Point Belgian White (Belgian-style, of course)

Took this notes back in November 2003, over 7 years ago, and it was my first ever Point beer, that I could remember:

"Appearance: pale yellow color, on the verge of true whiteness, head is fine, white, long-lasting.
Aroma: big, bold, & flowering, a perfect picture of a wit nose that really stands out, lovely and soft, yet spicy and lively, awash in citric sophistication. Quite nice.
Taste: nice, neat little hop dance up front, then mellow and mild. Refreshing and relaxing, with good spark, and easy drinkability. Light-bodied, but adequately flavorful, a consistent delight. Coriander-curacao combo continues to tap happily on the tongue. This easily beats out Blue Moon, which I recently revisited. Gets more lemony at the end. Actually, dries out a bit and my enthusiasm becomes dampened. Ah, well... "

Have it on tap now, though it's almost gone. The price point was too irresistible, about 50 dollars less than the average craft beer keg, and I chose it for a certain Friday night when a cheap beer was required. Turns out the crowd went for regular priced Surlys and Summits, instead. Could be because it's from a brewery not really known for it's craft output. I think that's a bit of a shame, since this isn't a bad witbier at all.
They get lumped in with Leinenkugel's or Schell's and other large regional brewers that put out some for the masses, and a handleful of craft beer styles. I'll admit, they aren't the best, but they gave it a good shot, and it's worthy of a try now and then.
Now they have a new label, the Whole Hog series, doing bigger styles, and I'll be sure to check those soon. Looking at their normal output, their highest ranking beer on BeerAdvocate gets a B overall, but one of the Whole Hogs, a barleywine, actually gets an A. Oh, wait...all the others rank Cs through Bs. Ah, well. Though, still, I have to give it the ol' fair shake. Wish me luck when the time comes.

Lilja's Sasquatch Stout

"Lilja' Sasquatch Stout. Explore your darkest side. When it's time to relax, one stout stands clear. If you've got the beast, we've got the beer. Brewed behind the Cheddar Curtain"….and also:" ylnevaeh spoh."…wait, what is that backwards: hops heavenly, or heavenly hops. Okay.

The second Lilja's beer I've had, the first was two years ago, the IPA. Since that review, I received a beermail from the owner/brewer urging me to try his other wares. Too bad it took 2 years to get some, but they just never popped out at me when I was shopping in Wisconsin, which happened maybe 3 times in the past 2 years. Now, I found a bunch of them at Zipp's, ain't that a kick, so let's go right ahead.

Full ebon, slim but lasting roasted tan head.

Beautiful nose, silky smooth, roasted and toasted, nice bitter undertones. Bittersweet chocolate and espresso notes.

Taste: creamy mouthfeel, with dark malt fully in charge. Tasty stuff, smooth and easy drinking. Sweet enough, and bitter enough. Little fruity, some cherry, raspberry notes, under the chocolate and coffee. Light-medium bodied. I'd call it a session stout, but at 7% abv, it's a touch high for that.

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout

More talk of money and pricing. And packaging.
The Rogue XS series, and their outlandish bottles, and outrageous prices. Makes me long for the days when all of their bottles were in 12 ounce bottles or even little 7 oz. "nip" bottles. I like paying for beer, not for bells and whistles, paint jobs and foil wrapping. Because of this, I tend to skip the Rogue offerings that edge up into twenty dollars per. Because of that, I look forward to tapping these beers, so I can taste them without plunking down the green. And so we have...

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout, on tap.

Deep ebony appearance, modest brown head, cocoa-toned, leaving lace, very lovely.

Aroma is all cocoa, bittersweet, nothing but chocolate.

Taste: smooth on the palate, then sweetness, a little bumpy, a bit rough malty texture, then the bittersweet cocoa rides in again, in spades. Bit sweetness, but welcome, even, not cloying, straight up and down chocolate heaven here, matched with some astringency, and a good brace of bitterness.

Full-bodied, in case you wondered, rich and thick, and utterly delicious. Excellent balance, high hoppiness matche the malt and the super chocolate attack incredibly well. Damn, this is easy to love. Mmmmm.

So much in those handle fuels of m's, so much pleasure, so much association of utter…damn, how often do I turn to this?…yum.

