A lone goblin carries with it a fuzzy ball of fluff. After setting it down on a chair in an empty space, the goblin exits out a nearby door. His little shoulders droop as he goes, and with him, the door fades away.
Out of the darkness and silence, I arrive. I measure my steps carefully in my mind as I take each one. In spaces such as these, one must tread with caution. I approach the chair and nod. The last one did well, but the task remains undone. I place my hand on the head of what you now recognize as a stuffed bear.
"Welcome to my Teddy talk."
I'm looking back at this blog now, and I wonder how I let it be so thematically hijacked by beer. It seems so... un-me. It was like watching a small train fueled by my passions forced to chug along. This was to be a testing grounds so that I could learn to make something and just let it go. It didn't work though. It became a production. I planned. I wrote in advance. I came up with a script. I gathered data. I fussed over format and details. Then I gathered more data. Eventually, I finalized something and posted it. It was all safe and controlled.
What it was, was wrong. It should be buried deep, but I refuse to delete it and start afresh. That would be the easy way out, like seeking amnestic bliss.
Instead, I leave it as a scar carved of words in a digital landscape, a reminder of the character built through the experience or at the very least a derelict to act as a warning.
The porpoise(sic) had been thwarted at the moat. The castle remained beyond, but I forgot so quickly to even look in its direction. I'm endeavoring to change that, again. And I think a manifesto of fragmented chaos and un-planning is in order.
I'm choosing to sketch a baseline in the sand as a vague jumble of rules:
The goal will be to post at least once a week something, on some topic, in which the content was written up in less than an hour and barely(read: not) edited. I don't have the luxury of time to not practice.
Too much was on the line in the past, and artificially so. I had aspirations of grandeur. I had hopes so high they were sucking in their own smog. Past me thought it was all clearly rational, like the square sides of a glass cube. I see it now for what it really was: a safe room of leaded crystal where everything played nicely and the wildness of the heart had no place.
We'll see where this leads this time. The foolishness of this momentary hopefulness may decide to fizzle out. Only time will tell.
"Thank you for coming to my Teddy talk."
I take the bear and place it on my shoulder. I hunch forward slightly and a series of clicks accompany the restructuring of my physical machinations. With a grin, the bear climbs into a seat that now juts from my back. A series of levers rise to reach his paws. The hiss of steam signals me to start, and like a humanoid chicken walker, I strut off into the night.
Friday, August 9, 2019
Friday, May 12, 2017
100 Weeks Final Entry
The gnomes have left. It's my fault though, because I sent them away.
Yes, I never completed 100 weeks of beer/cider. My emotions slumber on this. No pains of regret lance at me nor will I lose any sleep over its incomplete status. Other factors bother me more.
No, I didn't stop enjoying beer or cider. I have my own personal approach to alcohol which, apparently, runs contrary to the typical. I suppose never having explained that makes my indifference seem hollow. I do eventually plan to write it up, but putting one's personal philosophy out in the open is to place it naked before wolves. I'll hesitate a little longer.
Here are my reasons for stopping the 100 weeks of beer/cider:
I) A poor outlet for imagination. I became disillusioned with the need for a blog of this variety. I write six word shorts on Twitter and Facebook, submit -occasionally- flash fiction for publication, and in between school and work, I hammer away at my longer, not-likely-to-ever-be-completed tales. This blog was supposed to be engineered by fairies. Each one plucking and posting the best glimpses from an idle imagination's fantasy fragments. Instead, the greedy little gnomes took over.
The fairies need to reclaim their territory, but they are fickle.
II) Not feeling the need. When I want to know about a beer, I find out what my friends have thought about it, especially if they have similar taste. If they haven't had it, then I check Untappd, Beeradvocate, or Ratebeer.com for what the general populace thinks. I don't check some random blog that has only a couple dozen reviews(like mine!), and sorry Youtubers, I don't watch someone else enjoy the beer. In short, even I don't look at blogs for this kind of information. I'm a big hypocrite for writing this stuff because I rely on the Internet's data focal points for relevant beer information.
With regards to the fantasy genre though, the unique realms of each person's other worlds don't exist in the general. They exist, by default, as outliers.
III) It lacked a personal touch. I thought of turning this more locally minded. I could focus on reviewing local events, bringing my lens onto nearby breweries, and/or talking about what my little beer circle tried each week. However, I just couldn't get fired up about being a little reporter nor could I muster the brashness necessary to flaunt.
Instead, I simply stopped. Well, also, school made me very busy. Anyway...
What's next? Not sure, but I think while the goblins are away, the faeries will play. They've recently discovered fractals and keep trying to merge them with crystal snowflakes. I'll encourage them the best I can, but for now, they are still experimenting.
Yes, I never completed 100 weeks of beer/cider. My emotions slumber on this. No pains of regret lance at me nor will I lose any sleep over its incomplete status. Other factors bother me more.
No, I didn't stop enjoying beer or cider. I have my own personal approach to alcohol which, apparently, runs contrary to the typical. I suppose never having explained that makes my indifference seem hollow. I do eventually plan to write it up, but putting one's personal philosophy out in the open is to place it naked before wolves. I'll hesitate a little longer.
Here are my reasons for stopping the 100 weeks of beer/cider:
I) A poor outlet for imagination. I became disillusioned with the need for a blog of this variety. I write six word shorts on Twitter and Facebook, submit -occasionally- flash fiction for publication, and in between school and work, I hammer away at my longer, not-likely-to-ever-be-completed tales. This blog was supposed to be engineered by fairies. Each one plucking and posting the best glimpses from an idle imagination's fantasy fragments. Instead, the greedy little gnomes took over.
The fairies need to reclaim their territory, but they are fickle.
II) Not feeling the need. When I want to know about a beer, I find out what my friends have thought about it, especially if they have similar taste. If they haven't had it, then I check Untappd, Beeradvocate, or Ratebeer.com for what the general populace thinks. I don't check some random blog that has only a couple dozen reviews(like mine!), and sorry Youtubers, I don't watch someone else enjoy the beer. In short, even I don't look at blogs for this kind of information. I'm a big hypocrite for writing this stuff because I rely on the Internet's data focal points for relevant beer information.
With regards to the fantasy genre though, the unique realms of each person's other worlds don't exist in the general. They exist, by default, as outliers.
III) It lacked a personal touch. I thought of turning this more locally minded. I could focus on reviewing local events, bringing my lens onto nearby breweries, and/or talking about what my little beer circle tried each week. However, I just couldn't get fired up about being a little reporter nor could I muster the brashness necessary to flaunt.
Instead, I simply stopped. Well, also, school made me very busy. Anyway...
What's next? Not sure, but I think while the goblins are away, the faeries will play. They've recently discovered fractals and keep trying to merge them with crystal snowflakes. I'll encourage them the best I can, but for now, they are still experimenting.
Friday, February 26, 2016
90/100) Toppling Goliath Five
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
I have to praise Toppling Goliath for their bottle art. The colors are bright and vivid. Parts of each bottle glimmer and reflect while the designs just pop out at you. In addition, the labels can be removed easily and placed on other things like stickers. And that is just the outside of the bottle...
Dorothy's New World Lager) Okay... Okay... I really don't like lagers. I know some people that do, but if a lager from even Toppling Goliath can't get my attention, I should probably throw in the towel. But wait, my rant may be for nothing. This beer is a California common lager which means that it undergoes a warmer brewing process than the typical lager. It still doesn't mean that I loved it, but for its style, it is pretty good. ☆☆☆
pseudoSue) or "tropical jungle dinosaur sweat" is amazing. Sweet and full of tropical hop flavors.
