Left Hand – Widdershins Barleywine

Left Hand released their ‘Big Mo’ series in February and although I’m a little late for the seasonal party with these, I still feel like having a nice, big, malty brew sometimes, so here we go. I feel like most folks associate Barleywine-Style Ales with seasonal brews, but I actually enjoy them year-round, especially an American style Barleywine because of the emphasis on the hop profile. I’d characterize the Widdershins as a pretty straight-up American Style Barleywine, which drinks like a classic barleywine up front but finishes with the bitterness of an IPA. The pour was uneventful, with a minimal head which settled quickly. On the nose there was an abundance of fruit, but not your typical raisin-fig kind of Barleywine fruit. This Ale has a distinct presence of apricot and peach, followed closely with more typical aromas of caramel and sweet malt. There’s a slight hint of citrus, leaning toward orange, mostly from the hops that manage to make their way through the nose. In the mouth there is much of the same, with the apricot and juicy semi-citrus taking the lead, followed by the classic barleywine malt sweetness of rich caramel, closing with a bitter bite. This Barleywine is also oak-aged, which doesn’t seem to play much of a role until the end, where the dryness of the wood and hop bittering play off of one another for a more complex-than-normal finish. The aftertaste again reveals the woody texture, as it lingers a touch longer than the sweeter, fruity flavors up front. Overall, it’s a ‘nice’ beer and a pretty solid effort from Left Hand. Even though I’d like to have a little more presence from the oak and maybe a notch down on the hops, the atypical fruit aromas of apricot and peach make this totally worth trying.

Cheers,

~G

– score 3.5

Avery – Collaboration not Litigation Ale

In case you don’t know the story about this beer, here it is in a nutshell. Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing and Adam Avery of Avery Brewing realized that they both had a ‘Salvation’ in their respective stable of beers. Instead of squabbling over the rights to the name, they decided to blend the brews in an attempt to capture the best qualities of each. I like this story already. And it speaks to why I love the craft brew industry at large. There is a genuine interest in the creative process for which we are the beneficiaries. It’s absolutely rare for a great majority of an entire industry to be comprised of entrepreneurs who are willing to forsake commerce for craft, economics for art, all to expand and redefine our understanding of what brewing means and what can be accomplished when we, ahem, collaborate. So without further philosophical adieu, let’s get to the beer. It pours a beautiful hazy amber, very hazy in fact, and leaves a nice 1/4 inch head which laces throughout. The nose is distinctively Belgian, with a spicy coriander and clove texture over a subtle fruity sweetness. The taste is complex and changes throughout the swallow, beginning with a malty caramel sweetness and quickly giving way to the spice of the yeast. It closes with a surprising bitterness, tinged with a small bite of alcohol. As it warms, the sweetness of the malt becomes more present and the beer generally feels a little thicker and oily on the tongue. If I had to compare it to something else out there it would probably be the Maudite from Unibroue in its texture, general feel and flavor. Overall, I think this beer is truly outstanding and a really nice effort from both Avery and Russian River. Cheers to things being greater than the sum of their parts.

~G

score 4.5

Grimbergen – Dubbel

If you’re new to the Belgian style then this might just be the place to start. I originally tried the Grimbergen Dubbel with a pretty heavy meal, so I wanted to try it again – this time without food – to see if it was enjoyable as I remembered. It poured a chocolate brown with hints of garnet and a nice, albeit modest, head which dispersed fairly quickly. On the nose there are hints of raisin, sweet malt, and fruit, with a touch of a clove spice presence. There is also a pleasant toasted quality which ties the nose to the flavor and serves as a nice backbone to the ale overall. Aside from a pretty aggressive amount of carbonation, there is very little that dominates this beer, which is why I feel like it could serve as a great introduction to the style. The body is relatively light and refreshing, while still offering up some complexity, finishing with a fruity malt richness which respects its Belgian roots. I don’t always feel like a Dubbel is the easiest style to pair with food, but the Grimbergen seems as comfortable in front of a steak as it does all alone, and it’s the ease of this beer that is most appealing to me. I wouldn’t put this in a class with, say, a Maredsous 8, but I would definitely recommend it to all Belgian lovers and to those who are simply interested in becoming one.

