A Day of BrewDog!

I'll spare you the "I'm getting caught up" spiel. I have a new baby, I'm falling behind on the blog, it is what it is. Today we venture back to a day before the little guy made his appearance. THE day before, in fact. We knew the day was coming soon, so in true craft beer enthusiast fashion I set up a brew day to brew an IPA and taste a bunch of great beer. Our area had just received a ton of BrewDog beers, so we decided it was an appropriate day to try them all. Now, before you all declare how irresponsible drinking when your baby could be here any minute is, we split each beer throughout the day. Despite the high alcohol content in some of these brews, I was careful to not get a buzz. The things we do for our kids, huh?

First up: 5AM Saint, a red ale that weighs in at 5% ABV. We went from lightest to heaviest in this tasting. 5AM Saint pours a hazy red-brown with an off white head. There is minimal nose here, just a hint of sweet malts. The flavors a fruity and sweet toffee flavors. I did not detect as much hop presence as some people had suggested there would be. It finishes malty and just a little bitter. A solid brew, just not what I was expecting.

Next up comes Punk IPA, a 5.6% ABV IPA that I have been wanting to try for quite some time. Punk pours a opaque light yellow with a bright white head. The nose is light with citrus notes and just a hint of pineapple coming through. The flavors are incredible light. There is a flavor there that I cannot quite place, but it is almost a mango flavor among the light citrus hop flavors. The finish is just slightly bitter but not at all overwhelming. If this beer was just a little cheap stateside I could see it being incredibly sessionable. 

The next beer, Libertine Black Ale (7.2%ABV), was described to me as a black IPA, and I suppose since that category seems to be quite vague it could be called that. Libertine pours jet black with a fluffy tan head. The nose is light, and consists mostly of roasted malts. Those malts follow through in the flavor, along with some really nice coffee notes. It finishes with some piney, bitter hops that really balance the whole thing out. I guess I'm not sure where the line between a black IPA and a hoppy stout lies, but I like this beer a lot regardless. I think I will stick to calling it a black ale as BrewDog did, that way I can't be wrong.

A beer that there is no doubt which style it belongs to is Hardcore IPA, an imperial IPA that weighs in at 9.2%. Pouring this brew reveals a dark orange nectar with an off white head. The nose on this thing is amazing! Lots of floral hops fill the air as you pour. A taste reveals some nice citrus flavors and sweet malts at the start, followed by some big-time bitterness! This is certainly not an IPA to introduce the style to your friends, as it is almost shameless with its teeth kicking hoppiness. I for one, am a fan of that.

From this point we sink into the really pricey heavy hitters. First up was one that made my wallet cry a little: Cocoa Psycho, a 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout that will run you about $12 if you want to try it stateside. Since I was splitting these, I figured I'd bite the bullet and let TJ grab the next expensive one. The pour is thick and oily black with a really dark brown head that barely exists. The nose is loaded with big coffee and booze aromas. The flavors start out with big, bitter coffee followed by vanilla and a significant booze tinge. It finishes silky smooth with some really nice, subtle chocolate notes on the end. There is a lot going on here, and I think if it is something you can afford you should give it a try. 

TJ's chance to buy the next expensive bottle came quickly, as the final brew of the day was Tokio*, an 18.2% ABV monster of an imperial stout that also runs around $12 for a bottle. Quick side note, I was told BrewDog had to change this beer's name from Tokyo* to Tokio* for the US market because it is made in Scotland, not Tokyo, and that may cause confusion... I don't know how true that is, but considering the bottles say "Product of Scotland" that really makes me feel like an idiot American... Anyways, to the beer! Tokio* is another thick black brew with a thin tan head. The nose is quite interesting, consisting of cranberries, sweet malts, and no lack of booze. The flavors start out with a quick hint of fruity berries that are quickly overwhelmed by lots of sweet malts. There is a huge booze presence that follows, but to be honest not one that matches the ABV. Some people really don't like that in a beer, but I think if done right it is a great addition to the flavor. In that sense, BrewDog nailed it. Tokio* is a little sweet, a little funky, but all good in my book. I think a little age will do wonders for this beer, and I have one stashed in my cellar to find out!

