Tag Archives: Oak

(2017 Birthday Review) Home brew Project #29 SangriLeche Chapter: 2 – Hey You, Wanna Buy Some ChocoW00tCherries?!!? by Nubis Sanctum Ales

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Rating: 6.25/7

Home brew Project #29 SangriLeche Chapter: 2 – Hey You, Wanna Buy Some ChocoW00tCherries?!!? by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 14% ABV Imperial Milk Stout brewed with Blood Lord Bourbon Barrel Aged Espresso Coffee Beans, Dark Chocolate, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Sweet Cherry Puree, Gold Syrup and Pecans Oak aged in Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon.

Label:
SangriLeche, Chapter: 2 Hey You, Wanna Buy Some ChocoW00tCherries?!!?
Damn it all! This is what I get for listening to pink haired broads trying to sell me some goods off the streets. When people used to tell me not to take candy from strangers, I should have listened. Heck, you too! How the hell else you get a hold of this damn cursed bottle. I was but a pawn to this girl’s seductions. Trying to sell me a bottle of some magical cherries and now, I am stuck here. Going on these dumbass, fucking space adventures.
I heed you warning though friend, do not make the same mistake I made. Drinking this will only summon that cherry choco cordial selling girl with no remorse and you will be a slave to this like I have. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya! Don’t drink this BEER!

Imperial Milk Stout brewed with Blood Lord Bourbon Barrel Aged Espresso Coffee Beans, Dark Chocolate, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Sweet Cherry Puree, Gold Syrup and Pecans Oak aged in Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon.

==Introduction==

Project #29 was inspired by everything that is awesome! Beer, Anime, Video Games and anything that celebrates geekdom. For the longest time, I always wanted to make a beer similar to the Bruery and Three Floyds Collaboration: Rue D’Floyd. An Imperial Porter aged in bourbon barrels with Vanilla, Cherries and Coffee. Since the days of Project #6 Oblivixen’s “Sangri-Leche” Maelstrom, I knew I wanted to make return to that beer. A beer that took a lot of experimentation, effort and time to essentially become, my first attempt at barrel/oak aging a beer. It was such a damn hit that it paved way for some of my other oak aged brews which I was very fond of and so were many of my friends. The return of the Sangrileche, however, was going to be different. Essentially, as I pondered about beer and geeky stuff, I remember how awesome and geeky Stone’s W00tStout was.

When I had heard that Wil Wheaton was awesome enough to share the recipe, I thought awesome I wanna brew that beer too. Then I thought, wait a second, What if I borrow some ideas from that W00tStout recipe and create my own new recipe . Essentially, it would not be a Belgian Stout, but many of the Sangrileche elements would make a return. Not in the way I imagined but very damn close. Heck, I wanted to make a W00Stout/Rue D’Floyd hybrid. Since Sangrileche already carried the vanilla, cherries and coffee like it did with Rue D’Floyd, why not, pay tribute and make it similar to that using some W00tstout inspirations of Pecans in place of peanut butter and add more dark chocolate and some sweeter cherries. What really put the “Cherry” on this dessert was when I brought the unholy grail of the Bourbon Barrel Blood Lord Coffee into the mix. Dark Matter’s Coffee beans, Unicorn’s Blood Coffee (Which were also used in the original Sangri Leche) aged in bourbon barrels that had “Three Floyds – Dark Lord Imperial Stout”. Yes, this coffee had a limited run but it was worth it to create this madness of a beer that would soon be the second coming of BloodyMilk (SangriLeche). So with that and a special Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon (Unfortunately I ran out of Dragon’s Milk Bourbon) which was referred to me by my friend Oscar, this beer was finally born.

W00h! That’s a mess, TL:DR. Essentially, it took me several months of aging but this beer made it just in time to bring it to the website and give my thoughts on my crazy creation. Why does it have so much game influences? Go Read or Listen to the “Ready Player One”, which is also narrated by, you guessed it, Wil MuddaFuckin’ Wheaton himself! Yes, that book has so many references to the 80’s and 90’s lore just like this beer has so much going on making it in my mind, one of the best video game beers and also one of the best home brews I have ever brewed to date. With that says, today marks my birthday so this is essentially a treat to myself and fans alike. Cheers and thank you for your support!!

Aromas:
Chocolate Cherry Cordials, Dark chocolate, earthy chocolate, Chocolate abuelita, Carlos V Mexican chocolate, oak, bourbon, vanilla, toffee, caramel, mocha coffee, dark fruit raisins, prunes, currants, blackberries, raspberries, pecan pie, flan, crème brulee, banana split sundae, rocky road ice cream, Khalua coffee notes, coconut hints, walnuts, Irish cream, chocolate cherry cake, milk sugar, chocolate port wine, Nutella chocolate, oatmeal cookies, anise, tobacco and leather.

Flavors:
Super Rich Dark Chocolate, Chocolate abuelita, Carlos V Mexican chocolate, earthy chocolate, almost like a mole spice, Milk chocolate, German Chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla, Dulce de leche caramel, toffee, butterscotch, dark fruit raisins, currants, raspberries, blackberries, prunes, dark cherries, sweet cherries, port wine, Nutella chocolate, Chocolate Cherry Cordials, Banana split Sundae, whipped cream, marzipan, mazapan, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, walnuts, prailines, rocky road ice cream, almond joy chocolate, toasted coconut hints, flan, sweetened condensed milk, cocoa krispies, Kahlua coffee Liqueur, Irish cream notes, Cherry Chocolate cake, Tres Leches/ Three Milks cake, mocha, roasted coffee notes, fancy coffee notes, oak, bourbon, molasses, mint chocolate chip hints, oreo cookies and cream, raisin bread pudding, lactose milk sugar and chocolate cookie dough.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with Chocolates for days, Nutella, dark chocolates, Mexican chocolate, dark cherries, vanilla, caramel, earthy chocolate, oak, bourbon hints, mocha, pecan pie and banana split cherry sundae. For being my strongest beer to date at 14%, you can’t really any of the alcohol. The body is fully pitch black and abysmal like the previous iteration of Sangrileche. The mouthfeel is very smooth, not as chewey as the original sangrileche but velvety and syrupy. A major sipper for sure, but this brew was made to be sipped and taken with ease.

