The Good, The Bad & The Unidragon by Clown Shoes

October 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Blaecorn Unidragon, Bleach, Clown Shoes Brewing, dark chocolate, milk Chocolate, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Russian Imperial Stout, Texas, Texas Dark Malts, The Good The Bad & The Unidragon, Tia Harribel, unidragon, Yoruichi, Yoruichi Shihouin | 1 Comment

Rating: 5.45/5

The Good, The Bad & The Unidragon by Clown Shoes is a 14% ABV Russian Imperial Stout brewed with Texas Dark Malts.

Label:
We brewed this special version of Blaecorn Unidragon using dark malts sourced from Texas, attitude sourced from the burning pit of a bad tempered spirit, and righteous fury from the hand cannons of The Good. As you sit down to a glass, remember, there are two types of people: those who drink unidragons and those whose ashes drift in the breeze.
___

Clown Shoes has been on the move brewing beers specifically for certain states to have taking advantage of the awesome Russian Imperial Stout known as the Blaecorn Unidragon and creating super variants. This is the Texas Only version and there would have been no way I could of obtain this beer if it wasn’t for my friend Aaron and his wife from www.beermetaldude.com. California will get their version soon, but since I am a fan of the Unidragons, I was very exited to bring this one over to the site for a review. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, burnt caramel, rocky road ice cream, vanilla, mild smokey notes, smokey notes, tobacco, marshmallow smore hints, pecan pie flan, brown sugar, fudge cake and milk sugar.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, rich roasted coffee grounds, bakers chocolate, dark fruit raisins, currants, dark cherries, mocha, Khalua, milk sugar, java, flan, rocky road icecream, mocha, brown sugar, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, Irish cream, fudge cake, sweet toffee, earthy notes, oak hints, molasses, anise, marshmallow smores, coconut hints, smokey notes and tobacco.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, earthy notes, tobacco, caramel, vanilla and caramel hints. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV. It is hidden so damn well. Creamy, silky and smooth mouthfeel, for some reason this has an easy to medium drinkability which really does not make sense despite the ABV. What can be said about the body other than pitch black as the darkest soul of the night and yet an extremely dangerous beer due to the ABV and the drinkability.

Overall:
This beer is insane and way too drinkable for its own ‘good’, which makes it ‘bad’ since it will get you drunk but its a ‘unidragon’ so drink drink drink! The other thing about this beer is that it is very balanced. I was very surprised about how well I could drink this one to the point where I had to stop myself from drinking the whole bottle in one sitting. Yeah it was that good. If you live in any other state, find a way to trade for this but if you live in Texas, you have to get this one for sure!!

Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin, Tia Harribel & Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck from Bleach represent the good, the bad and the unidragon. Yoruichi is made to look like the bad guy in the label or the wolf man, although she can turn into a cat at will but it fits. She is good and kind hearted though. Harribel is the Bad in the sense that she was bad in the beginning of the series but now is good and she was the vampire slayer beer so for the purposes of the cowboy in the middle, she is good but in the name of the label is the bad. Neliele was always good and neutral and the unidragon of the original pairings so yeah she is awesome. I made this custom screen to fit the need of the scenery and story telling yet you can find the sources below. Can you find any other way of how this beer pairs?

Sources:
http://kriscynical.deviantart.com/art/BLEACH-Yoruichi-by-Washu-M-107334912
http://bleach.ucoz.net/_ph/2/255749857.jpg
http://tremblax.deviantart.com/art/Neliel-Tu-Oderschvank-327882456

(Brewerianimelogs On The Road) So Happens It’s Tuesday Cacao & Raisin by The Bruery

September 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Imperial Stout, Black Tuesday, Bleach, cacao nibs, chocolate raisins, dark chocolate, Golden Raisins, Imperial Stout, Session beer, So Happens It's Tuesday, So Happens It's Tuesday Cacao & Raisin, The Bruery, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.35/5

So Happens It’s Tuesday Cacao & Raisin by The Bruery is an 11.3% ABV American Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cacao Nibs and Raisins

The “Sessioned” version of the almighty ~20% ABV Black Tuesday will be released soon. Essentially, this is a lower alcohol content of their already awesome beer. This is the second variant to the So Happens It’s Tuesday with Cacao Nibs and Raisins. Not sure how long they will have this up so it is best to give it a try before it is gone. So this Sunday, I had a chance to stop by with my friends Richard and Megan to try these beers out. While I tried the Cherry and Vanilla one, I wanted to review this one too. So here we go with the next, Brewerianimelogs On The Road review, Cheers!

Aromas:
Milk and Dark Chocolate covered raisins, vanilla, Dulce de leche caramel, flan hints, brown sugar, dark fruit plums, raisins, rock sugar, raspberry hints, coconut hints, earthy notes, crème brulee hints and bourbon hints.

Flavors:
Dark fruit raisins, plums, Dark Chocolate, cherry hints, oak, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, marshmallow, flan, rock candy, coconut hints, pecan pie, brown sugar, raisin bread pudding, hints of banana, hazelnut hints, lots earthy notes, graham crackers, molasses and crème brulee.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, Dark fruits, caramel, dark fruit hints, cherry and slight bourbon. No alcohol in the taste, a smooth mouthfeel beer, sipping drinkability and pitch black body.

Overall:
Similarly as awesome to the Cherry and Vanilla one. Just like the other one, smoother than less syrupy in your face Black Tuesday. Much sweeter than the other one was well in terms of the dark fruit and earthy. This beer being a sessioned Black Tuesday is kind of amazing to say the least. When I think of session I think light but what if taking something that is extreme, making it light and it is still in the heavy are, that is what I call unique! While these variants were sold to the public at the tasting room, hopefully the regular bottles of these will be sold publicly too!

Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach which was the original girl I used for Chocolate Rain was chosen in this simply because I wanted to pair with the colors and flavors of the raisins, chocolate, bananas, dark fruit, hazelnut and bread pudding. While using her in the Chocolate Rain I feel shows her true potential, I couldn’t think of anyone else who I liked so much to use at the time of the review.

(Brewerianimelogs On The Road) So Happens It’s Tuesday Cherry & Vanilla by The Bruery

September 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Imperial Stout, Black Tuesday, dark chocolate, Fate Night Stay, Fate Stay Night, Imperial Stout, Rider, Session beer, So Happens It's Tuesday, So Happens It's Tuesday Cherry & Vanilla, The Bruery, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

So Happens It’s Tuesday Cherry & Vanilla by The Bruery is an 11.3% ABV American Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cherries and Vanilla Beans.

The “Sessioned” version of the almighty ~20% ABV Black Tuesday will be released soon. Essentially, this is a lower alcohol content of their already awesome beer. As with some of their releases, The Bruery decided to make one with Cherry & Vanilla for a very limited time. If you happen to stop by their tasting room there may be a chance for you to try this. With me being a somewhat fanatic with the original Black Tuesday, I wanted to do a review on their variant beer while I was there. This is in a little segment I like to call, Brewerianimelogs On the Road. Cheers!

Aromas:
Milk and Dark Chocolate covered Cherries, Vanilla, Dulce de leche caramel, flan hints, brown sugar, dark fruits, coconut hints, crème brulee hints and raspberry hints.

Flavors:
Dark Cherries, Dark Chocolate, Cherry cordial hints, oak, bourbon, rich vanilla, marshmallow, flan, coconut hints, pecan pie, brown sugar, hints of banana, clove spice, hazelnut hints, raspberry, dark fruits, earthy notes, graham crackers, anise and molasses.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, caramel, dark fruit hints, cherry and slight bourbon. No alcohol in the taste, a smooth mouthfeel beer, sipping drinkability and pitch black body.

Overall:
Still very epic! From what I can gather this beer was smoother than less syrupy in your face Black Tuesday. The crazy part, at 11.3%, this was still considered a “sessioned” Barrel Aged Beer. Which makes you wonder, and is something I always pondered myself, what league of beer is Black Tuesday on. For the many times I have tried it, it is still a winning champion. Even though the sessioned one is not as rich, it is still above the level of awesome beers I love for sure. I would highly seek it out if you want to try this at the tap room or you can wait for the regular one hopefully coming out soon. By the way, this beer is sold to the public! This one was my favorite of the variants.

Anime Corner:
Rider from Fate Stay Night was used in this pairing since I wanted to bring out the aspects of Vanilla and dark cherries along with dark fruits that are in this beer. The power of the Black Tuesday is there even at a minute level but the strength is still in complexity.

Cocoa Psycho by BrewDog

September 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Brew Dog, BrewDog, cocoa nibs, cocoa psycho, Coffee Beans, dark chocolate, Imperial Russian Stout, Imperial Stout, Ranma, Ranma 1/2, Russian Imperial Stout, Scotland, Shampoo, vanilla beans, vanilla pods, Xian pu | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.95/5

Cocoa Psycho by BrewDog is a 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout brewed with cocoa nibs, coffee beans and vanilla pods.

Label:
Welcome to the world of Cocoa Psycho, a liquid dimension where pure indulgence reigns.

Originally brewed some 250 years ago to celebrate the Russian Royal Family, this 10% Imperial Russian stout borrows from the decadence of the time with its extravagantly smooth blend of crushed coffee beans, cocoa nibs and dark malts.

To fully unleash the aromas and bittersweet luxury of this stout, we recommend drinking it from a stemmed beer glass before taking a sledgehammer to a Faberge Egg.
___

So this beer had eluded me until I stumbled upon a random liquor store (the one in front of the Bruery) who surprisingly had a ton of rare craft in stock. When I saw this, I didn’t even think twice. This Cocoa Psycho isn’t going anywhere but for us here at brewerianimelogs.com. Therefore, I decided to bring this forth to you, the readers. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, prunes, dark cherries, Vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, mocha, java coffee, maple and hints of rye.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, dark fruit raisins, prune, dark cherry, caramel, oak, vanilla, earthy notes, coffee roast, java coffee, mocha, molasses, brown sugar, maple, smokey notes, maple and rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Coffee roast, dark chocolate, earthy notes, vanilla caramel and dark fruits quickly dry up. No alcohol in the taste, sipping drinkability, creamy mouthfeel, Dark full body with even a dark head that quickly dissipates into the darkness.

Overall:
The addition of the chocolate, vanilla and coffee definitely keep this at the level of perfect but without it, this may have been good to very good on the rating scale. The roasty notes and bittersweet chocolate are more present overall than the complex sweetness. That is okay though as what makes it perfect is that it still has some complexity to it. I think it seems to be at that Chocolate Oak Yeti. Would I recommend it? Only if they would lower the price In that aspect, I think you get way more from the Great Divide Chocolate Oak Yeti, Clown Shoes Vampire Slayer/Undead Party Crasher or hell, even Lost Abbey’s Serpent Stout. It is majorly worth trying thought I will give it that.

Anime Corner:
Shampoo/Xianpu from Ranma ½ was used in this pairing for several reasons having to do with the Ranma show, Shampoo herself, the color of the label and more. The color of the label is obvious as it pairs with Shampoo’s beautiful hair. The second is that she is literally obsessed with Ranma-kun and will literally kill anyone who dares stop her from having him. She gets into constant battles with Ranma-Chan (The Female version of Ranma-kun who was cursed and turns into a girl with cold water and back with hot water. Unfortunately for Shampoo, she cursed Ranma-chan with the kiss of death meaning she has to kill her but not want to kill Ranma-kun. Quite the complex scenario and just goes to show how far she can go. In the art, she kinda looks like a psycho with her obsession, but to be honest and fair, her intention may be a bit psycho but the cocoa or sweet aspect of her heart means she really is kind at heart. She knows she will not win in the end but at least she risks her life to help Ranma in many cases. Shampoo is awesome and one of a kind Amazon chick. Very sweet but powerful (ABV) due to her special teaching in the martial arts.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/87677
https://cs.sankakucomplex.com/data/fe/62/fe624c62f9148b856836e61cdbcd4cde.jpg?3452269

Tart of Darkness Cherries & Vanilla by The Bruery

September 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, cherries, cherry vanilla, Claymore, dark chocolate, Fate Night, Fate Stay Night, Fate Zero, Madrugada Obscura, oak barrels, Saber Alter/Dark, sour ale, Stout, Tart of Darkness, Tart of Darkness Cherries & Vanilla, The Bruery, vanilla, vanilla beans, vanilla ice cream | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Tart of Darkness Cherries & Vanilla by The Bruery is a 7.1% ABV American Wild Stout aged in Oak Barrels with Cherries and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
SAUERSTAUT

With a roasty aroma and a tart finish, this sour black ale is a contortion of style and flavor, creating an unexpected delight.

Tart of Darkness with Cherries & Vanilla is best enjoyed fresh for bold spice and fruit character, but my pleasantly if cellared properly.
___

Released to the Preservation and Reserve Societies this fall. This beer is a variant to the publicly sold Tart of Darkness. I will be honest, while the tart of darkness is a very good sour, it does not compare to my favorite sour stout Madrugada Obscura by Jolly Pumpkin. The fact that they added the cherries and vanilla to this may actually make some kind of difference. I can only hope that this is the case. Let us see how this warrior fairs. Draw your puckeringly sour sword and get ready to take action!

Aromas:
Dark Cherry yogurt, Vanilla ice cream, caramel,Lavender, cotton candy, strawberry cheesecake, lemon peel, citrus, dark chocolate hints, blueberry skins, earthy notes, Cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper hints, molasses, anise, licorice, lemon peel, sour funky notes, citrus, port wine hints, blue berry muffin and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Blueberries, Vanilla cream, coconut, caramel, tart wine grapes, chocolate, lavender, dark cherry yogurt, strawberry cheese cake, brown sugar, blueberry muffin, lemon peel, Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper hints, dark fruits like prunes raisins, concord grape skins, port wine hints, oak, earthy notes and musty sour funky notes.

Aftertaste:
Tart wine grapes, oak, dark cherry yogurt hints, vanilla, coconut hints, and earthy notes finishing all fast and dry. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, medium to full mouthfeel and with a murky amber brown full body.

Overall:
Way better than the original. I have no idea how the addition of the cherries and vanilla seem to suppress the overall ‘sour’ aspect of this beer making it more of a sweet tart. The original did not do as well as my favorite, Madrugada Obscura but tasting more sour than a balance of stout chocolate roastiness with sour aspects. This beer however, redeemed the original big time. While the chocolate aspect is there but hinted, the sweetness of cherry and vanilla change the aspect of the beer not just to make it fruity tart but also dessert like yet still puckeringly sour. Definitely recommended. So does it win against Madrugada Obscura? I guess it really depends on my mood. Chocolate coffee sour or Cherry Vanilla sour.

Anime Corner:
Saber Alter/Dark Saber from Fate/Stay Night/Hollow Ataraxia was used in this pairing since I used Jean from Claymore. Basically both represent the “Dark Knight” In the Tart of Darkness. You may not tell from the label, but a sword pierces through the cherry and in the original, there is a sword involved. The aspect of the warrior of darkness and the fact that I have used Saber in many Dark chocolate and cherry flavored beers just pushes my conviction that much further. The Dark Arts have to do with blasphemy against the church but the strange part, as holy as some organizations are, some hold deep dark secrets that the public never knows about. Tart of Darkness with Cherries and Vanilla brings that aspect of sour evil but yet sweet and forgiving aspects that are pretty damn Holy if you ask me. Think of it as the sweetness delivering the darkness of the beer from evil Either way, great beer and great pairing I think.

