Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Now up is a bottle of Stone's Go To IPA.

It’s no secret we helped create and popularize West Coast style IPAs (since 1997), Double IPAs (since 2000) & Triple IPAs (since 2006). In fact, IPAs of every ilk imaginable are our bread and (hop) butter at Stone Brewing Co., but we’ll be the first to admit that a night of subsisting solely on big IPAs can be a short one. Enter Stone Go To IPA, our session IPA, boasting all the gloriously bitter, citrusy, piney flavor of our bigger / industrial-strength IPAs, but with a significantly lower alcohol-by-volume (4.5%) allowing IPA fans like us to enjoy more of this amazingly, hoppy beer over a longer session, without giving up any of that gloriously crave-able botanically-driven dankness. Well, OK, when you compare to our bigger IPAs you find that you give up some, as that’s what happens when you dramatically lower the abv. And while we work hard to bend the time/space/abv intensity continuum, we’ve admittedly not yet learned to break it. This comes damn close though.

Poured a clear, bright gold into an English Pint with a minimal white head that vanished quickly. Lots of citrus and tropical fruit hop smell. Flavor is lots of citrus hops with some malt underneath. Very thin and watery body. As they say in the description this is low ABV so you're supposed to be able to drink a lot of this over a long period. If bitter IPAs are your thing and you want to drink a lot of it I guess this is for you. Not up my alley though. I'll pass.

[Ryan Ruck]

Now up is New Belgium Spring Blonde.

I guess that tells you when I got it.

Inspired by our anniversary bike trips through Belgium. Spring Blonde is a bright golden ale with a sweet lemony start, pedaling to a pleasantly bitter finish.

Poured a very pale gold into an English Pint with a medium sized head that didn't last too long. Smells of lemon, sweet honey, and a little spice. Taste is mostly malts with some lemony hops. Body is thin, dry, and carbonated. The 6% ABV isn't too shabby. So-so but easy drinking and reasonably inexpensive.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just opened a bottle of Stone's Lukcy Basartd Ale.

No, you read that wrong. Go back and read it again. Slowly.

Lukcy Basartd is a dry-hopped meeting-of-the-Bastards in a in-the-fermenter-blend of Arrogant Bastard Ale and Double Bastard Ale…with a perfect balance of the essence of OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale. All in all, one awesome Bastard.

Lukcy Basartd Ale will be released in November and should be available in many of the enlightened locations where the liquid Arrogance is typically found.

This is a ‘once only’ special release commemorating the 13 year anniversary of when Arrogant Bastard Ale was first released upon the unsuspecting public. That is, ‘once only’ unless we decide to make it again.

Label text:

Oepn yuor mnid. Use a craobwr if you msut. Snice 1997, Arorgnat Basartd Ale has denemdad taht tyrnianacl micredioty rleax its girp of opprobrium on our ciollectve couniescosnss. Few pessoss the ruiereqd isinght or detph of piversceptve to crdiet the Liuqid Arorgnace for initatgsing the rlveoituon in tsate taht it has. Hevweor, taht’s pfecertly fnie, as our hlurecaen erffots in thirstung the larlegy unlliwing wolrd farorwd rquereis no exrtneal vaditilaon. We ralieze it’s hmaun nautre to bleeive taht pregorss trowads getreanss is one’s own ieda.

The mree fcat taht yuo’re hdoinlg tihs bttloe in yuor hnad ianidctes taht yuo’re pyiang antteiton, wihch ideitammley stes you arpat form the msseas. It aslo mkaes you one Lukcy Basartd. Hewover, lcuk faovrs the blod... and the arorgnat. The trmiraivute of Arorgnat Basartd Ale, OEKAD Arorgnat Basartd Ale and Dbolue Basartd Ale are all in paly in this cvueé de Basartd you now hlod, and wihle it is idneed a Lukcy Basartd, lcuk had ntohing to do wtih it.