Overall:
Ridiculous. Really fucking ridiculous, oh did I mention, fucking ridiculous! While it is not as sweet as the original Sangrileche, its still a dessert though. Not cloying and very out there. The majority of the beer is like drinking chocolate syrup like some of the best choco vanilla barrel aged beers out there. The cherries really start to play when the beer warms up and more of the dark fruit flavors start to come out. While the beer does not have much head retention, it is expected at such a high 14% ABV. Now, the real question is, did I really succeed in making the ultimate hybrid geek beer. The answer is Yes and No. Yes because the flavors are similar to those on the Bruery and Three Floyds and W00tstout combined with some Dark Lord Imperial Stout. The No part really has to do with the fact that it is not those beers, its my own creation. It is something new but at the same time, it is a geek beer. I poured so much effort and fan splurging as I can possibly think of into this. Geekdoms are made by fans and Geek inspired home brews are made by fans as well. So yeah, it is a fucking Geek Beer in its own damn righr. A crazy one at that. Even so, as crazy as some of my other beer recipes have been in the past, this one truly takes the cake. Yes, how appropriate, cake for my birthday. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Haruko Haruhara from FLCL/Fooly Cooly and many video game characters were all chosen in this pairing because for being an insane and really out there beer, I needed to bring an anime character from one of the most beloved franchises who is all about rock and is a space psycho. You really have to think, how crazy this beer is with all its ingredients, colors, strength, retro name and geekiness. Yes, recipe base of W00tstout inspired darkness is the embodiment of pure Beer and Geeky media! While Krystal Fox from Star Fox was the original mascot for this beer, I paid tribute to her as you can see from the label. Yes, I could think of no one better.

Sources:
https://ugc.kn3.net/i/origin/http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h476/santo969/501623.jpg?t=1298836348
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5d/cb/5d/5dcb5ddbdf54b59cb498801cf17d272b.jpg
http://wallpapersonthe.net/wallpapers/l/haruko_haruharu_flcl_anime_vespa_haruko-8042.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I2yHaMXsWRs/WBU65zSeaMI/AAAAAAAADfI/jGUBAKYYpUsA2JD6ShTPtr76MBfEpIS6QCJoC/w426-h400/16%2B-%2B1
http://fanfics.frikitest.com/imagenes/foro/vD5hFVbG2taLxki.jpg
https://vamf.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/flcl-14.jpg
http://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.roosterteeth.com/uploads/images/2a699fb8-5fcb-433b-a439-2694a298c778/md/halo3paranod4b7cfec536a08.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/88/8d/03/888d035c3f1efdc54680b7d58c3868f5.jpg

2017 Befuddlement by The Bruery Terreux

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15994840_10103915876678710_3588419316289635923_oRating: 6/6

2017 Befuddlement by The Bruery Terreux is a 9.9% American Wild Rye Ale with Boysenberries aged in oak and bourbon barrels.

Label:
None.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Befuddlement is a Hoarders Society exclusive blend of our Sour In The Rye and our bourbon barrel aged old-ale, Sucré, with the addition of an incredible number of boysenberries. This deep purple beer is textured with sweet notes of caramelized malts, spicy rye, oak, juicy berries and a pleasantly sour funk. It’s a rather befuddling meld of flavors with an outcome that we couldn’t enjoy more.

==Introduction==
15972448_10103915876264540_955649958917085782_o
Released for Reserve and Hoarders societies only, this one was I never had chance to try. Based on the blending process it looks like they blended BBA Sucré with this one which is an awesome anniversary brew from a couple of years ago. It was the time when they started barrel aging in different spirits and have not stopped since. Special Barrel variants are awesome but the mix of that with other awesome beers creates something even more unique. Essentially, their mixed sour brews and Melangé series has been nothing but amazing. Each blend is unique while also some blends being more amazing than other blends. So let’s have a look at this one as it is a special sour blend with their anniversary. Cheers!

Aromas:
Cadbury Cream egg hints, marshmallows, graham crackers, brown sugar, banana hints, piloncillo sugar cone, dark cherry yogurt, dark fruit raisins, currants, dark cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, strawberries, wine grapes, raspberry preserves on toasted rye bread, leather, boysenberry cobbler, boysenberry muffins, port wine, dulce de leche caramel, waffle cone, candy sugar, chocolate truffle notes and crème brulee hints.

Flavors:
Dark fruit raisins, currants, dark cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, strawberries, wine grapes, vanilla, fruit cake, oak, Bourbon, chocolate, toffee, raspberry preserves on toasted rye bread, leather, boysenberry cobbler, boysenberry muffins, port wine, dulce de leche caramel, Cadbury Cream egg hints, marshmallows, graham crackers, brown sugar, banana hints, piloncillo sugar cone, dark cherry yogurt, waffle cone, candy sugar, chocolate truffle notes, crème brulee hints, raisin bread pudding, hibiscus, floral notes, toasted coconut hints and boysenberry cheese cake.

Aftertaste:
Finishes semi dry with lots of boysenberry flavor, dark fruits, tart boysenberry skins, boysenberry yogurt, oak, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, chocolate hints and floral notes. No alcohol in the taste. Crimson and Rose colored full body, crisp, effervescent, smooth and refreshing mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
This exceptionally awesome brew can be best described as a tart boysenberry cobbler. There was a ton of berries and BBA Sucré to guarantee the flavors came out similar especially close to a tart boysenberry cordial. So I feel like I have been missing out especially after having this one. In fact, many special blended sours have been coming out really exceptional and hope they bring out more like this one. It was definitely worth the freebie from the Reserve allocation. I highly recommend this sour.
16107172_10103915876249570_2621709196269445287_o
Anime Corner:
Widow Maker from Overwatch was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair with the colors of the label, beer color and ingredients of the beer which all seem to match with the deep purple, reds and blues of her. This and the fact that this is the first time I use her in a pairing for the Bruery, the timing seemed perfect really. In a way, since she is mixed with Sucré, she looks a lot like Mari Ilustrious which I used in that beer but without the glasses and blue skin.
16112658_10103915876204660_2833727138646924619_o
Sources:
https://cdn3.patreon.com/1/patreon.posts/I4whOtX72NxfDypPSY0bZelyW5XrEPw527qD7LPEZAagzs4bPu0b8ynnllKv1Rh.jpeg?w=1600&v=2-IjikrDIjBKJJXtrL4Lt6CxaOLlMtyhGtSlX_3qbJQ%3D
http://file2.instiz.net/data/file2/2016/07/29/f/9/8/f98ef897a8b4a370dcdaa5fd0d7c08b5.jpg
https://cdn3.patreon.com/1/patreon.posts/6933583458898303643.jpg?w=1600&v=3AQIGa3dXAxVvk3ENQ9w1fAj0-PlXL548-kdzROxSCA%3D
http://pic.chinaz.com/2016/0614/1465870307917.png

Imperial Biscotti Break Raspberry Umami by Evil Twin Brewing

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15304073_10103767646942290_6536431467315646772_oRating: 6/6

Imperial Biscotti Break Raspberry Umami by Evil Twin Brewing is an 11.5% Imperial Stout aged in Oak Barrels with Coffee Beans and Raspberry

Label:
None!

