12 Beers of Christmas: Beers 8 & 9

Merry Christmas beer lovers! I hope everyone is enjoying their time with family and friends! Before we get into the brews, let me just give a quick shout out to my wife for some great craft beer gifts. I received a book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (I currently have only had 40 listed), a book all about IPAs, and some sweet new glassware! Heck, she seems to know what I like! Now that I got that out, let's talk about the two beers I enjoyed last night!

First up was Old Jubilation by Avery Brewing Company. Old Jubilation pours a very dark brown with a tan head that doesn't stick around for long. Nose is sweet and malty, with a little bit of booze detectable. The forward flavors follow the nose with some big, sweet malts and just a little nuttiness. These are followed up with some bread and fruit notes wrapped up with just a tinge of bitterness. Something I am finding with this and with a lot of winter beers in this series is that though I enjoy all the flavors offered by this style, one of them is enough for me.

Beer number 9 is Rogue's Santa's Private Reserve. The big, jolly man has a pretty tough job, albeit a once a year gig. He needs something to kick back and relax with. This brew pours a clear, ruby brown with a white head. The malts on the nose are semi sweet, but very light. The nose is pretty subtle. Though I don't typically dwell on mouthfeel, this one caught me a bit of guard as it was considerably lighter than most of its counterparts. Sweet malt, caramel, and bready notes are the main flavors of note here, along with some piney hops. If there were such thing as a light barely wine, that is probably what I would call this. Because it was so light, it went down quite quickly. Unlike the previous brew, this I could see having more than one of if I felt the urge to. Solid offering from Rogue. Cheers, and keep your eyes peeled for the last 3 beers of Christmas, coming soon!

12 Beers of Christmas: Beers 6 and 7

Oh snap, its Christmas eve beer lovers! Haha and I am only up to 7 of the 12 beers... oops. That's okay, if I manage to sneak the others in tonight and tomorrow that's great. If not, no big deal, right?

I thought for a little bit which order I would drink these festive delights, but one was obviously had to be number six: Goose Island's Sixth Day. We've all heard the song, but apparently we never knew what those six geese were a-layin'. As it turns out, it was big winter warmers! I need to take a moment to state that I did not heed the recommended glassware though I do own it. I was feeling fancy. Anyways... Sixth Day pours a dark red brown with a one finger tan head that faded into a light cap. The nose is dominated by big sweet malts with a slight fruit tang. Sweet caramel and malts are at the forefront of this brew and are greeted with some pretty intense bitterness and a significant alcohol bite. It is 8.3% ABV, and it chooses to let you know. After a few sips, the shock of that bitterness wears off and allows some tangy notes to come through. In my opinion, this is a beer that demands to be sipped. It overwhelms the palate if enjoyed too fast, but slow sipping allows it to showcase its complex profile. Hints of gingerbread appear as it warms, which I found quite interesting. Overall a solid, interesting brew, though I could not have more than one in a sitting.

Beer number 7 is a much more session-able beer, which could be why it has been dubbed Accumulation. This White IPA from New Belgium pours very pale, light gold with a fluffy white head like the snow its named for. This head fades to a cap and leave behind lots of delicate lacing throughout the drink. The nose is a bouquet of lovely, light citrus hops. At first sip one word comes to mind: Drinkability (not even a real word, as it turns out). This stuff is incredibly light, but unlike some of the other light beers out there, this stuff has actual flavor! Refreshing citrus hops fade to a smooth, slightly sweet fruit finish. There is some bitterness there that balances flawlessly with the sweetness. New Belgium proves once again, you can have light, drinkable beers without sacrificing flavor. What a fantastic beer. Consider this my vote for it to be added to your year round lineup, New Belgium. I will be awaiting your reply.

12 Beers of Christmas: Beers 4 & 5

Okay, admittedly this series is not going how I intended. I under estimated the craziness of the season, but it is what it is. Let's keep the great holiday beers rolling, shall we?

The fourth beer of Christmas this year was Widmer Brothers Brewing Company's Brrr! Beer Advocate describes this beer as a winter warmer, but it is more of a hoppy red ale. It pours a clear, red-brown with a bubbly off-white head. The nose is a great balance of sweet malts and citrus hops. The flavors were not at all what I expected! The citrus hops are big and forward, holding their own against a lot of IPAs. These hops are followed by just a hint of fruitiness and some sweet caramel flavors. It finishes with just a little bit of bitterness. What a refreshing beer! Though it is their winter beer and called "Brrr," I think this beer has great potential as a year round brew. Its smooth, refreshing, and I could just as easily drink this in the middle of summer as the cold of winter. That was proven the day I had this, because despite it being December we have had weather in the mid 70's (WOOHOO!). I will definitely be getting more of this before the season is out!

Next up is one that a lot of people look out for every year: Anchor Brewing Company's Our Special Ale. Unlike Brrr, Our Special Ale certainly belongs in the Winter Warmer category. It pours a very dark brown/ mahogany with a dark tan head that is thin but lingers. Sweet malts and brown sugar come to the nose. The odor actually reminds me of some pumpkin beers. The first thing I noticed when I sipped this beer is that it is a bit heavy for a beer that is only 5.5% ABV. The sweet malts are at the forefront, along with some spices (I want to say nutmeg and maybe some cinnamon, not sure). It finishes much more smooth than it starts. I really like this beer despite its heaviness. To be honest, I think the only reason that the heaviness bothered me at all is that it was 80 degrees outside. That's IPA weather, not anything with warmer in the name. Still, I think I will be another one of the guys that grabs this annually. Cheers!

12 Beers of Christmas: Beers 2 &3

Okay, let's start by dealing with the glaringly obvious fact that after the first day I went a few days without doing another Christmas beer. Truth is, I didn't feel like having a beer the next day. Or really the day after. So I decided, "Heck, I will get to them when I get to them!" It's craft beer, after all, and it should have not stringent rules and should merely be enjoyed. So I am going to enjoy them as I feel throughout the Christmas season!

