifically with hops and alcohol. This ale smells and drinks like an Amber ale but more potent. Especially for this ale, being a double ESB. The beer smells like toffee, honey on toast and biscuit bread, caramel, peanuts, molasses and a bit of pine. The flavors are biscuit, peanut butter on toast, caramel, maple, toffee, slight pine, earthy and grassy flavors as well as some grapefruit in brown sugar. There are some slight chocolate and cherry flavors in there as well. The after taste is like that of caramel, maple and nuts but with sweetness toned down. The beer is not super sugary but even the sweet and bitterness is also balanced nicely. I think people that love amber ales or know about ESBs will love this one.

Bitter Monk by Anchorage Brewing

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549533_10100936371396180_197145515_nRating: 5/5

Bitter Monk by Anchorage Brewing is a 9%ABV, 100IBU’s, Belgian Double India Pale Ale Brewed with Brettanomyces and aged in French oak Chardonnay Barrels. Yes, this is fancy as hell. Considered to be the best Belgian Pale Ale in the world by BeerAdv and RateBeer. Well let’s see what all the fuss is about.

Label: Ale brewed with Apollo and Citra hops. Dry hopped in the barrel with Citra hops. Triple Fermented – First in French oak loudres with a Belgian yeast, second in French oak Chardonnay barrels with brett, and finally in the bottle with a third yeast for natural carbonation.

“Deep within the tortured aberrations of a monk’s mind there lay a concept of a Holy Grail of beer — a beer oft imagined but never tasted, strived for but never achieved. It’s Belgian heritage manifested in its yeasty complexity, softened and rounded in its cooperage Francais and made to sparkle like the stars first seen by his distant predecessor, Dom Perignon.

Bitter Monk Belgian Double IPA is such a beer. Redolent of citrusy hop bittering and massive malt infusion, this is a beer to ponder, to sip, and, even for a monk, to dream. Why then is the monk so bitter? What provokes that sly smile? What is he wearing under that flowing robe? A triple-fermented beer gives three times the mystery. Remember, anything worth doing is worth over doing. Nothing exceeds like excess. Even for the cloistered. And what rough monk, his hour come round last, slinks slowly toward Brussels to be reborn.”
–

First of all, you have Emperor Palpatine on the label….LMAO!!…Only thing I can find to pair this with is Stocking’s Darkside (From Panty and Stocking Anime, Angel turned Demon) to reflect the sinfulness of the monk/Sith Lord over here. 

Immediately from the fragrance, no holds bar. This was the Stillwater As Follows take to another unholy level. Even that beers is scary as hell :S (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/as-follows-eschatological-ale-by-stillwater-artisanal/) There are fragrances of hops, citrus, banana, musty hay, like a Saison a la Stillwater, flowers, hibiscus, roses and pine. The flavor is much more wilder than “As follows”. Much, much more, wilder. Lime, lemon meringue pie, herbs, spices, grapes, wine, chardonnay, some tart and Jolly pumpkin funk but not to make this a sour ale at all, hints of peach, apple, mango pineapple and other tropical fruit but it is only hints because they do not overwhelm like the regular DIPAs go. Grassy, pine and grapefruit bitterness are hinted but covered up by the Belgian yeast. Flowers like Roses, Hibiscus and honey as in the flavor of Love Buzz (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/love-buzz-saison-ale-by-anchrage/). I would assume if you take Stillwater’s of Love and Regret and mixed it in with As Follows and aged it you would have this. This is truly another level of Belgian IPA. This is crazy evil beer. Goes to prove a beer doesn’t have to be dark (appearance) to prove that it is evil. Saison, BPA and wild ale lovers will like this one.

Chimay Peres Trappistes Grand Reserve 2012 by BiĂšres de Chimay

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484273_10100936358691640_1190877036_nRating: 5/5

Chimay Peres Trappistes Grand Reserve 2012 by BiĂšres de Chimay S.A. is a 10.0%ABV Belgian Strong Dark Trappist Ale. This is exactly the same as the Chimay Blue except for the fact that it has been aged and the ABV is 10% vs. the 9% of the Chimay Blue. I have already done the Review on the original Chimay Blue in the past: (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/chimay-grand-reserve-ale-by-s-a-bieres-de-chimay/)

Label:
In 2012, the Chimay Trappist brewery will be celebrating its 150th birthday. To mark this occasion, the Chimay Grande Reserve (Chimay Blue Cap) will be adorned by a decoration inspired by its long term tradition.
—

No doubt in my mind, hands down, Belgian Trappist beers are just simply some of the best in the world. Some of them are Dark Belgian ales while some maybe quadruples. There is a major difference between them. While the some quads taste like Dark Belgian beers, not all Dark Belgian beers are quads (Trois Pistoles example with its port wine taste). Trappist beers, as far as I have had them though, are as close to a dessert made with candy sugar, caramel/dulce de leche bread, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs and sometimes others like cherries, blackberries, and blue berries. Chimay brings it further by introducing hoppy flavors like those of a BPA (grass or earthy pine) but only to a minor level but detectable and enjoyable. The fragrance brings about somewhat hoppy and pilsner like smells but the real secret is in the flavor. As the beer sits close and closer to room temperature it brings about those richer candy,sweet bread, waffle cone, graham cracker, banana clove and spicy flavors. The difference between this and the regular is somewhat uncanny. I dig for some oaky or boozy flavors but they are very faint. If I sit this one next to the regular Chimay blue, I would find it hard to tell the difference. However, if you let it sit for a bit, you start to get some vanilla and possibly pecan flavor. By this time, the hops have faded away. Still, very awesome Belgian beer. I would choose the Chimay Blue since it is not as expensive though but your choice :). Bevmo has this for a limited time.

Dragonstooth by Elysian Brewing

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75199_10100933726197180_1390636216_nRating: 4.8/5

Dragonstooth by Elysian Brewing is a 7.5% BV Oatmeal Stout. Oatmeal stouts are the type of stouts that provide that smooth taste as well as are responsible for a little bit of extra sweetness not found in other stouts even for being full bodied. Oatmeal Stouts differ in the sense that they are are stouts with smoother and richer taste.

Label:

A smooth and sturdy stout, made with 10% rolled oats, roasted barley and chocolate malt. The name is referential to the founders of Thebes, warriors who sprang from the earth when the teeth of a slain dragon were sown by Cadmus. Bittered with Chinook; finished with Cascade and Columbus hops.
—

This beer has strong aromas of sweet chocolate, bakers chocolate and dark chocolate along with coffee bread and mocha. The flavors are balanced as there is still some coffee roasted notes to balance out the sweetness. This is a very good and sweet beer. Not to the ultimate chocolate level but close. Coffee caramel cake dipped in Rich dark, sweet, and bakers chocolate (like the chocolate oak aged Yeti) with roasted bitterness that only works to balance and not to make the stout bitter. Other flavors I can tell is like a creamy oatmeal with cinnamon but only notes of it are there. It is a smooth beer for being a rich and heavy stout. The after taste is only as bitter as a small amount of coffee beans go but the sweetness of the oatmeal lingers. I am not sure if they decided to give me an older beer (Possibly aged) as this one is the older label. The new one is different. If it was aged, it aged very well and therefore the review is right on.

Elysian Mortis Sour Persimmon Ale

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27898_10100933685269200_1297530019_nRating: 4/5

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#11 (November) Mortis is a 6% ABV Sour Persimmon Wild Ale.

Mortis or Death is in reference to the final apocalyptic event before the ultimate judgment (after death). Regardless of what ever apocalyptic event that was stated would happen in the previous theories (Elysian Apocalypse beer reviews) of the end of the world, this is the final aftermath of those events. Ultimate annihilation, the last horseman of the of apocalypse. The event of Death befalling all mankind, animals, plants, you name it. Ultimately, whether anything happens in 12-21-2012 or whenever the true end of the world is, one thing is certain. We are all mortal and are destined to pass away at some point in time. Regardless, it doesn’t mean we can’t make the best of what time we have so far :P. I tried to match the artwork with the beer artwork as best I could. I would assume the representation of death is personified in the clutches of the serpent. LOL or you can see it as as the clutches of original sin. Whatever works, it is still bad ass pieces of art here. 
—

Upon opening this beer, you get a lot of the fragrance that reminds you of a saison. Some Belgian yeast, peaches, lime, orange zest, some plum and banana. The flavor is quite interesting. Starts off like a saison with like a bread and peach cobbler flavor and fades into like pilsner flavor. Persimmons tend to be a sweet fruit that leaves sorta dry with a tangy flavor. I assume that the pilsnery cereal but fruity after taste is part of the fruit. The Persimmon looks like an orange tomato but taste like a peach and orange almost but leaves the mouth dry. This beer also has some grape and vinous flavors but they are not as strong as like a Jolly Pumpkin Sour/Funky Ale. This beer tries to be more of a Brettanomyces ale (Like New Belgium Brett Beer) brewed with Persimmons. It gets better as the beer warms up. It is a pretty good beer if you enjoy Belgian or Saison beers but not to the level of Wild Ales, although some Wild Ales when made right (a la Jolly Pumpkin) can be pretty awesome.

