Stone Berlin Groundbreaking Collaborations 07 Züper Magik w00tstout collaboration by Drew Curtis, Greg Koch and Wil Wheaton

Rating: 7/7

Stone Berlin Groundbreaking Collaborations 07 Züper Magik w00tstout collaboration by Drew Curtis, Greg Koch and Wil Wheaton is a 10.1% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Hazelnuts, Pecans & Almonds and partially aged in Whiskey Barrels

Label:
Series 7 of 14

==Introduction==
In 2014, Stone was raising money to open a brewery in Berlin, Germany. It would be the first time an American craft brewery would open up a business in Europe. For Germany who has Bavarian laws on the beer making process, craft beer would no coincide with their laws. However, Stone being some crazy arrogant bastards were able to make their way into the market and were successful to open up shop. At the time, I had donated money on promised collaborations with different breweries. Mainly some of the ones I like such as Brew Dog, Lost Abbey, The Bruery, Surly and even Devil’s Gate/Will Wheaton. So, with the donations I made in that year, I was wondering if I would ever see a return on my investment. Long behold, Stone contacted me to inform that they were going to release the beers and so today I bring Züper Magik w00tstout.

The magic that is the same magic, bloodstream of the universe that flows and keeps existence afloat has granted me a chance to bring this beer here to the site. Ever since Stone wanted to make special batch of w00tstout, I was all in. W00stout, like many of my favorite stouts, has inspired me to make a blend using their original recipe with a Dark Lord and original twist giving way to Sangrileche 2 which was a special homebrewed batch of oak aged amazing beer. One that to this day seems to develop more and more. Heck, even the original Belgian Stout Sangri leche 2 still sits aging into newer heights. This special super magical space aliens and leprechauns riding unicorns of a beer was definitely something I didn’t expect to be released this year. The addition of all sorts of nuts to the original recipe definitely swings towards the infinity part of special collaborations that I don’t even think they have literature, comics or even elder scrolls on. Doesn’t matter though, we’re about to dive in and experience the magic first hand. Visit a local Stone Liberty Station or the main local brewery for a chance at this one, cheers!

Aromas:
Ddark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian chocolate, oak, hazelnut necar, pecan pie, marzipan, almond joy coconut, rocky road ice cream notes, nutella, dark fruit cherries, raisins, currants, blue berries, raspberries, fruit cake, Khalua liquer, toffee, butterscotch, coconut, tiramasu, cherry corials, licorice, oreo cookies, flan, dark candi sugar, rock candy,blueberry muffins and ginger bread.

Flavors:
Super nutty chocolate bliss, nutter butter, Cocoa Krispies cereal, chocolate nutella, marzipan, mazapan, peanut butter, pecan pie, almond joy, cookie dough, chocolate chip cookies, hazelnut nectar, maple syrup, tiramasu, fancy coffee, banana split, dark fruit cherries, raisins, currants, blue berries, raspberries, raspberry Chambord, blue berry muffin, cherry cordials, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, Belgian chocolate, chocolate mousse, bourbon and whiskey notes, chocolate smores, sangria notes, licorice, molasses, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, flan, crème brulee, three milks/3 leches cake, stone fruit peach, old mango hints, earthy notes, Khalua liquer, toffee, butterscotch, coconut, rocky road ice cream, cinnamon notes, dates, Pancho Pantera chocomil, rye bread, oatmeal raisin cookies, oreo cookies and cream, smokey oak notes and dark candy sugars.
|

Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich notes of dark fruit, banana, super mixed nuts, almond butter, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, cashew milk, dark chocolate, oak hints, whiskey notes, earthy notes, roasted barley notes, wine notes and much more! No alcohol in the taste despite the 10% ABV, pitch black darkness supreme body, smooth, silky, creamy, velvity, chewy and syrupy mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Heilige Scheiße!!! This is crazy crazy crazy. It has the original in spirit for sure but the mixing of all sorts of nuts into the beer makes for one extremely nutty brew that is on that level of nutella and more. Maybe it is just the wait I had to go through but this beer sure seems to be casting spells not just on the current verse of existence but even the theoretical verse of the quantum, essentially, the veil above reality. Crazy nuts makes anyone nuts. But I’m sure it would be welcomed by the masses who love the original w00tstout.

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used for this iteration of W00tstout just like I have used them before in the past. This time around though, I wanted to show some extravagant to complement not only some of the German side like when they dressed up in the green synonymous with Oktoberfest but also some superstitious art like with them on what appears to be a tarot cart. I have used them in man iterations of W00tstout but this time, some of these are a bit different and out there. Kind of what I wanted in terms of showing what is so Zuper and Magikal!

2017 Wilco Tango Foxtrot (WTF) Ale by Lagunitas Brewing Company

September 21, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged American Brown ale, Evangelion, Lagunitas Brewing, Misato Katsuragi, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nerv, wilco tango foxtrot, WTF | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

2017 Wilco Tango Foxtrot (WTF) Ale by Lagunitas Brewing Company is an 8.1% ABV American Brown ale.

It’s been years since I last had this… Malty and hoppy goodness… A brown red and semi black ale all in one

Original Review: https://animebeers.com/2012/10/20/lagunitas-brewing-wilco-tango-foxtrot-wtf-ale/

Orange X by AleSmith Brewing Company

August 21, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged Alesmith, alesmith brewing co, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Citrus, citrus aroma, Evangelion, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Orange X, oranges | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Orange X by AleSmith Brewing Company is a 5.25% ABV American Extra Pale Ale with oranges.

Amazing refreshing beer that really captures some very good citrus and orange flavors. A butt load of oranges all over and still including some nice tropical hop notes to boot. Don’t you wanna wanna Fanta! Lol straight up…. orange juice, orange peel, orange Fanta.

I chose Asuka Langley Sohryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion for this pairing since she fits with the colors.

(Double Tasting) 2017 & 2016 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout by Stone Brewing

August 10, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged 2016 w00tstout, 2017 W00tStout, abuelita chocolate, Aisha Tyler, Aliens, arrogant bastard, Assimilate, 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, star trek the next generation, Star Wars, Star Wars beer, Starwars, Stone, Stone Beers, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout, Stone Ground Chocolate, The Borg, Toasted Coconut, toasted pecans, toasted rye bread, w00tstout 2.0, w00tstout 3.0, w00tstout 4.0, w00tstout 5.0, wheat, Wil Wheaton, Xenomorphs | Leave a comment

(Double Tasting)
Rating: 6/6 2017 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout 5.0
Rating: 6.35/7 2016 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout 4.0

2017 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout 5.0 (5th year release) 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.

2016 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout 4.0 (4th year release) 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.

When Trekkies and Starnerds unify, you got some borg assimilation of flavors that cab only be complete in the dark side. Just like the previous years, the flavors get way better with age bringing more dark fruit out in place of banana split flavors. Both cases, very Epic!

Past Review:
https://animebeers.com/2016/08/02/double-review-2016-stone-farking-wheaton-w00tstout-4-0-and-2015-farking-wheaton-w00tstout-3-0-1year-aged/

Hazelutely Choctabulous by Rogue brewing

February 2, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Shikinami Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Candy Bar, Chocolate, Chocolate Stout, cuvee, hazelnut, Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Hazelutely Choctabulous, Neon Genesis Evangelion, nutella, Rogue Ales, rogue brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/6

Hazelutely Choctabulous by Rogue brewing is a 5.7% ABV American Cuvee of 60% Hazelnut Brown Nectar brewed with Natural Flavor and 40% Chocolate Stout brewed with Chocolate.

Label:
Candy Bar In A Bottle

Dedicated to Seb and Chris
For years, our hardest core local fans have been drinking a blend of Chocolate Stout and Hazelnut Brown Nectar, they say it takes like a chocolate candy bar. we have taken these two absolutely fabulous beers and fused them together to create Rogue Hazelutley Choctabulous, dark and decadent with a rich nutty flavor up front followed by a chocolate truffle finish. We’re thrilled to share our little secret with the world.

Brewed Using 2 Ingredients:
Hazelnut Brown Nectar & Rogue Chocolate Stout.
14.5° Plato 75 IBU 75.3AA 74°L

==Introduction==

Hazelnut Brown Nectar has been one of my top favorite brews since I first started trying different craft beers. Even to this day, If I see it on the taps or on the store, I definitely get it. When I first heard they were releasing a Chocolate version of the Hazelnut Brown by combining the 2 recipes of beer, this was something I did not want to miss out on. A candy bar in liquid form. There have been many nutty chocolate beers especially hazelnut chocolate beers that I have tried before. However, with this one, I will have to remember and compare to the original Hazelnut nectar to see if I love this one as much as the Hazelnut Brown Nectar or even more. Let’s take a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate milk shake, chocolate mousse, Ferrero Chocolate, Nutella hints, mocha, coffee, biscuit bread, vanilla, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, marshmallow hints, pecan pie, and hazelnut nectar.

Flavors:
Rich Nutella flavors, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, pralines, marzipan, mazapan, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate milk shake, chocolate mousse, Ferrero Chocolate, Chocolate Truffles,
cashew butter, peanut butter, butterscotch, toffee, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, marshmallows, chocolate smores, toasted coconut hints, hints of rocky road ice cream, dark fruit raisin notes, banana, cherry hints, apricot hints mocha, coffee, java and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, caramel, dark fruit hints and toffee. No alcohol in the taste. Dark medium to full body. Smooth, velvety and creamy mouthfeel and easy drinkability.

Overall:
While it is no Grey Monday, this beer is insane! It mainly gets the praise from me since I was such a fan of the original in the beginning that this takes it a bigger step above. I think while the beer is not super rich, it still has all the flavors of chocolate and hazelnut that will not overwhelm the average beer drinker. Personally, I would go with Grey Monday but that beer is night today in comparison. Even so, as a tribute to the original, I highly recommend people try this one and I hope to get this one again!

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami Soryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen to return for this brew as I chose her to be the one in the original Hazelnut Brown Nectar. The idea was that she represents a punch of flavors and hair hazelnut colored hair represented the colors of the beer but also the flavors. Since this one impacts a greater flavor profile, it would only make sense to make her comeback hitting much harder than before.

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/3a/58/2d/3a582d9edeb185d5603593bf4857a66a.jpg
http://k37.kn3.net/taringa/1/2/4/2/4/0/03/marduk5233/723.jpg?3917
https://wallpapers.wallhaven.cc/wallpapers/full/wallhaven-411474.jpg
http://pm1.narvii.com/6102/ad6ccd4128b194f3e01e8a12bfbea0743aed3532_hq.jpg

Nitro Red Velvet by Ballast Point

February 2, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Ballast Point, Beets, Chocolate, Golden Stout, natural flavors, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Oatmeal Stout, Red Velvet, Red Velvet Cake, Red Velvet Stout | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5

Nitro Red Velvet by Ballast Point is a 5.5% ABV Golden Oatmeal Stout with Beets, Chocolate and Natural Flavors added.

Commercial Description:
This stout takes the cake.
Our Red Velvet oatmeal stout is a mind-bending beer. Like the cake that inspired it, the deep red color comes from beets, which add a rich, earthy character that complements the chocolate flavor and aroma. The foamy head of the nitro pour is our “icing”, adding a creamy smoothness to the mouthfeel. But this liquid dessert still finishes like a beer – not sweet, but just as satisfying.

==Introduction==

It has been a very long time since I tried a Red Velvet Cake like beer. In fact, the only one I can remember was the Red Velvet from Buffalo Bayou brewing that my friend Aaron Mendiola from BeerMetal.net provided me with. That one was damn amazing and one I would have greatly love to get again. Now with Ballast Point creating their own, I feel like this would be supremely interesting. First and for most is the color. They took a pale golden stout and with the beets were able to get a red stout color. Something I have not seen before. Finally, the chocolate and other flavors would the stout flavors and mouthfeel. Let’s take a good look at how this turns out, Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla, chocolate, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, red velvet cake notes, raspberry cheesecake notes, coffee notes, cinnamon, Danish cream and dark fruit.

Flavors:
Rich red velvet cake, chocolate, milk chocolate, vanilla, toffee, dulce de leche notes, white chocolate, dark fruit raisins, cranberry, cherry, fruit cake, cinnamon, Danish cream, beet juice hints, Irish cream notes, strawberry shortcake notes, raspberry cheesecake notes, roasted coffee notes, lactose, flan notes, brown sugar, pecan pie, cherry cordial notes and sweetened condensed milk.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with lots of notes of vanilla, chocolate coffee, dark fruit notes, earthy hops and white chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, Ruby and Magenta clear body, smooth, creamy slightly thin but slightly velvety mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:
Now that’s insane. This is damn liquid Red Velvet cake!! I think if it was more full bodied and richer it would be much higher in my opinion. Although this being nitro and smooth gives points as well as this being very unique. Enough to be not just a perfect beer but exceptional. Regardless, this beer is one I want to get more of whether on tap or on bottles. Red Velvet beers are hugely uncommon so this is something you definitely want to get. I highly recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Soryu Langley Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing as I wanted to get a pairing that would fit the whole feast fit for a king/queen theme. I have used 2 of these of pictures before but I had to bring them back as well as an additional one with Asuka wearing the crown and the eye patch. Not only does it fit with the king on the label but the Ballast Point theme of Fish and Pirates. A pirate king/queen. That and the whole red theme is all over with Asuka.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/JboO4Cq.jpg
http://arhivach.org/a_cimg/?h=462d7471529bfb9a650cf676aea4ea28

Altar of Sacrifice by El Borracho Brewing

December 20, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged Altar of Sacrifice, cacao nibs, El Borracho brewing, El Borracho Home Brewing, Evangelion, Imperial Red Ale, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Oak Aged Ale, Rei Ayanami, Reposado Tequila Barrels, Tequila Oak Aged | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Altar of Sacrifice by El Borracho is a 9% ABV Imperial Red Ale brewed with Cacao Nibs and Oak aged in Reposado Tequila.

==Introduction==

Obtained this brew from my friend Will Carranza of El Borracho brewing. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to try his brews as many of the brews he has made thus far are amazing. When he told me of his idea to make an Imperial Red I thought it was awesome. When he said he will add cacao nibs and aged in in Oak tequila, I was sold! Today I bring his new brew to the website, Altar of Sacrifice. An Imperial Red that is as viscous as actual hemoglobin and plasma. The name was inspired by the Aztecs and the ritual sacrifices they did in the Pre-Hispanic times in order to appease the Gods. Such an awesome tribute and Metal as Fuck! So without further ado, let’s sacrifice this one. Cheers!

Aromas:
Citrucy, grapefruit, floral, piney and grassy hops, mild oak, dark fruit, rye bread, caramel, honey, chocolate, cherries, tropical fruit notes, oranges, vanilla, graham crackers and toffee.

