Friday, June 17, 2011

Dogfish Head Fort


This was not fun to drink. I picked this up at Whole Foods Chelsea in NYC thinking I would be adventurous. What a nightmare, thank the Lord I had my boyfriend to kinda help me finish this one off. 

The appearance is actually beautiful. A nice lightly red tinted golden color is present, and boy is it clear. Nice clarity, and on top of that is a crisp half finger white head that leaves pretty quick. The alcoholic legs on this were not extreme, but fun to watch slide down the sides of my glass.

The smell is not very strong, but what is there is very straight forward. Sweet red raspberry sweetness paired with 120 Minute ABV sweetness. Thats it. 

The taste is very simple. The taste is of faint raspberries with vodka. I have some advice for you, if you are first drinking this beer, do NOT inhale. This beer actually harms you. The back of my throat and my mouth burned with alcohol. There are not many flavors in this. It reminded me of the worst parts of 120 Minute, burning ethanol and sugar from the malts and raspberries. 

The mouthfeel was terrible, like taking shots of 151. Terrible. 

I could not of finished the whole bottle, I would of died if I did not have my boyfriend helping me out. I do not understand why this HAD to be 18% ABV. Why!?! Just make it a sessionable 5% and take away all of the burn and make it at least a bit enjoyable. Sugar sweetness and burning sensations made this a very big disappointment. But because we couldn't finish our glasses we poured it into the fire we were sitting around because we were gonna head in for the night....Boy that was entertaining. 

The Fire Before Fort

The Fire While Pouring Fort into it


Dogfish Head Saison Du BUFF


Pours with a bllowing bright white cloudy textured head rises well above the rim of my chalice. Slightly hazed bright straw golden color, lacing left behind is fine and intricate. Nose is blasting with rosemary and thyme it smells like somebody just roasted some chicken. Sharp spicy acidity with hints of citric undertones and sweet grassy layers as well. Flavor this one is tasting nice a saison/gruit combo with aromatic/spiy herbal additions. Much more appealing than the Stone version I had, it was so spicy I had a hard time detecting the saison characteristics. This one actually accomplishes the balance that would go nice with a meal using these same aromatic herbs. Citrus combo of herbs/lemongrass/thyme bitterness very green and fresh tasting lively carbonation on the palate helps the flavos not fall flat. Eye opening appeal that brings out the point that what else could be used to spice a beer up instead of straight up hop additions, I like the creativity no boundary approach that went into play when formulating this saison style. Light effervescent carbonation that works nicely with the style body is moderate very killer mouthfeel. Drinkability was easy, no problems consuming this fantastic gruit/saison,

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Bornem Dubble

 Pours a very dark brown, mostly opaque, with dark ruby red hues when held to light. 1 finger bubbly light brown head that fairly quickl ypops away. The smell reminds me of plums, Raisins, maybe a bit of tart apple/pear, a little brown sugar, little belgian yeast (slight funk). As for the taste, fairly heavy does of dark fruits, with a little prune in the background. There seems to be a bit of bitterness in the background, maybe slight floral hops, tastes like bitter prune. I'm not really getting the tart/funk that I got on the nose. Everything seems focused on very dark fruits, almost burnt, with bitter prune in the background, slightly burnt brown sugar (close to molasses), with just a bit of malt. Finish has almost a metallic quality, it's a light bitter finish. Seems to lack depth and complexity. Very high carbonation for the style, more so than even most BSDA, Triples, and Wits. Very light body, it is smooth I suppose, but it really lacks substance. Almost no viscosity and if there is any, the carbonation completely covers it up as it fizzy out all the way to the finish. Not that impressed here. I suppose this could be ranked fairly high due to the light body and high carbonation, but the flavor fall short of the nose/style and the mouthfeel isn't what I enjoy out of great Dubbels. I can't imagine buying this again.