Cheers, ~G

– score 3.75

Flying Dog – Garde Dog

Flying Dog surprised me with another round of beer-mail last week, this time with their seasonal brew, Garde Dog. It’s a Bie’re de Garde, a style which lies somewhere between a light Belgian and a Saison and is intended to be a light, semi-complex but highly drinkable beer. Let’s see… The pour was golden with a lightish, predictable head with decent lacing. On the nose there really wasn’t all that much to speak of. Some light spice, but not as much as a typical Belgian style and a pleasant, fruity sweetness. I’d give the nod to pear, but it’s not that specific – more like a general ripe fruit kind of sweet. The flavor was more hearty than the nose would indicate and I think that’s probably what I like most about this beer – it’s slightly surprising. It seems like balance was at the top of the list of priorities with this beer and they have achieved just that. The malt density on the mouth balanced the sweetness of the nose and it’s dry and slightly bitter finish rounded out each sip nicely. It’s a great spring and summer beer, highly drinkable and should be a great entry for Flying Dog as temperatures start to rise here shortly. I could see myself enjoying this beer with everything from burgers to pizza to seafood and it being a nice compliment to all. Overall, although I wouldn’t say that this beer is Flying Dog’s most innovative, I will say it shows a bit of refinement and growth for the brewery. I like where this is going and I think FD should consider adding this to their year-round offerings. Two thumbs…

Cheers, ~G

– score 4

Terrapin – Rye Squared

It was a good day when I strolled into my bottle shop to find the Terrapin Rye Squared, a beer I haven’t seen in this market before. I love the Terrapin Rye Pale Ale and an Imperial version sounds perfectly awesome right about now. I grabbed a 4-pack and hustled home to get it chilled down and ready to drink. The pour was a deep, brownish-orange with a little haze and an off-white 2 finger head – very nice-looking beer. On the nose there was an abundance of orange and deep citrus, a sweet malty breadiness and spicy rye (go figure). From the first sip I was greeted with that spicy pop from the rye and hops, with a punchy, floral citrus burst. The flavor quickly turned toward the malt, however, and the mouthfeel was rich and smooth, with flavors of spiced bread and caramel and a slightly oily quality which made it easy to drink. It’s a big beer, no doubt, but very easy to drink and well balanced all the way through. I really like the complexity of the hops, from the spicy and earthy qualities of the Fuggles and Goldings to the more American-style cirtus, courtesy of the Amarillo and Cascade. That, on top of the unique character of the rye, makes the front end of this beer really interesting and refreshing, while the weight and density of the malt provides the drinkability that isn’t always present in the huge-hop beers out there. I’m really impressed with this beer and will definitely pick up more next time I see it on the shelf.

Cheers, ~G

– score 4.5

Avery – Mephistopheles’ Stout

Whoa! I guarantee that’s the first thing you’ll say if you try this beer. It’s an unapologetically gigantic American Style Imperial Stout which boasts tons of flavor and a huge malt profile – dense, with a choco-fruity character and a freakish 16% abv. Yea, it’s all that. I’ve tried some ‘Imperial’ stouts recently that really weren’t all they’re cracked up to be (cough, Fort Collins) and are essentially overblown one-dimensional efforts. The Mephistopheles, while it may be overly ambitious, is actually really interesting. It entertained me, to be honest. I felt like every sip revealed something new – and more subtle – about the flavor. It starts with a dominant sweetness, with a nod toward molasses, brown sugar, toffee and fruit. Oh, and alcohol. Did I mention that this was a 16 percent beer? I think I did, but I just drank a 16 percent beer so I can’t remember. The carbonation is relatively low, but that’s ok because you’ll never miss it with everything else that’s going on. The mouthfeel is where this beer is really a standout. It’s smooth, creamy and as thick as if it had come off a nitro tap. Very impressive for a beer straight out of a bottle. As it warms, the sweetness gives way to a more roasted texture with a nut-flavored coffee aftertaste – pleasant. If there is one downfall to the brew is that you probably shouldn’t have more than one. It’s not exactly a beer you can burn through and crack open another. In fact, mine took a solid 45 minutes to finish, so carve out some time on your schedule for this one. Overall, however, this beer is great. Sure, you can point to the overpowering flavors, abv, boldness, or whatever to pick it apart, but c’mon, beers like this are fun. It’s not for the faint of heart and you’ll probably need to be a true stout lover to really ‘get it’ , but if you fall into that category you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Another great effort from Avery.

Cheers, ~G

score 4.25

Stone – Old Guardian Barleywine (early 2007 release)

Stone. Love ’em or hate ’em, you can’t deny that they’ve made their mark as a brewery who’s not afraid to push the envelope. (see Ruination) The Old Guardian Barleywine Style Ale is a staple for Stone and just so happens to be a very well-respected brew among those folks who are into doing things like respecting brews. I, for one, happen to fall into that category. I respect. I’m a respecter. What I don’t quite get is the difference between a Barleywine Style Ale and a plain old Barleywine. What am I missing here? Honestly, I don’t think it matters all that much in the grand scheme, but if the style nerds aficionados want to shed some light I’d appreciate it. At any rate, on to the beer. The pour was like a barleywine should be – clean, amber with minimal head. The nose was a little on the subtle side, but there were nice hints of malty sweetness, caramel, fruit and spice, plus a hint of alcohol. The taste was a reflection of the nose for the most part, with a candy-like fruit sweetness leading the charge, followed by a rich toffee body and finishing with a distinct tinge of alcohol and hop bittering. It’s a nice, refined Barleywine (style) Ale, which a little age has served well. There is a mellowness to this particular bottle which I’m inclined to believe probably wasn’t there 8-10 months ago. Overall, I think this is a really great example of the style, but I’m not feeing quite as much hype as BA would have you believe. I felt like the omnipresent alcohol was a bit of a distraction, and both the mouthfeel and weight of the body were a touch on the light side to give it a full-on A+. It’s really good, though, and I wouldn’t hesitate at all to have some on hand regularly or recommend it to a friend.