Sources:
https://omisyth.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/1217501555092.jpg
http://gallery.minitokyo.net/view/500829

2014 Preservation Series Ignis Fatuus by The Bruery

September 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged brown sugar, Chocolate pumpkin, dark chocolate, Ignis Fatuus, Imperial Porter, Legend of Zelda, Midna, milk Chocolate, Preservation Society, Pumpkin, pumpkin ale, Spices, The Bruery, Twili Midna, Twilight Princess | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

2014 Preservation Series Ignis Fatuus by The Bruery is an 8.3% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Pumpkin & Spices.

Label:
Ignis Fatuus is a special brew created just in time for Autumn activities. We invite you to enjoy the subtle spices of this dark, roasty porter while telling ghost stories around an illuminating jack-o’-lantern.
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Available for the Preservation and Reserve societies for late Fall, this possibly the second time the Bruery releases a pumpkin beer since the now retired milk stout, Burly Gourd. The Autumn maple doesn’t count though since it is made with yams, although that one is incredible. This beer name, Ignis Fatuus/FoolishFire is another name of the Will O’ Wisp, the ghostly lights that appear at night for those traveling over a swamp or a marsh. Since the lights are so ominous, they are also called Jack-O’-Lantern. A fancy name for basically saying that everything about this beer is basically, pumpkins and scary stuff. Halloween approaches so this is a perfect beer for the fall occasion.

Aromas:
Toasted Pumpkins, dark chocolate, allspice, piloncillo sugar cone, molasses, anise, licorice hints, candy corn hints, banana hints, clove spice, ginger bread, vanilla caramel, dark fruit raisins, brown sugar, milk sugar hints, milk chocolate hints, maple, mint, oak, earthy notes, roasted coffee hints and mocha hints.

Flavors:
Toasted Pumpkin flesh, ginger spice, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, roasted coffee hints, dark fruits like raisins, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, maple, molasses, anise, licorice hints, mint, oak, earthy notes, brown sugar, piloncillo sugar cone, candy corn, phenolic banana notes, clove spice hints and hints of milk sugar.

Aftertaste:
Roasted coffee hints, pumpkins, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, earthy hints, brown sugar and ginger bread lingers. No alcohol in the taste. Creamy, yet slightly velvety mouthfeel, smooth drinkability, pitch black body and slightly dangerous.

Overall:
Great example of a pumpkin beer. Although, the fact that it is a porter, only takes the style into a more chocolate pumpkin and coffee direction. It is very nice indeed reminding me of T.R.E.A.T but smoother and creamier at that. However, TREAT actually is a stout and taste different but similar. The roastiness is evident throughout the beer but as the beer warms up, it gives way to a much more sweeter and spicy flavor experience. Not bad at all and definitely worth trying. For those that want to try it, they are offering this one at the Bruery on tap. If you know a member, stop by and try it before it is gone. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Midna from The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess was used in this pairing since I had not reviewed any Bruery beers using Midna but also wanted to showcase how much she relates to this beer in terms of the colors of the label, the flavors, the meaning of Ignis Fatuus, the mystery of Halloween and the creamy smoothness as well. The reason I also chose a summer like setting for her is because it is hot as hell and it seems here in California that for the last couple of years, it hits super hot right before the fall, so it works. Midna basically represents the lights of the will o’ wisp. The green neon markings on her skin with the green representative of the marshes but also witches in Halloween. Her hair flows like the flames of that light the ever gazing stare of the Jack O’ Lantern with a scary but playful and yet friendly ease. The beer’s smoothness is very welcoming, just like Midna is here. Her colors presenting the colors of the label, the pumpkin, some of the flavors and basically the sexiness as the smoothness.

Sources:
http://blancj11.deviantart.com/art/Midna-join-for-a-drink-412537538
http://gilmec.deviantart.com/art/Midna-Twilight-Princess-2011-202765652

Bourbon Coffee Porter by Smog City brewing

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, Bourbon Coffee Porter, Coffee Porter, dark chocolate, fancy coffee, Fate Night Stay, Fate Stay Night, Fate Zero, Four Rose Barrels, Heaven Hill, Jack Daniels, mocha coffee, Rin Tohsaka, Smog City, Smog City brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Bourbon Coffee Porter by Smog City brewing is a 7.5% ABV Imperial Coffee Porter Aged in Heaven Hill, Jack Daniels and Four Roses Barrels.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Coffee Porter aged in bourbon barrels.
___

Got this beer on tap at the local brewery, Smog City in Torrance California near work. They only have this for a limited amount of time. The original beer was something very special. A coffee porter that straight out tasted like really fancy coffee was one of the first beers I tried from Smog City. It isn’t often I bring a growler home, but when I heard they were releasing this one to the public and growler even, I definitely had to sign up for sure. So if they ever release a bottle or you are ever in the Torrance area, stop by and try some of this before it is gone!! So for now, I will bring this forth and let you know how it is. Definitely support local breweries wherever you are from and cheers!!

Aromas:

Really fancy coffee, mocha, Kahlua, java, bourbon, oak, floral notes, marshmallows, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, fudge brownies, Irish cream, fudge cake, dark fruits like raisins, plums, dark cherries, currants, hazelnut, pecan pie, maple syrup, earthy notes, milk sugar, cinnamon, rye bread, brown sugar, hints of plantain, clove spice and banana.

Flavors:

Rich fancy mocha coffee, java, frappuccino, bourbon, oak notes, Floral notes, marshmallows, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, fudge brownies, marshmallow, vanilla, caramel, Irish cream, fudge cake, dark cherries, dark fruit raisins, plums, currants, hazelnut, banana hints, clove spice, plantain, pecan pie, earthy notes, maple syrup, molasses, whiskey hints, coconut hints, rye bread, toffee, flan hints, anise, mint and milk sugar.

Aftertaste:

Coffee, mocha, caramel, vanilla, banana hints, dark chocolate and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, smooth drinkability, full body appearance, velvety mouth feel.

Overall:

Loved this one a lot. Even more complex than the original fancy coffee porter. No joke, not only does their porter taste like a cup of Joe, this takes it to the next level of complexity. While it may not be the best coffee beer ever, this is definitely exceeding my expectations even if by a quarter. They did an exceptional job and just the fact that they had it in growler was definitely worth not missing this one. Oh YES!! this one was not worth missing. So like I said before, if you are in town, go get this one for sure, I highly recommend it!

Anime Corner:

Rin Tohsaka from Fate Stay Night/Zero was chosen for this review because I wanted to pair some of the coffee and bourbon flavors with the colors of the artwork. I have another version of Rin but I will most likely use that one for the original beer, which is very awesome. This beer is exceptional for what it is and the flavors like in the artwork like the red and brown for cherry and coffee and the brown for bourbon definitely are revealed in this one. Especially in the deep crimson eyes which show some complexity.

Sources:
http://i32.tinypic.com/24pyla0.jpg

Black Forest by Harpoon Brewery

August 9, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Black Forest, Boston Beer, cherry juice, cocoa nibs, Dark Cherries, dark chocolate, Fate Night Stay, Fate Stay Night, Harpoon Brewery, Harpoon brewing, Harpoon Distributing Company, Imperial Porter, Saber, Saber Alter/Dark, sakura matou | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Black Forest by Harpoon Brewery of Boston Massachusetts is a 9.8% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Cherry Juice and Cocoa Nibs.

Label:
Black Forest
When the drivers of Harpoon Distributing Company are finished delivering brewery-fresh beer throughout the neighborhoods of Boston, they spend time moonlighting with Harpoon’s brewers. In 2012, they developed a version of a cherry chocolate porter that was a favorite at our annual home-brew competition. It didn’t take long for the brewing staff to work up a 10-barrel test batch and we knew we had to make more.

A hearty malt base is complemented by sweet cherry juice and cocoa nibs added during fermentation in this decadent take on a traditional porter.

Notes of rich chocolate and a hint of cherry sweetness make this full bodied porter the perfect treat to share now or to cellar until next Valentine’s Day.
___

Thanks once again to Aaron Mendiola at beermetaldude.com for the hookup of this sweet beer. Yet another brewery we don’t see here in California. This one is from Boston Massachusetts and apparently ended up being really good and sweet as I read about it. This I had to see for myself so I was glad to get the opportunity to give it a shot. So here it goes, the Harpoon Black Forest, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark Chocolate, rich dark cherries, cherry cola, mocha coffee, cherry cordial, hazelnut, earthy hop notes, brown sugar, dark fruit raisins, caramel, Dr. Pepper hints, maple, mint, molasses, licorice, raspberry hints and flan hints.

Flavors:
Burst of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, dark cherries, cherry yogurt, mocha coffee, dark fruit raisins, earthy hops, flan, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, cherry cola, maple, mint, chocolate chip cookies, molasses, licorice, brown sugar, maple, molasses, raspberry, nutmeg, pumpkin spice hints and hazelnut.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, dark cherry, vanilla, caramel, earthy hops, coffee and molasses. No alcohol in the taste, a moderate to sipping drinking characteristic, full body, syrupy mouthfeel yet smooth. Nice and deadly!!

Overall:
If you love sweet beers, especially chocolate and cherry ones, then this one is just an example of a beer that definitely exceeds my expectations in that department by a few notches. The Chocolate and Cherry are a complete win here with some additional complexity while it still reminds you that you are drinking a porter. A porter with no head retention and very delicious. I really wish we could get this one here in California, I would definitely drink this one all the time. Thanks again Aaron!

Anime Corner:
Saber Alter and Matou Sakura from Fatestay Night were used in this pairing because as the name goes, black forest, I wanted to show not only the pairing of the name but the flavors. As you can see from the colors in these pictures, they pretty much represent all the nice complexities that the beer has to offer and prominently the dark cherries and chocolate flavors. This beer is so damn good and the fact that these characters are evil, it represents the seductive qualities such that the beer is so smooth and yet strong at the same time.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/360781-1040×1477-fate+%28series%29-fateextra-saber-saber+alter-tyappygain-single.jpg
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/92024-1325×1800-fate+%28series%29-fatestay+night-saber-matou+sakura-saber+alter-stu+dts+%28pixiv%29.jpg

(Double Review) Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (1 year aged) & Stone W00stout 2.0 collaboration by Drew Curtis, Aisha Tyler and Wil Wheaton

July 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged abuelita chocolate, Aisha Tyler, arrogant bastard, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, beer collaboration, beer geeks, Beer Hybrid, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Stout, bourbon barrels, caramel pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Collaboration beers, dark chocolate, Drew Curtis, Evangelion, Fark.com, flan, Geek Beer, Greg Koch, Hop Heads, Imperial Stout, Mari, Mari Illustrious Makinami, mocha coffee, Neon Genesis Evangelion, pecan pie, quadruple, Rei, Rei Ayanami, rye bread, rye toast, sci fi, star trek the next generation, Stone, Stone Beers, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout, Stone Ground Chocolate, Toasted Coconut, toasted pecans, toasted rye bread, w00tstout 2.0, wheat, Wil Wheaton | Leave a comment

It has been a while since I have done a double review. Most of my double reviews involve one regular beer and one spirit aged beer. This time around I wanted to do something special for the w00tstout anniversary and the tribute of the w00tstock/HopCon which is today at Stone Brewing. Today I review a 1 year aged version of the w00tstout and the newest release, w00tstout 2.0 which the difference is that it has stone crushed chocolate. You can get this in many beer stores that sell specialty craft beers and specially Stone Beers. The price is a bit higher than the previous years but I believe the ingredients and the the way it differs from last years could actually be different. So I will find out today which one will be the better deal. A 1 year version of w00tstout or the latest release with added ingredients and stronger Alcohol by Volume. Let us go and check it out. Cheers!!!

Original Review:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/stone-farking-wheaton-w00tstout-collaboration/

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout Review
Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (1 year aged) collaboration is a 13% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with rye, pecans, wheat, hops, awesome (beer + sci-fi)*geek ideologies with a 1/4 of it aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
Wil Wheaton first called us in 2004 ask if it’d be OK for him to put the Arrogant Bastard logo on his blog’s website (back when people still asked permission to do such things), and I just so happened to answer the phone (back when I still answered the main line sometimes). Since he was so damn enthusiastic about our beers, I said ‘Sure, no problem,’ all the while thinking ‘Hmmm…this guy’s name sounds familiar.’

Months later, in a serendipitous turn of fate, I reached out to our 10,000th email newsletter subscriber…drumroll…Wil Wheaton. Since his gigs in the iconic Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wil has become quite the renaissance man, adding author, w00tstock innovator, and homebrewer to his resume. His enthusiasm for the fermentable arts and our beer was such that after many occasions of sharing grog over the years, we decided it was time to brew in collaboration.

It was a no-brainer for us to choose Drew Curtis—who many know as the twisted mind behind Fark.com—as our third cohort. Drew was an old friend of Wil’s that I had serendipitously met (when he saw me and told me, ‘Dude, I love your beer) and enjoyed many beers with at the famous TED conference three years in a row. The beer you hold before you is an imperial stout made with wheat (Wil pretty much insisted), and we also paid tribute to Drew’s Kentucky roots by adding rye and pecans to the mix and partially aging the beer in bourbon barrels. The result? Nothing short of serendipitous.”

Greg Koch @stonegreg CEO & Co-founder, Stone Brewing Co. & Beer Seek

“Being a geek isn’t about what you love; it’s about how you love it. I’m a sci-fi geek, a disruptive technology geek, and a tabletop game geek. I’ve been lucky to do lots of work in those fields, but this is the first time I got to be a professional beer geek, and it was awesome.”

Wil Wheaton | @wilw Actor, Homebrewer & Professional Seek

“Beer tastes like my website…all over the map, but I’ve never met a beer I didn’t like.”

Drew Curtis | @drewcurtis Founder, Fark.com & News Geek
_____

Aromas:
Very rich Dark fruit prunes, raisins, plums, figs, dates, sangria, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, pecan pie, dulce de leche caramel, flan, macaroons, toasted coconut, mocha coffee, vanilla, oak, bourbon, banana notes, hazelnut, rye bread, butterscotch, toffee, licorice, brown sugar, molasses, pear, dark cherry and port wine.

Flavors:
Very Rich dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dates, mocha coffee, Kahlua, dark and milk chocolate, molasses, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche coffee, port wine, rye pie crust, bourbon, butterscotch, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, bananas, clove spice, fig pudding, raisin bread pudding, coriander spice, earthy notes, hints of mint, wheat toast, old mango, pears and oatmeal cookies.

Aftertaste:
Dark raisins, old cherries, plums, prunes, hints of bourbon, port wine, oak, caramel and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, the booze is far more hidden. Syrup mouthfeel with a sipping drinkablity and pitch black appearance with not much head retention.

Overall:
The flavors have gotten better and develop a more dark fruit character than the previous w00tstout. The beer exceeds my expectations a little more than last years. The stronger Quad like flavors take over more of the Imperial Stout flavors. The only way to really find this one now is to trade for it.

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion made a return in this version of the W00tstout from last year because I wanted to represent the 3 collaborators Wil Wheaton, Drew Curtis and Greg Koch in this fine piece. While the beer is based on sci-fi, a great sci-fi anime and its characters was the perfect choice in my mind to pair with one of the geekiest beers ever seeing as Neon Genesis is a world renowned anime. So cheers to all sci-fi and anime fans alike and celebrate the communities…W00t!!

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2013-07-15-592967.jpeg

W00tstout 2.0 Review
Stone W00stout 2.0 collaboration by Drew Curtis, Aisha Tyler and Wil Wheaton brewed at Stone brewing is a 13.5% ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with flaked rye, wheat, pecans, hops, Stone-Ground Chocolate, awesome (beer + sci-fi)*geek ideologies with a 1/4 of it aged in Kentuck bourbon barrels.

