66/100) More Woodchucks

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.

Summer Time, Cheeky Cherry, Gumption

I've noticed recently that I've tried a lot of Woodchucks. I haven't settled on an exact reason for this, but the most eccentric reason comes from my love of furry critters. Woodchuck's fall into that category of small, furry mammals. However, I'm not sure how that logically translates into me trying so many ciders. Should I blame Johnny Appleseed?

Summer) so light, the cider was nearly clear. The flavors were a touch of sweetness, and a soft linger with a breath of blueberry. I found this one to be pleasant even though I wasn't sold on it's near lack of flavor. Perhaps it'd be a nice substitute for a lemonade on a hot summer day? It's not nearly tart enough to be a perfect replacement, but it may suffice. ☆☆☆

Cheeky Cherry) It delivers exactly what it says: Sour + Cherry. Or as my sister put it, cherry cough syrup met up with sour patch kids and got thrown into a cider. Someone must like this kind of tartness. I do sometimes, but not with that much cherry flavor. It all just grew and grew into a crescendo that left my taste buds embalmed in cherry. ☆☆☆☆

Gumption) It's rather light for a woodchuck, and tartness replaced the usual sweetness. I'd swear it has cinnamon in it, but I can't tell if I am just imagining things. It reminds of what I imagine would happen if you made an apple pie with granny smith apples. A mixture that I would enjoy probably as much as this cider. Yum! ☆☆☆☆

Special) Umeshu Inspired Concoctions (Part 2)

I really had looked forward to getting this post up earlier, but life happened and other projects took the forefront. Also, in the mean time, I learned that, technically, because I had added sugar to all of these, the most accurate term is liqueurs. I may still call them concoctions for now because a liqueur is a type of concoction.

Back on June 21st, Father's day, I reopened my concoctions that I had made and closed in December last year. Of course, with proper regard to the holiday, I shared samples of them with my dad. 

1-5 in order left to right

1) Coconut and Cut Spike Rum

2) Lemon, Ginger and Cut Spike Vodka

3) Cranberries and Cut Spike Vodka

4) ) Kiwis and Cut Spike Vodka

5) Cranberries and Christian Brother's Brandy

Coconut and Cut Spike Rum

1) Cut Spike Rum and Coconut pieces went into this mix. The level to which the coconut became part of the rum caught me off guard. I could smell it before I'd even gotten it into my shot glass. The flavors of the rum are mostly coconut, but the finish has become a bit harsh. Also, the sweetness of the rum and the added sugar cubes merged rather well. 

I am rather satisfied with this one. It really tastes like fresh coconut meat. 

Fresh lemon, ginger, and Cut Spike Vodka

2) Cut Spike Vodka, fresh lemon slices, and fresh ground ginger made up this concoction. This one did not turn out as I had expected. The initial was not the fresh lemonade like lemon I had intended. The initial became mildly reminiscent of the artificial acridness of lemon scented dusting spray. The mid picked up with something really close to tasting like lemon but was a bit on the zesty side of the lemon peel. I couldn't detect the ginger in the flavors at all, but the finish and linger clearly had a burn caused by something other than the alcohol.

I'm not entirely happy with this one. I had wanted a mixture that I could substitute for lemon juice and ginger in the way of a traditional Japanese cold remedy. Who doesn't love a spiked cold remedy after all? In order to achieve that goal, I'm going to have to tweak the lemon to ginger ratio. Perhaps even, I should try and use only the lemon fruit or lemon peel. It just had too much lemon and not enough ginger for what I wanted. Alternatively though, I could add far more lemon and shoot for something limonchello-esque because I already nearly ended up with something pretty close. I really can't complain about mild limonchello as a result though.

Cranberries and Cut Spike Vodka

3) Cut Spike Vodka and hard cranberries mixed into this one. The cranberries hide in this one. I couldn't smell them at all. The initial weaved the sugar and the vodka together nicely. Then the taste of cranberries sneaked up on me. The cranberry flavors floated as smoke over sugary fire water, and it was delightful. Instead of bringing forward memories of fresh bog-picked cranberries, the flavors are more like the aftertaste you get from cranberry sauce. 

The result was unexpected on this one. I'm not sure how to use it, whether I want to drink it, or if I'm satisfied with it as a sipping drink. I essentially have "cranberry sauce vodka" now. Win? Maybe.

Kiwis and Cut Spike Vodka

4) Cut Spike Vodka and under-ripe kiwis were put into this one. I debated and debated opening this one after three months because of the use of soft fruits, but I held off and maintained my six-month plan. I'm rather regret not checking on it. This one did not turn out well. I can't smell kiwi or taste it. Instead there's an odd flavor on the finish that I've never encountered before. It's not unpleasant, sour, or funky, but it is not friendly.  