First up was Weyerbacher's Winter Ale. This winter brew pours a clear but very dark reddish-brown with a beige head. There is a slight nutty aroma on the nose, but to be honest there is not much of anything there. That light nuttiness follows through on the flavors followed by some mild hop notes. This one surprised me because most winter beers are big and bold, where this is more of a light, brown ale. It is very drinkable and a solid alternative to heavier winter beers. My only disappointment was that I was looking for something a little more bold at the time.




Next up is a seasonal classic that I had not had until this evening: Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale. Sierra Nevada mixes it up by offering us an IPA instead of a typical winter warmer or stout, and I dig that. Celebration pours a dark, clear amber with an eggshell head. The nose on this brew is intensely piney with some sweet citrus hops to compliment. A quick sip and "Holy bitter pine hops, Batman!" There are big, piney flavors forward that pretty much remain on your palate. Joining these pine notes come more mild citrus and spice flavors. Now, contrary to popular belief, there are no spices added to this beer; all of these notes are created with hops. I can see why people may think so, however, because there certainly is something to this beer that sets it aside from your typical bitter IPA. I am glad I finally tried this classic holiday favorite, and it is something I will look forward to every year from here on out. Cheers!

12 Beers of Christmas: Beer 1

Cheers! Tis the season, folks, and everyone gets merry in their own way! For us craft beer nuts, the great holiday beers available this time of year certainly keep us jolly! So I decided to do a 12 Beers of Christmas series, counting down to Christmas day! You won't find any Lords-a-leaping in these blog posts, but hopefully you'll find a brew or two you will want to seek out for your holiday festivities. There may be a bonus beer or two in there somewhere, but I only bought 12 holiday beers that I will write about as I enjoy; anything else is just extra. But enough rambling, time to get to it!

First up is Troeg's Mad Elf! Mad Elf pours a deep, clear ruby red with an off white head that dissolved almost immediately. Sweet, yeasty notes on the nose suggest that I should expect some Belgian qualities in this beer. Woah. Just sipped this thing and it is pretty intense. The first flavor that hits my mouth is really hard to place. Glancing over the bottle, and I am going to call that the honey they put in there. It is a quick, sweet note that is quickly replaced by a combination of cherries and those lovely Belgian yeasts (Note that I am only assuming that is the kind of yeast they used based on flavor. Could be something else, but that is what it tastes like). This beer is a little sweet, a little tangy, and all dangerous. I have had 7% beers that show their alcohol more than this. Thank goodness for companies that label their bottles with alcohol content. 11%ABV! Time to slow down, Corey, you're playing cards with the neighbors tonight and should probably be in good form. In closing, Mad Elf is a very smooth, warming beer. It doesn't show its alcohol at all, and it is much different than a lot of the Winter Warmers that you get during the holiday season (many of which will make an appearance in the coming days). Cheers!

Oh, and FYI, many beer stores have a gift box with a Mad Elf glass and a 22oz bomber in case you need some last minute shopping ideas. I know I certainly wouldn't complain!

Gone (Dog) Fishin'

Being one of my favorite breweries, it is surprising how many Dogfish Head beers I still haven't tried. Recently I got a hold of one of their new beers and two that were new to me. Dogfish Head always delivers, but I wasn't the biggest fan of one. So I think I will do this least favorite to favorite. Without further ado...

First up is Dogfish Head's new winter seasonal: Piercing Pils. Now let me start by saying that I am not a big fan of pilseners in general. That is not the brewer's fault, its just the flavor profile of the style doesn't appeal to me. But I do occasional give one a go. Piercing Pils pours a crystal clear, light amber with a bright white head. Light notes of pear on the nose, but mostly overwhelmed by Pilsener malts. The taste is light and refreshing, however the pilsener malt flavors dominate over the light pear flavors. Though a quality beer, its just not for me. I would, however, think this is a good introduction into the craft beer world for someone who drinks one of the "big 3." If they like lighter beers, they might as well drink a quality one! I think my only gripe is that this replaced Chicory Stout, and that makes me sad.

Next up was Immort Ale, a great, big beer that Beeradvocate labels as an English Strong Ale. Though it does have some of those attributes, I think it also has some Belgian Strong qualities, and would call it close to a hybrid. Immort pours a clear, dark reddish-brown with an off white head. There is a sweet malt nose here with some hints of the oak coming through lightly. The flavor starts out with some sweet and tangy malts, as well as some raisin or date notes. There are some other sweet notes that I want to attribute to the maple syrup, but I'm not quite sure. Thrown in there are some slight banana notes typical of Belgian yeasts, which I love. It finishes with a notable alcohol bite, but its not as much as you'd expect from a beer that is 11% ABV. All in all, this is a great, complex beer with a ton of awesome flavors. It is good for a warming evening of slow sipping. I drank one and stashed the other three away in my cellar, and I am expecting great things in years to come.

Last, and my absolute favorite of the three, is Olde School Barleywine. In typical Dogfish fashion, this beer is crystal clear, brown, and has a thin white head. Sweet malty nose with hints of dates, caramel, and booze. Big and delicious malts lead out at first sip, followed by some delicious date and fig notes. I found myself letting this one sit in my mouth a bit just so I could enjoy the flavors a little longer. It finishes up just slightly bitter and with just a small bite of alcohol, perhaps even less than Immort. Here is the kicker, though: This thing is 15% ABV! Be sure you note that before cracking this one, because by taste alone you certainly wouldn't guess it was so strong! I love the barelywine style, but I think this just took the lead as my favorite (I'll let you know for sure when I try this year's offering from Legend). I added a few bottles of this to my cellar (I did not opt to bury the bottles as DFH suggests on the bottle) and gave one to my neighbor, because it is too good not to share! Find some if you can, sip slowly, and enjoy! Cheers!

Westbrook's Citrus Ninja Exchange!

Hiya! Haha the other night my friends and I enjoyed some beast ninja action from Westbrook Brewing Company out of Mt Pleasant, SC. This bottle caught my eye not only with its great name, but the fact that it is a double IPA with grapefruit added. That is exciting because grapefruit flavors are often prevalent in this style, and to compliment them with actual grapefruit sounded fantastic. So I brought this bottle back from SC and shared it with my friends.

