Tag Archives: Tenchi

Coffee Bourbon Barrel Oil of Aphrodite by Jackie O’s brewing

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Rating: 7/7

Coffee Bourbon Barrel Oil of Aphrodite by Jackie O’s brewing is a 12.1% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Black Walnuts, Belgian Candied Sugar syrup, Coffee and aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:

==Introduction==

The elusive ambrosia of gods! This is the first time I try this beer but also anything Jackie O. Back in the day, I would always see this beer and others from Jackie O to not be able to find them anywhere I would look. It was only recently that I got a chance to snag a bottle from one of the local shops who had it only limiting one. I guess it really must be a gift from the gods. The bottle shows that it is made with Belgian Candi sugar and walnuts, DAMN! Sounded amazing. Especially since I have brewed beer and ciders with all kinds of Candi sugar so it is a very special ingredient indeed. I’m surprised it is not in the Belgian category but hey, it’s Greek themed so I would call it a Greek stout. Anyways let’s see what the goddess of beauty has left us mere mortals, cheers!

Aromas:
Rich pecan pie, walnuts, maple, peanut butter, hazelnut nectar, pralines,trail mix, rocky road ice cream, marshmallows, dark fruits, dark chocolate, dark fruit, banana, piloncillo sugar cone, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, smores, oak, bourbon, leather, tobacco, mocha, Irish cream, toasted coconut candy, tiramasu and fruit cake.

Flavors:
Pecan pie, walnuts, pralines, macadamia nuts, hazelnut nectar, cashew butter, almond joy chocolate, peanut butter, marzipan, mazapan, maple syrup, port wine, rocky road ice cream, jamoca ice cream, toasted coconut, Belgian dark candi sugar, molasses, star anise, rock candy, bananas, grilled plantains, Irish cream, fancy coffee, mocha, Khalua coffee Liquor, dark fruit raisins, raisins, figs, plums, cherry cordials, rye bread, tobacco, leather,. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, double chocolate, cherry chocolate cake, cookie dough ice cream, bourbon, oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, whipped cream, flan, sweetened condensed milk, marshmallow smores, tiramasu, coffee cake, fruit cake and earthy notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing flavors of dark fruit, banana, lots of mixed nuts, almond joy chocolates, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, cashews, dark chocolate, oak hints, bourbon notes, earthy notes, tiramasu, Belgian dark candi sugar, banana notes and port wine notes, 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:
Nothing short of amazing! If this is what gods are drinking up in the celestial cosmos, this is damn insane! Truly like a love potion. Lots of rich nutty, chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, banana, bourbon and other special complex flavors. Describing this one would be to describe none other than a Bourbon Barrel Belgian Stout. Heck, One of my special brews “Sangrileche” edition 1 has elements found in this beer and even some aspects of edition 2. Simply glorifying!! If you love bourbon barrel imperial stouts, this one is definitely a must try if you can find or trade for it.

Anime Corner:
Ryoko Hakubi from Tenchi Muyou! Was used in this pairing to represent Aphrodite. A very beautiful woman. While some may disagree, beauty is skin deep. As you can see, Ryoko relaxing is like that of Aphrodite relaxing while her minions bring the oil. Heck in one of these pictures, Ryoko is literally covered in what appears to be oil so yeah, I think this overall pairing works well.

Bourbon Barrel Aged 8 Maids A Milking by The Bruery

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15418474_10103811533293690_5448965158180780174_oRating: 6.25/7

Bourbon Barrel Aged 8 Maids A Milking by The Bruery is an 13.7% ABV Belgian Imperial Milk Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
WÆS HÆIL!

This is what happens when eight maids lay down in bourbon barrels for a year: a rare display of darker, velvety chocolate notes to 8 Maids-a-Milking, the eighth beer in our 12 Days of Christmas series.

This is 8 Maids-A-Milking, the eighth beer in our 12 Days of Christmas series, aged in bourbon barrels for about a year. The Belgian-style imperial milk stout emerges this holiday season with deeper, richer, darker milk chocolate notes, along with amplified roastiness and ripples of caramel, coconut and vanilla character. Drink alongside the 2015 release to revel in the udderances achieved through barrel-aging.

==Introduction==

Released to the Reserve and Hoarders society. This beer is based on the original 8 Maids A Milking which was released in 2015. The original was very damn delicious. The Belgian Imperial Milk Stout isn’t something that is always brewed. The last time I had one was when I made the Trappist Milk Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels which was the Oblivixen’s Maelstrom. I had recalled there were some flavors of the Bruery’s 8 Maids a Milking in that beer but ofcourse mines was amped up several degrees with barrel aging and different ingredients. Now that we have the barrel aged version of what I think is one of the Bruery’s best Christmas beers, let’s have a look and see if this is worth finding, cheers!

Aromas:
Rich oak, bourbon, vanilla, marshmallows, toasted coconut, dulce de leche caramel, dark candi sugar, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, Yoohoo chocolate, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dark cherries, chocolate cherry cordials, maple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses and bananas.

Flavors:
Dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dark cherries, chocolate cherry cordials, vanilla, oak, bourbon, toasted coconut, dulce de leche caramel, dark candi sugar, Stone fruit peach hints, peach preserves, apricots, mango, lychee fruit, rocky road ice cream, bananas, clove spice, milk sugar, rock candy, pistachio ice cream, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, Yoohoo chocolate, peanut butter notes, cocoa krispies, hazelnut nectar, mocha, roasted coffee notes, marshmallow smores, cookie dough ice cream, maple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses, mints, anise and toasted rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with oak, bourbon, milk sugar, chocolate, dark fruit, stone fruit, mocha, marshmallow smores, vanilla, caramel, earthy notes and coffee cake. No alcohol in the taste, dark full body, super smooth, creamy, frothy, very rich and creamy mouthfeel, with a drinkability that does not equate to its ABV.

Overall:
Holy shit, this is a real mind blow! The original was one of my favorite Belgian Milk Stouts aside from my own creation. This barrel aged version is even more insane. You get the great barrel aging flavors that the Bruery’s process gives and still get a lot of the original but definitely enhanced into a new level of oblivion. The chocolate milk, toasted coconut, dark fruit and caramel goodness is really over the top. If you do decide to get this one, definitely get several of these, you won’t regret it!