 In closing, my first experience with BrewDog beers was a pretty intense ride. Oh, and for those who are curious, we brewed a Clementine IPA called "Oh My Darling." We had some efficiency issues since it was my first all grain brew, so the ABV is turning out lower than expected, but I still expect it to be tasty. I bottle it in a few days, so I will keep you posted! Cheers!

Terrapin Moohoo and White Chocolate Moohoo

Wow it has been a bit since I have consistently posted! That could be due to the fact that my son made his arrival this weekend! It has been a crazy ride but exciting so far. I am hanging out alone with him downstairs trying to let mommy get some rest, so I figure great time to do some blogging right? Terrapin took a couple of their great beers this year and did some smaller batch versions with a twist. I unfortunately did not get a hold of the Cinnamon Roll'd Wake N Bake, but I did get White Chocolate Moohoo. I enjoyed both the white chocolate and the regular on the same night in order to compare them with a fresh palate. 

First up was Moohoo, Terrapin's chocolate milk stout. Moohoo pours a incredibly dark brown with a mocha head. Light, sweet malt and mocha are gentle on the nose. When I first sipped it I was surprised that there seemed to be a lot of coffee flavor here. The delicious chocolate flavor follows it up, all the while remaining quite light. It finished just slightly bitter, but still smooth and light. The thing I appreciated about this brew was that the chocolate flavors were real chocolate notes, as opposed to subtle ones we perceive from the grains. My only gripe was I wished the chocolate was more in my face, but it was still a very tasty beer.

As if to answer my hopes and dreams of chocolaty goodness, next up was the White Chocolate Moohoo variant. WC Moohoo pours the same dark brown as the original with a mocha head that quickly faded. The nose is an abundance of sweet chocolate with just a little bit of mocha sneaking in. One sip, and I'm in love. Serious chocolate flavor hits the tongue. Once you get over the initial wave of chocolate induced delight, you can notice that you are getting a combination of both delicious milk chocolate and creamy, vanilla white chocolate notes. That hint of mocha from the nose sneaks in at the end, but not nearly as prominent
as the original Moohoo. For me, it was no contest, and I hope to see White Chocolate Moohoo on our shelves again.  

Heady Topper. Enough Said

Let's face it folks, we live in an awesome time for beer. There are so many amazing beers out there, it is mind blowing that people still settle for carbonated yellow malt water. That being said, there are a few beers out there that are on every beer lover's bucket list. One of those brews is Heady Topper, a double IPA from the Alchemist. The Alchemist is a brewery in Vermont that have dedicated themselves to brewing one beer and brewing it exceptionally well. This dedication puts this brew as the highest rated beer by BeerAdvocate users, and in the top 25 for RateBeer. And that's a beer that they only distribute locally in Vermont. That's Impressive So when a gentleman who followed me on Instagram and who I  met briefly once before in the Navy Exchange contacted me to meet and handed me one of these gems, I was beyond stoked. That's craft beer generosity at its finest, and I owe him big time. Not wanting to be greedy after receiving such generosity, I contacted my buddy TJ and we split it that night.

This beer comes with explicit directions to drink it from the can. Note that I poured half into a glass in order to share it, but I drank my portion from the can. Therefore your experience may be different if you decide to be a rebel and pour it anyways. When you do pour it you will find it to be a semi hazy light gold with a nice white head. As soon as you crack this can you are overcome with an incredible aroma of citrus hops. Seriously one of the best smelling beers ever. Those tasty citrus hops are at the forefront when it comes to flavor. Delicious grapefruit and tangerine notes are followed by a hint of sweet malts. Heady Topper finishes smooth but bitter. I've said it hundreds of times and I don't see any harm in driving it home: Balance is the key to great beer. This isn't a big hop bomb. It isn't some gimmicky beer that offers some strange ingredient to make it different. In fact ever flavor in this beer can be found in countless other IPAs. The key is how they balanced those flavors out to near perfection. Is it the best beer in the world? I don't know, I have other IPAs that rival it, but this beer deserves every bit of praise it gets.

