Sublime Mexican Lager by AleSmith Brewing Company

 

Rating: 5/5

Sublime Mexican Lager by AleSmith Brewing Company is a 5.2% ABV Mexican Lager

Description:
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Sublime’s release of their iconic album “40oz. to Freedom”, Sublime contacted AleSmith Brewing Co. to craft this unique brew. Sublime Mexican Lager is a thirst-quenching, 5.2% ABV twist on a traditional Vienna-style lager highlighted by a grainy, malt-forward sweetness and easy drinkability. It’s clean, crisp and balanced with a smooth finish. Cheers!

Smooth, super refreshing and summer time goodness!

I don’t practice Santeria, I don’t got no crystal ball… I had a 6 pack of this and….I drank it all 😂🤣😂

 

 

Mélange 14 by the Bruery

14364687_506778826184891_7986673022391212908_nRating: 6/6

Mélange 14 by the Bruery is a 13.4% ABV American Strong Ale/Cuvee composing 85% ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with 15% Imperial Stout.

Label:
ONE FOUR ALL

This fusion puts the spotlight on the art of the blend and bourbon barrel-aged beer, with rich complex notes and signature kiss of oak.

Our Mélange series is a chance to roll out the barrels, roll up our sleeves and explore flavors that cannot be achieved outside of the art of the blend or by any one beer. French for “blend”, this mélange fuses the mature character of some of our most vintage barrels of barleywine and old ale with the dark depth of our imperial stouts, including both Tuesday-themed releases and Share This.

==Introduction==
14322396_506778829518224_1280220773180401969_n
Mélange 14 was not only released to the different societies at the Bruery but also the public. With the release of Share This: Coffee, they created a variant that was blended with that beer, Black Tuesday as well as other beer which I believe are the Mash and their Anniversary series. The Mélange series has always been a personal favorite of mine since Mélange 3 and Mélange 12. Those beers have been a category of their own. While I did enjoy Share This: Coffee, I can only imagine into what depths this one will go. Let’s dig this rabbit hole, Cheers!

Aromas:
Roasted coffee, Mocha, fancy coffee, espresso, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, prunes, plums, dark cherries, currants, rocky road ice cream, Belgian chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, almond joy chocolate, oak bourbon, hazelnut, walnuts, Cadburry cream eggs, rock candy, fruit cake, licorice, mint chocolate chip, cocada Mexican coconut candy, wine grapes, waffle cone, port wine, rum hints, walnut cake, coffee cake, tres leche/ three milk cream cake, double chocolate fudge cake, brown sugar and dulce de leche caramel.

Flavors:
Super duper mocha, Jamoca ice cream, rocky road ice cream, Belgian chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, almond joy chocolate, oak bourbon, hazelnut, walnuts, Cadburry cream eggs, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, prunes, plums, dark cherries, currants, cocada Mexican coconut candy, wine grapes, waffle cone, port wine, rum hints, walnut cake, coffee cake, tres leche/ three milk cream cake, double chocolate fudge cake, fancy coffee, marshmallows, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, leather, tobacco, molasses, dark candy sugar, burnt sugar, rock candy, fruit cake, licorice and mint chocolate chip.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with rich caramel, vanilla, steamed milk, mocha, dark fruit, bourbon, marshmallows, Cadbury cream eggs and coconut candy. No alcohol in the taste, Dark yet Crimson Full body, sipping drinkability and Silky, creamy, syrupy, smooth, velvety mouthfeel.

Overall:
Definitely, let it warm up to unleash its true potential. An exceptional beer that I would take over Share This: Coffee although, Share This: Coffee has its own merits. Both beers are available to the public but you can’t really compare both as they are entirely different beer. This one is so damn coffee and complex flavor rich that I definitely highly recommended.
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Anime Corner:
T-elos from Xenosaga was used in this pairing as I wanted to connect Black Tuesday, which is represented by KOS-MOS in another pairing, to T-elos who is another version of KOS-MOS, essentially, her evil sister. The addition of Share This: Coffee complements T-elos in her dark appearance because she also looks like Muramasa who I used in Share This: Coffee, however, T-elos actually more powerful. Thus, representing the complexity and ABV of this beer. The colors of the label also help the pairing work with her too.

Sources:
http://blog-imgs-47.fc2.com/s/e/i/seiroganmania/473fecc5.jpg
http://img0.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/xenosaga-t-elos-hijiri-Anime-Pussy-2861824.jpeg
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpPT-SdCYAANbga.jpg

Stochasticity Project HiFi+Lofi Mixtape by Stone Brewing

IMAG8169Rating: 4/5

Stochasticity Project HiFi+Lofi Mixtape by Stone Brewing is an 8.8% American Pale Ale with half aged in Oak Foudres.

Label:
STOCHASTICITY
STO-KAESTI-CITY
There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

Fresh and Vintage tracks combine for the perfect liquid playlist.

Even before the science of beer was fully understood, those seeking to present the finest iteration of an ale had their wys of ensuring flavors and textures that were a cut above. In Britain, pub owners kept ‘stock ales’ on hand, beers that had been left to mature in vats or oak barrels. During this aging period, the beers would mellow and occasionally, develop a twinge of tartness. These publicans were unaware of the oxidative or microbilolicigal reasons for such changes, but found that blending some of their stock ales with fresh beers – which dented to be overly bitter and smoky – made ideal quaffs for their patrons. For this beer, we have taken a page from this tale of British pub life and blended a stock ale aged more than three months in oak foudres (large wooden fermentation vessels more commonly used by vintners) with a fresh version of that beer to create perfect harmony spanning end to end on the taste specctrum

Malt Varieties
Pale 2-Row, English Pale, Mild Ale, Briess & Amber

Hop Varieties
Apollo, UK Target & Williamette

Aged in
Oak Foudres

==Introduction==

Obtained this one at my local beer shop and this one is sold in many of the craft beer shops that sell Stone beers. This one will see national distribution. This beer used to be available on tap only and it was something Stone finally decided to release. Good for them as they have so many beers that never see the public tastes buds. So let’s take a sip of this and we rewind the tape as we go along. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich butterscotch, caramel, biscuit bread, orange zest, waffle cone, toasted bread, black tea hints, earthy hops, grapefruit hints, pecan pie notes, brown sugar and hints of hazelnut.

