Tart of Darkness Cherries & Vanilla by The Bruery

September 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, cherries, cherry vanilla, Claymore, dark chocolate, Fate Night, Fate Stay Night, Fate Zero, Madrugada Obscura, oak barrels, Saber Alter/Dark, sour ale, Stout, Tart of Darkness, Tart of Darkness Cherries & Vanilla, The Bruery, vanilla, vanilla beans, vanilla ice cream | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Tart of Darkness Cherries & Vanilla by The Bruery is a 7.1% ABV American Wild Stout aged in Oak Barrels with Cherries and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
SAUERSTAUT

With a roasty aroma and a tart finish, this sour black ale is a contortion of style and flavor, creating an unexpected delight.

Tart of Darkness with Cherries & Vanilla is best enjoyed fresh for bold spice and fruit character, but my pleasantly if cellared properly.
___

Released to the Preservation and Reserve Societies this fall. This beer is a variant to the publicly sold Tart of Darkness. I will be honest, while the tart of darkness is a very good sour, it does not compare to my favorite sour stout Madrugada Obscura by Jolly Pumpkin. The fact that they added the cherries and vanilla to this may actually make some kind of difference. I can only hope that this is the case. Let us see how this warrior fairs. Draw your puckeringly sour sword and get ready to take action!

Aromas:
Dark Cherry yogurt, Vanilla ice cream, caramel,Lavender, cotton candy, strawberry cheesecake, lemon peel, citrus, dark chocolate hints, blueberry skins, earthy notes, Cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper hints, molasses, anise, licorice, lemon peel, sour funky notes, citrus, port wine hints, blue berry muffin and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Blueberries, Vanilla cream, coconut, caramel, tart wine grapes, chocolate, lavender, dark cherry yogurt, strawberry cheese cake, brown sugar, blueberry muffin, lemon peel, Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper hints, dark fruits like prunes raisins, concord grape skins, port wine hints, oak, earthy notes and musty sour funky notes.

Aftertaste:
Tart wine grapes, oak, dark cherry yogurt hints, vanilla, coconut hints, and earthy notes finishing all fast and dry. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, medium to full mouthfeel and with a murky amber brown full body.

Overall:
Way better than the original. I have no idea how the addition of the cherries and vanilla seem to suppress the overall ‘sour’ aspect of this beer making it more of a sweet tart. The original did not do as well as my favorite, Madrugada Obscura but tasting more sour than a balance of stout chocolate roastiness with sour aspects. This beer however, redeemed the original big time. While the chocolate aspect is there but hinted, the sweetness of cherry and vanilla change the aspect of the beer not just to make it fruity tart but also dessert like yet still puckeringly sour. Definitely recommended. So does it win against Madrugada Obscura? I guess it really depends on my mood. Chocolate coffee sour or Cherry Vanilla sour.

Anime Corner:
Saber Alter/Dark Saber from Fate/Stay Night/Hollow Ataraxia was used in this pairing since I used Jean from Claymore. Basically both represent the “Dark Knight” In the Tart of Darkness. You may not tell from the label, but a sword pierces through the cherry and in the original, there is a sword involved. The aspect of the warrior of darkness and the fact that I have used Saber in many Dark chocolate and cherry flavored beers just pushes my conviction that much further. The Dark Arts have to do with blasphemy against the church but the strange part, as holy as some organizations are, some hold deep dark secrets that the public never knows about. Tart of Darkness with Cherries and Vanilla brings that aspect of sour evil but yet sweet and forgiving aspects that are pretty damn Holy if you ask me. Think of it as the sweetness delivering the darkness of the beer from evil Either way, great beer and great pairing I think.

Sources:
https://omisyth.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/1217501555092.jpg
http://gallery.minitokyo.net/view/500829

2014 Preservation Series Ignis Fatuus by The Bruery

September 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged brown sugar, Chocolate pumpkin, dark chocolate, Ignis Fatuus, Imperial Porter, Legend of Zelda, Midna, milk Chocolate, Preservation Society, Pumpkin, pumpkin ale, Spices, The Bruery, Twili Midna, Twilight Princess | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

2014 Preservation Series Ignis Fatuus by The Bruery is an 8.3% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Pumpkin & Spices.

Label:
Ignis Fatuus is a special brew created just in time for Autumn activities. We invite you to enjoy the subtle spices of this dark, roasty porter while telling ghost stories around an illuminating jack-o’-lantern.
___

Available for the Preservation and Reserve societies for late Fall, this possibly the second time the Bruery releases a pumpkin beer since the now retired milk stout, Burly Gourd. The Autumn maple doesn’t count though since it is made with yams, although that one is incredible. This beer name, Ignis Fatuus/FoolishFire is another name of the Will O’ Wisp, the ghostly lights that appear at night for those traveling over a swamp or a marsh. Since the lights are so ominous, they are also called Jack-O’-Lantern. A fancy name for basically saying that everything about this beer is basically, pumpkins and scary stuff. Halloween approaches so this is a perfect beer for the fall occasion.

Aromas:
Toasted Pumpkins, dark chocolate, allspice, piloncillo sugar cone, molasses, anise, licorice hints, candy corn hints, banana hints, clove spice, ginger bread, vanilla caramel, dark fruit raisins, brown sugar, milk sugar hints, milk chocolate hints, maple, mint, oak, earthy notes, roasted coffee hints and mocha hints.

Flavors:
Toasted Pumpkin flesh, ginger spice, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, roasted coffee hints, dark fruits like raisins, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, maple, molasses, anise, licorice hints, mint, oak, earthy notes, brown sugar, piloncillo sugar cone, candy corn, phenolic banana notes, clove spice hints and hints of milk sugar.

Aftertaste:
Roasted coffee hints, pumpkins, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, earthy hints, brown sugar and ginger bread lingers. No alcohol in the taste. Creamy, yet slightly velvety mouthfeel, smooth drinkability, pitch black body and slightly dangerous.

Overall:
Great example of a pumpkin beer. Although, the fact that it is a porter, only takes the style into a more chocolate pumpkin and coffee direction. It is very nice indeed reminding me of T.R.E.A.T but smoother and creamier at that. However, TREAT actually is a stout and taste different but similar. The roastiness is evident throughout the beer but as the beer warms up, it gives way to a much more sweeter and spicy flavor experience. Not bad at all and definitely worth trying. For those that want to try it, they are offering this one at the Bruery on tap. If you know a member, stop by and try it before it is gone. Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Midna from The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess was used in this pairing since I had not reviewed any Bruery beers using Midna but also wanted to showcase how much she relates to this beer in terms of the colors of the label, the flavors, the meaning of Ignis Fatuus, the mystery of Halloween and the creamy smoothness as well. The reason I also chose a summer like setting for her is because it is hot as hell and it seems here in California that for the last couple of years, it hits super hot right before the fall, so it works. Midna basically represents the lights of the will o’ wisp. The green neon markings on her skin with the green representative of the marshes but also witches in Halloween. Her hair flows like the flames of that light the ever gazing stare of the Jack O’ Lantern with a scary but playful and yet friendly ease. The beer’s smoothness is very welcoming, just like Midna is here. Her colors presenting the colors of the label, the pumpkin, some of the flavors and basically the sexiness as the smoothness.

Sources:
http://blancj11.deviantart.com/art/Midna-join-for-a-drink-412537538
http://gilmec.deviantart.com/art/Midna-Twilight-Princess-2011-202765652

2014 MASH by the Bruery

September 14, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, Barleywine, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, chocolate cake, English Barley Wine, English Barleywine, Kancolle/Kantai Collection, MASH, rocky road ice cream, rye bread, Senkanseiki, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.95/5

2014 MASH by the Bruery is a 12.4% ABV English Barley Wine aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
TO HAVE NOT

An English-style classic with rich flavors from time spent aging in bourbon barrels.

Mas is delicately rich and malty ale, best enjoyed fresh , but may evolve pleasentyly over time if cellared properly.
___

This beer was released by the Bruery in 2013 and re-released for 2014 to the Reserve society. This beer was something I was always curious about but mainly let it slide because I was not a member at the time and something I through I could get better for. As it turned out, now I finally had a chance and I wanted to see if this beer was really worth it. A barrel Aged Barleywine. I could only start to think of Bourbon County Barleywine. At 750ml, I had to get it for sure. So here you go, the MASH review from the Bruery!

Aromas:
Dark fruits like raisins, plums, dulce de leche caramel, old bananas, clove spice, toffee, plantains, macaroons, toasted coconut, hazelnuts, almonds, pecan pie, chocolate, toffee, macamadamia nuts, rocky road ice cream, custard, brownies, chocolate cake, rye bread, maple, mocha, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnamon, and condensed sweetened milk.

Flavors:
Rich toffee, dulce de leche caramel, toasted coconut, macaroons, marshmallows, rich bananas, clove spice, crème brulee, flan, plantain, almonds, pecan pie, chocolate, hazelnut nectar, toffee, macamadamia nuts, rocky road ice cream, custard, brownies, chocolate cake, rye bread, mocha, dark fruit raisins, plums, capirotada raisin bread pudding, cinnamon, condensed sweetened milk and maple.

Aftertaste:
Bananas, caramel, dark fruits, butterscotch, rye bread, chocolate hints, almonds and toasted coconut macaroons linger. No alcohol in the taste, medium to full bodied, a sipping beer and syrupy mouth feel yet smooth.

Overall:
Undoubtedly exceeding my expectations. The Bruery making a fucking Barley wine that can actually compete with even the world class ones and yet not recognized due to its availability!? Unheard of!! This should definitely be world class as it definitely proves what the true English Barleywine can truly be like. As I look at the EBWs from before this one is definitely one of the top ones! Highly recommended!

Anime Corner:
Senkanseiki from the Kantai Collection was used in this pairing to pair with the colors of the label and the evil that the beer represents. Evil in the sense that it is very good, it is too damn good making you want to drink the whole bottle. However, despite its richness and deliciousness, this one must be taken lightly and savored a sip at a time. The colors of the artwork resonate with the awesome flavor complexity of the beer ranging from the dark cherry, coconut, dark fruits and so forth. The strength of Senkanseiki can also compliment the strength of this beer’s ABV. So much can be said about this delicious treasure but the best part of this is leaving it to you, the reader to make of it what you will!

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2014-06-12-654736.jpeg

Oude Tart with Cherries by The Bruery

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged cherries, Dark Cherries, Flanders, Flanders Red Ale, Flemish Red Brown Ale, Oak aged, Oak Aged Ale, oak barrels, Oude Tart, Oude Tart with Cherries, Ruby, Ruby Rose, Rwby, tart cherry juice, The Bruery, Yang Xiao Long | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Oude Tart with Cherries by The Bruery is an 8.4% ABV World Class Flanders/Flemish Red Ale aged in oak barrels with Cherries.

Label:
Cherry, OH!

Pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit, and toasty oak from extended aging in oak barrels along with plump cherries.

Oude Tart with Cherries is best enjoyed fresh for the full fruit flavor, but may develop pleasantly over time.
___

Obtained this one as part of the Reserve Society membership. This variant of the Oude Tart adds cherries. I have done a review of the previous Oude Tart which I found very good. Now with the cherries, this may actually bring something awesome to the table. This beer is typical of the Flanders Red style which sometimes end up being like a sour beer but other times is mainly a tart fruit cherry beer. So without further a do, on with the review, cheers!

Aromas:
Caramel, rye bread, dark cherries, dark fruit raisins, plums, currants, raspberries, oak mustiness, lemon, leather, brown sugar, vanilla, funky wine grapes, tart cherry juice, sour apples, cherry pie, pecan pie hints, cinnamon, oak, hazelnut and cherry cheesecake notes.

Flavors:
Wine grapes, oak, dark cherry yogurt, dark cherries, dark fruit raisins, plums, brown sugar, oak, lemon peel, leather, tobacco, rye bread, hints of coconut, caramel, vanilla, toffee, red wine, cherry cobbler, pecan, cherry preserves on biscuit bread, vanilla cream hints, hints or tropical fruits like old mango, pineapple hints, cherry and strawberry cheesecake.

Aftertaste:
Ending with a dark cherry yogurt, caramel and vanilla sweetness with left over wine like acidity into like a cinnamon and fruity dry taste. No alcohol in the taste, medium to sipping drinkability, medium body and medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
Amazing! Way better than the original as it seems like the cherry sweetness cuts down the sour aspect and makes this one more tart and sweet. I am not sure how the cherry adds more complexity but it really does. The flavors seems to meld really nice creating some nice complexities. As it warms up, the sweeter aspects of the beer tend to come out and play on the palate. I wish they released variants out to the public as these beers would give more selections to the originals. Either way, really awesome beer.

Anime Corner:
Yang Xiao Long and her sister Ruby Rose from RWBY were used in this pairing since I used Yang in the last pairing. Because of the fact that they are sisters, putting them together is like adding the cherries to Oude Tart. Ruby Rose, ofcourse is the cherry here. They are an awesome team. I wanted to show how the beer tends to be a splash of fruity flavors as you can see Ruby jumping in to add that layer of complexity.

Sources:
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140429113205/rwby/images/4/47/Blake_belladonna_clouds_moon_pool_ruby_rose_rwby_signed_sky_swimsuit_weiss_schnee_yang_xiao_long.jpg
http://simg2.gelbooru.com/images/1797/0cb2c61ff14aaa9e73831fe2daceb3b3.jpeg?2008301

Smokey and The Bois collaboration by The Bruery and The Rare Beer Club

August 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 20th Anniversary, aged in Bourbon Barrels, anniversary ale, Ayeka Masaki Jurai, Black Tuesday, Black Tuesday Imperial Stout, bois, Bois Bourbon Barrel Aged, cacao nibs, Chocolate Rain, Grey Monday, Melange 3, Rare Beer Club, Rare Beers, Ryoko Hakubi, Smokey and The Bois, Smoking Wood, Tenchi Muyo, The Bruery, The Rare Beer Club, vanilla beans, Washu Hakubi, White Chocolate, Wineification, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5

Smokey and The Bois collaboration by The Bruery and The Rare Beer Club is a 16.2% ABV World Class American Strong Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with Vanilla Beans & Cacao Nibs.
Label:

I”ll Have it Rare…
This dark rich brew is a special creation made for our friends at the Rare Beer Club. Three cheers to your past, present & future!

Created and brewed exclusively for the Rare Beer Club to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of MonthlyClubs.com. Smokey And The Bois is a delightful melange of our favorite bourbon barrel aged beer flavors. Rich malt, burnt toffee, a hint of smoke and toasty oak along with fresh vanilla and raw cacao. This rarity will be a joy to drink now or many years down the road…at the next anniversary!

___

The rare beer club and The Bruery collaborated to make this awesome and monstrous creation. Only way to get this was to be a member of the Rare Beer Club or the Bruery’s Reserve/Hoarders Society. Meaning you will have to trade to get this. That is why it is rare. This beer is a blend of Black Tuesday Imperial Stout, Bois Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Ale and Smoking Wood imperial rye porter brewed with beech- and cherrywood smoked malt and all that with Vanilla Beans and Ecuadorian Nacional Cacao Nibs. Basically, this would be an equivalent of Melange 3 except with Smoking Wood replacing White Oak/White Chocolate. Pretty damn insane… Well, if you happen to find it, hopefully my review here will help you figure out what to expect. Thank you for reading and cheers! 🙂

Aromas:

Rich dark chocolate, sweet, milk chocolate, Rich bananas, whiskey, vanilla bourbon, coconut, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, plums, dates, figs, BBQ, pecan pie, hazelnut, creme brulee, flan, candi sugar, graham crackers, marshmallow smores, wine grapes, tres leches/Three milks, Irish cream, brandy, rye bread, oak, apples, Leche Nestle sweetened condenced milk, molasses, port wine, campfire, bacon, burnt sugar, honey, toffee and brown sugar.

Flavors:

Rich Dark, sweet, bakers and milk chocolate syrup, campfire smoke, BBQ, Whiskey Bourbon, Vanilla, rocky road ice cream, Rich bananas, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, plums, dark cherries, choco flan, tres leches/three milks cake notes, leche nestle sweetened condenced milk, raisin bread pudding, hazelnut, pecan pie, chocolate marshmallow smores, candi sugars, oak, apples, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses, anise, wine grapes, brandy, rye bread, honey, toffee, port wine, almond joy chocolate, coconut, sherry, burnt sugar, macaroons and more!

Aftertaste:

Rich Smoked marshmallow, graham cracker with almond joy dipped in caramel, earthy notes, whiskey vanilla and BBQ hints linger. Alcohol is very subtle despite the ABV. Smooth yet you need to sip drinkability, pitch black appearance and rich full body with a syrupy mouth feel.

