Juggling Walruses by The Bruery Terreux

February 3, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Aisha Clan-Clan, american oak barrels, American Wild Ale, black currants, Bruery, Juggling Walruses, Outlaw Star, Tart of Darkness, The Bruery, The Bruery Terreux | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.35/6

Juggling Walruses by The Bruery Terreux is a 10% ABV American Wild Ale 34% aged in Bourbon Barrels, 66% Aged in oak barrels with Black Currants.

Label:
Mysterious – Elaborate – Laborious

Commercial Description:
There were a lot of balls in play. And heavy lifting. You see, in relatively short order, Bruery Terreux had become quite robust, especially since the build out and launch on April 22, 2015. We had amassed a substantial amount of filled barrels, from seasonal releases, one-time treats and cherished smaller batch experiments. The art of the blend beckoned, and we had our pick of the litter (or would that be herd?) For such a mysterious beer that became known around the office as Juggling Walruses, Tart of Darkness was the perfect place to begin, making up the highest percentage of contributing barrels. But it wasn’t just Tart of Darkness as you’ve come to know it. About two-thirds of the barrels were wine barrel-aged Tart of Darkness; and the other third of the oak barrels from the sour stout were particularly young. Black currants were added to all these barrels, introducing a less familiar fruit to our lineup, with a darker hue and new nuances to the sour beer flavor profile.

When blended with the other oak barrel and bourbon barrel-aged beers that were carefully selected for this blend, Juggling Walruses exhibits dark fruits, roast and char on the nose, with vinous notes and oaky characteristics weaving through flavors reminiscent of midnight foraging for berries in the forest.

==Introduction==

Released to the Bruery’s Reserve and Hoarders Society, this brew is a Cuvee of different aged ales. I think the reference to the Juggling Walruses came from the fact that they had to move so many barrels around. The barrels themselves do kind of look like big walruses so with moving the barrels around are like them trying to juggle the walruses. Good Game there Bruery. Anyways, the fact that this is a sour and a bourbon barrel aged is really intriguing as there are not that many out there that are like this, except ones like Burbonic Plague which was similar. These unique beers truly show some of the best a brewery has to offer. Cheers!

Aromas:
Grape Wine notes, Milk Chocolate, Dark chocolate, dark fruit plums, figs raisins, boysenberries, Concorde grape skins, marshmallows, dark chocolate, port wine, chardonnay, raspberry liqueur, anise, hibiscus flowers, Black Currant Yogurt, Dark cherry yogurt, brown sugar and coffee notes.

Flavors:
Tart Concorde grape skins, coconut hints, oak, vanilla, caramel, bourbon, toffee, molasses, Dark fruit plums, figs raisins, boysenberries, marshmallows, smores, pecan pie, Black Currant Yogurt, Dark cherry yogurt, currant cheesecake, Milk Chocolate, Dark chocolate, port wine, wine grapes, chardonnay, raspberry liqueur, anise, hibiscus flowers, biscuit bread, coffee notes, mocha, toasted buttery bread with currant spread.

Aftertaste:
Super dark fruit medley and berries, oak, bourbon hints, rich wine notes, and funky dry finish. No alcohol in the taste despite this being 10% ABV. Dark Brown Full body, silky, smooth and effervescent mouthfeel with moderate drinkability.

Overall:
An exceptional sour. The balance of the malty bourbon and the wine sour and fruity notes work so damn well. This is an example of the way my favorite sours go. Sweet and sours. People that don’t like sours but love strong beers will get a kick out of this one. With so much going, I can see why the Bruery spent the time composing this Cuvee together. Highly Recommended.

Anime Corner:
Aisha Clan Clan from Outlaw Star was used in this pairing since I wanted to use her for a beer review for a while now but especially a Bruery one. The reasoning behind this one was based on the colors of the label but also the aspect of juggling and needing strength to carry these barrels around. Kind of the way they describe it as Juggling Walruses. Aisha also represents the colors and complexity of the beer.

Sources:
http://orig08.deviantart.net/38e6/f/2007/228/a/6/aisha_clan_clan__colors__by_ultranic_comics.jpg
http://img07.deviantart.net/8976/i/2013/248/9/8/aisha_ctarl_ctarl__clan_clan__by_jaldridge1-d6l3y51.jpg

Mélange 12 by Bruery

July 7, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, anniversary ale, beer nirvana, best beers in the world, Black Tuesday, Bleach, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon vanilla, Bruery, bucket list, Cacaonut, Chocolate Rain, cocoa nibs, cuvee, dark fruits, Diabetes in a bottle, Grey Monday, Hazelnuts, kick the bucket list, Kill-LA-Kill, Kos-MOS, kosmos, Melange, Melange 12, Melange 3, Naruto, Papier, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Tcho cocoa nibs, Temari, Temari Sabakuno, The Bruery, Toasted Coconut, vanilla beans, vanilla spice, White Chocolate, White Oak, White Oak Sap, Wineification, world class beers, Xenosaga, Yoruichi, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5

Mélange 12 by Bruery is a 16.8% ABV American Strong Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with Vanilla Beans, Cacao Nibs and Hazelnuts.

Label:
NUTSO!

A curious amalgam of barrel-aged beer seeping with notes of burnt marshmallows and toasty nuts.

Mélange No 12 is best enjoyed fresh for peak flavor, but may develop pleasantly if cellared properly. Best stored and cellared around 55°F (13°C) in a dark place. Ideal serving temperature is 50°F (10°C). Best enjoyed with friends and served in a tulip glass.

Mélange #12 is a uniquely debonair blend of some of our favorite strong ales that have been allowed to age gently in bourbon barrels for an average of nearly 22 months. Once these barrels were carefully selected to blend, we chose to enhance the beer and barrel flavors with three of our favorite ingredients: cacao nibs, vanilla beans and hazelnuts.

==Introduction==

Melange #12 released to Reserve Society and Hoarders society alike is a blend of several different beers that are undesclosed but based on the previous melange versions, they include, Black Tuesday, the Anniversary beers, White Oak and others I am sure as this is what Melange 3 composed of and the sequential Melange ones expanded from this other blends. I made a careful decisions as this beer comprises of many of the components that make up the Weekday brews such as Chocolate Rain, White Grey Monday, possibly Wineification, Cacaonut and Chocolate Rain. So I had no doubt that this would disappoint in any way. A Cuvee ambrosia of heavenly delight? Perhaps, let’s check this one out, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Chocolate smores, graham crackers, White Chocolate, mocha chocolate, Flan and Mexican sweetened condensed milk,Rich Hazelnuts, pecan pie, almond milk, macadamia nuts, peanut butter, walnuts, prailines, oak, bourbon, marshmallows, Dark fruit plums, raisins, prunes, cherries, figs, dates, wine grapes, waffle cone, rocky road ice cream, butterscotch, toasted coconut, almond joys, cocada Mexican coconut candy, piloncillo sugar cone, banana split ice cream with cherries, port wine, rum notes, stone fruit mango hints, dragon fruit, passion fruit, buttery nutella and so much more!