Urthel Samaranth, Quadrium Ale

Here we go, again. Another favorite brew I'm re-trying for sheer pleasure, while looking back at the notes I took when I first tried it. Picked up this bottle at Four Firkins recently, when Sir Lanny held court. Bought a lot of beers that day, and couldn't leave without picking up one that he represents. Hadn't had a Samaranth in a while, so away we went. And here's my notes on the first tasting nearly six years ago.

"A "Quadrium Ale", according to the label, whatever that is, and also, we are told, this was brewed by Hildegard. Thanks, Hildy! Let's uncork this sucker and see what your talents have wrought...
Looks lovely in the glass, gorgeous peachy orange tone, foam filling half the vessel, delicate and lacey, softly collapsing, very elegant.
Aroma tickles the nose, funky, citric, spicy, ripe orange and grapefruit peels, lemons, cherries, quite a fruity combo, certainly a delight.
And a joy on the tongue, as well, a spicy, spritzy dance on the palate, that mellows much from it's initial entrance, but never leaves, just keeps rolling along. Gets a bit bubblegummy later in, not that there's anything wrong with that. This is very tasty, very nice, and I can't taste the 11.5% the label speaks of...can that be right?
I thought this would be like a Quadrupel style, like La Trappe's classic version, and maybe it is, if the only consistent characteristic were alcoholic content. But as for taste, it's surprising and unique. I expected a darker, winey-ier brew, and got something very different, but very delicious.
This 750 ml bottle will be drained with astonishing quickness, and I can be counted for picking up more bottles, to guarantee future happiness.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 02-04-2005"

Later that year I met Hildegard van Ostaden for the first time, and I will never call her "Hildy" again, I promise you. I still love this beautiful beer, but it seems to be a different shade now, darker, and I didn't get the prodigious head on this pour. Used a "shaving mug" style Urthel glass which I bought at the long gone Liquor Depot years ago. Next time I'll break out a finer Urthel glass for a more appropriately attractive pour.

In April of 2012 I completely forgot about this entry, and did a repeat of Urthel Samaranth Quadrium. I've since deleted it, but kept the photo and placed it here, to fulfill the promise of the final sentence. Much nice looking, don't you think?

Deschutes Jubelale

Picked up a six-pack of this one at Zipp's last Tuesday. This notes are from my first tasting, from a trade, over 7 years ago, December of 2003. I'll post it verbatim, with only small corrections, because I believe it still holds true:

"Appearance: hazy, murky, but bright cherry-red color, lighter and transparent at foot and sides, beneath a great, creamy head of foam.

Aroma: instant rich, sweet maltiness, with fruity flavors, too, and slight nuttiness, but altogether wonderful, a true treat to drink in the nose.

Taste: abundant, and wonderful. with tasty malt, just enough hops, a medium body, and a flavor that ranks among the most delicious. Possessed of a thick, clinging, sweetness on the texture that hangs mightily on the palate and makes this winter ale a never-ending delight. Mmm, Mmm.
This one really hit the spot! "

I may have oversung it's praises a tad, and I wasn't even getting paid to do so. Despite such robust enthusiasm back when I couldn't get the beer here, it was a low price tag that sealed the deal when eyeing the cooler. A few more bottles left in the 6-er, which I'll enjoy with appropriate gusto.

Odell Bourbon Barrel Stout

Feeling better but not entirely, still taking it easy. So, let's go back to last Sunday, another one done "on location" at Acadia Cafe. I've not seen bottles of this, and only seen it on tap in a few select bars. In light of that, I took notes while in the company of fellow brew enthusiast Brent Olson, who can be seen in the back of the photo, with his glass of Michael Collins Irish whisky. Here are my meager jottings:

Odell Bourbon Barrel Stout

darkest black color, slim cocoa/tan head, plenty bubbleation.

huge bourbon, whiskey and vanilla notes, deep and decadent.

Taste: big vanilla factor, very slick and a little sweet, good balance, mighty malt, little hop, deep and dark. thick and rich and sweet., and yum.
Full bodied, beefy, rich dark malt. sweetness, plus vanilla, slightest bitterness, not too sweet. Beautiful.

Short, and sweet. Well, it worked for me. But, all in all, it goes in the middle of bourbon barrel stouts, nowhere near the upper echelon. Love Odell, of course, but this needs a bit more to push it up to the top.

Town Hall Old Jack Frost

Ugh. Sick. Probably overdid it last night. Hooo-eee. I'm skipping the brew today. So, we play catch up, once more. Here's a a photo of the Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Imperial Stout, Old Jack Frost that I had at the bar last Tuesday, and with it, my original review from nearly 5 years ago, sampled at home from a growler.