Overall:

This is not a beer, this a sugar bottle full of rich syrupy goodness ladies and gentlemen. This little bottle of Diabetes was able to ascend the level of favorite next to the Melange 3. Trying to figure out how this beer worked was a crazy task. As the beer warmed but the flavors kept evolving into a sweet Chocolate Oblivion. As much as I love Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Wineification and Black Tuesday or even Grey Monday, this beer seems to have it all. Its like a blend of all those beers plus smoked. Think of a liquid chocolate marshmallow smored, ambered in deep caramel and smoked to perfection. While I believe that each of those favorite beers are damn unique in their own way, this one combines it all to holy hell and back. This one is definitely out there and should be take with extreme caution. While extremely delicious, this can back fire if not taken lightly. Highly Recommended? How about add this to the bucket list.

Anime Corner:

Ryoko Hakubi, Ayeka Masaki Jurai, Washu Hakubi and the Rest of the Tenchi Muyo! Gang were used in this pairing to pair with everything that this beer is all about. Back in the 90s, this was one of my favorite shows and these 3 girls were my favorite characters in the show. While Melange 3 had 3 of the 4 of my favorite girls now, these 3 were freaking awesome. Since this is a melange of flavor complexity the whole gang of Tenchi Muyo was added and Ryoko represents Black Tuesday, Ayeka is the Bois and Washu the Smoking Wood blend. All of them representing a huge component that pair with everything this beer represents from the colors of the label, the beer flavors the aspect of team work, collaboration, love, passion, power and more! See you can find many distinctions here as there are so many I could break down but at this point the review would be tl;dr.

Sources:

http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2009-09-02-194405.jpeg
http://zargon-yokoshima.deviantart.com/art/Ryoko-the-Loner-343856058
http://tr3s-sss.deviantart.com/art/Ayeka-and-Ryo-okhi-428323055
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2007-06-05-57778.jpeg

Atomic Kangarue collaboration by The Bruery and Smog City

August 26, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Android 18, Atomic Kangarue, belgian golden ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Collaboration Beer, Dragon ball, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Z, dry hopped, grapes, Lazuli, Smog City brewing, The Bruery | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5

Atomic Kangarue collaboration by The Bruery and Smog City is a 9.5% ABV American Wild Ale dry hopped and brewed with grapes.
Label:

HOLY SMOGOLY!
This complex ale was brewed with 2 grape varieties, fermented with brett trois, blended with a sour ale, dry hopped with Amarillo hops & bottled just for you.

We’ve been friends with the folks at Smog City for many years and getting to brew a beer with them was a dream come true. Truly, only in the world of dreams could this remarkable beer have been manifested. A Belgian-style golden ale, brewed with Semillon and Viognier grapes plus three types of hops, fermented with Brettanomyces Trois as well as our house yeast strain, then blended with a sour blonde ale and finally dry-hopped with Amarillo hops. This beer couldn’t be more complex and we couldn’t be more proud of it.

___

This beer was a collaboration from Torrance local favorite, Smog City and The Bruery of Placentia. When I first heard they were doing a collaboration, I really wondered how it would turn out. As the Bruery is mainly experimental Belgian styles and Smog City IPA and variety styles. They bring forth a beer that actually uses Smog City’s best kept secret, the use of Amarillo hops which is what fan favorite, Amarilla Gorilla is based on. So since the Bruery rarely uses or plays with hops in their potent beers, a 9% doucey with hops I could only imagine how it would go. This beer was originally released to Reserve Society members and I believe will be hitting the public venues where the Bruery and Smog City beers are sold. Definitely can’t wait to try it, so let me break this caged beast for you, cheers!!

Aromas:

Oranges, citrus, lemon peel, peppercorn, vanilla, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, biscuit bread, honey, farmhouse hay, white grapes, white sage spice, coriander, basil, garlic notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, stone fruit like apricots, peaches, mango, herbs and spices.

Flavors:

Oranges, tangerine, white sage spice, floral notes, flowers, white grapes, brettanomyces, stone fruits like apricots, peaches, vanilla, caramel, lemon peel, citrus, grapefruit, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, rich biscuit bread, honey, farmhouse hay, basil, garlic notes, onion hints, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, farmhouse hay, herbs, honey, white wine grapes, musty funky notes, stone fruit apricots, peaches, old mango, coriander spice, clove spice and hints of allspice.

Aftertaste:

Tangy Oranges, Tropical fruit notes, floral hops, vanilla, herbs and spices linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to medium drinkability, light to moderate mouthfeel, medium to light body, very crisp and refreshing.

Overall:

A perfect collaboration! Drinking more along of the Belgian Strong Pale Ale or Golden Ale, this beer definitely takes its roots and reminds me a lot of the Eschatological Ale from Stillwater if it was more sweeter with grapes and a bit more tropical. This beer is not a complete sour at all. The balance with the bitter hops and the brettanomyces helps it blend to a sweet, bitter and sour/tart tri-force of flavors.

Anime Corner:

Android 18/Lazuli from Dragon Ball Z/GT was used in this pairing to pair with the Sour Blond aspect and the colors of the beer as well as several things. Lazuli was evil in her beginnings but it wasn’t until she was in danger and was cared for by the protagonist Krillin, in which she learned to care and love. She grew sweeter and softer which eventually showed her true powers. This is reflected in the beers tropical and sweet yet bitter and sour aspect. Hey just because 18/Lazuli is sweet and awesome she still has attitude. That ain’t going away. Her stance is that of like an animal style in Kung-Fu lore. I have no idea what it is but let us call that one “The Kanagarue” Style lol. While I added Trunks in the mix, I wanted to basically show that basically, the Bruery while all powerful, a brewery like Smog City, in this case Lazuli, can bring so much more to the table and together can take the world by storm. Awesome job guys!!

Sources:
http://cfile30.uf.tistory.com/image/2123114651D44B2806EEB0
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1561469

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

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

Rating: 5.8/5

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

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

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

A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with aged. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit, vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Sucré is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.
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Yet another Sucré variant worth mentioning, or atleast the one that comes in the Preservation Society release for 2nd quarter of the Bruery’s beers, this one is aged in New Oak Barrels. I have previously tried many variations of this one and this one is most likely the last one I review as they don’t sell the other ones anymore, unless you are part of the Reserve Society. Anyways, I will try to break down the similarities to the original as well as include some of the extra flavors this one brings. Cheers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smoking Wood (Bourbon Barrel edition) by The Bruery

July 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, attack on titan, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Mikasa Ackerman, Smoked Imperial Rye Porter, Smoking Wood, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

Smoking Wood (Bourbon Barrel edition) by The Bruery is a 14% Smoked Imperial Rye Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
WANT A SMOAK?

A rich porter layered with rye spiciness and earthy smokey, caramel-like flavors, roasty malt and oaky deliciousness.

Smoking Wood is brewed with a hefty amount of both rye and smoked malt, contributing to a full body and light spiciness, balanced by extended oak aging. This beer will cellar gracefully but is best enjoyed fresh.
___

The original Smoking Wood (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/smoking-wood-by-the-bruery/) was aged in rye whiskey barrels. This bourbon barrel variation of the beer was released to the Bruery’s Preservation and Reserve Societies. After the loss of Couverteur, the Belgian Chocolate Vanilla Dubbel, the Bruery was able to replace that one with this one for their Preservation Society. Back then, when I first rated the original Smoking Wood I did not have my special rating system and rated that one 5/5. Today, the extra credit on that one would have been higher I am sure as this one will sure reach an exceptional rating I am sure. So let’s check it out and see if this one is worth obtaining.

Aromas:
Rich vanilla, campfire smoke, dulce de leche caramel, coconut, marshmallow smores, dark and milk chocolate, almond joy, burnt sugar on flan, jericallla (Mexican Custard), dark fruit hints, roasted malts, coffee hints, rye bread, butterscotch, bacon, BBQ honey glaze, maple, cherries, pecan pie, crème brulee, hazelnut nectar, plums, raisins, molasses and anise.

Flavors:
Rich Vanilla, oak, campfire smoke, dulce de leche caramel, bourbon, toasted coconut on flamed marshmallow chocolate smores, flan, cinnamon, dark and milk chocolate, jericalla Mexican custard, burnt sugar, BBQ hone glazed bacon, maple, molasses, dark fruit cherries, plums raisins, special beachwood oak, hazelnut, pecan pie, rye bread, sourdough bread, butterscotch, crème brulee, molasses, and anise.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with burnt chocolate, oak, beachwood fancy wood, vanilla, bourbon, marshmallow, Barbecue smoked meat and flan. No alcohol in the taste, A sipping beer with with a full mouthfeel, Pitch black body and yet very smooth.

Overall:
Exceptional beer just like the original smoking wood in rye whiskey. I really think both of these go hand in hand except this one sure shines more of the marshmallow coconut and vanilla aspect than the rye, burnt oak and hone glaze of the other one. Regardless, both are insane and just as good. If you can find this variant, I suggest you trade for it and see if you can find the difference between them a little better. Although, regardless, both are phenomenal and highly recommended.

Anime Corner:
Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan returns in an epic pairing with the Bruery Smoking Wood. I wanted to include her in one of my reviews from the Bruery as she is my favorite character from that series. The aspects, aside from the label, that she bring forth to the pairing is how, in relation to smoking wood, her society relates to the smoking of wood. The time that she lives seems like something off of the old west where people ride in horses and carriages to get around and the only technology seems to be fire and wood in order to get light. So while lacking in technology, seems like this is what society is like during this time. Smoking wood reminds me of that. While everything is burning around her, there is this sweet glimmer of hope and strength that she brings forth. She is one of the strongest and fastest in the series fighting many of the Titans (Giant Zombie like creatures) in the series with easy. While she may have an dark cold demeanor, she is very kind and caring of her friends Eren and Armin. This was the perfect beer in my mind to pair with her.

Sources:
http://stazgaskarth.deviantart.com/art/Mikasa-Wallpaper-405729082
http://www.deviantart.com/art/Shingeki-no-Kyojin-Mikasa-Wallpaper-440812965

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

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

Rating: 6/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Couverteur by the Bruery

June 10, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Chocolate, Belgian Chocolates, Belgian Dubbel, cacao nibs, cherries, Couverteur, Dark Belgian Candi, Dark Cherries, Disgaea, Etna, milk Chocolate, Preservation Society, Seme De La Vita Tripel, The Bruery, tootsie pops, Tootsie Rolls, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5*
*NOTE: Please be advised that this beer was removed from production due to lactobasillicus found in the beer. This review rating was set at the time beer was fresh!

Couverteur by the Bruery is an 8% ABV Belgian Dubbel brewed with Cacao Nibs and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
Couverteur is a Belgian-style dubbel that has been fermented with cacao nibs and vanilla beans adding a layer of chocolatey complexity to the malt rich ale. Couverteur is best enjoyed fresh. Please store in a cool, dry place. The ideal serving temperature is 50° F (7° C). Best served in a tulip or wine glass.
___

The name I believe is in reference to Belgian Chocolates, a type of Belgian Chocolate brand or something that is Coveted. I could not find much information on the name but this information I found definitely seems to find the description. As part of the preserve or reserve society too, this beer can be obtained from the Bruery’s online store. This would the be time to sign up if you want to try out this beer. A Belgian Dubbel with cacao nibs and vanilla? Starting to remind me of Seme De La Vita Tripel, except that one has pistachio and vanilla beans. Either way, let us see just how sweet this beer can be.

Aromas:
Belgian Chocolate, Chocolate Yoohoo, Milk chocolate powder, dark fruits like raisins and prunes, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cherries, candi sugars, toffee, pecan pie, tootsie rolls, bananas, clove spice, biscuit bread, peanut butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Flavors:
Milk shake Chocolate, dark cherry, dark fruit raisins, prunes, vanilla, rocky road ice cream, marshmallow, cinnamon, peanut butter hints, dulce de leche caramel, candi sugar, pecan pie, toffee, tootsie rolls, bananas, clove spice, biscuit bread, brown sugar, nutmeg, all spice and wafflecone.

Aftertaste:
Chocolate Vanilla, caramel, dark fruit hints and biscuit bread with a somewhat dry finish. Easy to moderate drinkability, no alcohol in the taste and medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
Simply amazing!! Definitely getting that extra credit with the whole tasting closer to chocolate aspect as it goes. The Dubbel is there but the chocolate and vanilla does lend the extra hand to remind you that yes, this is a chocolate dubbel. The beer is very good and I have to say I like it because of the chocolate. If you do not like chocolate or at least more natural chocolate flavors, then this beer may not be the one for you and you want to try a different dubbel. For those that love chocolate and dubbels, this is a real treat!!

Anime Corner:
Etna from Disgaea makes a return into the beer pairings because I wanted to do something for her in terms of pairing her with a Bruery beer and also to the fact that she fits the bill in terms of the label and the overall sweetness of chocolate and vanilla that the beer has to offer. While the ABV is not over the top or super duper complex, it is still very rich for what it is and as the picture shows, Etna, quite like Couverteur explodes with rich flavors.

Sources:
http://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/characters/11/33671.jpg
http://s3-ak.bebo.com/image/4234498863a12957633498l.jpg

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

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

Rating: 6/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2014 Grey Monday by the Bruery

June 9, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Bankai, Black Tuesday, Bleach, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, Chocolate Nirvana, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, french vanilla ice cream, Grey Monday, Hazelnut Nectar, Imperial Stout, Kutchiki Rukia, Maple Syrup, molecular gastronomy, pecan pie, Rich Hazelnut, roasted hazelnuts, Rukia, The Bruery, world beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

2014 Grey Monday by the Bruery is an 18.5% ABV World Class Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with Hazelnuts.

Label:
JUST ONE SHADE
Originally brewed for a molecular gastronomy dinner at Beachwood BBQ, this decadent version of Black Tuesday is brewed with Oregon grown, roasted hazelnuts.

Grey Monday is just the beer you need to kickstart your week and is meant for sharing with family and friends in your time of need. It will age gracefully for many decades of economic fluctuations. Best stored and cellared around 55°F (13°C) in a dark place. Ideal serving temperature is 55°F (13° C) Best enjoyed in a tulip or wine glass.
___

So we meet again, the once lost Grey Monday which I had tried in 2012 and now I was able to get a Reserve bottle in 2014 from the Bruery. That is the only place you can get this unless you do a trade. Along the lines of Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Wineification/Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Melange 3 and many more, Grey Monday stands in one of the highest categories of beers that I have ever tried. It is very ridiculously delicious just like all the variants before it. Before I continue to review this great beer once again, I may be biased as I already know it is a great beer and definitely one that is highly recommended. Cheers!

Aromas:
Very Rich Milk Chocolate, dark chocolate, pralines, pecan pie, Rich Hazelnut nectar, Dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit raisins, plums, dark cherries, flan, bourbon, maple syrup, honey, chocolate cheesecake, toffee, vanilla, oak, crème brulee, french vanilla ice cream, toasted walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashew, nutella, marshmallows, toasted coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon toast, bananas, anise, smores, rocky road ice cream and more.

Flavors:
Rich Hazelnut nectar and chocolate on grilled bananas with flan, pecan pie, pralines, maple syrup, honey, chocolate cheesecake, toffee, dark cherries, strawberry, peach, dark fruit raisins, plums, anise, currants, chocolate port wine notes, almond joy, crème brulee, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak, bourbon, chocolate chip cookie dough, toasted coconut, marshmallow and graham cracker smores, cinnamon toast, anise, brown sugar, chocolate milk shake, fudge cake, and mocha, all with some scoops of french vanilla ice cream.

Aftertaste:
Rich hazelnut nectar, oak, vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, pecan pie, cherry, flan, maple and caramel just linger and linger infinitely. So Good that you will take your time with it or at least try to. The alcohol is quickly masked by the complex flavors that you don’t even taste it. This is very dangerous too as it is a very very smooth but sipping beer with a silky and syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
No surprise here, my expectations were met and the extra credit chart went through the roof. I knew this was gonna be just as good as when I first tried. I have no idea how the Bruery does it. They are crazy to make these beers so delicious. They surely defy and truly show just how far a beer can go. Were talking past the liquor and wine category, has evolved into what it was meant to be. I sincerely hope you can try this beer or any of the other Bruery beers like Black Tuesday.

Anime Corner:
Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach in her prestigious and beautiful Bankai form awaits the light of the new Monday, the Grey Monday. She is on the horizon displaying her new power and rightfully so as her character has gone through many many struggles. Throughout the entire series, she is second to the protagonist and while yes this may be a spoiler for many, she does make it. She achieves a form that takes her to new heights of existence. Rightfully so, as powerful in ABV as this beer is, it is also sweet, just like sweet little Rukia. Rukia, just like Grey Monday, evolve into great heights of where only few beers can take people. The sweet nectar of gods like this can only be bestowed on the few, like Rukia who trained with gods, literally, she now holds her own against the final threats of the series. As the series comes closer and closer to the end, this new form will unleash its fury of absolute 0 degrees Kelvin. Only the next day that comes can melt the ice and melt one’s heart as they try this beer.