==Introduction==
15252603_10103767647905360_9089962136158953556_o
Obtained this one on my way to the Bruery when I visited Mr. K’s liquor. It literally is in front of the Bruery and they do have a lot of awesome stuff. When I saw this, I definitely had to pick it up. 2 reasons, one is because their Doughnut Break was one of the most awesome beers I have ever had. Even the “Imperial Biscotti Break Natale – Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top” was one of the best as well. So surely, the raspberry coffee one was definitely one I wanted to bring to the site. Now, with that in mind, let’s have a look shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, currants, plums, boysen berries, cranberries, dark cherries, Rich Raspberries, Raspberry cordials, port wine, wine grapes, butterscotch, dulce de leche caramel, fruit cake, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, roasted coffee, coffee cake, molasses, anise, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee, Irish cream, rocky road ice cream, toasted coconut hints and pomegranates.
15271796_10103767648025120_88604068773857474_o
Flavors:
Rich Raspberries, port wine, wine grapes, butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, roasted coffee, coffee cake, dragon fruit, passion fruit, dark fruit raisins, currants, plums, boysen berries, cranberries, dark cherry cheesecake, pomegranates, sea salt, oak, vanilla, toasted rye bread with raspberry preserves, molasses, anise, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee, Irish cream, rocky road ice cream, toasted coconut hints, marshmallow smores, brown sugar, fruit cake, dulce de leche caramel, fudge and raspberry cake, walnuts, chocolate truffles, raspberry cordials and jelly doughnuts.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich raspberries, oak, dark fruit, vanilla, mocha, anise, caramel, dark chocolate, and wine notes. No alcohol in the tasted, Dark Crimson Full Body, very smooth, creamy, rich and velvety mouthfeel and easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Ridiculously delicious. This came to me as a surprise. This beer actually reminded me so much of the beer I made, which was the Raging Passion Lactus Raspear Dragons which was aged in oak with raspberries but other fruits and lactose other than coffee. The flavors were very similar but my brew was fruitier. The fact that I was able to pick up the punch of chocolate raspberries made me realize that the brew I had made was definitely worthy to be commercial like this one. Regardless, this one is definitely worthy of praise and should sought out, I highly recommend this one.
15325277_10103767648094980_2370464602197932140_o
Anime Corner:
Pyrrha Nikos from RWBY was chosen in this pairing as I wanted to bring her into the site for the longest time. Her colors represent the raspberries but also the strength and kindness goes well with the ABV and the complex flavors of the beer which are generally sweet.
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Sources:
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/yakuza-mob-roleplay/images/b/bc/1YMRPBio.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150817231753
https://i.redditmedia.com/AzMrFtjvoe9rT4DCKQFUsn7LBXtZt9XPX0cumhrq0Os.jpg?w=400&s=9529acd0c6185460df4823133cd923d6
http://i.imgur.com/xooKCtJ.jpg
http://76.72.168.19/images/2016-02-24-813002.jpeg

The Arbre Series: Light Toast, Medium Toast and Alligator Char by The Bruery (Triple Review)

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11951735_10102795644847280_6506518439376341715_oIntroduction:
The Arbre series as described by Patrick Rue, is a series of Imperial Stouts that have been aged in different types of oak barrels ranging from 45 second toast of the barrel all the way to completely charred. This series was released in August 2015 for the Reserve and Hoarders society. Today, I bring these forth to explain the story of each individual beer taking a whole lot of time and concentration trying to come up with what flavor experience hides within each one. This is the first time I do a triple review and well, I realize this will take me several hours to do. The thing is, this type of review took me a couple of days of trying a couple of sips at a time trying to recall each beer and how it was the same and what intricate parts were different. Essentially, this introduction is technically the last touches as the body of the review holds all my notes. It is not an easy task just to look at the most apparent flavors and try to find the complexity beneath each sip of these three beers but it was a task well endeavored. So let’s see what all these beers are all about, Cheers!

Arbre Light Toast
============11952815_10102795660036840_3064156826201193051_o
Arbre Light Toast by The Bruery is an 11.3% ABV Imperial Stout aged in light toasted oak barrels.

Label:
RAISE A TOAST!
The Arbre Series explores the flavors contributed by various levels of oak toast in barrels from out friends at Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, KY.

The Arbre Series is an exploration of barrel toast. This lightest variation reveals young nutty notes of oak as well as raisins and a slight smoke.

Aromas:
Light smoke, BBQ hints, leather hints, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, light oak notes, leather, tobacco, dark fruit raisins, prunes, cherry, blue berries, wood plant, bourbon hints, coconut, almond joy chocolate and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, light oak notes, leather, tobacco, rye, light beachwood, light marshmallow notes, graham crackers, molasses, anise, bacon hints, BBQ, mild smoked wood, bourbon hints, coconut, brown sugar, almond joy chocolate dark fruit raisins, prunes, cherry, blueberries, wood plant, caramel, vanilla, minor hints of sweetened condensed milk, chocolate milk shake.

Aftertaste:
Dry oak, earthy notes, light toasted oak, rye bread, milk chocolate, BBQ hints, and wood plant like finish. No alcohol in the taste, Pitch black dark full body, creamy, smooth and velvety mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A very good toasty Imperial stout. The Wood is definitely young as it imparts a light plant like flavor with a dry oaky finish. A pretty good beer especially for this that do not like a lot of oak in their beer. Also, the alcohol level is well hidden and does not detract anything from the beer. Definitely worth the try for light smoke and oak lovers.

Arbre Medium Toast
================11921803_10102795661249410_2892987807993503645_n
Arbre Medium Toast by The Bruery is an 11.3% ABV Imperial Stout aged in medium toasted oak barrels.

Label:
RAISE A TOAST!
The Arbre Series explores the flavors contributed by various levels of oak toast in barrels from out friends at Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, KY.

The Arbre Series is an exploration of barrel toast. This medium variation show cases a strong smokey depth and caramelization.

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, cherry hints, currants, anise, molasses, soy sauce, oak barrel, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, leather, rye bread, smokey hints, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, beachwood, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon hints, coconut, almond joy chocolate, pecan pie, chocolate brownie and plum sauce.

Flavors:
More caramel forward, soy sauce, and roasted marshmallow flavor than the original flavors, still some dark fruit cherry, raisins, molasses, anise, Milk chocolate, richer dark chocolate, oak notes, leather, tobacco, rye, beachwood, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon hints, coconut, almond joy chocolate, pecan pie, vanilla, marshmallow smores, whiskey notes, sweet potato pie, back wrapped dark chocolate and chocolate burnt brownie.

