Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Continuing to work through my backlog of beer, figured I'd do one tonight.

Just opened a bottle of Ommegang's Joemmegang Belgian Strong Ale.

The beer begins as a malty brown ale, comprised of Belgian aroma, caramel malts, and oats. A bit of lactose adds body and some sweetness, and a heaping helping of cocoa nibs in the whirlpool provides further richness, and a deep chocolaty aroma. Hop aroma is nonexistent, and bitterness is there just to keep the sweetness in check. We worked with our great friends at Stagecoach Coffee in Cooperstown to come up with a custom coffee blend that complimented our base beer. Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, and French roast form a combination with chocolate, earth, spice, fruit, and light roast characteristics. Following primary fermentation the beer is cold crashed and yeast is removed. Coffee is added to a secondary tank and the beer is circulated through the freshly roasted beans to extract even more flavor and aroma. The result is really something special: aromas of cold brewed coffee, milk chocolate and rich malt – the taste follows, round, smooth and creamy, with a touch of sweetness.

Poured a hazy, darker brown into a Tulip glass with a big, off-white head. Smells of Belgian spice, coffee, and chocolate. Tastes of those Belgian spices and sweet milk chocolate with just a little bit of coffee. This is really quite a tasty brew with an interesting combination of flavors that works well! Very drinkable. Medium, fizzy body. A decent 7.5% ABV. Definitely give this one a try!

[Ryan Ruck]

Felt like some beer tonight so figured I'd make it a new one.

Opening up a bottle of Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit.

Smooth and elegant, light body, creamy mouthfeel, light spicing from coriander and orange peel give a wonderfully malty/spicy sweet ale. Big alcohol lurking underneath a light and frothy exterior.

Poured a dark, hazy gold into a Tulip glass with a great big, white head. Funky, wet herbal smell with some citrus to go along with it. Tastes like it smells. Funky citrus and spices. Yeasty. Fizzy and crisp, thinnish body. 7.2% ABV. Decent brew if you're a fan of the funky beers.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just poured a bottle of a new brew from Jackie O's called Wood Ya Honey/

We took a decadent Honey Wheat Wine and placed it into a Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel 4 months ago. Tipping the abv scales at 12%, Wood Ya Honey is a a beer to be savored. Flavors of caramel, honey, vanilla, wood, and bourbon intermingle creating a crimson colored delight.

Poured a dark, opaque brown into a Snifter with barely a topping of a tan head. Allowed to warm up slightly. Smells of dark fruit and bourbon along with sweet caramel and honey. Wow! A very rich flavor! Tastes of bourbon, honey, caramel, malt, and muted alcohol with a follow-up oaky flavor. Quite sweet. Body is on the heavy side. As it says, it's a big 12% ABV. This just works so well on so many levels! No surprise it turned out as good as it did since it aged in Woodford Reserve barrels.

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's a beer kind of night so I thought I'd have the latest release from Stone's Stochasticity Project, HiFi+LoFi Mixtape.

A beer that pays homage to a centuries-old tradition of combining new beer with aged “stock ales.” Freshly brewed beers of the day often were very smoky and bitter tasting, and were blended with older beer that had mellowed with age to produce more drinkable libations. This modern brew will showcase our brewers’ talents by blending a stock ale aged more than three months in oak foudres (large wooden fermentation vessels) with a fresh version of the same beer to create a perfect harmony spanning end to end on the taste spectrum.

Poured a slightly hazy, burnt copper into a Snifter with a decent sized gold-tinged, white head. Has a sweet, fruity hop aroma with malt and a little oak. Taste is toasted malts, oak, a little sweetness, and a surprising bitterness I wasn't really expecting, perhaps because it says it's oak aged. Medium bodied with a decent 8.8% ABV. Personally, not a fan of the level of bitterness in this and find it to be distracting to the other flavors. I think this would be pretty tasty without so much of it.

[Ryan Ruck]

Going to take a chance on another Prairie brew tonight...

This is their Eliza5beth Saison

Eliza5beth is a golden farmhouse ale that we aged on apricots to allow sourness and light fruit flavors to add complexity to the beer.

Poured a hazy, gold into a Tulip glass with a huge white head. Smells of tart citrus, apricot, and a little funk. Definite apricot in the taste with tart lemon, some wheat, and a touch of funkiness. Body is crisp and fizzy. Finish is on the dry side. A respectable 7% ABV. Prairie did decently with this one. Not a bad choice for this hot weather.

[MinutemanCO]

Sat down with a Dogfish Head Burton Baton Imperial IPA after work today. Wow! Ryan, give it a taste when you can. Holy frijoles!! It's good.

[Ryan Ruck]

I have.

Most all of Dogfish's offerings were some of my first beers when I was first starting out on craft beer. And you're right, it is a damn fine beer.

I think I can honestly say, I don't think there's a single beer from Dogfish I haven't liked. May have liked some less than others but none I didn't like at all.