Flavors:
Piney, Grassy, floral and earthy hops, Caramel, Toffee, mild vanilla, butterscotch, tequila notes, agave hints, Honey, Dark Chocolate, mild milk chocolate, tootsie rolls, Dark fruit raisin hints, rye bread, oranges, grapefruit, citrus, oak, sangria hints, dark cherries, tropical fruit pineapple, passion fruit hints, dragon fruit, honey dew melon hints, papaya, tangerine gummies, lemon peel, and graham crackers.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with tropical fruit, piney, citrucy and earthy hops, mild dark chocolate, fruit cake, toffee, honey, rye bread, oak, and mild Tequila on the back end. No alcohol in the taste, Deep Bloody Crimson full body, refreshing, smooth, crisp and chewy mouthfeel and sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A perfect brew and this is due to the oak aging in Tequila and the cacao nibs. I love how the extra measures my friend took to make this beer better actually gave it the extra points to make it perfect. I do think the chocolate flavors do help to balance out the bitter hops and oak found in this one. The name was definitely fitting for the beer. This one is a definite sipper and an awesome red like the best ones I have had in the past. This one should definitely be rebrewed!

Anime Corner:
Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen in this pairing as I can only think of sacrifice to the sceneries that comes out in the series. Especially at the end of the series and during the annihilation of all the characters and all the Rei clones. So definitely with what my friend Will was going for in terms of sacrifice I do believe this fits very well.

Sources:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxsG7cOUAAEKv0v.jpg
http://img11.deviantart.net/4260/i/2012/340/b/7/cross_of_lorraine_by_hasumi-d5n7v40.jpg

Firestone XX Twentieth Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker

December 8, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Beer Hybrid, Bravo, cuvee, Evangelion, Firestone Walker, Firestone XX, Firestone XX Twentieth Anniversary Ale, FLCL, FW, Gainax, Haruko Haruhara, HellDorado, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Panty & Stocking, Panty Anarchy, Parabola, PSG, Rei Ayanami, Stickee Monkee, Stocking, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan, Trigger Studios, Velvet Merkin, world class beers, Yoko Ritona | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/7

Firestone XX Twentieth Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker is a 13.80% ABV World Class Strong Multi-liquor Barrel Aged Style Hybrid Blend Ale.

Description: (Please Click On The Strategy Guide/Letter From Firestone Walker and the Box)

==Introduction==

The time has finally come for another review of some of the best World Class beers out there. Each year, I wait in anticipation for these releases. Many know Firestone Walker for being one of the best breweries when it comes to their barrel program and have maintained that status for many years. Their ability to brew barrel aged beers and create delicious Cuvees has been outstanding from release to release. They celebrate 20 years in business bringing many awesome beers like Double Barrel Ale, Double Jack, Parabola and Velvet Merlin just to name a few. Today I bring their anniversary beer to the site and it is with damn pleasure to see what this 20th year brings. Cheers to many more years!

Aromas:
Rocky road ice cream, almonds, walnuts, hazelnut nectar, rich marshmallows, chocolate smores, oatmeal cookies, oreo cookies and cream, flan, chocolate chip cookies, whiskey, brandy hints, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dark cherries, currants, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, prunes, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, Chocolate milk shake, bananas, clove spice, honey comb, waffle cone, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, bourbon, rich oak, toasted coconut, almond joy chocolate, Irish Cream coffee, Danish Cream cookies, capirotada raisin bread pudding and Chocolate Banana Sundae.

Flavors:
Dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dark cherries, currants, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, prunes, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, Chocolate milk shake, bananas, clove spice, honey comb, waffle cone, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, bourbon, rich oak, toasted coconut, almond joy chocolate, rocky road ice cream, almonds, walnuts, hazelnut nectar, rich marshmallows, chocolate smores, oatmeal cookies, oreo cookies and cream, flan, chocolate chip cookies, whiskey, brandy hints, molasses, anise, leather, tobacco, sweetened condensed milk, port wine, Irish Cream coffee, Danish Cream cookies, capirotada raisin bread pudding, Chocolate Banana Sundae, cinnamon, coriander hints, stone fruit peaches, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar and earthy hop notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with a grand variety of complex flavors ranging from dark chocolate, dark fruits, oak, marshmallow smores, rocky road ice cream, flan, fruit cake, bourbon, banana split, maple syrup, earthy hop notes and wine notes. No alcohol in the taste, crimson pitch black body, silky smooth, creamy, velvety, chewy and slightly syrupy mouthfeel with and easy to moderate drinkability despite the ABV.

Overall:
For being in the business 20 years, they got their stuff down and hands down, this is ridiculously delicious! They have Cuvee experts for years and even getting winemakers to assist with their creations to make something that is nothing but legendary. The best part about this beer and any of their other anniversary beers is that they have sold them to the public in many quantities for many to enjoy. Now it is your turn, seek this one as it is a must experience!

Anime Corner:
Gainax and Trigger Studios Crossover characters were all used to represent all the flavors and all the beers used in this beer but in general all the years of blending awesome beers. Moreover, really for celebration in general. Some of the best characters in Anime are in this pairing.

Sources:
http://cdn30.us1.fansshare.com/image/mahoromatic/ogza-fanservice-1437649123.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ywcJbAA.jpg

(Double Review) 2016 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (4.0) and 2015 Farking Wheaton W00tstout (3.0) (1year aged)

August 2, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged 2015 W00tStout, 2016 w00tstout, 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, Star Wars, Star Wars beer, Starwars, 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, w00tstout 3.0, w00tstout 4.0, wheat, Wil Wheaton | 1 Comment

Another year has come to the release of the awesome and ultimate Beer Geek Beer, the W00tstout. This beer has been a beer I always look forward to every year in which I compare the previous year to the current release. While I really love this one, I am not sure how long I will keep doing these double reviews but one thing is for sure, I will be doing a special review when I end up brewing the recipe myself. I actually got a hold of the recipe and may create my own version of W00stout. Anyways, I have last year’s version which is the 2.0 combined with the 1.0 recipe. This year’s version is a take back to the first recipe, the W00tstout 1.0 which is released as 4.0. These beers are readily available for a limited time. So let’s take a look at the newest release and see how it stands to the previous year. Cheers!

====2016 Farking Wheaton W00tStout

2016 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout 4.0 (4th year release) 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:
Has it been three years since we introduced the world to w00tStout? about a dozen years ago, I had the pleasure of getting to know Wil Wheaton when he reached out as a fan of our beers. Over the years, we kept plotting to brew a beer, and it finally came together in 2013. We brought mutual friend Drew Curtis (founder of fark.com) aboard to round out a three-way collaboration. The imperial stout you’re holding contains wheat (Wil pretty much insisted and we paid tribute to Drew’s Kentucky roots by adding pecans to the mix and partially aging the beer in bourbon barrels. The result? Nothing short of serendipitous. This is release No. 4 of our decadent staple of Hop-Con, our annual July celebration of all things geeky, and goes back to the original recipe and process we started with in 2013.

We were honored to work with Amanda Conner, who lent her illustrative talents for the creation of this year’s w00tstout art in exchange for our donation to The Hero Initiative (heroinitiative.org), a charity organization that provides retirement funds for golden-age comic book artists. She’s worked on countless comics and characters over the years, including Gargoyles, Vampirella, Power Girl, Silk Spectre, and Harley Quinn. She’s also co-creator of Gatecrasher and had her art recently featured on The Big Bang Theory. We also had the honor of working with her husband, Jimmy Palmiotti, who helped with the creative process. He’s known for so many things that you either know him or or a quick web search will give you far more insight than could fit on this bottle.

Cheers! Greg

“This beer ages well. Cellar yours and in the smuggling compartment of a Corellian YT-1300 light freighter-or suitable cool and dark space in space. Pull it out to share on Life day with family or friends, either at the feast table or under the Tree of Life.
GREG KOCH, Stone Brewing CEO & Co Founder

“For When you absolutely, positively, must go to the Dark Side, this is a good stand-in”
DREW CURTIS, Fark.com Creator & Patent Troll Killer

“Hokey marketing and ancient fizzy beers are no match for a good w00tstout by your side”
WIL WHEATON, Actor & Web Celeb

===
Aromas:
Dark Chocolate, Bananas, clove spice, Hazelnut, Dark fruits like raisins, prunes, figs, dates, dark cherries, port wine, toasted coconut, pecan pie, milk chocolate, Chocolate Mousse, vanilla, rye bread, butterscotch, toffee, brown sugar, licorice, mint, molasses, chocolate oatmeal raisin cookies, cinnamon hints, coconut hints, almond joy, old mango, mild stone fruit peach, pears, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel and Banana Sundae.

Flavors:
Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Mousse, German Chocolate, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dates, currants, dark cherries, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, bananas, clove spice, banana split ice cream, fig pudding, earthy notes, mint, toasted wheat bread, rye, old mango, mild stone fruit peach, pears, molasses, licorice, mocha, Kahlua liqueur, roasted coffee, vanilla, bourbon hints, dulce de leche caramel, butterscotch, chocolate oatmeal raisin cookies, cinnamon hints, coconut hints, almond joy, rocky road ice cream and mild sangria hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with chocolate, rye, vanilla, caramel, dark fruit, molasses, and toasted wheat with pecan and almond buttery hints. Mildly boozy taste but not detracting from the flavors, pitch black full body, syrupy, smooth, velvety and creamy mouthfeel with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
The new edition is essentially the original. Supremely decadent and amazing as ever. While being mildly boozy, this one is one that is probably better aged but even as is, it never ceases to amaze me. With the rich dessert flavors of a Stout with quad notes and banana sundae goodness, it has inspired me to make it on my own. Not only for the ultimate beer geek and fan of Star Wars but for those that love strong dark stouts too. As every year, supremely and highly recommended.

======2015 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout

2015 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (3rd year release but now 1 year aged as of 2016) 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 then blended with W00tstout 2.0 and all aged in bourbon barrels once again. W00t!

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.”

In celebration of the third brewing of this annual offering, we added to the mix a version of last year’s vintage that we aged in bourbon barrels for a year. Consider it a superhero version of this sudsy staple of Hop-Con, our imaginary titled annual July W00tstout release event!

Brought in to put a personalized stamp on this year’s edition of w00tstout was famed comic-book cover artist Dave “The Reverend” Johnson. The Elsner Award winner, known for his work for DC Comics and Vertigo series “100 Bullets.” created the fine art for this bottle in exchange for out donation to The Hero Initiative (heroinitiative.org), a charity organization that provides retirement funds for golden-age comic book artists.

======
Aromas:
Dark fruits of raisins, plums, figs, dates, cherries, currants, blackberries, blueberries, prunes, dark candy sugar, dulce de leche caramel, crème brulee, bourbon, pecan pie, almond joy, toasted coconut, rocky road ice cream, bananas, clove spice, brown sugar, whipped cream, crème brulee, bourbon, tobacco, leathery notes, bourbon soaked fruit cake, walnut pie, marzipan, sangria, cinnamon, ginger bread, rocky road ice cream, praline ice cream and mint chocolate chips.

Flavors:
Super Dark fruits of raisins, plums, figs, dates, cherries, currants, blackberries, blueberries, prunes, boysenberries, rich banana split on a boysenberry cobbler, hazelnut nectar, clove spice, toasted wheat bread, rye bread, dark candy sugar, dulce de leche caramel, crème brulee, bourbon, pecan pie, almond joy, toasted coconut, rocky road ice cream, Jamoca Ice cream, Praline ice cream, licorice, molasses, earthy notes, mint chocolate chip ice cream, oatmeal cookies, sweetened condensed milk, flan, cinnamon, brown sugar, whipped cream, crème brulee, bourbon, tobacco, leathery notes, fruit cake, port wine, sangria and marzipan.

Aftertaste:
Rich Dark fruit raisins, prunes, figs, currants, cheeries, bananas, port wine, sangria, caramel, vanilla, rocky road and milk chocolate, hints of bourbon and oak. No alcohol in the taste, Full body with a pitch black body, Syrupy, velvety, creamy mouthfeel with a sipping drinkablity.

Overall:
Awesome Dark fruit sauce! The Cuvee of 2.0 and 1.0 make for one beer that is essentially more dark fruit forward that it was when I first had it. I expected no less from this one but damn, there was just so much deliciousness I was not ready for. Belgian stout/quad and chocolate notes to the umpteenth power. The fact that the booze dissipated too also gave way to a much greater complexity. Just like I have done several times, saving a couple of bottles for aging is definitely worth it and I recommend you do the same.

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this year’s pairing of 2016 W00tstout and 2015 W00tstout. Just like the last several year, I wanted to represent the 3 collaborators Wil Wheaton, Drew Curtis. Greg being Asuka from the original Mari being Wil and Drew is Rei. In this Star Wars version of the beer I wanted to pay tribute with some crossover Evangelion artwork where Shinji’ Ikari’s dad is the the Gargoyle. Yes the characters seem to be mixed around but they are still characters for the original brew pairings. It has been along time coming with these awesome Geek beers and hope more to come. Great Job and Cheers to all Sci-Fi, Anime and Beer fans out there!

Sources:
https://i.warosu.org/data/tg/img/0211/60/1350453426412.jpg
http://orig13.deviantart.net/11cf/f/2016/045/3/6/evangelion_wars_by_lord__opal-d9rr47t.jpg
https://k41.kn3.net/taringa/2/2/1/8/2/2/60/kairack/C41.jpg?6429
https://36.media.tumblr.com/44f806c1176f847e2742a37097620c30/tumblr_o05z4xmQUN1v39f3co1_1280.jpg

Rating: 6/6 2016 W00TSTOUT
Rating: 6.25/7 2015 W00TSTOUT

Blooms In CyBlues Space Nubis Sanctum Ales

May 20, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged Apple Cider, Blooms In Cyblues Space, Blueberries, Evangelion, Hard Cider, Home brewing, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nubis Sanctum Ales, Rei Ayanami | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.65/5

Blooms In CyBlues Space Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 9% ABV Hard Apple Cider made with Blueberries.

==Introduction==

Project #21 was inspired by the need to make different flavored ciders. Just like my previous ciders, I wanted to make a cider using the most basic ingredients to see how good of a cider I can make. Blueberries were a decision partially made by me and my friend Juan who really loves blueberries and wanted a blueberry drink aside from blueberry beer. This is similarly made like the Raspberry cider but instead of raspberry it is using the blueberry flavoring at bottling. Now, let’s see how this one came out. Cheers!

Aromas:
Apple Pie, Blueberries, vanilla, dark fruit notes, stone fruits and cane sugar.

Flavors:
Apple pie notes, cane sugar, blueberries, blueberry muffin, blueberry yogurt, dark cherry, vanilla, honey, stone fruit peach hints, Danish cream, caramel apple, mild strawberry notes, tart sour apple hints, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with caramel apple, blueberries, vanilla ice cream on apple pie. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, Golden clear body, crips, clean, creamy and refreshing mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:
This one came out very good, especially on the draft pour. A difference from the Raspberry I can tell for sure is a slight tartness which I can only think is from the blueberry but either way, it is still “berry” delicious. Now the only thing is I have to see what other recipe of cider I can come up with whether I make the simple recipes or I make something more complex by using real fruits like I have with my beers.