Guava Grove by Cigar City Brewing

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319643_10100930284768830_14959730_nRating: 5/5

Guava Grove by Cigar City Brewing is an 8%ABV Saison brewed with Guava or Guayabas

Label:

Guava Grove is a farmhouse ale that sees a secondary fermentation on one of Tampa’s flavored fruits, guava. Pairs well with fresh fish, mussels, fresh tropical fruits, and earthy cheese.
—There is a lot of carbonation on this one so if you open it, open it over a sink just in case. This beer is very rich in floral fragrance. There is a lot of saison bready aromas, peppercorn, flowers, pineapple, peach, ripe mango, maybe a fresh vegetable fragrance but not too much. That’s just the aromas, it smells good. Lots of tropical fruit. The flavor are pretty exquisite. Belgian yeast bread made with guavas, peaches, mango, tangerine, pineapple, orange peel, lime and white grapes . The guavas are not felt until later in the taste. Almost like Guayabate which is the Mexican Guava jelly membrane block. Very sweet. The after taste that lingers is quite fruity with vanilla, caramel, toffee and biscuit. Wow, just amazing. If I was ever looking for a pure tropical fruit beer, this would be it right here. It is very hard to notice the alcohol too which is quite pleasing as many people might like it. The only strong thing about this beer is just the tropical sweetness and bready guava goodness. Yeah a definite keeper

Moo-Hoo by Terrapin Brewing

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309121_10100930279589210_1205509744_nRating: 4.9/5

Moo-Hoo by Terrapin Brewing is a 6%ABV Chocolate Milk Stout.

Label:

The Terrapin “Moo-Hoo” Chocolate Milk Stout proudly uses cocoa nibs and shells from Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Company to give this beer its chocolatly great taste
—This is the 2012 release of the Moo-Hoo. Never tried this beer before but I read somewhere that it was very good so I had to see what it was all about. From the fragrance of the beer I can smell some coffee notes. Not too strong but they are there. Some chocolate as well as a dark fruit like a raisin. I think the gold is in the taste. As soon as I sipped this, there was this very rich flavor of milk chocolate and chocolate powder and dark chocolate as it is mixed in with milk. It was almost like a Yoo-hoo. LOL similar to the name I guess. But in terms of getting this close to chocolate milk, its pretty dead on. Very creamy, vanilla, caramel, some fruitiness like some blackberries. The aftertaste is like a mocha. A chocolate coffee and not too bitter. As for the overall rating of this one… I love chocolate so this hits a lot of pleasure centers so if your not really into chocolate but more of a smoke and coffee kind of person when it comes to beers, then maybe this may not be for you. It is not an overwhelming sweet beers like some of the stronger ABV beers that I have had (Chocolate Rain or choklat per se) but it is very drinkable. Not too bitter, not overwhelming sweet but enough to hit a lot of chocolate and milk centers on the palate. Terrapin is kinda hard to find around here in LA but some place do have this. Pick this up for sure.

Mocha Porter by Rogue Brewing

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23885_10100928490409740_1000318734_nRating: 4.45/5

Mocha Porter by Rogue Brewing is a 5.3%ABV Sweet Porter 

Label:

Ruddy brown in color, a bittersweet balance of malt and hops with a light cream finish.13 Ingredients:
Malts: Great Western 2-Row, 
135-165, 95-115, and 70-80 Crystal; Chocolate, Black, Carastan & Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare Malts
Hops: Williamette & Rogue Micro Hopyard Revolution & Freedom hops
Yeast & Water: Rogue’s Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water.
No Chemicals , Preservatives or additives
Specs:
13Âș PLATO
54 IBU
73 AA
77Âș Lovibond
—

Rogue makes some pretty awesome beers. This one should be no exception. The some smokey bakers chocolate aromas and sweet caramel on a mocha Frappucino. The flavors are of caramel, chocolate, coffee grounds, mocha, brown sugar, earthy hops,. Vanilla, raisin bread and whipped cream. There is this underlying chocolate cake flavor that reminds me of the Oak Aged Yeti. Good stuff here :P. So much rich flavor and a little bits of alcohol. Worth the try 🙂

Tower 20 IIPA by Karl Strauss

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Rating: 4.25/5

Tower 20 IIPA by Karl Strauss is a 9.5% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale. Had this one a couple times but never really sat down to review it. Had this for my friend Carlos Bachelor party as well. Our friend Eric brought it in a growler and even though some of my friends don’t like IPAs, this was definitely Gold

Label:

The saying “less is more” doesn’t apply to West Coast IPA’s. Less is a glass half empty and Tower 20 is a full glass of unrivaled hop character – a Double IPA where more is more. In brewing this hoppy offering, we took the best of Tower 10 IPA and added more. An abundance of high-alpha Centennial hops give T20 its resinous pine-like bitterness, while Oregon-grown Crystals and Chinooks lend zesty grapefruit and tangerine hop flavors. Don’t hoard this hop bomb, drink it fresh and we’ll brew more. 
—So like other IPAs,DIPAS/IIPAS, that I have reviewed in the past, each with their own emphasis on certain flavors than others. This IIPA focus is more on tropical fruity flavors and piney hoppy bitterness. The fragrance is like a honey and tangerine marmalade smell. Some grapefruit and mango aromas. Possibly some Lime and Barley wine aromas as well. The flavors are of candy orange, tangerine, mango, peach, grapefruit, pineapple, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread and vanilla. The hoppy, pine and grassy bitterness is not as abundant. Then again I don’t know how long it has been on the shelf. Regardless, it bleeds of tropical IPA awesomeness but not too bitter. SO…for people that do not like IPAs, this might be something that you will like.

Wreck Alley by Karl Strauss Brewing

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Rating: 4.6/5Wreck Alley by Karl Strauss Brewing is a 9.5% ABV Imperial Stout. This was recommended to me by my friend Eric although he advised that it is better and fresher on tap. LOL I agree to some extent. Although this beer can be aged as stated on the bottle. So I took his word for it and sought this beer :).

Label:

Beneath the tides off Mission Beach rests Wreck Alley – a dark and mysterious seascape of forgotten ships. Amidst the rusted wreckage is a marine ecosystem, an artificial reef teeming with life. Our Wreck Alley is as dark as the depths of its namesake, an Imperial Stout of uncharted complexity. Brewed with darkly kilned malts, cocoa nibs, and Ethiopian coffee beans, Wreck Alley boasts rich layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and espresso-like roast. Save a bottle. This one has a stout shelf-life. 
—The aroma of this beer is quite nice. Roasted malts, vanilla, chocolate, cream and almost like a faint tobacco. In terms of the flavors, Vanilla is king in this one. It is then followed by the sweet chocolate, coffee, licorice/anise, slight coconut and caramel. The after taste is not smokey or bitter but almost like a brownie or a chocolate cake with anise but the earthy notes settle the sweetness so it is not overly sweet. Well hidden alcohol as it is hard to tell that it is there. It is quite a nice imperial Stout. As with many stouts, each more unique than the other. It think vanilla is the big hit with this one. This is an awesome pick up if you can get it. I think it is only seasonal too.

Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing

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Rating: 5/5

Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing is a 8.9%ABV Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout.

Label:

You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. We’re actually not sure if this is some type of coffee cake or a beer. Either way you can drink this ale with a fork. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.
–A world class beer that seems to be highly rated on the interwebs. Had to figure out what it was about. This beer comes in a 4 pack and available in the Fall and Winter. To be honest I couldn’t help my self but to have the first bottle as a beer float. Pure mocha goodness mixed in with that cookies and cream Ice Cream. Even though it was sweetened out, I could still taste the roasted malts and bitter earthy hops. Quite nice. So This is a review for the beer stand alone, I just figured I add that stuff extra to say it goes good as a beer float too. The aroma of this beer is like a nice rich coffee. I think one of the biggest reasons it is highly rated is because it is closer to a nice cup of coffee than a lot of other beers. Don’t know a lot about coffee types since I don’t drink that often but yes the fragrance is rich with it. Also, it is not just pure coffee, I can smell some vanilla, cocoa, caramel and crĂšme sugar. The flavors of this beer is quite exquisite. This definitely like drinking a cold coffee that is sweetened up. However, not to the level of an Espresso. Although, the fresh flavors reminds of a light Khalua.. Notes of dark, bitter chocolate, followed by a light crĂšme, oatmeal, raisin, mocha, vanilla, and alittle bit of caramel. Not too complex but as close as a very good cup of coffee goes. As for the alcohol…what alcohol?…hard to find it in the taste but it does get you after. Definitely because it is the closest to Liquid cold Coffee a beer can be is probably the reason why it is rated highly. If you can find this at the store or online, go try it. Coffee drinkers and Stout lovers will find this one very pleasing. I think the hype definitely lives up to it

Paulaner Oktoberfest Weisn by Paulaner Munchen Brauerei Gmbh & Co.

