Vindictive II by The Bruery

December 29, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged black berries, Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, french oak barrels, Grenache Grapes, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Mourvèdre grapes, New American Oak Barrel, Oak Puncheons, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Sans Liege Wines, syrah grapes, The Bruery, Vindictive, Vindictive II, White Chocolate, Wineification, Wineification III | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/7

Vindictive II by The Bruery is 16.1% ABV American Imperial Stout blended with juice from Zinfandel grapes and Arroyo Grande Valley Wine.

California is renowned for producing some of the greatest zin and stouts in the world. We combine that pride and passion in this varietal of our Black Tuesday imperial stout, blended and fermented with juice from Zinfandel grapes from Old Potrero vineyard, a sustainable, dry-farmed, old vine vineyard in the Arroyo Grande Valley American Viticultural Area, thanks to our friends at Field Recordings Wine. After maturing for nearly a year in medium toast New American Oak puncheons, this release vanquishes the boundaries between wine and beer in a full-bodied foray of dark fruit, berries, jam, oak and spice.

Super complex Beer and Wine fusion. Love this version for the year!

2016 Vindictive collaboration by Sans Liege Wines and The Bruery

December 31, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged black berries, Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, french oak barrels, Grenache Grapes, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Mourvèdre grapes, New American Oak Barrel, Oak Puncheons, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Sans Liege Wines, syrah grapes, The Bruery, Vindictive, White Chocolate, Wineification, Wineification III | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/6

2016 Vindictive collaboration by Sans Liege Wines and The Bruery is a 14.9% ABV Black Tuesday (Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels) with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes aged in New American Oak Puncheons

Label:
A NEW ERA

If some of the best wines are blends of several grape varieties, imagine what could be achieved when applied to beer. This Black Tuesday varietal is a blended and fermented with must from 75% destemmed and 25% whole cluster Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes from Sans Liege. After nearly a year in oak, this release vanquishes the boundaries between wine and beer.

==Introduction==

Released to Hoarders and Reserve society as a single bottle, this version of their Wineification/Mardi Rouge, in the Bruery’s attempt to wineify beer, is the latest in the series. After trying Wineification I, II and III, this was essentially IV. However, it looks like they amped up their wine game by using different species of grapes and instead of French Oak Barrels they are using New American Oak Puncheons. This is definitely going to be something else I am sure. The previous iteration have tought me that it is possible to blend and create a wine/beer hybrid and based on what I had heard about this one it looks like they might have actually successfully made it. Heck, even their mini commercial for it shows all the other beers praise this one as the new god among beers. Let us see if the hype is real and see just how much closer they truly are to the wine beer hybrid. Cheers!

Vindictive Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIyIR324QNM

Aromas:
Rich oak, Dark fruit figs, raisins, plums, prunes, currants, blackberries, dark cherries, raspberries, wine grapes, Concorde grapes, white grapes, port wine, chocolate, vanilla, sangria, green apples, stone fruit apricots, dulce de leche caramel hints, brown sugar and fruit cake.

