Arizona Wildflower Honey | Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore)

Rating: 5/5

Honey Bee Waggling Hop Bats by Nubis Sanctum Ales is an 11% ABV Belgian Trippel India Pale Ale (IPA) brewed with Arizona Wild Flower Honey. Brewed at the Avila Ales Household.

==Introduction==

Project #7 was my take on the famous hoppy Belgian Tripel IPA, La Chouffe Houblon Dobblen IPA tripple but my take was using a variety of other ingredients such as Columbus and Amarillo hops and using Arizona Wild Flower Honey. Yes, the ABV does have a story to tell as my original gravity was supposed to keep things near the 9ish% ABV but instead went to the 11% ABV range. Literally a Triple IPA that is also a Belgian Tripple. What a Trip? Especially considering the name. Waggling and Dancing, don’t fall and “trip”now! Cheers!

This brew was born on National Homebrew Day when I brewed with my friend Richard Stan Avila of Avila Ales, one of my great friends and fellow homebrewer. A great brew in a somewhat of a collaboration as great beers are made with great friends.

Aromas:
Phenolic notes, Belgian candy sugar, Citrus, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, grassy, floral, piney hop notes, bubble gum hints, honey dew melon, Stone fruit apricots, peaches, strawberries, raspberry hints, kiwi hints, marzipan bready notes, rich honey, bananas, brown sugar and clove spices.

Flavors:
Rich bananas, clove spices, Citrus, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, grassy, piney hop notes, honey, dulce de leche caramel, phenolic notes, vanilla, Belgian Candy sugar, dark fruit plums, grapes, peppercorn, tangerine candy, Stone fruit apricots, peaches, strawberries, raspberry hints, kiwi hints, marzipan bready notes, dragon fruit hints, passion fruit, rye bread, plantains, pineapple hints, lemon hints, bubble gum, flan and sweetened condensed milk hints.

Aftertaste:
Lots of sweet caramel, tropical fruit hints, Belgian candy sugar, bananas
Slight booziness in the taste which is covered by honey and malt as it warms up, Golden Honey Amber, light to medium body, smooth crisp, syrup and creamy mouthfeel and a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
I’m well damn impressed. The fact is, I did not get the carbonation right (Still learning 😦 ) But… the beer itself was well damn amazing. The beer has lots of great flavors reminding me of the La Chouffee Dobblen IPA Tripel but taking it a step further into like a Honey and Barleywinesque territory. The fact that I used Amarillo hops most likely makes the difference in the enhanced excotic fruitiness but either way, this beer is ridiculously delicious and is something I would love to make again.

Anime Corner:
Morrigan Aensland and Q-Bee from Darkstalkers/Vampire Savior were used in this pairing because I wanted to show how the fusion of the honey and hops combine by doing a dance mainly done by bees called waggling. Do bats do the “waggle” too? Maybe, maybe not but both bees and bats are in your face enemies in some 2-D platform games that become annoying. The fact that I found this pic thought was a major tribute to some of my favorite characters to the Darkstalker series but also one of the greatest compliments to the Belgian IPA as Morrigan represents the dark fruits and hoppy goodness while combining with the floral rich honey and sweetened condensed milk and citrus provided by Q-Bee all fusing in a beer that is probably way better than the original Dobblen Trippel IPA from La Chouffe. Although I can only hope.

Sources:
http://images2.alphacoders.com/199/19960.jpg

Rating: 4.85/5

Blinding Lunar Currants by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 10% ABV Belgian Trappist Cider made with Arizona Wildflower Honey, Mexican Cane Sugar and Black Currant concentrate.

==Introduction==

Project # 5 is my second attempt at a cider using 100% Apple cider, Mexican Cane Sugar (Azucar Morena), Ribena Black Currant Brittish Black Currant Concentrate, Arizona Wild Flower Honey and Monastery/Trappist Ale yeast. The idea here was give by Evelyn Silva, my sister from another mother who reminded me about the first time we tried the Fox Barrel Currant Perry Cider back in 2010 on UC San Diego grounds while we were all on vacation with my friend Jorge Silva. One of the best ciders I had ever had which is no longer being made. So as a result of wanting to reproduce that cider, I decided to give it the good ol’ Belgian treatment and rather than using pear cider, I used apple cider. The result was this. Cheers!

Aromas:
Floral, cinnamon, Belgian sweetbread, phenolic notes, honey, grapes, tart currant notes, agave, candi sugar, cane sugar, lots of berry and dark fruit hints, vanilla and caramel notes.

Flavors:
Sour Apples, tart currant skins, Cinnamon, honey, biscuit bread, candi sugar, dark fruit currant notes, hints of cherry, raspberry, dark fruit raisin hints, dulce de leche caramel, pear, stone fruit peach hints, cane sugar, clove spice, floral notes, grapes juice, chardonay, agave hints, citrus, toffee, blackberry, blue berry and flan hints.

Aftertaste:
More of the rich berry and currant in the finish lingers with the slight sugary breadiness but then goes off dry leaving some apple juice remnants and cinnamon. No alcohol in the taste as the black currant tartness care of that. Golden Crimson light to medium haze body, easy to moderate drinkability, crisp, clean and smooth mouthfeel.

Overall:
Unlike my first beer, The Black currant really popped in this one. I was able to incorporate the sweetness a little better in the bottling as well as measure the right levels of sugar so the ABV didn’t sky rocket like the last one. Also, in the secondary, It cleared up very nicely show casing a more cider appearance with some slight haze. As a while it was more pink in color but in the glass you could tell that the apple and honey colors took over. Overall, I think this was the better cider from my first one although many did like my other cider as it was more potent and stronger. Give or take, this whole Belgian cider thing is pretty damn remarkable.

Anime Corner:
Rider from Fate/Stay Night Zero was used in this pairing as I wanted something that would greatly represent the color of dark fruit and currants. The name Blinding Lunar Currants is a play at the vizer that Riders uses while under the moonlight. The cider is called Blinding as the taste is enough to make one close their eyes in deliciousness. Also, the fact that you can’t really tell that the currants are really there, drinking this ‘blindingly’ brings one an awesome surprise of rich currant sweetness. It definitely worked out in my favor and the passion these currants Rider carries through the taste buds is amazing.

Sources:
https://i.warosu.org/data/jp/img/0130/54/1424165452872.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/db/bf/a9/dbbfa9a0912eb1f96e32dd16cf26b1b6.jpg