That all said, I've recently been told by a friend that these 12oz pseudoSue bottles are brewed in Florida and not actually at Toppling Goliath Brewing in Decorah, IA. I am not sure even to go about confirming this, but the bomber (750ml) bottles of pseudoSue come from the brewery. Which at the very least, might explain why the bombers sell out as soon as they arrive somewhere. They plan to switch to cans here soon. ☆☆☆☆
Golden Nugget) I hate to criticize a Toppling Goliath beer, but I really don't understand the lack of gold luster on the bottle. I understand, of course, that the name is taken from the nugget hops used, but I just want some of that to come through in the art. Regardless, this is a solid IPA. Pine. Evergreen. All those deciduous tree sap flavors come through on a slippery sliding slope of smooth washing green hops. I don't love IPAs because I prefer the malty punch of a DIPA or TrIPA, but I still rather like this one. ☆☆☆☆
1492) In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, or in this case 100% Columbus hops make the 1492. Consider this beer a way for you to experience that hop variety at is epitome. Initially, I didn't like this beer, but it grew on me. The dank almost medicinal touch to this IPA floats soft on the palate. As with all of these TGB brews, the finish was smooth and the beer just plain easy, good drinking. ☆☆☆☆
Rover Truck) The dark one in this bunch. This Rover Truck bleeds oil black dark beer goodness. A rather straightforward oatmeal stout, if you ask me, but I love the rough, roasted feel to the finish. ☆☆☆
 |
| Dorothy's. pseudoSue, Golden Nugget, 1492, Rover Truck |
Dorothy's New World Lager) Okay... Okay... I really don't like lagers. I know some people that do, but if a lager from even Toppling Goliath can't get my attention, I should probably throw in the towel. But wait, my rant may be for nothing. This beer is a California common lager which means that it undergoes a warmer brewing process than the typical lager. It still doesn't mean that I loved it, but for its style, it is pretty good. ☆☆☆
pseudoSue) or "tropical jungle dinosaur sweat" is amazing. Sweet and full of tropical hop flavors.
That all said, I've recently been told by a friend that these 12oz pseudoSue bottles are brewed in Florida and not actually at Toppling Goliath Brewing in Decorah, IA. I am not sure even to go about confirming this, but the bomber (750ml) bottles of pseudoSue come from the brewery. Which at the very least, might explain why the bombers sell out as soon as they arrive somewhere. They plan to switch to cans here soon. ☆☆☆☆
Golden Nugget) I hate to criticize a Toppling Goliath beer, but I really don't understand the lack of gold luster on the bottle. I understand, of course, that the name is taken from the nugget hops used, but I just want some of that to come through in the art. Regardless, this is a solid IPA. Pine. Evergreen. All those deciduous tree sap flavors come through on a slippery sliding slope of smooth washing green hops. I don't love IPAs because I prefer the malty punch of a DIPA or TrIPA, but I still rather like this one. ☆☆☆☆
1492) In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, or in this case 100% Columbus hops make the 1492. Consider this beer a way for you to experience that hop variety at is epitome. Initially, I didn't like this beer, but it grew on me. The dank almost medicinal touch to this IPA floats soft on the palate. As with all of these TGB brews, the finish was smooth and the beer just plain easy, good drinking. ☆☆☆☆
Rover Truck) The dark one in this bunch. This Rover Truck bleeds oil black dark beer goodness. A rather straightforward oatmeal stout, if you ask me, but I love the rough, roasted feel to the finish. ☆☆☆
Friday, February 19, 2016
89/100) Crooked Stave
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Crooked Stave has been placed on my list of must visit breweries. They excel at sours. The ones I have showcased here are largely hop-emphasizing sours. Crooked Stave shines even brighter when fruit has entered the fray though. So, be on the look out for those as well!
Progenitor) Bubbly and grapefruity with a lot of raw sour. I love this. It's so crystal smooth at refrigerator temp. I get a little lemongrass mixed with a touch of lemon heads. Also, true to it's description, this progenitor had a hoppy buzz just on the fringes of its finish and linger. The kind of zest that makes it lively. ☆☆☆☆☆
Colorado Wild Sage) This was amazing. I think I have a new favorite beer. It was exactly what it says. The initial impacts with the lemony liquid sunshine from the runaway Brett. Then as you approach the finish, the sage blossoms spice up the finish with a sharp astringency. The combination of the sour and sage is a double punch for your taste buds. I highly recommend this one. ☆☆☆☆☆
Hop Savant - Centennial) A brett pale ale that was dry-hopped with Centennial hops. For contrast, I also tried the galaxy hops version alongside this. They kept the Brett straightforward and clean so that the hops could play. The centennial version has that good citrus punch and the galaxy version kept its distinct fruity, passionfruit like overtones. Yum! ☆☆☆☆
2017 update: Crooked Stave no longer identifies the hop variety used on their Hop Savant near as I can tell.
 |
| Progenitor, Wild Sage, Hop Savant |
Progenitor) Bubbly and grapefruity with a lot of raw sour. I love this. It's so crystal smooth at refrigerator temp. I get a little lemongrass mixed with a touch of lemon heads. Also, true to it's description, this progenitor had a hoppy buzz just on the fringes of its finish and linger. The kind of zest that makes it lively. ☆☆☆☆☆
Colorado Wild Sage) This was amazing. I think I have a new favorite beer. It was exactly what it says. The initial impacts with the lemony liquid sunshine from the runaway Brett. Then as you approach the finish, the sage blossoms spice up the finish with a sharp astringency. The combination of the sour and sage is a double punch for your taste buds. I highly recommend this one. ☆☆☆☆☆
Hop Savant - Centennial) A brett pale ale that was dry-hopped with Centennial hops. For contrast, I also tried the galaxy hops version alongside this. They kept the Brett straightforward and clean so that the hops could play. The centennial version has that good citrus punch and the galaxy version kept its distinct fruity, passionfruit like overtones. Yum! ☆☆☆☆
2017 update: Crooked Stave no longer identifies the hop variety used on their Hop Savant near as I can tell.
Friday, February 12, 2016
88/100) Dragon's Milk Reserve
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
New Holland has a penchant for fantasy. They've got their Mad Hatter IPAs and references all over the place from Journey to the West all the way to Ichibod Crane. I am particularly fond of their variations on Dragon's Milk. They use a milk stout as the base for these barrel-aged beers. As you will see though, that base gives them a lot of play, especially with - as one might expect - the high potency of these beers.
With Coffee & Chocolate) Exactly what it claims. Rich with coffee and thick with chocolate, this beer is a tough one to quaff. There's just a touch too much coffee for me on the nose, but the chocolate hangs out on the finish making this one a pleasant one to sip. ☆☆☆☆
With Raspberries) Too syrupy and sweet for me, but I can't deny that the raspberry makes its presence known. Not much else to say about it. ☆☆☆
With Toasted Chiles) Slightly smoked, very sweet, and subtly warming on the finish. This beer was great for taking away the nip of a cold day. Since I don't usually go for spicy beers, I was pleasantly surprised to find this one very enjoyable. Aging it will likely cut away the heat so best to drink it soon, if it is already at the right burn level for you. ☆☆☆☆
Triple Mash) What does Triple mash mean? Well, it means they tripled the grain content of the mash. The end result is a potent 14% Abv. Sip this one. For the love of all that is good, sip this amazing beer. It's super sweet, super dense, and super smooth. Also, it will likely only get better with age, so I've socked some away for later years. ☆☆☆☆☆
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| Coffee & Chocolate, Raspberries, Toasted Chiles, Triple Mash |
With Coffee & Chocolate) Exactly what it claims. Rich with coffee and thick with chocolate, this beer is a tough one to quaff. There's just a touch too much coffee for me on the nose, but the chocolate hangs out on the finish making this one a pleasant one to sip. ☆☆☆☆
With Raspberries) Too syrupy and sweet for me, but I can't deny that the raspberry makes its presence known. Not much else to say about it. ☆☆☆
With Toasted Chiles) Slightly smoked, very sweet, and subtly warming on the finish. This beer was great for taking away the nip of a cold day. Since I don't usually go for spicy beers, I was pleasantly surprised to find this one very enjoyable. Aging it will likely cut away the heat so best to drink it soon, if it is already at the right burn level for you. ☆☆☆☆
Triple Mash) What does Triple mash mean? Well, it means they tripled the grain content of the mash. The end result is a potent 14% Abv. Sip this one. For the love of all that is good, sip this amazing beer. It's super sweet, super dense, and super smooth. Also, it will likely only get better with age, so I've socked some away for later years. ☆☆☆☆☆
Friday, February 5, 2016
87/100) Confluence Virtuous Endeavor
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Confluence out of Des Moines Iowa has dropped this set of Belgian classics. The Virtuous Endeavor Series embodies the tradition of Trappist brewing with some robust old world methods touched up by a very modern brewery.