Flavors:
Rich biscuit bread, caramel, rye bread, toffee, honey, grassy, piney, grassy, grapefruit, and earthy hops, butterscotch, citrus, orange, oak, waffle cone, toasted bread, black tea, almond butter, marzipan, hazelnut, pecan pie hints and marshmallow.

Aftertaste:
Lot of biscuit bread, citrus, caramel, pecan pie, hazelnut, oak, toffee, grapefruit and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, crisp and moderate mouthfeel, easy to moderate to drinkability and golden brown body.

Overall:
A very good beer almost reminding me of a pub ale with some added complexity. At a moderate drinkability, there is much that can be said as it is complex but palatte subtle enough to not overwhelm the palatte. Taking its time as coats the mouth with different types of complexities all at once. Something that is worth a try and might be a step up for light drinkers.

Anime Corner:
T-elos and Kos-Mos from Xenosaga were used in this pairing as I wanted to do a twin pairing but also match up the colors of the beer. The older and darker barrel-aged side which is represented by T-elos and the lighter alcohol and brand new Kos-mos. They pretty much compliment each other that they represent this beer as a unit of the blends. The mix. The colors also represent some of the flavors as well.

Sources:
http://hdwallpapersfactory.com/wallpaper/xenosaga_t-elos_kos-mos_desktop_1280x720_hd-wallpaper-744094.jpg

Box of Chocolate by Charleville microbrewery of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri

1503458_10101626310707270_169726805_n 995287_10101626310343000_1954598898_nRating: 5.65/5

Box of Chocolate by Charleville microbrewery of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri is a 10% ABV Belgian Quadrupel brewed with Chocolate. 

Label:
It’s Difficult to express Love’s nuances, much like the complexity of this Belgian style Chocolate Quad. You Might use a Box of Chocolate to express your love, we use it to demonstrate our passion for great beer.
___

Only available, from what I can tell, at the wine and cheese online store, (Google this one). A small price for what I have never seen in my life. A Chocolate Quad? Well, aside from the Bruery who makes chocolate rain and possible chocolate indulgence by Ommegang may be the closest to what a Belgian Chocolate Quad could be like. Well, enough pondering and on the review!

Aromas:
Sweet, Milk, bakers and dark chocolate, dark fruits, raisins, plum notes, dulce de leche caramel, bananas, vanilla, clove spice, brown sugar, mild anise, molasses and hazelnut.

Flavors:
Lots of chocolate flavors ranging from sweet, milk, dark, fudge and bakers, chocolate covered cherries, vanilla, raisins, plums, prunes, brown sugar, bananas, dulce de leche caramel, clove spice, anise notes, underlying earthy notes, mild coffee, marshmallow, waffle cone, hazelnut, almonds and candy sugar.

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste leaves with chocolate covered raisins, bananas, caramel, vanilla and earthy notes. Hidden alcohol through and through with a sipping drinkability level.

Overall:
A beer that exceeds expectations and maybe more perfect than some of my other perfect beers, but the one thing about this, which I don’t complain but you have to be aware, is that the chocolate does take over some of the more complex Belgian qualities. I don’t really care about this little aspect because you can tell the quadrupel is still there, it is unique and I don’t think there is a quad quite like this one. Fucking amazing straight out of a little microbrewery in Missouri. 

Anime Corner: SPOILER ALERT
T-elos from Xenosaga was used for this pairing not so much for the labels but for 2 reasons. The flavors of Chocolate, cherries (on her forehead piece), dark fruits, vanilla, caramel and others and the Belgian Quad aspect. The reason for the Belgian quad aspect is because it leads back to the Abbeys of Belgium and how they were represented Holy and Christian inspired. T-elos was the original cyborg vessel that would inhabit the resurrection of Mary Magdalene in the Christian influenced Xenosaga series. Ofcourse, she eventually fuze with the perfect vessel, Kos-mos but anyways, that is the most I can link a Belgian quad to Abbeys, to Christianity to Xenosaga and to T-elos and at the end, this pairing. Her name means purpose, ends or goals, so if the overall purpose of the beer is to meet a unique Belgian inspired Chocolate Quad then, Bravo!

Starfish by Fish Brewing

530599_10100997914822660_641357718_nRating: 4.25/5

Starfish by Fish Brewing is a 7.5% ABV Imperial Red/Amber Ale. This is part of their Reel Ales Series.

Description:
Born in Head Brewer Tony Powell’s home brewery, this West Coast Style Imperial Red Ale is a hearty celebration of the brewing art. Almost welcoming you, four hops impart floral, citrus and sprucy Northwest notes to open the festivities. Then, seven malts and flaked barley dance happily across your palate. In the finish Starfish waves a crisply fond farewell. Convivially forthright without cloying agendas, Starfish is like time well spent with your future best friend.
___

Aromas of this red ale are of grassy hops, grapefruit, caramel, toffee, biscuits, roasted nuts, honey and butterscotch. The flavors are of honey, barley wine almost, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, slightly bitter grassy pine, earthy and grapefruit hops, citrus, orange, roasted peanuts, almonds and a bit of buttery biscuit. The after taste remains sweet and malty through and through. A pretty good amber ale.