Time to Catch Up, How About With Some More IPAs?!

Laptop needed repairs again. I'm almost certain that the world doesn't want this blog to exist! So in an effort to catch up, I will put a few of the great IPAs I have had lately all in one post. All of these IPAs were beers I was waiting very impatiently to try, and I have been lucky enough to snatch them all up!

First up is a fantastic Double IPA: Victory's Dirt Wolf. It took quite a while for this beer to arrive in Virginia Beach, but it was worth the wait! It pours a light, clear gold with a thin off white head. Citrus hops are tangy on the nose, along with a sweet malt backbone. A taste reveals tons of orange and grapefruit flavors. These citrus flavors are followed by just a little malt sweetness. Bitterness is powerful but it is so balanced by these malts and citrus flavors that it is not at all overwhelming. This beer is phenomenal, and I hope it becomes available in larger quantities in this area soon.

Next comes one that just started distributing to Virginia relatively recently: Cigar City Jai Alai. This beer is well sought after in beer trading circles, and I had wanted to try it ever since I first caught wind of it on Instagram. Unfortunately, this beer seems to be only going to Western VA so far, so I had to wait until I took a trip out that way to get some. Jai Alai pours a semi clear gold with a fluffy off white head. The nose on this beer is amazing, with lots of floral and citrus hops assaulting the air. Forward flavors are a lot of orange citrus hops. After that comes just a slightly sweet malt backbone. It finishes just a little bitter, but very smooth. The balance here is killer, and it lives up to the hype. I won't be driving out to Richmond in order to get some more of this, but if I head out that way for something else I will certainly try to get some more. I haven't heard anything about this coming to the beach yet, but hopefully it will be here soon! I would love to try more Cigar City beers!

One of the first beers I reviewed on this blog was Sixpoint's incredible Resin (see that post here). So when I heard about Hi-Res, a beer in which they try to take hop flavors to another level, I knew I had to have it. As soon as I cracked this can my nose was slammed with odors of both citrus and pine hops that got even stronger as I poured. Hi-Res pours a clear, dark gold with a fluffy, slightly off white head. The first flavors I detected were some subtle sweet malts, followed by some hop flavors that I have never quite experienced before. Citrus hops come first, with hints of both grapefruit and orange. Pine flavors come next, but just as a light follow up and not at all as abrasive as many piney hops can be. Finishes bitter, but not overly so. The real danger here is all those great flavors cover up any hint of the 11.1% alcohol that may be there. So crack one of these bad boys with caution, because if you try to drink that whole four pack on your own you may find yourself quite tipsy.

Last one I am going to put on this post is Bear Republic's Apex "Special" IPA. I am not sure what is special about it exactly, other than it is delicious! Apex pours a clear gold with a big, fluffy head. The nose is huge, with lots of citrus and floral notes filling the entire room! This stuff leads nice, light, and smooth with some amazing citrus notes. It is followed by malts that are quite sweet, but quickly replaced by bitter, hoppy goodness. Like the rest of the beers on this post, the real thing that makes this stand out is the balance! All of the flavors play off of each other smoothly. This is the best Bear Republic beer I've had so far!

A Happy Mistake: Lagunitas Sucks and Brown Shugga

Every now and then something happens that throws a wrench in your game plan. That happened to Lagunitas back in 2011 when they were unable to produce their annual release of Brown Shugga. As a result, they released the self deprecating Lagunitas Sucks and proclaimed it a Brown Shugga substitute. It was received so well that they make it every year. Recently I tried both, and I figure its appropriate to discuss them together.

First up we have Brown Shugga. Lagunitas doesn't claim a style here, so we will just call it a strong ale, weighing in at a big 9.9% ABV. It pours a crystal clear brown with a beige head. The nose is surprisingly light for a big beer, with just slight hints of malts detectable. The flavor is less subtle. Tons of sweet malt flavors forward accompanied by some (who would have thought) brown sugar notes. It finishes pretty boozy, but not as much as you would expect from a beer of this strength. It is a solid offering, though not a stand out favorite of mine.