Dubbel) Not as thick as I would have liked, but definitely thicker than a typical beer. The sugar really plays in this one making it a far sweeter Dubbel than usual. ☆☆☆☆
Tripel) This one had a much more grainy mouth feel, which was very appropriate for the style. Sweet and soft, I liked this one a lot, except for the finish. A booziness dominated the finish. Perhaps with time, it could have been aged out, but for now, this Tripel was just too "hot." ☆☆☆
Quadrupel) Amazingly sweet. I thought the Dubbel was sweet, but this one was even more so. Unfortunately, my group pretty much decided this one didn't live up to its style, coming across more as a Strong Dark Ale instead of a Quad. The distinction is hard to make, but when you compare it with a Rochefort 10 or a Gulden Draak Quadrupel, maybe you too can see the difference. Still, regardless of that possibly pedantic or at least quibbling matter, this beer was very enjoyable. ☆☆☆☆
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| Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel |
Dubbel) Not as thick as I would have liked, but definitely thicker than a typical beer. The sugar really plays in this one making it a far sweeter Dubbel than usual. ☆☆☆☆
Tripel) This one had a much more grainy mouth feel, which was very appropriate for the style. Sweet and soft, I liked this one a lot, except for the finish. A booziness dominated the finish. Perhaps with time, it could have been aged out, but for now, this Tripel was just too "hot." ☆☆☆
Quadrupel) Amazingly sweet. I thought the Dubbel was sweet, but this one was even more so. Unfortunately, my group pretty much decided this one didn't live up to its style, coming across more as a Strong Dark Ale instead of a Quad. The distinction is hard to make, but when you compare it with a Rochefort 10 or a Gulden Draak Quadrupel, maybe you too can see the difference. Still, regardless of that possibly pedantic or at least quibbling matter, this beer was very enjoyable. ☆☆☆☆
Friday, January 29, 2016
86/100) Unusual "German" Sours
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
I didn't know Germany had sour beers, I thought at was more of a Belgian thing, so I grabbed these three thinking they were all from Germany. Clearly I knew nothing about them before trying them, because the third one on the right is actually a collaboration beer between Belgium and Canada.
Methusalem Johannisburger) Musty black currant juice. I really don't need to say much more than that. It's okay. Extremely light for a sour, not that I am a good litmus test for that. ☆☆☆
Methusalem Holunderheimer) Elderberry with a mysterious smoked touch. Smells like an alt, and is also rather light for a sour. I can barely get any sort of tartness on it, but I guess it is still there. Not a huge fan of this one, though I can say that finish grew on me. ☆☆☆
Shieve Tabarnak #2) An odd-ball Belgian beer. Smells fuzzy and farmhouse like, and the taste is similar to licking an herb garden. Flavors of mint, oregano, parsley, and dandelion all blossom on the taste buds. Perhaps we could call it a saison? Also, unbeknownest to me at the time of purchase, the name is a cuss word. The word "Shieve" means crooked and is a an allusion to a famous architect that I've never heard of. The "Tabarnak," as you might expect, is a bastardization of the word "Tabernacle," and together the words mean something naughty. I'd rather not have supported such juvenile naming practices. Oh well. Decent beer despite that. ☆☆☆
Methusalem Johannisburger) Musty black currant juice. I really don't need to say much more than that. It's okay. Extremely light for a sour, not that I am a good litmus test for that. ☆☆☆
Methusalem Holunderheimer) Elderberry with a mysterious smoked touch. Smells like an alt, and is also rather light for a sour. I can barely get any sort of tartness on it, but I guess it is still there. Not a huge fan of this one, though I can say that finish grew on me. ☆☆☆
Shieve Tabarnak #2) An odd-ball Belgian beer. Smells fuzzy and farmhouse like, and the taste is similar to licking an herb garden. Flavors of mint, oregano, parsley, and dandelion all blossom on the taste buds. Perhaps we could call it a saison? Also, unbeknownest to me at the time of purchase, the name is a cuss word. The word "Shieve" means crooked and is a an allusion to a famous architect that I've never heard of. The "Tabarnak," as you might expect, is a bastardization of the word "Tabernacle," and together the words mean something naughty. I'd rather not have supported such juvenile naming practices. Oh well. Decent beer despite that. ☆☆☆
Friday, January 22, 2016
85/100) Green Flash
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Green Flash hails from California. I know next to nothing about them beyond that, except they excel at IPA beer types.
Le Freak) is a rather aptly named beer. It's a "first-ever" hybrid that has dual fermentation using two different strains. The end result is a conundrum at best. This becomes both Belgian and American in style leaving us with a Belgium-style Imperial India Pale Ale. And it was potent.
The flavors are a bit similar to grapefruit rind with that distinct IPA bitterness on the finish. The background though was where it got playful with some tropical touches. I think they were along the lines of apricot and papaya. ☆☆☆
Road Warrior) I first had this right before I went to see Mad Max: Fury Road. No Joke. It seemed appropriate at the time. Despite how much I don't seem to like hoppy bitter beers, I really like this one. The hops used are still of the bitter variety near as I can tell, but the rye and higher ABV offset that with a lovely peppery bite. ☆☆☆☆
Double Stout) So extremely malty. The goal from the sounds of it was to to make an equally super malty decently hoppy beer. The bitterness is nerfed completely though. Actually it reminds me of a creamier double porter. I really like it but there's something in the finish that isn't perfectly pleasant. I can't say it's acrid or how it reminds me somehow of astringency, but it's an roast flavor that's a bit off. ☆☆☆
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| Le Freak, Road Warrior, Double Stout |
Le Freak) is a rather aptly named beer. It's a "first-ever" hybrid that has dual fermentation using two different strains. The end result is a conundrum at best. This becomes both Belgian and American in style leaving us with a Belgium-style Imperial India Pale Ale. And it was potent.
The flavors are a bit similar to grapefruit rind with that distinct IPA bitterness on the finish. The background though was where it got playful with some tropical touches. I think they were along the lines of apricot and papaya. ☆☆☆
Road Warrior) I first had this right before I went to see Mad Max: Fury Road. No Joke. It seemed appropriate at the time. Despite how much I don't seem to like hoppy bitter beers, I really like this one. The hops used are still of the bitter variety near as I can tell, but the rye and higher ABV offset that with a lovely peppery bite. ☆☆☆☆
Double Stout) So extremely malty. The goal from the sounds of it was to to make an equally super malty decently hoppy beer. The bitterness is nerfed completely though. Actually it reminds me of a creamier double porter. I really like it but there's something in the finish that isn't perfectly pleasant. I can't say it's acrid or how it reminds me somehow of astringency, but it's an roast flavor that's a bit off. ☆☆☆
Friday, January 15, 2016
84/100) Hard Root Beers
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Hard Root Beers seem to recently have blown up. At my local grocery store, I can find at least five varieties. Hearing good things about Not Your Father's Root Beer, I decided to check out some others as well. Coney Island Brewing co is a subsidiary of Boston Beer Co, while near as I can tell Small Town Brewery (of Not Your Father's) is independent and Root Sellers is a subset of Weston Brewing Company. I looked into that because their sudden boost in distribution struck me as odd.