Aftertaste:
Semi dry finish with the BBQ, smoked notes, caramel, dark fruit, soy sauce, earthy notes, oak, rye bread and dark chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, Pitch black dark full body, creamy, smooth and velvety mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious beer that is better than the light one as the medium toast introduces some newer sweeter flavors of soy sauce, molasses and caramel but also enhances the original flavors of the light version of the beer. An enhanced smokey experience a slightly higher level of sweet and smokey levels make this one the next greater beer. The level of oak if a bit higher than before so if you do not like smoke or oaked beers, maybe this may not be for you.

Arbre Alligator Char
============11934512_10102795661758390_5375553866517146014_o
Arbre Alligator Char by The Bruery is an 11.3% ABV Imperial Stout aged in charred oak barrels.

Label:
RAISE A TOAST!
The Arbre Series explores the flavors contributed by various levels of oak toast in barrels from out friends at Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, KY.

The Arbre Series is an exploration of barrel toast. This heaviest char variation reveals a heavy dose of smoke, vanilla and molasses.

Aromas:
Roasted coffee, smoke,leather, tobacco, rye, beachwood, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon hints, toasted coconut, dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, Abuelita chocolate brick, molasses, soy sauce, dark fruit cherry, raisin, blueberries, currants, port wine hints, hazelnut nectar, sweetened condensed milk, flan, clove spices, bananas, campfire wood, dark fruit cherry, raisins, blueberries, currants, raspberry, port wine hints, hazelnut nectar, almond joy chocolate and rocky road ice cream.

Flavors:
Smoked wood, campfire wood, rich dark chocolate, leather, tobacco, dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, Abuelita chocolate brick, vanilla, caramel, molasses anise, soy sauce, dark fruit cherry, raisins, blueberries, currants, raspberry, port wine hints, hazelnut nectar, almond joy chocolate, rocky road ice cream, leather, tobacco, rye, beachwood, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon hints, toasted coconut, smoking wood, brownie batter, butterscotch, sweetened condensed milk, flan, clove spices and bananas.

Aftertaste:
Syrupy burnt chocolate notes, smokey burnt oak, BBQ sauce hints, vanilla, dark fruits, earthy notes, hazelnut nectar, molasses and toffee lingers. No alcohol in the taste, Pitch black dark full body, creamy, smooth and velvety mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
The exceptional charred oaked one releases even more complexity. I think of the 3, overall I really like this one. Trying each is almost like a build up beer. Something I don’t think I have ever done before nor have a taken a careful analysis of each to be able to do 3 at a time, side by side comparisons. While this one is the one I like the most, the more charred and oaked flavors may not be for everyone so if you love charred, oaked and smoked beers, this is a king type of beer. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Raven from Teen Titans graces these three Bruery pairings with dark and hell delights. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos! Are the words that grace each of the three beers, all unique and delicious. Since she was born half human, half demon it fits the beers in terms of her powers ranging from light being the more gentle human and sweet side as we can see in the beer pairing and the flavors but then you can see as she slowly goes higher in power, so does the fire. Burning with rage until reaching the third beer which is where she is in control of her full powers, we can see that at the Alligator charred stage, lots more burning more than oak flavors appear signifying that of a demon burning in hell or in this case, the beer. The aspect Arbre being that of trees fits with the night appearance of the beer as the Ravens linger in the night and so does Raven herself.

Rating: 4.5/5 Light Toast
Rating: 4.85/5 Medium Toast
Rating: 5.25/6 Alligator Char

Sources:
http://www.hdwallpapers.in/walls/raven-HD.jpg
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141201001048/ssb/images/thumb/5/59/Teen_Titans_Raven_.jpg/1280px-Teen_Titans_Raven_.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/1055635#full
http://images-cdn.moviepilot.com/images/c_fill,h_995,w_640/t_mp_quality/u0jjzwntnjn2nkdomdu5/4-og-s-who-could-kill-mkx-shinnok-in-mortal-kombat-506228.jpg

Tonnellerie Rue by The Bruery Terreux

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11888635_10102795642796390_828596090863833471_oRating: 5/5

Tonnellerie Rue by The Bruery Terreux is an 8.5% ABV American Wild Farmhouse Ale/ Saison aged in oak barrels.

Commercial Description:
Our tonnellerie series is the perfect showcase of what we mean when we say that we make “wildly traditional bière”. Here we have taken our classic Saison Rue recipe, rich with rye malt, and allowed it to ferment spontaneously within extra large oak barrels that previously contained similarly wild beers. After enough time and plenty of wishful thinking, this brand new, earthy, complex, farmhouse ale developed into what was bottled up to enjoy. We find the rustic charm of fermenting a beer in this traditional method is mimicked in the flavor.

==Introduction==

Tonnellerie Rue or The Rue Cooper/Barrel-maker is what the beer name stands for. This beer brew was made for the Reserve and Hoarders society alike to be released August 2015. They released a warning stating that the beer should be in the fridge over 24 hours and poured over a sink as the pressure the yeast has built up is massive. So to prevent beer splatter all over your place or amongst friends, open this one with care over sink. So this one is a saison on oak and I want to see how different this is in comparison to their Saison Tonnellerie. Essentially, I think it is the same saison but with oak barrels and possibly brettanomyces. Let’s find out for sure. Cheers!

Aromas:
citrus, oranges, orange peel, grapefruit, tangerines, brettanomyces, wine grapes, farmhouse hay, Rich stone fruit, peaches, apricot, apples, pears, lemon, peppercorn, lychee fruit, dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango hints, waffle cone, biscuit bread, butterscotch, floral notes like lavender, oak, banana notes, clove spice, and musty grape notes.

Flavors:
Rich stone fruit, peaches, apricot, apples, pears, lychee fruit, dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango hints, brettanomyces, wine grapes, farmhouse hay, citrus, oranges, orange peel, grapefruit, tangerines, lemon, peel, lemon candy, rich oak, pineapple, bubble gum, banana notes, clove spice, vanilla, caramel, musty grape notes, good cheese, waffle cone, biscuit bread, butterscotch, floral notes like lavender, honey, coriander spice and candi sugar.

Aftertaste:
Stone fruits, brettanomyces, wine grapes, farmhouse hay, citrus, oranges, lemon, earthy notes, tropical fruit notes and rich oak. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden full body, creamy, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Wow, a perfect farmhouse ale. It is so damn juicy and bretty. I lost partial amount of it due to the carbonation but it is expected with these bretty oak farmhouse ales. Lots of the sweet delicious flavors of the farmhouse hay, citrus, stone fruits vanilla, oak and much much more. It is one that is one of the best examples of the style and a must try if you can trade for it or if the Bruery sells it to the public.

Anime Corner:
Motoko Kusinagi from Ghost in the Shell was used for this pairing as to pair with the colors of the label but also to represent the fruity flavors and mainly represent a beer that has finished aging and maturing in the barrel. This is represented by her stepping up and getting disconnected from the machine she is on. Like this beer, she is ready to face the world.