Flavors:
Very rich oak, wine grapes, red grapes, Concorde grapes, peppercorns, flowers, hibiscus, dark fruit figs, raisins, plums, prunes, currants, blackberries, dark cherries, raspberries, strawberries, port wine, red wine, sangria, bourbon, vanilla, rocky road ice cream, dark chocolate, chocolate mousse, mocha, Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, bourbon, dulce de leche caramel, Chambord Raspberry, white grapes, sauvignon blanc, stone fruit peach, green apples, gamey meat notes, blood hints, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, sweetened condensed milk, flan, piloncillo sugar cone, brown sugar, fruit cake, graham crackers, bananas, cherry cola, almonds, rye bread and leathery notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing super dry, rich oak for days, dark fruit, gamey meat hints, stone fruit and fruit cake. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV. Dark Crimson and Deep Blood Red clear body under certain lighting. Smooth, rich, creamy and velvety mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
The only reason this beer is not a bucket lister but is still up there with the best ones like Black Tuesday, Winefication I,II and III, White Chocolate, Chocolate Rain and the other Melangè brews and days of the week series is because it is still exceptionally supreme. The gripe is mainly that it really is super super dry. The other Winefications were not as dry and the flavors linger. I also totally understand that in order to finally meld the borders between beer and wine (which this achieves it phenomenally) is that you have to make a beverage that pleases both sides. This is the key! Now I understand why people love their wine and can differentiate themselves from beer drinking. I appreciate the love there is for wine because there are many I love especially meads and heavy ciders. For me though, super dry is something I am not used to. I can actually start to appreciate why sommeliers and wine connoisseurs have the jobs they do. Its hard to review wine the drier it becomes. Granted I can still review this one well, but with lots of dryness involved to not be able to discern flavors as fast as you can with beer, it truly is a challenge. That’s why I highly recommend this one to beer and wine lovers alike. This one is even more unique than the one’s in the past. It kicks ass!

Anime Corner:
Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill makes a return once again to pair with many of the different aspects of the beer. This time, in the fourth installment, I am using her third and most powerful form, the Golden Hair/Super Saiyan-esque Senketsu Kisaragi form just like I did with Wineification III. While the alcohol is lower, the brew is definitely hit the marks on wine. Ryuko is one of my favorite characters in Anime right next to my other top 3 (Kos-mos, Yoruichi and Temari). The reason I did not use her second “Junketsu” form was due to the fact that I never got around to putting the beer to the site, although I did have Winefication II at the Bruery’s Black Tuesday party. Like the original installment of Winefication, the colors pair perfect with Ryuko’s hair, the background, her eyes and her outfit as well. If this was a candidate for Mardi Rouge (Red Tuesday) then even more the reason to use her for this pairing. This time around, I found an awesome picture of Ryuko with a cloak. A cloak to represent the extra oak and grapes to get the beer to that wine level even more. The complexity of the flavors showcases her unpredictable characteristics. She always has a plan up her sleeve. She is deadly and sexy which best describes how smooth the beer goes down. The beer is dark but it is a blood red dark as you get closer to finishing the glass. Her suit Senketsu (Fresh Blood) describes this as she needs to let senketsu take some of her blood in order to unleash a higher power. Perfect for that red wine aspect and the color as I mentioned earlier. Heck, even the gamey meat like flavor is proof of blood in this beer. Ryuko is strong and tough minded, but she does have her sweet,warm hearted and loving side which she shows to the people she cares about. The sweet chocolate and berries is what best places this category. Her Kisaragi form is what is new from Wineification III and being that it is her ultimate form, there was no doubt why I wouldn’t use that form once again here. Take it easy with her though, you won’t find one like her again, maybe. Especially since people only got 1 bottle. Either way, it will be a very memorable experience.

Sources:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P8xlGMmI-Q8/VhgpvCfIIMI/AAAAAAAEYfo/sMWS8Rq02ow/w1156-h1700/heels%2Bkill_la_kill%2Bmatoi_ryuuko%2Bsakimichan.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Rvm3bFP.jpg
http://img15.deviantart.net/47fd/i/2016/224/c/7/ryuko_matoi___final_form__by_phasechan-dadmlef.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eRF7kiu.jpg
https://www.filepicker.io/api/file/jCgJq2a5SK65v4QQGPda

2016 Chimay Grande Reserve Ale Barrel Aged by Bières de Chimay S.A

August 31, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged akatsuki, american oak barrels, Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Trappists, Bières de Chimay S.A, Chestnut barrels, Chimay, chimay blue, chimay grande reserve, Chimay Grande Reserve Ale Barrel Aged, Chimay Peres Trappistes Grand Reserve 2012, Chimay Reserve, cognac, Cognac Barrels, French Oak, french oak barrels, Konan, Konan of Amegakure, Naruto | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/7

2016 Chimay Grande Reserve Ale Barrel Aged by Bières de Chimay S.A is a 10.5% ABV Belgian Trappist Dark Strong Ale aged in French Oak, American Oak, Cognac and Chestnut Barrels.