Sources:
http://stingcunha.deviantart.com/art/Bleach-570-Rukia-s-Bankai-436885263
http://www.zerochan.net/1681342

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

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

Rating: 6/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Soroboruo by The Bruery

May 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, dark fruits, Ghost Buster, Ghost Sweeper, GS Mikami, heather flowers, hibiscus flowers, Reiko Mikami, Scotch Ale, scotch whiskey, Soroboruo, sour ale, sour beer funk, Sour Wee Heavy, The Bruery, Wee Heavy | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.75/5

Soroboruo by The Bruery is a 12% ABV Sour Wee Heavy aged in Scotch and Bourbon barrels with heather flowers.

Label:
WEE SOUR
Rich malt, sour funk, notes of oak and a floral balance. Unlike any Wee Heavy you’ve ever had.

Soroboruo is a backwards take on a Scotch Ale. Typically known for big toffee-like malt and subdued yeast flavors. Soroboruo allows our wild yeast and bacteria to shine full-heartedly, adding a delightful tartness, balanced by the soft floral notes of the heather flowers. Soroboruo is best enjoyed fresh, but may pleasantly evolve over time if cellared properly. Best stored and cellared around 55 °F (13 °C) in a dark place.
___

Released by the Bruery as part of their Reserve Society releases. This beer was a surprise since it was one that was not listed and was one that was listed shortly after their release of Sucre. If you want to get your hands on this one, you may have to go ahead and trade for it. Unless the Bruery makes it available for release to the masses. I have never had a Sour Wee Heavy before and Wee Heavy Scottish ales are always awesome.

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, figs, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, proliferation of Sour wine grapes, funky musk, coconut, marshmallows, butterscotch, toffee, scotch whiskey, bourbon, marshmallows, coconut hints, leather, herbs, hibiscus flowers, honey, currants, smoked peat, tart cranberries, cherries, raspberries, chocolate notes, port wine, brown sugar, maple bar and black berry yogurt.

Flavors:
Sour funk notes, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, wine grapes, funky notes, scotch whiskey, bourbon, wine grapes, tart cranberries, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak, butterscotch, leather, marshmallows, coconut, honey, currants, smoked peat, flowers, hibiscus, dark chocolate, herbs, port wine, maple, black berry cheese cake, berry yogurt, hazelnut, pecan pie hints, citrus and molasses.

Aftertaste:
Dark fruit raisins, tart wine grapes and cranberries, toffee, rich caramel, vanilla, oak, molasses and earthy notes. Hints of alcohol in the taste but I think it is mainly the whiskey and wine like characters. A sipping beer for sure with a medium body.

Overall:
Let his one warm up, the flowers, scotch, bourbon and Wee Heavy aspect take over the tart sourness to make it awesomely balanced. This beer is quite the different one. I have never had a Wee Heavy and I really thought this one deserved some major credit. It is not all sour, you can tell there is a barrel aged wee heavy there. The sourness is only there enough to remind you that this beer is kind of evil but not. Overall delicious and recommended!

Anime Corner:
Reiko Mikami from the Ghost Sweeper Mikami Series was used in this beer to maintain the aspect of the beer that is still sacred, which is the Wee Heavy aspect you see, Mikami is a paranormal investigator and the demon Soroboruo is a Wee Heavy that went backwards on its style. It was possessed by wild yeast and is not longer the same. In other words tainted by evil. One can honestly say that maybe in truth, Soroboruo is a reflection of Reiko Mikami herself. While she fights her own inner demons. Like the fact that she is money hungry…lol! Regardless though, Reiko is one bad ass chick that no one fucks with and a bad ass Ghost Buster/Sweeper. Mikami is one of my first Anime favorite characters since back in the 90’s, so to bring her forth into this beer was a delicious move. She may seem a little sour on the outside but inside, she is all sweet and caring. The colors of the label and the flowers fit her perfectly. Let’s be honest too, Soroboruo looks like a Talisman and somewhat paranormal. That and the purple of her dress being the dark fruit aspect and the ABV her passion she has for what she does in her life.

Melange 8 (1 year later) by The Bruery

May 6, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, American Strong Ale, anniversary ale, Beer Hybrid, Coffee Beans, Don Pachi Geisha Coffee Beans, Donne Anonime, fancy coffee, Franco il Nero, Geisha Coffee Beans, hoarders society, Kahlua, Kopi Luwak Coffee, Lily Salvatana, Melange, Melange 3, Melange 8, Portola Coffee Lab, roasted coffee, The Bruery, White Oak Sap | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Melange 8 (1 year later) by The Bruery is a 14.5% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Don Pachi Geisha Coffee Beans and aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
GEISHA!

A rich blend of our Anniversary ale, White Oak Sap along with locally roasted coffee from Portola Coffee Lab. Flavors of toffee, vanilla, oak and roasty coffee beans.

Melange No. 8 will age gracefully for many years when cellared properly. Best stored and cellared arund 55 degrees Fahrenheit in a cool, dark place.
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Bottled on 1/16/2013, this beer has been sitting for way past a year and I am sure has developed some crazy flavors. I searched all last year for this beer was unable to find it until I was able to trade it from a friend. This piece of art was so damn exclusive, that you had to be part of the Elusive and Exclusive and Expensive, Hoarders society from the Bruery. This beer, like the Kopi Luwak Coffee beans, is brewed with some very expensive coffee beans. Maybe that is why it is so exclusive. Either way, I wanted to get the review in to show case what this beer is all about.

Aromas:
Rich complex and fancy coffee with whipped cream and dulce de leche caramel, espresso, dark fruit raisins, waffle cone, bourbon, vanilla, oak, mocha, toasted coconut, marshmallows, java, milk chocolate, chai tea, flan, green tea, coriander spice, cherry, crème brulee, leather, clove spice, bananas, Kahlua liqueur, pecan pie, nutty clusters, cinnamon and some very mild tropics.

Flavors:
Very complex and fancy Coffee, mocha, espresso, vanilla, oak, bourbon, flan, dulce de leche caramel, cinnamon, dark fruit raisins, dark cherries, pecan pie, hazelnut, earthy notes, coriander and clove spice, toasted coconut, marshmallows, milk chocolate, java coffee, Kahlua liqueur notes, chai tea, herbal green tea, brown sugar, mild tropical citrus, apple butter, leather notes, berry marmalade on rye toast, coffee butter scotch, whipped cream on frappucino, cashew butter, purple sweet potato hints and waffle cone.

Aftertaste:
Sweet complex coffee, vanilla, caramel, purple sweet potato, chai tea, frappuccino, marshmallow and earthy notes linger. Alcohol is grown so you can kind of sense it in the taste but still not detracting too much from the flavors. A sipping beer for sure with full bodied mouthfeel.

Overall:
As expected, definitely one of the greats exceeding the upper flavors as only some of the best beers I love can only do. However, this is still no Melange 3. There is a reason I gave that one a 7 and there is no way I have changed my mind from this one. Nevertheless, right next to Bourbon County Coffee Brand Stout,Mocha Wednesday and the Alesmith Kopi Luwak Bourbon Barrel Aged beers this one is one of the best worldly coffee beers out there. The only way to get this one is by basic trading unfortunately and I had a hell of time to try and get this. So if you have a bottle, now you know what it can be like, at least so far.

Anime Corner:
Franco il Nero (Frank the Black) and her group of Donne Annonime and Lily Salvattana from Tre Donne Crudeli were used in this beer pairing because I wanted to find a pairing that reminded me of the worlds best coffee beer as well as match the colors. Since this beer is a blend of different beers, I mixed in the them three since I used them in many epic beers like the Bourbon County Brand Stouts variants. Since Coffee was the main aspect and a fancy coffee at that, I wanted to relate those flavors and bourbon as how they related to the old west. Many cowboys and cowgirls would drink bourbon while others would drink coffee. The blend in these together along with the Old Ale aspect of the Old West and the White Oak Sap reminding me of the hot sun was just the mix up I needed to bring this together. That and I wanted to find an excuse to use Franco il Nero in a Bruery beer since I have not done so in the past. That and the fact that her name is “The Black”, like a cup of rich fancy coffee!

MischMishMish by The Bruery

May 1, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Apricot, Apricots, Asagi Igawa, belgian golden ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Brettanomyces, California Summer, Filmishmish, Fruit Beer, Mischmishmish, Rare Beers, Sakura Igawa, Taimanin Asagi, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

MischMishMish by The Bruery is an 8.8% ABV Belgian Strong Golden Pale Ale brewed with Apricots.

Label:
MAKE NO MISHTAKE
Fermented with brettanomces and infused with sweet apricots, this ale offers flavors and colors as golden as a California summer.

After brewing one of our fruited sour ales, we found ourselves with a few too many leftover apricots in the fridge. Rather than starting a smoothie company, we decided to create this unique take on the popular Belgian-style golden ale. The addition of apricots strikes a lovely balance with our fruity house yeast, yielding a delightfully mishmishchieveous ale. Mischmishmish is best enjoyed fresh.
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Want to talk about rarity and limited edition? How about limited quantity? So much that the only people that got this beer at 1 bottle per person limit were from the Hoarders and Reserve society between April and May 2014? How about that for exclusive? Well, it is a pain in the ass but I really wanted to do a review on this beer just because I wanted to see if it was truly worth a damn. Yes, even such a short ass supply of beers like these shouldn’t even phaze the masses as I am sure they have tried something like or extremely similar to this. Then again, we won’t find out until we try right? Well, I will do my best to break this one down and see what I can compare it to. This beer is a mix of Filmishmish and Mischief from the Bruery with lots of apricots. While I wish I could share this with many enthusiast around the world, just like Spiderman in Family guys once said and the fact of what life is, “Everyone only gets One!” and in this case, the members 😦 .

Aromas:
Pureed Apricot Central, biscuit bread, caramel, vanilla, peaches, stone fruit, lychee, peppercorns, farmhouse yeast, brettanomyces, honey, peppercorns, oak, citrus, lemon, peach preserves, plum cherry, mild wine funky hints, sugar cone, mild grape hints and waffle cone.

Flavors:
Lots of very rich sweet and Tart apricots, peaches, biscuit bread, vanilla, honey caramel, lemon, citrus, peppercorns, vanilla, oak, plum, cherry, farmhouse yeast, wine grape hints, wet hay, peppercorns, hints of mushroom, peach and apricot preserves on rye, waffle cone, bananas, stone fruits, lychees, guava notes, clove spice and bananas.

Aftertaste:
A bit Apricot, biscuit bread, and caramel with a very dry finish. No alcohol in the taste. A moderate sipping beer yet crisp and refreshing with a medium mouth feel.

Overall:
While the beer is powerful with the apricot notes and well is very delicious, I do think that many can find something similar. This beer is no longer a sour and is more of a fruit beer than anything. A bready apricot fruit beer. Truly one for the summer if by some miracle you can get this beer. I can honestly say though, there are still some greater apricot tasting beers out there that you can find for sure.

Anime Corner:
Sakura Igawa from Taimanin Asagi is the younger sister of Asagi Igawa whos is an anti demon kunoichi. She was chosen for this rare beer as since her colors fit perfectly for with the label and the flavors. This is kind of her first appearance but generally her first solo appearance so it was perfect in that aspect. Mischief tends to be a Belgian Golden Ale which is usually related to demons as you can tell from the tail in the label. She is a ninja that fights demons so it makes sense. Basically, if we look at flavors, she is the sweet apricots that quenches the demons in the Filmishmish so removing all the sour notes leaving more sweet and tart notes instead. Good stuff for a super rare beer. Like a 1 in 100 random encounter…..

Sucré (6th Anniversary Ale) by The Bruery

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

Rating: 6/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Floyd D’ Rue Collaboration by The Bruery and Three Floyds

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged beer collaboration, Black Tuesday, Bleach, Dark Lord, Dark Tuesday, Floyd D'Rue, Holiday Ale, Imperial Porter, pumpkin spice, Rue D'Floyd, Rum Barrels, Spiced rum, Spices, sweet potato, The Bruery, Three Floyds, Tia Harribel, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, vanilla | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5* Rating given at the time of tasting (4/28/2014)

Floyd D’ Rue Collaboration by The Bruery and Three Floyds is a 14.7% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with spices and aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
DARK TUESDAY

This collaboration brew was made in the spirit of experimentation…. and then condemned to barrels for one year. We hope you enjoy!

Floyd D’Rue is the complement to Rue D’ Floyd and was brewed with our good friends from 3 Floyds in Indiana. This invigoration ale will age gracefully if cellared properly, but the spice flavors will be the most prominent when consumed fresh.
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Obtained as part of the Bruery’s reserve society, this beer was made with high expectations as it was collaborated with 3 Floyds. The label on the beer advises “Drink by 6/30/14” and “May contain Lactobacillus”. The Bruery does advise this was not on purpose but the odds of such a great beer to be a ticking time bomb, basically consume it before it sours, is such a damn shame. If you can get this before the time runs out, definitely get it. This one is the Floyd’s attempt at the recipe with the Rum barrels with spices. So basically drinking both at the same time would probably be over kill. This one is called “Dark Tuesday” just like the other one was called “Black Lord”. A poke at both their awesome super beers, Black Tuesday and Dark Lord… in my previous review, this would be the offspring’s twin sis…oh!!?? wait…

Aromas:
Rich Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Cake Rum, lots of cinnamon, dark fruit raisins, capirotada raisin bread pudding, hazelnut, dark, milk, bakers and chocolate, ginger bread, nutmeg, cookies and cream, holiday spices, fruit cake, rye bread, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, oak, marshmallow, cookie dough ice cream, citrus, earthy notes, hazelnut, pecan pie, peach cobbler, flan, crème brulee, Danish cream, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin flesh, pillocillo sugar cone, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, molasses, brown sugar, anise, mint notes and candy sugars.

Flavors:
Taste exactly like rich Rum pumpkin spiced coffee cake! Vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, capirotada raisin bread pudding, fruit cake, pumpkin flesh, honey, maple syrup, ginger bread, nutmeg, dark fruit raisins, Kahlua liqueur, coffee, molasses, pecan pie, hazelnut, peach cobbler, marshmallows, flan, waffle cone, Danish Cream, cheese cake, all spice, cinnamon, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, cookie dough ice cream, oak, holiday spices, earthy notes, citrus, apples, apricot hints, brown sugar, candy sugar, mint, anise, crème brulee, pilloncillo sugar cone, chai tea ice cream, sweet potato pie, sweet potato pudding, old mango, banana clove spice, banana bread, walnuts and nutella.

Aftertaste:
Rum, cinnamon, fruit cake, sweet potato, flan, chocolate, pumpkin and coffee cake linger. No alcohol in the taste and just like the other beer, dangerous and smooth. While moderate sipability, it goes down nice and warm with a syrupy consistency.

Overall:
What can I say about this one that I haven’t said about the other one. They are definitely exceeding great. One taste like chocolate coffee cherry cake and the other like rum pumpkin coffee cake to say the least. There is no denying it, they are both exquisite collaborations and both worth the merit. The Ultimate sadness is not being able to see the potential that this beer has as it’s existence is only as brief as the candle in the wind. If you can some how get this one or both or the other one, I suggest you get to it before they are gone. I really hope they brew this one again as it was really good. Combining both would probably be a insane!! Maybe I will save that type of fusion for another review.

Anime Corner:
Tia Harribel and Tōshirō Hitsugaya from Bleach were used in this pairing to represent another aspect of the Bruery’s and 3 Floyds collaboration, in terms of the label, flavors and greatness of the two. These 2 are in the highest caliber of awesomeness and the battle they had in the series was awesome. Reflecting on 3 Floyds and the Bruery’s reputation in terms of awesome shows the insanity of the two to have come together, hopefully not once in a life time, but to show case their insane abilities that both share. Tia Harribel, obviously with the 3 on her breast which was used in a previous review to show case the Zombie Dust. She was the perfect candidate for this pairing as she came forth like a beast and like death in the night show casing the awesomeness of the 3 Floyds. Hitsugaya was used in as the Floyds adding the aspect of Cold. Why cold you ask? Well, Cold in relation to his ice ability which relates to Winter in relation to the holiday spices that this beer is abundant with. Without these 2 in the game, such a beer would not come into fruition. The irony of 2 such great breweries is that the release of this beer in the spring is like the opposite which is the fall. Like if Rue D’Floyd and Floyd D’Rue were like the sun and the moon or the spring and fall, or summer (Tia) and the winter (Hitsugaya). Hence forth, just like the Summer approaches, so will the Sun (Lactobacillus/Tia Harribel) consume the beer, forever lost in the pits of hell where once the shining light of hope of pandora’s box once stood. Sour Sour, everything returns to Sour (NOTHING)!!……

Rue D’Floyd Collaboration by The Bruery and Three Floyds

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, beer collaboration, Black Lord, Black Tuesday, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, cherries, Coffee Beans, Dark Lord, FLCL, Floyd D'Rue, Haruko Haruhara, Imperial Porter, Naota Nandaba, Rue D'Floyd, The Bruery, Three Floyds, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5* Rating given at the time of tasting (4/28/2014)

Rue D’Floyd Collaboration by The Bruery and Three Floyds is a 14.4% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Coffee and Vanilla beans and aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cherries

Label:
Black Lord

This collaboration brew was made in the spirit of experimentation…. and then condemned to barrels for one year. We hope you enjoy!