[MinutemanCO]

All I have to say is the liquor stores around me are not so good. I went to the largest one in the area looking for something you've reviewed. I did not find one. If you can believe it. They pack the shelves with every little pissant brew from Colorado, but very few microbrews from around the nation.

[Ryan Ruck]

All I have to say is the liquor stores around me are not so good. I went to the largest one in the area looking for something you've reviewed. I did not find one. If you can believe it. They pack the shelves with every little pissant brew from Colorado, but very few microbrews from around the nation.

Haha! Not surprised that's the problem. You guys in CO have so much choice and local stores want to support local businesses that it naturally elbows everything else out.

You have a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's nearby? They're not my first choice since I've got Party Source and Jungle Jim's near me but I have stopped in there on occasion. They tend to carry a decent supply.

Something else to consider, speaking purely for myself, I wouldn't necessarily mind learning more about some of the offerings from CO if you don't mind drinking them. Good example is Oskar Blues. I can get their stuff locally but I've only had their Ten Fidy (which was quite good!). Would be great to know what their other stuff is like before I get some. Same goes for Breckenridge though I've had more of their stuff than OB.

Besides, even if I've drank it and written up a review, feel free to post up your own! Everyone's tastebuds are different so you might come up with a different take on one than myself. I know you like those bitters more than I do.

[MinutemanCO]

We have Whole Foods and TJs in Boulder not too far from my town. I'll give them a try.

I'm going to have to employ my wife's services for a review of CO brews. She has an amazing palette like yours. Me? I get a faint little flag that goes up and waves around when I take a drink something I like. Hers is very discerning as she's an amateur chef. But we'll give it a go through the summer and into the fall.

[Ryan Ruck]

Your wife is probably a perfect candidate to do beer taste testing!

To be honest, my palette isn't that refined. I can generally pick out fairly well defined and simple flavors but I do have difficulty with more complex ones. When I can taste something but have trouble picking it out, I hate to admit but, I'm not averse to relying on other ratings on RateBeer to nail down exactly what I'm tasting.

I try though...

[Ryan Ruck]

So here's another try... I've got a couple commonly available 12oz'ers that have been hiding out in the back of my fridge I need to get rid of.

First up is Magic Hat's Seance Saison.

Séance is a dark, complexly concocted Saison, rich with earthy hues and flavors. A mild tartness begins the journey, and an underlying hop bitterness sweeps the senses through a newly opened door of the mind, where you will soon find subtle hints of ripe fruit, bringing you to a place few dare to roam.

Poured a dark brown with a medium tan head into a Tulip glass. Smells of a very faint hop fruitiness, some malt, and ashy smoke. I definitely get the earthy flavor mentioned in the description and slightly bitter ash. Some watery chocolate in there too. Body is quite thin which goes against the taste. Pretty fizzy. A fairly weak 4.4% ABV, probably one of the weaker beers I've had in a long time. This isn't so much a bad tasting beer as one that just misses the mark, in fact the taste isn't half bad. Could be much improved if it were a little heavier bodied, less carbonated, and had a punchier ABV.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next 12oz is a bottle of Victory's Headwaters Pale Ale.

The pure water we receive from the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek that begins its journey to us just under 14 miles from where we brew with it. We’ll be celebrating this water (insert your lite beer joke here) with our anniversary beer, Headwaters Pale Ale, due to be released February 15, 2011. Now, considering that beer is the product of four simple ingredients and the three other than water rely on water for their existence, we’ve had a fair amount of latitude in paying homage to water in our beer. So, we’ve played all of our cards deftly, bringing the hops, malt and yeast in harmony, with our great local water as the conductor in Headwaters Pale Ale.

Poured a clear copper-gold into a Shaker glass with a big gold-tinged white head. Has a clear, fresh citrus hop aroma. That's really all I get. Smells nice though. Tastes of nice blend of malts and hops with just a slight, inoffensive bitterness. Medium body and a solid 5.2% ABV. This is a very drinkable, Summertime IPA. Perfect for handing out to guests at a cookout and won't break the bank. Nice!

[Ryan Ruck]

Just opened up a bottle of Avery's Ellie's Brown Ale

This beautiful, deep russet brew has the sweet and somewhat nutty character of Adam Avery's late (1992-2002) Chocolate Lab, for which it is named. Crystal and chocolate malts give this beer a brown sugar maltiness with hints of vanilla and nuts, while subtle hopping gives it an overall drinkability that's second to none, just like Ellie!

Poured a deep brown into a Shaker glass with a sizable tan head. This has a very pleasant malt chocolate scent, sweet. Taste is sweet chocolate, nutty, and a little bit malty. Body is on the thinner side but not too thin. Nice 5.5% ABV. Not the most complex tasting beer out there but very good and very easy drinking! Nice showing by Avery.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up is a bottle of Christian Moerlein's Zeppelin Pale Ale.