Anime Corner:
Ryoko Hakubi, Ayeka Masaki, Washu Hakubi, Ryo-Ohki, Mihoshi, Sasami, Kiyone Makibi and Nagi of the Tenchi Muyo in Tokyo series were included in this pairing to represent the 8 maids-a-milking. Tenshi Masaki and the other characters are not one of them as I included Ryo-Ohki who is a girl and is Ryoko’s spaceship but also is in love with Tenchi and well, all of them are Tenchi’s harem so Tenchi is in the picture by default just like the previous beer review. They are his 8 maids-a-milking. Not literally I hope but they all work the farm in the Tenchi Muyo series while there are no Space havocs about ofcourse.

Sources:
http://todoanimes.com/img/animes/fondos/382.jpg

Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy by Oskar Blues

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15440474_10103803467442720_4736902448289808205_oRating: 7/7

Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy by Oskar Blues is a 12. 9% ABV World Class Russian Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
Stone Pipe Can
Half-Baked Fully Toasted
This Dog’ll Hunt
==Introduction==
15493596_10103803467193220_7986428874422758688_o
Originally released in October 2015 to the brewery exclusively. This year, Oskar Blues was able to release this to the public although in limited quantities. Seeing as how big this beer was when it was first released, trying to get it on the public release may have been just a hard if it wasn’t for the online retail sites like craftshack.com that sells the beers. The unfortunate part is that they only limit one beer per 48 hours and by the time you want to buy another, they are all gone. I made so sacrifices but thankfully, I was able to bring this one to the site. Since the release of the original TenFidy, I have longed to try this one. Let’s go! Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Yoohoo chocolate drink, Mocha, Java, Espresso, roasted coffee, Irish Cream, Khalua liquer hints, tobacco notes, almond joy chocolate, rocky road ice cream, Dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, currants, black berries, prunes, cherry cordials, marshmallows, toasted coconut, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, oak, bourbon, flan, sweetened condensed milk, pecan pie and hazelnut nectar.

Flavors:
Rich rocky road ice cream, marshmallows, toasted coconut, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, oak, bourbon, flan, sweetened condensed milk, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, walnuts, double chocolate cherry cake, Jericalla Mexican custard, Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Yoohoo chocolate drink, Mocha, Java, Espresso, roasted coffee, Irish Cream, Khalua liquer hints, molasses, clove spice, bananas, plantains, chocolate graham cracker smores, chocolate mint ice cream hints, chocolate oatmeal cookies, roasted barley, Dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, currants, black berries, prunes, cherry cordials, pancho pantera chocolate milk shake, port wine hints, almond joys and tobacco notes.
15385377_10103803467198210_6427632602663628337_o
Aftertaste:
Rich chocolate, marshmallows, toasted coconut, almond joy, oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruits, smores, bourbon, pecan pie and tobacco notes. Slight alcohol hints in the aftertaste but not detracting from the overall flavors. Pitch black delicious full body, smooth, creamy, silky, velvety and syrupy mouthfeel with a sipping drinkability.
15419591_10103803467367870_2935383838292304229_o
Overall:
Ridiculously awesome! Top tier supreme, Oskar Blues best beer next to the Death by Coconut. I still have not tried their Rum Coconut one but this has been a long time coming. A single can is definitely a night capper as trying to finish this in one sitting might be difficult for some people. It is definitely best shared for sure but I definitely have to agree that this one is all it is cracked out to be. Supreme chocolate complex goodness and it is one that should be highly sought after.
15392935_10103803485736060_6670804289643342777_o
Anime Corner:
Ayeka Misaki Jurai from the Tenchi Muyo! Series was used in the original review I did for Ten Fidy. The reason I wanted to bring her back is part of the tribute. I tried to bring some some pictures that may be different to pair with. The only fitting one that I can think of is Ayeka in the new dress that does complement the beer colors as well.
15384402_10103803467457690_1564588206416345107_o
Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/Bm6KWhc.png
https://cdnb1.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/481/813/large/katarzyna-marlewska-aeka-final-small.jpg?1447183990
http://webspace.webring.com/people/bd/daniel_rivera_resto/ayeka012.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MfZXI2i.jpg

Ten Fidy by Oskar Blues

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14484631_10103598617952740_5215157053771549939_nRating: 5/5

Ten Fidy by Oskar Blues is a 10.5% ABV Russian Imperial Stout.

Label:
Half-Baked Fully Toasted
This Dog’ll Hunt
==Introduction==
14589664_10103598617942760_1446491650074448128_o
Ten Fidy gets its name, I believe, by the 10.5% ABV it carries. It has been several years since I last brought this beer for a review. As originally recommended to me by a dude at Total Wine, this had become a definite standard for Imperial Stouts. Especially, Russian Imperial Stouts. Stouts likes Old Rasputin were just as standard as well. This brew for being so awesome, it was hard to find back then. Now it seems like it is everywhere. That being said, I am giving you a reason as to why you should pick up a pack of these whenever you see it or have it on tap. Oskar Blues makes amazing beers. Even for some of the common styles, they really know how to make great beers and even in cans. I have yet to try an Oskar Blues beer that has not been under a very good to perfect or above rating. So yeah, take a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, currants, black berries, prunes, Danish cream, Cherry Chocolate cordials, Double chocolate cherry cake, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Yoohoo chocolate drink, Roasted Coffee, Mocha, Khalua Liqueur hints, roasted barley, jerkey hints, bananas, clove spice, molasses, anise, chocolate mint, marshmallows and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, German chocolate, Bakers Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Yoohoo chocolate drink, Roasted Coffee, Mocha, Khalua Liqueur hints, roasted barley, jerkey hints, bananas, clove spice, molasses, anise, chocolate mint, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, Dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, currants, black berries, prunes, Danish cream, Cherry Chocolate cordials, Double chocolate cherry cake, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar and marshmallows.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, coffee, vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, earthy hops, rye bread, roasted barley, pecans, almonds and cherry chocolate cordials. No alcohol in the aftertaste. Pitch black delicious full body, smooth, creamy, silky and syrupy mouthfeel with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
One of the best and perfect imperial stouts out there. Even after years of not trying it, this should be a standard go to and one that can be easily recommended to many people that love stouts. So much roasted barley, chocolate, coffee, dark fruits and more. Simply put, you can never ever go wrong with this one. Yes, there are better ones out there and possibly due to the barrel aging process but this one, definitely a common go to. Highly recommended.
14522737_10103598617947750_731139145184505972_n
Anime Corner:
Ayeka Misaki Jurai from the Tenchi Muyo! Series was used in the original review I did for Ten Fidy so naturally I brought her back to pair once again. This time, I was able to find a picture where she has a crown denoting the queen of the Russians stouts (Kate The Great was it?) Essentially the can has picture of a crown and so it fits just right with the pairing.