Solid, unsoluble black, 'neath a roasted tan head. Classic picture of an Imperial Stout. Very inviting.

Aroma brims with vitality, rich and roasty, with flavors of carob, anise, mollases, espresso and cocoa vying for their place in the nose. It's a luscious blend, full and heady.

Taste: big in the mouth as well, full and pervasive on the palate. Solid as any real IS worth the name should be, but very mellow as well. Alcoholic strength doesn't seem an issue, not until you near the end of the glass.

The rich flavors indicated in the nose come back in the taste, a mellifluous melange of dark and delightful tints, tinges, and tastes. A cavern of delights, a full well bringing forth deliciousness.

Tasty, tasty, this, a devilishly delicious stout that makes me commit the unlikely sin of wishing it were colder right now, to enjoy this warm and wonderful brew better.

The first non-bourbon/whiskey-fied Imperial Stout I've yet tasted at Town Halll, not counting the short-lived version they tapped for Anniversary Week 2005, which was the Czar Jack before the Jack.
I'd like to see a lot more of this.

As big and bold as this beer is, the growler will not last the night. It's that tasty and my will power is that weak.

Serving type: growler

Reviewed on: 01-26-2006 03:27:28
-----

Bitch of a Brew

New Year's Eve, for those of us in the industry, can be a bitch, man. Working on a holiday, fighting to stay sane in a sea of maddening drunks, scraping up tips, wishing you were inebrebriated as they are, just a little bit, maybe. All just because the calendar year comes to it's inevitable end. And when the clock strikes, the countdown ends, the champagne is spilled, the confetti thrown, the noises made, the kisses stolen, ...we have two more hours to keep serving them, and then comes the clean-up.
After all that, you need a damn good brew. I saved one up special for tonight, from Dogfish Head, in honor of the 40th anniversary of a legendary record.

Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, Ale Brewed With honey and gesho.
(notes composed while listened to titular track from said album)

Boom, boo, boom, boo, boom, boo…booom, whaa, whaaa, wha…wha-aaaa

Fusion of African and American styles, (if you call Imperial Stout American, which you should), much as jazz was born of African rhythm and American innovation, and that Bitches Brew is the cornerstone of jazz-rock fusion.

baddup, baddup, baddup, baddup, badd-yup, bree-dow…

baddup, baddup, baddup, baddup, beyyoup, breedown, dow, dow, booom…

it's dark as a witch's cauldron, yep, kettle-black, with a rich, roasty brown head, somewhat slim, long-lasting, looking the perfect part of a stout.

and now the bass, then the sticks, and here comes Chick (or is it Joe?), and Miles walks back in, strutting with some horn, Lenny lays it down, Dave keeps it tight, Miles runs it down, lets it flow, blows it out…echo, echo, reverb, reverb, backbeat, funky flow…it's grooving...

You couldn't ask for a better nose, nice and roasty, rich and toasty, bittersweet, cocoa, some hops, but mostly malt, little sweet, creamy, just a touch of bitter…

for some sweet, here comes Wayne Shorter, blasting his soprano saxophone, …beautiful…funky keyboard riffs, Lenny White gets it rocking, bass is bumping…

And McLaughlin is ripping now, keeps it funky, keeps it rocking, …some space, some room for riffing, mellow ripples on the musical pond, keys keep a funky feel, Chick and Joe going at it, accents from John, while Lenny kicks it, it's all percolating, it's bubble, bubble, boil, and trouble, and Miles pops out of the cauldron again, twisting new flavors from this murky morass, this mystic blend.

eye of newt, leg of crow…pinch of crumbled of spider web...

Taste: bittersweet roasted malt flavor comes first, with a mellow undertow. Sweetness and honey, then comes the chocolate, and the roast. Grainy, earthy,
Trumpet blasts, and suddenly we get reeds, along comes Wayne on soprano, slinking like some black medium, a serpent come along to guile the innocents the witches will prey upon….It's a bit like tasting a stew and trying to guess the ingredients without looking. I know what comprises this fusion, how are they contributing to what I taste? What part of the tej plays into the stout, how much imperial is left? All good questions…expertly matched sweetness, matches with hops and roasted malt.

and spasmodic displays of keyboard dexterity, shadows of major and minor chords, strike out to convey a mood of menace, while the guitars trace a plot of intrigue, and the trumpet comes along to spell it out.

buddup, buddup, buddup, buddup., buddup, budd-yaa, yaddattatttaa, ta- da….