Have I mentioned I dig IPAs?

I am still playing a bit of catch up with the blog. I find it difficult to keep up when I keep getting to try a ton of great beers! Still, I'm doing my best. This particular bunch were from a tasting we did on New Years. They were all big IPAs so we had to span them out in order to assure that our taste buds survived the evening.

First up is Bitter Valentine (9%ABV) from Williamsburg Alewerks. This local DIPA pours a crystal clear dark gold with an eggshell head. The nose is assaulted with grassy hops as soon as the bottle is cracked. Once poured, some nice citrus notes sneak through on this big nose as well. Those citrus notes lead off in the flavors along with some sweet malts. Some piney bitterness follows, and it then finishes smoothly with some grapefruit. The flavor profile here was outstanding. This is a double IPA worth looking for. I purchased it on recommendation from Kevin at Grape & Gourmet. He hasn't let me down yet!

Next up was one I had meant to try for a long time: Lagunitas Hop Stoopid (8%ABV). Quick note for the local folks, if you have access to the Navy exchange, these bottles are about a dollar cheaper there. If not, it is worth the price out in town. Hop Stoopid pours clear gold with a just barely off white head. The nose consists mostly of sweet malts with some sticky smelling hops in there as well. First thing you notice about this beer is how easy it is to drink considering it is supposed to rank in at 102 IBUs. All that hoppy bitterness is balanced perfectly with citrus and malt flavors. Surprisingly I did not find it bitter at all. I think it was just a superb example of balance, delivering both citrus hop flavors and delicious sweet malts evenly throughout the entire flavor profile. I was thoroughly impressed, especially considering this was the cheapest beer of this line up. Bravo, Lagunitas!

After giving out palate a quick breather, we cracked open Racer X (8.3% ABV) from Bear Republic. Racer X poured a dark, semi clear gold with a typical off white head. The nose is dominated by really sweet malts, with just a little bit of pine hops sneaking through. Those big malts follow through in the flavor, taking over most of the flavor profile. Some light citrus notes briefly appear before a pretty bitter finish. When dealing with big IPAs, some tend to lead with the malts, some with the hops, but almost all are extreme. Racer X clearly leads in the malt department, and is definitely a solid offering.

Last up was West Coast IPA (7.3% ABV) from Green Flash Brewing. Let me start my saying that I may have received an older bottle, as I did not experience the intense hoppiness I expected from this beer. Or it could be that the only other two beers I've had from Green Flash are Green Bullet and Palate Wrecker, so I was expecting to have my mouth destroyed by hops. Either way, it is a solid beer, so try it for yourself before basing an opinion off of my experience. West Coast IPA poured a hazy gold with a thick, off white head. The nose was full of light pine hops but nothing overwhelming. My first sip revealed some interesting, fruity malt flavors at the forefront. These flavors were followed up with some piney hops, though not overly bitter. Like I said before, this beer was much more mellow than I expected. Not in a bad way, just surprising.

Goose Island's Bourbon County Brand Stout

There a quite a few beers with some serious notoriety in the craft beer world, and Goose Island's BCBS is one of the biggest. I managed to snatch this up for the first time this year at the Navy Exchange long after other stores had sold their stock. I was excited because I was pretty bummed about missing the release. I cracked one open that very evening to see what all the hype was about.

