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 was 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 Céleste 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 ♥
Jolly Pumpkin/Stone/Nogne-O Collababeire
What if you took Halloween and set it to be around Christmas? What if You were able to mash up all the goodness the holidays and the spookiness and fall flavors of the fall and Halloween. Well here you have it. The fact that I found this is kinda shocking really. THIS…THIS here is Collababeire Special Holiday Ale… The embodiment of the Jolly Pumpkin, the bastard Stone brewing, and the European brewery of Nogne-O brewed with very good and pure holiday flavors in time for Christmas. This sure feels like a Christmasween beer lol. This version of the brew is bottled by JP. This beer is brewed with chestnuts,Juniper, Sage & Caraway spices. Flavors are in there from the tartness of JP, some hoppy, oaked Arrogant bastard like flavor, and some sweet other complex spices I’m sure provided by Nogne-O, This is sorta like taking the JP Noel de Calabaza and turning into Dracula. I have no idea what Juniper, sage and carway taste like but the chestnuts a nutty cinnamon taste. I sense cherries, pepper spice, caramel, herbs, grapes, some orange and very minor chocolate. Ahh so nice and warming this beer is running at 9% ABV. Weird time to say it is not a Halloween beer but a Christmas Holiday beer only brewed by the greats :P….Never thought I would see a STONE and JP beer…Cheers guys and thank you for making this :)…It is not, but some Halloween is in there for sure in Christmas…wait a second… there was Christmas on Halloween… Nightmare before Christmas duh :P…
St. Bernardus Chrismas Ale
It’s that time of year again. The time where every one spends a lot of money on gifts and decorations all in for the “Holiday Spirit”. But really, some people forget that it is mainly about enjoying the end of the year and being with the family. The whole thought that counts is what truly matters in these times. Especially with family and friends. So to ring in the beginning of the last month of 2011 I am trying the St. Bernardus Chrismas Ale. This brew is full of a lot of….well…..spirit…and by that I mean 10% ABV of alcohol. It is the type of brew one would have to stay warm during these cold seasons. Filled with malty caramel, bread (from yeast), dark fruit flavors like raisins and figs, spices, and really really creamy :P. The flavors linger around for a while. Similar to the abt 12 except not as sweet but sure feels like a Christmas beer. LOL you are probably looking at the screenshot and wonder why is it that I paired a Holy beer with 2 devil chicks. Well…I wanted to show in its artistic form that even though appearances can be deceiving, even little devils like these know what it is like to love their families. Basically even though someone can look evil, we should not judge people by their covers until we can know who they are. This is an example that you don’t have to be holy like to be good or be a devil to still have a caring heart… Anyways. This is also to show that this year has taught me a lot about this hobby. When you learn to experience and get to know things like beer tasting and art, you get to realized that even if something looks odd, not artistic, or looks like it would taste bad, you do not get to know until you try it. It has been quite the year and I know I will be writing more as time goes. So tune in next year…well or next week. as I will still have some brews to try before the year is over. Cheers, Merry Christmas, love your families and be thankful so that next year can be better than the last 😀
Fort by Dogfish Head
Fort by Dogfish is the Ultimate in Raspberry beer. I’ve seen the Chambord my friend once made me try which was very very delicious and pure strong raspberry goodness. This is most likely the response in beer form. I would be lying if I didn’t stress how good this brew is. At 18% ABV…yes hella strong…it is extremely sweet. It is almost like the sweetness takes over the palette and lets the alcohol through without your taste buds noticing. How convenient and clever I might add. Like Sakura’s sweet side suddenly turns evil and BAM!…there goes Naruto flying through a wall. The beer sure is hitting me right now and I have only sipped a bit. Added to this concoction is raspberries of course but this is aged over a 2 month period and warrior hops, pils malts and malted wheat are added. This beer has a lot of flavor aside from the raspberries. If I ever had a sakura cake as they have in japan…maybe this would be it. The honey, wine and sweetness does like to linger for quite a while which makes this beer even more great. There is definitely vanilla, toffee, and caramel for sure. Damn this is like taking the ultimate in sweetness and hitting you hard…and I mean fucking hard in the balls, or if your a chick in the boobs. This mistress DOES NOT DISAPPOINT but you will sure have hell to pay at her later fist of fury!!!! Too bad its hard to find. This would probably be a beer even women that hate beer would second guess its awesomeness and be like damn, I should really like beer now :P…