Rue D’Floyd is the complement Floyd D’ Rue and was brewed with our good friends from 3 Floyds in Indiana. This invigoration ale will age gracefully if cellared properly, but the spice flavors will be the most prominent when consumed fresh.
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Aromas:
Chocolate covered cherries in mocha coffee, bourbon, oak, vanilla, coconut, flan, dark, milk, German, Belgian, sweet, bitter, bakers, and fudge chocolate, Kahlua liqueur, flan, dulce de leche caramel, marshmallows, rocky road ice cream, dark fruits like raisins, figs, Irish cream, kopi luwak, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, cherry cobbler, cookies and cream, almond joy, molasses, anise and brown sugar, crème brulee, waffle cone and coffee cake.

Flavors:
Dark Cherry yogurt, dark chocolate, milk, Belgian, German, sweet, fudge, bakers and bitter chocolate, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, currants, mocha coffee, espresso, flan, cinnamon, oak, bourbon, vanilla, apples, marshmallows, coconut, coffee cake, cherry cobbler, crème brulee, brown sugar, molasses almond joys, cherry cordial, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, Bailey’s Irish cream, rocky road ice cream, cookies and cream, kopi luwak coffee, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal, Chambord raspberry liqueur, fudge cherries with chocolate mousse and frappuccino.

Aftertaste:
Cherry Cordial, coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Kahlua liqueur, earthy, mild tart and spicy notes linger. This is dangerous as the ABV alcohol can be detected in the taste, it has a smoothness and drinkability is moderate with a syrupy mouthfeel.

Overall:
Exceeding my expectations even when trying to find some of the flaws. This is damn delicious and way too easy to drink that is very dangerous as you can be done for the night if you even try to drink the whole bottle. Definitely and highly recommended if you can trade or find this one online as it will go bad with time unfortunately. It is really sad indeed since it almost feels like attaining the most awesome-st thing in the world then watch it disappear forever. We cannot see how the future will taste for this beer unless they make it again. So yeah, while this still exist, get this as soon as possible! This beer almost reminds of “Life is Like…” but with coffee.

Anime Corner:
Haruko Haruhara and Naota Nandaba from FLCL (Fooley Cooley) were used in this pairing to show case the colors of the label, the flavors, the collaboration, the ticking time bomb aspect and just the insane aspect that this collaboration brings. Aside from the colors of the label. Haruko represent the cherries and the coffee as well as the very dangerous aspect of the beer. The smoothness of the beer can be seen in the cuteness of her demeanor but don’t ever let that fool you. This woman is demented and insane. Cute on the outside, monster on the inside. Naota Nandaba, is the admirer which you can think of him providing the extra flavors as being the main character of the series. Now the ticking time bomb has to do with the short temper that Haruko has and the short time that these 2 have together. I won’t spoil the story, but c’mon, it is such a great series…. for only being 6 episodes long!! There, you have no excuse not to watch FLCL… now just like I said before… Go get this beer, find the show and watch it! You will be in for a ride!

2014 Tripel Tonnellerie by the Bruery

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Abbey Tripel, american oak barrels, Belgian Abbey Tripel, Kill-LA-Kill, oak barrels, Preservation Society, Satsuki Kyurin, sour flavors, The Bruery, Tripel, Tripel Tonnellerie | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.6/5

2014 Tripel Tonnellerie by the Bruery is a 9.5% ABV Belgian Abbey Tripel aged in oak barrels.

Label:
Tripel Tonnellerie is a Belgian-stykle Tripel ale that has been fermented in oak barrels, adding a layer of complexity and traditional farmhouse character. Best enjoyed fresh but may pleasently evolve over time if cellared properly.
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As part of the 2014 Preservation society, this beer was released for the first quarter of 2014.

Aromas:
Smells almost like a Berliner Weisse fuzed with a Tripel. Brettanomyces funk, oak, Farmhouse hay funk like notes, Rich Stone fruits like apricots, peaches and lychee, lots of lemon zest, peppercorns, coriander spice, sour apples, apricots, biscuit bread, honey, musty old grapes, flowers, vanilla, caramel, floral notes and mild banana notes.

Flavors:
Lots of Honey, peppercorns, oak, biscuit bread, chardonay, apples, sour white grapes, white wine, stone fruits like apricots, peaches, lychees, banana notes, musty sour funky notes, farmhouse hay, tart lemons, coriander spices, funky brettanomyces, citrus, hibiscus flowers, honey and butterscotch.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with honey, flowers, white wine, sour grapes, bicuit bread and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste. Moderate drinking yet smooth, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
A very good beer that kinda makes you wonder where exactly is going. It is not a sour by any means but has enough tart flavors that reminds you of it being close. There is also like farmhouse quality to it that makes you think that this one was like a fusion of a Tripel with a saison with oak sour flavors. Not too bad if you join the preservation society, but hey on the plus side, it comes with Chocolate Rain.

Anime Corner:
Satsuki Kyurin from Kill La Kill was used in this pairing to pair with the flavors of the beer and the label. Her colors of the blue green almost pair with Juunketsu, her power armor. The beer flavors best describe her character. She is very cold and harsh in the beginning of the series, always en pointe, and always arrogant and ruling (ABV + Sour Flavors). As the series goes by SPOILER ALERT………………..She becomes a more loving and tender person especially after finding out the Ryuko Matoi (My favorite character) is actually her long lost baby sister and realizing the error of her ways toward her sister. She finds out that the bit of family that she does have in her sister makes up for the bitter way their mother is. She teams up with Ryuko and finds out how powerful they can be. The sweet flowery tripel flavory aspect of the beer represents this change because Satsuki found her way (Show’s theme “Don’t Lose Your way!), she found her baby sister (even though she treated her like shit without knowing at first) and was able to make amends. So this beer definitely tells the store about a Tripel who was involved in some sour notes but still maintained the sweet bread deliciousness about it. How’s that for a pairing . Cheers fans!!

Wineification (Mardi Rouge?) collaboration with The Bruery, Fess Parker winery and vineyard and Saarloosons of Los Olivos California

April 3, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, black berries, Black Tuesday, chocolate mousse, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Fess Parker, Fess Parker winery, Grey Monday, Harvest Syrah, Imperial Stout, Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, Kill-LA-Kill, Mardi Rouge, Mocha Wednesday, Petite Syrah, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, saasloosons, syrah grapes, The Bruery, White Chocolate, Wineification | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Wineification (Mardi Rouge?) collaboration with The Bruery, Fess Parker winery and vineyard and Saarloosons of Los Olivos California is a 15.7% ABV Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout brewed with Syrah Grapes and aged again in French Oak Barrels

Label:
QUE SYRAH!
There is more and more talk these days about the”winefication” of beer. We decided to plunge straight into the deep end, working with two of our great wine making friends from the central coast to create this stunning blend of late harvest Syrah grapes and our imperial stout. The combination is unlike anything that you’ve likely had before and represents a glinmpse into the future of craft beer. Best stored and cellared around 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius) in a cool dark place,
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Best place to explain this beer is similar to that of the rarity of Mocha Wednesday. Wineification, or what I believe is Mardi Rogue or close to it (Harvest Syrah vs. Petite Syrah grapes) is a beer that may have been released instead of Mardi Rouge to the expensive Hoarders Society. This beer literally costs an arm and a leg, or atleast to trade it does. Let’s just say, that we have to be thankful for having fans of the site as well as those who are willing to trade for several beers. You people rock!!

I have been looking to try this beer as I have tried many of the Black Tuesday variants and close to it that have focused on many levels of well, different and even if they are rare, they have become my top favorites exceeding my expectations. I can only assume that this will do the same.

Aromas:
Sweet milk and dark chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, flan, crème brulee, Chambord raspberries, port wine, red wine, grapes, dark cherries, raisins, figs, dates prunes, blue and black berries, currants, bananas, bourbon, oak, leather, toasted coconut, mocha, pecan pie, hazelnut, rocky road ice cream, candi sugars, agave, rich chocolate mousse and fudge cake in wine.

Flavors:
Bourbon, toasted coconut, red wine, port wine, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, flan, crème brulee, toffee, butterscotch, rum notes, caramel bananas, plantain, dark fruits like figs, raisins, prunes, plums, blue berries, rich grape flavors, dark cherries, black berries, Chambord raspberries, currants, oak, leather notes, rye bread with jelly spread, pecan pie, agave, candi sugars, brown sugar, rocky road icecream, chocolate mousse, cherry cola, mocha, hazelnut, chocolate fudge cake, marshmallows.

Aftertaste:
Interesting enough, while it is very complex and rich, the aftertaste comes up dry leaving you wanting to drink more. Some of the chocolate, wine, berries and fudge cake of linger for a bit. There is hardly any sense of harsh alcohol in the taste. Despite having a syrupy mouthfeel and being a sipping beer, there is a smoothness about it that makes it very dangerous as you will want to keep drinking it. Take your time with it, this beer is meant to be savored, enjoyed and well, loved!

Overall:
Taking this to the Wine side gives Black Tuesday something that is incredibly different. Exceeding my expectations without any doubt. This beer reminds me of a what if scenario where Black Tueday mixes with one of those rich berry Avery beers like the Mephistopheles or The Beast or Samael beers but ofcourse, with the wine aging. There is nothing sour about this beer, everything is as complex as maybe some of those fancy wines should be, but the best part is that this is not wine, it is a beer and one that even the best wine connoiseur may actually appreciate. I don’t like the idea of thinking of beer as wine, but in the sense beer outclassing wine, you better damn believe it. Like the Black Tueday, Chocolate, White Chocolate, Cacaonut, Grey Monday, Mocha Wednesday, Melange 3 and so forth, I highly highly recommend this one if you can get it!!

Anime Corner:
No doubt, Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill was chosen for this pairing to pair with many of the different aspects of the beer. The label, the flavors, the ingredients the alcohol and especially since she is one of my favorite characters in Anime right next to my other top 3 (Kos-mos, Yoruichi and Temari). I have yet to pair a Bruery beer with her and what a way to seize the opportunity but to use a beer that is super rare and delicious indeed. The colors pair perfect with Ryuko’s hair, the background, her eyes and her outfit as well. If this was a candidate for Mardi Rouge (Red Tuesday) then even more the reason to use her for this pairing. The alcohol content represents her will power and strength, The complexity of the flavors showcases her unpredictable characteristics. She always has a plan up her sleeve. She is deadly and sexy which best describes how smooth the beer goes down but deadly since it has the really high ABV. The beer is dark but it is a blood red dark as you get closer to finishing the glass. Her suit Senketsu (Fresh Blood) describes this as she needs to let senketsu take some of her blood in order to unleash a higher power. Perfect for that red wine aspect and the color as I mentioned earlier. Ryuko is strong and tough minded, but she does have her sweet,warm hearted and loving side which she shows to the people she cares about. The sweet chocolate and berries is what best places this category. Take it easy with her, you won’t find one like her again, maybe. Either way, it will be a very memorable experience :3

Saison De Lente by the Bruery

March 13, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Brettanomyces, Farmhouse Ale, Saison, Saison De Lente, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.25/5

Saison De Lente by the Bruery is a 6.5% ABV Farmhouse Ale/Saison.

Label:
SPRING TIDINGS

Golden in color with a fresh hoppiness and a wild and rustic Brettanomyces character, this saison of Spring is perfect for warmer weather and Easter celebration.

Our Spring Saison will evolve over time; clean and hoppy when fresh and drier, with earthy, wild notes when aged up to two years.
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So of the many Bruery beers that I have tried, this seasonal is one that I have yet to try. I wanted to get this one going before I miss the season. It is sold everywhere they sell the Bruery stuff and it is easy to find. So without further ado, on the review.

Aromas:
Peach notes, oranges, flowers, apricots, banana hints, peppercorns, clove spice, coriander, wet hay, farm house funk, lemon zest, biscuit bread, earthy hop notes, wheat bread and honey.

Flavors:
Peppercorns, flowers, citrus, mild mango, peach, bananas, lemon zest, clove spice, coriander, wet hay, earthy hops, honey, biscuit bread, wheat, mild caramel and vanilla.

Aftertaste:
Citrus peppercorn, wheat bread, lemon zest, bitter flowers and earhy hop notes. No alcohol in the taste, easy to moderate drinkability, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
Very good Saison but not typically the best I have ever had. A very good example of the style with some very nice flavors. For me personally, since I have had other saisons like the Stillwater ones who primarily focus on saison, this like a nice gateway to the saison style.

Anime Corner:
Remelia Scarlet from Touhou project was used in this pairing because I wanted to show something that compliment’s this beer’s aspect of spring. The birth of the birds coming to life in the spring ready to take on the the work and being released from the eggs show case this instance. Some of the colors from Remelia also pair the beer label well too. Can you see any other cool things about this beer that works well?

Mocha Wednesday by The Bruery

February 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Imperial Stout, Black Tuesday, Bourbon Barrel Aged, chocolate chip cookies, Chocolate Rain, coffee, Coffee Beans, Grey Monday, Kahlua, Konan, Kopi Luwak, Melange 3, Mocha, mocha coffee, Mocha Wednesday, Naruto, Portola Coffee Lab, TCHO Cacao nibs, The Bruery, White Chocolate | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Mocha Wednesday by The Bruery is a 19.2% ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with Coffee and Cacao Nibs aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
MORNING AFTER

This exquisite version of Black Tuesday is brewed with TCHO cacao nibs and coffee beans from Portola Coffee Lab.

Mocha Wednesday is a perfect follow up to a Black Tuesday. This invigorationg ale will age gracefully if cellared properly, but the both chocolate and freshly ground coffee flavors will be most prominent when consumed fresh.
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Fucken right, the only beer this year from the stupidly exclusive and expensive hoarders society of the Bruery I was able to obtain thanks to a great donation. You will most likely have to trade or spend a grip of money on this rarity of rares. Black Tuesday, Grey Monday, White Chocolate, Chocolate Rain and Melange #3 have been my top favorite Bruery beers and today on this very Wednesday, a Mocha Wednesday, I contribute this beauty to the reviews. Thank you so much mystery person for the generous donation. Cheers!!

Aromas:
Alesmith Kopi Luwak coffee aroma complexity, rich mocha coffee, espresso, roasted coffee beans, Kahlua, dark, Belgian, German, sweet, bitter, milk, fudge and baker’s chocolates, bourbon, Dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, flan, hazel nuts, pecan pie, Bailey’s Irish cream, dark fruits, raisins, figs, plums, raspberries, cherries, almond joy, rocky road ice cream, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, molasses, oak, earthy notes, brown sugar, mint, anise and toasted coconut.

Flavors:
Toasted coconut, Kahlua, mocha, java, espresso beans, Kopi luwak coffee, dark, Belgian, German, sweet, bitter, milk, fudge and baker’s chocolates as in the aromas, dark fruits like currants, cherries, raspberries, raisins, figs, plums, raspberries, cherries, almond joy chocolate, See’s coffee candy, brown sugar, chocolate mocha flan, coffee cake, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla beans, oak, bourbon, rum, Bailey’s Irish cream, cookies and cream ice cream, anise, mint chocolate ice cream, pecan pie, hazelnuts, maple syrup, earthy chocolate sugar notes, tobacco, roasted cashews, mocha syrup and more chocolate, damn!

Aftertaste:
Lots of Kahlua coffee. You know the alcohol is there but all you taste is sugary sweet Frappucino and coffee to the point where you can’t sense it until it is too late. A major sipping chocolate mocha syrupy mouth feel beer, but scarily, a smooth beer as well. This beer is no joke.