Next time, I will open up a kiwi-based mix earlier. I need to know if it would have benefited from less time. However, I do think it just plain needed more kiwi. The impact was too subtle.

Cranberries and Christian Brother's Brandy

5) Christian Brother's Brandy and cranberries were put in this one. Time smoothed out the brandy's already subdued bite. The sweetness masked the cranberries, but they added a nice touch of flair into the backdrop leaving you with just their memory on the linger. 

I'm rather satisfied with this one. Like some of the others, I'm not sure of its exact application, but the results are good. 

In conclusion, I think that the order I would place them is this:

☆☆☆☆☆) Rum and coconut - Way better than expected. 

☆☆☆☆) Brandy and cranberries - Smoothed out the brandy and added cranberry touches.

☆☆☆☆) Vodka, lemon, and ginger - Near limonchello with an extra burn.

☆☆☆) Vodka and cranberries - The cranberries are a bit too light.

☆☆) Vodka and kiwi - Just so odd, perhaps even rancid.

In another observation, I have found a place here that sells 氷砂糖 or literally "ice" sugar. Imagine something like large chunks of rock candy. I have this hunch that using sugar cubes is not as good for the mouth feel so I want to return to what is used in Umeshu, and ice sugar is just that. Although, I did have a discussion with an old lady in Japan that said you could add the sugar whenever, even post-infusion. I'm still not so sure about that. Our discussions focused on sugar as a sweetener and not necessarily as a way to alter the mouth feel, which I think it does.

A few weeks after cracking open this batch, I whipped up some more concoctions. I grabbed some really bizarre fruits this time, and I mixed a couple batches with varying degrees of coconut so I can find the right balance. Look forward to that post soon!

65/100) Crabbies

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.

Ginger Beer, Spiced Orange, Fruits

Crabbies. I don't know much about it other than that it originates in the UK. Yet, while it is from the UK, unless it actually says "imported" on the label, it was likely made using a slightly different recipe somewhere in the country you found it in. The UK versions lack grains, and therefore, they are safe for your gluten-avoiding friends, the USA version? Not so much so, apparently.

Note: All three of mine claim to be imports.

Ginger Beer) The smell is pretty similar to fresh ginger root. Tastes sweet on the initial and middle. The finish is where the burn settles but lightly. If was worried that the ginger bite wasn't strong enough, but it built with each sip. The linger matches the aroma with that earthy, root-like flavor sticking out until the burn gets the chance to overwhelm it. Crabbies is probably not my favorite ginger beer, but it definitely ranks pretty high on the list. ☆☆☆☆

Spiced Orange) Oh. My. This one was lovely. The orange takes the place of the burn in the ginger beer above. The orange brings about a subdued burst of orange with the finish and then vaporizes on the linger. Only until you have had most of the bottle does the orange start to linger. I prefer this to the ginger beer. ☆☆☆☆☆

Fruits) Cloudy alcoholic lemonade is the perfect description for it. The lemon was light but fresh. The finish dominated with a sugar-born sweetness that turned into a light zest on the linger. On a hot day, this would be really refreshing for some. For me, I like a bit more of a lemony punch. ☆☆☆

Halfway through the Fruits, I added a dash of Old Weller Antique (Original 107 Brand). It made for an interesting caramelly tartness combination. I feel as though I may have committed a sacrilege to the whiskey though somehow, but I found that the drink improved significantly with the whiskey's sacrifice.

64/100) Local Porters

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.

Black Eye, 1842 Brew Lab's Number 5, Crooked Rook

These are three porter's from three different states. Scratchtown is in the small town of Ord, Nebraska, 1842 Porter Brew Lab's Number 5 is from Weston, Missouri. The Crooked Rook is from Mankato Brewery in Wisconsin. Together these made for a fun tri-state mix.

Black Eye) First of all, the name is apt. This porter being an imperial or double porter has a strong flavor profile, not unlike a punch to the mouth. If you're not careful, you could also later find yourself reeling from an alcohol punch to the gut on this. The drink was not nearly as harsh as the repercussions of an amateur boxing match. However, the smoothness was overlaid by a vigorous rush of malts that strung together their punches and left my taste buds in need of some down time. This one's a sipper. ☆☆☆☆

1842 Brew Lab's Number 5) The aroma was sweetly roasted. The initial sweeter. The middle toasted. The finish subtle chocolate. The linger light. Don't expect an overwhelming porter like Black Eye as the general taste from this one was light. Initially too, there was an unwanted flavor in the backdrop that might have been from the chocolate, but it disappeared it warmed up. ☆☆☆☆

Crooked Rook) The effervescence is lovely and the roasted touch is a lot more pronounced than I've encountered before. Anything but creamy smooth, this beer is still very clean and lacking in harshness. I speculate that the crooked name points to a more abstract concept than the beer itself. A "Sleek" rook was more what I experienced. ☆☆☆☆

63/100) 3rd Street and Dam

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.