RE-EDIT: WOW….In my stomach …I feel the sweetness trying to call after me to remind me you are not getting hit by alcohol…the sweetness is whats hitting you… DAMN!!! If I was in a relationship I would probably feel like this…..be like WTF!!! but still love the girl regardless :3
North Coast Grand Cru
As recommended by my friend Julio, a connoisseur in the works, we have here the North Coast Grand Cru. The guys at North coast are the same guys that bring the Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout as well as the blue star heff as recommended by my friend Chino. Julio said this beer is strong and yes, no kidding. At 12.9% ABV its strong yet it does an extremely good job of masking it that is for sure
. The flavors I get from this brew are like Belgian bready goodness from the yeast as well as Pilsner flavors. This is quite intriguing as it seems almost like they combined an Ale and a Lager. The beer itself is not full bodied but it is so strong. Almost like the oxymoron I would say except the opposites are the beer styles. This ale is amazing, brewed with Agave nectar and aged in bourbon. Almost like a Tequila beer I would say. Some of the flavor combinations I get are like coconut, bread, bourbon, vanilla, apricots, oranges, pears, some banana in there too. Surely I feel there is some raisins and plum in there too at a minor. LOL why do I feel like there’s this cookie after taste. DAMN this is good. The Tequila beer for sure and quite the awesomeness of it too. Quite a remarkable beer and good taste for my friend Julio. WOW… I really don’t know what to say…just simply amazing!!! Something I would have to pick up again for sure :D. A great recommendation coming from someone who knows a lot about taste and good beers. Keep at it bro, the world is your oyster as it has become mines as well. Try everything, respect beer and always always, share your thoughts with others as others may like the hobby as well.
High Tide IPA by Port Brewing
Fresh Hops High Tide IPA by Port Brewing is their most hoppy and makes bitter lovers happy :P. I get a nice bitter bite form this one. No sweetness here, mainly grassy, piney, citrus, lime and spicy taste. This beer is special as I have not seen this beer anywhere so I had to try it. The beer is made with centennial and simcoe flower hops which are just right at their freshest this time of year. S
o the beer comes out extra strong and bitter :P. Almost thought this was ruination for a sec. This one does give you a chance in terms of complex flavor and not too bitter to overwhelm the taste buds but just enough to compliment the rich flavor.It’s brewed dry so the bitterness comes and goes..LOL just like the crashing tides of the sea as they gently crash the shore. Surely if you are an IPA lover or bitter and hoppy beer seeker, don’t miss this one..because it could be taken back to sea and you may miss your chance to ride this wave 😛
Lost Continent Double IPA by Gran Teton Brewing
Ahoy!!, set sail as this beer will take you for a ride :P. This is the Lost Continent Double IPA by Gran Teton Brewing. One of my favorite breweries that I hardly get a chance to find stuff from them. This time around they bring a nice piney, honey, delicious tangerine and I don’t say grapefruit as it is not super bitter :P. I will admit the beer is strong at 8 ABV but its so smooth and sweet. Rem
inds me of the Dogfish minute IPAs 😉 but smoother. This beer will get you a little later. Oh don’t worry about it, you will get hit I kid you not. I wasn’t even past this paragraphe when I felt it….damn typios….lol… Further moreit almost feels like a more bitter heffeweizen… Haven’t seen a flavor like this in a while. Surely great flavor to compliment here.Truly is land ho! if you are ever able to find this lost treasure. Surely the sirens will favor your arrival and bring you to the lost dark kingdom of this brew. Just be careful not to drown yourself in this one…you will end up in the brimey deep…. Cheers to those who like to set sail and explore grand treasure, do not forget your trusty taste bud compass as it will keep you company and warm once you find your path in the grand ocean of life. From an experienced beer connoisseur, take my advise. Open your mind and look deep at the alternatives. You will not regret what you dig up. I mean this 🙂
Thirteenth Hour by Samuel Adams
Rating: 5/5Thirteenth Hour by Samuel Adams is a 9% ABV Dark Belgian Stout brewed with spices, coffee, chocolate and oak. This is the second time I finally found this beer again. It is easily in my top 10 beers that I enjoyed. I thought the last time I had this beer that it was the only time I would be able to find it again. Sam Adams was nice enough to release this again this year. In the perfect witching season too >:)
Label:
The 13th Hour Is The Witching Hour and a time when strange brews can occur With 13 ingredients, we combine the roasted chocolate and coffee notes of a stout with the complex spicy character of a Belgian-style ale aged in oak for a dark, robust, and bewitching brew.
One of our brewers’ favorite places to experiment is in the barrel room at our Boston Brewery. It’s here that each of our Samuel Adams Barrel Room Collection brews was born.