I can feel a lighter part of what should be a very thick, heavy stout, a lessening of spirit, here, some sweeter part carves a hole in a dark, wicked greater sum. Bitterness remains minor, but the dark, twisted, wretched, sinister strumming prevails. Corea is still hanging on to those dark, minor chords, while Davis drops in , and sends his bombs, hitting the terrain, with rhythmic aplomb, Lenny keeps the groove, Dave and Harvey hold it down, Joe adds his particular spices, all the while Miles keeps popping in his own sauce.

The brew itself is a brilliant blend of menace and delight, with the tej deftly folding and contouring the larger and louder parts of the imperial stout that comprise 2/3 of this mix. You don't so much taste the honey, but it's influence is there, much as Miles' bebop origins creep into and interweave these rock rhythms and create something incredibly new.

Drumbeats keep everything rocking, keyboards add their licks, bass tosses in some grooves, and here and there our trumpet man sends out his signals. It's a wicked witchcraft thrown down here, alarms sent out to warn all, far and wide, of the crones doing deeds foul and offensive, ..this ale, though, …we can taste and survive. The bitches brew will not do us in, this time.

A Gulden Draak Christmas (Vintage 2010)

Yes, it is New Year's Eve as I type, but there's always a little catching up to do in life. So, here's the brew I had for Christmas.
Now, I'm not "big" on Christmas, don't "get into" the whole "thing" of it. No offense to those who practice, participate, or celebrate, but the rituals don't resonate with me, and I don't enjoy two solid months of holly, Santa, and tra la la la la.
Now, if there were another holiday that one and all were forced to recognize, salute and sanctify, say, St. Satchelmouth's Day, honoring the birth of Louis Armstrong, that would be another thing. We'd eat red beans and rice, call each other "gate", talk in gravelly tones, speak highly of our favorite laxatives, and sing chorus after chorus of "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal, You", which we've all known from heart since childhood. But I don't think that's happening in my lifetime. Unless...

Anyhow, Christmas. Not a joiner on that one, but I don't forsake the family gatherings for any silly reason like that, because I see the brood so seldom, and really enjoy checking in with the young ones. Great joy was had in playing with 4-year old Teagan's new collection of Star Wars action figures, handed down from cousin Daniel. His mother, my sister Jean, remarked that I was having more funs with those toys than the gifts she gave me. Not to depreciate the black shirt and the bread mix, which I did enjoy, and will will use over and over again, but you just don't have the same "fun" as pairing Admiral Ackbar and R2-D2 against Darth Vader with see-through helmet and 3 separate stormtroopers. Especially with adorable Teagan.

In the post-Christmas interview, Teagan told her mom that the highlight of the day was playing Star Wars with Uncle Al. Yeah, sweet...and so, after a rather ho-hum hip-hop show back at work Christmas night, I had to pull out my own action figures to create a scenario in which Greedo definitely shot first...and took down a bomber of a brand new variation on one of my old favorites, Gulden Draak. Here are my notes from that tasting:

"Gulden Draak Vintage Ale 2010

Festive living ale, double by style, brown-ruby color, balances a natural malt sweetness, with a hoppy gently touch. Creamy head and full body. A real treasure!
Refermented int the bottle. Read more on about the brewery and the 900 year history of the golden dragon on wwwl.globalbeer.com,etc

Ruddy dark brown body, plummy, effervescent head, big and bilious, tall, lace-leaving, long-lasting.

Aroma: Belgian yeast, fruit, and spice, the regular Magilla. Cloves and cherries, cinnamon and grape, a little ripe. Very rounded, warm, fruity, & wondrous.

Taste: big spice and carbonation hits the palate first…big fruit, lush, sweet malt, very yummy, alcohol somewhat muted…mm, mm, mmm.
ZADSFGHJMN `10-p\][pq
}=[-06543w2q1 1`q90op-=[]\}['p;loikjuhygtfrds1"

"Somewhat muted"...famous last words, my friends...

Anchor Our Special Ale 2010

Anchor Our Special Ale Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2010.

One beer I definitely have to return to, year after year.

"This is the thirty-sixth "Our Special Ale" from the brewers at Anchor. It is only sold from early November to mid-January. The Ale's recipe is different every year, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life. Since ancient times trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with it's seasons, appears born anew."

