French Oak Chardonay | Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore)

Rating: 4.8/5

Dr Strange Matter collaboration by Bottle Logic and Iron Fist brewing is a 9.6% ABV Farmhouse Ale Aged in Chardonnay Barrels.

Commercial Description:
Brewed using authentic farmhouse yeast and pink peppercorns with Wakatu and Waimea hops and a dash of locally sourced caramelized honey. Dr. Strange Matter has been aged in Chardonnay barrels and is a perfect beer for a hot summer day.
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This past weekend I visited many places in San Diego and many breweries since I had always wanted to visit the Craft Beer Capital and essentially it was like a dream come true. Of the many places I visited, Plan 9 Alehouse, which was on my list as a brewery didn’t necessarily make their own beer but had many great selections. Of the ones I tried on Friday, this one stuck out like a sore thumb as awesome. So because I really liked it, I took a pairing picture to go with it and from my notes, I bring you forth a review of Brewerianimelogs on the Road.

Aromas:
Biscuit, peppercorns, honey, musty oak, citrus, apples, chardonnay, wine grapes, farmhouse hay, white grapes, sage spice, piney, grassy, floral and some grapefruit hoppy hints, green apples, banana notes and stone fruit peaches.

Flavors:
Farmhouse hay, peppercorns, wine grapes, sage spice, honey, bananas, musty oak, chardonnay, funky wine notes, lemon zest, citrus, grapefruit, grassy and piney hops, stone fruit peaches, apricots, hints of plum, herbs, hibiscus flowers, pecan pie notes, vanilla and caramel.

Aftertaste:
Biscuit, wine grapes, stone fruit, peppercorns, funky notes, citrus and earthy hop bitterness. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer yet smooth mouth feel with a hazy full body.

Overall:
This one was very good. I see this one was actually bottled so I may try to look for a bottle of this one. The fact that it is aged in a chardonnay barrel imparts some very interesting flavors into the already delicious saison. It was quite the awesome beer and would try to seek this one out again if I had the chance.

Anime Corner:
Nurse Washu Hakubi from Tenchi Muyo was chosen in this pairing since I wanted something to do with the whole Doctor and the Nurse. Essentially, Washuu is seriously strange but a genius and pairs perfect with the doctor to perform some serious flavor surgery on those taste buds

Sources:
http://www.oocities.org/ryoko_masaki_16/wash2.jpg

Rating: 5/5

Bitter Monk by Anchorage Brewing is a 9%ABV, 100IBU’s, Belgian Double India Pale Ale Brewed with Brettanomyces and aged in French oak Chardonnay Barrels. Yes, this is fancy as hell. Considered to be the best Belgian Pale Ale in the world by BeerAdv and RateBeer. Well let’s see what all the fuss is about.

Label: Ale brewed with Apollo and Citra hops. Dry hopped in the barrel with Citra hops. Triple Fermented – First in French oak loudres with a Belgian yeast, second in French oak Chardonnay barrels with brett, and finally in the bottle with a third yeast for natural carbonation.

“Deep within the tortured aberrations of a monk’s mind there lay a concept of a Holy Grail of beer — a beer oft imagined but never tasted, strived for but never achieved. It’s Belgian heritage manifested in its yeasty complexity, softened and rounded in its cooperage Francais and made to sparkle like the stars first seen by his distant predecessor, Dom Perignon.

Bitter Monk Belgian Double IPA is such a beer. Redolent of citrusy hop bittering and massive malt infusion, this is a beer to ponder, to sip, and, even for a monk, to dream. Why then is the monk so bitter? What provokes that sly smile? What is he wearing under that flowing robe? A triple-fermented beer gives three times the mystery. Remember, anything worth doing is worth over doing. Nothing exceeds like excess. Even for the cloistered. And what rough monk, his hour come round last, slinks slowly toward Brussels to be reborn.”
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First of all, you have Emperor Palpatine on the label….LMAO!!…Only thing I can find to pair this with is Stocking’s Darkside (From Panty and Stocking Anime, Angel turned Demon) to reflect the sinfulness of the monk/Sith Lord over here.

Immediately from the fragrance, no holds bar. This was the Stillwater As Follows take to another unholy level. Even that beers is scary as hell :S (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/as-follows-eschatological-ale-by-stillwater-artisanal/) There are fragrances of hops, citrus, banana, musty hay, like a Saison a la Stillwater, flowers, hibiscus, roses and pine. The flavor is much more wilder than “As follows”. Much, much more, wilder. Lime, lemon meringue pie, herbs, spices, grapes, wine, chardonnay, some tart and Jolly pumpkin funk but not to make this a sour ale at all, hints of peach, apple, mango pineapple and other tropical fruit but it is only hints because they do not overwhelm like the regular DIPAs go. Grassy, pine and grapefruit bitterness are hinted but covered up by the Belgian yeast. Flowers like Roses, Hibiscus and honey as in the flavor of Love Buzz (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/love-buzz-saison-ale-by-anchrage/). I would assume if you take Stillwater’s of Love and Regret and mixed it in with As Follows and aged it you would have this. This is truly another level of Belgian IPA. This is crazy evil beer. Goes to prove a beer doesn’t have to be dark (appearance) to prove that it is evil. Saison, BPA and wild ale lovers will like this one.