Taody, wihle nueomrus iendicrlby dinistcitve chcoies are now alavaible, msot popele sitll fucos tiehr attntieon uopn msas mdiea’s isscenatnly banal ehco cheambr, keenpig thier hdeas frimly buerid in the maross of mecridioty. To beark thurogh tihs cophocany, to gsarp enitghnelnemt anmog the mnid-nmubnig culettr, rerequis itnent. Coinscous itnent. For mnay, this aictve piticipataron in the wolrd is unomfacbtorle. Prerrifeng inasted for oethrs to mkae teihr chcoies for tehm — be it a shioutng pindut or a toelievisn ciommecral — sheeple apccet the cmmoitozdied nrom wioutht thoghut. And to thsoe we say: “Setp asdie, and get the hlel out of our way.”

I'm a little by the "Best By" date of 1/1/2015. Poured a deep amber-brown into a Snifter with a good sized light brown head that doesn't last too long. Smells of sweet dark fruits, caramel, slight hops, and a little oak. The taste is a balance of hops and malt with a bit of oak. A lot of people seem to say this is a real bitter brew. I don't think it is. There is a lingering bitterness underneath everything but it isn't in your face like the Go To IPA I had earlier. Body is on the syrupy side. 8.5% ABV so it packs a bit of a punch. Decently good stuff but wouldn't mind a more pronounced oak flavoring.

[American Patriot]

That has to be your BEST review yet!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!

Okay... It's time for a little bit of slumming.

I picked this Lithuanian beer up because the label is just so kick ass and on a dare from my brother (after we looked up the ratings online while in store)!


As you can see on RateBeer, Rinkuškiai Dragon Lady Doppelbock, gets an 8 on there. That's not 8 out of 10. That's 8 out of 100.



Seriously, how can you not buy this! Looks like it belongs on the side of a 1973 Dodge van!



Poured into a Shaker glass because who gives a shit with an 8/100 beer and it's what I had handy. Don't think it really matters. It was a clear, dark brown with a moderate off-white head. The nose on this is pretty weak but I do manage to get some sweet malt. Very overly sweet and malty taste. An odd bitterness to it and an unusual, persistent metallic after taste. This is like the mutant cousin to 3 Floyds Robert the Bruce. Body is a bit syrupy. It's a malt bomb but completely unrefined. It is not undrinkable however. It weighs in at 9.7% ABV, the alcohol is amazingly unnoticeable. At less than $3 per 740ml, it does do well at getting you good and buzzed on the cheap!

Hell, give this one a try if you have it where you are because YOLO! It's still better than most every American macro.

Jungle Jim's did have other Rinkuškiai brews. I just might have to go back and grab some others.

[MinutemanCO]

Is Frank Frazetta still around? Doing labels for obscure breweries it seems.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just opened up my first brew from local brewery Rhinegeist. They're fairly new on the scene.

This is a limited release of theirs called Cafe Ink.

Allowed to warm up a bit. Poured inky black into a Snifter with a very tiny, light brown head. Nose has a light, malt chocolate smell with a little coffee. The taste is very sweet chocolate with underlying slight bitterness. Roasted malts. A touch of coffee. Big, thick body. Very smooth and well rounded flavors. A healthy 10% ABV that is pretty understated. Very nicely executed beer. I definitely like this one!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next I've got a very new release from Clown Shoes. It is Clown Shoes Date Night Saison

Romance and Clown Shoes? You betcha! They go together like tweed jackets and sweater vests, like coins in a fountain, like anger management and therapy. We used a classic Belgian yeast strain in this Saison, and dry hopped it with Cascade, Amarillo and Galaxy hops for a refreshing twist on a traditional style.

Poured gold into a Tulip with a smaller white head that didn't last all that long. Very hoppy. A combination of citrus and fruity scented hops to be exact. Also a little bit of malt. A definite lemon peel citrus taste. Fairly bitter. Says it's a Saison but the typical Belgian spices are very faint. Body is fairly carbonated and watery. 7% ABV. This isn't for me. Too thin, too bitter. Guess I finally found a Clown Shoes brew I don't much care for.

[Ryan Ruck]

As promised I was going to pick up some more of the Rinkuškiai stuff. Ended up picking up two of them.