Label:
In 2013, our CEO and Co-founder, Greg Koch, invited two respected fans of craft beer, brewing and all things Stone to develop an intense, inventive beer capable of not only delivering immense ﬂavor, but also serving as a ﬁtting, singular celebration of über-level enthusiasm. Self-proclaimed geeks in a number of arenas, the duo of thespian and renaissance man Wil Wheaton and Fark.com online news guru Drew Curtis proved up to the challenge, calling on their personal backgrounds to devise an imperial stout brewed with ﬂaked rye, wheat and pecans that was partially aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. Shortly after being released, this creation—dubbed “w00tstout” in honor of w00tstock, Wil’s annual tribute festival to cross-genre geekdom—became an instant cult classic.

Despite the fact that Greg spent the ﬁrst half of 2014 on an international walkabout-style sabbatical, Wil and Drew were invited back to Stone to put a new spin on this threesome-borne beauty. All they needed was a third conspirator, and for that, they called on friend and fellow geek, Aisha Tyler. An actress, talk show host, comedian and author with a ﬂair for individuality, she brought an entire new dimension to the brew day, just as the stone-ground chocolate the trio added to the original w00tstout recipe added delicious depth to the beer.

A personalized stamp was put on this year’s edition of w00tstout by comic artist Dave Gibbons. The co-creator of the Watchmen series worked up the fine art for this bottle in exchange for a donation to The Hero Initiative (www.heroinitiative.org), a charity organization providing retirement funds for golden-age comic book artists.

He thought his super power to point out the obvious was the most useless “power” ever, until he realized many people don;t see that which is plain as day.
Drew Curtis is…Captain Obvious!

Limbs unwieldy and lank are her lithe tools of destruction. Years of Bradbury (and corrective lenses) gave her laser vision. Where once she stumbled into peril, now she springs toward it, headlong.
Aisha Tyler is…Lady Temerarious!

Flashes of his destiny occurred in his youth, but it wasn’t until he uploaded his consciousness to the digital realm, that his powers were revealed. Now, he brings hops and hope to a thirsty world.
Wil Wheaton is…The Mercene-ary!
___

Aromas:
Rich Bananas, dark fruit raisins, figs plums, dates, toasted coconut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, Kahlua, pecan pie, mocha coffee, molasses, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, port wine hints, rye bread, vanilla, oak, bourbon, butterscotch, hazelnut nectar, clove spice, earthy hop notes, mint, wheat toast, raisin bread pudding, banana split sundae, flan and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Rich bananas, pecan pie, coconut, dark, bakers, milk, Abuelita and Belgian Chocolates, dark fruits like prunes, raisins, figs, almond joy chocolate, raisin bread pudding, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal, hot fudge sundae, mocha coffee, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, licorice, port wine hints, rye pie crust, bourbon, oak, hazelnut nectar, butterscotch, clove spice, vanilla, hazelnut nectar, whipped cream, crème brulee, flan, brown sugar, wheat toast with nutella, mint and molasses.

Aftertaste:
Bananas, dark cherries, milk and dark chocolates, pecan pie, whipped cream, bourbon, oak, dark fruits, caramel, earthy hops and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, syrupy mouthfeel and pitch black appearance with hardly any head retention.

Overall:
WOW! The addition of the chocolate somehow took the beer to the next level. Even at its freshest point here, its taste extremely amazing. It is almost like a Banana split beer. Somehow, the fusion of Imperial Stout and Quad seems very close to the Stickie Monkee from Firestone Walker. The balance of this beer is also pretty ridiculous. Less boozy tasting than the first w00t and not as dark fruit forward as the 1 year aged one I also reviewed today. Simply ridiculous and delicious making this one extremely exceptional. This beer is world class already. I Highly Highly Recommended!! Get several bottles and I will see you next year after I age one of these for a year. W00t!

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this years pairing of W00tstout. Just like last year, I wanted to represent the 3 collaborators Wil Wheaton, Drew Curtis and and this time the addition of Aisha Tyler. This time wanted to have Aisha take Greg’s place. As you can see from last year’s pairing, the colors are different but also, you can tell some of them have traded places with the anime characters. Along with scifi, Evangelion brings giant robot humanoids. This addition is synonymous with bringing the flavor balance that may have not been in the last beer. As you can see in one of the art pairings, one robot per character so everything is equal and just as bad ass as the last beer but still taking it to another level. Great Job and Cheers to all Sci-Fi, Anime and Beer fans out there!

Sources:
https://yande.re/sample/e87d0f51b9862ca10b223f546054ab9d/yande.re%20232423%20sample.jpg
http://33.media.tumblr.com/68b377c323245b4bfb0657c24de29291/tumblr_mydkomFyV81soko9to1_1280.jpg
Rating: 5.95/5 (Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout)
Rating: 6/5 (W00tstout 2.0)

Modern Romance by Midnight Sun brewing

June 3, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Anko, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, cacao beans, Chile beer, chili pepper, Cinnamon, cocoa, dark chocolate, Hinata, Karin, Konan, Kurenai, midnight sun brewing, Modern Romance, Naruto, sakura Haruno, Temari Sabakuno, Ten Ten, Tsunade, Yamanaka ino | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

Modern Romance by Midnight Sun brewing is a 9.3% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale brewed with cacao nibs, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chilies and maca and aged with cocoa powder

Label:
Raw cacao powder and roasted cacao nibs add an earthy element. But every romance needs some spark. Modern Dwellers’ signature Mayan Spice blend provides sultry, lingering heat that seduces the sweetness of the malts. It’s not for everyone but, for some, there is nothing else.

In an exciting collaboration, Midnight Sun and Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge—a local artisan chocolatier—designed and brewed a very special dark ale that celebrates our strengths—and weaknesses: sensuous chocolate, warm spice, fiery chili, provocative character and amorous mood.
___

Obtained this guy at craftbeerkings.com, I wanted to give it a shot especially since I love chocolate beers. I heard this one was a Belgian style strong dark ale with chocolate and chile. Oh hell yes! I had to try it. So here it is, the review for your enjoyment and let us see if this beer holds it’s weight as a good chocolate beer.

Aromas:
Strong Milk chocolate shake, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, mocha coffee, nutmeg, dark fruit prunes, subtle to hints chili pepper, chocolate abuelita brick,molasses, toffee, and currants.

Flavors:
Very dark chocolate, chocolate abuelita brick, milk chocolate powder, mocha coffee, dulce de leche caramel, raisins, prunes, vanilla, subtle chili pepper, cinnamon, ginger spice, nutmeg, subtle chile spices, currants, toffee, molasses, anise, Mexican mole sauce, oak, port wine, cherries, fudge cake, all spice and hazelnut nectar.

Aftertaste:
Chili pepper mainly in the finish but not super hot. Mainly cocoa powder, dark fruit, molasses, earthy notes, . No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer with full and somewhat syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
I gave this one a good amount extra credit since I love chocolate beers and the fact that this one definitely whops a lot of chocolate and is pretty balanced and not overly sweet. The Belgian aspect falls into perspective only a little bit drinking more like a Belgian Stout than a Dark Belgian Strong ale. The cocoa powder takes away the majority of the heat that would have been there even if you can tell this is a chile beer. Not the above best of all of my favorite chocolate beers but it definitely is up there and very delicious. Something definitely worth trying. It is pretty sensual.

Anime Corner:
Naruto himself and his harem of girls that come out in the series were used in this pairing. Pretty much, all the main ones. These fan arts were made by uzmakiee-naruto and StikyfinkaZ-003 of DeviantArt.com. In an attempt to pair with the label used in this beer and something that comes to mind of this beer’s flavor if a wet dream, was the main reason why I thought this pairing would work fantastically. Awesome stuff!

Sources:
http://www.deviantart.com/art/Gift-For-The-Main-Character-162738736
http://uzmakiee-naruto.deviantart.com/art/Naruto-600-1653189-438992671

Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell & Damnation) by Brouwerij De Molen

May 8, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Brouwerij De Molen, Coffee Beans, Damnation, dark chocolate, Hel & Verdoemenis, Hell & Damnation, Imperial Russian Stout, Panty & Stocking, PSG, Rare Beer Club, Russian Imperial Stout, Scanty, Scanty and Kneesocks, Serpent's Stout, The Lost Abbey | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell & Damnation) by Brouwerij De Molen is a 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout

Label:
Brewed & Bottled in Bodegrave, the Netherlands.
24 deg Plato www.brouwerijdemolen.nl EBC 297 102 EBU
Handcrafted. Unfiltered. Unpasturized.
Enjoy within 25 years. Keep cool and dark.
Recommended drinking temperature 10 degrees Celcius.

Ingredients: water, pale malt, brown malt, chocolate malt and cara barley malt, premiant and saaz (bittering hop), yeast (top fermenting).
___

Available at www.luekensliquor.com and the Rare Beer Club, this beer was part of their selection for April 2014 Rare Beer Club Members. While this is not as exclusive as I thought, there is a good chance you may be able to find this one. Good luck finding the 666 version of that beer as I am sure that is even rarer than this one. Also, this sucker will age up to 25 years!! Like you can literally wait until your kids are out of college and have them try it. That is crazy stuff. On to the review!

Aromas:
Dark roasted coffee grains, earthy hop notes, dark, bakers and milk chocolate, dark fruit raisins, plums, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, toffee, leather, oak, smokey campfire, tobacco, molasses and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark, Milk, bakers and fudge chocolate, smokey oak campfire, earthy hop notes, roasted coffee beans, raisins, currants, toffee, subtle caramel, tobacco, leather, vanilla notes, brown sugar notes, anise, molasses, mocha, roasted coffee grains, graham crackers, black pepper, butterscotch and hints dark cherries.

Aftertaste:
Earthy notes, smokey oak, coffee grains, dark chocolate, caramel and very mild old raisin. No alcohol in the taste, a sipper and syrupy mouthfeel, liquid evil and no carbonation at all!

Overall:
Very good and delicious! This is reminiscent of the Lost Abbey’s Serpent Stout except with like a more smokey and roasted flavor but also has more coffee and chocolate hints. This bottle is in its prime. It is just a baby. Bottled January 22 2014 and still, makes me wonder what it would be like in the year 2039. Would definitely exceed expectations for sure. I really would like to know how it would compare to that Serpent’s Stout. It is not a clone, or is the Serpent a meer clone of the this demon. Either way, they are both liquid evil and both are highly recommended!!

Anime Corner:
Scanty and Kneesocks from Panty and Stocking as well as Panty (Knocked out on the right) and Stocking (Trying to get up on the left) were chosen for this pairing with nothing about the label but the name to show case Hell and Damnation. Just like Serpent’s stout, now this demonic dark liquid, the representation of hell and damnation can be seen in the defeat of the Angels, Panty and Stocking at the hand of the Demon Sisters. Kinda like the “Bad Ending” in a video game. Either way, if you drink this you can sure spend eternity trying to get both the Good and the bad endings. This devil’s water is sweet and bitter!

Topless Wytch by Three Floyds

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged bakers chocolate, Baltic Porter, dark chocolate, Fairy Tail, Masane Amaha, Sayla, Three Floyds, Topless Wytch, Witchblade | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.15/5

Topless Wytch by Three Floyds is a 9% ABV Baltic Porter.

Label:
This full bodied baltic porter loaded with roasted, chocolate and coffee notes and a crisp finish is just the beer if you want to get the better of any unsuspecting barbarian from cimmeria.
___

Since its release in 2012, I spent a long time looking for this beer and now I have finally found it! Topless Wytch is a coveted Baltic Porter from the Coveted Indiana brewery of Three Floyds. Some of their beers are pretty much not only impossible to find in California, they are very are online as well. Unless you know somebody, then you may be able to trade. That is, until recently, when wlvliquors started to carry some of their beers and mainly since my friend Aaron found this one there, I figured I had to get this one as well. So let us dive into this deep dark brew and see what it is all about.

Aromas:
Very robust coffee, molasses, dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate shake, frappuccino, cherry notes, currants, raisins, espresso, Kahlua, roasted barley, coconut, anise, soy sauce, molasses, tobacco, pecans, hazelnut, brown sugar and oatmeal.

Flavors:
Dark Chocolate, caramel, mocha, caramel, coconut, milk chocolate, chocolate shake, molasses, vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, cherries, coconut, dark fruit, raisins, dark cherries, currants, bakers chocolate, coffee mocha, toffee, fudge cake, roasted barley, Kahlua notes,oatmeal, brown sugar, pecans, tobacco, soy sauce, hazelnut, pecans, molasses, anise, leather, apples and mild yogurt notes.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, coffee roasted grains, Khalua, caramel, vanilla, and earthy hop notes. No alcohol in the taste, moderate drinkability despite the ABV, Syrupy with a velvet texture.

Overall:
I have no idea why, but the 3 floyds beers I have so far, I hate to say this, but some of the hype of is true as maybe the batches that they make are so carefully crafted and hard to find that maybe, just maybe, they are as delicious as they say. This is way to delicious for it’s own good. A Devil’s water per say as some of the drawings show. Either way, if you like Baltic Porters, this one is very delicious and highly recommended.

Anime Corner:
Masane Amaha from Witchblade, Sayla from Fairy Tail and Succubus original artwork by Jessica Elwood were used in this pairing to pair with the dark aspects of this beer, the label and the powerful aspects of the character relating to the complexity of the flavors. All of which are pretty much top less, but that is just the extra . A very powerful beer deserves a very powerful pairing such as this. Yes, evn if demonic at seems, they are sweet, but I am sure that the aspects of seduction since you can’t taste the alcohol are enough to get you wondering. Holy crap!

Black Robusto by Drake’s Brewing

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Porter, Aya Shameimaru, bittersweet chocolate, Black Robusto, Black Robusto Porter, dark chocolate, Drake’s Brewing, milk Chocolate, Touhou | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Black Robusto by Drake’s Brewing is a 6.3% ABV American Porter.

Label:
Drake’s Black Robusto Porter is a deep, dark “Robust Porter,” a beer style known for being darker, fuller-bodied, and higher in alcohol by volume than a standard Brown Porter. Our Black Robusto goes down smoothly with flavors of bittersweet chocolate an slight roast from Crystal and Chocolate malt. A touch of spicy, herbal hop character from Willamette hops balance out the finish. Enjoy a pint with dark, lingering satisfaction.
___

A new beer from Drake’s Brewing in San Leandro California. Picked this one up at Ramirez Liquor Warehouse in Los Angeles. Some of the beers I have tried from Drake’s are very good. This is the third one I have tried from the. The Robust aspect of this beer intrigued me as I wanted to see how robust at 6.3% ABV this would be. We’ll, let us find out.

Aromas:
Deep coffee roast, espresso, dark chocolate, caramel, Irish cream, mocha, fudge, milk chocolate, earthy hops, mild campfire smoke, coffee cake, hints of cinnamon, brown sugar and marshmallows.

Flavors:
Rich Coffee, earthy hop notes, dark chocolate, caramel, Irish cream, lactose sugar notes, milk chocolate, mild campfire smoke, coffee cake, espresso, mocha, brown sugar, molasses, frappuccino, marshmallows, graham crackers, coconuts notes, hazelnuts, vanilla and mild BBQ notes.

Aftertaste:
Earthy hops, coffee grains, Irish cream hints, caramel and mild dark chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, moderate drinkability with some smoothness and medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
Very good and very impressed despite the low ABV. This is pretty on point in terms of a robust and smokey, sweet coffee roast. You would expect some extended flavors from a beer with higher ABV like the other complex sweets I mentioned, but this one hits some really good notes. You would be surprised how well this drinks and hence the reason I recommend it as you can most likely find this one wherever they sell Drake beers.