Bourbon County Brand Stout pours dark as night with a dark mocha head that didn't stick around. The nose on this is big and boozy, with lots of bourbon and a slight hint of chocolate trying (and failing) to fight through. With that nose, I expected a complete booze bomb. I couldn't have been more wrong. Though not usually incredibly important to me, the first thing I noticed when I took my first sip was the mouth feel. This stuff is smooth, silky goodness, and is just an absolute joy to drink before the flavor even hits you. Forward flavors consist of some roasted malts and just a hint of chocolate. Big, and I do me BIG, bourbon flavor follows up, with a bite of alcohol that does not at all fit the ABV (14.9%!). I find that when drinking these bigger, boozier beers, a mark of a good brew is how enjoyable it remains while slow sipping over an hour or more. I drank this one through the entirety of Olympus Has Fallen (A movie that couldn't have more holes in its plot if Shia LaBeouf was digging them) and I enjoyed the last sip as much as the first. Just a great offering from Goose Island, and I absolutely cannot wait to try the three variants I got (Proprietors, Barley Wine, and Coffee).

Sam Adams Stony Brook Red

Sam Adams is the biggest craft beer company in the US. Even people who aren't into beer know about their beer. They have found a formula they can produce on a mass scale that has lots of appeal without sacrificing quality. Though I personally don't care for their flagship Boston Lager (because I don't like lagers in general), they have some really great brews. I really respect that even though they could easily just ride the profits of their big releases, they still venture out and create some smaller batch stuff. Stony Brook Red is part of their Barrel Room Collection, and it is brews like this that show the brewers at Sam Adams still have a passion for brewing and pushing the envelope of beer and style.

Stony Brook Red pours a brownish red with an off white head. The nose is quite sour, with some tart cherry/ cranberry notes and definite hints of champagne. Already I was a bit taken aback. I will admit I was not sure what to expect with this one when I bough it, but I kind of expected something along the lines of a Belgian or maybe a strong red ale. This nose suggested I was going to get a little something more than that. The flavor starts very tart. It has some great light cherry flavors that come through tart but not sweet. The finish is a perplexing combination of malty goodness and strong, dry champagne flavor. I will admit the first few sips through me through such a loop that it took me getting through about a third of my glass before I realized how much I really like this beer. I will keep my eyes peeled for it again for sure. I am also excited to delve into the rest of the Barrel Room Collection and see what else SA has in store for me. Cheers!

Dogfish Head's American Beauty

Dogfish Head does some cool stuff. They brew unusual beers, extreme beers, and even ancient ales. One of the other cool things they do is make beer inspired by music (all of which have been delicious, though I have not had Faithfull Ale so don't let me speak for that one yet). The latest of these gems is American Beauty, a beer tribute to the Grateful Dead. DFH reached out to the community to see which special ingredient would be used that reminded people of the Dead and their shows. After sifting through what I assume was mostly a stack of suggestions of illicit drugs, they decided on granola. Weird suggestion, but it worked.

American Beauty is an Imperial pale ale (not to be confused for an IPA) and pours a crystal clear with an eggshell head. The nose is pretty bizarre; it smells of semi sweet malts and a bowl of cereal. Forward flavors are very fruity as well some fresh pine and citrus hops. I can see where some people are mistaking this for an IPA as the hops are very present. It transitions into a nice, biscuit and malt finish. The flavors imparted by the granola are subtle but enjoyable (I am assuming the caused this biscuit flavor). This beer once again shows DFH's success with thinking outside the box.

I Always Meant to Try That...

Disclaimor: The following paragraph contains a shameless Law and Order: SVU reference.

I have a craft beer confession. I have a habit to ignore beers that are typically readily available and lean towards seasonals, one-offs, and rarities. I tend to have an attitude of "I can get that later" and go for something I feel won't be around long. The problem is, I miss out on some great brews by doing that. So a while back (I'm a bit behind on the blogging) my buddy TJ picked up three great beers that I had always meant to try. These are their stories (DUN DUN).