Felt like a beer so decided to open one of these bottles up. This one is their Before-After Tripple Bock.



Despite the high ABV, this one manages to score even lower than the last one - a 7/100. You'd think a cheap 12% sub $3 740ml bottle would warrant a bonus point or two!

Poured into, you guessed it, a Shaker. Poured a darker gold with a very thin white head that vanished quickly. Smells overly sweet, malty, and slightly medicinal. Taste is, like the Dragon Lady, sticky sweet and crudely malty. Bitter and not in a hoppy way. Very pungent alcohol flavor. I don't know how they manage to do it but this also shares that same odd metallic aftertaste as Dragon Lady. I guess if I was a cheap drunk this would get the job done on a budget.

[Ryan Ruck]

Earlier tonight I was at Jungle Jim's and did this...



All because of this...



This is, literally, the largest quantity of Bell's Hopslam I have ever seen in one place and in person.

I've never seen it available for purchase in a 6 pack in my area. It's been only ones or twos available for sale.

Yes, it says limit one per customer.

I have 4.

[Ryan Ruck]

While at Jungle Jim's taking a picture of that mountain of Hopslam, I couldn't help myself and grabbed a couple other appealing brews.

Right now I've got a bottle of New Belgium Lips of Faith - Cocoa Mole opened up.


(I couldn't resist using this picture since it's only 12 degrees outside right now. )

Say hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have your saying "¡Ole For Mole!"

Poured a deep, red-brown into a Shaker glass with a smallish tan head that faded quickly. The aroma on this is on the weak side but it smells of cocoa, some cinnamon, and a bit of chilli pepper. Tastes of a nice blend of sweet malt chocolate and cinnamon. Then a little bit of chilli pepper bite hits the back of your throat. Just spicy enough to get your attention, not overwhelmingly so though. Medium weight body with a well hidden 9% ABV. Very interesting in a good way! I think New Belgium did a great job on coming up with this.

[Ryan Ruck]

A couple weeks ago I got a brew from Prairie called Funky Gold Amarillo. Figured now was as good a time as any to have it.



Poured a pale gold into a Snifter. Had a decent, white head that receded quickly. Smells of sour, tropical fruit hops. A bit pungent. Taste is very similar to the smell. The sourness is there but not lip puckering. Slightly malty. Crisp and dry body. 7.5% ABV. I do like sours and this isn't bad by any means but, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one. It's different for sure. I think I like it more than I don't.

[Ryan Ruck]

Another sour up tonight. This one from one of my hometown breweries. This is Rivertown's Soulless.



Poured a deep, clear red into a Snifter. Not much of a thin, white head. Faint sour cherry and grape smell. Slightly tart cherry with cereal malt. On the thin side. Maybe a bit too thin. Unsure of the ABV but if I had to guess it'd be in the 6-7% range. As I said, I like sours and this one's okay but I have had better (like the Rivertown/New Holland collab Funk Vessel).

[American Patriot]

HopIslam would be a better name. LOL

[Ryan Ruck]

I've got a 6er of Bell's newest Planets release, Jupiter, on it's way to me compliments of a Michigan ARFCOMmer. In exchange, I've picked up a variety of local brews, mostly IPAs because that's what he said he preferred. Most of these couldn't be picked up as singles so I'm giving a few a try myself.

First one I've decided to have is Mt. Carmel's Snapshot Series: Imperial IPA.



Poured a golden brown into a Shaker glass. Fairly thick gold-tan head that is very persistent. Heavy citrus hop aroma that dominates anything else there. The taste has an upfront citrus hop bitter bite that is mellowed by sweet, caramely malt. Body is on the heavy side and this boasts a decent 8.7% ABV. Wow! Really great job by Mt. Carmel with this one!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next one I'm trying out is my first brew from MadTree. Their offerings are pretty much exclusively in cans so I suspect that's why I haven't grabbed anything from them sooner. I'm slowly coming around to the idea of cans but, I still prefer bottles if not for my "empties" collection.

This one is psycHOPathy.