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The beer fragrance is like that of the delicious coffee cake they gave in school if it was dipped in like a chocolate cherry liqueur. Belgian Stouts of this caliber are hard to find (Buffalo Belgian Stout, Art of Darkness, Belgian Yeti, etc.) Especially for me, one that is closer to Trois Pistoles and St. Bernardus Abt 12. In fact, it is because it is close to those, that this is a Dark Strong Belgian beer more than a Stout. Yet the defining properties of the Stout shine so well. Like the moon at night. The flavors of this beer explode with coffee cake, chocolate, mocha, banana , dark cherries, raisins, apples, port wine, vanilla, cinnamon, oak and bourbon. Definitely worth the try. I was one of the best for me at the first time and still is.
2011 Review:
If St. Bernardus abt 12 was my Caramel bread.. This is my chocolate coffee bread. WOW… Simply wow!!!. I would totally say it is the truest of witches brews as the label says. This is the Samuel Adams 13th hour Dark Belgian Stout. A Belgian Dark Ale really like that of the Trois Pistole but if you were to combine a Chocolate/Coffee Imperial stout. The flavors are too good to be true. Why does this exist. Why can I only have one of these beers?. It is really sad that this is not as common as Trois Pistoles nor as common as the St Bernardus 12 becuase this is the true answer to the what if the best stout you could ever have would be something like this. A quad/stout hybrid with bready flavors, roasted malts, aged in barrels a la lost abbey. Damn it, Damn it damn it damnit !!!!. LMAO…..Samuel adams, for having a special reserve barrel room collection of beers, this is their latest and greatest and I must say…. You are the only beer on tap that I do choose when no other is available. I choose you because you don’t ever disappoint. But to bring out something this magnificent to a fan of stouts and Belgian dark ales is simply amazing. Top 3 to the best beers in the world for me…1 being between st bernardus 12, trois pistoles, franziskaner dark heff, arrogant bastard and ruination, Judgement Ale, Deliverance, Black Xantus and the 3 philosophers. How I will miss you as you are a reserve and hard to find :(…but this is why I write so I don’t forget..for beer tasting, for beer art, for beer experience, I thank you….who knew a dark Belgian could compliment a stout so extremely well
Prior 8 by St Bernardus
Prior 8 by St Bernardus is the Dubbel version of their great ales. By Dubbel or Double it is double fermented unlike the quad abt 12 which is quadruple fermented. This ale I had to give a try as I was stunned by the number 12. Well for this beer, they sure know how to impress at Belgium. This ale has that caramel, brown sugar, bready taste from the yeast and malts but it is not as strong. In fact if I ever wanted a lighter version of the great 12 this would be it. This beer also has some kind of nice wine feel to it as well. Very complex and ages extremely well. Sweetness hints of dark figs, raisins as well as a very subtle hint of hops. Sure a Belgian brew I would try again as I like the different St. Bernardus ones and this would equate to their “light” version. Low in alcohol, full in complex flavor. 😛Noel de Calabaza by Jolly Pumpkin
Noel de Calabaza by Jolly Pumpkin is their Belgian Strong Holiday Ale. Brewed in tradition for the holidays and truly good at that. While a lot of the character of JP beers have a sour/tart flavor that overwhelms at times, this one is rather smooth and sweet. The lemony zest, cherry, and apple that comes from the JP tart goodness compliments the other flavors well. The biggest character is the Belgian yeast and spice that comes through. Almost like a pumpkin banana bread flavor to the taste. Surely other flavors like brown sugar, toffee, a little vanilla, minor bourbon, and roasted chocolate is there too. At 9% alcohol, you don’t feel it at first, but you do feel it a bit later. After I poured the rest of the bottle, the bottom sediment was really hard to remove. Added a little water and stirred the bottle for quite a while. Eventually it all gave way. It was all the yeast that had settled. Even with a little water, it tasted like pumpkin pie. It was so good to the last drop. What a way to end the year. After trying all the JPs beers so far I have to admit, JP will be one of my all time favorite brewers along with Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, Stone, St. Bernardus, Unibroue, Dogfish Head, Brewdog, Three Floyds and Ballast Point. In the new year I will be sure to give newer beers a test 😛