Label:
The “Grande Reserve” Aged in wooden casks is an exceptional beer that benefits from triple fermentation and extended maturing in barrels. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, this beer has an incomparable rounded, wooden flavour.

Ingredients: water, barley malt, wheat, sugar, hop, yeast. More info: Chimay.us/barrel

Commercial Description:
The barrel-aged Chimay Bleue of March 2016 stands out from classic Chimay Bleue thanks to the many nuances provided by the additional fermentation in wooden barrels.
On the eye, the beer boasts a deep brown robe with a bright glint. It’s extremely fine and smooth foam also possesses a slight shade of cream.
On the nose, notes of black tea, jasmine and wood are equally predominant.
On the palate, the woodiness cloaks the bread crust, roasting, mocha and Cognac aromas as well as the empyreumatical notes.
This 2016 edition of barrel-aged Chimay Bleue boasts an excellent blend of the characters of Chimay Bleue and Cognac. This balance between roundness and powerfulness is best appreciated between 6 months and 1 year after it is bottled.

Type of Barrels

For this second batch, a mixture of barrels has been used.
38% of French oak – second utilization
22% of American oak – second utilization
22% of new cognac barrels
18% of new chestnut
Produced in limited amounts using craft-brewing methods.
The sophisticated bouquet is perfectly showcased when served at a temperature of between 10 and 12°C.
Alcohol content: 10.5%

==Introduction==

I obtained this one at my local shop. Having tried the St. Bernardus abt 12 Oak aged, when I first saw this, I thought I must have it. I couldn’t be driven to buy this thought. At a $40+ price, it just seemed way too expensive. Yes, it is Chimay. One of the best and world renounced Belgian Dark Strong ales but this time, in the barrel aged form. I actually passed this one up several times because of the price. It wasn’t until I talked to my friend Richard Avila about this beer that it was clear what I had to do. He had mentioned that, for a lover a Belgian brews, this is something very special and maybe not to try it, might be missing out on something that could well be loved by the community. He said I should try it for the fans of my work to see if they would be intrigued to get this one. This along with the fact that it was aged in several barrels and not just a single or a double but quadruply barrel aged. It was definitely a moving feat. So without further ado, I finally bring you, the Barrel Aged Chimay Blue Reserve.

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, prunes, dates, dark cherries, red wine sangria, Belgian dark candy sugar, Amber candy sugar, cane sugar, rock candy, grilled bananas, clove spice, toasted coconut, piloncillo sugar cone, pecan pie, hazelnut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, port wine, Mexican Dulce de leche Cajeta, leche de cabra, tres leches/ three milks cake, flan, crème brulee, sweetened condensed milk, bananas and clove spice.

Flavors:
Rich Dark candy sugar, Amber candy sugar, cane sugar, rock candy, oak, vanilla, cognac, dulce de leche caramel, crystalized caramel, piloncillo sugar cone, Mexican Dulce de leche Cajeta, leche de cabra, tres leches/ three milks cake, flan, crème brulee, sweetened condensed milk, Dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, prunes, dates, dark cherries, dark cherry yogurt, pecan pie, hazelnut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, port wine, Chambord raspberry liqueur, marshmallows, toasted coconut, rocky road ice cream, almond joy, earthy and herbal hops, pilsner grain, fruit cake, molasses, anise, chestnut cake, red wine sangria, waffle cone, graham crackers, grilled bananas, stone fruit peach, apricot, clove spice, chocolate oatmeal cookie and Danish cream.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich dark fruits, oak, caramel, vanilla, marshmallows, port wine, red wine, pecan pie, chestnuts, cognac notes, stone fruits, dark candy sugar and earthy hop notes. No alcohol in the taste, Abysmal Dark Crimson full body, smooth, syrupy, velvety and creamy mouthfeel and sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Even for the price, this exceptionally delicious bucket lister was just damn amazing. It has been a while since I tried Chimay Blue and the Reserve. Essentially, staples in my early days of craft beer Belgian experience. This one, just takes it to a whole new level. I have tried many Belgian Dark Strongs, all amazing and all over the top. This, however, this is some new godly potion. There is so much going on and all of it is so damn appeasing. Definitely, this one is to save for a very special occasion and supremely and highly recommended to all lovers of the Dark Belgian Arts.