Next up, however, is the happy mistake dubbed only as Sucks. Sucks pours a crystal clear light gold with a big, fluffy off white head that leaves behind a ton of lacing. The nose is big and hoppy, with lots of citrusy tangerine notes. Those citrus notes follow through in the flavor. There is a lot of grapefruit flavors, and the bitterness is subtle but present. This stuff is incredibly delicious and refreshing, and at 7.8% ABV, it is a little more drinkable than the beer it substituted. This has become a go to IPA for me. Not only is it unbelievably delicious, but the price is way below what it could be for a beer of this caliber (Under $10 for a sixer!). Between this and Hop Stoopid, Lagunitas is killing it in the IPA department.

The Bier Garden

Welcome to my first post about beer restaurants in the area! Today I'd like to share with you a little gem out in Portsmouth, VA: The Bier Garden. I had heard about this place a couple years ago, and just had not made it out there until early this past January. Is it worth it? Well I went there a total of three times last month, if that is any sign. This place has it all, but let me break it down for you real quick.

Atmosphere and Service: The Bier Garden is a tiny little nook of a restaurant squeezed between larger establishments in downtown Portsmouth. Step in off the busy streets and you are transported to the home of the German grandmother you may or may not have ever had. It is a homely little place with modest furnishing, including a heated outdoor patio and a bar. It is quiet, with festive German music playing softly in the background. Two out of the three times I went a happy little German lady who I believe is the owner's wife was hanging out in the front room with little ones I assume were her grandchildren. You are hit with a warmth before you even get to the beer. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu and beer list. They make you feel at home, and I really dig that.

Food: Of course if you are going out to a restaurant, you are probably there primarily for the food. The first time I was there, I got a Cordon Bleu sandwich on the most heavenly pretzel bun I have ever tasted. I mean you could eat this thing without the sandwich. In fact, they will sell you a fresh warm one on its own so you can do just that! Add a side of tasty, vinegar based potato salad and I'm in heaven. The next couple visits I got bratwurst and knockwurst, both of which were also phenominal. Even if your dinner mates are not into beer (my wife is not), they will still get to enjoy the great food!

Beer: In the end, this is a beer blog, and I am sure that is what you are all interested in. Well fear not, because The Bier Garden has a MASSIVE list of beers available. Their main focus is imports from Belgium and Germany, but they also carry a great selection of craft beers from the states as well. Just don't go in there expecting to get a Bud Light. They don't carry that nonsense. Get yourself a real lager or German bock, you'll be glad you did. Anyways, here are the beers I tried!

First up was an Ayinger Ur-Weisse, a Dunkelweizen weighing in at a very drinkable 5.8% ABV. Ur-Weisse pours a light, hazy gold with a fluffy white head. The nose is nice and light with notes of banana and a hint of wheat. Flavors open up with tart apple flavors that kind of caught me off guard followed by light and amazing banana notes. It finishes light, smooth, and dry. This beer is absolutely delicious. Unfortunately I don't believe it is available in our local Total Wines. I will certainly be checking out Grape and Gourmet to see if they carry it, as this could easily become my go-to summer beverage.

Next up is a Tripel from Corsendonk known both as Agnus and Abbey Pale Ale (7.5% ABV).  It pours a hazy, brown-yellow with a white head. The nose is a strange blend of lemons and apples. It opens up with a really bizarre tartness with some yeast and clove notes. The rest of the flavors are really hard to place. There is a hint of spices, but I couldn't tell you what those spices are. There is also an unusual lemon flavor without being sweet. At first sip I didn't think I cared for this beer, but its complex flavors grew on me as I drank it.

On my next visit I tried one with a heck of a name: Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel (9% ABV). As the name kind of implies, this beer falls in between a couple of styles. It pours a hazy light gold with a stark white head. The nose consists of a slightly bitter banana smell and hints of yeast. The flavors lead out with smooth banana yeasty flavors with a hint of grapefruit. It is really light in the mouth, and finishes quite bitter for a Belgian beer. This beer is an amazing cross between an IPA and a Belgian Tripel. I really enjoy the combination of citrus hops and banana flavored yeast. Luckily, this one is readily available at Total Wine or Whole Foods here in Virginia Beach.

Last up is Hofbräu Münchner Weisse, a 5.1% Hefeweizen from Germany. It pours a hazy gold with a bright white head. The nose is yeasty with notes of banana and pears. Forward notes consist of light, subtle banana flavors. These are followed up with a little spice and tangy pear notes. It is not my favorite Hefeweizen, but it is still a solid offering and worth a try if you are looking for something nice and light.

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!

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!