Sources:
http://www.animegalleries.net/img/11955
http://hypnohub.net/data/image/4d73e8c549e7d1847dbbf635d8a5f610.jpg
https://simg1.uberbooru.com/t4/cd/8d768817fc61ea04611796b0fdd1a.png

ExCherrymentations Gone AwRye by Nubis Sanctum Ales

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13458539_10103345683799810_28417043527111739_oRating: 5/5

ExCherrymentations Gone AwRye by Nubis Sanctum Ales is an 9% ABV American Rye Imperial India Pale Ale brewed with Organic Black Cherry.

==Introduction==

13055017_10103215732453350_5395506285058469528_o
Project #24 was created as an experiment to do away with all my hops that I had left over. Stuff that was free, stuff where I didn’t use in some recipes and just hops that I wanted to try out. I had to come up with a recipe before the summer hit as brewing would be difficult due to the extreme heat causing issues in the fermentation process. So I just everything together and hope for the best. Little that I know that this monster of an experimentation would actually come out to be reminiscent of one of my favorites beers that dated back to my beginnings of craft beer. To find out, let’s take a look at this one carefully. Cheers!

Aromas:
Lots or Rye bread, toffee, caramel, dark cherry, grapefruit, citrus, piney, herbal, grassy, and earthy hop notes, vanilla, lemon grass, toasted malts, raspberries and dark fruit notes.
13528321_10103345683680050_5108395072979160756_o
Flavors:
Rich Grapefruit, citrus, piney, herbal, dank, grassy, oniony, garlicky and earthy hops, Dark fruit raisin, lots of dark cherries, currants, pomegranates, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, Toffee, caramel, vanilla, floral hibiscus, tangerine gummies, toasted rye bread with cherry and raspberry preserves, toasted malts, lemon grass and basil.
13502594_10103345683660090_4563345640111539149_o
Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with huge dank piney, grassy, herbal, grapefruit hop bitterness and a slight touch of the cherry and rye malts. No alcohol in the taste, Crimson copper full body, bold, crisp, refreshing and slightly smooth mouthfeel with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Just like Arrogant Bastard. IT really is unforgiving considering how much hops I put this beer. A definite ruination to the tongue and yet, the complex sweetness provided by the cherry and the rye just keeps me wanting to drink more of it. I did not expect this beer to be very delicious, but it really surprised me. When I first tapped it, that’s when I realized it was definitely going to be a winner as it reminded me a lot of arrogant bastard. I will definitely want to make this one again.
13522794_10103345683610190_8152795155438813448_o
Anime Corner:
Washuu Hakubi from the Tenchi Muyou series was used in this pairing as I was looking into how using cherries and this being an experimental batch would equate to a character that matches both criteria. Washuu is a genius and mad scientist. Being around more than 20,000+ years would definitely make one very intelligent. She has the hair that pairs well with the cherry aspects but also is not afraid to make crazy creations.

Sources:
http://wallpapershacker.com/wallpaper_1920x1200/tenchi_muyo_washu_hakubi_1920x1200_hd-wallpaper-152279.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/F1EociU.jpg
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8f7sC8oLMX8/sddefault.jpg
http://anime.astronerdboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/02-30-Washu-plans.jpg

X’s And Ho’s by El Borracho Homebrewing

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12698501_10103054358313420_2885320138262432018_o 12657338_10103054359835370_6140135130792953143_o 12525135_10103054360329380_7724071430432666857_oRating: 3.75/5

X’s And Ho’s by El Borracho Homebrewing is a 4.5% Cream Ale

==Introduction==

Cream Ale with Corn Maize added. A cream corn session brew contributed by my friend William Carranza in his search to create a clean and delicious yet very drinkable brew for anyone that enjoys light beer. The name of the brew comes from the song by Elle King, Ex’s & Oh’s, but mainly from the need to make a “cheap” inexpensive but really drinkable beer. Think of this as a cheap date or one night stand of a brew, regardless of how you see it. Anyway, I am thankful to have another awesome to provide to the site thanks to my friend Will. Cheers!

Aromas:

Piney, citrucy, grapefruit and mild grassy hops, biscuit bread, pilsner malt, honey, caramel apple, buttery caramel popcorn, maize and butterscotch hints.

Flavors:

Caramel notes, pilsner malt, honey, toffee, biscuit bread, piney, citrucy, grapefruit and mild grassy hops, cereal grains, maize notes, butterscotch hints, hazelnut hints, caramel apple, buttery and creamy caramel popcorn.

Aftertaste:

Finishing dry with some hints of caramel and biscuit bread with some nice mild hops and pilsnery notes. No alcohol in the taste, light honey colored body, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:

A pretty good beer. The strongest trait of this beer is that it is so damn drinkable and light that many will love it and the best part, there is a good amount of complexity to keep stuff interesting. A session beer that truly is enjoyable and better than the light lagers out there. My hats off to my friend William for pulling this one off. Since I don’t have a hat… I’ll do the classic bow from Wayne’s World… NOT WORTHY… NOT WOTHY!!

Anime Corner:

Ayeka Masaki Jurai, Ryoko Hakubi, Sasami Jurai and Tenchi Hakubi from Tenchi Muyou! And Shikishima Mirei, Sagara Momoka and Tokonome Mamori were all used in this pairing to represent the name of the beer from Ex’s that catch their used to be significant other with another man/woman or even getting caught cheating. The overall theme I wanted to go with is those beers that are easy but also the way my friend described his reason for the name.

Sources:

https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/7154e-tenchi-muyo00223.jpg

https://hdwallpapers.cat/wallpaper_1920x1200/tenchi_muyo_ayeka_sasami_mihoshi_kain_ryoko_1920x1200_hd-wallpaper-27883.jpg

http://i4.pixiv.net/img-original/img/2015/12/05/06/40/10/53886463_p0.jpg

Evil Crawfish by Clown Shoes brewing

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12661881_10103044466052590_8187008633004701012_nRating: 5/5

Evil Crawfish by Clown Shoes brewing is a 9% ABV Imperial Red India Pale Ale.

Label:
Once upon a time a man walked into a bar where a friend of ours was tending the taps. He tried to order an Eagle Claw Fist, but got it wrong and asked for an Evil Crawfish. When we heard the story, after much laughter, we knew one day we’d make the beer. Finally, here it is, built off of ECF, but cleaner, meaner, less bitter, and dry-hopped with Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin.