Sources:
https://media.8ch.net/w/src/1411870192640-0.jpg

Forgotten Tales of the Last Gypsy Blender Series 1 Volume 1 collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Celina Tio

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11223939_10102702400120460_3510146687231718804_oRating: 4.85/5

Forgotten Tales of the Last Gypsy Blender Series 1 Volume 1 collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Celina Tio is a 5.7% ABV American Farmhouse Ale/ Saison brewed with mango and tamarind and a touch of rye aged in oak barrels.

Label:
A JP collaboration with Celina Tio, Chef/Owner of Julian and the Belfry in Kansas City, MO.

Chef Tio and I designed this beer together through a running series of texts while planning a beer dinner . We would hold at her place in Kansas city.

Wandering Conversations detailing layers of flavors flew fast and jumbled through the ethersphere

I think we will become great friends – I wrote. And We did. She came to Dexter ad we brewed this beer together.

Laurie Jokes and now insists Celina and I must be long lost brother and sister.

Enjoy This Beer!
Ron Jeffries
Founder and Chief Squeegee operator.

==Introduction==

A new beer from Jolly Pumpkin! Their sours are the best and what really got me into trying sours back when I first started trying different beers. Since JP focuses on sours and saisons, they have perfected their craft better than other breweries have at least from what I can tell. Now a days, there are other awesome dedicated sour/saison breweries but back then, this was and I still think is king. This beer I bring here is made with mangoes and tamarind. First time I had tried a beer with tamarind and I can already see how delicious this could potentially be with the even Tajin seasoning. Let’s check it out, cheers!

Aromas:
wild flower petals, lavender, citrus, mandarins, honey dew melon, Rich Mango, Tamarind hints, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, peppercorn spice, sage, farmhouse hay, white wine grape hints, tart cherry notes, lemon peel, tart lemon zest, lemon, wild flower petals, lavender, citrus, mandarins, honey dew melon, honey, waffle cone and honeysuckle flowers.

Flavors:
Rich Mango, Tamarind hints, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, peppercorn spice, sage, farmhouse hay, white wine grape hints, tart cherry notes, hints of cherry cobbler, lemon peel, tart lemon zest, honey, waffle cone, honeysuckle, wild flower petals, lavender, citrus, mandarins, honey dew melon, oak, biscuit bread, vanilla, wheat bread, lemon dipped tangerine and rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Stone fruit with mango, biscuit bread, oak, tart cherry notes, and white grapes finishing dry. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden Body, Crisp, refreshing smooth and bubbly mouthfeel with a easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
I loved this one! A very good sour with lots of fruity notes especially those from the mango and tamarind which I have not seen in a sour before. They really managed to pull it off very well with this beer and is very enjoyable sour that is not only in the sour presence but also in the rich fruit presence. Definitely worth a try!

Anime Corner:
Ruby from RWBY was used in this pairing to be the cloaked girl in the pic under the moonlight. The colors, flavors and presentation overall is awesome! I figured it was the great pic to represent the tamarind and fruit presence of the sour. Ruby is just the girl to bring some of that fruity tartness here.

Sources:
http://wallpapershacker.com/wallpaper/boots_snow_cross_scythe_redheads_moon_hd-wallpaper-3031955.jpg

Funk-N-Delicious series Bleuet by Oceanside Ale Works

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11041805_10102445816950190_2069116886595484632_nRating: 4.85/5

Funk-N-Delicious series Bleuet by Oceanside Ale Works is a 6% ABV Lambic/Belgian Sour Blonde aged in oak barrels with blueberries.

Label:
Barrel Aged Bueberry
Pajottenland style Blebet

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Funk-n-Delicious Bleuet is a blonde ale, spontaneously fermented with wild airborne yeast. It is then transferred into Gwerztremainer barrels for a secondary fermentation, of which Brettanomyces is the majority. This “Brett” gives the beer its distinct “funky” characteristic. Once the “Velo de Flor”of yeast drops into suspension, it is transferred into Johannesburg Riesling barrels with fresh blueberries to age, until the desired balance of “funk” fruit and filigree is achieved. Enjoy!

==Introduction==

Mark Purciel, owner at Oceanside Ale Works graces his presence to the site with a new creation that will be hitting stores soon as part of his Funk-N-Delicious series. Previously on tap only, this bottle has only seen a few hands and today, thanks to Mark’s generosity, we present to you, the Bleuet, a blueberry sour lambic.

I have tried a variety of different blueberry beers, some more complex than others, some sweet and one time, a blueberry sour. Today, I get to try a blueberry sour lambic. It isn’t the same as a blueberry sour as lambics tend to have fruit flavors give a helping hand with an amount of sweetness making the drink more of a tart instead. With that being said, let’s take a look at we have here.

Aromas:
Very rich fragrances of blueberries, flowers like lavender, hibiscus, peppercorn, white grapes, tart raspberries, strawberry cheesecake, vanilla, oak, grapefruit, sugar cane, Belgian phenolic notes, banana hints, green apples, lemon peels and some stone fruit peaches.

Flavors:
Rich lemon peel, citrus, sour white grapes, concorde wine grapes, blueberry yogurt, strawberry cheese cake, tart fresh raspberries, black currants, vanilla, oak, sugar cane hints, farmhouse hay, bretty funk, tart green apples, stone fruit peaches, coriander spice, grapefruit, Belgian phenolic notes, banana and flowers like lavender and hibiscus.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with the sweet blueberries lingering, tart raspberry, vanilla, stone fruit and oak. No alcohol in the taste, easy to moderate drinkability, light clear golden body and a smooth, crisp and refrshing mouthfeel.

Overall:
Another great example of the lambic style. This one came out to be very good. Drinking this one cold engages the sour blond characteristics but as it warms up, the blueberries and rich fruit and flowers take over melding with the existing flavors showing that this is really just a tart drink and not a head on sour. It is light and drinkable with a lot of complexity going on. Something that can be drunk in several sittings as you definitely want to enjoy this. I highly recommend this one if you like mild sours with nice fruity flavors and especially if you love bluberries! This lambic has not come out yet but will see the public sometime soon. Keep an eye out at https://www.facebook.com/OAWBREW or https://www.facebook.com/dudewheresmyoawbeer to see the release date.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Luka Megurine was used in this pairing as I wanted to do something with blueberries. After looking at so many different pictures, they were not clicking with me. It wasn’t until I found this one and looked at it and said, this is the one. Luka presenting the blueberries represents the love that goes into making this lambic. By not being hidable, it goes to show that they made a lambic that truly is blueberries and you don’t need to find them as they are already there. This is not a typical sour, it is a fruit forward tart. Her colors represent the complexity of the lambic inviting the other fruity flavors like the strawberries, raspberries, the flowers and other awesome complexities.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/106614

2011 Daliesque by Oceanside Ale Works

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11030842_335864163276359_3040530104640583478_o
Rating: 5.25/5

2011 Daliesque by Oceanside Ale Works is a 6.2% ABV Lambic/Belgian Sour Blonde aged in oak barrels.

Label:
A Barrel Aged “Lambic Style” Sour Blonde. Daliesque: Conscientiously affecting the ostentatious, weird, or bizarre.