Anime Corner:
Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing to go with the blueberries mainly. The name came about from the scenery of the picture. In the future where Rei is from, the world has been struck by what is called the Near Third Impact where the world is pretty much desolated and destroyed. Living in that world (CyBlues Space) would seem pretty depressing (the Blues) but where there is something so delicate like a flower, it blooms with the spirit of hope. Blooms In CyBlues Space is not only for the blue in Rei’s hair and the colors of blueberries, but also that hope that comes from even the smallest light in the sometimes depressing world. In this case, the cider to me represented yet another glimmer of hope into making even more delicious drinks as I continue my pursuit in the craft beer and cider world.

Sources:
http://wallpapershacker.com/wallpaper_3840x2160/ayanami_rei_neon_genesis_evangelion_of_ultra_3840x2160_hd-wallpaper-3007228.jpg

La Gran Conquista De La Emperatriz Carmesí Grand Cru by Nubis Sanctum Ales

February 6, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged anise, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Cand Sugar, Crystal Candi Sugar, Evangelion, Grand Cru, Home brewing, La Gran Conquista De La Emperatriz Carmesí Grand Cru, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nubis Sanctum Ales, Sweet Orange Peels | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

La Gran Conquista De La Emperatriz Carmesí Grand Cru by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 9% ABV Belgian Dark Strong Ale brewed with Sweet Orange Peels, Anise Seeds and Crystal Candi Sugar.

Label:
Legend tells a story about an Empress in the earlier parts of the Millennium that would unravel the mysteries of the universe by her dabbling in the arts of alchemy science and the supernatural. They called her the Crimson Empress since she enjoyed the color of blood. Not much is known about her or how she got into power in the first place. All that is known is that she had many advisers who would tend to her kingdom while she freely dabbled into the light and the darkness.

Her fascination with the unknown eventually lead to the discovery of a magic potion which allowed her to travel into other realms of existence and travel to the future subconsciously. Not much is known as to why this happened or even how this potion was made. People do know that it did cause her speak in other tongues and create her own apparel that seemed out of place for it’s time. While other powers could not overthrow her, as she was able to conquer many lands due to innovations and secrets that came as a result of the magic in the potion, she was eventually consumed by it. Many have come close to replicate the potion but none have come closest…until now!

Ingredients: Water, Malts, Hops Anise Seeds, Sweet Orange Peels, Crystal Candi Sugar & Belgian Wit Ale Yeast

==Introduction==

Behold! The magnificence of her grace, The Carmesi Crand Cru, or in this case, Crimson Grand Cru. Project #14 came to fruition with my need to create a Grand Cru like the ones by Alesmith, North Coast brewing and even the ones from Belgium. Essentially, the special kind of Dark Belgian Strong ales that are velvety, sweet but also clear and in some cases. The need to make a nectar like that was what inspired the brew. After looking around for different things that make the consistency of the brew I finally had it figured out. Surprisingly, it did not take long to make this one since it only sat in the fermenter for 1 month before I bottled it. The other thing is that it uses a Belgian Wit strain. So in terms of the style, stuff was definitely coming together as to why the Grand Crus taste the way they do. Anyways, time for the Cru Brew, Cheers!

Aromas:
Oranges, vanilla, Dulce de leche caramel, Anise forward, stone fruit peach notes, pears, apples, dark fruit raisins, figs, cherries, citrus, oranges, strawberries, stone fruit peach notes, pears, apples, mango hints, marshmallows, graham crackers, wafflecone, piloncillo sugar cone, rye bread and licorice.

Flavors:
Belgian Candi sugar, dark fruit raisins, figs, cherries, citrus, oranges, strawberries, leathery notes, bananas, clove spice, anise, licorice, molasses, tangerine hints, rye bread, biscuit bread, rock candy, stone fruit peach notes, pears, apples, vanilla, caramel, ginger bread, fruit cake hints, wine grape hints, guava preserves/membrillo, mango hints, marshmallows, graham crackers, wafflecone, honey combs and piloncillo sugar cone.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with some earthy hop notes, anise, coriander, candi sugar, oranges, vanilla, caramel and ginger spice. Slight alcohol in the taste, Dark Sunny Orangey Crimson medium body, creamy, smooth and refreshing mouthfeel with a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious brew I made here! Originally, even for a 9% ABV, the alcohol levels were high until I was able to let this sit for another month and damn it, it’s just about right to me. One thing I did notices on this one, it was extra spicy. Not in the way of heat but spicy in the sense that I would typically get from some different Belgian beers. It is not a bad thing but I think it is a bit much. I think next time I do this one, I will use less of the anise. Regardless, the best temp to drink it is warmer. That’s when all the rich sweet Belgian goodness started to appear. I was super pleased with the way this came out and glad I made the label for it.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami Soryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was my pairing that I used to make this brew since I wanted to pair with the Strong Red of her colors and the whole aspect of the brew being red in color but also orange under certain lightings. When I think of Grand Crus, I think of Royalty or something in relation to a beverage that is highly regarded. When I found the picture of Asuka as a Queen holding and spilling her drink, that’s when it hit me to make the label with her. In the description I mentioned that she was doing time travel and this fit the reason she is wearing the red plugsuit as it is not an apparel of the time period in the story of the description. All and all, I love how it came out and the butt pic? Well she’s royalty so bow down!

Sources:
http://static.tumblr.com/a7ff925dc64b9b5d566f6f9345d88825/mqkyq0i/bDKnlp4s1/tumblr_static_9cw0s1vj01kwg4kk0sksc0wo0.jpg
https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/09da1-asuka.jpg

Moses and the Misfits (a.k.a Whammy Bar) by Clown Shoes brewing

January 31, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, cacao nibs, clown shoes, Clown Shoes Brewing, cream ale, Evangelion, Moses and the Misfits, Neon Genesis Evangelion, vanilla, vanilla beans, Whammy Bar | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.95/5

Moses and the Misfits (a.k.a Whammy Bar) by Clown Shoes brewing is a 9.1% ABV Imperial Cream Ale brewed with Cacao Nibs and Vanilla beans.

Label:
Soulful tunes and great beer touch the best part of us here at Clown Shoes. Moses and the Misfits is an Imperial Cream Ale with cacao nibs and vanilla beans added for a unique contrast in flavor, and it was brewed in celebration of our 6th anniversary. We encourage those who drink this beer to tune into the music they love most and join the misfits of the Clown Shoes brigade.

==Introduction==

It is once again, the anniversary of an awesome brewing company. Clown Shoes celebrated their 6th anniversary in December and to kick off stuff, they released a cream ale with chocolate and vanilla. Last year they had the Quadruple ale which was an awesome feat. While this is not a barrel aged beer, I am sure it is not too far from awesome. Or at least I would like to assume given the fact that I have yet to have a bad beer from Clown Shoes. So with the addition of chocolate and vanilla, I am hoping for a much richer cream ale than its base may hint to be. Let’s see what this is about.

Aromas:
Tropical fruits like pineapple notes, passion fruit, dragon fruit, citrus, floral, and grapefruit hops, Irish cream, graham crackers, cherry hints, white raisin hints, white chocolate, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, banana cream, marshmallows, crème brulee and waffle cone.

Flavors:
Vanilla, Chocolate notes, white chocolate hints, tropical fruit like passion fruit, dragon fruit, kiwi, pineapple, citrus, floral, and grapefruit hops, waffle cone, marshmallows, pilsner grain, white grapes, crème brulee, dulce de leche caramel, Irish cream, graham crackers, cherry hints, white raisin hints, rye bread, biscuit bread, peanut butter hints, pecans and banana cream pie.

Aftertaste:
Finishes mildy dry with graham crackers, vanilla, white chocolate hints, caramel and grassy hops.
No alcohol in the aftertaste, Golden medium to full body, creamy, crisp, refreshing and smooth mothfeel.

Overall:
A very delicious cream ale ranging from different sweet flavors. While not the biggest complex thing I the world, the flavors it did have were varying and delicious. One of the best cream ales I have had in a while. It is out there for a limited amount of time so I think if you love cream ales, this is a hefty and delicious one.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami Soryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing to represent all the characters wailing on the guitars. Her colors represent the colors of the beer, nice gold but also the red and brown from the cacao nibs and vanilla all the way to the theme of Moses in which it pairs with the Evangelion series being about Angels and Heaven and Demons. All in all awesome.

Sources:
http://konachan.com/sample/27862827785381547defb325adca7ae8/Konachan.com%20-%20103991%20sample.jpg

Nein by Surly brewing

October 27, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged 9th Anniversary, anniversary ale, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Charred Oak Barrels, Dunkelweizen, Evangelion, Mari Illustrious, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Nein, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rei, Rei Ayanami, Smoked Ale, Smoked Hefeweizen, surly, Surly 9 | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/6

Nein by Surly brewing is a 10% ABV Smoked Dunkelweizen/Rauchbier aged in Charred Oak barrels.

Label:
Who would have thought, when we sold our first keg in 2006, that we would raise our 9th Anniversary glasses in a new brewery, restaurant, and beer hall? So much has changed in such a short time, both at Surly and across Minnesota. The state’s beer scene is exploding and we are proud to have been part of the boom. Two things, however, haven’t changed a bit – Todd’s distinctive take on beer styles and our local artists’ amazing talent. Erica Williams’ meticulous design for NEIN is the perfect match for Todd’s approach to his craft.

Cheers to nine years!

Inspired by a recent trip to Bamberg, Germany. NEIN is brewed with oak-smoked wheat malt, fermented with German Hefe yeast and aged on charred oak. It’s a huge, complex, dark beer, delivering the intense flavors of smoked banana, vanilla and clove.

==Introduction==

Surly is one of those breweries that really stands on its own. An awesome complex and evil (in the demon theme) but deliciously good brewery that really stands out just like the Three Floyds. However, unlike Three Floyds, there is a sense of strong appreciation that is not overly hyped and yet consistently themed, especially since their beers maybe a little difficult but still obtainable if you are able to look hard enough. A world class brewery with so much to say about its awesome glory in the craft beer world that brings a lot of crazy awesome brews. Now for their 9th anniversary ale, it is my pleasure to bring it forth to the site. Cheers!

Aromas:
Smoked oak wood, dark chocolate, banana notes, clove spices, dark fruits like, raisins, figs, prunes, plums, cherry notes, oatmeal cookies, toasted coconut , fruit cake, brown sugar, clove spice, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, marshmallow smore hints, anise, and maple hints.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, smoked biscuit, grilled bananas, plantain, clove spice, coriander spice, mint chocolate, rye bread, dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, plums, cherry notes, blue berry notes, stone fruit peach, oatmeal cookies, molasses, anise, coffee cake, maple notes, dulce de leche, vanilla, biscuit bread, toasted coconut hints, flan, fruit cake, oak, smokey campfire, chocolate marshmallow smores, graham crackers, piloncillo sugar cone, banana nut bread, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie and boysenberry cobbler.

Aftertaste:
Smoked wheat, bananas, dark chocolate, earthy notes, clove spices, anise, fruit cake and oak. No alcohol in the taste, dark brown full body, creamy, smooth and chewy mouthfeel with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Exceptional beer reminiscent of an old favorite of mine called “Art of Darkness” Ommegang but also some other smoked heffs I had a while back. Unique as always still, Surly has made this one quite unite not being overly smokey but still being everything it can be from the banana clovey and spicy notes that I enjoy from lots of my German beers. An imperial German beer at that and very much full force in terms of flavors. Get this one while it lasts! Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this pairing as I wanted to pair mainly with the 3 lions and the multiple eyes similarly to the way the Evas (Humanoid/Alien Robots from the show) appear but also right down to their core which is what these 3 awesome girls represent. On one hand, you have each representing the lion, especially with Asuka being the German Japanese influencer, Rei the dark fruit and Smoking hot yet intellectually mixed Mari and the other the lions as robots and then them wearing the dresses. The whole point of the dresses was for a celebration!!!!

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/C7MkFnC.jpg
http://k38.kn3.net/taringa/1/2/4/2/4/0/03/marduk5233/EAD.jpg?2675

Tailgater by Flat Tail

August 28, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Evangelion, Flat Tail, German Kölsch, German style, Kölsch, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Pilsner malt, Tailgater, Tailgating | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Tailgater by Flat Tail is a 5% ABV German Kölsch.

Label:
A sophisticated slammer, for the progressive redneck in us all…

Tailgating doesn’t have to mean crap beer, and the good stuff shouldn’t have to come with directions. Rich German Pilsner malt, a hint Noble hops, and the kind of brilliant yet unfiltered clarity that only comes with time . So, lock those hubs, drop that tailgate, and pop that top with your pinky up. After all, this isn’t your Grandpa’s fizzy yellow beer.

==Introduction==

Got this one as a freebie from CraftsShack.com for ordering some good beers. Looks like being a good customer pays off after a while. Thanks for the freebie guys! Also, instead of just drinking this off, I decided, what the hey, we don’t get this one locally, Review time! Technically, this would be my second Flat Tail Brewing beer, where the Cyanide and Hoppiness was the first. I don’t think I have tried the actual Kölsch style before in a review or ever really. I heard it is really light and easy to drink and from I can tell so far in appearance, it surely is looking that way. So let’s give this one a shot shall we?

Aromas:
Citrus, honey, cane sugar notes, phenolic bready hints, hints of clove spice, lemon, green apples, Stone fruit peach hints, pilsner malt, lyche fruit, piney hop hints, biscuit bread and cereal grains.

Flavors:
Citrus, Stone fruit peaches, light apricots, pilsnery malt, biscuit bread, cereal grain hints, orange notes, lychee, piney hints, honey, cane sugar notes, phenolic bready hints, hints of clove spice, lemon, green apples and honey dew melon.

Aftertaste:
Finishin dry with minor notes of the stone fruit and citrus. No alcohol in the taste, clear straw colored light body, crisp, clean and refreshing and easy to drink.

Overall:
Amazing, such a light body and great summer beer. I did not know what to think of this one coming into it but the more I drank it the more I like it. Like the very definition of summer with nothing too over powering and yet so refreshing and delicious. Makes me want to take a look at the Kölsch style more and more to see what great things it has.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami/Sohryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing to go with the whole Tailgating theme but the actual Tailgating done by Germans. In this case, Germans would typically go tailgating for a Football/Soccer game and not American Football. Regardless of what sport is being tailgated, this beer fits right in. But because it is a German Kölsch, Asuka, being half German and representing the German National team, was definitely the Goal!