Coney Island Hard Root Beer) Is this root beer? It's much sweeter than the others and has lots of vanilla. The finish even has anise (read black licorice) like flavors in it. Other than that, it's very root beer like, but too sweet for my taste buds. ☆☆☆
Not Your Father's Root Beer) This one is like Sprecher's Hard Root Beer, but the raw sarsaparilla finish is a bit more subdued. I got a bit more syrup on this one than the others as well, but I think it was my favorite. ☆☆☆☆
Row Hard Root Beer) A strongly medicinal, herbal hard root beer. The molasses also comes through a bit more pronounced. I didn't really like this one much, but my brother thought it was the best of the three. ☆☆☆
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| Coney Island, Not your Father's, Row Hard |
Coney Island Hard Root Beer) Is this root beer? It's much sweeter than the others and has lots of vanilla. The finish even has anise (read black licorice) like flavors in it. Other than that, it's very root beer like, but too sweet for my taste buds. ☆☆☆
Not Your Father's Root Beer) This one is like Sprecher's Hard Root Beer, but the raw sarsaparilla finish is a bit more subdued. I got a bit more syrup on this one than the others as well, but I think it was my favorite. ☆☆☆☆
Row Hard Root Beer) A strongly medicinal, herbal hard root beer. The molasses also comes through a bit more pronounced. I didn't really like this one much, but my brother thought it was the best of the three. ☆☆☆
Friday, January 8, 2016
83/100) Mikkeller Breakfasts
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Beer for breakfast? What else did you think coffee stouts were for? A while back, I brought up Founder's Breakfast Stout before I really knew much about the style. (Founder's Beers) An Oatmeal coffee stout is characterized by a strong, coffee-like malt character with a silky smooth mouth feel. However, Mikkeller, a brewery out of Norway, has make some Breakfast stouts for the beer geek. Suffice to say they went crazy with it. With each of these "Breakfasts,"their potency made it hard to drink more than a few ounces. I could not imagine drinking a full pint of any of them.
Beer Geek Breakfast) Do you need a shot of espresso in the morning? This would work. It is so rich and dark that even light will not penetrate its heavy malts. In fact, when I poured it out, the sediment from the bottom of the bottle came out in large chunks. I'm not sure if that was a good thing, but I drank it anyway. The main flavor was coffee, and I mean straight up coffee right down to the finishing bitter astringency. There was barely any sweetness and very little I could consider chocolate, but the burst of bitter didn't linger. Since I'm not a huge coffee person, I didn't love this one, but you might! ☆☆☆
Beer Hop Breakfast) This was my clear favorite of these three because it reminded me of New Holland's Dragon's Milk Reserve Series Triple Mash. The Beer Hop Breakfast just has a bit more hoppiness, a lot more coffee, and about half the ABV. The hop character came through in the finish as a soft twang, and a sweetness made this beer quite easy to drink. Just like the Beer Geek Breakfast, this beer poured black and filled my nose with a strong coffee beans. ☆☆☆☆
Rauch Geek Breakfast) Rauch means smoked, and in this case, the malts and oatmeal(I presume!) both were smoked before being processed into wort. At some point then, a heaping dose of coffee was added to the mix. In my opinion, the two flavors were both good, but just didn't work well together. In in the initial, the rich, astringent coffee dominates while the finish contained all the smoke. I enjoy smoked beers, but something about this one's finish lacked for me. I think it was that there was no malt sweetness to balance out the smokiness. ☆☆☆
 |
| Beer Geek Breakfast, Beer Hop Breakfast, Rauch Geek Breakfast |
Beer Geek Breakfast) Do you need a shot of espresso in the morning? This would work. It is so rich and dark that even light will not penetrate its heavy malts. In fact, when I poured it out, the sediment from the bottom of the bottle came out in large chunks. I'm not sure if that was a good thing, but I drank it anyway. The main flavor was coffee, and I mean straight up coffee right down to the finishing bitter astringency. There was barely any sweetness and very little I could consider chocolate, but the burst of bitter didn't linger. Since I'm not a huge coffee person, I didn't love this one, but you might! ☆☆☆
Beer Hop Breakfast) This was my clear favorite of these three because it reminded me of New Holland's Dragon's Milk Reserve Series Triple Mash. The Beer Hop Breakfast just has a bit more hoppiness, a lot more coffee, and about half the ABV. The hop character came through in the finish as a soft twang, and a sweetness made this beer quite easy to drink. Just like the Beer Geek Breakfast, this beer poured black and filled my nose with a strong coffee beans. ☆☆☆☆
Rauch Geek Breakfast) Rauch means smoked, and in this case, the malts and oatmeal(I presume!) both were smoked before being processed into wort. At some point then, a heaping dose of coffee was added to the mix. In my opinion, the two flavors were both good, but just didn't work well together. In in the initial, the rich, astringent coffee dominates while the finish contained all the smoke. I enjoy smoked beers, but something about this one's finish lacked for me. I think it was that there was no malt sweetness to balance out the smokiness. ☆☆☆
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Special) Concoctions Round 2 Finish
Happy New Year!
I bet you forgot about those concoctions I made back at the end of June. Concoctions Round 2
I nearly did. I just remembered the 28th, and lo and behold, that's exactly six months later.
In examining the bottles everything seemed generally fine with them. The liquids had changed colors and then upon opening the first, I realized the blue of the glass threw off my perceptions. I started with #4 Bing Cherries and Christian Brother's Brandy. The cherries appeared almost ghostly through the glass.
#4 Bing cherries and Christian Brother's Brandy) I pulled a cherry out and the color had been sucked out of it. It reminded me more of a split olive than a cherry. The actual taste of the brandy hadn't been changed much by the cherries, and after putting the concoction alongside some fresh Christian Brother's Brandy, I can say that it hasn't been improved. The resulting cherry brandy liquor gained faint cherry touches that only muddled the crispness of the brandy. Still good, just not an improvement on the original product.
Next I got into the two Dragon's Fruit mixtures. Or rather I cracked them open and proceed to recover from the smell. I did eventually end up tasting them, but much to my regret, both of these failed. I should have opened them a lot earlier. Decay or mold or something had set into the fruit matter and each smelled like someone's potted plant had been rendered six feet under someone's armpits.
First of all, the odd floaties forming a raft on top of the rum worried me, but the aroma had the right punch to it. Isolating some of the raft, I determined the bits were coconut oil that had congealed. Thankfully nothing threatening and something that actually tasted yummy.
The coconut gave a sweet and robust fresh coconut flavor to the backdrop that didn't compete with the cherry like aspects of the blackheart rum. However, the coconut pieces absorbed the color from the rum leaving it to appear almost clear in comparison to the heavy caramel of the original.
Ignoring the coloring reduction, I call this one a success.
Having done this already before (Umeshu-inspired Concoctions), I have to say that it turned out the same. Despite one having nearly double the coconut in it, I think I wouldn't be able to discern which was which in a blind taste test. This confuses me since one should have been more potent than the other. However, I can load as much coconut into the mixture as a I want because my guess is that time acts as an equalizer in conjunction with the limitations of the absorption of the alcohol.