==Introduction==

Obtained this one at the local Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights California. This beer has been kind of elusive and whether or not I wanted to try it was definitely not a priority. I think at the time it was how I felt. I said, well, new Clown Shoes beer, Clown Shoes makes awesome beers… let’s go! So here we are. Another review on an Imperial Red IPA. I have not tried one specifically by that name although may Reds when they are hopped to high hell do tend to be more of Red IPAs than the basic Ambers and Reds that used to be a great balance of malts and hops. Either way, I have tried an Amber ale previously that was more like an IPA so I am sure this is what they were going for. Let’s have a look.

Aromas:
Tropical fruit like passion fruit, dragon fruit, prickly pears, papaya, mango, pineapple, coriander spice Toffee, Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and earthy hops, rich caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, coriander spice, dark fruit cherries, raisins, chocolate, hazelnut hunts, tangerine preserves on toasted bread, sweetened condensed milk, maple hints, coconut hints and rye bread.

Flavors:
Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and earthy hops, rich caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, marsmallow, chocolate smores, rich rye bread, tropical fruit like passion fruit, dragon fruit, prickly pears, papaya, mango, pineapple, coriander spice, dark fruit cherries, raisins, chocolate, hazelnut hunts, rum soaked bread, tangerine preserves on toasted bread, sweetened condensed milk, maple hints, coconut and coffee hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with some sweet tropical fruit goodness, malty notes, toffee, caramel, earthy, grapefruit and grassy hops. No alcohol in the taste, murky dark crimson brown full body, crisp, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel along with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A damn delicious Red IPA. It has a lot of the malty rich notes that I enjoy from Reds but also complementing the notes of the malts with the super tropical hops. I gotta admit, I wasn’t sure if the hops would overpower the malts but with the complex hops that gave the tropical and fruity notes, it made for one balanced beer. Clown Shoes shows up once again letting us know why they are awesome! Definitely give this a try if you are a red ale and/or IPA fan.

Anime Corner:
Washu Hakubi from Tenchi Muyo was used in this pairing as I have used her when doing beers about crabs and lobsters and other crustaceans. The joke in the anime is that Washu’s red hair is setup in a fashion where it looks like a crab. So I figured easy pairing right? She is red like the crawfish and the ale but also the background when she looks at the note is like the crawfish that looks at the wanted poster.

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/40/51/68/4051682de156045e78bb6f25042336b5.jpg

 

8 Maids A Milking by The Bruery

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12339169_10102947566026020_8027343341976235757_oRating: 5.5/6

8 Maids A Milking by The Bruery is an 11.3% ABV Belgian Imperial Milk Stout.

Label:
WÆS HÆIL!

The Eighth Verse of Our Twelve Beers of Christmas saga celebrates with a rich & creamy Belgian-style imperial milk stout. Happy Holidays!

8 Maids-A-Milking is suitable for aging up to 5 years (soon after the release of 12 Drummers Drumming) when cellared properly.

==Introduction==

The Bruery has recently released their latest Christmas beer to the public and should be hitting many distribution areas publicly where they sell The Bruery beers. I was unable to see if there was any special ingredients used in this beer to make it unique from the last aside from being an Imperial Milk Stout but much love Milk Stouts so typically, these beers may fit the Christmas or Holiday times. Overall, this set of Twelve days of Christmas beers have been very good overall but I would definitely like to see what this one is about. So let us take a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, plums figs, tres leches cake, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses, Rich Milk Chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, flan, bananas, clove spice, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, roasted coffee notes, marshmallow smores, cookie dough ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, Stone fruit peach hints and cocoa powder.

Flavors:
Rich Milk Chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate milk shake, bakers chocolate, Dark fruit raisins, plums figs, flan, bananas, clove spice, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, milk sugar, rock candy, candi sugar, cocoa powder, Yoohoo chocolate drink, peanut butter, cocoa krispies cereal, hazelnut nectar, mocha, roasted coffee notes, marshmallow smores, cookie dough ice cream, maple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses, mints, anise, Pistachio Ice cream, oatmeal cookies, Stone fruit peach hints, apricots, mango, lychee fruit and toasted rye bread with peach preserves.

Aftertaste:
Sweet, milk sugar, chocolate, dark fruit, stone fruit, mocha, vanilla, caramel, earthy notes and fancy coffee cake lingers. No alcohol in the taste, dark abysmal full body, super smooth, frothy, very rich and creamy mouthfeel, with a drinkability that does not equate to its ABV.

Overall:
Divinely rich and perfect milk stout. So much Belgian, so delicious I had to buy several of these. This might be their best Christmas beer yet. The milk and chocolatey stout flavors really do stand out big time. Despite this being a bigger ABV beer, it is really hard to tell where the alcohol is. The bruery will be releasing this one for the holiday season so definitely do yourself a favor and get this one, I highly recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Ryoko Hakubi, Ayeka Masaki, Washu Hakubi, Ryo-Ohki, Mihoshi, Sasami, Tsunami and Tokimi of the Tenchi Muyo series were included in this pairing to represent the 8 maids-a-milking. Tenshi Masaki is not one of them as I included Ryo-Ohki who is a girl and is Ryoko’s spaceship but also is in love with Tenchi and well, all of them are Tenchi’s harem so Tenchi is in the picture by default. They are his 8 maids-a-milking. Not literally I hope but they all work the farm in the Tenchi Muyo series while there are no Space havocs about ofcourse.

Sources:
https://hdwallpapers.cat/wallpaper_1600x1200/tenchi_muyo_ayeka_sasami_mihoshi_kain_ryoko_1600x1200_hd-wallpaper-27878.jpg

Proprietor’s Reserve 2013 No. 001 PNC (Publican National Committee) by Firestone Walker

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11850738_10102772115849580_6665640499603677096_o 11882380_10102772116288700_2643056241050320290_o 11896528_10102772116822630_838293242918506299_oRating: 6.35/7

Proprietor’s Reserve 2013 No. 001 PNC (Publican National Committee) by Firestone Walker is a 13.7% ABV World Class Imperial Buckwheat Stout brewed with Agave Nectar aged in Tequila Barrels, Bourbon Barrels and retired Firestone Barrels.

Label:
This bold and deliciously complex beer is an Imperial Buckwheat Stout aged in Tequila barrels for 13 months. Only a collection of pioneering, well seasoned, extensively traveled and passionate pub owners could come up with such a notion. A massive grain bill consisting of Pale, Munich and toasted Canadian Buckwheat was blended with pearled drum-kilned barley from Chile, a generous amount of Wisconsin roasted wheat and a slug of British Crystal malts. A couple of lumps of Mexican Turbinado sugar were added for good measure while we loaded the kettle with Styrian Golding hops. This carefully calculated collision of flavors, concocted over copious amounts of Orval well into the night, was laid down in fresh Tequila barrels wrangled over our southern border by the beautiful Meg Gill. W simply call this beer “PNC” in honor of its collaborative creators – The gothic symphony of flavors speak for themselves.