Cheers, ~G

score – 4.25

Fort Collins Brewery – Double Chocolate Stout

I love a Chocolate Stout, so a Double Chocolate Stout sounds absolutely, doubly delicious to me. I recently reviewed the Fort Collins ‘regular’ Chocolate Stout and was really excited to try the Imperial version of the brew. If you read the “That’s a lot of stout, man” post, you’ll remember that we thought the regular version was a little thin in body and the ‘chocolate’ was really more like a hint, at best. Maybe the Imperial version would be that rich and chocolaty brew that we were hoping for the first time around – or maybe not. The pour was promising, with a thick caramel head bubbling up to about three fingers and slowly fading to a small, but deliberate quarter inch. On the nose there was a little less umph than I anticipated, but coffee notes dominated and there was a hint of earthy malt and a touch of sweetness. The first taste, however, was like being hit with a stiff coffee uppercut. Bitter, oily coffee was almost all that I tasted from start to finish, with very little else to speak of. There was a hint of alcohol, but not an overpowering amount, while the most notable exemption from the overall flavor was, um, chocolate. I thought that was the point. Maybe it’s just me, but if the name of your beer has the words ‘double’ and ‘chocolate’ in it, there should be at least a hint of some incarnation of chocolate in there somewhere, right? Basically, if the name were Double Coffee Stout it would be perfect, because that’s what it is. If you’re a fan of dark, espresso-like coffee stouts then definitely pick up this beer – you’ll love it. However, if you’re expecting something inline with a Young’s or Brooklyn Brewery double chocolate stout, don’t even bother. Overall, this beer is strikingly one-dimensional and honestly, a bit of a disappointment. Proceed with caution, and maybe a quart half and half… Cheers, ~G

score 3.25

Sierra Nevada – Bigfoot Barleywine

I feel like I should start by saying that Sierra Nevada is one of my favorite American breweries. Interestingly, none of their beers are truly my all out favorite in any category, but overall I really respect the quality, consistency and general coolness that defines the brand. Recently, the Anniversary Ale became my go-to Pale for everything from a burger-and-a-beer night to, well, lets-skip-the-burger-and-just-have-beer nights. Additionaly, I thought the Harvest Fresh Hop Ale was a nice effort and their flagship Pale Ale is just simple and solid. A few years ago I was in San Francisco and had a chance to try the Bigfoot barleywine on tap. Unfortunately, it was after several other beers that I had the opportunity to try, off various other taps. Let’s just say my “palette” was a little “compromised.” So when I saw that a 6-pack had appeared in my local bottle shop I felt like I had a chance to really see what the ale was all about. It would also be an interesting study since I’ve just finished a nice round of nights with the BBC barleywine which I think is a really outstanding effort. Ok, so that was a long intro – let’s get to the review.

The pour was beautiful. Minimal carbonation, a tannish thin head and a bold, garnet-colored body looked perfect as it hit the glass. I could tell as I brought it to my nose that this would be a different animal (terrible bigfoot reference) than the BBC, as a pronounced hop aroma came shooting off the top like it was a big IPA. Interesting… The first sip confirmed that this was, in fact, a bit of a hop-bomb. Although the hop presence was a bit of a surprise, they don’t totally dominate the flavor. Typical barleywine fruity sweetness and big candylike malts are definitely in the mix and there is a distinct presence of alcohol as well. The body feel is medium and the carbonation is appropriately minimized, but more robust than average for the style. I feel like this ale is similar to a young California cabernet in the sense that the bold, aggressive nature which makes it seem wild and unrefined in its youth are the same qualities that will eventually make it great. I mean, this *is* the 2008 vintage so what can we really expect – yet. Even with all it’s youthful angst, I really quite enjoyed drinking the Bigfoot. It’s only going to get better with age and I plan on trying one every few months for the next year or so to track the progress. The fact that it’s as good as it is right out of the shoot is going to earn some nice points from me right off the bat.