Citrus Ninja Exchange pours a hazy gold with a thin white head. Sweet malts take the majority of the nose here, with little hints of citrus. I sniffed a little longer than usual hoping to pick up more citrus notes since that was what I was excited for. I was worried I may be disappointed. I was wrong. The citrus is WAY more prevalent in the flavor! Big grapefruit flavor hits you up front, followed by slightly sweet malts and a light, bitter finish. Wow, this stuff is refreshing! It is so smooth and delicious. Look out though, folks, because the taste would never suggest that this stuff is 9.5% ABV. So don't get tempted to knock this back too quickly! All in all, I would say the use of grapefruit and other citrus flavors was a great success, and it has inspired me to attempt something similar in my homebrew experiments. So help me name it! I'll be blogging about it soon, but if you have any creative (clean) names for an orange double IPA, leave it in the comments below
. It'll be hard to beat "Citrus Ninja Exchange," but let's try!

Sierra Nevada's DevESTATEtion Black IPA

Every year Sierra Nevada creates an Estate ale using the barely and hops grown on their own estate. This year, however, their barley crops were destroyed by mother nature. In true craft beer fashion, they took a bad situation and took it as an opportunity to create something new. Their DevESTATEtion Ale is the what they came up with.

This black IPA pours a clear, very dark (almost black) brown with a fluffy off white head. Waft this one and you will find a nice combination of roasted malts and light, piney hops. The flavor is almost stout-like. Big, delicious roasted malts at the forefront of this brew. The bitter pine hops wrap it all up. Black IPAs tend to be hit or miss for me. They only work if the roasted malts transition nicely into the hops. Sierra Nevada hits this one right on the mark. This beer is incredibly smooth and balanced. Hopefully this isn't a one-off, because I would like to see more of this next year! Just in case, go grab some!

Southern Goodness

I am sure I have mentioned this before, but when I leave town to visit family or friends, I always like to make an effort to try beers I can't get in Virginia Beach. We are lucky to be on many breweries distribution lists, so I figure I might as well try the things I can't get at home. I tried three new beers on my trip to South Carolina, and all three were hits in my book.

The first beer I tried was on tap at Grumpy's in Aiken. Before I get into the beer itself, let me just say that this place is a must visit if you ever make your way to Aiken, SC. They have great food, awesome beer, and very reasonable prices. Anyways, the beer I chose to go with was Quest's Coffee Stout. Now, I had told myself that I was going to stick with fresh IPAs and save the stouts for the frigid weather we have been having in VB, but I have a hard time resisting a coffee stout. I did not make a mistake. Quest's coffee stout was a deep black with just a little bit of a tan head. The nose was a beautiful blend of coffee and chocolate. I figured if the beer tasted as good as it smelled I would have a winner. A sip reveals big espresso flavors forward with an incredible smooth, mocha finish. Coffee beer lovers, rejoice! This one can hold its own with the best (the best being Founder's Breakfast Stout, of course). Quest Brewing Company is out of Greenville, SC and I am not sure if they bottle or not, but keep your eyes peeled for this stuff. Its a real gem of a beer.

The next beer I picked up was less of a blind grab. I had had Lazy Magnolia beer before, and Beerploration on Instagram (give him a follow!) had recommended a treat that they had just started bottling: Southern Hops'pitality. The appearance of this IPA is as welcoming as its name. It pours a gorgeous clear gold with a white head. The nose is milder for an IPA with just some light, citrus notes on the nose. The flavors start of with some sweet citrus goodness, followed up with those grapefruit flavors we all know and love. The finish is some slight, bitter hops. The beginning and the end are not very intense flavors; it seems that the grapefruit takes over the majority of the palette here. All in all, this is a smooth, well balanced, refreshing beer that showcases its citrus flavors along with its Southern charm.

The last beer of the weekend came from Marietta, GA's own Red Hare Brewing Company: Gangway IPA. I think this was probably the biggest limb I went out on, because I had never heard of it before and it only came in 6 packs. I rarely buy beer in 6 packs the first time even if I have heard of it because no one wants 5 more beers they don't like. That wasn't an issue here. Gangways IPA is a typical clear gold with a big, fluffy white head. The nose shows light pine hops with hints of some citrus in there as well. We are led into the flavor with a nice combination of pine and citrus hops which are followed up with some sweet malts. Okay, quick sidebar. Lots of IPA's have these characteristics. Hoppy flavors accompanied by some malts is pretty much a descriptor for 90% of IPAs. The difference between an okay IPA and a great IPA is balance of these flavors. I think this beer does that fantastically. The transition from hops to malts is pretty spot on here. This IPA was a real sleeper, and it caught me off guard. Cheers, Red Hare, I really enjoyed my first taste of your beer.

Ithaca Beer Company's Box of Hops

When I first saw Ithaca post about their Box of Hops variety pack, I was like, "I have to have that!" Unfortunately you can't get their beer here, and I was not planning a trip to NY for a long time. I was just about to give up when I remembered my mom was coming down for our baby shower! I made the calls, she picked up the loot, and BAM!, hoppy goodness was at my doorstep a week later. I waited for an appropriate occasion, the day I reenlisted in the Navy, to try the brews out. (Sidebar: English folk-punk singer Frank Turner was cool enough to do the honors. He's a cool dude, for sure. I got him a special brew from Beach Brewing as a thank you.) After the ceremony was complete, my friend TJ and I returned for some PS4 and hoppy action before the concert that evening.

I am going to be brief with the first beer of the box, Flower Power IPA, because I have already discussed it here. Revisiting this brew was a delight, however, and its citrus and floral hops are so well balanced. If you are in the North East, or trading with someone from there, get some of this! It is readily available in upstate NY year round, making it a great option.