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Rating: 4.25/5

Paulaner Oktoberfest Weisn by Paulaner Munchen Brauerei Gmbh & Co. is a 6% ABV MĂ€rzen / Oktoberfest ale. This is the same delicious stuff they gave last year at the Oktoberfest. This year I heard it was Warsteiner. Regardless, this is the same awesome beer that is friggin sweet. In my previous review, I talked about about the origin of the Oktoberfest/Marzen style (http://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/oktoberfestbier-by-bayerische-staatsbrauerei-weihenstephan/)

Label:
The long tradition of the Munich Oktoberfest began in 1810 on the occasion of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig von Bayern and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen, to which the Munich population was also invited. Munich’s residents lovingly call the area on which the world’s largest folk festival has traditionally taken place since then the “Wiesn” (meadow). You [CAN] also participate in our festival this year again, since we are bringing the Oktoberfest feeling into your home. Celebrate with us and enjoy drinking a ‘Oktoberfest Wiesn’ specialty out of an original ‘Wiesn’ beer mug. Paulaner Oktoberfest Wiesn Bier is brewed strictly according to the Bavarian beer purity law of 1516 only from the best natural ingredients. It has the character of a typically bottom-fermented festival brew – a deep golden yellow color, with a balanced harmonious taste and the pleasant fragrance of hops. A full-bodied, wonderfully mellow Wiesn Ale [?] enjoyment.”
—-I have tried this beer before many times but I have not had a chance to review it, so here it goes. There is a lot of sweet biscuit bread, honey, lemon and hoppy aromas. The flavors are probably what makes me keep trying the beer over and over again. Sweet honey laid on top of a biscuit bread with sweet lemon and caramel jam, some cornflakes with banana slices, however, there is still enough earthy and grassy hop bitterness to mellow out some of the sweetness. The sweet flavors linger in the aftertaste which is awesome reminding you that you had some good beer. LOL will admit, the only reason why this beer did not get a higher grade is because to me, The Hefeveizen Dunkel is the true Oktoberfest beer. Like the franziskaner. Although if they have Paulaner Heff it is still close enough with its banana cloves and bread :P. However, pickers can’t be choosers. This is still a very good beer and worthy of many tries. This is only available in the fall, so get this one before they disappear in the winter.

Santa’s Little Helper by Port Brewing

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Rating: 5/5

Santa’s Little Helper by Port Brewing is a 10%ABV Russian Imperial Stout. This is the second time I try this beer. Both the Oak Aged and regular versions are awesome :P. 

Label:

Each year santa works up that famous list. He takes notes of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. To the nice people he brings good cheer. For the people who have been anything but nice, he loads up on big fat lumps of coal. Thankfully, santa knows this is one seriously nice beer. Brewed only once a year since it was first released in 1997, Santa’a Little Helper has been our annual insurance policy against lumps of coal in our stockings. Each year, we look forward to the release of this beer which signals the impending arrival of the jolly old fat man and his merry band of eves. Santa’s Little Helper Imperials stouts is as back as christmas eve with a decidedly smooth finish. We know you’ll find it the perfect companion for chestnuts roasting by an open fire paired with that lump of coal you’ll be receiving.
—

The easiest way to describe this beer is to say that if you were to take Old Rasputin and collided him with Christmas and made him run gift errands on Christmas Eve, you would have this. Think of a Russian Imperial stout and add Christmas spices to it like nutmeg, cinnamon, cherries and other Christmasy goodness. The flavors of chocolate, coffee and earthy hop bitterness is toned down to release more sweeter flavors. There are notes of cinnamon, cherries, raisins, molasses, vanilla, caramel. However as you keep trying it, there seems to be more chocolate flowing here. Milk, dark, baker and bitter sweet chocolates that flow into a coffee like a mocha. One of the better Christmas beers you will find along with some of the ones I have already reviewed here for sure :). Many places including Bevmo have this around this time of year. Get it before the season ends :P. LOL and you are lucky to find the Oak aged version which was released in he summer, get that too 😀

2011 Review:
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas..lol even if its barely gonna be Halloween…lmao!! Anyways. We have here a nice Christmas Imperial Stout. This is the Santa’s Little Helper by Port Brewing company. Delicious chocolate and coffee flavors like most Imperial Stouts with 10% ABV. However, this beer is heavy in bitterness but there is this delicious note of dry cinnamon and cherry. Like those delicious Christmas chocolates that come out around that time. LOL looks like the guys took some of last years coals left in the stockings to heat and roast up the malts to use in this years beer. Definitely a good present to receive this holiday season…or even before Halloween >:)

Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Ale Voodoo Doughnut by Rogue Brewing

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Rating: 5/5

Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Ale Voodoo Doughnut by Rogue Brewing is a 5.3% Fruit Beer brewed with Chocolate, Peanut butter and Bananas. LOL Yeah this is different but awesome. A Homer Simpson type of beer I’m sure. This is the Variant of the original Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale and recent release from Rogue.

Label:

A Collision of Crazies Rogue Ales has again collided with Voodoo Doughnut to create Chocolate, Banana & Peanut Butter Ale! This unique artisan creation contains a baker’s dozen ingredients including chocolate, banana and peanut butter to match Voodoo’s “Memphis Mafia” doughnut- a nod to Elvis’ entourage.
2-Row, C-150, C-175, Carafoam Special II & Chocolate Malts; Rogue Farms Revolution & Independent Hops; Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana; Pacman Yeast and Free Range Coastal Water
—

Initial smell was very enticing. Strong smell from the chocolate, peanut butter and bananas. Hints of vanilla and caramel are in the aromas as well. There is also a smell of like cherry glaze. Almost like walking into the Doughnut shop type of pastry smell. The Initial taste is somewhat smokey and grassy but all that dissipates as soon as the rest of the flavors take over. Milk Chocolate, peanut butter, banana bread, vanilla, caramel, maple, campfire graham cracker and marshmallow notes, brown sugar, raisin, cherry, definitely like this butterscotch after taste. They definitely worked hard to make this beer taste like a doughnut. The smokeyness is only there to balance out the sweetness. This beer has many notes but it is not overly sweet. The balance works very well towards its favor. It is not too much in alcohol and managed to hit a lot of pleasure notes in the taste buds. Got this one directly from Rogue so the distribution should be hitting Bevmo and other specialty liquor stores soon. Go and pick this up, its quite interesting and delicious…lol but don’t take my word for, judge for yourself.

SpĂ©ciale Cent Cinquante by Chimay Trappistes

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Rating: 4.5/5

Spéciale Cent Cinquante by Chimay Trappistes is a 10% ABV Tripel Brewed in honor of their 150th Anniversary (1892-20120)

Label:

This special edition is a full bodied and distinctive strong beer developed within the abbey to celebrate and honour the 150th anniversary of the brewery. Produced with 100% natural ingredients,its pale golden robe and champagne sparkle is topped by a rich white head of foam. The distinctive bouquet evokes the rich fruity and complex notes of the Chimay yeast in harmony with a delicate spicy note and the fragrance of fresh noble hops. At 10% alcohol, the flavour is full bodied and complex with a slight but refreshing tang note and a crisp hop finish that will delight the palate. 
–

Chimay, located in Scourmont Abbey in Belgium is one of the 7 Trappist monasteries in the world brewing some of the Best Belgian Beers in the world. Like the Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue) which is one of the best in the world and quite common to boot :). This beer reminds me of Curiex by Allagash as well as the Duvel Rustica by Ommegang. It is one of those sweet Belgian beers that are more pale and golden than a strong Quad. This Tripel is quite fragrant and floral. There are aromas of citrus, lime, honey, spices, cloves, peppercorn, grapes and hibiscus. The flavors are sweeter than Curiex and Duvel. There is a lot of sweet bread dipped in honey nectar or agave nectar. Oranges, lime, grape, apples, mango, peach, banana, alittle bit of pine and earthy hops, vanilla, coriander, spices, and pink peppercorns (Like in Allagash Fluxus). The beer is very good but for the price, you only get some extra flavors and sweetness. I would definitely go with the other Chimay beers for sure, but this one is worth a try atleast :). Still a very good beer

Jewbelation Sweet 16 (16th Anniversary Ale) by He’Brew

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Rating: 4.9/5

Jewbelation Sweet 16 16th Anniversary Ale by He’Brew is a 16%ABV Strong Ale made with 16 hops and 16 malts. That’s a lot of ingredients and a lot of alcohol!!