Cheers, ~G

score 4.25

Bluegrass Brewing Company – Bearded Pat’s Barleywine

A few nights ago I was enjoying a Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout from the Bluegrass Brewing Company and I decided to check out their (recently re-worked) website for a gander at some of the other beers in their stable. I soon discovered that they have a winter seasonal offering called the Bearded Pat’s Barleywine. And since the Jefferson’s reserve has become a bit of a go-to stout for me recently, I thought I’d try and find a bottle somewhere in town. As luck would have it, my favorite bottle shop had a 4-pack, so I was on my way. The pour was a mid-brown with a hint of orange and the head was a nice off-white creamy color. I could smell it as it hit the glass as hints of rich caramel and fruit were present even before I took an *official* sniff. A more intentional study of the nose revealed some nutty raisin and fig overtones and a caramel candy dominance. The first sip was really the most obvious indication of the 11% abv, which soon became a non-factor in the overall scheme of the beer. The mouthfeel and carbonation were both relatively light and made the beer easy to drink. The most outstanding characteristic, however, is the terrific balance between the sweetness of the caramel and fruit notes with the bitter and thorough finish from the hops. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a ‘hoppy’ barleywine, but the pure bittering is very present on the finish and it serves the brew very well. As the beer warmed, it seemed to thicken up and improved even more. The silky and slightly oily nature on the tongue was a great compliment to the almost molasses-like character of the body. Overall, one of the most satisfying barleywines I’ve had and kudos to the brewery on this one.

score 4.5

Cheers, ~G

Don’t call it a comeback…

I’ve been thinking about the forthcoming hop shortage and wondering what impact, other than price, it will have on American beer-making in the coming months. You could argue that the American craft brew scene has been somewhat dominated in the last few years by big hop profile beers, of which I’m a huge fan. The ingenuity and access to ingredients from all across the globe has spawned a generation of American craft brewers who are not bound by a regional or brand tradition and who certainly aren’t afraid to push the recipe envelope. It’s my opinion that American beers, much like American cars, have traditionally (with a few major exceptions) been run-of-the-mill and bland compared to the rich history and collective knowledge of European beermakers. However, right now American craft beers are, across the board, kicking ass.

But have we forgotten the art of the malt? Are we on the verge of a malty beer revolution, where we take the same reckless abandoned creative approach to our grains as we have in recent years to what we can do with our hops? Will continuous hopping during the boil, ridiculous quantities and dry-hopping just about everything give way to creative roasting, blending and grain adjuncts? As much as I love a 90-minute, Terrapin Imperial Pilsner or even a Stone IPA, I’m feeling excited about what the American Craft beermaker can do with an economicly-induced change of direction. I want a quadrupelbock, or an Imperial Brown, or maybe even a triple cervesa. I don’t know if it will happen, but I *do* know that regardless of the perceived limitations of ingredients with which to make our beer, the American craft brewer has earned the benefit of the doubt. And to me, there is no doubt that the future of American beer looks pretty damn tasty…

Cheers ~G

art and beer – this should be interesting

There’s an interesting article on BehindTheBeer.com about Jonathan Richter, a Nashville artist who paints an entire picture in the time it takes to finish a pint of beer.  Talented dude, and a cool concept as well.  Check out the full article here.

That’s a lot of Stout, man (part deux)

In case you missed it, this is a little series about a recent ‘Stout Night’ I shared with my buddy, Jim. We tried 11 brews in all and my / our thoughts are summarized here in this two part review. If you missed part one, scroll down a bit to read it. So without further adieu, here’s part two.

The saga continues with the Left Hand – Milk Stout. OK, now were rockin’. The pour was deep and black, with a rich and creamy head. On the nose was a healthy dose of chocolate malt and coffee. Since this is a Milk Stout, there was a distinct sweetness to the nose as well – a nice touch. The flavor was excellent. It had most of the creaminess and roasted malt of ‘bigger’ stouts in the Imperial variety, but the general feel of the ber was still in the medium category. This is a highly drinkable, very enjoyable stout. I’m a fan.

Next up, Lion Stout. I’m a little biased on this one because I came into this tasting knowing that I love this stout already, and shocker, it held up like a champ. Even after the sweetness of the Milk Stout, the Lion’s flavor just seemed right. From the pour, to the head, the nose and flavor all are so consistent and refined that it’s hard to find an objective part of the beer to critique. If I were going to make a stout as my signature brew I would certainly try and model it after the Lion. Plus, it’s from Sri Lanka, which is just kinda cool. All those medals proudly displayed on the label tell you all you need to know.

We had a whole mess ‘o chocolate stouts to dive into, so we settled on the Fort Collins Chocolate Stout to kick us off. The nose was certainly chocolaty, but there were substantial notes of smoke and coffee in there as well. It ‘seemed’ like this was going to be a huge tasting beer. It wasn’t huge, in fact, I’d say it was kind of light. There was a medium-high carbonation, but that was ok, as it balanced the dominant smokey overtones nicely. My main critique would be the mouthfeel being a little on the light side. Although some may point to that quality as a plus, for me, the style needs to be a little on the heaver side. Overall, pleasant, but I’d like to taste a little more chocolate and have a little more body.