Lost Trout, King George's Imperial Brown, Sugar Shack

Unusual brown bottle surprise! My sister brought me back an unusual bottle from Dillon Dam Brewery in Colorado, and the others I picked up on a trip to grandma's. I know little about either of these breweries, except that I can't find them in my own state.

Lost Trout) Don't you just love the bottle art on this one? The liddle twout on the milk carton looks so adorable. The description on the back is just great as well. Check it out sometime. It's on Third Street Brewhouse's website. The beer itself is a simple, light pleasant brown. Nothing muddies up its waters all that much, and the little trout just remains hidden. No surprises here. ☆☆☆

King George's Imperial Brown)  Firstly, some things stood out to me about the bottle. The ABV had been written on it in black marker, and the picture of King George was just enough pixelated that I suspect a photo too small for this purpose was used. Not the best imperial brown I've ever had eitehr. The booziness overwhelmed most of the flavors leaving me searching for drowned flavors that never surfaced. ☆☆

Sugar Shack) is a maple stout. Need I say more? Apparently, Third Street has exclusive rights to a local Abbey's syrup storehouses. The maple hid a little, but this stout filled out with solid richness. The coffee notes were subdued, thankfully. I really liked this one. ☆☆☆☆

62/100) Roosters, Long of Tooth

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.

Velvet Rooster, Wooden Rooster, Long of Tooth

If you toss a velvet rooster in a barrel for a while out comes a wooden rooster. I'm sure that's one of those higher math functions that I just don't quite get. I propose that Tallgrass formulate a Metal Rooster. Perhaps if you subject the barrel to heavy metal while it's aging?

As for the Long of Tooth, I'm just baffled by where to place it. Sure, it's a Surly Brewing Co beer, but it's also a collaboration with De Proefbrouwerij (which I still can't pronounce). The beer might be classifiable as a English Old Ale, but with the Belgian style touches added, it pretty much falls into a category of its own.

Tallgrass Brewing Co - Velvet Rooster) had those lovely bubblegum-esque white wine-like properties typical to a Tripel. The mouthfeel wanes toward the end. The finish ends up light as a result.The linger remains close to a semi-dry wine. This rooster was velvety smooth and easy drinking for all that ABV. Perhaps you can use it as a gateway beer for your white wine connoisseur friend. ☆☆☆

Tallgrass Brewing Co - Wooden Rooster) The bourbon touch in the aroma thankfully doesn't come through as booziness on the finish. Instead this rooster had had a surprisingly dry finish. I understand the hype on this one. The previous one is good, but this is great. Smoother. More flavor. Higher ABV. What's there to complain about? There's even a new touch of a vanilla to the backdrop. ☆☆☆☆

Long of Tooth) I really liked this beer as I was drinking it. Afterwards, as the finish and linger hit, not so much. The aroma was lovely. The initial and middle were very smooth and full of old ale, alt-like, properties. Then the finish hit, and a weird flavor wave spread through my mouth. That flavor was similar to a pumpkin beer finish, but not exactly the same. As it warmed up that odd flavor started to die away just a bit, so the beer became more drinkable. My guess is that the cacao is the cause of that odd flavor, and that Long of Tooth is much better fresh and suffers from aging. My bottle was near a year-old, after all. ☆☆☆

61/100) Anchor 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.

Old Foghorn, Flying Cloud, Steam Beer, Porter

Anchors away! The sky is clear and blue during the day, but during the twilight, in the Californian fog the making of steamy suds adds a mystique and a heady aroma to the night air.
You don't have to be a sailor to enjoy these beers.
 
Old Foghorn) did not benefit from warming up. Honestly, I am taking that as a bad sign, because barleywines usually open up well with warmth. Let this one settle into your gut like a cold mist after getting the bottle good and frosty. Otherwise, you'll probably dislike it. ☆☆☆

Flying Cloud) is a true "stout" porter. The terms stout and porter are largely interchangeable because the porter came first and a stout porter came later as a way to identify a stronger porter. This flying cloud though, is a true "stout" porter to me because it is so similar in taste profile to the following Anchor Porter. However, the Flying Cloud does it better with a more hearty mouth feel and more creaminess. ☆☆☆☆

Steam Beer) Read up sometime on the unusual method of fermentation used with this beer. It's unusual. The short-attention span version, is that a lager yeast is fermented in open air vats in the night air at a higher temperature than a lager usually is. The result is a spicier beer that is quite like a richer lager that has not been pushed so far as to be a pale ale. ☆☆☆☆

Porter) The initial and mid had an unusual creamy touch to them. The finish wasn't really harsh, but the linger had a very strong presence. Some might say smokey, but I think of it as a roasted chestnut flavor or like the aroma that comes off roasted hazelnut shells. Good, but I prefer the stout. ☆☆☆