Anime Corner:
Aya Shameimaru from Touhou was used in this pairing to show case not only the colors of the label but the robust flavor of the beer. Aya is the type of character who tries to do her job very well and is also way to strong for her own good. I guess you can say, she is very Robust and it is this Roboust aspect that pairs with the deliciousness of this beer also the fact that she unexpectedly tends to win all her fights accidentally. Not to say that the beer is an accident but how often do you see a beer with low ABV be so full of flavors? And that is why she was chosen as the pairing!

Proprietor’s Reserve Series Wookey Jack by Firestone Walker

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Balthier, Black Rye IPA, Chewbacca, dark chocolate, Final Fantasy XII, Firestone Walker, Fran, han solo, IPA, proprietor's reserve, rye bread, rye ipa, Star Wars, Star Wars beer, Wookey Jack, Wookie Jack, World class, World Class Black Rye India Pale Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Proprietor’s Reserve Series Wookey Jack by Firestone Walker is an 8.3% ABV World Class Black Rye India Pale Ale.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Wookey Jack is our first foray into the dark outer world of black IPAs. Rich dark malts and spicy rye careen into bold citrus laden hops creating a new dimension in IPA flavor. This brew has been left unfiltered and unfined to retain all of its texture and character. At 60 IBUs, Wookey Jack is gnarly on the outside yet complex and refined on the inside.
___

Considered to the 4th Best American Black Ale in the world by Beeradvocate.com. I have tried the majority of the common Firestone Walker beers but I have always skipped this one for one reason or another. Well, I finally decided to go with it and give it a shot. My friend Aaron recommended I should try it. He’s over there in Texas and I’m in California. Yeah I know, I’ve been living under a rock right? HA! Any ways, here is the review. The cool thing about this one, is that it has that star wars reference too.

Aromas:
Piney, earthy, grapefruit and grassy hops, dark chocolate, rye bread, roasted barley, caramel, slight smoke, tropical fruits like mango, kiwi and papaya, brown sugar, molasses, notes of dark fruits, anise and biscuit bread.

Flavors:
Herbal, piney, earthy grapefruit and grassy hops, anise, caramel, dark chocolate, rye bread, tropical fruits, pineapple, apricot, old mango, papaya, kiwi, molasses, campfire smoke, roasted barley, toffee, biscuit bread, notes of dark fruit plums and oranges.

Aftertaste:
Piney and earthy hop bitterness with surprisingly lingering tropical flavor, caramel, smoke and chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, moderate to sipping drinkability with medium to full mouth feel.

Overall:
One of the best Black Rye IPAs for sure. It really reminds you about the fact that it is an IPA first and foremost before it gives you the dark sweet aspects. While the hops aren’t super dank, they definitely help the beer so it doesn’t feel, too bitter, too sweet or too smokey. Well made beer and definitely one that is underrated. This beer is phenomenal and I hope this review convinces you to try this one. It is a great example of the style.

Anime Corner:
Fran and Balthier from Final Fantasy XII were used in this pairing since I wanted to get the whole Chewbacca and Han Solo aspect of star wars but I wanted to related to anime and video games. Which lead me to Fran and Balthier. It is pretty crazy how good partners they are in the game that you can tell they took the them right out of star wars. Yes, I was going with the whole, Fran is a wookie but not yet she is like Chewbacca partnering with Han Solo. Either way, flavors and label of the beer also compliment their colors as she is a smoking hot chocolate bunny. There I said it lol.

Hellshire III (2 years aged) by Oakshire brewing

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, bourbon barrels, dark chocolate, Export Stout, Foreign Stout, HELLSHIRE, Hellshire III, milk Chocolate, oakshire brewing, roasted coffee | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.66/5

Hellshire III (2 years aged) by Oakshire brewing is a Foreign/Export Stout aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
Deep within the recesses of the alcoves and antechambers of Oakshire Brewing lies another realm. It’s a place where beers are carefully laid to rest in oaken sarcophagi. They slumber for aeons and emerge as wholly new and unique entities, fueling the malformed creatures that populate those blasted and eldritch wastes. That place is HELLSHIRE. HELLSHIRE III is a Foreign Style stout aged for nearly 10 months in a freshly emptied bourbon barrels. Notes of vanilla, chocolate, roasted coffee, oak & bourbon intertwine with the beer’s complex malt flavors. It’s ready to enjoy now or can be cellared cool & dry for several years. Cheers! Matt Van Wyk. Brewmaster.
___

This crazy beer has been something I have been looking for since its release in 2013. Very elusive for sure! I have done reviews for the first two in 2011 and 2012 and with the release of the Hellshire IV, it is already hard to find. Regardless, it has been aged for a whole year and if we include the 2 months since the February release, that makes 2 years altogether aging. I have waited a long time to try this beer and well, even kept the right artwork that pairs with it waiting a long time. So be it! Here we go, on to the review!

Aromas:
Currants, dark fruits, coffee, vanilla, oak, bourbon, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, lavender, currants, wine grapes, currant, anise, molasses, marshmallow, roasted barley, wine grapes, port wine, leathery notes, brown sugar, mild smokey notes and cherries.

Flavors:
Delicious berry yogurt, fancy coffee, mocha, milk chocolate, rich dark chocolate, vanilla, coconut, oak, bourbon, dark fruits, rich currants, caramel, toffee, marshmallow, roasted barley, berry jam on toast, anise, molasses, leather notes, smoke, wine grapes, lavender, fudge, brown sugar, cherries, smoked oysters hints and maple.

Aftertaste:
A dry stout finish but it definitely has a very good lingering complexity. Roasted coffee, lots of berry notes, yogurt like notes, anise, dark chocolate, coconut and bourbon notes. No alcohol in the taste. Very smooth yet sipping drinkability. At 8.5% ABV, there seems to be a great complex feel even in the aftertaste.

Overall:
Not sure how the early version of the beer tasted but this is definitely very complex and delicious making it exceed my expectations. Lower ABV, smooth to drink and still retaining complexity its very crazy. Hellshire, I mean, Oak shire redeemed themselves with this one as they advised that the Hellshire II was infected. It may not be the same beer but it is close to what I remember the second being except with way more added complexity and well similar yet, different style, more of the dryer type but yet maintaining its greatness overall. Hell if you can find this one.

Anime Corner:
Succubus by Felsus of Deviantart.com was used in this pairing as it was the coolest pairing that fit the colors of the label since 2013. I waited a very long time to do a pairing with this beer and this artwork and I finally got the chance. It also fits the artwork and the whole aspect of hell too this is a devil succubus sheep and as the dry stout goes, she will drain you dry. That is why this beer is this so smooth and sweet as Hellshire will absorb you in to a pit of darkness!!

Red Velvet Stout by Buffalo Bayou brewing

April 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Buffalo Bayou, cherries, dark chocolate, milk Chocolate, Milk Stout, Red Velvet, Red Velvet Cake, Red Velvet Stout, Sweet Stout, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Yoko Littner | 2 Comments

Rating: 5.5/5

Red Velvet Stout by Buffalo Bayou brewing is a 6.3% ABV Sweet Milk Stout.

Label:
Richly decadent, this voluptuous dessert will seduce and ravage your taste buds, then cuddle with them in the afterglow.

Hints of cherries intermingle with a malt-forward, dark chocolate mouthfeel, finishing dry & savory.

Best enjoyed slightly chilled, in a Belgian tulip or snifter.
___

Red Velvet beer?! Yes it exist!! Where can you find it? In the heart of Texas that’s where. I have never tried a beer like this and frankly I was very excited when my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com hooked up another great Texas goodie for us at the site so I definitely had to really analyze this is I am sucker for dessert beers. If you don’t like dessert beers, well, try reading some of my other reviews and Aaron’s too. We got plenty of beers you may want to know about. So, on with the Red Velvet!

Aromas:
Dark cherry, Dark chocolate milk chocolate, red velvet cake, dark fruit raisins, hazelnut, pecans, hints of flan, almond joy, coconut, dulce de leche caramel, brown sugar, vanilla and molasses.

Flavors:
Generous Red Velvet notes, Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cherry hints, fudge cake, cheese cake sugar frosting, earthy hop and roasted barley, coconut hints, dulce de leche, vanilla hints, roasted coffee, lactose, cinnamon, hints of flan, brown sugar, molasses, dark fruit raisins and pecan pie.

Aftertaste:
Coffee roast, earthy hop notes, dark chocolate, cherry and lactose hints. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer despite the ABV. It has close to a full mouth feel.

Overall:
This is a great beer and definitely meets a great standard in terms of dessert beers. It is almost like the time I had a white chocolate or the chocolate rain. If this beer was barrel aged, some very new heights this beer would take. Regardless, it was damn delicious and I don’t agree with the small score it has been give on the beer sites. The thing is probably because it is so new, but this little gem is just getting started. I hope this comes to California one day as I would pick up a couple for sure.

Anime Corner:
Yoko Littner from Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggan was used in this pairing to display the deliciousness of the Red Velvet. She is one of my favorite characters from the show and I wanted to show the awesomeness in label and the flavors too. The colors like the Red pair with the Red Velvet and cherry aspect. They always say put the cherry on top of the whipped cream but in this case, the reverse can be said as she has a white skull on her head. What’s the big gun for? It is for hunting Buffalo, well not literally but I would assume in the Bayou, it would come in handy.

Hellfighter & BBA 007 Hellfighter by Karbach Brewing (Dual Review Special)

March 10, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 007 hellfighter, Aya Brea, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, dark chocolate, hellfighter, Hellfighter Imperial Porter, Imperial Porter, Karbach, Karbach Brewing, Parasite Eve, world class beers, World Class Imperial Porter | Leave a comment

So today I bring you something very special. A Double Review! Courtesy, Suggestion, Donation and Gratitude to my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com. It would not be possible to bring you a dual review if it wasn’t for these special gifts from from him. This is the second time I try Karbach and I am looking forward to this review as this is something that is going to involve a side by side tasting. I will separate my work individually and provide you the final verdict for both at the end. The rating has been set after at the end to show case my final thoughts for the beers individually. SO….. on to the the review and Cheers to my loyal readers, Aaron, and the good people at Karbach brewing company for making this a possibility.

HELLFIGHTER REVIEW
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Hellfighter by Karbach Brewing is a 9.5% ABV Imperial Porter

Label:
Set your soul on fire

BLAZE ON!

From the depths of the earth leap flames of destruction. When time is of the essence, the Hellfighter boldly steps in the line of danger. Whether or not he’s insane is not important now. It’s with intensity and aggression that the Hellfighter taunts the blaze of almost certain doom.

Our Imperial Porter is much the same. Robust and black as oil, Hellfighter Imperial Porter, with roasted coffee and chocolate malt characteristics, finishes what it started. This explosion of flavors will extinguish even a Texas-sized penchant for boldness. Intense and maybe a little insane, drink carefully but drink often.
___

Aromas:
Dark chocolate molasses, caramel, smokey notes, coffee, dark fruit notes, waffle cone, vanilla, hints of hazel nut and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, anise, smokey notes, molasses, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit notes, waffle cone, coffee, brown sugar, earthy hop notes, mild licorice notes, rye and hinting coriander spice.

Aftertaste:
Earthy hops, dark chocolate, mild coffee roast and anise. No alcohol in the taste. A full bodied sipping ale.

Overall:
Very good porter indeed. It introduces a few new aspects from the average porter and that definitely has to be the complimenting anise and smokey factor that fuses very well with this one. Very good stuff out of Texas but if you have had a smokey porter before, this would probably be very similar. Still worth the taste ofcourse.

007 BBA HELLFIGHTER REVIEW
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007 Hellfighter by Karbach Brewing is a 10.8% ABV World Class Imperial Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
If you like darker, more robust ales and you also have a penchant for whiskey, you may have just reached the promised land. We took our Hellfighter Imperial Porter and aged it in bourbon barrels for several months. Alluring aromas of vanilla, chocolate and coffee give way to a rich, malty sweetness that slowly transitions to a silky, oaky finish. Bourbon Barrel Aged Hellfighter is a special brew that is best enjoyed with hearty foods, decadent desserts or the finest cigars. Ready to drink now in a snifter-style glass at 45-50* F, this fine ale will also benefit from years of cellaring under proper conditions.
F.U.N. Series 007 2013
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Aromas:
Holy toasted coconuts!! Wow!!, a big almond joy and bourbon fragrant beer. Dark chocolate, dark fruits, molasses, flan, crème brulee, caramel vanilla, oak, brown sugar, rocky road ice cream, mocha, roasted coffee, hazelnuts, roasted pecans, mocha, marshmallows, milk chocolate, graham crackers, mild smoke, fudge brownies, and chocolate cake.

Flavors:
Liquid Almond joys! Dark chocolate, toasted coconut, bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel, flan, oak, raisins, cherries, currants, molasses, anise, brown sugar, rocky road ice cream hazelnuts, roasted pecans, maple syrup, chocolate fudge brownies, campfire smoke, campfire smores with the chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, mocha, coffee and crème brulee.

Aftertaste:
Marshmallows, almond joy chocolate, coffee, earthy notes, caramel, smokey notes at the end. No alcohol whatsoever in the taste. Sipping drinkability and full mouth feel with a sense of smoothness as it goes down. Very nice!

Overall:
Exceeding the expectations of the original by a lot. Holy shit this is fucking good. It should be up there with the best barrel aged imperial stouts. This one is unique as the earthy hops and smokey goodness shines but does not intervene with the already built complexity. In fact, it complements the flavors. Highly recommended and definitely one of my top best beers from Texas. Thank you Aaron, this made my day brother!

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Overall (Both Beers):
The choice is like night and day. Holy crap!! While they are both very good beers, the 007 beer is like like turning super saiyan for the first time. Another way of saying it is like saying your average Honda Accord suddenly turned into a Lamborghini Diablo.

Anime Corner (Both Beers):
If Aya Brea from Parasite Eve does not fit the bill of both of these beers, I don’t know what would describe an agent, maybe not a spy, but she fits the bill, of a “Hellfighter” who faces off parasitic deformities. They may not come from Hell but they sure look like demons on earth. Crazy experimentations and self combustion people is nothing short of horror, and Aya is the one who can take them down. The original hellfighter is her in a night gown looking like the spy chick from Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The 007 Hellfighter one is the one that shows her as she is essentially evolving into something greater. That and the obvious “Sexy Fan Service=Delicious Beer”. The pictures where it is both beers shows Aya as she is surrounded by the parasite demon and the bloody chaos that she has to fight and endure. This is the first time I use Aya in my reviews, so this is a very special occasion for this awesome double review. Can you tell any other things that are awesome about this pairing?

Rating: 4.65/5* Hellfighter
Rating: 5.8/5* 007 Bourbon Barrel Aged Hellfighter

Smokestack Series Chocolate Ale by Boulevard Brewing

March 5, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Strong Ale, boulevard brewing, Chocolate, chocolate cake, cocoa puffs cereal, dark chocolate, Korra, Legend of Korra, milk Chocolate, Smokestack Series, Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel Raspberry & Chocolate Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Smokestack Series Chocolate Ale by Boulevard Brewing is a 9.1% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with cocoa.

Label:
One of the brightest stars in a city filled with culinary treasures, Christopher Elbow has world wide reputation for handcrafted masterpieces. His sweets are distinguished by their use of unusual, sometimes surprising ingredients, and that adventurous spirit has left its print on this special ale. The aroma is given over to earthy, fruity, cocoa, with just a hint hops. Smooth layers of dark chocolate intertwine with threads of caramel, vanilla, and nutty malt as the flavor warms and rounds to a bitter sweet finish.
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Picked this up at the local Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights California. Chocolate ales are something that definitely bring my attention. I cannot help it as they really are my favorite types of beers. Sometimes there is a Bias for chocolate beers in my reviews, but you can definitely tell. So take it with a grain of salt and try them for yourself to decide. As far as this beer goes, I was surprised by the color. This was not your typical dark beer.