Flying Dog Raging Bitch


The appearance is a clear gold-toned copper orange liquid with a finger's worth of sturdy white foam on top and plenty of active carbonation bubbles racing throughout the body. Head retained quite well and deposited lots of sticky lace around the glass. Bright citric hops and spicy Belgian yeast combine nicely here, giving the aroma a bold hop character but with a spicy flair suggesting notes of pepper and clove. Malt character is grainy, although the hops and yeast are really at the forefront here.I was anticipating this to have a taste more on the Belgian side of the spectrum, but you know what? Raging Bitch boasts a decisively hoppy flavor that is bursting with citrus fruit and, to a lesser degree, floral notes. The yeast adds a pleasant spicy bite to counter the assertive hop bill in the backend, then trails off a bit to finish with a grainy malt character. I enjoyed this way more than I'd hoped. Raging Bitch is easily one of the better Belgian IPAs I've had thus far. Great stuff!

McSorley's Irish Black Lager


I will try to be objective since it's from one of my least favorite places in the world: McSorley's Irish Pub. It's not actually brewed there but rather it has a label slapped on it in Latrobe, PA where all the finest beers in America are brewed. Latrobe, PA is 324 miles away from McSorley's. Too close for comfort in my opinion but enough of a buffer that the beer is able to escape the intense pull from the black hole of despair that is McSorley's Irish pub.

Poured into a pilsner glass.

Pours a near black. Has a very small of white head, that settles to a thin layer. Some patchy lace left behind. Average looks.

Brew smells of very faint maltiness, roasted notes. Not much of a nose of this one. Average.

Brew is smooth and creamy, light roasted malts; coffee, nut and some hints of chocolate. Brew is very mild and drinkable. A little thin in the flavor department. Finishes slightly dry. A very sessionable brew. Pretty good tastes.

Brew is very drinkable for sure. Not a ton of flavors, but enough to enjoy a few. Pretty ok stuff.




Steinlager Pure


The Appearance is golden color, 1 finger of bubbly head which almost completely disappeared. As for smell, Non-existent. Seriously, I couldn't smell a thing, and my nasal passages aren't the slightest bit blocked at the moment. And the taste is so unbelievably bland. I guess it deserves a 2 for being very pure and not having any off flavors, but I would appreciate SOME flavour. And the mouthfeel is smoother than your average macro lager, good carbonation level. But even if most of Earth's population disagrees with me, I say a beer with no flavour does not make a good session drink. I think I may have just found the blandest 5% ABV beer on Earth. I'm pretty sure that is close to what Steinlager wanted to achieve in brewing this beer, but that still does not mean it deserves a good review score.

Duvel Green


A creamy, bubbly, bright white, one-finger head of foam topped the nearly clear, golden colored liquid. The head retreated rather quickly, leaving behind only minimal amounts of lacing, might be because of the glass)

The aroma was a bit more subtle than I anticipated. Powdery and off-dry with a fruity, Belgian yeast quality. Citrus notes were noticeable. Some hay as well. Slightly hoppy, in a grassy sort of way. A touch of candi sugar appeared as the beer warmed.

Although the nose was a bit restrained, the flavor profile was nearly as good as the original Duvel. Crisp and bright with a smooth, grassy hop character. Dry and spicy (peppery) up front. Notes of orange peel and clove appeared in the center. The finish was snappy and clean with lingering hop notes.

The mouthfeel was rather unexciting. Medium bodied with a carbonation that bordered on low for the style. Slightly creamy and slick.

Like the original Duvel, this rendition is crisp and refreshing. Flavorful yet so drinkable.

Despite the different categorization on style, I would be hard pressed not to compare Duvel Draft to the bottled version. While the original has a more impressive appearance and a snappier mouthfeel, the draft version definitely holds it own. A nice, "lighter" spin on the original.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Southampton Publick House Double White



Double White pours a pale golden color and is fairly hazy. The head is soft and fluffy. It has good retention, and leaves sheets of frothy lace on the glass.

The aroma is nice and tart with a pretty strong lemony citrus and coriander. It carries with it some wheaty sweetness and a bit more astringent grain character than I would want, but overall it is a very refreshing aroma.