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/ZGLuLQc.jpg

(Double Review) 2015 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout and Stone W00tstout 2.0 (1year aged)

July 17, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged 2015 W00tStout, 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 ages since I have done a double review. However, this type of review is no exception. This is actually a pretty damn special type of double review that gains the notoriety every year. Meaning, people and all beer geeks love W00tStout. It is just plain and simple. This year, I bring for the W00tstout 2.0 that was aged for 1 year and the 2015 W00stout which, to my surprise, was a blend of the W00tstout 2.0 with the original recipe. Talk about supreme epicness right there. So I decided to dissect both of these individually and come to terms as to which one I love the most. The newer one that is a blend of the old one or the older one. So let’s check these babies out, cheers!

2015 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout Review
2015 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (3rd year release) 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 then blended with W00tstout 2.0 and all aged in bourbon barrels once again. W00t!

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.”

In celebration of the third brewing of this annual offering, we added to the mix a version of last year’s vintage that we aged in bourbon barrels for a year. Consider it a superhero version of this sudsy staple of Hop-Con, our imaginary titled annual July W00tstout release event!

Brought in to put a personalized stamp on this year’s edition of w00tstout was famed comic-book cover artist Dave “The Reverend” Johnson. The Elsner Award winner, known for his work for DC Comics and Vertigo series “100 Bullets.” created the fine art for this bottle in exchange for out donation to The Hero Initiative (heroinitiative.org), a charity organization that provides retirement funds for golden-age comic book artists.
—–

Aromas:
Rich chocolate, rich banana split, 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:
Danish cream, hazelnut nectar, sweetened condensed milk, Rich Banana Split, Kahlua, dark and milk chocolate, molasses, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dates, mocha coffee, port wine, rye pie crust, bourbon, butterscotch, buttered praline ice cream, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, bananas, clove spice, fig pudding, raisin bread pudding, coriander spice, earthy notes, hints of mint, wheat toast, oatmeal cookies, flan cinnamon and whipped cream..

Aftertaste:
Rich Banana split, rocky road and milk chocolate, Dark fruit raisins, cherries, plums, prunes, hints of bourbon, port wine, oak, caramel and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, Syrup mouthfeel with a sipping drinkablity and pitch black appearance with not much head retention.

Overall:
I have no idea how crazy this year’s version would get. Somehow, with the Cuvee blend of the W00tStout 2, the beer became more of a chocolate banana split and pecan pie forward beer. This is actually a great thing. Save several bottles of this one as who knows what this will be like when comparing it to the Super W00t when they release it from Berlin. For now, just know this year takes the best of both the original and W00tstout 2.0 and takes it to another level! W000000tttt!!

W00tstout 2.0 (1year aged) Review
Stone W00stout 2.0 (1 year aged) 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 Kentucky 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:
Very dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, dates, Rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, Kahlua, Rich Bananas, toasted coconut, 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, rich chocolate banana split sundae, flan, sweetened condensed milk and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Rich bananas, pecan pie, coconut, flan, sweetened condensed milk, dark, bakers, milk, Abuelita and Belgian Chocolates, Very Rich dark fruits like prunes, raisins, figs, dark cherries, black currants, grapes, almond joy chocolate, raisin bread pudding, Danish cream, Chocolate eclair, chocolate moose, 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, brown sugar, wheat toast with nutella, mint and molasses.

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

Overall:
I can honestly say, time has done miracles for this version of the beer. Along with the rich dark chocolates that come about, the rich dark fruits are more forward along with an even bigger and richer banana split and nutty flavor. The richer combination of the dark fruits and chocolates reaches some of the Belgian Quad notes and Belgian Stout notes stronger than it did last year. I highly recommended bringing this one out of the cellar if you have it as trying them both side by side, I could tell I love this one even more for its chocolate and dark fruit forward goodness but yet, I love the other one for its Banana split goodness. W00t!!!

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this years pairing of W00tstout and W00tstout 2.0. Just like last year, I wanted to represent the 3 collaborators Wil Wheaton, Drew Curtis and the addition of Aisha Tyler which to Greg’s Place last year. Now that Greg’s back, we can use them interchangeably as you can see Greg being Asuka from the original and Mari being Asisha cheering on their hard work. Don’t worry, Drew is and Wil are there as well, kinda lol. Great Job and Cheers to all Sci-Fi, Anime and Beer fans out there!

Sources:
http://www.bankoboev.ru/…/Bankoboev.Ru_evangelion_3_devushk…
http://www.zerochan.net/full/661580
http://konachan.com/…/Konachan.com%20-%20154543%20sample.jpg

Rating: 6/6 2015 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (3rd Edition)
Rating: 6.2/7 W00tstout 2.0 (1 year aged)

2011 Cuir (3rd Anniversary) by The Bruery

June 23, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged 3rd Anniversary, anniversary ale, Bois Bourbon Barrel Aged, cuir, dark fruits, Evangelion, Leather, Misato Katsuragi, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Old Ale, The Bruery, world class beers, World Class Old Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 6.2/5

2011 Cuir (3rd Anniversary) by The Bruery is a 14.5% World Class Old Ale blend with 75% ale and 25% ale aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
Bottle 14277
This sturdy beer marks our third year, and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years.

Cuir (Leather) will age gracefully for decades when cellared properly.

Commercial Description:
Cuir is our third anniversary ale. It is the same recipe as Papier and Coton, created using the Solera method. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit, vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, we blended a portion of both Papier and Coton that had been aging in oak barrels with this new batch of the same beer, adding an additional layer of complexity that will grow over time as we continue to age and blend with each anniversary, creating an older average age to the ale.

==Introduction==
Cuir or “Leather” in French, in the traditional sense of the wedding anniversary gifts, refers to the 3rd year in which Leather is given. The beer will be released in 2011 but was sold as a special release in May 2015 to the public. I was able to snag a bottle since I have never had it or brought it to the site. Unfortunately, this was only sold one at a time so in order to get this one, you may have to trade for it unless you have in your cellar already. Regardless, it is something very special that may not see the light of day or hardly a taste bud for that matter and therefore, it reserves its right to fame in the Animebeers community. Cheers!

Aromas:
Brown sugar, chocolate truffles, pears, waffle cone, white chocolate, raspberry chambord, leather, oak, marshmallows, bourbon hints, chocolate smores, toffee, wine notes, port wine, wine grapes, raisin bread pudding, rice pudding, butterscotch, dark belgian candi sugars, dark fruits galore like raisins, rich plums, dark cherries, blue berries, currants, black berries, raspberries, figgy pudding, flan, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, stone fruit apricots, peaches, pears and Cadbury cream eggs.

Flavors:
Supreme dark fruits galore like raisins, rich plums, dark cherries, blue berries, currants, black berries, raspberries, figgy pudding, flan, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, stone fruit apricots, peaches, pears, Cadbury cream eggs, burnt sugar, grilled bananas, brown sugar chocolate truffles, pears, waffle cone, white chocolate, raspberry chambord, leather, oak, marshmallows, bourbon hints, chocolate smores, toffee, wine notes, port wine, wine grapes, raisin bread pudding, rice pudding, butterscotch, dark belgian candi sugars, dark chocolate, rock candy and banana split sundae.

Aftertaste:
Super rich dark fruits and extreme complex flavors or rich caramel, toffee, port wine, dark cherries, chocolate hints, marshmallows, bourbon, oak, butterscotch and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste as time has done wonders to this beer. Smooth, creamy, syrupy and silky mouthfeel, Moderate to sipping drinkability, crimson red brown clear body.

Overall:
A true wine among beers! Damn, this beer was over the top super dark fruit centric involving such a damn richness that I have only seen with beers that have been aging for more than 3 years! The reason it feels like a wine amongst the beers of the world has to do with the dark fruits but the aging making it super complex and velvety. I have no idea what Wine Connoisseurs do but I am assuming it has to be close to this as they do drink fermented beverages that age for 5, 10, 20 even 50 years. Cuir just seems like something so above the other beers of the Bruery Anniversary I have tried that it makes me wonder what time will say about those beers some day. Here’s hoping but if you can trade, get it for sure!

Anime Corner:
Misato Katsuragi from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing because along with my theme of using plug suit characters from Evangelion, Misato was one of my favorite characters that I don’t think really got to wear a plug suit outside the original series and was definitely something I wanted to bring forward. So since we are going backwards from “Fruet”, I felt this was the appropriate place to do so with her and continue the Bruery Anniversary tradition even if going backwards. She was damn perfect for this pairing because of the dark fruits but also because her “what if” scenario where she sported a plugsuit it was said to be made of dark leather. Dark Leather plus Dark Fruit colors from her hair is what Cuir is all about in its flavors true and rich!

Sources:
http://th09.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2013/323/9/4/misato_wallpaper_by_reptileye-d6u6x4k.jpg
http://hdwallpapersfactory.com/wallpaper/neon_genesis_evangelion_nerv_misato_katsuragi_desktop_1754x1240_hd-wallpaper-655410.jpg

Mach 10 (マッハ – テン) by Bear Republic brewing

June 9, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged インヂイアペ-ルエ-ル 2, マッハ - テン, Bear Republic Brewing, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Evangelion, india pale ale, IPA, IPA², Mach 10, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rei Ayanami | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Mach 10 (マッハ – テン) by Bear Republic brewing is a 9.2% ABV Double India Pale Ale (インヂイアペ-ルエ-ル 2)

Label:
Pass through the event horizon with this IPA². American Cascades meld a citrus blast with spicy English First Golds. Savor an intense hoppiness, smooth bitterness and subtle malt character. Prepare to go hypersonic!

==Introduction==

Bear Republic has released another awesome IPA. This one, along with the different Racer beers, in relation to anime, have been some of the beers IPAs I have tried. This time, releasing one using the Japanese Katakana writing system confirms their passion for anime too. As such, I had to bring this one on board for the review as well. Cheers!

Aromas:
Stone fruit peach, apricot, pineapple notes, honey, lots of berry hints, passion fruit,tangerine candy, gummi bears, biscuit bread, toffee, pears, banana notes, orange marmalade, rye bread, currants, brown sugar, floral, lemon grapefruit, citrus and piney hop hints.

Flavors:
Citrus, Grapefruit, earthy, piney, floral and lemon hops, honey, passion fruit, tangerine candy, gummi bears, biscuit bread, toffee, pears, banana notes, strawberries, prickly pears, dragon fruit, coriander, caramel, mint, stone fruit peach, apricot, pineapple notes, cilantro, basil, lavender, green tea, hints of sweetened condensed milk, orange marmalade, rye bread, blueberry and currant notes.

Aftertaste:
Honey, strawberry hints, caramel, stone fruit hints, minor tropical hints oranges, gummi bears and floral hops. No alcohol in the taste, Gold light body, creamy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and easy drinkability despite this being high ABV.

Overall:
A perfect candy IPA. Just to be fair, be warned as this beer is on the fruitier and sweeter side than the hop forward side. Not in the tropical region much but the citrus and malty side. I really like this one so I think to me it hits many levels that I enjoy off sweet beers. So if you are hop herbal centric, this may not be for you. If you love sweeter IPAs then this one might be your beer. Kanpai!

Anime Corner:
Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing as to go with the whole aspect of the racing uniform suit. Although, many of the characters I have chosen for the Racing series of Bear Republic IPAs, this one is more of a jet fighter one. Well, Rei pilots an Evangelion, a robotic/biological suit. As she is in this picture piloting, she looks like she is on a fighter plane and the colors just adds to the greatness that compliments the beer label.

Sources:
http://anime.oohapp.com/_data/i/upload/2013/07/04/20130704121538-b8818b9e-la.jpg

Sgt. Stiglitz Hefeweizen by El Boracho Home brewing

April 28, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, banana notes, El Borracho Home Brewing, German Hefeweizen, Inglourious Basterds, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sergeant Stiglitz, Sgt. Stiglitz Hefeweizen, William Carranza | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Sgt. Stiglitz Hefeweizen by El Boracho Home brewing is a 4.9% ABV Germen Hefeweizen.

==Introduction==

A much appreciated and awesome donation by my good friend and homebrew brother, William Carranza. This here is his first Hefeweizen! To go with the the German aspect of it, Will chose the name from one of the characters from his favorite movies, the Inglourious Basterds where the character Sgt. Stiglitz was famous for killing 13 Gestapo officers. I think the fact that the Heff is low in ABV could explain how Stiglitz could swoop in like a ninja and take out nazis. Meaning that the fact that this could be good and make you drink many would enough to take you out too. Let’s examine this one and special thanks to William once again, Prost!

Aromas:
Light banana notes, clove spice hints, bubble gum hints, vanilla hints, coriander, orange hints, peppercorn and peach cereal notes.

Flavors:
Banana, clove spice, coriander spice, orange hints, caramel, honey notes, peach hints, toffee, wheat bread and biscuits.

Aftertaste:
Banana notes, wheat bread, orange hints, honey, caramel toffee and peach hints. No alcohol in the taste, caramel gold body, crisp, smooth and refreshing mouth feel and easy to drink.

Overall:
A very good heff that got better the more I drank it. Definitely in that summer ale range. While it is more of a lighter heffeweizen, a good amount of the delicious banana and clove spice of heffs can be found in this one.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Soryu Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this paring to go with the Sergeant Stiglitz as she is German descendant and an Eva pilot who would brutally and viciously destroy her enemies down to ripping their guts out in rage. Yes, as seen in The End of Evangelion movie. So definitely fitting for the Sergeant’s character but also this beverage which is easy going and smooth but keep drinking more I am sure you will have a “wonderful” time.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/379623-2480×3508-neon+genesis+evangelion-gainax-soryu+asuka+langley-eva+02-jacky-long+hair.jpg

Drink It Down Brown by El Borracho Home Brewing

January 21, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged American Brown ale, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Brown ale, brown sugar, Drink It Down Brown, El Borracho Home Brewing, Evangelion, Home brewing, Neon Genesis Evangelion | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.75/5

Drink It Down Brown by El Borracho Home Brewing is a 4.4% ABV American Brown Ale.

==Introduction==

My friend William Carranza’s attempt at another home brew recipe for one of his favorite beer styles, the American Brown Ale. This ale was brewed using a slight modification to the original recipe using other ingredients. As a result, he realized this was not what he had expected as the last beer was way better. The beer, at the same time, was also more drinkable as well and there for the name, Drink it down Brown was given. I got a chance to try this beer before the review and I liked it despite the fact that he did not so much. Let us take a look at this one, cheers!

Aromas:
Chocolate hints, caramel notes, mild earthy notes, brown sugar, hints of mild coffee, mild raisins, and pecan notes.

Flavors:
Caramel notes, dark chocolate hints, earthy grains, rye, mild coffee, toffee, mild raisin notes, biscuit brad, pecan notes, hazelnut and brow sugar.

Aftertaste:
Nice dry finish with mild chocolate, earthy grains, toffee, caramel and mild dark fruit. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink and medium body.