Aromas:
Citrus, dark chocolate, rye bread, dark chocolate, caramel, very mild earthy hops, cinnamon, peanut butter, vanilla, bananas, clove spice, cocoa crispies cereal, hazelnut, pecans, tootsie roll, brown sugar and molasses.

Flavors:
Dark Chocolate, milk chocolate, champurrado flavor, bakers chocolate, caramel, candi sugar, cinammon, earthy spices, bananas, cloves, chocolate cake, peanut butter hints, rye bread, mild flan notes, cocoa crispies or cocoa puffs cereal, citrus, mild dark fruits, tootsie rolls and white chocolate.

Aftertaste:
Chocolate, mild bittering earthy hops in the finish but mainly cinnamon and caramel linger. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer with a medium mouth feel.

Overall:
A perfect beer but you definitely need to let it warm up to get richer chocolate flavor. It is very different at first because it falls somewhere between the colors of chocolate rain and white chocolate from the Bruery (Beer Color only). A light brown per say. The flavor is not as exceptional but it falls somewhere in the middle in terms of beer color because although I was expecting a darker beer, the lighter beer aspect still lets the chocolate shine in this beer which was very surprising. This beer is not specifically chocolate but you can tell chocolate is still there. My extra credit can only do so much for the chocolate in this beer but it may not be enough to exceed my expectations like other chocolate beers. Still recommended and worth a try.

Anime Corner:
Korra from the Legend of Korra was used in this pairing because while fits in the style of my favorite character, Yoruichi, I wanted to portray an in between chocolate and white chocolate type of beer. Her wearing the outfit from Kill La Kill shows the strength of the beer as it warms up. The more she shines the more she becomes powerful. Chocolate is sexy so she definitely shines in that aspect too . This is a rare release too so she is a very rare character sometimes in these reviews .

Jurata Collaboration by Coronado and Cigar City Breweries

February 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Baltic Porter, Baltic Sea, cigar city, Cigar City Brewing, Collaboration Beer, Coronado Brewing, dark chocolate, Jurata, Mermaid, Sirens | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.15/5

Jurata Collaboration by Coronado and Cigar City Breweries is an 8% ABV Baltic Porter.

Label:
When naming this Baltic porter, a collaboration with Tampa’s famed Cigar City Brewing, we opted for Jurata as a nod to a mythological mermaid known to roam the depths of the Baltic Sea, just as energetic yeast used to brew this deep dark beer navigated our fermentation tanks. Dive in and enjoy Jurata’s true-to-style rich and complex flavors!
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Picked this one up at one of the local liquor store places near my house since I wanted to try this beer for a while. It was a super hyped one, but a collaboration with Cigar City would definitely make for one tasty treat. I figure, scratch this one off the review list and time for a presentation.

Aromas:
Dark Chocolate, molasses, anise, coffee, brownies, roasted barley, caramel, soy sauce, raisins, tobacco, earthy hops, hazelnut, pecans, licorice and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Roasted coffee notes, anise, dark chocolate, roasted barley notes, earthy hops, tobacco, leather, raisin hints, soy sauce notes, nutty pecans, hazelnuts, oatmeal, maple, mild smokey oak, smoked clams, oysters, brown sugar and vanilla hints.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate fading, tobacco, earthy hops, anise and hints of caramel. No alcohol in the taste, moderate to sipping drinkability with medium to full mouth feel.

Overall:
A very good beer that is enjoyable but nothing specifically too extraordinary. Drinks similar to a sweeter Black IPA. I enjoyed Coronado’s Barrel Aged beer better than this one. Although, the rarity of the style makes it interesting. Although one of the best Baltic Porters I had was the one from Uinta called Sea Legs. Although that one is aged in bourbon barrels, so yeah, maybe that is cheating. Nevertheless, this one is very good and worth a try if you are interested.

Anime Corner:
Visitor artwork by moni158 of deviantart.com and original mermaid artwork by houtengeki were used in this pairing to show the Jurata siren which lured men at sea in with their beauty to the their watery graves in the Baltic sea. The label and colors were perfect for the artwork but also the Coronado mermaid was even more perfect for the beer in comparing to the Baltic sea. Aside from the very obvious, is there any other things that can be said about these pairings?

2011 Project Bourbonic Plague by Cascade Brewing

February 7, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged bourbon, Cascade Brewing, dark chocolate, Midna, oak barrels, sour grapes | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2011 Project Bourbonic Plague by Cascade Brewing is a 12% ABV North West Style Sour ale aged in oak barrels and spices.

Label:
This NW style sour ale is a blend of spiced Double Porters that were aged in Bourbon and Wine Barrels for 18months before aging on dates and spices for up to an additional 12 months. This hand-packed and bottle conditioned sour ale should be served at 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Obtained from bringonthebeer.com and a rare specimen at that, this ale is a conundrum and a hybrid all of its own. I have not had a sour aged in wine oak and bourbon and let alone one aged in wine as well. Lots of work and preparation time spent in this little complex gem.

Aromas:
Red Wine, dark chocolate, dark fruits of raisins, cherries, plums, blue berries, currants, dates, caramel, vanilla, oak, bourbon, coconut, funky sour grapes, port wine, cinnamon, fruit cake, flan, almond joy, fudge brownie, brettanomyces, stone fruits like apricot, peaches and lychess, molasses, fancy wine aromas, flowers and other stuff, damn.

Flavors:
Rich flow of crazy complexity! Red wine, sour grape notes, Chocolate covered currants, tart dark Cherries, raisins, plums, prunes, blue berries, black berries, dates, apples, apricots, pears, oak, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, fudge brownies, peaches, flan, cinnamon, brown sugar, fruit cake, rye bread, dulce de leche caramel, coffee and mocha notes as it warms up, key lime pie, hints of peppercorn, mild brandy and more sweet stuff.

Aftertaste:
Lingering wine and bourbon, caramel, mild sour notes, raisin bread, tart cherries and sugar. NO alcohol in the taste, surprisingly and also moderate to sipping drinkability. Yes this is pretty smooth surprisingly.

Overall:
The best sour ale I have ever had aside from my favorite sour like Jolly Pumpkin’s Madrugada Obscura. Most sours don’t exceed my expectations but damn, this is just above and beyond! The flavors are really complex where at some point you feel like sour tart cherries, then wine, then sweet chocolate, then bourbon then caramel, then flan, then… damn! This should not even be categorized as a major sour beer as it really is more than that to the point where people that do not love sours will find some kind of crazy appreciation for this poison in a bottle, that’s, this is just the poison you need. At some points I thought this felt like Chocolate Rain if it went sour…lmao!!

Anime Corner:
Midna from Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess and Dead Master from Black Star Rock Shooter were the perfect poisons I mean pairings for this beer. The colors as well as the magic Midna uses like casting a spell is what is used to make this liquid death very tasty. Same for the Dead Master in her dark green castle background. Midna is another favorite character of mine as well so the pairing did the beer justice in show casing several aspects of witchery, the plague and medieval times too. Dead Master represents the aspect of death which the bubonic plague brings.

Smoglifter by Brash brewing

January 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Brash, chocolate experience, Chocolate Milk Stout, chocolate mousse, dark chocolate, rich milk chocolate | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

Smoglifter by Brash brewing is a 10% ABV Imperial Milk/Sweet Stout brewed with cocoa.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (Ratebeer.com)
Don’t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty. Chocolate isn’t like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good. Imperial chocolate milk stout brewed with real cocoa, clocking in at 10%abv, and making love to your mouth like a horny sorority girl.
___

Obtained this puppy at the local Downey Liquor store in Downey California as a recommend by one of the dudes that works that. A “Guilty Pleasure” as he called it. This is the first time I try Brash beers, and as I am seeing it now, what a great way to start checking out their beers.

Aromas:
Rich Milk, dark and sweet chocolate fragrances, coffee mocha, caramel, vanilla, lactose sugars, malted milk balls, chocolate ice cream, molasses, anise hints, earthy notes as well.

Flavors:
Lots of rich milk chocolate forward with release of bakers chocolate, dark chocolate, rocky road ice cream, waffle cone, vanilla caramel, velvet chocolate mousse, chocolate cream cake, fudge brownies, coffee notes, molasses, malted milk balls, mocha, Irish cream and mild anise.

Aftertaste:
Lingering rich milk and dark chocolate, vanilla, mocha, and mild earthy and coffee notes. A sipper with no alcohol in the taste and very damn smooth and syrupy.

Overall:
Perfect Milk stout, damn good. Almost reminded me of the Hudson Porter in Brandy, although that one may be above this one. Does way to well on its own to be pretty surreal. These are the kinds of beers I love and just because of the extra rich chocolate they deliver. Guilty pleasure? YES!, can it go up to face some of the best chocolate beers out there, fuuuckkk yea!! Talk about finding the diamond in the rough.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Shikinami/Langey Sohryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen for this pairing to represent a couple of bad ass aspects of the beer. First, the label colors or the read and the family wearing the toxic suit avoiding the radioactive environment. Asuka flows in like a chocolate Ninja, smooth and sweet, but don’t be fooled by her sexy appearance. She is deadly and has a really mean attitude which is represented by how the alcohol will kick your ass later. Very deceiving, but she is very sweet and a strong headed person sometimes.

La Muerta by Freetail Brewing

January 12, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged dark chocolate, Dia de los Muertos, Freetail Brewing, La Muerta | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.4/5

La Muerta by Freetail Brewing is a 10.2% ABV Imperial Stout

Label:
A growing South Texas tradition, La Muerta is brewed each year for Día de los Muertos in honor of our departed friends and family. A big, lush Imperial Stout, La Muerta is full of roast, smoke and chocolate flavors from an array of specialty malts that go into this garnetblack ale. Perfect for sharing with your closest compadres, La Muerta will age wonderfully for years to come – we recommend enjoying one now and save some for the future, if you can. ¡Salud!

Extra:
If you are holding this bottle, it means either you (or someone you know with a kind heart) boldly stood in line for hours on the first Saturday of November. Karma rewards those who give selflessly, so share with your closest compadres or a new friend.
___

A very very special thanks to Aaron from www.beermetaldude.com once more for this very special beer only sold in Texas on Dia de los Muertos. Essentially, like Three Floyds Dark Lord Day, it is only sold at the brewery. I did not even know about this until I researched information on this beer. This is the first time I try Free Tail beers as they are not sold outside of Texas, so yeah, definitely an honor once again.

Aromas:
Black IPA fragrances like that of earthy hops, dark chocolate, licorice, anise, caramel, oak, coffee, pretzels, toffee, rye, roasted barley and smokey oats.

Flavors:
Campfire smokey oak, maple, dark chocolate, dark fruits like raisins, plums, dark cherry, currants, earthy hops, citrus hops, anise, bitter flowers, tobacco, leather, molasses, caramel notes, vanilla, marshmallows, rye bread, pretzels, banana notes, graham crackers, toffee, bakers chocolate and chocolate oatmeal cookies.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, dark fruits, smokey oak, caramel and banana hints. No alcohol in the taste, a sipper at that with a full body that is close to syrup.

Overall:
This is a great and phenomenal beer. Smokey at first, but after letting it warm up, the flavors started to evolve into other complexities. Wow is all that happened later on. I was really amazed by this beer. This is not even barrel aged or nothing and I really think that is part of the key thing that makes this beer great. Simply amazing and recommended if you can find it.

Anime Corner:
Death Akali from League of Legends and Dia de los Muertos by Magicnaanavi were chosen in this pairing to represent many different aspects of the beer including the colors of the label, the flavors, the description and in the meanings. When I found this artwork pieces, there was no way I would go back as it was more than perfect to show “La Muerta” represented by the lady with the skeleton painting and the blue flowers. Death Akali was also used to represent an aspect of death and darkness. The unknown time of death cometh and the eternal darkness proceeding.

Dark Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged by Mission Brewing

December 31, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged bourbon, bourbon barrels, dark chocolate, Dark Seas, Russian Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5* Last Review of 2013

Dark Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged by Mission Brewing is 11.25% ABV Russian Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
This limited-edition version of our Russian Imperial Stout has been aged for 20 months in Four Roses whiskey barrels. It features Dark Seas’ obsidian, viscous and astoundingly roasty smooth-drinking charms, all taken to new eights from the aging process. Aromas of milk chocolate and bourbon give way to luscious notes of malted milk balls, cocoa, oak and whiskey. An especially spirited version of Dark Seas with softer edges, vanilla hints and barrel-aged complexity.
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Picked this one up at Ramirez Liquor and is also being sold at Uncle Henry’s in Downey California. This beer will see many of the Mission distribution networks so it should be available in many places. I have tried the original back in 2012 but back then, I really did not have a system of ranking. I am sure I would have gave that one a 5 as I really liked that one. Now with the release of this one, I could think of no better way to ring in the new year with a treat like this one.

Aromas:
Milk and dark chocolate, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, flan, dulce de leche caramel, currants, port wine, dark fruits like cherries, earthy but mild hops, brown sugar, marshmallow smores and raisins.

Flavors:
Bourbon, whiskey, vanilla, oak, marshmallows, toasted coconut, milk and dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, rocky road ice cream notes, smores, plums, brown sugar, molasses, Kahlua, mocha, dark fruits, chocolate cake, bakers chocolate and brownies.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with notes of the dark chocolate, mild cherry, raisins, caramel, earthy hop notes and currants. The bourbon does not linger. Very smooth-drinking, very creamy, no alcohol in the taste and dangerously delicious.

Overall:
Very delicious beer exceeding the expectations of the original by a great amount. The best part is that it is VERY SMOOTH as hell. No lingering alcohol and very pleasant with nothing over powering and there seems to be enough sweet and bitter balance with everything just smooth sailing.. The Calm before the Storm per say. Makes me wonder if I am still drinking an 11.25% ABV beer, WOW. People that love this one or love Barrel-aged beers will definitely love this one even more.

Anime Corner:
Franco il Nero (Cyan hair), Donne Annonime (Blonde hair), Lily Salvatana (w/ glasses and captain hat) from Outlaw Django Tre Donne Crudeli were chosen for this pairing as a way to salute the end of the year as Franco is saluting in the picture like if she was playing the role of a captain but also because I chose Franco and Donne in the original review. I chose them because pirates relate to the label and the dark seas beer. Pirates carry guns and these two were on the shore of the beach as if they were stranded off at sea. That was my reasoning from it. Now as for the Dark sea aspect, I show you the last pairing which is the one with the girl at sea with the ships coasting the dark seas. Awesome stuff.

2012 Review of the NON Barrel-aged version:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/dark-seas-russian-imperial-stout-by-mission/

Cherry Chocolate Bock by Samuel Adams

December 30, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Bock, Cherry Chocolate Bock, chocolate covered cherries, cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, Samuel adams | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Cherry Chocolate Bock by Samuel Adams 5.8% ABV Bock brewed with cherries and cocoa nibs

Label:
This special release is brewed just for the holidays. For a new approach to a classic favorite, we added cherries to our traditional Chocolate Bock for a sweet, slightly tart note. Aged on a bed of dark cocoa nibs, the malty, chocolaty, and dark fruit flavors create a rich, complex beer perfect for winter. Cheers!
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I had always wanted to pick this up at the local store since I first tried the original Chocolate bock many years ago. I obtained this bottle when I went to one of my friends parties and I was given a bottle to try and take with me. It comes in a 12 pack for the Sam Adams winter season.