Anime Corner:
Konan from Naruto was chosen in this pairing to represent the Chimay Blue colors but her Akatsuki outfit also represents the Monks of Belgian of which compliments this beer’s Trappist origin. Also, the fact that she can create angel wings also coincided with the divine beverage that this really is. In a way, the quadruple barrel aging is really a way for her to “unleash”!!

Sources:
http://bellbell2345.deviantart.com/art/Konan-622565109
http://images.forwallpaper.com/files/images/d/df7f/df7fc741/272209/konan.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/307111
http://i.imgur.com/fUYcfGc.jpg

Wineification III (Mardi Rouge III?) collaboration with The Bruery and Fess Parker winery and vineyard

December 24, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged black berries, Black Tuesday, bourbon barrels, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, french oak barrels, Grenache Grapes, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, syrah grapes, The Bruery, White Chocolate, Wineification, Wineification III | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/6

Wineification III (Mardi Rouge III?) collaboration with The Bruery and Fess Parker winery and vineyard is a 19% ABV Black Tuesday Imperial Stout with Grenache Grapes 91% Aged in Bourbon Barrels and 9% aged in French Oak Barrels

Label:
WHO’S COUNTING!
The Rues and the Parkers are back at it again! In this third rendition of Wineification, they continue to vanquish the boundaries between wine and beer, combining their brains and brawn with a blend of juicy Rodney’s Vineyard Grenache grapes with The Bruery’s Black Tuesday Imperial Stout.

===Introduction===
A new version of Wineification has arrived to Reserve and Hoarders members. Last year, we did not get Wineification II but since I wanted to pair Ryuko with her Junketsu form (evil Ryuko) it was okay. I would later have a chance to try it at the Black Tuesday party and may do a review of those beers at a later time. It sure has been a damn busy year for me as I have barely had a chance to finish my reviews and well even add all the beers I have tried and jotted down notes for. I really am behind but it happens especially since I like to dedicate my time to homebrewing. Either way, I said to myself, when it comes to these beers like Black Tuesday, White Chocolate, Chocolate Rain, Wineification and other variants like Melange 3 or 12, Mocha Wednesday, Grey Monday and other Black Tuesday Cuvees, there is always damn time. As for this release of Wineification using different types of grapes, let’s see how it goes. Cheers!

Aromas:
Port wine, red wine, concorde grapes,fancy wine notes sweet condensed milk, flan, crème brulee, dark, milk, Baker’s, Belgian and German chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, Chambord raspberries, Khalua Coffee Liqueur, port wine, red wine, grapes, dark cherries, raisins, figs, dates prunes, blue and black berries, currants, bananas, bourbon, oak, leather, toasted coconut, mocha, pecan pie, hazelnut, rocky road ice cream, candi sugars, agave, rich chocolate mousse and fudge cake in wine.

Flavors:
Rich dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, plums, blue berries, currants, grapes, dark cherries, blackberries, raspberries, Bourbon, oak, toasted coconut, red wine, port wine, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Baker’s chocolate, tootsie roll chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, flan, crème brulee, toffee, butterscotch, marshmallows, graham cracker smores, sweetened condensed milk, rum notes, grilled caramel bananas, plantain, Chambord raspberry liqueur, Khalua Coffee Liqueur, Mocha, leather notes, rye bread with black berry jelly spread, pecan pie, agave notes, candi sugars, brown sugar, rock candy, rocky road ice cream, almond joys, chocolate mousse, cherry cola, hazelnut, chocolate fudge cake and blueberry cobbler cheesecake.