Flavors:
Pure Flan and Mexican sweetened condensed milk,Rich Hazelnuts, pecan pie, almond milk, macadamia nuts, peanut butter, walnuts, prailines, oak, bourbon, marshmallows, Dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Chocolate smores, graham crackers, White Chocolate, mocha chocolate, Dark fruit plums, raisins, prunes, cherries, figs, dates, wine grapes, waffle cone, rocky road ice cream, butterscotch, toasted coconut, almond joys, cocada Mexican coconut candy, piloncillo sugar cone, banana split ice cream with cherries, port wine, rum notes, stone fruit mango hints, dragon fruit, passion fruit, buttery nutella, Mexican Duvalin candy, chocolate chip cookie dough, Danish cream, Bear claw doughnut, mousse chocolate, marzipan and more.

Aftertaste:
Super rich nutella, toasted coconut, white chocolate, port wine, Belgian chocolate, bourbon, oak, hazelnut nectar, tropical dragon fruit hints and passion fruit amongst other heavenly sweets. No alcohol in the taste, Dark yet Crimson Medium to Full body, sipping drinkabaility and Silky, creamy, syrupy, smooth, velvety mouthfeel.

Overall:
The best of the best and exclusive of elusive beers with no way of getting another unless they make this once again or you trade. It was definitely a special occasion as I tried this one. If they ever release as much of Melange 12 as they do of Melange 3, I am buying every single one!! This beer is like you took the alittle bit from each of the Bruery’s best beers and made a Cuvee. Basically, there is notes of Chocolate Rain, Grey Monday, Melange 3, Cacaonut, White Chocolate, Black Tuesday, Wineification and their anniversary beers and combined it to make this liquid Gold! Aging for 22 months is ridiculous but it is surely something that is truly unique and amazing. If you have the opportunity to get this one, do it!!!

Anime Corner:
Temari Sabakuno from Naruto, Kos-Mos from Xenosaga, Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill, Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach as being my favorite anime characters always get the best pairings in some of the beers I truly feel are deserving of that ‘Heavenly and Godly Ambrosia’ Liquid status as with many of the beers I have tried, this one to me captures what I feel is the best of the Bruery which are many of the Weekday beers into one. I once did a pairing with them doing Melange 3 except at the time, it was jusr Kos-Mos, Temari and Yoruichi. Ryuko from Kill la Kill had not come out and it wasn’t until later that I really loved her character in the series as she was a major bad ass. So I was glad I was able to pair them with this heavenly bliss of a beer. Melange 3 multiplied by 4 is Melange 12 so it makes the perfect pairing!

2015 Imperial Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery

April 21, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Agave Nectar, agua fresca, Belgian Blonde, blonde, blonde ale, Bruery, caramel brown, churros, Cinnamon, Dulce de leche, dulce leche, french vanilla ice cream, green tea ice cream, Horchata, Imperial Or Xata, mexican cuisine, Muy Rico, Or Xata, OrXata, passion fruit, pecan pie, Que Rico, Rice, rice pudding, Ryoko Hakubi, Tenchi, Tenchi Muyo, The Bruery, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 6.25/5

2015 Imperial Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery is a 11.2% ABV Imperial Belgian Blonde brewed with Rice, Cinnamon and Vanilla beans.

Label:
¡Muy Rico!

This ale is our spin on horchata, a sweet & creamy drink originating in Latin America. This time with a bit more fiesta.

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

==Introduction==

Well this was truly unexpected. Reserve society surprised many with a very limited quantity of a small batch of a stronger version of their Or Xata beer. I truly did not see this coming but definitely had to bring it forth to the website. Or Xata is currently out to the public in great quantities and also on growler fill as well at the brewery. So it is much easier to get this beer than it was in the past. Now with this special edition dangling, it’s going to cause a stir for Or Xata lovers. If you love the original, then let’s go over this one and see if it is truly worth the trouble.

Aromas:
Churros and Banana Dulce de leche caramel supreme, vanilla, rice pudding, Horchata, lavender flowers, flan, cinnamon, plantains, Danish cookies, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnabun frosting, stone fruit peaches, apricot, cherry pie, English cream, piloncillo sugar cone, cane sugar, agave nectar, mint notes, whipped cream, milk sugar, hazelnut, chocolate truffles, Jericalla Mexican Custard, toffee, mango, pine apple, passion fruit, dragon fruit, green tea ice cream, macaroons and pecan pie.

Flavors:
Rich Flan, rich cinnamon, Rich rice pudding, bananas, horchata, plantains, rich liquid churros, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnabun frosting, Danish cookies, biscuit bread, butterscotch, marshmallows, leche nestle (sweetened condensed milk), toasted coconut, macaroons, stone fruit peaches, apricot, cherry pie, English cream, piloncillo sugar cone, cane sugar, agave nectar, mint notes, whipped cream, milk sugar, hazelnut, chocolate truffles, Jericalla Mexican Custard, toffee, mango, pine apple, passion fruit, dragon fruit, green tea ice cream, mochi ball ice cream, cookie dough ice cream, pan dulce, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, oak, burnt sugar, graham crackers, waffle cone, honey, French vanilla ice cream and Belgian Candy sugar.

Aftertaste:
A continuous barrage of candy sugar, vanilla, rice pudding, churros, honey, pecan pie, cinnamon, flan, stone fruits and dulce de leche caramel keeps lingering for a while. Slight alcohol in the taste but mainly sugar covered well by Belgian yeast goodness, crisp, refreshing, creamy, velvety, smooth and silky mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability drink, and a clear golden honey color of a light to medium body.

Overall:
If there was such a thing as taking the original Or Xata and you took it to the next level, a la super saiyan, shot it to volume 11, divided by zero, crossed over to the 4th dimension and then put the cherry on top, it still wouldn’t come close to explaining what they did to amp this beer to the next level. This beer is so crazy you can cuz slices like a pie. A churro pie perhaps. Either way, you have to find a way to get this one if you love the original. It really is, epic miles above.

Anime Corner:
Ryoko Hakubi from Ai Tencho Muyo! Was used in this pairing leading back to the original Or Xata with its green, gold and red label as well as its ties to the new 2015 version. Ryoko has a new design I wanted to show case for the new Tenchi series and I figured this was the perfect opportunity. Ryoko is hell of strong. I think may stronger than Fuu from Naruto which I used in the last Or Xata pairing. Therefore I wanted her to be the representative for this round. Her colors are very similar to Fuu’s. Also, I did use Ryoko for an Agave beer I did in the past so the agave like flavors are reminiscent of that. Either way, I really liked how her power compliment the stronger version of this beer.