The Vixen By Samuel Adams
The Vixen Chocolate Chili Bock by Sam Adams is a German bock style brew made a la “Theobroma” (Dogfish Head Chili Beer) but darker in the more German style. The beer is made with different types or malts including caramel, roasted, pale and Munich. Spices such as chiles grown in Mexico, cocoa nibs from Ecuador and Cinnamon from south east Asia. All of these ingredients come together to produce a magnificent brew. There is a lot of notes of sweetness in the beginning from what seem to be caramel, chocolate, very minor coffee, some dark fruit and vanilla followed by a more spicy and capsaisin minor heat flavor of the chiles with cinnamon. LOL it is almost like a seducing mistress. Very sweet at first and then…Well…stuff gets kinda hot afterwards ;). But yes, an enjoyable beer with stout like notes but more of a sweet and not as heavy beer. Overall I am glad I got this. Looks like one of their, not often found, kind of beers. Worth a try, especially for those that like the chile flavor but not with an extreme heat. LOL this would probably an equivalent of making a chocolate with chile like they did in the Aztec day in Mexico. Very good 😛
Biere de Mars Grand Reserve by Jolly Pumpkin
Probably the oldest beer I have ever had (and most likely the most sour). Biere de Mars Grand Reserve, 27 month old batch #65 edition. This beer I had aging for way more than 27 months of course. LOL like a fine wine. Although this is a french style beer of course. Saved this guy a a treat before Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for. Recently I was in an accident which I came out alive and every one was okay. I learned to appreciate life since it may not be here tomorrow. I give thanks to all my family and my friends as always :). Anyways, about this beer. What can I say…maximum fruity tart sourness. A rush of different fruit flavors hit but hit good with the sourness. Cherries, apples, caramels, vanilla and other spices. No joke, a very sour and harsh beer but very very smooth and enjoyable at the same time. A lot of people won’t like it due to it’s sourness but it taste so different because of the aging. This is a true magnificent fine wine and I take all pride for this beer. My tastes buds feel like that that boat in the picture, being tossed like madness in the sea of this beer. Cheers to those that enjoy aged beverages that give new life. Breath and drink the experience….
BrewDog/Three Floyds Bitch Please
Ain’t this a bitch….lol literally. The guys at Brewdog teamed up with Three Floyds to to create a bitchin’ collaboration. This beer is strong and bitter. LOL I assume if Stone made Scottish ales it would be something like this. Special Scottish roasted malts and lots and lots of hops. This is a Scottish barley wine style ale that made me wonder how worthy I really was. Thanks to the practice of the bastard and the blessing of deliverance I was able to indulge in this magnificent piece of work. Islay malts and Eclectic hops are fermented and aged in single malt whiskey barrels for 8 months. I don’t wanna say I am a bitch for trying to stay strong as we speak, but damn, it hits your from all sides. It is a bitchin’ 11.5% alcohol. The malts are strong in this one mostly lingering for a bit those really smokey, vanilla and burnt chocolate with fruity hop bitterness. Smooth going down and hits you quite later. LOL that scotch whiskey is sure there and compliments all the ingredients extremely well. Reminds me of the Tactical nuclear penguin but at a lower alcohol content but more bitterness. I enjoyed it to the fullest. The video is quite funny too 😛http://vimeo.com/15087114 . Damn it, and to think this little bottle was super hard to find….ain’t that the real bitch…lol…I want another one
Bashah (Black As Sin Hoppy As Hell) Collaboration between Stone and BrewDog
Rating: 4/5
Bashah!!…Does not compute…It is a collaboration between Brewdog and Stone Brewing company. It is a 8.6% ABV Black Strong Belgian Dark fused with a Double India Pale. It is my response to the what ifs in terms of beer fusions. Mixing my favorite style a Belgian Dark Strong Ale with a Double IPA. My answer for an Imperial Stout and Belgian Dark Strong ale came with Sam Adams 13th hour Belgian stout long ago.
