Preservation Series: Arrrggghhh! by The Bruery

September 30, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Arrrggghhh!, coconut, Dulce de leche, FFX-2, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, flan, Imperial Pilsner, Preservation Society, Rice, Rikku, The Bruery, tropical flavors | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Preservation Series: Arrrggghhh! by The Bruery is a 7.7% ABV Imperial Pilsner brewed with Rice and Coconut.

Label:
“Shiver me Timbers!”

Arrrggghhh! Be refreshin’ly tropical and surprisn’ly hoppy. Perfected fer a sunny day on the high seas, but just as well for a landlubeber like ye. This lager is best enjoyed fresh for peak flavor. The ideal storin’ and servin’ temperature be 40°F (4°C). Best Served in a tulip, wine glass, or pewter drinking tankard.Yo Ho!

==Introduction==

Preservation society has released a special grog that be essentially a way t’ deal with t’ current El Niño climate we be currently facin’ here in California. T’ grog be essentially a clean and cool grog t’ sail that last part o’ summer. Essentially, this golden liquid be t’ booty you be claimin’ on t’ long voyage through t’ grog world. It says best enough fresh so lets see if this be worthy o’ settin’ t’ flags up and sailin’ to t’ closest Bruery shop.

Aromas:
Coconut, banana hints, tropical notes, peppercorn, pilsner malt, biscuit bread, rice cake, citrus, grapefruit, herbal and floral hops, green tea ice cream, bread pudding hints, sweetended condensed milk, flan hints and stone fruit hints.

Flavors:
Vanilla, oak, toffee, coconut, toasted coconut, cocada coconut candy, mochi balls, redbean ice cream, green tea ice cream, rum hints, clean pilsner malt, biscuit bread, coconut bread, pineapple, banana notes, crème brulee hints, flan hints, rice cake, rice pudding, tapioca, tres leches, sweetened condensed milk, white raisin bread pudding, tropical fruits of dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango, guava, papaya, strawberry, kiwi, grapefruit, lemon grass, piney, herbal and floral hops, hints of peppercorn, stone fruit peaches and apricot.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with a dry yet sweet and hoppy aftertaste hitting a lot of pleasing notes from the coconut, rice, vanilla, tropical fruits, stone fruits, sweetened rice and coconut pastries, herbal and floral hops. No alcohol in the taste, golden light body, very easy to drink and smooth, crisp, creamy, refreshing and clean mouthfeel. Overall, pleasant!

Overall:
10/10, 100/100, best beer, best beer! (JonTron homage)
Damn! If this did not come out of Davey Jones locker I don’t know what to say. The sweetness is damn on par with delicious coconut rice pudding. This is one hell of a beer. I really don’t know how they were able to incorporate the rice and coconut in there. I can find myself drinking this every single day without stop. Sounds crazy right? Well, this beer is so damn light and so damn drinkable that its dangerous cuz its so damn delicious!

Anime Corner:
Rikku from the Final Fantasy X and X-2 series was used in this pairing to pair as the pirate of gold. The golden liquid inside the bottle that is mainly the treasure overall. Rikku pairs her colors and complements the beer color, the label colors but mainly the whole theme of this being a pirate beer overall. Also, with the beach setting, it is like she is out in a tropical island somewhere which showcases the beers tropical flavors.

Sources:
http://www.1zoom.ru/big2/729/248642-svetik.jpg
http://img04.deviantart.net/f00e/i/2012/298/3/d/rikku_by_newdevaccount-d5iy25c.jpg

Shiva’s Tears Weizenbock of the Destroyer by New Braunfels Brewing

October 25, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Final Fantasy X, Hindu, New Braunfels Brewing, Shiva, Shiva's Tears, Weizenbock, Weizenbock of the Destroyer | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Shiva’s Tears Weizenbock of the Destroyer by New Braunfels Brewing is a 9% ABV Weizenbock.