Sources:
http://40.media.tumblr.com/91452b714353669884c5ae086425ae39/tumblr_ngqcvxqAw31skcniqo1_1280.jpg
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/5536/61573d65766c939f14c3eca.jpg

2015 Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery

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

Rating: 6/5

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

Label:
¡Que Rico!

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

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

==Introduction==

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oude Tart by the Bruery

October 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Bruery, Cherry tart, Flanders Red Ale, Flemish Red Brown Ale, Oak aged, oak barrels, Oude Tart, Red Wine, Rwby, sour ale, tart cherries, The Bruery, wine grapes, Yang Xiao Long | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

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

Label:
Oude Tart is a Flemish-Style Red Ale aged in red wine barrels for 18 months. Pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit and toasty oak. Oude Tart is suitable for aging up to five years when cellared properly
___

Of the many sour releases by the Bruery, I have not tried this one. This is readily available around the Fall season. There are a few Flanders Red ales that I have tried. The ones that I like are La Roja by Jolly Pumpkin and the Rodenbach Grand Cru. Let us give this one a shot and see how it goes.

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

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

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

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

Windowsill by The Bruery

September 15, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged beer collaboration, Bruery, caramel brown, Cherry tart, collaboration, concord grapes, dessert, evan kleiman, food, Good Food, KCRW, kyubit foxtar, Megaman Zero, Naruto, oak barrels, pie beer, pie crust, Raspberries, raspberry pie, Raspberry preserves, rhubarb, sakura Haruno, strawberry preserves, sugar cane, tart flavors, The Bruery, Windowsill | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Windowsill by The Bruery is a 10% ABV Fruit Ale brewed with Raspberries and Rhubarb and fermented in Oak barrels. A pie-inspired collaboration between The Bruery and Evan Kleiman of Good Food on KCRW

Label:
Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW’s Good Food, was inspired to collaborate with Patrick Rue and The Bruery after enjoying a homemade Rhubarb Raspberry Pie. The rhubarb’s fruity sourness tempered with the sweetness of the fresh raspberries and the wheat crust, begged to be bottled up in the form of a bubbly beer. Keeping the original pie recipe in mind, specialty grains were chosen to mimic the crust, and rhubarb and raspberries were used in varying stages of the brewing and fermentation process. The resulting beer is reminiscent of a fresh country pie, cooling on a farmhouse windowsill.
___

The pie beer. A lot of beers seems like they could taste like pie. Lots of pumpkin ones sure do. However, this one, is focused on being a pie in a bottle. Long anticipated wait for this beer when I first heard of it. Also, if you live in California, you can get this. The Bruery will send it to you:http://www.thebruerystore.com/p-107-windowsill.aspx

Aromas are of tart raspberries, blueberries, guava, pie crust, caramel, biscuit bread, honey,strawberries, brown sugar, rhubarb, herbal, cane sugar, flowers, hibiscus, grapes, rhubarb, vanilla and oak.

The flavors are of very tart raspberries, tangy and herbal rhubarb, cherries, guava notes, strawberries, vanilla, hints pie crust with whip cream, blueberries, hibiscus, herbs, spices, lemon peel, blackberry preserves, sugar cane, caramel, brown sugar, concord grapes, citrus, honey and butterscotch biscuits

The aftertaste is borderline tangy, tart and mildly sour with a bit of herbal bitterness and lingering fruity and bready sweetness. Like a tart pie. Definitely a sipper. The beer shows no alcohol in the flavor.

Overall, I have not have had rhubarb before, but I have heard it is very tart, if you can work with the tartness to find the sweet delicious raspberry and pie crust, then you have an awesome fucking beer here. A tart pie in a bottle. If you let it settle and warm up, you will enjoy this. Not quite a sour beer but definitely quite the tart one. If you love sours and love to play with flavors, this one is freaking amazing. Not overpowering sweet but enough tartness to make it even. If you are not a sour or tart beer person. As for me I really enjoyed this one. Sweet and tart at the same time.

Batch#1000 Bryeian by The Bruery

August 28, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Batch # 1000, Black Ale, black ipa, Black Rye IPA, Bruery, Bryeian, Cascadian Dark Rye Ale, Chun-li, homebrew competition, hoppy beers, rye toast, Street Fighter, Tharja, The Bruery, toast bread | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.9/5

Batch#1000 Bryeian by The Bruery is a 7% ABV Cascadian Dark Rye Ale

Label:
Congratulations to Brian Pramov & Bryan Keas of Denver, CO, for winning our Batch #1000 homebrew competition! Their intensely hoppy, dark rye ale caught the judges’ attention and was the unanimous choice for best in show.

We don’t often make hoppy beers, but when we do, they taste something like this. Congrats to our Batch 1000 homebrew winners on this recipe. Bryeian is dark, malty and full of piney hops. Best enjoyed as afresh as possible.
___

Aromas are of fresh hops but very nice malt coming through. Rye bread, caramel, grapefruit, pine, oak, toffee, chocolate,orange, citrus, mango notes and toast bread with butter.

The flavors are of rye bread, caramel, coffee and chocolate hints, pine, grapefruit, earthy and grassy hops, molasses, anise, butterscotch, tropical notes of pineapple with caramel, roasted hazel nut, somewhat oaky and smokey notes, black pepper, slight graham cracker taste, brown sugar, buttered toast with caramel spread.

The aftertaste stays malty with a nice amount of hops and kind of buttery. The alcohol is well hidden and it is fairly drinkable.

Overall, this beer reminds me of Black IPA or Rye Black IPAs should truly be like. This is freaking phenomenal. Damn the Bruery, they make a lot of their beers hard to rate down. I can say that the the only beer from them that I didn’t feel to fond of was the Hottenroth. One day I will get a bottle to review, but almost everything I have ever had from them seems to so many levels of deliciousness. I almost tried to down play this one but as I kept sipping, it reminded me a lot of the Rye Anniversary ale from Eagle Rock Brewery except if you made it into an IPA and roasted the malts. Probably the best Black Cascadian Ale I have ever had, except the Stone 15th Anniversary in Bourbon Barrels, but that’s another review to look at . The rye does wonders for this beer amazingly.

Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery

August 21, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged agua fresca, Belgian Blonde, blonde, blonde ale, Bruery, caramel brown, churros, Cinnamon, dulce leche, Eureka, Fuu, Horchata, mexican cuisine, Naruto, Or Xata, OrXata, Rice, rice pudding, The Bruery, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5*

Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery is a 7% ABV Blonde ale brewed with Rice, Cinnamon and Vanilla Beans

Label:
¡Que Rico!

Living in Latin American influenced California, horchata is one of our favorite drinks. Our take on the traditional agua fresca incorporates rice and lactose along with spices for that sweet, creamy character that we’ve come to love. Or Xata is best enjoyed fresh. Please store in a cool, dry place. The ideal serving temperature is 50 degress Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius). Best served in a tulip or wine glass
___

First tried this in Restaurant “Cinco” near LAX when the Bruery first poured for the public. Back then I had this with some tacos de azada, to my surprise, it was a perfect pairing. The Bruery would eventually release this too the public. So now many can try this exotic creation which to me was mind blowing.

Aromas are of rich cinnamon, vanilla, bread, brown sugar, rice pudding with dulce de leche caramel and spices.

Flavors are pretty dead on like liquid churros and horchata. Lots of vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, brown sugar, rice pudding, pan dulce, leche nestle (sweetened condensed milk), clove spice and banana notes.

The aftertaste also leaves sweet but not too sweet, more cinnamon really. Perfect. The alcohol is hidden well and will hit you later on as you sip more.

Just like I remembered it a month and a half ago. Simply amazing dessert beer here. It really is perfect. All the flavors are exactly what are set out to be. Definitely spot on. When pairing with taquitos or any Mexican cuisine, awesome!!!

Try to get your hands on this if possible. If you live in California, the Bruery will send you a bottle . Cheers!! (http://www.thebruerystore.com/p-99-or-xata.aspx )

*Exceed my expectations several times, it is not too overwhelming with alcohol , it is overwhelming with awesome horchata and liquid churro flavors.

Imperial Loakal Red by the Bruery

July 15, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged barley wine, Barleywine, Bruery, food, hop bitterness, imperial amber, Imperial Amber Ale, Imperial Loakal Red, imperial red, loakal Red, my bloody valentine, Naruto, Oak Aged Red, scotch whiskey, Tayuya, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

Imperial Loakal Red by the Bruery is a 12%ABV Imperial Amber/Red Ale hybrid made with 75% Red Ale and 25% Red Ale aged in oak Barrels

Label:
We took our hoppy American red ale, delightfully citrusy and full of flavor from new American Oak – and made it bigger, bolder and more exceptional. Imperial Loakal Red is best enjoyed fresh. Please store in a cool, dry place. The ideal serving temperature is 50 deg Fahrenheit (7 deg Celsius). Best served in a tulip or wine glass.
___

When I first had the chance to try their Loakal Red, I was very impressed. The beer was along the lines of Troeggs Nugget Nectar and My Bloody Valentine. I was recommended to actually try the Imperial version of it. After opening the bottle the aromas were very rich. Hype aside, I would consider this to an even higher amber status than Nugget nectar and the Valentine which are harder to get.

Aromas are of very rich caramel, toffee, oak, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, citrus, grapefruit, grassy and herbal hops, honey, vanilla, coffee notes, french toast, brown sugar, cherries, mango, maple syrup, scotch, apricots, dragon fruit, coconut and pecan pie.

The flavors are close to a Barleywine, its crazy. You get lots of rich caramel flavors, vanilla, toffee, oak, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecan pie, french toast covered in maple syrup, brown sugar, citrus, grapefruit, grassy, herbal and floral hops, honey, cherries, mango, peaches, pineapple, scotch whiskey notes, slight coconut and tangerines.

The alcohol is present but the beer hides it well. You don’t feel it until alittle bit later. Quite the flavorful rich beer. The after taste keeps lingering with sweet caramel and hop bitterness. It is very pleasant. Will definitely need to get this again. This has become my new favorite amber ale. It is not often I get to try ambers but this one fits the bill perfectly as to what awesome ambers should be.

Cuádruple 2011 edition by The Bruery

July 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Agave, Agave Nectar Ale, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, banana notes, Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, Belgian Quad, breakfast, Bruery, Cuádruple, Evangelion, Mexican Agave, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Quad, Quadrupel, quadruple, Quadruple with Agave, raisin bread pudding, sweet potato pie, Tequila, Tequila Barrel Aged, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Cuádruple 2011 edition by The Bruery is a 10% ABV Provision Series Belgian Quadruple brewed with Agave

Label:
Cuádruple is our spin on the classic Belgian-style quadruple, brewed with a heaping amount of dark agave nectar. It will age gracefully for several years.

Description (beeradvocate):
Cuádruple combines elements of Belgium with elements of Mexico, hence the name, meaning “quadruple” in Spanish. We blended a classic Belgian quad recipe by removing the standard Belgian candi sugars and replacing them with dark agave syrup. The resulting beer is a luxurious tribute to two very different parts of the world.
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Was able to find this bottle at the Bruery tasting room for a decent amount. Interesting for them to sell a beer that has not been seen for several years. Oh well, when the opportunity rises. This beer has been aging for 2 years so I wanted to get a review going. There are not of agave beers out there or Tequila barrel aged beers for this matter. This one is unique since it is one of my favorite styles but made with agave instead. I have had agave juice by itself on several occasions as many of the local Mexican super markets sell the little bags of juice. As a kid, this was my version of Hi-C

Aromas of this beer are of agave juice,lots of candi sugar, dulce de leche caramel on pecan pie, a sweet potato like fragrance, raisin bread pudding, plums, dates, rich figs, toffee, cinnamon, brown sugar and molasses.

The flavors are of definitely of a quadruple with the dulce de caramel, raisins, figs, plums, candi sugars, dates, ripe banana notes and spicy cloves followed by agave juice, dark chocolate, vanilla, dried apricots, sweet potato pie, pecans, walnuts, molasses and Tequila notes.

The flavors stay consistent through and through always bringing out rich quad notes with agave sweetness. After taste stays sweet with apricot bitterness and raisin sweetness. The beer hides the 10% ABV well making it of decent drinkability. An amazing beer with great flavors. Belgian beer lovers will find this one a bit different. The agave nectar really does the job taking the Belgian quad into more of a Mexican approach on delicious flavor.

White Oak by The Bruery

June 24, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Agrias, Agrias Oaks, Belgian Pale Ale, Blaze Blue, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, BPA, Bruery, fft, Final Fantasy Tactics, makoto, makoto nanaya, Mischief, The Bruery, wheat wine, Wheat-Wine Ale, White Chocolate, White Oak, White Oak Sap | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

White Oak by The Bruery is a 11.5% ABV Wheat Wine blend consisting 50% of “Mischief” Belgian Pale Ale and 50% of the “White Oak Sap” Wheat Wine aged in bourbon barrels. This is the base of the awesome “White Chocolate” Ale which I reviewed some time last year.