Aromas:
Rich strong cherry candy fragrance, chocolate, cherry tootsie pop, biscuit bread, chocolate covered cherries notes, licorice and raisins

Flavors:
Cherry tootsie roll forward, dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, licorice, raisin bread, biscuit bread, and dark cherry yogurt notes.

Aftertaste:
Leaves close to dry but the cherry, chocolate and raisin. Easy to drink, no alcohol in the taste and creamy mouthfeel.

Overall:
This beer is great if you love a beer that gets to the point in terms of what it is that it is supposed to taste like. A sweet dessert beer for the holiday. Just that fact that it is chocolate brings it that much closer to perfect in my mind.

Anime Corner:
This is an original drawing by Aile Crossroads. I picked this piece to pair as it was obvious. It solidifies the chocolate and cherry flavors that this beer represents as well as complimenting on the colors of the labels. The sexy look of the girl compliments the silky smooth aspect of the beer.

Side Project #4 “Dos Cocoas” by Terrapin

December 30, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged cocoa nibs, cocoa shells, dark chocolate, Sinclair Chocolate Co., Terrapin | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Side Project #4 “Dos Cocoas” by Terrapin is a 5.8% ABV American Porter brewed with cocoa shells and cocoa nibs.

Label:
Our fans voted and Terrapin has delivered. In 2012, you elected the beer we should bring out of retirement. The winner? From 2008, Side Project #4- Dos Cocoas!

By using the freshest cocoa shells and nibs from Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Co. , our velvety smooth chocolate porter drips with luxurious excellence. Sit back and melt into this lusciously brewed beverage and enjoy all the succulent flavor this beer has to offer.

Spike’s brewing words of wisdom: “Keep this recipe away from Slugworth!”
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Another awesome beer from Terrapin. This one I got from Luekensliquors.com as it is difficult to find this stuff here in the west coast. They have other good Terrapin beers as well as Cigar City beers. This one in particular caught my eye because I found out it was made with different types of chocolate. Seeing as I love sweet and chocolate beers, it was easy for me to get this one.

Aromas:
Rich Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, fudge brownie, caramel, mocha, vanilla, notes of brown sugar and toasted coconut notes

Flavors:
Very rich milk, sweet, baker and dark chocolate flavors, espresso notes, earthy hop character, caramel, mocha, toasted coconut hints, brown sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate milk shake and chocolate fudge brownies.

Aftertaste:
Rich Chocolate, mocha and espresso along with earthy hop bitterness lingers. Easy to drink and no alcohol present in the taste

Overall:
Another amazing chocolate brew. Complexity may not the winner here, but the chocolate is. If you are looking for a very chocolate tasting beer, this one is golden. Might possibly be better than Moo Hoo

Anime Corner:
While I have a difficult time trying to find out where this piece is from or even where the characters are from, my reasons for getting this piece of art work had to do mainly with the duality of using 2 different types of chocolate. One from the light and one from the dark. The shells and the cocoa nibs providing some delicious chocolate complexities. The duality of these 2 chicks in the picture represent that. Can you see how this artwork also shows about the beer? Let me know.

Backyard Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout by Goose Island

December 16, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Backyard Rye, Backyard Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout, black berries, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon county, Boysenberries, chocolate covered cherries, dark chocolate, Goose Island, Imperial Stout, Lily Salvatana, Marionberries, Mulberries, Rye Whiskey, Rye Whiskey Barrels, Tre Donne Crudeli, World class | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Backyard Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout by Goose Island is a 12.7% ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with Mulberries, Boysenberries and Marionberries and aged in Rye Whiskey barrels

Label:
This Bourbon County release is Inspired by the berries our brewers first remember eating from the trees in their backyards. Full of the dark, spicy, and pleasantly sweet flavors, this trio of berries nicely compliments the flavors imparted from barrel resulting in a smooth, jammy stout perfect for sipping on your back porch.
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The 5th variety of the Bourbon county series I try. One with lots of berries. Like many beers, this one is coveted as well and released on Black Friday. If you want to get this one, you will have to trade or find it online. Either way, just like the other Bourbon Counties, they are a must try, even if once.

Aromas:
Deep dark chocolate covered cherries, raspberries, black berries, dark fruits, subtle bourbon, vanilla, oak, caramel, boysenberry preserves on rye bread, marshmallows, cherry flan, mocha, coffee, rocky road ice cream dark cherry and rocky road ice cream, bananas, toasted coconut and rich fancy berry desserts

Flavors:
Liquid chocolate raspberry bliss! Lots of raisins, dark cherries, boysenberries, black berries, blue berries, currants, dark chocolate, oak, marshmallow, raspberry cheesecake, banana split, lots of berry preserves on rye bread, toasted coconut, cherry chocolate cake, vanilla, rich caramel, flan, blackberry jam, molasses and more complex flavors as it develops

Aftertaste:
Slightly tart raspberries, chocolate, bourbon notes, coffee, vanilla and oak, but mainly the combination of all the berries is what truly lingers. No alcohol in the taste, a sipper, yet smooth and dangerous like the previous.

Overall:
Damn exquisite like its brethren. This on is more berry forward. Distinguishing the berries is difficult but doable. Either way, I think I love this even more than the regular BCBS. Like the “Life is Like..” beer, this would the berry mash up equivalent. Damn good and damn well worth getting if you can find this and love fruit beers.

Anime Corner:
Lily Salvatana from the Tre Donne Crudeli “Outlaw” Django was used in this pairing to represent once again, the old west in Bourbon county but also the colors and aspects of the beer. The berries found for this beer were found in a back yard. Most people in their backyards would practice shooting which is what she is doing . Her hair color is the representative of the berry flavors as well as the colors she wears, more flavors.

Magnificat by Monkish Brewing

December 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged beer bottles, belgian ales, Belgian beer, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Christmas ale, California Beers, christmas beer, dark chocolate, Magnificat, Maya Natsume, monkish, monkish brewing, Tenjou Tenge | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.9/5

Magnificat by Monkish Brewing is a 10.1% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Christmas ale brewed with spices

Description:
Following the traditions of Belgian Noel beers, Magnificat is our first offering of a Christmas beer. Like a Belgian-style strong dark or quadruple ale, this dark beer has a rich, silky malt profile of caramel and roasted malts, rye, and oats, and reveals complementary accents of dark stone fruits and spices from our Belgain yeast. And to create that liquid-Christmas experience, the beer is spiced with clover honey, sweet and orange peels, coriander seed, nutmeg, and cinammon.
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It is Christmas time at the local brewery here in Lost Angeles and Monkish has finally started releasing beer bottles at their local. Knowing that this is only for the season, I decided to get one of these bottles from my local brewery for review. As I stated in my previous reviews, I loved the Anamoly and the Seme De La Vita which I loved on tap. They are barely starting distribution in the south land here and will be hitting some locations of California. If you are in the area, stop by and give them a try. Another reason I am reviewing this is because I loved it when I had it on tap

Aromas:
Lots of dark fruits like raisins, plums, prunes, oats, licorice, citrus, mint, chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, sweet bread, a bit of ginger, herbs, nutmeg, cinnamon spice, brown sugar and molasses.

Flavors:
A subtle amount of mint and pine goes through, good amount of citrus and oranges, dark cherries, raisins, plums, maple, dark chocolate, earthy notes, molasses, anise, licorice,vanilla, caramel, ginger bread, raisin bread pudding, coriander spice, toffee, herbs, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste is chocolatey, spicy, bready, toffee, earthy notes, citrus, herbs and peppercorns linger. A sipper but one that is very enjoyable and there is no alcohol in the taste

Overall:
This is great beer. The bottle version of the beer seems more minty than chocolate at first but let it warm up and the flavors blend very well. I love the flavors of both that I have tried so this one is a definite hit with me. Although the way Seme De la Vita hit was simply amazing. They will soon be releasing bottles of that but if you are in the area, go to Monkish and check out this awesome Belgian goodie for yourself

Anime Corner:
Maya Natsume from Tenjou Tenge aka La Trappe Quad girl is the one I used for this pairing for several reasons. I personally call her La Trappe Quad girl because I used her in my previous review of La Trappe Quad which I used her hair colors and eyes to represent dark fruits. In this part, I show her as being ready for more of a festive Christmas tradition. So if you can buy the fact that it is a Christmas beer and she was paired with a Belgian beer in the past, just take my word for it, it works.

White Chocolate Moo-Hoo by Terrapin Brewing

December 6, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Bleach, cheese cake, cocoa nibs, cow suit, Danish bread, Danish pastry, dark chocolate, flan, Milk Stout, Moo-Hoo, Naruto, Temari Sabakuno, Terrapin Brewing, Tres Leches, vanilla beans, White Chocolate, White Chocolate Moo-Hoo, Ying Yang, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

White Chocolate Moo-Hoo by Terrapin Brewing is a 6.1% ABV Milk/Sweet Stout brewed with White Chocolate and cocoa nibs

Label:
If cocoa nibs from Olive & Sinclair in our Moo-Hoo “Chocolate Milk Stout” wasn’t enough, then how about adding white chocolate to the mix just for good measure? The Terrapin “White Chocolate Moo-Hoo” combines the Yin and Yang of the chocolate world into one decadent beer. All the original flavor of Moo-Hoo you remember, all the new flavor of white chocolate you’ll never forget.

Cheers!
Spike & John
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White Chocolate

Aromas:
Lots of White chocolate candy, Danish Cream, milk chocolate, yoo hoo, dark fruits, mild coffee notes, flan, rich vanilla, caramel, rich white chocolate dessert, tres leches/Three milks, sweetened condensed milk and more!!

Flavors:
Flan, vanilla, caramel, Rich buttery White chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cheese cake, red velvet, chocolate cake, earthy hops, dark fruits, yoo hoo chocolate drink, chocolate shake, Danish cream, crème brulee, tres leches cake, sugary cream, Danish cream and pecan pie.

Aftertaste:
Lots of buttery, silky white and dark chocolate cream, mild coffee and earthy hop bitterness but then dissipates leaving only the sugar sweetness. Very drinkable, very smooth, very delicious, no alcohol but I would still take my time with it. It is very unique and takes time to appreciate this

Overall:
Right next to the Bruery’s White chocolate, this is ridiculously good. As I mentioned in a past, usually sweet beers or any beer that exceeds expectations usually gets extra credit. This includes chocolate beers. Simply knowing that this beer has both the Ying and Yang of chocolate. The flavors are very different from the Bruery’s white chocolate focusing more on the milk chocolate candy of dark and white chocolates. This new flavor of a beer is very different and very unique to the white chocolate style of beer. A rarity among beers and should be highly sought out. WOW!!!

Anime Corner:
Temari and Yoruichi from Naruto and Bleach prospectively are both ninjas and two of my most favorite anime characters ever alongside with KOS-MOS of Xenosaga. I used this art work to pair the White and Dark Chocolate aspects of the beer. The Ying and Yang if you will. You also see this in my reviews for Chocolate Rain and Bruery’s White Chocolate as well. Not only using them because they fit, but mainly because they are my favorite characters and paired with my favorite beers. You may find that a lot throughout my reviews, especially the 6/5 or even the Melange 7/5 rating. Either way, the artwork fits. Temari and her summon, Katamari, the weasel I used to represent the separate aspect. This is a White Chocolate beer and she has a while weasel that is Black and white. The cow pictures I used are mainly to represent the cow suit the Terrapin mascot wears in the label. Seeing as this is a Milk Sweet Stout. The last one with the purple cow is used to represent the flavors of the beer are like all the colors of the rainbow and she looks bad ass too. So it fits in my perspective of creativity.

The Abyss 2013 Release by Deschutes Brewing

December 5, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged best beers in the world, black strap molasses, Bleach, bourbon barrels, chocolate coffee, dark chocolate, Deschutes Abyss, Deschutes Brewing, Deschutes The Abyss, French Oak, Imperial Stout, licorice, milk Chocolate, oak wine barrels, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir wine barrels, rich dark chocolate, Rukia, Rukia Hollow, spicy aromas, The Abyss, The Abyss 2013, world class beers, World Class Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

The Abyss 2013 Release by Deschutes Brewing is an 11% World Class Imperial Stout brewed with Black Strap molasses, Licorice with cherry bark and vanilla added with 6% aged in oak bourbon barrel, 11% aged in Oregon Oak Barrels, and 11% aged in oak Pinot Noir wine barrels.

Label:
It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasurable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.
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I have previously reviews the 2009 version of this beer. I decided to give it another round as I may not often get around to reviewing this one again. Upon looking at this one, I saw it was made a bit differently than the 2009 version. I had to give it a shot.

Aromas:
Madrugada Obscura, basically sour stout notes, wine notes, roasted coffee, dark and milk chocolate, smokey oak, dark fruits, coconut, cherry notes, flan notes, espresso, molasses, licorice, clove spice, cinnamon and other complex notes.

Flavors:
Wine, Bourbon, Stout, Marugada Obscura, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cherries, dark fruits, raisins, figs, smokey quality, Port wine, vanilla, caramel, oak, roasted chocolate, coconut, flan, licorice, molasses, pinot noir and earthy hops. After letting it warm up it started to evolve in flavors again. Funny as the 2009 version evolved too. Now this thing is tasting a bit like banana notes, crème brulee, raisin bread pudding, overall bitter roasted coffee, Kahlua, mocha, barley wine caramel, toffee, butterscotch, almonds, pecan pie, cherry, plums, hazelnut and well, it seems to keep going. I will stop right here.

Aftertaste:
Finishes off very complex with the dark chocolate, dark fruit, dark oak, dark bourbon, dark flan, dark dark dark!! Good Luck finding the 11% ABV in the taste. She is pretty deadly seeing as it is asipping beer but with chances are you want to drink and drink. Evil!!

Overall:
Exceptionally World Class just like the 2009 version. However, the addition of the extra blending has definitely changed the flavors to even more complexities giving it that much earned extra credit. Like I said in my last review: (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/the-abyss-2009-vintage-reserve-by-deschutes-brewing/ ) it keeps you on your toes trying to see what other complexities come up. Think of it as a Haunted house, you have no clue what the fuck is gonna pop up as you go along. Scary shit… Evil Beer…. Loveable experience. Much needed recommendations

Anime Corner:
Rukia Kuchiki (Hollified version) from Bleach was used in this pairing to show several things I had in mind when pairing this beer. In the series, the hollow form is what happens when after a soul passes and loses its tie to the body. If the soul reaper does not cleanse the soul, it will roam the earthy, become a monster and try to eat other souls. Rukia is a Soul reaper in the show but there are many characters such as humans and even soul reapers that have treaded into the hollow form and were able to come back to their original form. Rukia never becomes hollow but this only serves as a representation of what that form would look like. Most hollows are mindless and possibly evil. In some cases, she can be seen as sadistic with no remorse or pity for anyone. Aim for the kill, hunger for more flavors. Thus, this evil version of Rukia is paired with this beer to show how evil the beer is. That is why you have to be careful not to drink it all in one sitting. Since the hollow form is a form of evolution into possibly higher form of power, you can say the evolution of flavors as the beer warms up and the alcohol content represents this hollow form. Also, the Cero Blast that Rukia is charging up in her hand represents, The Abyss. The Cero is like an endless charge of energy concentrated and sucked up like a black hole. This infinite darkness is this beer, The Abyss.