The week that the PNC rolled info Paso was one to remember , but more importantly, the PNC’s role in the Craft Beer Revolution should never be forgotten.

Cheers to the PNC!
Matt and the FW Crew

Ideal Aging Temperature: 45F

11225253_10102772118569130_2654165456272206785_n

==Introduction==
It has been 2 years since the release of this beer and only at the actual brewery or through trading could this one become available. An elusive beer, yet the one that I really wanted to get my hands on. Thanks to some online sites like www.mybeercollectibles.com, this is a possibility. The one beer of their Proprietor’s Reserver series that was aged in Tequila and a component of the Firestone XVI Anniversary ale (considered on of the supreme best). Who knows if this beers was such a component that took that beer to the awesomeness it became but only here and now will I find that out. That and the fact that it has been sitting in condition for more than 2 years, well, that is just damn amazing. Cheers! To this beauty of a beer!

Aromas:
Tequila, oak, rich agave, sangria vampiro, dulce de leche caramel, rocky road ice cream, dark chocolate, mezcal, pancho pantera milk chocolate shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, roasted coffee,bourbon, toasted coconut, honey comb, sweetened condensed milk, capirotada raisin bread pudding, vanilla, mazapan, pecan pie, soy sauce, anise, port wine, dark fruit raisins, black cherries, currants, blackberries, tamarind, smokey marshmallows smores, graham crackers, lechugilla agave juice, sugar cone, cane sugar, rock candy, candi sugar, grilled banana hints, almond joy chocolate, buckwheat roasted, coffee notes, earthy notes, molasses, anise and licorice.

Flavors:
Deep Dark chocolate, mezcal, pancho pantera milk chocolate shake, bakers chocolate, German chocolate, roasted coffee,bourbon, oak, tequila, rich agave, sangria vampiro, dulce de leche caramel, rocky road ice cream, almond joy chocolate, buckwheat roasted, coffee notes, earthy notes, molasses, anise, licorice, dark fruit raisins, black cherries, currants, blackberries, tamarind, smokey marshmallows smores, graham crackers, lechugilla agave juice, brown sugar, aloe, floral hints, fruit cake, toasted coconut, honey comb, sweetened condensed milk, capirotada raisin bread pudding, vanilla, mazapan, pecan pie, soy sauce, anise, port wine, piloncillo sugar cone, cane sugar, rock candy, candi sugar, grilled banana hints and clove hints.

Aftertaste:
Smokey notes, cane sugar, agave, Sangria Vampiro, marshmallow smotes, rocky road ice cream, rich dark chocolate, roasted coffee, dark buckwheat roast, super dark fruits and rich dark rock candy. No alcohol in the taste despite the ridiculous ABV, Dark eternal full body, rich, smooth creamy, syrupy, velvety, mild bite to the mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Two years into the aging and I never thought how crazy good this beer could be. It is very rich in dark fruit, oak, mezcal, mild tequila, agave sweetness, licorice and a whole bunch of complex goodies. Distinguishing how much actually went into the Firestone XVI Anniversary is definitely hard but some of the individual flavors of this one are a major component of that one but also the flavors you see in Parabola and Velvet Merkin such as the Rock Road Ice cream flavors. I have no idea how you can get this beer as I don’t see this much anywhere which makes me hope they re-release this great beer again. For now, just hope you can trade for it or buy it if possible.
11935173_10102772117436400_8301588607587086863_o
Anime Corner:
Ryoko Hakubi from the Tenchi Muyo series was used in this pairing as she is one of my favorite anime characters from when I was growing up during High School. A Bad ass girl with monstrous beauty and strength. Her hair resembles the Agave plants that are harvested for its creation in the world of Tequila. Her space pirate outfit works in conjunction with the dark colors of the stout while the other colors represent the other flavors and complexity such as the Sangria and Mezcal with her yes as gold as the rich honey and hazelnut sweetness. With the other beers from Firestone in terms of their reserve beers, I have always paired them with something that best represent the beers in terms of job class, like a fantasy game. Parabola= Knight, Stickee Monkee=Monk, Velvet Merkin=Sorceress, etc. Ryuko the Space Pirate represents somewhat of an organization acronym. In this case, an organization or Pirates!
11053225_10102772118958350_1945290026250282788_o
Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/58/b8/91/58b891d1e2d2d1652ef2a8f6aa8d0ad3.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/d5f890c2a627a250e1ab60bff82aad7f/tumblr_nrgy7tOSn01s1mohso1_1280.png
http://img01.deviantart.net/13fe/i/2014/020/c/2/ryoko_with_lighthawk_wings_by_tr3s_sss-d730i4o.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/full/468286
http://i.imgur.com/5R2AP8M.jpg

Philly Taco collaboration by Perennial Artisan Ales and Cigar City

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11741222_10102702401218260_335119000852031248_o 11760163_10102702401512670_6351712286714849013_n 11709935_10102702402435820_4565757349796078411_o 11009979_10102702401996700_8504143778359797296_nRating: 3.85/5

Philly Taco collaboration by Perennial Artisan Ales and Cigar City is a 7% ABV Belgian Brown Ale conditioned Brettanomyces.

Label:
The idea for Philly Taco arose from some ravenous late night hunger after our breweries teamed up for an event during Philly Beer Week in 2014. There is only one suggested food pairing for this beer. Go to Lorenzo’s, get a slice, and walk down to Jim’s on South St. Order a cheesesteak, preferably whiz wit, and roll that baby up.
Enjoy.

==Introduction==

One of the most prestigious and sought after breweries create a collaboration that is well, a midnight munchy liquid fest. I have no words for this but my wallet and mind acted on their own and now we have here is a beer that was brewed in the style of some crazy munchy inspiration. An party party late night beer whose recipe came to be during an after hour, graveyard shift hunger inspired session of brainstorming. Lots of Tacos, Pizza and Philly cheese steaks were consumed that night I’m sure!

Aromas:
Strong brett notes, peppercorn, funky cheese notes, earthy and herbal hops, basil, hazelnut nectar, brown sugar, Italian herbs, chocolate, rich biscuit bread, rye bread, caramel, cola hints, black IPA dark roast, coffee hints, tropical fruits of old mango, apricots, dark fruit figs, raisins, prune hints, rich clove spice, smoked oak notes, black IPA dark roast and coffee hints.