==Introduction==

I have been doing reviews for a while and have definitely loved doing what I do for a long time. I have also been fortunate enough to be able to find good friends who have helped me with trading beers like my friend Aaron Mendiola of beermetaldude.com so I can inform the public about great beer treasures.

As of recently, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mark Purciel, owner of Oceanside Ale Works in Oceanside California. After doing a review of the “Dude” Double IPA some time last year, Mark reached out to me asking if I would like to review Daliesque. In the back of my mind I was like, “Dude!!!!” Needless to say, I was awe struck and very excited. This is actually the first time I have been asked personally by a brewery, especially the owner, to try and review some beers. Usually, I try different beers and beers I have heard about. Some breweries like my work but this was an awesome opportunity to bring something for the public to take note. Daliesque has been rated the best lambic in the world (ratebeer.com) and also one of the best brews of 2014 according to (DraftMag.com).

I have been doing this since 2011, and well, for being an awesome request, I humbly give you my review on the 2011 Daliesque. Cheers!

Aromas:
Tart lemon peel, citrus, grapefruit peels, white wine grapes, musty oak, vanilla, farmhouse hay, peppercorn hints, field of flowers like lavender, hibiscus hints, tropical hints like passion fruit, dragon fruit, strawberries, white raisins, stone fruit apricots, peach notes, phenolic notes and sour green apples.

Flavors:
Citrus, orange peel, tart grapefruit, Stone fruit like peaches, apricots, mango hints, white wine grapes, farmhouse hints, lemon peel, lemon candy, tart peach, pineapple, lychee fruit, sour green apples, dragon fruit hints, passion fruit, vanilla, oak, biscuit bread, white raisins, ripened strawberries, tart raspberries, sugar cane hints, Belgian phenolic notes, banana, clove spice hints, coriander hints, floral notes like lavender and hibiscus.

Aftertaste:
Leaving off with some stone fruit note and very mild tropical hints, oak, vanilla, sour white grapes, oak and biscuit bread before going into a dry finish. No alcohol in the taste, smooth mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability. and light to hazy golden body. The hardly any carbonation but with these styles, its welcome.

Overall:
An exceptional lambic. While The base beer is supposed to be sour and the oak barrel lends a hand with the funkiness, the overall lambic through and through is actually more of a tart and sweet than it is sour giving way to some of the fruity notes but still maintaining composure as a sour lambic. Age has definitely done wonders to this one. When it comes to how I like my sours, I generally look past the sour aspect to find complexities during cold and warm temperatures. I think what makes this one an exceptional lambic has to do with balance of how you get the best of both worlds (Sweet/Sour) without the sourness getting the best of the lambic. That and the time aging has definitely had a great effect on it. As I have mentioned in my rating system, when I find something that goes beyond the base beer (typically aging can do this), I feel these beers deserve that extra credit push as not many perfect base beers can show their true potential unless it is take to a new level. In this case, it definitely exceeds it a bit. I highly recommend this one if you can find it and if you like tart and sweet beers.

I extend my thanks to Mark Purciel at Oceanside Ale Works for the opportunity of letting me try this awesome lambic, Cheers! Check out this interview with Mark on some of the origins of the Dude IPA and Oceanside Ale Works: http://www.thehopshighway.com/video/

Anime Corner:
Duality by tincek-marincek was used in this pairing as I wanted to find something that worked with the “Daliesque” artwork as made famous by Salvador Dali. While searching for many anime related artworks that would fit the ostentatious, weird, or bizarre. I found this artwork. This artwork represents the struggle of the beer as it tries to balance itself out. The beer itself is pretty balance giving great flavors of tart, sour and sweet. The lighter side of the duality represents the blonde and sweet flavor base of the lambic while the dark one represents the complexities brought on by the sour notes and the oak. As I mentioned before there is an aspect of this lambic that consist of a struggle for balance but eventually finding the middle ground (especially when the lambic warms up). Synonymous with human nature, everyone has a good and a bad side and we have to work together to balance ourselves out.

Sources:
http://tincek-marincek.deviantart.com/art/D-U-A-L-I-T-Y-312951498

La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto (99 Scorpions) (The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra) by The Unknown Brewing

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10409593_10102221151940670_5897567734451332807_n 10153665_10102221152354840_5831491665927202215_nRating: 5/5

La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto (99 Scorpions) (The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra) by The Unknown Brewing is a 10.1% ABV Imperial Mexican Lager aged on Tequila Oak Staves, Brewed with Agave Nectar, Serrano Peppers & (99) Ninety Nine Scorpions.

Label:
UBC Bottle No. 2
Warning: Contains Crustaceans

Online Descriptions and Blurbs:
(http://beerstreetjournal.com/unknown-brewing-escorpion-en-fuego/)
When asked if these scorpions would affect the flavor, head brewer and owner Brad Shell responded “I’m not sure, that’s not the point. The point is this beer needs scorpions. Some things just have to happen”.

==Introduction==

Released for El Dia De Los Muertos in November, this beer is pretty damn ridiculous. Even for the name and the ingredients this was made from. This is my first beer from The Unknown brewing and is one that . All hope was lost last month when there was no way I could get this beer due to it being extremely limited. I pondered about how nice it would have been to have it here on the site. Long behold, I wake up on Black Friday at 4am to a message from my good friend Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com only to find that he found a website called www.bruisin-ales.com which had exactly what we were looking for. He sent me that Mexican wrestler pic where the dude is asking for a tag in as he needed some assistance to get these and I was like…oh shit!! I jumped out of bed, placed the order and the rest is history. A sort of victory for the Beer Pairing Duo and a review you will soon see on my friends page. I didn’t really care at that time when I saw the beer on the site, I really wanted to get this beer despite the ingredients. Despite what anyone thinks about gimmicks or nasty and gross ingredients for beer, this was something I was super open minded to have. I have had crickets before and those have like a grassy and earthy taste. Some people say Scorpions are tasty like eating shrimp. That and the fact that scorpions are high in protein and good for you. So let’s take a sip at this one and hope you are able to get your own scorpion beer. Saludito!