Sexy Betty by Nebraska Brewing

December 4, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 50 year old brandy, American Brandy, brandy, Brandy Barrel Aged, dark chocolate, Meiya Mitsurugi, Muv-Luv Alternative, Nebraska Brewing, Russian Imperial Stout, Sexy Betty, total eclipse | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.4/5

Sexy Betty by Nebraska Brewing is a 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout aged in 50 year old American Brandy Barrels

Label:
A sweet nose greets the adventurous in this marriage of our Black Betty Russian Imperial Stout and 50 year old American Brandy barrels. An elegantly pleasant surprise wakes the palate which migrates from a hint of Brandy into the wonderfully lingering roasted malt character.
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This is the first time I try a beer from Nebraska brewing. One of the main reasons is because they are pretty pricey brewery. Lots of the beer sold ranging into $20 or more per bottle. Since I have always over looked them, I decided to pick one up to see how worth the money they are. When looking t the label, I realized why they are so expensive. Aging beer in 50 year old barrels is no joke. That has got to be a very delicate process. This beer came out last year as the Inception series #3 which was aged in cognac, but this year, in brandy barrels,

Aromas:
Roasted coffee, earthy hops, dark chocolate, like Old Rasputin, oak, vanilla, licorice, molasses, vanilla, light toffee, light marshmallows and rich dark fruits

Flavors:
The flavors are a lot like Old Rasputin if it was aged in Brandy, dark fruit, cherries, raisins, grape notes, plums, dark chocolate, roasted coffee, earthy hops, mocha and Kahlua. As it warms up there are underlying tropical fruit hints, bakers chocolate, flan, crème brulee, caramel, vanilla, oak, raisin bread pudding, figs, dark cherry yogurt hints, port wine notes and raspberry Chambord hints.

Aftertaste:
The sweet dark fruits, dark chocolate, brandy and coffee linger for a bit in the aftertaste. A sipper for sure but the best part is that you cannot taste the alcohol

Overall:
It is a great beer. Just let it warm up to the proper temperature and then you will see what the 50 year old Brandy really has to offer, lots of magic!! At first it was more like Old Rasputin, then, it changed and became more pleasant and delicious. Would I recommend this? Only if you can afford it really. If you cannot there are some other, and to a very good extent, Imperial Russian stouts that scream epic and exceed expectations more than this one. Although, this one is freaking great and worth trying even if once. So there you have it, expensive but it will be your choice, take her or leave her. Although she is calling your name

Anime Corner:
Meiya Mitsurugi from the series Muv luv Alternative Total Eclipse is used in this pairing to show some of the label colors. The strength of the 50 year old Brandy and the ABV can be best represented by her armor, weapon and strength. The colors of her armor and looks also compliment the label. She is a Sexy looking girl in cybernetic armor. If that still did not compliment the Sexy Betty part, I added Evelynn from League of Legends to compliment more.

Lava by Ölvisholt Brugghús of Iceland

December 3, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged archer, Atlantica Online, Ölvisholt Brugghús, beechwood, black licorice, dark chocolate, Hekla Volcano, Iceland, Iceland beer, Lava, prophet, Rare Beer Club, smoked beers, smoked Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.35/5

Lava by Ölvisholt Brugghús of Iceland is a 9.4% ABV Smoked Imperial Stout

Label:
The active volcano Hekla is visible from the brewhouse door and occasionally, eruptions are visible from the Ölvisholt farm. The illustration resembles the view from the brewhouse door when an eruption occurs. Full-bodied, pitch black beer with a dense brown head. Richly flavored with notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt and smoke.
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I have never had any beers from Iceland, but a lot has to do with the fact that Beer was not legalized there until 1989. This beer came from the Rare Beer Club’s November release. Apparently, the description in the pamphlet the beer came it says that it is rated as one of, if not, the best Iceland beer. So to try this out and able to do a review here is an honor.

Aromas:
Very nice dark chocolate, caramel, smokey wood, oak, coffee, peat, beechwood, vanilla, anise, earthy hop notes, sweet bread and dark fruits

Flavors:
Definitely campfire charred and roasty wood notes, beechwood, dark chocolate, smoke, molasses, dark fruits, plum sauce notes, light soy sauce, anise, black licorice, molasses, lots of caramel and toffee as it warms up, silky oak, marshmallows, graham cracker smores and bacon notes

Aftertaste:
Finishing off with a smokey, chocolate, licorice and oaky taste that lingers a bit. The beer is a sipper but I cannot tell the difference from the taste. Meaning if I taste boozy or charred flavors. Most likely charred since I do not feel a tremendous amount of alcohol even after drinking this for a while. Good stuff

Overall:
Very good smokey beer. I have tried some really good smoked stouts in the past and this one can definitely go toe to toe with some of the greats. The beer is not unpleasantly smokey or bitter. Everything seems to work so well with this one. The brewery has been exporting to North America so we may see this one in the shelves more often. I would recommend this if you like smoked stouts.

Anime Corner:
The character in this piece is the archer/prophet class from the series Atlantica Online. I could not find her name, just the class. I do not know much about the Atlantica series, but the pairing was done on the whole Lava flowing down the mountains. To my surprise, I chose the artwork from the Atlantica series before I even knew where it was from. Atlantica fits perfectly as Iceland is in the Atlantic.

Four Anniversary Ale (Aged for 3 years) by Surly Brewing

December 3, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, coffee espresso, dark chocolate, Double Espresso, Double Espresso Milk Stout, Double Espresso Milk/Sweet Stout, fourth anniversary, milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate Sweet Stout, Milk Stout, Sayo Hitsugi, surly, Surly 4, Surly Brewing, Surly Four, Sweet Stout, Triage X | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Four Anniversary Ale (Aged for 3 years) by Surly Brewing is a 10% ABV Double Espresso Milk/Sweet Stout brewed with Coffee

Label:
Get Surly!

You are holding four, Surly Brewing’s fourth anniversary beer. The idea behind our anniversary line-up of beers was to brew a beer that is one-of-a-kind. Head-Brewer Todd Haug has free reign to use whatever ingredients and methods to brew these beers. This year’s bottle artwork is also a one-of-a-kind illustrated by local artist Adam Turman.” Omar Ansari.

“In the Surly brewhouse brewing our Anniversary beers means one thing, forget what you know and try something different. Brewed with too many Espresso beans, too much Roasted Barley, and a healthy dose of Milk sugar, this Double Espresso Milk Stout has layers of chocolate, espresso and smoke flavors intertwined with a velvety lush body.” Todd Haug.
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A rarity within itself. Only released in 2010 an now a days, you have to search deep to find this one. Another cellared gem which I am reviewing for the holidays. I have never tried this before, so trying it now will probably be a treat. I will describe this on as best I can to see if it will be worth it for you to seek out. Love the label too, which was one of the reasons I was looking for this one as well.

Aromas:
Lots of dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherry, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, rich espresso, mocha, roasted coffee, Java, caramel, old pear, slight champurrado atole, cinnamon notes, mild oak, mild tobacco, and lactose sugar

Flavors:
Like sweet rich cup of coffee, espresso, mocha, marshmallows, dark fruits going like raisins, cherry, plums, milk and dark chocolate, lots of lactose sugar, hints of cinnamon, caramel, java, flan notes, crème brulee notes and rye bread notes

Aftertaste:
Finish is of dark fruit, chocolate and lactose with a rich bitter roasted coffee aftertaste. Good luck finding the alcohol. Still, a sipper none the less, but the level of sweetness may make you want to drink the whole bottle…yeah, it is that enticing.

Overall:
Very delicious exceeding expectations slightly. The aging of this beer may have been responsible for those awesome dark fruit notes but also maintains a sweet caramel infused, mocha coffee goodness that keeps going all throughout the beer. The coffee is there to detract the super sweetness and does a good job of it. It is not a super complex beer but damn does she deliver a good cup of Joe. Most of the flavors were spot on. It is not fancy coffee, but it is very delicious. I think this is the second best Coffee Stout I have ever had. If you like really sweet but nice roasted deep coffee beers, then yes, go get this one.

Anime Corner:
Sayo Hitsugi from Triage X is paired with Surly Four for many reasons. Aside from her hair color and clothes more or less matching the label, there is also something about her personality that best suits the pairing. Aside from the evil mask that pairs with the skeletons in the background, and the fact that Surly makes evil beers, she also tends to be a harsh nurse. She shows no mercy towards anyone who is not her comrades and will kill to prove it. She is powerful and her armor and artillery proves it. Her aggressiveness can be represented by the double roastiness and bitter coffee aspects of the beer and the armor and strength is the Alcohol content. However, her sweet and thoughtful side is what has really developed since 2010 thus what makes this beer much more sweeter and showing those rich dark fruits and caramel flavors. Even if the label does not show it, this beer is just as evil as the other great Surly beers. Awesome

2013 (Brewcifer) Darkness by Surly Brewing

November 8, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged banana mango, Brewcifer, Chocolate, dark chocolate, Dark Lord, Darkness, Khalua, Kill-LA-Kill, Lord of Darkness, Maple Syrup, Naruto, raisin bread pudding, Russian Imperial Stout, Ryuoko Matoi, sakura Haruno, Satan, Surly Brewing, Surly Darkness 2013, sweet darkness, The Seven Deadly Sins, World class, World Class Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.55/5 *

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

Label:
Brewcifer Lord of Darkness

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 1, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Beetlejuice, Champurrado, chile de arbol, chile spices, chocolate abuelita, Cinnamon, dark chocolate, Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, El Mole Ocho, High Gravity Series, Inoue, Inoue Orihime, Jashin, Konan, Lydia Deetz, Mexican Tradition, Mexico, mole, Mole beer, Naruto, New Holland Brewing, Orihime, Ulquiorra | 2 Comments

Rating: 4.65/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Udder Love by Beachwood Brewing

October 21, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Beachwood Brewing, bittersweet chocolate flavors, Buffalo Bell, chocolate milk, Chocolate Milk Stout, dark chocolate, Long Beach Ca, milk Chocolate, Milk Stout, sweet chocolate, Udder Love | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, bourbon barrels, dark chocolate, FFX, Final Fantasy X, Firestone Walker, Lulu, Lulu FFX, Merkin, Merkins, Oatmeal raisin cookies, Oatmeal Stout, Oreo Cookies and Creme, Release the Merkins, Reserve Series, Velvet Merkin, Velvet Merlin, World class | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.2/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cacaonut by The Bruery

October 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged almond joy, American Strong Ale, Barrel Aged, cacao nibs, Cacaonut, coconut, coconut fruit, coconut milk, dark chocolate, milk Chocolate, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, The Bruery, tropical fruit flavors, vanilla beans, Yoko, Yoko Littner | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yoko Littner For the Win!!

Take the Black Stout collaboration by Game of Thrones and Ommegang

October 11, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged anise, Belgian beer, Belgian Chocolate, Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Stout, Black Ale, Black Stout collaboration, Clare, Claymore, dark chocolate, Game of Thrones, Game of Thrones and Ommegang, HBO, Iron Throne, licorice, licorice root, Ommegang, Smoked Ale, star anise, Take the black Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 10, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Alaska beers, Alaska's Most Wanted, Berserker, Berserker Imperial Stout, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, dark chocolate, Fate Stay Night, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Maple Syrup, midnight sun brewing, Oak aged, oak barrels, Ramirez Liquor, Saber, world class beers, World Class Imperial Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.35/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

2013 Barrel Roll No. 1 Immelmann by Hangar 24

October 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Barrel Roll, Barrel Roll No.1, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, bourbon barrels, chocolate hazelnut, dark chocolate, Do a Barrel Roll, Hangar 24, Immelmann, Imperial Porter, Krystal, Krystal Fox, marshmallows, Nintendo, Star Fox | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Capricho Oscuro Batch 5 by Cigar City Brewing

October 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Strong Ale, Barrel Aged, best beers in the world, brandy, Brandy Barrel Aged, Capricho Oscuro, Capricho Oscuro Batch 5, Chocolate, Cigar City Brewing, coconut, cognac, dark chocolate, dark fruits, flan, Hot Blooded Foreign Stout, Legend of Zelda, Majora, Majora's mask, milk Chocolate, Oak aged, oak barrels, Puppy’s Breath Robust Porter, Winter Winter Warmer, World class, World Class American Strong Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Capricho Oscuro Batch 5 by Cigar City Brewing is a ??% ABV World Class American Strong Ale

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (Ratebeer.com)
This beer is a blend of at least five different beers, including Hot Blooded Foreign Stout, Puppy’s Breath Robust Porter, and several vintages of Warmer Winter Winter Warmer. These beers were aged in some cognac and brandy barrels before being blended together.
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Hard to come by, looked and looked for this piece of barrel aged treasure all over. Hard to get. Impossibly rare? Maybe, not as much as other but still it was hard to come by. This beer seems very good but very evil and mysterious. Without an ABV to gauge it, I am pretty much lost in the dark as to how strong this one is that it is kind of scary. Perfect art pairing with Majora from Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask. Anyway, if you manage to find this one, choose wisely.

Aromas are of rich dark fruits like raisins, prunes, figs, dates, dark cherries, raspberries, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, toasted hazelnuts, pecans, coconuts, vanilla, cognac, brandy, notes of Hunnapu like the spiciness of it, caramel flan, chocolate cake, dessert wine, port wine, rocky road ice cream, almond joy and maple

The flavors are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, brandy, cognac, dark cherries, raisins, figs, prunes, toasted coconut, hazelnuts, pecan pie, flan, port wine, rocky road ice cream notes, almond joy notes, caramel, vanilla, toffee, raspberries, maple, molasses, anise, slight smokiness, leather, tobacco, bourbon, Cordial Cherries and chocolate covered raspberries

The aftertaste is pretty complex leaving trails of sweet caramel, chocolate, oak, brandy, cognac, dark fruits and a bit of port wine. This beer is a definite sipper. The alcohol is noticeable but very pleasant and warming. The alcohol only brings the rich flavors above and it is nothing harsh.

Overall this is an amazingly delicious beer, exceeding exceptions. I cannot guess the ABV from the taste which is scary but also good that it comes in a small bottle to sample. Definitely like some of the best beers in the world. Close to Melange 3, close to Black Tuesday, Grey Monday and even some of the other Bruery anniversary ales. What can I say about CCB, other than it is “The Bruery of the East Coast” making some of the best beers in the world possible like many champions. If you can find this, definitely get it.

Warlock (Blackwater Series) by Southern Tier Brewing

September 18, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged blackwater series, Blair, candy corn, caramel corn, caramel popcorn, chocolate candy, Chocolate Milk Stout, Chocolate pumpkin, dark chocolate, Imperial Stout, milk Chocolate, moderate carbonation, natural flavors, Pumking, pumpkin pie crust, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spice, Soul Eater, Southern Tier, spicy pumpkin pie, Warlock | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Warlock (Blackwater Series) by Southern Tier Brewing is an 8.6% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Pumpkins and Natural Flavors

Label:
Warlock is brewed to enchant your palate on its own and also to counterpoint our Imperial Ale, Pumking. Make your own black magic by carefully pouring this Imperial Stout into a goblet

Master of the Underworld
Dark and mysterious, the Blackwater Series is serious about high gravity. Reanimate your senses with Warlock’s huge roasted malt character, moderate carbonation and spicy pumpkin pie aroma
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Time for the fall and as fall approaches, so does the array of delicious pumpkin beers. I have tried many pumpkin beers last year and brought them forth here to review. This year I will try out a handful as well and may even review some of the past ones I have done. Warlock is actually supposed to the the Dark Sorcerer version of the Pumpking. Basically if Pumpking turned into a stout or close to it. This years release seems to be very promising

Aromas are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate candy corn, pumpkin, pie crust, hazelnut, squash, cinnamon, nutmeg,vanilla, piloncillo sugar cone, buttery caramel popcorn, butterscotch, caramel, brown sugar, ginger bread, cloves and spices

The flavors are of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, roasted pumpkin seeds, lots of Halloween candy corn, butterscotch, caramel buttered popcorn notes, caramel, pumpkin notes, pumpkin spice, ginger bread, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, cinnamon, molasses, vanilla, mocha notes, cloves and hints of banana

The aftertaste leaves with pumpkin, chocolate candy corn sweetness and a bit of roasty notes that linger. While beer has a moderate level of sip-ability, good luck trying to find the alcohol. It is covered up in buttery Pumking goodness

Overall, to me this was better than Pumking. Mainly, the milk stout properties works very well with that buttery pumpkin pie and candy corn flavor making this one that more amazing. He beer is easier to find online so far as it is still trickling down the distribution nooks and crannies. If you like Pumking, you may actually enjoy this one. No down, an awesome Imperial Pumpkin stout

Big Hugs 2011 edition by Half Acre Brewing and Dark Matter Coffee Company

August 19, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Ark Angel Mithra, Big Hugs, Chocolate, chocolate hazelnut, christmas beer, coffee, coffee company, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, dark chocolate, dark fruits, Dark Matter Coffee, fancy coffee, Final Fantasy XI, half acre, half acre brewing, Imperial Stout, Mithra, Spices, spicy aroma | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.2/5

Big Hugs 2011 edition by Half Acre Brewing and Dark Matter Coffee Company is a 10%ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Dark Matter Coffee

Description:
This beer is a thug. Big and chock full of tender embrace.