We didn’t spend too much time dwelling on the lightness of the Fort Collins because there was a huge bottle of the Rogue Chocolate Stout staring us in the face. Let me say that I really like Rogue beers. They have some of my all-time favorites, so I was excited to try the Stout. Whoa, the nose on this one was certainly different. Along with all the usual suspects in a Chocolate Stout, there was a pronounced hoppy thing going on in there. The Chocolate was jumping right out of the glass, but eventually faded back into the pack as the beer warmed. The flavor was dark chocolate and cocoa, almost like there was some Hershey’s syrup in there. In fact, I think they must have added some kind of adjunct because the mocha texture was not a typical roasted malt style, but more of a beer float. The most unique characteristic about this stout was it’s bitterness. Unlike anything else we tried, this Stout was actually bitter, and I’m not sure I loved that aspect of the flavor. My guess is that they’re trying to balance all that syrupy sweetness with something bitter, but personally, I think the bitterness and the sweetness are too far away on the tongue to be complimentary. It was just kind of awkward. Overall though, I enjoyed the bold chocolate flavor and it was a nice departure from the coffee side of the spectrum.

Did someone say chocolate? Oh yea, I did. As if there wasn’t enough chocolate going around, next up was the Young’s- Double Chocolate Stout. Double chocolate, huh? Is this an Imperial Chocolate then? Maybe a doppelchoc? OK, now I’m just entertaining myself. Back to the beer. From the first sip I was really into this beer. It was creamy and the carbonation was perfectly suited for the smooth mouthfeel. The chocolate seemed a little more refined – like a fine European dark – and made the beer lean a little more toward the cappuccino side of the spectrum. Also, although it wasn’t *twice* as chocolaty as the other brews, it was super silky and smooth. Highly drinkable.

Are we really at the last beer? Looks like it, and this one’s gonna be good. I know this because next up is the Brooklyn Beer – Black Chocolate Stout. We tried some of my favorite beers in this tasting – some (like the Lion) are a staple for me and are all-around excellent beers. That said, the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is, in my opinion, the best stout I’ve ever had. To me, this beer is in a class all by itself. Partly because it’s a 10.9 abv beer, which opens up a whole new category of Imperial style brews, but mostly because this beer, regardless of the alcohol content, is simply extremely well crafted. It has all the roasted malt goodness that you’d want in a stout, a perfectly blended chocolate sweetness, finished with a dry heat which rounds out the beer perfectly. Russian Imperials can sometimes overwhelm me towards the end of the glass, but this beer, being slightly lighter in feel than some others, is perhaps the most drinkable and enjoyable all the way through. If you get a chance to try one, do it, you wont be disappointed.

Wow, that was fun! I had a great time tasting all of these beers and having them back-to-back gave me a chance to really compare the differences in a way I’ve not done before. I hope you got something out of it, too. I’d love to hear some comments and thoughts about beers that didn’t make it into this tasting and maybe give me some suggestions on beers you think I might enjoy. Until then, Cheers! ~G

That’s a lot of Stout, man… (part one)

I think it might be time for me to admit that I have a small obsession with stouts these days. I can’t stop, people. I need them, and they need me. Stouts…you complete me. Actually, they’re making me fat, but I don’t care – I can buy bigger clothes.

So, here’s the concept. My buddy Jim and I decided that since there is so much stout goodness out there, a ‘Stout Night’ was in order. Sounds delicious, right? So over the next few days I hopped around from store to store, cobbling together the beers which would make it into the session. Quick side note, I hate calling a night of beer drinking a ‘session.’ I don’t know why I capitulate to that description cause it sounds kinda nerdy. Ironically, using the word capitulate when I could have just said give-in is also nerdy. I’m screwed on this one, I think. At any rate, I finally made the final selections and the night was set – this was going to be fun. Here’s the lineup: Harviestoun – Old Engine Oil, Bridgeport – Stout, Highland Brewing – Black Mocha Stout, Oscar’s – Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, Left Hand – Milk Stout, Fort Collins – Chocolate Stout, Mackeson – Triple Stout, Lion Stout, Rouge – Chocolate Stout, Young’s – Double Chocolate Stout, and finally, the Brooklyn Brewing Co – Black Chocolate Stout. You’ll notice that there aren’t many of the Imperial variety and most of these don’t exceed 6.2% (although a couple do) and that’s intentional. It’s not really a fair fight to compare some of the ‘smaller’ stouts to the Imperial monsters, so we focused on beers you’d find in a typical grocery store to see who reigns supreme. Let’s do it.

We decided to basically guess as to the order in which we would try the beers; starting from what we thought would be the smallest, and ending with the biggest. We had our plan so we opened the first bottle – the Harviestoun Old Engine Oil. We’d never tried this beer so we really had no idea what to expect, but we weren’t all that scared to be honest.

Part One:

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The pour was almost totally black with an virtually non-existent head, even after an aggressive pour. On the nose is mostly roasted malt, without too much else going on. The flavor of the stout was pretty basic, featuring lots of roastiness and coffee-like bitterness. The body was medium-thin and the carbonation level seemed to be a little prickly for the lightness of the beer. Overall, a pretty good start to the night but nothing to write home about. Old Engine Oil *does* get points for having a name that makes me want to try it, strictly based on curiosity. Low points go to it being pretty average all around.