The rest of the brews in this box were exclusively brewed for this box, and that's just a shame, because The Creeker (a DIPA) is phenomenal. It poured a hazy, light gold with a white head. The nose was a fine bouquet of piney hops. The forward flavors are a nice blend of citrus and piney hop flavors. Sweet citrus flavors follow these hoppy notes up. The bitterness of the hops makes a slight appearance among the citrus, but it is quite mild. This beer finishes so smooth, and I wish I could get a hold of this on a regular basis. This would be a go-to double IPA for me (Ah-hem, Ithaca).

Next up was the beer I was most excited for, but sadly, was least impressed with: Double Zilla. A double version of Ithaca's delicious red IPA Cascazilla, I thought this thing could only get better. It pours a dark, hazy red with an off white head. The odor of this one is full of sweet, fruity notes. Those sweet, fruity notes follow through in the flavors. The malts overwhelm the flavor, accompanied with a bitter, but not hoppy flavor. I really feel the hops were overpowered by all the malts, and that's a shame. The follow up is a fruity, tangy finish. Its not a bad beer by any means, but it was not what I was looking for. EDIT: Just read on IBC's site that this thing is 11% ABV! Explains the sweetness, and my significant buzz!

Last but not least is Dark Vine, a black IPA. Dark Vine pours jet black with a big, off white head. The odor reveals incredibly fresh piney hops. Those piney hops follow through on the flavors. The big hoppy flavors are tare accompanied by some roasted malts, but they are in the background on this one. The hops are the star here, which is what I hope for but don't always find with a black IPA.

I would like to close with a plea to Ithaca Beer Company. Please, please, PLEASE make these beers again! I don't get up to NY often, but when I do, I bring back six packs of Flower Power and Cascazilla. Would really like to add more to my shopping list, just  saying.

Great Divide's Yeti

Let's face it, Yeti is all over Instagram. It seems like everyone is drinking this stuff. I take that as a sign a beer is good. Unfortunately, we didn't get Great Divide beer in this area for a little while. I didn't look into the reasoning, but I heard that it was once here and it went away. Sadly, I shelved my dreams of trying this beer and tried to forget it for a while.When I had nearly forgotten about it, my friends at Grape and Gourmet announced it was back on Facebook, and I was stoked! 

Yeti is an imperial stout that pours as black as night with a thin, dark brown head. The nose reveals great coffee notes as well as some roasted malts. The taste quickly reveals this creature of lore isn't messing around! Sweet caramel notes lead to big roasted malts, finishing up with some serious bitterness and booze. What I found unusual is both the bitterness and the booze flavor eased as it warmed (I sipped this one pretty slowly). The after taste left behind is similar to that a good coffee would leave. I really enjoyed that this stout smoothly bridges the very different flavors that are typical from this style. Usually an imperial stout does one or two of these flavors and does them well. Yeti is much more complex, and it pulls it off. This is my first Great Divide beer, and I can't wait to try some more!

PS: The light lacing left a nice little heart on my glass! Twoo wuv!

Dogfish Head's Kvasir

Almost everyone in the craft beer world knows all about Dogfish Head. If you don't, allow me to lift the rock you've apparently been living under. Dogfish Head is a brewery in DE, and they are famous for pushing the boundaries when it comes to beer. They like to use unusual ingredients, and have a few beer/wine hybrids out there. They also have a series of Ancient Ales, in which they recreate beverages from eons past with the help of a bio-molecular archaeologist. How cool is that? Kvasir is the latest  of the Ancient Ales, premiering just last month, and modeled after material recovered from a 3500 year old Danish drinking vessel (more info here) I don't know if they categorize it as a hybrid beer, but I would, and I loved every sip of it.

Poured into a tulip glass, Kvasir pours a brownish-red with an just slightly off white head. Fruity and tangy nose, the cranberries really come through in the smell. The taste is where this thing gets a little tricky to place. The tangy, cranberry notes are rocking out forward, as I had both anticipated and hoped for. After that, I had a hard time placing the taste. The fruity flavors follow through with an almost cider flavor, also some red wine notes there. Like I said, its bizarre and hard to describe. Don't take that for a negative, however, because in this case bizarre is a great thing! Cranberry comes back in its bitter form to wrap up Kvasir with a dry finish. This is a great beer for any occasion you would pull out a nice red wine. I wish I had a second bottle for Thanksgiving; perhaps I will come across one. At any rate, if your not shy about trying new things (don't be), go grab a bottle of this if you can find it. It is fantastic, and once again shows what greatness can come from pushing the creativity boundaries. You rock, Dogfish Head. Keep up the good work!

A Southern Tier Halloween!

I think part of the fun of craft beer is the is a beer for everything. You can pair beer with food, music, your mood, weather, holidays, you name it. So when we finally got Warlock in the Virginia Beach area, I thought it only right to save it until Halloween. I already had a bottle of Pumking stashed for Halloween, so I thought I would enjoy them both as I heard they were similar. Now, I know I already discussed Pumking in my pumpkin blog back in September, but I want to kind of provide a side by side. Besides, you watch reruns of The Big Bang Theory all the time, and someone has to be still watching Seinfeld, so who are you to judge?

 Warlock pours a very dark brown (near black) with a tan head. I poured it into my mason jar mug because for some reason it just screams fall to me. Anyways, a sniff will reveal sweet pumpkin on the nose along with a little bit of spices. A taste reveals a big pumpkin pie flavor nicely balanced with some light spices. Light, roasted malts wrap it up. 

Pumking, which more of you have probably tasted, pours a clear orange with a white head. Similar to Warlock, the nose here smells like pumpkin pie in a glass. The taste follows the nose to a T, with sweet pumpkin forward, followed by some spice and a smooth, light finish. Pumking is a fan favorite, and with reason.

Now the million dollar question: Which one is better? That's a tough one. It is one of those situations where you really don't want to choose. If cruelly forced to choose between the two, however, I would have to lean toward Warlock. Warlock is practically Pumking in stout form, and the stout characteristics really play well with the sweet pumpkin base. Pumking is light though, and more suited for the warmer fall days than Warlock. If you can't decide, do what I did with the remains of each bottle, and mix them. Its a Halloween party in your mouth.