Deep black appearance, creamy-toned head, stays slim and tight, leaving lace.

Aroma: sweetness and spice, nutmeg, allspice, with caramel and black malt below. Beautiful.

Taste: there's the soft and succulent malt, mixed with spice, no hops at play here. A little peppery heat pops in from time to time. One of the most drinkable and better balanced OSAs of recent years.

Lighter bodied, leaning to medium, spicy, malty flavor lays low on the palate, hangs in there. Still toasty and tasty, my six pack was over with in no time. (Well, not NO time...a couple of days, sheesh, I'm not that bad!)

Lift Bridge Minnesota Tan

I try and I try, but sometimes it happens, like it or not. Grabbed the last two kegs of Minnesota Tan, the lingonberry-infused Belgian-style tripel ale from Stillwater's Lift Bridge Brewery (not quite an actual brewery yet, still being contract-brewed elsewhere), right at the end of summer. They sat in the cooler waiting for just the right line to open up until late October. Here we are at the end of the year, and I still have a summer seasonal on. Nothing wrong with it, still tasting fine, just seems out of place among our double chocolate stouts and wintry Belgian ales.

Here are my notes from an October 26 tasting:

"Rethink pink" is on the tap handle, due to the change-up in coloration from earlier batches. Lingonberries just weren't that easy to find, this time around.

But it definitely looks the part of a tripel, that's for sure. Clouded, golden-hued, full head of snow white foam above. Large and lace-leaving. Lovely.

Aroma: straw, spice, citrus. soft and sensuous.

Flavor: Here's where the flavor comes in, fruity, tart, plump with berries in the mouth. A little lemon, a little lime, mixed up with the berries. Whisper of banana. (Not that familiar with the Swedish fruit, so I'm a little lost on that.) Resembles a softer cranberry, to me.
Full-bodied, and full flavored. Medium finish, hangs lightly on the palate, softly fades away. Gets a little sweet in the end, finishes gracefully and encourages another drink.

I like this better than the pink batch. And it might be my favorite Lift Bridge, yet. Although I need to give Biscotti another try.

This is tasty stuff, indeed.

Stone/ BrewDog Booshwah, I mean, Bashah

Full disclosure: I love the blending of styles, and the breaking of rules, and admire the "punks" of the beer scene. But, if you propose to be doing that, and ending up sending us something rather tried and done, and cover it up with a verbose smokescreen of incomprehensible bullshit, I will call that out. And here is what I wrote when I had a bottle of BrewDog/Stone Bashah, the Scotland/San Diego collaboration, tonight:

Brew Dog Bashah, The Black Belgian Style Double India Pale Ale by BrewDog and Stone Brewing, Product of Scotland.

bashah, what does it mean…oh, god this is wordy, oh, for the love of….a lot of blah, blah, blah, talk of substance, but little of it…is this the work of Stone, or BrewDog? I know the Stone labels to be willfully wordy, flagrantly florid, exaggerated extraneousness….perhaps they influenced the Scots, in this?

Whatever, it's too much for me to copy, and we'll take the bare bones and see what this Black Belgian Double IPA is all about.

It is black, fully ebon in coloration, with a 1/4" slim, but lasting head. Looking good.

Aroma: booze hits first, not surprising, from one of the contenders in the strongest beer olympics, some hit of bourbon, maybe..grassy hops show up, right next to dark fruit. Char and molasses, and I'm wondering why this isn't an Imperial Stout. There's still some bright hoppy character, if you look for it, but more Black than Belgian, and barely IPA…so far…

Taste: anise, at first, then black malt, a bit of chocolate, some rich, roastiness, then the grassy hop flavor reveals itself, a bracing blast of bitterness. No. it's not that big, and it's butting heads against the chocolate malt factor.

Disclaimer: I'm against the Black IPA/ Cascadian Ale, blah, blah, blah, whatever, style, it's an interesting hybrid, a notable experiment, but as a full-blown style, I find it unworthy. Most attempts have been clumsy, with a clash of the primary flavors, hops vs. roasted dark malts. Only a few I've had have been enjoyable, and the rest have been suffered through.

This one, pretty balanced, but doesn't escape that clash, it's still happening, and I find little enjoyment in it. I don't feel this high level of grassy, piney hops matches at all well with dark, roasty malts, and it's …gobbledygook!