Here's the brief rundown of these six:
Thanks for reading, and I hope your New Year is wonderful!
I bet you forgot about those concoctions I made back at the end of June. Concoctions Round 2
I nearly did. I just remembered the 28th, and lo and behold, that's exactly six months later.
In examining the bottles everything seemed generally fine with them. The liquids had changed colors and then upon opening the first, I realized the blue of the glass threw off my perceptions. I started with #4 Bing Cherries and Christian Brother's Brandy. The cherries appeared almost ghostly through the glass.
 |
| Ghost Cherries? |
 |
| Just looks like an olive |
#6 Dragonfruit and Cut Spike Vodka + #7 Dragonfruit and Suzume Shochu)
Next I got into the two Dragon's Fruit mixtures. Or rather I cracked them open and proceed to recover from the smell. I did eventually end up tasting them, but much to my regret, both of these failed. I should have opened them a lot earlier. Decay or mold or something had set into the fruit matter and each smelled like someone's potted plant had been rendered six feet under someone's armpits.
 |
| Looks can be deceiving. These dragon fruits never hatched. |
I might try and do some short interval experiments with dragon's fruit in the future, but six months was too long.
#3 Coconut and Blackheart Rum
 |
| Floaties from the coconut. |
 |
| The coconut sucked the color out of the Blackheart |
Ignoring the coloring reduction, I call this one a success.
#1 Coconut (light) and Cut Spike Rum + #2 Coconut (heavy) and Cut Spike Rum)
 |
| Left to Right: Heavy Coconut and Light Coconut |
Here's the brief rundown of these six:
#1 Coconut (light) and Cut Spike Rum) Good ☆☆☆
#2 Coconut (heavy) and Cut Spike Rum) Also good ☆☆☆
#3 Coconut and Blackheart Rum) Super enjoy ☆☆☆☆
#4 Bing cherries and Christian Brother's Brandy) Okay ☆☆
#6 Dragonfruit and Cut Spike Vodka) Unsurvivable ☆
#7 Dragonfruit and Suzume Shochu) For my enemies ☆
Thanks for reading, and I hope your New Year is wonderful!
Friday, January 1, 2016
82/100) Buffalo Sweat (All 4)
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Happy New Year!
Buffalo sweat is probably not the most enticing name on the surface, but beers have certainly had stranger names (Can I get a Moose Drool?). However, even names as strange as this can tell a lot. The buffalo reference of this beer helps allude to its Midwest origins, the land of prairies and open fields. Specifically, Tallgrass Brewing Co out of Manhattan Kansas makes this line of oatmeal stouts. I couldn't resist a side-by-side so I tried all four alongside each other.
Buffalo Sweat) I always get a slight tinny backdrop to this one when I have it from the can. Try it on tap if you can, it's great. Regardless of that, the upfront flavors are the warm subdued roasted flavors you'd expect from a good oatmeal stout, and the mouth feel is appropriately silky. The only place it lacks is the finish where it rather tapers off into a light wateriness. Still, it's quite enjoyable. ☆☆☆
Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat) Normal buffalo sweat reveals how good of a base it can be with this one. The vanilla bean touch rounds out this beer by giving the finish character. Otherwise, the initial and mid are the same as the last. While I think the vanilla is a bit too light, I do really enjoy this beer and am glad it doesn't over power the taste buds. ☆☆☆☆
Bourbon Barrel Aged Buffalo Sweat) I said that normal Buffalo Sweat lacked a strong finish. Barrel-aging it changed that. It's uncanny how similar these three were on the initial and mid, but this one shone on the finish. The bourbon barrel rounded it out and made it what I would almost consider a perfect beer. It's aged, yes, but it was still a light 5.8% ABV. Somehow Tallgrass aged a beer and didn't skyrocket the ABV into the double digits. For that alone, I'd applaud them, but this beer itself deserves applause. It's soft, silky, and full of flavor. I will keep this beer stocked at home so that I can enjoy it any time. ☆☆☆☆☆
Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat with Cinnamon) Yes, that is the beer's name. While a bit ridiculously long, the name lets you know exactly what you're getting. Personally, I would have gone for "Cinnamon Roll Buffalo Sweat" as a name because this breakfast in a can was just that. The vanilla and cinnamon roll into the finish in a direct mimicry of cinnamon roll frosting. The cinnamon while nice at first became too overpowering for me. Great to sample, but hard to just drink a whole can in one sitting. Otherwise still excellent. ☆☆☆☆
 |
| Buffalo Sweat, Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat, Bourbon Barrel Aged Buffalo Sweat, Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat with Cinnamon |
Buffalo sweat is probably not the most enticing name on the surface, but beers have certainly had stranger names (Can I get a Moose Drool?). However, even names as strange as this can tell a lot. The buffalo reference of this beer helps allude to its Midwest origins, the land of prairies and open fields. Specifically, Tallgrass Brewing Co out of Manhattan Kansas makes this line of oatmeal stouts. I couldn't resist a side-by-side so I tried all four alongside each other.
Buffalo Sweat) I always get a slight tinny backdrop to this one when I have it from the can. Try it on tap if you can, it's great. Regardless of that, the upfront flavors are the warm subdued roasted flavors you'd expect from a good oatmeal stout, and the mouth feel is appropriately silky. The only place it lacks is the finish where it rather tapers off into a light wateriness. Still, it's quite enjoyable. ☆☆☆
Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat) Normal buffalo sweat reveals how good of a base it can be with this one. The vanilla bean touch rounds out this beer by giving the finish character. Otherwise, the initial and mid are the same as the last. While I think the vanilla is a bit too light, I do really enjoy this beer and am glad it doesn't over power the taste buds. ☆☆☆☆
Bourbon Barrel Aged Buffalo Sweat) I said that normal Buffalo Sweat lacked a strong finish. Barrel-aging it changed that. It's uncanny how similar these three were on the initial and mid, but this one shone on the finish. The bourbon barrel rounded it out and made it what I would almost consider a perfect beer. It's aged, yes, but it was still a light 5.8% ABV. Somehow Tallgrass aged a beer and didn't skyrocket the ABV into the double digits. For that alone, I'd applaud them, but this beer itself deserves applause. It's soft, silky, and full of flavor. I will keep this beer stocked at home so that I can enjoy it any time. ☆☆☆☆☆
Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat with Cinnamon) Yes, that is the beer's name. While a bit ridiculously long, the name lets you know exactly what you're getting. Personally, I would have gone for "Cinnamon Roll Buffalo Sweat" as a name because this breakfast in a can was just that. The vanilla and cinnamon roll into the finish in a direct mimicry of cinnamon roll frosting. The cinnamon while nice at first became too overpowering for me. Great to sample, but hard to just drink a whole can in one sitting. Otherwise still excellent. ☆☆☆☆
Friday, December 25, 2015
81/100) 2015 Sours
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week
for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do
this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about
300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the
post's title tells you which week I am in now.
First off, Merry Christmas! I know this is a bit non-traditional, but this was my way of indulging as Christmas approached.
The thing with sours is that you can never guess whether they are perfect now or ought to have been aged longer. It's like the conundrum: "Is poison past its expiration date, more or less poisonous?" The same can be said of sours, but without the terminal implications. Although, for the uninitiated, a sour beer can certainly be the death of their taste buds. As for me, I really like sours.