Southern Tier's Choklat

Before we begin, I am excited to say that this posting will probably bring me up to 1000 page views! Woohoo! Haha sure, some of them are generated from spam visits, but at least there are a few of ya out there reading, and that's cool by me! After all, it isn't exactly hard work. I drink beer, them spiel about it for a minute. Easy enough, and I've earned a whopping $.65 doing it! Haha okay okay, onto the beer.

Southern Tier is a company that I have come to expect greatness from. So when I picked up their big, chocolate stout Choklat, I had high hopes, and I was not disappointed. Choklat pours dark and thick with a quick fading dark brown head. The nose smells like a chocolate bar with a little bit of the booze sneaking through (10% ABV on this beast). Surprisingly, however, very little of that alcohol comes through in the taste. Dark chocolate flavors are forward with some caramel and mocha to wrap it up. There is a slight bite from the booze at the end, but not bad at all. This beer is heavy but smooth. I split the bottle with some neighbors, and I wouldn't recommend conquering this whole thing on your own because of its high alcohol and richness. All in all, this beer is dessert in my eyes. Enjoy!

Bell's Stout Double Feature

Ok guys, let me start by apologizing. It has been way too long since I have last posted. And I know what you've been thinking: I have to get the bills paid, take the kids to soccer practice, I hate my job, etc. In truth, you probably haven't concerned yourself with my lack of posts. But if for some reason you have, it may have crossed your mind that I probably haven't stopped trying new beers just because I stopped posting. And right you are! So today you will receive an onslaught of posts! First up, Bell's Java Stout!

This offering from Bell's Brewery pours thick and dark as they come with a thin, mocha head. The nose is all up in your face with the coffee beans accompanied by some roasty, toasty malts. Needless to say, the big coffee nose got me excited, because coffee stouts are just great, especially when they really showcase the coffee flavors rather than just hint at them. But enough sniffing, its time to get to the goods! Taking a sip of this is... wow! Intense! I'd describe this one using 3 B's: Big. Bold. Bitter. This stuff tastes like a strong, dark roast coffee. Hard to search for much else here, because the coffee is what it is all about, but the malts are still there when your looking for them. I think this beer is great, but it isn't going to appeal to everyone. If you aren't big into coffee but want to try a coffee stout, don't start here. Ease yourself in with something more mild, because Bell's goes all out with this one.

Now, if coffee is just not your bag (baby!), you can grab Bell's Cherry Stout instead! Another dark, almost black brew, this beer's mocha head was present only briefly. Could be my pours, could be the beer, who knows? Anyways, the smell of this beer is heavenly! Chocolate covered cherries overwhelm the nose on this one, complemented by some barely there coffee notes. I really like when you can tell just by the smell of a beer that you've got something special. This one does not disappoint. A quick sip and BAM! tart cherries are all up in your mouth! This transitions into a smooth chocolate flavor, followed by an almost sour finish. This one really hits the flavor spectrum hard, and I may even claim it has one of the more complex flavor profiles I've tasted. Now, I read up and some people say the flavors mild out with a little age. Mine was just about as fresh as they come (Bottled about a week and a half before). I personally would chase these freshies like an IPA for the flavor I got, but some people might prefer the more mild option. Regardless, this one is something special, and I went back and got a six pack to share with friends and family.

Young Veterans Brewing Company's Big Red Rye

Okay, so in case you haven't noticed, these guys are kind of my home town heroes. Sure, there are quite a few breweries in this area, but I have followed these guys since I first heard about them when I got home from my deployment. I was at the grand opening, and I've been hooked on their brews ever since. Okay, and admittedly the fact that they were just a couple of military guys who liked to homebrew (like me) and now have accomplished so much has a bit of pull for me too. But when it comes down to it, they brew great beer, and hopefully their success will continue so someday the rest of the country can try their brews!

Big Red Rye is a Rye IPA and before anyone says anything, yes, I poured it into a wheat beer glass. Haha I don't care, it is the only glass I had big enough to hold the whole bottle, and I wanted it all! It pours a hazy, reddish-brown with an off white head. A quick sniff reveals some light hops on the nose as well as a little hint of the rye. The taste follows the nose to the T, light citrus hops lead off followed up with tangy rye aftertaste. It has some fruity notes to it that I am beginning to assume come from the rye as well (For those who don't read regularly, I am new to the Rye IPA category, and I am always trying to figure out where certain flavors come from). All in all, this beer is incredibly smooth and balanced, as I have come to expect from YVBC. Keep up the good work guys, every beer thus far has been a winner in my book!

PS Only one I haven't had is New Recruit. Anyone else try it yet? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

Rogue Farms Pumpkin Patch Ale

I found out the other day that we weren't getting any Warlock in this area. I was pretty bummed, obviously. I have been looking for that bottle of goodness since I first heard of it. But, unless someone decides to mail me some or my parents happen by some, its just not happening this year. So I got this news in Grape and Gourmet and with pumpkin on the mind, I knew I had to satisfy my craving. So I checked out the seasonal brews they had up front, and decided to grab Rogue's Pumpkin Patch.

I decided to enjoy this beer while carving one of the three pumpkins that I purchased (1 for me, one for my wife, and a tiny one for the baby on the way!). It was a cool, fall day; leaves were falling and it just screamed pumpkin beer day. Poured into a tulip glass, Pumpkin Patch is a translucent brown with a thick off white head. The nose only reveals a nice, light pumpkin odor. Now, if you take a moment to read the bottle you will see that Rogue prides themselves on how quickly they get the pumpkins from the field to the beer. Take a sip, and you will see they have every right to be proud. Fresh pumpkin taste is forward in this brew followed by some semi sweet malts. The true greatness of this beer is that it really showcases the pumpkin. A lot of pumpkin beers are heavy on the spice, and taste more like pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong, I love some of those beers too, but this is something special. Because it doesn't rely on heavy spicing, it is actually a very fresh and light beer, and it is incredibly refreshing. This ranks up with my favorite pumpkin beers, and if anyone has had any similar styled pumpkin brews, please let me know in the comments. Cheers Rogue, that was a fantastic offering. Oh, and this is the baby pumpkin!