Overall:
Holy Shit, this kicks a lot of the best coffee beers right in the nuts. I think this is really the best damn coffee beer I have ever had with Alesmith Barrel Aged Kopi Luwak Speedway Stout being the second runner up. This definitely is a warming welcome to the already great line up of Bruery beers specifically the ones I had mentioned earlier in my post. No doubt about it, it is not as chocolatey as Chocolate Rain, but the consistency and the coffee to give it a complex coffee-mocha flavor that makes it extremely unique. Something like this is what meets the highest expectation exceeding criteria that I look for in some of the best beers in the world. A rarity, but a lovely beer just the same. That and at 19.2% is the 3rd highest ABV I have ever tried next to Chocolate Rain and Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32% ABV although too harsh).

Anime Corner:
I looked for a couple of days figuring out which character to choose and after watching Naruto this past weekend, who else can actually make a great pairing but the 3rd Akatsuki Rogue Ninja leader and one of the top female ninjas in the series (next to Temari ofcourse), Konan of Amegakure. The alcohol shows her unique strength. The perfect pairing idea came from the label and a need to find one of my favorite characters to fit. Her blue hair and hazelnut eyes fit perfect with the beer label colors. Her strength is not the only thing that matters, but the rich sweet aspects of her flavors characterizes the deep love she has for her friends Nagato and Yahiko (Also known as Pain). The rarity of this beer is the rarity of her discipline. For the smallest times you do get to see her fight, she is a bad ass ninja. Hence the reason her smoothness and seduction will make you pay greatly later on if you try to consume her in one sitting. Patience is virtue!! Aside from these aspects, if you know this character or can even guess, what other aspects of this pairing compliment each other?

Tumescence collaboration by The Bruery and Bottlelogic brewing

February 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged american farmhouse, Bottle Logic, Bottle Logic brewing, Brettanomyces, collaboration, herbs and spices, Ignis, Jingai Makyō, mango, nitroplus, Saison, The Bruery, Tumescence | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.4/5

Tumescence collaboration by The Bruery and Bottlelogic brewing is an 8% ABV Saison/Farmhouse Ale brewed with Mangoes, Raspberries, Herbs and spices.

Label:
RAGING HAPPINESS

This saison was brewed with brettanomyces, mangoes & raspberries and a selection of herbs and spices for extra enjoyment.

The OC beer community is growing quickly and luckily it is filled with amazing people. We had a lot of fun brewing this experimental ale with our old friends who are now our new neighbors. Best enjoyed fresh, but may pleasantly evolve over time if cellared properly
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The first collaboration of the year for The Bruery and maybe for Bottle Logic. This was a february release for the Reserve society but will also be released for the preserve society and possible to the markets soon next month. A saison is a delicious style of beer brewed in the French speaking parts of Belgium, or so I heard. They are very prominent by many breweries and even my favorites are from Stillwater Artisanal. So, for the brewery to make one with mango, this I had to see.

Aromas:
Mango, peppercorns, hibiscus, raspberries, grapefruit and herbal hops, citrus, coriander spice, strawberry, cilantro, lemons, biscuit bread, brettanomyces funk, stone fruits like apricots and peaches and apples.

Flavors:
Lots of flowers, spices, mango, grapefruit hops, tart raspberries, peppercorns, stone fruit apricots, peaches, sour apple, sage, grapes, funky brett, biscuit bread, farmhouse hay, lemongrass, cilantro herbs, pineapple, strawberry, chamomile and hibiscus.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, herbs, spices, mild mango, tart raspberry, herbal and grassy hops. There is no alcohol in the taste. This is moderate drinking beer.

Overall:
If you love saisons, you may love this very delicious beer. At some points, the herbs were pretty sharp but I think that was the point when they needed to balance out the sweeter tropical notes of the beer. In this sense, it is not as sweet as other saisons but the bitter flowers, spices, herbs and some sweetness of the tropical fruits do come together nicely.

Anime Corner:
Ignis from Jingai Makyō was chosen to for the pairing of Tumescence for the label, beer colors and flavors. Tumescence is actually the word for inflammation of something. In this case, Ignis representing the raspberries and Mango fights off the demons of the living Brettanomyces to maintain a place in the beer so that it does not sour out and shows the tropics a bit more. The surrounding red of her hair and the red of the background really shows the raspberry and mango aspects of the beer. Can you see any other art of this luminescent beer that pairs with the artwork?

Smooth Criminal by The Bruery

February 14, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged american farmhouse, Anni are you okay?, anniversary ale, bois, English Barleywine, Haku Yowane, Michael Jackson, Saison, Saison Lente, Smooth Criminal, The Bruery, vocaloid, Who's Bad? | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.96/5

Smooth Criminal by The Bruery is a 15% ABV English Barley Wine and Saison Blend aged in bourbon barrels

Label:
ANNI ARE YOU OKAY?
Ever accidentally blend two brews, curse a bit, and then smile when tasting the excellent result? Us too. Rich malt, hops and wood come together harmoniously in this unique ale.

Smooth Criminal is the splendid result of moving a bit too quickly in the brewhouse. An accidental addition of Saison De Lente to a fermenter full of our Anniversary ale led us to ask, “Anni, are you okay?” She was. Best enjoyed fresh , but may pleasantly evolve over time if cellared properly.
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I have yet to try Saison Lente but this beer blended with Bois is probably very epic. Bois is already a beer that I highly enjoy but the addition of another blend may make or break a flavor enhancement. So far, the Bois Fume was freaking epic, let us see what Saison Lent did to “ANNI”versary ale.

Aromas:
Bananas, peaches, apricots, apple butter, vanilla, oak, bourbon, dulce de leche caramel, coconut, milk chocolate, pecan pie, hazelnuts, dark fruits like raisins, plums, cherries, figs, dates, grapes,apples, rum, Flan, brown sugar, peaches and cream, crème brulee, toffee and marshmallow smores.

Flavors:
Bananas, dulce de leche caramel, peaches, herbal spices, floral hops, peppercorns, toffee, vanilla, oak, bourbon, rum, apples, apricots, dark fruit raisins, figs, dates, prunes, cherries, pecan and hazelnut pie, walnuts, raisin bread pudding, marshmallows smores, rye bread with orange marmalade spread, flan, crème brulee, dark and milk chocolate, white chocolate, wine grapes, maple syrup, burnt sugars, candy sugar, brown sugar, and butterscotch, flowers and coriander.

Aftertaste:
Peach, grape, rye, caramel, bourbon, vanilla, pecan pie, earthy and floral notes and citrus linger. The alcohol is presently mild but does not detract from the delicious flavors. This is mildly smooth.

Overall:
Something about adding other beers to Bois take the beer to another spectrum of flavors. The Bois Fume was very delicious and now this one freaking awesome. I think I enjoyed Bois Fume more but this one is freaking delicious. If you enjoy both beers I am sure the hoppy, floral and citrus addition eill have you liking this one. A play at ANNI or Anni-versary is a well played criminal. A thief in the night exposing new flavors to the palate.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid, Haku Yowane, was chosen for this pairing to represent the aspect of “Michael Jackson” and Smooth Criminal. Haku for the aspect of the beer and MJ, co-inside with themes of music since she is a musician but her name means utter bad thoughts. A pun to, “Who’s Bad?” In terms of the label, I did not get the colors right but the flavors of the beer such as the dark fruit, cherry and plums are there in in her clothing colors and evil eyes. Her white hair represents the addition of the Saison Lente (A white blond beer) that was added to Anniversary (Evil thoughts of Haku influencing the pure beer) and then creating this, Smooth Criminal. I’m just glad I found a great picture to pair with this beer and tribute to MJ’s “Smooth Criminal”.

Bois Fumé by The Bruery

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

Rating: 6/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chocolate Rain (2014 Release) by the Bruery

January 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged best beers in the world, Bleach, Bourbon Barrel Aged, chocolate chip cookies, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, Dulce de leche, The Bruery, vanilla beans, Yoruichi Shihouin | 1 Comment

Rating: 6/5* Just as good as ever

Chocolate Rain (2014 Release) by the Bruery is an 18.5% ABV Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels with TCHO Cacao Nibs and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
MAKE IT RAIN
This decadent version of Black Tuesday is proudly brewed with TCHO cacao nibs.

Chocolate Rain began as a single cask of beer at our very first release event for Black Tuesday back in 2009 and now has a storied history of its own. This ale will age gracefully if cellared properly but will be the most prominent when consumed fresh.
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Walking 1000 miles, over 1000 life times and yet, the ultimate (diabetes in a bottle) dessert beer will always be one of my most favorite of rare beers out there. Right next to Melange3, Black Tuesday, White Chocolate, Trois Pistoles, St Bernardus 12 and Three Philosophers. This beer is released by the Bruery for their reserve society and preserve society too. There isn’t much about this beer I cannot stress enough because it really is one of my favorites, yet difficult to obtain. So anyways, here is to the review!

Aromas:
All the fragrances of the chocolate rainbow, dark, white, Belgian, German, sweet, bitter, milk, fudge and baker’s. I may have missed a couple others. Bourbon, Dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, toasted coconut, choco flan, crème brulee, hazel nuts, pecan pie, dark fruits, raisins, figs, plums, raspberries, cherries, almond joy, rocky road, leche nestle sweetened condenced milk, fudge cake, coffee, mocha, Rocky road Ice cream, oreo and chocolate chip cookies, molasses, oak, earthy notes and brown sugar.

Flavors:
The utter definition of CHOCOLATE! Sweet, Belgian, dark, white, German, milk, fudge, bakers, bourbon whiskey, oak, vanilla, choco flan, dulce de leche caramel, crème brulee, toasted coconut, chocolate covered cherries, dark fruits, raisins, figs, plums, raspberries, almond joy, hazelnuts, pecan pie, tobacco, leather, fudge brownies, raisins, rocky road ice cream, mocha, coffee, brown sugar, oreo cookie, chocolate chips, oatmeal, Kahlua, chocolate covered funnel cake, milk shake, black currants, roasted cashews, tootsie roll candy, “Willy Wonka ain’t got nothing on this Chocolate Rain” flavors!…I ran out of things to describe this epicness…

Aftertaste:
Lingering chocolate, vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, brown sugar, bourbon, white fudge, chocolate fudge and more and more sugar! The alcohol is very little in the taste, but for all its worth, it doesn’t detract from any of the flavors at all and since it is 19-20% alcohol, It is in no way harsh. Sure it is a sipping beer, a dangerously sipping beer because it also has elements of smoothness. It does feel warm going down too. JEEZUUZ YES!!!. Very syrupy mouth feel, like I had mentioned in my previous review of this, boozy chocolate syrup.

Overall:
One of the top best sugary boozy chocolate syrups, I mean beers. Ever! Like I said before, there is nothing I can say about this beer but utter heaven! It could be overkill if placed in ice cream but hey, if you want Dat Dia-bee-tus! Watch out now. No joke, it is pretty sugary and utter bliss. DO NOT DRINK THIS BOTTLE IN ONE SITTNG!!, if you enjoy beers, even if it is the only one you will drink for the rest of the night, don’t do yourself the dissatisfaction. This is really a great beer and should be enjoyed a few sips at a time. Chocolate Rain!! Some stay sober, while other feel the bliss….

Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach was used in this pairing, even from the last time I tried Chocolate Rain for many reasons, aside from the fact that she is one of my favorite anime characters of all time. For starters, in the original Chocolate Rain pictures for my last review, I wanted to describe that Yoruichi as the bringer of the rain since was given a Native American outfit and she was doing a dance to make it rain, rain chocolate!! Her attitude is very caring for her friends but at the same time feisty and very seductive (Lucius Chocolate Rainbow and Vanilla added). She is one of the fastest and strongest characters in Bleach (alcohol due to Bourbon). She is a Princess but was aldo the leader of Onmitsukidō, the Secret Mobile Unit/Corps, Special Forces or Covert Ops. In other words, bad ass ninja! (Alcohol undetected, hidden, hits ya hard later on). In fact, she is so bad ass she took down several ninjas in a matter of seconds. She also has Flash speed (Shunpo) and Shunko or Flash cry (Lightning based attacks)! Which describes Chocolate Rain’s aspect of smooth drinking and you can’t have Rain without lightning. Her sexy and seductive properties can all be described above in the aromas and overall flavors of the beer. Even her outfit and being show the dark fruit flavors, the chocolate, the vanilla, the caramel, the nutty, way more. There is so much more I can go on and on about Yoruichi being the perfect pairing for this beer it ain’t even funny…

Sans Pagaie (2013 version) by The Bruery

January 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Sans Pagaie, sour grapes, sour wine grapes, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Sans Pagaie (2013 version) by The Bruery is a 5.4% ABV Sour Blond Ale aged in Oak with Cherries.

Label:
UP A KRIEK
We added loads of cherries to this sour blonde ale, giving it a color as bright as its flavors.
Sans Pagaie is best enjoyed fresh, until then, please store in a cool dark place.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (ratebeer.com)
French for “without a paddle”, Sans Pagaie is our take on a Belgian Kriek. We added an incredible amount of cherries (whole and pureed) to this sour blonde ale and then we decided to add more. The result is a well balanced fruited sour ale, perfect on it’s own, even better with a slice of chocolate cake. 5.8% ABV, Cellerable for up to 3 years.
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Up the Kriek without a paddle is what this beer is about. The river of cherries is long flow of sweet and sourness. This beer was released last year and one could buy it from the Bruery. It is an yearly seasonal release. I tried this one last time and I thought it was pretty good as the cherries were more forward than the sour oak. Now this is the bottle one, let’s see how it fairs.

Aromas:
Strawberry,Cherry and vanilla Mexican Flour Atole, caramel biscuit bread, then the funky sour wine grapes and lactic acid notes kick in, sour apples, pears, oak, cherry cobbler, Hibiscus, roses and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark Cherry yogurt but then the funky sourness takes over. Cherry pie, Mexican coconut alfafor sugar block, vanilla, lemons, apples, sour grapes, oak, hibiscus wine notes, barnyard hay, spices and coriander.

Aftertaste:
Cherry and coconut flavor seems to linger along with the sour wine grapes and barnyard hay. It is a sipping beer as it is a sour but there is no alcohol in the taste.

Overall:
A very good beer if you enjoy digging through sours. I was surprised by this one because it smelled sweet and it was sweet until the sourness kicked in. Lucky, there is enough sweet to balance it out from being just pure sour. Like I said, if you don’t like sours, you won’t like this one.

Anime Corner:
Milla Maxwell from Tales of Xillia 2 was chosen in this pairing to showcase her colors in this artwork to pair with the colors of the label but also the flavors of the beer. Which are the sweet and tart cherries, coconut alfafor, and all the flavors which then proceed into purple or the funky wine grape and oak flavors of the beer. She is normally a blonde girl as well so with the addition of cherries which makes her hair red, pink, purple and some yellow definitely compliments Sans Pagaie.

Shegöat by the Bruery

December 29, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Asmodeus, banana bread, Banana cloves, dark fruits, Preservation Society, Shegöat, The Bruery, The Seven Deadly Sins, Weizenbock | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Shegöat by the Bruery is an 8.7% ABV Weizenbock.

Label:
All The Wins

We recently discovered this original home brew recipe of Patrick’s with which he won Best of Show awards. Without changing it much, we recreated it for you to enjoy today. Rich, malty and perfect for the winter months.
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Got this one along with the Preservation Society release. It will be hitting only local distribution in California, however, you can still get it at www.craftbeerkings.com . I have no idea what a Shegöat is, but all I could find is information on a female goat. According to Google, this is all I got: “One of the branches of augury in ancient Rome dealt especially with the signs which might be derived from animals; and it was believed that if a she-goat crossed the path of a man who was stepping out of his house it was a good omen, and he might proceed on his way rejoicing.” Anyway, on to the review.

Aromas:
Rich caramel, banana bread, Dark fruits, cloves, coriander, citrus, earthy hop notes, caramel, rye, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Flavors:
Rich Banana bread, Plantains, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruits like raisins, plums, citrus, coriander, cloves, raisin bread pudding, pecans, almonds, earthy hop notes, pineapple juice, tart cherry, licorice notes, bubble gum, toasted rye bread, cinnamon notes and honey.

Aftertaste:
Banana bread, cloves, caramel, dark fruit notes, spices and earthy bitterness lingers. Easy to medium drinkability. Some very minor alcohol in the taste but clears up as the beer gets warmer, so let it warm up

Overall:
The beer is fantastic! If the Bruery ever made a German beer that is awesome it be like this. The beer reminds of my days with Franziskaner Dunkelweiss. One of the best banana German beers. Although, the Weizenbock is the stronger version of a Dunkelweisse, it its just epic win. That is why the label says all the wins. If you like German beers, you will probably love this one, I sure did.

Anime Corner:
I chose Asmodeus from the Seven Deadly Sins series to represent the She-Goat. I could not find the true meaning of the word Shegöat so I found this one. She is part of the 7 demons of sin who represents Lust and exposes her victims in such fashion as well. She looks like a goat in the pictures but she also represents the banana flavors of the beer or the banana in the banana split she is on. Since the beer is fruity tasting, the pictures compliment it perfectly. Shegoat really is tantalizing, isn’t she?