You’ve made a discovery, a German-Inspired pale ale lifted by creativity and crafted for the lofty flight of a zeppelin. Christian Moerlein Zeppelin Bavarian Style Pale Ale showcases the characteristics of traditional pales, enhanced by the distinctive flavors and aromas of German noble hops. Pilsner and Munich malts provide a significant backbone balanced by delicate floral and fruity notes from a late kettle hop addition and dry-hopping. The result makes this Zeppelin constantly smooth and balanced in flight.

Poured gold into a Shaker glass with a sizable white head. A sweet, light floral hop smell with malt. Flavor is a little grassy with malt. Body is on the thinner side. 5.2% ABV. Not a whole lot of smell or flavor to be honest. Not a bad brew but very average.

[Ryan Ruck]

Continuing my journey through the back of my fridge, next up is a bottle of De Molen Rook & Vuur (Smoke & Fire).



Poured a dark red-brown into a Lager glass with a mammoth khaki head. Seriously, I've never seen a beer pour with such a large head. I got 1/3 of the way through the bottle pour and the glass was filled with foam! I'd call it "energetic"! Finally got the whole bottle emptied out and there is a bit of... material... on the bottom of the bottle. I know this has been in there a while... Smells of smokey peat and a slight pepper note. Saw one review above at RateBeer that said "smoked ham". Actually, I can see that. Big smoked peat flavor up front with a touch of sweet chocolate. Surprisingly not much of a pepper flavor at all. Medium-thick body. A healthy 8.2% ABV. This is definitely a big, boldly flavored brew. Good drinking, especially if you like smoked beers.

[Ryan Ruck]

I think I'm making a dent! Down under dozen 12ozers in the fridge.

Next is one from Goose Island called 312 Urban Wheat Ale. Goose Island was originally a microwbrewery but was sold a couple years ago to InBev (aka Anheuser-Busch). From what I've heard, InBev has pretty much left operations have some latitude with the brewery but, it is technically no longer a microbrewery. Their Bourbon County Stout is still excellent.

Like the digits suggest, it’s a beer that’s densely populated with flavor and loaded with character. We don’t filter it, so none of its life and soul is stripped away. The first thing you notice is the hazy, cloudy appearance. That’s how you know it’s unfiltered. What hits you next is the spicy aroma of Cascade hops, followed by the crispy, fruity ale flavor delivered in a smooth, creamy body, the result of blending barley malt with torrified wheat. It’s not like any other Goose Island Beer, but no less that you’d expect.

Poured a pale, clear gold into a Shaker glass with a smaller white head. Smells of fruity hops, spice and wheat. Definite wheat taste with some malt and just a hint of fruity hops. Sweet. Taste is definitely on the weak side. Thin body which is okay for this style. I thought the 4.4% ABV I just had was weak, this one is just 4.2% ABV. Not much to this one. Okay for a cookout or eating out with slim pickings and you don't want swill otherwise there are many, many, many better options. Better than nothing.

[Ryan Ruck]

Right now I'm trying a bottle of Founders' Black Rye.

This beer will surprise you with a big hop flavor and a toasty sweet aroma. Pours black from the chocolate and de-bitterized black rye malts. This ale is medium bodied and is well flavored with hints of toffee, nutty undertones and a dry crisp finish.

Poured black into a Shaker glass with a very substantial light brown head. Smells of chocolate, floral hops, and rye. Taste is a lot like the smell. The hops are quite noticeable but not real bitter. Nicely balanced! Wouldn't expect less from Founders. Body is on the medium side and this has a decent 7.5% ABV. Pretty good!

[Ryan Ruck]

Another Founders' brew is up, this one is their Imperial Stout

A fine companion to end a meal or relax in front of the hearth with, this robust ale will cellar well for years. Brewed with ten varieties of malted barley this stout is extremely smooth, complex and rich in body. We recommend serving at cellar temperature. Sit back and enjoy its richness and complexity, you’re about to drink the ultimate winter warmer.

Poured like well used motor oil into a Snifter with the thinnest of dark brown heads. Allowed to warm up for full effect. I get smoked malt, alcohol, coffee, and cocoa on the nose. Tastes like rich chocolate, smokiness, a lot of roasted malts, and a mild booziness. Very nice warming on the back end. Very thick and viscous body. Very noticeable 10.5% ABV. All the flavors come together exquisitely! An absolutely superb Imperial Stout!

[Ryan Ruck]

Last up for now is Left Hand Wake Up Dead Nitro Imperial Stout.

Here’s a black ale to brighten your day. Wake Up Dead lurks in our cellars for over 4 months before being unleashed. Hints of raisins, black licorice, coffee and dark chocolate are followed by earthy, herbal hop notes. Any apprehensions about the rest of your day are quickly forgotten, for whatever the mind expects, it finds. Sometimes you’re not in the mood for what everyone else is having.

Poured black into a Snifter with a very thin yet persistent tan head. Allowed to warm. I get chocolate, coffee, alcohol, and chicory in the smell. Tastes of milk, coffee, chocolate, slight nut flavor, and alcohol. On the thinner side but creamy. A very respectable 10.2% ABV. Pretty tasty but I think the Founders Imperial Stout wins in a head-to-head.