Aftertaste:
Finishing only mildly dry unlike the original and lingering lots of delicious flavors. Milk and Dark chocolate, Port wine, fudge cake, dark fruit berries and sweetened condensed milk. There is hardly any sense of harsh alcohol in the taste even for that 19% ABV. They did their homework. Crimson Dark yet medium body, syrupy, velvety and creamy mouthfeel and a sipping beer, there is a smoothness about it that makes it very dangerous and as you will want to keep drinking it. Take your time with it, this beer is meant to be savored, enjoyed and well loved!

Overall:
Exceptionally ridiculous. Is there anything the Bruery can’t do when it comes to making all sorts of Black Tuesday Cuvees or what? This beer is definitely more on the wine side but also balances out with the bourbon imperial stout goodness. Think of this as the connoisseurs’ ambrosia making the ultimate in Wine/Beer/Liquor hybrid. Like the Black Tueday, Chocolate, White Chocolate, Cacaonut, Grey Monday, Mocha Wednesday, Melange 3 and 12 and many of their other blends, I highly highly recommend this one if you can get it!!

Anime Corner:
No doubt, Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill makes a return once again to pair with many of the different aspects of the beer. This time, in the third installment, I am using her third and most powerful form, the Golden Hair/Super Saiyan-esque Senketsu Kisaragi form. The different aspects of this year’s beer from the label, the flavors, the ingredients and especially the alcohol (going from the 14%ABV to 19% ABV) all represent this beer very well. Ryuko is one of my favorite characters in Anime right next to my other top 3 (Kos-mos, Yoruichi and Temari). The reason I did not use her second “Junketsu” form was due to the fact that I never got around to putting the beer to the site, although I did have Winefication II at the Bruery’s Black Tuesday party. Like the original installment of Winefication, the colors pair perfect with Ryuko’s hair, the background, her eyes and her outfit as well. If this was a candidate for Mardi Rouge (Red Tuesday) then even more the reason to use her for this pairing. The alcohol content represents her will power and strength and now that she is on the third form, even more! The complexity of the flavors showcases her unpredictable characteristics. She always has a plan up her sleeve. She is deadly and sexy which best describes how smooth the beer goes down but deadly since it has the really high ABV. The beer is dark but it is a blood red dark as you get closer to finishing the glass. Her suit Senketsu (Fresh Blood) describes this as she needs to let senketsu take some of her blood in order to unleash a higher power. Perfect for that red wine aspect and the color as I mentioned earlier. Ryuko is strong and tough minded, but she does have her sweet,warm hearted and loving side which she shows to the people she cares about. The sweet chocolate and berries is what best places this category. Her Kisaragi form is what is really new to this beer and being that it is her ultimate form, there was no doubt why I wouldn’t use that form. Take it easy with her though, you won’t find one like her again, maybe. Either way, it will be a very memorable experience :3

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/eRF7kiu.jpg
http://i3.egv.cc/img/i.egv.cc/i/feti/mji/mji-kaikyaku_675.jpg
http://blog-imgs-65.fc2.com/d/g/d/dgdg875/anime_wallpaper_Kill_la_kill_Matoi_Ryuko_swordwaltz_mk2-13778181.jpg
https://fanart.tv/fanart/tv/272074/showbackground/kill-la-kill-5389cb01bf479.jpg

Bière De Mars by Jolly Pumpkin

July 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Biere de Garde, Biere De Guarde, Biere de Mars, french oak barrels, French Stock ale, grand reserve, Hatsune Miku, jolly pumpkin, Miku, Oak aged, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Bière De Mars by Jolly Pumpkin is a 7% ABV French Style Stock Ale (Bière de Garde) aged in oak Barrels.