Flavors:
Italian herbs, chocolate, rich biscuit bread, rye bread, caramel, funky cheese notes, earthy and herbal hops, basil, hazelnut nectar, brown sugar, cola hints, black IPA dark roast, coffee hints, tropical fruits of old mango, citrus, dark fruit figs, raisins, prune hints, rich clove spice, smoked oak notes, rich rye bread, rich clove spice, peppercorn spice and pecan pie.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with a funky, herbal, earthy and malty dryness. Super thick dark brown full body, thick, creamy, smooth and syrupy mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A very decent beer on the really weird side. The oddest thing about this beer is wanting to pair with some pizza, Philly cheese steak and other junk foods. Just like the overall theme of this beer represents, I couldn’t stop thinking about how the crazy flavors and ingredients used to make this beer seem to scream Philly cheese and pizza and to some degree, tacos in general. One of the oddest beers I have tried and one that I would recommend a try at least once to understand its weirdness. Not bad, but you better have something to pair with this fast!

Anime Corner:
Washu from Tenchi Muyo, Callen and C.C. from Code Geasse were used in this pairing to pair with the whole range of foody aspects starting with Washu and what looks to be tacos although it could be some other delicious dish. Callen and C.C. eating pizza combining themselves together is similar to the way the philly cheesesteak and the pizza are rolled into a taco. Taco Glory and pink tacos… I will leave that to the imagination. CC and the pizza and the taco… ummm..ok… that is enough!! Also, the liquid is from a juicebox, well, Don’t get any taco saucy ideas now. Carl’s Jr. used to have a quote saying: If it doesn’t get all over the place, it doesn’t belong in your face. We were young when that commercial aired, thanks Carl’s Jr for ruining our childhood! LMAO!!

Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/twizzlestix/images/washu9.jpg
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/951/794/c26.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hbodx0O.jpg
http://cfs11.blog.daum.net/image/1/blog/2008/10/02/00/42/48e39a553ffb9&filename=1001(43).jpg

2015 Imperial Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery

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11169545_10102531396383320_5126373725060860381_o 11159985_10102531396942200_1065780053333097988_nRating: 6.25/5

2015 Imperial Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery is a 11.2% ABV Imperial Belgian Blonde brewed with Rice, Cinnamon and Vanilla beans.

Label:
¡Muy Rico!

This ale is our spin on horchata, a sweet & creamy drink originating in Latin America. This time with a bit more fiesta.

Horchata is one of our favorite drinks, refreshing alongside a spicy dish or just for sipping on a lazy afternoon. Our take on the traditional agua fresca incorporates rice and lactose along with spices for that sweet, creamy character that we’ve come to love. The imperial variation is just that much more rico. Imperial Or Xata is best enjoyed fresh. The ideal serving temperature is 45° Fahrenheit (7° Celsius). Best served in a tulip or wine glass.

==Introduction==

Well this was truly unexpected. Reserve society surprised many with a very limited quantity of a small batch of a stronger version of their Or Xata beer. I truly did not see this coming but definitely had to bring it forth to the website. Or Xata is currently out to the public in great quantities and also on growler fill as well at the brewery. So it is much easier to get this beer than it was in the past. Now with this special edition dangling, it’s going to cause a stir for Or Xata lovers. If you love the original, then let’s go over this one and see if it is truly worth the trouble.

Aromas:
Churros and Banana Dulce de leche caramel supreme, vanilla, rice pudding, Horchata, lavender flowers, flan, cinnamon, plantains, Danish cookies, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnabun frosting, stone fruit peaches, apricot, cherry pie, English cream, piloncillo sugar cone, cane sugar, agave nectar, mint notes, whipped cream, milk sugar, hazelnut, chocolate truffles, Jericalla Mexican Custard, toffee, mango, pine apple, passion fruit, dragon fruit, green tea ice cream, macaroons and pecan pie.

Flavors:
Rich Flan, rich cinnamon, Rich rice pudding, bananas, horchata, plantains, rich liquid churros, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnabun frosting, Danish cookies, biscuit bread, butterscotch, marshmallows, leche nestle (sweetened condensed milk), toasted coconut, macaroons, stone fruit peaches, apricot, cherry pie, English cream, piloncillo sugar cone, cane sugar, agave nectar, mint notes, whipped cream, milk sugar, hazelnut, chocolate truffles, Jericalla Mexican Custard, toffee, mango, pine apple, passion fruit, dragon fruit, green tea ice cream, mochi ball ice cream, cookie dough ice cream, pan dulce, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, oak, burnt sugar, graham crackers, waffle cone, honey, French vanilla ice cream and Belgian Candy sugar.

Aftertaste:
A continuous barrage of candy sugar, vanilla, rice pudding, churros, honey, pecan pie, cinnamon, flan, stone fruits and dulce de leche caramel keeps lingering for a while. Slight alcohol in the taste but mainly sugar covered well by Belgian yeast goodness, crisp, refreshing, creamy, velvety, smooth and silky mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability drink, and a clear golden honey color of a light to medium body.

Overall:
If there was such a thing as taking the original Or Xata and you took it to the next level, a la super saiyan, shot it to volume 11, divided by zero, crossed over to the 4th dimension and then put the cherry on top, it still wouldn’t come close to explaining what they did to amp this beer to the next level. This beer is so crazy you can cuz slices like a pie. A churro pie perhaps. Either way, you have to find a way to get this one if you love the original. It really is, epic miles above.

Anime Corner:
Ryoko Hakubi from Ai Tencho Muyo! Was used in this pairing leading back to the original Or Xata with its green, gold and red label as well as its ties to the new 2015 version. Ryoko has a new design I wanted to show case for the new Tenchi series and I figured this was the perfect opportunity. Ryoko is hell of strong. I think may stronger than Fuu from Naruto which I used in the last Or Xata pairing. Therefore I wanted her to be the representative for this round. Her colors are very similar to Fuu’s. Also, I did use Ryoko for an Agave beer I did in the past so the agave like flavors are reminiscent of that. Either way, I really liked how her power compliment the stronger version of this beer.

Sources:
http://40.media.tumblr.com/91452b714353669884c5ae086425ae39/tumblr_ngqcvxqAw31skcniqo1_1280.jpg
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/5536/61573d65766c939f14c3eca.jpg

Raspberry Trippelbock by Mikkeller

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1891390_10102531387221680_3392771968389652281_o 10945140_10102531388234650_4677455593543580573_o 11001677_10102531388818480_4054386447063439546_oRating: 6/5

Raspberry Trippelbock by Mikkeller is a 13%ABV Eisbock/Trippelbock brewed with Raspberries.