Label:
Vivid caramel-esque, coconut-like and vanilla-ish flavors blanketed in a crisp yet robust wheat ale. White oak is suitable for aging up to two years when cellared properly. Best stored and cellared around 55 deg F (13 deg Celcius) in a dark place.
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This beer is the original form of the pre-White Chocolate. I first tried it several days ago and I had to grab a bottle to do a review.

Aromas start off with a Belgian bread and Saison notes. Smells like matured citrus fruits, orange, mango, lemons, vanilla, bananas, cloves, caramel, bourbon, oak, biscuit bread, honey, coconut, some minor floral and funky notes.

The flavors consist of vanilla, oak, bourbon, caramel, citrus, notes brettanomyces, banana, matured orange, lemon peel, apricots, mango, toasty coconuts, very subtle pineapple, wine grapes, honey, maple, biscuit bread, waffle cone, clove spice, coriander, herbal and floral hops like the Belgian Pale Ale. The after taste is definitely citrus, bourbon, wine and cheese party. Flavors are kind of all over the place but it surely is a different beer. When Imagine how the Vanilla beans and the Cocoa Nibs were added and barrel aged some more, a minor amount of the base flavors were hidden to give way to a much more sweet white chocolate flavor. Now that, is the best part I remember about the other beer which is the part that really confuses me. How is is that when you add the vanilla and cocoa nibs and age it, it creates something simply extraordinary. Alas, that is the mystery and the glory of the brewing process.

As being the base component of the White Chocolate, I can see why this beer reminds me a lot of the Bourbon and Barrel Aged Stone beers I have had before. Similar to the Red Wine Saison du Buff or the Double Bastard Bourbon Barrel Aged beer. Those beers were really different. More to the wine and cheese party after taste which morphs which gives confusion to the taste buds, but in a very nice way.

White Chocolate Review: https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/white-chocolate-by-the-bruery/

3 French Hens by the Bruery

June 8, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 12 Beers of Christmas, 3 french hens, Belgian Quad, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, brown sugars, Bruery, french oak barrels, Magic Knights, Rayearth, sour beer funk, The Bruery, Three French Hens, Twelve Beers of Christmas, wine grapes | 1 Comment

Rating: 4.8/5

3 French Hens by the Bruery is a 10% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Label:
The third verse of our “Twelve Beers of Christmas” saga incorporates vinous and oaky notes into a bold and spicy dark ale. Happy Holidays!

75% Belgian-Style Dark Ale,25% Ale Aged in French Oak Barrels
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This beer is hard to come by especially since it is the 3rd installment of the Bruery’s 12 Beers of Christmas. Last year’s was 5 Golden Rings. Why am I reviewing a Christmas beer in the summer time? Well what better time than now. This is the 2010 release so it has been sitting around for about 2 and a half years bringing up the complexity and ABV to newer heights

The aromas start off quite fruity. Pineapple, peaches, cherries, plums, mango, oak, wine grapes, apricot, apple, caramel, candied sugar, wine, slight cocoa, anise, guava and biscuit bread with honey.

Flavors are of mix of a Belgian quad and a sour. However, the sour is only in funky notes, not necessarily sour. You get flavors or caramel, raisins, wine grapes, slight chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla oak, guava, pineapple, mango, papaya, plums, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger bread, honey, brown sugars, peppercorn notes, clove spice, slight funkyness like that of Jolly Pumpkin beers without the sourness, molasses, and brown sugar. The aftertaste is slightly vinous and funky but delicious. Mainly from the oak I would think.

Quite the new experience for me really. I never had a beer that gave that Belgian quad like flavors with awesome funky notes that I would with like Jolly Pumpkin. I guess something close would be like the Fantome Belgian beers. It is a very nice experience for sure and aging has definitely gave it what was necessary to bring out some epic flavors from this. Now all I need to find is Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Melange 3 by The Bruery

May 10, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, beer nirvana, best beers in the world, Black Tuesday, Bleach, bourbon vanilla, Bruery, bucket list, Chocolate Rain, cocoa nibs, dark fruits, Diabetes in a bottle, Grey Monday, kick the bucket list, Kos-MOS, Melange, Melange 3, Naruto, Papier, Temari, Temari Sabakuno, The Bruery, Toasted Coconut, vanilla spice, White Chocolate, White Oak, White Oak Sap, world class beers, Xenosaga, Yoruichi, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5* This is quite ridiculous of a beer which exceeds expectations, maybe way too much.

Melange 3 by The Bruery is a 15.5% ABV Barrel-Aged Blended Ale Dark & Delicious (Black & Tan). Basically, it is a fusion ale of Black Tuesday, White Oak wheat wine and Papier Old Ale.

Label:
A unique blend of Black Tuesday, White Oak Sap, and our Anniversary ales. Extended barrel aging lends flavors of vanilla, spice, and rich caramel.
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If you haven’t heard about this beer, go get it now before it is gone. I kid you not. I didn’t have to be part of their preserve, reserve, or even hoarders society. Either that, or the Bruery was graceful enough to share this magnificent brew. If you live in California, GO NOW!!!…. get this beer

I already specified the greatness that was Black Tuesday and even the greatness that was their Anniversary Ale Fruet and basically White Chocolate was their White Oak wheat wine with cocoa nibs so essentially what you have here is an ale that combines the best of 3 of my most hard to find beers that blew me away all in a single blend. In fact, this was one of those kick the bucket beers that is a favorite of Patrick Rue, founder of the The Bruery. I wouldn’t be this exited about a beer if I didn’t realized that I was able to get my hands on this so easy. I still couldn’t believe it when I ordered it on the site. Well anyways, enough rambling. On to the Review.

The aromas are pretty much of the charts. Ill try to sum up the complexity of this beer as best I can since the flavors of this beer are ridiculously rich. Yes another “Diabetes in a bottle” beer. Fragrances of Hazelnut, rich dulce de leche caramel, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet chocolate, bananas, marshmallows, rocky road ice cream, rich toasted coconut, bourbon, vanilla, dark fruits, raisins, flan, crème brulee, wheat, leche nestle and just a lot of sugar.

The flavors are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet chocolate, Kahlua, white chocolate, wine grapes, chocolate covered cherries, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla beans, bourbon oak, wheat, coriander, honey, wine grapes, apples, Port wine, flan, choco flan, chocolate cake, cake batter, toffee, brown sugar, raisins, licorice, marshmallows, smores, graham crakers, cherry coke, Belgian bread, biscuits and more intense sugary and heavenly bliss….over 9000.