Okay, now I want to quote the damn label copy, Check this nonsense out:

"BASHAH: what does it mean? Yes, what indeed does it all mean. Meaning, of course, is elusive and illusive. It can't, or shouldn't be found on this bottle. Should it? Yet, what if it was? Would you look for pearls of wisdom or life direction on a beer label? Perhaps it's been there all along. Since meaning is a mere illusion, perhaps we shouldn't let it have any influence on our destiny. This particular beer has refused to succumb to the illusion of meaning or allow capricious parameters to have any influence on it's own fermented fate. Are we even asking the right questions? Are you feeling frustrated in the emptiness? If so, that could be because someone got to this beer before you, and thus there's a reason for this emptiness. It's empty. And if so, perhaps indeed there is not any meaning for you here after all.

Style over substance, or substance over the scriptures of style? The latter, thank you very much. Twice."

Good God, what hogwash! Not a single word about what the beer tastes like or how it was made, just a load of words, words, words! (And too many uses of "indeed". Use it once, or be a pansy.

I don't turn to a beer label for pearls of wisdom or the meaning of life, but for a something about the fucking beer, for God's sake, is that so much to ask for? I'm not searching for "meaning", just tell me about the f'ing beer, already!

No, my emptiness comes from the fact that the beer doesn't taste very good, and isn't impressive in the least, but covers it up with a lot posturing, pride, machismo, attitude, and words, words, words. Words with no meaning. And a lot of debating about what meaning means. I call bullshit.

Stone has made their name with their attitude and backed it up with their beer. BrewDog is much the same, and you'd expect their combination to be something spectacular. When I spend $5 on a 12 ounce bottle, it had better be special, it shouldn't be a lot of words covering up a very ordinary stab a a lame pseudo-style.

P.S. I didn't taste the "Belgian", either.

Ommegang, again (Triple Perfection)

Second of the Ommegang gifts from Jeremy, Ommegang Tripel Perfection, 750 ml, …"The triple is among the most popular of Belgian ales. Brewed with simple ingredients and fierce attention to detail, there is little room for error--but lots of opportunity. Perfection isn't easily acheived---but once achieved it is always memorable."

So let's open it up, and go!

Cloudy, light golden hue, big white head, long lasting, lace leaving. Fits the part.

Aroma: spice and citrus, very airy, white pepper meets lemon peel, matched with Belgian yeast.

Taste: incessant blitz of hops, spice, citrus zest, and fierce carbonation. Bam, zam, lovely, lovely, lovely. This has all a triple wants and need, and more. Nothing more to say, it has it all…pale malt, abundant yeast, zesty citrus and spice, the whole deal. Genius. Thoroughly amazing. Yum and yum. Every inch the very verisimilitude of a top-notch triple.

Ommegang Adoration Belgian-style Winter Ale

I tried this on tap elsewhere last year, and couldn't get a keg for the Nile, nor where bottles anywhere to be seen. Both of these terrible tragedies have been corrected, so here we have, on tap....

Ommegang Adoration Traditional Belgian-style Winter Ale

Clear, crimson-colored, beneath a lush, creamy, off-white head, no lace, but stays a solid 1/2".

Aroma: rich malt, spicy, dark fruit, plum and fig. Lovely stuff.

Taste: blast of spice and fruit, earthy and gritty, slightly mineral. Some apple and cherry shining through, as the alcohol strength reveals itself. Getting more and more warming. Medium bodied, long, sweet/spicy finish.
Just the right amount of sweetness, with only a smidgen of hop bitterness.

Someone who had been an ardent admirer of this one last year told me she's not a fan this time, because it lacks the sweetness of the previous batch. As I taste this one, I wonder what she missed, and scratch my memory to think of how last year's tasted. There's enough sweets to turn many away, I'd think. Or some. Maybe a few, or a fraction of a faction. (Wait, where am I going with this?)

Anyhow, it's a lovely, spicy, fruity dubbel. Just a little bitter to match the sweet and the spice. Super delicious yum time. Mmmm. A real treat. Might have to get some bottles of this stuff, and hang on to it for awhile.

Flying Dog Wild Dog Coffee Stout

Here's one I included in our StoutFest, October 30 & 31. I was surprised to find it available in kegs, as it seems to be only available that way, no bottles, yet, or in cask, as these were the only serving styles for the 9 other reviews posted on BeerAdvocate.com, when I entered my own notes, a few weeks ago. (No, the keg hasn't been on that long, it was removed for the second round of Belg-a-Rama, and has just gone back on, to finish it off.)
(I just discovered that bottles are on their way, soon.)