Next on the list was the Bridgeport Stout. Again, a nice dark pour with very little head to speak of. This beer had a little more chocolate on the nose and at least smelled like it would have a degree of complexity that the first brew lacked. Well, the nose was good. The flavor was, again, thinner than I would have liked with a bitterness that seemed to collect in a sourish kind of way about halfway through. If you had told me that this was a homebrew I would have believed you. It would have been a pretty decent home brew, but not on par with what a major brewery should be capable of. This beer just came off as kind of flat, not in carbonation, but in character.

Next up was the Highland Black Mocha Stout. I’ve been impressed with this smaller brewery for it’s consistency, highlighted by the Kashmir Imperial IPA, so I had high hopes for the stout. The pour yielded a little better head than the first 2 beers, with more head and better coloring. And finally, some character on the nose. Chocolate and coffee were present and there was a hint of sweetness in there somewhere as well. The flavor was a bit of a surprise in that the body was a little thinner than you’d expect from the nose. There are some good qualities to the beer, although the overall palette seems a little disjointed. The malty bitterness separates from the sweeter elements on the tongue, and the aftertaste seems to rest in a different place altogether. It’s like the beer is fighting with itself a tad. Overall, pretty decent, though, and we’re moving in the right direction in our quest. Not a real quest, of course, unless you count walking to the fridge for another beer as quest-like. I’d call it more of a jaunt, but that’s just me.

Oscar’s Oatmeal Chocolate Stout from Sand Creek Brewing Co. was next and I had never even heard of this beer before. The name sure sounds good, though, so here we go. The pour was rich and dark and the nose was really pleasing and chocolaty. The first thing that I noticed about this beer was that it was really well balanced. The carbonation level was right on the money and the oatmeal provided a nice thickness to the mouthfeel, which is something that has been lacking so far in our tasting. The recipe was obviously well-crafted and I would like to try more from the brewery if I can find some.

The journey continues with the Mackeson Triple Stout. This beer is actually a Milk Stout and the lactose-induced sweetness is immediately apparent on the nose. Theres also a hint of dried fruit – a spicy kind of sweetness reminiscent of fruitcake. For the record, I don’t like fruitcake and wouldn’t really suggest eating one, or putting one in your beer, but this was surprisingly a nice part of the nose. Caramel, chocolate and coffee are all there in abundance and the head is a nice caramel color. The flavor is rich and sweet – a nice departure from the more basic beers so far. The carbonation was mellowed on this beer relative to the others and overall felt a little more finished and balanced. It’s is very drinkable and not overly heavy and I’d characterize the body as medium, while still nice and flavorful. The best one so far, but there are some heavy hitters to come.

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By now you’re probably thinking that this is a really long blog post and 1) I don’t have time to read all of this at one time and 2) I need a beer. Maybe a stout? Stay tuned for part two where we dive in to some of the big boys – yum.

Cheers, ~G

Left Hand – Imperial Stout

It’s winter, so I’m drinking big beers these days. Sometimes really big beers. I find myself drawn to anything with Imperial in the name, and when it’s describing a stout, all the better. Left Hand always seems to have their head in the game, so I thought I’d give the Imperial Stout a try to see how it stacks up against a few others I’ve tried recently – most notably the Shlafly’s Imperial Stout. Left Hand describes this beer as a Russian Imperial and the pour looks to fit that bill, as it’s super dark with a medium head after an aggressive pour. On the nose is chocolate at first, closely followed by a cookie dough type of sweetness with a hint of toffee and a touch of fruit. Smells creamy. The mouthfeel is generally lighter than I would have guessed, but highly flavorful and consistent with the nose; lots of chocolate, coffee, malt goodness and buttery cream. This would be good with dessert. The brewery claims that it uses a generous amount of hops to balance the brew, but I find the hop profile to be very subdued, and it’s fine that way. The alcohol burn, present all the way through, satisfies the bite portion of the beer and doesn’t color the more pleasant parts of the beers flavor. Overall, I’m impressed with the drinkability of this beer – especially for a 10.4 abv – and it’s perfect for the season no doubt. High points are the sweetness of the malt, like you’re drinking a beer float, while the low points would come for a thin mouthfeel for the style. Recommended for big stout lovers who may want to have more than one beer in a night. Cheers ~G

– score 4

Avery – Old Jubilation

In the spirit of the season I decided to try another Winter Warmer style ale, this time from Avery. Their Old Jubilation is an English Strong Ale, but serves as the brewer’s seasonal offering, even though it’s not your typical spice-fest like other seasonal beers. Actually, the thing I like most about this beer is that it’s relatively simple. The pour is a deep mahogany color with an off-white, two-finger head. On the nose the malt dominates, with hints at toffee, brown sugar, some mocha and ripe fruit. The mouthfeel is bold and malty with medium-high carbonation. It’s sweet, but not overbearing, and the fruity textures keep the slightly strong finish in balance. Overall, it’s very drinkable and a really nice beer. Low marks go to the label art – honestly, it’s depressing. Never use mauve, people, never. Especially to frame some Norman Rockwell-looking winter scene that looks like it came from a starving artist sale at the flea market. Back to the drawing board on this one, thanks. Aside from my almost-gag every time I looked at the bottle, I really enjoyed this beer and suggest that you try one if you get a chance. Blindfolded, of course. Cheers~G

– score 4

Flying Dog – hey, thanks for the beer!