Talk about a ridiculously smooth beer. This is very smooth, mellow to the point where you cannot detect the alcohol. This beer is like combining Trois Pistoles, St. Bernardus 12, Three Philosophers, Black Xantus and Barrel aging all that and it comes out like a drink from the 4th dimension, maybe higher. My god, if my taste buds could bleed, they would bleed simply because the beer has taken me to the upper echelons of craft beer Nirvana. This is ridiculous. If I would drink this beer everyday I would probably never try anything else. However, because I finally tried this, I can go in peace. It is hard to believe but this is definitely a bucket list beer without a doubt. People have to try this out and the best part, you don’t have to stay and camp out for the night to get a bottle of this. Get it while it last and it is no longer offered to the public. I got this bottle without hesitation. I almost thought they would second guess my orders since I was not a preserve or reserve or craft whore society member. I got this straight from the source and I was surprised it was sent. This beer is sold or traded after market so if you are not lucky to be able to find this beer but are able to be have it shipped and bought online, I recommend this one full heartedly. Bull shit aside, This beer is worth every penny.

Otiose by the Bruery

April 22, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Arrancar, banana notes, Bleach, Brettonamyces, Brown ale, Bruery, Full Bring, Guavas, Inoue Orihime, Neliel, Nelliel, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Oak, Orihime, Otiose, roast malt, sour ale, Sour Brown Ale, The Bruery, toasted rye bread, tropical fruits, wine grapes | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Otiose by the Bruery is a 8.2%ABV Sour Brown Ale Aged in Oak with Guava.

Label:
Created for no purpose besides satisfying an intense craving. Pleasantly tart with tropical notes balanced by roast malt.

Description:
Defined as “serving no practical purpose”, the recipe for Otiose was developed during a rare break in the brewing schedule; a recipe we came up with to satisfy our own desires and nothing more. The result is a sour brown ale aged in oak barrels to which we added guava. Riddled with tropical notes which are balanced by it’s malty backbone, Otiose is a rich and decadent sour ale. 8.2%, Cellerable for up to 3 years.
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The fragrance of this beer are of sour wine grapes, notes of caramel, guava, lemon citrus, passion fruit, plum notes, apples, cranberry, raspberry, oak and vanilla. Aside from the sour grape wine flavor, this beer has some nice sweet notes. Flavors of pecan, guava, banana notes, cherry, raspberry, caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, citrus, lemon, grapefruit, honey, some toasted rye bread and some sour funkyness. The beer is quite balanced. There is enough tart and caramel notes to make it pretty interesting. This is similar to some of the great Jolly Pumpkin ales. So if you love sours, have fun trying this one 😛

Filmishmish (في المشمش) by The Bruery

April 20, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Wile Ale, apricot jam, Apricots, Arrancar, balanced sour beer, Bleach, Bruery, Filmishmish, Halibel, Harribel, Oak aged, sour ale, Sour Blonde Ale, sweet peach, The Bruery, Tia Halibel, Tia Harribel, في المشمش, Vasto Lorde, wine grapes, wood shavings | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.65/5

Filmishmish (في المشمش) by The Bruery is a 5.8% ABV Sour Blonde Ale aged in Oak with Apricots

Label:
Tart and Fruity with notes of oak and grandma’s homemade jam.

Description:
Filmishmish, an Arabic term for “when the apricots bloom”, is a barrel aged sour blonde ale to which apricots have been added. The beer’s already fruity esters are enhanced by the hint of fresh apricot jam and wood shavings. Filmishmish is a well balanced beer, keeping the apricot and oak character present, but putting the flavor of the well formed sour ale at the forefront.
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First the Strawberries, then come the apricots. The aromas of this beer are of apricots, peaches, sout grapes, oak, citrus, lemon, apples, honey, sweet peach preserves, almost like wine funkyness. The flavors are of sour apricots, vanilla, stone fruits like plum and cherry, brown sugar, melted whole sugar cone, mushroom notes like the Fantome beers, lemon citrus, apples, peaches, honey notes, wine grapes, oak, floral spices, apricot or peach preserves on biscuit bread. Aftertaste leaves with apricots and honey alone with some dry sour grape and lemon notes. This was pretty good. Very balanced and not just pure sour. Almost like a Jolly Pumpkin or a Fantome beer. This beer is sour overall but has enough fruity tartness to not make displeasing. If you are still not into sours, this will probably be good to try. It really is good and not overpowering with sourness.

Ichigo Highway Collaboration by The Bruery and Hangar 24

April 19, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 15, American Wild Ale, Bleach, Bruery, Collaboration Beer, Hangar 24, Highway 15, Ichigo, Ichigo Highway, Ichigo Kurosaki, Kutchiki Rukia, redlands ca, ripe strawberry, Rukia, sour ale, Strawberry, Strawberry beer, sweet aroma, The Bruery, Wine Barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.6/5

Ichigo Highway Collaboration by The Bruery and Hangar 24 is a 5.5% ABV American Wild Red Ale aged in red wine barrels with strawberries.

Label:
The Bruery & Hangar 24 are divided by the 15 Highway, but brought together by a shared love of experimental brews. Ichigo, meaning both “strawberry” and the numbers 1 and 5 in Japanese, is a complex, sour red ale aged with strawberries picked from the fields next to Hangar 24’s brewery. Ichigo Highway is best enjoyed fresh due to the fleeting aroma and flavor of strawberries. Best stored and cellared around 55 degrees F (13 degrees C). Ideal serving temperature is 50 degress F (10 degrees C). Best served in a tulip or wine glass.

DESCRIPTION:
Ichigo Highway is a collaborative beer that we created with Hangar 24 Brewing from Redlands, CA. The base style is a sessionable sour red ale that we aged in oak barrels along with a whopping amount of strawberries, most of which were picked from the fields besides Hangar 24’s brewery. Aged for approximately 8 months, this beer has developed a pleasant funk and a delightful acidity that is balanced by the intensely sweet aroma and flavor of the strawberries as well as a unique dryness achieved by using a sake yeast along with our house strain along with souring bacteria. Available in November. 5.5% ABV, Best enjoyed fresh due to the fleeting aroma and flavor of the strawberries
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Being an anime fan and a big fan of the show “Bleach”, I anticipated this review for a long time ago since the beer released way back when. A very hard to find beer unless you are a member of the Reserve or Hoarders Society. I was able to trade for this brew in order to bring Ichigo, the shinigami here to the stage. One of the things to note about the fragrances about this beer, is that there is alof of strong ripe strawberry aromas but also the grape wine aromas are there too as well as this sugary scent of strawberry preserves. You can also sense the funkyness and citrus like many sour beers. Some grapefruit, apricots, apples and cinnamon as well. While still tart and sour to the smell, it is also very floral too. Like hibiscus and roses. The flavors are very much sour as expected. A ton of bitter ripe strawberries, apricot, apples, sour wine grapes, lemon, grapefruit, slight cinnamon spice, wine oak funkyness, and a bit of sake and tea like flavors . You will only like this beer if you enjoy sours, let’s put it that way. I happen to enjoy some sour beers like Jolly pumpkin for example. The sweeter flavors actually start to come out as the beer warms up. Yep, aside from the name being Ichigo, if you do not like sours even if your a fan of the “Bleach” show, you may not like this one. Which then I assume that only people that like sours will like this one. It is a very good sour. It happens to be a bonus for me as I enjoy craft beers, sours, anime and “Bleach” 8)