Label:
Brewed with two yeasts, mellowed in large oak casks, and refermented in the bottle, our Biere de Garde is a sustaining beer that is brewed to comfort in the gusty tides of March and welcome in a wealth of warmer weather.
“Beware the ides of March” Some guy to some other guy, a long time ago.
Please enjoy our beers in good health, Cheers & Mahalo plenty!
___

A grand return to an old Jolly Pumpkin beer I haven’t tried since 2011, or at least the grand reserve version. I posted the old review on this site in October 2012 thought when I finally started doing my reviews publicly. At the time, I was involved in a car accident which thankfully I came out alive. At the time, I had saved the reserve version of the beer to try it and I really wanted to give it a shot since I figured, a great life is worth living it for what you love to do. In the essence of that beer, I had to bring the original to the stage. While my flavor palate has matured, the original beer vs. the Grand Reserve may vary. So in essence, you be the judge of how you want your beer to be. Cheers!

2011 Grand Reserve Review (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/biere-de-mars-grand-reserve-by-jolly-pumpkin/)

Aromas:
Stone fruits like peach, mango, apricots, dark cherries, strawberry, plums, pears, green apples, musty wild yeast, wine grapes, sour notes, bananas, caramel, butterscotch,rye bread, hints of hazelnut, dark fruit raisins, fig hints, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, floral notes, farm house hay, tobacco and leather.

Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak , dark cherry yogurt, rich strawberries, stone fruits like apricots, mango, plums, peaches and cream, pear, hazelnut hints, rye bread, coriander spice, citrus, lemon peel, apple cider, tart grapefruit, butterscotch, bananas, clove spice hints, coriander spice hints, musty wild yeast, peppercorns, tobacco, leather, wine grapes, floral notes, farmhouse hay, chocolate hints, brown sugar, white grapes, dark fruit raisins and figs.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, peaches, sweet bread, dark cherry yogurt hints, rye bread, oak, vanilla, lemon peel, citrus and apple cider. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, fully body and full mouthfeel.

Overall:
A great example of a Biere de Garde done right. This is very delicious. Sour notes mainly turn into tart but sweet notes while maintaining a backlog of sourness to remind you. This why when you are a brewery that only concentrates at the Sour ales you are good at, you can truly make magic. There aren;t a lot of sour breweries or breweries in general that make beer this good. Even I have a rough time with some of the Bruery sours admittedly sometimes. Needless to say, this beer brings me back to the days I would always get Jolly Pumpkin beers and remind me of where my sour tasting roots came from. I definitely recommend this one without a doubt. Even some people that do not like sours may tolerate or even fully enjoy this one for sure.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku in her art design by subaru01rins was used in this pairing because I wanted to pair something similar to the original artwork I used for the grand reserve long ago. When I stumbled upon the T-Shirt at Anime Expo which was made by WeLoveFine (http://www.welovefine.com/6946-i-am-your-melody.html#.U9hlYfldVuN) I had to buy it. After looking at the artwork, it was very bad ass and made me realize why I chose the tron evil looking being with the red eyes back then. It had to do with the fact that in the label, the wind blowing the ship represented the the blowing the light of hope. While Miku looks evil here, either way, by her saying ‘I AM YOUR MELODY’ it plays at the whole aspect of evil blowing in the wind. Not to say that she is evil, but more like say that while you may have a good side, you also have a bad side that tries to balance who you are. Biere de Mars (Especially because of my birthday) represents a lot and in the sense of importance. It goes to show that even in the most sourest of states, the sweetness will be there to balance things out. Just like the beer. Oh yeah and also, the fruits like the sweet strawberries, are represented by the crimson eyes of Miku. Green is the color of the sour apples.

Sources:
http://subaru01rins.deviantart.com/art/I-AM-YOUR-MELODY-wallpaper-413872921

Angry Orchard The Muse by Boston Beer Company/Samuel Adams

July 25, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Angry Orchard, Apple Cider, Cider, Cider House Collection, french oak barrels, Gumi, Natural Hard Apple Cider, Sam Adams, Samuel adams, The Muse, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.12/5

Angry Orchard The Muse by Boston Beer Company/Samuel Adams is a 7.7% ABV Apple Cider aged in French Oak Barrels.