Sierra Nevada's Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale and Laughing Dog's Sneaky Pete

Hey folks! It sure has been a while, hasn't it? I am a little behind on my blogging; sorry about that! I'm afraid I've been a little busy with school work and such, so it is what it is. Anyways, last weekend my friend and neighbor retired after 24 years in the Navy (Daaaaang, right?) and we celebrated down at the beach. I brought two IPA's, Laughing Dog's Sneaky Pete and Sierra Nevada's Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale. Let's start with Sneaky Pete.

Sneaky Pete poured a dark, hazy gold with a yellow-white head. A whiff of this big beer reveals huge, sweet malts on the nose. I took a moment to recheck the bottle for ABV, and saw the expected big 10% that the malty nose suggested. Take it slow with this one folks! Very sweet malts follow through on the taste with just a little bitter tinge. Citrus hops follow, and then a bit of a bite from the alcohol wrapped it up. I always expect that bite out of most beers over 9%, but Sneaky Pete masks it fairly well. All in all, this beer is a great, big IPA that should be savored and sipped.

Next up was the Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale. Pouring a clear gold with a one finger off white head, this IPA has fresh, grassy hops on the nose. Its also worth noting that this beer left lots of nice, delicate lacing. Some people don't care about that but hey, I enjoy it. The taste reveals nice, piney hops followed up with by just little bit of sweet malts. This is a very smooth, balanced beer, and it is not very bitter. It is too bad this doesn't come in 12 ounce bottles, it would make a great beer in six packs! It isn't real light on the alcohol (6.7%ABV), but it is still very drinkable. In closing, I have a bottle of the Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale too, and I will be enjoying that soon, so stay tuned for that review! Cheers!

Founder's Breakfast Stout

Beer blogging is a hobby for me. I have the Navy and college that take priority (or are supposed to, anyways). Because of that, sometimes I post a blog a few days after I enjoy a beer. This one, however, is pushing a week, and I feel a bit bad about that because this is one of the best beers I have tried in a long time. I had heard about Founder's incredible stouts, but I had yet to try any of them. So when Grape and Gourmet posted that they got some Breakfast Stout in stock, I seized the day!

Poured into my porter/stout glass, Breakfast Stout is as dark black as they come with a mocha head that quickly faded to a small cap. Big coffee nose on this one, not much else makes it through. Now, for the taste. Let me start by saying this. If you gave this to me blindly and offered it to me as a chilled coffee, I would probably not question you. Someone who doesn't drink beer but likes good coffee would definitely not question you, other than perhaps to ask why you chilled this coffee. If I haven't made myself clear, this beer tastes like a high quality, dark roast coffee with a hint of mocha in the follow up. It is unbelievably delicious. I see why they call this a breakfast stout, because if it weren't for social taboos and the risk of being called an alcoholic, I could have this with my eggs and pancakes. Who knows, perhaps I'll stash one away and do just that on my birthday. After all, nobody judges you for drinking at the crack of dawn on your birthday, St Patrick's Day, or apparently at sporting events. Anyone who knows me that in my case, my birthday will be my first opportunity. In closing, I think this is my new favorite stout. You should go get some! Now! Hurry before its gone! Ha ha, and enjoy! Cheers!

Epic's Brainless on Cherries!

I know it is not at all helpful now, but do any of you know what last Friday was? If your answer was anything other than the first National Barrel Aged Beer Day, then your not necessarily wrong... Just less right than the rest of us and potentially way off topic. Anyways, I found this out haphazardly while browsing Instagram (Follow me at @Brewsatthebeach!) and figured that I should celebrate like any beer loving American would! So I dug deep into my stash, and carefully selected a something I had never had before: Epic's Brainless on Cherries.

Content on this brew seems to vary by batch, so just for comparison purposes I will share that my bottle was from batch #19 (which is not yet up on Epic's website but boasts a big 11% ABV!). Now that the technical stuff is out of the way, lets get down to the nitty gritty. Brainless on Cherries is a Belgian style ale brewed with cherries and aged in French Oak Barrels. What is the difference between French Oak barrels and American Oak barrels? Beats me, but I'm sure its relevant to someone. Poured into a tulip glass, this big brew poured a clear ruby red and had a matching head that dissolved almost instantly. The nose is heavy with tart cherries and Belgian yeasts. Cherries start our palette off, followed my that delicious banana flavor I love so much about Belgians.There is a small booze bite at the end, but considering this is a monstrous 11% beer, its pretty minimal. I have had more bite out of beers that were less than 8%. So be careful, its stronger than it tastes! After swallowing a dry tartness is left behind, reminding me of a good, dry wine. These wine characteristics seem to strengthen as the beer warms, and I love it! All in all, this is a great slow sipper to share with a friend, and I will probably add another bottle to my stash soon! Cheers!

Russian River's Blind Pig and Lazy Magnolia's Timber Beast

Before we get started on yet another "catch up" posting, let me tell you about how great of a beer day I am having. First, I get a text from a friend saying Young Veteran Brewing Company is selling extremely limited bottles of their Jet Noise Double IPA and their Big Red Rye! They are a very new brewery and have to hand bottle everything, and this is only the second time they've released bottles. So I dashed over and got one of each! While I was waiting in line for the Jet noise, my favorite craft beer store, Grape and Gourmet, posts on Facebook that Founders Breakfast Stout is in! So that was my next stop, and I got a four pack of that too! So yeah, I'm in a great mood! Now, on to the beer!

First up is Russian River's Blind Pig IPA. I had big hopes since these are the same guys that brought us Pliny the Elder, and I was not disappointed. Blind Pig pours a clear gold with a white head. Fresh, citrus hops are the bulk of the nose. The taste has light, smooth citrus flavors throughout. It has some really great grapefruit notes without being too bitter. The real joy in this is the same as I found in Pliny: balance. This beer is so incredibly fresh and smooth, I think this should be just as actively sought out as Pliny. Sure, I liked Pliny more, but just a little more. What a great brew!