Partridge in a Pear Tree (6 years aged) by The Bruery

December 24, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Abbey Ale Quadrupel, Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadruple, brown sugar, Dulce de leche, Nia Teppelin, Partridge in a Pear Tree, pears and apples, Sugar Plums, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, The Bruery, Twelve Beers of Christmas, Twelve days of Christmas, WÆS HÆIL | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Partridge in a Pear Tree (6 years aged) by The Bruery is an 11% ABV Belgian Abbey Quadrupel

Label:
WÆS HÆIL!

Belgian-Style Abbey Ale Quadrupel, Verse One. Love or hate the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song, you re bound to love this rich, malt-accented ale. After sharing a bottle with family and friends, there s a good chance you ll all be singing with jubilation!
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Released in 2008, as the first verse in the Twelve days of Christmas, I was able to stash away this bottle to be tried when reaching half ways of the series. I wanted to try this as I have tried all the other ones except this one. It is an elusive beer and I am not sure, but I hope I make it to try the 12 drummers drumming to try this beer once again, if possible, at its peak age of the 12 years. Life is short so I definitely wanted to bring a review to see if you can find something close to this beer. You may not have had a chance to try it but I am sure as being a Belgian Quad and me trying several quads, I am sure I have found something similar. Also, I am sure the ABV has risen into at least 12 or 13%

Aromas:
Super rich Plum, sugar plums, raisins, figs, dates, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, butter scotch, deep dark cherry, pears, prunes, vanilla, molasses, brown sugar, cloves banana spice, nutmeg, candi sugars, apples, abbey sweet bread, wine grape hints and peach

Flavors:
Flavors are dead on quad, lots of dark fruit, dark cherries, dulce de leche, caramel, prunes, vanilla, sugar plums, raisins, rich matured pears, figs, dates, molasses, brown sugar, light soy sauce hints for bitterness, brown sugar, chocolate notes, bananas, nutmeg, butterscotch, toffee, raisin bread pudding, peaches and crèam and pecan pie.

Aftertaste:
Cherry, raisins, plums,dark fruits, dulce de leche caramel, pears, peach, raisin bread pudding and complexity. Very smooth and close to easy drinkability with alcohol no where present in the taste. If this is what cellaring does, I definitely cannot wait for the cellar quads I have saved. By the way, careful as this one is very good that you may want to finish the bottle, slow down though. Easy does it.

Overall:
This beer has aged incredibly well and has become very delicious. While I understand it is hard to find, I can definitely compare it to some of the finest quads I have ever had, like St. Bernardus 12, Ommegang Three Philosophers, De Halve Mann Straffe Hendrik II and possibly close to the Achel Trappist. The Dark fruits is the biggest player in this beer for sure. Recommended if you can save one until 2020 and see how much more it has developed. Trust me, if you love deep dark fruit quads, then you have had this one for sure. Merry Christmas !

Anime Corner:
I introduced Nia Teppelin in a previous review. In this review I wanted to talk about the qualities I saw in this artwork that best fit the beer. If you look at Nia’s green and yellow long hair, it resembles that of a pear tree. In this picture it looks like she is sitting on her hair, thus, the partridge in the pear tree. Also to best fit the colors of the label, the red outlines of the suit as well as the green fits it quite nicely. She is the partridge in the pear tree, she is the first verse, the quadruple sweet dark fruit side resembles the part of her personally of how she is always sweet with everyone and her friends, but her race and ancestry has a dark past. This beer has aged to become more sweet than bitter bringing out her best qualities after 6 years. Can you find any other artistic features in this piece?

Bourbon Barrel Aged Autumn Maple by the Bruery

November 26, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Autumn Maple, Belgian Brown Ale, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Aged Autumn Maple, bourbon barrels, Maple Syrup, Pumpkin, Queen's Blade, Risty, Spices, The Bruery, Trick or Treat, yammy, yams | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Bourbon Barrel Aged Autumn Maple by the Bruery is a 13% ABV Belgian Brown Ale Brewed with Yams, Spices and Maple Syrup then aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
TRICK OR TREAT

We don’t need pumpkins in out beer! Bog, bold, spicy and oh so yammy.

This decadent, barrel aged version of our spiced brown ale is suitable for aging up to five years when cellared properly.
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Available from the Bruery store directly. I have reviewed the original Autumn maple last year and I loved it!. Now in Bourbon? Well, I could easily give this one more credit as it was a perfect beer.

Previous Review: https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/autumn-maple-by-the-bruery/

Aromas:
Maple Syrup, bananas, Belgian yeast, cloves spice, toast bread, rye, dark fruits, coconut, bourbon, yams, sweet potato pie, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, graham crackers, marshmallows and oak

Flavors:
Rich Bananas, clove spice, Belgian yeast, Yams, sweet, buttery caramel popcorn, candy corn, toffee, maple syrup, pancakes, bourbon, toasted light coconut, marshmallows, graham crackers, vanilla, butterscotch, Nutella on toasted rye bread notes, dark fruits, raisins, fig notes, Mexican whole cane sugar cone, milk and cooked sugary pumpkin

Aftertaste:
Finishing with maple syrup, yam, milk, banana, bourbon and dark fruit notes. A sipper with the bourbon not detracting too much from the flavor and not being harsh. Heavy, yet drinkable and delicious

Overall:
Exceptionally awesome! While some bourbon barrel aged beers may take away a little bit from the flavor or may be too harsh, this one play very well with all the delicious flavors. If you loved the original Autumn Maple, this one will most likely blow you away. Perhaps, the second best pumpkin like offering this year with no doubt. Awesome!

Anime Corner:
Risty from the Queen’s Blade series is a busty and buff looking strong woman with a heart of Gold. She is Bandit like Robin Hood, stealing money from the Rich and using it to provide food and shelter for poor and starving war orphans. Like the last Autumn maple, I used Risty as her colors best represent the Fall and the beer label. If you notice the old review, she is very joyous and in this version, she looks like a war bad ass. I did this represent her true strength that sweetness that is released from those Bourbon Barrels. Even if she seems vicious, as in the strength of this beer but, just like the original, she is still kindhearted with a heart of gold. You can also associate yams and maple to her colors as well. Even dark fruit colors peek from the tips of her hair.

Rugbrød by The Bruery

November 22, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Blue Exorcist, Dark Rye Ale, Julebryg, Rugbrød, Rye Ale, rye bread, Scandinavian Christmas beer, Shura Kirigakure, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Rugbrød by The Bruery is an 8% ABV JuleBryg style Dark Rye Ale.

Label:
SAY WHAT?

A deep auburn colored robust Danish-style ale with spicy rye, and caramelly, bready malts.

Rugbrød Rye Ale is suitable for aging up to 2 years when cellared properly, around 55 F (13 C) in a dark place. Best served at 50 F (10 C). Pour carefully, leaving the yeast sediment behind in the bottle. Best served in a tulip or wine glass. For proper pronunciation, chef recommended food pairings and recipes, please visit our website.
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Rugbrød is Danish for Rye Bread. It is brewed in the Scandinavian Christmas beer tradition called Julebryg. This beer is actually available year round and is one that I have over looked for quite sometimes. I have not tried all the Bruery beers but I sure like the ones I have tried to far

Aromas:
Rich rye bread, caramel, maple, toffee, peanut butter, mild chocolate notes, some dark fruit character, light peppery spice, brown sugar, molasses, and light floral notes

Flavors:
Rye bread, peanut butter, roasted peanuts, some dark fruits like raisins, caramel, caramelized sugars, toffee, plums, cherries, sour dough bread, peppercorn notes, chocolate notes, brown sugar, molasses, coriander spice, floral notes and some hazelnut hints as well

Aftertaste:
Finishing off with some nice rye, caramel and dark fruit notes, this beer is a sipper but nothing hard in the alcohol

Overall:
The beer is very good and close as possible to the Autumn Maple but focusing more on the rich rye bread and nutty brown ale like qualities. Liquid Danish sour dough bread. Makes me wonder what a Danish Cookie beer would taste like. Surely a good idea for sure. A recommend if you like Belgian beers, brown ales and rye beers.

Anime corner:
Shura Kirigakure is a character from the series Blue Exorcist. She works as a Upper First-Class Exorcist and Inspector for the Vatican. She has a laid back personality using slang and is blunt speaking what ever she wishes to say. She even would rather slack off and drink while letting others do her work. The part of this piece of artwork I applied for this beer is in the label with the Red, to orange and yellow to even the brown on her jacket. She works for the Vatican so in terms of Belgian type of beer it works. Brown also works in terms of the Rye Flavors but also in her laid back and blunt personality which is present in the hidden alcohol yet sourdough bread like flavors. She seems to be a little nutty with her words but that is just the way this beer is. Just the fact that she is laid back and likes to drink says something about just grabbing a nice beer for the Holidays and taking a step back and enjoy. Cheers!

Black Tuesday (2013 Release) by the Bruery

November 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged best beers in the world, Black Tuesday, Black Tuesday 2013, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, Chocolate Rain, creme brulee, dark fruits, delicious, dessert, Grey Monday, Imperial Stout, Kos-MOS, kosmos, rich flavors, The Bruery, White Chocolate, world class beers, Xenosaga | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5* This years is the same as previous years

Black Tuesday (2013 Release) by the Bruery is an 18.9% ABV Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
NEW DEAL

I cannot help but raise a dissenting voice to statements that we are living in a fool’s paradise, and that prosperity in this country must necessarily diminish and recede in the near future.” – E.H.H. Simmons, President, NYSE, January 1928

Black Tuesday Will age gracefully for many decades of economic fluctuations. Best stored and cellared around 55 °F (13 °C) in a dark place. Ideal serving temperature is 55 ° F (13 °C). Best enjoyed in a tulip or wine glass
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Let’s not kid ourselves here, 18.9% ABV? Nope, I am calling it 19% ABV. One of the strongest but favorite beers that I have ever stumbled upon and one of the more coveted ones. This year, the Bruery has been a little more graceful in releasing more beers to the public than in the past. Even if their web page kept crashing just the like the Stock Exchange Crash of the 1920s. I was lucky to even get the bottle from them this year. Lucky for many though, through out October and parts of November, they had their Barrel Aged months so definitely offered them on tap to the public. Since I have done reviews for this beer several times, I

Aromas:
Rich bananas, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, roasted coconut, oak, dark fruits like cherries raisins, sweet, dark and milk chocolate, strong hazelnut (but not as awesome as Grey Monday), pecan pie, very nice smokey sugar, like a roasted marshmallow on a graham cracker, chocolate then laced with dulce de leche caramel, some slight agave syrup, almost candi sugar, choco flan, creme brulee and a lot of sweet goodness that is hard to make out but its very appealing.

Flavors:
Lots of chocolate covered bananas, dulce de leche caramel, flan, bourbon sweet, dark, milk chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak, cherries, mocha, coffee, plums, raisins, burnt sugar, crème brulee, anise, chocolate cake, chocolate brownie batter, rum, chocolate smores, marshmallow, graham crackers, waffle cone, roasted coconuts, pecan pie, hazelnut cream, port wine, agave nectar, apple butter and many more complexities.

Aftertaste:
The rich banana, bourbon, chocolate, rich dark fruits, hazelnut, cherries, marshmallow, coconut, pecan pie, all of it! Stays on the palette like a rich dessert. Boozy, but damn smooth and damn dangerous. Sipping drinkability but because it is smooth, you made be tempted to drink it easily. Do not try to finish the bottle in a single sitting. Bad things happen

Overall:
*There is nothing more I can say which I have not professed about this beer in past reviews other than get it if you must!! All I can do now is see about finding another bottle and cellaring it for maybe 20 years and see what happens. I hope to live long enough to enjoy but more than likely I will finish it. Maybe

Anime Corner: tl;dr
KOS-MOS or (Kosmos Obey Strategical Multiple Operation Systems), from the series Xenosaga is one of my Three most favorite characters in anime. She was chosen for this particular beer in 2012 to go along with some of my most favorite beers of all time. In terms of who she is is representative of how bad ass this beer is. To me, Black Tuesday is representative of a crash which brings about chaos. Polar to chaos is order or cosmos. While there is is a mess among chaos, there is always a glimmer of hope that will restore the balance to the universe, and that is order or KOS-MOS. In other reviews I have reviewed her character when it comes to the divine and holy (The Lost Abbey Judgement Day, Mayan Judgment, Angel Share, Sede Vacante and even Sam Adams Tetravis). In the game, SPOILER ALERT She is Mary Magdalene’s vessel for which Kaos is Jesus Christ. SPOILER ENDS. Yeah, the spoiler may not make sense but there are many websites ready to explain. Anyways, Black Tuesday label, although hard to see holds some shiny blue but also some shiny brown. The blue part represents KOS-MOS for me and the brown is the sweet chocolate. Once you find out how sweet and understanding this character is, it makes a world of a difference which is why Black Tuesday makes a world of a difference to me. Although the cold harsh reality of her initial computational robotical android form is may seem a bit cold when the series first started. Not to mention the fact that she is a definitely over powered character, which may be the alcohol and the fact that this beer should not be consumed in one sitting. She should be enjoyed slowly. The artwork also represents Black Tuesday as the dark matter of space, the upper frontiers of awesomeness and good beer. Tuesday is just another cycle of the stars.

White Chocolate (2013 Release) by The Bruery

October 31, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Bourbon Barrel Aged, cacao nibs, Chocolate Rain, dulce de caramel, milk Chocolate, Naruto, orange, TCHO Cacao nibs, Temari, Temari Sabakuno, The Bruery, The Sun, tropical flavor, vanilla, vanilla beans, wheat wine, White Chocolate, White Oak, White Oak Sap | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5* This years is same score as the last

White Chocolate (2013 Release) by The Bruery is a 14.75% ABV Wheat Wine Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cacao Nibs and Vanilla Beans.

Label:
OAKALATE
This sumptuous version of our barrel-aged wheat wine style ale has an addition of fresh vanilla beans and TCHO cacao nibs.
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Last year, I reviewed white chocolate, essentially the Polar opposite of the Chocolate Rain which can be aged up to 5 years. This year, I wanted to give it another shot as it was released more frequently but to California. If you are able to get your hands on this one, definitely give it a shot. One of my top favorites

Aromas are of vanilla, milk chocolate, white chocolate, oak, dulce de leche caramel, oak, coconut. Citrus, banana, orange, bourbon, tropical fruit, hazelnut, pecans, cinnamon, marzipan, almond, butterscotch, wine grapes, pears, raisins and apricots

The flavors are of white chocolate, vanilla, chocolate, orange, coriander, bourbon , coconut, pears, peaches, wine grapes, cinnamon, pecans, hazelnut, brown sugar, oak, marzipan, almonds, raisins, tart apples, pineapple, tropical fruit, dulce de leche caramel and butterscotch

The aftertaste leaves off with that nice oak and white chocolate goodness with some nice tart and citrus flavors. Definitely a sipper who’s alcohol becomes more and more hidden as it warms up

Overall, still one of my most favorite top Bruery beers. This year’s though, definitely shines more on the white oak and citrus side, at first. Temari plays hard to get second round (2013), so let it warm up and as it goes, you bet damn right you get the white chocolate. Highly recommended if you love Barrel aged beers no doubt.

Anime Corner: Temari Sabakuno from the Naruto series is one bad ass female ninja. One of my favorite all time Anime characters. She is from the Sand Clan of the ninja world, sister to their leader Gaara, Naruto’s close friend. Temari can seem rude and tomboyish on the outside and very cold hearted at times. Sometimes without a care in the world except when it comes to her family and friends. She takes charge and doesn’t hesitate to risk it all. This beer is a representative of her, not just in the colors of the label, the even if she may be harsh in the beginning (tart flavors) she has been known to open up and show her true side of compassion for others (White Chocolate, Vanilla, Cacao) especially her friend Shikamaru, the smart ninja from the Leaf Village (Naruto’s Clan). The part of the tropical and sunny citrus flavors are in terms of her hair (Pineapple, Tropical, wheat wine) and the dessert (Orange, Sunny, citrus, oak). So if you experience her sharp and tart at first, let her warm up to you, you will find the true White Chocolate you’ve been waiting for.

6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery

October 25, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 12 Beers of Christmas, 6 Geese A Laying, Annie Leonhardt, attack on titan, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Cape Gooseberries, Christa Renz, Christmas, Dark Cherries, Hanji Zoe, Historia Reiss, Mikasa Ackerman, nightmare before Christmas, Sasha Braus, The Bruery, Twelve Beers of Christmas, Ymir | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

6 Geese-A-Laying by The Bruery is an 11.5% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale brewed with Cape Gooseberries

Label:
The Sixth verse of our “Twelve Beers of Christmas” Saga incorporates tangy cape gooseberries into a subtle Belgian-style dark ale. Happy Holidays!