Barrel & Bog) The zing of a sour beer, from what I hear, only gets better with time, while all the other flavors will be subdued. This "funky sour" was either opened far too soon or far too late. It was one of the worst beers I've ever had. It finished bitter, but not in a hop bitter more like a medicine, spoiled food, or stale herbs way. I don't want to give you my friend's descriptions of it, because I fear that your appetite will be spoiled. Suffice to say, it was bad. The only positive I can come up with is that the mouth feel was light, and I'm trying to maintain an hopeful optimism that my other bottle will improve the longer I forget it in my cellar. ☆
La Folie 2015) First of all, if you haven't had one of these sours, you can find them just about anywhere now that New Belgium has begun releasing it twice a year. La Folie, or 'the folly,' is a blended sour so from one bottle to the next the flavors are pretty consistent too. This 2015 was a great mix of barrel and cherry like flavors with a lot of layers of complexity that all lead up to a burst of sour. I'm not even going to be nice and say tart with this one. It was straight up sour and though I loved it, it was a palate wrecker making it hard to sample anything after it. ☆☆☆☆
Love Child #5) This barrel-aged sour, as you can tell by the name, is the fifth in the series. The sixth just came out recently, so I've been holding onto mine for a bit I guess. They're a bit expensive and hard to find so people tend to grab them as soon as they're available. This one was eerily similar to the La Folie, but mostly because of the lemony tartness. It was a bit milder though and the barrel aged aspects were just a bit more muted. ☆☆☆☆
 |
| Barrel & Bog, La Folie, Love Child No 5 |
The thing with sours is that you can never guess whether they are perfect now or ought to have been aged longer. It's like the conundrum: "Is poison past its expiration date, more or less poisonous?" The same can be said of sours, but without the terminal implications. Although, for the uninitiated, a sour beer can certainly be the death of their taste buds. As for me, I really like sours.
Barrel & Bog) The zing of a sour beer, from what I hear, only gets better with time, while all the other flavors will be subdued. This "funky sour" was either opened far too soon or far too late. It was one of the worst beers I've ever had. It finished bitter, but not in a hop bitter more like a medicine, spoiled food, or stale herbs way. I don't want to give you my friend's descriptions of it, because I fear that your appetite will be spoiled. Suffice to say, it was bad. The only positive I can come up with is that the mouth feel was light, and I'm trying to maintain an hopeful optimism that my other bottle will improve the longer I forget it in my cellar. ☆
La Folie 2015) First of all, if you haven't had one of these sours, you can find them just about anywhere now that New Belgium has begun releasing it twice a year. La Folie, or 'the folly,' is a blended sour so from one bottle to the next the flavors are pretty consistent too. This 2015 was a great mix of barrel and cherry like flavors with a lot of layers of complexity that all lead up to a burst of sour. I'm not even going to be nice and say tart with this one. It was straight up sour and though I loved it, it was a palate wrecker making it hard to sample anything after it. ☆☆☆☆
Love Child #5) This barrel-aged sour, as you can tell by the name, is the fifth in the series. The sixth just came out recently, so I've been holding onto mine for a bit I guess. They're a bit expensive and hard to find so people tend to grab them as soon as they're available. This one was eerily similar to the La Folie, but mostly because of the lemony tartness. It was a bit milder though and the barrel aged aspects were just a bit more muted. ☆☆☆☆
Friday, December 18, 2015
80/100) Cold Stouts
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
This week's tasting feels a bit like a cop-out because I couldn't track down a set of three beers from any of these three breweries. However, I suppose that is a testament to how scarce or unusual they are. What they do have in common is that they are darker, stronger, maltier beers, and appropriately, these cold stouts pair best with winter as their high ABV and rich flavors are sure to warm your soul.
Baltika Brew Collection) This Russian imperial stout is straight out of St. Petersburg. Although it had a bit more of the smokiness I'd associate with a imperial or double porter, that was not a disappointment. Lots of depth to this one. Rich and chocolate malts with just a touch of acridness towards the finish. ☆☆☆☆
Ga Run) This Icelandic Stout appeared a little lackluster at first with a distinct lack of amber swirls usually brought on by the effervescence. However, despite fearing it to be flat, the stout came forth with a very pleasant thick mouth feel. The middle characterized itself with a lot of anise and chocolate while the linger remained softly on my palate. I plan on grabbing another of this and hoping that it has more bubbly. I enjoyable it. ☆☆☆☆
Hermitage Ale of the 2 Tun) Do you know what a tun is? No, it's not a misspelling of "ton." Instead, a tun is a large cask or container for beer or wine. It can also be used as a verb to express "putting wine or beer into a tun." In other words, you can "tun beer into a tun." And while I mulled that over in my mind, I tried this beer. The robust nature of the smoked espresso aroma caused me to over anticipate and expect an equally robust taste and mouth feel. It didn't deliver. My overall impression instead was of its thin mouth feel even despite the flavors being a nice chocolate ☆☆☆
 |
| Baltika Brew Collection, Ga-Run, 2 Tun |
Baltika Brew Collection) This Russian imperial stout is straight out of St. Petersburg. Although it had a bit more of the smokiness I'd associate with a imperial or double porter, that was not a disappointment. Lots of depth to this one. Rich and chocolate malts with just a touch of acridness towards the finish. ☆☆☆☆
Ga Run) This Icelandic Stout appeared a little lackluster at first with a distinct lack of amber swirls usually brought on by the effervescence. However, despite fearing it to be flat, the stout came forth with a very pleasant thick mouth feel. The middle characterized itself with a lot of anise and chocolate while the linger remained softly on my palate. I plan on grabbing another of this and hoping that it has more bubbly. I enjoyable it. ☆☆☆☆
Hermitage Ale of the 2 Tun) Do you know what a tun is? No, it's not a misspelling of "ton." Instead, a tun is a large cask or container for beer or wine. It can also be used as a verb to express "putting wine or beer into a tun." In other words, you can "tun beer into a tun." And while I mulled that over in my mind, I tried this beer. The robust nature of the smoked espresso aroma caused me to over anticipate and expect an equally robust taste and mouth feel. It didn't deliver. My overall impression instead was of its thin mouth feel even despite the flavors being a nice chocolate ☆☆☆
Friday, December 11, 2015
79/100) Scotland Ales
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Scotch ales. I can only presume they are so named for some connection they have to Scotland. Regardless, the malt isn't necessarily smoked, but the wort is boiled in such a way as to impart caramel notes and a bit of a roasted backdrop.
The two beers on the left come from Traquair which claims to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. Considering it was a hunting lodge back in the 1100s that is pretty impressive.
McEwan's is also a Scottish brewery that has been around for a long time. They will celebrate their 160th anniversary next year.
Jacobite Ale) Both this one and the following Traquair ale are quality scotch ales. I usually get a lot of banana on this style but not the case on these two. Brewed with coriander, the Jaocobite had just enough for it to be subtly present, but what I had not anticipated came in the form of soft caramels and a subtle sweetness on the finish. Not too complex. Not in your face about anything, but not a pushover. This one is just plain good drinking. ☆☆☆☆
Traquair House Ale) There's a sweetness to this scotch ale that was smooth and unassuming. Place a burger alongside it though and you have reached perfection. It isn't overly fizzy, and the flavors are mellow enough to entice. Not to mention that the finish has just enough biscuit to give it some density. ☆☆☆☆
McEwan's Scotch Ale) As previously mentioned, my problem with Scotch Ale's has been that they often end up giving me a finish that feels a lot like bananas. I've been taught this is coming from "esters." I'm still not up and up on what that means, but I don't like what makes the banana-y flavors. Since I did not get banana on this one or the previous two, I have this theory that maybe scotch ales made in America are different in process from their UK counterparts. Kind of like how there are American IPAs and Belgian IPAs. What set this one off from the other two was a light marzen-like musty touch that changed to a finish that felt peated even though this ale wasn't. ☆☆☆☆
 |
| Jacobite Ale, House Ale, McEwan's Scotch Ale |
The two beers on the left come from Traquair which claims to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. Considering it was a hunting lodge back in the 1100s that is pretty impressive.