Next up was Lazy Magnolia's Timber Beast Rye IPA. Timber Beast pours a hazy gold with a thick off white head. Sweet malts and bread odors on the nose, I realized with a whiff I didn't really know what to expect from this brew. The bread notes from the Rye were really unfamiliar to me. These unfamiliar notes followed through in the taste. There was an herbal/ citrus hop blend on the forefront. The bready flavors follow it up along with a little bite from the alcohol (9% ABV). I suppose I have not had enough Rye IPAs yet to be accustomed to their unique flavor notes, but I enjoy them! I am always down for something new, and I got that with Timber Beast.

Well that's all folks, your caught up on my latest craft beer ventures. Now, I am going to cook up some dinner and crack open that Jet Noise. Sure, I'd like to save it, but its just too good to not drink fresh!

Green Pine's Ghost Face Killah

Terrifying that at the time of this post I have 666 page views. That's because this brew is straight from hell! Enjoy this silly, first time video blog!

Ok, so I have a little catching up to do...

I did a lot of posting over the weekend. I was on vacation, after all, and did enjoy a few different beers. That being said, I have missed a couple in the last few days, and I don't want my loyal readers/mom/random spam bot sites to miss a thing! So here you go folks, a few more brews for you to read about, make an informed decision about, and then seek out!

First up to bat: Ithaca's Apricot Wheat! I had a stash of Ithaca beers from my trip up to NY, and had yet to try them all. Apricot Wheat was just what I was looking for the other day; something light, low in alcohol, and refreshing. Also I wanted to test out the crazy fancy glassware my neighbors purchased for me. Killed two birds with one stone (No animals were harmed in the creation of this blog). Poured into my (see photo) glass, this beer is a hazy (surprise) apricot color with no head to speak of. Could be normal, could be a bad pour. Who knows. Anyways, the nose is very fruity, smelling strongly of citrus and apricots. The apricots are just as strong and forward in the flavor, with some sweet wheat flavors to round it our. All in all a good brew, but I think I would have preferred this earlier in the year, and it is too sweet for me personally to have more than one.

Now that that parenthesis-filled paragraph is over...


Next up is my first experience with Hoppin' Frog Brewery. A brew with a heck of a name, Hop Master’s Abbey Belgian-style Double IPA was certainly a good ambassador for the company. Pouring a clear gold in my IPA glass, this IPA has a thick, pillowy off-white head that leaves great lacing behind. A sniff reveals sweet, candy malts. As expected, those sweet malts were very forward, followed up with some light, bitter hops. I am not sure if it is a character of the Belgian IPAs as I have only had a couple, or if I purchased an older bottle, but the hops seem a bit receded here; not in a bad way. The balance is great and the result is an incredibly smooth drinking beer that I wish were available in 12 ounce six packs. Wish away, right?

Last is a beer that I have had before, but not since the birth of this wonderfully strange blog: Dogfish Head's 61 Minute IPA. By now, most people have tried or at least heard about Dogfish Head's 60, 75, 90, 120 Minute IPAs, but the 61 Minute is new this year, and it stands out from the pack. It is their 60 minute IPA with the addition of grapes, and the result of this combination is fantastic. Poured into my IPA glass (which I purchased from the Dogfish Head brewery, FYI), the 61 Minute pours a nice, ruby red with a just slightly off-white head. Sweet grapes hit the nose and remind me of a glass of good, sweet wine. The taste is where the magic truly lies, though. The sweet grapes take the lead on this wine/beer hybrid, followed by a smooth transition into nice, light hop flavors. None of the flavors are overpowering. The balance is as perfect as can be expected from such a strange beer. I expected either big bitterness or cloying sweetness, and I was happy to find neither. This is an incredibly refreshing brew, a fantastic hybrid, and I cannot praise Dogfish enough for a job well done!

Well there you have it folks; you're all caught up. One more thing though. Dogfish Head does have two new brews coming out next month! American Beauty, the Grateful Dead beer project, and Kvasir, their latest ancient ale, will both be available soon in 750mL bottles. Sound like a DFH double-feature is in the near future? You bet! Cheers!

Russian River's Pliny the Elder

There are some beers with so much hype behind them it makes me skeptical. I am one of those guys who watched Donnie Darko after the hype and because of that it just didn't meet my expectations. Sure, it was interesting, but it didn't live up to my pumped up expectations. So when I completed my first beer trade for some Pliny the Elder, I was afraid I would feel similarly let down. Not even close.

Pliny pours a very light gold for the style, but it was clear with a two finger white head. I insisted on putting this legendary IPA in my IPA glass. I knew I had something special just by smelling this beer. Fresh citrus and pine notes hit the nose and foreshadow the taste to come. The taste encompasses all that I want from a hoppy, double IPA. Nice, light malts hit the tongue first. The taste smoothly flows into citrus hops and follow through with a nice, light bitter tinge. The light lacing wraps this beautiful brew up until the end. I can tell Russian River really took their time to take all the things we love about double IPAs and perfected them. I have had beers that have wowed me before, but this one is just exactly what I never knew I was craving. Unfortunately not readily available on the East Coast, I will share my second bottle with a friend, and keep my eyes out for another opportunity to get some more. This is a statement I do not take lightly: This is my favorite IPA thus far; perhaps my favorite beer all together... 

Cerveza de Los Muertos Immortal Beloved Hefeweizen

Ok, this blog is a bit hard for me to type right now. Why you ask? Because I have my very first Pliny the Elder chilling in the fridge right now and I am super stoked. But I had this over the weekend and I need to share, right? Right...

I snatched this one up because it is a Mexican import craft beer and that alone seemed very interesting. Most of the brews I got in SC were IPAs, so I snatched up this Hefeweizen to mix it up. I popped the top and was instantly concerned. Twist off, it seems. Now, I'm not saying good beer cannot come in a twist cap bottle, but in my experience it tends to be less than impressive. This one, though nothing out of the ordinary, certainly was not disappointing. Poured into a plain old pint glass, this beer is a hazy gold with a white head that diminished almost immediately. Light banana and wheat notes on the nose. The taste follows the nose as expected, with a little bit of light citrus flavor added to the bananas and sweet wheat notes. This is a nice, light beer that I could see being a solid session beer, and though a bit sweet, it is a solid Hefeweizen. I enjoyed it enough to be interested in trying their other beers when I get the chance. Guess I need to learn not to judge a beer by its twist cap.