6 Geese-A-Laying is suitable for aging up to 6 years (soon after the release of “Twelve Drummers Drumming”)
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The only way, so far, to get this beer is to buy it from the Bruery directly (online or locally) before they hit the distribution line as we approach Christmas. I wanted to do a review, a nightmare before Christmas and before the nightmare, Halloween. Any time is a good time to do a review. Christmas just rolled in early this year.

Aromas are of dark fruits, plums, caramel, pineapple, boysenberries, deep dark cherries, bananas, clove spice, raisin bread pudding, figs, citrus, cantaloupe, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla

Flavors are of Dark cherries, plums, raisins, brown sugar, rich dark cherries, blackberries, blue berries, oranges, pineapple, apricot, peach, cantaloupe melon, peppercorns, vanilla, caramel, toffee, rye bread, raisin bread pudding, cinnamon, gooseberries, bananas, clove spice, coriander spice, fruit cake, ginger, all spice, and nutmeg

Aftertaste leaves a nice clovey spiced, tangy berry, cinnamon, dark fruits, berries and fruit cake taste. It is surely a sipper but close to moderate drinkability. Especially since you cannot find the alcohol

Overall a very good and awesome Christmas offering from the Bruery. There is a lot going on and the tangy flavors are only like a push so that the beer is not overly sweet. Very delicious. Nice way to end the year. Next year will be another year for craft beer and the everlasting expansion of breweries that bring us such great beers. This beer is a very nice beer to have, it has so much good Christmasy stuff going here.

Forgotten Island by Cigar City brewing

October 23, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Banana cloves, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadruple, black currants, Boa Hancock, brown sugar, Cacaonut, cigar city, Cigar City Brewing, coconut, cotton candy, currants, dragon fruit, Forgotten Island, Hazelnut Spiced Rum, Jamaican Rum, nami, Nico Robin, one piece, pecans, piña colada, Rum Barrels, Sirens, The Bruery, trappist ales, trappist monasteries, tropical flavors, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5

Forgotten Island by Cigar City brewing is a 15% ABV Belgian Quadruple aged in Jamaican Rum Barrels

Label:
This dark complex style of ale originated in the Trappist monasteries of Belgium. It was sipped by monks during fasting and winter months. Forgotten Island adds a tropical twist via aging in Jamaican rum barrels. The barrel lends notes of vanilla, molasses, orange peel, cocoa, brown sugar, nutmeg, hazelnut, apricot and peach. This plethora of flavors and aromas from the rum barrel intermingles with banana, clove, cinnamon,fig, plum and brown sugar aromatics and flavors from the quadruple, creating a contemplative ale perfect for introspective moments far from the cares of the world beyond.
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Released exclusively for the Cigar City Catador club. A hard to get beer unless you know some one who is in the club or can trade/buy from someone online. This is the first time I try a rum barrel aged quad. I have tried a good number of Bourbon barrel ones but never a rum one. Good luck in getting this one

Aromas are very sweet. Velvety dark fruits, currants, plums, raisins, chocolate notes, dulce de leche caramel, figs, raisin bread pudding, oak, rum, rich coconut, vanilla, pecans, bananas, cloves, cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, blackberry marmalade, brown sugar, cinnamon, hazelnut, oranges, apricot, peach, piña colada, tropical fruits like papaya, melon, dragon fruit and other fruit and spices

The flavors are freaking amazing! This would be a great response to the Bruery’s Cacaonut, except it is rum and quad and has more dark fruits than Cacaonut. Yet each is freaking amazing and I can tell you this beer has already exceeded my expectations once again. Rich plums, rich curtants, figs, cotton candy, raisin bread pudding, pecans, peaches and cream, apricot, boysenberry marmalade, toasted coconut, oranges, dragon fruit, melon, papaya, piña colada, nutmeg, hazelnut, brown sugar, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, blackberries, bananas, clove spice, cherries, molasses and other complex flavors. Diabetes in a bottle!

The aftertaste leaves with very nice caramel, dark fruit and tropical fruit flavors with oak rum and spices lingering. Good Luck finding the alcohol. Even at 15% ABV, it is one dangerously smooth and tempting Siren. Does not drink like a 15% ABV, holy crap. Take it easy with this one. Even if you want more, save some for later and share.

Overall, it is exceptionally wonderful and delicious. Think of a Quad that is tropical with rum flavors, coconut and piña colada. Let me put this in comparison with Cacaonut from the Bruery. Cacaonut from the Bruery is liquid Almond Joy with tropical fruits. This is a Dark Fruit Coconut Rum Piña Colada raisin bread pudding. Combining the fact that it is barrel aged, chocolate, quad and exotic is what make this one qualify for the top score which I give to either my best favorite beers or beers that have met the eligibility to be my favorites, even if rare. If I could, I would probably drink this everyday. That would be good, but would not be good for me, but would definitely be good. Cigar City is definitely the East Coast’s Bruery. As far as recommendation, HELL YES!! If you happen to find this parable paradise of an ale, set sail!! You will not regret this one.

Cacaonut by The Bruery

October 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged almond joy, American Strong Ale, Barrel Aged, cacao nibs, Cacaonut, coconut, coconut fruit, coconut milk, dark chocolate, milk Chocolate, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, The Bruery, tropical fruit flavors, vanilla beans, Yoko, Yoko Littner | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5*

Cacaonut by The Bruery is a 15.6% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Coconut, Vanilla Beans & Cacao Nibs and aged in Oak Barrels.

Label:
Nuttin’ Better
A Unique blend of several of our barrel aged ales with toasted coconut, cacao nibs and vanilla beans. Cacaonut is bursting with flavors of spice, cocoa, rich toffee, and tropical notes.

The unique blend was inspired by a favorite dessert of ours, the chocolate dipped coconut macaroon. Cacaonut is suitable for aging for up to three years. Best stored and cellared around 55F (13C) in a dark place.
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Secret recipe huh? Well, I did some research and found the blends may be White Oak Sap, Barrel Aged 5 Golden Rings and some of the Anniversary Ales. The Bruery has made some of the most exceedingly unexpected delicious barrel aged dessert beers I have ever tried. After trying several ones like Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Melange 3 and others, I was not expecting such beers to exceed my expectations this much. In fact, this is the reason I started to give greater than 5/5 ratings for beers that I feel truly deserve that “exceeding expectations” category. Not to mention the fact that anything that taste closest to chocolate is where I go bonkers over the beer. Just to be fair though, I will try to brake this complex monster as best I can. All I will say now before I start is this…. Almond Joy Chocolate while drinking blended tropical juices

Aromas are of rich milk chocolate, dark chocolate, super rich vanilla, rich coconut, dulce de leche caramel, sweetened condensed milk (Lechera), coconut milk, vanilla, bourbon, oak, flan, crème brulee, tootsie roll, almond joy chocolate, brown sugar, maple, dark fruits, plums, raisins, boozy sweet aromas, port wine, pecans, hazelnut and much more.

The Flavors are epic chocolate coconut bliss. I’m done!! That’s its. Just kidding. There a very distinct rich toasted coconut flavor coming from this. This is super close to what the had in mind of chocolate macaroons. Dark Chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, flan, bourbon, plums raisins, almond joy chocolate, toffee, brown sugar, pecans, hazelnut and walnuts. There are also tropical flavors here as well of hidden citrus, coriander, pineapple, caramelized mango, chocolate bananas, dragon fruit, dark cherries, blue berries and clove spice.

The aftertaste is very toasty coconut milk, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon and almost like a Queso Fresco quezadilla toasted note taste. Pretty interesting but I really think it is the bready coconut in action here. A definite sipper, boozy but nothing to get in the way of ultimate complexity.

*Overall, this one is exquisitely delicious and amazing. These are the beers I wish I could drink everyday. It is beers like these that defy what beers are and what beers truly be!! (At least the dessert ones). I am fanatic of chocolate beers and pairing the coconut here gives it some very complex flavors to the already complex barrel aged blend selection as I mentioned above. I apologize if this sounds too snobby, it is not my intention. But I would like for you to take this with a grain of salt and if you get a chance to try it (and you love coconut, chocolate and tropical fruits) you will most likely love it. Unless you do not like complexity and strength in beers then you best off with something lighter. Also, as with all “Diabetes in a bottle” beers, drink and enjoy in small amounts please!!

Yoko Littner For the Win!!

Oude Tart by the Bruery

October 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Bruery, Cherry tart, Flanders Red Ale, Flemish Red Brown Ale, Oak aged, oak barrels, Oude Tart, Red Wine, Rwby, sour ale, tart cherries, The Bruery, wine grapes, Yang Xiao Long | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Oude Tart by the Bruery is a 7% ABV Flanders/Flemish Red ale aged in oak barrels.

Label:
Oude Tart is a Flemish-Style Red Ale aged in red wine barrels for 18 months. Pleasantly sour with hints of leather, dark fruit and toasty oak. Oude Tart is suitable for aging up to five years when cellared properly
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Of the many sour releases by the Bruery, I have not tried this one. This is readily available around the Fall season. There are a few Flanders Red ales that I have tried. The ones that I like are La Roja by Jolly Pumpkin and the Rodenbach Grand Cru. Let us give this one a shot and see how it goes.

Aromas are of caramel, funky wine grapes, tart cherries, red wine, raisins, lots of wood oak, leather, lemon, cellar mustiness, brown sugar and vanilla bread

The flavors are of toffee, caramel, vanilla, oak, wine grapes, tart cherries, cranberries, red wine, leather, raisins, lemons, raspberries, sour apples, tart raspberries and slight biscuit bread flavors

The aftertaste leaves with a tart cherry, leather and caramel flavors. The drinkability is definitely sipping and alcohol is hidden

Overall the beer is very good. More tart than sour. I think what allows for such is the fact that it is aged for a while in the oak but also the rich ingredients also counter some of the sourness. So while it is still a sour, it is more of a tart beer. This beer reminds me of La Roja by Jolly pumpkin but with more oak and less wine flavors. Definitely a good try if you love sours.

Windowsill by The Bruery

September 15, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged beer collaboration, Bruery, caramel brown, Cherry tart, collaboration, concord grapes, dessert, evan kleiman, food, Good Food, KCRW, kyubit foxtar, Megaman Zero, Naruto, oak barrels, pie beer, pie crust, Raspberries, raspberry pie, Raspberry preserves, rhubarb, sakura Haruno, strawberry preserves, sugar cane, tart flavors, The Bruery, Windowsill | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Windowsill by The Bruery is a 10% ABV Fruit Ale brewed with Raspberries and Rhubarb and fermented in Oak barrels. A pie-inspired collaboration between The Bruery and Evan Kleiman of Good Food on KCRW

Label:
Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW’s Good Food, was inspired to collaborate with Patrick Rue and The Bruery after enjoying a homemade Rhubarb Raspberry Pie. The rhubarb’s fruity sourness tempered with the sweetness of the fresh raspberries and the wheat crust, begged to be bottled up in the form of a bubbly beer. Keeping the original pie recipe in mind, specialty grains were chosen to mimic the crust, and rhubarb and raspberries were used in varying stages of the brewing and fermentation process. The resulting beer is reminiscent of a fresh country pie, cooling on a farmhouse windowsill.
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The pie beer. A lot of beers seems like they could taste like pie. Lots of pumpkin ones sure do. However, this one, is focused on being a pie in a bottle. Long anticipated wait for this beer when I first heard of it. Also, if you live in California, you can get this. The Bruery will send it to you:http://www.thebruerystore.com/p-107-windowsill.aspx

Aromas are of tart raspberries, blueberries, guava, pie crust, caramel, biscuit bread, honey,strawberries, brown sugar, rhubarb, herbal, cane sugar, flowers, hibiscus, grapes, rhubarb, vanilla and oak.

The flavors are of very tart raspberries, tangy and herbal rhubarb, cherries, guava notes, strawberries, vanilla, hints pie crust with whip cream, blueberries, hibiscus, herbs, spices, lemon peel, blackberry preserves, sugar cane, caramel, brown sugar, concord grapes, citrus, honey and butterscotch biscuits

The aftertaste is borderline tangy, tart and mildly sour with a bit of herbal bitterness and lingering fruity and bready sweetness. Like a tart pie. Definitely a sipper. The beer shows no alcohol in the flavor.

Overall, I have not have had rhubarb before, but I have heard it is very tart, if you can work with the tartness to find the sweet delicious raspberry and pie crust, then you have an awesome fucking beer here. A tart pie in a bottle. If you let it settle and warm up, you will enjoy this. Not quite a sour beer but definitely quite the tart one. If you love sours and love to play with flavors, this one is freaking amazing. Not overpowering sweet but enough tartness to make it even. If you are not a sour or tart beer person. As for me I really enjoyed this one. Sweet and tart at the same time.

Batch#1000 Bryeian by The Bruery

August 28, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Batch # 1000, Black Ale, black ipa, Black Rye IPA, Bruery, Bryeian, Cascadian Dark Rye Ale, Chun-li, homebrew competition, hoppy beers, rye toast, Street Fighter, Tharja, The Bruery, toast bread | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.9/5

Batch#1000 Bryeian by The Bruery is a 7% ABV Cascadian Dark Rye Ale

Label:
Congratulations to Brian Pramov & Bryan Keas of Denver, CO, for winning our Batch #1000 homebrew competition! Their intensely hoppy, dark rye ale caught the judges’ attention and was the unanimous choice for best in show.

We don’t often make hoppy beers, but when we do, they taste something like this. Congrats to our Batch 1000 homebrew winners on this recipe. Bryeian is dark, malty and full of piney hops. Best enjoyed as afresh as possible.
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Aromas are of fresh hops but very nice malt coming through. Rye bread, caramel, grapefruit, pine, oak, toffee, chocolate,orange, citrus, mango notes and toast bread with butter.

The flavors are of rye bread, caramel, coffee and chocolate hints, pine, grapefruit, earthy and grassy hops, molasses, anise, butterscotch, tropical notes of pineapple with caramel, roasted hazel nut, somewhat oaky and smokey notes, black pepper, slight graham cracker taste, brown sugar, buttered toast with caramel spread.

The aftertaste stays malty with a nice amount of hops and kind of buttery. The alcohol is well hidden and it is fairly drinkable.

Overall, this beer reminds me of Black IPA or Rye Black IPAs should truly be like. This is freaking phenomenal. Damn the Bruery, they make a lot of their beers hard to rate down. I can say that the the only beer from them that I didn’t feel to fond of was the Hottenroth. One day I will get a bottle to review, but almost everything I have ever had from them seems to so many levels of deliciousness. I almost tried to down play this one but as I kept sipping, it reminded me a lot of the Rye Anniversary ale from Eagle Rock Brewery except if you made it into an IPA and roasted the malts. Probably the best Black Cascadian Ale I have ever had, except the Stone 15th Anniversary in Bourbon Barrels, but that’s another review to look at . The rye does wonders for this beer amazingly.

Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Gradually, Quietly, Steadily) Collaboration by The Bruery and Dogfish Head

August 26, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged beer collaboration, Better, Bigger, black sesame seeds, Bolder, celty sturluson, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Dogfish Head, Durarara!!, earthquake in japan, Faster, Gradually, Herb beer, herbs and spices, Japan Relief, kumquats, poppy seeds, Quietly, Sake, shichimi togarashi, steadily, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.6/5

Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Gradually, Quietly, Steadily) Collaboration by The Bruery and Dogfish Head is an 8.25% ABV Japanese Herb/Spiced Beer brewed with Kumquats, spices and Sake yeast

Label:
We brewed this beer to honor our brethren in Japan who stood strong in face of adversity when faced with disaster. Created with traditional Japanese ingredients and sake yeast, this beer is best consumed fresh.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (Ratebeer.com)
Two of the most out-of-the-box breweries around, The Bruery and Dogfish Head recently combined forces on a brew; the result is as intriguing as one might expect. Inspired by the strength of the Japanese people to remain sturdy during the recent earthquake that hit their small island nation, the beer’s depth of flavor comes from flavors steeped in tradition. The ale is brewed with a spin on the traditional shichimi togarashi, or Japanese seven spice blend. Ginger, cayenne, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and nori were added to a base blonde ale that was created using two kinds of rice. Replacing the typical orange peel included in shichimi, whole kumquats were pulverized and added to the whirlpool, giving the spiced beer a kick of fresh citrus. A blend of sake yeast and The Bruery’s house yeast was used to ferment this beer into a dry and complex ale, different than anything you’ve likely had before. One dollar from every bottle sold will be going to help the brewers and beer drinkers of Japan in need of our support to fight back from disaster.
First in the Collaboration Series for the Bruery.
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I remember I had always wanted to get my hands on this beer but never got the chance. I found this one at the 38 degrees Grill in Alhambra California. It seems this beer was made in 2011 in commemoration of the March 11, 2011 Earthquake in Japan. It seems the beer was also named after that Daft Punk Song (Harder, Better, Faster Stronger). Regardless, the beer states best consumed fresh. Will this be past it’s prime or just at the perfect serving? Not too sure but keep reading to find out.