The flavor is just as refreshing with a huge amount of lemon zest flavors. It is both sweet and tart at the same time (mostly tart) with some white pepper and coriander. The malt character is super wheaty and has some apple or pear like qualities that are quite tasty. There is a very nice sort of peach character that is in there at well, which I find very enjoyable.

The mouthfeel is medium with effervescent carbonation. Very lively but with a decent body to it and a quenching finish that is fairly dry, but with a floral sweetness in the finish.

Quite drinkable and a great Americanized version of the style. The extra size and bold flavors make drinking this beer stand out from the classic examples, but in a good way

Friday, February 11, 2011

Shipyard Prelude





Shipyard Prelude has a hazy brown body that remains translucent, and becomes orange around the edges. The head is about a finger thick and soapy looking. The retention is pretty solid and the head leaves behind some nice lacing.

The aroma is very malty, with chocolate and butterscotch. There is a bit of nutmeg or spice like aroma in there also, but just a bit.

Prelude has a lot more going on in the flavor department than it does in the aroma. There is a little bit of sourness followed by a black cherry flavor in the beginning. After that a good dose of anise with a touch of nutmeg comes. The beer is rounded out by the malt characteristics that I noticed in the aroma, featuring butterscotch, caramel and chocolate. Just a hint of hops come out in the finish.

The mouthfeel has a nice thick, fullness while still being pretty highly carbonated. It works out rather well.

Prelude has a lot of stuff going on in it, and the layers of sweetness come together very nicely. I suggest drinking it at around room temperature. As winter warmers go, Prelude is a good one.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre




Picked up a 6 pk of this from work.
The pour on this brew was very nice. It poured very much like it says on the bottle, with a deep mahogany brown. It had a nice, small white head, that faded pretty fast.

The aroma on this brew can only be explained as complex. The first aroma that his the nose is some very strong dark malts. That is followed by a some what yeasty, banana aroma. Its soon followed with a bunch of other aromas such as cherries, sweet raisins, it also has a nice nose of what smells like brandy.

The flavors on this brew are very good as well. The first flavors you pick up on are the raisins and toffee. These flavors lead into the dark malts and then into some of the other sweet fruity flavors that make up the brew. There is a nice sugary sweet flavor that comes from the beet sugars that balance all the flavors of this brew.

The mouthful on this brew is well balanced and smooth. It has light to medium body, with a wonderfully dry finish. The alcohol burn afterwords is great, a nice warming feeling.

The drink on this is pretty decent. For some drinkers it might become heavy, as well well as the alcohol burn might turn a few away. I am a huge fan of DFH beers, and once again, they have not let me down. Thanks DFH.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Sixpoint Mad Scientist Series #1 Spelt Wine



Labeled a “spelt wine”, this is the first in an upcoming series of unique, limited-release beers brewed by Sixpoint (the “Mad Scientist Series”).

One-finger head, very white and somewhat restless like a champagne/bubbly, or the spray of the waves on the beach at Assateague Island. Color is a very hazy pale orange, like the golden fields of wheat that Vincent painted near St Remy.

Yeast, cooked juices. Lemony citrus. Herbal candles, shampoo. Lemongrass and a tad of booze.

Grassy bitterness upfront. A bit like a Belgian IPA. Hoppy-yeasty-champagne-y. Dry all around. It’s got a cider feel to it, like a carbonated light wine.

Intense carbonation, but not too high or overwhelming- just right. Dry and bitter finish. Medium body.

A little filling. Definitely a sipper for that reason more than the alcohol, which at 9.4% is well played and not too evident.