Thomas Creek's Up the Creek "Extreme IPA"

I am currently on a mini vacation down in South Carolina, so I naturally checked out the beer store to see if there were some southern brews that I had never seen before. Among others, I picked up a four pack of Thomas Creek's Up the Creek. It boasted of being an extreme IPA, and at 12.5% ABV, I sure believed it. And with a catch phrase of "Sink the status quo" I was pretty sure this was a brew for me. I was right, but it was not at all what I expected.

Poured into your every day pint glass, Up the Creek pours a dark burgundy with a thin beige head. One whiff of this reveals intense, sweet malts on the nose. Taste follows the nose in a big way! The malts are the core of this brew, with some nice fruity notes throughout. Pretty significant booze taste in there too, but not overwhelming and certainly not as much as it could be for its content. Here is my dilemma. Where are my hops? Hidden within all that malty goodness there are hints of piney hops, but not what you would expect from an extreme IPA, or even a less than extreme IPA. In their attempt to sink the status quo with their IPA, I think Thomas Creek accidentally made a really great Barleywine instead. Not a bad thing by any means, just not what I was expecting. BUT, it is their beer, so I will let them make the call on what category it belongs in. Try this IPA if it is available around you. If not, maybe ask for it in a trade. It is worth a taste for sure. Now, since this IPA breaks all the IPA rules, I am going to break one as well, and stash one or two of these away to see how they age. My guess: As gracefully as Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot.

Green Flash's Green Bullet and Heavy Seas' Loose Cannon

Here I am once again getting into the habit of posting a couple days late. Not sure that there is a real issue with that, but if anyone has any qualms with that feel free to say so in the comments below. Anyways, the other day I decided I wanted something with some serious punch to it in the hop department. By now it is very clear that I am an IPA man, so these hop cravings are nothing new. So I decided on two brews: Green Flash's Green Bullet and Heavy Seas' Loose Cannon (Disclaimor, I am not certain I am using that apostrophe correctly. Any grammar Nazis are free to correct me in the comments below...).

First up was Green Flash's Triple IPA, Green Bullet. Poured into my IPA glass, this brew is a clear gold with a big off white head. Now, some people take the time to smell their beer and appreciate the odors prior to tasting. Others don't think its worth bothering. It doesn't matter which of the two you are in this case, because the big floral and citrus hops are on the your nose as soon as you pour it! Tasting this brew will reveal a quick tingle of sweet malts before huge, bitter hops kick you square in the teeth. There is a slight hint of grapefruit here and a notable booze kick at the end. As your taste buds adjust, later sips will reveal a little more of the sweet malt character at the front. Take the time to enjoy Green Bullet, because at 10.1% ABV, it could catch up to you real quick!

Later in the evening, once I had allowed my taste buds some time to recover, I cracked open a Loose Cannon from Heavy Seas. Pouring a dark, clear gold with a white head, Loose Cannon had some sweet malts on the nose along with a hint of floral hops. Though quite appealing, the nose revealed I certainly wouldn't be up against the intensity that I was with Green Bullet. Sweet malts are on the forefront, followed by a nice combination of citrus and piney hops. The balance here is great, and if you are not into extreme bitterness, this is a good IPA for you. All in all, a very refreshing beer, and would make a good choice if you are searching to enjoy more than one in an evening.

Old Dominion/ DuClaw Double Feature!

First and foremost... It's the weekend! Kick back folks! Crack your favorite craft brew and relax. You've earned it! Tonight I had a hankering for some darker brews, so I snatched a couple of brews I purchased on a recent beer run out of the closet in hopes of being satisfied.

First up was Old Dominion's Morning Glory Espresso Stout. This was my second Old Dominion brew this week, and I was just hoping it held up to the quality of Double D. In my humble opinion, this was even better! With a one finger, chocolate head that faded pretty quickly, this brew is as black as they come. Take a moment to waft this brew before you take your first sip. The roasted malt and coffee nose are just great. The taste follows the nose, with even more coffee flavor than expected. I shared a sip with a person who is not a fan of dark beers, and he enjoyed this one just because it tastes so much like a well brewed coffee. The flavor is so balanced I assumed the alcohol content must be on the lower end. Dead wrong, it is 9%ABV and you would never know if it weren't for the label. In conclusion, if you don't like coffee, pass on this, because that is the bulk of the flavor. For me, however, this is one of my new favorite stouts, and I intend to make it a go-to beer in the future. You've won me over, Old Dominion. Consider me a loyal customer.

There was a pattern in tonight's brews: I had DuClaw's Serum, a double IPA, recently and tonight I enjoyed a dark porter of theirs: Sweet Baby Jesus. This brew had caught my eye because it was a chocolate peanut butter porter. I love peanut butter so much and firmly believe it should be incorporated whenever possible. I was on the fence until I posted my Serum blog on Twitter and DuClaw responded to it. They chatted back and forth for a couple messages and then suggested Sweet Baby Jesus. Any brewery that cares enough about their products to take the time to respond to my posts (several have) shows me they really care about what their customers think of their brews. That's a big deal to me, so I took their advice. But enough of that, onto the beer! Sweet Baby Jesus pours solid black with a thin tan head. One sniff of this makes me start to believe I am about to drink a blended Reese cup, which I am totally down for! Not as intensely sweet as expected, you get a solid chocolate malt base in this porter followed by a smooth peanut butter finish. If I were to express a gripe with this brew, it would be only that it gets pretty rich about half way through the glass. All in all, its a great beer worth trying and to share with friends. I wouldn't recommend bringing a six pack to a party with the intention of drinking them all yourself, but bring them to share and your friends will love you. Cheers!