Aromas seem fresh still :). Citrus, peaches, apricot, kumquats, apples, mango, biscuit bread, caramel, wine grapes, coriander, wheat bread, herbs, flowers, hibiscus, lemon peel, green tea, funky notes and and slightly peppery

The flavors are of grapes, apples, citrus lemon peel, kumquats, peaches, honey, biscuit bread, coriander, rice sake, green tea, peppercorns, hints of caramel, peach cobbler, hints of mango, floral notes, herbs and spices

The aftertaste leaves pretty dry with only hints of the grapes, citrus, biscuit bread and sake notes. Still a refreshing beer amazingly and drinks smooth as well.

Overall the beer is surprisingly still awesome. Aged for 2 years and it is still awesome. So it makes me wonder how much fresher it was having it in 2011 and having it now. Regardless, still a pretty good beer. Biiru wa, totemo oishii desuyo!! Kanpai! ^_^b

Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery

August 21, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged agua fresca, Belgian Blonde, blonde, blonde ale, Bruery, caramel brown, churros, Cinnamon, dulce leche, Eureka, Fuu, Horchata, mexican cuisine, Naruto, Or Xata, OrXata, Rice, rice pudding, The Bruery, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 6/5*

Or Xata (Horchata) by the Bruery is a 7% ABV Blonde ale brewed with Rice, Cinnamon and Vanilla Beans

Label:
¡Que Rico!

Living in Latin American influenced California, horchata is one of our favorite drinks. 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. Or Xata is best enjoyed fresh. Please store in a cool, dry place. The ideal serving temperature is 50 degress Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius). Best served in a tulip or wine glass
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First tried this in Restaurant “Cinco” near LAX when the Bruery first poured for the public. Back then I had this with some tacos de azada, to my surprise, it was a perfect pairing. The Bruery would eventually release this too the public. So now many can try this exotic creation which to me was mind blowing.

Aromas are of rich cinnamon, vanilla, bread, brown sugar, rice pudding with dulce de leche caramel and spices.

Flavors are pretty dead on like liquid churros and horchata. Lots of vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, brown sugar, rice pudding, pan dulce, leche nestle (sweetened condensed milk), clove spice and banana notes.

The aftertaste also leaves sweet but not too sweet, more cinnamon really. Perfect. The alcohol is hidden well and will hit you later on as you sip more.

Just like I remembered it a month and a half ago. Simply amazing dessert beer here. It really is perfect. All the flavors are exactly what are set out to be. Definitely spot on. When pairing with taquitos or any Mexican cuisine, awesome!!!

Try to get your hands on this if possible. If you live in California, the Bruery will send you a bottle . Cheers!! (http://www.thebruerystore.com/p-99-or-xata.aspx )

*Exceed my expectations several times, it is not too overwhelming with alcohol , it is overwhelming with awesome horchata and liquid churro flavors.

Imperial Loakal Red by the Bruery

July 15, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged barley wine, Barleywine, Bruery, food, hop bitterness, imperial amber, Imperial Amber Ale, Imperial Loakal Red, imperial red, loakal Red, my bloody valentine, Naruto, Oak Aged Red, scotch whiskey, Tayuya, The Bruery | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

Imperial Loakal Red by the Bruery is a 12%ABV Imperial Amber/Red Ale hybrid made with 75% Red Ale and 25% Red Ale aged in oak Barrels

Label:
We took our hoppy American red ale, delightfully citrusy and full of flavor from new American Oak – and made it bigger, bolder and more exceptional. Imperial Loakal Red is best enjoyed fresh. Please store in a cool, dry place. The ideal serving temperature is 50 deg Fahrenheit (7 deg Celsius). Best served in a tulip or wine glass.
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When I first had the chance to try their Loakal Red, I was very impressed. The beer was along the lines of Troeggs Nugget Nectar and My Bloody Valentine. I was recommended to actually try the Imperial version of it. After opening the bottle the aromas were very rich. Hype aside, I would consider this to an even higher amber status than Nugget nectar and the Valentine which are harder to get.

Aromas are of very rich caramel, toffee, oak, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, citrus, grapefruit, grassy and herbal hops, honey, vanilla, coffee notes, french toast, brown sugar, cherries, mango, maple syrup, scotch, apricots, dragon fruit, coconut and pecan pie.

The flavors are close to a Barleywine, its crazy. You get lots of rich caramel flavors, vanilla, toffee, oak, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecan pie, french toast covered in maple syrup, brown sugar, citrus, grapefruit, grassy, herbal and floral hops, honey, cherries, mango, peaches, pineapple, scotch whiskey notes, slight coconut and tangerines.

The alcohol is present but the beer hides it well. You don’t feel it until alittle bit later. Quite the flavorful rich beer. The after taste keeps lingering with sweet caramel and hop bitterness. It is very pleasant. Will definitely need to get this again. This has become my new favorite amber ale. It is not often I get to try ambers but this one fits the bill perfectly as to what awesome ambers should be.

Cuádruple 2011 edition by The Bruery

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

Rating: 4.8/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

White Oak by The Bruery

June 24, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Agrias, Agrias Oaks, Belgian Pale Ale, Blaze Blue, Bourbon Barrel Aged, bourbon barrels, bourbon vanilla, BPA, Bruery, fft, Final Fantasy Tactics, makoto, makoto nanaya, Mischief, The Bruery, wheat wine, Wheat-Wine Ale, White Chocolate, White Oak, White Oak Sap | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

White Oak by The Bruery is a 11.5% ABV Wheat Wine blend consisting 50% of “Mischief” Belgian Pale Ale and 50% of the “White Oak Sap” Wheat Wine aged in bourbon barrels. This is the base of the awesome “White Chocolate” Ale which I reviewed some time last year.

Label:
Vivid caramel-esque, coconut-like and vanilla-ish flavors blanketed in a crisp yet robust wheat ale. White oak is suitable for aging up to two years when cellared properly. Best stored and cellared around 55 deg F (13 deg Celcius) in a dark place.
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This beer is the original form of the pre-White Chocolate. I first tried it several days ago and I had to grab a bottle to do a review.

Aromas start off with a Belgian bread and Saison notes. Smells like matured citrus fruits, orange, mango, lemons, vanilla, bananas, cloves, caramel, bourbon, oak, biscuit bread, honey, coconut, some minor floral and funky notes.

The flavors consist of vanilla, oak, bourbon, caramel, citrus, notes brettanomyces, banana, matured orange, lemon peel, apricots, mango, toasty coconuts, very subtle pineapple, wine grapes, honey, maple, biscuit bread, waffle cone, clove spice, coriander, herbal and floral hops like the Belgian Pale Ale. The after taste is definitely citrus, bourbon, wine and cheese party. Flavors are kind of all over the place but it surely is a different beer. When Imagine how the Vanilla beans and the Cocoa Nibs were added and barrel aged some more, a minor amount of the base flavors were hidden to give way to a much more sweet white chocolate flavor. Now that, is the best part I remember about the other beer which is the part that really confuses me. How is is that when you add the vanilla and cocoa nibs and age it, it creates something simply extraordinary. Alas, that is the mystery and the glory of the brewing process.

As being the base component of the White Chocolate, I can see why this beer reminds me a lot of the Bourbon and Barrel Aged Stone beers I have had before. Similar to the Red Wine Saison du Buff or the Double Bastard Bourbon Barrel Aged beer. Those beers were really different. More to the wine and cheese party after taste which morphs which gives confusion to the taste buds, but in a very nice way.

White Chocolate Review: https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/white-chocolate-by-the-bruery/

3 French Hens by the Bruery

June 8, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 12 Beers of Christmas, 3 french hens, Belgian Quad, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, brown sugars, Bruery, french oak barrels, Magic Knights, Rayearth, sour beer funk, The Bruery, Three French Hens, Twelve Beers of Christmas, wine grapes | 1 Comment

Rating: 4.8/5

3 French Hens by the Bruery is a 10% ABV Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Label:
The third verse of our “Twelve Beers of Christmas” saga incorporates vinous and oaky notes into a bold and spicy dark ale. Happy Holidays!

75% Belgian-Style Dark Ale,25% Ale Aged in French Oak Barrels
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This beer is hard to come by especially since it is the 3rd installment of the Bruery’s 12 Beers of Christmas. Last year’s was 5 Golden Rings. Why am I reviewing a Christmas beer in the summer time? Well what better time than now. This is the 2010 release so it has been sitting around for about 2 and a half years bringing up the complexity and ABV to newer heights

The aromas start off quite fruity. Pineapple, peaches, cherries, plums, mango, oak, wine grapes, apricot, apple, caramel, candied sugar, wine, slight cocoa, anise, guava and biscuit bread with honey.

Flavors are of mix of a Belgian quad and a sour. However, the sour is only in funky notes, not necessarily sour. You get flavors or caramel, raisins, wine grapes, slight chocolate, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla oak, guava, pineapple, mango, papaya, plums, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger bread, honey, brown sugars, peppercorn notes, clove spice, slight funkyness like that of Jolly Pumpkin beers without the sourness, molasses, and brown sugar. The aftertaste is slightly vinous and funky but delicious. Mainly from the oak I would think.

Quite the new experience for me really. I never had a beer that gave that Belgian quad like flavors with awesome funky notes that I would with like Jolly Pumpkin. I guess something close would be like the Fantome Belgian beers. It is a very nice experience for sure and aging has definitely gave it what was necessary to bring out some epic flavors from this. Now all I need to find is Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Bois (5th anniversary) by The Bruery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mrs. Stoutfire collaboration by The Bruery and Beachwood Brewing

May 18, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Aged, Beachwood Brewing, beer dinners, campfire wood, different types of wood, film z, Imperial Stout, mrs stoutfire, nami, one piece, smoked beers, The Bruery, wood chips | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Mrs. Stoutfire collaboration by The Bruery and Beachwood Brewing is a 9.5% ABV Imperial Smoked Stout Aged on Wood Chips

Label:
Smoked with three types of wood. Aged on three types of wood. Taste just how It should taste. Smoke Meets Oak.
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Commercial Description (Ratebeer.com)
9.5% abv, best enjoyed within 2 years – This beer will see extremely limited distribution in Southern California.

From The Bruery:

“For our first local collaboration beer of 2013, we teamed up with our good friends at Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach, CA. We’ve worked with these folks on a number of small batch brews, beer dinners and general shenanigans for many years and it was really exciting to sit down and work on a full scale project with them for the first time. What we ended up with is an imperial smoked stout, but of course it wasn’t that simple. We smoked our own malt on the same smoker and with the same blend of three different woods that Beachwood uses for their award winning BBQ – apple, white oak and pecan. We then aged the beer on those same three types of wood. The resulting stout is hearty and wonderful, balancing the rich, meaty smokiness with the sweetness of the malt.”
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I’ve been to Beachwood brewing in Long Beach and they have some amazing upcoming beers. Even my friend Alex who is mainly a Heinekken lager drinker loved one of their lighter selections so much he was going to get a growler of it. I still need to go to the Bruery though. I have been lagging it thought. Coming soon, coming soon . Also, if you are member of Untappd, looking me up [https://untappd.com/user/cloudx30]

Smoking Wood was to me one of the best Smoked beers I have ever had from the Bruery and possibly in general. This beer is made with different types of wood so it actually goes into different types of flavors and aromas all from the smokiness. Now this is different. Aromas start off with milk, bakers and dark chocolate, smoked oak, campfire wood, maple syrup, molasses, marshmallows, coffee notes, raisins, currants, hazelnut, pecans, dates, bourbon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, earthy hops and a lot of different type of burnt wood. The flavors are of smoked wood, camp fire oak, bakers chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, coffee, mocha, maple, beechwood, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, figs, currants, raisins, rich dark cherries, dark fruits, minor wine notes, molasses, roasted nuts like pecans, hazelnut, earthy hop notes, honey glazed ham, chocolate campfire smores with graham crackers and marshmallows and caramelized popcorn.This is a wickedly awesome smoked imperial stout. While it is not like Smoking wood in terms of the bourbon sweeter mix, the dark fruit and chocolate with different roasted notes makes up for it. It is still very good in its own way. People that do not like smoked beers, this one is one to try for sure. It is a great beer.

Melange 3 by The Bruery

May 10, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, beer nirvana, best beers in the world, Black Tuesday, Bleach, bourbon vanilla, Bruery, bucket list, Chocolate Rain, cocoa nibs, dark fruits, Diabetes in a bottle, Grey Monday, kick the bucket list, Kos-MOS, Melange, Melange 3, Naruto, Papier, Temari, Temari Sabakuno, The Bruery, Toasted Coconut, vanilla spice, White Chocolate, White Oak, White Oak Sap, world class beers, Xenosaga, Yoruichi, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 7/5* This is quite ridiculous of a beer which exceeds expectations, maybe way too much.

Melange 3 by The Bruery is a 15.5% ABV Barrel-Aged Blended Ale Dark & Delicious (Black & Tan). Basically, it is a fusion ale of Black Tuesday, White Oak wheat wine and Papier Old Ale.

Label:
A unique blend of Black Tuesday, White Oak Sap, and our Anniversary ales. Extended barrel aging lends flavors of vanilla, spice, and rich caramel.
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If you haven’t heard about this beer, go get it now before it is gone. I kid you not. I didn’t have to be part of their preserve, reserve, or even hoarders society. Either that, or the Bruery was graceful enough to share this magnificent brew. If you live in California, GO NOW!!!…. get this beer

I already specified the greatness that was Black Tuesday and even the greatness that was their Anniversary Ale Fruet and basically White Chocolate was their White Oak wheat wine with cocoa nibs so essentially what you have here is an ale that combines the best of 3 of my most hard to find beers that blew me away all in a single blend. In fact, this was one of those kick the bucket beers that is a favorite of Patrick Rue, founder of the The Bruery. I wouldn’t be this exited about a beer if I didn’t realized that I was able to get my hands on this so easy. I still couldn’t believe it when I ordered it on the site. Well anyways, enough rambling. On to the Review.

The aromas are pretty much of the charts. Ill try to sum up the complexity of this beer as best I can since the flavors of this beer are ridiculously rich. Yes another “Diabetes in a bottle” beer. Fragrances of Hazelnut, rich dulce de leche caramel, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet chocolate, bananas, marshmallows, rocky road ice cream, rich toasted coconut, bourbon, vanilla, dark fruits, raisins, flan, crème brulee, wheat, leche nestle and just a lot of sugar.

The flavors are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet chocolate, Kahlua, white chocolate, wine grapes, chocolate covered cherries, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla beans, bourbon oak, wheat, coriander, honey, wine grapes, apples, Port wine, flan, choco flan, chocolate cake, cake batter, toffee, brown sugar, raisins, licorice, marshmallows, smores, graham crakers, cherry coke, Belgian bread, biscuits and more intense sugary and heavenly bliss….over 9000.

Talk about a ridiculously smooth beer. This is very smooth, mellow to the point where you cannot detect the alcohol. This beer is like combining Trois Pistoles, St. Bernardus 12, Three Philosophers, Black Xantus and Barrel aging all that and it comes out like a drink from the 4th dimension, maybe higher. My god, if my taste buds could bleed, they would bleed simply because the beer has taken me to the upper echelons of craft beer Nirvana. This is ridiculous. If I would drink this beer everyday I would probably never try anything else. However, because I finally tried this, I can go in peace. It is hard to believe but this is definitely a bucket list beer without a doubt. People have to try this out and the best part, you don’t have to stay and camp out for the night to get a bottle of this. Get it while it last and it is no longer offered to the public. I got this bottle without hesitation. I almost thought they would second guess my orders since I was not a preserve or reserve or craft whore society member. I got this straight from the source and I was surprised it was sent. This beer is sold or traded after market so if you are not lucky to be able to find this beer but are able to be have it shipped and bought online, I recommend this one full heartedly. Bull shit aside, This beer is worth every penny.

Otiose by the Bruery

April 22, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Arrancar, banana notes, Bleach, Brettonamyces, Brown ale, Bruery, Full Bring, Guavas, Inoue Orihime, Neliel, Nelliel, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Oak, Orihime, Otiose, roast malt, sour ale, Sour Brown Ale, The Bruery, toasted rye bread, tropical fruits, wine grapes | Leave a comment

Rating: 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.
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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 😛