I was surprised, too, to see the lackluster ratings, but not so much when I consider the fickle tastes of the beer geek-erati. If it's not overloaded with the flavor in question, it generally gets knocked down a bit. If it's not in your face and intense, what good is it? I beg to differ.
One reviewer says "coffee is there, but not smacking me in the face like I thought." Why do flavors need to punish us? Can't they just be there and be enjoyed? Another calls the body "deathly thin", and I wonder what he was drinking, because that's not how I'd describe it.
Perhaps the problem is that these were all done from reviews at bars, restaurants, and festivals, where there are so many distractions, and so many variables in quality of presentation. At least I'm not alone, and there are higher ratings than mine.

So here it is, Flying Dog Wild Dog Coffee Stout. (Notice how it doesn't even appear on the website.) 8% alcohol by volume.

Dark and sooty, black as coffee grounds, with a big roasty tan head, that softly settles.

Definite coffee nose, but soft, quiet, and none too bitter. Keeping even pace with chocolate and roasted malt.

Enters the palate sweetly and seductively, lush chocolate malt, caramel and toffee, overtaken eventually by bittersweet espresso tones. Excellent blend, great balance. Definitely not for anyone demanding an excessive amount of coffee flavor, very subtly integrated. Plenty of coffee flavor, with a trickle of coffee riding along, up and back over and out the palate.

Medium to full body, excellent coffee stout, mighty tasty. Alcohol well hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 12-09-2010 02:07:26

Rodenbach Classic

Almost done with the Belg-a-Rama beers. Here's the original Rodenbach, now brewed by Palm, quoting from my June 2004 notes from a bottle:


"Dark, plummy red color, with a brief, perfunctory white head, soon gone.
Aroma is in a realm of it's own, bold sour cherries, slight suggestion of cocoa and nuts, a brown ale emboldened with brazen fruit, and atingle with spices.
floods the mouth with flavor, brisk, fruity, distinctive, tangy, just a touch sour, with a trickle of sweet. Very tasty, very lively on the tongue.
Medium to full in body, brimming with great taste, medium length, slightly sour/slightly sweet fruity finish.
Excellent. Utterly delectable."

I like it even better on tap, but not as well as the Grand Cru, or the Cuvee des Jacobins, both of which will appear relatively soon

Southern Tier Krampus Imperial Helles Lager

This little brewery out of Lakewood, NY has made their name with their imperial series, whenever they make 'em big, they turn heads. So, here's my first review of Southern Tier Krampus Imperial helles lager.

Not a bad brew for Christmas Eve. Leave it to ST to name the holiday brew not after Santa Claus, but his partner who punishes bad kiddies, while St. Nick rewards them, Krampus. Beware his switch, children. I'd love to quote the label, but it is soooo long. In brief, it'll warm coldest hearts…Christmas Devil, sticks and chains….fanged, goat-horned bully…naughty or nice?….replace the cookies, lager yeast, aged cold, Merry Kramp-mas to all, and to all a good pint!
So there you have it!

9% abv, 2-row pale malt, munich, caramel malt, chinook & willamette hops, cool place, snifter, best at 48, blahbetty blah…

Let's drink it, look at it, smell it, you know…

Clear, pale reddish hue, eh, more like amber, slim head, lace leaving, …looking pretty nice. ( On further pours, it's bigger, taller, prouder.)

Aroma: malty, sharp, smooth, mild hops, somewhat sweet, …but a little shy, not giving much else up.

Taste: grainy, malty, fierce, and hot. And yet smooth-…ish, despite the high alcohol.
Clean, and smooth, and pretty tasty. Sweet malt, delicious booze. Yum, me like.
I'm still not crazy about imperial lagers, still like ales better, when they're bigger. Just not enough flavor coming through…mmm, imperial lager, wait, what's happening to me?

Tyranena Doubly Down And Even Dirtier

The simple packaging of the Brewers Gone Wild! (don't forget the exclamation point) series suggests a brown paper bag covering contents that shouldn't see the light of day. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the string of innovative brews has brought us many delights over the years, and I look forward to sampling many more. I used to consider the stick figure representing brewer Rob Larsen to be a bit of a cheat, until I met the man and realized that the artist actually nailed him with that likeness. So, here's the latest, bought at Zipp's.