The subtle malt backbone combats the bitterness and intensity of floral, grassy, and citrus hop flavors. However, taste is perception. What’s your slant?

Poured a very clear gold with a huge off-white head into a Shaker. Big time tropical fruit hop scent. With the taste there is biscuit malt upfront followed by citrus hop bitterness that lingers a bit. Not overwhelmingly bitter at all thanks to the malt. Body is on the thinner side of medium. A moderate 6.9% ABV. All in all a good IPA.

I think I prefer Mt. Carmel's Imperial IPA to this mostly because with that the bitterness comes first and doesn't linger. I don't think I care for a lingering bitter flavor.

I'll be giving MadTree's other offerings a try for sure.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up is Rhinegeist's Truth

Rare are moments of truth, when you've struck the last match, belting out tunes with your friends, staring deep into the campfire-times when you feel infinite. Our Truth is found in the scintillating brilliance of hops. Brewed with a nod to the Pacific, hops sizzle with tropical fruit aroma, grapefruit and mango notes and a dry finish.

Poured a copper-gold into a Shaker with a big white head. The nose on this is definitely tropical fruit as the official description states and some citrus notes! I definitely get a mango flavor from the hops. A little malt. Slight, lingering bitterness but not as heavy as psycHOPathy. Body is moderate with a 7.2% ABV. Not bad at all.

[Ryan Ruck]

Of the 3 IPAs I've just had I can say, without a doubt, I liked the Mt. Carmel Imperial IPA the best. Truth comes in a more distant 2nd and followed very closely by psycHOPathy.

[Ryan Ruck]

I've just opened up a bottle of another Rhinegeist limited release called Mosaic Pale Ale

Dry Hopped Pale Ale with an ebullient grapefruit blossom & Mandarin orange bouquet.

Poured a darker, clear gold with a medium, gold-tinged, white head into a Shaker glass. I definitely get a citrus orange hop scent. Quite pleasant! Very hoppy with tropical fruit and citrus flavors. Only very slightly bitter despite the big hop taste (just 45 iBUs). Some sweet malt background. Lighter body that ends up dry. Respectable 5.6% ABV. Very nice, drinkable brew.

[Ryan Ruck]

My delivery of Bell's Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity showed up today!


Of course I had to have one tonight.

The fourth release in our Planets Series shines the spotlight on specialty malts, while the hops take on more of a supporting role. Brewed with seven different varieties of malt and hopped for a balanced bitterness, this Imperial Brown Ale has bready, biscuity, toasty notes along with light chocolate and roast flavors. This beer is robust, warming and satisfying like the piece of music it was named after.

Poured a deep, cloudy brown with a moderate tan head into a Shaker. Smells of sweet, toasty malt with a little bit of chocolate. Their description of this is spot on. Very malty! I like it! Sweet with just a small touch of bitterness that is gone just as fast as it shows up. The body on this is quite hearty. 8% ABV and it shows. This is a really damn good beer!

The big maltiness of this kind of reminds me of 3 Floyds' Robert The Bruce.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just opened the last bottle of Rinkuškiai beer I currently have. This one is their Werewolf Stong Pale Ale/Imperial Pils.



Let's look more closely...





I'm really NOT sure I want to taste it.

Here's what the brewer says about it:

WEREWOLF has an attractive dark color, slightly sweet, reach taste of malt and slight aroma of hops. Want to drink more? Oh , yes! And be aware that WEREWOLF is based on the recipe of the best Birzai beers

Poured a hazy copper-brown into a Shaker with a gold tinged, moderate head. Smells of sweet caramel and malt with a slight astringency. Not offensive but not particularly inviting. Pleasantly, this one is mostly devoid of the metallic taste the last two from Rinkuškiai shared though there is a little on the backside. Like the others though, it is dominated by overly sweet malt. There is the faintest of hop bitterness. Body is fairly thick and the it packs a bit of a punch at 8.2% ABV, not the strongest but strong enough. I suppose there are worst things to drink. Of the 3 from Rinkuškiai, this one is probably the least offensive.