Label:
None

Commercial Description:
Mikkeller’s Raspberry Trippelbock is a huge strong ale brewed with raspberries to add a bit of tartness to the sweet profile of the bock style.

==Introduction==

Love me some raspberries and to see a raspberry beer with a cute label was kind of the reason why I got this one. I don’t often review Mikkeller beers as they are pretty pricey but they are damn epic some times. I also Doppelbocks so the fact that what we have here a Trippelbock, well, that pretty much says everything about why I wanted to bring this beer to the site. This beer is available in many places that sells Mikkeller beers especially some of the online shops. Though a little bottle, 13% ABV is quite a lot! Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich compound of raspberries, strawberries, dark fruit raisins, plums, wild berries, blue berries, blackberries, pomegranate, Black Cherry tartness, strawberries, honey, kiwis, raspberry marmalade and jelly, raspberry cheesecake, toasted rye bread, tobacco, leather, anise, molasses, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, rock candy, candi sugar, dark chocolate, chocolate mousee, bananas, clove spice, floral notes and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Extremely rich dark fruits of raspberry sweet and tartness, raisins, plums, blueberries, wild berries, blue berries, black berries, pomegranate, Black Cherry tartness, strawberry short cake, rich honey, raspberry yogurt, toasted rye bread with raspberry marmalade preserves, strawberries, kiwis, raspberry jelly doughnuts, dark chocolate, chocolate mousee, bananas, clove spice, raspberry cheesecake, brown sugar, stone fruit apricots, peaches, tobacco, leather, anise, molasses, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, rock candy, candi sugar and crème brulee.

Aftertaste:
Tart raspberry marmalade, rich complexity of stone and dark fruits, bananas, chocolate notes, tobacco, dulce de leche caramel and candi sugar. No alcohol in the taste despite the 13%ABV, Creamy, velvety and smooth, moderate drinkability and crimson yet pitch black full body.

Overall:
A totally embodiment of super rich, complex and exceedingly exceptional raspberry tart and sweet dessert. I really love this one and wish I had more of it. This beer is great ranging from not only the raspberry flavors but also the good dark fruit and caramel flavors that make up the doppel/trippel bock. I would definitely recommend it but only if you are willing to pay a little more than 10$ a bottle. Serious business!

Anime Corner:
Washu Hakubi from the Tenchi Muyo! Series was used in this pairing since I wanted someone cute to pair with the raspberries and the colors of the label as well. Washu sometimes carries around these little puppets that could represent the birdie but I could not find one that would work out. Oh well. Washu aside from having a crab-like hair do, she is all raspberry blown tongue emoticon.

Sources:
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8f7sC8oLMX8/sddefault.jpg
http://anime.astronerdboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/02-30-Washu-plans.jpg
http://th08.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/355/f/8/__12_secret_santa_gift__2__washu_by_ashita_no_jyo-d5oqu4k.jpg

Pliny The Elder by Russian River brewing

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10613019_10102215477592110_8158321729544721987_n 1377165_10102215478021250_1102839244706750400_nRating: 5.2/5 (Date of Tasting: 11/29/2014)

Pliny The Elder by Russian River brewing is an 8% ABV World Class Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
Bottled on 11/12/2014

RESPECT YOUR ELDER: KEEP COLD, DRINK FRESH DO NOT AGE! PLINY THE ELDER IS A HISTORICAL FIGURE, DONT’T MAKE THE BEER INSIDE THIS BOTTLE ONE! NOT A BARLEY WINE, DO NOT AGE! AGE YOUR CHEESE, NOT YOUR PLINY! RESPECT HOPS, CONSUME FRESH. IF YOU MUST, SIT ON EGGS, NOT ON PLINY! DO NOT SAVE FOR A RAINY DAY!PLINY IS FOR SAVORING, NOT FOR SAVING,! CONSUME PLINY FRESH, OR NOT AT ALL! DOES NOT IMPROVE WITH AGE! HOPPY BEERS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE AGED! KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT!

Pliny the Elder, born in 23 A.D., was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Pliny, and his contemporaries, created the original botanical name for hops, “Lupus Salictarius,” meaning “world among scrubs.” Hop vines at that time, grew wild among willows. Pliny the Elder died in 79 A.D. while saving people during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle’s legacy by documenting much of what his uncle experienced during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This beer is a homage to the man who discovered hops and perished while being a humanitarian.

Unlike many of the Russian River Brewing Company beers which are ageable, the beer inside this bottle is meant to be consumed fresh. Keep Pliny the Elder refrigerated and consume fresh to experience the explosive hop character.

==Introduction==

It has been at least 2 years since I first tried Pliny the Elder. Back then this beer was a little easier to get. Today, it is pretty seldom if you can really find this one. If there are places that have this one, they get so little of them that they sell out within the first couple of hours. So I thought to myself, after trying so many IPAs for so many years, including the so called Pliny killers like Heady Topper and Power Plant from El Segundo, what makes this beer as well as Pliny the Younger, so legendary. Well, the story really has to be that this beer was one of the original inventions of the Double India Pale Ale Style. This beer is what started a lot of the hop craze of adding more and more hops to a beer to make it a hop supreme beer. With the evolution of hops and methods of growing them to have different flavor varieties like more citrus, more tropical notes, this is what I think really changed the way people like their IPAs. While I respect this beer and would one day like to try the younger, it seems that today, this beer may be going the way side due the more variety of IPAs and Double IPAs with a variety of hop profiles. Nevertheless, this is really what started it all and I think is the reason why the hop heads truly enjoy this one at the freshest possible. At least I tried to do the review as fresh as I could get it due to its limited availability. Without further ado, here is the review and thanks for reading. Cheers!

2012 First public review by me:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/pliny-the-elder-by-russian-river/

Aromas:
Rich Grassy Grapefruit, floral, herbal, citrus and piney hops, Cannabis, Oregano, Italian herbs, blue basil, honey on biscuit bread, rye bread, super dank garlic and onion notes, tropical fruits like pineapple, honey dew melon, lychee, passion fruit, dragon fruit, stone fruit peaches, cherries, plum hints, hop oils, lemon and orange peels, vanilla, caramel and tangerines.