Tyranena Brewers Gone Wild! Doubly Down 'N' Even Dirtier, Barrel-aged Chocolate Vanilla Double Stout.

Full-on brackishness, slim head, burnished tan, thin and dotted, stays slim and tight.

Aroma: cocoa and coffee, with vanilla and bourbon below.

Taste: full body, rich dark malt, out comes the chocolate, here comes the 'nilla, lays long and hard on the palate. Whiskey walks in, and settles in for a spell. Flavor is firm and full. Malt backbone is lush, and lovely. Sweetness of vanilla and cocoa is well matched by the lush malty flavor and the bourbon behind it.

Overall, well done, Tyranena. Way to go, Rob, another winner. Wish I knew the strength, so I could be afraid of how drunk I'm getting. Tasty as heck, though, great integration of flavors, especially wonderful deliciousness.

New Belgium 2 BELOW, or where's the button for the degree sign?

This is one I've had on tap at various locations, might have had a bottle, but what I tasted from this bottling did not remind me of what I had before. The winter ale from New Belgium Brewing, 2 (degrees) BELOW (hey, they're the ones who capitalize it.)

New Belgium 2 Below Ale…"We like to think we beat winter at it's own game a 2 BELOW Winter Ale, a bright warming blast of Sterling and Liberty hops along with tawny-roasted malts. By pushing our 2 BELOW into a final, nearly freezing state, it's ample structure develops a brilliant clarity, Dry-hopping during fermentation creates a bright, hoppy palate and a cheery warm afterglow. Serve at 3 C (37 F) Acl. 6.6% by Vol.)"

So that's what they say, here's what I say…

Crystal-clear, auburn appearance, pale crimson, with a dotted white head, leaving lace.

Aromatics, hops up front, lightly bitter and herbal, a mix of English and American hop characteristics, a little sweet fruit peeps in for a moment. Bitterness continues on the tongue, with, yes, a bright, cheery flavor below. Crisp and clean, but a little too lean in body for my liking. For a winter ale, I'd like to taste something darker and a bit heavier.

This pleases the pale ale/IPA lover in me, but my taste buds are yearning for darker malts when you say "winter ale." However, as I strive to judge beers on their own, versus what I wish they were, it's hard to really complain.

In Darkest Night...

There were a number of releases and events happening yesterday, Tuesday, the 21st. First Day of Winter, Solstice, Darkest Day of the Year, and there were several bars and pubs adding interest in the name of beer. I made it out to two of them on my day off, first of all, Tim Johnson's fine array of stouts and imperial stouts at his fine restaurant, Haute Dish, probably my favorite eatery around. Descutes The Abyss, Great Divide Yeti, Big Sky Ivan the Terrible, Surly Darkness, Bell's Expedition, Avery the Czar, & Odell Bourbon Barrel, all available as flights. I did the first three as a flight, then a Darkness (can't pass up Darkness, ever!) and finally an Ivan, a beer I've rarely had. Why? Twenty dollars a bottle. But, wait, Al, don't you yearly pay $20 per bottle for Surly Darkness? yeah, but that's Surly Darkness. And didn't you just spend $20 on a Duvel Triple Hop bottle? Also, true, but that's Duvel. It's not as if I don't like or trust Big Sky Brewing, it's just that my affection for them doesn't grant them that level of trust that's required in dropping a Jackson for a single bomber.

After soaking up the malty goodness last night, I may reconsider that. I took notes on this one, something I don't often do while sitting at the bar, or restaurant. But considering not only the price tag, but the rarity, I took pen to paper, and snapped a shot.

The details will be shown in the accompanying graphic, so here's my bare bones scribblings....

Appearance: blackest black, 1/2" creamy cocoa/tan head.

Aroma: Grassy/hoppy nose, bourbon & molasses below (hadn't realized it was barrel-aged when I had it), charcoal & chocolate.

Taste: big, fat malt attack, hops riding high above. Nice bitter blast, fading into a deep morass of caramel, char, toast & roast. Great balance in this, an even ride between bitterness & sweet malt (sweetness cut to nil), alcohol strength stays sly, but roars in, eventually. Not terribly full-bodied for an RIS, but over-flowing with flavor. Long, bittersweet finish.

All in all, this one deserves entry into the pantheon. Forgive me for underestimating you, Ivan. I hope to make your acquantaince again