Label:
THE LEGEND OF
THE MUSE
The Muse is the newest addition to our Cider House Collection. Inspired by the festive nature of slightly sweet Demi-Sec champagnes and sparkling wines, the Muse is bubbly and effervescent. It is made from traditional culinary and bittersweet apples and aged on French oak. The Muse is sweet up front with a juicy apple aroma and bright acidity, and slightly drying on the finish with a lingering sweet apple note. The French oak adds a subtle wood impression, imparting notes of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and hints of vanilla.
___

Many have known the Angry Orchard series to be pretty unique in terms of good hard ciders. I have not done any reviews from them but I have done dozens of great Samuel Adams beers. Today I bring forth a Cider that really caught my attention and I really wanted to bring it forward for a nice review. I got this one at Bevmo! In the city of Walnut California while visiting a friend of mine. There are 2 other variants aside form this one (Scarecrow and Iceman) but I may do those in the future. For now, let us dig deep at craft cider and see what this one is all about. Cheers!

Aromas:
Apple cider, chardonay, champagne, oak, vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, flan hints, clove spice, plums, white raisins, allspice, nutmeg, wine grape hints and funky brett hints.

Flavors:
Red apples, sour apples, peach, wine grapes, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, biscuit bread, nutmeg, cherries, herbal spice, white raisins, plums, chardonay, champagne, honey, sourdough bread hints, hazelnut hints, baked apple pie with pecans.

Aftertaste:
Sweet apples, oak , wine grapes, vanilla and cinnamon linger momentarily. No alcohol in the taste, light body, very easy to drink despite the fact that it gets moderate at times and should be sipped. Very crisp and refreshing as well.

Overall:
This is a great cider for sure and it does exceed some expectations to the level of good ciders. You can tell this is not the usual cider as some of the complexity not only makes it go toward that natural state of natural apples but give a push into very nice flavor spectrum. There is some level of tart but it is more sweet than tart. I would highly recommend it as it is very good, but the price may kind of push you away ($14/750ml). Don’t worry though, if you do decide to get it enjoy and you will find some really nice things.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Gumi was used in this pairing not only to pair with the colors of apples and the label but the very definition of a Muse. Like the daughters of Zeus, they became an inspiration and represent the artistic traits and the sciences. Vocaloid Gumi is a Musician type of bot like Hatsune Miku so in essence, she is the Muse, Art form and science! As you can also see, the aspect of the beer calling it Effervescent & Bubbly, surely is depicted in the second picture as well.

Sources:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SUKWXDgE90k/UyUvXqSH8DI/AAAAAAAAFII/-EiraoXK4dA/s1600/VNLIVES.NET-Headphone_vocaloid_Headphone_girl_megpoid_gumi_anime_girls_1800x1024_Size_Wallpaper_2560x1600-1127.jpg
http://blogs.c.yimg.jp/res/blog-38-d6/kkky0502/folder/485437/25/11483425/img_0?1399720740

Dulcis Succubus by Le Trou Du Diable

July 18, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Aensland, apricot wine, Canada Beers, canadian beers, Darkstalkers, Dulcis Succubus, Farmhouse Ale, french oak barrels, French Wine, Le Trou Du Diable, Lilith, Lilith Aensland, Morrigan, Morrigan Aensland, pepper corn, Saison, Saisons, Vampire Savior, Wild ale, Wine, wine and cheese party, Wine Barrels, wine connoisseur, wine grapes, Wine yeast | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Dulcis Succubus by Le Trou Du Diable of Canada is a 7% ABV Saison/Wild Farmhouse Ale aged in Wine Barrels