Overall:
A pretty good Brown Ale. Will described this one as more of a New Castle like brew. For me, it is still leagues above New Castle and more flavorful at that. While it may not have been a total success for my friend, there were others like myself that really enjoyed this one. The best thing about homebrewing is experimenting sometimes and sometimes batches of beer come out exceptional and sometimes not so much. Regardless, it is still helpful to learn greater methods of brewing along the way. For that, I would recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami/Sohryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen in this pairing once again as it was the best one that suited the pairing based on my friend Will’s pick from the list. Honestly, I agree as this fits well with the whole drink because you are thirsty. The colors represent the brown and the potential the beer has to grow into something more.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/KHZ7F0j.jpg

Marionberry Braggot by Rogue brewing

January 16, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Ancient Ale, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Braggot, Braggot style, Evangelion, honey, Mari Illustrious, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Marionberries, Marionberry Braggot, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rogue Ales, rogue brewing, Rogue Farms | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5* As far as Braggots go.

Marionberry Braggot by Rogue brewing is an 11.42% ABV Braggot brewed with marionberries and honey.

Label:
We made this braggot with our own marionberries, hops, barley, and honey. Situated across from 40 acres of Rogue hops, 119 Colonies of bees were carefully kept, fed, and smoked and the honey was uncapped, extracted, filtered and finally infused into a refreshing Marionberry Braggot.

17 INGREDIENTS: Rogue Farms Honey & Wildflower Honey; Rogue Farms Dare™, Risk™, Dare™ R-1, Dare™ R-3, Risk™ R-1, Risk™ R-3, Risk™ R-7, Maier Munich & C120 Malts; Rogue Farms Flaked Rye; Rogue Farms Rebel Hops; Rogue Farms Marionberries & Marionberry Juice; Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast.

==Introduction==

A Braggot is a style of fermented drink brewed in the 12th century. Blending spices, herbs, mead (honey wine) and beer. This is the first time I try a Braggot and frankly I don’t know what to expect. It is much closer to a mead and a beer so I will take it as I can. I have never had marionberry either but they do look a lot like dark raspberries or a blackberry. I can only apply so much of my beer expertise to this one and since it is a hybrid of a mead and beer, I can only do as best I can. Lets dig into this one shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Marrionberries?, Dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, earthy notes, rye bread, vanilla, caramel, honey, ginger spice, herbal notes, flowers, lavender, pomegranates, brown sugar and pecan pie, and milk chocolate.

Flavors:
Rich dark fruits like raisins, figs, marionberries?, dark cherry, raspberries, blackberries, currants, pomegranate, spices, rye bread, earthy notes, green tea, honey, herbs, toffee, biscuit bread, vanilla caramel, slight hint of flan, ginger spice, cinnamon hints, flowers, lavender, wild flower nectar, pecan pie and almond joy chocolate.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with some herbal yet sweet honey and rich berry sweetness behind with caramel, vanilla and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste regardless of the ABV, dark brown body, easy to moderate drinkability despite the ABV and creamy, smooth and mildly syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
Since I can’t judge a Braggot since since this type of drink is so rare, I can only say for being my first kind I really like it and I think it is perfect. The rich flavors are sweet but there are is a sense of herbs and some hidden spices that balances everything out so it is not like an ale in that sense. This reminds me of Dogfish Head Forte in a way. Also, the alcohol is not even present which is concerning since it is easy to drink. Not that I would have a problem with it but trying to drink the whole thing would be like a night capper. For being the first Braggot I try, I definitely recommend it if you like fruit like ales or meads. I would gladly get this again.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami/Sohryu and Mari Illustrious from Evangelion were used in this pairing to pair with the colors of the bottle, the color of the ingredients of the beer such as the variety of berries and the honey ofcourse. With the mix of Mari’s Brown hair (Body color), pink plug suit(Marionberries) and Asuka’s caramel colored hair(caramel and honey), Red plugsuit (Cherries and other dark fruits), Green plugs, (hops) and the birds (like the beers around the honey) this was the greatest pairing I could find for this beer. I really enjoyed the colors overall and the 12% ABV is mainly due to the fact that these 2 ladies are very very deadly and complete badasses. They are smooth as they are sexy but once they get you, your are done for!

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=9b816627b61bd4f0be82ec6d148452d5

Firestone XVIII Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker

November 28, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 18th Anniversary Ale, aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Strong Ale, anniversary ale, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Barleywine, Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, black ipa, Bourbon Barrel Aged, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, double jack, English Barleywine, Firestone Walker, Firestone XVIII, FLCL, Fooly Cooly, Haruko Haruhara, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Oatmeal Stout, Ol' Leghorn, Parabola, Rei Ayanami, Russian Imperial Stout, Stickee Monkee, Three Floyds, Velvet Merkin, Wookey Jack, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Firestone XVIII Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker is a 13% ABV World Class Strong Multi-liquor Barrel Aged Style Hybrid Blend Ale.

Description: (Please Click On The Strategy Guide/Letter From Firestone Walker)

38% Parabola (bourbon barrel aged Russiant imperial stout),
16% Helldorado (bourbon and brandy barrel aged blond barleywine),
16% Bravo (bourbon and brandy barrel aged brown ale),
14% Stickee Monkey (bourbon and brandy barrel aged quad),
5% Velvet Merkin (bourbon barrel aged oatmeal stout),
4% Hydra Cuvée (a blend too much of a mouthful to describe here),
3% Wookey Jack (black IPA),
2% Ol’ Leghorn (English barleywine, collaboration with Three Floyds, aged in fresh barrels),
2% Double Jack (Double IPA)

==Introduction==

It has been an awesome year for Firestone Walker beers and with the release of their 18th one, they add some new beers into their final blend. As with every year, this one comes with the strategy guide to basically see if you can figure out what’s what. While this is a difficult task, I try to write down as much as I can and see what new flavors this one is composed of versus the previous releases. It really does not matter sometimes as they have all beer exceptionally world class beers. Yes, don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich oak, vanilla, flan, bourbon, maple syrup, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, Belgium chocolate, German chocolate, ferrero rocher chocolate, toasted coconut, almond joy, dulce de leche caramel, rocky road ice cream, marshmallow smores, oreo cookies, cookies and cream, oatmeal cookies, cookie dough, cocada coconut candy, pilloncillo sugar cone, choco flan, dark fruits like currants, raisins, prunes, raspberry, cherries, currants, blackberries, capirotada raisin bread pudding, anise, molasses, brownies, brown sugar, bananas, clove spice hints, mocha, tres leches/three milks cake, dragon fruit, tangerine, pineapple hints and more!

Flavors:
Very strong oak barrel forward character, rich vanilla, bourbon, toasted coconut, almond joy, dulce de leche caramel, rocky road ice cream, marshmallow smores, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, Belgium chocolate, German chocolate, ferrero rocher chocolate, pralines, cookies and cream, oreo cookies, oatmeal cookies, cookie dough, flan, cinnamon hints, brown sugar, hazelnut, macademia nuts, cocada coconut candy, piloncillo sugar cone, dragon fruit, mango hints, pineapple hints, sweetened condensed milk, port wine, maple syrup, dark fruit currants, raisins, prunes, raspberry, cherries, currants, blackberries, capirotada raisin bread pudding, anise, molasses, brownies, brown sugar, bananas, clove spice hints, leather, tobacco, waffle cone, peaches and cream, pecan pie, candi sugars, rock candy, choco flan, espresso, mocha, toffee, tres leches/three milks cake, tangerine and more!

Aftertaste:
Port wine, dark chocolate, maple syrup, dark fruits, rocky road ice cream, oatmeal and oreo cookies, oak, vanilla, coconut, mango, chocolate chips and marshmallow smores with earthy hop notes finish at the end. No alcohol in the taste, Smooth and silky mouthfeel, dangerously easy to drink but should be handled as a sipper and crimson yet pitch black body.

Overall:
Exceptionally great. Each release more awesome than the last. I really think this one is the best one by far. If aged, it will will definitely do wonders I am sure. This one seems to have richer flavors which I am sure were due to the addition of the Three Floyds collab and the Hydra Cuvee as well as the Stickee Monkee, Velvet Merkin and Parabola. This beer is insane and it will only get more insane as time goes on. If you can still find this goodie, definitely get it. It is one of the best!

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley/Shikinami Sohrty, Rei Ayanami, Haruko Haruhara, and many others from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Fooly Cooly (FLCL) were used in this pairing to represent some of the blends represented by this beer. It is something I have done in the past with this series of Anniversary beers. This was a great pic because not only does it show case the colors of potential ingredients used but also how each flavor tries to out do the other. Also, Haruko was used in a previous Three Floyds collaboration this year (Rue D’Floyd) which represented her wacky aspect as “Not Normal”. The addition of Firestone and Three Floyd’s collab beer into this one made it so she can be in this pairing as well. What a bad ass!. Also, Asuka and Rei have been seen in pairings like Firestone’s Double Jack so they are definitely in the right pairing here too.

Sources:
http://articleimage.nicoblomaga.jp/image/64/2013/f/f/ffd9f7487115ef5bb2d6b22dedcca9f69c75e5641373178280.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/full/39691

Dead Ringer Oktoberfest

November 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Dead Ringer, German Beers, german tradition, Marzen, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Oktoberfest | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Dead Ringer Oktoberfest is a 6% Märzen / Oktoberfest.

Label:
Our Dead Ringer Oktoberfest lager is inspired by old-style Marzen brews customarily enjoyed during Bavaria’s world-famous beer festival. Thanks to an abundance of toasted malt and a lower hop bitterness, this dark reddish brown lager is loaded with sweet, caramel toffee flavors and aromas. All the taste and celebration of Oktoberfest packed into one bottle; no lederhosen required.

==Introduction==

I chose Dead Ringer to bring forth as I have never tried an Oktoberfest from Ballast Point. Ballast Point has made some great beers that I have enjoyed mainly in the past like their Sea Monster, Sculpin and Victory at Sea. I definitely wanted to try this one and bring it forth to see how good it would fare. It is never too late to enjoy an Oktoberfest even in November! Cheers!

Aromas:
Caramel, chocolate hints, biscuit bread, cereal graininess, apples, toffee, rye bread, drak fruit raisin hints, earthy hop notes, cinnamon, all spice, coriander, brown sugar, clove spice and apples.

Flavors:
Chocolate notes, caramel, vanilla, Cereal grain, toffee, biscuit bread, rye bread, dark fruit raisin hints, pecan pie, pretzels, earthy and grapefruit hops, citrus, black tea, clove spice, coriander spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, hazel nut, apples and toasted bread with grape jelly.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, caramel, toasted bread,earthy and grapefruit hop hints linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, clear to medium body and medium body feel.

Overall:
Very good Oktoberfest. This beer gets a lot better as it warms up but overall is easy to drink. You get more malt sweetness as it warm up. This a good beer to introduce people to craft beer. Especially during the Oktoberfest celebrations. While it is not the absolute number one in Oktoberfest, I think it is still very good and would recommend a try.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Shikinami Langley Sohryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen in this instance because of her mainly German roots and the fact that her suit holds some colors of the German Flag which is also a representative of the Oktoberfest. Because a skeleton is shown and Ballast Point is sea driven with pirates, fish, and skulls and crossbones, It would also fit as Asuka has an eye patch almost making her look like pirate. The combination fits as both Oktoberfest and Pirates party and drink happily!

Sources:
http://www.moeboard.net/static/data/table_moe/1414671842_fb01206d1d514e23e9e07312b145a795.jpg

Proprietor’s Reserve Double Jack (New Label) by Firestone Walker

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, double jack, Evangelion, Firestone Walker, Imperial Pale Ale, IPA, Neon Genesis Evangelion, proprietor's reserve, Rei Ayanami, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5 to 5.2/5* Better Fresher

Proprietor’s Reserve Double Jack (New Label) by Firestone Walker is a 9.5% ABV World Class Triple Dry Hopped Double/Imperial India Pale Ale

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
A dangerously drinkable Double IPA. Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas. Beautifully crafted undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity. Complex and aggressively hopped, and flawlessly balanced.

REMEMBER: Watch for bottled on dates located on the necks or bottom left corner of the label for each of our beers. Our beer is not pasteurized, so it is best when stored at 44F or below, out of light and within 120 days of the bottled on date…this ensures freshness and ultimately a great Firestone Walker beer!
___

A revisit to my beginnings where my first time with a double IPA was when I first had this beer. Back then when it was on tap, I could only compare it to the double IPA gold standard which became ruination. However, unlike ruination, this beer was more tropical so in essence, this would become one of my first Tropical double IPA before I started buying actual bottles. This beer is such a great IPA that I honestly think it belongs with in the Triple or maybe borderline Triple IPA style as it seems to get there similar to El Segundo Power Plant. While it may not be as epic, it is still a gold standard in my book for tropical IPAs. I brought this one back since I wanted to show case the new label but also to just re-review this one. This beer is widely distributed wherever they sell Firestone Walker beers. Cheers!

Aromas:
Citrus, Piney, Grapefruit, grassy and floral hops, blue basil herbs, biscuit bread, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, mango, tangerine, pineapple, lemon peel, caramel, toffee, vanilla, peach, apricot hints, guava hints and apple.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, Citrus and tangerine forward followed the the complex piney, grassy floral and mildly earthy hops, lemon peel, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon hints, papaya, mango, papaya, caramel, biscuit bread, vanilla hints, toffee hints, peach, plum hints, guava, apricot hints, blue basil herbs, dank lychee fruit.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, grapefruit, tangerine, blue basil, some tropics and dry piney bitterness linger. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer despite the light body, medium mouthfeel, crisp and refreshing wins everywhere.

Overall:
A perfect Double IPA! If it wasn’t anymore tropical, it would surely be at that triple IPA level. Even with the perfect rating, I can definitely see the rating go even higher to a 5.2 at it’s freshest. This beer was pretty fresh bottled about 3 weeks ago. So I am pretty stuck deciding on the rating. This beer is one of the best IPAs out there bar none. It can definitely go toe to toe with some of the best the world has to offer, hell even against pliny the elder, this is pretty much Pliny the 3rd. Go get this bottle now!!

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Sohryu/Shikinami and Rei Ayanami were the original characters I chose for this beer in my original review. Now that there is a new label, so be it as in Eva 3.0 they got the new plugsuits. Bad Ass. Now the reason I chose them has to do with the fact that Asuka and Rei have been a team forever. They are some of my favorite Anime characters. The Citrus and tangerine aspect as well as tropical comes from Asuka as well as the bitterness as that is her attitude. The Blue Basil, herbs, floral and piney hop aspect of the beer fits great with Rei as she has the blue hair going on. So the combination makes up the Double Jack you see here. That and the label pairs well with them as well.

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=70397813128c0b70a5c2c131a0e4b6b1
http://i.imgur.com/xT8Mndi.jpg

Decadence 2014 Anniversary Wheat Wine Ale by Alesmith

August 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 19th Anniversary, Alesmith, alesmith brewing, anniversary ale, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Barleywine, Decadence 2014, Neon Genesis Evangelion, wheat wine, Wheat-Wine Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Decadence 2014 Anniversary Wheat Wine Ale by Alesmith is a 10% ABV Blonde Barley/Wheat wine.