Flavors:
Rich Grassy, floral, Piney, citrus, grassy, herbal and grapefruit hops, basil, super garlicy and rich oniony dank herbs, Oregano, tropical pineapple, honey dew melon, papaya, prickly pear, strawberry, mango hints, dragon fruit, lychee, passion fruit, stone fruit apricot, peaches, cherries, fig notes, plum hints, cannabis or dank Italian spices, lemon peel, orange peel, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel, tangerines, hop oils, forest pine needles, honey and rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Super hoppy grassy herbal yet fruity, malty and tropical underlining sweetness but mainly super hopped dry to oblivion lingers on the tongue. No alcohol in the taste, clear gold body, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, almost easy to drink.

Overall:
A hop heads dream. Really, if you love super well balanced and refreshing Double IPA with lots of grassy and herbal hops, then this is the definition of its style. There is a reason people like it so much and despite the fact that I still think that it may be too hyped and I cringe at those that drain pour just because the beer is not “fresh” enough. Beer like this should be respected at least but not hyped. Take this one for what the origins stood for but not because it is the best out there. Does this one get beaten by the upcoming El Segundo Power Plant Triple IPA? Yes but only because that one is a different monster all together. Heady Topper is more on the citrus absolutes for its world class. We have to choose absolute tropics or absolute herbal hop dankness or absolute citrus or a massive variety. While I love all the variety, I love sweet beers so I feel I get more from the tropical fruit IPAs. Not to say this isn’t World Class. It truly is. Is it the best Double IPA? Not quite, but you have to give it respect where it belongs as this is one of the few that started the Double IPA style. I highly recommend it, even if it is elusive as all hell, and I hope to someday try Pliny The Younger.

Anime Corner:
Ryoko and Washuu Hakubi from the Tenchi Muyo series were used in this pairing since I had used Ryoko before for Pliny the Elder. Washu will someday be used for the Younger although the funny part is that Ryoko is the daughter and Washu is the mother even if she looks younger. Conundrum yes, but if you knew about Washu, she is 20,000 years old. Either way, you can see the colors pair up well with the artwork and the label. Ryoko’s light teal hair color represents the super hops but as well as the whole aspect of the ‘Elder’. Ryoko is young but I love how she sits contemplating or wondering. Like an elder thinking about the future or just simply day dreaming like a kid. Regardless, this beer is the kind that you take your time with and relax. You may not have another chance to try it, so might as well enjoy it since you can’t age it either.

Sources:
http://www.homemademech.com/Uploads/Areview/1501085314817.jpg
http://objection06.deviantart.com/art/Washu-and-Ryoko-472156179

New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta by Rogue brewing

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537022_10101405105309660_1790197294_n 1236072_10101405104970340_1926772254_nRating: 4.75/5

New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta by Rogue brewing is a 10.8% ABV… umm well, they say it is Barleywine. You be the judge.

Label: 
Dedicated to Crustaceans 
The name sort of says it all. John Maier, our Brewmaster, wanted to create a beer that defied traditional style definitions. The result was a remarkably hoppy yet balanced and malty ale that quickly became a cult favorite in our Newport brewpub. But what was it? It was not quite a barley wine and not quite a double or imperial IPA. Who really cares about putting beers into narrow categories? Great beer – just drink it and enjoy. 

8 ingredients: Weyermann & Bohemian Malts; Bravo, Ammarillo, Falconer’s Flight & Horizon Hops; Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast
___

This beer was supposed to be, well the beer that the infamous Beard Beer was supposed to be based out of (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/beard-beer-by-rogue-brewing-company/). Looks like they did this one with Pacman yeast instead. Well, this should be interesting, a beer that can’t make up it’s mind. Reminds me of the Arrogant Bastard but that one is just labeled as American Strong Ale.

Aromas are of caramel, honey, citrus, ripe orange juice with pulp, earthy and grapefruit hops, pineapple, banana, a bit tropical, toffee, salt bread, almost crab cake or crab meat like? (might be kidding about the crab, might be not)

The flavors are of ripe to matured blood oranges and cream, caramel, grapefruit hops, earthy hops, bananas, saltine cracker notes, pine, pineapple, lots of coconut as it warms up, citrus, toffee, molasses, licorice, crab and crab cake notes (has to be the matured bitter orange flavors, I swear!!), apricots, matured mango, herbs, spices and lemon candy

The aftertaste is like a orange and caramel sweetness followed by bitter grapefruit and earthy to hops. This beer hides alcohol well, it is a sipper though. Not as full bodied and syrupy mouth feel. 

Overall the beer is very good but indeed confusing. You want to say it is IPA tropical but the Barleywine side tells you NO! I love it because it is sweet and bitter but the more I think about crabs the more I think it taste like crabs. I like crabs. I love seafood. I love this beer. I think it would pair exceptionally. This beer reminds me of Surly SYX but not as harsh. I did a review a while back, that one was too harsh. This is what SYX should have been. Then again, I may have been hard on it as it may have needed some aging to bring up the rating. Maybe next time 

Blue Moon Agave Nectar Ale by Coors Brewing

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400625_10101146738608600_700180079_nRating: 3.25/5

Blue Moon Agave Nectar Ale by Coors Brewing is a 5.6%ABV American Pale Wheat Ale

Label: 
Inspired by our brewmaster’s travels through Mexico, our limited summer release is crafted with agave nectar for a subtle sweetness and a smooth, crisp finish.
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Growing up I used to drink non-alcoholic agave juice. It was basically a sugary juice that was made from the extract of the agave plant. That stuff was very good. When you try Tequila, its that sugary plant flavor that is the agave. So when I saw this I wanted to see what it was all about. The fragrance is very mild. Adjunct grains, almost wheat, sweet agave notes, minor notes of wheat, orange, corn, cereal and sugar. What can be said, it is definitely close to a lager. The flavors are a little more interesting. You do get that sugary plant flavor of the agave (not sure how much is artificial), cereal grains, touch of wheat, cane sugar sweetness, citrus orange, mild hop and grain bitterness, that sweet corn flavor mixed in with agave, Wasn’t the best Agave beer I’ve ever had, (The best being the Tequila Barrel Aged Barley Wine from Cucapa of Mexicali), but still brings some of that minor agave sugary flavor I remember as a kid. Agave beers aren’t that common. So to find something like this which is at least decent is pretty good in my book. Blue Moon for many is faux craft, but for me it is a great way to introduce craft beer to people. A craft gateway. Blue Moon has been trying out different ideas and even if it does come from macros, I’ll still give it a shot. Blue Moon, Shocktop and New Belgium’s Fat Tire were craft gateways for me. So why wouldn’t I recommend some :P. In terms of this beer, some people that are not into craft beer may like this. Now I am wondering how this will mix with a Tequila mixed drink as it is light enough to probably mix with something :P.