First up was Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues. This is a big Russian Imperial Stout that weighs in at 10.5% ABV, so TJ and I decided to split a can. Ten FIDY pours oily black and thick with a dark mocha head that doesn't stick around long. The nose is big and roasty, and it makes no effort to hide that it packs a significant alcohol punch. Surprisingly, the booze is less present in the taste. Big roasted malts lead this out with just a hint of the alcohol. It is incredibly smooth but pretty heavy. It finishes up with some delicious dark chocolate flavors. Personally I was glad we split this can since we had two more brews to go, but I could see this making a great slow sipper on a cool evening. Oskar Blues has yet to disappoint!

Next up was one that I had eyed for a long time: Brooklyn Brewery's Local 2. It pours a dark brown with an eggshell head. The nose is a typical yeasty odor that you expect from a Belgian Strong ale. Before we get into flavors, I have to compliment this beer on smoothness. Sometimes these kinds of beers can get a bit overwhelming or heavy. They usually have high alcohol content (this is 9%) and the sweetness, though delicious, can make these beers a one and done kind of deal. Not here. Delicious sweet malts are balanced beautifully with some light banana and honey notes. Finishes with just a slight bitterness. I won't lie, if I had opened this on my own, I would have had no difficulty finishing the bottle. Fantastic!

The next offering is from Brouwerij Huyghe out of Belgium: Delirium Nocturnum. Another Belgian strong ale, this one pours a dark brown with an off white head. The nose boasts some sweet, fruity notes along with some bready yeasts. Sweet, maple and malts are the backbone of this beer, followed by a tangy fruit finish. The yeasty banana notes are far less prevalent here then in most of the beers I've had in this style, but they still make an appearance. All in all a solid offering, but not my favorite beer out of Belgium.

A Week Late and a Beer Short: Conclusion of the 12 Beers of Christmas

Funny thing about beer drinking: Nothing is definite. You may get a skunked beer that was supposed to be awesome. You may not enjoy things that others rave about. Or you may plan a 12 part beer series for Christmas, get caught up in the holidays and say whatever, I'll catch up when I can... Ooops. Beers 10 and 11 are here. If anyone was curious, the twelfth beer was supposed to be 21st Amendment's Fireside Chat. It's still in my beer fridge. That's life. And on that note, I'm moving on:

Beer number 10 was Southern Tiers 2Xmas. Before we get into this one, I have to note that this beer was a year old. I don't know why, but all the stores around here had last year's bottles. I asked someone and they said the distributor did this on purpose because its better with a year on it. I can't refute that claim since I haven't had it fresh and it was delicious as year old, but I call shenanigans. I think they had ordered too much last year. AAaaanyways, this 2Xmas poured a hazy brown with a tan head that dissolved immediately. This brew has an incredibly complex nose; it showcases malts, an interesting gingerbread odor, and hints of cinnamon. Very appealing on a cool, winter evening. Where the odor succeeds, the flavors really outdo themselves. The malts and spices come back through on the flavors, followed by some interesting fruity tang and some brown sugar. This beer is almost whimsical. It is a lot of fun to pick out all of the different characteristics, and despite the complexity it all really works well together. I don't know if it is better with a year on it than fresh, but I know its pretty darn tasty!

The beer I intended to was Christmas Ale brewed by Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV (not sure what the NV is, got it from BA) in Belgium. Many people, including myself, really enjoy the Abt 12, and I love Belgian beers in general, so I was excited to give this a go. Christmas Ale pours a dark, opaque brown with a big, fluffy beige head. The nose boasts Belgian yeasts and sweet raisins. Those delicious banana yeast flavors lead the way, along with some nice bread and date notes. A little bit of spiciness and a hint of booze finish it out. The booze doesn't match its 10%ABV, but it's notable. All in all, this stuff is great. I happened to be in Total Wine the other day, and saw they marked this way down since Christmas is over! $6.99 a bottle, but it'll go fast! Stowed that bottle away for a future Christmas. I can't wait to see how the flavors develop!