Label:
AleSmith Decadence Anniversary Ale was originally brewed in 2005 to celebrate our first decade in business. Our brewers had such a great time creating it that they decided to brew a new style each year to commemorate our anniversary.

Now, nineteen years after we started, we’re proud to present another great addition this ongoing series, AleSmith Decadence 2014 is our interpretation of a Wheat Wine Style Ale. The generous amounts of wheat used in the his beer impart a bready aroma with hints of honey, ripe fruit, and a spicy graininess. In the finish, a pleasant malty sweetness from the wheat is balanced by the addition of German and American hops. Enjoy this special brew now or age it at a cool temperature for a truly rewarding experience.
___

Alesmith turns 19 and they release a wheat wine this year. Many of the past Decadence beers have been a different type of style each year. The last 2 years I have tried the anniversary beers they have been very awesome. This year is a wheat wine style. Not many breweries make this type of style. The Bruery makes one that is bourbon barrel aged and is a portion of the awesome White Chocolate. Alesmith is known for well above and beyond beers so I am curious to see how this one fares. Here’s to many more years in making really great beers, Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla, peppercorns, biscuit bread, rye, honey, stone fruits like peach, apricot, oranges, coriander spice, lemon peel, passion fruit, mango, vanilla and caramel.

Flavors:
Honey, grape, white raisins, biscuit bread, peppercorn, vanilla, caramel, toffee, stone fruit like peach apricot, orange peel, lemon peel, coriander spice, cinnamon, banana hints, melon, dragon fruit notes, pineapple, apples, marshmallow hints, graham crackers, brown sugar, floral hops, almonds and pecans.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, rye, biscuit bread, grape, clove and coriander spice as well as some earthy notes. Alcohol notes in the taste. Smooth drinkability despite the ABV, caramel to golden full body, medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
While this beer is very good, it is best drunk warmer to release more flavors. Despite the ABV, this one flows really well. I found myself liking this one but not as much as the previous versions Anniversary ones I have had from Alesmith mainly because it only starts to get more complex the warmer it gets so drinking it colder is not really the best thing to do. Then again it is the style too. This is a wheat wine at its prime with no alterations or aging. I would recommend a try or at least aging this one but some of the other Alesmith beers have definitely rocked harder for sure. This one is still very good though.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Sohryu/Shikinami Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen for this pairing since I wanted to show the color pairing of the beer and the way the beer flows. As you can see the beer sparkles like Asuka in the sun but be warned because the 10% creeps up behind you like the dark hands of the Eva as they try and embrace Asuka to a dark level of flavor. That and the fact that you really have to let it warm up to get the best experience.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/MeXZjDK.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.

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.

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)

New American Oak Barrel Aged Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery

July 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 6th Anniversary Ale, anniversary ale, burnt sugar, Dark Cherries, Iron, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Neon Genesis Evangelion, New American Oak Barrel, Old Ale, Sucre, Sugar, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.8/5

New American Oak Barrel Aged Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery is a 14.5% ABV Old Ale aged in New American Oak Barrels.

Label:
100% Ale aged in New American Oak Barrels
This sturdy beer marks our sixth year, and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (ratebeer.com)
Sucré is our sixth anniversary ale, loosely brewed in the English-style Old Ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method.

A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with aged. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit, vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Sucré is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.
___

Yet another Sucré variant worth mentioning, or atleast the one that comes in the Preservation Society release for 2nd quarter of the Bruery’s beers, this one is aged in New Oak Barrels. I have previously tried many variations of this one and this one is most likely the last one I review as they don’t sell the other ones anymore, unless you are part of the Reserve Society. Anyways, I will try to break down the similarities to the original as well as include some of the extra flavors this one brings. Cheers!

Aromas:
Lots of dulce de leche caramel especially the special caramel made in Mexico. Bananas, lots of oak, butterscotch, vanilla notes, dark cherries, port wine, chardonay, sweetened condensed milk, leather, tobacco, pecan pie, plums, raisins, figs dates, apples, stone fruit hints, burnt sugars, candy sugars, brown sugars, graham crackers, molasses, maple syrup and waffle cone.

Flavors:
Wine Grapes, Rich Oak, Stone fruit, Lots of Dulce de Leche caramel, toffee, pecan pie, flan, Bananas, clove spice, dark fruit raisins, cherries, plums figs, dates, raspberries, vanilla notes, butterscotch, chardonay, port wine, sweetened condensed milk, leather, tobacco, earthy spice, stone fruit, maple syrup, molasses, graham crackers, brown sugars, burnt sugars, candy sugars, waffle cone and hazelnut.

Aftertaste:
Finishes a little dryer than the other ones with caramel, dark fruit, wine grapes, oak wood, hints of vanilla and toffee. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer with a full body and a syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
While it is still exceptional, this one is missing just a tad complexity that the others offers. It does taste more like wine though. It is still extremely delicious but I think some of the complexity I got with the original (Bourbon Barrel Aged) had more to offer. I also think since it is New Oak Barrels, they may not be as mature as some of the barrels that have had left over spirits to get that Angel Share into the bottle. The Oak does provide its own unique and dry characteristics to the beer which many will find just as appealing if not more. You be the judge.

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious Mikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was brought back once again in this review since I wanted to show the aspect of New Oak in terms of using a test Plug suit. While used as a basic combat suit before she received her pink one, this one is one many have not seen before. Just like the beer, in this type of New American Oak Barrel, it may be premature even if it is just for wine but it still kicks a lot of ass because the power comes not from the suit she wears, but from Mari/Sucré herself.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/1427349

Tequila Barrel Aged Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery

June 10, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 6th Anniversary Ale, anniversary ale, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, burnt sugar, Dark Cherries, Iron, Mari Illustrious, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Mezcal, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Old Ale, Sangria, Sucre, Sugar, Tequila, Tequila Barrel, Tequila Barrel Aged, Tequila Barrels, The Bruery, Vampiro | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Tequila Barrel Aged Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery is a 15% ABV Old Ale aged in Tequila Barrels.

Label:
100% Ale aged in Tequila Barrels
This sturdy beer marks our sixth year, and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (ratebeer.com)
Sucré is our sixth anniversary ale, loosely brewed in the English-style Old Ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method.

A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with aged. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit, vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Sucré is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.
___

They had to go there didn’t they?! A Tequila Barrel Aged variant of their Anniversary beer was released with extreme exclusivity to the Reserve and Hoarders Society. Tequila barrel aged beers is something that is not common. In fact it is not likely to happen again. When it comes to Tequila Barrel aged beers, I have only tried Cucapa’s Tequila Barrel Aged Barley Wine, Cigar City’s Murcielago, The Lost Abbey Agave Maria, Golden Road’s El Hefe Añejo, Mikkeler Mexas Ranger Tequila, and a small percentage of Firestone’s PNC which was included in their awesome Anniversary Ales. So as you can see, the struggle is real in terms of luck of getting to try these. So if you are lucky to get an exclusive bottle, good luck!

Aromas:
Sangria Vampiro, Mezcal hints, Tequila, Rich dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak, bananas, plantains, dark cherries, dark fruit plums, brown sugar, milk and dark chocolate, cinnamon, apples, peaches apricot, raspberry chambord, agave nectar, pilloncillo sugar cone, apples, peaches, apricot, wine grapes, pecan pie, marshmallow, toasted coconut, waffle cone, chocolate cake, molasses, whiskey notes, maple syrup, toffee, candi sugars, Lechugilla Juice, raisin bread pudding, rye, burn sugars, fruit cake, butterscotch, crème brulee, rum notes, clove spice, floral notes and aloe.

Flavors:
Dark Fruits like raisins, figs, Sangria Vampiro, Mezcal, Tequila, rich dulce de leche caramel, camote sweet potato, vanilla cinnamon, oak, bananas, plantains, clove spice, milk and dark chocolate apples, apricots, peaches, raspberry chambord, agave nectar, chocolate cake, pilloncillo sugar cone, whiskey notes, peaches, peach cobbler, pecan pie, French Vanilla pecan pie, Lechugilla, tamarind,molasses, maple syrup, raisin bread pudding, rye, burnt sugars, butterscotch, brown sugar, crème brulee, rum notes, clove spice, toasted coconut, fruit cake, aloe, floral notes, dark cherries, plums, hazelnut, molasses, maple syrup, toffee, Tamarindo tequila and wine grapes.

Aftertaste:
Chocolate, caramel, agave, mezcal, sangria hints, oak, vanilla, tequila and vanilla linger. A small amount of alcohol in the taste but mainly covered by the sweet sugar, smooth but sipping kind of beer. Quite dangerous like the other variants, so delicious with a full mouth beer.

Overall:
Exceptionally ridiculicious!! The notes of tequila help the Sucré differentiate itself from some of the other BBA Sucrés I have tried including those at the Bruery and the Tawny Porter. Like I said, Tequila Barrel aged beers are so far few and in between but everyone I have had so far I just love big time. This is no exception and makes me wish they made more Tequila Barrel Aged beers in the craft world. Bourbon Barrels are awesome in their own right but as we see more and more spirits variations, the use of them could make for an even greater variation of beer world complexity. This variant of Sucré is probably my favorite of all of them so far. The Sangria, Tequila and Tamarind notes really characterize Sucré into more of a spanish Azucar!! Definitely recommended no doubt if you can find this variant.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami/Sohryu and Mari Illustrious from Evangelion were used in this pairing mainly because Mari I had originally chosen for the original Sucré. The addition of Asuka as opposed to what I had used in the Tawny Port Wine Barrel edition of Sucré where the port wine represented Mari unleashing a berserk mode, Asuka brought forth the Tequila and Agave Sugar. Long ago I did an Agave nectar Bruery beer called Cuádruple in which Asuka was the pairing. Asuka was used in the Bruery’s Fruet and I mentioned how Fruet was the price of a bottle of Patron Tequila. Yes, expensive indeed. So in relation how Mari’s Berserk mode meeting Asuka’s Tequila references, thus this pairing was born!! That and the fact that there is a lot of Asuka and Mari artwork for the new Eva 3.0, but that is besides the point!

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=3dc636e953de1fbdd580f4728afccf98
http://i6.minus.com/ibhc6SlHJ3mzrs.jpg

Brandy Barrel Bois (5th Anniversary ale) by The Bruery

June 10, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 5th anniversary ale, American Brandy, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Barrel Aged Beer, best beers in the world, bois, brandy, Brandy Barrel Aged, Brandy Barrels, chocolate pecan pie, coton, cuir, Evengelion, fifth anniversary gift, Fruet, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Old Ale, Papier, raisin bread pudding, Rei, Rei Ayanami, robust ale, Solera, Solera method, The Bruery, wine grapes, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Brandy Barrel Bois (5th Anniversary ale) by The Bruery is a 15% ABV World Class Old Ale aged in Brandy Barrels.

Commercial Description:
The traditional fifth anniversary gift is something made of wood, or “Bois” in French.

Bois is our fifth anniversary ale, loosely brewed in the English-style Old Ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method. A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with age. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit,vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Bois is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.
—

This variant of the Bruery’s 5th anniversary beer has been sitting around for about a year aging. This variant is aged in Brandy barrels, the whole dynamics of the original Bois are either enlightened more or possibly stays just as delicious as when I first tried Bois last year. So here it is, Brandy Barrel aged Bois for your reading pleasure.

Here is the original review of the Bourbon Barrel one: (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/bois-5th-anniversary-by-the-bruery/)

Aromas:
Rich dark fruits, dates, bananas, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, toasted coconut, dark chocolate, pecan pie, cherry cordial, dark cherry ice cream, vanilla ice cream, Flan, crème brulee, Tres Leches, wine grapes, brandy, oak, apples, Leche Nestle sweetened condensed milk, toffee, marshmallows, brown sugar, raspberries, maple, molasses, sherry and port wine.

Flavors:
More dark fruit like prunes, raisins and figs forward than the original, brandy barrel, wine grapes, raspberries, cherry cordial chocolates, oak, apples, Tres Leches, dulce de leche caramel, marshmallows, toffee, coconut, macaroons, apples, dark cherry yogurt hints, flan, vanilla ice cream, dark cherry ice cream, crème brulee, wine grapes, port wine, sherry, molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, leather, black berries and blueberries.

Aftertaste:
The Brandy with the wine like tangy notes linger along with the sweet caramel, flan, vanilla, dark cherry, coconut hints, and chocolate port linger for a little but dry up. No alcohol in the taste. Smooth yet sipping beer. Full to syrupy mouth feel.

Overall:
Simply outstanding!! Somehow, Brandy always something very amazing to beers that Bourbon does not. Each spirit barrel adds an additional component that really makes the beers vary. With Bois, it is like taking an already over the top beer and modifying it into new ways it was maybe never meant to go before. This one I got directly from the Bruery. If you go there, you should definitely get this one, I highly recommend it!!

Anime Corner:
Rei Ayanami was used in last year’s Bois and I brought Asuka Langley Sohryu Shikinami from the previous beer (Fruet) to represent the addition of the Brandy barrel to Bois. They are from Neon Genesis Evangelion. In this picture they sit holding each other like really close friends. They are both very powerful in the series. The addition of brandy adds more fruit to the beer, like in the Fruet represented by Asuka. Her colors also represent the Red Wax addition to Bois.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/1fkIfXE.jpg

Tawny Port Wine Barrel Aged Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery

May 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 6th Anniversary Ale, anniversary ale, burnt sugar, Dark Cherries, Iron, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Old Ale, Port Wine, Port wine aged, Sucre, Sugar, Tawny Port Wine, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Tawny Port Wine Barrel Aged Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery is a 15.1% ABV Old Ale aged in Tawny Port Wine Barrels.

Label:
100% Ale aged in Port Barrels
This sturdy beer marks our sixth year, and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years.

So along with the original Sucré review, which you can find here: (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/sucre-6th-anniversary-ale-by-the-bruery/)
I wanted to do a review on one of the variants. While I have tired the Rum, American Oak and Madeira version at the Bruery, I got this one simply because I enjoy the way port wine is presented in many beers I like. Mainly Trois Pistoles. Anyway, this is the only variant I will try and I will mainly focus on the what the Tawny Port wine aspect brings forward. So while the aromas and flavors remain the same, I will show additional comments on each.

Aromas: (For Sucré)
Exquisite dulce de leche on bananas, flan, rich dark cherries, pecan pie, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dates, wine grapes, apples, sweetened condenced milk, pilloncillo, crème brulee, toffee, roasted coconut, bourbon, oak, dark and milk chocolate, burnt sugar, candy sugar, brown sugar, marshmallow, graham crackers, rum notes, raspberry chambord, molasses, mousse, scotch whiskey, maple syrup, waffle cone and chocolate truffle ice cream.