After my review of the Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale, I was honored and a little surprised by a comment from Stephanie from the brewery. She thanked me for writing about the beer and offered to send me a few more to try when I had the chance. Of course, being the committed beer blogger and enthusiast that I am, I felt compelled to take her up on her offer. I am also not an idiot and would never turn down great beer sent to my doorstep. As it turned out, Stephanie was true to her word and soon I had a box with 3 offerings from the brewery on said doorstep, so I drank them. I’ll let you read the reviews for the more detailed thoughts on the beer, but generally speaking, it was a really great experience. All of the beers were totally unique and vastly different, and reinforced my belief that Flying Dog is one of the more creative and adventurous beer makers around. So thanks, Flying Dog, and I hope you get as much out of my feedback as I got from sampling the beer. Cheers ~G

Flying Dog – K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale

The first brew I tried in the “It’s really cool when breweries send you beer” session was the K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale. We all know winter warmers can run the gamut of great to terrible, so I had no pre-conceived ideas about what this beer would taste like. I guess I was expecting something malty with that special ‘extra’ spice profile that, honestly, rarely works for me. So here goes… The pour was a nice caramel color and predictable head of a couple of fingers. On the nose there is a sweetness of malt and some fruit, with a touch of hop citrus. The taste was great. None of those “hey, check out that coriander” or “whoa, someone spilled some ginger in here” moments, just a nice smooth beer. Not to say that there’s no spice, because there’s a hint. A nice hint, though, of something like cinnamon or another Christmas-like spice, which makes this a pleasant seasonal brew. I could definitely have several of these in an evening and not get overwhelmed, and probably will now that I think about it. Overall, a really solid and drinkable beer that I’ll definitely have around the house for the next month or so. Cheers ~G

score 3.5

Flying Dog – Gonzo Imperial Porter

The second beer in the “why aren’t all breweries as cool as Flying Dog session” was the Gonzo Imperial Porter. As the name would suggest, it’s a big, robust Porter that may be a little crazy – but in a cool Jack Nicholson Psycho kind of way. The pour was almost black and produced a thick, caramel colored head which settled fairly quickly, but hints remained throughout the life of the pint. The nose was what you’d expect from a porter, with huge smoky malts leading the way. There was something unique about the nose and the taste, however, and that was a strong hop presence which surprised me a little. From the first sip I was sold on this beer. It was rich and smooth with a great mouthfeel, but to me, the hop profile is what makes this beer outstanding. Lots of porters have a wonderful malt recipe and the smoke and chocolate notes can make them a pleasure to drink, but very few of them have the breadth of this beer. The grassy and aromatic hop on the front provided balance and complexity, and also served to finish the back end like an IPA – clean and crisp. The medium carbonation mingled it all together and masked the alcohol content (which is around 9%) to round out one of the best Imperial Porters I’ve ever had. Kudos on this one! Cheers ~G

score 4.5

Flying Dog – Wild Dog Collaborator Doppelbock

The third installment in the Flying Dog promo session is the Collaborator Doppelbock. All in all, my least favorite of the three, as it didn’t really distinguish itself as much as the other two I tried. The pour yielded a nice mahogany color and a smallish head. There was not a lot on the nose, but it was nice and sweet, with a hint of fruit and grain. It’s a pleasant and drinkable beer, with a nice nutty malt flavor and sweetness, balanced with a medium carbonation and bitter finish. It improved as it warmed and exposed a few more of it’s subtle qualities, which I wish were a little more pronounced overall. Something just feels young about this beer – I’d like to try it again with a few months age on it. Overall, I’d say that it hints at a really nice and complex brew, but at this point, feels a little unfinished. Based on some of the other offerings from Flying Dog recently, which feel fully mature and refined, I’m confident that a great beer is in there somewhere, just maybe not quite yet. Cheers ~G

score – 3.5

North Coast Brewing – Old Stock Ale (2004)