McEwan's is also a Scottish brewery that has been around for a long time. They will celebrate their 160th anniversary next year.
Jacobite Ale) Both this one and the following Traquair ale are quality scotch ales. I usually get a lot of banana on this style but not the case on these two. Brewed with coriander, the Jaocobite had just enough for it to be subtly present, but what I had not anticipated came in the form of soft caramels and a subtle sweetness on the finish. Not too complex. Not in your face about anything, but not a pushover. This one is just plain good drinking. ☆☆☆☆
Traquair House Ale) There's a sweetness to this scotch ale that was smooth and unassuming. Place a burger alongside it though and you have reached perfection. It isn't overly fizzy, and the flavors are mellow enough to entice. Not to mention that the finish has just enough biscuit to give it some density. ☆☆☆☆
McEwan's Scotch Ale) As previously mentioned, my problem with Scotch Ale's has been that they often end up giving me a finish that feels a lot like bananas. I've been taught this is coming from "esters." I'm still not up and up on what that means, but I don't like what makes the banana-y flavors. Since I did not get banana on this one or the previous two, I have this theory that maybe scotch ales made in America are different in process from their UK counterparts. Kind of like how there are American IPAs and Belgian IPAs. What set this one off from the other two was a light marzen-like musty touch that changed to a finish that felt peated even though this ale wasn't. ☆☆☆☆
Friday, December 4, 2015
78/100) Canada's Big Rock Brewing
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
I made a trip up to Canada a while back with a friend. We didn't make it to this brewery, but I picked up some of their beers. They seemed to have decent reviews and the bottle/can art looked nice. Yes, I judged a beer by its cover. The whole world of Canadian beers is just too new to me, so I had to come up with some way of not spending three hours just deciding what to bring back. I know. Excuses.. Excuses..
Warthog) An English mild is mild, as one might say. For me, I imagine this beer to be something an old British colonial might reminisce over. Ah, I dare say, this reminds me of the Savannah and warthog sweat. Nasty buggers, you could smell them before you saw them. And they always had the indecency to show right during a meal. Ugh. Or something like that. Really, the taste has nothing to do with warthog stink, but I also don't have enough experience with the style to evaluate whether it is representative or not. There was one background flavor in the finish that I didn't like. It reminded me of the way mildew smells. Otherwise good. ☆☆☆
Scottish Heavy Ale) For me, this is one of Big Rock's winners. The smoothness of this wee heavy remained light without being watery. I got lots of sorghum/molasses in the middle and later on in the linger as well. A bit of fruits, apricot and golden raisin, filled out the finish. I'm sure it baffles you as much as me, but I still don't know exactly why this kind of beer is called a Scottish Heavy Ale. It's not heavy. It's light in color and impact. And I'm not sure what makes it Scottish. Regardless, I love it. ☆☆☆☆☆
Abandoned Abbey) Found deep in a hidden valley shrouded by mist at the Abandoned Abbey, this dark strong ale was enjoyable. Firstly, I'm big on having a good thick mouth feel for Belgian styles, and this one's mouth feel was moderate at best. Also, Belgian style beers tend to have lots of layers of complexity. This one though came across a bit monotone. Negatives aside, the dark fruit flavors smacked of plum and though it was straightforward to me, it might make for a good gateway Belgian for others. ☆☆☆
 |
| Warthog, Scottish Heave Ale, Abandoned Abbey |
Warthog) An English mild is mild, as one might say. For me, I imagine this beer to be something an old British colonial might reminisce over. Ah, I dare say, this reminds me of the Savannah and warthog sweat. Nasty buggers, you could smell them before you saw them. And they always had the indecency to show right during a meal. Ugh. Or something like that. Really, the taste has nothing to do with warthog stink, but I also don't have enough experience with the style to evaluate whether it is representative or not. There was one background flavor in the finish that I didn't like. It reminded me of the way mildew smells. Otherwise good. ☆☆☆
Scottish Heavy Ale) For me, this is one of Big Rock's winners. The smoothness of this wee heavy remained light without being watery. I got lots of sorghum/molasses in the middle and later on in the linger as well. A bit of fruits, apricot and golden raisin, filled out the finish. I'm sure it baffles you as much as me, but I still don't know exactly why this kind of beer is called a Scottish Heavy Ale. It's not heavy. It's light in color and impact. And I'm not sure what makes it Scottish. Regardless, I love it. ☆☆☆☆☆
Abandoned Abbey) Found deep in a hidden valley shrouded by mist at the Abandoned Abbey, this dark strong ale was enjoyable. Firstly, I'm big on having a good thick mouth feel for Belgian styles, and this one's mouth feel was moderate at best. Also, Belgian style beers tend to have lots of layers of complexity. This one though came across a bit monotone. Negatives aside, the dark fruit flavors smacked of plum and though it was straightforward to me, it might make for a good gateway Belgian for others. ☆☆☆
Friday, November 27, 2015
77/100) More Ciderboys
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Ciderboys. After how excellent their Peach County was, I had to come back for more of their combination ciders. This time we take a walk down Cranberry Road as we brandish our Magic Apple. The army of Pinapple Hula dancers will never see us coming.
Magic Apple) was just what it said it would be. As an apple cider with strawberry, initially, I thought the balance was good, but the strawberry grows in intensity until you can only taste it. At least it was a very fresh strawberry flavor. If you don't love strawberries though, you probably won't find it as overpowering as I did. ☆☆☆
Cranberry Road) was a perfect marrying of flavors. Perhaps, I am biased towards tart/sour beers/ciders, but I really enjoyed this one. Try it on a hot summer day and see if you disagree. I can't help but wonder if the cranberry road is much like the yellow brick road, and if there is a Dorothy or perhaps an Edith, who needs to travel that road for her homesickness to be cured. Either that or I need less cider in my life because my judgment is becoming obscured. I'll just have to watch out for flying monkeys, I suppose. Knowing my dreams though, they'd be flying tapirs. ☆☆☆☆
Pineapple Hula) unlike the magic apple, the pineapple did not come across as overdone. However, pineapple just might not be my favorite flavor as I found it hard to want to come back for more. You get a bit of the apple towards the beginning, middle, and finish, while the linger leaves you with that fresh pineapple sweetness. So, they succeeded at making what they set out to make. ☆☆☆
Bonus: Why Tapirs? In Japanese mythology, the Baku (Tapir) eats people's dreams.
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| Magic Apple, Cranberry Road, Pineapple Hula |
Magic Apple) was just what it said it would be. As an apple cider with strawberry, initially, I thought the balance was good, but the strawberry grows in intensity until you can only taste it. At least it was a very fresh strawberry flavor. If you don't love strawberries though, you probably won't find it as overpowering as I did. ☆☆☆
Cranberry Road) was a perfect marrying of flavors. Perhaps, I am biased towards tart/sour beers/ciders, but I really enjoyed this one. Try it on a hot summer day and see if you disagree. I can't help but wonder if the cranberry road is much like the yellow brick road, and if there is a Dorothy or perhaps an Edith, who needs to travel that road for her homesickness to be cured. Either that or I need less cider in my life because my judgment is becoming obscured. I'll just have to watch out for flying monkeys, I suppose. Knowing my dreams though, they'd be flying tapirs. ☆☆☆☆
Pineapple Hula) unlike the magic apple, the pineapple did not come across as overdone. However, pineapple just might not be my favorite flavor as I found it hard to want to come back for more. You get a bit of the apple towards the beginning, middle, and finish, while the linger leaves you with that fresh pineapple sweetness. So, they succeeded at making what they set out to make. ☆☆☆
Bonus: Why Tapirs? In Japanese mythology, the Baku (Tapir) eats people's dreams.