Aromas: (With Tawny Port Barrel Aging)
A stronger oak and port wine aromas are more forward in this one than the caramel. Although it is there. Rich chocolate covered raisins, rich caramel, wine grapes, dessert wine, more flan rich but still including some of the very complex aromas as before with the addition of new aromas or improvements on the original aromas.

Flavors: (For Sucré)
Lots of rich Dulce de leche caramel, bananas, clove spice, dark cherries, rum notes, bourbon, vanilla, brown sugar, plantains, pilloncillo sugar cone, apples, peaches, apricot, pecan pie, whipped cream, marshmallow, toasted coconut, oak, milk chocolate, raspberry chambord, wine grapes, waffle cone, chocolate mousse, molasses, scotch whiskey, maple syrup, graham crackers, toffee, candy sugar, chocolate truffle ice cream, raisin bread pudding, rye, burnt sugar, butterscotch and fruit cake.

Flavors: (With Tawny Port Barrel Aging)
Flavors are closer to the port wine and oak with higher concentration of dark fruits, chocolate, caramel, flan, pecan pie, wine grapes, truffle ice cream, raisin bread pudding, coconut, vanilla, more chambord raspberry liqueur and marshmallow cream.

Aftertaste:(For Sucré)
Caramel, dark fruit raisins, cherries, lingering scotch bourbon, vanilla, marshmallows,
A bit of alcohol in the taste but nothing detracting, sipping drinkability with a bit of a medium silky mouth feel.

Aftertaste: (With Tawny Port Barrel Aging)
More and dark fruits in the finish with a dryer finish. No alcohol in the taste as well, smoother than the original yet sipping quality and very silky, almost to the point of syrupy and creamy.

Overall: (With Tawny Port Barrel Aging)
Definitely different and extremely delicious in its own way. Just like Sucre, if you want to try out the variant, definitely try this one or one of the other ones. Each will have additional flavors that are not covered in the original bourbon one or this one.

Anime Corner: (For Sucré)
Mari Illustrious Mikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen for this release like Asuka and Rei were chosen for the previous 2. I wanted to show case not just the next release as following them but also how she relates to the beer. Mari has the colors or pink and gray which represent the Sugar and Iron. This is by pink relating to the delicious cherry which is pretty much sweet like sugar. The caramel aspect is the velvety brown locks of hair. Her glasses represent the maturity of the beer which has evolved from 15% from last years to a now 16.7% ABV. She is very very suductive, like this beer is so sweet that you may want to keep on drinking it, but don’t finish her off or you not only will regret it, she will knock you out, literally. Her strength and complexity can be shown in her skills as a pilot of the Evangelion mechs in the show. You would probably have to see the show for it to make sense, but just like you can’t see how good this beer just by looking at it, you will have to experience the beer for yourself and decide!

Anime Corner: (With Tawny Port Barrel Aging)
Yes, so this time, Mari goes into what is called Berserk mode. The fact that it shows her underwater in what seems to be blood, but for our sake the Tawny Port Barrel, this unleashes her berserk side where she becomes even more powerful than before and in some cases, very insane. I included her Eva in berserk mode as well. Definitely unleashing some crazy stuff. That’s what happens when you experiment. Is it for the better?! In this case, yes

Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery

April 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 6th Anniversary Ale, aged in Bourbon Barrels, anniversary ale, Bourbon Barrel Aged, burnt sugar, Dark Cherries, Iron, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Old Ale, scotch whiskey, Sucre, Sugar, The Bruery | 1 Comment

Rating: 6/5

Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery is a 16.9% ABV Old Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
This sturdy beer marks our sixth year, and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years.

Sucré or Sugar in French, in the traditional sense of the wedding anniversary gifts, refers to the 6th year in which Iron or sugar are given. The beer will be released in May and will be available to the public and many places where the Bruery beers are sold. Every year’s addition of the first ale to the new batch gives it another great layer complexity as you the the original ale that is 6 years old and the new young batch all together using the Solera method as explained in the description. Every year since Fruet, their 4rd Anniversary when I first tried their beers, I have anticipated each release anxiously. It is with great pleasure that I show you, the newest batch and the newest review of the Bruery’s Anniversary beer. Cheers!!

Aromas:
Exquisite dulce de leche caramel on bananas, flan, rich dark cherries, pecan pie, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dates, wine grapes, apples, sweetened condenced milk, pilloncillo, crème brulee, toffee, roasted coconut, bourbon, oak, dark and milk chocolate, burnt sugar, candy sugar, brown sugar, marshmallow, graham crackers, rum notes, raspberry chambord, molasses, mousse, scotch whiskey, maple syrup, waffle cone and chocolate truffle ice cream.

Flavors:
Lots of rich Dulce de leche caramel, bananas, clove spice, dark cherries, rum notes, bourbon, vanilla, brown sugar, plantains, pilloncillo sugar cone, apples, peaches, apricot, pecan pie, whipped cream, marshmallow, toasted coconut, oak, milk chocolate, raspberry chambord, wine grapes, waffle cone, chocolate mousse, molasses, scotch whiskey, maple syrup, graham crackers, toffee, candy sugar, chocolate truffle ice cream, raisin bread pudding, rye, burnt sugar, butterscotch and fruit cake.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, dark fruit raisins, cherries, lingering scotch bourbon, vanilla, marshmallows,
A bit of alcohol in the taste but nothing detracting, sipping drinkability with a bit of a medium silky mouth feel.

Overall:
Something about this year’s version has stronger hints of cherry, flan, bananas, caramel and sugars. It is hard to tell but the beer is phenomenal and exceeds my expectations even more than Bois did. I wish I could compare the vertical so far and see maybe where this one lies in comparison to the rest. Makes me wonder what will happen maybe 10 years from now and how amazing that will taste. Either way, as I have said it before with these annual releases, there is not much I don’t have to say, just go get the beer and see for yourself how this one goes. You are in for a treat!

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious Mikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was chosen for this release like Asuka and Rei were chosen for the previous 2. I wanted to show case not just the next release as following them but also how she relates to the beer. Mari has the colors or pink and gray which represent the Sugar and Iron. This is by pink relating to the delicious cherry which is pretty much sweet like sugar. The caramel aspect is the velvety brown locks of hair. Her glasses represent the maturity of the beer which has evolved from 15% from last years to a now 16.7% ABV. She is very very suductive, like this beer is so sweet that you may want to keep on drinking it, but don’t finish her off or you not only will regret it, she will knock you out, literally. Her strength and complexity can be shown in her skills as a pilot of the Evangelion mechs in the show. You would probably have to see the show for it to make sense, but just like you can’t see how good this beer just by looking at it, you will have to experience the beer for yourself and decide!

Bois Fumé by The Bruery

February 14, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged bois, Bois Fume, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rei Ayanami, Smoking, Smoking Wood, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Bois Fumé by The Bruery is a 16.2% ABV Old Ale and Imperial smoked rye porter blend aged in bourbon barrels

Label:
VOULEZ UNE FUMÉE? (Would you like a smoke?)

This rustic beer is the result of barrel aging a blend of our Anniversary, English-style old ale, with Smoking Wood, an imperial smoked rye porter for a pleasantly sweet quaff with an dry, peaty finish.

Bois Fumé is a combination that makes all too much sense. Smoking Wood and Bois (French for ‘wood’) combine force3s in a unique winter warmer. Best enjoyed Fresh but, may pleasantly evolve over time if cellared properly.
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Non merci, je ne fume pas. Je préfère la bière artisanale s’il vous plaît… or something like that. I will do an exception with this one though. Two of some of the best beers Bruery bees combined in a blend. Talk about a Melange. But in all seriousness, this beer is a Reserve exclusive and one that can probably be achieve by just mixing the Bois and Smoking Wood beers to make Bois Fumé (French for Smoking Wood, no surprise here). While Bois was already close to exceed expectations and Smoking wood for me was perfect, a blend would surely skyrocket the results. Let’s see what this one is about shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Lots of rye bread with bananas,vanilla,dulce de leche caramel, coconut, milk chocolate, pecan pie, dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherries, figs, dates, wine grapes, sherry, apples, Flan, vanilla, sweet condenced milk (Lechera), crème brulee, oak wood, toffee, marshmallows, rum, whiskey, bourbon, brown sugar, burnt sugars and mocha coffee.

Flavors:
Campfire Smokey notes, bacon, dark and milk chocolate, oak, bourbon, dark fruits, raisins, bananas, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, vanilla, rum, apples, peach, figs, dates, prunes, cherries, pecan and hazelnut pie, marshmallows, flan, sweetened condenced milk (Lechera), crème brulee, wine grapes, sourdough and rye bread, toffee, sherry, burnt sugar, brown sugar, butterscotch hints, Honey, scotch, mocha, maple syrup and coconut.

Aftertaste:
Smokey oak, dark fruit, bourbon, wine, earthy but sweet coffee notes. The alcohol is subtle in the taste but the smokey sweet flavors cover for it very well.

Overall:
Fucking Epic, this beer was definitely more than I expected. They are somehow referring this to be a winter warmer on the bottle. I have no idea how it is possible but it sure is. This is a freaking crazy beer. Like I stated before, I already loved both the smoking wood and the Bois and this just took it to another level. It is highly recommended if you can find this variant. Just be cautious, it is the most booziest smoked beer I have ever had so if you like smoke and boozy, you win a “fancy campfire or sitting in a fancy chair listening to classical music near a fire place” type of beer.

Anime Corner:
Rei Ayanami and Rei Ayanami 3.0 from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this pairing to symbolize the original Bois anime picture I chose. In the first scene, the colors portray fire or Rei being engulfed by flames of glory. Well not in a bad way but like in a “Goku powering up super saiyan” kind of way. Also, the addition of the Black and White Ray sitting over lava show off the complexities of the beer in terms of the sweet and smokey colors. Not to mention the fact that they are surrounded by lava or magma. The wave of the cloth symbolizes the smokey aspects of the beer as Rei 3.0 holds the cloth over the lava. Also the Rei sleeping symbolizes the extra strength of this beer is enough to put anyone to sleep. That is all I have, but can you find any other pairings for this beer?

Cho-tokkyu (The Cider “Super Express/Bullet Train”) by Crispin Cider Company

September 5, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged apple wine, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, benzoate preservatives, Bullet Train, Cho-tokkyu, Choutokkyu, Cider, cider apples, coconut, Crispin Cider, Evangelion, Japanese Beers, malt spirit, Neon Genesis Evangelion, organic rice syrup, Rice, rice pudding, Sake, sake yeast, tapioca pudding, The Cider Super Express, wine sediment | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5 *Cider Rating

Cho-tokkyu or Choutokkyu (The Cider “Super Express/Bullet Train”) Artisanal Reserve by Crispin Cider Company is a 6.5% ABV Cider Fermented in Sake yeast and organic rice syrup.

Label:
Naturally fermented with authentic Sake yeast using a premium blend of fresh pressed apple juice, not from concentrate, with no added malt, spirit, or grape alcohol. A racy, high-speed cider that remains crisp and well balanced. Cloudy and straw colored with an exotic polished complexity. Cho-tokkyu is clean, vibrant with an authentic dry sake finish and a distinctive apple backbone. Cho-tokkyu Artisanal Reserve cloudy hard cider is unfiltered and uses racked apple wine smoothed with pure organic, gluten free, rice syrup. No added colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives. Best served cool to cold. As with all our Artisanal Reserves, give a full bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse unfiltered apple-wine sediment evenly.
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Next in the line of sought after ciders I have tried. Many of them awesome, like the ones that use Irish Stout and Trappist yeast and even the Whiskey barrel aged ones. Simply phenomenal and delicious. Yes it may be made by Coors, but Ciders tend to be on a league of their own. This one is made with Sake yeast. I have tried many sake before I am familiar with the taste and the smell. Also, this beer unlike many ciders I have seen is actually more clearer white than yellow. Almost a Lemonade kind of color,

The aromas are of sake for sure, rice, apples, vanilla notes, sugar dough, and hints of coconut. Not much to the aromas but these little aromas a pretty dead on.

The sake notes in the flavor definitely shine as well as the bit of milky rice and vanilla notes. The cider has flavors of apples, slight earthy bitterness, melons, small hints of coconut but extremely subtle, chia seed juice, citrus hints, cinnamon, tapioca pudding, sweet bread and honey.

The aftertaste is pretty dry leaving only a little bit of the apple, rice and milky coconut aftertaste. Not much alcohol to talk about either but it definitely goes down smooth and is quite refreshing

Overall it is a very good cider. Maybe not as complex as the other ones but this one started getting a lot better as it warmed up. Some more notes of like doughy red bean ice cream, tapioca and milky coconut started to come out which made it very enjoyable. Hell, even some horchata notes in there too . Definitely a different cider for sure.

Anomaly by Monkish Brewing

August 19, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Anomaly, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Style, California Beers, chocolate caramel, city of torrance california, Evangelion, Los Angeles, Mari, Mari Illustrious Makinami, monkish, monkish brewing, Neon Genesis Evangelion, raisin bread, Trois Pistoles, west coast california | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Anomaly by Monkish Brewing is a 8.5% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale made with oats and wheat

Description:
A strong, dark ale with tastes of chocolate, caramel, and dark stone fruits along with a silky mouthfeel from oats and wheat.
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This is the first time I do a review for a draft only beer. Monkish is a pretty new brewing company in the city of Torrance California (Los Angeles county) specializing primarily in Belgian style ales. They have been active creating many different beers using many unique ingredients such as hibiscus, rose hips, pistachios, vanilla beans, Sichuan peppercorns, elder flowers, chamomile and many more. They mainly distribute kegs locally and other parts of the state so trying their beers might be difficult to find. Hopefully if you live in the south land part of California, you may want to give their beers a go.

Aromas of the anomaly are of dark chocolate, coffee, dark fruits like plums, raisins, cinnamon, port wine, slight cola notes, candi sugars, caramel and raisin bread

Flavors are of plums, dark chocolate, figs, raisins, mocha coffee, slight oak, wine notes, cola, molasses, anise, licorice, brown sugar, caramel and hints of banana and cloves.

The aftertaste remains with some notes of plums and figs and raisin bread. The booze is not present in the taste and gives a warm feeling after every taste. Also, it is quite smooth for a Dark Belgian.

I love dark Belgian beers and this one, aside from their new beer Seme Della Vita, is one of my favorites from this brewery. Reminds me of some of the good Dark Belgian flavors from beers like Trois Pistoles. They only recently started putting this one in growlers. So if you are ever in Los Angeles Area, check out Monkish Brewing, definitely a unique set of beers.