They claim this beer is unique. Sure enough, I have never heard of a “smelt wine”, but this tastes like a regular wheatwine.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project St. Botolph’s Town Rustic Dark Ale




Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a Blanche de Chambly Flut glass(only clean beer glass :-\). Labeled as bottled on /may 2010 Batch Six.
A heads up, Pretty Things has to be one of my top 5 favorite breweries in the United States, if not the world.
Dark ruby brown, nearly opaque, with an impressive 1 1/2” light brown, thick, foamy head. Leaves thick lacing. Settles down to 1/2” with awesome head retention.
Smells are a little subdued, but I smell some maple/brown sugar, caramel, some kind of nuttiness, a little spice- anise or nutmeg maybe.
Rich tastes of brown sugar, roasted malt, some breadiness, light smoke, a hint of caramel and cocoa, some oak, and an interesting earthy and nutty finish with a nice bitterness. Malt forward but nicely balanced with some slightly spicy hops. A little sweetness comes out as it warms up.
Nice texture, medium bodied, ends light and clean.
For its complexity, its still smooth and engaging, easy to drink the bottle by myself.
This is a pretty awesome beer. Has some stout-like qualities mixed in with the great brown ale qualities (the bottle calls it a “rustic dark ale”, which seems fitting). Complex and unique. I look forward to having it again.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Unibroue Éphémère (Apple)


Pours a hazy golden yellow with a very fizzy head that dissipates to nothing. There is a ton of carbonation to be noted streaming up the sides of the glass. Lots of little colonies of bubbles around the rim of the glass.

As soon as I uncapped the bottle, green apples were very strong and sweet smelling. after smelling it more, the yeast comes through, too.

Tastes very fruity, the sour apple is definitely there, and the coriander catches up in the back end. very dry, a bit tangy.
The burps certainly taste of apple.

The feel of this beer in the mouth is extremely dry and crisp, almost so much so that it almost feels like there is nothing in the mouth until my tongue is bitten by the high carbonation.

Highly drinkable due to the nice taste, and the light bodied crispness, not to mention the modest abv of 5.5%

Monday, January 17, 2011

Tea Beer???


We have coffee stouts so why not tea Weizen Doppelbock? Left Hand Brewing Company is going to be releasing TNT a Weizen Dopplebock this Febuary as part of a bi-annual seasonal. Left Hand will be using Lapsang Souchong tea, which is known for its smoky character.
I’m really interested to see how this beer comes out. I really loved Dogfish Head’s Sha-Tea which is brewed with chai tea. 

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Fall Summit By Peaks Organic


This clear deep copper brew gives an inch of frothy light tan head that gradually settles from 1/2” to a thin layer. A fair amount of carbonation clings to the sides of the glass. Smell is very faint, just a hint of toasted malt, caramel, maybe earthy citrus hop. The taste leads with a sharp bitter grass hop that’s soon attenuated by a moderately thick caramel malt body. Finishes dry and crisp with lingering lemongrass hop and faint brown sugar.

Not as impressive as nearly every other brew I’ve had from Peak Organic.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Blithering Idiot by Weyerbacher


As for the taste well, there is definitely a lot of sweet, thick and syrupy caramel malts with a bit of a wheaty and wet graininess that adds a touch of earthiness to it; the onslaught of the overripe and dark fruits in the nose are actually fairly subdued and play more of a supporting role, but also manage to come out a bit in the aftertaste along with a firm presence of alcohol; a slight tinge of astringent and woody bitterness — I would almost think that this beer spent some time in an oak barrel (is this the case?); an acidic and apple-like presence starts to come out as it continues to warm. Gave me the chills.

Body is heavy, thick, syrupy and the carbonation is really a non-factor (I wish it had a bit more to it to liven up this thick and slick body); a thick and sticky coating is left all over the mouth; gums and belly are left warm and tingly from the 11% ABV.

It’s not bad, and I certainly wouldn’t turn one down, but it’s not likely something I’ll seek out again in the near future. And I’m not sure if I can finish the entire bottle. The smell and flavors are solid enough, but the body hurts it, and the high ABV prevents more than one being put down in a night. Worth trying, not sure if I would actually pick this up to age as the body isn’t likely to improve.
Sadly this ended up a drain pour, just to thick and syrupy