Label:

For our Shmaltz Sweet 16, it’s all cupcakes and unicorns this—round! Romans 16:16: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 16 books in the Hebrew Bible go by the names of Prophets. Lincoln was our 16th president. As the Revolution raged, Louis the XVI became the only King of France ever executed, ending 1000 years of dynasty. “One cannot become a saint when one works 16 hours a day.” -Jean-Paul Sartre. The true 16 oz pint must pour to the ”painted line,” taken from Old French and Latin. The Clash first rocked the US in 1980 on their “16 Tons Tour”. A 16-Ton weight famously crushed skits in Monty Python’s Flying Circus. 16 year-olds can legally pilot a glider, buy a lottery ticket, and get married in Scotland. Jewish superstar of the roaring ’20â€Čs, Al Jolson, often performing in blackface, popularized the song, “When You Were Sweet 16″. Seth Rogen, child of self-avowed “Jewish radical socialists,” got on Freaks and Geeks at age 16. “At 16, the adolescent knows about suffering because he himself has suffered, but he barely knows that other beings also suffer.” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau. To attend Justin Bieber’s Sweet 16 party, parents had to sign a waiver stating “My participation may involve risk of serious injury or death.” In South Park’s “Satan’s Super Sweet 16,” serial killers from Hell failed to produce a cake baked in the form of a Ferrari. Thankfully there’s a ton of ways to come of age so Shmaltz it up, Tribe — Le’Chaim! – Jeremy Cowan, proprietor 
—

This one is is pretty strong. Last years 15th was intense as well. Trying to pick out the individual differences from 15 to 16 is no easy task. To begin, the smell of this beer is just like a stout with its chocolate and coffee aromas. In fact I think this beer is more of a stout than anything. However, you can smell the aroma of the boozyness from like a bourbon and vanilla bean. Although, this was not aged in bourbon casks. There are also fragrances of plums and and like a soy sauce almost. The flavors are pretty complex. Dark Chocolate, Coffee, vanilla, mocha, earthy and grassy hop pine bitterness, barley wine honey, molasses, brown sugar, plum, raisins, cherry notes, licorice, caramel, and booze like a rum or a bourbon but distinct flavors of those liquors are not present here. No matter as the beer itself has enough other flavors to make it very outstanding. The booze is quite present but you can still tell the complex flavors about it because the booziness fades as the flavors are unleashed. The after taste is still quite stout like as the sweet and rich chocolate cake and coffee flavors still linger on. I would definitely give this another go. Although you do not want to drink this in one sitting. The ABV is quite high 😛

Bush de NoĂ«l (Scaldis Noel) by Brasserie Dubuisson FrĂšres sprl

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Rating: 5/5

Bush de Noël (Scaldis Noel) by Brasserie Dubuisson FrÚres sprl is a 12%ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Label:

“Brewed especially for the Christmas period, Scaldis Noel is a brilliant red amber ale that will delight the most demanding connoisseurs.”
–

The Prequel to the Scaldis Prestige De Nuits (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/scaldis-prestige-de-nuits-cuvee-speciale-2009-by-brasserie-dubuisson-freres-sprl/)
Like it’s epic counter part, this beer has fragrances of banana, caramel, some dark fruit noted, nutmeg, cinnamon and all spice. This awesome beer is only a small sample of a strong Belgian beer that screams with flavors like a quad or a Dubbel. There are some flavors of a litle bit of bourbon, cinnamon, banana cloves, coriander spice, all spice, nutmeg, sweet bread like, citrus, raisins, blueberries, pilsner grain, vinous grapes, and graham crackers. It is indeed a lighter version in terms of flavor complexity than what is found in the aged version. Still complex and strong though. A strong Christmas beer with a lot of delight. Drinks like a Trois Pistoles as well. So yeah, I think I am being reasonable to say that is is worth a try and a sipper :P. One if the best Christmas Belgian beers for sure.

The Perfect Crime Conspiracy by Stillwater Artisanal, Stone Brewing and Evil twin

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Rating: 3.9/5

The Perfect Crime Conspiracy by Stillwater Artisanal, Stone Brewing and Evil twin is a 6% ABV Black Smoked Saison

Label:
When two gypsies team up with an arrogant bastard, there is bound to be some criminal activity…better to view this project as a conspiracy rather than a collaboration. The strengths of all involved were utilized to break the laws of style guidelines…dark with deception, mys

teriously smoked, unexplainably dry, and intriguingly hoppy…maybe it’s best not to even talk about it.
—

Never thought I would see the day Stone and Stillwater would make a collaboration beer. With their accomplice Evil Twin, you definite have some arrogant gangsters :P. Been looking for this beer for the last 2 weeks and finally was able to snag a bottle. Pours almost pitch black and full bodied. Fragrances are definitely of smoke, campfire, flowers and farmhouse hay like the awesome saisons of Still water but there is some grassy mint fragrance. The flavors pretty wicked. Saison bread, like a peppercorn spice, cloves, roasted malt with like a bacon aftertaste but starts off with molasses, mint, grassy hops, citrus, hibiscus and maybe lavander, . Finish smokey but dry. Definitely for those that enjoy smokey beers. But the fusion with a Saison is just epic. So it makes it not pure smoke. The beer got better with later sips :P.

Firestone XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker

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Rating: 5.5/5 (Just like last years version, harder to explain. Strategy guide included) (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/firestone-xv-fifteenth-anniversary-ale-by-firestone-walker/)

Firestone XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker is a 13% ABV Strong Multi-liquor Barrel Aged Hybrid Blend Ale. If Last year’s beer was the Akira of beers, this beer ascended to another dimension of flavor and complexity. A Goku super saiyan of sorts. Maybe Kaiohken x20 Goku. I should mention by the way. Since this beer is stupidly complex, the flavors change with temperature. Meaning every sip will evolve into different flavors. I kid you NOT!!!. Why the fuck do you think this has a strategy guide :/. Hell, even me, I am not sure if I can explain all the flavors to the fullest. And like the stories where the people visit some mountain or some island or even reach the bottom of the ocean or go digging for archeological treasure a la National Treasure in search if riches or even…the truth, along the way, you may get buzzed enough to lower your senses. Meaning you will not be able to fully find the treasure hidden beneath as you wont be able to taste anything if you finish the bottle. A “Shut up and Take My Money” moment in beerdom. Buy one before they run out!!

Label:
The Aging Cellar – The Components
We blended together 226 oak barrels and 8 different beers creating something truly complex and exceptional. 

The following are descriptions of key components with their original code names:

Velvet Merkin (8.7% ABV) – Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Traditional Oatmeal Stout (23% of final blend)
OG= 15P FG=5.5 IBU=32.5 Color= Black / 15% Oats / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles

Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) – Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-English Barley Wine (22.5% of final blend)
OGP FG=5.4P IBU=45 Color=28 / Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (Brown) sugar

Double Double Barrel Ale (14.2% ABV) – Aged 100% in retired Firestone Union barrels
-Double strength English Pale Ale (20.3% of final blend)
OG=25.0P FG=5.1P IBU=30 Color=16 / A Double version of our flagship created by Ali Razi

Parabola (13% ABV) – Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (10.8% of final blend)
OG=31P FG=8.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding

PNC (13.0% ABV) – Aged in Tequila barrels 
-American Strong Buckwheat Stout (8.1% of final blend)
OG = 25P FG = 5.0P IBU = 80 Color = 100 / Brewed with Buckwheat

Helldorado (11.5% ABV) – Aged in Bourbon Barrels and Brandy barrels
-Blonde Barley Wine (5.4% of final blend)
OG=24.7P FG=4.5P IBU=24 Color = 8 / Brewed with buckwheat honey & 100% El Dorado hops

Bravo (13.4% ABV) – Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-Imperial Brown Ale (5.4% of final blend)
OG=26.5 FG=7.7 IBU=35 Color=32 / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles

Wookey Jack (8.3% ABV)- 100% Fresh, Dank & Hoppy 100% Stainless Steel
-Black Rye India Pale Ale (4.5% of final blend)
OG= 18P FG = 3.0P IBU = 80 Color =black / Extremely hoppy double dry hopped BIPA