Bourbon Barrel Aged 4 Calling Birds by The Bruery

January 11, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 4 Calling Birds, Bananas, Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Ale, Belgium, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, Bruery, cherries, coconut and banana, dark fruits, Fruit Cake, gingerbread, Raisins, The Bruery, Twelve Beers of Christmas | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Bourbon Barrel Aged 4 Calling Birds by The Bruery is a 14.8%ABV Belgian Dark Ale Brewed with spices and aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
The fourth verse of our “Twelve Beers of Christmas” saga incorporates ginger-like spice into a rich and robust dark ale. Happy Holidays!
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This is a barrel aged version of the original 4 calling birds. Haven’t tried the original but this one is still awesome, maybe even better :P. The aromas immediately are of strong vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, coconut and banana crème pie, bourbon, raisins, cherries, holiday fruit cake, some chocolate and coffee cake. The flavors are pretty complex with a major solidification of Bourbon, Vanilla, matured Banana, dulce de leche caramel, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread, fruitcake with dark fruits like plums raisins, cherries, a bit of apple, hazelnuts, pecans, dark chocolate and and some citrus. The aftertaste is a lot like banana and raisins with some good bourbon and vanilla still there. The alcohol is well hidden, yet do take your time with this. While it is very delicious, it is past the 10%ABV and quite hefty in alcohol. An 8oz serving would suffice and save some for later :). Good flavor is hard to come by. Some beers meet or exceed expectations. For me, this one exceeded them quite a bit. If you can find it…fuck yeah!!!

Smoking Wood by The Bruery

December 20, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Bacon, Barrel Aged, bourbon vanilla, Bruery, Kushina, Naruto, Porter, Rye Whiskey Barrels, smoked beers, Smoked Imperial Rye Porter, Smoking Wood, sweet flavors, The Bruery, Uzumaki, vanilla flavors | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5

Smoking Wood by The Bruery is a 13% ABV Smoked Imperial Rye Porter Aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels.

Label:
Smoked Imperial Rye Porter aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels. A rich porter layered with rye spiciness and earthy smoke, caramel-like flavors, roasty malt and oaky deliciousness.
Brewed with beachwood and cherrywood smoked malt, and aged in rye whiskey barrels, Smoking Wood is a delicious demonstration of what wood has to offer when it comes to beer. This imperial smoked porter is brewed with a hefty amount of rye malt, contributing to a full body and light spiciness. Toasty oak, caramel and vanilla flavors balance the smokiness, contributing to an intense yet refined flavor profile. This is one of our favorite beers at the moment, we hope you agree.
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For smoked beers, I hear this one was phenomenal. The aromas are of whiskey or a bourbon, vanilla, caramel, smokey notes, campfire, bacon, some rye bread, minor coffee, chocolate and raisins. The flavors are of dark and milk chocolate, campfire, bacon, BBQ Ribs, whiskey, Jack Daniels Honey, scotch, vanilla, caramel, mocha, maple syrup, oak, coconut, minor flan notes, brown sugar, sourdough bread, plums, cherry, walnuts and pecans. This beer turned out to be fantastic. While it has a high ABV, the flavors prevent too much burn. You can kind of tell that it is strong but not to an overwhelming point. In fact, the smoke and sweet flavors take care of that. Ofcourse, do not drink this in one sitting. You will get wasted. Try some and save it for later. For people that do not like smoked beers might find this one pretty appealing and pleasant.

White Chocolate by The Bruery

November 5, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged bourbon barrels, Bruery, cacao nibs, dessert, Naruto, rich flavors, Temari, Temari Sabakuno, The Bruery, White Chocolate | 1 Comment

Rating: 6/5

White Chocolate by The Bruery is a 14.25%ABV WheatWine Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cacao Nibs and Vanilla Beans. The Polar opposite of the Chocolate Rain. Can be aged up to 5 years.

Label:

The primary component of our “White Oak” ale is a 100% barrel aged wheat wine that we affectionately refer to as “White Oak Sap.” Essentially a “summer” barley-wine style ale, but made with a wheat heavy grain base, White Oak Sap is aged in used bourbon barrels for nearly a year and comes out rich in flavors of coconut, honey, caramel and vanilla. To compliment the already rich flavors of the beer, we’ve added cacao nibs and vanilla beans to give this beer the delicate flavor of white chocolate…hence the name. This is where the ultimate in brewing alchemy comes together to combine flavors to create something so ridiculously sweet and awesome. Now in the past I mentioned about how chocolate rain had become one the best and sweetest beers out there for me, well right in part to that comes this one. The White Chocolate. This totally smells and taste like ripe and strong white chocolate. It is strange because they use wheat so you also get these very faint heffeweizen orange and banana bread in the back. Quite the dessert beer here. There is a lot of flavors of caramel, vanilla, honey orange, sweet bread, maple, strong white chocolate, bourbon, cocoa, hazel nut, pecans, chocolate chip and cinnamon . While this is a strong alcoholic beer which should be taken lightly and a sip at a time, it is also super sweet. LOL like another Diabetes in a bottle. I have never tried a white chocolate beer. This one really takes the cake in terms of different types of beers ever. It is the best “rarest” beer in the world for me along with chocolate rain. That being said, I still consider Trois Pistoles and St. Bernardus the best in the world simply because they are easier to find. White Chocolate and Chocolate Rain are just a chocolate lovers dream. Those and Southern Tier choklat which is lighter. Would I recommend this?? You are damn right I would. Sweet tooth and Chocolate lovers will die with this one. Should be on the bucket list lol. Now I can scratch this off my list ;P

Fruet by The Bruery

October 31, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Bruery, chocolate pecan pie, Evangelion, Fruet, Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Bruery | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5

Fruet by The Bruery is their 4th Anniversary Ale. It is a 15.5% ABV 100% Old Ale style aged in Bourbon Barrels. This is one amazing beer and Falls just in line with the other great Bruery beers I have tried like Black Tuesday, Tart of Darkness and Chocolate Rain. Diabetes in a bottle…LMAO!!. The old ale or stock ale style is a style made centuries ago that is full of dextrins creating a full malt beer. It is aged for in barrels for several years and reaged once more. So initially when they started, they had old beers and re added new batch to it. It truly is a 4th Anniversary ale…no joke!!!