Aromas:
Honey, Toffee, Agave, caramel, coriander spice, peppercorns, chile pepper spices, tequila hints, pineapple, stone fruit peaches, Serrano pepper spices, mild oak, tequila hints, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, biscuit bread and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Rich Agave Nectar, Tequila, Mezcal, sangria, grapes, oak, citrus, honey, lemon, caramel, vanilla, oak, graham cracker, herbs, coriander, oranges, grassy earthy taste (scorpions?), toffee, salt, mild seafood hints, Serrano chile spice hints, peppercorns, pineapple, grapefruit, basil, lime peel, lemon zest, mild coffee, green tea, dragon fruit, stone fruit peaches, mild jerky notes, biscuit bread, rye bread, butterscotch and piloncillo.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with a honey and agave aftertaste that lingers and finishing with like a musty, herbal, grassy, earthy and bitter aftertaste. Must be the scorpions. No alcohol in the taste yet feels stronger than what it is. Syrupy and creamy mouthfeel, Clear Golden Body, moderate to sipping drinkabaility.

Overall:
I got 99 Scorpions while other beers have none! Way too unique for words really. I think the previous blurbs have done this one justice. I do recall my experience with the crickets back then so there is a minor hints of that grassy, musty and earthy like flavor that I remember from long ago. Not bad at all. The Serrano heat is there for the flavor but masked by the sweetness so it’s not a ‘Stone Punishment’. I really love it but don’t worry since the other ingredients do mask that extremely well providing it’s own array of complexity. This one was made in Tequila barrels so there’s yet another reason why it is extremely unique as well. As a lager, possibly the best and possible the most unique I have ever had. It is a great beer despite the fact that it could be off putting to others and if you really want to find it, get it before it truly disappears for good!

Anime Corner:
Evelynn from League of Legends and Dia De Los Muertos by SanctusDesign of Deviant art were pretty much the best pairings I could find for this beer. Almost everything about the beer including Dia De Los Muertos and Even the very name of the beer pairs way too well that it even surprised me. Using Evelynn as she chases the reptile beast, we look at the name of the beer, La Jornada del Escorpion en Fuego hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto. In English this means ‘The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra’. As you can clearly see, Evelynn is the fiery scorpion and is chasing the dead Chupacabra(which back then people thought it was a lizard creature). Even the cloak the lizard beast wears along with the skeleton hands signifies it is death, so a Chupacabra of death or dead Chupacabra. The journey is basically Evelynn’s journey to catch that beast as fire spews from her finger tips. Think of this as a Scorpion trying to catch its prey and sting it to death. She also looks like the dead chick in the dia de los muertos. That’s where the next pairing comes in. Visually, the dia de los muertos chick looks very damn close to the label. What is surrounding her face is curvy plants that with the colors and shapes, kind of represents the 99 scorpions found in this great beer.

Sources:
http://stuffpoint.com/league-of-legends/image/190512-league-of-legends-eve-dia-de-los-muertos-halloween.jpg
http://sanctusdesign.deviantart.com/art/Dia-De-Los-Muertos-Da-368996612

Holiday Belgian Strong Brown Ale by Avila Ales

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10615512_10102208548642780_528146605221522982_nRating: 5/5

Holiday Belgian Strong Brown Ale by Avila Ales is a ??% ABV Belgian Strong Brown Ale brewed with Oak chips, Cinnamon Sticks, allspice and Star Anise.

==Introduction==
My friends Richard and Megan Avila have been busy brewing some very awesome magic potions. In September, they visited King Harbor brewing in Redondo Beach which were able to donate their equipment for my friend Richard to create a 5 gallon bucket of just Brown Ale wort. While there were many there, many would take their buckets home and customize their own recipe even further. Richard and Meg decided to go with a Belgian yeast strain for this brew. As the weeks passed, they added oak chips, cinnamon sticks, all spice and star anise to fermenting bucket which then after close to 2 months, this Belgian goodie was born. They were awesomely kind to donate some of their beer to me to do a review. One thing to note, while there may have not been a last gravity check to verify the alcohol by volume, this beer was definitely strong, complex and yet, smooth and easy to drink. A conundrum yet a masterpiece of a Holiday Ale for sure. One day, they plan to open their own business to get these awesome creations rolling and hopefully, with my reviews here, you may be enticed to try them. Cheers.

Aromas:
Mint chocolate, anise, bananas, clove spice, molasses, vanilla, oak, campfire hints, rock candy, brown sugar, coffee hints, dark fruit raisins, cherry hints, milk sugar, candi sugar, flan hints, cinnamon, ginger spice, all spice fruit cake and pecan pie.

Flavors:
Banana, clove spice, anise, molasses, Dark fruit raisins, mild prune notes, cherries currants, oatmeal cookies, coffee hints, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, oak, marshmallow smore hints, hints of maple, piloncillo hints, milk sugar, toasted coconut hint, biscuit bread, mint chocolate chip, honey, nutmeg, fruit cake notes, pecan pie notes, cinnamon, ginger spice, all spice, vanilla, caramel, rock candy, candi sugar, brown sugar and some flan hints.

Aftertaste:
Dark chocolate, oatmeal cookies, anise, banana hints, clove spice, dark fruit and earthy notes linger. No alcohol in the taste, drinks way too easy yet you can tell this is strong, Pitch black brown body and a creamy.

Overall:
A perfect holiday ale ranging from a lot of sweet complex flavors with the oak bittering out the sweetness. This is a “drink and sit by the fire place” beer. My friends really nailed this one for sure. The complexity and sweetness is reminiscent of some of the best Belgian beers out there. The addition of the oak, cinnamon, allspice and Anise gives it an additional level of depth that quite possibly is what is responsible for making this one smooth as well although I can only assume at this point. I hope they brew this one again as it was the best beer yet!

Anime Corner:
Akemi Homura in Akuma form from Madoka Magica was used in this pairing because I wanted to show case several aspects about this beer including ingredients, flavors, strength and complexity. The abbey like monastery used as the background in this pairing goes well with the style of the beer and the brown colors making this a Belgian brown. The fact that she looks sweet and innocent goes with the smoothness and rich complexity of the beer. The fact that she is in Akuma form or Demon form represents the unknown aspect of the ABV. The fact that drinks super well but it is dangerous since you do feel it after just a little goes to show how truly powerful this beer is. Also, the colors represent the beers flavors and to some extent the added ingredients which gave this beer perfection.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/eY0bhFA.png

Salt Lick (Censored) by Jester King and The Salt Lick BBQ collaboration

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1150312_10101347411298920_1176994635_nRating: 4.5/5

Salt Lick (Censored) by Jester King and The Salt Lick BBQ collaboration is a 6.7% Pecan Wood Smoked Saison/Farmhouse ale barrel-aged in wild yeast.