As a finished beer, XVI takes us back to some of the wonderful dark notes (the black keys) that I remember from the original 10 blending. XVI is 42% stout with Velvet Merkin, Parabola and “PNC” working together as three roasty toasty friends that create rich cacao, chocolate and mocha flavors together. “PNC” also introduces tequila barrels into our blend for the first time and brings some interesting south of the boarder spirit notes to the mix – a welcome twist. Helldorado, with flavors of lavender honey liqueur was again a favorite of the winemakers and made the cut adding some flowery notes. DDBA continues to deliver its signature American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances. DDBA was also release on its own in 2012 and is now established as a solid annual brew. Stickee Monkee is fast becoming one of our favorite pieces with its rich maple syrup, spicy cinnamon, and ripe fig flavors which has developed into a bolder cousin of perennial blend component Bravo who carries barrel character and bourbon notes like no other. The additional twist this year is Wookey Jack, Black Rye IPA with its wily citrusy hop notes and spicy rye backbone. The finished blend is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XVI is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half filled brandy snifter or red wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. It takes a while, but as this beer sits and breathes in the glass, more rich dusty chocolate, stone fruit and crĂšme brulee character is reveled as the rich spirit characters fade – so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. I suspect that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our Seventh oak-aged blend! The journey continues and its just as fun and exciting now as it was back in 1996. Thank you so much for spending a little time with us!
—

Did you catch all that?? okay good. Now let’s go explore this briny deep. Lets start with the Event Horizon, A.K.A Aromas. Smells like coconut, coffee, Frappucino, bourbon, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, whiskey, bubble gum, bananas, plums, Key Lime pie, hazelnut and agave. I have had agave iced tea (Agave Lechugilla from Guadalajara, Mexico) and tequila. I have also had other Tequila Barrel Aged beers, so I will be looking for these things in the flavors. Right off the bat, you are bombarded by flavors, but stay close, the journey gets rough… Coconut, vanilla, toasted bread, milk and dark chocolate, coffee, raisin, plums, cherries, pecan pie, bananas (like the chunky munky icecream), hazelnut, walnuts, almonds, burnt sugar, nutmeg, capirotada (Mexican pastry with nuts and raisins, sometimes with leche nestle [sweetened condensed milk]) and Danish cookies. As the beer got warmer, it stayed primarily on the banana and pecan pie flavors where at first it had the coffee, whipped cream, cherry and chocolate, more danish cookies, peach, mango, Reese’s dipped in strawberry and blueberry and spread on a French CrĂȘpe with maple. The Coconut, vanilla, bourbon lingers all around. There are flavors of vanilla and cinnamon with pecan pie notes and agave is what stays in the after taste. Maybe the agave was overwhelmed by the other flavors but it sure comes out to shine in the sweet after taste. As the glass goes on (mind you, This is still the first 8 oz glass, it has been more than 30 minutes of waiting and the beer just keeps….EVOLVING. I am semi buzzed at this point so like I was saying earlier, I may not find the truth still…or the treasure of all the flavors presented in the complexity of this beer. My mouth is left with sorrow because the beer evolved into this sweet pastry my mom used to make with Eggs and Leche Nestle 😩 . Now that was true deliciousness . Crusty, oily, super sweet, creamy…. I cannot say anymore. This is a supreme dessert beer. Only reason it did not get a 6 is because I could not find everything and well, When a beer like Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Sexual Chocolate or even Choklat tell you…this is pure liquid bliss, then you better listen. This beer was way better than last years beer. I will be buying another bottler soon enough. Maybe the aging/evolution process will take it to a 6 or more…who knows :O …Why are you still reading this…. GO FIND THIS GOLD NOW!!!

Winter Welcome by Samuel Smith

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Rating: 4.6/5

Winter Welcome by Samuel Smith is a 6.0% ABV Winter Warmer ale. Winter Warmer is a style of beer that is geared toward Christmas and the winter. This is an English style ale so it bring more of brown ale characteristic to it. Also, English Ales do not spice up their beers.

Label:

This seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter. The full body resulting from fermentation in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire. 
Bottle: Pasteurised.
Each year the label has a different picture.
Ingredients: Water, malted barley, yeast, hops, seaweed finings, carbon dioxide. 

(Every year, the picture in the center changes. This year it is the Rugby pic)
—-

If these are not using spices, this is very awesome. I heard somewhere that this is one of the best Christmas beers out there. LOL They maybe right. The interesting thing about this beer, is that it drinks like a brown ale with its grain, almonds, caramel and toffee flavors. However, what if the the caramel flavor became richer and there some banana and maybe some dark fruit notes to it. Reminiscent of a light Belgian quad almost….almost, then this is what we have here. Something about this beer and is bready, dulce de leche with minor raisin and plum flavors is very appealing to me. It is not overwhelming but enough to make it a very good beer. If you like new castle, and maybe a fan of Belgian beers, try this one. It is all around pretty good.

Hibiscus IPA Two Islands collaboration by Coronado and Maui

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Rating: 4.45/5

Hibiscus IPA Two Islands collaboration by Coronado and Maui is a 4.9% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Hibiscus flowers. Many of us Latinos know this flower as it is used to make Jamaica (Iced Hibiscus-Tea). Never had such a mix before. However, now the tropical flavors are probably more potent in this IPA

Label:

CBC and our fellow islanders at Maui Brewing Co are bridging the distance from Hawaii to the mainland with big flavor, camaraderie, and generosity. This centennial, chinook, and nugget-stoked IPA, made floral with the addition of hibiscus flower, is the first of an annual series of collaborative beers benefiting local charities. This time around, a donation will be made to Beer for Boobs, a Susan G Komen 3-day team formed by San Diego company White Labs, who contributed the yeast for this brew. No matter which side of the Pacific you’re on, there’s no better reason to ” Drink Pink!” 
—

When pouring this beer, it was mainly crimson and pink. The beer aromas of the pine and grassy hops are there but the floral and fruity aromas are also there. Almost like cherries. First sip of this beer and I was amazed by a different type of bitterness. I have had Jamaica on many occasions, with and with out sugars. So the flowery bitterness is there but it works very will with the hops creating a hoppy and floral bitterness hybrid. The flavors are of grapefruit, pineapple, cranberry tart, light cherries, orange, biscuit bread and lime. The flavors are not too overwhelming making this a pretty refreshing beer which wont fill you up to quick but has enough flavors to make it interesting. Even though it does not a super bitter IPA role, it plays it role for which it is suited for, a tropical, floral and a bit fruity IPA.

Denogginizer by Drake’s Brewing

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Rating: 4.25/5

Denogginizer by Drake’s Brewing is a 9.75%ABV Imperial India Pale Ale. 

Label:

Silver Medal winner for Imperial India Pale Ale, Great American Beer Festival 2009. An Imperial (or Double) IPA, Denogginizer is a big bold beer hopped with an abundant amount of Simcoe and Columbus with a touch of Amarillo and Cascade. Mashed with Munich and Crystal malt for color and flavor…and to help balance out the hop assault. 
—

Another DIPA to add to the list of Double IPAs. As I have explained in other reviews, some IPAs focus on certain traits wether sweeter or more bitter. This IPA focuses on several things but mostly in the sweeter category. More caramel than tropical sweet. Hoppy but not super bitter. Just enough to let you know you are dealing with an Double IPA. Also the alcohol is well hidden. Flavors of caramel, honey, hoppy grassy pine and grapefruit, some apple, tangerine, peach, spicy but not herbal. A sweeter DIPA than others. So if you prefer more bitter and more tropical, there are others out there. This one is still recommended if you like sweeter DIPAs though. Not bad at all 🙂

Chocolate Porter by Hangar 24

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Rating: 4.25/5

Chocolate Porter by Hangar 24 is a 8%ABV Porter brewed with chocolate malts, cocoa nibs and vanilla bean.

Label:

Rich and decadent. This strong porter is perfect for sipping at the end of the day or to accompany full-flavored foods. The intense, roasty flavor comes from two types of chocolate malt and raw cocoa nibs. Whole vanilla beans introduced post fermentation add complexity and enhance the dessert-like qualities of this full bodied beer. Indulge yourself! Additional Information: This beer began life as our Panamanian Porter with the flavors of chocolate, vanilla and banana. A truly unique beer, we felt that all those flavors needed some smoothing out so we changed yeast strains and eliminated the banana flavor (Which came from the yeast strain). The Panamanian Porter did have many fans however, and there may be plans in the future to bring it back for a special occasion. Stay tuned


This beer reminds me of the split shot espresso milk stout but with more chocolate and vanilla and a lot less coffee. It is not as chocolate forth as the choklat or as chocolate intense as Black Tuesday or Chocolate Rain, but it is close. Probably close to the the Stone Vanilla Porter. However, that one was dead on with more vanilla and chocolate. The flavors you get in this beer are rich dark and milk chocolate, vanilla, caramel, mocha, light coffee bitterness, some coconut and a bit of almond. This is a dessert beer, plain and simple, as close as a candy bar, but not pure liquid chocolate. LOL I am sure if they had raised the levels of chocolate, cocoa nibs, vanilla and alcohol, you would have something just like some of the best liquid chocolate beers in the world. It also helps that this fairly smooth, rich and creamy. While the beer is not completely full bodied that you can’t see anything, it is enough to let you know it is a porter. Quite a delicious porter and now a days easier to find than in the past. I found this one in a liquor store near my town of South Gate.