Label:
According to Hindu faith, Shiva, the god of destruction and rebirth, was called upon to rid the world of an evil demon named Tripura. After meditating for 1,000 years on how to kill Tripura and contemplating the evil he wrought on Earth, Shiva winked his eyes and tears fell. From those tears grew a tree who’s fruit satisfies thirst. It’s seeds are used for meditation and prayer.

Our Weizenbock is a study in power and grace. Surprising smooth for a high abv powerhouse, Shiva’s Tears is our pathway to beer truth. Meditate on a few of them and you may just cry of few tears of your own.

Here’s to life.
___

The great beers of Texas have hit brewerianimelogs once again and it is thanks to the one and only, Aaron, the founder of www.beermetaldude.com. I will be reviewing some more great beers in the coming weeks but I decided to start with the first Texas brew in line he donated to the site for this shipment. I have never tried anything from New Braunfels and this is my opportunity to see what they are about. I have seen that they make a variety of wheat based beers. Wheat ales are some of my favorite styles of beers especially the ones from Germany and Europe. The Weizenbock being a favorite of mine next to the Dunkelweisse makes me wonder how good this be. Let us check it out shall we?

Aromas:
Smokey notes, dark fruit raisins, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, rye bread, maple, licorice, mild soy sauce, oatmeal cookies, wheat bread, anise, brown sugar, tart dark cherry hints and rye bread.

Flavors:
Dark fruit like raisins, plum, grape, clove spice, tart dark cherry notes, lots of smokey oak, banana bread, dark chocolate hints, licorice, pilloncillo sugar cone, graham crackers, waffle cone, oatmeal coookies, anise, soy sauce, rye bread and vanilla.

Aftertaste:
Piloncillo, dark fruit, dark chocolate, earthy notes, tart cherry and nice smokey notes. No alcohol in the taste, really pitch black and brown body, moderate to sipping drinkability and medium yet smooth mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very good smokey weizenbock. I don’t think I have ever had anything quite like this. Maybe a Berliner Weisse may come close but take that to the dark level and make it heavy and rich. Quite the unique one as many Weizenbocks tend to be on the sweeter side. This one is smokey and tart but still sweet. So there is some balance here. Definitely worth a try especially if you like smokey yet mild and sweet German styles. Gotta give special thanks to Aaron for hooking me up with this beer and New Braunfels for making it, cheers!

Anime Corner:
Shiva from Square’s Final Fantasy X was the easiest pairing I could think of. Shiva being the god of destruction and rebirth can be a bit cold some times. Especially this Shiva as she is ice based. The darker and smokey aspects of this beer as well as the dark fruit flavors are representative of the colors and Ice cold that Shiva brings in this pairing.

Sources:
http://cloudiroth.bloxode.com/images/114657973384.jpg

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.
___

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.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Cauldron by Grand Teton Brewing

December 31, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged bakers chocolate, Black Cauldron, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Cauldron, bourbon barrels, FFX, Final Fantasy X, grand teton, hop bitterness, Lulu, Lulu FFX, Russian Imperial Stout, Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels, Yuna, Yuna FFX | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Cauldron by Grand Teton Brewing is a 8% ABV Russian Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

This is part of a rare release of brewers’ series beers that may be available soon. The beer has no particular description noted. I have tried the regular version of this beer in the past and have considered it a favorite. With a release of a barrel aged version, it brings forth something even more magical, mystical, dark and well, just delicious.

The aromas of this beer come off as a semi sweet semi bitter bakers chocolate, coffee, mocha, vanilla, some bourbon, oak, dark fruits and berries. The taste reminds me of the Oak Aged Chocolate Yeti with bourbon. It is pretty good. Like a Dark and semi sweet/bitter bakers chocolate and coffee cake dipped in a little bit of bourbon with notes of wooden oak barrel, caramel, vanilla, blackberries, raisins, cherries, sweet bread, minor earthy hop bitterness with disappears into some coconut like notes but just a little bit. It is quite smooth and rich going down. It is not super boozy but you get some nice notes of the oak and the bourbon. It is not like the Old Rasputin Barrel Aged but it is still a great barrel aged stout. Remembering how good the original was for me, this is a great step up in complexity and a must find.