A specialty brew. Grab it when you see it. 10% ABV.
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Hard to find, but aged for 2 years, this is Big Hugs. Looks like a nice kitty that wants to give a loving Christmas embrace, but in reality, it’s intentions are difficult to tell. Many have lost and have fallen victims to it’s temptations (either willfully or by bloody force). Opening this beer, it definitely smelled way different than other stouts to begin with.

First thing I noticed in the aromas were that there was a good amount of dark fruits and molasses. The beer has developed nicely. Above it are the rich cola like aromas followed by super dark chocolate, fancy coffee, a peppery and spicy aroma, possibly nutmeg notes, vanilla, caramel, toffee, brownie and hazelnuts

The flavors are like a rich fancy coffee with spices, Kahlua notes, vanilla, hazelnut, bakers and dark chocolate, hazelnut, raisins, molasses, walnuts, toffee, brownies and spices but not heat wise, definitely something else (must be the fancy coffee)

The aftertaste is roasty, semi sweet dark chocolate, spicy and a touch boozy. ABV has probably increased to a 11% or 12%. The mouth-feel is moderately syrupy so this one is definitely a sipper.

Overall, age has done this one wonders. Either that or the beer has always tasted this nice. Regardless, it was definitely interesting, different and kinda creepy.

Even More Jesus by Evil Twin Brewing

August 1, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged chocolate coffee, craft beer, dark chocolate, Dark Lord, Even More Jesus, evil twin, Evil Twin Brewing, Hullabaloo, Imperial Stout, Kahlua, Kos-MOS, kosmos, milk Chocolate, Sweet Jesus, sweet milk, World class, Xenosaga | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Even More Jesus by Evil Twin Brewing is a 12%ABV World Class Imperial Stout

Label:
A Few times in the history of craft beer it has happened that a highly praised beer rises beyond mortal stardom into a higher godly league. Usually the recipe to make such heavenly drops is thick fudge-like body, pitch black color, amazingly overwhelming aromas of chocolate, coffee, dark fruits and muscovado sugar, obviously only made in limited amounts and most crucial of all – it must taste rare!
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Picked this one up as an extra to go along with Racer 15. Holy shit, I did not know this beer was so coveted until I read some information on it.

Aromas are of very rich bakers, sweet, milk and dark chocolate, coffee, mocha, dark fruits raisins, figs, plums, molasses, minor soy sauce and smokey character, licorice, caramel, earthy hops and brown sugar

The flavors are of roasted coffee grains, dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherries, vanilla, Kahlua liquor, lots of notes that remind me of Dark Lord RIS like the syrupy dark, milk chocolate, fudge brownies, caramel, molasses, but more earthy bitter with like a soy sauce, anise and licorice taste.

This beer is quite the syrupy dessert. Like drinking Dark Lord but more towards the smokey bitter-fruity sweet. The aftertaste was earthy and smokey bitter at first but as you drank more, it became much more sweeter. A nice dark fruit sweetness that can be found in a lot of awesome beer but melds awesomely with the bitter notes. The sweet and the smokey bitter plays hand in hand at some point making this one supremely awesome. No wonder it is rated exceptional to World Class status. Evil Twin Brewing, I am surprised this wasn’t brewery exclusive, because this is fucking awesome! Thank You Jesus!!

Aloha B’ak’tun by Maui brewing

March 11, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Aloha B’ak’tun, belgian beers, Belgian Stout, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, cham-cham, Chocolate, chocolate caramel, chocolate covered cherries, coffee chocolate, dark chocolate, Maui Brewing, okole maluna, Samurai Shodown, sweet caramel, tam-tam, Thirteenth Hour | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Aloha B’ak’tun by Maui brewing is a 7%ABV Belgian Stout brewed with chocolate, cinnamon and chipotle.

Label:
Change is the only constant in life; and this year has been marked with exiting changes. Staff moving on, new staff joining our team and construction plans for the new brewery (Yes, still on Maui). Our final limited release of the year celebrates change and bids aloha to our friends new and old.

This Belgian stout is brewed with chocolate, cinnamon, and chipotle. It pours deep black with ruby highlights. Layered with roasted malt character hints of bittersweet dark chocolate, clove, cinnamon and subtle peppery notes in the nose.

The year is ending, the world is not. Raise your hand and toast with us to all the great things to come. Look forward to four new limited releases in 2013.
Mahalo Nui Loa.

‘Okole Maluna,
Garrett
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Belgian Stouts are some of my favorites. So when I found this one I had to get it. The fragrances are are roasted coffee, bakers and dark chocolate, bready notes, raisins, slight peppercorns, mild pepper, tobacco, molasses and slight caramel. The flavors are mainly of coffee, dark chocolate, slight tobacco, smokey (in the glass), dulce de leche caramel (mainly when in the can), bready notes, raisins, slight chocolate covered cherries, slight peppery notes of chipotle but hardly enough to detect heat at all. I tried it both out of the glass and the can. Frankly, it taste better out of the can than in the glass. I guess like heady topper, certain things taste better when out of certain containers. Although after letting it sit for a while in the glass, the flavors like that of the can were there. All and all, an awesome beer, very good Belgian stout but kind of not as full flavor impacting like Thirteenth Hour or Buffalo Stout. Still, great pick up and one I would try again 🙂

Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout 2012 by Cigar City Brewing

March 5, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged ancho chiles, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, cacao nibs, Chile beer, chocolate coffee, cigar city, Cigar City Brewing, Cinnamon, coffee chocolate, dark chocolate, Dark Lord de Muerte, Final Fantasy XII, Fran, Hun Hunahpu, Hunahpu, Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout 2012, Imperial Stout, Kahlua, Khalua, Madagascar Vanilla, Mayan Mythology, Mayans, Mayas, pasilla chiles | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout 2012 by Cigar City Brewing is an 11%ABV Imperial Stout Aged on cacao nibs, ancho and pasilla chiles, cinnamon and Madagascar Vanilla Beans. This was released in March 2012 so it is almost exactly 1 year of aging.

Label:
In Mayan mythology, Hun Hunahpu was the father of the Mayan hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque. Hun Hunahpu, along with his brother Vucub Hunahpu, was tricked by the Dark Lords of the underworld and slain. Hun Hunahpu’s corpse morphed into a cacao tree, his head becoming a cacao pod, which in typically awesome mythology fashion, spit upon the hand of a young maiden named Xiquic who promptly became pregnant with the hero twins. The twins would ultimately grow up to avenge their father and uncle and defeat the Dark Lords and ascend to the heavens to become the moon and sun

We brew Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout once a year and release it only at the brewery. We will continue to do so until the end of the cycle.
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Rated to be the 4th best Imperial Stout in the world. 100% world class. This version is aged almost exactly 1 year. I can only assume this is like a response to Dark Lord de Muerte from the Three Floyds as it is brewed with chiles also. Never the less, this is something special. Aromas immediately rush the nose several inches from this liquid of gods. Fragrances of Very strong Dark chocolate, Milk chocolate, Khalua, Chocolate Abuelita, chile spices from the ancho and pasilla, some vanilla, coffee, strong bourbon, vanilla, flan, cinnamon, champurrado, dulce de leche caramel, molasses, piloncillo sugar cone, oak, cherries and alittle bit of coconut. The flavors are of smokey roasted pasilla and ancho chiles but without the heat, dark chocolate, Khalua, coffee, chocolate abuelita, mole, champurrado, cherry, raisins, prunes, molasses, vanilla, small amount of earthy bitterness, cinnamon sticks, ginger bread, alittle bit of dulce de leche, piloncillo sugar cone, tamarind, oak wood and maple syrup. Initially, the chile spices would take over but then as the beer got warmer, it let a massive amount sweet chocolate flavors pull through with vanilla and cinnamon dancing all over. A delicious beer that is truly world class. While it definitely surpasses a great amount of world beers, I believe it is really preference based. While this one is very sweet and has the spiciness to cancel out the over powered sweetness, many people will find this appealing over more “Diabetes in a bottle” types like Dark Lord, Black Tuesday, Grey Monday or Chocolate rain (some of my ultimate favorites). For me I like the extra sweetness in some beers, but this has so much flavor of my culture written all over, fragrance and taste alike. In terms of Chile beer Imperial Stouts, hands down, The best in the world Chile beer right next to the Dark Lord de Muerte.

Young’s Double Chocolate Stout by Wells & Young

February 27, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged chocolate dessert, chocolate malts, dark chocolate, dessert, hop bitterness, Milk chocolate Stout, Milk Stout, Panty & Stocking, PSG, Pure Luxury, Stocking, Sweet Stout, Wells & Young, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.65/5

Young’s Double Chocolate Stout by Wells & Young LTD is 5.2%ABV Milk Chocolate Stout made with chocolate malts and dark chocolate.Available quite common and year round. It is probably one of the first stouts aside from Guinness that I had tried back in college. I have neglected this beer for a while so I figure I come back to it 🙂

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Available filtered and pasteurised in 500ml bottles and in nitrocans. Also Nitro Keg on Tap
Production moved from Youngs to Wells & Youngs in 2007.
Ingredients: Pale ale and crystal malt, chocolate malt, special blend of sugars, Fuggle and Goldings hops, real dark chocolate and chocolate essence.
Chocolate malt and real dark chocolate are combined with Young’s award winning rich, full flavoured dark beer to craft a satisfyingly indulgent, but never overly sweet experience.
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The aromas are of strong malty chocolate, underlying coffee and mocha notes, vanilla, caramel, earthy hop bitterness and some smokey fragrance. The flavors are of like a borderline brown ale. A great amount of dark, milk and sweet chocolate shines in the taste along with coffee, mocha, vanilla crème, cocoa, smokey bitterness but only slight, caramel, toffee, a bit of hazelnut, earthy hop bitterness, some minor graininess. While it is not at the level of some of the most extreme imperial chocolate dessert beers, like organic chocolate, or even chocolate rain, it’s emphasis on being chocolate is more apparent than other stouts. Hence the reason why beer fusions work very well with this stout. This beer works way better as a dessert beer on its own even. Just the fact that it is a common beer is also worth getting as this is as close to a more chocolate beer than any of the rare stuff out there. Recommended? Yes, if you enjoy chocolate. In fact if you ever plan on doing beer fusions, this is the choice 😛

Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout by New Belgium

February 19, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged chocolate coffee, chocolate shake, coffee chocolate, dark chocolate, delicious aroma, Full Metal Daemon, Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout, Imperial Stout, Muramasa, new belgium, roasted coffee, Sandaime Muramasa | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout by New Belgium is a 9% ABV Imperial Stout with Coffee and Chocolate added.

Label:
Serving up cold and jet black, this imperial stout should be taken seriously for about one minute as the dark foam builds. Then, enjoy its velvety chocolate-covered smoothness and delicious aroma of sustainably-grown, locally-roasted coffee.
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The aromas of this beer are typical of dark chocolate and roasted coffee, with fragrances of cappuccino, caramel, whipped Irish cream, light sugars and vanilla. The flavors are of strong roasted coffee, with caramel, dark chocolate, frappuccino, vanilla, whipped cream, almost milk chocolate shake like, some bitter earthy hops, and cinnamon. This beer is similar to a milk stout but more bitter, especially in the after taste. Although it doesn’t feel like some of the other full bodied stouts. As far as coffee goes, this has it down pretty solid. Like drinking coffee with very little sugar. Very good and definitely a recommended beer to try 🙂

choklat by Southern Tier Brewing

November 2, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Chocolate, Black Water Series, cacao nibs, Chocolate, choklat, dark chocolate, Imperial Stout, milk Chocolate, Southern Tier | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

choklat by Southern Tier Brewing is an 11%ABV Imperial Stout brewed with chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, chile chocolate oh yes and CHOCOLATE PRIME!!! Imagine Chocolate rain toned down enough by alcohol but also with adding some bitter-sweet chocolate into the concoction. You get this beer. One of the most Chocolatey beers I have ever

had D:….aside from chocolate rain ofcourse.Label:
“the ancients called it ‘food for the gods’“ The Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, unfolds a complex web of mystery around a beverage known as xocoatl (ch-co-atle). At Southern Tier, we’re not surprised that hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods. Even through the many voyages of Columbus, the mystical bean remained nothing more than a strange currency of the native peoples. Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brewing house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bitter-sweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. We have combined the finest ingredients to tempt your senses & renew the power & interrelation of history in every bottle.

Alc. 11.0% by vol.
27o plato
195o L
2-Row barley
Caramel 60 malt
barley flakes
chocolate malt
bittersweet Belgian chocolate
kettle hops: chinook & williamette

This is one of the ultimate tributes in chocolate history right next to chocolate rain!! While Chocolate Rain reaches flavors in the 10th dimension, this reaches somewhere near there…maybe the 5th dimension of flavor. So what is this stout like? If chocolate milkshake with cinnamon, cocoa powder, and that sweet sweet chocolate soda I had in Iowa along with chocolate syrup and dark bitter chocolate and chocolate with a little bit of chili spicy but so faint it only contributes to the bitter-sweet then this is the flavors you have. Some Espresso coffee mocha lingers with caramel and vanilla too. Damn… This is another Diabetes bottle :X….but it is so good!!!! IF you ever had a beer where you had to dig to find the flavor or something that wasn’t easily defined in terms of flavor….well look no further….this beer will help. You don’t even have to taste it to know it has strong chocolate odor. If you do taste it though….you’re done!!…this is a massive dessert here…you may not stop drinking it…careful though :P… You probably have not lived a “Chocolate Lover’ life if you have not tried this beer…

Anubis by Laughing Dog Brewing

November 1, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Anubis, coffee flavors, dark chocolate, fresh coffee, Laughing Dog | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Anubis by Laughing Dog Brewing is a 9.2%ABV Imperial Coffee Porter. Delicious yet bitter little beer. Smells like a usual porter. Not as bitter as a stout though. Smells like a cup of fresh coffee Flavors or roasted coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, toffee, citrus and earthy and smokey notes. What makes this beer pretty good is that it is well balanced….not too bitter, not too sweet, just right…Did I mention it hides the alcohol oh too well? This is surely a creamy dessert beer. May go good as a beer float. A Porter fit for Kings or Gods :P… Porter and Stout people will like this one.