Of Love & Regret (Import Series Vol. #1) by Gypsy/Gangster Brewer Stillwater Artisanal

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Rating: 4.5/5

Of Love & Regret (Import Series Vol. #1) by Gypsy/Gangster Brewer Stillwater Artisanal, is a 7.2%ABV Belgian Saison Ale.

Description:
For the first edition of the Stillwater Import Series I traveled to the village of Beerzel, located in the Antwerp province of Belgium. Here I teamed up with brewmaster Jef Goetelen to craft an authentic Belgian version of my liquid interpretation of the Spring season. A recipe originally contrived a few years prior as a collaboration brew with my good friend Paul Kretzer. The base is German barley & wheat, with a touch of Belgian aromatic; accented with grassy hops and an array of spring botanicals (heather, chamomile, lavender, & dandelion). Like a fresh meadow in spring.

—-

This is the second time I get a chance to try this beer. I got around to trying the 750ml bottle this time around. Wish I could get a chance to go the the actual bar up in Baltimore (http://www.ofloveandregret.com/) lol maybe someday.

The aromas of this beers are very sweet and floral. Lime, citrus, herbs and different types of flowers. Almost like a field of flowers. Uniqueness fragrances like Lavender and Chamomile can be sensed.The flavors are rich. Orange, tamarind, biscuit bread, chamomile tea, honey, cinnamon, ginger, flowers (like the way they smell, this tastes) like Heather, Lavender and Rose hips. A beer to share your joys and regrets with others. Something quite nice and worth the taste if you can find it 😛

2011 Review:
LMFAO!!… Of Love & Regret (Import Series Vol. #1) by Stillwater Artisanal gypsy/gangster brewing. A super rarity…lol but was very affordable brew for sure :3. This brew goes out to all who have fallen in love twice or more. For many reasons. When we fall in love we think its awesome and it is a magical ride of goodness for sure little to know if we go all the way and marry someone and maybe we become miserable and want to find someone else to love…lol not to say this happens but sometimes it does. Well to those who feel they messed up and truly didn’t find what they were looking for, this brew is for you. By the way it goes both ways, man upset with his woman or even woman upset with her man. LOL cheating but you will get caught cuz karma is a real bitch :P. Anyways about this elusive brew I have been looking for ever. First off this is a wild saison ale which is brewed with wild yeast as most of the still waters go. This is different though. There truly is alot of love in this beer, literally its brewed with flowers :P. The base is German barley & wheat, with a touch of Belgian aromatic; accented with grassy hops and an array of spring botanicals (heather, chamomile, lavender, & dandelion)…YES..there is a reason why this brew was made very limited and very hard to find. Because honestly true love is the same way sometimes. In fact the brew opened up bursting and I was lucky enough to get the beer out before it spilled everywhere thank god :/ … The brew taste like all sorts of fruits, passion fruit, mango, tangerine, banana, minor vanilla, earth and bready notes. Man it is very good. If you ever lost some one to someone else, lol love is a real bitch, but drink up this may make you feel better,….that is if your able to find this true love beauty of a beer for sure :P…Good luck and cheer up, as there are plenty of dogfish in the sea you will find the right woman/man and the right beer to share with your partner some day 🙂  

Double Dragonfly by Upland Brewing

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Rating: 4.45/5

Double Dragonfly by Upland Brewing is a 9.1%AV Imperial India Pale Ale.

Label:
We took our award-winning Dragonfly IPA and cranked up the malt and hops, but managed to hold onto the the perfect balance our Dragonfly is known for. The result is a brew with a very powerful hop profile, matching malt character, and an enticing floral nose.
—–

A very very elusive beer. I love IPAs but what really had me hooked on a mission to finding this beer is the label. It is very good artwork, mysterious, dark, lol but at the same time may be quite revealing. Yes that is 2 dragonflies….lol mating probably. Anyways, on to the beer review. There is is this aroma of flowers and honey that come along with the piney, grapefruit and grassy scent that comes natural to IPAs and DIPAs alike. I have reviewed many IPAs and always try to look for what is unique about each one. While some may taste similar or even similar in complexity, some may have certain rooted notes that are more recognizable or stronger than others. For this beer, it is the flowery notes more than tropical or hoppy bitter. Even the appearance is more crimson than some of the other IPAs I have had. The flavors range from cotton candy, caramel, honey, rose hips, hibiscus, cherry, grapefruit, peach, grassy and piney hops, tangerine citrus, herbs, notes of biscuit bread and strawberry jam. The bitterness gives way to the flavors but you can still tell it is an IPA. The alcohol comes as the beer becomes warmer but does not detract from the beer flavors. A pleasant and sweet IPA. Not too bitter, not too tropical in flavors. Not quite a Saison either. Yet, if you can find this give it a try. Unless you like more tropical and bitter beers, it may not be what you are looking for. Regardless, it was a win for me. One that took me almost a year to find :D.

Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale by Rogue Brewing

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Rating: 4/5

Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale by Rogue Brewing is a 4.8%ABV Specialty Grain Ale. Never really had a Soba beer before. By specialty grain they mean Soba as in buck wheat. In the traditional sense, Soba means the Soba noodles which are thin noodles made from buckwheat flower. I think they were going for a beer that taste like noodles…lol….Lagers like Sapporo, Asahi and Hite are fermen

ted with Rice. This is fermented with the primary ingredient that make a Japanese Soba Ramen, so in this case, the buckwheat. I guess they were going for an Ale made with Japanese wheat or barley so to speak. Also the name in Japanese would probably be something like “Morimoto Kuro Obi Soba Eru or Biiru”. 

Label:
A richer version of our Soba Ale with the addition of specialty malts and a special blend of hops to give it a fuller, nutty flavor while retaining a clean, crisp finish.

13 Ingredients:
Malts: Roasted Soba, Harrington, Metcalf, Munich, C-15, C-60 and Carafa Special No. 2, Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare
Hops: Horizon, Sterling,Cascade and Rogue Micro Hopyard Revolution hops. 
Yeast & Water: Rogue’s Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water.
Specs:
12Âș PLATO
30 IBU
75.2 AA
36Âș Lovibond
—-

The flavor of this ale much like I though I would probably expect. Something awesome that would go well with Ramen or Sushi. There is is soy sauce component to it, rich caramel, earthy hops with grassy bitterness, plums sauce, hazelnut, almonds and pecan, somewhat pilsnery, grainy, minor chocolate and coffee and somewhat smokey. Reminds me a little bit of the Ise Kadoya Stout…lol if it wasn’t a sour ale. All and all, I would take this beer to pair with a good sushi or Ramen or other Japanese dish. It would so fit :P.

Ommegang XV 15th Aniversary Ale

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Rating: 5/5

Ommegang XV 15th Aniversary Ale is a 9.6% ABV Belgian Trappist Dark Ale Reserve. I am already a huge fan of Ommegang as they do Belgian beers very well. This is no exception and I seriously think it can go toe to toe with the Trappist styles of Belgian. Just like Westvleteren 12. This is pretty good and hard to find. Probably because it is still trickling down the distribution chains.

 

Label:
Ommegang XV Reserve Ale is an Extraordinary and uncommon ale, even by our refined standards.

One year in creation-and brewed but once- Ommegang XV Reserve Celebrates Fifteen years of creating fine Belgian-Style Ales.

This Celebratory ale honors our ancestry, and pays homage to the world’s most desired ales- The Legendary Trappist Ales of Belgium.

Like the revered Trappist Ales, Ommegang XV reserve is brewed with only the finest ingredients and with devotion and care-creating an ale with strikingly complex aromas and flavors.