Label:
Fruet is our fourth anniversary ale. It is the same recipe as Papier and our other anniversary ales, and again was created using the Solera method. Each year we will continue to blend old barrels of anniversary ale with a new batch of the same beer, adding an additional layer of complexity that will grow over time as we continue to age and blend with each anniversary, creating an older average age to the ale. This year, for the first time, we are ONLY offering the 100% bourbon barrel aged version of our anniversary ale. It has taken us four years to work up our capacity enough to do this and we are extremely happy about this offering.
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The smell of the beer reminds me of how good Chocolate Rain and Black Tuesday smelled. Roasted Coconut, Chocolate, pecan pie, dulce de leche and dark fruits, Flan, vanilla, sweet condenced milk (Lechera). That is just the smell. The taste is simply phenomenal!!!! Just like the smell, chocolate, pecan pie, dulce de leche, flan, condensed milk, bourbon sweetness without the alcohol. Coconut, caramel, raisins, figs, red grapes like wine, oak, burnt toasty sourdough bread, toffee with almonds…. OH WOW!!…Just WOW!!!!!!!Be careful drinking this one, it will get you in trouble, maybe not in the level of chocolate rain but surely close. This beer hides alcohol very well….not recommended for the lighter beer drinkers…There is a reason why this one in particular was pricey. Some of the beers I get are decent price that I could afford, but this one?? No…..they took care of this one. It isn’t pricey like a wine but it runs you about the same price as a bottle Patron Tequila. Price aside, this is a true collection beer. Only God knows how long this can be aged for. It is amazing that these types of beers exist out there and they are on a level of their own. The fact is that there is beer that can be considered like a collection is crazy. I think it honestly depends on what you are looking for that may make or break what you would consider the best beer in the world. In my Journey I have found the St. Bernardus abt 12 and Trois Pistoles to be the best in my opinion. But this is just my journey, what about yours? I mean for most people they would settle upon any beer they would find delicious, make it a favorite and say it is the best. That is awesome really. As for me…. I have done a lot of tasting and research on this category and this type of beer makes me realize that maybe at some point I should just settle with what I got :)…. Gold is out there…some people believe it is what they want and they will stick to it. Even people out there that say bud light or corona is the best, then so be it. I applaud you because at least you stand for what you like. As for me, I will keep searching and presenting you here with the many beers you may potentially run into and try. It may make you see beer and art alittle differently. If I have done at least that favor to you that that is all I ask. Oh yeah…. by the way… as the dude from beer geek nation would say…Life is too short…drink amazing beers!!!…. and additional to that quote, if you go down knowing that you lived your life by your terms and means, then no one can take ever take that away from you…..Cheers!!!

Chocolate Rain by The Bruery

October 31, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Black Tuesday, Bleach, bourbon barrels, Bruery, Chocolate Rain, cocoa nibs, TCHO, The Bruery, vanilla beans, Yoruichi, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5 *This may have just become my favorite beer ever…

HEY EVERYONE…WHO WANTS DIABETES IN A BOTTLE?? LOL just kidding…Actually only partially kidding ….. >.>
This is Chocolate Rain, by The Bruery. It is Whoopin’ 19.5%ABV Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon barrels with cocoa nibs and vanilla beans. Well.. I don’t even know if it should be categorized as an imperial stout, more like a very complex boozy chocolate syrup drink with some major major chocolate infusion going on. Literally, the most chocolate rich beer I have ever had. The strongest beer I have ever had aside from Tactical Nuclear Penguin at 32% ABV. To me, maybe I just set this as my all time favorite. Choosing Trois Pistoles and St. Bernardus mixed in high amounts of chocolate may make something similar to this…..maybe.

As soon as I opened this bottle I realized the beer was too extreme for me. It smells like hazel and pecan pie with Chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and did I mention chocolate drizzled all over that pie with whip crème and cherries on top. That was just the smell. The taste was a maelstrom of rich complex chocolate, dark chocolate mocha, pecans, almonds, dipped in dulce de leche, vanilla, browney batter, bourbon, raisins, cherries, raspberries, Leche Nestle, Epitome of Sugar dimension times 10….. This is the ULTIMATE dessert beer. Adding ice cream may actually put you in a comma. Either that or drinking the whole bottle. BE VERY CAREFUL!!! As delicious as this is, one could get carried away. A beer designed to age for many many decades…

Black Tuesday by The Bruery

October 31, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, Bruery | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5

Black Tuesday by The Bruery is an 18.2% ABV Imperial Stout. SHIT…just as I was typing this information about Black Tuesday, all of a sudden Facebook goes down..LOL conspiracy…>.>…oh well.. I am still reviewing this for the people…yes… GOLD it is….Still I can’t help wonder if there was a reason for this or just a coincidence…either way….here it is…

Label:

“I cannot help but raise a dissenting voice to statements that we are living in a fool’s paradise, and that prosperity in this country must necessarily diminish and recede in the near future.” – E.H.H. Simmons, President, NYSE, January 1928
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_of_1929 Our infamous Black Tuesday is an Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon barrels for over a year. Rich caramel, toasted malt, vanilla, burnt wood, anise are just a few of the many flavors of this rich, decadent imperial stout.
ABV: varies, IBU: 40, SRM: 100
http://vimeo.com/16035690
http://vimeo.com/7322604

Did I wait??? no… I did not… I did not wait to get this… I had some sources…but I go it anyways…This is the answer to Dark Lord Imperial Stout…for California…This cannot be beer…beer has some form of alcohol. I cannot sense any alcohol..EXTREMELY SMOOTH!!!….All I sense if pure chocolate, chocolate, dark chocolate, mocha, roasted coffee, bourbon, vanilla, burnt sugar, cherry, sweet plum and raisin, sugar glazed just for fun, oh yeah and more sugar. A smokey sugar honey glazed ham with glazed over more sugar. WOW…. just ..wow….it really is the end here…diabetes in a bottle..wonder what people will say…it will be the crash of 2012 but many will be like …none ..none of this matter… either that or just go insane….as for me…just chill here…hangout and relax…Stouts lover…. Extremely sweet beer chocolate lovers with well… palate of smoke…go find this..this beer survives economical, social, natural and any hardships you can think of. Damn it all!!! I like this even better than Dark Lord Imperial….take in with EXTREME CAUTION…save the rest for later