Friday, November 20, 2015
76/100) More Woodchucks 2
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
The woodchuck, how much could he chuck? Well, if he'd get out of the apples already, we'd have a clearer idea. The closest we got to solving this age-old conundrum is the Cellar Series Smoked Cider. It took a bit to get the woodchuck out of that woody smokehouse. Instead of chucking more wood on the fire though, he ran off with some delightful smoked apples.
Pear) I don't really need to say more about this one than that it tasted like a ripe brown pear. If that's what you want in a drink, this is it. If not, run screaming. Or just don't drink it. Me, I enjoyed it. ☆☆☆
Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy) and just like it's name this one is indeed crazy. I'm not sure what Woodchuck was going for on this one. Perhaps a cider shandy? The result was very sweet, tart, and lemony. I couldn't finish it because the flavor reminded me too much of either green apple jolly ranchers or lemon heads that got dissolved into a normal cider. I usually try to come up with something positive about a drink, but I am having trouble on this one. I'm too lazy and this lemon crazy drink made my thoughts hazy. ☆
Smoked Cider) As much as I love this one I know it is not for everyone. The apple mash was smoked before being processed into cider, and the end result was a very smoke-heavy cider. No surprise there. The apple flavors are a bit on the stronger side of a deep amber cider, but they are subdued. Drink this while having a pork chop, bacon, or something else equally greasy. It goes amazingly well with them, and also works well as a a glaze. It's bottled instant smoked sweetness. Try it sometime! ☆☆☆☆
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| Pear, Lemon Shandy, Smoked Cider |
Pear) I don't really need to say more about this one than that it tasted like a ripe brown pear. If that's what you want in a drink, this is it. If not, run screaming. Or just don't drink it. Me, I enjoyed it. ☆☆☆
Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy) and just like it's name this one is indeed crazy. I'm not sure what Woodchuck was going for on this one. Perhaps a cider shandy? The result was very sweet, tart, and lemony. I couldn't finish it because the flavor reminded me too much of either green apple jolly ranchers or lemon heads that got dissolved into a normal cider. I usually try to come up with something positive about a drink, but I am having trouble on this one. I'm too lazy and this lemon crazy drink made my thoughts hazy. ☆
Smoked Cider) As much as I love this one I know it is not for everyone. The apple mash was smoked before being processed into cider, and the end result was a very smoke-heavy cider. No surprise there. The apple flavors are a bit on the stronger side of a deep amber cider, but they are subdued. Drink this while having a pork chop, bacon, or something else equally greasy. It goes amazingly well with them, and also works well as a a glaze. It's bottled instant smoked sweetness. Try it sometime! ☆☆☆☆
Friday, November 13, 2015
75/100) Founder's Backstage Series
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Founder's normal fare is already something I can consider a safe bet on any occasion. This time I amassed a couple of their rarer fare, bottles that were part of their backstage series. They were all seasonal and harder to find that I expected. I also have to apologize for the wonky photo. Something Redankulous has crept into it. Just when I was going to give up and post only about two beers, I found myself a third.
Dissenter) Nay? Nay! Nay I say. Lagers are not for me. And, then for such dissenters like myself, Founder's came along and made an Imperial Pale Lager which is a hopped up stronger lager. This one had light citrus hops, a touch of bitterness on the finish, and smooth malty characteristics that gave it body. It's probably one of first lagers that I've rather liked, albeit it is an imperial one, and a rather robust one at that. I am not a dissenter over this beer. Excellent. ☆☆☆☆
Blushing Monk) The Blushing Monk is essentially an imperial Rübæus. If you haven't had a Rübæus before, you are missing out. If you haven't had a Blushing Monk though, you're really missing out. I suppose that is unless you dislike raspberries, because both are the epitome of what a raspberry beer can be. You get fresh berries on the nose and through to the finish. It was lovely, and I want another. ☆☆☆☆☆
reDANKulous) First of all, the name is awesome. I just wish the font reflected the emphasis that Founder's official spelling does. DANK is the only part of it that should be capitalized. The bottle confuses this by having all the letters uppercase, but I suppose at least "dank" is a font size or two larger. Regardless, this was a crazy IPA. The pine resin hop punch lingers and lingers, but before you reach that you have to wade through a misted jungle of tropical hop flavors and earthy malts. If only the 60s weren't so lacking in beer this unusual, I might describe this beer as a bottle-shaped time capsule back to beaded curtains and shaggy carpets. ☆☆☆☆
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| Dissenter, Blushing Monk, reDANKulous |
Dissenter) Nay? Nay! Nay I say. Lagers are not for me. And, then for such dissenters like myself, Founder's came along and made an Imperial Pale Lager which is a hopped up stronger lager. This one had light citrus hops, a touch of bitterness on the finish, and smooth malty characteristics that gave it body. It's probably one of first lagers that I've rather liked, albeit it is an imperial one, and a rather robust one at that. I am not a dissenter over this beer. Excellent. ☆☆☆☆
Blushing Monk) The Blushing Monk is essentially an imperial Rübæus. If you haven't had a Rübæus before, you are missing out. If you haven't had a Blushing Monk though, you're really missing out. I suppose that is unless you dislike raspberries, because both are the epitome of what a raspberry beer can be. You get fresh berries on the nose and through to the finish. It was lovely, and I want another. ☆☆☆☆☆
reDANKulous) First of all, the name is awesome. I just wish the font reflected the emphasis that Founder's official spelling does. DANK is the only part of it that should be capitalized. The bottle confuses this by having all the letters uppercase, but I suppose at least "dank" is a font size or two larger. Regardless, this was a crazy IPA. The pine resin hop punch lingers and lingers, but before you reach that you have to wade through a misted jungle of tropical hop flavors and earthy malts. If only the 60s weren't so lacking in beer this unusual, I might describe this beer as a bottle-shaped time capsule back to beaded curtains and shaggy carpets. ☆☆☆☆
Friday, November 6, 2015
74/100) Samuel Smiths (Dark Beers)
I have set myself the goal to review three beers or ciders every week for 100 weeks. I will be learning about beer and ciders more as I do this, and if I am successful in this venture, I will have tried about 300 unique drinks. If you're curious how I'm doing, the number in the post's title tells you which week I am in now.
Samuel Smith's is most well-known for its organic and fruit-based beers, but did you know they made stouts, porters, and barrel-aged ales? Not only are the bottles classy, but the beers are quite good and affordable. Quite affordable.
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| Taddy Porter, Imperial Stout, Yorkshire Stingo |
Taddy Porter) An unusual porter that at first spiked on my tongue with an astringency in the finish that I wasn't sure I liked. It was light and somewhat uninspiring at first. Because of that, Taddy wasn't the kind of porter that I expected to like, but I did. The flavors grew and though it was not creamy, thick, or sweet, the smoothness to that ale and the dry finish won me over. ☆☆☆☆
Imperial Stout) Engine oil dark at only a 7% ABV, this beer surprised me before I even opened it. A little sweeter than I expected with a backdrop that touched off reminders of soft candies and powdered sugar. The finish was not harsh, like a Russian Imperial, but not really smooth either. The middle and linger boasted lots of spices and dark fruits, and while clearly a malt-heavy stout the usual malt flavors were rather muted. Instead if I could I'd classify this as an herbal stout. ☆☆☆
Yorkshire Stingo) Molasses and sorghum syrupy touches rested in the backdrop on this one. It finished very dry and perhaps because of that, the nose was subtle to nonexistent. The middle had a bit of raisin or dates. Honestly, one of the more unassuming aged ales I've had. Despite it's strong ABV, the flavors were light and slow. A nice change of pace from my heavy usual fare. ☆☆☆☆
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