Deep, Dark, and Elegant, this ale will delight and satisfy today and will age gracefully in the cellar.
-=—

No kidding, the fragrance and taste of this ale is quite complex and delicious. The Aroma of dark fruits like raisins, banana nut bread, dulce de leche caramel, some minor citrus, and bourbon. The flavors are just like the awesome Trappist beers and quad ales. Raisin fig and banana pecan bread laced with rich dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cherries, blueberries, wine grape tartness, minor coffee notes in the aftertaste but nothing removing from the primary Trappist focus. I still think that this can go toe to toe with the ever elusive Westvleteren 12, but hey you be the judge of that one.Truly a Belgian worth trying once it arrives in greater quantities 😛

Santa’s Private Reserve by Rogue Brewing

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Rating: 3.8/5

Santa’s Private Reserve by Rogue Brewing is a 6% Amber Ale.

Label:

10 Ingredients: 
Carastan 30-37 & 13-17, Crystal 70-80 & Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare & Risk Malts; Chinook & Rogue Farm Revolution & Freedom Hops; Free Range Coastal Water and Pacman Yeast. 

13Âș PLATO 
65 IBU 
73.1 AA 
26.75Âș L 
—

Christmas beers are something special especially for the season. I have tried several good ones but some are better than others. This on in particular is decent at best. Flavors of caramel, grassy hops, biscuit bread, cinnamon, minor mango, little bit of apple and grapefruit, some all spice, and minor notes of pecan pie. It is an amber ale that has some delicious flavors, not too overwhelming, pretty spicy and sweet. If you like amber ales, you may find some nice sweetness to it but nothing mind blowing as I thought originally. The idea is pretty bad ass though, just like the Giant Robot pulling the sleigh in this picture. Who would of thought Santa saved the best for last.

Porcine Unidragon by Clown Shoes

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Rating: 4.8/5

Porcine Unidragon by Clown Shoes is a 12.5% ABV Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:

This is Blaecorn Unidragon made with Beechwood Smoked malt, which adds a natural meaty note (there is no actual meat in the brew). Aged 100% bourbon barrels. Little piggies run, squeal to the heavens: Clown Shoes wishes you luck.
—

A strong stout brewed in the path of Tactical Nuclear Penguin but not as strong and more noticeable flavors. Smells like chocolate, campfire, coffee, coconut, vanilla, caramel and marinated BBQ pork. This beer is not purely smoke and roast. This beer is more like a sweet BBQ over an open flame while sipping on some hot chocolate on a really cold camp ground wrapped up in a blanket. Flavors are pretty reminiscent of that. Dark Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, toffee, caramel, coconut from the bourbon, some what a flavor of Rum, oak wood, smoked malts with somewhat of a bacon and maple syrup or sweet honey barbeque. The beer feel kinda warm going down. So like I was saying earlier, definitely for the winter. It warms up the body and it delicious. Stout and smoked beer lovers will like this one. The level of harsh smoke is not there, it is well balanced with the sweet bourbon. Try it out if you dare…

Duvel Rustica by Ommegang

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Rating: 4.25/5

Duvel Rustica by Ommegang is an 8.5% Belgian Strong/Imperial Golden Ale. 

Label:

Duvel Rustica is our American farmhouse interpretation of Duvel Golden Ale, renowned worldwide as the finest Belgian Golden Ale. Like Duvel, our ale begins with a perfect balance of fine malts and noble hops, then undergoes fermentation with Ommegang’s proprietary yeast. 

Duvel Rustica is a richly flavorful and aromatic brew with the depth and complexity of the finest Belgian ales. Enjoy the alluring flavors and aromas, fine carbonation, full body, hazy rustic golden hue, fluffy white head and dry, warming finish. 
———

I almost want to consider this a Belgian Pilsner. If you were to add Belgian yeast to a lager you would get something similar to this. I have had many Belgian Pale Ales and even some Golden Ales that have more sweet Belgian fruits and candied sugars. Despite this, I love how this beer presents itself. The bitterness is like that of a pilsner amplified into the realms of Belgian beer. I really think a lot of people that like so called Belgian Lagers like Stella will realize that if you took that beer and made it is more mature, fermented and super complex, and definitely unfiltered, you would get a golden ale truly worthy of then name, Duvel. This isn’t Stella at all though, no where near its league as Ommegang is legend amongst the beer world. This beer is mix thought. Some flavors of strong candied sugar on warm sweet and biscuit bread, vanilla, pilsner flavor like cereal, pears, orange peel, grapes, lemon, some grassy, tangy, pine and pineapple with grapefruit hops. There is is sour dough bready after taste as well. Like a rye bread. Quite the delicious beer at that. I would have to compare Duvel vs. this one to see if one is better than the other. Many beer lovers may like this one 😛

Panty Peeler by Midnight Sun Brewing

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Rating: 4.25/5

Panty Peeler by Midnight Sun Brewing is a 8.5% Belgian Style Tripel brewed with Orange Peel and Coriander.

Label: 

Free spirited Panty Peeler Tripel pours rambunctiously into your glass, releasing its engaging aroma. Curacao (bitter) orange peel and coriander create a beautiful yet bolder tripel by infusing color, citrus and spice. Belgian yeast adds playful character. Bottle conditioning assures a perfectly heady experience. Ride Free

Brewed as a Belgian tripel but with American boldness, Panty Peeler is delicious yet spirited. Originally named Extreme Polar White Bier, it got nicknamed “Panty Peeler” along the way. Then we translated it to French for a while: Épluche-Culotte. Now we’re back to calling it Panty Peeler and we’ve kicked up the coriander and orange peel to represent its original design. 
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Interesting name….lol. Either way, the beer is what I would expect of a good tripel. a lot of the Tripels I have tried have a yeast driven complexity that follows rich and bold flavors from the unfermented concoction. Panty Peeler allows a free flow of semi-Belgian White Ale or a Heffeveizen like those served in many places. Shock top, Pyramid, Widmer, Blue Moon, etc. While Orange Peel an coriander emphasize the drive of this beer, the yeast rolls right in to remind you, hey, this is still a tripel. Flavors of Orange, Tangerine, Gummy bear, pineapple and peach sweetness (possibly from the Curacao) along with sweet caramel and biscuit bread. You can tell the Tripel flavors as you go along as there is also some spices, banana cloves, and candied sugar. It is quite tangy but is not super bitter. It is actually more balanced because while it is a sweet beer, the herbal and orange peel bitterness blends but keeps some of the sweetness at bay. Interesting tripel. Surely Belgian Tripel and Belgian White ale lovers may like.

90 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head

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Rating: 5/5

90 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head is a 9%AV Double Imperial IPA. This is the second time I this special ale, so I realize it deserves another round of attention.

Label:

What you have here
is an Imperial India Pale Ale featuring a single constant 90-minute hop addition. It’s balanced by ridiculous amount of English Two-row Barley. Then we dry-hop it in every tank

Esquire Magazine calls our 90 Minute IPA “perhaps the best IPA in America.” An imperial IPA best savored from a snifter, 90 Minute has a great malt backbone that stands up to the extreme hopping rate. 

90 Minute IPA was the first beer we continuously hopped, allowing for a pungent — but not crushing — hop flavor. 
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An IPA with some awesome proportions. Smells of Barley and honey. Lots of it. First sip gives off right away, citrus, tangerine sweetness, orange gummy bears, honey, pink grapefruit, biscuit and barley bread like a piece of toast with butter, cinnamon and grape jelly, some grassy and pine hops that don’t really provide bitterness as much as it adds to the sweet floral hop flavor. This is a strong beer but it is very smooth and gives way to what an IPA would be like with minor bitterness. It is pretty damn awesome and if you love IPAs or not, you will find this one to be quite the delicious one 😛

2011 Review: 
What we have is a a level down version of the previous awesome 120 minute IPA I had before. The 90 Minute IPA by Dogfish head brings to the table an awesome balance of hoppy flavors with sweet hop goodness. Made with hops, English two-row barley and malts. A concoction of 9%ABV. The balance is just right as the 120 was more sweeter like honey and alcohol that hit ya good. This is more like a balance
e and more enjoyable one so you can have multiple of. A really great beer from its sweet start to bitter finish. Flavors of Citrus, caramel and piney hops are all in there. Definitely a beer not to be missed out on. The best part is that the alcohol is not felt in the taste. It takes the back door and slowly hits ya all at once…crap..it hit as I am writing this. D:!!!…..CHEERS regardless ;P

Barrel-Aged Gonzo by Flying Dog

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Rating: 4.9/5

Barrel-Aged Gonzo by Flying Dog is a 9.5%ABV Imperial Porter aged in Oak Whiskey Barrels. Hot Diggity 😛

Label: 