Label:
The beer is fermented with wild yeast and aged for six months in French oak barrels that previously held botrytized California white wine, creating a complex aroma of honey, vanilla, apricot and leather. The abundant flavor is bittersweet with notes of peach and American hops. Carpe fermentum!
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Translated as Sweet Succubus by The Devil’s Hole Brewing is a beer that was not easy to find. Had to place myself on a waiting list. I guess people do seek this one. Right now, Klwines.com has this one for a hefty price, however, if you love sours and saisons or even wine, this might be up your alley. Carpe fermentum!? = Seize the beer

Aromas of funky funky bready yeast with wine and grape must fragrances came out of the bottle. Other notes I gathered were of vanilla, peach, oak, good fancy cheese, earthy and floral hops, pepper corn, honey, apple, pineapple and cider.

The flavors a lot like that of the Jolly Pumpkin but mainly like the Saisons from Fantome in Belgium. Flavors are of Honey, biscuits, lemon peel, white wine, vanilla oak, peach, apricot, wine grapes, dessert wine, floral and earthy hops, spices like coriander, peppercorns, lemons, leather, apples, biscuit bread and some nice fancy cheese.

Leaves like a nice fancy cheese aftertaste. Not bad at all. We are dealing with “living” brettanomyces in the beer afterall. Love these living ales. The sourness does not come in as strong. There is a good amount of funkyness and some sourness to make it appealing but also giving way to sweeter flavor with some hop bitterness. Overall it is really funky and reminiscent of those great saisons from Stillwater and Fantome. Hell even some of the Stone aged beers might be similar. Awesome stuff. I would think that this would fit the bill as a during dinner or after dinner type of beer. Wine aged beers seem that way

All these fancy wine aged beers have something in comparison. They give off this funky cheese notes, even if minor. This is very good stuff though. Here is how I would compare this beer to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etm-qfx3Gok

Before I forget, the label was an awesome design made by aditya777 (http://aditya777.deviantart.com/art/Succubus-156780762 )

Cheers 😀

3 French Hens by the Bruery

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

Rating: 4.8/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

La Folie 2013 by New Belgium

April 4, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Aeris, Aeris Gainsborough, Aerith, Aerith Gainsborough, chocolate flavors, FF7, FFVII, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy VII, Flanders Oud Bruin, french oak barrels, La Folie, new belgium, sour beer, Sour Brown Ale, tart cranberries, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

La Folie 2013 by New Belgium is a 7% ABV Sour Brown Ale also known as Flanders Oud Bruin style

Label:
Seriously Sour. This Flanders-Style Reddish Brown Ale Was Fermented 1-3 Years In French Oak Barrels For Mouth Puckering Perfection
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Strangely enough, this one was considered a very highly sought out beer. Even the reviews on the websites put it in world class status. Last time I saw something like that was with their abbey ale, which I swear, ultimately awesome. Still gotta get me one of those for the reviews here :P. Aromas are just like some of the Jolly Pumpkin beers I have had in the past, especially La Roja. Fragrances of sour dark cherries, wine grapes, currants, raisins, figs, some sweet caramel, strong oak barrel, tart cranberries and some hazelnut. The flavors are just like some of the sours I remember but with a little more sweet flavors. Tart apples, cherries, grapes, earthy caramel, mouth puckering cranberries, currants, raisins, sweet caramel, peaches, vanilla oak, strong beech wood, funky, acidic, biscuit and chocolate flavors reminiscent of the New Belgium ingredients like Fat Tire. Maybe if they were to take the Fat Tire amber and turn it into this sour, then you would have a winner known as La Folie. It takes a special liking to enjoy a beer like this. Sours are usually a moderate favorite of mine if made right. Jolly pumpkin makes a vast variety of sours that are unique as they took sours into newer realms. I can see why many believe this is a World Class beers. It truly is in the world of sour beers. It is like La Roja but more flavors. This would pair well with other things even foods I am sure. So if you are a sour beer fan, get this for sure, otherwise, it may not be your thing.

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