I don’t know how I found this beer, but I did, and I’m really stoked about it. This was the 2004 vintage from North Coast and it pours a brownish deep red with a pretty insignificant head. The nose is rich and sweet, with nods towards tawny Port, fruit and a hint of vanilla. The flavor is awesome – exactly what I like in a barleywine style. You know, it’s hard to tell what you’re going to get sometimes with a barleywine and it can be a crap shoot to even get something drinkable. Actually, that’s not true, it’s always drinkable, but you get my point. That’s why I was so excited about this find. It’s an outstanding beer and is the perfect ‘closer’ drink at the end of an evening or even something you could enjoy with dessert. I shared this beer with my buddy, Jim, who compared it to the Wynkoop barleywine and felt like some vanilla bean ice cream would be a great paring and I totally agree. My only regret about this beer is that I couldn’t find more. If you ever see the 2004 vintage, buy it, then send me a bottle. Cheers ~G

– 4.75 (cause I don’t have a graphic for a 4.9)

Samuel Adams – Hallertau Imperial Pilsner

Sam Adams begins their description of this beer (and themselves) by saying, “Yes, we’re a little obsessed with hops.” And they continue by saying the beer is “brewed as a showcase for the hops, this bold brew highlights the spicy, citrus flavors and aromas of the Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops that are abundant in the recipe. Word. Hey, they’re right! This beer is a really big, really hoppy, really smooth, Imperial Pilsner. The pour was as expected – a little hazy, orangeish body with a thick rocky head. The nose was really nice and you could tell this was going to be a well crafted beer, for sure. When it comes to the taste we’re really talking about the hops. I mean, they *are* obsessed, right? The most interesting thing about the hop profile was certainly centered around the Hallertau hops, which make this beer different than other hop-heavy monster beers. Unlike some other American Imperial beers, where Cascade and Amarillo citrus notes dominate, the Hallertau aroma is much more floral and smooth, with a natural, earthy feel. The malt balances the body nicely, providing the smoothness needed to overcome the hop barrage on the front, but in the end, the hops win out with a strong bitter finish. I’d put this beer in the same category with the Terrapin Imperial Pilsner, and it’s every bit as good. For anyone who enjoys an Imperial style hop extravaganza, you’ll enjoy this beer, but be prepared to chug water and pain killers the next day. Now, where is that Advil again?

score 4.25

Samuel Smith’s – Organic Tadcaster

Organic beer you say? OK, I’m game. If there is one beermaker that deserves the benefit of the doubt it’s Sam Smith’s, considering they have such a solid brand and consistently produce great beer. I’m familiar with the *regular* Tadcaster, so I was looking forward to tasting the organic differences. All in, it’s a pretty good, albeit not particularly surprising beer. The pour yielded a cloudy orange but effervescent pint. The head was nice and neat and about two fingers with nice lacing throughout. The nose was yeasty, but there were obvious hints of caramel and a nice citrus overtone on top. Flavors were not particularly complex, but well balanced between the English yeast and the not-so-dominant hop bittering. The mouthfeel was smooth and a little oily, which made an otherwise simple beer seem a little more refined – an expected result from Sam Smith’s. It’s a beer I’d certainly have around most of the time and enjoy fairly regularly if it were half the price. Cheers ~G

score – 3.5

Bluegrass Beer Company – Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

This beer may just win the longest name in history contest. I’ll have to check on that. What I know for sure is that BBC ages the stout for around 60 days in oak barrels from McLain & Kyne’s Jefferson’s Reserve bourbon. Cool idea, and it works. The nose has more than a subtle hint of bourbon and oak, but is mostly dominated by toasted oats, chocolate malt and vanilla bean. The head is a bit understated in thickness and longevity but is a nice caramel color, and fairly typical for a higher abv stout . It’s a flavorful beer and the bourbon barrel aging is smooth and balanced, providing a nice hand-off to the coffee-tinged malt which constitutes most of the overall flavor. My critiques are a slightly thin mouthfeel and medium-light body, as the bold bourbon notes and toasty aroma could support a heavier beer. The finish concludes like baker’s chocolate, but I’d like to feel a little more warming in an 8% beer. I’d compare the weight to a Guinness, but the flavor is easily twice that. The bourbon edge is quite good, and the toasty malt profile plus vanilla creaminess makes this beer a real pleasure to drink.

Cheers ~G

score -4

Ayinger – Celebrator

The Celebrator is a beer I’ve seen for years but, for whatever reason, never ended up buying. I’ve never been a *huge* bock fan and a doppelbock seemed, well, doubly less appealing. Umm…I was wrong. This is an outstanding and very enjoyable beer which is highly drinkable and complex without being overbearing. Actually, the fact that it’s a doppelbock makes it a deeper, richer brew, which negates some of the things I don’t find particularly satisfying with your typical bock. I paired the Celebrator with a Texas Brisket with chili sauce and it was a perfect compliment. The subtle sweetness of the bock matched up with the tomato base in the sauce, while the coffee and hop bitterness finished off each bite with a crisp conclusion. The mouthfeel was creamy and not as heavy as I had anticipated, which made it easy to put away a couple of pints without getting stuffed. Overall, this beer is great by itself and outstanding when paired with the right food. It’s a little on the spendy side, but would make a nice gift and perfect for special occasions. Cheers ~G

score – 4.5