“It never got weird enough for me.” – Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S. Thompson once said, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” Consider this our professional version of Gonzo Imperial Porter. Aged and seasoned for three months in wood barrels from our neighbors at Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, this ale has a well-balanced taste and abundance of character. The taste will remind you of sweet chocolate, dry oak, and smooth whiskey with a memorable, velvety mouthfeel. 
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Chocolate, Coconut, Bourbon right off the bottle. Fucking awesome. This is not quite like the Barrel Aged Human Block Head as that was more sweeter. This focuses more on its chocolate, coffee, and bourbon properties. The smokey side of aged ales. As soon as I tried this I was liked this a lot. Some bourbon barrel-Aged beers, especially whiskey bourbon always give somewhat of a vanilla, caramel, coconut or banana flavor to them. This is important as it raises the character of a beer into bigger heights of flavor. Dark Chocolate, coffee, Bourbon whiskey, vanilla caramel, raisins, cherries, smokey roasted coffee beans, coconuts, licorice, oak, molasses and peach. The malts and bourbon are king in this one, yet, this one is still pretty good. Comparing aged beers (non-sour) is a difficult task as each aged beer, unless they bleed with a lot of alcohol exclusively, are really good as their character is elevated into more complexities like the Quadruples. Quadruples will changed flavor with age and liquor based barrels (Cognac, Scotch, Bourbon, Whiskey, Tequila, etc) will absorb the flavors of those liquors into the beers with age. You never get the same result twice, even for some more complex beers that add Brettanomyces to advance beers into a more Saison/Farmhouse or even sour beers. Everything is about technique and style. I try to bring the best forth. Maybe some of you reading this may not be in tune with highest level of craft, but even understanding where your senses of flavor and smell can go are outstanding.

Narwhal by Sierra Nevada

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Rating: 4.75/5

Narwhal by Sierra Nevada is a 10.2%ABV Russian Imperial Stout. Yes, the Jedi of the Sea. Maybe just as dangerous too. Just like the actual Narwhal, good luck finding this one…..Although maybe it is too early for its release

Label:

Inspired by the mysterious creature that dwells in the deepest Arctic seas, Narwhal Imperial Stout is midnight black and bold–with notes of baker’s cocoa and dark roasted coffee. This massive imperial stout is incredibly complex and explores the darkest depths of malt flavor. 
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Incredibly hefty and full bodied. Almost syrupy. Setting sail to find this guy is no small task. This beer reminds me so much of the Old Rasputin. It is very thick and creamy as most stouts go. The alcohol is lost in the depths of flavor. Just like the deepest part of the ocean. Flavors from what I can make out are a lot of smooth and rich dark chocolate (possible form the bakers chocolate), roasted and smoked coffee grains with mocha, vanilla and caramel notes, raisins, figs and a little bit of Bourbon or Rum. The difference from this and Old Rasputin is the amount of smokey bitterness. While is leaves with a bitter yet sweet taste, Old Rasputin makes you appreciate the coffee roast more. LOL This is dangerous on its own. If it comes in a 6 pack, you are looking at 60+% ABV. It is ridiculous. Although they sell it in 4 packs. I was able to find it by itself to give it a try. Never had their Big Foot Stout, but I am definitely very impressed with this one.

Merry Mischief by Sam Adams

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Rating: 4.8/5

 

Merry Mischief by Sam Adams is a 9.0% ABV Gingerbread Stout. It is made with Cinnamons, Nutmeg, Cloves and Gingerbread

 

Label:
Lively & Festive with a Devilish Streak
This rich dark brew entices with the aromas of the holidays, hinting at the merriment and spices within. The flavor of gingerbread comes alive beginning with the smooth sweetness and heartiness of dark roasted malts and a touch of wheat. But it’s the intensity and spices of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, & ginger that add a wicked kick for a jolly playful brew full of merry mischief.

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Now this is nice and wonderful :P. The fragrances of this beer is very rich. Like a chocolate chip and banana nut muffin. The rich flavors of this beers come out right away. Chocolate, bananas, coffee, gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel, little bit of pumpkin pie, brown sugar cookies dipped in milk, earthy hops create a minor bitterness for balance and raisins. This beer is really creamy. Like a chocolate milk shake, or at least it feels that way as you try it. As for a Christmas beer, YES, go get this one… it is quite good 😛

Elysian Omen

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Rating: 4.25/5

This is a series from Elysian, The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse. “The End is Beer”
Beer#10 (October) Omen is a 7.2% ABV Belgian Raspberry Stout.

Omen is in reference the signs and phenomenon which can foretell events of the future. Some good or some bad. Regardless of the case. Foretelling the future or deciphering signs to create meanings of what is to come has been something that has been practiced for centuries. Of all the Apocalyptic events that could happen in 12-21-2012 or the real end of the world , this is it’s greatest component and the key to the door of sight. Like in the Thundercats, sight beyond sight, something can be seen but it is all left onto interpretation as to what it really means for the future or even a current event that links people to a current event that may pertain to them trying to tell them something good or something bad is going on. The Mystery is in the eye of the beholder. 

This beer is focused more on the smokey and roasted bitter malts than other Belgian Style stouts. While some people prefer more sweeter than bitter, this one tries to balance it all. The smell of coffee, chocolate and minor fruitiness is apparent. The flavor is of dark bitter chocolate, coffee, raspberry fruitiness with some dark fruits like raisins and figs and alittle bit of biscuit bread, earthy hops and caramel. I think another component that rules in this beer is the smokey bitterness. While yes you do get some awesome sweet flavors, they finish dry making you want to try more so that the flavors really stick. There are hints of the Folklore from Stillwater in there but very little. Almost like a Black Saison with little bit of fruits here and there. It is worth a try just to see what this is about 🙂

T.R.E.A.T (The Royal Eccentric Ale Treatment) by Midnight Sun

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Rating: 5/5

T.R.E.A.T (The Royal Eccentric Ale Treatment) by Midnight Sun is a 7.8%ABV Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter brewed with Pumpkin, Cocoa Nibs, Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg. While there are many pumpkin beers out there, a very few squadron of hybrid beers are out that combine with chocolate stouts and porters. This, my friends, is the one that rules them all. This is the second time I try this beer. 

Label:
Intriguing doses of sweet spices, cocoa nibs and pumpkin transform an exceptional porter into a mesmerizing potion. Pour this tantalizing brew into a snifter and experience its many eccentric nuances, which create a royal treat. Demented or delightful? 

This is the same award-winning recipe that garnered a GOLD MEDAL at GABF in 2007. Formerly known simply as Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter, we’ve named it T.R.E.A.T.: The Royal Eccentric Ale Treatment.
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So why is this a winner? Well, it doesn’t compare strictly with pumpkins ales directly, but because it is in a class that combines rich chocolate and coffee flavors with it. The flavors are very good. Noticeable flavors of bitter dark Chocolate, Pumpkin pie with vanilla cream, sweet potato, little bit of coffee and mocha, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, caramel, wine grapes, oak and smokiness like that of Madrugada Obscura JP Sour stout, raisin bread, . The fact that it has that sour and bittering agents, it brings the beer to a unique balance that can described and awesome!! I am a fan of sweet beer but also a fan of bitter, smokey and sour beers too. So this sort of displays a lot of great characteristics of beer aside from just what the beer taste like to how is the beer in terms of palate distinction. Yes, for some people, this is very important. Many people who could care less about what flavor a beer is, would certainly like to know about how it feels to their taste buds. So there you have it friends, a great dark chocolate and pumpkin beer. I had this twice to let you know, it is worth a pick up 🙂

2011 Review:
Yes… another pumpkin beer…but one unlike the rest. What if you took a pumpkin pie and made it with chocolate sweetness. That is what this is.. :P… BEHOLD!!!… the ultimate in pumpkin sweetness just because …well I will get to that part in just a moment…I bring forth the T.R.E.A.T (The Royal Eccentric Ale Treatment) Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter by Midnight Sun Brewing….damn that w
as a long sentence and a name for the beer. But even it’s long name does not even begin to describe its royal king pumpkin goodness. Sure this is a fall beer but technically (Even though were in Christmas season) it is still fall until later on this month. So it sorta counts….:P… Anyways about this beer. Dis I mention it had chocolate and pumpkin?…LOL like a zillion times yes…This beer actually won the championship at the Great American Beer Festival. I understand why…. It is damn good…!!… You have pumpkin, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg brewed with roasted malts. The fact that this beer is so creamy and sweet, it hides its 7.8% alcohol content. It may not be walloping with alot of alcohol but the flavor of mix spices pumpkin and chocolate just gives it that right Fall before Christmas type of feel. It is hard to say this since I have had a lot of pumpkin brews but this is one is now on my top 3 favorites. This pumpkin beer is king right next to La Parcella by JP and the collab La Citrueille CĂ©leste de Citracado. Maybe cus I love chocolate so much and pumpkin pie and spices so much :P. Who knew Alaskan pumpkins could be so good ♄