Bashah is the other end of the spectrum. What if you took the arrogant and hoppy bastard or the Ruination of stone and you added some dark Belgian bready yeast not to mentions BrewDogs influence with malts that add that chocolatey and coffee like flavors. Smooth and hoppy bitterness. Hard to find this beer is, hard to find meaning as stated in the label. There is no real meaning to any of this…Beer is here….Bashah…Bashah Bashah….literally it works…there is no reason for such combinations to work…sweet bitterness I should say….but they do ..and they work damn well. Aged for those added oaky and bourbon notes as well… Not to be mistaken though..those that are not worthy should probably leave this one for a more enlightened soul. Those who believe is that gut feeling shouldn’t let this beer pass by as it is a rarity as well…Delicious…fulfilling and complex. Just plain…doesn’t make sense…but its there :P…..Thanks dudes at Stone and Brewdog for this one B-)
Judgement Day Ale by The Lost Abbey
A revisit to the beer that started it all for me. The beer art, beer tasting, and beer experience. This is that Very beer that has the awesome label about life. Very inspiring reading “Live an inspired life. Find opportunities in everything to make difference. Seek out new and spontaneous adventures, and when you find them them, embrace them as if they were the devil’s song. For an interesting life is worth living. Challenge yourself to embrace passion, persistence and a motivated way of life. So that when judgement day approaches from nowhere, you’ll go out knowing you’ve lived your life on your terms and they can’t take that away from you.” Simply amazing quote and simply and amazing Quad ale which is this, The Lost Abbey Judgement Day Ale brewed with raisins. Flavors are very impacting from the dark fruits, cherries, chocolate, brown sugar, vanilla and caramel. A creamy smooth beer yet heavy at 10.5% ABV. The Belgian yeast of bready goodness is there for sure and is fermented 4 times. Quads are definitely some of my favorite beers in the world and this is definitely in my most 10 ten best beers of all time. I highly recommend this one without a shadow of a doubt. Come to think of it, it was around this time last year when I enjoyed my first bottle. Looking back with a more experienced tongue brings a greater appreciation to this crazy hobby of mine. Something that will last me for quite a long time …and I am thankful because my life is interesting to me and doing it in my terms is always the best :)….Cheers for beers…..and say your prayers >:)
St. Bernardus Abt 12 by Brouwerij St. Bernardus
OMG!!!…put it simply, like drinking dulce de leche with a nice bread. The St. Bernardus Abt 12 is rated one of the best quad style ales in the world. It is up there next to the westvleteren 12, but not as expensive and recently easy to find at the local Bevmo. I got this one in Wally’s Wine house but say it at the Bevmo in Manhattan beach. Quite frankly, one of the best trappiste Belgian ales I have ever had. I will soon be trying the Westvleteren but this beer is by far really good. There is Belgian yeast, some roasted malts, what I believe caramelized sugar, no hops,dark fruit, raisins, cherries, and fig flavors. The sugar rush hits you instantly but it feels really good. Alcohol is there but you honestly cannot tell as it is extremely well masked by that caramelized Belgian yeast combo. This reminds me of the time I had the Black Xantus. However with this one, no chocolate dessert needed. THIS IS YOUR DESSERT!!. Right next to franzy dark, my next favorite beer 😀
REVISIT: Hands down, truly the best beer in the world in my opinion, right next to the unreachable westy 12 and the common Trios Pistoles. Ahh Quad ales…simply the best in the world. I read more about this beer. These ales are brewed with the finest malts, local grown hops, yeast and artesian water pumped from a depth of 500 feet. Truly monks beer…as brewed in those Belgian monasteries. The ales are actually “alive” mainly due to the yeast strains that consume sugar to produce the alcohol and carbonation. If the nectar of the gods was truly this, this is it and its very easy to find thank fully :). Wonder if Jesus ever had a go at beers aside from turning water into wine :P.
Black Xantus Imperial Stout by Nectar Ales/Firestone Walker
Rating: 5/5
Black Xantus Imperial Stout by Nectar Ales/Firestone Walker is one of my favorite all time beer. The first batch was Christmas 2010 in remembrance of my beloved mother. I remember that day since I had aged the ale for about a year to increase the alcohol content from 11% to 13%. I am actually doing so again and will have what will be my 3rd batch along with my friend Chino and his bro. Since this beer is hard to find, I was able to find it once again and did not dare miss out on the opportunity to try the beer as is at 11% alcohol. I wanted to see how things have changed since I first started getting into different beers. This beer has been with me since Lost Abbey so I figured now that I am more rounded in the arts of taste, I had to try the beer again to see what my taste buds can find. To start off, this beer is made with roasted malts and actual Mexican Jobella coffee beans. Where most stouts get the chocolate/coffee flavors from roasted malts, the nice dark expresso like flavors comes is nice and strong, just like I remember. Bourbon and Vanilla flavors are actually in this beer as well as flavors of dark cherries, plums, blackberries and other dark fruits. There is alot of hoppy yet nice bitterness to the brew that hits you good inside. Very unique beer and a simple yet most important treasure of mine. The original bottle still stands in my wooden book shelve next to my Lost Abbey art collection. I can’t wait to try the 13% over all aged one. This beer is a dessert beer and is best had with a chocolate cake. I will knock you out like it did to me back in 2010….LOL since I found this beer hidden at the Bevmo, I sure as hell did not want to pass the opportunity to try it once more before diving head on to the 13% one which will knock me out..but it is SOOOOOOOO WORTH IT….
Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore) 