Label:
First came the witches, and soon after there were vampires. They came in droves and each time one popped up it seems to be better looking then the last., each polished to a blinding luster. For a brief moment even werewolves even had there moment in the spotlight, plucked and preened to studio perfection. Then, to our astonishment, monsters comprised of nothing more than smoke joined this pop phenomenon – and that we couldn’t resist.

Notes:
Crafted in the once commonplace, Old World tradition of bière de coupage, young, dry hopped ale is blended with old, barrel-aged sour beer fermented with native yeast. A portion of the malt was smoked over pecan wood at The Salt Lick BBQ (Censored) in Driftwood, Texas. Unfiltered, unpasteurized and naturally conditioned.
___

Last year, this beer used to be called Salt Lick but per Texas law below, they had to change it:
Update: Our original label application for Salt Lick Pecan Wood Smoked Saison was rejected by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), after having been approved by the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB). We have renamed this beer “Censored” for sale in Texas.

Here is the original label: http://beerpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Jester-King-Salt-Lick-Pecan-Wood-Smoked-Saison.png

Along with Das Wunderkind!, I was able to get this one online as well. Jester King makes some of the finest Saisons out there. Goes to show that each Brewery does not have to brew a particular variety of styles but when focused a certain style can go into depths that no other beer can. Yes I am looking at those breweries like Jolly Pumpkin (Sours), Stillwater Artisanal (Gypsy Saisons), The Bruery (Belgian Styles) and many more . I will definitely try to get more amazing JK reviews going . So far I have 5 beers. Check out my other reviews .

One thing to not about this beer, when I opened it, sat it down on the table to take pictures. The beer came to life . Unlike my previous experience with Fantome Boo! Where the beer came gushing out to no ends, this one slowly but surely started to rise, little by little as it came out the bottle and surprised me about a minute later. Now I understand what the label meant about the paranormal :S

Aromas of this beer are quite intriguing. Very Smokey, campfire oak, honey glazed ham, pineapple, peppercorns, tart citrus, musty grapes, minor flower notes, herbs, rotting wood, hidden spices, peaches, apples, salt, hay, lemon juice, tobacco and BBQ pit with spices.

The flavors are of lemon, citrus, salt, smokey honey glazed ham, biscuit bread, Tejuino (Mexican fermented corn drink with lime, sugar and salt), tamarind, hazalenut, over matured orange, sourdough wheat bread, coriander, lemon pepper spice, white peppercorns, barn yard hay, very oaky, musty grapes, a touch of apricot, apples, butter, apple cider vinegar notes, black pepper, sage and other earthy spices.

The aftertaste is somewhere between, salty, smokey, tart, slight sour, fruity and spicy. Quite the combination and smooth and moderately refreshing in fact. This seems way too good to be true. Like drinking this around late august, early September is like perfect because you get nice refreshing notes and that campfire warmth feel you would get as the times approach the fall.

Amazingly this is the first time I have had a beer that is both strictly smokey and slightly sour. Reminds me a lot of Tejuino which is a Mexican fermented corn drink with lime, sugar and salt and sometimes chile added. Very Unique, very interesting, and very delicious. You probably will bee to have an acquired taste for sours or even smoked beers to greatly enjoy this one. Although to me, the balances with the saison is not too overwhelmingly smokey or sour. It fits perfectly in both sides of the universe. Excellent stuff and very awesome if you can find it .

Das Wunderkind! by Jester King

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1175003_10101346418059380_1900771048_nRating: 4.75/5

Das Wunderkind! by Jester King is a 4.5% ABV Organic Saison/Farmhouse Ale aged in oak wine and whiskey barrels with wild yeast.

Label: 
There are many among us who, in spite of their best efforts, just never quite seem to fit in. It’s only a rare few, however, who, very early in life, develop the self-asurance and presence of mind to be neither conformists nor rebels, instead carving their own paths and following their own dreams, regardless of what anyone else might happen to think. Take flight, mein Wunderkind, don’t ever let gravity hold you back!

Description: (jesterking.com)
Mature beer, re-fermented in oak barrels with wild yeast and souring bacteria is blended with fresh, dry-hopped beer prior to bottle-conditioning. Dry and lightly tart, with notes of citrus, barnyard, and tropical fruit.
___

Been looking for this little prize long ago. Since last year actually. I was finally able to find one online. Soon as I saw it, I had to get it and do a review. I paired this beer with a piece of artwork that best presents it. Flight of Das Wunderkind! Or “The Wonder Kid” in German. 

Aromas are those nice floral spices, peppercorn, sourdough bread notes I really enjoy in saisons. As an added treat, there are also notes of oak, grapefruit, citrus, hay, apricots, lemon, apples, dandelions, roses, sweet caramel, light whiskey notes, grapes and earthy notes

Flavors are of peppercorns, sourdough bread, wine grapes, caramel, oak, light whiskey notes, lemon peel, green apples, slight funky notes but not too sour, grapefruit, apricot, peach, hint of strawberry, flowery spices, hay, earthy hops, coriander and light vanilla notes.

The aftertaste is mildly funky with citrus, lemon , oak and wine taste but shortly sour. More like flowers and peppery spices.

Overall the beer is awesome is you love saisons that have nice funky notes which are not too sour but pleasantly tart. The added wine and whiskey barrels give it some character but do not overwhelm much of the beer. The spices, flowers and fruity flavors along with the tart and oak flavors take care of that.

Otiose by the Bruery

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935014_10101146739631550_1924334654_n 427812_10101146739252310_1507309113_nRating: 4.45/5

Otiose by the Bruery is a 8.2%ABV Sour Brown Ale Aged in Oak with Guava.

Label: 
Created for no purpose besides satisfying an intense craving. Pleasantly tart with tropical notes balanced by roast malt.

Description:
Defined as “serving no practical purpose”, the recipe for Otiose was developed during a rare break in the brewing schedule; a recipe we came up with to satisfy our own desires and nothing more. The result is a sour brown ale aged in oak barrels to which we added guava. Riddled with tropical notes which are balanced by it’s malty backbone, Otiose is a rich and decadent sour ale. 8.2%, Cellerable for up to 3 years.
___

The fragrance of this beer are of sour wine grapes, notes of caramel, guava, lemon citrus, passion fruit, plum notes, apples, cranberry, raspberry, oak and vanilla. Aside from the sour grape wine flavor, this beer has some nice sweet notes. Flavors of pecan, guava, banana notes, cherry, raspberry, caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, citrus, lemon, grapefruit, honey, some toasted rye bread and some sour funkyness. The beer is quite balanced. There is enough tart and caramel notes to make it pretty interesting. This is similar to some of the great Jolly Pumpkin ales. So if you love sours, have fun trying this one 😛