Site: http://www.monkishbrewing.com/beers/

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout collaboration

July 21, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged arrogant bastard, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, beer collaboration, beer geeks, Beer Hybrid, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Stout, bourbon barrels, caramel pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Collaboration beers, Drew Curtis, Evangelion, Fark.com, Geek Beer, Greg Koch, Hop Heads, Imperial Stout, Mari, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Neon Genesis Evangelion, pecan pie, quadruple, Rei, Rei Ayanami, rye bread, rye toast, sci fi, star trek the next generation, Stone, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout, Toasted Coconut, toasted pecans, toasted rye bread, wheat, Wil Wheaton | 1 Comment

Rating: 5.6/5

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout 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.

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

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
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Phew!! (@_@;)

That was a lot of writing for a label of a beer that mixes a couple of geek hobbies and ideologies into one. Kinda like my blog

Aromas are of vanilla, mild Black Tuesday-ish aromas of milk and dark chocolate, pecan pie, caramel, bourbon, oak, hazelnuts, coconut, raisins, plums, rye bread, mild banana wheat, licorice, molasses and brown sugar

The Flavors are of milk and dark chocolate, mocha, dulce de leche caramel on pecan pie with rye pie crust, toffee, coffee notes, bourbon notes, vanilla, coconut, raisin bread pudding with pecans, almonds and hazelnuts, plums, dark cherries, bananas, slight wine grapes, earthy hops, mint, licorice, molasses, coriander, citrus, and butterscotch spread on wheat toast.

The beer is mildly boozy but the nice chocolate, vanilla rye and wheat make up for it. It is also sweet but not to overly sweet. Thanks to the hops to keep everything together.

Lot’s off dessert elements going on here. This beer reminds me of like a Quadruple and Imperial Stout fusion aged in bourbon barrels but just enough to give it some added character and not detract flavors which ofcourse this beers already has a good amount of . Damn, they got it fucking right. Really fucking right. It seems to work. Stuff is balanced out and the beer is great. Beer geeks will love this one and well hopefully non-beer geeks too. Now I see why they made it so people go out and get all 3. It’s not just the labels, but the beer is that good as well.

Here are the links to the pics I took with the third label:
https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/1000730_10101293641828370_142432273_n.jpg?w=960

https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/1070039_10101293641813400_1414027021_n.jpg?w=960

Or check out the Gallery

This is the third label original art:
http://socialpint.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Stone-w00stout_ComicLabel-WEB1.jpg

Cuádruple 2011 edition by The Bruery

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

Rating: 4.8/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bois (5th anniversary) by The Bruery

June 6, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 5th anniversary ale, Barrel Aged Beer, best beers in the world, bois, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, chocolate pecan pie, coton, cuir, Evengelion, fifth anniversary gift, Fruet, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Old Ale, Papier, raisin bread pudding, Rei, Rei Ayanami, robust ale, Solera, Solera method, The Bruery, wine grapes, world class beers | 3 Comments

Rating: 5.9/5 * Just take my word for it, this, like their other anniversary ales are exquisitely World Class

Bois (5th anniversary) by The Bruery is a 15%ABV World Class Old Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
This sturdy beer marks our fifth year, and we are grateful for the outpouring of community. Together may our supporters, our brewery and this beer grow in complexity and refinement over the years.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (beeradvocate.com)
The traditional fifth anniversary gift is something made of wood, or “Bois” in French.

I was able to finally get a hold of this beer. Every year they keep adding more of the and more. This one is no exception to the previous. I already know it is going to be awesomely great.

Aromas start with bananas drenched in vanilla and dulce de leche caramel, Roasted Coconut, Chocolate, pecan pie, dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherries, figs, dates, wine grapes, sherry, apples, Flan, vanilla, sweet condenced milk (Lechera), crème brulee, oak wood, toffee, marshmallows, rum, bourbon, brown sugar and burnt sugars

Flavors of this beer are of ripe bananas, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, bourbon, rum, apples, peach, raisins, figs, dates, prunes, cherries, pecan hazelnut pie, marshmallows, flan, sweetened condenced milk (Lechera), crème brulee, super fancy chocolate, white chocolate, wine grapes, maple, sourdough and rye bread, toffee, sherry, burnt sugar, brown sugar, butterscotch and raisin bread pudding.The mouth feel is thick and the boozyness is there but in a good way. Has like a caramel, fruit and wine aftertaste.

What can I say but another fine year and another fine masterpiece from the Bruery. I think the fact that there are slightly more vinous and bourbon sugar flavor to it this year than last year is the fact that the Papier they added with every batch is adding more and more complexity to it a la Solera method. I am sure their other varieties are over the top. But even the regular Bois is just simply brilliant! Definitely have to get another one for aging. This beer will only get better as time goes. If you get the chance to get this beer, do not miss out!! It is not as exclusive as Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Melange 3 or others, but still up there in the awesome levels and ratings.

Click here for last year’s anniversary ale (FRUET)https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/fruet-by-the-bruery/

Orange Wheat by Hangar 24

May 3, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Belgian White Ale, citrus aroma, Evangelion, Fruit Beer, Hangar 24, Hefeweizen, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Orange beer, orange wheat, oranges, refreshing, tangy lemon, Witbier | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.9/5

Orange Wheat by Hangar 24 is a 4.6%ABV Fruit beer brewed with locally grown oranges, wheat and barley. Seems more like Belgian white style but I guess it is a different style all together

Label:
Crisp, Tangy, and Refreshing. The citrus aroma, light airy mouthfeel, and tangy finish are this unfiltered beer’s trademarks. This is accomplished by adding whole locally grown oranges throughout the brewing process, which perfectly coalesce with the wheat and barley base.
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I have had this beer many times that I can’t count. This is Hangar 24’s flagship beer. In fact, first time I heard about Hangar 24 was because of this beer. 3 years ago I looked for this one for a while. Back then it was not as common to find it. The first I tried it, I was probably to me one of the best orange beers out there. Better than Shocktop and Bluemoon. So it was worth the try. I haven’t really done a review since this one became common but in all fairness I wanted to give this a review. Fragrances are a lot like a Belgian white but with more orange. Aromas of wheat, coriander spice, floral hops, honey, biscuit, lemon and lemon peel. The Flavors are of orange juice, orange aid, lemon, tangy lemon peel, biscuit bread, slight wheat and coriander, orange gummy bear flavor and floral hops. The beer is very refreshing. The beer does not have an overwhelming form and most of the flavors medium to light . This beer is very drinkable, crisp and refreshing. Taking this one over a lager definitely any day. IT is more like a session Hefeweizen or a session Witbier. Good stuff for sure that even lager drinkers can appreciate.

2011 Barrel Roll No. 3 Pugachev’s Cobra by Hangar 24

April 11, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 2011 Barrel Roll No. 3, Barrel Roll, Barrel Roll No. 3, Black Tuesday, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, chocolate cake, Chocolate Rain, Do a Barrel Roll, Evangelion, Hangar 24, Krystal Fox, maple hints, Mari, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Pugachev's Cobra, Russian Imperial Stout, Star Fox, vanilla, Victor Pugachev | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.8/5* Aged for 2 years, so the ABV is probably higher but the complexity is what gives it the high score.

2011 Barrel Roll No. 3 Pugachev’s Cobra by Hangar 24 is a 16.5%ABV Russian Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
PUGACHEV’S COBRA: The brainchild of Victor Pugachev — not for the faint of heart. Pilot suddenly raises the aircraft nose to near vertical before dropping back to attack mode. Get ready for an assault on your senses with PUGACHEV’S COBRA, an intense Russian Imperial Stout. This rich, black beauty with a thick caramel head is bursting with aromas of chocolate, vanilla, oak, bourbon, licorice and dark fruits, while flavors of chocolate-covered plum, sweet malt, bourbon, and roasted coffee explode on your pallet. Three different dark roasted malts and rich maple syrup are combined in a truly unique brewing process to create complexity and depth. Once fermented, it’s then aged for eight months in freshly emptied bourbon barrels. This powerful concoction is designed to be enjoyed now with friends or cellared to perfection and savored in the years to come.
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As recommended by my friend Julio who once had it on tap about a year ago. Been looking high and low for this piece of treasure to finally be able to do a review. Time to suit up and lift off into the heights of amazing flavors. How will it do with the other great imperial stouts out there?

Upon opening the bottle, the aromas are very good. Definitely on par with some of the greats, maybe even better! Rich bourbon, vanilla, oak, sweet milk and dark chocolate, brownie batter, coconut, banana, hazelnuts, dulce de leche, crème brulee, coffee, mocha, maple, hints of dark fruits like raisins, apples and smokey wood. The flavors are very amazing. Heat of Bourbon flavor but low booziness, vanilla, bananas, coconut, dulce de leche caramel, raisins, Kahlua coffee, rum and very rich chocolate almost to the side of Black Tuesday but more focus on bourbon than chocolate yet still very strong with the chocolate. There are also flavors of flan, licorice, molasses, chocolate cake, chocolate syrup and whiskey. This one is very very good. The flavors are very rich and the bourbon flavor is amazing. Not the booziness but the actual oakyness and vanilla of it. No Joke, this beer was definitely near the top. A must get if you somehow are lucky to find it. I had to look online for this one unfortunately. Now next time it is one tap, that I will have to see. But you also have to realize, this has been aging FOR 2 YEARS!! so the much fresher version may not provide the strength and complexity. So get one now and save the other for later. Go get this beer!!

2012 Barrel Roll No.04 Hammerhead by Hangar 24

April 10, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Ameyuri Ringo, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Barleywine, Barrel Aged, Barrel Roll, Barrel Roll No.4, bourbon barrels, caramel malts, Dulce de leche, Evangelion, Hammerhead, Hangar 24, Naruto, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rye Whiskey, spicy aromas, tropical flavors | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.4/5

2012 Barrel Roll No.04 Hammerhead by Hangar 24 is a 13.8%ABV Barleywine aged in Rye Whiskey and Bourbon Barrels

Label:
A well executed HAMMERHEAD is smooth and dramatic. This beer is no exception. Hammerhead is a big, complex, American-style Barleywine featuring two English caramel malts and four American hops. Hammerhead’s character is enhanced by dry hopping and then aging the deep amber liquid for six months in charred oak rye whiskey and bourbon barrels. Spicy aromas spill from the glass: rich caramel, citrusy hops, bourbon and oak. Layered flavors of toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, spice and rye whiskey lead to a warm and slightly bitter finish. This is a strong ale, meant to be sipped, savored and enjoyed.

Additional Information: Hammerhead: A ¼ loop to vertical, airspeed decreases and plane appears to stall. Nose then rotates and plane descends on vertical down line and out with ¼ loop.
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This has been aging for over a year and it is the perfect time to test it’s incredibility. This was defnitely seen right upon opening the beer. This definitely reminded me of Sucaba. The fragrances are very rich of caramel, bourbon, coconuts, vanilla, almost like a chile or herbal spices, some minor hops, flan, rich oak wood, peach, apricot, possibly dark fruits and a complex aroma that is very dessert like. The flavors start very rich almost syrupy. Dulce de leche caramel, Bourbon, coconut, vanilla, earthy and grassy hops which provide somewhat tropical flavors like peach, pineapple, sweet grapefruit or a mango. Like a caramel flan that is made with crème Brulee or sweetened condensed milk over sweet peaches, raisins, black and blue berries. Other flavors I can get from this are milk marshmallow cream, brown sugar, pecan pie, walnuts, maple, graham cracker smores with chocolate. I am not really sure if this is just as good or better than Sucaba. Reason being because it has aged for another year unleashing some complex flavors that I could not find in Sucaba. Also the beer is very complex and thick bodied like some of the best out there. I honestly think that the reason has to do because I would need to let Sucaba age for another year or 2. Also, the flavors are very dead on to some of the stuff I listed. I was very very impressed.

Art of Darkness by Ommegang (New Label)

February 27, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Art of Darkness, Asuka, Asuka Langley, Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, belgian style ale, best beers in the world, Dark Phoenix, Evangelion, Jean Grey, Marvel, mystical incantations, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ommegang, three philosophers, Trois Pistoles, X-men, Xmen | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Art of Darkness… new label by Ommegang. I have already done several reviews for this beer to know this beer is not an ordinary beer. One of my most world favorites along with Trois Pistoles, St. Bernardus, Black Xantus, Three Philosophers, Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain and others.

Label:
Ommegang Art Of Darkness unites barley and wheat malts, flaked oats, Ommegang yeast, and noble hops in a bewitching demonstration of the brewing arts. Yet there are no secret ingredients nor mystical incantations.

There is only the highest realization of the art of brewing a dark Belgian-style ale of extraordinary flavor, aroma, and balance.

This ale walks the line between being savored now, and being cellared to relish later. As a discerning patron of the dark arts, you an make your own choice.
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Tread carefully…this one is evil >:)

https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/art-of-darkness-by-ommegang-6-month-version/
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/art-of-darkness-by-ommegang/

Fruet by The Bruery

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

Rating: 5/5

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

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

Straffe Hendrik Bruges Quadruple Ale II by De Halve Maan Brewery of Bruges Belgium

October 30, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged anno 1856, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadruple, Belgian Quadrupple Ale, Evangelion, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nerv, Quad, Quadrupel, quadruple, Quadruple Ale II, Rei, Rei Ayanami, Straffe Hendrik Bruges | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.95/5

Straffe Hendrik Bruges Quadruple Ale II by De Halve Maan Brewery of Bruges Belgium is a 11% ABV Belgian Quadruple. One of my favorite styles of beers, the quad as mentioned in previews reviews, a beer that goes through 4 different types of fermentation and aging processes leaving a mostly dark and strong Belgian beer. These beers have very strong noticeable flavors of bread, caramel and sometimes dulce de leche flavors with a lot of complexity and dark fruit flavors. As with most of these beers, aging process is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. As with good wines, so does these good beers. The aging process will take these beers into something completely different. What this tastes like today in this review, will taste different every, 3,5,7, 10 or even 15 years from now. Something that my rating system will need to expand beyond the 5’s im sure. Here is some history about this Belgian brew:

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Straffe Hendrik Quadruple is a rich and intense dark Belgian ale. It is brewed with a subtle blend of specialty malts, which give the ale an extremely dark color and a chewy, malty complex character. The quadruple combines a clean dryness with a warm full bodied mouth feel and essences of fruit. Secondary fermentation in the bottle creates a living ale that can be aged and will have an evolution of taste profiles over time. It is brewed by the last active brewery in the historical city of Bruges. The town archives first mention the brewery in 1546. Since 1856, the famous brewing family Maes-Vanneste has owned the brewery.
—-This Belgian beer aside from its bready, caramel, and raisin properties boast of pears, apples, cherries, figs, plums as well as notes of vanilla, dates, hazelnut, burnt sugar, toffee, chocolate, butterscotch and pecans. A creamy and buttery beer with so much to offer that will “fly you to the moon and back”. Flavors and treasures that can only come from one of my favorite styles of beers. Belgian quads, tripels, dubbels and Trappists. Let’s not forget the Dark Belgian strong ales like the Troise Pistoles…